At 22:23, Zelenskyy on prisoner exchange: 'We must bring them all back'
In his evening video address, the Ukrainian President welcomes back 95 soldiers who returned from Russia (see entry at 14:36). President Zelenskyy writes on X: "We are bringing our people home. Another 95 defenders have been released from Russian captivity. Among them are fighters of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the Border Guard." After thanking the United Arab Emirates for facilitating this release, he continues: "We must bring them all back."
21:56 Moscow sentences Ukrainian collaborators to lengthy prison terms
A military court in Moscow has sentenced two Russians to long prison terms for attempting to join the "Freedom Legion of Russia" recruiters. According to Radio Free Europe (RFE), the Legion is a paramilitary unit where Russian deserters and other Russian and Belarusian volunteers fight on Ukraine's side against Russia. The 24-year-old Andrei Morozov was sentenced to twelve years in prison. The 56-year-old Muscovite Anatoli Poplavski was sentenced to five and a half years in prison. RFE reports that Poplavski has two small children living in Ukraine and a wife he is currently divorcing. The announcement states that the man lived in two countries for some time.
21:00 Lavrov blames US for escalating violence
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking at a UN Security Council session, has accused the US of being 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 participant in the conflicts, 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 both cases. The unprecedented wave of violence in the Middle East is a result of US policy in the region, claims the Russian chief diplomat, whose government itself initiated the attack on Ukraine.
20:08 Over 4 million Ukrainians register for military service
From May 18 to July 16, 2024, 4,690,496 men in the military age range registered for military service in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry announced this on Facebook. To expedite mobilization, Ukraine tightened conscription rules in April. According to the law, all men of military age were required to update their military documents at public centers, enlistment offices, or the "Reserv+“ app. Failure to comply was punishable by law. Among the over four million conscripts, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reports that three million will become reservists.
19:22 Putin warns against cryptocurrency mining in Russia consuming 1.5% of total power
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned against cryptocurrency mining in his country due to the high power consumption. Currently, almost 1.5% of the total power consumption is being used for cryptocurrency mining, Putin said during a televised meeting with government officials. This number is "growing further," the president noted. Russia is one of the major countries for mining new cryptocurrencies. Thousands of computer servers, often housed in large halls, validate transactions and receive new cryptocurrency in return. The Kremlin, however, is skeptical towards the unregulated industry. Putin warned that uncontrolled growth of power consumption for crypto mining "could lead to power outages in certain regions." Three Siberian regions have already experienced power shortages due to intensive crypto mining. Siberia has been a hub for crypto mining due to its cheap electricity and cold weather for a long time.
18:53 EU releases 4.2 billion Euros to Ukraine
Ukraine is expected to receive the first regular payment from the EU's new billion-dollar aid program soon. The country has met the reform requirements for this payment, according to the EU Commission responsible for the evaluation. Nearly 4.2 billion Euros could be disbursed. The reform requirements for the first payment reportedly included the Ukrainian government passing new laws to enable a more effective fight against tax evasion and economic crime. Additionally, the principles for managing state-owned enterprises had to be adjusted, and a national energy and climate plan had to be adopted.
18:17 Russia demolishes Holodomor memorials in Luhansk
In the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk, occupied by Russia, memorials for victims of Stalin's repressions and victims of the Holodomor (Ukrainian famine) have been dismantled. This is reported by Radio Free Europe (RFE). RFE refers to videos that are being spread on Telegram. The Holodomor, also known as the Ukrainian famine, was a man-made famine in Ukraine from 1932 to 1933, which claimed millions of lives.
17:49 Power outages in the hot southern Russia
Due to extreme heat and a failed atom reactor, power cuts are necessary in many regions in southern Russia. Planned power outages affect consumers in the Rostov region, as Governor Vasili Golubev announced on his Telegram channel. In Sevastopol on the annexed Crimean Peninsula, the local power supplier is warning of power cuts of twelve hours a day - two hours with electricity, then two hours without.
17:05 Russia ships first grain from new Baltic Sea terminal to Cuba
Russia has reportedly shipped the first grain from a new terminal in its Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga. The agricultural supervisory authority announced this to the news agency Reuters. Russia is the world's largest wheat exporter, and about 90% of its exports go through ports in the Black Sea. Recently, Russia has tried to use various export routes. From the new Lugaport, 12,000 tons of grain were shipped for the first time in June. The destination was Cuba, according to data from the information provider LSEG. In January, Ust-Luga made headlines when a fuel terminal caught fire. Ukrainian media reported that the cause was a drone attack by the Ukrainian intelligence service.
