Vue normale
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UKR Inform
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Missile attack on Cherkasy causes fires and injures six people
A missile attack on Cherkasy has caused fires in several locations across the city, injuring six people.
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UKR Inform
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Ukrainian delegation: Putin and Zelensky should meet in August
A meeting in person between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia should be held next month.
Ukrainian delegation: Putin and Zelensky should meet in August
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The Independent Ukraine
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Europe's central bank to hold off on another rate cut until it knows how bad the tariff blow will be
The European Central Bank probably isn't going to cut interest rates again on Thursday
Europe's central bank to hold off on another rate cut until it knows how bad the tariff blow will be
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
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UKR Inform
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In frontline Pokrovsk, 1,380 residents still remain
As of July 23, there are still 1,380 people remaining in the town of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, but delivering humanitarian aid or drinking water to them has become nearly impossible.
In frontline Pokrovsk, 1,380 residents still remain
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UKR Inform
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Organizer of drone fraud scheme for AFU extradited from UAE to Ukraine
A woman who organized a fraudulent scheme involving the sale of drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been extradited from the United Arab Emirates to Ukraine. The total damages exceed 50 million UAH (approx. 1.25 million USD).
Organizer of drone fraud scheme for AFU extradited from UAE to Ukraine
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The Independent Ukraine
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Europe and China holding scaled-back trade talks with expectations low for major agreements
European leaders are meeting with top Chinese officials in Beijing to discuss trade, climate change and global conflicts
Europe and China holding scaled-back trade talks with expectations low for major agreements
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
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UKR Inform
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Naftogaz secures loan from PrivatBank as part of preparations for winter
Naftogaz Group has secured a loan worth UAH 4.7 billion from PrivatBank CB JSC to build up necessary gas reserves in underground storage facilities for the upcoming 2025/2026 heating season.
Naftogaz secures loan from PrivatBank as part of preparations for winter
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The Independent Ukraine
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State Department approves $322 million in proposed weapons sales to Ukraine
The State Department has approved $322 million in proposed weapons sales to Ukraine to enhance its air defense capabilities and provide armored combat vehicles
State Department approves $322 million in proposed weapons sales to Ukraine
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
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UKR Inform
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Ukrainian fighters neutralize Russian tanks, Grad MLRS, Garmon radar
Drone operators from the Phoenix unit of the Pomsta (Revenge) Brigade, part of Ukraine's State Border Guard Service, have struck Russian tanks and a BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system, and destroyed a compact 1L122 Garmon radar station belonging to the invaders.
Ukrainian fighters neutralize Russian tanks, Grad MLRS, Garmon radar
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UKR Inform
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Ukrainian special forces capture four Russian invaders in firefight
Special forces of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), from the Shamanbat unit, engaged in a dynamic small arms battle on the front line and captured four Russian invaders.
Ukrainian special forces capture four Russian invaders in firefight
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UKR Inform
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124 clashes on frontline, Ukrainians repel 36 attacks in Pokrovsk sector
There were 124 combat clashes on the frontline, with the enemy carrying out 36 attacks in the Pokrovsk sector, losing over 200 occupiers.
124 clashes on frontline, Ukrainians repel 36 attacks in Pokrovsk sector
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Euromaidan Press
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US approves sale of two military aid packages to Ukraine worth $ 322 mn
The US State Department has approved the sale of two military assistance packages to Ukraine totaling $322 million, the Pentagon announced on 23 July. The approval covers $172 million in HAWK Phase III missile system support and $150 million for Bradley infantry fighting vehicle restoration services. According to Pentagon press releases, the Ukrainian government requested the purchase of goods and services for maintaining HAWK missile systems. The $172 million package includes spare parts for HA
US approves sale of two military aid packages to Ukraine worth $ 322 mn
The US State Department has approved the sale of two military assistance packages to Ukraine totaling $322 million, the Pentagon announced on 23 July.
The approval covers $172 million in HAWK Phase III missile system support and $150 million for Bradley infantry fighting vehicle restoration services.
According to Pentagon press releases, the Ukrainian government requested the purchase of goods and services for maintaining HAWK missile systems. The $172 million package includes spare parts for HAWK systems, missile complex repairs, testing and auxiliary equipment, storage containers and related spare parts storage equipment, spare parts for MIM-23 HAWK missiles and missile repairs, plus additional logistics and program support elements.
The second package addresses Ukraine’s request for equipment and services to restore Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, along with technical assistance and training for Ukrainian military personnel. This component carries a $150 million price tag, Pentagon officials said.
US officials stated the packages will enhance Ukraine’s capacity to address current and future threats.
“Ukraine will not have difficulties implementing these goods and services into its armed forces,” the Pentagon press service reported.
The approval comes weeks after President Donald Trump confirmed on 14 July that the US will provide Ukraine with weapons worth “billions of dollars.” According to Trump, European NATO allies will purchase and distribute the equipment, including up to 17 Patriot air defense systems currently being prepared for shipment to Ukraine.
Read also:
- 21-year-old Ukrainian adopted by Italian family dies fighting Russia
- Zelenskyy’s anti-corruption crackdown killed EU’s secret plan to bypass Hungary for Ukraine accession—European Pravda
- EU Officials demand Ukraine explain controversial anti-corruption law weakening NABU, SAPO
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UKR Inform
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U.S. State Department approves sale of HAWK Phase III to Ukraine
The U.S. Department of State has approved the sale of HAWK Phase III Missile System and Sustainment to Ukraine, as well as related equipment and maintenance services, worth over $170 million.
U.S. State Department approves sale of HAWK Phase III to Ukraine
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UKR Inform
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Ukraine and Russia agree on regular exchanges of seriously ill captives
Russia has provisionally agreed to cooperate on the release of military personnel who have been held captive for over three years.
Ukraine and Russia agree on regular exchanges of seriously ill captives
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Euromaidan Press
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21-year-old Ukrainian adopted by Italian family dies fighting Russia
A 21-year-old Ukrainian man who was adopted by an Italian family as a child has been killed fighting Russian forces after voluntarily joining Ukraine’s army to defend his homeland and reconnect with his brother. Artiom Naliato died Monday in a missile strike on a training facility near Kyiv where he was stationed with Ukraine’s International Legion of Territorial Defense, according to ANSA and Il Fatto Quotidiano. Naliato was adopted at age 12 and raised in Tribano, a town in Padua province. In
21-year-old Ukrainian adopted by Italian family dies fighting Russia
A 21-year-old Ukrainian man who was adopted by an Italian family as a child has been killed fighting Russian forces after voluntarily joining Ukraine’s army to defend his homeland and reconnect with his brother.
