The protest signs in Kyiv yesterday said everything: “My father did not die for this.”

When Ukrainians took to the streets 11 years ago in Ukraine’s Euromaidan Revolution, they had simple demands: a country where one would want to live. A place where everyone is treated equally under the law and justice is not an empty word.

Yesterday, in 72 hours, Ukraine’s government destroyed those hopes by dismantling what took a decade to build.

The rushed adoption hidden in another law, the dirty tactics pressuring MPs, the ongoing investigations against Zelenskyy’s inner circle, the flimsy accusations against Ukraine’s anti-corruption organs invoking old traffic accidents, leave no mistake: this legal theater was a planned assault on the system of checks and balances created since Euromaidan.

The significance of this system for Ukraine is profound. Since Aristotle’s time, dividing power into legislative, executive, and judiciary has separated democratic governance from monarchy. In Ukraine, it was largely theater—and each revolution rose against increasing authoritarianism.

NABU and SAPO, whatever their flaws, were the first real separation of power in Ukraine. They could be improved, made more effective. But gutting their independence isn’t about effectiveness—it’s about destroying Ukraine’s capacity to check those in power and resist authoritarianism.

This is what’s happening now. The young people who flooded Ukrainian cities in protest are defending republicanism against monarchy. This desire sets Ukrainians apart from Russia and Belarus—the promise of European integration sealed with the blood of Euromaidan protesters who died for freedom.

This promise of functioning democracy, the best guarantee of dignified life, drove Ukraine since 2014 to reject the Russian path where personal freedom gets discarded and authority worshipped. It drives Ukrainians defending their land against the Russian invasion.

That promise had concrete stakes. NABU independence was the condition for visa-free travel, EU candidacy talks, and every step toward European integration. Those foundations just crumbled.

Ukrainians on the frontline didn’t die for Zelenskyy’s power to concentrate authority and enrich himself. They died for their families, for a future where their children wouldn’t choose between dignity and survival.

Power is intoxicating. It is a bitter irony that Zelenskyy became the villain from his own TV show—the corrupt president enjoying the impunity he once campaigned against.

He signed the law with record speed, buried the attack in photo-ops, ignored thousand-strong protests in his evening address.

Since today, a second front has opened in Ukraine—between those preserving Ukraine’s democratic future and those sacrificing it for personal protection. This fight determines whether Ukraine’s victory over Russia means anything, or whether we become the corrupt autocracy we once fought to escape.

Zelenskyy can still reverse course—withdraw his signature, restore what was broken. But each day this law stands, Ukraine moves closer to becoming the country it once fought to escape.

The choice between republic and monarchy remains his to make.

History is watching.

Exclusive

Ukraine’s anti-corruption architect to Zelenskyy: “You just gave Putin his best argument”. Zelenskyy must reverse course on the legislation targeting corruption prosecutors, or risk proving Putin right about Ukrainian democracy, warns the architect of the system being destroyed.

Ukraine just got 49 new Abrams tanks. The war told them to stay indoors. The first of up to 49 fresh M-1 Abrams tanks have arrived in Ukraine. What will the Ukrainian military do with the 69-ton, four-person vehicles with their thick armor and 120-mm guns?

Ukraine’s parliament votes to gut anti-corruption agencies amid Russian spy scandal (UPDATED). Ukraine’s parliament passed a bill to weaken its top anti-corruption bodies, citing a Russian spy scandal. It now awaits President Zelenskyy’s signature.

Russian “Doctor Evil” posts about loving family and medical pride online, while he degrades and tortures Ukrainian POWs in reality. Investigators identified a Russian doctor who shocked Ukrainian prisoners of war with stun guns, forced them to bark like dogs and crawl on floors, made them recite degrading slurs, and denied them medical care.

Military

Ukraine hits Russian S-300P launcher, Nebo-M radar, and Big Bird node in Belgorod Oblast (video). The Ukrainian forces used long-range precision fire to degrade Russia’s ability to monitor and defend Belgorod’s airspace.

Ukraine hits Russian explosives production chain plant—fire erupts at Samara refinery. The petrochemical facility tied to bomb precursors and jet fuel caught fire after drone strikes overnight on 22 July.

With single FPV drone strike, Ukraine is blowing up North Korea’s outdated rocket launchers before they ever get chance to fire. Ukrainian drone operators are turning the battlefield into a scrapyard.

ISW: No real peace talks with Putin unless West helps Ukraine crush Russia. A major shift in battlefield momentum is the only lever that could move the Kremlin

Moscow resurrects Leningrad and Moscow military districts, builds new divisions as part of its largest rearmament since Soviet collapse. Russia is transitioning into a wartime state to reshape th global order.

Intelligence and technology

Russia’s new decoy drone is all Chinese parts—and still carries a bomb. Flight controller, ignition system, data link, servos, and battery all trace back to Chinese hobby gear suppliers, Militarnyi says.

Dutch pledge new Patriot air defense for Ukraine — but US delay blocks German shipment. Chancellor Merz said Germany cannot transfer systems until the US confirms its delivery.

French drones to be built in Ukraine—Barrot calls it “strategic trust”. Paris becomes the latest NATO ally to transfer defense manufacturing inside Ukraine.

FT: Russia triples drone strike success—Ukraine’s air defenses didn’t get worse, Moscow’s tactics did. Russia’s Shahed drones now dive at 800 km/h, flying too high for Ukraine’s mobile gunners to reach.

International

Poland warns dual citizens at risk of forced mobilization in Russia

. Polish-Russian civilians risk forced enlistment under wartime mobilization.

“Putin fears only Trump,” Ukrainian foreign minister says after Kellogg’s visit to Kyiv. Foreign Minister Sybiha says the calm during Kellogg’s visit was calculated.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russia’s bombs hit apartment block in Kramatorsk, kill 9-year-old boy as Moscow keeps targeting civilians. Russia’s latest attacks left at least three civilians dead and 25 injured across Ukraine, with strikes reported in Donetsk, Kherson, Sumy, Odesa, and Kharkiv oblasts.

Political and legal developments

Zelenskyy signs controversial law undermining Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies. The law hands sweeping powers to the Prosecutor General’s Office, a move critics warn could derail Ukraine’s democratic progress and EU aspirations.

Kyiv court arrests suspected Russian spy embedded in anti-graft bureau

. The suspect allegedly sent law enforcement data to Russian intelligence via a known traitor tied to Yanukovych.

Security service officials took $300,000 bribes as Ukraine guts corruption oversight. The agency that conducted over 70 raids against anti-corruption investigators was itself harboring officials who helped draft dodgers avoid military service for cash.

From Lviv to Odesa: Ukrainians take to streets to save anti-corruption agencies. Thousands rally against bill No. 12414, warning Zelenskyy that signing the law would unravel years of hard-fought reforms and threaten Ukraine’s European future.

Alleged FSB infiltration investigation used to smash Ukraine’s anti-corruption system, says watchdog. FSB-related arrests serve as cover for political moves that undermine key anti-graft bodies and centralize power.

Abuse of power: Ukraine’s Civil Anti-Corruption Council urges Zelenskyy to veto new law undermining anti-corruption system. The law allows the Prosecutor General to seize cases, issue directives to anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine.

Western trust under threat as Zelenskyy nears signing controversial law that crashes Ukraine’s anti-corruption system. Born from Western pressure in 2015, NABU’s future now hangs in the balance.

New developments

From thieves to heroes: 100 Ukrainian women with criminal records now serve in army. A legal loophole gives imprisoned women like Halyna and Alvina a way out of prison bars.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

Russian “Doctor Evil” posts about loving family and medical pride online, while he degrades and tortures Ukrainian POWs in reality. Investigators identified a Russian doctor who shocked Ukrainian prisoners of war with stun guns, forced them to bark like dogs and crawl on floors, made them recite degrading slurs, and denied them medical care.

First ever US stablecoin law signed — here’s what it means. The signing marks the culmination of years of debate and establishes the first comprehensive federal framework for payment stablecoins in United States history.

Ukraine just solved the hardest math problem in modern air defense – with a 1970s German gun. The German-made Gepard gun vehicle is one of Ukraine’s best defenses against swarms of Russian Shahed drones.

Military

Russian military ramps up attacks in Donetsk Oblast to sever Ukrainian logistics at Pokrovsk, says commander

. In a recent phone call to US President Trump, Putin indicated plans to escalate the war in eastern Ukraine.

Western veterans join Ukrainian Army to end unfinished wars from Afghanistan and Iraq, chief of staff of International Legion reveals. Pavel Slavinsky, head of the 2nd International Legion’s staff, shares a rare insider look at the dynamic, evolving military unit made up of thousands of volunteers from over 50 countries.

Frontline report: Azerbaijan arrests Wagner fighters as war criminals, breaking post-Soviet precedent. Ramil Aliyev and Ismayil Hasanov served time in Russian penal colonies before Prigozhin’s Project-K recruited them for Ukraine—now they face mercenary charges in their homeland.

Intelligence and technology

Poland buys into Iceye—the satellite firm that spotted Russia’s troops before full-scale invasion. The company gave Ukraine early warning of Moscow’s movements with radar satellites that pierce night and cloud.

Germany pledges five Patriots, Norway — billions for drones, as Ukraine’s new defense chief leads first major international push since taking office. The allies agree to fast-track weapons delivery to Ukraine amid Russian air terror escalation.

Russia shows off giant Shahed factory and US trucks used to launch drone strikes on Ukraine

. Kremlin footage shows rows of Shahed drones in production and American pickups launching them toward Ukraine, as Moscow ramps up long-range attacks.

Pentagon opens drone combat school in Indiana: “If your stuff’s not in Ukraine, it’s not serious”. The Pentagon’s new drone school launches next month, with Ukrainian military advisors set to observe and give feedback.

Czech civilians fully fund € 2.4 mn howitzer push—six D-30s now set for Ukraine. The “Gift for Putin” campaign had announced it was close to reaching its goal. Now, donation totals confirm the entire sum has been raised.

International

Bloomberg: EU sanctions squeeze Rosneft’s Indian refiner — buyers now forced to pay in advance. Nayara Energy imposes financial demands on traders amid rising fears over deal enforcement.

Moscow’s roadmap to “peace”: disarm Ukraine, remove Zelenskyy, and halt NATO. Russia continues to frame peace as Ukraine’s surrender, ISW notes, with demands that echo the start of the full-scale war. The kremlin’s “peace” offer masks intent to prolong the war, the think tank says.