16:29 Ukraine arrests "Russian informant" in CharkiwThe Ukrainian security service (SBU) has reportedly arrested a "Russian informant" in the Charkiw region. The SBU announced this in a statement. The woman is said to have shared information in a Telegram channel of the Russian security services. The SBU claims to have documented how the woman was on the move in the eastern outskirts of Charkiw and covertly recorded locations of Ukrainian troop checkpoints and other military "fortifications".
15:44 NATO sends top British officials to KievNATO is strengthening its civilian representation in Ukraine and sending a senior alliance representative to Kiev. The former deputy secretary-general, Patrick Turner, will lead the NATO representation in the Ukrainian capital from September and serve as the central point of contact for local authorities, NATO announced. Turner will also help coordinate military support for Ukraine and provide Allied information and assessments of the situation in the country. This was announced in the background of the decisions of the NATO summit in Washington the previous week.
15:03 Russia: Ukrainian drone kills two civilians in BelgorodAccording to local authorities in Russia, two people were killed in a Ukrainian drone attack in the Belgorod border region. The victims were reportedly a young couple who were in a civilian vehicle outside the regional capital Belgorod, Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov announced.
14:36 Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners of warRussia and Ukraine have reportedly exchanged prisoners of war. Each side handed over 95 soldiers, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed this on the platform X. The United Arab Emirates mediated the exchange. The returning Russian soldiers will first be examined medically in Moscow.
13:55 Sharma: Ukraine must give up symbolic villageUkraine is reportedly taking a series of setbacks at the front, as reported by NTV reporter Kavita Sharma from Kiev. After the Russian rocket attack on a children's clinic in the Ukrainian capital, the military reports withdrawals in the regions of Dnipro and Donetsk.
13:24 Kremlin denies doubts about offensive successThe Kremlin has dismissed speculation about the failure of the Russian offensive in the northeastern Ukraine. "The operation is continuing and it will succeed," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today. Yesterday, the governor of Belgorod announced access restrictions to 14 villages on the Russian side near the border. This is to protect the population from Ukrainian attacks. In response to a question about whether the access restrictions meant that the offensive in the northeast had failed, Peskov replied: "No, that's not the case."
12:48 Study: Citizen's Benefit has little influence on the employment of Ukrainian refugeesSocial benefits such as citizen's benefit have little influence on the employment rate of refugees from Ukraine. However, factors such as social networks in the respective countries, the level of English language skills of the local population, and childcare are significant. This is evident from a Europe-wide study by the Institute for Labor Market and Vocational Research (IAB). In Germany, the employment rate of Ukrainian refugees is 27%, which is in the middle range. The highest rate is in Lithuania with 57%, Denmark with 53%, and Poland with 48%.
11:53 Protection from Rockets: Charkow pupils to learn under groundChildren in the city of Charkow in northeastern Ukraine, which has been under almost daily Russian shelling since the start of the war, are reportedly going to be taught more frequently in underground schools: According to city administration, an underground school project has already been implemented. The construction of three more such facilities has begun. The children are supposed to be better protected from Russian air raids in this way.
11:22 Media: Ukraine to receive 32 outdated F-16s from GreeceGreece plans to retire 32 outdated F-16 fighter jets and hand them over to the USA. According to a report by the portal "New Voice of Ukraine", these planes will then be modernized and delivered to Ukraine. Kiev already has 60 F-16 jets from Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands, but it needs at least 150 combat jets to launch rockets and missiles against Russia and defend against aerial attacks on a broad front. There have been devastating bombing raids, the latest being on a children's hospital in Kiev with at least seven fatalities.
10:35 Ukraine reports 112 frontline battles since yesterdayThe Ukrainian army general staff recorded 112 battles at the frontline in the past 24 hours. Among these were reportedly four rocket attacks on Ukrainian army positions and inhabited areas, as well as 71 air raids with 119 guided air-to-ground bombs. In addition, Russia conducted over 4,300 artillery attacks, including 121 with multiple rocket launchers.
