23:40 Zelensky speaks with Britains about joint weapons production
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy spoke with representatives of British defense companies about the prospects of joint defense production. He shared this over Telegram. The discussion focused on the possibilities of joint weapons production, specifically ammunition, air defense systems, artillery, armored vehicles, and drones. Britain was the first European country to supply Ukraine with heavy weapons, tanks, and long-range weapons, Zelenskyy noted.
22:19 Zelenskyy thanks King Charles
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to King Charles for the audience. He shared this on social media. Zelenskyy is in the UK for the European summit. At the meeting of almost 50 state and government heads near the English university town of Oxford, Zelenskyy urged Western allies to shoot down Russian rockets and drones over Ukrainian territory with their own weapons. In his post on social media about the audience with King Charles, Zelenskyy wrote that the UK remains "one of the closest and most important allies of Ukraine."
21:30 "DeepState"-Video allegedly shows Ukrainian advance near Bachmut
Online analysts from "DeepState," who are close to the Ukrainian army, have posted a video on social media that is said to show a fight between Russian and Ukrainian forces on the outskirts of the contested eastern Ukrainian city of Bachmut. The city is of great strategic importance to both sides. It has been in Russian hands since May 2023.
20:27 Scholz rejects Zelenskyy's call
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected the call from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to his Western allies to shoot down Russian rockets and drones over Ukrainian territory with their own weapons. After the European summit in the UK, Scholz again declined Zelenskyy's request, imposing restrictions on the use of the delivered Western weapons against Russian territory. Regarding whether he agrees with other NATO countries on these points, he said at a press conference: "I see such a consensus that such steps are not an option, even the USA are clear about this."
20:11 Stoltenberg: Further US support for Ukraine "extremely important"
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged the US to continue its important support for Ukraine after the presidential election in November. It is "extremely important" that Washington maintains its support for Kiev, Stoltenberg said at the sidelines of the European Political Community (EPG) summit in the UK. Previously, Republican vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance had expressed his opposition to further US support for Ukraine. "The European allies and Canada can certainly do more, but it is extremely important that the US continues to support Ukraine," Stoltenberg told the AFP news agency. This should be "a joint effort from North America and Europe." The US is "far and away" Ukraine's closest ally. "I therefore expect the US to continue supporting Ukraine." It is also "in the security interest of the US to support Ukraine."
19:29 Scholz to lay "shadow fleet" chains on Russians
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced after the European Political Community meeting that the fight against Russian old tankers used for oil exports and financing the war against Ukraine will be intensified. "Russia is trying to export oil using rather old tankers it has acquired through straw men on the world market," he said. "These dealers are a risk for maritime security and of course for our seas and the environment." The EU has already reacted with sanctions. "Now we want to bundle our forces in a global coalition to lay the chains on this shadow fleet."
18:58 Ukrainian numbers on Russian losses
The Ukrainian general staff has published new figures on Russian troop losses in Ukraine. According to these figures, Russia has lost approximately 563,640 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022. In one day alone, the losses amounted to 1,130. According to the report from Kiev, seven tanks, twelve armed combat vehicles, 54 artillery systems, and 50 drones have been destroyed. According to the Ukrainian general staff's statements, Russia has lost 8,245 tanks, 15,883 artillery systems, 361 aircraft, 326 helicopters, 12,274 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine since the beginning of the large-scale attack. Western estimates put the loss figures lower - these are only minimum values.
18:07 NATO command for Ukraine ready for action in September
The new NATO-Ukraine command in Wiesbaden is expected to be ready for action in September. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg made this statement at the European Political Community summit in Oxford. The command in Wiesbaden will coordinate international military aid and training for Ukrainian forces in the future. Approximately 700 men and women are expected to be involved in the deployment at several locations.
17:31 Britain: Ukrainians to decide on weapons use themselves
Britain intends to let Ukraine decide for itself on the use of Western weapons against Russian territory. "It's important that Ukraine makes its own decisions about its deployments while it is fighting this war and its young men and women are at the front," said Foreign Secretary David Lammy in an interview with the German Press Agency on the question of whether he would lift the restrictions on the use of Western weapons. Lammy spoke on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit, which brought together around 50 state and government heads in Oxfordshire, England. The Russian attack war against Ukraine dominated the agenda, as it had at previous meetings.
