The Penza drone attack hit deep inside Russia overnight on 31 July, igniting a major fire at a factory that produces equipment for the Russian military. Regional authorities confirmed a large fire at the plant after residents posted videos of drones flying low over the city. The factory is more than 600 km from Ukraine.

Penza drone attack hits a factory producing military systems

Telegram channels reported that in the early hours of 31 July, Ukrainian long-range strike drones flew over Penza and attacked an industrial site. Local residents filmed the drones passing over houses, followed by several explosions and a fire in the industrial zone. Mobile internet was shut down during the air alert.

Penza Oblast governor Oleg Melnichenko admitted in the morning that a drone attack caused a fire at one of the industrial facilities.

“There are no casualties and no destruction. There is a fire on the territory of the enterprise, which is now being eliminated,” he wrote.

Local reports and Russia’s official version

The Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine identified the target as the Radioworks factory in Penza, an important enterprise of the Russian military-industrial complex.

Melnichenko wrote that the fire began after an overnight drone attack and that damage control continued in the morning. Social media videos posted from Penza show columns of smoke rising above the factory buildings and the sound of explosions in the distance.

In its daily report, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that its forces allegedly shot down 32 drones in five Russian oblasts and in Russian-occupied Crimea during the night. The ministry did not list Penza Oblast among those locations.

As of the morning, local officials reported that firefighting operations continued at the industrial site. No casualties have been confirmed. The strike reached deep into Russian territory, underlining the range of Ukrainian drone operations.

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 six civilians and injured 52. The strikes caused destruction in Sviatoshynskyi, Solomianskyi, Holosiivskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts and were described by city officials as one of the heaviest attacks on the capital in weeks. Ukraine shot down most of 300 explosive drones, but five of eight ballistic missiles reached the city, hitting apartment buildings.

Russians hit high-rises and kill civilians

Kyiv mayor Vitalii Klitschko reported that the strikes destroyed homes and killed six civilians. Russians killed four people in Kyiv’s Sviatoshynskyi district when a Russian missile struck an apartment building, collapsing its entire section. Klitschko called the damage in Sviatoshynskyi horrific. Two more people died in Solomianskyi district where a missile hit another residential building.

In the morning, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared a video showing the ruined section of a high-rise in Sviatoshynskyi district, captioned:

“Kyiv. Rocket strike. Direct hit on a residential building. People under the rubble. All services are on site. Russians are terrorists.”

Head of the Kyiv Military Administration Tymur Tkachenko said 52 civilians needed medical help after the strikes, and medics hospitalized 30 of them. Two civilians were rescued alive from under the rubble.

Interior minister Ihor Klymenko reported that one of the rescued was a man, blocked under the rubble of a collapsed apartment section. He fell from the second floor to the first and got trapped by debris, so emergency workers broke a hole through a neighboring wall and used a tunnel to reach him safely. The emergency workers kept voice contact with him for three hours during the entire operation.

Among the injured are three police officers who were driving to a call. Nine children were among the injured. 

“This is the largest number of injured children in one night in Kyiv since the start of the full-scale war,” Klitchko says

Klymenko told Suspilne that doctors tried to save the six-year-old boy but could not. 

“The boy was rescued, doctors fought for his life, but sadly they could not save him.”

In Holosiivskyi district a missile damaged a school and a kindergarten and caused fires. In Shevchenkivskyi district the blast wave blew out windows in a children’s medical ward and burned parked cars. 

More civilian casualties expected

Tkachenko and Klymenko warned that rescuers continue to search the rubble and that the number of victims will grow. The city opened assistance points for those who lost their homes and promised payments to cover temporary rent and support.

Air raid sirens began around 23:00 on 30 July and Suspilne reported explosions soon after. Another siren sounded at 04:29 on 31 July warning of missiles, followed by more explosions across the city. The Kyiv Military Administration said that missiles and drones were used in the attack.

The Prosecutor’s Office opened a pre-trial investigation under article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, treating the strike as a war crime because of the civilian deaths.

Air Force report on the scale of the assault

Ukraine’s Air Force said that from 18:00 on 30 July until the morning of 31 July Russians launched 317 aerial weapons: 309 Shahed one-way attack drones and decoy drones from Russian territory, and 8 Iskander-K cruise missiles. Air defenses destroyed or suppressed 291 targets: 288 drones and 3 missiles.

Despite this, five missiles, including one that hit an apartment building in Kyiv, and 21 drones struck 12 locations, while debris from intercepted targets fell in 19 places, almost all in the Ukrainian capital. The main target of the assault was Kyiv.

A fatal collision between a Ukrainian-driven van and a Russian-operated truck occurred early morning on 30 July near Slovene Konjice on the route toward Ljubljana, Slovenian broadcaster RTV SLO reported.

The van carried seven passengers when it struck the truck’s trailer, according to RTV SLO. Five occupants of the van died in the crash, while two injured passengers were transported to hospital. Emergency services airlifted one of the survivors.

Police identified four of the deceased as Ukrainian citizens, RTV SLO reported. One hospitalized passenger also holds Ukrainian citizenship, while authorities continue working to establish the identity of the second injured person.

The Ukrainian van driver sustained minor injuries in the collision, while the Russian truck driver remained unharmed, according to the broadcaster.

Police preliminary findings point to excessive speed as the cause of the accident. The highway remained closed for five hours following the crash.

Two senior Senate Republicans have unveiled legislation that would enable European allies to finance US weapons donations to Ukraine, providing the most detailed framework yet for President Trump’s proposal to shift war funding to Europe, The Wall Street Journal reported on 30 July.

The Peace Act, proposed by Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), would establish a Treasury fund to accept money from allies, allowing the Defense Secretary to pay contractors to replenish US stockpiles while continuing weapons shipments to Ukraine without compromising American military readiness, according to GOP aides familiar with the proposal.

The legislation aims to generate $5 billion to $8 billion annually, with Germany and the United Kingdom identified as likely contributors, the aides said.

“This is the fastest way to arm Ukraine as well as to minimize the strategic and military threat posed by Russia to the US and NATO,” Wicker said, according to the WSJ.

The proposal comes as Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rejection of US-led cease-fire efforts. After initially giving Putin a 50-day deadline for a cease-fire, Trump moved that deadline up to 10 days on 28 July, threatening Russia and its trading partners with new tariffs and secondary sanctions if Moscow refuses to negotiate.

Wicker, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Risch, who leads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, have discussed the legislation with the White House, which has been “largely receptive to the idea,” aides said. The plan involves passing the measure later this year as part of the annual defense policy bill.

The mechanism would complement existing European payments to US contractors for new weapon production, which can take years to complete. The Peace Act would accelerate delivery by tapping existing US inventories, according to the WSJ report.

The US has provided nearly $66 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion, but the Republican-led Congress shows little appetite for authorizing additional foreign aid packages.

Trump has approximately $3.85 billion in previously authorized drawdown authority remaining, though he has not yet used this tool to send new arms packages to Ukraine. His administration continues delivering previously approved weapons packages from the Biden era, following a brief Pentagon pause in certain munitions earlier this month.

Ukraine is very close to obtaining its own ballistic missiles, Defense Minister Denis Shmygal said in his first interview since taking the position of Defense Minister, BBC Ukraine reported on 30 July.

“Ukraine’s president has already announced that Ukraine will have its own ballistics. We are very close to this. That’s basically all I can say publicly on this matter,” Shmyhal said during the interview.

The announcement comes after former Deputy Defense Minister Anatoliy Klochko said in June that Ukrainians would soon hear “more concrete statements” about Ukrainian ballistics, as the country had made “serious progress” on the issue.

The production of its own ballistic missiles is crucial for Ukraine to enhance its long-range strike potential, deter Russian aggression, and target deep Russian military infrastructure, thereby strengthening its security and defense amid ongoing war.

In his interview for BBC, Shmygal also outlined his vision for bringing Russia to genuine peace talks, emphasizing the need for dual pressure. “I would very much like our partners to help us create sufficient pressure on the Russian aggressor both on the battlefield and through sanctions, and bring them to the negotiating table,” he said.

The minister demonstrated his approach using two hands: “On one side, we must create pressure on the battlefield. There must be weapons supplies that will give us if not an advantage, then parity in this war. On the other side, there must be counter-pressure – sanctions that will financially bleed the enemy.”

“If these two factors are not present, then negotiations may continue, but more likely they will lead us and our partners in circles around this diplomatic negotiating table,” Shmygal said.

The German government approved on 30 July its draft budget for 2026 and medium-term financial planning through 2029, which includes increased support for Ukraine, European Pravda reported.

According to the report, the draft federal budget for 2026 envisions expenditures of approximately 520.5 billion euros—3.5% more than allocated in this year’s budget. Borrowing is projected at nearly 174.3 billion euros, representing a 31 billion euro increase from current levels.

Government investments will reach a record 126.7 billion euros in 2026, marking an 11 billion euro increase from this year. This unprecedented figure for Germany became possible partly due to relaxed debt rules.

The budget expansion extends to defense spending, which will surge from 62.4 billion euros to 82.7 billion euros in 2026—primarily driven by weapons and ammunition procurement funding. According to the medium-term budget plan, Germany’s defense expenditures will gradually increase through 2029, ultimately reaching NATO’s target of 3.5% of GDP.

The 2026 budget allocates approximately 8.5 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine.

Budget discussions in the Bundestag will begin at the end of September, with both chambers of the German parliament required to approve the budget by year’s end.

Exclusives

Portugal sent Ukraine $ 250 million in military aid — the drones alone cost Russia $ 4 billion. Portugal nearly doubled its pledge to Ukraine, sending $250 million in 2024. Its Tekever drones alone have destroyed two Russian S‑400 air defense systems.

Social media’s invisible battlefield: Who decides what you see? (Viplikes’ Guide). What you see—and what you don’t—is shaped by a mix of corporate interests, political agendas, and opaque systems designed to keep you engaged

Tech innovation: How blockchain cloud mining is reshaping passive income in 2025. Blockchain-based cloud mining platforms are positioning themselves as a user-friendly alternative to traditional mining, which often requires expensive hardware, ongoing maintenance, and technical expertise

Ukrainian war documentaries Russia doesn’t want you to see. These films expose Russian war crimes and showcase Ukrainian resilience through stories of survival, volunteering, art creation amid destruction, and resistance that directly contradict Moscow’s propaganda about Ukraine.

20,000 wrecked vehicles behind them, Russia’s last tanks crawl toward Siversk. A Russian tank column rolled into a bloody disaster outside Siversk in eastern Ukraine. But Moscow’s troops are still advancing.

Military

Ukraine destroys Russian electronic warfare hub in occupied area of Black Sea, sets up Ukrainian flag. Ukrainian special forces eliminated the entire Russian garrison, while not a single Ukrainian soldier was killed or injured in the nighttime assault.

Russian missile struck Ukrainian military training ground, killing three soldiers and wounding dozens. An investigative commission will examine whether command failures and safety protocol violations have contributed to the casualties.

As of 30 JUL 2025

, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:

• • • Personnel: 1052190 (+890)
    • Tanks: 11066 (+1)
    • APV: 23065 (+1)
    • Artillery systems: 30895 (+30)
    • MLRS: 1451
    • Anti-aircraft systems: 1202
    • Aircraft: 421
    • Helicopters: 340
    • UAV: 48685 (+100)
    • Cruise missiles : 3548
    • Warships/boats: 28
    • Submarines: 1
    • Vehicles and fuel tanks: 56754 (+67)

Intelligence and technology

Ukrainian pilot instructor caught selling Western fighter jet secrets to Moscow. The arrested major served in an air brigade tasked with shooting down the same Russian drones and missiles his intelligence helped target Ukrainian airbases.

Massive data breach hits Russian authorities in occupied Crimea as Ukrainian intelligence downloads secret military files. Ukrainian cyber specialists downloaded 100TB of Russian military data from occupied Crimea before destroying the original files on government servers, according to intelligence sources cited by RBK-Ukraine.

International

Dozens of politicians boycott Russian sanctioned official invited speaking at conference in neutral Switzerland. Ukraine called Valentina Matvienko’s conference participation “disgraceful” and emphasized that she belongs behind bars and not at international events.

Europe can’t defend itself without Ukraine, Estonia’s NATO envoy warns. Estonia’s NATO ambassador Jüri Luik warns that without Ukraine’s military power, Europe cannot contain the Russian threat or build a defense independent of US support.

Frontline report: Trump unleashes economic war on Brazil to cripple Russian anti-Western BRICS alliance. The US experiments with attacking Russia’s most vulnerable ally first, testing whether economic pressure on BRICS members can isolate Moscow without direct confrontation.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russian daily terror of civilians in Ukraine continues: five injured and extensive damage

. Three people were injured in Kharkiv as the drone debris landed on residential areas.

Political and legal developments

Ukraine’s government again fails to appoint head of Bureau of Economic Security. Ukraine faces missing a crucial International Monetary Fund benchmark as the Cabinet of Ministers refused for the 2nd time to appoint Oleksandr Tsyvinsky as head of the Bureau of Economic Security

Rada Committee backs Zelenskyy’s NABU independence u-turn after mass protests. Ukrainian MPs voted to restore independence to the country’s main anti-corruption agencies, just nine days after President Zelenskyy signed legislation that sparked mass protests across the country.

US senator: Stop giving Putin extra time, vote on 500% sanctions now. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal pushes for 500% tariffs on Russian oil buyers, including China and India, while President Trump proposes lower 100% tariffs.

ISW: Putin allies dismiss Trump tariff threat, vow to continue Ukraine war. The Kremlin told President Trump that Russia will determine the timing of peace negotiations, not Washington, after Trump shortened his Ukraine war ultimatum from 50 days to 10 days with threats of new tariffs.

EU threatens to withhold $3.3 billion over Ukraine’s failure to reform another anti-corruption agency. The intertwined challenges of anti-corruption scandals and stalled reforms place Ukraine’s international support at a critical crossroads.

• • Read our earlier daily review

  here.

Russian service sector companies faced another wave of technical disruptions, with the Vkusvill supermarket chain’s website and mobile application ceasing operations, The Moscow Times reported on 30 July

The majority of complaints came from Moscow, the Moscow Oblast, and St. Petersburg. The company confirmed it experienced “a local internal failure” but ruled out a cyberattack, sying that “there are no configuration changes, suspicious logins, or data leaks.” Vkusvill did not specify what caused the technical problems but added that the failure did not affect offline store operations.

Simultaneously, the Samokat delivery service stopped functioning. The application indicated that “the failure will be resolved soon” without providing details about the causes.

Additionally, hackers attacked the Dobrocen discount chain network. The company was forced to suspend operations at distribution centers and all five offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, and Samara.

Dobrocen reported that its server was paralyzed, the official website would not open, and computers either failed to start or froze during endless updates. The attack is linked to the presence of network stores in occupied Ukrainian territories – in the “DNR,” “LNR,” and Crimea. Restoring IT infrastructure reportedly may take a week.

