23:52 Air Force reports of multiple drones over Ukraine
In numerous regions of Ukraine, the army sounds air raid alerts at night. Russia is attacking the country from multiple directions with drones. An explosion was reportedly heard in Kyiv, according to reporters of the "Kyiv Independent". It is still unclear whether the capital was hit.
22:05 US Medium-Range Missiles in Germany: Former SPD Leader Criticizes "Solo Action"The former SPD leader Norbert Walter-Borjans regrets the lack of debate over the planned stationing of US weapons in Germany. "The fact that such a far-reaching decision is practically not debated, that it is more or less made and announced unilaterally, is problematic," says Walter-Borjans in an interview with "Deutschlandfunk". Moreover, the former SPD leader is not clear whether such a measure "actually increases security or whether it could not also make us a target for a first strike". Recently, the White House and the German government announced on the sidelines of the NATO summit that the USA wants to station weapons systems in Germany again from 2026, which can reach far into Russia. Named were Tomahawk cruise missiles, SM-6 missiles and new hypersonic weapons.
21:35 Ukrainians Judged Less for Contact with Russian InvadersMany Ukrainians living in their own country under Russian occupation inevitably come into contact with the invaders of the brutal illegal war - something that is frowned upon or seen as treason elsewhere. However, "Ukraine is currently experiencing a decrease in the level of condemnation towards citizens from temporarily occupied territories for their various forms of communication with the occupation authorities," says Daria Svyrydova, member of the Advisory Board for De-Occupation and Reintegration of the Crimea regions, at an event in the Media Center Ukraine. "In general, the Ukrainian population considers the possible communication of people in the occupation acceptable in certain situations." According to Svyrydova, this is an important factor for future reintegration processes and an indication of what the state should focus on in developing reintegration policy. Many people believe in a "shared future with the people in the temporarily occupied territories," says Svyrydova.
20:54 Reports of Large Fire in Russian Arms FactoryAmong others, the Ukrainian medium Euromaidan Press reports on a fire in a factory in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg. This factory produces parts for military rockets, it is said. The factory has been under Western sanctions since 2014 and is an important player in the Russian defense industry, according to the report. There has been no official confirmation yet, and the authenticity of the videos on social networks has not been confirmed. There are also no indications of how the fire started.
20:32 Zelensky Visits Troops at Border with BelarusUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is inspecting the fortifications and defensive positions of his forces at the border with Belarus. Accompanied by senior military leaders during his working visit to the Volhynia region, Zelensky is receiving a report from the head of the State Border Guard Service, Serhiy Deineko, about border protection, including the number of troops involved, their capabilities, and weapons. Zelensky is getting a firsthand look at the construction of fortifications, trenches, and underground shelters. "We have a strong defense, both in terms of personnel and defensive lines," he says. "And we will continue to strengthen it." Ukrainian military forces have significantly reinforced the border with neighboring Belarus in recent months.
19:52 Military Expert Gady: Situation 'Extremely Precarious' for UkraineMilitary expert Franz-Stefan Gady describes the military situation at the front for Ukraine as "extremely precarious" due to a lack of personnel reserves, as he tells NDR. Ukraine has been facing recruitment problems for some time, struggling to find new soldiers to relieve frontline fighters or replenish depleted units. In desperation, thousands of prisoners have even been sent to the front, mirroring a tactic used by the Russian side in the past.
19:06 Ukraine: Russian Supersonic Bombers Severely DamagedUkraine's military intelligence service HUR claims responsibility for an attack on a Russian air force base in the far north near Murmansk. Two Russian supersonic bombers of the Tupolev Tu-22M3 type were severely damaged in the attack, according to HUR representative Andriy Yusov, speaking to the Unian news agency. The claims could not be independently verified. Yusov suggests that the military airport may have been attacked by combat drones, citing an explosion over the location of the aircraft. The attack took place in the afternoon of July 25, but the results were only known to the intelligence service now. Repair work on the two bombers is expected to take several months, Yusov estimates.