New Ukrainian defense chief tests his negotiation skills during Ramstein meeting as Putin answers Trump’s ultimatum with escalated attacks

. Just days into his role, Denys Shmyhal faces a double crisis: securing billions in Western aid while Russia signals its refusal to peace with a fresh wave of strikes.

EU imposes sanctions for first time on Chinese companies over aid to Russia in killing Ukrainians — Beijing protests. Beijing denounces the sanctions as a threat to economic cooperation.

Peace talks haven’t even started — and Russia has already responded to them with missiles, says French foreign minister at subway attack site in Kyiv. The Lukianivska metro station, where civilians were sheltering, has become a symbol of how the Kremlin “sees” diplomacy.

Italy cancels Putin ally conductor Valery Gergiev’s first Western concert since Ukraine war. Italy’s Culture Ministry blocked Valery Gergiev’s July concert after politicians opposed the Putin-linked conductor’s return to Western stages.

“Most valuable thing we have”: Ukrainian journalist gifts military chevrons to Azerbaijan president Aliyev. At a diplomatic forum in Shusha, Ukrainian journalist Olena Kurbanova presented the military chevrons to Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, calling them Ukraine’s “most valuable” possessions.

Breaking: Ukraine-Russia peace talks may take place in Istanbul this week. The third round of Ukraine-Russia negotiations in Istanbul could take place on 23-24 July, focusing on prisoner exchanges and humanitarian corridors, diplomatic sources tell Turkish media.

Humanitarian and social impact

Three skeptics called war “media lies”—then visited Ukraine’s bombed hospitals and mass graves. Czech filmmaker challenged social media conspiracy theorists to witness the war in Ukraine firsthand.

Russian attacks on Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk injure at least 10 people, kill one. Russia bombarded Kyiv with over 400 drones and missiles across Ukraine, leaving at least 10 injured, with Ivano-Frankivsk experiencing what its mayor called the heaviest attack of the war.

Political and legal developments

SBU: Russian “mole” in Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Bureau spied for FSB under former President Yanukovych’s security chief. The investigation errupts in NABU’s most secretive unit as Ukraine’s Security Service exposes a spy working for Russia’s security service.

Ukrainian ex-police chief dies mysteriously at Spanish complex where Russian defector was assassinated in 2024. Former Ukrainian organized crime official Ihor Hrushevskyi died at the Spanish complex where Russian agents killed helicopter pilot Maxim Kuzminov in 2024. Residents question whether the location is coincidental

New developments

Archaeologists find 14th-century Italian fortress beneath Odesa’s famous duke monument. Archaeologists revealed 14th-century materials from a Genoese fortress in Odesa after a three-week dig near the Duke de Richelieu monument.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

Ukraine just solved the hardest math problem in modern air defense – with a 1970s German gun. The German-made Gepard gun vehicle is one of Ukraine’s best defenses against swarms of Russian Shahed drones.

Italy’s giving a concert for Putin—and Europe is paying. Banned everywhere else, Putin’s favorite conductor Gergiev finds European taxpayers willing to fund his comeback in Campania

Hackers erased Gazprom’s digital brain in catastrophic cyber strike, HUR source says. Ukrainian operatives reportedly wiped servers, clouds, and backups, crippling the control systems of Russia’s gas empire.

Ukraine’s war cabinet was hit by a perfect storm. Zelenskyy just hit reset. Ukraine just overhauled its government for the first time since Russia invaded. No one voted.

Military

Frontline report: Russia sent troops through a quiet sector near Kharkiv — Ukraine sent a T-64 to greet them

. With its summer offensive stalled, Russia pushed near Kharkiv—and ran straight into a Ukrainian tank.

Russian follow up strikes delay Ukrainian rescuers who rush to put out fire after deadly drone attack. A 78-year-old woman died in Sumy Oblast near the front line and multiple families sustained injuries from direct strikes on residential buildings.

Moscow suffers largest drone attack in months, with drone debris hitting residential building. The attack also forced the diversion of 134 commercial flights to alternative airports.

Intelligence and technology

Russia shows off giant Shahed factory and US trucks used to launch drone strikes on Ukraine

. Kremlin footage shows rows of Shahed drones in production and American pickups launching them toward Ukraine, as Moscow ramps up long-range attacks.

Pentagon opens drone combat school in Indiana: “If your stuff’s not in Ukraine, it’s not serious”. The Pentagon’s new drone school launches next month, with Ukrainian military advisors set to observe and give feedback.

Forbes: Tiny Ukrainian drone boat Ursula targets hidden Russian sites no weapon has reached before. Ursula is just one meter long, but it can slip into Russia’s shallow rivers and swamps to launch drones deep behind enemy lines.

US envoy sees how Russia bypasses sanctions and uses Western components in weapons that kill Ukrainians. Ukrainian intelligence organized an exhibition of Western-manufactured electronics found in captured Russian weaponry used against civilian targets across Ukraine.

German general warns Ukraine faces Russian drone increase from 500 to 2,000 nightly while Kyiv develops special drone interceptors

. Major General Christian Freuding emphasized the economic mismatch between $5 million Patriot missiles and Russia’s $50,000 drones, advocating for preemptive action and industry-developed interception technologies.

International

Azerbaijan demands Russia admit guilt in downing passenger jet with air defense as Moscow stonewalls investigation. President Ilham Aliyev announced the move to international courts after Azerbaijan rejected Russian explanations blaming Ukrainian drones for the incident.

New developments

Usyk defeats Dubois with “Ivan” punch to reclaim undisputed heavyweight crown for Ukraine. Minutes after knocking out Daniel Dubois at Wembley, Oleksandr Usyk thanked the Ukrainian soldiers who “allow me to be here now.”

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

Italy’s giving a concert for Putin—and Europe is paying. Banned everywhere else, Putin’s favorite conductor Gergiev finds European taxpayers willing to fund his comeback in Campania

Hackers erased Gazprom’s digital brain in catastrophic cyber strike, HUR source says. Ukrainian operatives reportedly wiped servers, clouds, and backups, crippling the control systems of Russia’s gas empire.

Ukraine’s war cabinet was hit by a perfect storm. Zelenskyy just hit reset. Ukraine just overhauled its government for the first time since Russia invaded. No one voted.

Ukraine nationalized its way out of crisis—now it can’t stop making money. The emergency worked too well. And that’s actually a dangerous thing.

Military

HUR drones hit eight Russia’s air defense radars and launchers near Donetsk — video shows strikes. Intelligence operators destroyed five high-tech detection systems built for complex airspace defense, and two S-300V launchers.

Russian saboteurs tried to sneak into Donetsk’s Pokrovsk—Ukrainian troops erased them, Syrskyi says. Ukraine’s defenders reportedly spotted and eliminated a Russian sabotage group during a failed incursion into the city.

Drone barrage targets Moscow and Rostov — fires, outages, train delays follow. No significant damage to any key asset has been confirmed. Power was knocked out in several settlements, and train stations were paralyzed for hours in stifling conditions.

Intelligence and technology

Ukraine’s new 15-minute bridges: Plastic cubes, no delay, full mobility (video)

. Engineers from Ukraine’s Steppe Brigade are fielding modular plastic bridges that deploy in just 15 minutes, giving troops rapid mobility across rivers in active combat zones.

US plans to develop new cruise missile modeled on Ukrainian war needs and capable to strike targets over 450 km away. The US Air Force’s upcoming LACM will carry a heavy warhead, dodge GPS jamming, and strike targets 450 km away.

“Everyone who wanted to fight is already fighting”: Top Ukrainian UAV commander prepares for war with drones, not people.

NYP: How small Ukrainian factories are building drones that hunt Russian crafts — without draining millions. The NYP tours where engineers are building budget UAVs to overwhelm Moscow’s drone swarms.

British intelligence: Russia moves to erase Ukrainian language in occupied schools. Kremlin pushes a sweeping Russification drive targeting Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts from September 2025.

Australia’s Abrams tanks arrive in Ukraine—first of 49, or most already?. Some outlets say initial delivery; others report the majority of promised armor has landed.

International

Italy faces backlash for hosting Russian conductor, who backs killings Putin’s regime, at UNESCO World Heritage palace. The July 27 event at the Royal Palace of Caserta has provoked outrage, with Ukrainian groups warning that hosting Putin’s favorite maestro desecrates cultural heritage and insults war victims.

EU declares Georgia’s path to bloc effectively frozen until free elections, as protests rage for eighth consecutive month. The European Parliament backs Georgian protesters, while condemning the suspension of democratic standards.

“He will risk everything in Ukraine”: Putin may be preparing for even harsher war in Ukraine after Trump’s ultimatum. Even with a collapsing economy and the threat of international isolation, Putin is poised to escalate his war. As Foreign Affairs puts it: the Kremlin leader will go to “extreme lengths” to avoid losing in Ukraine.

“I want to help Ukraine as much as I can”: American volunteer James joined Ukraine’s Army to build future. Known by his callsign “Sonechko,” James is part of a legion of foreign volunteers who’ve left their past lives behind to stand with Ukraine—some for justice, some for redemption, some for money.

Europol dismantles pro-Russian cyber army flooding Ukraine and its allies with attacks. A coordinated crackdown wiped out over 100 systems tied to Kremlin-backed NoName057(16) hackers.

ISW: Moscow scrambles to downplay EU’s crushing new sanctions

. Russia’s top officials claim immunity, but signs of economic strain are beginning to show beneath the surface.

In new movie, Czech director takes pro-Kremlin conspiracy theorists , who blamed Zelenskyy for war, to Ukraine. They believed what the Kremlin told them, until they stood amid missile craters and children’s graves.

Humanitarian and social impact

Zelenskyy honors Ukrainian teenagers who recorded farewell video before being executed by Russians in Berdiansk. “This is death. Guys, goodbye.”

Ukraine remembers linguist Iryna Farion, target of Kremlin’s propaganda, assassinated in Lviv in apparent campaign against Ukrainian voices. On 19 July, Ukrainians marked the first anniversary of the brutal killing of Iryna Farion, a fierce defender of Ukrainian identity and language.

One woman dead, child injured in Odesa as Russia sends 344 drones and 35 missiles overnight. Ukraine intercepted more than 200 aerial targets, but dozens still reached homes, schools, and infrastructure across 12 locations in several regions.

