Vue normale

Reçu aujourd’hui — 31 juillet 2025Ukraine
  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • Militarnyi: Russia now using jet-propelled Shaheds—Geran-3 drones—to step up deadly strikes on Ukraine
    Russia has started using jet-propelled Shaheds in its war on Ukraine, Militarnyi says. Russia used at least eight of these Geran-3 drones during the 30 July attack in that strike from the north. Amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, Moscow attacks Ukrainian cities with drones every day, often sending hundreds of long-range explosive drones to overwhelm air defenses so that missiles can strike their targets. These attacks focus on civilians to break Ukrainian morale. Jet-propelled Shaheds appear
     

Militarnyi: Russia now using jet-propelled Shaheds—Geran-3 drones—to step up deadly strikes on Ukraine

31 juillet 2025 à 16:17

militarnyi russia now using jet-propelled shaheds—geran-3 drones—to step up deadly strikes ukraine jet-powered shahed-238 strike drone known geran-3 2023 iranian media has started shaheds its war says used least eight

Russia has started using jet-propelled Shaheds in its war on Ukraine, Militarnyi says. Russia used at least eight of these Geran-3 drones during the 30 July attack in that strike from the north.

Amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, Moscow attacks Ukrainian cities with drones every day, often sending hundreds of long-range explosive drones to overwhelm air defenses so that missiles can strike their targets. These attacks focus on civilians to break Ukrainian morale.

Jet-propelled Shaheds appear in Russian strikes

Militarnyi reports that Russian forces used jet-propelled Shaheds for the first time in large numbers on 30 July. These Geran-3 drones flew together with regular Shaheds and decoy drones in a combined night strike. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched the air assault from the north and east. Airspace monitoring channels confirm missiles, Shaheds, decoys, and jet-propelled drones in that wave.

Ukrainian air defenses fought back with aviation, missile troops, electronic warfare and mobile fire teams. They downed 51 drones out of 78 launched that night. Twenty-seven drones hit seven locations. Debris from destroyed drones fell in two other locations.

The Air Force did not report whether any of Geran-3s were shot down. 

Details of the Geran-3 model

Militarnyi says the Geran-3 is a Russian-made version of the Iranian Shahed-238. Wreckage found in June showed a drone with the serial number U-36. First mentions of this drone appeared in February 2025. These drones are already in small-scale production.
Fragment of a jet-propelled drone with tail number U-36 marked Geran-3. Photo: Telegram/Polkovnyk GSh via Militarnyi.
Fragment of a jet-propelled drone with tail number U-36 marked Geran-3. Photo: Telegram/Polkovnyk GSh via Militarnyi.

Russian sources cited by Militarnyi describe the Geran-3. It is 3.5 meters long and has a 3 meter wingspan. It climbs to 9.1 kilometers and can fly for two hours. It has a takeoff weight of 380 kilograms, much more than the 250 kilograms of the Shahed-136, designated by Russia as Geran-2.

Growing danger from jet-propelled Shaheds

Militarnyi notes that Russian forces may have used Geran-3 drones before in strikes on Kyiv. Their use now grows more frequent and organized. These jet-propelled Shaheds are faster and heavier than older models. They add more danger to Russian mixed strikes that combine regilar Shaheds and decoys.

 

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  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • Frontline report: Mines on their chests, drones above as Russia’s summer offensive stops dead
    Today, there are interesting updates from the Lyman direction. Here, the Russian frustration grows bigger with every day due to the lack of advances, shortage of supplies, and a disastrous kill-to-loss ratio. This has forced Russian commanders to order even more desperate attacks with Russian soldiers being turned into unintentional suicide bombers by essentially carrying explosive vests with them during assaults. Relentless Russian assaults bring only casualties In the Lyman direct
     

Frontline report: Mines on their chests, drones above as Russia’s summer offensive stops dead

31 juillet 2025 à 16:15

Today, there are interesting updates from the Lyman direction. Here, the Russian frustration grows bigger with every day due to the lack of advances, shortage of supplies, and a disastrous kill-to-loss ratio.

This has forced Russian commanders to order even more desperate attacks with Russian soldiers being turned into unintentional suicide bombers by essentially carrying explosive vests with them during assaults.


Relentless Russian assaults bring only casualties

In the Lyman direction, Russian forces have found themselves hopelessly stuck, unable to advance despite relentless infantry assaults. The repeated frontal attacks have become disastrously costly, leading to massive casualties at unprecedented rates. In addition, frontline Russian units are starved of supplies, making it impossible to sustain effective combat operations.

Russian forces are stuck near Lyman despite relentless infantry assaults. Photo: Screenshot from the video

Drones reveal Russian troops carrying mortar shells by hand

In multiple engagements, Ukrainian drone operators have observed Russian soldiers being sent forward carrying individual mortar rounds to deliver to mortar crews on their way to the front, a desperate measure indicating a total logistical breakdown and highlighting the grim conditions Russian troops face in this sector.


Ukrainian drone crews crush Russian night assaults

Geolocated video evidence has extensively documented how Russian forces continually get bogged down in front of Ukrainian defenses, immobilized by dense minefields, carefully placed caltrops, and relentless drone strikes. Ukrainian drone operators from the 63rd Mechanized Brigade have become exceptionally proficient at hunting down and neutralizing isolated Russian assault groups at night with one crew eliminating 23 enemy soldiers in one night.

Whenever Russian troops manage to briefly occupy new positions, swift Ukrainian counterattacks and drone bombardments immediately push them back or eliminate them. This cycle of attrition leaves Russian infantry units trapped in a futile loop of unsuccessful and deadly assaults. This extreme frustration has led Russian commanders and soldiers to adopt increasingly desperate and reckless methods.

Ukrainian drones from the 63rd Brigade hunt isolated Russian assault groups at night, with one crew killing 23 in a single operation. Photo: Screenshot from the video

Mine-carrying vests turn soldiers into suicide bombers

One striking phenomenon captured repeatedly in battlefield footage is the unintended emergence of kamikaze-like Russian soldiers. In a released video, a Russian soldier was running to assault Ukrainian positions with a grenade in his hand, but when Ukrainian troops met him with heavy fire, he began to retreat, fell on his grenade, and blew himself up.

Instead of reconsidering their reckless tactics, the Russian command doubled down on the idea. Soldiers were soon seen wearing specially designed vests meant to carry anti-tank mines, intended as a practical way to carry mines to the front, and quickly deploy explosives upon reaching Ukrainian positions, allowing troops to remain armed while carrying the mines.

However, these vests turned into deadly traps, as when these mine-carrying soldiers are hit by Ukrainian fire, their vests detonate, instantly killing the wearer and any comrades nearby. Though not intended as literal suicide vests, the practical outcome has ironically turned Russian soldiers into unintentional suicide bombers, grim evidence of the extreme desperation gripping the Russian frontlines.

A Russian soldier ran forward with a grenade but, hit by fire, fell and set it off, killing himself. Photo: Screenshot from the video

Russian war crime: Civilian shot dead in Torske

Beyond battlefield absurdity, this sense of desperation has manifested in horrific violence against Ukrainian civilians as well. Recent footage from the village of Torske captured Russian troops cruelly shooting a civilian riding a bicycle, a clear and disturbing war crime. While desperation offers context, it certainly provides no justification for such barbaric and needless violence.

Unfortunately, such incidents have been systematically documented across multiple sectors of the frontline, revealing a broader pattern of brutality and indiscipline among Russian forces.

Video from Torske shows Russian troops killing a civilian on a bike. Photo: Screenshot from the video

Ukrainians track and eliminate the killers

However, Ukrainian drone operators and artillery teams swiftly respond to such atrocities. After observing the killing of the civilian on his bicycle in Torske, Ukrainians methodically tracked down and eliminated the Russian soldiers responsible, delivering some measure of justice and demonstrating Ukraine’s resolve in protecting and defending their civilians’ lives.