The previous day, on 29 July, the Neopharm and Stolichki pharmacy chains halted operations due to hacker attacks.

However, the most large-scale cyberattack targeted Aeroflot on 28 July. Hackers from the “Cyberpartisans” and Silent Crow groups breached the national carrier’s systems, destroying 7,000 servers and provoking a new collapse at Moscow airports. More than 100 flights were canceled, causing the airline to lose at least 250 million rubles in a single day. Cancellations continued on 29 July. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office confirmed the disruption was caused by a cyberattack.

The “Cyberpartisans” claimed that Aeroflot’s system ran on outdated Windows XP and Windows 2003, and that company CEO Sergey Aleksandrovsky had not changed his password since 2022. According to the hackers, the total volume of the data leak was 20 TB.

Demonstrators gathered on the evening of 30 July in six Ukrainian cities calling on authorities to approve a draft law strengthening the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).

The protests come after the parliamentary committee on law enforcement unanimously supported earlier on 30 July President Zelenskyy’s draft law №13533 on restoring the powers of the NABU and SAPO.

People assembled in Kyiv despite inclement weather. Protesters chanted “Power belongs to the people,” “Corruption kills,” and “Hands off NABU,” while also singing the national anthem.

People’s Deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak joined demonstrators, saying journalists that he has no doubt the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine’s Parliament) will pass presidential draft law #13533 on 31 July.

“One should expect the adoption of the law by which President Zelenskyy, together with the coalition, will heroically, powerfully and unstoppably fix everything that they so heroically, powerfully and unstoppably created on 22 July,” Zheleznyak responded with irony.

In Zaporizhzhia, people gathered near the regional administration building holding themed posters and chanting “Cancel,” “Our voice is stronger,” “We stand for democracy,” and “Hands off NABU,” according to correspondents.

Radio Svoboda reports that nearly 200 protesters assembled in Kharkiv, chanting “Corruption kills,” “Ukraine’s power belongs to the people,” and “Hands off NABU.” Similar demonstrations took place in Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa.

The protests follow the parliamentary committee on law enforcement unanimously supporting presidential draft law #13533, which would restore powers to anti-corruption agencies that were previously removed.

On 22 July, the Verkhovna Rada passed law #12414 with amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code that made NABU and SAPO dependent on decisions by the prosecutor general. President Zelenskyy signed the legislation that same evening, prompting protests across multiple Ukrainian cities.

Following the backlash, Zelenskyy submitted a new draft law to parliament that he said would ensure “strength to the law enforcement system” while preserving “all norms for the independence of anti-corruption institutions.”

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau reproted that Zelenskyy’s draft law would restore all powers and independence guarantees for NABU and SAPO.

Portugal is the most geographically distant EU country from Ukraine, yet in the past year, it has become a steady partner. On 28 May 2024, the two nations signed a bilateral Security Cooperation Agreement, outlining how Portugal would support Ukraine in resisting Russian aggression and rebuilding after the war. This pact was the 12th in a series of bilateral agreements Ukraine began concluding in early 2024.

That series grew out of the G7 Joint Declaration of Support of 2023. By July 2025, Ukraine had signed 29 such agreements — 27 with G7‑aligned or European partners, one with the EU, and one with Croatia — all aimed at long‑term security cooperation. Some commitments come directly from Portugal, while others are delivered through EU-wide programs that Portugal supports collectively.

The agreement with Portugal is broad, extending far beyond the battlefield. It includes support for weapons and training, strengthening Ukraine’s defense industry, sanctioning Russia and using frozen Russian assets, humanitarian aid, and work to hold Moscow’s leadership accountable.

In collaboration with the Dnistrianskyi Center, Euromaidan Press presents this English-language adaptation of Dariia Cherniavska’s analysis on Portugal’s role in Ukraine’s defense, recovery, and pursuit of justice.

Portugal’s commitments

At the time of signing, Portugal pledged at least €126 million in military aid for 2024, aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s air and naval capabilities. Beyond this financial support, the agreement also envisaged:

• Participation in the EU training mission EUMAM
• Cooperation in defense industry development
• Using frozen Russian assets to help fund Ukraine’s defense
• Humanitarian support, including demining and reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure
• Joint efforts to prosecute Russia’s crimes

In essence, it laid out a ten-point roadmap that blends military, political, and humanitarian support.

A year of implementation

The first year proved that this partnership is much more than a statement. Portugal overdelivered on its military commitments while also supporting Ukraine’s defense production, reconstruction, and the pursuit of justice.

Key achievements between May 2024 and May 2025:

• €226 million in military aid, nearly double the initial pledge
• Helicopter deliveries: six Ka‑32 and eight SA‑330 Puma aircraft
• €100 million to the Czech-led initiative for artillery shells
• €52 million to the Drone Coalition to produce drones in Portugal
• Opening of a Tekever branch in Ukraine to expand drone support
• €6 billion from frozen Russian assets channeled to Ukraine through EU programs (collective funding)
• Training for tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers through EUMAM and the F‑16 pilot coalition
• Active support for four new EU sanction packages
• Reconstruction efforts including rebuilding schools and funding Superhero Schools
• Participation in coalitions for a special tribunal and the return of deported children

Military aid beyond expectations

Instead of the pledged €126 million, Portugal allocated €226 million to Ukraine in 2024. Early in the year, €100 million went to the Czech-led procurement of 155mm artillery shells, while €52 million funded drone production for Ukraine through the Drone Coalition.

Equipment followed as well. In September 2024, Ukraine received six Ka‑32 helicopters for transport and search-and-rescue missions. At the end of the year, eight SA‑330 Puma helicopters arrived, equipped with systems that allow them to launch Exocet anti-ship missiles.

Earlier contributions included M113 armored vehicles, three Leopard 2A6 tanks, five medical vehicles, 105mm howitzers, and ammunition. For 2025, Portugal has already pledged another €220 million.

Since 2022, Portugal has also joined three multinational “capability coalitions”—on armored vehicles, aviation, and naval power—each aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s defenses. Unlike many partners, however, it has not joined the IT Coalition (IT, communications, cybersecurity) or the Demining Coalition, which is the largest by number of participants.

Strengthening technological capabilities

Since 2022, Ukraine has worked closely with Tekever, a Portuguese company producing AR3 and AR5 reconnaissance drones. The AR5 model can fly longer and carry up to 50 kg of payload. These drones have already caused over $4 billion in losses to Russian forces, including the destruction of two S‑400 systems.

In April 2025, Tekever announced the opening of an office in Ukraine to speed up drone servicing and operator training.

Frozen assets turned into support

Portugal also supports the EU plan to direct profits from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine. These ERA funds are EU-level resources, not Portugal’s national budget, but Portugal backed these measures as part of the collective effort.

The first €1.5 billion tranche arrived in mid‑2024, funding air defense, ammunition, and defense-industry investment.

By May 2025, €6 billion had been transferred through the ERA program. On 9 May 2025, in Lviv, EU leaders committed an additional €1 billion, part of a €1.9 billion package for weapons, artillery, and air defense.

In total, €35 billion is expected to be delivered during 2025 under ERA and the Ukraine Facility, with Portugal participating in these collective decisions.

Training Ukrainian forces

Portugal contributes actively to the EUMAM mission, which has trained over 75,000 Ukrainian soldiers since 2022.

The country also belongs to an 11-country coalition preparing Ukrainian pilots and crews for F‑16 fighter jets, with Norwegian instructors conducting the training on Portuguese Air Force bases.

Sanctions and political pressure

In the year following May 2024, the EU adopted four new sanctions packages, all backed by Portugal. These measures targeted Russia’s military and energy industries, over 340 shadow fleet ships, propaganda outlets, and senior officials, including those linked to the bombing of the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital in Kyiv.

They also extended restrictions to countries helping Russia evade sanctions or supplying drones and missiles, including China, North Korea, India, the UAE, Singapore, Uzbekistan, Iran, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, and Serbia.

Humanitarian and reconstruction support

Portugal has also helped Ukraine on humanitarian and reconstruction fronts.

Since 2023, it has contributed €7 million to the Grain from Ukraine Initiative to stabilize the global food supply. Economic ties have also grown through Portugal’s AICEP agency, which in 2024 ran programs to attract investment and support Ukrainian business.

In November 2024, at the third Joint Economic Cooperation Commission, both sides agreed to expand trade and involve Portuguese companies in rebuilding efforts.

Portugal is already involved in rebuilding schools in Zhytomyr, including School No. 25 destroyed in 2022, and in 2024 invested €160,000 to create Superhero Schools in Chernihiv and Cherkasy, allowing hospitalized children to continue their education.

Justice and accountability

Portugal is part of the Coalition for a Special Tribunal on the Crime of Aggression, which finalized draft statutes in May 2025 for a tribunal in The Hague. In June 2025, Ukraine and the Council of Europe signed an agreement to formally establish this Special Tribunal. Once it begins work in 2026, the tribunal will be able to prosecute 20–30 senior Russian and Belarusian leaders—including Vladimir Putin—even in absentia.

Portugal also participates in the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, which in 2024 helped return almost 600 deported children. And in 2023, it contributed €75,000 to the International Criminal Court and sent an expert to help gather evidence of war crimes.

One year on, the Portugal–Ukraine security agreement has grown into a partnership that reaches well beyond geography. Portugal may be Europe’s far west, but its support—especially in military aid, training, sanctions, and justice—has brought it close as a committed ally.

Dozens of parliamentarians from various countries staged a coordinated walkout during a speech by Russian Federation Council Chairwoman Valentina Matvienko at the World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments in Switzerland on 30 July.

Why the mass walkout? According to Ukrainian Parliament Vice-Speaker Olena Kondratiuk, it sent a clear message about Russian aggression.

“This is a walkout against the aggressor,” Kondratiuk said, describing tears in her eyes as she watched international colleagues leave.

The half-empty hall, she argued, showed exactly how democratic parliaments view Russia.

Czech Parliament’s Chamber of Deputies Speaker Marketa Pekarova Adamova also made her reasoning explicit. She refused to be “a prop in the lies on which the criminal Kremlin regime is based.”

“She herself bears personal responsibility for the crime of aggression and all subsequent Russian atrocities after publicly approving the use of armed forces on Ukrainian territory,” Adamova wrote.

Better to spend time with colleagues “who support Ukraine in its fight for freedom and democracy,” she added.

But why was Matvienko allowed into Geneva at all? Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry had called her conference participation “disgraceful.” Spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi put it bluntly: her place should be “in the dock, not at international conferences.”

Here’s the problem: Matvienko appears on EU sanctions lists related to Russia’s invasion. So does much of the Russian delegation. Switzerland honors these sanctions—with one exception. The country permits sanctioned individuals to enter when visiting international organizations based there.

What had Matvienko been saying? Two days earlier, she invited international parliamentarians to visit occupied Ukrainian territories and see the “Alley of Angels.” This is a memorial in Donetsk that Russian forces erected allegedly commemorating children killed by Ukrainian forces in the conflict, which is considered a Russian propaganda narrative as there is no independent proof and convincing evidence. 

Earlier, Ukraine’s Security Service charged Matvienko in absentia in 2024 under multiple articles. According to investigators, she signed parliamentary decisions authorizing Russian troop deployment in Ukraine. She also approved ratification agreements for annexing occupied Ukrainian territories. She faces additional charges including incitement to wage aggressive war, for which Ukraine plans to prosecute her at a Special Tribunal.

A pilot trusted with Ukraine’s most sensitive air operations was secretly feeding targeting data to Russian intelligence, Ukraine’s Security Service says.

The major worked as a flight instructor in an air brigade responsible for shooting down Russian missiles and drones. His unit also conducted ground strikes supporting Ukrainian army operations. Perfect access.

What was he selling? Coordinates of F-16 and Mirage 2000 airbases. Flight schedules. Aircraft tail numbers. Even pilot names.

The Security Service of Ukraine announced the arrest on 30 July, revealing how military counterintelligence tracked the officer as he prepared to pass another batch of classified information to Russia’s GRU military intelligence service.

But the betrayal went deeper than basic intelligence gathering.

The major authored analytical reports for his Russian handlers, outlining specific tactics for combined missile and drone strikes designed to penetrate Ukrainian air defenses. Essentially providing a how-to guide for destroying the aircraft he was supposed to protect.

How did he communicate with Moscow? Anonymous email channels and encrypted messaging apps, according to investigators.

The timing matters. Ukraine has been integrating Western fighters including F-16s and Mirage 2000s into its air force operations. Russia has repeatedly targeted these aircraft with long-range strikes, making the intelligence particularly valuable.

The major faces life imprisonment with property confiscation under Ukraine’s wartime treason laws. The Security Service in western Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast is handling the investigation.

Estonia’s permanent representative to NATO, Ambassador Jüri Luik, said on 28 July 2025, on Vikerraadio — Estonian Public Broadcasting’s main radio channel — that Europe cannot realistically mount a credible defense against Russia without Ukraine’s involvement, highlighting Ukraine’s indispensable role in sustaining European security architecture.

“If Europe manages to achieve some kind of peace or truce [in Ukraine — EMP], or if we talk about Europe being able to defend itself against Russia, it is very difficult to imagine such a defense without Ukraine,” Luik said.

European and NATO intelligence agencies have increasingly warned of a growing hybrid and conventional threat from Russia, particularly toward NATO member states. Moscow appears to be preparing a multifaceted campaign — including sabotage of critical infrastructure, disinformation operations, and electronic warfare — aimed at projecting pressure beyond Ukraine’s borders. In the Baltic region, disruptions to undersea cables and power infrastructure — including the Estlink cable between Estonia and Finland — have raised alarms over possible sabotage by the so-called Russian “shadow fleet.”

Luik emphasized in the interview that Ukraine’s large and battle-hardened ground forces are essential not only for defending its own territory but also for enabling a cohesive European defense posture — one that can operate independently of US military dominance and deter potential Russian aggression.

Estonia and Ukraine have deepened bilateral cooperation since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, including joint military training, intelligence sharing, cyber defense collaboration, and political coordination within NATO and EU frameworks. Estonia now allocates more than 4% of its GDP to defense spending and has emerged as one of Ukraine’s strongest advocates in both Brussels and NATO, underscoring a shared strategic view of Moscow’s threat.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has once again declined to appoint Oleksandr Tsyvinsky as director of the Bureau of Economic Security (BEB), MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak said.

30 July marks the final day before Ukraine misses an International Monetary Fund benchmark regarding the BEB appointment.

Under the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program review, a new BEB director should have been selected by the end of February 2025. Ukraine failed to meet this deadline as the competition process was only in its initial stages at that time. The IMF then moved the benchmark deadline to July 2025.

Last week, the BEB Head Selection Commission resubmitted documents to the Cabinet regarding the appointment of competition winner Oleksandr Tsyvinsky. International partners’ commission member Donatas Malaskevičius told Forbes Ukraine that the Selection Commission rejected the government’s proposal to hold a repeat vote and insists on appointing their chosen candidate.