Political and legal developments

Ukraine swiftly eliminated Russian-ordered killers of SBU colonel in Kyiv, but spy war will continue across globe. SBU Colonel Ivan Voronych was no ordinary officer. He was linked to Nord Stream sabotage and deep strikes in Russia.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

“A completely new kind of war lies ahead” so Ukraine must outhink Russia by 2027, says Zaluzhnyi. Ukraine’s survival depends on revolutionary strategy, not traditional firepower, Valerii Zaluzhnyi writes

Ukraine’s MaxxPro trucks drop troops in 20 seconds—because drones don’t need more. Just reaching the front in Ukraine is now as deadly as holding it—thanks to drones that strike in seconds. Ground robots could be part of the answer.

“Just 16 people”: Ukraine’s new wartime cabinet is now smaller than many startups. Parliament approved a downsized government lineup on Wednesday, streamlining wartime leadership without altering the political balance of power.

Military

Russia’s “human safari” drone smashes into rabbi’s vehicle — family in car survives direct hit

. A Russian FPV attack failed to kill its target, as Kherson’s Jewish leader escapes harm.

Russia kills Ukrainian railway worker with Shahed drone in scaled-down attack. From 400 drones on 16 July to just 35 launched last night—but impacts across three oblasts still hurt civilians and caused damage.

As of 18 July 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: 1039830 (+1180)
• Tanks: 11032 (+3)
• APV: 23005 (+9)
• Artillery systems: 30485 (+47)
• MLRS: 1441 (+1)
• Anti-aircraft systems: 1197
• Aircraft: 421
• Helicopters: 340
• UAV: 46549 (+135)
• Cruise missiles: 3491
• Warships/boats: 28
• Submarines: 1
• Vehicles and fuel tanks: 55494 (+111)

Intelligence and technology

New Ukrainian PM Svyrydenko: Kyiv, Washington to launch joint drone deal under Trump-Zelenskyy mega pact. The deal aims to pair American weapons deliveries with Ukrainian UAV exports.

Digital occupation: Russia deploys AI army of bots on Telegram for promoting Kremlin’s propaganda narratives

. They sound human and post nonstop.

Russia’s drones now target civilians with napalm firebombs that burn through sand and cannot be extinguished. Modified drones are designed for maximum civilian terror and violate all rules of urban warfare, says a Ukrainian military expert.

Romania wants to build drones with Ukraine—but can’t fund it before 2026. The country’s defense ministry confirms talks, but the production start hinges entirely on next year’s military budget.

France to train more Ukrainian pilots on Mirage fighter jets, capable of carrying missiles that destroy Russian command posts. Armed with 2,900-pound SCALP-EGs, Ukraine aims to shatter Russia’s coordination hubs deep behind the frontlines, due to expanded Franco-Ukrainian air cooperation.

Ukraine to get Patriot missiles “very shortly,” Merz says. The Chancellor confirms Germany’s air-defense transfer will happen within weeks as NATO works out logistics.

International

London also slashes price cap on Russian oil to $47.60 per barrel after EU’s sanctions adoption

. Western allies have escalated economic pressure on Russia by dropping the crude oil price cap.

UK forms second “NATO” inside Alliance amid fears of 2027 global conflict with Russia and China. In just one week, Britain has sealed two landmark defense deals with France and Germany, forming a new trilateral military bloc.

From adrenaline seekers to war veterans: New book of British journalist shows diverse faces of Ukraine’s International Legion. Volunteers worldwide joined the fight against Russian aggression, risking everything to defend Ukraine. Some have never returned home.

International Fencing Federation seeks to reinstate Russian thletes — even those who support killing of Ukrainians. The organization says move promotes “unity,” but critics call it a whitewash for Putin’s military machine.

EU agrees on new Russia sanctions package targeting energy and finance. Ambassadors greenlight the 18th sanctions round ahead of formal Council approval: Malta and Slovakia dropped their vetoes after receiving key guarantees.

Political and legal developments

UK hits Russian intel unit involved in killings of 600 Ukrainian civilians in Mariupol, with historic sanctions

. Many of them were children.

Kremlin’s mouthpiece calls Europeans “imbeciles,” says strikes on Kyiv will intesify after EU imposed new sanctions against Putin’s war machine. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev unleashed a grotesque tirade against Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, mocking her medical background.

Zelenskyy installs ex-defense minister Umierov to run Security Council. The man once in charge of defense now oversees war tech, arms deals, and talks.

ISW: Russia is “burning the candle at both ends”—bankers quietly brace for bailouts. Russia’s top financial execs reportedly fear a growing debt crisis despite Central Bank claims of stability.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

“A completely new kind of war lies ahead” so Ukraine must outhink Russia by 2027, says Zaluzhnyi. Ukraine’s survival depends on revolutionary strategy, not traditional firepower, Valerii Zaluzhnyi writes

Ukraine’s MaxxPro trucks drop troops in 20 seconds—because drones don’t need more. Just reaching the front in Ukraine is now as deadly as holding it—thanks to drones that strike in seconds. Ground robots could be part of the answer.

“Just 16 people”: Ukraine’s new wartime cabinet is now smaller than many startups. Parliament approved a downsized government lineup on Wednesday, streamlining wartime leadership without altering the political balance of power.

Ukraine is going green during war, so why is EU’s program funding fossil fuels?. Ukraine has been building wind farms and solar plants while dodging Russian missiles. Meanwhile, the EU’s €50 billion program meant to help? It’s funding more gas and diesel generators than renewable energy.

Military

Russian attack on Polish factory in Ukraine regarded as possible message to Warsaw after Kyiv’s aid meeting in Lublin

. The strike injured workers and halted production.

Top Kremlin’s mouthpiece warns of “preemptive strikes,” but denies any plans to attack Europe. Tensions soar as Moscow accuses West of full-scale war, while insisting no invasion of NATO countries is planned.

Lithuania to Belarus: Stop letting Russian war drones cross into NATO skies. The Gerbera UAV’s illegal flight triggered diplomatic escalation in Vilnius.

One Telegram message promised romantic date for Ukrainian soldier — next almost killed him. A Ukrainian soldier was lured into a deadly FSB assassination plot masked as a date.

Russia’s chemical attacks in Ukraine top 10,000, Kyiv reports. Kyiv’s top chemical defense official confirms that toxic attacks began as early as 2014.

Intelligence and technology

Switzerland’s Patriot air defense systems delivery delayed by US — Ukraine’s urgent need takes priority amid rising civilian deaths. Switzerland’s planned deliveries between 2026-28 are pushed back while Ukraine faces intensifying Russian aerial terror.

Ukraine gets 850,000 Czech shells in 2025, but new government may freeze further shipments, despite Russia’s aid boost from North Korea

. Czechia’s ammo program powers Ukraine’s defenses, but opposition forces vow to shut it down if they win the vote.

NYP: Trump eyes ‘mega deal’ to swap drones with Ukraine for American weapons. Washington may soon fly battlefield-proven Ukrainian UAVs while Kyiv stocks up on US arms.

Ukraine’s new Magura W6P naval drone won’t kamikaze—but it can patrol 1000 km. Magura W6P trades strike missions for longer range and smarter sea reconnaissance.

Forbes: Ukraine’s anti-drone dome over Kyiv is growing—and Moscow feels it. Thousands of interceptor drones are being deployed under Ukraine’s Clear Sky program, forming an expanding shield against Russian drone attacks.

Zelenskyy demands reshuffled cabinet boost local arms from 40% to 50% on the frontlines. The president gave ministers six months to ramp up local arms production for the battlefield.

Ukraine launches AI startup battle, backed by German Defense Ministry, to outpace Russia’s war machine. Germany aids Ukraine’s cutting-edge startups to turn ideas into weapons.

Berlin denies Trump’s claim that Patriots are en route to Ukraine. Germany’s Defense Ministry says it has no knowledge of any Patriot systems being shipped out.

Reuters: Trump promised Patriots for Ukraine—Europe got the invoice

. Kyiv awaits air defenses while NATO allies scramble to decide who pays and who sends.

International

As Trump threatens sanctions on buyers of Russian oil, India prepares to switch suppliers to avoid fallout. India eyes alternatives in Guyana, Brazil, and Canada.

EU will try again to choke off Putin’s war machine with 18th sanction package this week, after Slovakia blew whole plan apart. Brussels stalls its 18th sanctions package as Slovakia demands Russian gas guarantees, leaving Moscow room to maneuver.

ISW: Moscow rolls out recycled lies and nuclear bluster to split NATO and halt US aid for Ukraine. The Kremlin also demands Kyiv be pushed into talks, casting Moscow as the would-be peacemaker.

Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania form new alliance to counter Putin’s weaponized historic narratives amid war of attrition. The Lublin Triangle responds to Moscow’s historical distortions with facts.

Axis of Evil’s show of force: China deploys 58 warplanes to Taiwan’s borders amid major defense drills. Beijing and Moscow ramp up pressure on neighboring countries.

Humanitarian and social impact

“He said we deserve genocide”: Journalists unmask Russian “Dr. Evil” torturer of Ukrainian POWs. A stunning investigation by Radio Free Europe identifies Illia Sorokin, a Russian prison medic who brutalized captured Ukrainian soldiers with electric shocks, rubber batons, and degrading humiliation.

Political and legal developments

Ukraine gives Moscow-aligned church ultimatum to cut Russian ties. The directive transforms three years of independence claims into legal requirements.

Russian banks seek Kremlin bailouts as inflation soars and potatoes disappear. As war spending drains the economy, Russia’s banks are struggling—and now looking to Moscow for help.

Yulia Svyrydenko becomes Ukraine’s first female PM in 15 years — don’t mistake it for change. Parliament confirmed Yulia Svyrydenko as Prime Minister, but with martial law still in place, critics say power in Ukraine remains concentrated in the president’s office.

Exclusive

Vacancies: News reporter, Defense tech reporter, Head of SMM. Euromaidan Press is expanding and searching for professional soulmates who believe in independent journalism.

Russia drops 250 bombs on Ukraine’s forest—then gets crushed by Bradleys and good old-fashioned flanking. Russia fired hundreds of KAB glide bombs at a single treeline—then retreated from Sumy anyway.

Can Ukraine’s $ 1,000 drones really beat Russia’s $ 35,000 Shaheds?. The missiles are too expensive. The interceptors are unproven. But Ukraine is betting on the math of survival.

Military

Frontline report: Trump restarts Ukraine aid after Russia’s massive 700-drone attack backfires. Ukrainian air defenses shot down over 500 incoming projectiles during Russia’s largest aerial bombardment of the war, yet the attack’s timing—during a US aid pause—may have delivered Moscow’s biggest strategic defeat.