Overall, such distressing examples highlight a deeply troubling trend driven by Russian desperation and logistical failure. The inability to adequately supply their forward-deployed troops has created the absurd situation of soldiers advancing while strapped with anti-tank mines, transforming themselves into explosive targets. Such grotesque improvisations underline how disconnected Russian commanders have become from battlefield realities, willing to grasp at even the most dangerous and ill-advised tactics simply to achieve some negligible progress.

More than half of the summer offensive season is already gone with virtually no progress achieved near Lyman, and none at all at Torske specifically. Now, Russian forces have resorted to self-defeating and absurd methods out of sheer frustration and desperation vividly demonstrating the catastrophic failure of their offensive ambitions.

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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Russia launches record 6,297 drones at Ukraine in July 2025 — a 1,378% increase from last year, OSINT analyst reports

31 juillet 2025 à 16:13

Aftermath of a Russian drone attack on 22 July 2025 in Odesa. Photo: SUspilne Odesa.

Russia fired 6,297 Shahed-type kamikaze drones and Gerbera-type decoy targets at Ukraine in July 2025, marking an absolute monthly record since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, according to OSINT analyst Kyle Glen who analyzed official Ukrainian Air Force report.

The July figure represents a 1,378% increase compared to July 2024, when 426 drones were launched. The scale of July attacks equals the total number of drones launched over ten months of 2024 — from January through October inclusive.

July is also the first month to see more than 6,000 drones reported by the Ukrainian Air Force, this follows June when more than 5,000 were reported for the first time, according to Glen.

“July also had periods of relative calm when Russia held off on major launches (likely due to poor weather),” he added.

The data revealed a steady monthly escalation in drone attacks. The analyst attributes this trend to Russia’s expansion of drone production facilities in the second half of 2024 and early 2025. Ukrainian air defense forces now operate under unprecedented attack volumes that constantly increase in complexity due to evolving enemy tactics.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that Russian forces have installed thermal imaging cameras on some Shahed drones to improve strike accuracy.

Previous reports said that Russia prepares thousands of strikes daily.

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  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • “We’ve not seen any progress,” Rubio reveals secret Russia talks this week
    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that American officials held conversations with high-level Russian representatives earlier this week regarding Ukraine war settlement, but Washington saw no advancement toward peace negotiations, according to his interview with Fox News published by the State Department press service. “We continue to engage with the Russian side, as early as this week – earlier this week, on Monday or Tuesday.  We had a whole conversation with them as well – not with P
     

“We’ve not seen any progress,” Rubio reveals secret Russia talks this week

31 juillet 2025 à 16:02

Marco Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that American officials held conversations with high-level Russian representatives earlier this week regarding Ukraine war settlement, but Washington saw no advancement toward peace negotiations, according to his interview with Fox News published by the State Department press service.

“We continue to engage with the Russian side, as early as this week – earlier this week, on Monday or Tuesday.  We had a whole conversation with them as well – not with Putin but with some of Putin’s top people – in hopes of arriving at some understanding on a path forward that would lead to peace, and we’ve not seen any progress on that,” Rubio said.

The Secretary of State said that President Donald Trump has waited over six months and made extensive efforts to establish peace. Rubio said Trump becomes most frustrated with phone calls where Russians claim they want the conflict to end, only for cities to be bombed shortly after.

“What bothers the President the most is he has these great phone calls where everyone sort of claims yeah, we’d like to see this end, if we could find a way forward, and then he turns on the news and another city has been bombed, including those far from the frontlines,” Rubio said.

Rubio added that potential sanctions options available to the President, including secondary sanctions on Russian oil sales and sectoral banking sanctions.

The Secretary claimed that the US remains willing to participate in peace negotiations if the opportunity arises, but warned that Trump “is not going to wait forever.”

Trump recently shortened his ultimatum to Putin from 50 days to 10-12 days for reaching a peace agreement, threatening secondary tariffs on Russian resource buyers otherwise. The following day, the President declared Putin has 10 days to end the war against Ukraine, though Trump believes settling the war will take considerable time.

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Ukraine at UN Security Council: Russia's war is aimed at preserving Kremlin's authoritarian regime

31 juillet 2025 à 14:56
Russia's war against Ukraine is aimed at preserving the authoritarian regime in Russia itself and has nothing to do with the “goals” declared by the Kremlin, said еру Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN, Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, at a Security Council meeting convened by Moscow.

  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • China secretly gave Russia cruise missile technology, US officials reveal at UN
    A senior US diplomat revealed that China has provided cruise missile technology to Russia as part of its support for the country’s military operations, according to statements made during a UN Security Council session. “North Korea has sent ammunition, missiles, military equipment and approximately 12,000 soldiers to Russia, Iran has provided ballistics, drones and other technologies,” John Kelly, the high-ranking American diplomat, said during the Security Council meeting. Kelly emphasized Ch
     

China secretly gave Russia cruise missile technology, US officials reveal at UN

31 juillet 2025 à 15:23

Russian missiles Iskander

A senior US diplomat revealed that China has provided cruise missile technology to Russia as part of its support for the country’s military operations, according to statements made during a UN Security Council session.

“North Korea has sent ammunition, missiles, military equipment and approximately 12,000 soldiers to Russia, Iran has provided ballistics, drones and other technologies,” John Kelly, the high-ranking American diplomat, said during the Security Council meeting.

Kelly emphasized China’s particularly crucial role in sustaining Russia’s military capabilities.

“China, as its representatives have noted, does not supply weapons to Russia directly,” he said. “However, China has become a decisive factor contributing to Russia’s military efforts, being the most important supplier to Russia’s military industry.”

According to the diplomat, China has provided Russia with a significant amount of machine tools, microelectronics, optics, drones and cruise missile technology, as well as [a significant amount of] nitrocellulose, which Russia uses to manufacture gunpowder for weapons.

Kelly did not specify which particular cruise missile technology was being referenced in his remarks.

The US official stressed that if China were serious about helping to end the conflict, it would cease supplying these critical components to Russia.

During the same address, the American representative announced that an agreement between Russia and Ukraine must be reached by 8 August, with Washington prepared to take additional measures to ensure peace.

The allegations align with previous Ukrainian intelligence findings from May, which reported discovering over foreign components in Russia’s new “Banderol” cruise missile, including parts from China.

Ukrainian intelligence identified Chinese microchips, what appeared to be a Chinese copy of an Australian telemetry module, a jet engine from China, and an inertial navigation system also possibly from that country.

The Chinese Swiwin engine for model aircraft reportedly is sold through online platforms, with an approximate cost of $16,000 on AliExpress. It remains unclear whether Kelly was referring to the “Banderol” missile or other weaponry.

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  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • Germany says Ukraine’s anti-corruption law “necessary” but not sufficient
    Germany has called for continued anti-corruption reforms following Ukraine’s parliament approval of law №13533, designed to restore independence to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO). The German Foreign Ministry described the parliamentary vote as “a positive and necessary step on the path to restoring lost trust.” However, Berlin emphasized that more work remains ahead. “Now it is necessary to continue reforms in the sphere
     

Germany says Ukraine’s anti-corruption law “necessary” but not sufficient

31 juillet 2025 à 15:08

anti-corruption protest-07-30_20-49-38

Germany has called for continued anti-corruption reforms following Ukraine’s parliament approval of law №13533, designed to restore independence to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).

The German Foreign Ministry described the parliamentary vote as “a positive and necessary step on the path to restoring lost trust.” However, Berlin emphasized that more work remains ahead.

“Now it is necessary to continue reforms in the sphere of fighting corruption,” the German Foreign Ministry reported.

On 31 July, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine’s Parliament) supported the presidential bill №13533 on restoring the independence of NABU and SAPO. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the document shortly after its parliamentary passage.