18:52 Hungary Attracts Guest Workers from Russia - Outrage in EUThere is outrage in the European Union over Hungary's favorable special rules for guest workers from Russia and Belarus. In light of the geopolitical context of the EU's relations with Russia and Belarus, such a mechanism is highly questionable and raises serious security concerns, write top representatives of the European People's Party (EPP) family to EU Council President Charles Michel. The move could create serious loopholes for espionage activities and allow a large number of Russians to enter Hungary and the border-free Schengen area with minimal oversight. The EPP representatives call on the EU Council President to investigate the situation and discuss it at the next EU summit. They urge strict measures to protect the integrity of the Schengen area, limit the existing security risk, and prevent other member states from taking similar initiatives in the future.
18:07 Ukraine: "That's Insanity" - Russian Troops Launch Another Massive OffensiveFollowing the Russian large-scale attack with 57 armored vehicles towards Kurachove a few days ago, there has reportedly been another similar attack. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense writes on X that the Kremlin troops attacked with the same number and failed again. The 79th Airborne Brigade reportedly destroyed or damaged 12 armored personnel carriers and 8 tanks, and eliminated dozens of soldiers. "Do you know what insanity is? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result - like Russian occupiers," the Ministry of Defense writes. Experts from the Institute for War Studies (ISW) were already surprised after the first attack that Russia is still resorting to such costly attacks. The US think tank attributed it to a lack of operational foresight:
17:27 Ukraine Reports Successful Attack on Russian TerritoryThe Ukrainian military reports that it attacked a Russian oil depot in the Kursk region last night. "Intelligence reports indicate that a fire broke out at the enemy's facility as a result of the attack," the Ukrainian General Staff reports on Facebook. Kursk is located on the border with Ukraine and has been the target of repeated Ukrainian attacks. Military expert Colonel Reisner said in an interview with ntv.de recently: "Experts are divided, some say that five percent of oil production has been knocked out by Ukrainian drone attacks, others estimate 15 percent. Accordingly, less money is being pumped into the Russian war economy. That's the Ukrainian calculation. But we can't yet see any measurable effect. These attacks will only have an impact over the coming months and years if Ukraine can continue them gradually."
16:40 Good News from the F-16 Fighter Jet Initiative for UkraineAccording to the "Wall Street Journal," the US will equip Ukraine with crucial ammunition for F-16 fighter jets. "Despite limited stocks and production capacities, the Pentagon will equip the F-16 with sufficient air-to-ground ammunition, precision-guided bomb sets, and modern air-to-air missiles to meet Ukraine's urgent needs," the newspaper writes, citing a high-ranking official. Air-to-air ammunition is used to combat targets in the sky, while air-to-ground ammunition is used to combat targets on the ground. It is hoped that the F-16 jets will be able to attack Russian aircraft and airports in the border region and on Russian territory. Until now, they have often been able to fire on targets in Ukraine without hindrance, for example with devastating glide bombs. However, due to various issues, Kyiv's forces will likely only be able to deploy a few F-16 jets this year.
16:02 Several Opposition Figures Disappear Simultaneously in RussiaAt least five imprisoned opposition figures have been transferred to unknown locations in Russia. Among them are opposition politicians and activists who protested against Russia's military offensive in Ukraine, according to lawyers and human rights organizations. Transfers in the Russian penal system are generally opaque, but the disappearance of several imprisoned opposition figures at the same time is very rare. The lawyers of the imprisoned opposition politician Ilya Yashin report on his Telegram channel that Yashin has been taken from his prison colony in the Smolensk region in the west of the country "to an unknown location."