“The commission returned the documents because there are no reasons or legal grounds for submitting another candidacy,” Malaskevičius explained.

Prior to this, more than 50 civil society organizations published an appeal to the new Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, calling on them not to repeat the mistakes of the previous government and appoint Tsyvinsky as BEB director.

Background of the controversy

On 25 June, Oleksandr Tsyvinsky, a current NABU detective who previously led a special operation exposing “toilet schemes” in Kyiv, won the competition for BEB director and received unanimous support from international commission members, whose vote is decisive.

However, during the session it became known that Tsyvinsky has relatives with Russian citizenship. Tsyvinsky himself explained that his father holds a Russian passport, but he has not communicated with him for several years.

Subsequently, the government received a submission for Tsyvinsky’s appointment as BEB director, but the Cabinet rejected his candidacy. This decision was made after reviewing additional materials provided by the Security Service of Ukraine, among others, which “concern national security issues and contain relevant security assessments.”

In response, the Ukrainian business community expressed concern about the government’s decision not to appoint the BEB director and called on the Cabinet to reconsider its decision.

Tsyvinsky himself said that it is “a matter of principle for him to clarify what specific ‘security assessments’ became the basis for the corresponding decision,” given that he has state secret clearance.

Why does Ukraine risk losing IMF funding?

The Bureau of Economic Security (BEB) in Ukraine is responsible for combating economic crimes such as fraud, tax evasion, smuggling, and money laundering. It acts as both an analytical and law enforcement body to protect the economic interests of the state and improve the business environment.

The IMF (International Monetary Fund) and Ukraine’s Bureau of Economic Security (BEB) are connected through Ukraine’s IMF-supported reform programs, particularly the Extended Fund Facility (EFF). 

The IMF provides Ukraine with financial help but only if Ukraine commits to reforms like fighting corruption and economic crimes, which the Bureau of Economic Security (BEB) enforces. Essentially, the IMF funds support Ukraine’s economy in exchange for stronger institutions like the BEB to make sure the economy is safer and more transparent. This teamwork helps Ukraine keep receiving money from the IMF and improves the country’s financial health.

If the government does not appoint Tsyvinsky as BEB director after the second deadline, it will send a red signal for further support for Ukraine.

The risk of disrupting the BEB competition could cost Ukraine very dearly – not only the loss of billions due to the failure to fulfill the IMF’s structural beacon, but also the loss of further trust and financial support from international donors.

You scroll through your feed, liking a friend’s vacation photo, skimming a news headline, pausing at a viral meme. It feels random—just a stream of whatever the internet serves up. But behind the scenes, a quiet battle is being waged over every piece of content that lands in front of you.

Some posts soar to the top. Others vanish without a trace. And it’s rarely an accident.

What you see—and what you don’t—is shaped by a mix of corporate interests, political agendas, and opaque systems designed to keep you engaged. Viral trends can be manufactured. Organic reach is dwindling. And if you’re a creator or business trying to be heard, the game is rigged against you.

But there’s a way to push back. Understanding how visibility works is the first step. The second? Using tools like Viplikes—where real engagement from actual users can give your content the momentum it deserves, without shady bots or empty clicks.

This isn’t about gaming the system. It’s about leveling the playing field.

So—who’s really deciding what you see? And how can you take back control? Let’s pull back the curtain.

The hidden hand: How your feed gets curated without your knowledge

•  The illusion of choice

What you see first when opening your favorite app isn’t random. Complex systems analyze thousands of signals to construct a version of reality they think will keep you scrolling longest. Your past behavior creates an invisible blueprint that determines future content.

•  The disappearing act

Creators report a disturbing phenomenon: posts vanish from followers’ feeds despite no violations. A musician might share new work only to find it never reaches their most engaged fans. This silent filtering happens without notification or appeal process.

•  The credibility paradox

Some accounts get special treatment without explanation. Their content travels further, appears more prominently, and survives moderation that catches others. These unspoken tiers of trust determine who gets heard and who remains background noise.

• The engagement mirage

What appears popular often got an invisible boost. Certain posts get artificial momentum through undisclosed partnerships or internal promotion. The viral content you see may have been placed there deliberately, not organically.

The truth is simple but unsettling: what reaches you has been carefully selected, not freely discovered. Recognizing this selection process allows for more conscious consumption and sharing.

The puppeteers of your digital diet: Who really shapes what you see

•  The paid priority lane

Behind the scenes, financial transactions determine post placement. Certain content gets invisible boosts through undisclosed partnerships, while organic material struggles to surface. It’s not about quality – it’s about who can afford visibility.

•  The geopolitical editors

Content gets filtered differently based on location. A news story trending in one country might be suppressed in another. These invisible boundaries create parallel digital realities where the same platform shows radically different versions of events.

•  The automated thought police

Sophisticated systems scan posts before humans ever see them. Certain topics trigger automatic demotion, regardless of context. Controversial issues get buried under safer, more advertiser-friendly content without any human making that decision.

The content you consume isn’t an accident – it’s the product of numerous invisible hands shaping your digital experience. Recognizing these forces is the first step toward more conscious consumption.

The art of authentic growth: Smart strategies for meaningful reach

•  The quality-over-quantity approach

Genuine growth begins with real connections. Services like Viplikes demonstrate how thoughtful audience building works – matching content with interested viewers rather than chasing empty numbers. This creates sustainable momentum that platforms recognize and reward.

•  The gradual growth principle

Effective promotion mirrors natural discovery patterns. Instead of sudden spikes that trigger suspicion, the best results come from steady, measured increases that appear organic to both viewers and platform systems.

•  The visibility paradox

Sometimes good content needs an initial push to be seen by its natural audience. Strategic promotion acts like a spotlight – it doesn’t create value, but helps existing value get noticed in crowded digital spaces.

This approach represents the mature evolution of digital presence – recognizing that while great content matters, even the best work sometimes needs help finding its audience in today’s saturated online environment. When done with integrity, it levels the playing field for creators of all sizes.

The parliamentary committee on law enforcement unanimously supported President Zelenskyy’s draft law №13533 on restoring the powers of the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), according to MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak.

The committee approved the document without any amendments to the originally registered text, Zheleznyak said. The draft law received 19 votes in favor, with no opposition or abstentions recorded.

“Tomorrow (July 31 — ed.) this decision will be put to a vote in the Rada hall. Immediately in two readings. Everything will be fine — there are more than enough votes,” Zheleznyak said.

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. Protesters chanted: “Veto the law,” “Return Europe,” and “Shame.”

Responding to the protests, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced plans to submit a draft law to the Verkhovna Rada that will restore independence to NABU and SAPO. Zelenskyy said that the text of the draft law “guarantees real strengthening of the law enforcement system in Ukraine, independence of anti-corruption bodies, as well as reliable protection of the law enforcement system from any Russian influence or interference.”

According to the document published on the Rada’s website, the subordination of the Specialized Anti-corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) to the Prosecutor General will be abolished. Other provisions include limiting the Prosecutor General’s influence on NABU, institutional independence of SAPO, and simplified procedures for appointing prosecutors.

On 30 July, MPs submitted two additional alternative draft laws concerning NABU and SAPO. The total number of alternative documents has now increased to six.

Today, the biggest news comes from the Russian alliance.

Here, a new trade offensive reveals the United States has found a soft underbelly in the Brics alliance. Brazil, long seen as the most vulnerable member of the Russian economic alliance, is now facing steep tariffs and mounting pressure, turning it into a frontline state in the economic war to isolate Russia.

So far, the attack has been led by President Donald Trump himself. The White House has confirmed that tariffs on Brazilian seafood will rise to 50 percent starting at the beginning of August, currently the highest such penalty in the world. 

According to reports from Rio Grande do Norte, where much of the industry is based, the impact could be immediate: more than 30 vessels may suspend operations, 1,500 workers could lose their jobs, and major exporters like Produmar warn that sales to the US will become unfeasible. 

While framed as a trade policy decision, Washington has already signaled broader escalation: satellite services like GPS may be restricted, sanctions on government entities are on the table, and US diplomats are pressuring Brazil to break alignment with the Brics coalition, a bloc now increasingly seen as the backbone of Russia’s geopolitical strategy.

The official justification is highly personal. President Trump has repeatedly criticized Brazil’s prosecution of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who attempted to orchestrate a military coup through 2022 and 2023, calling it a witch hunt against Trump’s political ally. But behind this statement, a broader strategic move is at play. 

Brics has emerged as the United States’ most significant economic and geopolitical competitor, and Brazil is one of the original BRICS members and the third largest economy in the group behind China and India, yet it is also the most dependent on the United States for exports, finance, and high-tech imports.

By pressuring Brazil first, Washington is testing whether the BRICS alliance can survive an asymmetric economic war, beginning not with the most defiant members, but instead with the most exposed.

That exposure runs deep; roughly 20 percent of Brazil’s exports go to the United States, and many of its most profitable industries, agriculture, energy, and aerospace, depend on access to US markets, machinery, and data systems to function properly. The threat of cutting off GPS access is especially serious: Brazil’s space agency and large agricultural businesses greatly rely on American satellite data for everything from navigation to logistics and crop planning.

Although Brazil is now exploring alternatives, switching systems would take years, cost billions, and potentially isolate the country from its biggest investors. 

This is precisely what makes the US strategy so dangerous for BRICS cohesion. If the glass canon of the Brazilian economy folds under pressure, it might also be forced to halt its participation in key BRICS initiatives or leave the coalition altogether, meaning that Russia will face immediate consequences. 

Moscow has spent years promoting BRICS as a geopolitical counterweight to the West, including through de-dollarized trade, shared financial infrastructure, and new commodity pricing schemes. If Brazil steps back, it could disrupt these alternative Russian trade routes, payment mechanisms, and undermine diplomatic coordination, leaving Russia even more isolated at a time when its access to hard currency, global finance, and reliable partners is already shrinking. 

The pressure comes as Russia faces major economic troubles; sanctions, crackdowns on its shadow fleet, and de-dollarization have sharply limited its trade options. 

Brics remains Moscow’s best shot at salvaging energy exports, arms sales, and financial alternatives, and therefore its economy. Losing Brazil would weaken the bloc’s credibility and further erode Russia’s international pitch of Brics as a viable economic system, and unlike India, Brazil lacks scale, self-sufficiency, or military leverage, and if it folds, others will notice.

Overall, the United States has launched a calculated strike on the weakest point of the Russian Brics alliance, using tariffs, sanctions, and diplomatic pressure to peel away Brazil from its economic allies. What was framed as a protest over Bolsonaro’s prosecution might be a clever move to combat the US’s biggest geopolitical competitor.

And as BRICS fractures, Russia risks becoming even more isolated, losing the alliance’s third-largest economy, and one larger than its own, which would strip Moscow of credibility and critical leverage.

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.

Ten days. That’s how long Donald Trump gave Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine before facing new American punishment.

But will Congress wait that long?

Senator Richard Blumenthal thinks not. The Connecticut Democrat wants an immediate vote on sweeping Russia sanctions legislation, telling Suspilne News that Putin “does not deserve additional time.”

Blumenthal and his Republican co-author Lindsey Graham have been pushing the sanctions bill since April. Eighty-one senators support it. Yet it sits in limbo while Trump experiments with presidential ultimatums.

“Everything the president is doing is in the right direction, but I strongly advocate for sanctions to be 500%, not 100%,” Blumenthal said. 

Blumenthal emphasized the importance of demonstrating unity between the executive branch and Congress on Ukraine policy.

Republican Senator Roger Marshall offered a different perspective, telling Suspilne News that Trump should be given “maximum flexibility” during the 10-day period. However, Marshall acknowledged that “Putin is not responding to anything” and advocated for comprehensive sanctions including potential banking sector measures and secondary sanctions.

Graham takes a harder line. If Putin won’t negotiate, Trump should target China and India—Russia’s biggest oil customers.

“He can do this through an executive order or through legislative initiative in Congress,” Graham told Suspilne News.

Can they actually pass this thing? The numbers look good. Blumenthal counts 85 Senate supporters and believes they can reach 90 votes if needed.

Despite this backing and failed ceasefire negotiations in Istanbul, Trump had previously stated in May that Washington would not impose additional Russia sanctions.

Moscow’s response? Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the deadline but said Russia’s “special military operation” continues and negotiations require momentum from both sides.

This stance reflects their determination to sustain the war despite international pressure and economic measures intended to weaken Russia. 

Meanwhile, Ukraine keeps destroying Russian military assets faster than Moscow can replace them. The senators argue economic pressure should match that pace.

Graham puts it simply: “The president will increase pressure on Russia’s clients to get Putin to the negotiating table.”

Whether that pressure comes through congressional action or Trump’s executive measures may depend on how the next few days unfold. Putin’s silence on Trump’s deadline suggests he’s betting the president won’t follow through.

Ukrainian special forces landed on a Russian-controlled island in the Black Sea on 28 July night and wiped out the entire garrison without any Ukrainian casualties.

The target? Tendrivska Spit, a 65-kilometer sliver of land jutting into the Black Sea near occupied Kherson. Why this particular piece of sand and scrub?

The Russians had turned it into an electronic warfare hub. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate says their commandos destroyed a “Zont” jamming complex and a “Rosa” radar station along with the troops manning them.

Here’s what makes this operation notable: Tendrivska Spit sits in contested waters where both sides have been trading blows for months. The narrow island—barely 1.8 kilometers wide at its broadest point—gave Russian forces eyes and electronic ears across a significant chunk of the northern Black Sea.

Not anymore. Ukrainian intelligence released footage showing their blue and yellow flag flying over the position.

How did they pull it off? The operation relied on boats funded through a private initiative called “Boats for HUR,” run by the Ukrainian Diana Podolyanchuk Charitable Foundation. International donors helped pay for the watercraft that carried the assault team to their target.

The timing matters. Ukrainian forces have been systematically targeting Russian positions on isolated islands and coastal areas, using their advantage in small boat operations. Each successful raid forces Russia to commit more resources to defending scattered outposts.

Can Russia replace what they lost? The electronic warfare equipment destroyed in the raid represents sophisticated gear that takes months to produce and deploy. The radar station gave Russian forces advance warning of Ukrainian naval movements—a capability now gone.

The operation signals Ukraine’s growing confidence in conducting amphibious raids deep behind Russian lines. Previous strikes hit Zmiinyi (Snake) Island and other Black Sea positions, but Tendrivska Spit sits closer to the Ukrainian mainland, suggesting expanded operational reach.

Ukrainian intelligence operatives conducted a major cyberattack against Russian authorities in occupied Crimea, downloading 100 terabytes of classified data before destroying the original files, according to RBK-Ukraine citing sources in Ukrainian intelligence.

The multi-day operation targeted electronic document management systems used by Russian-controlled government institutions across the peninsula, according to the report. Cyber specialists from Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) penetrated digital cabinets of Crimean Russian leadership and gained access to several key systems.