The move represents a reversal from events, when on the evening of 22 July Zelenskyy signed a law that limited the independence of the anti-corruption institutions NABU and SAPO.

That decision prompted thousands of people to participate in protest rallies in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.

Western politicians also pressured Ukraine to strengthen its institutional framework for combating corruption, particularly as the country continues to receive substantial Western financial and military support.

Following the approved law which reportedly restores the independence of anti-corruption agencies, the European Union has confirmed it has no plans to freeze funding for Ukraine, addressing speculation about potential financial consequences tied to the anti-corruption legislation.

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  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • Russian military claimed to seize Chasiv Yar. Ukrainian defenders say it is a lie
    On 31 July, Ukrainian forces denied Chasiv Yar capture claims from Russia and say Russian troops do not fully control the city in Donetsk Oblast. This morning, Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed full occupation of Chasiv Yar, but the spokesman of Ukraine’s Khortytsia Operational-Strategic Grouping of Forces Viktor Trehubov called the announcement “just another Russian fake.” Also, the 11th Army Corps also confirmed that Russian troops failed to take full control. Amid the ongoing Russo-Ukraini
     

Russian military claimed to seize Chasiv Yar. Ukrainian defenders say it is a lie

31 juillet 2025 à 14:56

russian military claimed seize chasiv yar ukrainian defenders say lie situation donetsk oblast 30 2025 (red shows russian-controlled areas) deepstate chasiv-yar-control ministry defense moscow announced victory while fierce fighting continued

On 31 July, Ukrainian forces denied Chasiv Yar capture claims from Russia and say Russian troops do not fully control the city in Donetsk Oblast. This morning, Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed full occupation of Chasiv Yar, but the spokesman of Ukraine’s Khortytsia Operational-Strategic Grouping of Forces Viktor Trehubov called the announcement “just another Russian fake.” Also, the 11th Army Corps also confirmed that Russian troops failed to take full control.

Amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, Moscow’s forces continue to focus on capturing the entire Donetsk Oblast for many months, so Pokrovsk, Toretsk, Chasiv Yar and Kostiantynivka remain the hottest areas on the front line.

The 11th Army Corps explains that despite Russian information manipulation, Ukrainian troops still hold positions inside Chasiv Yar. Soldiers from the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade continue to defend the city while Russian forces keep trying to advance.

The Ukrainian OSINT project Deepstate also rejects the statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Russian propaganda stunts inside parts of the city to fake Chasiv Yar capture

Military reports from the 11th Army Corps describe what happened on 27, 28 and 29 July. Russian soldiers during daylight entered some locations in Chasiv Yar because they received promises of short leave for such actions. They planted Russian flags on the territory of the refractory plant, which Ukrainian defenders had not controlled for a long time, and on a part of the Pivnichnyi district that remains temporarily under Russian control. Before raising a flag in the Shevchenka district, Russian forces shelled Ukrainian positions with artillery. Ukrainian officers call these actions a performance staged for video and propaganda.

“The enemy did not occupy Chasiv Yar, but only carried out another flag-planting stunt behind the defense lines. Today a video appeared where the enemy placed flags in the Shevchenka district and at Workshop No. 2, but the Russians have no control over the city or over the places where they did that,” DeepState wrote.

According to the project’s data, in the past two months, the occupiers only “managed to advance just a little” from the northeast and east toward the Shevchenka district.

The rest of the events are just banal penetration behind the lines at night with capes and then raising flags in daylight. Most of those so-called flag-planters are already dead because this action was a one-way mission,” DeepState reported.

Dawn assault on 30 July ends with losses for Russia

On 30 July from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m., Russian troops attacked Ukrainian positions with two assault groups of six soldiers each. Later the same day, they added two armored vehicles to support another push. Ukrainian defenders stopped the attack on the eastern outskirts of Chasiv Yar in Pivnichnyi district.

Soldiers from the 11th Army Corps report that they destroyed both armored vehicles and inflicted heavy losses on Russian troops who tried to hide in nearby buildings. They note that at least three women were among the attackers.

 

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  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • Lithuania summons Russian diplomat over deadly Kyiv attack that killed 15 people, including a child
    Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry summoned Russia’s temporary chargé d’affaires on 31 July, following massive strikes on Ukrainian cities including Kyiv, according to a statement from the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Russian representative received a protest note regarding strikes on Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson and other Ukrainian oblasts that killed dozens and wounded hundreds of civilians, the ministry reported. The statement follows a Russian missiles and dron
     

Lithuania summons Russian diplomat over deadly Kyiv attack that killed 15 people, including a child

31 juillet 2025 à 14:36

attack kyiv july 2025

Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry summoned Russia’s temporary chargé d’affaires on 31 July, following massive strikes on Ukrainian cities including Kyiv, according to a statement from the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Russian representative received a protest note regarding strikes on Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson and other Ukrainian oblasts that killed dozens and wounded hundreds of civilians, the ministry reported.

The statement follows a Russian missiles and drones attack that ripped through Kyiv overnight on 31 July, collapsing apartment buildings and setting fires in several districts of the city. The attack killed at least 15 civilians and injured over 130 people. Russian missile struck an apartment building kin one of the Kyiv’s disctrict, collapsing its entire section.

The Lithinuan FM wrote in the statement after the morning attack that “Russia’s military actions against Ukraine’s civilian population and systematic cruel treatment of prisoners of war are unacceptable and illegal.

Lithuania pledged to continue efforts to ensure those responsible for these and other war crimes face criminal prosecution.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys called for “increased pressure” on Russia and its partners following the deadly strike on the Ukrainian capital.

The Russian attack was also condemned by Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, whose country currently chairs the OSCE, and her Estonian counterpart Margus Tsahkna.

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EU diplomats shown debris of Iskander-K missile that hit Kyiv apartment building

31 juillet 2025 à 13:23
The Office of the President of Ukraine hosted a briefing for diplomats from European Union countries focused on strengthening sanctions against Russia. During the event, attendees were shown debris from an Iskander-K missile used by Russian forces to strike a residential building in Kyiv on the night of July 30-31.

“Aren’t you tired of feeding people garbage?” Ukrainian parliament reverses anti-corruption law after street protests

31 juillet 2025 à 13:00

Ukraine’s Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, voted to restore the independence of its main anti-corruption bodies — the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) — by passing presidential draft law No. 13533.

The bill passed with 331 votes and was immediately signed in the chamber by Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

For a week leading up to the vote, thousands of Ukrainians across Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro and Odesa took to the streets — demanding the reversal of controversial changes even under martial law restrictions on public gatherings. It became the largest wave of protests since Russia’s full‑scale invasion.

Although the effectiveness of these anti-corruption bodies has often been questioned, the earlier law that weakened them was widely condemned at home and abroad as authoritarian and unacceptable, concentrating power in the President’s Office and threatening Ukraine’s reform commitments.

“This is a guarantee of the proper independent functioning of our state’s anti-corruption bodies and all law enforcement agencies. This is the right decision,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram.

331 lawmakers voted to restore NABU and SAPO independence. Photo: MP Zhelezniak via Telegram

Mass protests force a U-turn

The debate in the chamber was heated, with shouting, accusations, and visible anger.

MPs insisted that the Speaker and President sign the new law immediately, without delay, to quickly cancel the controversial changes adopted a week earlier.

Outside Parliament, in Mariinskyi Park, protesters gathered to listen to the live broadcast of the vote. When the result was announced, they cheered and shouted: “Power belongs to the people!”

Despite martial law restrictions on public gatherings, police did not disperse the rallies that took place in several Ukrainian cities, and the authorities seemed unprepared for such large‑scale resistance to the new law.

For the first time since the start of Russia’s full‑scale invasion, the session of the Verkhovna Rada was broadcast live on the Rada TV channel — a move widely seen as a concession to public pressure and a demand for transparency.