15:29 Slim Hope for Lasting Peace? Finance Minister's Statement Offers Little OptimismAlthough the word "peace" has been used here and there lately by both Ukrainian and Russian sides, the prospects of it are dwindling. The two sides are still far apart. Russia continues to demand the cession of four Ukrainian regions and further guarantees, while Kyiv insists on the withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukrainian territory. Finance Minister Sergiy Marchenko expects the war to continue until 2025. In an interview with RBC Ukraine, he speaks of an additional need of $12 to $15 billion that the country requires. The Ukraine is heavily dependent on financial aid from abroad but also aims to increase its taxes.
14:46 Russia Reportedly Begins Using Largely Unknown Weapon from North KoreaRussian forces are now reportedly using North Korean armored vehicles in the war against Ukraine. As reported by outlets such as Militarnyi and Defence-Blog, a Ukrainian reconnaissance unit discovered a North Korean Bulsae-4 anti-tank missile system near the front in the Russian border region of Belgorod on a field. Little is known about the North Korean Bulsae-4, but its fired guided missiles are said not to follow a ballistic trajectory and are capable of hitting their target from above, where armored vehicles are typically most vulnerable. The range of the missiles is estimated to be more than ten kilometers.
14:22 Russia Aims to Mitigate Sanctions with Crypto PaymentsRussia plans to introduce its first international payments in cryptocurrencies this year. "We are already discussing with ministries, agencies, and companies the conditions of the experiment, and we expect the first such payments to take place by the end of this year," said Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina. The parliament is expected to pass the corresponding law later today, allowing Russian companies to use cryptocurrencies in international transactions and coming into effect presumably in the fall. Russia has faced significant delays in international payment traffic with major trading partners. Many banks have become more cautious in dealing with their Russian business partners due to the pressure from Western supervisory authorities, primarily due to sanctions imposed because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
13:53 Ukraine Invites China's Foreign MinisterThe Ukrainian government has invited Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for a return visit. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kyiv said that the government in Beijing has expressed interest. "We are ready to welcome Minister Wang Yi to Ukraine so that he can see firsthand the consequences of Russian aggression against our country," the spokesperson said. The talks could then be deepened on a range of bilateral, regional, and international issues. Recently, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba visited Beijing.
13:27 Russia Claims Capture of Town in DonetskRussian troops have taken the village of Piwdenne in eastern Ukraine, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. In its statement, the ministry refers to the town as Leninskoe, using its Russian name. Piwdenne is located in the Donetsk region, which Russia has declared annexed. Before the start of the Russian invasion, the village had around 1,400 inhabitants. Ukraine initially did not confirm the capture.
13:02 USA sees Russia as greatest threat of disinformation for US electionThe US intelligence service believes that Russia may try to influence the US presidential election in favor of Donald Trump, NBC News reports, citing unnamed employees. According to their assessment, Russia continues to pose the greatest threat of disinformation to the election. In the previous two presidential elections, Russia allegedly conducted a wide-ranging campaign and cyberattacks, particularly before Trump's election as US president in 2016. If Trump wins again, Ukraine must fear the loss of US support - the Republican has announced that he would end the war within the shortest possible time.
12:26 UK predicts small successes for RussiaThe British intelligence service expects further tactical advances by Russian troops in the coming weeks, according to its own statement. However, their operational capabilities remain limited due to factors such as lack of training, high attrition rates, and shortages of officers. This is stated in the daily update by the Ministry of Defense.
11:54 Georgian volunteer dies in combatAnother Georgian volunteer fighting for Ukraine has been killed in the Luhansk region, the Georgian Foreign Ministry confirmed to the portal Civil Georgia. The 47-year-old Bondo Gagnidze died during a firefight. Since the beginning of the war, 54 Georgians have died in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
11:24 Russian sentenced to 14 years for planning pro-Ukrainian attackA Russian military court has sentenced a man to 14 years in prison for treason, accusing him of joining a pro-Ukrainian militia and planning an attack. The prosecution alleges that Artem Sanscharajew Sanscharaew bought materials for Molotov cocktails "to undermine Russia's economic security and defense capabilities." Security forces reportedly thwarted an attack on an electrical switchbox. Sanscharaew is said to be a member of the pro-Ukrainian Legion Freedom of Russia, which consists of Russian citizens and claims armed incursions into Russian border regions.