“Dialog” and “Delo” electronic document management systems were compromised, along with accounting systems “1C:Document Flow,” Directum, and “ATLAS,” the report said. The systems handle legally significant electronic document flow for government agencies, budget institutions, state committees, and municipal bodies including the apparatus of the Russian Council of Ministers of Crimea.

The downloaded data included documents marked “secret” containing information about Russian military facilities and logistical supply routes for Russian forces on the peninsula, RBK-Ukraine reported. After copying the information, GUR cyber specialists destroyed all data stored on servers of regional and district government institutions, ministries, and departments of Russian authorities in Crimea.

A DDoS attack reportedly paralyzed information systems and network infrastructure in Crimea during the operation. Russian media made only brief mention of the cyberattack, with the press service of the Russia-controlled Ministry of Information reporting “a massive DDoS attack on major fixed-line communication operators.”

“Some services may be periodically unavailable to subscribers,” the ministry said, without specifying the scale of the problem or the number of affected operators.

Russian State Duma officials expressed concern but provided no details about compromised information.

Ukrainian intelligence sources indicated the obtained data contains significant intelligence value.

“So much data was downloaded there that we will soon learn many sensations about the activities and crimes of Russian occupiers in Ukrainian Crimea,” a Ukrainian intelligence officer told RBK-Ukraine.

The breach also provided access to officials responsible for “patriotic education” and organizing exhibitions and street actions aimed at discrediting Ukraine, according to Armed Forces of Ukraine officer and political scientist Andriy Tkachuk writing for Ukrinform.

“Evidence was obtained of coordination between local administrations and the ‘representation of the Russian Foreign Ministry in Simferopol,’” Tkachuk wrote. “The Russian Foreign Ministry distributes narratives, ‘republican ministries’ transmit them to districts, and schools and universities become retransmitters of Kremlin lies.”

A military expert from Crimea, a former Ukrainian officer and reserve lieutenant colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, told Krym.Realii on condition of anonymi that “Russian authorities in Crimea during the war closely interact with Russian military forces. This means that GUR will have a set of correspondence from which many interesting intelligence data can be ‘extracted,’.”

“All civilian administrations of Crimean districts and cities, as well as ministries and departments, issue secret orders and other documents related to territorial defense and more. This is not just important information, but the most important, like the mentioned logistical supply routes for troops,” he added.

The Kremlin has rejected President Donald Trump’s ultimatum for Russia to negotiate an end to its war in Ukraine within 10 days, with officials reaffirming Moscow’s commitment to continue military operations until achieving its stated objectives.

Trump announced the deadline on 29 July before boarding Air Force One, warning that tariffs would take effect if Russia refused to stop the war. “Ten days from today. And then we’re gonna put on tariffs and stuff,” Trump told reporters, according to audio published by the White House.

The threatened tariffs would target secondary sanctions on countries purchasing Russian oil, gas and other products, including China and India. Trump acknowledged uncertainty about the measure’s impact, stating: “I don’t know if it’s gonna affect Russia, because he (Russian President Vladimir Putin) wants to obviously probably keep the war going, but we’re gonna put tariffs and various things.”

The announcement represents a shortened timeline from Trump’s previous ultimatum delivered 14 July, when he warned of “severe” tariffs up to 100% if Russia failed to agree to a peace deal within 50 days. Trump said on 28 July he was no longer willing to wait that long.

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev responded on his English-language X account, according to the ISW, that Trump cannot dictate negotiation timing. Medvedev said that negotiations will conclude only when Russia achieves all war objectives, likely referring to Moscow’s original aims including regime change in Ukraine, alterations to NATO’s open-door policy, and reducing Ukraine’s military capabilities.

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov echoed the rejection, claiming Russia will continue its war to protect national interests despite Trump’s revised deadline. 

The Institute for the Study of War assessed Kremlin’s statements as efforts to compel Trump to abandon his deadline in favor of normalized bilateral relations and increased cooperation. ISW reported that the Kremlin remains uninterested in negotiations to end the war, instead seeking to protract the war to secure additional battlefield gains.

As the global tech landscape continues to evolve in 2025, the integration of blockchain ecosystems is opening new doors for everyday users to generate passive income. One notable trend is the rise of blockchain cloud mining, which combines the strengths of digital asset platforms to streamline mining operations. Among the more surprising developments is the use of XRP—a token traditionally used for cross-border payments—to fund Dogecoin (DOGE) mining, creating a unique cross-chain use case.

This shift reflects a broader transformation in how digital assets interact. Traditionally, cryptocurrencies have existed in isolated qecosystems, each with its own rules, infrastructure, and communities. Now, platforms are bridging those gaps, allowing users to leverage one digital asset to unlock the utility of another.

XRP and DOGE: From payment rails to mining fuel

XRP, the native token of Ripple’s payment network, has long been favored for its speed and low transaction costs, especially among financial institutions in regions such as Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Despite its utility in finance, everyday XRP holders often lacked ways to generate consistent, daily returns from their holdings.

Meanwhile, DOGE—once seen as a meme coin—has developed a strong community and use cases in mining, making it appealing for those seeking daily income through cloud mining.

A new approach allows users to deploy their XRP holdings to activate DOGE mining contracts via smart contracts. These contracts recognize XRP transfers and automatically allocate computing power toward DOGE mining. This is made possible by platforms such as BlockchainCloudMining, which aim to lower the entry barrier for mining by offering automated, cloud-based solutions.

Simplifying mining through cloud platforms

Blockchain-based cloud mining platforms are positioning themselves as a user-friendly alternative to traditional mining, which often requires expensive hardware, ongoing maintenance, and technical expertise.

Here’s how the process typically works:

1. Account creation: Users register with a cloud mining provider, such as BlockchainCloudMining, through a simple sign-up process. An initial sign-up bonus may be provided to get started quickly.
2. Mining contract selection: Users choose from various contracts based on mining power, duration, and cost. These contracts determine the level of computing power allocated to mine cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, DOGE, and Ethereum.
3. Earnings and payouts: Once active, the mining contract generates daily income, paid out in users’ chosen cryptocurrencies. Many platforms now support multiple tokens, including BTC, ETH, USDT, XRP, and more.
4. Security and support: Modern platforms integrate security protocols such as McAfee and Cloudflare protections, 24/7 customer support, and uptime guarantees to ensure reliable service.

The bigger picture: Asset interoperability and passive income

What makes this innovation particularly noteworthy is the interoperability between assets. XRP, a token designed for utility in financial networks, is now being used to activate mining for an unrelated digital asset. This kind of synergy reflects the maturing blockchain industry, where the focus is shifting from isolated speculation to functional, income-generating solutions.

As more users look for passive income strategies in the digital economy, technologies like smart contracts, cloud mining, and token bridges could redefine how everyday people engage with cryptocurrencies.

…….

The information provided in this article is not a solicitation to invest and is not intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks. There is a possibility of loss of funds. You are strongly advised to perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.

The Ukrainian government resists appointing the head of one of its anti-corruption agencies, delaying the start of its work. Meanwhile, the EU says this setback in the Economic Security Bureau (BEB) running endangers Kyiv’s credibility and $3 billion in support, European Pravda reports. 

European Commission demands: appoint Tsyvinsky according to the law

The European Commission calls on the Ukrainian government to immediately appoint the head of the agency, which has already been chosen in accordance with current legislation and transparent procedures.

Oleksandr Tsyvinsky is a National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) detective who won the BEB director position in June 2025. The competition involved international experts. The BEB reform is one condition for Ukraine to receive $3 billion in international aid.

Tsyvinsky leads one of NABU’s elite detective units and became known for his participation in the “Clean City” investigation. His appointment was to symbolize the restoration of trust in anti-corruption bodies.

However, on 7 July, the Ukrainian government refused to approve him, citing “security concerns” as assessed by the Security Service. In response, Tsyvinsky stated that the government’s decision “does not comply with the law.”

Confrontation with NABU: a new round of pressure

The government’s refusal to approve the competition winner marked another escalation in tense relations between Ukrainian authorities and NABU, which sharply intensified this summer.

On 22 July, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the controversial bill, which curtails the NABU’s independence, as well as the liberty of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), by requiring their key decisions to be coordinated with the Prosecutor General’s Office. 

19 Ukrainian protest signs that are pure art (and also completely unhinged)

The law led to mass civil society protests and criticism from international partners as it contradicts Ukraine’s commitments to the EU and the US on anti-corruption reforms. 

The EU has already warned diplomatically that undermining NABU’s independence will have serious consequences for further EU integration and aid volumes. The situation around BEB only deepens the trust crisis.

Business and partners demand appointment

The business community, over 124 associations and 27,000 companies, published an open letter urging the authorities not to delay appointing the competition winner.

“Kyiv must promptly appoint the BEB director according to the law on BEB reform and current procedures,” says a European Commission spokesperson.

Appointing Tsyvinsky is a key condition for advancing the BEB reform and preserving the institution’s independence. The EU enlargement report for 2024 emphasized that the competition must be transparent, based on personal merits and integrity.

The Selection Commission has sent Tsyvinsky’s documents to the Cabinet for the second time, and Europeans are closely watching whether the government will fulfill its commitments.

Russian forces targeted a Ukrainian Ground Forces training unit in a missile attack that reportedly left three military personnel dead and 18 wounded, according to an official statement from the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The military command has not disclosed the specific location or identity of the targeted unit for operational security reasons. However, military analyst Serhii Bezkrestnov, known by his call sign “Flash,” identified the site as the Honcharivskyi training ground in Chernihiv Oblast.

Bezkrestnov suggested that safety protocol violations may have contributed to the casualties, stating that personnel were aware of reconnaissance drone activity in the area and had received air raid warnings.

“Everyone knew that a UAV-spotter was hanging over the object. Everyone heard the alarm,” he wrote in his assessment of the incident.

The Ground Forces have established an investigative commission led by the chief of the Military Law Enforcement Service to determine the circumstances surrounding the personnel losses. Military officials indicated that any commanders found responsible for actions or negligence leading to casualties will face accountability measures.

This attack continues a pattern of Russian strikes against Ukrainian military training facilities.

On 22 June, Russian forces hit a mechanized brigade training ground in southern Kherson Oblast, resulting in three deaths and 11 injuries. Earlier incidents occurred on 4 June in Poltava Oblast and 1 June in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, where an Iskander missile struck a training facility.

Exclusive

Ukrainian war documentaries Russia doesn’t want you to see. These films expose Russian war crimes and showcase Ukrainian resilience through stories of survival, volunteering, art creation amid destruction, and resistance that directly contradict Moscow’s propaganda about Ukraine.

20,000 wrecked vehicles behind them, Russians crawl toward Siversk like there’s no tomorrow. A Russian tank column rolled into a bloody disaster outside Siversk in eastern Ukraine. But Moscow’s troops are still advancing.

Man wants to counter China by letting Russia dismember Ukraine, forgets they’re allies. Pentagon’s Undersecretary Elbridge Colby crafted America’s China strategy. Beijing couldn’t be happier.

Spain Ukraine military aid: Patriot missiles, Leopard tanks—plus surprise Chornobyl solar plant. Missiles and tanks are only part of Spain’s military aid to Ukraine: the past year also brought troop training, demining, sanctions and a solar plant in Chornobyl.

Military

Frontline report: Ukrainian defenders revive Roman anti-cavalry tactics to achieve devastating 66-to-1 kill ratio against Russian forces. Russian commanders have redirected their offensive focus toward Torske after maintaining a bridgehead across the Zherebets River for months without establishing a direct route to their target city.

Ukrainian drones turned Russia’s Salsk station into a firestorm — fuel train destroyed (video). Additionally, drones reportedly knocked out power substations in occupied Donetsk and in Russia’s Orlovsky.

Ukrainian marines turn training ground into war school at NATO’s Sea Breeze 2025 in UK. With minehunters and battle-tested marines, Ukraine’s Navy is no longer just a student of war — it’s a teacher on the modern battlefield.

Belarus says drone shot down over Minsk at 2 am.

Intelligence and technology

Kyiv’s AI coders take aim at hidden Russia’s killers beneath soil

. With a third of its territory mined, Ukraine is betting on AI to accelerate demining.

With civilian factories frozen and war plants revived, Lukashenko’s regime becomes ghost manufacturer for Kremlin missiles. Drone shells, missile chips, and targeting optics are pouring out of newly built plants as Minsk militarizes under Kremlin command.

Lithuania selects Ukrainian tech over alternatives to catch Russian drones following airspace violations. Lithuania’s military selected Ukrainian acoustic detection technology to monitor drone activity, with deployment scheduled for 2026 after two Russian drones entered the country’s airspace this month.

Euroactiv: Ukraine welcome to join EU’s IRIS² satellite network as Starlink reliance sparks unease. The project could give Kyiv an alternative to Musk’s system during the war.

International

ISW: Kremlin pushes alone-against-the-West myth to rally Russians against Ukraine and NATO. “Putin is unlikely to make any concessions unless forced to do so by Ukrainian victories,” ISW says.

NATO tanks would get “stuck in tunnels” if Russia invaded EU, European commissioner warns

. Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas plans $20 billion in infrastructure upgrades after warning that current roads and railways cannot support rapid military deployment against Russian invasion.

Trump cuts Putin ceasefire deadline from 50 days to under two weeks. Meeting UK PM Keir Starmer in Scotland, the US President warned Russia there will be no more delays.

Switzerland allows sanctioned Russian official speak at international forum. Ukraine wants her at Special Tribunal. Valentina Matvienko spread Russian propaganda in Geneva publicly as Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman called her participation “disgraceful.”

Humanitarian and social impact

Pregnant woman among 22 killed by Russia in one day, Zelenskyy says. Russian guided bombs, drones, and missiles targeted homes, hospitals, stores, and emergency services overnight.

Russia bombs Zaporizhzhia prison — 17 dead, dozens injured overnight (updated). Eight Russian bombs targeted the facility and damaged single-family homes close by.

Political and legal developments

“We took Trump’s ultimatum into account,” says Kremlin—but Russia still has no plans to stop war. Despite a new 10-day deadline from the US, Kremlin directly insists Moscow will continue its aggression in Ukraine.

Kyiv formally recognizes forced resettlement of 700,000 Ukrainians by Moscow and Polish communist authorities as deportation. Decades after Operation Vistula, Kyiv enshrines the truth with legal clarity.

Lukashenko’s spy caught mapping defenses in Ukraine’s border region near Poland. With a phone and a Google Map, a Volyn local fed military intel to Belarusian handlers.

As Trump sets new ultimatum for Russia, Kremlin’s mouthpiece threatens war not with Ukraine, but America itself. Medvedev warns of US–Russia war, even as Moscow struggles to hold occupied Ukraine.