Frontline report: Ukrainian brigade captures Russian positions after drone-only assault leaves enemy defenseless

. The Third Assault Brigade guided captured Russian soldiers directly to Ukrainian lines using an aerial drone, with no Ukrainian infantry present during the entire operation.

As of 16 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: 1037460 (+1170)
    • Tanks: 11025 (+3)
    • APV: 22995 (+2)
    • Artillery systems: 30395 (+49)
    • MLRS: 1440
    • Anti-aircraft systems: 1196
    • Aircraft: 421
    • Helicopters: 340
    • UAV: 46164 (+284)
    • Cruise missiles : 3491
    • Warships/boats: 28
    • Submarines: 1
    • Vehicles and fuel tanks: 55229 (+82)

Intelligence and technology

Guardian: Ukrainian military intelligence exposes flaw in Trump’s Tomahawk missile offer. The cruise missiles require strategic bombers as launch platforms, which Ukraine lacks, according to HUR deputy chief.

Forbes: Ukraine’s new rifle ammo explodes mid-air to kill drones—and might blow up Russia’s whole strategy. Ukraine is developing a mid-air fragmenting rifle round that could make Russian drone strikes far less effective—forcing a return to costly artillery attacks.

International

First Patriot missiles for Ukraine are being shipped from Germany – Trump

. Up to 17 Patriot air defense systems are heading to Ukraine as President Trump announced a policy shift toward providing offensive weapons, including potential authorization for long-range strikes deep inside Russia.

Germany, Denmark, Netherlands plan to buy US-made Patriots, capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles, for Ukraine. With Russia escalating airstrikes, European allies move to purchase US air defense systems for urgent delivery to Kyiv.

Kellogg attends Ukrainian National Guard training in Kyiv. US President’s Special Representative Keith Kellogg observed tank crew training and drone demonstrations at Ukrainian National Guard facilities on 16 July, marking his third day of high-level meetings in Kyiv aimed at advancing defense cooperation between the two countries.

Politico: France will not buy American weapons for Ukraine, citing need for Europe defense independence . Paris will not abandon President Macron’s years-long push for Europeans to strengthen their own defense manufacturing base rather than increasing reliance on American suppliers.

The Telegraph: Trump’s Ukraine strategy could work—if Europe sent more than statements. Former UK Colonel Richard Kemp says Trump’s plan to arm Ukraine and pressure Russia is falling short as Europe holds back on weapons and funding.

Europe seeks genuine US burden-sharing of arming Ukraine amid Trump’s weapons promise. Kaja Kallas argued that Washington should share financial responsibility rather than expecting European allies to fund American weapons purchases entirely.

Poland says let Russia pay for US weapons to Ukraine, not European taxpayers. Minister Sikorski backs Trump’s ultimatum and urges use of frozen Russian assets to fund Kyiv’s defense.

ISW: Putin remains silent, but Kremlin mouthpieces reject Trump’s latest war ultimatum

. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov called Trump’s 50-day ceasefire deadline “”unacceptable”” while Putin has yet to officially respond to the ultimatum.

UN diplomat: Russia’s war is global catastrophe, not regional conflict. Bob Rae says Moscow’s war fueled chaos far beyond Ukraine.

Danish company reportedly helps Russians export Ukrainian grain from occupied Berdiansk. A subsidiary of Danish inspection company Baltic Control helped Russian firms export at least 172,000 tons of grain from occupied Berdiansk between March 2024 and May 2025, leaked documents obtained by Ukrainian investigators show.

Humanitarian and social impact

Italy invites Russian conductor to perform. He supports war against Ukraine while Italy declares “art above politics”. Putin’s close ally Valery Gergiev will perform at the Royal Palace of Caserta on 27 July as he was personally invited by Campania region president.

Russia drops 500-kg bomb on city center in Donetsk Oblast, kills two civilians heading home from work. The city is located close to the front line in Donetsk Oblast and suffers daily attacks.

EU says Trump’s Russia ultimatum too long as civilians die daily. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas criticized Trump’s 50-day Russia ultimatum for being too lengthy while Ukrainian civilians face daily bombardment from Putin’s forces.

Russia launches 400 drones at Ukraine: 12 people injured across Kryvyi Rih, Vinnytsia and Kharkiv

. Ukrainian air defenses destroyed 198 Russian attack drones and suppressed 145 decoys.

Political and legal developments

The Telegraph: Europe plans to use frozen Russian assets to pay for Donald Trump’s $10 billion weapons package for Ukraine. Poland’s foreign minister suggested using seized Russian asset profits for Ukraine arms funding, asking EU colleagues whether it “”should be a burden shouldered by our taxpayers or the Russians.”

New developments

Texas man joins Russian army to “earn respect,” gets lied to as he is sent to front line instead of welding job. Derek Huffman’s wife is now appealing on social media for his reassignment and asking for prayers, saying he “”feels like he is being thrown to the wolves.””

Ukraine jokes about giving US envoy “Ukrainian passport” as Russia stops bombing Kyiv when Americans visit. President Zelenskyy told Newsmax that typically Russia attacks Kyiv almost every night but there was a two-night pause as Keith Kellogg had arrived, a pattern Zelenskyy attributes to Putin’s fear of America.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

The Shaheds come at midnight. Ukraine is betting $ 1,000 drones can stop them.. They’re cheap, fast, and unproven—and they might be the only thing standing between civilians and a 90kg warhead.

One river stands between Russia and Ukraine’s fortress city Pokrovsk. Ten Ukrainian brigades could soon be forced to abandon Pokrovsk—the Donbas fortress they’ve defended for over a year.

Military

Frontline report: Ukrainian brigade captures Russian positions after drone-only assault leaves enemy defenseless

. The Third Assault Brigade guided captured Russian soldiers directly to Ukrainian lines using an aerial drone, with no Ukrainian infantry present during the entire operation.

Russia reports drone attack: casualties in Voronezh, Energia plant targeted. Smoke billowed over the Energia defense plant in Yelets early on 15 July after overnight drone attacks struck three Russian oblasts, with officials reporting 55 intercepted UAVs and multiple casualties in Voronezh city center.

Intelligence and technology

Ukraine plans massive minefields along 3,000-kilometer border with Russia and Belarus. Temporary Ottawa Convention suspension allows Kyiv to counter Russian infantry squads.

Germany, Denmark, Netherlands plan to buy US-made Patriots, capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles, for Ukraine. With Russia escalating airstrikes, European allies move to purchase US air defense systems for urgent delivery to Kyiv.

Trump announces Europe will pay for US weapons sent to Ukraine

. US President Donald Trump announced a new arrangement with European NATO allies where America will manufacture weapons for Ukraine while European countries provide the financing, alongside authorization for Patriot air defense system transfers.

Trump asks Zelenskyy why Ukraine hasn’t hit Moscow, considered Tomahawk missiles. President Trump has shifted from diplomatic outreach to military pressure on Vladimir Putin, asking Ukraine’s leader why he hasn’t hit Moscow and suggesting strikes on St. Petersburg amid releasing a $10 billion weapons package.

International

After Trump announes plan to arm Ukraine, Xi calls to deepen Russia–China strategic partnership. He also said the two countries must unite Global South nations to form “a more just international order.”

EU says Trump’s Russia ultimatum too long as civilians die daily. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas criticized Trump’s 50-day Russia ultimatum for being too lengthy while Ukrainian civilians face daily bombardment from Putin’s forces.

Ukrainian spy chief Budanov warns Kellogg: Putin’s war goals stretch into next decade—and NATO is target

. Ukraine’s top intelligence official says Moscow’s ambitions go far beyond Ukraine’s borders.

US NATO ambassador warns Putin: “If you want war we will arm Ukraine”. Ambassador Matthew Whitaker claimed that Moscow faces a choice between peace negotiations and facing a better-armed Ukrainian military paid for by NATO allies.

“Russia didn’t care”: Kremlin mocks Trump’s tariff threat amid silence on next moves in case of Moscow’s refusal to end war in Ukraine. Lacking enforcement details, the US ultimatum is branded empty.

Humanitarian and social impact

Ukrainian female journalist sentenced to seven years in Russian jail urges EU to act as guards force prisoners to stand for hours in freezing cold. She also endures nights without sleep.

Russian overnight attacks on Sumy and Donetsk injury 5 people, including 14-year-old girl

. A 14-year-old girl was hospitalized with glass fragment wounds after Russian forces launched three missile strikes against Shostka in Sumy Oblast on 15 July, hitting a hospital and sparking a fire.

Political and legal developments

Ukraine charges three Russian commanders for killing 20 people in Chernihiv’s shop queue in 2022. Ukraine accuses Colonel Kurygin and two commanders of ordering a rocket barrage that targeted innocent civilians.

Fifty Ukrainian NGOs rise in defense of Ukrainian top anti-corruption fighter Shabunin, charged with draft dodging and fraud. Activists call the case against Shabunin “politically motivated” and warn it risks silencing democracy.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

Ukraine built a belt of fortress cities to stop Russia. Now the southernmost link is about to break. Ten Ukrainian brigades may have to abandon Pokrovsk—the Donbas fortress they’ve defended for more than a year.

Military

Russia masses 100,000 troops to crush Ukraine’s defenders in Donetsk’s crucial battle. While Kostiantynivka holds, Moscow’s brutal summer offensive surges forward, threatening to sever Ukraine’s eastern front.

Belarusian Mi-24 helicopter shoots down Russian drone flying to Ukraine. At least three Russian drones were operating in Belarusian airspace when local air defense forces destroyed one “Gerbera” strike drone during what became a 600-projectile assault on Ukrainian cities, intelligence sources confirm.

Ukraine destroys thermobaric weapons facility that fed drone strikes on its cities, satellite images confirm

. A 7 July strike lit up the Krasnozavodsk Chemical Plant, a core supplier of Shahed drone explosives.

For first time, Estonian troops test US-supplied HIMARS in drills denounced by Russia as “provocation”. Estonian rocket artillery fired precision strikes from Saaremaa island in a bold first exercise, triggering threats from Moscow.

Intelligence and technology

US to sell nearly $10 billion in weapons to NATO allies supplying Ukraine. From Patriots to artillery, American equipment will flow through Europe to the Ukrainian front lines.

Trump announces 17 Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine to shield cities from Russian air terror. First launchers could arrive within days.

Ukraine’s next weapon could be US-made JASSM — and it might arrive just in time. As Russia masses troops for a brutal push eastward, Trump looks to arm Ukraine with one of the most powerful missiles in the American arsenal.