10:55 Munz: Russia builds weapons with gaming console partsMedia reveals that western electronics are still being used in Russian weapons. ntv correspondent Rainer Munz explains how this is possible despite sanctions - and what role gaming consoles play:
10:27 Ukraine estimates war costs at 120 million euros per dayEach day of war costs Ukraine around 120 million euros, according to its finance minister, Serhiy Marchenko. In an interview with the agency RBK-Ukraine, he put the monthly costs for the security and defense sector at over 3.7 billion euros. The current budget for this year is short by over 11 billion euros, which are to be raised mainly through tax increases.
Read more about this here.
09:46 Ukraine reports 440 attacks in 24 hours on SaporischschjaThe Russian army attacked 12 locations in the Saporischschja region with a total of 440 attacks within 24 hours, the Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform reports, citing the head of the regional military administration. 260 drones were reportedly in use.
09:01 Kupjansk Reports Attack with InjuredRussian troops attacked the city of Kupjansk in the Kharkiv Oblast this morning, injuring one person. Ukrainska Pravda reports, citing the head of the local military administration, that the 71-year-old victim was taken to a hospital.
08:11 Meloni Criticizes China's Support for RussiaItalian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has criticized China's support for Russia's war efforts, calling it a "source of great friction" during a visit to the country. China is considered close to Russia, with the governments in Moscow and Beijing agreeing to a "limitless partnership" just days before the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. China has not condemned Russia's invasion.
07:31 Reports of Explosion in Russian City of KurskAn explosion was heard and seen over the Russian city of Kursk early this morning, according to Ukrainska Pravda, citing the local governor and Russian Telegram channels. No damage has been reported so far. Later, the governor reported that four missiles were launched over the region overnight.
06:44 Russia Increases Pressure on Migrants to Serve in MilitaryTo meet the army's personnel needs, the Russian government is taking further steps to force migrants into military service. The Duma is preparing an initiative that would make obtaining a Russian passport mandatory for military service, according to the Institute for the Study of War. Applications are also being reviewed to make newly naturalized citizens serve two years instead of one. Human rights activists and opposition figures report physical abuse to force migrants to sign military contracts, as well as threats to revoke citizenship and promises of a passport in exchange for military service.
06:08 Ukraine Prepares for Winter to Avoid Energy CrisisPresident Selenskyj said Ukraine is already preparing for the coming winter to prevent a major energy crisis. In his evening video address, he reported on a meeting in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, which is frequently targeted by Russian attacks. "I held a meeting in Kharkiv to discuss security and energy issues, as energy is always one of the main topics," said Selenskyj. A significant portion of Russia's air and missile attacks in recent months has targeted Ukraine's infrastructure.
05:29 Russian Navy Begins Large-Scale Fleet ExercisesThe Russian Navy has begun large-scale fleet exercises involving around 20,000 soldiers and 300 ships and submarines. The exercise will test the military command structures of three fleets and the Caspian Flotilla, according to Russian news agencies citing the defense ministry. In addition to ships and submarines, around 50 aircraft and more than 200 units of military special equipment will be used.
03:48 Wadephul: Rocket Deployment "Necessary Response of NATO"
Defense expert of the Union faction Johann Wadephul continues to see the need for a debate in the German Bundestag on the planned deployment of US long-range weapons in Germany. "Of course, the Bundestag must discuss this question. The communication of the federal government on this is terrible," said the CDU politician to the "Rheinische Post". "If such an important decision is only communicated via a press conference, we lose the necessary support in parliament and in the public," warns Wadephul. There are convincing arguments, he says. "The deployment is the necessary response of NATO to an already existing threat by Russian Iskander rockets stationed in the Kaliningrad region. This directly threatens Germany and potentially restricts our political room for maneuver. Therefore, we should welcome the planned deployment," says Wadephul.