Outside Parliament, in Mariinskyi Park, protesters gathered to listen to the live broadcast of the vote. Photo: Suspilne

International pressure grows

After the vote, European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier confirmed that the EU has no plans to freeze financial aid for Ukraine.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos welcomed the move but noted on X:

“Today’s law restores key safeguards, but challenges remain. The EU supports the Ukrainian citizens’ demands for reform.”

Brussels emphasized that Ukraine must continue to strengthen reforms as part of its EU accession process.

Protesters outside the Parliament celebrated the vote Video: Hromadske

What triggered the crisis

In July, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) arrested a NABU detective on charges of spying for Russia, alleging that classified information had been passed to Russian intelligence. Critics said these arrests were used as a pretext to attack and weaken independent anti-corruption agencies.

Anti‑corruption activists further accused President Zelenskyy of retaliating against NABU and SAPO because they had investigated figures close to him, including former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Chernyshov and businessman Timur Mindich, a long‑time associate and former partner in Zelenskyy’s media company Kvartal 95.

Mindich Kvartal 95 Zelenskyy's comedy club associate
Tymur Mindich, Zelenskyy’s partner in the Kvartal95 comedy club, was on 20 June 2025 reported to have illegally left Ukraine. Photo: djc.com.ua

Soon after, on 22 July, Parliament passed law No. 12414, originally about missing persons. At the last minute, MPs added amendments that made NABU and SAPO dependent on the Prosecutor General, granting that office the power to seize cases, close investigations, and weaken the agencies’ independence.

The move provoked protests and drew sharp criticism from the US and EU. Despite the backlash, Zelenskyy signed the law the same day.

zelenskyy
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Credit: Presidential Office

Reversal under pressure

A week later, under public pressure, threats to cut foreign funding, and continuing protests, Zelenskyy introduced draft law No. 13533, restoring NABU and SAPO’s full powers.

The bill was fast-tracked and adopted in full on 31 July.


Harsh words in Parliament

Before the vote, former Speaker Dmytro Razumkov criticized his colleagues:

“Aren’t you tired of eating excrement in this chamber and feeding it to people??!”

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze of the opposition party European Solidarity said Parliament is “run like a collective farm from the President’s Office.”

Yulia Tymoshenko, leader of Batkivshchyna, opposed the bill and claimed Ukraine is under “external control.” Meanwhile, Dmytro Kostiuk, a member of the presidential party Servant of the People, announced he was leaving the faction because of the previous controversial vote.

Dmytro Kostiuk, a member of the presidential party Servant of the People, announced he was leaving the faction. Photo: NV via Telegram

Other members of Zelenskyy’s Servant of the People party admitted mistakes and even held up protest-style posters inside the chamber.

The episode also highlighted the growing centralization of power in the President’s Office in Kyiv. With elections suspended due to the war with Russia, Parliament is widely seen as following instructions from the presidential administration rather than acting as an independent branch of government.


What the new law changes

The new law cancels the 22 July amendments and returns NABU and SAPO to full independence.
It adds one condition: NABU staff with access to state secrets must pass a polygraph, carried out by NABU’s own internal control unit rather than the SBU.

According to NABU, more than 200 such tests were already conducted in 2024. NABU and SAPO said they took part in drafting the new law, are satisfied with its provisions, and strongly supported its swift adoption.


Criticism of NABU and SAPO

Ukraine’s anti‑corruption system includes NABU, SAPO, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) and the High Anti‑Corruption Court (HACC).

Despite significant funding and Western support, their effectiveness remains debated. Critics point out that these bodies are costly, operate in a grey constitutional area, lack independent audits, and have brought few senior officials to justice in almost ten years.

Supporters argue that these problems cannot be solved by a single, quickly adopted law, but require long‑term reforms, stronger oversight and real political independence.

The creation of these institutions was one of the EU’s key conditions for granting Ukraine a visa‑free regime and a requirement for Western financial aid. Western partners helped launch and fund them after concluding that Ukraine’s “old” police and prosecution services had failed to eradicate top‑level corruption.

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  • ✇UKR Inform
  • Law expanding NABU, SAPO powers comes into force
    The Law of Ukraine "On the Introduction of Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine to Strengthen the Powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO)" has officially come into force.
     
  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • Another Russian spy unmasked: National Guard soldier caught leaking secrets on Ukraine defense facility to Russia
    A suspected Russian spy was caught by the Security Service of Ukraine after investigators exposed a National Guard serviceman who leaked secrets about a defense plant. SBU agents said he gave Russian intelligence information about a key Dnipropetrovsk Oblast facility and the unit that guarded it. With the Russo-Ukrainian war ongoing, Russian intelligence and sabotage efforts are on the rise, prompting regular reports of new arrests by the SBU. Russian spy exposed in National Guard ranks Ukraine’
     

Another Russian spy unmasked: National Guard soldier caught leaking secrets on Ukraine defense facility to Russia

31 juillet 2025 à 12:11

another russian spy unmasked national guard soldier caught leaking secrets ukraine defense facility russia sbu officers detain serviceman accused spying after leaked data security service investigators exposed about plant agents

A suspected Russian spy was caught by the Security Service of Ukraine after investigators exposed a National Guard serviceman who leaked secrets about a defense plant. SBU agents said he gave Russian intelligence information about a key Dnipropetrovsk Oblast facility and the unit that guarded it.

With the Russo-Ukrainian war ongoing, Russian intelligence and sabotage efforts are on the rise, prompting regular reports of new arrests by the SBU.

Russian spy exposed in National Guard ranks

Ukraine’s Security Service reported on 31 July that it exposed another agent working for Russian intelligence. The SBU said the man served in a National Guard brigade based in Zaporizhzhia. He allegedly sent Russian forces classified data about a strategic defense plant in Dnipropetrovsk oblast. That plant manufactures explosives and different types of ammunition. The mole also passed information about the military unit responsible for guarding the site.

Insider reached out to Russia

According to the SBU, the serviceman had worked at the plant before he was mobilized. Investigators said he personally contacted Russian intelligence and offered them secret information in exchange for money. His knowledge of the site and its security measures came from his previous work there.

Arrest and charges

The SBU, supported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the command of the National Guard, documented the actions of the suspected “mole.” Agents detained him after confirming his involvement. Investigators from the SBU’s main investigative department notified the suspect of suspicion under part 2 of article 111 of Ukraine’s criminal code. That article covers state treason committed during martial law. The suspect faces life in prison with confiscation of property if found guilty.

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Brussels pulls the trigger: Why EU nuked $ 5.5 billion in Ukraine aid – and Kyiv’s path back

31 juillet 2025 à 10:54

NABU-SAPO demonstratsion in Lviv on 23.07.25.

Ukraine reversed a controversial oversight law on 31 July, a move that promises to restore the independence of key anti-corruption bodies. However, the damage may already be done: the EU has frozen $1.7 billion in aid, which puts more people at risk. Why did Brussels pull the brakes, and what will it take to unfreeze the funds? Here’s what you need to know.

1

What happened?

On 22 July, Ukrainians took to the streets in mass protests after the Verkhovna Rada hastily passed draft law No. 12414. The law aimed to place Ukraine’s premier anti-corruption agencies — the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) — under broader prosecutorial oversight.

Protesters saw this as an attempt to weaken the country’s flagship anti-corruption institutions. Days later, the European Union froze $1.7 billion in financial support — the first such move under the $57 billion Ukraine Facility fund. Another $3.8 billion now hangs in the balance.

On 31 July, facing pressure from protesters and foreign partners, the Verkhovna Rada repealed the law. This was a victory for civil society, but Brussels remains cautious.

2

Why did Brussels act now?

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, the EU has shown considerable patience with reform timelines. But patience has limits. The European Commission clarified that financial support depends on concrete, verifiable reforms — not just promises.