16:56 Ukrainian power grid operator reports "significant power deficit"After the nighttime failure of two power plants in Ukraine, the power grid operator Ukrenergo has drastically cut power supplies. According to Ukrenergo, regions including eight to 22 local time zones, and the capital Kiev, are affected. "A significant power deficit in the Ukrainian energy system is the result of eight massive attacks that the enemy has carried out against energy facilities since the beginning of the year," Ukrenergo stated, without providing specific details about the targeted facilities or the cause of the current outages. Previous reports from Ukraine indicate that the country has lost nearly half of its production capacity due to the attacks, which Russia has intensified since the spring. As a result, power outages continue to occur, and the country must import large amounts of electricity from the EU.
16:22 Germany takes in critically ill children from KievFollowing the Russian missile attack on the Ochmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kiev, Germany has admitted eight children who had previously been treated there. The German Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Health made this announcement in a joint statement. The children are between a few months and 15 years old, with most being oncology patients. "The missile attack on the children's clinic in Kiev once again demonstrated the inhumane cruelty with which Putin is waging his war against Ukraine," said Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. The children are accompanied by a total of ten close relatives. Since March 2022, more than a thousand severely injured and critically ill patients from Ukraine have been brought to Germany for medical treatment. Germany's humanitarian support for Ukraine will continue to be intensified, Faeser added.
15:51 Russia considers deploying additional atomic missilesRussia is not ruling out the deployment of additional atomic missiles and speaks of a reaction to the recently announced deployment of conventional US weapons in Germany. The defense of the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad is a primary concern, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, in reference to the Russian territory located furthest west between NATO countries Poland and Lithuania. The US and the German government had announced the previous week that the US intends to station long-range US weapons such as Tomahawk cruise missiles and currently developing hypersonic weapons in Germany starting in 2026. "I rule out no options," Ryabkov said in response to a question about a Russian response.
15:12 Ukraine: Russian munitions depot on the Crimean peninsula destroyedThe Ukraine claims to have attacked military targets on the annexed Crimean Peninsula using flying and swimming drones. According to security sources, during this joint operation by the Navy and the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), a command center and a munitions depot at the Donuslav Sea in the western part of the Crimean Peninsula were destroyed or damaged. Russia had previously reported the interception of 33 Ukrainian drones over the Crimean Peninsula (see entries 11:34 and 05:07), but did not provide specific details about the targeted facilities.
14:29 Starmer to Selenskyj: "We will be on your side"British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warns at the European summit about a threat from Russia and assures Ukraine of permanent support. "You have no doubts: We will be on your side, as long as it is necessary", Starmer tells Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy calls on allies again to allow the use of Western weapons on targets in Russia. "The fewer restrictions we have, the more peace Russia will seek", he says in his speech at Blenheim Palace in Oxford. He refers to the fact that the permission of some Western countries to allow attacks on the region of Charkiw on border targets in Russia has not led to an escalation.
14:02 Ukrainian army withdraws from another villageThe Ukrainian armed forces have withdrawn from the village of Uroschaine in the Donezk region. This writes "Kyiv Independent" quoting a spokesperson for the Chortyzja military group. In earlier media reports it was said that Uroschaine had been captured by Russian forces. The village is located on the southern frontline in a region of Donezk that borders Saporischschja. According to the spokesperson, the Ukrainian armed forces withdrew "because the enemy had almost completely destroyed everything in Uroschaine". The decision was made "to protect the lives and health of our soldiers who were defending there".
13:20 US musician sentenced to 13 years in prison in Russia for "drug trafficking"A Russian court sentences an American citizen to 13 years in prison on charges of drug trafficking. Michael Travis Leake is "found guilty of drug sales", reports the Moscow Justice Press Service on Telegram. He was sentenced to a 13-year term in a strict penal colony. The former paratrooper and musician from the USA was taken into custody in investigative detention in June of the previous year. He was accused of "organizing drug sales to young people". According to CNN, Michael Travis Leake is a musician and music producer who has lived in Russia for many years.
12:43 Behind closed doors: Second hearing for US journalistIn Russia, the trial against the US journalist Evan Gershkovich continues. The second hearing in the case takes place behind closed doors, confirms a court spokesperson in Yekaterinburg. Journalists have no access to the courtroom. The 32-year-old Gershkovich is accused of espionage. If convicted, the journalist from the "Wall Street Journal" faces up to 20 years in a penal colony. The second hearing, which was moved forward on the defense's request from August 13 to July 18, was closed to the public from the outset. Gershkovich is the first Western journalist to be arrested in Russia since the end of the Cold War on espionage charges. He has been in pre-trial detention since his arrest in March 2023. President Vladimir Putin had previously stated that Russia was open for a prisoner exchange with the US.
