The US election is the greatest risk factor for Ukraine
NATO announces that Ukraine will join the military alliance after the war - according to reports. This news does not seem to cause euphoria or hope in Ukraine, according to journalist Denis Trubetskoy.
10:03: Russian deep-sea vessel damaged
A modernized Russian deep-sea vessel was reportedly damaged during tests in the European North Sea, according to Ukrainian reports. The Ukrainian military intelligence service HUR reports that the crew lost control during the launch of the AS-36 on July 1st. "As a result of the incident, the Russian deep-sea vessel sustained damages that prevented it from continuing the tests," HUR reported on Telegram. Russia is currently assessing the damage and the time required for repairs.
09:32: Russian "troll army" spread propaganda for the AfD before EU election
Unknown individuals reportedly attempted to influence the European election through covert social media campaigns, according to a report by "Spiegel." An analysis by the private research institute Trollrensics, which evaluated the activities of so-called troll armies in Europe on behalf of the Dutch Social Democrats, found that the AfD profited most from the hidden support in Germany. According to the analysis, a large number of posts promoting the AfD for the EU election were spread by a small group that used thousands of accounts. The analysts believe that the network was likely Russian-controlled.
09:04: Increase in GPS disturbances - ISW sees increasingly intense hybrid campaign from Moscow
Finnish authorities report an increase in GPS disturbances in the past week. Most of the disruptions to GPS and radar in air and sea traffic are believed to have originated from Russia, according to the Institute for the Study of War. A Finnish lighthouse keeper reported on X that he experienced severe GPS and radar disruptions while guiding boats near Kotka and Hamina on the Finnish south coast. The GPS was reportedly unavailable for 90% of the distance between the lighthouse station Orrengrund and the Hamina harbor. According to the ISW, this is consistent with reports of Russian GPS disruptions in the Baltic states and other European regions. It is likely that the Russians from the Kaliningrad region also disrupted the GPS of a British defense minister's plane with Grant Shapps and forced Finnair to cancel several flights from Finland. The ISW's assessment: "Russia's apparent GPS disruptions are likely part of an increasingly intense hybrid campaign by Russia, which targets NATO countries directly, aiming to undermine support for Ukraine and NATO unity."
08:37 Kiev: Five Russian cruise missiles intercepted - Russians apparently aim to overload air defense
The Ukrainian Air Force intercepted, according to their own statements, all five Kalibr cruise missiles of the Kh-101 type fired by the Russian armed forces towards Ukraine. Eleven out of 19 drones were also destroyed. The main target of the Russian attack was reportedly the city of Starokostiantyniv, which has an important military airport. The city is located in the Oblast of Khmelnytskyi in western central Ukraine. The eleven drones were intercepted over a total of six regions, according to the Air Force, including Sumy, Kiev, Khmelnytskyi, and Mykolajiw. The Air Force does not make any statements about the remaining drones. "It is likely that the enemy is imitating attack drones to overload the air defense. There is no information about casualties or damages."
08:22 Green defends stationing plan: It's about protection
Green Fraktion Vice Chair Agnieszka Brugger justifies the planned arms buildup with extensive US weapons in Germany. She understands if many people associate this with the Cold War, says the defense expert in Deutschlandfunk. The measures are not a contribution to arms race but serve defense. In the 80s, two power blocs faced each other, both of which did not want maximum escalation, explained Brugger. However, there were many dangerous situations back then. Today, there is a brutal aggressor who is breaking international law, has switched to a war economy, and is waging a brutal war against Ukraine. It's about solidarity and protection, not aggression.
07:53 Shocked by attack on children's clinic: Russian pilot leaked apparent commander data
A Russian pilot is reported to have provided confidential information to the Ukrainian Military Intelligence (HUR), contributing to the identification of 30 commanders of the Russian heavy bomber aviation division. This reports "Kyiv Independent" based on a confidential source from the intelligence service. The Russian pilot, who is said to serve in the 22nd heavy bomber aviation division, reportedly contacted the HUR on July 8 after the devastating Russian attack on the children's hospital in Kiev. This attack had shocked him so much that he decided to take this step. The pilot is said to have provided personal information, including photos and other confidential documents, about 30 Russian commanders.