Amid war, Russia shuts down gasoline exports — producers hit for the first time. The ban takes effect 29 July and could be extended into September.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Russian forces launched a large-scale drone attack against Ukraine during the night of 30 July, causing civilian casualties and infrastructure damage across multiple regions. The assault injured at least five people and sparked fires at several enterprises.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia deployed 78 unmanned aerial vehicles of various types, including strike drones of the Iranian-designed Shahed type and decoy drones.

Ukrainian air defense systems successfully neutralized 51 of the attacking drones, with 27 recorded as hitting targets across seven locations and debris from destroyed drones falling in two additional areas.

Three civilians injured in Kharkiv 

The northeastern city of Kharkiv sustained significant damage when Russian drones struck the Shevchenkivskyi and Slobidskyi districts at approximately 1:55 a.m. Three people were injured in the attacks, according to Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov.

In the Shevchenkivskyi district, drone strikes damaged a car wash, shattered windows in apartment buildings, and hit a supermarket, while several vehicles caught fire. The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that drone debris injured a 24-year-old woman, a 33-year-old man, and a 62-year-old woman.

Russian forces used “Geran-2” type drones for the city attack. A second strike hit the Slobidskyi district around 2:40 a.m., damaging a non-residential building. Local prosecutors have opened war crimes investigations into both incidents.

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast suffers enterprise damage

Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk region resulted in two civilian injuries and significant agricultural losses, according to regional military administration head Serhii Lysak. Ukrainian forces intercepted 24 drones targeting the region, but several strikes reached their intended targets.

In Pavlohrad, a 70-year-old man sustained injuries and required hospitalization after attacks damaged a transport enterprise and triggered multiple fires.

The assault also struck the local railway station, disrupting tracks and contact networks, though Ukraine’s national railway company Ukrzaliznytsia reported no casualties among passengers or staff.

Russian forces deployed FPV drones against three communities in the Synelnykivskyi district, destroying a farm and killing approximately 20 head of cattle, while damaging private enterprises.

In Mezhivska community, FPV drone attacks wounded one woman and destroyed five vehicles.

Previous day’s deadly strike

The latest assault followed a devastating missile attack on 29 July that struck Kamianske in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

That attack partially destroyed a three-story non-residential building and damaged nearby medical facilities, including a maternity hospital and city hospital department.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the death toll reached three people, including 23-year-old pregnant woman Diana, with the total number of casualties rising to 22.

Soldiers of Song (2024)

Director: Ryan Smith (American)
Awards: Tribeca Film Festival premiere, Warsaw International Film Festival nomination (Best Documentary Feature)

What is it about? The film follows Ukrainian musicians who transformed their art into weapons of resistance against Russian aggression.

The documentary weaves together multiple extraordinary narratives: paramedic “Ptashka” (“Bird”) singing folk songs in Azovstal’s basement to lift survivor’s spirits during the siege of Mariupol in 2022; Slava Vakarchuk of the band Okean Elzy performing atop bombed buildings to raise awareness and visiting wounded children in hospitals; Andriy Khlyvnyuk of Boombox who joined the armed forces while continuing to raise funds for his unit through concerts, balancing his dual roles as drone operator and musician.

Through the Cultural Forces initiative, the film shows how music reaches soldiers directly at the front, where performances become vital sources of motivation and spiritual strength, embodying the philosophy that “Beauty urges us to align ourselves to experience the triumph of soul over body.”

Where to watch: Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play

Why should you watch it? This shows how culture itself becomes a battlefield. Ukrainian artists fight for the freedom to create in Ukrainian language as Russians ban it on occupied territories. Making beauty becomes an act of defiance against cultural genocide while the film asks crucial questions: “How many Ukrainian musicians has Russia killed, and how many more will it kill if not stopped?”

Quote from the song in the film:

“And here we walk in the battle of life—Solid, durable, unbreakable, like granite, For crying hasn’t given freedom to anyone yet, But whoever is a fighter, he conquers the world.” 

Faith Under Siege (2025)

Director: Yaroslav Lodygin (Ukrainian)

What is it about? The film exposes brutal persecution of Christians in Russian-occupied Ukraine, documenting bombed churches, imprisoned or killed pastors, and the abduction of over 19,000 Ukrainian children. It follows Evangelical and Protestant believers in what was once called the post-Soviet “Bible Belt” as they struggle to keep faith alive in secret.

While Russia spreads propaganda claiming Ukraine persecutes Christians by restricting Kremlin-linked Orthodox churches amid the war, the film exposes the brutal reality: it’s Russian occupation forces systematically pressuring, torturing, imprisoning, and killing Christians in occupied Ukrainian territories, especially those who refuse to collaborate with the FSB.

Where to watch: YouTube

Why should you watch it? This exposes a classic authoritarian tactic of accusing your opponent of your own sins while the international community’s attention is divided. The film calls believers to prayer, awareness, and solidarity while showing how Ukrainian Christians stand strong against religious persecution, proving that faith can survive even under the most brutal conditions and revealing the true face of Russia’s so-called “defense” of Christianity.

Porcelain War (2024)

Director: Brendan Bellomo & Slava Leontyev (Ukrainian-American)
Awards: Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner, Oscar nominated 2025 (Best documentary feature)

What is it about? Set in war-torn Kharkiv close to the Russian border, the film follows three Ukrainian artists who create delicate porcelain figurines while living through the brutal reality of Russian invasion, filled with destruction and terror.

Slava, a former Ukrainian Special Forces soldier, transforms from artist to weapons instructor, teaching civilians how to fight while continuing to craft ceramics with his wife Anya. She developed her unique style of painting on ceramic miniatures at Kharkiv School of Arts and channels her resistance through art that captures their “idyllic past, uncertain present, and hope for the future.” Meanwhile, Andrey, originally from annexed Crimea (Feodosia), serves as first-time cinematographer documenting their story while simultaneously working to get his family to safety abroad.

The film contrasts stunning Ukrainian landscapes with the wreckage caused by war missiles, showing how these artists defiantly find beauty amid destruction while some take up guns alongside their brushes.

The jury called the filmmaking “the ultimate pursuit of good” while resisting totalitarian aggression.

Where to watch: Prime Video, Takflix

Why should you watch it? This film embodies how artists put beauty back into a crumbling world, showing that while it’s easy to make people afraid, it’s hard to destroy their passion for living. It’s both an intimate love story and a powerful statement about art’s role in resistance.

No Sleep Til Kyiv (2025)

Director: Eric Liebman (American)

What is it about? The documentary follows international volunteers, including American homebuilder Peter Duke from Orlando, who leave their comfortable lives to join convoys delivering military trucks and other essential aid from Estonia to Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv.

Working with the 69th Sniffing Brigade (NAFO), volunteers drive 30+ hours straight through Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, sleeping through air raid sirens and witnessing Russian destruction firsthand.

Stories of ordinary Ukrainians who paused their jobs to defend their homes are woven throughout the film, alongside international volunteers who take time from their lives to assist them.

Duke draws powerful parallels between Ukraine’s fight and America’s birth in 1776, saying “All of us in Western democracies that hope for peace and security need Ukraine to succeed.”

Where to watch: Here

Why should you watch it? The film offers an American perspective on why Ukraine’s fight matters globally—if Russia succeeds, the authoritarianism will spread further, possibly affecting countries like Taiwan and South Korea.

The film also shows how ordinary citizens can get involved in fighting Russian aggression without wearing a uniform, demonstrating that remarkable acts of selflessness and purpose transcend borders and politics.

20 Days in Mariupol (2023)

Director: Mstyslav Chernov (Ukraine)
Awards: Ukraine’s first-ever Academy Award (Best Documentary 2024), BAFTA winner, Pulitzer Prize, Sundance Audience Award

What is it about? The film follows Ukrainian journalists working for Associated Press who remained the last and only international reporters in besieged Mariupol during the first weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Chernov and his team documented Russian airstrikes on a maternity hospital, mass graves, frightened people huddled in shelters, and the deaths of civilians, including a 4-year-old girl as the doctors desperately tried to save her life, while Russian officials dismissed all their footage as “fakes.”

Many conversations in the film are conducted in Russian, exposing the cynicism of Moscow’s claim to be “saving Russian speakers.” 

Chernov said he wishes he never had to make this film and would exchange all recognition for Russia never invading Ukraine.

“My brain desperately wants to forget this, but the camera won’t let it happen,” the director says in the film.

Where to watch:  Prime Video, Apple TV, Netflix, Takflix

Why should you watch it? This is raw historical documentation at its finest—no contrived drama, just authentic footage that speaks for itself. As Chernov notes, “This is painful to watch—but it must be painful to watch.” It stands as crucial evidence of Russian war crimes and the price Ukrainians pay for freedom.

Quote from the film:

“War is like an X-ray — all human insides become visible. Good people become better, bad people become worse.”

A House Made of Splinters (2022)

Director: Simon Lereng Wilmont (Danish)
Awards: Sundance Best Director Award, Oscar nominated in 2023, FIPRESCI Award

What is it about? Set in a special orphanage in Lysychansk, an eastern Ukrainian town exhausted by Russia’s war, the film follows three children temporarily separated from their parents and living in danger near the frontlines in Donetsk Oblast. 

While they wait for custody decisions from authorities and courts that will determine whether they return home or move to new families, a small group of strong-willed social workers work tirelessly to create an almost magical safe space. These selfless caregivers give moments of joy and calm to children, bringing them back to their childhood that has almost been lost amid the family drama and ongoing conflict around them.

Where to watch: Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Takflix

Why should you watch it? This deeply intimate portrait shows war’s long-term impact on society’s most vulnerable members through an extraordinarily poignant lens. Danish director explores how conflict affects children, offering a profoundly moving look at resilience, hope, and the power of human compassion even in the darkest circumstances.

Us, Our Pets and the War (2024)

Director: Anton Ptushkin (Ukrainian YouTuber)

What is it about? The documentary tells stories of people and their animals when Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022—from cats and dogs in abandoned apartments and shelters to lions, tigers, bears, lemurs, and even Igoryok the Yemeni chameleon in zoos.

It features famous pets like Patron the dog and Shafa the cat, plus soldiers, volunteers, foreigners, and Ukrainians participating in rescue missions everywhere from bomb shelters to the front lines.

The main idea of the film comes from shelter founder Asia Serpinska: “Save animals to stay human.” 

Where to watch: Netflix

Why should you watch it? It shows how rescuing animals becomes both a way to preserve humanity amid violence and a form of mutual salvation—revealing the extraordinary close connection between people and animals that war has only strengthened. 

Quote from the film:

“When it seemed that we were saving animals, in reality, it was animals that saved us.”

Ukrainian developers create algorithms to detect explosives from drone imagery. In Kyiv, 13 teams of engineers have built artificial intelligence capable of spotting landmines in drone imagery, a potential breakthrough for demining efforts, the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture reports. 

A game-changing competition

Over two days in Kyiv, the teams worked on training neural networks to automatically detect explosive objects. The competition, part of the second stage of the AI Data Jam, tasked participants with analyzing 8,000 training images and 23,000 test images depicting mine threats.

Mentorship was provided by experts from UADamage, The HALO Trust, and Dropla Tech.

The goal: a mine-free Ukraine, one meter at a time

“What began as an experiment has grown into a full-fledged project with international backing and tangible results,” says Deputy Economy Minister Ihor Bezkaravainyi.

There’s a huge motivation behind such AI lessons: to create a unique product that can help safely clear Ukraine of landmine pollution, leveraging cutting-edge technology without putting lives at risk.

Victory and deployment ahead

The winning team, MineWatch AI, developed the most accurate detection model. They received $2,000 in support from UNDP Ukraine and the Luxembourg government and the opportunity to further develop the system in partnership with professional demining experts.

All models and datasets from the challenge will contribute to refining AI algorithms. After successful testing, the technology is set to be integrated into humanitarian demining operations, speeding up and safeguarding the clearance of Ukraine’s contaminated lands.

Moscow is hunting for missile and drone components. According to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Belarus is rapidly expanding its military production to compensate for a shortage of components in Russia’s defense industry.

“Moscow is looking for alternative sources of components, particularly for drones and missile systems, amid Western sanctions and logistical barriers. The Belarusian government is accelerating the launch of facilities tied to UAVs, dual-use electronics, and targeting systems,” the agency reports.

Civilian projects frozen, military ones prioritized

Belarus’s innovation strategy previously focused on civilian sectors, such as agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals, and food production. Now, military development is the priority.

“Most army-related facilities are expected to be constructed and operational within one to one and a half years,” the Ukrainian Intelligence notes.

For example, a plant producing composite drone components was built based on the Multipurpose UAV Technology Center. The project, frozen in 2020, was revived after the full-scale war began. By late 2024, the factory was built and equipped, and production began in February 2025.

Sights, auto parts, and microchips for Kh-101 missiles

The Zenit-BelOMO plant is launching production of targeting systems and auto components for the CIS market. Production lines are set to open in August, with the plant expected to reach full capacity by year’s end.

Meanwhile, the Integral plant is expanding its production of dual-use microchips, which can be employed in guidance systems for Russia’s Kh-101 cruise missiles.

“A new workshop is expected to be operational in December, and full-scale production is planned for 2026,” the Ukrainian Intelligence adds.

Despite US President Donald Trump’s new ultimatum for Russia, giving it only ten days to end the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin confirmed that Russia has no intention to stop its aggression, UNIAN reports. 

“We took Trump’s statement about a shortened timeline for resolving the situation in Ukraine and his disinterest in contacts into account,” says Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, adding that Russia acts “in the interest of its own security.”

No talks, no meeting: Trump–Putin summit off the table

Peskov has also ruled out any upcoming meeting between Putin and Trump, while lamenting the stagnation in US–Russia relations.

“Russia would like to see more momentum, but that requires signals from both sides,” he says.

Peskov’s statement is not entirely truthful in light of Trump’s actions in 2025. The US president made a number of concessions to Russia on the path to peace.

• He pressured not only Moscow but also Kyiv and was considering recognizing Crimea as part of Russia. 
• He delayed military aid to Ukraine, which limited Kyiv’s defensive capabilities.
• At the same time, Trump lifted Russia out of international isolation by having conversations with Russian authorities, including Putin, which did not happen under former President Joe Biden. 

Trump’s ultimatum: Ten days or sanctions

On 14 July, Trump threatened 100% tariffs on Russia and secondary sanctions on countries buying its oil unless Putin halts his attacks on Ukraine within 50 days. This could impact China, India, and Brazil, Russia’s main economic allies. 

As Trump threatens sanctions on buyers of Russian oil, India prepares to switch suppliers to avoid fallout

By 28 July, the US president had slashed its first deadline.

“I’m not so interested in talking [to Putin] any more. Every time I think it’s going to end, he kills people,” Trump claimed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a law recognizing the forced resettlement of around 700,000 Ukrainians from the territory of communist Poland in 1944–1951 as an act of deportation.

LTR reports that the draft law was first submitted in 2019 but has only now come into force after years of revisions and parliamentary hearings. 

“It’s good that step by step, we’re achieving legal and historical clarity in these matters, and most importantly, without scandals or politicization of history,” says Anton Drobovych, former head of the Institute of National Memory.