For years, Ukraine has pledged to protect independent anti-corruption institutions, something most Ukrainians see as a tangible result of the 2013-14 Revolution of Dignity. Brussels now believes those promises are eroding.

The hastily passed law on 22 July was the final trigger. Even though Ukraine repealed it nine days later, credibility was damaged.

3

Was this just about one law?

No. Behind the scenes, European diplomats had been signaling concerns for weeks. According to official commentary cited by Serhiy Sydorenko in European Pravda, the European Commission flagged structural problems during an 11 July subcommittee meeting — weeks before the controversial law was passed.

EU officials warned Kyiv of backsliding in anti-corruption policy, including slow appointments to key posts like the SAPO head and a lack of follow-through on previously promised reforms. While the protest and repeal made headlines, the decision to suspend funds had deeper roots.

The EU’s emphasis isn’t on a single legislative act, but on Ukraine’s broader governance trajectory. The freeze wasn’t a reaction — it was a culmination.

4

What’s the problem with NABU and SAPO?

NABU was created in 2015 to investigate high-level corruption. SAPO, its prosecutorial counterpart, was founded the same year to ensure such cases reach court. Together, they form Ukraine’s flagship anti-corruption structure.

Both agencies have delivered results — investigating former MPs and state-owned company executives, exposing schemes like Ukrzaliznytsia officials purchasing more than 11,000 COVID-19 PCR tests at inflated prices. But they’ve also faced internal pressures and political interference.

The now-repealed law would have effectively removed their operational autonomy by altering oversight mechanisms — precisely what the EU wants Ukraine to safeguard. Repealing the law was necessary, but Brussels is watching what comes next.

5

Is it just about NABU and SAPO?

No. The Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) presents an even bigger problem. ARMA handles confiscated assets from corruption cases: bank accounts, apartments, luxury cars, and company shares. The concept is straightforward — crime shouldn’t pay.

But ARMA has a serious credibility problem. Assets have vanished, and auctions have been opaque, with luxury items sold at suspiciously low prices. Some of ARMA’s officials are under investigation.

A March 2025 audit by Ukraine’s Accounting Chamber revealed the scope of dysfunction. Of more than 100,000 court rulings instructing ARMA to manage seized assets, only 1% were transferred, leaving over UAH 39 billion unmanaged. Over 61% of disposed assets lacked proper market valuation, resulting in estimated losses of UAH 769 million. Staff shortages and underfunding (just 56% of needed resources) have impeded the agency’s ability to conduct proper oversight.

The EU demands serious structural reform: a public asset registry, transparent auction procedures, and an independent supervisory board. Without these, the additional $3.8 billion will be suspended.

6

How does the EU make these freezing decisions?

The Commission’s actions are tied to the European Reform Agenda (ERA), a jointly agreed-upon roadmap between Ukraine and the EU. The ERA outlines reforms needed to keep financial and political support flowing, covering judicial reform, public administration, democratic standards, and anti-corruption.

The Commission can recommend a funding freeze when Ukraine fails to meet ERA milestones. This decision must be endorsed by a qualified majority of EU member states — not a unilateral move, but a multilayered institutional process. Bodies like the European Court of Auditors and the European Anti-Fraud Office also provide input.

This wasn’t a political knee-jerk reaction. It was a coordinated decision by multiple EU institutions concluding that Ukraine had failed to meet key transparency and institutional independence conditions.

7

Is the EU turning its back on Ukraine?

Far from it. Brussels is doubling down on standards. After missteps with countries like Hungary, where Viktor Orbán took EU money while gradually dismantling democratic institutions, Brussels learned that early neglect leads to long-term democratic backsliding.

With Ukraine, the stakes are higher. Never before has the EU committed so much money, and never to a country at war. The EU is holding Ukraine to higher standards precisely because it wants Ukraine to succeed.

8

What’s at risk for Ukraine financially?

The war has ballooned Ukraine’s budget needs. Western aid helps fund pensions, salaries, schools, and basic services — not just weapons. The frozen $1.7 billion was part of that lifeline. The potential additional $3.8 billion represents almost 10% of the total Ukraine Facility.

Even temporary freezes hurt. Creditors grow nervous. Budget planning becomes chaotic. Most importantly, public trust in government commitments begins to erode. Credibility becomes your most valuable currency when you’re fighting a war while depending on international support.

9

Does war excuse reform fatigue?

Ukrainian officials argue that wartime makes reforms harder to implement. Brussels has responded that being at war makes transparent, accountable institutions more critical, not less. When you’re depending on billions in international aid, donors need absolute confidence that money is being handled properly.

The EU’s position is clear: wartime doesn’t justify rolling back anti-corruption measures — it makes them more urgent.

10

Can Ukraine reverse the freeze by year-end?

Yes, and there are signs of movement. Repealing the oversight law on 31 July was a first step. Ukraine must demonstrate “verifiable corrective steps” — actions, not promises.

This means protecting NABU’s independence, restoring SAPO’s prosecutorial authority, and ensuring both agencies can operate without political interference. Some draft laws are already in the works, and civil society remains vocal.

According to European Pravda, EU officials have reportedly received informal commitments from Ukraine to pass corrective measures in the autumn. These will be scrutinized not only for their content, but also for how transparently and independently they’re implemented. There’s quiet hope that the suspension can be reversed before year-end — but only if progress becomes visible soon.

The $1.7 billion freeze stems from three unmet reform indicators:

  • Territorial reorganization of executive power (draft law #4298, registered in 2020, costing $570 million in lost funding);
  • Selection of High Anti-Corruption Court judges (legally enabled in June but still not implemented);
  • ARMA reforms (already discussed above).

Additionally, Ukraine faces another overdue commitment — vocational education reform legislation due by the end of June — which could trigger further funding penalties in the next reporting period.

The EU’s rules give Ukraine 12 months to complete any reform milestone after the original deadline has passed. This grace period means the funds can still be released in full — but with a delay. However, Kyiv has already lost four of those twelve months. In the case of ARMA, that delay is even more tangible. Due to the agency’s non-compliance with basic criteria, Ukraine has definitively lost out on $85 million in performance-based funding tied to asset recovery benchmarks.

11

Can Ukraine save the $3.8 billion?

Saving the $3.8 billion requires comprehensive ARMA reform. Ukraine needs legislation ensuring transparency, accountability, and protection from political interference. This means proper oversight mechanisms, clear asset management procedures, and eliminating corruption opportunities.

The reforms must address ARMA’s documented failures: the suspicious auctions, unexplained losses, and criminal investigations of top officials. Brussels wants systemic changes, not personnel shuffles. A reliable asset registry, transparent valuation processes, and adequate staffing are non-negotiable.

If Ukraine delivers these reforms, the $3.8 billion will remain available. If not, it will join the frozen $1.7 billion.

12

What happens if Ukraine fails both tests?

Failure to restore NABU and SAPO independence keeps the $1.7 billion frozen. Failure to fix ARMA suspends another $3.8 billion. That’s $5.5 billion at risk — nearly 10% of the entire Ukraine Facility.

Beyond immediate financial impact, failure damages Ukraine’s credibility with other international donors and delays EU accession. The EU has clarified that Ukraine’s membership path depends on building accountable, transparent institutions.

The stakes are particularly high because Ukraine’s citizens have demonstrated a desire for better governance. If the government can’t respond to domestic and international pressure for reform, it raises fundamental questions about its commitment to European integration.

13

Why does this matter beyond Europe?

The United States, World Bank, and other international donors are watching closely. For Ukraine, credibility is currency. Others might follow if the EU — Ukraine’s strongest backer — loses confidence. That could slow financial flows and military and political support.

The outcome will help define the kind of state Ukraine is becoming and whether the West can demand reform while supporting a war partner.