Ukraine’s drone face Rubikon, Russia’s deadly new unit targeting drone operators

. Ukraine races to develop drones that can fly and fight themselves, moving operators far from frontline danger.

ISW: Russia fortifies select airbases after Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb. Russia has begun emergency construction of protective bunkers at key military airbases after Ukraine’s 1 June drone operation destroyed 41 strategic aircraft worth over $7 billion, satellite imagery reveals.

German defense giant Rheinmetall secures €70 billion order for 7,000 armored vehicles to equip Bundeswehr amid Russia’s war. CEO Papperger reveals massive industrial surge fueled by Russia’s war, promising tens of billions in revenue and thousands of new jobs.

“We definitely can’t give any more” – Pistorius on sending Patriots to Ukraine. Germany depleted half its Patriot air defense arsenal through transfers to Ukraine and Poland. Germany Defense Minister Boris Pistorius to seek US approval for purchasing replacement systems specifically for Kyiv.

Trump to announce “aggressive” Ukraine weapons plan, reportedly including Patriots. President Donald Trump to announce a new weapons package for Ukraine that could include long-range missiles capable of reaching Moscow, sources tell Axios, marking a dramatic escalation after Vladimir Putin told Trump he planned a 60-day offensive to capture more Ukrainian territory.

International

Europe launches new €500 million flagship fund for Ukraine after Russian attacks

. Reconstruction won’t wait for the war to end.

Ukrainian defense chiefs warn Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy: Russia gearing up for war not just with Kyiv. Ukraine delivers a stark warning to the US general under fire.

Trump and NATO unleash billions in weapons for Ukraine as Putin faces 50-day ultimatum. Air defense batteries and missile systems are already on the move as the West accelerates pressure on Moscow.

Trump says US to impose 100% tariffs on Russia if war doesn’t end in 50 days. The White House sharpens its economic arsenal to force Russia to the peace table.

Zelenskyy, Kellogg meet in Kyiv to shape next phase of US–Ukraine ties after Russia launched 5,000 drones in June. As Ukraine endures one of its deadliest bombardment waves, new US support is pledged, with Patriots, drones, and sanctions to follow.

Frontline report: NATO warns commercial aviation crash could trigger military response to Russian jamming. Alliance officials have indicated that casualties from GPS interference would be treated “not as an accident but as a deliberate escalation,” potentially leading to direct strikes on Kaliningrad’s electronic warfare installations or a surge in advanced weapons deliveries to Ukraine.

Putin tells Trump Russia will escalate Ukraine offensive within 60 days as US president calls Kremlin leader disappointing

. Vladimir Putin informed Donald Trump during their 3 July phone call that Russia intends to continue offensive operations until securing full administrative borders of occupied Ukrainian oblasts.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russian attacks kill 6 people, injure 30 people over past day. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 61 of 136 Russian drones during a nighttime barrage that nevertheless killed four civilians and injured 14 others across three oblasts.

Political and legal developments

Zelenskyy offers Svyrydenko to become Prime Minister amid major executive overhaul. Ukraine’s government faces a major reshuffle as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko to head the government, while current Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal may move to lead the Defense Ministry.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

Russia thought motorbikes would save its war. Ukraine sent tire spikes. Some of the best defenses against Russia’s new motorcycle regiments are also some of the simplest. Metal spikes, concertina wire, small mines—and even trenches.

No sleep til Kyiv—and no rest until Putin’s empire falls, says Florida man delivering trucks, drones and Belgian chocolates to Ukraine. Peter Duke has spent the past two years helping Ukraine in ways few civilians ever would. In this interview, he explains why he joined a volunteer convoy, how the war changed him, and what led to the grassroots documentary No Sleep Til Kyiv, now streaming online.

“Obvious revenge”: Ukraine prosecutes the activist who created its anti-corruption system. Vitaliy Shabunin has many critics. But today, even they agree that it’s about political persecution.

The brain behind Ukraine’s shadow war successes—Motorola and Kursk—gunned down in Kyiv parking lot. Five silenced shots in a Kyiv parking lot ended the career of the colonel who eliminated Motorola and masterminded Ukraine’s Kursk offensive

Military

Belarus airspace exploited again as Russia unleashes deadly Shahed barrage—Ukraine hit with 3,000+ aerial weapons in a week. A couple in Sumy, a woman in Zaporizhzhia, and others in Kherson and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts are among the dead. Russia killed at least seven more Ukrainians, injured 20 others.

Frontline report: Russia built a drone empire—Ukraine is unbuilding It. Ukrainian drones have struck warhead labs, antenna plants, and control system factories deep inside Russia—crippling key pieces of its drone infrastructure.

Intelligence and technology

Trump to announce “aggressive” Ukraine weapons plan, reportedly including Patriots

. President Donald Trump to announce a new weapons package for Ukraine that could include long-range missiles capable of reaching Moscow, sources tell Axios, marking a dramatic escalation after Vladimir Putin told Trump he planned a 60-day offensive to capture more Ukrainian territory.

Rheinmetall’s Skynex guns now used to wipe out Russian Shaheds from Ukrainian skies—video shows flawless kills. The non-mobile cannons are now guarding critical infrastructure from daily drone strikes.

Ukraine’s new bullets are blasting drones at 50 meters — without new weapons. The Defense Ministry has approved the new 5.56 mm bullet for NATO rifles, and a government-linked group hints at upcoming mass production.

Forbes: Ukraine’s drone swarms beat Russia—now the US needs satellite swarms before China does. While the US builds billion-dollar satellites, Ukraine is winning with swarms of drones that cost less than a used car.

Ukraine’s sabotage-ready river drone Ursula now deploys UAVs mid-mission (video). The news Ukrainian Ursula river drone can strike surface targets as kamikaze boat or deploy a UAV for recon in contested river zones.

Ukrainian intelligence: Russia’s advanced ballistic missile arsenal shrinks by nearly 50% since May

. The drastic depletion includes hundreds of Iskander-M and North Korean-supplied KN-23 missiles.

International

Putin tells Trump Russia will escalate Ukraine offensive within 60 days as US president calls Kremlin leader disappointing. Vladimir Putin informed Donald Trump during their 3 July phone call that Russia intends to continue offensive operations until securing full administrative borders of occupied Ukrainian oblasts.

ISW: Russia’s true drone target is Ukrainian and Western morale—Ukraine needs more Patriots. By exhausting air defenses and terrorizing cities, Moscow aims to break Ukraine and her allies.

CBS: Trump mulls arming Ukraine after record Russian strikes, $ 3.85 bn sits ready for immediate use. Sources say the unused Biden-era fund is under consideration as attacks on Kyiv escalate.

Political and legal developments

Russia’s foreign hit squad eliminated in Kyiv shootout after assassination of SBU colonel. Colonel Ivan Voronych’s killers — a foreign couple under FSB orders — didn’t get far. The assassins resisted arrest and died in a firefight with security operatives.

New developments

Giant Ukrainian plane flies over Kyiv for first time since 2022 — Russian war bloggers rage. Kyiv residents looked up in disbelief as an An-124 cargo plane crossed the sky — the first sight of any aircraft over the city since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

“Obvious revenge”: Ukraine prosecutes the activist who created its anti-corruption system. Vitaliy Shabunin has many critics. But today, even they agree that the state is sliding dangerously close to authoritarianism.

The brain behind Ukraine’s shadow war successes—Motorola and Kursk—gunned down in Kyiv parking lot. Five silenced shots in a Kyiv parking lot ended the career of the colonel who eliminated Motorola and masterminded Ukraine’s Kursk offensive

Vacancies: News reporter, Defense tech reporter, Head of SMM. Euromaidan Press is expanding and searching for professional soulmates who believe in independent journalism.

Military

Frontline report: Russia’s shadow fleet was supposed to be untouchable — then Ukraine showed up. Ukraine is hitting shadow tankers, refineries, and oil wells—disrupting every link in Russia’s export chain.

Russia turns occupied Mariupol’s Azovstal plant into its launchpad of terror, building bases where Ukrainian defenders once held line. What was once a symbol of resistance now serves Moscow’s war machine, hidden, hardened, and ready to strike again.

Frontline report: Russia put tires on its jets to stop drones. Ukraine burned the jets anyway

. To defend against Ukrainian drones, Russian aircrews placed tires on parked jets. It didn’t work. At least four Su-34s were destroyed on the ground.

Ukraine’s Intelligence: Massive gas pipeline explosion hits Russian military supply network, thousands kilometers from Kyiv. A strategic pipeline feeding military plants was destroyed in Langepas, causing tens of millions in losses.

Russia targets Ukraine’s western “safe havens” with record 597-drone attack. Two people are confirmed killed, two more in intensive care.

Intelligence and technology

Germany refuses to send Taurus missiles but funds hundreds of Ukrainian-made long-range strike systems

. By the end of July, Ukraine will receive the first of hundreds of precision weapons backed by Berlin to cripple Russia’s war machine.

Ukraine is developing new air defense arsenal to down “unstoppable” Russian hypersonic missiles. Half of Kyiv’s defense needs are now produced domestically.

EU pours billions into drone firms that steal from Ukraine’s Skyeton, company with 350,000 combat flight hours. Roman Kniazhenko’s team works 24/7 to survive, while foreign companies copy their tech and collect contracts worth billions.

As Pyongyang ships millions of shells to Moscow, Seoul delivers hundreds of tanks to NATO’s ally. In a $6.7 billion deal, Warsaw arms itself with South Korean equipment, replacing tanks it sent to Ukraine

International

Rome recovery conference delivers unprecedented €11 billion boost to Ukraine. Amid Russian attacks, Ukraine secures the largest-ever reconstruction commitment backed by 70 countries and global banks.

Ukrainian refugees boost Czech economy, but it won’t save pro-Ukraine government. The Security Information Service just delivered the kind of news governments dream about: 390,000 Ukrainian refugees are generating more revenue than they cost. Too bad the ruling coalition is about to get crushed in elections anyway.

Humanitarian and social impact

UN: Russian attacks kill 232 Ukrainian civilians in June, highest monthly toll in three years. Terror becomes Russia’s primary weapon as conventional military objectives prove unachievable.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

Vacancies: News reporter, Defense tech reporter, Head of SMM. Euromaidan Press is expanding and searching for professional soulmates who believe in independent journalism.

Britain promises Ukraine 5,000 drone-killing missiles. Russia would burn through them fast.. 5,000 missiles might sound like a lot—until you do the math. At current launch rates, they wouldn’t last long.