09:54 Russia and China begin joint naval exerciseRussia and China have begun a naval exercise in the South China Sea. The exercise is expected to last three days, according to Russian and Chinese state media. During the exercise, they are reportedly practicing air and submarine defense. Live ammunition is also expected to be used. Just a few days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia and China announced a strengthening of their partnership, which they described as "boundless".
08:43 Ministry reports 42,000 missing UkrainiansApproximately 42,000 people are currently missing in Ukraine, including soldiers and civilians. This figure was released by the Interior Ministry. The number was previously higher, at around 51,000, but about 4,000 of the missing soldiers have since been found and identified. Around 3,000 missing persons have been found alive, many of whom were prisoners of war. Identifying the dead is difficult because the Defense Ministry does not take DNA samples from soldiers it sends into the field.
08:15 Hungary calls for peace summit with RussiaHungary is calling for Russia's participation in the planned second peace conference on Ukraine. There are efforts to hold another peace summit this year, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told reporters. "I believe if we want to hope for the success of a future peace conference, we must ensure that both sides are represented," Szijjarto added. Hungary currently holds the EU presidency. The first peace summit took place in the middle of June at the request of Ukraine, with representatives from over 90 countries attending in Switzerland. Russia expressed its disinterest early on and was therefore not invited.
07:46 Russia and Ukraine to exchange prisoners todayRussia and Ukraine are set to exchange 90 prisoners today. This was mediated by the United Arab Emirates, according to the Bloomberg news agency, citing a source. Ukrainian media reported last week that the parliament's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinez, had announced that the government was planning a large-scale prisoner exchange with Russia with the help of the United Arab Emirates. The warring parties have already exchanged prisoners several times.
06:55 Ukrainian startups develop robots for the frontUkrainian startups are developing cost-effective robots for mine clearing, evacuating battlefields, transporting equipment, and delivering ammunition. The Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform reports that an "ecosystem of laboratories in hundreds of secret workshops" is using innovations to create a robot army. Ukraine hopes that this army will be able to kill Russian troops and save its own wounded soldiers and civilians, according to Ukrinform.
06:20 State and government heads of 47 countries to speak about UkraineAt the invitation of the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, state and government heads of 47 countries will meet tomorrow. The 27 EU member states plus 20 third states will discuss further aid for Ukraine in its war against Russia. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is also registered. There will be several round tables on security policy and defense, but other topics will also be discussed. Ukraine is represented at the conference.
04:37 Japan grants Ukraine a loan from frozen Russian assetsJapan is reportedly granting Ukraine a loan of 3.3 billion dollars from frozen Russian assets. The sum is part of the 50 billion dollar package of the G7 countries, according to the Kyodo news agency, citing informed sources. The United States and the European Union are each to provide 20 billion dollars. Japan, Great Britain, and Canada are contributing a total of ten billion dollars. The package is expected to be approved at a G7 summit at the sidelines of the G20 finance summit at the end of the month in Brazil.
03:26 German government gives Kiev ten million euros for hospital rebuildFollowing the rocket attack on the children's hospital in Kiev, the German Development Ministry is offering the Ukrainian government ten million euros for the hospital's rebuild. The funds will be used in conjunction with contributions from other donors and sponsors to quickly make the hospital operational and winter-proof again, according to the "Rheinische Post" newspaper, citing ministry statements. This includes repairs and maintenance work on facades, in treatment rooms, and the power and heating systems.
02:10 Medvedev warns NATO of "point of no return"
At the NATO summit's promise to consider Ukraine's membership, former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev renewed threats against the alliance. In a post for the Russian news portal Argumenty I Fakty, he labeled a potential Ukrainian membership as a potential declaration of war against Russia. "That would essentially be a declaration of war - if with a delay. The measures taken by Russia's adversaries for years by expanding the alliance ... bring NATO to a point of no return." Russia does not threaten NATO but will react to its attempts to advance its interests. "The harder the attempts, the harsher our responses will be," Medvedev said. "Whether it tears the whole planet apart depends only on the wisdom of the (NATO) side."
01:00 Ukrainian soldiers use expired ammunition
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry, according to its own statements, has returned a "considerable amount" of old ammunition to the military, which should have been disposed of before the first Russian attack on Ukrainian territory in 2014. The ammunition is already being used in the field. "We are looking for internal reserves to supply Ukrainian soldiers with ammunition. We know that every shot, every rocket, and every grenade on the battlefield is life-saving," said Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Dshyhar. Everything that can be repaired and reused is given a second life.