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  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • Did Ukraine just use its first real cruise missile? 500 km strike deep inside Russia points to Bars
    In the span of two weeks starting in early July, the German government signaled separate investments in Ukraine’s best attack drone—the Ukroboronprom An-196 Liutyi—as well as its first mass-producible cruise missile, apparently the Bars. With substantial stocks of the new drones and missiles, Ukrainian forces should be capable of striking Russian targets as far away as 800 km. The drones would fly slower and may carry lighter, 50kg warheads. The missiles should fly faster and hit harder with
     

Did Ukraine just use its first real cruise missile? 500 km strike deep inside Russia points to Bars

31 juillet 2025 à 09:28

Is this the Bars missile?

In the span of two weeks starting in early July, the German government signaled separate investments in Ukraine’s best attack drone—the Ukroboronprom An-196 Liutyi—as well as its first mass-producible cruise missile, apparently the Bars.

With substantial stocks of the new drones and missiles, Ukrainian forces should be capable of striking Russian targets as far away as 800 km. The drones would fly slower and may carry lighter, 50kg warheads. The missiles should fly faster and hit harder with heavier warheads weighing perhaps twice as much.

There’s some evidence the German spend is already making a difference. The An-196 and Bars “are being deployed on the front line with increasing frequency,” the pro-Ukraine Conflict Intelligence Team noted. On July 26, drones slammed into the Signal plant in Stavropol, in southwestern Russia 500 km from the front line in Ukraine. The plant manufactures radar and electronic warfare systems.

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A photo that circulated on Russian social media the same day may depict, for the first time in public, wreckage of one of the Bars missiles. 

In funding Ukraine’s expanding deep-strike complex, Germany is helping Ukraine do to Russia what Russia has been doing to Ukraine throughout its 42-month wider war on the country: disrupt Russian command, logistics and production where the Russians are most vulnerable—at home.

Major Gen. Christian Freuding, the head of the German defense ministry’s Situation Center Ukraine, announced the missile deal in early July. The weapons, apparently Bars, would begin arriving in Ukraine within weeks—meaning now.

A 14th UAS Regiment An-196 takes off.
An An-196 takes off. 14th UAS Regiment photo.

Drones galore

Just days prior, Welt broke the news that Germany would also finance as many as 500 of the An-196 drones. The propeller-driven, satellite-guided Liutyi carries a 50-kg warhead farther than 800 kg. The $200,000 drone can follow a complex flight path and change altitude in order to dodge Russian defenses.

The An-196 already had German connections. The 3.5-m drone sports a German-made Hirth F-23 aviation engine producing 50 horsepower.

The Liutyis have been responsible for some of the most damaging strikes on targets deep inside Russia. Before Ukraine largely paused strikes on Russian oil facilities this spring, possibly bowing to pressure from the United States, the An-196s accounted for up to 80% of hits on refineries.

The turbojet Bars ranges around as far as the propeller-driven Liutyi does, but should hit harder thanks to a bigger warhead. And it should be more survivable owing to its likely higher speed. An An-196 motors along at slower than 320 km/hr; most cruise missiles travel twice as fast. 

In 2024 Ukraine began building a new generation of cruise missiles—“missile-drones” such as Bars, Palyanytsia, Peklo and Ruta. Photo: Herman Smetanin

The Bars is reportedly capable of ground and aerial launch. The Ukrainian air force has modified its Sukhoi Su-24 bombers to carry British-made Storm Shadow and French-made SCALP cruise missiles that are 5 m long and weigh nearly 1,400 kg. The Bars should be smaller and lighter, and may also be compatible with the Su-24s.

We don’t know how much a Bars costs, but it’s almost certainly less than the millions of dollars a Western-made cruise missile can cost. “Its main advantage is reportedly its potential for mass production within Ukraine,” CIT explained.

“The extent to which the new Bars missile will affect the front line will depend entirely on how many are made available to the Ukrainian military,” CIT wrote. Considering that Russia produces 600 or so of its best Kh-101 cruise missiles every year, the hundreds of Bars the Germans may be financing should help the Ukrainians chip away at the Russians’ missile advantage.

fas germany halts approving new military aid ukraine amid budget cuts german-supplied gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft gun its ukrainian crew bild
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  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • Zelenskyy and Poland’s president-elect hold first call, plan mutual visits
    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held his first phone conversation with Poland’s president-elect Karol Navrotsky on 31 July, Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. Navrotsky is set to take office on 6 August. The leaders agreed to exchange visits during the call, according to the statement. Zelenskyy congratulated Navrotsky on his 1 June election victory and expressed hope that Poland would remain a reliable partner and ally to Ukraine. The Ukrainian president briefed his Polish counterpart on the
     

Zelenskyy and Poland’s president-elect hold first call, plan mutual visits

31 juillet 2025 à 07:53

zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held his first phone conversation with Poland’s president-elect Karol Navrotsky on 31 July, Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram.

Navrotsky is set to take office on 6 August.

The leaders agreed to exchange visits during the call, according to the statement.

Zelenskyy congratulated Navrotsky on his 1 June election victory and expressed hope that Poland would remain a reliable partner and ally to Ukraine. The Ukrainian president briefed his Polish counterpart on the consequences of overnight shelling and the situation at the front.

“It is very important for us that Poland continues to help Ukraine. After all, we are defending not only ourselves, but all of our Europe, including Poland,” Zelenskyy emphasized during the conversation.

The two leaders reportedly discussed key events scheduled for the coming months.

“We agreed on an exchange of visits, during which we will discuss all current issues of bilateral cooperation. We will definitely determine formats of interaction that will give real results for our countries, our people,” the president wrote.

Zelenskyy thanked Navrotsky “for his readiness to work together and assurance of continued support for Ukraine,” according to the statement.

The conversation follows previous diplomatic signals between the two leaders. On 28 June, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine would continue working to strengthen relations with Poland’s new government, saying the country intended to “do everything that depends on it.”

On 1 July, Navrotsky declared “with complete confidence” that he would meet with the Ukrainian president.

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  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • RFE/RL reveals Ukraine’s top customs official lives in luxury: Mansions, cars, and lavish foreign schooling
    RFE/RL reports that the luxury life of customs official has triggered protests after an investigation revealed villas, cars and expensive foreign schooling that far exceed his declared income. The Schemes investigative unit of RFE/RL examined the finances of 44-year-old Anatolii Komar, head of the Ukrainian Customs Service department that manages duties on energy imports and exports. This comes amid concerns over corruption that have sparked Ukraine’s biggest protests since Russia’s full-scale i
     

RFE/RL reveals Ukraine’s top customs official lives in luxury: Mansions, cars, and lavish foreign schooling

31 juillet 2025 à 07:43

rfe/rl ukraine’s top customs official lives luxury protests erupt over mansions cars lavish foreign schooling chief anatoliш komar office shown shared ukrainian service corruption ukraine news reports Luxury life of customs official sparks protests

RFE/RL reports that the luxury life of customs official has triggered protests after an investigation revealed villas, cars and expensive foreign schooling that far exceed his declared income. The Schemes investigative unit of RFE/RL examined the finances of 44-year-old Anatolii Komar, head of the Ukrainian Customs Service department that manages duties on energy imports and exports.

This comes amid concerns over corruption that have sparked Ukraine’s biggest protests since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, after President Zelenskyy stripped the country’s leading anti-corruption bodies of their independence. Now, after heavy backlash both in the EU and in Ukraine, the Zelenskyy-sponsored law is on track to be reversed, as Parliament—which earlier adopted it—has voted to restore the independence of the anti-graft agencies and the decision now awaits Zelenskyy’s signature.

Luxury life of customs official draws anger

RFE/RL says Komar’s family has access to luxury real estate, elite foreign education and high-end cars while his official monthly income is about $2,000. His wife Maria declares about $8,000 per month as a tour guide and online course provider, but this sum still cannot cover the expenses shown.