Artiom Naliato died Monday in a missile strike on a training facility near Kyiv where he was stationed with Ukraine’s International Legion of Territorial Defense, according to ANSA and Il Fatto Quotidiano.
Naliato was adopted at age 12 and raised in Tribano, a town in Padua province. In August 2022, he decided to travel to Ukraine to search for his brother. After initially returning to Italy, he made the choice to go back to Ukraine and enlist in the Ukrainian military.
“What brought him to Ukraine was certainly closeness to his brother, but also the desire to make Ukraine free,” Tribano Mayor Massimo Cavazzana told reporters. “Today Tribano loses its son. The emptiness he leaves is deep, but we will remember him for the courage of his choices.”
According to LaPresse, Cavazzana received notification of Naliato’s death the previous day. The young man was reportedly killed when a missile struck the barracks where he was located, likely during lunch time. Il Giornale reports he was taken to a hospital in critical condition but died despite medical efforts.
“He had decided to fight a war to defend a land he had in his heart,” the mayor said. “A difficult, dramatic choice, but driven by a sense of belonging and responsibility that we can only respect.”
Naliato had returned to Tribano several weeks before his final departure for the front on June 1st. A fellow soldier notified his adoptive family of his death via Facebook Messenger.
The mayor described Naliato as intelligent, noting that “although he didn’t finish school, he managed to find work.” The young man was employed as a security guard with Aries Srl, a company based in Vicenza.
“We gather with affection and pain around the family that welcomed and raised him with love,” Cavazzana wrote on Facebook announcing the death.
A vigil in memory of Artiom Naliato will be held Friday at 9 PM in the Duomo of San Lorenzo in Conselve, Padua province.
This marks the second war death of a Ukrainian-origin resident from Padua province. In 2023, Oleh Dozydenko, who had lived in the provincial capital for 15 years, was killed by mortar fire in Ukraine.
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Euromaidan Press
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EU had a secret plan to bypass Orbán. Zelenskyy blew it up instead.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law Tuesday dismantling Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies. The timing was disastrous: Brussels had secretly scheduled 18 July to open Ukraine’s first EU negotiating cluster, bypassing Hungary entirely, but abandoned the plan after Ukraine’s anti-corruption crackdown, according to European Pravda sources within EU institutions. Zelenskyy knew about the plan. He’d been personally involved in discussions with Danish officials and EU leadership since la
EU had a secret plan to bypass Orbán. Zelenskyy blew it up instead.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law Tuesday dismantling Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies.
The timing was disastrous: Brussels had secretly scheduled 18 July to open Ukraine’s first EU negotiating cluster, bypassing Hungary entirely, but abandoned the plan after Ukraine’s anti-corruption crackdown, according to European Pravda sources within EU institutions.
Zelenskyy knew about the plan. He’d been personally involved in discussions with Danish officials and EU leadership since late June, European Pravda reported, citing unnamed European officials. But instead of supporting this diplomatic breakthrough, Ukraine systematically undermined its reform credentials by rejecting the Bureau of Economic Security selection results, conducting searches of activist Vitalii Shabunin’s home, and finally signing the law gutting NABU and SAPO independence.
Brussels was ready to break its own rules for Ukraine

The Danish EU presidency and European Commission had crafted something unprecedented: legal measures to sideline Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán, who had systematically blocked Ukraine’s accession, completely.
Bloomberg reported in May that member states pushed the Commission to explore options for opening Ukraine’s first negotiating chapter despite Hungarian objections.
The breakthrough insight: while unanimity is required to start and complete EU accession negotiations, sources told Bloomberg it’s not a legal requirement for opening individual clusters. The Commission informed member states that it intended to send the European Council a first report on starting cluster discussions with Ukraine and Moldova.
EU lawyers acknowledged the plan was “legally flawed” but calculated Hungary would need three years to challenge it in court.
After years of Hungarian obstruction, 26 member states were willing to risk institutional precedent.
The “parallel negotiations” mechanism
The mechanism was elegant: conduct “parallel negotiations” where 26 EU states would negotiate with Ukraine while Moldova received formal recognition. When Moldova opened negotiating clusters, the 26 states would issue statements confirming Ukraine had completed the same work and that only Hungary’s veto prevented legal advancement.
- Inter-Governmental Conferences: The Danish presidency was prepared to convene working bodies pivotal to enlargement that don’t require Hungarian consent
- Political weight: Though legally non-binding for Ukraine, these would carry enormous political significance
- Synchronized progress: Ukraine’s advancement would be coordinated with Moldova’s formal recognition
The Danish presidency, which described enlargement as a “geopolitical necessity,” had exhausted diplomatic options with Hungary.
Hungary systematic obstruction
Orbán had forced Brussels into this position through relentless obstruction. After blocking progress during Hungary’s 2024 EU presidency, he staged a “national consultation” where 95% of 2.3 million participants opposed Ukraine membership—though an opposition poll found 58% Hungarian support for Ukraine’s EU bid.
Zelenskyy met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen during the NATO summit in The Hague. He flew to Denmark on 3 July for private negotiations. Final details were hammered out in Rome on 10 July. Everything was set for the 18 July ceremony in Brussels.
European officials were prepared to risk institutional precedent. Ukraine chose that exact moment to implode its reform credentials.

How Ukraine sabotaged itself
The self-sabotage unfolded in a devastating sequence:
- 9 July: The Ukrainian government rejected the winner of a transparent, EU-supported competition to head the Bureau of Economic Security. The government simply overturned the selection results with no explanation.
- 11 July: Law enforcement raided anti-corruption activist Vitalii Shabunin’s home without a court warrant. They also searched the mother of fallen Hero of Ukraine pilot Andrii “Juice” Pilshchykov simply because Shabunin had briefly stayed there.
- 14 July: Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna announced her resignation as Ukraine’s chief EU negotiator—replacing a negotiator at such a sensitive moment gave Brussels another reason to pause.