12:10 Ukraine sends wheat for 100,000 Palestinian families
Despite war and constant shelling: Ukraine, according to "Kyiv Independent", has sent 1,000 tons of wheat flour to the Palestinian territories. This is supposedly the first tranche of three food aid packages that will be sent as part of the humanitarian program "Grain from Ukraine." The first package is said to be enough to feed more than 100,000 Palestinian families for a month, according to the Foreign Ministry.
11:34 Russia: 33 Ukrainian drones over Crimea
Russia shot down 33 Ukrainian drones over Crimea, according to its own reports. Russian Defense Ministry reports that Russian troops in the Black Sea also destroyed ten remotely operated watercraft that were on their way to the annexed peninsula. The governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev, announced that loud noises in the port city on the Crimean peninsula were due to the repulsion of an "attempted attack by a surface drone." Two more drones were reportedly intercepted by the Russian Defense Ministry in the border region of Bryansk. "There were no casualties or damage," the governor, Alexander Bogomas, reported on Telegram.
11:05 Thousands affected: All kindergartens near the border in Belgorod closed
In the southwestern Russian region of Belgorod, all kindergartens in the immediate vicinity of the Ukrainian border have reportedly been temporarily closed. According to official statements, the reason is the danger of shelling. The responsible official, Anna Kutasheva, reportedly told Russian media that the measure applies from Wednesday initially for the rest of the week for institutions within a 20-kilometer radius of the border. According to Russian media, the kindergarten closures affect 50,000 people in the region.
10:32 Joint exercise concluded - "Trust between the Chinese and Russian navies strengthened"
China and Russia have completed a joint naval exercise. The Chinese Navy reports that all planned projects and exercises of the "Joint Sea 2024" exercise were completed on Wednesday. The six-day exercise, during which a "joint response to maritime security threats" was trained, reportedly involved seven warships. The exercise is said to have "strengthened professional exchanges, mutual understanding, and trust between the Chinese and Russian navies" and "improved the standardization and systematization" of "practical bilateral cooperation." The exercise took place off the coast of the Chinese port city of Zhanjiang in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong.
10:06 Von der Leyen: "We must give the Ukraine everything it needs"
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen demonstrates the EU's determination towards Russia. "Russia is counting on Europe and the West giving in," she says. "And some in Europe are playing along." Von der Leyen criticizes Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's trip, which she calls a "pacification mission." However, the EU's support for Ukraine is permanent. "We must give the Ukraine everything it needs to resist and emerge victorious."
09:38 Heavy Russian attacks on Ukrainian Eastern Front
The Ukrainian General Staff reports of heavy Russian attacks on the front in the east of the country. There were 29 storm attacks by the Russians at the front section near the small town of Torezk, according to the Military in its morning report. A village named New York was particularly contested there. The enemy also used parachute bombs dropped from aircraft. Torezk is located in the Donesk region, as is the second heavily affected front section Pokrowsk. There were reports of 26 attacks there. Russian troops are gradually advancing at this location following the capture of the city Avdiivka in February. The General Staff reports 144 Russian attack attempts since Wednesday morning. According to an unofficial report, Ukrainian troops are supposed to give up the village of Kaliniwka near the city of Chassiw Jar.
09:00 Kiev reports success in drone defense
The Ukrainian Air Force reportedly intercepted all 16 drones fired by the Russian forces at targets in Ukraine during the night. In addition, two of three Russian rockets were intercepted. The projectiles were destroyed over five regions.
08:17 How much does Russia pay its soldiers
The Russian government reportedly paid between 2.75 trillion and 3 billion Rubles – roughly translated to around 31 to 33.9 billion US Dollars - in salaries and compensation to soldiers and their families from July 2023 to June 2024. The group Re:Russia, which condemns the war against Ukraine, estimates this amount to be 1.4-1.6% of the expected Russian Gross Domestic Product in 2024 and 7.5-8.2% of the budget expenditures.