Social media posts reveal their daughter graduating in 2023 from the Pascal English School in Nicosia, Cyprus, with fees close to $30,000 per year. Other posts show her traveling to Venice, Montreux, Dublin and Albania. This year, she appears to be enrolled at King’s College London, where tuition for non-UK students is nearly $35,000 annually.

Mansion near Kyiv and cash from relatives

According to the report, the family does not live in the Kyiv apartment officially registered to Komar in 2021. Instead, they live in an apartment bought by Maria’s father, Serhii Hladkov. Hladkov also built a 450-square-meter house with a pool and staff quarters in February 2025 in the village of Vyshenky near Kyiv. Experts interviewed by RFE/RL valued the property at more than $1 million.

Hladkov and his wife, Lidia, both retired from modestly paid state jobs, later declared self-employment earnings of about $400,000 and $180,000 respectively. Despite this, they have purchased several properties and gifted almost $120,000 to the family. Hladkov told RFE/RL that he had earned the money and then ended the conversation.

The luxury Mercedes and a “wealthy godfather”

Komar has been driving a Mercedes S-class since 2021. He told RFE/RL that the car is rented by his wife and refused to disclose the price. RFE/RL reports that rental companies estimate the cost at $6,000 per month. The vehicle is registered to the Primorskiy Energy Generating Company, which declared only about $14,000 in three years of car rental income, a figure far below market value. The company’s director, Roman Vorobel, refused to answer detailed questions and said he would consult a lawyer.

Conflict of interest questions over VM Groupe

RFE/RL also found that Komar is president of an amateur soccer club in his hometown of Rokyta. The team is sponsored by VM Groupe, an importer of petroleum products that is under investigation by law enforcement for large-scale tax evasion and by the SBU for importing Russian raw materials.

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  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • Ukraine’s FM after the night shelling: Trump has been very patient with Putin
    Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha called for immediate maximum pressure on Moscow following a deadly overnight strike on Kyiv that killed at least eight people and injured over 120 others. Russian missiles and drones ripped through Kyiv overnight on 31 July, collapsing apartment buildings and setting fires in several districts of the city. The attack killed at least eight civilians and injured over 120 people. Russian missile struck an apartment building kin one of the Kyiv’s disctrict, c
     

Ukraine’s FM after the night shelling: Trump has been very patient with Putin

31 juillet 2025 à 07:41

attack kyiv july 2025

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha called for immediate maximum pressure on Moscow following a deadly overnight strike on Kyiv that killed at least eight people and injured over 120 others.

Russian missiles and drones ripped through Kyiv overnight on 31 July, collapsing apartment buildings and setting fires in several districts of the city. The attack killed at least eight civilians and injured over 120 people.

Russian missile struck an apartment building kin one of the Kyiv’s disctrict, collapsing its entire section.

Ukraine’s FM posted photos of a destroyed nine-story building entrance on his X account, detailing the casualties and damage from the night attacks. Schools and hospitals were among the damaged facilities, with some people still trapped under debris.

“It is probably time to reduce to zero all of the timeframes that had been given to Putin to demonstrate a constructive approach. President Trump has been very generous and very patient with Putin, trying to find a solution,” Sybiha said.

The Foreign Minister emphasized Putin’s deliberate actions, saying the Russian leader “clearly acts as he acts with conscious intent.”

“The entire existence of this war criminal is based on this senseless war, which he cannot win but refuses to end… It’s time to put maximum pressure on Moscow. It is time to synchronise all sanctions steps. It’s time to achieve peace through strength,” Sybiha wrote on X.

The statement comes as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently announced that President Donald Trump is “losing patience” while waiting for concrete steps from Moscow to end the war.

Trump has set a 10-day deadline for Russia to demonstrate progress in ending the Ukraine war, threatening to impose tariffs and other measures against Russia if no advancement is shown.

The overnight shelling represents the latest escalation in the war, with civilian infrastructure continuing to bear the brunt of Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital.

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  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • Reuters: Ukraine’s financing gap could widen due to delayed reforms
    Ukraine faces a potential funding shortfall of $10-15 billion next year as the country struggles to meet reform commitments demanded by international lenders while maintaining intensive defense spending, according to a Reuters analysis. The government currently directs most state revenues toward military operations, relying on foreign aid totaling $139 billion since Russia’s February 2022 invasion to cover social and humanitarian expenses, state data shows. Central Bank Governor Andriy Pyshnyi r
     

Reuters: Ukraine’s financing gap could widen due to delayed reforms

31 juillet 2025 à 07:22

Ukraine faces a potential funding shortfall of $10-15 billion next year as the country struggles to meet reform commitments demanded by international lenders while maintaining intensive defense spending, according to a Reuters analysis.

The government currently directs most state revenues toward military operations, relying on foreign aid totaling $139 billion since Russia’s February 2022 invasion to cover social and humanitarian expenses, state data shows.

Central Bank Governor Andriy Pyshnyi revealed that only one-third of the $65 billion required for 2026-2027 has been secured, with negotiations continuing for the remainder. A survey of eight economists by the Centre for Economic Studies in Kyiv indicates Ukraine will need between $39 billion and $58 billion in external financing for 2025 alone.

“A key challenge for the government now is to look for $10-15 billion in addition to that volume of aid which partners have already pledged for 2026,” ICU investment house stated in a research note, according to Reuters.

The funding gap has widened after Ukraine missed several reform targets agreed with lenders, including judicial appointments and anti-corruption leadership positions. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to tighten control over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office sparked the largest wartime street protests and drew sharp criticism from European allies.

Zelenskyy subsequently reversed course, submitting new legislation to parliament to restore institutional independence. The draft bill was scheduled for a vote on 31 July.

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Ukraine’s drone offensive pounds Volgograd–Rostov railway again — Kotelnikovo burns in overnight attack (video)

31 juillet 2025 à 07:01

ukraine’s drone offensive pounds volgograd–rostov railway again — kotelnikovo burns overnight attack fires area station russia's volgograd oblast 31 2025 telegram/exilenova+ kotelinokovo-volgograd-substation-on-fire last night ukrainian drones hit volgograd-rostov section now

Last night, Ukrainian drones hit the Volgograd-Rostov railway section again, now setting fires at Kotelnikovo station and forcing Russian authorities to restrict train traffic. The attack caused blazes at an electrical substation. Kotelnikovo is situated around 400 km east of the frontline.

The Kotelnikovo drone assault has been part of Ukraine’s ongoing strategic bombing campaign, targeting Russian military bases, defense industry sites, and military logistics inside Russia and in occupied territories. The Volgograd-Rostov railway has come under repeated attack in recent days—today’s strike is the fourth assault on the same railway line. Russian military logistics is heavily dependent on railway transportation.

Drones strike Kotelnikovo station on Volgograd-Rostov railway

Telegram channels and OSINT analysts reported that a night drone strike set the Kotelnikovo station area in Russia’s Volgograd oblast on fire. Videos from local residents showed burning railway infrastructure, including a traction substation. Fires were visible across the station area, while the governor of Volgograd oblast, Andrei Bocharov, confirmed that movement of trains was temporarily restricted.

Bocharov wrote, as cited by Astra, that Russian air defenses allegedly repelled what he described as a massive drone attack on transport and energy facilities. He claimed there were no injuries. The governor added that dry grass ostensibly caught fire in Surovikino district and that specialists were working to restore gas supply to about 65 single-family homes in Kotelnikovsky district.

According to him, sappers are clearing drone wreckage from railway tracks near Tinguta station in Svetloyarsky district.

To clear the wreckage of the drones located on the railway tracks, train traffic was temporarily restricted. No damage to the tracks was recorded,” Bocharov claimed.