Denmark quietly abandoned the 18 July proposal. European Pravda sources reported EU officials asking: “WTF? What is going on?”
Brussels draws the line
EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos warned Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka that the anti-corruption law would have “serious consequences for the entire negotiation process.” Some member states now believe “it would have been better not to rush into opening the first cluster.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called Zelenskyy directly to express “strong concerns.” Brussels views this as democratic backsliding comparable to Georgia’s retreat.
Economic consequences mounting
The OECD warned that undermining anti-corruption agencies will hurt:
- Defense investments in Ukraine
- Reconstruction funding from international partners
- Future borrowing capacity as creditors reassess risk
But European officials doubt the Presidential Office takes these warnings seriously—they are accustomed to Brussels making threats without decisive action.
Putin wins without trying
Anti-corruption architect Daria Kaleniuk pointed out the bitter irony: Zelenskyy “just gave Putin his best argument.”
Putin’s original justification for war was that Ukraine was “losing sovereignty to foreign partners, establishing anti-corruption institutions with foreign experts.” Ukrainian MPs are now making Putin’s argument for him.
Ukraine will fall behind Moldova in EU accession talks. The “decoupling” Brussels tried to avoid becomes inevitable—not because of Hungarian obstruction, but because of Ukraine own choices. As one European official noted: “Ukraine has done the dirty work instead of Viktor Orbán.”
What the law actually does
The legislation Zelenskyy signed grants the Prosecutor General sweeping authority to:
- Reassign NABU investigations to other agencies
- Issue binding instructions to anti-corruption bodies
- Unilaterally close high-level corruption cases
- Control SAPO operations through mandatory coordination
Transparency International Ukraine called it the dismantling of “prosecutorial independence.”
NABU and SAPO were established in 2015 under Western pressure following the Euromaidan Revolution. Independent anti-corruption institutions were central to EU integration and remain a key condition for visa-free travel, which stays secure despite current developments.The timing was particularly damaging. Just as European officials prepared to risk institutional precedent for Ukraine’s benefit, Kyiv chose to demolish its reform credentials.
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Euromaidan Press
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EU Officials demand Ukraine explain controversial anti-corruption law weakening NABU, SAPO
The European Commission has expressed deep concern over Ukraine’s adoption of legislation subordinating the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) to the Prosecutor General, with top EU officials requesting explanations from Kyiv. This comes one day after parliament passed law #12414 on 22 July, which eliminated the independence of these anti-corruption institutions. President Zelenskyy signed the law the same day, despite public opp
EU Officials demand Ukraine explain controversial anti-corruption law weakening NABU, SAPO
The European Commission has expressed deep concern over Ukraine’s adoption of legislation subordinating the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) to the Prosecutor General, with top EU officials requesting explanations from Kyiv.
This comes one day after parliament passed law #12414 on 22 July, which eliminated the independence of these anti-corruption institutions. President Zelenskyy signed the law the same day, despite public opposition, who came out to protest and call for the law to be vetoed.
European Commission (EC) spokesperson Guillaume Mercier told Ukrainska Pravda that the EC is “extremely concerned about the adoption of the draft that significantly weakens the powers of Ukrainian anti-corruption institutions.”
“Both institutions, NABU and SAPO, are widely considered cornerstones of the rule of law in Ukraine. They play a key role in Ukraine’s reform agenda and must be independent to fight corruption and maintain public trust,” Mercier said.
“Respect for the rule of law and the fight against corruption are fundamental principles of the EU. Ukraine as a candidate country is expected to fully comply with these standards. There can be no compromises here,” the spokesperson added.
Following the law’s passage, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen contacted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, expressing “strong concerns” and requesting explanations.
European Parliament Deputy Daniel Freund from the Greens party, who was in Kyiv when the law was adopted, called it “a clear breach of trust” and warned that “the Ukrainian government is jeopardizing the EU accession process.”
“The EU very much wants to help Ukraine. But it cannot continue to transfer money if the country is moving in the wrong direction,” Freund told Spiegel, according to European Pravda.
European Commissioner for Economic Affairs Valdis Dombrovskis emphasized that financial aid to Kyiv and its progress toward EU membership depend on the independence of anti-corruption institutions.
Ukraine’s response
Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka assured European Commission representative Gert Jan Koopman that reforms necessary for Ukraine’s EU accession “remain an unchanged priority, despite discussions around NABU and SAPO independence.”
Kachka informed about President Zelenskyy’s meeting with all heads of law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies. He added that the government “takes issues related to anti-corruption very seriously” and is conducting “active work to collect and analyze opinions and positions of all stakeholders regarding the law.”
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UKR Inform
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Ukraine returns soldiers from Russian captivity
The ninth stage of the exchange, agreed upon by Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul, has taken place; severely ill and seriously wounded defenders are returning home.
Ukraine returns soldiers from Russian captivity
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Euromaidan Press
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9th Ukraine-Russia prisoner swap returns seriously ill and injured defenders
Ukraine and Russia have completed the ninth stage of prisoner exchanges under agreements reached during the second round of negotiations in Istanbul on 2 June, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on social media. According to Zelenskyy, the exchange conducted on 23 July brought home seriously ill and seriously injured defenders. “We can already talk about the details – through all stages of the latest Istanbul agreements, we managed to return more than 1,000 of our people. For a thous
9th Ukraine-Russia prisoner swap returns seriously ill and injured defenders
Ukraine and Russia have completed the ninth stage of prisoner exchanges under agreements reached during the second round of negotiations in Istanbul on 2 June, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on social media.
According to Zelenskyy, the exchange conducted on 23 July brought home seriously ill and seriously injured defenders.
“We can already talk about the details – through all stages of the latest Istanbul agreements, we managed to return more than 1,000 of our people. For a thousand families, this is the joy of embracing their loved ones again,” Zelenskyy said.
The returned soldiers defended Ukraine on various front directions, according to the president. A significant number reportedly were in captivity for more than three years.
“All will receive the necessary support and medical care. It is important that exchanges continue and our people are returning home,” Zelenskyy said.
The prisoner exchange program stems from agreements made on 2 June in Istanbul, where Ukrainian and Russian representatives agreed to exchanges in a format of 1,000 for 1,000, plus an additional 200 for 200 military prisoners. The sides also agreed on repatriation of 6,000 bodies of fallen soldiers from each side.