07:28 Rheinmetall CEO: Russian wear-out war could last forever
Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger assumes that the war in Ukraine could last a long time. The current wear-out war damages the Russians as well. "But it can last forever, Russia has completely converted its industry to war economy", says the manager in conversation with the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung". Papperger also calculates with sustained growth for the Düsseldorf arms manufacturer. The turnover is expected to increase by 40 percent in this year.
07:05 Alleged Attack Plans against Rheinmetall-Boss? Suspected Russian Agents Were Reportedly Already in the EU
The threat against Rheinmetall-CEO Armin Papperger from possible attack plans was apparently more concrete than known. According to "Spiegel" sources from security circles, Western intelligence services observed suspicious travels of alleged agents in the past few months. The men were said to be from countries of the former Soviet Union, at least one from Russia. Some were already in the Schengen Area, while others had planned entries. Suspicious individuals were detected not only near the Rheinmetall headquarters but also at Papperger's travel destinations abroad. Senior officials suspect they could have been "proxies" of Russian intelligence services – hired hands from Moscow.
06:49 Heusgen: Berlin Still Underestimates the Situation
The CEO of the Munich Security Conference, Christoph Heusgen, criticizes the majority of the German government for their communication regarding the Ukraine War. "The German Defense Minister speaks candidly and says we need to become battle-ready," but his cabinet colleagues still underestimate the gravity of the situation, Heusgen laments. "I still have the feeling that most responsible politicians believe they can give the population a pure glass of wine and say, 'We're dealing with an aggression like in the Cold War,'" he complains. Putin reportedly aims to restore the old Soviet Union. "We're still playing it down a bit here," Heusgen says. "People need a clear glass of wine and to be told what Russia has broken in treaties, how Russia is rearming, that Russia has nuclear-capable missiles stationed in Kaliningrad that can reach Germany."
06:22 Spying for Russia: Australian Couple Arrested
Two Australian citizens of Russian origin have been arrested in Australia on espionage charges. The 40 and 62-year-old couple is accused of obtaining materials from the Australian military to give to Russian authorities, the Australian Federal Police report. The wife in question is a soldier in the Australian military. The Australian authorities accuse the couple of preparing a spy offense. They face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The couple's exposure was a complex operation of a special taskforce of the police and the intelligence service, says Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw.
05:55 Outrage after Report on Murder Plans: "The Putin Regime Now Targets German Citizens"
The CNN report on alleged Russian attack plans against Rheinmetall-CEO Armin Papperger causes outrage in Germany. "It shows once again that Russia is bringing its war and terror to Europe," says the chairman of the Defense Committee, Marcus Faber of the FDP to the "Bild" newspaper. "The Putin regime now targets German citizens." The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael Roth of the SPD, tells the paper that Putin is not only waging a war of annihilation against Ukraine but also against its supporters and our values. US intelligence is said to have discovered Russian government plans to assassinate Papperger in early 2023. The German side was reportedly informed, and Papperger was subsequently given special protection.
05:18 Hungary accuses NATO partners of hypocrisy and failure
The Hungarian government accuses NATO partners of hypocrisy and failure at the end of the NATO summit in Washington. "We will continue to advocate for dialogue and diplomatic channels, as the current strategy of the last two and a half years has been a total failure," says Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, according to a spokesperson in a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Szijjarto represented Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who left the summit early to meet with former US President Donald Trump in Florida.
04:35 United Kingdom calls on NATO allies to increase defense efforts
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announces a plan of his government at the NATO summit in Washington to increase defense spending to 2.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. At the same time, he urges other allies to do the same. 23 of the 32 alliance members currently spend two percent of their Gross Domestic Product on defense, but more needs to be done in light of the serious threats to security, so Starmer.
03:30 Biden: I would speak with Putin if he were open to change
US President Joe Biden currently sees no point in talks with Kremlin chief Putin. In general, he is willing to speak with any state or government leader - including Chinese State and Party Chief Xi Jinping, Biden stressed at a press conference following the NATO summit. This also applies if Putin calls him. "I'm saying I'm willing to speak with anyone, but I don't see a willingness on his part," says Biden. Putin must be willing to change his behavior.
02:32 Construction of new NATO-Ukraine Command in Wiesbaden begins
The construction of the new NATO-Ukraine Command in Wiesbaden to coordinate weapons deliveries and training activities for the Ukrainian armed forces begins today. However, the commander for Europe will probably still need several months to set up the command so that it can take on all planned tasks, according to alliance representatives on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington. Until then, US forces will continue to take on the coordination tasks. The deployment is also a precaution for the possibility of a return of Donald Trump as US President in January 2025.