07:42 Umerov: US election not decisive for Ukraine
Ukrainian Defense Minister Umerov reportedly holds the outcome of the US election insignificant for the success of Ukraine's defense against Russian aggressors. Ukraine will find a way to combat the Russian aggressors, even if the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is re-elected in November and thus crucial US support is put at risk, Umerov said. He refers to the diplomatic and military challenges that Ukraine faces following Trump's official nomination as presidential candidate and the nomination of J.D. Vance as his vice presidential candidate. "We believe in the leadership role of the US, and we believe that America wants its partners and allies to also be strong," so Umerow. "In this phase, we will focus on the battlefield." Vance advocates for blocking military and financial aid for Ukraine, Trump wants to end the war immediately.
07:11 Lawrow: "Not all territories have been liberated" and rejects peace conference
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sharply criticizes Western plans for another peace conference on Ukraine. There are points that are unacceptable for his country, Lavrow says. "A course was taken to forcefully implement the so-called Zelenskyy Plan, which has the clear form of an ultimatum," the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy makes the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine a condition for peace. In contrast, Lavrov insists on the demand of Moscow to seize more Ukrainian territories. "There (in the east and southeast of Ukraine) are still not all territories liberated. We cannot leave the people who have voted for a return to Russia under the regime that is eliminating everything Russian," Lavrow says. The claim that the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine must be protected was used by Vladimir Putin as a pretext for the war against the neighboring country. Traditionally, many Ukrainians, particularly in the east of the country, speak Russian but do not want to belong to Russia.
06:35 Lawrow: "Undeniable evidence" for journalist spying
According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, there are "undeniable evidence" that the detained "Wall Street Journal" reporter Evan Gershkovich is a spy. As the Associated Press writes, Lavrov also accuses US journalists of delaying negotiations between the US and Russia on a possible prisoner exchange by reporting on confidential negotiations. According to Lavrov, the case of Gershkovich has nothing to do with "attacks on journalism." In fact, there are no independent media left in Russia, many journalists have fled abroad, and others have been subjected to massive repression. Gershkovich himself was arrested in Yekaterinburg at the end of March 2023 while working on a report about the recruitment methods of the Wagner mercenary group and the opinions of Russian citizens about the war in Ukraine. The journalist has been in pretrial detention in Russia since then on espionage charges. A hearing is taking place today.
05:53 Pistorius: We must be able to defend against attacks
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius understands the fears of the population in the face of planned US long-range rocket stationing in Germany. "We must protect ourselves as well as we can. I understand the concern of the people about an escalation," the SPD politician tells the "Rheinische Post" and the "General-Anzeiger." The framework conditions are different from what they were five or ten years ago. "At the eastern flank of NATO, there is an aggressor again." Facing this, Pistorius calls for a change of direction in the country and defends his demand to be "war-ready" in the coming years. "I don't like the word 'war-ready' myself. But it's the truth that we best protect ourselves if we are able to repel a potential attack war."
05:03 Alarm for Drones in Russian Black Sea Port
The mayor of the Russian Black Sea port city of Noworossijsk, Andrey Krawtchenko, is warning of drones at sea. Via Telegram, he is urging citizens to keep a safe distance from the coast. Ukrainian drones have historically attacked Russian ships near the port and disrupted traffic. Noworossijsk is Russia's largest Black Sea port and an important transshipment hub for the export of oil and oil products. Meanwhile, the Russian-appointed governor of Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula, Mikhail Raswoschajew, reports that Russian forces have destroyed a Ukrainian drone in the Black Sea near the city.
03:18 Zelensky Remembers MH17 Shootdown Anniversary
Ukrainian President Zelensky commemorated the victims of the downing of a commercial airliner over the Donbass region in his daily video address. "There are no doubts that the trial and the work of international justice in general will lead to absolutely just sentences for all those responsible for this tragedy," he said. This punishment is also necessary, he added, just as for all other crimes Russia has committed in the war. The MH17 airliner of Malaysia Airlines was shot down by pro-Russian rebels with a Russian surface-to-air missile on July 17, 2014, over contested territory in eastern Ukraine.
02:13 Pistorius: More Applicants for the Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr is reporting an increasing number of applicants. "There are also more and more people who are volunteering to serve, precisely because they want to serve their homeland," Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told the "Rheinische Post." Compared to the previous year, 15 percent more people had applied for military service by the deadline of July 8. However, Pistorius wants to quickly implement his new conscription model. "I need a quick entry into military conscription because we are threatened. That's why I'm starting with the men, and then the women will come as soon as possible," he said. The draft law is expected to be completed in the fall.