The first stage of exchanges under the Istanbul agreements began on 9 June, when Ukraine returned military personnel under 25 years old. Subsequent exchanges occurred on 10, 12, 14, 19, 20, and 26 June, with 4 July, marking the most recent prior exchange before today’s ninth stage.
Between 11-16 June, Ukraine completed the repatriation portion of the Istanbul agreements, receiving 6,057 bodies of fallen Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel. Russia received 27 bodies during the initial June 11 repatriation, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for Treatment of Prisoners of War has not disclosed specific numbers of returned soldiers during ongoing exchange processes for security reasons, stating these figures will be announced upon completion of the exchange program.
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UKR Inform
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SAPO and NABU welcome Zelensky's initiative to ensure anti-corruption institutions' independence
The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau welcome President Volodymyr Zelensky's initiative to prepare a draft law aimed at strengthening the rule of law and ensuring the independence of anti-corruption institutions.
SAPO and NABU welcome Zelensky's initiative to ensure anti-corruption institutions' independence
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UKR Inform
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Umerov: Ukraine is ready for ceasefire right now
Ukraine continues to insist on a complete and unconditional ceasefire as a necessary basis for effective diplomacy.
Umerov: Ukraine is ready for ceasefire right now
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Euromaidan Press
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“We heard the street”: Zelenskyy promises to restore independence of NABU and SAPO, prepares draft law
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced plans to submit a draft law to the Verkhovna Rada that will restore independence to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), according to his evening video address on 23 July. The announcement comes one day after parliament passed law #12414 on 22 July, which eliminated the independence of these anti-corruption institutions. The Rada supported the legislation with 263 votes, and Speaker Rusl
“We heard the street”: Zelenskyy promises to restore independence of NABU and SAPO, prepares draft law
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced plans to submit a draft law to the Verkhovna Rada that will restore independence to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), according to his evening video address on 23 July.
The announcement comes one day after parliament passed law #12414 on 22 July, which eliminated the independence of these anti-corruption institutions.
The Rada supported the legislation with 263 votes, and Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk signed it the same day, despite calls from NABU chief Semen Kryvonos urging the president not to sign it. Zelenskyy ultimately signed the controversial law the same day as well.
“I held many meetings with government officials, as well as officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Security Service of Ukraine, National Anti-Corruption Bureau, State Bureau of Investigation, Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, National Agency for Corruption Prevention and the Office of the Prosecutor General,” Zelenskyy said in his address.
Zelenskyy revealed that institutional leaders will jointly propose an action plan with concrete steps to strengthen the rule of law in Ukraine.
“Of course, everyone heard what people are saying these days – on social networks, to each other, on the streets. This is all not in vain. We analyzed all concerns, all aspects of what should be changed and what needs to be activated,” the president said.
The promised legislation will serve as “a response that will ensure strength to the law enforcement system,” according to Zelenskyy.
“There will be no Russian influence or interference in the activities of law enforcement agencies. And very importantly: all norms for the independence of anti-corruption institutions will be there,” the president said.
Zelenskyy expects concrete proposals from heads of law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies. He described the upcoming initiative as a presidential draft law that will be implemented “within our state transformation strategy.” The controversial law’s passage sparked protests in major Ukrainian cities.
Against the backdrop of these events, rallies against the adoption of the scandalous law were held in major Ukrainian cities. On 23 July, protests have been announced in at least 17 Ukrainian cities.
In Kyiv, there are at least 2 times more people today as on the first day, 22 July, when Zelenskyy signed the law. Participants of the protest in Kyiv chant “Power to the people!” and “Hands off NABU and SAPO.”
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UKR Inform
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Zelensky discusses joint arms production with Israel's FM
During their meeting, President Volodymyr Zelensky and Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar discussed bilateral cooperation, particularly in the economic and defense spheres, as well as opportunities for joint arms production.
Zelensky discusses joint arms production with Israel's FM
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UKR Inform
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Meeting between Ukrainian and Russian delegations starts in Istanbul
A meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations has begun in Istanbul.
Meeting between Ukrainian and Russian delegations starts in Istanbul
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UKR Inform
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Zelensky announces preparations for new prisoner exchange phase
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that preparations for a new stage of prisoner exchange were underway throughout the day on Wednesday.
Zelensky announces preparations for new prisoner exchange phase
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UKR Inform
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Parliamentary Law Enforcement Committee to review legislative balance – MP
Next week, members of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Law Enforcement will hold a meeting to discuss the balance of legislation in the law enforcement sector.
Parliamentary Law Enforcement Committee to review legislative balance – MP
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UKR Inform
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Zelensky to propose bill ensuring full independence for NABU, SAPO
President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced he will propose a bill to the Verkhovna Rada that includes all necessary norms for the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions.
Zelensky to propose bill ensuring full independence for NABU, SAPO
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UKR Inform
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Damage reported as Russians shell Dnipropetrovsk region
Russian forces shelled Nikopol and Synelnykove districts in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region throughout the day, causing damage in both areas.
Damage reported as Russians shell Dnipropetrovsk region
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UKR Inform
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Funds raised in the Netherlands during four-day march to support Ukrainian veterans
The traditional 4Daagse four-day march took place in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Funds raised in the Netherlands during four-day march to support Ukrainian veterans
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UKR Inform
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European Commission views NABU, SAPO as “cornerstones of Ukraine’s rule of law”
The European Commission expects Ukraine to fully adhere to the standards of the rule of law and anti-corruption. Compromises on these issues are unacceptable.
European Commission views NABU, SAPO as “cornerstones of Ukraine’s rule of law”
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UKR Inform
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War update: 72 clashes on frontline, fighting ongoing in six sectors
Since the beginning of the day, 72 combat clashes have occurred between Ukraine’s Defense Forces and Russian troops. Fighting is still ongoing in six sectors of the front line, with the heaviest attacks taking place near Pokrovsk and Lyman.