Compensation and benefits for deportees and their descendants

The new law guarantees compensation for material and moral damages to victims and their descendants. One-time financial aid is envisioned, along with benefits similar to those granted to war veterans, including free public transportation and discounts on intercity travel.

Historical justice backed by legal recognition

The deportation of Ukrainians was carried out under agreements between the USSR and the Polish communist regime. Operation Vistula in 1947 was the largest-scale phase, when over 140,000 Ukrainians were forcibly relocated to northern and western Poland.

In 2002 and 2004, respectively, Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal and the European Court of Human Rights recognized these resettlements as unlawful.

Since 2018, Ukraine has annually observed the Day of Remembrance for Victims of Ukrainian Deportations on the second Sunday of September. The law enshrines this date as a symbol of restored dignity and historical truth.

A surprising Russian armored assault ended in disaster for the Russians as they tried, and failed, to break through Ukrainian defenses outside Siversk in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast.

But that doesn’t mean the Russians aren’t creeping toward front-line settlements including Siversk. Trading a few vehicles and a lot of bodies for every meter, Russian regiments are moving toward the city—and “may begin an assault … in the near future,” according to the Ukrainian Center for Defense Strategies.

The doomed Russian armored assault outside Siversk, a relative rarity as Russia’s vehicle losses exceed 20,000 and the Kremlin holds back most of its surviving tanks and fighting vehicles for future use, involved six tanks, nine armored personnel carriers, an armored recovery vehicle, 12 Lada compact cars, two all-terrain vehicles and a staggering 41 motorcycles from the 3rd Combined Arms Army.

The Ukrainian 54th Mechanized Brigade and 81st Air Mobile Brigade struck back with the first-person-view drones, bomber drones and—presumably—artillery. “Most of the equipment was destroyed or damaged,” Special Kherson Cat noted after they and other Ukrainian observers scrutinized drone videos of the assault. 

“Russian infantry losses are estimated at around a company killed and wounded,” Special Kherson Cat reported. That’s potentially more than 100 casualties. 

The horrific losses belie very gradual Russian gains around Siversk, however. “Tactical gains by the enemy northeast of Siversk indicate that Russian troops have reached a line several kilometers from Siversk,” CDS wrote.

Bike tactics

It’s unclear how much the belated deployment of increasingly precious armored vehicles is helping the Russian war effort. As Russia’s wider war on Ukraine grinds into its 42nd month, the Russians tend to attack with infantry riding on motorcycles—or even marching on foot. 

The growing proportion of the 46-ton, three-person T-72Bs in the Russian inventory is the latest sign that Russian regiments are “de-mechanizing.” That is, evolving—or devolving—into infantry-first formations.

It’s a costly approach. But it can work. Russian infantry have exploited Ukrainian brigades’ desperate manpower shortage—Kyiv’s army is short 100,000 trained infantry—and recently marched through gaps in Ukrainian lines northeast of Pokrovsk, further closing a pincer around that city 90 km southwest of Siversk.

Russian commanders tried to hasten Pokrovsk’s fall by pulling their dwindling reserves of tanks out of the vehicles’ protective hideouts and rolling them into action on the city’s southern flank, where small Russian sabotage groups have lately enjoyed some limited success infiltrating Ukrainian lines.

The problem, for the Russians, is where the tanks went. They traveled along a notorious “road of death” for Russian vehicles threading from the Russian stronghold of Selydove through the village of Shevchenko, a few miles south of Pokrovsk.

The 155th Mechanized Brigade’s drones spotted the Russian tanks and infantry fighting vehicles—a dozen or so?—coming on Saturday. “Coordinated actions of artillery and unmanned systems forces of the 155th Mechanized Brigade thwarted another assault on the Pokrovsk direction,” the brigade reported. “The entire enemy column was destroyed.”

“Tanks have become a second priority in war,” a Ukrainian tanker named Bohdan told David Kirichenko, an analyst for the Center for European Policy Analysis in Washington, D.C. “It’s now a war of artillery, drones and infantry.”

Ukraine may have the edge in drones, but Russia has a lot more troops and artillery. So the wholesale destruction of rare Russian armored columns might not mean much in the end. Russia can lose more of its dwindling stocks of tanks … and still advance.

CDS announced it expects more aggressive Russian action around Siversk in the coming weeks. “The 3rd Combined Arms Army will try to break through to the northern bank of the Siverskyi Donets River between Yampil and Hryhorivka, and from the southeast—toward Siversk.”

Explore further

Russia’s last tank yards go dark as every inch in Ukraine demands more sacrifice

Kremlin officials continue to push the idea that Russia is in allegedly direct confrontation with the West. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on 28 July that this narrative is used to maintain domestic support for the war in Ukraine and “future Russian aggression against NATO.”

According to ISW, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a Russian youth forum on 28 July that “Russia is fighting alone against the entire West… for the first time in history” and that the country “must rely on [itself].” He said Russia has “no allies on the battlefield,” unlike during past world wars.

The report pointed out that these claims ignore ongoing military and economic support from North Korea, Iran, and China.

Russia portrays itself as alone, while support from allies says otherwise

ISW noted that North Korea has supplied Russia with ballistic missiles, artillery shells, and personnel. It added that Iran’s Shahed drones have been used in repeated Russian airstrikes on Ukrainian cities and that Iran’s help enabled Russia to produce its own versions. The report also stated that China helps Russia evade sanctions and provides critical components and microelectronics for its weapons.

Use of propaganda

Lavrov also claimed Russia had “no alternative” to launching its war of aggression, repeating demands that Ukraine must not join NATO, NATO must stop expanding, and that Russia’s claimed annexations of Ukrainian territory must be recognized.

“Putin is unlikely to make any concessions in his war aims unless he is forced to do so by significant Ukrainian battlefield victories, as any negotiated end to the war that does not achieve all of Putin’s objectives would call into question the success, and, potentially, wisdom of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine,” ISW concluded.

Belarusian KGB agent detained in Volyn for spying on Ukrainian military. Counterintelligence of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has uncovered an attempt by Belarusian intelligence services to obtain reconnaissance data on the defense of Ukraine’s northern border.

A spy working for the KGB

Counterintelligence of the SBU detained a local resident in Volyn who was transmitting information to Belarusian intelligence services. According to the agency, the 24-year-old unemployed man was looking for easy money in Telegram channels and made contact with representatives of the Belarusian KGB.

He agreed to spy on checkpoints, defense fortifications, and military trains in northern Ukraine.

“To collect intelligence, the agent scouted local areas, recorded the Defense Forces’ fortifications, and marked their geolocations on Google Maps,” the SBU reports. 

Detention and charge of treason

During a search, a phone was seized from the detainee containing an anonymous messenger chat used to communicate with his KGB handler. The identity of the Belarusian intelligence officer has already been established.

The agent has been officially charged under the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which is high treason during martial law. He faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

At the international Sea Breeze 2025 exercises in the UK, Ukrainian marines surprised NATO instructors with their skill and combat experience. Some units had arrived directly from the front lines, and their expertise made an impression even on proficient partners, TSN reports.

“We managed to surprise our partners and neighbors. The experience of modern warfare that we unfortunately have is unique, and for now, it’s the most relevant,” says Navy spokesman Captain 2nd Rank Dmytro Pletenchuk.

Ukraine not only learns but teaches allies

As part of the land component of Sea Breeze, Ukrainian troops not only trained with new technologies and mine countermeasure equipment but also shared their battlefield experience.

This year, four Ukrainian minehunters took part in the drills, as mine warfare remained the central focus.

“We had something to show our partners,” Pletenchuk emphasizes, stressing the importance of joint efforts for the future demining of the Black Sea.

NATO coordination is critical for Ukraine

Ukraine is actively working on interoperability with NATO member states

, especially those with direct access to the Black Sea — Romania, Bulgaria, and Türkiye.

“We hope our partners will join efforts to demine the Black Sea,” adds the Ukrainian Navy spokesperson.

On 30 June, the second phase of the multinational Sea Breeze exercises officially began in Portland, UK, with the participation of Ukraine’s Navy.

Ukraine has participated in Sea Breeze since 1997, now for 28 years. With the onset of the all-out war in 2022, the format of Sea Breeze changed. While the drills have continued, parts of them have been relocated outside Ukraine to the UK and Romania.

Ukrainian drones struck deep into Russian territory overnight on 29 July, igniting a massive blaze at a railway hub in Rostov Oblast and cutting power to large parts of occupied Donetsk Oblast. The coordinated strikes disrupted rail traffic, left thousands stranded, and caused a widespread blackout.

Massive fire after drones hit Salsk station

According to Russian news Telegram channel Astra, drones attacked Salsk, a major junction in Rostov Oblast about 250 km from the frontline, overnight on 29 July. Local residents reported a large fire at the station after explosions shook the city. Witnesses said they saw drones overhead while Russian troops tried to shoot them down with rifles.

The head of Salsk district stated that two fuel tankers and a locomotive were hit. Telegram channels published images showing rail platforms engulfed in flames, with one picture appearing to show a burning military truck on a flatbed railcar.

Damage, alleged casualties, and chaos at the rail hub

The attack caused fires that temporarily shut down traffic through the station. Russian Railways claimed that debris from drones damaged the overhead lines and shattered windows in two cars of passenger train No. 59 Novokuznetsk–Kislovodsk. Passengers were evacuated, but later returned to the train. A passenger told Astra,

“It seems everything is fine. We are on the train now. It moved a bit and stopped again. Everyone is alive.”

Local officials claimed that a parked car was destroyed by a blast, killing its driver. Emergency services deployed 45 people and 12 vehicles to fight the fire.

Russian Railways said that at least nine long-distance trains were delayed after the strike.  Service at Salsk station was suspended for several hours. Later, the company announced that limited operations resumed.

Train substation also struck

Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ also reported a fire at Orlovsky train line power substation in Rostov Oblast, publishing videos of the strike and fire. The facility is about 400 km from the frontline.

The governor of Rostov Oblast claimed the region was hit by a mass drone attack affecting Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Salsk, Volgodonsk, Bokovsky and Tarasovsky districts. In Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, falling drone debris allegedly ignited dry grass. 

Power knocked out in occupied Donetsk Oblast

The same night, drones struck the occupied part of Donetsk Oblast. A local resident of Makiivka said that incoming drones kept hitting for over 40 minutes, destroying the Chaykyne 330 power substation. He described the station as “knocked out completely.”

Russia’s occupation authorities stated that at least 150,000 people in Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast’s part lost power after the strike. Local reports said that one of the drones also hit the Donbas Palace hotel in Donetsk city.

Analysts highlight precise planning

Analyst Tatarigami, a former Ukrainian officer and founder of Frontelligence Insight, noted that over the three days, “Ukrainian long-range drone strikes have dealt a tangible logistical blow to a rail line linking the military and industrial hubs of Volgograd and Rostov-on-Don.” The latest Ukrainian drone strikes demonstrate a systematic approach with deliberate target selection aimed at crippling Russian military logistics, he said.

Tatarigami wrote that the strike on the fuel-laden train in Salsk shows Ukraine had detailed intelligence and timed the attack precisely to cause maximum disruption to rail movements serving military needs. He also assessed that one of the destroyed buildings at Salsk station was a signal control station, based on its location, visible exterior and equipment.

As part of the same wave of strikes, he noted that a traction substation called Dvoynaya in Orlovskiy in Rostov Oblast was set on fire and will likely remain out of service for some time. He emphasized that such strikes hit the infrastructure that keeps Russian military supplies moving.

On 27 July, another Ukrainian drone strike destroyed a traction substation in Zhutovo in Volgograd Oblast, forcing major delays and rerouting of Russian trains.

Russian defense ministry claims

Russia’s defense ministry claimed that air defenses shot down 74 Ukrainian drones during the night, including 22 over Rostov Oblast, 43 over Bryansk Oblast, six over Kaluga Oblast, two over Smolensk Oblast and one over Leningrad Oblast. Despite these claims, confirmed video evidence from Astra shows extensive fires and destruction at the Salsk station.

Day 1251

On 28 July, there is a lot of news from the Lyman direction.

Here, one Ukrainian brigade found an ingenious use for ancient Roman tactics on the current battlefield, combining them with modern warfare elements and technology to sabotage the Russian advance toward Lyman. This created a zone so lethal that these Ukrainians are eliminating at an insane ration of 66 Russian soldiers for every Ukrainian casualty they take.

In the sector near Lyman, despite holding a substantial bridgehead across the Zherebets River, Russian forces remain critically overstretched. Their goal to establish a direct route towards Lyman, a town they’ve fruitlessly sought to capture for over two years, remains distant. Consequently, Russian commanders have redirected significant effort toward breaching the defensive lines around Torske, hoping to improve their severely limited logistical situation across the Zherebets River.

Standing firmly against this intense Russian pressure is Ukraine’s battle-hardened 63rd Mechanized Brigade. Exploiting favorable terrain, the brigade has expertly leveraged local geography for defensive advantage. To the north of Torske, large reservoirs limit Russian maneuverability and prevent effective flanking actions, isolating their frontal assaults. South of Torske, expansive forested areas have allowed Ukrainian forces to establish deep fire control zones, creating lethal chokepoints for attacking Russian infantry and motorbike squads.

The results of this skillful Ukrainian defense have been devastating for the Russians. Despite substantially increased assaults, Russian forces face severe shortages of armor, forcing commanders to resort primarily to infantry assaults on motorcycles and ATVs. In response, the 63rd Brigade has perfected a ruthless, cost-effective defensive strategy that has yielded a stunning kill to death ratio in their favor. The extraordinary figure indicates that for each Ukrainian soldier lost, Russian forces lose around 66 troops, a devastating statistic demonstrating Ukrainian tactical superiority in the area.

Key to Ukraine’s remarkable defensive success here is the innovative revival of ancient Roman warfare tactics, particularly the widespread use of caltrops. Historically, Roman soldiers employed caltrops, metal devices designed with spikes positioned in all directions, as highly effective area-denial tools. Placed on roads, fields, or forest pathways, caltrops punctured enemy horses’ hooves, forced troops into open, vulnerable spaces, and slowed advancing units significantly, enabling Roman forces to saturate their exposed enemies with projectiles.

Now, the Ukrainian 63rd Brigade applies this ancient tactic using drones to disperse modern versions of caltrops across Russian assault paths. Unlike traditional mines, caltrops are inexpensive, safe to deploy remotely, and difficult to detect through drone surveillance.

When Russian motorbike squads inevitably run over these hidden traps, they are flung off their bikes and forced into exposed areas to clear these small but numerous obstacles, instantly becoming easy targets for Ukrainian artillery, small arms fire, and precision drone strikes.

The Ukrainian effectiveness is further strengthened by their approach to active defense. When Russian units temporarily occupy forward positions, the Ukrainians immediately launch aggressive drone strikes before enemy soldiers can consolidate or recover. These rapid, coordinated counterattacks exploit the exhaustion and disorder of freshly arrived Russian troops, further compounding their casualties before they are completely pushed back and eliminated.