Satellite data confirms multiple fires around Kotelnikovo

OSINT analyst Tatarigami, founder of Frontelligence Insight, highlighted numerous heat signatures detected by NASA FIRMS satellites around Kotelnikovo after the night attack. He added that geolocation data confirmed the fires were in the area of the railway’s electrical substation.

The area around the Kotelnikovo traction substation on fire in Russia's Volgograd Oblast on the morning of 31 July 2025, according to videos from the location and NASA FIRMS data. Source: X/@Tatarigami_UA
The area around the Kotelnikovo traction substation on fire in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast on the morning of 31 July 2025, according to videos from the location and NASA FIRMS data. Source: X/@Tatarigami_UA

He noted that this was another strike on the same Volgograd-Rostov railway section.

Explore further

Ukrainian drones turned Russia’s Salsk station into a firestorm — fuel train destroyed (video)

Another successful drone strike targeted the same railway section between Volgograd and Rostov-on-Don. Multiple fires are visible,” Tatarigami posted

This marks the fourth strike on the same Russian rail line since 27 July. On 29 July, drones hit Salsk, a key rail junction in Rostov Oblast, setting a fuel train at the station on fire. The same night, they also struck the railway’s power substation in Orlovsky. Two days earlier, on 27 July, another drone attack destroyed a traction substation in Zhutovo in Volgograd Oblast, causing major delays and forcing Russian trains to be rerouted.

Similar drone strikes also took place two weeks ago in Rostov oblast, hitting a rail station in Kamienolomni on 21 July and a railway substation in Novocherkassk on 23 July. 

Russia’s military logistics depend almost entirely on railways, which are the main way it moves troops, heavy weapons, ammunition, fuel, and equipment between bases, staging areas and the front. The Russian Armed Forces even have special railway troops. Because of this dependence, Ukraine has made rail lines a constant target for strikes and sabotage to disrupt supply flows. Damage to tracks, substations, and bridges slows or stops deliveries, forcing Russia to reroute and creating bottlenecks.
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  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • Muslim cultural centre damaged in Russian attack on Kyiv
    The Russian night missile and drone attack on 31 July damaged the Kyiv Islamic Cultural Centre at one of the capital’s central mosques, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said. Russian missiles and drones ripped through Kyiv overnight on 31 July, collapsing apartment buildings and setting fires in several districts of the city. The attack killed at least eight civilians and injured over 120 people. Russian missile struck an apartment building kin one of the Kyiv’s disctrict, collapsing its entire se
     

Muslim cultural centre damaged in Russian attack on Kyiv

31 juillet 2025 à 06:46

muslim cultural centre kyiv 2

The Russian night missile and drone attack on 31 July damaged the Kyiv Islamic Cultural Centre at one of the capital’s central mosques, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.

Russian missiles and drones ripped through Kyiv overnight on 31 July, collapsing apartment buildings and setting fires in several districts of the city. The attack killed at least eight civilians and injured over 120 people.

Russian missile struck an apartment building kin one of the Kyiv’s disctrict, collapsing its entire section.

According to Ukraine’s FM, the attack also damaged a cultural center, which served as a gathering place for representatives of various religions and denominations for joint prayers for peace and victory in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war.

“As a result of another brutal Russian strike on Kyiv this night, the Kyiv Islamic Cultural Centre at one of our central mosques was damaged,” Sybiha wrote. “This is another demonstration that Moscow is waging a criminal war against the very foundations of humanity. Russian terror spares no one.”

Ukraine has called on all Islamic countries, international governmental and non-governmental organizations, and Muslim communities worldwide to condemn the attack, Sybiha said. He emphasized that “Russian barbarism must be confronted with the strength and unity of the world.”

“Together we must force Moscow to agree to a ceasefire and put an end to the war and terror,” the foreign minister added.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces used reactive drones for the second consecutive night in their strikes against Ukraine.

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  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • TWZ: Four Western firms stole Ukraine’s drone tech — Russia and China learned instead
    Ukraine turned wartime desperation into rapid defense innovation, fielding drones and autonomous systems at unprecedented speed. But the West isn’t learning fast enough, warns American investor Deborah Fairlamb, who co-founded Green Flag Ventures in Kyiv during the war. Lacking long-range missiles and jets, Ukraine improvised an industry that rapidly designs, builds and fields everything from FPV drones to sea drones—closing capability gaps Russia once held. “The lessons of success are be
     

TWZ: Four Western firms stole Ukraine’s drone tech — Russia and China learned instead

31 juillet 2025 à 06:30

Ukraine turned wartime desperation into rapid defense innovation, fielding drones and autonomous systems at unprecedented speed. But the West isn’t learning fast enough, warns American investor Deborah Fairlamb, who co-founded Green Flag Ventures in Kyiv during the war.

Lacking long-range missiles and jets, Ukraine improvised an industry that rapidly designs, builds and fields everything from FPV drones to sea drones—closing capability gaps Russia once held.

“The lessons of success are being lost on or ignored by the US and NATO allies,” Fairlamb told The War Zone.


Battlefield innovation at breakneck speed

Fairlamb described how Ukraine’s defense ecosystem has evolved from almost nothing in 2022 to a network of small workshops and startups producing vast numbers of drones.

“The speed of iteration of everything is just extraordinary,” she said. “The Ukrainians have really had this incredible focus on homegrown drones… It’s navigation systems. It’s resistance to electronic warfare. It’s the ability to fly in GPS-denied environments.”

Unlike Western programs, these systems are created alongside soldiers at the front: build, test; build, test; build, test. By the time the Ministry of Defense sees them, they are already combat-proven. Procurement that once took years now takes three to four months.

Drone testing in Ukraine. Photo: Mykhailo Fedorov via X

What Ukraine does differently

Fairlamb pointed to four battlefield-proven practices that Western defense establishments are ignoring:

  • Rapid adaptation – systems change monthly, not yearly
  • Decentralized production – thousands of small shops making parts
  • Mass, low-cost systems – FPV drones cost $500–$1,000 instead of $100,000+
  • Empowering units – frontline units buy directly from vetted suppliers

A model the West isn’t following

Fairlamb believes this speed is something the United States and NATO need to copy – and soon.

“The speed at which things are happening is just completely and utterly incompatible with the processes that exist in most Western systems,” she warned. “This is how Russia and China are going to fight. It is going to be just vast numbers of relatively low-price-point things that are extremely destructive.”

Instead, she sees allies trapped in slow cycles, expensive platforms, and outdated assumptions about war.

Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov and EU Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius. Photo: Fedorov via X

Copying without learning

Fairlamb also described a more troubling pattern from early in the war: Western companies arriving in Ukraine under the pretext of partnership, only to walk away and later release similar technology of their own.

“There have been instances… yes, there are Western companies that have come to Ukraine under the guise of: ‘hey, we would like to invest. We would like to partner. Can we spend a couple of days with you, learning what you’re doing?’ … And then they would essentially disappear. And six months later, they would come out with something that was very, very similar to what they wanted to partner with a company about,” Fairlamb said.

She said she personally knows of at least four examples.

Ukrainian soldiers with a drone. Source: The 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade

Low cost, high impact

The tools Ukraine has built are cheap and expendable. Most FPV drones cost between $500 and $1,000; larger fixed-wings cost a few thousand dollars. These drones are printed, assembled, modified and sent out in weeks, with new versions appearing on the front every month.

Fairlamb contrasted that with Western military systems, where a single drone might cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and require years to reach the field. That, she said, will not work against adversaries who are willing to mass-produce millions of small, smart, disposable machines.


A final warning

“The speed at which this technology is evolving, and that the US, Europe and NATO are all really slow,” she said. “There are a lot of very scary scenarios that are out there that I am not seeing a lot of response to yet.”

For Ukraine, drones have become the answer to weapons it does not have. For the West, Fairlamb’s warning is clear: pay attention, or risk falling behind in a kind of war that is already here.

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. Become a patron or see other ways to support
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