War update: 72 clashes on frontline, fighting ongoing in six sectors
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The Independent Ukraine
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A former security guard at the US Embassy in Norway is accused of spying for Russia and Iran
Norwegian prosecutors have indicted a former security guard at the U.S. Embassy in Oslo on suspicion of espionage after he allegedly spied for Russia and Iran
A former security guard at the US Embassy in Norway is accused of spying for Russia and Iran
© Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Euromaidan Press
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Ursula von der Leyen demands Zelenskyy explain anti-corruption law that sparked nationwide protests
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has contacted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to express “strong concerns” about a newly signed law that restricts the independence of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP). According to RBK-Ukraine and Liga.net, Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier told reporters in Brussels that the EU executive is very concerned about the adoption of law №12414, which could sign
Ursula von der Leyen demands Zelenskyy explain anti-corruption law that sparked nationwide protests
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has contacted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to express “strong concerns” about a newly signed law that restricts the independence of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP).
According to RBK-Ukraine and Liga.net, Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier told reporters in Brussels that the EU executive is very concerned about the adoption of law №12414, which could significantly weaken the competencies and powers of Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies.
The spokesperson emphasized that NABU and SAP are considered cornerstones of the rule of law in Ukraine. He added that these institutions are crucial for implementing reforms in the country and must remain independent.
Mercier reminded that respect for the rule of law and the fight against corruption are key elements of the European Union, and Ukraine, as a candidate state for membership, must fully comply with these standards.
“There can be no compromise here,” the Commission spokesperson stressed.
Background
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the controversial law on the evening of 22 July, which limits the independence of NABU and SAP.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) is a Ukrainian law enforcement agency established in 2014 to investigate and expose corruption, particularly among high-ranking officials, and prepare cases for prosecution. It works to prevent, detect, and terminate corruption within its jurisdiction, aiming to clean the government and foster a successful society.
The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) is an independent branch within Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office. It oversees and supports corruption investigations started by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and leads prosecution of high-level corruption offenses, especially involving senior officials.
According to MP Anastasia Radina, amendments were added that “make SAP a decorative institution and provide for complete subordination of NABU and SAP activities to the will of the Prosecutor General.”
Protests against the law’s signing took place in several cities, including Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Dnipro, Lutsk, Poltava, and Ternopil. Participants called for the law to be vetoed.
Prior to the law’s adoption, massive searches were conducted at NABU and SAP offices. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Prosecutor General’s Office announced the exposure of Russian influence on NABU. Individual Bureau employees are accused of state treason, illegal trade with Russia, and corruption in the interests of oligarchs. However, NABU stated that these investigative actions were carried out without court warrants.
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Euromaidan Press
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It wasn’t just the Skripals—Russia’s covert attacks spanned years and continents, UK intelligence reveals
UK intelligence has exposed how Russian GRU sabotage units have carried out a global campaign of subversion, disinformation, and covert attacks. In its 23 July defense intelligence update, the British Defense Ministry has named the Russian units and outlined their years-long operations across Europe, Africa, and Ukraine. On 18 July, the UK sanctioned three Russian GRU units and one interference agency, along with 18 military intelligence officers, for targeting the UK, its allies, and Ukraine.
It wasn’t just the Skripals—Russia’s covert attacks spanned years and continents, UK intelligence reveals
UK intelligence has exposed how Russian GRU sabotage units have carried out a global campaign of subversion, disinformation, and covert attacks. In its 23 July defense intelligence update, the British Defense Ministry has named the Russian units and outlined their years-long operations across Europe, Africa, and Ukraine.
On 18 July, the UK sanctioned three Russian GRU units and one interference agency, along with 18 military intelligence officers, for targeting the UK, its allies, and Ukraine.
British report reveals global GRU operations
According to the UK Defense Ministry’s Intelligence update published on 23 July 2025, Russia is “escalating its global campaign to subvert its adversaries and increase Russian influence.”
“Whilst Russian military intelligence (GRU) is at the forefront of these efforts, Russia has also turned to an increasing variety of non-state actors to conduct a full spectrum of overt to covert activities, including espionage, assassination, sabotage, and electronic, cyber and information operations,” the update reads.
The UK identified Unit 29155, also known as the 161st Specialist Training Center, as a key actor. Its cyber wing launched the WhisperGate attack—deploying destructive malware—in Ukraine in 2022. The wider unit was behind multiple sabotage and assassination operations, including the 2018 attempted murder of Yulia and Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, the 2011 ammunition warehouse bombing in Bulgaria, and a 2014 blast in Czechia.
Unit 26165, or the 85th Main Special Services Center, has run widespread espionage operations. It also provided targeting intelligence for Russian missile strikes, including the 2022 bombing of the Mariupol theater that killed hundreds of civilians, including children.
Unit 74455, part of the Main Center for Special Technologies, has carried out cyberattacks on democratic elections, national infrastructure, and financial control systems.
The fourth entity, the African Initiative, is a Kremlin-linked interference agency. UK intelligence says it conducts information operations in Africa, including the spread of conspiracy theories aimed at undermining global health efforts.
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Editorial: Zelenskyy opens a second front—against his own people
The protest signs in Kyiv yesterday said everything: “My father did not die for this.” When Ukrainians took to the streets 11 years ago in Ukraine’s Euromaidan Revolution, they had simple demands: a country where one would want to live. A place where everyone is treated equally under the law and justice is not an empty word. Yesterday, in 72 hours, Ukraine’s government destroyed those hopes by dismantling what took a decade to build. The rushed adoption hidden in another law, the dirty
Editorial: Zelenskyy opens a second front—against his own people
The protest signs in Kyiv yesterday said everything: “My father did not die for this.”
When Ukrainians took to the streets 11 years ago in Ukraine’s Euromaidan Revolution, they had simple demands: a country where one would want to live. A place where everyone is treated equally under the law and justice is not an empty word.
Yesterday, in 72 hours, Ukraine’s government destroyed those hopes by dismantling what took a decade to build.
The rushed adoption hidden in another law, the dirty tactics pressuring MPs, the ongoing investigations against Zelenskyy’s inner circle, the flimsy accusations against Ukraine’s anti-corruption organs invoking old traffic accidents, leave no mistake: this legal theater was a planned assault on the system of checks and balances created since Euromaidan.

The significance of this system for Ukraine is profound. Since Aristotle’s time, dividing power into legislative, executive, and judiciary has separated democratic governance from monarchy. In Ukraine, it was largely theater—and each revolution rose against increasing authoritarianism.
