At 22:19, Zelensky thanks King Charles
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expresses gratitude to King Charles for the audience. He shared this in a post on social media. Zelenskyy is attending the European summit in Britain. At the meeting of almost 50 state and government heads near the English university town of Oxford, Zelenskyy urges Western allies to shoot down Russian rockets and drones over Ukrainian territory with their own weapons. In a post about the audience with King Charles, Zelenskyy writes that the United Kingdom remains "one of the closest and most important allies of Ukraine."
9:30 p.m. "DeepState" video shows Ukrainian advance at Bachmut city limits
The online analysts of "DeepState," who are close to the Ukrainian army, have posted a video on social media that allegedly shows a fight between Russian and Ukrainian forces at the outskirts of the contested eastern Ukrainian city of Bachmut. The city is significant for both sides. It has been in Russian hands since May 2023.
8:27 p.m. Scholz draws second red line
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected the request of 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 Britain, the SPD politician once again denied Zelenskyy's plea to lift the 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 that."
8:11 p.m. Stoltenberg: Further US support for Ukraine "extremely important"
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged the United States to continue its significant support for Ukraine after the presidential election in November. It is "extremely important" that Washington maintains its support for Kiev, Stoltenberg said on the sidelines of the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Britain. Previously, Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance had expressed his opposing stance on further Ukraine support from the United States. "European allies and Canada can certainly do more, but it is extremely important that the United States continue to support Ukraine," Stoltenberg said in an interview with the news agency AFP. This must be "a joint effort from North America and Europe." The United States is "by far" the closest ally of Ukraine. "Therefore, I expect them to continue supporting Ukraine." It is also "in the security interest of the United States to support Ukraine," he emphasized.
19:29 Scholz to lay "shadow fleet" chain 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 in Ukraine would be intensified. "Russia is trying to export oil using quite 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 'shadow fleet' to rest."
18:58 Ukrainian numbers on Russian losses
The Ukrainian General Staff has released new figures on Russian troop losses in Ukraine. According to the report from Kiev, Russia has lost approximately 563,640 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022. In one day alone, the losses amounted to 1,130. The report also states that seven tanks, twelve armed combat vehicles, 54 artillery systems, and 50 drones have been destroyed. According to the Ukrainian General Staff, Russia has lost 8,245 tanks, 15,883 artillery systems, 361 aircraft, 326 helicopters, 12,274 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine since the start of the large-scale attack. Western estimates put the loss figures lower - these being only minimum values.
18:07 NATO command for Ukraine ready in September
The new NATO-Ukraine Command in Wiesbaden is expected to be operational in September. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg made the announcement at the European Political Community summit in Oxford. The command in Wiesbaden will coordinate international military aid and training for the Ukrainian armed forces in the future. Approximately 700 men and women are expected to be involved in the operation at several locations.
17:31 Britain: Ukrainians to decide on weapons use
Britain intends to let Ukraine decide 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 Minister David Lammy in an interview with the German Press Agency in response to a question about whether he would lift the restrictions on the use of Western weapons. Lammy spoke on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit, where around 50 state and government heads gathered in Oxfordshire, England. The Russian attack war on 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 reduced power supply. According to Ukrenergo, eleven regions and the capital Kiev are affected by the restrictions between 8 and 22 local time. "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 states. Exact details about the allegedly affected facilities and the cause of the current failures are not mentioned. According to earlier reports from Ukraine, the country has lost nearly half of its production capacity due to the attacks, which Russia has intensified since the spring. As a result, there are frequent power outages, and the country must import electricity in large quantities from the EU.
16:22 Germany takes in critically ill children from KievFollowing the Russian rocket attack on the Ochmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kiev, Germany has admitted eight children who were previously treated there. The Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Health make this known in a joint statement. The children are between a few months and 15 years old. Most of them are oncology patients. "The rocket attack on the children's clinic in Kiev once again showed the inhumane cruelty with which Putin conducts his war against Ukraine," says 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 people from Ukraine have been brought to Germany for medical treatment. Germany's humanitarian support for Ukraine will be continued with full force, Faeser adds.
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 stationing of conventional US weapons in Germany. The defense of the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad is a focus, according to Vice Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, looking at the part of Russia's territory that is located furthest west between NATO countries Poland and Lithuania. The USA and the German government had announced the previous week that the USA plans to station long-range US weapons such as Tomahawk cruise missiles and currently developing hypersonic weapons in Germany from 2026. "I exclude no options," Ryabkov says in response to a question about a Russian reaction.