The desperation of Russian forces in this area is increasingly evident. Troops are frequently spotted employing thermal cloaks intended to shield them from detection, yet their poor implementation renders them ineffective, making Russian soldiers even more visible to Ukrainian drones equipped with standard or thermal imaging. Consequently, geolocated drone footage frequently shows Russian units easily identified and swiftly eliminated, despite their attempts at concealment.

Recognizing their unfavorable situation, Russian soldiers in this sector are increasingly choosing to surrender. Facing overwhelming tactical and technological inferiority, many Russian personnel clearly understand they will never survive long enough to leverage their numerical superiority and engage directly with Ukrainian positions.

Overall, Ukraine’s creative application of ancient Roman caltrops combined with cutting-edge drone warfare has produced a lethal defensive tactic. The persistent employment of this approach by the 63rd Mechanized Brigade near Torske has devastated Russian infantry assaults, completely undermining the Russian offensive and maintaining relentless battlefield stagnation. The resurrection of ancient warfare techniques, enhanced by current technology, has decisively turned this frontline area into a killing ground that Russian commanders can neither bypass nor penetrate.

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European Commissioner for Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas has warned that Europe’s roads, bridges and railways cannot support rapid movement of tanks, troops and military supplies in case of war with Russia, Financial Times reported on 29 July.

“If Nato’s tanks were called to respond to an invasion by Moscow’s forces across the EU’s eastern border, they would get stuck in tunnels, cause bridges to collapse and get snarled up in border protocols,” Tzitzikostas told the publication.

The Greek commissioner outlined plans to spend €17 billion ($20 bn) on overhauling continental infrastructure to boost military mobility.

“We have old bridges that need to be upgraded. We have narrow bridges that need to be widened. And we have nonexistent bridges to be built,” he said.

Current infrastructure poses significant obstacles for military operations. European trucks typically weigh up to 40 tonnes, while tanks reach 70 tonnes. “The reality today is that if we want to move military equipment and troops from the western side of Europe to the eastern side, it takes weeks and in some cases months,” Tzitzikostas added.

The European Union is developing a strategy to ensure troops can move “in a matter of hours, maximum a matter of days” in response to an attack. The plan involves upgrading 500 infrastructure projects along four military corridors across the continent.

These projects, identified in conjunction with NATO and the alliance’s military commanders, remain confidential for security reasons. Brussels also plans to reduce bureaucracy to prevent “tanks being stuck in paperwork” when crossing borders, according to Tzitzikostas.

The strategy, set to be presented later this year, forms part of broader war preparations amid warnings of possible confrontation with Moscow and expected reduction in US military presence in Europe.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned in June that Russia could attack alliance members by 2030. German Federal Intelligence Service assessments indicate Russia views itself in systemic conflict with the West and is preparing for major war with NATO.

EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius shared Western intelligence assessments that Russian attack on EU states could occur within the next few years.

Pregnant woman among 22 killed by Russia in one day, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported. Russian guided bombs, drones, and missiles targeted 73 Ukrainian towns and villages overnight, leaving homes, hospitals, and stores destroyed. The president said 85 more people were injured during the massive air assault.

Pregnant woman among 22 killed in hospital strike

Zelenskyy said a missile hit the premises of a hospital in Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, at two o’clock in the morning. Three people died in that attack. One of them was 23‑year‑old Diana, who was pregnant. The strike heavily damaged a maternity ward and the therapy unit’s building. Windows were shattered, cars burned, and nearby schools and kindergartens lost most of their glass and doors. 49 homes also suffered damage.

The head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Serhii Lysak, said that Russia conducted a missile strike on Kamianske, while guided bombs and FPV drones struck communities in Synelnykove district.

“A three‑story building that was not in use was partially destroyed. Nearby, medical facilities were damaged: a maternity ward and a department of the city hospital,” Lysak wrote.

Lysak also reported that Russia used a KAB guided bomb against Velykomykhailivska community, killing a 75‑year‑old woman died and injuring a 68‑year‑old man. The attack damaged four houses, a gas station, stores and administrative buildings, and a truck caught fire. While firefighters were putting out the flames, Russian drones returned to strike them again, destroying a fire truck. None of the crew were injured, the Emergency Service says.

Nikopol, Marhanets and Pokrovska communities in the oblast also came under artillery and drone fire. Detached homes, farm buildings, a shop, a recreation facility, a power line and a vehicle were damaged. 

Russia bombs penal colony in Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Late in the evening and almost at midnight, Russian aircraft attacked a penal colony in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Zelenskyy said the strike was deliberate and aimed at civilians inside the facility. The Russian attack killed 17 inmates, and wounded 42 more. 41 more people “sustained injuries of varying severity,” according to Ukraine’s Justice Ministry.

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Russia bombs Zaporizhzhia prison — 17 dead, dozens injured overnight (updated)

Air Force reports downed drones, but not missiles

Ukraine’s Air Force said that starting from 21:40 on 28 July and through the night of 29 July, Russia launched two Iskander‑M ballistic missiles and 37 Shahed drones, along with decoy drones, from Russia and occupied Crimea. The attack came from the directions of Oryol, Kursk and Hvardiiske.

Air defense forces, including aviation, anti‑aircraft missile units, electronic warfare teams and mobile fire groups, shot down or suppressed 32 of the drones.

Zelenskyy calls for pressure on Russia

In his morning message, Zelenskyy praised US President Donald Trump for stating that Russia wastes the world’s time talking about peace while killing civilians. He said the Kremlin must be forced to end the war through strong sanctions and that true peace will come only when Russia stops its aggression.

“Russia killed 22 people in one day,” Zelenskyy said. “We all want real peace. Peace is possible when Russia ends the war it started.”

Lithuania will deploy a Ukrainian-developed acoustic drone detection system starting in 2026, the country’s Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Raimundas Vaiknoras announced to LRT.

The deployment announcement comes after another incident involving a drone entering Lithuanian airspace. When asked whether Lithuania would have an acoustic drone detection system, Vaiksnoras confirmed that budget funds have already been allocated for purchasing the systems.

According to the Armed Forces chief, testing will be conducted by the end of the year, and next year there will be more intensive implementation of these systems.

“They have been known since last autumn, but procedural issues were somewhat delayed because this is a Ukrainian system, one could say, which had to be adapted to our implementation of American systems due to sensitive issues,” Vaiksnoras said.

The general noted that two drones that flew into Lithuania the day before “are not a coincidence.”

“It seems to me that we sometimes forget that we actually live very close to the combat zone. Belarus is used as a platform for Russia’s attack on Ukraine, so drones moving through our territory are the same thing that Poles, Romanians, and Latvians experience. This situation will not change while Ukraine is under attack by Russia,” the Armed Forces chief added.

Recent drone incidents

On 10 July, State Border Service personnel spotted an unknown object in the air flying at approximately 100 meters altitude at 50-60 km/h speed. Within minutes, it crashed near the closed Sumskas checkpoint, about one kilometer from the Belarus border. The object was identified as a Russian “Gerbera” type drone.

On 28 July, Lithuanian police reported detecting an unidentified drone type that entered the country from Belarus territory. Social media footage showing the drone suggests it resembles a Shahed or its Russian imitation “Gerbera,” according to Delfi, though the drone type is still being determined.

Belarus is a key ally of Russia, primarily due to their deep military, political, and economic cooperation. The country allowed Russian troops to use its territory for military operations, including during the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and hosts some Russian tactical nuclear weapons.

Lithuania will deploy a Ukrainian-developed acoustic drone detection system starting in 2026, the country’s Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Raimundas Vaiknoras announced to LRT.

The deployment announcement comes after another incident involving a drone entering Lithuanian airspace. When asked whether Lithuania would have an acoustic drone detection system, Vaiksnoras confirmed that budget funds have already been allocated for purchasing the systems.

According to the Armed Forces chief, testing will be conducted by the end of the year, and next year there will be more intensive implementation of these systems.

“They have been known since last autumn, but procedural issues were somewhat delayed because this is a Ukrainian system, one could say, which had to be adapted to our implementation of American systems due to sensitive issues,” Vaiksnoras said.

The general noted that two drones that flew into Lithuania the day before “are not a coincidence.”

“It seems to me that we sometimes forget that we actually live very close to the combat zone. Belarus is used as a platform for Russia’s attack on Ukraine, so drones moving through our territory are the same thing that Poles, Romanians, and Latvians experience. This situation will not change while Ukraine is under attack by Russia,” the Armed Forces chief added.

Recent drone incidents

On 10 July, State Border Service personnel spotted an unknown object in the air flying at approximately 100 meters altitude at 50-60 km/h speed. Within minutes, it crashed near the closed Sumskas checkpoint, about one kilometer from the Belarus border. The object was identified as a Russian “Gerbera” type drone.

On 28 July, Lithuanian police reported detecting an unidentified drone type that entered the country from Belarus territory. Social media footage showing the drone suggests it resembles a Shahed or its Russian imitation “Gerbera,” according to Delfi, though the drone type is still being determined.

Belarus is a key ally of Russia, primarily due to their deep military, political, and economic cooperation. The country allowed Russian troops to use its territory for military operations, including during the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and hosts some Russian tactical nuclear weapons.

Belarus has also experienced incidents where its defense systems intercepted drones. This month, a Belarusian Mi-24 helicopter shot down a Russian “Gerbera” drone that was reportedly heading toward Ukraine. On 29 July, Belarus downed a drone in Minsk airspace.

Ukraine “could yet join” the European Union’s new IRIS² satellite network, as the country continues to rely on Elon Musk’s Starlink for military communications during the war against Russia. Euroactiv reports that European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius said Ukraine, together with the UK and Norway, is welcome to participate in the multibillion-euro program, which is designed as a secure alternative to Starlink.

EU considers Ukraine for IRIS² satellite program

Kubilius told Euroactiv that non-EU countries such as Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Norway could join the IRIS² network once it becomes operational. Norway has already started negotiations with the European Commission, but talks with Ukraine and the United Kingdom have not yet begun.

He stressed that he would not be opposed to their participation. Iceland, which like Norway is part of the European Economic Area, concluded negotiations earlier this month to take part in the IRIS² program.

In December 2024 the European Commission signed a 12‑year concession contract with the SpaceRISE consortium to create and operate the IRIS² secure satellite system. IRIS², which stands for Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity, and Security by Satellite, will consist of a multi‑orbital constellation of 290 satellites. The project is one of the European Union’s flagship programs aimed at strengthening sovereignty in space and ensuring secure connectivity.

The constellation is projected to cost €10.6 billion, and is planned as an EU-built secure communication system to reduce dependence on external providers. 

EU Space Act

Kubilius made his remarks after the European Commission presented a draft EU Space Act in Brussels on 25 June. The proposal triggered intense discussions over the future rules for space services. He said that so far there has been no negative reaction from the United States.

Belarus neutralized an unidentified drone in Minsk airspace on the morning of 29 July, according to the country’s Defense Ministry.

Belarus is a key ally of Russia, primarily due to their deep military, political, and economic cooperation. The country allowed Russian troops to use its territory for military operations, including during the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and hosts some Russian tactical nuclear weapons.

Air defense forces detected the “unknown aerial target” around 2:00 am, the ministry reported. No casualties were reported.

The ministry announced the start of the investigation into this fact.

The drone crashed in a residential area near a daycare center, landing in the courtyard of a building at 72 Matusevicha Street, according to local media reports.

Belarus has previously intercepted drones in its airspace. In July, a Belarusian Mi-24 helicopter shot down a Russian “Gerbera” drone that was reportedly heading toward Ukraine.

The Defense Ministry has not disclosed the drone’s origin or purpose.

On 28 July, an unidentified unmanned aircraft violated Lithuania’s airspace, likely originating from Belarusian territory. According to LRT, residents began reporting drone sightings to police early 28 July morning, with witnesses describing an aircraft flying at approximately 200 meters altitude near the capital Vilnius.

The event is part of a broader pattern of Russian drones occasionally crossing into NATO countries’ airspace amid rising regional tensions and military exercises planned by Russia and Belarus.

The Russia bans gasoline exports measure will start on 29 July and, for the first time, apply to fuel producers as well. Interfax reports that the Kremlin announced the full restriction to stabilize the domestic fuel market amid peak summer demand. Liga notes that the ban could also be prolonged into September if the situation does not improve.

Russia bans gasoline exports as prices hit record highs

Interfax said the Russian government signed a decree on 28 July expanding the existing export restrictions on gasoline. Until now, the limits only applied to companies that do not produce fuel. Starting 29 July, the rule will include fuel producers, closing the export channel completely until 31 August 2025.

Previously, such export restrictions applied only to companies that do not produce gasoline. The Russian government stated that the goal is to protect internal supplies during high seasonal consumption and active agricultural work.

Liga explains that Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak, who oversees the energy sector, previously confirmed that a total ban had been under discussion for one to two months.

Record prices trigger the drastic move

Kommersant reported that the ban aims to “cool an overheated fuel market,” where prices have been rising sharply. Late last week, wholesale prices for A-95 gasoline on the Saint Petersburg exchange hit an all-time high, climbing for eight consecutive trading sessions.

Russian bombing of a Ukrainian prison killed 17 people overnight, leaving dozens more injured, as eight strikes hit Zaporizhzhia district. Local officials said the attack also damaged single-family homes close to the prison.

Russian bombing of prison leaves heavy casualties

Head of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Administration Ivan Fedorov reported that Russian bombs struck a detention facility in the early hours of 29 July. He initially stated that 16 people died and 35 were injured. Medical teams continue to assist all the wounded.

Fedorov explained that Russian forces hit the Zaporizhzhia district eight times, using FAB heavy aerial bombs. The attack destroyed buildings of the facility, and also damaged the nearby detached homes.

Update: 17 inmates killed

According to updated information, the Russian army carried out an airstrike on the Bilenke Penal Colony No. 99, destroying the facility’s cafeteria, quarantine unit and administrative building.

“As a result of the strike, 17 inmates were killed and 42 others were wounded. Those with severe injuries were taken to hospitals run by the Health Ministry. Around 40 more people sustained injuries of varying severity, and one staff member of the facility suffered minor wounds from shrapnel to the face,” Ukraine’s Ministry of Justice reported.

US President Trump has shortened the ceasefire deadline he gave to Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin, warning that Russia now has only 10 to 12 days to agree to a truce with Ukraine. This comes as Trump continues to push for Ukraine-Russia peace talks amid the ongoing Russian invasion. Meanwhile, Moscow only intensifies its air and ground attacks.

Trump sets new ceasefire deadline

Trump said he is disappointed in Putin over the continued bombings of Ukrainian cities, and is not anticipating more talks with Putin. He explained that there was no point in waiting because no progress was being made.

AP reports that Trump said,

“Putin has got to make a deal. Too many people are dying,” adding that he is not interested in talking further when Russia attacks the next day.