NABU and SAPO, whatever their flaws, were the first real separation of power in Ukraine. They could be improved, made more effective. But gutting their independence isn’t about effectiveness—it’s about destroying Ukraine’s capacity to check those in power and resist authoritarianism.
This is what’s happening now. The young people who flooded Ukrainian cities in protest are defending republicanism against monarchy. This desire sets Ukrainians apart from Russia and Belarus—the promise of European integration sealed with the blood of Euromaidan protesters who died for freedom.

This promise of functioning democracy, the best guarantee of dignified life, drove Ukraine since 2014 to reject the Russian path where personal freedom gets discarded and authority worshipped. It drives Ukrainians defending their land against the Russian invasion.
That promise had concrete stakes. NABU independence was the condition for visa-free travel, EU candidacy talks, and every step toward European integration. Those foundations just crumbled.
Ukrainians on the frontline didn’t die for Zelenskyy’s power to concentrate authority and enrich himself. They died for their families, for a future where their children wouldn’t choose between dignity and survival.
Power is intoxicating. It is a bitter irony that Zelenskyy became the villain from his own TV show—the corrupt president enjoying the impunity he once campaigned against.
He signed the law with record speed, buried the attack in photo-ops, ignored thousand-strong protests in his evening address.
Since today, a second front has opened in Ukraine—between those preserving Ukraine’s democratic future and those sacrificing it for personal protection. This fight determines whether Ukraine’s victory over Russia means anything, or whether we become the corrupt autocracy we once fought to escape.
Zelenskyy can still reverse course—withdraw his signature, restore what was broken. But each day this law stands, Ukraine moves closer to becoming the country it once fought to escape.
The choice between republic and monarchy remains his to make.
History is watching.
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“I defended Zelenskyy against Trump’s dictatorship accusations. Now I can’t,” says Ukraine’s top corruption fighter
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Ukraine’s parliament votes to gut anti-corruption agencies amid Russian spy scandal (UPDATED)
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Zelenskyy’s scandalous law weakening anti-graft watchdogs takes effect (updated)
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Western trust under threat as Zelenskyy nears signing controversial law that crashes Ukraine’s anti-corruption system
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UKR Inform
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Ukrainian intel warns: Russia may exploit protests to destabilize country
Russian intelligence services and propagandists are closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine amid protests over the adoption of bill No. 12414.
Ukrainian intel warns: Russia may exploit protests to destabilize country
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The Independent Ukraine
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Ukrainians are protesting a law targeting anti-corruption agencies. Here's why
Ukrainians are taking to the streets to protest a new law they worry will undermine the work of two key anti-corruption agencies
Ukrainians are protesting a law targeting anti-corruption agencies. Here's why
© Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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UKR Inform
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Ukrainian and Russian delegations arrive in Istanbul for talks
The Ukrainian and Russian delegations have arrived at the Çırağan Palace in Istanbul for negotiations.
Ukrainian and Russian delegations arrive in Istanbul for talks
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UKR Inform
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Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul to insist on leaders' meeting – source
A potential future meeting between the presidents of Ukraine and Russia is the top priority on the agenda for the Ukrainian delegation during negotiations with the Russian side in Istanbul, as such a meeting could lead to significant steps toward achieving peace.
Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul to insist on leaders' meeting – source
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Euromaidan Press
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Politico: Trump’s September Ukraine ultimatum gives Putin green light to attack
President Donald Trump’s ultimatum to Vladimir Putin over Ukraine has been interpreted by Moscow as permission to intensify military operations through the summer, Politico reported on 22 July, citing Russian analysts. Trump delivered his demands during an Oval Office press conference last week, largely leaving NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to outline the new American policy. The president stipulated that Putin must agree to a ceasefire by September or face additional economic penalties, inc
Politico: Trump’s September Ukraine ultimatum gives Putin green light to attack
President Donald Trump’s ultimatum to Vladimir Putin over Ukraine has been interpreted by Moscow as permission to intensify military operations through the summer, Politico reported on 22 July, citing Russian analysts.
Trump delivered his demands during an Oval Office press conference last week, largely leaving NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to outline the new American policy. The president stipulated that Putin must agree to a ceasefire by September or face additional economic penalties, including tariffs on countries trading with Western-sanctioned Russia.
The US will also sell Patriot air defense systems to Europe for transfer to Ukraine and provide additional weapons, though specific numbers and types remain undisclosed.
Russian markets responded positively to the announcement, with stocks rising 2.7 percent in the hours following Trump’s statement. The ruble also reversed some losses against the dollar.
“The ultimatum was essentially interpreted by Moscow as carte blanche to intensify its offensive in Ukraine,” Russian political scientist Tatiana Stanovaya said, according to Politico.
Russian military analyst Yury Fedorov said the Kremlin had feared “immediate imposition” of secondary sanctions on Russian oil buyers and immediate deliveries of long-range missiles. Instead, Moscow now believes “Trump is not prepared and does not want to engage in a major confrontation with Russia,” according to Fedorov.
Trump’s former Russia czar Fiona Hill warned in a recent interview that the president is “deferential towards Putin because he really is worried about the risk of a nuclear exchange.” Hill added that Trump “thinks it’s just about real estate, about trade and who gets what, be it minerals, land or rare earths.”
“Putin doesn’t want a ceasefire. [He] wants a neutered Ukraine, not one that is able to withstand military pressure. Everybody sees this, apart from Trump,” Hill said.
Putin has maintained his preconditions for ending the war. At the recent St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, he reiterated demands for international recognition of territories he claims are Russian and Ukraine’s adoption of neutral, non-aligned status.
Ella Paneyakh, a sociologist at the New Eurasian Strategies Center, argues Putin needs to prolong the war because an abrupt halt would trigger “cruel and vicious competition for diminishing resources at every level of society.”
“Returning veterans — especially socially-connected contract soldiers — are likely to demand privileges and disrupt local balances of power, challenging both elites and institutions,” Paneyakh said. She warned that conflicts would “inevitably take place with those they perceive as ‘cowards’ who did not go to fight.”