15:12 Ukraine: Russian munitions depot on the Crimean peninsula destroyedAccording to its own reports, Ukraine has attacked military targets on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula with flying and swimming drones. Security sources report that, in a joint operation by the Navy and the Ukrainian Security Service SBU, a command center and a munitions depot at the Donuslav Sea in the west of the Crimea have been destroyed or damaged. Russia had previously reported the interception of 33 Ukrainian drones over the Crimea but did not provide details about the specific targets.
14:29 Starmer to Selenskyj: "We will be on your side"British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warns at the European summit about the threat from Russia and assures Ukraine 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 targets near Charkiw in Russian territory 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" citing 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 dealingA Russian court sentences an American citizen to 13 years in prison on charges of drug dealing. Michael Travis Leake was found "guilty of selling narcotics", 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 June of the previous year. He was accused of "organizing the sale of drugs 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 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 announced that Russia was open for a prisoner exchange with the US.
12:10 Ukraine sends wheat for 100,000 Palestinian families
Despite war and continuous shelling: Ukraine, according to "Kyiv Independent", has reportedly 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 over 100,000 Palestinian families for a month, according to the Foreign Ministry.
11:34 Russia: 33 Ukrainian drones over Crimea
Russia reportedly shot down 33 Ukrainian drones over Crimea, according to its own statements. Russian Defense Ministry reports, as quoted on Telegram, that Russian forces in the Black Sea also destroyed ten remotely operated watercraft that were on their way to the annexed peninsula. The governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, declared that loud noises in Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula were due to the repulsion of an "attempted attack by an overwater drone." Two more drones were reportedly intercepted by the Russian Defense Ministry in the Bryansk region adjacent to Ukraine. "There were no casualties or damage," the governor, Alexander Bogomas, reported on Telegram.
11:05 Thousands affected: All kindergartens near Belgorod closed
In the south Russian region of Belgorod, all kindergartens in close proximity to the Ukrainian border have reportedly suspended operations temporarily. The reason given by the responsible authorities, as reported by Russian media, is the danger from shelling. 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 reportedly "enhanced professional exchanges, mutual understanding, and trust between the Chinese and Russian navies," and "promoted the standardization and systematization" of "practical bilateral cooperation," according to the Chinese Navy. 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 Ukraine everything it needs"
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen demonstrates the EU's determination towards Russia. "Russia is counting on Europe and the West giving in," she stated. "And some in Europe are playing along." Von der Leyen criticizes the trip of Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, which she described as a "pacification mission." However, the EU's support for Ukraine is permanent. "We must give Ukraine everything it needs to resist and emerge victorious."
09:38 Heavy Russian attacks on Ukrainian Eastern Front
The Ukrainian General Staff reports on heavy Russian attacks on the front in the east of the country. There were 29 storm attacks by the Russians at the frontline near the small town of Torezk, according to the Military in its morning report. The village of New York was particularly contested there. The enemy also used parachute bombs dropped from aircraft. Torezk is located in the Donezk region, as is the second heavily affected frontline sector Pokrovsk. There were reports of 26 attacks there. Russian troops are gradually advancing at this location following the capture of the city of Avdiivka in February. The General Staff reports 144 Russian attack attempts since Wednesday morning. According to an unofficial report, Ukrainian troops are reportedly giving up the village of Kaliniwka near the city of Chassiw Jar.
09:00 Kiev reports success in drone defense
The Ukrainian Air Force intercepted all 16 drones fired by the Russian military at targets in Ukraine at night, according to their own reports. Two out of three Russian rockets were also intercepted. The projectiles were destroyed over five regions.