Ukrainian officials welcomed the shorter timeline. Andrii Yermak, head of the presidential office, said on Telegram that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared the view that Putin only understands strength.

Russian attacks intensify pressure

Overnight into the same day, Russia fired more than 300 drones, four cruise missiles, and three ballistic missiles across Ukraine. The Ukrainian Air Force said the main target was Starokostiantyniv in Khmelnytskyi oblast.  Local officials reported no damage there.

In Kyiv, a drone strike shattered windows of a 25‑story building in the Darnytskyi district, injuring eight people including a 4‑year‑old girl, according to Kyiv’s military administration head Tymur Tkachenko. A separate strike caused a fire in Kropyvnytskyi, in central Ukraine, with no injuries. Russia’s defense ministry claimed it hit an air base and an ammunition depot.

Washington speaks the language of deadlines, while Moscow responds with threats. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is suggesting that US President Donald Trump’s pressure could provoke a broader, direct confrontation with the US itself. 

His furious speech came after Trump issued a new ultimatum to the Kremlin — just 10 days to reach a peace agreement on Ukraine, not 50, as he announced before. Also, the US president said he was tired of receiving no results from any peace talks with Russia, which bring only more deaths in Ukraine. Thus, he does not want to continue negotiations with Moscow and will pay attention only to real actions from Russia. 

Medvedev, as usual, reacted with a series of angry threats on social network X.

“Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10… He should remember 2 things:
1. Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran.
2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country,” he wrote. 

However, it’s unclear whether Russia is now capable of really waging the war against the US. The Russian economy is declining, and during three and a half years, Moscow managed to occupy only 20% of Ukrainian territory. 

Medvedev also scornfully warned Trump, “Don’t go down the Sleepy Joe road,” clearly mocking Joe Biden. The US cut off diplomatic ties with Russia during Biden’s presidency. Trump has abandoned the isolation policy against Moscow to end the war in Ukraine and Israel. However, that did not bring any strong results, as the hostilities have not ceased, and Russian President Vladimir Putin did not convince the Tehran leaders to stop attacking Jerusalem. 

Exclusive

Man wants to counter China by letting Russia dismember Ukraine, forgets they’re allies. Pentagon’s Undersecretary Elbridge Colby crafted America’s China strategy. Beijing couldn’t be happier.

Spain Ukraine military aid: Patriot missiles, Leopard tanks—plus surprise Chornobyl solar plant. Missiles and tanks are only part of Spain’s military aid to Ukraine: the past year also brought troop training, demining, sanctions and a solar plant in Chornobyl.

19 Ukrainian protest signs that are pure art (and also completely unhinged). Ukraine’s “cardboard revolution” proved teenagers can save democracy with markers, literary references, and perfectly placed f-bombs.

“It’s high time” for Ukraine’s tanks as Russia encircles Pokrovsk. Russian units are closing a ring around Pokrovsk, and analysts say only Ukraine’s armored reserves can break it.

Military

Resistance never sleeps: Ukrainian partisans strike Russian rail and freeze ammo convoys. A relay box blew, and the wheels of war ground to a halt.

Hackers attack Russia’s largest state airline, disrupting dozens of flights. They sign off “Glory to Ukraine! Long live Belarus!”. The hackers claimed year-long access to Russia’s flagship airline before destroying infrastructure, telling Russian security services “you are incapable of protecting even your key infrastructures.”

Frontline report: Ukraine teaches Georgia battle-tested drone warfare during NATO exercises after both lost territories to Russia. Georgia appears poised to follow Syria and Azerbaijan’s playbook, seizing territorial gains while Russian forces remain preoccupied with Ukraine.

Ukraine just took back Kindrativka and is pushing into Russian flanks in Sumy. Weeks into Russia’s push across the Sumy Oblast border, Ukrainian forces are holding positions and putting pressure on the enemy’s main axis.

Intelligence and technology

HUR: Kremlin’s drive to reabsorb former Soviet states threatens freedom across Eurasia

. Ukraine’s fight for EU integration stands as a barrier to Moscow’s plan to unify neighboring countries under its thumb.

British expert warns Russia could blow up six reactors at Europe’s largest nuclear plant if war turns against Kremlin. Six reactors, enough to power Finland for a year, could be weaponized into a radioactive bomb.

Europe promises secret weapon for Ukraine—but can’t outproduce 1,020 Russian missile barrage. As missile numbers climb, Ukraine’s survival depends on hitting the source.

Drone crosses second time in month into NATO territory from Belarus — Russia’s key ally. Video footage suggests the aircraft may be a Russian “Geran” or “Gerbera” type based on its characteristic sound signature.

International

While Russia kills 232 Ukrainian civilians in one month, its citizens sip wine on French Riviera—with EU visas in hand. Hotel bookings by Russians in France and Italy are up 19% — even as their missiles devastate Ukraine.

Trump’s ceasefire clock: 10 days for Putin to stop war in Ukraine, not 50 or face oil sanctions

. Trump signals a turning point: no more patience for Putin’s war of attrition.

With infrastructure in ruins and winter ahead, Ukraine finds gas power where Russia once ruled. The Trans-Balkan corridor becomes Kyiv’s newest artery in the war for energy survival.

Humanitarian and social impact

Investigation: Russia blew up 53 Ukrainian POWs in Olenivka prison, then honored killers with medals. The same men who rigged the barracks were officially praised for “combat duties.”

“Ah, this one’s dead? Good,” said Russian Olenivka prison chief — and continued sipping coffee. As wounded Ukrainian soldiers begged for help, their jailers watched and smoked.

Toddler hospitalized with shrapnel wounds after Russian overnight attack. The 3-year-old child was among eight civilians injured when a Russian drone struck a residential complex in Kyiv.

Political and legal developments

As Russia burns billions on war against Ukraine, Minsk’s depending economy is approaching its bottom. An 8.1% drop in farming and a 70% plunge in exports to Russia choke the economy of Moscow’s satellite.

Sanctions fail to hit 200 companies feeding Kremlin’s fake reconstruction system in occupied territories of Ukraine. Russia’s occupation profits flow freely through a maze of unsanctioned shell companies.

Russian prestigious School of Economics opens first master’s programme on circumventing Western sanctions. A Moscow educational institution has launched a two-year program, costing $6,000 per year, designed to prepare students for work in state corporations navigating international restrictions.

New developments

Investigation exposes Putin’s media network playing dress-up as Global South agency. A video news agency Viory that launched in Abu Dhabi claiming to represent the “Global South” is actually a rebranded version of Ruptly, the Berlin-based footage supplier that was part of Russia’s state media network RT

Russia starts regular passenger flights to North Korea. The inaugural flight coincided with North Korea’s Victory Day celebrations, where leader Kim Jong-un referenced Russia’s participation in “anti-imperialist struggle.”

Read our earlier daily review here

“Let’s put out this raging fire,” declared the fireman – then he grabbed a can of gasoline.

That, in essence, is Elbridge Colby’s strategy for contesting China’s rise: letting Russia – Beijing’s most dangerous partner and increasingly a vassal – dismember Ukraine with impunity.

In his widely cited book The Strategy of Denial, Colby argues that America’s overriding priority must be to prevent the People’s Republic of China – which he identifies as a hostile hegemon – from dominating the Indo-Pacific. That requires a narrow, disciplined focus on deterrence, building trust with allies, and showing adversaries that American commitments are ironclad.

And yet, Colby, who wrote this magnum opus, cannot possibly be the same person who threw Ukraine under the bus – to China’s very public delight. No wonder Sen. Mitch McConnell called his ideas “geostrategic self-harm” when voting against his confirmation.

Pentagon policy chief halts Ukraine weapons despite military analysis

A bombshell Politico investigation revealed that the architect of the recent weapons halt to Ukraine was none other than Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, Colby. The official justification was concern over stockpile levels – a legitimate consideration that might warrant careful management of aid flows.

The decision also undercut the White House’s stated goal: a ceasefire agreed to by both parties. Ukraine accepted the proposal months ago. Russia didn’t just refuse, it mocked the peace talks and made Washington look weak and indecisive.

On 4 July, following the Trump-Putin phone call, Russia hit Ukraine with the largest drone attack of the war. 11 missiles and 539 Russian-Iranian Shahed drones were fired at Kyiv over a seven-hour onslaught. This record was shattered just five days later, on 9 July, when Russia launched 728 drones and 13 missiles in another massive assault.

According to Bloomberg, 92% of the foreign components found in the killer drones terrorizing Ukrainian cities are of Chinese origin. And on 23 July, The Telegraph reported that Russia now deploys fully Chinese-made drones to prosecute its criminal war in Ukraine.

On the very day Colby’s meddling with congressionally mandated weapons deliveries made headlines, Wang Yi – the top foreign policy official in the Chinese Communist Party – laid Beijing’s position bare: “China cannot allow Russia to lose the war in Ukraine,” he told European diplomats in a closed-door briefing.

China enjoys a favorable view among 81% of Russians, while 71% express hostility toward the EU. Ukraine and the United States are the only countries regarded with greater contempt.

Why Russia won’t abandon China for Western partnership

The idea that Washington can somehow coax Russia into abandoning China and joining the West runs counter to everything we know about the Kremlin’s imperial legacy. Moscow’s legitimacy rests on denying agency to the peoples it subjugates – from serfs during tsarist times to the inhabitants of the Russian Federation today.

America’s Constitution begins with a phrase the Kremlin sees as a mortal threat: We the People. The freedom and dignity that Americans and Europeans wish for the many Peoples of Russia are exactly what threatens Moscow’s system of oppression and subjugation.

How weakening Ukraine undermines American deterrence globally

By crippling Ukraine, Colby is doing precisely what his doctrine warned against: enabling the consolidation of a China–Russia-Iran-North Korea axis that threatens US interests far beyond Eastern Europe. American deterrence hinges on reliable commitments. So what message does a cut-off to Ukraine send to Taiwan, Japan, or the Philippines?

America forfeits credibility by broadcasting indifference and betraying people who just want to defend their home and not be murdered by Russia. The erosion of resolve is how great powers stumble into wars they try to avoid.

Ukraine has already shown that denial works. With the right tools, it has sunk much of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, retaken territory, and exposed the limits of Russian air power – most recently in Operation Spiderweb, which destroyed a row of Moscow’s bombers deep behind enemy lines.

Putting the moral case aside, aiding Ukraine is a strategic imperative under Colby’s own framework. Moscow reintroduced overt territorial conquest into modern geopolitics. In such a world, US force projection in East Asia grows harder and exponentially more expensive to sustain.

Explore further

Why Ukraine’s fight is key to defeating Russia-China-North Korea alliance

While Washington burns through nearly a trillion dollars each year on defense, the $40 billion the United States sent annually to Kyiv since 2022 is a minor fraction of that sum – and a bargain, when you consider the cost of letting deterrence collapse.

The truth is, abandoning Ukraine won’t deny China’s rise; it will enable it. It won’t isolate Moscow or draw it closer to the West; it will bind the Kremlin even more tightly to Beijing. It won’t preserve US leadership, it will shred the very credibility on which that leadership depends.

In Colby’s hands, the strategy of denial has morphed into a doctrine of permission. Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping couldn’t have asked for a better gift.

Andrew Chakhoyan

Andrew Chakhoyan is an Academic Director at the University of Amsterdam and a former U.S. government official at the Millennium Challenge Corporation. A Ukrainian-American, he studied at Harvard Kennedy School and Donetsk State Technical University.

Editor’s note. The opinions expressed in our Opinion section belong to their authors. Euromaidan Press’ editorial team may or may not share them.

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Why would Ukraine’s foreign ministry call an international conference attendance “disgraceful”?

The answer sits in a Geneva conference hall where Valentina Matvienko, head of Russia’s Federation Council, addressed fellow parliamentarians this week at the Inter-Parliamentary Union conference. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi didn’t mince words: her place is “in the dock, not at international conferences.”

From the podium in Switzerland, Matvienko invited foreign colleagues to visit Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory.

“Please come to Donbas, look at the ‘Alley of Angels,’ which is dedicated to the memory of these murdered children,” she told the assembly an old Russian propaganda narrative. “Russia was forced to intervene to stop this bloodshed.”

This narrative presents Russia as a rescuer and frames its aggression as a “humanitarian mission” while providing highly questionable or fabricated stories.

How did a sanctioned Russian official even reach Switzerland? The country joined EU sanctions targeting Matvienko and other Russian officials. But Swiss policy includes a loophole—sanctioned individuals can enter when participating in international organizations headquartered there.

Matvienko didn’t travel alone. Her delegation included State Duma Deputy Chairman Pyotr Tolstoy and “LDNR” leader Leonid Slutsky—multiple members appear on Western sanctions lists connected to Ukraine’s invasion, Radio Free Europe reported.

Ukraine’s foreign minister went further than diplomatic protests. He urged conference participants with “self-respect” to avoid shaking hands with Matvienko, calling her hands “stained with Ukrainian blood.” Ukraine plans to pursue her prosecution at a Special Tribunal for Russian aggression.

“The Genocidal Matvienko bears personal responsibility for the crime of aggression and all subsequent atrocities after publicly endorsing the use of Russian armed forces on Ukrainian territory,” he wrote.

Ukraine and the Council of Europe established a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine on 25 June 2025, to prosecute Russian leaders for the invasion. The tribunal fills a gap left by the International Criminal Court, which lacks jurisdiction over aggression crimes in this case because Russia doesn’t recognize the relevant ICC provisions.

According to investigation findings reported by Ukrainian security services, Matvienko signed parliamentary decisions authorizing Russian military deployment in Ukraine before the full-scale invasion began.

She also reportedly approved ratification agreements for annexing occupied portions of Ukrainian regions to Russia. The Security Service of Ukraine has filed charges against her in absentia under multiple articles, including incitement to wage aggressive war.

Russia threatens not only Ukraine. The Kremlin’s imperial ambitions also target Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence reports. 

Ukraine defends the freedom and choice of nations

Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence, states that Russia’s war against Ukraine is not only a struggle for Ukrainian independence but also a fight for the right of all peoples to live freely and choose their own path.

“Ukraine defends the idea of integration into the European Union and pays a high, heavy price for it,” Yusov says, highlighting the European and democratic dimension of the conflict.

The Kremlin’s imperial ambitions — a regional threat

Yusov warns that Russia’s imperial ambitions pose a danger not only to Ukraine but also to neighboring states: Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan. Historical parallels and the Kremlin’s current policies indicate a desire to expand influence and control over its neighbors.

“Every missile, every drone destroyed by Ukrainians during the Russian aggression means that this arsenal will not be used against any peaceful country,” he adds.

Azerbaijan is at the forefront of the fight against Russian imperialism

The intelligence representative highly praised Azerbaijan’s position, which actively opposes Russian imperialism and demonstrates the capability to give a worthy response to aggressors.

This is an important signal for the entire region that free countries are ready to unite in resisting the common threat.