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Euromaidan Press
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Intelligence: Russia plans to weaponize crisis emerged after Zelenskyy signs law weakening anti-corruption agencies in Ukraine
Russian intelligence services are attempting to destabilize Ukraine amid the anti-corruption crisis, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence warns. Kremlin agents are actively studying the internal situation in order to exploit the wave of protests linked to the adoption of the new law, which enables control over independent anti-corruption bodies. On 23 July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law that allows the Prosecutor General’s Office to interfere in the work of the National Anti-C
Intelligence: Russia plans to weaponize crisis emerged after Zelenskyy signs law weakening anti-corruption agencies in Ukraine
Russian intelligence services are attempting to destabilize Ukraine amid the anti-corruption crisis, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence warns. Kremlin agents are actively studying the internal situation in order to exploit the wave of protests linked to the adoption of the new law, which enables control over independent anti-corruption bodies.
According to the agency, Russia’s goal is to undermine Ukraine’s ability to resist full-scale military aggression and to discredit the country on the international stage.
“Russia intends to discredit Ukraine in the eyes of the world to weaken or destroy Western support for the armed struggle against the aggressor,” the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence says.
Inside Ukraine, the Kremlin sees an opportunity to capitalize on public discontent to stir chaos and polarize society. This is not just about propaganda — intelligence warns of possible provocations orchestrated directly from Moscow.
“To escalate the protests, deepen polarization, and plunge Ukrainian society into chaos… provocations inspired by Moscow are not ruled out,” the agency cautions.
The Defense Intelligence stresses that the country is in the midst of a genocidal war, in which Russia employs not only weapons but also manipulations, disinformation, and internal sabotage.
“The Ukrainian nation is living through a genocidal war in which the aggressor is trying by all means to destroy our state,” the agency emphasizes.
On 22 July, Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence, called for internal disagreements to be resolved through open dialogue.
“Ukrainian history has taught us, a nation loses when it is torn apart by internal strife. We face a common misfortune and a common enemy. That is why internal disagreements should be resolved through open dialogue to achieve a single shared goal, to defend our country,” he claimed.
He added that he is confident: Ukraine will be saved by strong armed forces and institutions.
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Kravchenko believes law on NABU, SAPO powers will not harm dialogue with partners
Ukrainian Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko believes that Ukraine's relations with international partners will not be negatively affected by the recently adopted law reducing the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).
Kravchenko believes law on NABU, SAPO powers will not harm dialogue with partners
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UKR Inform
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Ukrainian delegation meets with Erdogan ahead of Istanbul talks
Before the scheduled meeting in Istanbul, the Ukrainian delegation, led by National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Rustem Umerov, arrived in Ankara and met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Ukrainian delegation meets with Erdogan ahead of Istanbul talks
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The Independent Ukraine
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EU and Japan agree to work together to promote free trade and economic security
Leaders of the European Union and Japan have launched an alliance aimed at boosting economic cooperation, defending free trade and countering unfair trade practices as the two sides face growing challenges from the United States and China
EU and Japan agree to work together to promote free trade and economic security
© 2025 Anadolu Agency / Pool
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Euromaidan Press
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Reuters: Russian oil revenue drops 37% in July 2025 vs 2024
Russian state oil and gas revenue is set to fall in July by around 37% from the same month in 2024 to 680 billion roubles ($8.66 billion) due to cheaper oil and a stronger local currency, Reuters reported on 22 July. The oil and gas revenues significantly fund Russia’s war effort, and a reduction narrows Moscow’s ability to sustain its military campaign. This drop has mainly been caused by Western sanctions, persistent price caps, discounting of Russian oil, lower global oil prices, and declinin
Reuters: Russian oil revenue drops 37% in July 2025 vs 2024
Russian state oil and gas revenue is set to fall in July by around 37% from the same month in 2024 to 680 billion roubles ($8.66 billion) due to cheaper oil and a stronger local currency, Reuters reported on 22 July.
The oil and gas revenues significantly fund Russia’s war effort, and a reduction narrows Moscow’s ability to sustain its military campaign. This drop has mainly been caused by Western sanctions, persistent price caps, discounting of Russian oil, lower global oil prices, and declining gas exports amid the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The decline marks a significant drop in proceeds from what has been “the most important source of cash for the Kremlin, making up a quarter of total federal budget proceeds,” according to Reuters analysis.
Despite the annual decline, the proceeds are “set to increase by 37% from June due to cyclical payments of oil profit-based tax,” Reuters calculations indicate.
According to Reuters, the average Russian oil price calculated in roubles has remained below the federal budget’s target for 2025 throughout the period analyzed.
The broader impact extends beyond July, with Russia’s oil and gas revenue for January-July potentially declining “by 20% year-on-year to 5.4 trillion roubles,” Reuters calculations show.
The finance ministry will publish its official estimates on 5 August, according to the report.
Budget projections have undergone substantial revisions this year. The ministry had initially planned to earn 10.94 trillion roubles from oil and gas sales this year, but due to falling oil prices, it revised that expectation down to 8.32 trillion roubles.
This represents a sharp contrast to 2024 performance, when “oil and gas revenue reached 11.13 trillion roubles last year,” according to the data.
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UKR Inform
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SAPO, NABU complete probe into embezzlement of over UAH 9.2B from PrivatBank
The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) have completed the pre-trial investigation into the embezzlement of more than UAH 9.2 billion from PrivatBank.
SAPO, NABU complete probe into embezzlement of over UAH 9.2B from PrivatBank
The areas most affected by cuts to UK foreign aid spending
© Getty
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UKR Inform
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Russian drone attack damages sports center, church, dozens of homes in Kryvyi Rih
An overnight Russian drone attack on Kryvyi Rih has damaged a sports complex, a church, eight private homes, and up to 15 apartment buildings.
Russian drone attack damages sports center, church, dozens of homes in Kryvyi Rih
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Euromaidan Press
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Ukrainian Church holds first service in Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra caves since its independence from Moscow Patriarchate
Ukrainian prayer returns to the heart of the Lavra. For the first time in the history of independent Ukraine, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) held a service in the caves of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a sacred site that had been under the control of the Moscow Patriarchate for decades, UkrInform reports. The Russian Orthodox Church, which resided in Lavra for many years, has been a tool used by the Kremlin to advance its political interests and infiltrate other countries. Since the outset of
Ukrainian Church holds first service in Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra caves since its independence from Moscow Patriarchate
Ukrainian prayer returns to the heart of the Lavra. For the first time in the history of independent Ukraine, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) held a service in the caves of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a sacred site that had been under the control of the Moscow Patriarchate for decades, UkrInform reports.