Russian troops can’t hide from Ukraine’s killer night drones. Russian troops are wearing heat-trapping thermal blankets to hide them from Ukraine’s lethal infrared-sensing night drones—but they’re wearing them all wrong. And it’s getting them killed.

Ukraine cuts back on tanks—and creates a deadlier kind of brigade. Ukraine’s tank brigades are disappearing. The army is getting new heavy mechanized brigades that are better for the infantry-first fighting.

Military

Russia pays staggering price for inches of Ukraine, ISW says. At the current pace, The Economist estimated it would take 89 years for Russia to seize all of Ukraine.

BBC identifies 523 foreign mercenaries killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine — from 28 countries. Russia’s military dead include Egyptians, Americans, Gurkhas, Central Asian convicts, and recruits from several African countries.

Ukraine hits four weapons factories in Tula — drone offensive spreads across Russia (video, update). Kamikaze drones hit sites linked to missile, rocket, and arms production, according to local reports.

“Brave and humane”: Colombian volunteers earn respect on Ukraine’s frontlines. Trained under Ukraine’s state integration programs, these foreign volunteers rescue wounded comrades while battling Russia’s most hardened troops.

Intelligence and technology

Kyiv to set up gunpowder production in US after Rome recovery conference

. As the Ukraine Recovery Conference unfolds, a key pact between Ukraine and the US paves the way for a new industrial partnership.

Pentagon’s outdated missiles, such as AGM-114 Hellfire, could be Ukraine’s lifeline, says former army chief Zaluzhnyi. With no budget impact, aging US weapons could become Ukraine’s shield.

Spain’s shadow export keeps Russian artillery alive. A Spanish-supplied forging machine helped Russia avert a collapse in artillery production, just as Ukraine shattered 19,000 of its systems.

Ukraine’s drone secrets lifted by EU firms promising fake battlefield tests. Skyeton’s CEO says some European visitors copied proprietary tech and even reused his exact words in their own pitches.

Russia plans to drown Ukraine in 1,000 drones a day—Kyiv prepares to shoot down all. President Zelenskyy: “We will shoot down everything” if partners support the scale-up.

NATO allies test German AI drone as Ukraine already destroys Russian equipment with it. German company Helsing designed the HX-2 AI drone as Europe’s answer to Russia’s Lancet loitering munition.

Reuters says Trump activates drawdown powers for the first time to arm Ukraine

. Sources told Reuters the $300 million aid, not yet finalized, may include medium-range guided rockets and air defense interceptors.

Ukraine says it will not conceal espionage despite ongoing dialogue after catching Chinese spies targeting missile secrets. Kyiv openly confirms arrests of Chinese nationals spying on Neptune missile technology.

International

US Senate panel approves $ 500M Ukraine aid — full vote, House battle still ahead. If approved by Congress, the bill would add $200M in Ukraine aid for 2026 and extend assistance through 2028.

Ukraine Rome Conference delivers concrete military support to Kyiv: Thousands of British air defense missiles, defense production in US, and interceptor drones. While Russia floods the skies with terror drones, Kyiv secures cutting-edge air defense and production deals in Italy.

Axios: Trump plans to sell weapons to NATO allies for transfer to Ukraine. Three sources told Axios this arms route has already been discussed with European partners.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russia hits maternity ward, hospitals, homes in weaker but destructive drone attack. Odesa, Kharkiv, Chuhuiv, and other cities reported damage and at least 30 injured.

Ukraine’s sleepless nation: 80% trapped in chronic stress from nightly Russian attacks. Millions of Ukrainians maintain economic activity despite “fatigue, tension and despair” from Russian constant bombardment of civilians, Ukraine’s First Lady told international partners in Rome.

Political and legal developments

ISW: Moscow tries to trade business deals with Washingtopn for Ukraine’s capitulation, while drones rain down on maternity wards and hospitals. As Russian diplomats discuss commerce, Ukraine endures brutal drone attacks demanding its collapse.

UN didn’t publicly declare Russia guilty of Olenivka POWs massacre— mysterious organization did. Ukraine’s human rights official promoted what he believed was a UN investigation proving Russian guilt in the prison massacre, but the report came from an anonymous organization created just weeks earlier that explicitly denies any UN affiliation.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

Russian troops beware: use thermal camo correctly, or get droned. Russian troops are wearing heat-trapping thermal blankets to hide them from Ukraine’s lethal infrared-sensing night drones—but they’re wearing them all wrong. And it’s getting them killed.

Ukraine quietly unleashed its top tank brigade—now drones lead, infantry fights, and tanks wait. Ukraine’s tank brigades are disappearing. The army is getting new heavy mechanized brigades that are better for the infantry-first fighting.

European court makes history: Russia guilty of Ukraine human rights violations since 2014 and plane downing MH17. The European Court of Human Rights recognized Russia’s actions as a “targeted campaign to destroy the Ukrainian state as a subject of international law.”

Ukraine’s perfect German missiles never miss—but Russia’s drone factories never sleep. Ukraine is getting 2,000 new German IRIS-T air-defense missiles. Against endless Russian drones, it still might not be enough.

Military

ISW: Moscow’s drone strategy now targets morale more than military value. Even failed strikes help feed Russia’s psychological war, the think tank assesses.

NYT: Putin believes Ukraine’s collapse is near — and he’s acting like it. Despite Trump’s frustration, Kremlin insiders say Putin sees no reason to stop his full-scale invasion.

Lithuania tracks fake Russian Shahed from Belarus—NATO jets scrambled. Russia’s Gerbera styrofoam drone entered Lithuania from Belarus then crashed. Vilnius failed to identify it.

Reuters says Trump activates drawdown powers for the first time to arm Ukraine. Sources told Reuters the $300 million aid, not yet finalized, may include medium-range guided rocket launchers and air defense interceptors.

As of 10 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: 1030580 (+920)
    • Tanks: 11011 (+11)
    • APV: 22972 (+3)
    • Artillery systems: 30140 (+38)
    • MLRS: 1437 (+3)
    • Anti-aircraft systems: 1193
    • Aircraft: 421
    • Helicopters: 340
    • UAV: 44781 (+324)
    • Cruise missiles : 3445 (+6)
    • Warships/boats: 28
    • Submarines: 1
    • Vehicles and fuel tanks: 54656 (+81)

Intelligence and technology

NATO allies test German AI drone as Ukraine already destroys Russian equipment with it. German company Helsing designed the HX-2 AI drone as Europe’s answer to Russia’s Lancet loitering munition.

Storm Shadow returns: MBDA restarts SCALP missile Ukraine used to hit Russian command. France signals fresh production in 2025; Militarnyi hints Ukraine could receive new deliveries.

Reuters: Trump resumes GMLRS rocket and 155mm artillery deliveries to Ukraine after Russia’s largest airstrike. The US resumed weapons shipments to Ukraine after a brief pause. On Tuesday, Russia launched more than 740 drones and missiles in a single night.

Zelenskyy asks Trump’s Ukraine envoy Kellogg for US missiles – Trump calls Patriot systems “very expensive”. As Russian strikes intensify, Ukraine is pressing its case directly to Trump’s circle, while questions linger over the price of protection.

International

UK is ready for Ukraine peacekeeping mission—if there’s ever peace to keep. British troops would help enforce an agreement that remains out of reach.

US restarts shipments of rockets and shells to Ukraine — munitions already on the way. Washington sources confirm that guided rockets and artillery shells are once again flowing to Kyiv.

Germany is ready to buy US Patriots—Trump undecided. Chancellor Merz says Berlin can fund extra systems for Ukraine, but Washington hasn’t finalized anything.

Netherlands pledges € 300 million for Ukraine recovery projects amid Russia’s aggression. Russia has spent three years targeting Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, making economic assistance essential for the country’s survival.

The Atlantic: Trump’s erratic weapons policy leaves Ukraine flying blind. Ukrainian officials say unpredictability from Washington may prove more damaging than lost weapons.

Humanitarian and social impact

Ukraine’s sleepless nation: 80% trapped in chronic stress from nightly Russian attacks. Millions of Ukrainians maintain economic activity despite “fatigue, tension and despair” from Russian constant bombardment of civilians, Ukraine’s First Lady told international partners in Rome.

Russia’s war against Ukraine prompts Czechia to train teenagers in combat skills to strengthen national defense. Czech Army General announced the initiative aims to expand national reserves while introducing young people to military service amid Russia’s security threat.

Russia strikes Kyiv for 10 hours—two women killed including 22-year-old metro police officer (updated). Explosions were heard citywide as homes, schools, and hospitals sustained blast damage.

Political and legal developments

Russian intelligence paid Ukrainian teenager and her mom for arson attacks in Odesa. Russian operatives target financially vulnerable civilians who burn military vehicles to cause damage and demoralize the population in Ukraine.

Frontline report: Russia’s running out of oil money—so a Moldovan fraud king built a fake crypto boom. With oil profits down 30%, Russia’s betting on a crypto scheme run by Ilan Shor — a fugitive oligarch, convicted fraudster, and Kremlin-backed power broker in Moldova.

Other developments

Russian propagandists shift stance on Trump, call him “Bidenized” after Putin criticism. Earlier, the US president said “We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin.”

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

European court makes history: Russia guilty of Ukraine human rights violations since 2014 and plane downing MH17. The European Court of Human Rights recognized Russia’s actions as a “targeted campaign to destroy the Ukrainian state as a subject of international law.”

Ukraine’s perfect German missiles never miss—but Russia’s drone factories never sleep. Ukraine is getting 2,000 new German IRIS-T air-defense missiles. Against endless Russian drones, it still might not be enough.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church says it left Moscow. Documents say otherwise.. Church officials can claim what they want, but the paper trail doesn’t lie—and it leads straight back to Moscow.

Russian oil flows through Hungary unchecked—investigation traces deals to PM Orbán’s closest allies. Russian crude keeps pouring into the EU pipeline, enriching figures tied to both Putin and Orbán.

Military

First battlefield capitulation to robots: Ukrainian drones force Russian surrender and seize fortified position (video). The 3rd Assault Brigade seized fortified Russian positions using kamikaze land drones and quadcopters.

741 projectiles: Russia’s biggest attack since war began follows suspicious lull in massive overnight bombing. Russian forces combined 728 drones with 13 missiles in the 9 July assault on Ukraine, while the night before they launched just dozens of projectiles, creating a stark contrast.

Reuters: Trump resumes GMLRS rocket and 155mm artillery deliveries to Ukraine after Russia’s largest airstrike. The US resumed weapons shipments to Ukraine after a brief pause. On Tuesday, Russia launched more than 740 drones and missiles in a single night.