23:37 Ukrainian troops give up positions in the southeast
Ukrainian troops, according to unofficial reports, have had to surrender positions in the southeast of the country at Krynky in the Cherson region and Uroschajne in the Donezk region under Russian pressure. "In both settlements, it no longer made sense to hold the positions," Ukrainian media quote sources in the General Staff. The fighting for the settlement of Krynky on the southern bank of the Dnipro River in the Cherson region was criticized from the start due to its futility. It is unclear whether Ukrainian soldiers are still holding positions in the underbank of the Dnipro River in the south.
22:07 New aid for Ukraine
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi announced a new aid package of $100 million (around 93 million Euros) during a visit to Ukraine. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will support the preparation for winter and will continue to support the Ukrainian government in helping displaced or otherwise war-affected Ukrainians, Grandi said during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kiev. The aid will also mobilize future funds to support the war-torn country. Zelenskyy thanked for the aid, which is urgently needed due to the damages to the energy infrastructure from Russian attacks. At the same time, Zelenskyy, according to a statement from the Presidential Administration, emphasized that the country still needs help to rebuild destroyed houses and set up bomb shelters in schools and hospitals. This gives displaced Ukrainians the security to return home.
21:27 Ukraine reports destruction of Russian S-300 air defense system
Ukraine claims to have destroyed a Russian S-300 air defense system in the occupied Oblast Donezk. This was announced by Ukrainian General Staff Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on Twitter. A video spread by the Ukrainian military shows several hits from alleged ATACMS rockets with cluster munition. According to Syrskyi, several launch pads and a radar station of the system were destroyed.
20:49 Report: Ukrainian government may be reshuffling
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reportedly on the verge of reshuffling his cabinet and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal. This was reported by the "Kyiv Post" citing an unnamed source in the Ukrainian parliament. The Ukrainian parliament was reportedly instructed to prepare for a discussion and vote on a new cabinet on Tuesday in the coming week. Zelenskyy himself also commented on the rumors of a possible cabinet reshuffle on Monday. "Could there be changes in the government? Probably, yes", so the Ukrainian President. "We are in a process."
20:02 Baltic States disconnecting from Russian power grid
The Baltic States have reportedly informed Russia and its ally Belarus of their exit from the power grid of the former Soviet Union. "We will cut the last energy connections with Russia", explains the head of the state Lithuanian grid operator Litgrid, Rokas Masiulis. The step is supposed to take effect in February 2025. Shortly thereafter, the three countries are to connect to the European power grid. "In six months, we will not only disconnect from the Russian and Belarusian power grid, but also dismantle the last power lines", explains Masiulis.
19:20 Lindner criticizes Orbán's "Alleingaenge"
Following the controversy over Viktor Orbán's Moscow trip, Germany and other EU members are increasing pressure on Budapest. During a finance ministers' meeting in Brussels, most EU members called on Hungary to continue prioritizing Ukraine aid. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner accused Orbán of "Alleingang" (going it alone). "Hungary should know that the peace and freedom order of Europe as a whole is being defended in Ukraine", said Lindner in the public debate. The priority of this under Hungary's EU presidency should also remain "Top-Priority" until the end of the year. Hungary's Finance Minister Mihaly Varga had previously presented seven priorities from fighting illegal migration to competitiveness, but Ukraine was not mentioned.
- In response to the prisoner exchange, President Zelenskyy expresses gratitude to NATO for its support in ensuring the release of Ukrainian soldiers held captive by Russia.
- As Russia continues its cyberwar against Ukraine, there are concerns about potential disruptions to critical infrastructure, and Ukrainian authorities urge citizens to increase their cybersecurity vigilance.
- Russia's continued military deployments along Ukraine's border have fueled tensions, with NATO officials warning of a potential escalation of the Ukraine-Conflict and calling on Russia to withdraw its troops.
- The ongoing Politics surrounding the conflict have made it difficult for diplomats to negotiate a peaceful resolution, with both sides accusing each other of violating international law and escalating the situation.
- As the conflict drags on, there are growing calls for a ceasefire and negotiations, with Volodymyr Zelenskyy urging world leaders to intervene and help bring an end to the attack on Ukraine by Russia.