The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, founded around 1051, is considered one of the oldest and most important Orthodox shrines in Eastern Europe. Its complex includes churches and underground caves, which attracted thousands of pilgrims and tourists from around the world before Russia’s war.
On 23 July, Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine led the prayer service in the Lower Lavra, gathering OCU believers and clergy.
“The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is a special sanctuary for our people, which, unfortunately, was long under occupation by the Moscow Patriarchate,” said Epiphanius, adding that prayers have risen here for a thousand years, in the heart of Ukrainian Orthodoxy.
He noted that Ukrainian services have been held in the Upper Lavra for over two and a half years and that this recent service in the caves marks the start of regular worship in the Lower Lavra as well.
“We are beginning regular services. There is always a first step… We are initiating Ukrainian prayer here in the Lower Lavra, near our venerable Kyiv-Pechersk Fathers,” emphasized the Primate.
Prayers were offered for the Ukrainian people, the soldiers defending independence, Ukraine’s victory over the aggressor, and the establishment of a just peace.
“We will appeal to the venerable Fathers… for Ukraine’s victory, for the triumph of truth, and the establishment of a just peace in Ukraine,” said Metropolitan Epiphanius.
The return of the Lavra to the OCU has been underway since 2023, when the government terminated the agreement with the UOC (MP) concerning the Dormition Cathedral and the Refectory Church, due to that body’s ties to the Moscow Patriarchate and threats to national security.
“The Russian Federation uses religious organizations for its own purposes… We are moving forward. This is an irreversible process,” said Epiphanius.
Svitlana Kotliarevska, director of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Reserve, highlighted the event’s symbolism.
“The caves are the heart of the Lavra… Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and of Ukraine,” she explained.
She added that Ukrainian-language services in the caves are not just a religious milestone but a national one.
“Ukrainian language in Ukrainian caves, in the Ukrainian Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra… I believe future generations will remember this day as the start of a new chapter,” Kotliarevska said.
Similar services are expected to soon begin in the Near Caves as well.
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Frontline report: Russia plans to import one million Indian workers as war drains domestic labor pool
Day 1245 On 22 July, the biggest news comes from Russia. Here, a staggering announcement has pulled the curtain back on the country’s wartime manpower crisis. Moscow plans to import one million Indian workers, a move that reveals the scale of Russia’s internal collapse and its growing dependence on foreign labor to sustain even basic functions. The announcement came from the Ural Chambers of Commerce and Industry, which revealed plans to bring in one million Indian laborers to fill vacancies lef
Frontline report: Russia plans to import one million Indian workers as war drains domestic labor pool
Day 1245
On 22 July, the biggest news comes from Russia.
Here, a staggering announcement has pulled the curtain back on the country’s wartime manpower crisis. Moscow plans to import one million Indian workers, a move that reveals the scale of Russia’s internal collapse and its growing dependence on foreign labor to sustain even basic functions. The announcement came from the Ural Chambers of Commerce and Industry, which revealed plans to bring in one million Indian laborers to fill vacancies left by Russians sent to the front.
These workers are not being hired for skilled industry or reconstruction, but keep everyday systems running, a signal that Russia’s domestic labor pool has been gutted by conscription. Framing this as a commercial initiative barely conceals its real function: covering for the massive depletion of able-bodied workers across the country.

The impact was immediate, and while state media largely ignored the news, regional outlets and officials confirmed it quietly, and the announcement circulated widely on military-focused channels.

What little commentary emerged from Russian politicians was vague and avoidant, focused on economic partnerships rather than addressing the underlying issue. But the move did not go unnoticed; it broke a powerful illusion that Russia, despite mounting casualties and mobilization rounds, could rely indefinitely on its population. This moment also reveals growing fatigue inside Russian society; the silence of the state has left a vacuum filled with sarcasm and unease. Russian veterans’ associations and military analysts, many of whom have supported earlier mobilizations, are now beginning to question the logic of replacing conscripted citizens with foreigners. Their tone has shifted from patriotic confidence to guarded discomfort, a trend that points to a broader decline of the war narrative.

The scale of this decline was underscored by a separate development just days earlier. Pavel Gubarev, a former official of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, publicly admitted that Russia has suffered over one million killed, wounded, or missing in just three and a half years. A million is not a small number, he said, a statement all the more notable because it came not through official channels, but during an informal interview that quickly spread online. No Kremlin spokesperson has confirmed the figure, but Gubarev’s words offered a rare breach in the wall of censorship and illustrated how deeply the toll has cut into Russian society.

The Indian Labor plan is not an isolated event; it is part of a broader shift in how Russia is attempting to offset its mounting losses. In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have captured multiple Cameroonian nationals in frontline areas. These individuals had been promised factory work in Russia but were issued military gear upon arrival. Their contracts promised just about 1 million rubles or 13 thousand dollars, significantly less than Russian recruits, confirming that Moscow is sourcing expendable labor from abroad.
Many appear unaware of their actual assignments until it is too late, and a similar pattern is emerging with Laos. According to Ukrainian intelligence, a contingent of Laotian engineering troops is being deployed to the Kursk region under the label of demining operations.
But the same pattern, masked deployments of foreign military personnel, has already been seen in cases involving North Korea and other partners. Moscow appears to be rebranding foreign troop presence as humanitarian aid to skirt domestic sensitivities and international scrutiny.

Russia’s military reliance on imported labor is no longer a rumor or an isolated tactic; it is becoming an institutionalized strategy. In doing so, Moscow is quietly acknowledging what it cannot say openly: that the war has drained its population, that patriotic mobilization is no longer enough, and that without external manpower, even the home front may begin to falter.
Overall, the decision to bring in one million Indian workers is not simply a logistical fix; it is a political rupture.

Russia’s war is now visibly outsourced, with foreign labor increasingly filling roles once held by Russian citizens. India, Cameroon, and Laos are not volunteering support; they are being drawn into a system that conceals its real costs and intentions.

For Ukraine and its partners, this shift is a clear indicator that Russia’s manpower crisis is not just real, it is accelerating.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.
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