Zelenskyy asks Trump’s Ukraine envoy Kellogg for US missiles – Trump calls Patriot systems “very expensive”

. As Russian strikes intensify, Ukraine is pressing its case directly to Trump’s circle, while questions linger over the price of protection.

Intelligence and technology

Ukraine catches Chinese spies trying to steal secrets of missile that sank Russia’s flagship. The Security Service of Ukraine claims to have detained father and son spy team who attempted to acquire production documentation for the Neptune cruise missile system that has struck multiple Russian naval vessels.

“Limpet mines are the new sanctions”: Ukraine is targeting Russia’s shadow oil fleet, says former Royal Navy officer. Six tankers linked to Russian oil exports have been damaged by underwater explosions this year. Former Royal Navy officer Tom Sharpe says Ukraine is likely using limpet mines placed by divers or drones to target Putin’s shadow fleet.

Lithuania and Finland to start domestic landmine production for themselves and Ukraine amid Russian threat. Other NATO’s eastern flank countries like Poland, Latvia, and Estonia also withdraw from the 1997 Ottawa Convention that banned landmines.

WSJ: Trump weighs sending Ukraine another Patriot air defense system as Putin rejects peace

. This decision follows Trump’s disappointment with Putin after their phone call and after a Pentagon weapons delivery pause created confusion within his own administration.

CNN: Hegseth ordered halt to Ukraine arms—White House learned from the press. Senior US and Ukrainian officials were blindsided by the sudden stop in missile deliveries.

International

Russia’s war against Ukraine prompts Czechia to train teenagers in combat skills to strengthen national defense. Czech Army General announced the initiative aims to expand national reserves while introducing young people to military service amid Russia’s security threat.

The Pope asked Zelenskyy to hold peace talks at the Vatican—even though Putin already said no. As Russia launches its largest drone barrage of the war, the Pope offered Zelenskyy the Vatican as a venue for talks—an idea the Kremlin had previously rejected.

German Chancellor: Russia’s “criminal regime” made diplomacy impossible, threatens entire Europe freedom

. Friedrich Merz told lawmakers he would continue military assistance to Ukraine “despite opposition from the political left and the Russia-friendly right here in the house,” framing the conflict as a threat to European political freedom.

EU considers € 100 billion Ukraine fund amid US support uncertainty and no war end in sight. EU Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis told reporters the bloc remains “ready to provide all necessary support for Ukraine for as long as it’s needed.”

Baptist-led church council in Kyiv warns: Russia must be condemned or real peace won’t come. Clergy say “peace” without justice only rewards atrocity and emboldens future aggression.

Political and legal developments

Ukrainian commission confirms Moscow-linked church remains under Russian control. Documentation contradicts three years of independence assertions.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

Russian oil flows through Hungary unchecked—investigation traces deals to PM Orbán’s closest allies. Russian crude keeps pouring into the EU pipeline, enriching figures tied to both Putin and Orbán.

Vacancies: News reporter, Defense tech reporter, Head of SMM. Euromaidan Press is expanding and searching for professional soulmates who believe in independent journalism.

Trump flips on Ukraine weapons cutoff: “We have to help them”. The Pentagon confirmed the move within hours, saying it is to “ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves.”

Ukraine is firing Patriot missiles as fast as it gets them—that’s how more Russian missiles get through. The Ukrainian air force is running desperately low on its best air-defenses, the kind that shoot down ballistic missiles.

Green cloud mining in 2025: promises, challenges, and what investors need to know. Examining green cloud mining in 2025. Learn the potential of renewable energy in crypto mining, key challenges in verifying claims, and essential due diligence for investors as well as to avoid scams

Military

Syrskyi: Ukrainian “Deep Strike” drone missions in June reached 115 missions. Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign continues to put pressure on Russia’s war infrastructure.

Russian attacks surged by 1.6 times in June—Ukraine answers with 115 fire missions and 2,864 targets destroyed. With new technologies and alternative arms routes, Ukraine continues its a summer battle.

North Korea triples its military deployment for Russia’s war—Forbes says it exposes Moscow’s weakness. Pyongyang sends up to 30,000 more troops as part of a deepening alliance, despite prior battlefield losses.

ISW: Russia halts Kostiantynivka push—now Pokrovsk braces for encirclement threat. After weeks of stalled operations in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast, Russian forces are closing in on Pokrovsk from several axes.

Massive radar gap in Crimea creates Ukrainian drone corridor, expert says

. The western part of Russian-occupied peninsula has been uncovered after Ukraine has recently destroyed Russia’s radar stations at Cape Tarhankut.

Shahed drone strike wounds civilian in Mykolaiv as Russia might be saving drones for something bigger. The lull in Russian drone numbers in last night’s assault could signal a larger wave of attacks coming.

Intelligence and technology

China helped build the drones now hitting Ukraine—Bloomberg traces the parts. Despite denials, Chinese engineers and hardware are inside Russian weapons used across the frontline.

Trump sends just ten Patriot missiles to Kyiv, while Ukraine needs hundreds, and other weapons remain in limbo. Ten Patriots are expected to arrive but Ukraine’s cities need hundreds.

UK sanctions Russian generals and military lab for chemical warfare in Ukraine. Britain targets top defense figures and a research institute accused of supplying banned toxic weapons.

International

EU plans to continue aid for Kyiv in 2027. Denmark’s Minister of Economy Stefanie Lose confirmed that support for Ukraine will extend past 2026, with the EU actively discussing long-term financial aid amid ongoing challenges posed by Russian aggression.

Top Kremlin mouthpiece says Putin treats Trump’s Kyiv arms shift with indifference, calls to seize more Ukrainian territories. He also called the territory of Ukraine as Russian.

Europe’s red line to China: Stop fueling Putin’s war machine or face policy reversal, Von der Leyen warns. Ursula von der Leyen says Beijing’s backing of Russia is increasing instability in Europe.

Europe urgently searches $19 billion for Kyiv as America sends only drops of aid to Ukraine despite Russia’s terror escalation. Trump’s aid freeze pushes Kyiv toward financial ruin, with Brussels scrambling to stabilize the front.

WSJ: Trump blames Pentagon, not himself, for Ukraine weapons pause. Zelenskyy was told directly by Trump that he didn’t order the hold on arms shipments, which has now been lifted.

Kremlin tells Hungary: Act with us in Ukraine — for the “compatriots”

. Russian FM Lavrov proposes “uniting efforts” over minorities — the same pretext used for full-scale invasion.

Humanitarian and social impact

HUR: West still has not sanctioned 70 Russian companies behind production of missiles that struck Kyiv’s largest children’s cancer hospital year ago. Ukraine calls the world not to look away and punish Russian for its crimes.

Ukraine’s Intelligence identifies Russian officer responsible cruise missle terror against Kyiv’s top oncology center with 600 children inside. A year ago, Moscow performed civility in front of the Indian prime minister, but behind the scenes, launched a wave of terror, mirroring negotiations with US President Donald Trump.

Political and legal developments

ICC issues arrest warrants for Taliban leaders for crimes against women after Russia becomes only country in world to recognize their regime. In 2023, the ICC also charged Russian President Vladimir Putin with war crimes related to the forced deportation of Ukrainian children.

Russia declares Yale University “undesirable” after it tracked 30,000 stolen Ukrainian children. The Kremlin accused Yale of undermining Russia’s integrity after its lab supported Kyiv’s efforts to repatriate abducted children.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

Ukraine is firing Patriot missiles as fast as it gets them. The Ukrainian air force is running desperately low on its best air-defense missiles. That means more of Russia’s own missiles get through.

Green cloud mining in 2025: promises, challenges, and what investors need to know. Examining green cloud mining in 2025. Learn the potential of renewable energy in crypto mining, key challenges in verifying claims, and essential due diligence for investors as well as to avoid scams

The Polish model for abandoning Ukraine. From 94% refugee support to benefit cuts in three years. Other European allies are watching—and learning.

Sanctions hit harder than bombs: Russian courts reveal systemic failure in weapons supply. No radar, no drones, no sonar—the military’s most critical projects stalled in legal chaos, journalistic investigation fi.

One Ukrainian drone keeps smashing Russia’s top war factories—so Germanys paying for 500 more. Hundreds more long-range Furious drones are coming, funded by Berlin.

Military

Russia floods Ukraine with 1,270 drones and nearly 1,000 bombs in a week—”We need air defense now,” Zelenskyy says. Many civilians have been hurt in Ukraine, while Russia also started to target military draft offices.

Armenia denies Russian troop surge. Ukraine reveals orders proving buildup. Ukraine’s military intelligence made public a Russian general’s directive contradicting Armenia’s denial of new deployments.

Ukraine hits backbone of Russian ammo supply chain—defense-linked plant rocked by explosions near Moscow

. Residents of Krasnozavodsk reported multiple loud blasts after Ukrainian drones reportedly reached the site.

Drone flames in Kharkiv, missile blasts in Chuhuiv, shell in Kherson—Russia kills 13, injures 67. Explosive strikes hit cities and villages alike, with 3 children wounded in Kharkiv alone.

Intelligence and technology

Ukraine’s drone production soars, creating sky army ten times bigger in just one year. Rapid growth demands stronger intellectual property laws and long-term contracts, say experts.

Canadian Roshel armored vehicle withstands direct FPV drone hit, saves entire Ukrainian special forces team. The National Guard calls it a reminder of what Ukrainian troops survive every day.

International

UK arms Ukraine against chemical weapons as Russia revives World War I tactics on eastern front. London contributes £400,000 to help Ukraine resist banned chemical attacks on the battlefield.

Humanitarian and social impact

Ukrainian soldier dies weeks after release from Russian captivity with his organs failing due to torture. He met his grandchildren. He hoped to live.

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence: Russia loots ancient treasures from Crimea’s UNESCO heritage site. Over 110 priceless artifacts have been stolen from Ukraine’s archaeological grounds since 2014 by Russia.

Political and legal developments

Thousands of flights disrupted in Russia after Ukrainian strike—hours later, Putin’s fired transport chief is found dead. By 7 June, nearly 2,000 flights have been delayed, over 500 have been canceled.

Russian FM calls for Moscow–Budapest alliance, potentially setting stage for destabilization of Ukraine’s Zakarpattia Oblast. Lavrov signals possible joint action as Kremlin rhetoric returns to its 2014 invasion script.

Russia’s war effort now runs on crypto-mobilization and censored death stats. Rosstat disappears mortality data just as Putin calls for more volunteers to defend “values.”