01:58 Scholz rules out unlimited weapons deployment against Russia
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejects the call of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the lifting of all restrictions on the deployment of Western weapons against Russian territory. "Nobody is changing the existing guidelines and regulations - for good reason," says the SPD politician at the end of the NATO summit. We want to support Ukraine as much as possible, but we want to prevent the war from escalating into a war between Russia and NATO, so Scholz. Zelenskyy is particularly concerned about military bases in the Russian hinterland from which rocket attacks on Ukraine are launched. At least 40 civilians, including children, were killed in attacks on Ukrainian cities on Monday.
01:25 Scholz on Anattachment Report: Recognize the Threats
In connection with a media report about Russian sabotage plans against Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger, Chancellor Olaf Scholz referred to Russian threats. "I won't say anything about that in detail", Scholz said at the NATO summit in Washington. "But I'd be happy to tell you that we already know that we are exposed to various threats from Russian activities."
00:40 UN Demand Russia to Withdraw from Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power PlantThe United Nations General Assembly demands that Russia withdraw its military and other non-authorized personnel from the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and place it under the full control of Ukrainian authorities. According to a UN resolution passed with 99 Yes votes, nine No votes, and 60 abstentions, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe was taken over by Russia shortly after its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Although it has been shut down, it still requires external energy to cool the nuclear material and prevent a nuclear meltdown.
23:36 Pistorius Expects Correction in Budget 2025Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is convinced that there will be changes in favor of the defense budget in the 2025 budget draft. "I assume that further talks will lead to changes", says the SPD politician in ARD. He will not stop advocating for the Bundeswehr to be adequately equipped to fulfill its mission.
22:46 Kremlin: "On the Way to a Cold War"Russia criticizes the planned stationing of US long-range weapons in Germany as a return to the Cold War. "We are on the way to a Cold War. All this has happened before", says Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov to Russian state television. Peskov accuses Germany, the US, France, and the UK of directly intervening in the conflict in Ukraine. "And all the signs of the Cold War are returning - with confrontation, with direct confrontation between adversaries", says he. "All this is being done to undermine our country. All this is being done to guarantee our strategic defeat on the battlefield", emphasizes Peskov. During the Cold War, however, there was peace in Europe. Russia began its war against Ukraine in 2014, which it intensified again in 2022.
21:34 Zelenskyy: Demands for Western Weapons Restrictions Must EndUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanded at the NATO summit in Washington to lift all restrictions on the use of Western weapons against Russian territory. "If we want to win and save our country, then all these restrictions must be lifted", emphasized the Ukrainian head of state. It mainly concerns military bases in Russian territory from which rocket attacks are launched. "If they attack us and kill our children, it's crazy to ask why we can't attack this military base", so Zelenskyy.
20:58 Another assistance package with Patriot-system for USAUS President Joe Biden announces another assistance package for Ukraine worth $225 million. Part of the package includes a Patriot-system, which is intended to strengthen Ukraine's air defense against Russian air raids. Additionally, the package includes NASAMS missile defense systems, multiple launch rocket systems of the HIMARS type, as well as artillery ammunition with calibers of 155 and 105 millimeters, according to the US government. The weapons reportedly come from the US military's stocks.
20:19 Stoltenberg accuses Russia of intimidation campaignNATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg reports on a Russian campaign of hostile actions against NATO. It is intended to intimidate NATO members and prevent them from supporting Ukraine. However, Stoltenberg states at the NATO summit in Washington that this approach has had the opposite effect.
You can read about all previous developmentshere..
- Following NATO's announcement about Ukraine joining the military alliance post-war, President Volodymyr Zelensky expresses his concerns about military deployments and Russia's potential reactions.
- In the midst of the Ukraine-Conflict, Russia is accused of engaging in a cyberwar, with reports of attacks on Ukraine's GPS systems and infrastructure.
- The Politics around military deployments and NATO's role in the conflict are under scrutiny, as some countries, like Hungary, criticize NATO's handling of the situation.
- The deep-sea vessel incident in the European North Sea serves as an example of the tense NATO-Russia relations, highlighting the need for increased military vigilance.
- As a response to Russia's aggressive actions, countries like Germany and the US are increasing their defense spending and military capabilities, reflecting the broader geopolitical context of the Ukraine-Conflict.