01:19 BSW: Long-range rockets increase war risk for Germany
BSW chairwoman Amira Mohamed Ali criticizes German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the debate about the deployment of US long-range rockets in Germany. "Of course, Scholz should not have made such a far-reaching decision without the parliament," she said to the "Rheinische Post". "After all, we are talking about a measure that concretely increases the risk of war for Germany." Mohamed Ali, who is co-chair of BSW with Sahra Wagenknecht, emphasizes: "The deployment of US long-range rockets in Germany is another step towards military escalation. This is a highly dangerous course that the federal government should turn away from."
23:35 USA delivers more rockets to Ukraine
The US government announces further military aid to Ukraine worth $1.7 billion. The package, worth around $1.6 billion, includes ammunition for air defense, artillery and mortars, the government said (see also entry at 19:58). In addition, rockets for combating ships and tanks will be delivered. John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, says Ukraine will receive "key capabilities for combat". Air defense missiles of the type Nasams and ammunition for multiple rocket launchers of the type Himars will be delivered. However, the US Department of Defense refuses to clarify which weapons are taken from US stocks with a permit from President Joe Biden and which will be delivered to the front in months or years through long-term contracts.
22:14 Mayor: Transport of Russian military equipment to Saporischschja "increasing significantly"
The transport of Russian military equipment to the Saporischschja region via the occupied Mariupol in the Donetsk region has "significantly increased," says Petro Andriushchenko, an advisor to the mayor of the city in exile. The news comes days after a Ukrainian military spokesman confirmed that Russia has reinforced its troops in the Saporischschja Oblast and sent at least 2,000 more soldiers there in the last few weeks. Although Russia has stationed around 90,000 soldiers in the region, intelligence information suggests that a significant change in hostilities in the Oblast is unlikely, the spokesman added.
21:07 Ukraine Demands Clarification of Backgrounds of Attack on Prison in OlenivkaUkraine is calling on international investigators to expedite the investigation into a deadly attack on a prison controlled by Russia in the country that occurred exactly two years ago. "Two years ago, Russia carried out a terrorist attack against Ukrainian prisoners of war in Olenivka. I urge the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross to fulfill their mandate and investigate this war crime," writes Ukrainian human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets on the online service X. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also called for Moscow to be held accountable for "one of the worst Russian crimes of this war." The bombing of the prison controlled by Russia in the region of Donetsk governed by pro-Russian separatists resulted in the deaths of at least 50 Ukrainian prisoners of war on July 29, 2022. According to Ukrainian reports, around 130 more people were injured. Russia and Ukraine blamed each other for the attack.
20:35 Ukraine Charges Two Pro-Russian Collaborators for Killing of Prisoners of WarThe Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office reports that it has identified and charged in absentia two pro-Russian collaborators who led the Russian prisoner-of-war camp in the occupied territories where dozens of prisoners were killed in an explosion in 2022. The Prosecutor General's Office said that the investigation took into account statements from 20 victims and 30 eyewitnesses, as well as forensic evidence from the deceased. The two former commanders were charged in absentia for violating the laws of war. Meanwhile, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) stated that the two former commanders are Ukrainian collaborators identified as Serhii Yevsiukov and his deputy Dmytro Neiolov. According to the SBU, Yevsiukov and Neiolov were dismissed from their positions in November 2022 and are currently hiding in the Russian-occupied territories.
You can read all previous developments here.
In light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, there are concerns about the potential escalation of cyberwarfare. The United States has warned Ukraine about the risk of cyberattacks from Russia, emphasizing the need for cybersecurity measures.
Moreover, the potential use of cyberweapons in this conflict could have far-reaching consequences, as they could disrupt critical infrastructure, such as power grids, transportation systems, and communication networks. This could exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and undermine efforts to restore peace and stability in Ukraine. Therefore, it is crucial for all involved parties to exercise caution and responsibility in this area, and to work together to prevent the misuse of cybertechnology for hostile purposes.