08:17 How much does Russia pay its soldiers
The Russian government is reportedly paying between 2.75 trillion and 3 billion Rubles – roughly $31 to $33.9 billion USD - in salaries and compensation to soldiers and their families from July 2023 to June 2024, according to the group Re:Russia, which condemns the war against Ukraine. This amounts to 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 holds that the outcome of the US election, according to his own statements, is not decisive for the success of Ukraine's defense against Russian aggressors. Ukraine will find a way to counter the Russian attackers, even if the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is re-elected in November and thus crucial US support is jeopardized, says Umerow. He refers to the diplomatic and military difficulties that his country faces following Trump's official nomination as presidential candidate and that 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 be strong," so Umerow. "In this phase, we will focus on the battlefield." Vance advocates for blocking military and financial aid to Ukraine, while 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. However, Lavrow 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 served as a pretext for Putin's 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's 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 views of Russian citizens on the war in Ukraine. The journalist has been in pre-trial 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 regarding the planned stationing of US long-range missiles 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 completely different than they were five or ten years ago. "At the eastern flank of NATO, there is an aggressor again." In light of this, Pistorius calls for a change of direction in the country and defends his demand to become "war-ready" in the coming years. "I don't like the term '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 stay away from the coast. Ukrainian drones have historically attacked Russian ships near the harbor and disrupted traffic. Noworossijsk is Russia's largest Black Sea port and an important transshipment point 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 remembers the victims of the MH17 shootdown in his daily video address. "There are no doubts in my mind that the trial and the work of international justice will lead to absolutely just sentences for all those responsible for this tragedy," he says. This punishment is also necessary, he adds, just as it is for all other crimes Russia has committed in the war. The MH17 airliner of Malaysia Airlines was shot down on July 17, 2014, over contested territory in eastern Ukraine by pro-Russian rebels using a Russian surface-to-air missile.
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, precisely because they want to serve their homeland," says Defense Minister Boris Pistorius to the "Rheinische Post." Compared to the previous year, there were 15 percent more people who had applied for military service by July 8. However, Pistorius wants to quickly implement his new conscription model. "But I need a quick entry into the military registration, because we are threatened. That's why I'm starting with the men, and then the women will come as soon as possible," he says. The draft law is expected to be completed in the fall.
00:56 Report: Heavy Losses for Kiev in Battle for Dnipro Bridgehead
According to media reports, Ukraine has suffered heavy losses in the battle for a now abandoned bridgehead at the Dnipro in the southeast of the country. More than 1,000 soldiers on the Ukrainian side are reported to have died in the months-long battle for the small town of Krynki. 788 soldiers stationed there are listed as missing, reports the Internet portal Slidstvo.Info, citing police sources. 262 soldiers were found dead during this period. The battles for the town of Krynki were criticized from the outset due to their futility. The troops stationed there could hardly be supplied from across the river. Dead and wounded could rarely be transported away.
23:52 Air Alarm: Drones approach KyivIn Kyiv, there is another air alarm. Loud explosions can be heard above the city. 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 before that, the Ukrainian Air Force warned that drones from the east were heading towards Kyiv. Moreover, drones were reportedly spotted in the regions of Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk. At least 43 people were killed by Russian air raids on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities on July 8.
23:10 Estonia and Lithuania ban cars with Belarusian license platesEstonia and Lithuania announce 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 says the ban has been imposed because Belarus "directly contributes to Russia's aggression in Ukraine and supports it." Lithuania recently announced a similar ban. The three countries, along with 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. These include fighters from the Ukrainian armed forces, the National Guard, and the Border Guard." After thanking the United Arab Emirates for their role in securing this release, he continues: "We must bring them all back."
21:56 Moscow sentences Ukrainian collaborators to lengthy prison termsA Moscow military court sentences two Russians to lengthy prison terms for attempting to join the "Freedom Legion of Russia" recruiter. Radio Free Europe (RFE) reports that the 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 statement reads that the man lived in two countries.
21:00 Lavrov blames US for escalating violenceRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov tells the UN Security Council that the US is responsible for the many deaths in Ukraine and the Palestinian territories. "By giving 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 news agencies in New York. He further states that as soon as the US ceases its support, the bloodshed will end. In fact, Russia began the aggression in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and expanded it to the entire country in February 2022. A Russian troop withdrawal from Ukraine would also end the deaths in Ukraine.
All former developments can be read here.**
- President Zelenskyy expresses gratitude to King Charles for his support during their meeting, emphasizing that the UK remains one of Ukraine's closest and most important allies.
- Zelenskyy urges Western allies to shoot down Russian rockets and drones over Ukrainian territory with their own weapons during the European summit, citing the need for collective defense in the face of the Ukraine-Conflict.
- In response to Zelenskyy's request, German Chancellor Scholz denies his allies using their weapons against Russian territory, maintaining that such steps are not an option, even with the support of the USA.
- During the same summit, NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg emphasizes the importance of continued US support for Ukraine, as it is "extremely important" that Washington maintains its support for Kiev and that this must be a joint effort from North America and Europe.
- Following the meeting, Russia considers deploying additional atomic missiles in response to the announced stationing of conventional US weapons in Germany, signaling a potential escalation in the military operations against Ukraine.