00:56 Report: Heavy Casualties in Battle for Dnipro Bridgehead
According to media reports, Ukraine has suffered heavy losses in the battle for a bridgehead at the Dnipro River in the southeast of the country. More than 1,000 soldiers on the Ukrainian side are reported to have been killed in the months-long fight for the small town of Krynki. 788 soldiers stationed there are listed as missing, according to the Slidstvo.Info news portal, citing police sources. 262 soldiers have been recovered. The battles for the bridgehead were criticized from the outset due to their futility. The troops stationed there could hardly be supplied across the river, and the dead and wounded could rarely be transported away.
23:52 Air Alarm: Drones approaching KievIn Kiev, there is another air alarm. Loud explosions can be heard over the city. Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on Telegram that the air defense systems have been activated. In the central district of Darnytsky, debris have fallen, but there are no reported damages as of the first findings. Shortly beforehand, the Ukrainian Air Force warned that drones from the East were heading towards Kiev. Furthermore, drones were reportedly detected in the regions of Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk. At least 43 people were killed by Russian air raids on Kiev and other Ukrainian cities on July 8.
23:10 Estonia and Lithuania ban cars with Belarusian license platesEstonia and Lithuania declare that they will no longer allow cars with Belarusian registration plates into their country at their borders with Russia and Belarus. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna states that the ban has been imposed because Belarus "directly contributes to Russian aggression in Ukraine and supports it." Lithuania had recently announced similar measures. The three countries, as well as Poland, Finland, and Norway, had already banned the entry of cars with Russian registration into their sovereign territory in 2023.
22:23 Zelenskyy on prisoner exchange: "We must bring them all back"In his evening video address, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy welcomes back the 95 soldiers who have returned from Russia (see entry at 14:36). Zelenskyy writes on X: "We are bringing our people home. Another 95 defenders have been released from Russian captivity. Among them are soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the Border Guard." After thanking the United Arab Emirates for their role in the prisoner exchange, he continues: "We must bring them all back."
21:56 Moscow sentences Ukrainian collaborators to lengthy prison termsIn Moscow, a military court sentences two Russians to lengthy prison terms for attempting to join the "Freedom Legion of Russia" recruiting station. According to Radio Free Europe (RFE), the Freedom Legion is a paramilitary unit where Russian deserters and other Russian and Belarusian volunteers fight on the Ukrainian side against Russia. The 24-year-old Andrei Morozov is sentenced to twelve years in prison, and the 56-year-old Muscovite Anatoli Poplavski to five and a half years. RFE reports that Poplavski has two young children living in Ukraine and a wife he is currently divorcing. The announcement states that the man lived in two countries.
21:00 Lavrov blames US for escalating violenceRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accuses the US of being responsible for the many deaths in Ukraine and the Palestinian territories during a UN Security Council session. "By granting diplomatic protection to Israel and supplying it with weapons and ammunition, Washington has - it's clear to everyone - become a direct party to the conflict, just as in Ukraine," Lavrov told Russian agencies in New York. He further states that as soon as the US ceases its support, the bloodshed will end. In fact, Moscow began the armed conflict in the eastern Ukraine in 2014 and expanded it to the entire country in February 2022. A Russian troop withdrawal from Ukraine would also end the killings in Ukraine.
All former developments can be read here.**
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned Britain as one of Ukraine's closest and most important allies during his discussion about joint defense production with British defense companies, focusing on weapons like ammunition, air defense systems, artillery, armored vehicles, and drones.
- After the UK summit, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected Zelenskyy's request for Western allies to shoot down Russian rockets and drones over Ukrainian territory with their own weapons, citing restrictions and consensus among NATO countries against such action.
- NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg expressed the importance of continued US support for Ukraine after the presidential election in November, emphasizing that it should be a joint effort from North America and Europe, as the US is "far and away" Ukraine's closest ally.
- The topic of cyberwar was hinted at when it was reported that "DeepState," online analysts close to the Ukrainian army, posted a video on social media allegedly showing a fight between Russian and Ukrainian forces on the outskirts of the contested eastern Ukrainian city of Bachmut.
- The conflict between Ukraine and Russia continued to dominate the European Political Community summit, with NATO command for Ukraine set to become operational in September if fully ready for action, as well as concerns about potential Russian military deployments and continued attacks on Ukrainian territory.