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

How Ukraine can win, p.5: Russia’s $8 billion recruitment machine could be its weakest link. The vibes at the massacre are good—but it’s costing Russia a fortune.

My bomb shelter is a bathroom floor. By 6 AM, I know who made it through another night.

A Russian drone found the toughest armor on the battlefield—and lost. Russian observers celebrated a drone strike on a Ukrainian Leopard 2A6 near Pysarivka. They filmed the moment it hit the tank’s frontal turret—the exact spot where its armor is thickest.

Military

Ukraine hits backbone of Russian ammo supply chain—defense-linked plant rocked by explosions near Moscow. Residents of Krasnozavodsk reported multiple loud blasts after Ukrainian drones reportedly reached the site.

Russian airports crippled by mysterious airspace threat—171 flights canceled in Moscow alone. Authorities cite safety concerns as Moscow, Ivanovo, Kaluga, Pskov, Tambov, and St. Petersburg airports stop servicing flights.

SBU arrests 22-year-old suspected Russian agent who planted car bomb in Odesa, injuring local man. The man was detained while trying to escape after triggering the blast under a parked vehicle on 5 July.

“Trying to exploit any opening”: Ukrainian officer warns of Russian tactics near Lyman in northern Donetsk. Moscow seeks to retake the city it briefly held in 2022, but Ukrainian forces are holding strong.

ISW: Russia may trade deep breakthrough attempts for slow envelopment around fortress belt in Donetsk Oblast. Recent gains northeast of Pokrovsk signal a tactical priority shift, aiming at a tactical restraint designed to force Ukrainian withdrawals, says ISW.

No hits, no harm: Russia’s 5 July “hypersonic” Kinzhal strike on Ukraine bomber base fails. Starokostiantyniv base remains a key target for Russia’s missile and drone assaults.

Intelligence and technology

Europe just ran its first war game with drones and robots—Ukraine helped design it. At a test site near Rome, EU armies tested drone-to-robot resupply missions, using frontline scenarios developed with Ukrainian experts.

International

Russia may invade Estonia in “five or seven years,” NATO chief Rutte says. “If we don’t [invest in defense], we’ll have to learn Russian,” he said.

Frontline report: Russia says NATO jets in Estonia are nuclear. They’re not—but the danger’s real. The F-35s carry no nuclear weapons, but Moscow’s false claims may be building justification for retaliation.

Humanitarian and social impact

Drone flames in Kharkiv, missile blasts in Chuhuiv, shell in Kherson—Russia kills 13, injures 67. Explosive strikes hit cities and villages alike, with 3 children wounded in Kharkiv alone.

What we know about Moscow’s overnight air assault: Russian drone strikes injure elderly and toddler, hit on homes, preschool, and enlistment center (updated). The Russian drones injured at least nine civilians, including a woman, 87, pulled from rubble, a 90-year-old in Zaporizhzhia, and a 2-year-old in Kharkiv, targeting civilian areas and the third draft office in a week.

Political and legal developments

Politico: Ukraine spent € 1 billion on trenches. Russia is still advancing. Officials say the defenses are built. Soldiers say they’re digging by hand under fire — and it’s not enough.

“It’s WWI all over again,” warns former UK chemical commander as Russia escalates gas attacks in Ukraine. Ukraine’s frontlines are beginning to resemble Ypres, says Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, former head of the UK’s chemical weapons unit, as Russia intensifies gas attacks.

Forbes: Trump can’t stop the war with words — but he can with Russian money. Seizing sovereign Russian assets would turn the tables without firing a shot.

Read our earlier review here.

Exclusive

“Luxury TikToking”: French MEP slams Macron’s two-hour call with Putin. While Ukraine fights for survival, Macron phones Putin. French MEP Glucksmann calls it peak European performance: busy, public, and strategically empty.

Can Europe replace US Patriots for Ukraine as its “daddy” in Washington steps back?. As the US withdraws Patriot missiles this week, UK defense expert Frank Ledwidge warns: Europe lacks the systems Ukraine needs to survive.

Military

In one night Ukrainian drones hit Russian military airfield and drone defense factory used to fuel aggression

. Fires erupted at Russia’s Borisoglebsk aviation center where Su-34, Su-35S, and Su-30SM aircraft conduct training operations before attacking Ukraine.

Azov electronics plant hit in Russia’s Rostov Oblast with new Ukrainian Shahed-like drones. One of Russia’s largest southern plants for aerospace and thermal optics was targeted.

Ukrainian drones strike Russian plant making Shahed warheads near Moscow. The GenStaff says it hit a crucial facility tied to thermobaric Shahed munitions in Sergiev Posad.

Intelligence and technology

US Defense Secretary Hegseth unilaterally blocks weapons for Ukraine, even though experts say aid does not affect stockpiles. With no warning and no clear justification, Defense Secretary Hegseth has paused Ukraine’s weapons deliveries, igniting fury in Congress

Ukraine’s arsenal expands West: Denmark to host Kyiv’s first overseas defense plants

. As part of the EU’s rotating presidency, Denmark is stepping up to build Ukrainian-designed weapons.

Beijing is enabling Moscow’s crimes: Ukraine finds Chinese parts in Russian drones used in 4 July most massive strike of war. A day earlier, Russia damaged China’s consulate in Odesa.

Russia’s chemical weapons use in Ukraine now “large-scale,” intelligence shows. The Dutch MIVD and Germany’s BND say they’ve confirmed a full program behind the attacks.

International

Republican Party lawmaker says Ukraine should not count on Biden-era weapons after Kyiv banned church led by Putin’s war priest. As Russian missiles rained down on Kyiv, Anna Paulina Luna said Ukraine should not count on American defense systems, legally approved during Joe Biden’s presidency.

Czechia to probe firms accused of arming Russia

. Czech agencies will investigate companies flagged by Zelenskyy for allegedly supplying weapons-related machinery to Russia.

China to EU: Ukraine war must not end in Russian defeat. In closed-door talks, Beijing signaled it prefers a prolonged war if it keeps the US distracted, per media reports.

Trump admits “no progress” after sixth call with Putin on Ukraine. Trump’s verdict on his sixth call with Putin? “Not happy … no progress at all.” Russia, he says, still “won’t back down” on Ukraine.

Humanitarian and social impact

Ukraine on fire with civilians injured as Trump doubts Putin wants to end war. Russia launched 322 drones at Ukraine on the night of 5 July, sparking fires at different locations and injuring at least 16 civilians, including children.

Seriously wounded Ukrainian POWs return home from Russian captivity filled with torture

. The exchange on 4 July included soldiers captured during Mariupol siege in 2022 who spent over three years in Russian custody.

Hours after Trump-Putin call, Russia attacks Kyiv with record 550 missiles and drones (updated). Fires broke out across Kyiv, with more than 20 injuries reported. Railway infrastructure and five ambulances were also damaged.

Political and legal developments

Russia becomes first country to officially recognize Taliban breaking Western isolation. The move reverses Russia’s 2003 designation of the Taliban as a terrorist organization and now promises cooperation in security, counter-terrorism and trade.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

One tank, three soldiers, and the end of Russia’s Sumy offensive. Three Ukrainian soldiers fired 125mm shells at point-blank range near the village of Yablunivka, halting a month-long Russian offensive aimed at Sumy Oblast.

The weapons Ukraine just lost to US aid freeze, explained. It’s not only about Patriots and air defense—Ukraine’s entire military toolkit just got gutted

Ukraine just stripped the leader of Putin’s favorite church—his 8,000 parishes are next. Metropolitan Onufriy’s citizenship revocation is just the opening move—Ukraine’s legal machinery is already grinding toward dissolving his Moscow-aligned Ukrainian Orthodox Church entirely.

Military

Frontline report: Ukrainian warplanes sweep over Russian lines to smash the Zaporizhzhia offensive before it begins. Ukraine struck the trains, fuel depots, and drone bunkers—before Russia could even move.

First-of-its-kind strike: Ukraine destroys prized Nebo-M radar system in Crimea using sea-launched bomb drones (video). Video confirms quadcopters launched mid-sea destroyed the $100M Nebo-M’s command center and two radars.

Explosion rocks central Luhansk as top collaborator Manolis Pilavov killed (updated). A powerful blast targeted a high-profile quisling official as he walked past a city street.

Ukraine kills Russian Navy general in Kursk—Putin’s 11th general lost in war. Major General Mikhail Gudkov, Russia’s Deputy Navy Chief, was inspecting positions in Kursk when a Ukrainian strike hit, killing him and other senior officers.

“Dronocide” hits hard: 42 Russian drone positions destroyed in Zaporizhzhia (video)

. Ukrainian forces intensify their targeted campaign against drone operators with a coalition of elite units.

Drones target Russia’s maker of military-grade batteries and airbase (video). Energiya factory in Yelets was last hit in May. In Lipetsk, drones seem to have been intercepted before reaching the airfield.

Videos show Russian ammo stockpile spectacularly destroyed in occupied Donetsk Oblast’s Khartsyzk. This marks at least the third major incident involving ammunition sites in the city since 2022. Khartsyzk has been occupied since 2014.

Intelligence and technology

Defense One: Ukraine war drives US military to combine HIMARS rockets with suicide drones. Informed by Ukraine battlefield tactics, the US Army is integrating HIMARS and suicide drones to close mid-range firepower gaps.

Russian battlefield gains expected after US aid pause, ISW warns

. Think tank highlights how previous delays enabled Russian advances in Donetsk Oblast.

International

Trump admits “no progress” after sixth call with Putin on Ukraine. Trump’s verdict on his sixth call with Putin? “Not happy … no progress at all.” Russia, he says, still “won’t back down” on Ukraine.

Pentagon and State Dept defend Ukraine arms pause as “America-first agenda”. The Trump administration claims it’s not abandoning Ukraine, but allegedly prioritizing US military readiness.

Russian intel ordered arson on Ukrainian restaurant in Tallinn, Estonian court rules. A GRU-directed Moldovan suspects carried out the attack in Estonia’s capital after a trial run in Osula.

Humanitarian and social impact

Children injured in Odesa drone strike as US arms shipment stays suspended (updated). Russia’s Shahed drone injured two children and three adults after a high-rise took a direct hit during the attack.

Ukrainian soldier reveals what it’s like to face Russian convicts from Butyrka prison in battle. Fighter Anton Shket endured 17 days of assaults by Russian “zeks” and foreign troops.

Ukraine captures Russian soldiers who forced teachers, rescuers, volunteers to dig their graves in Kharkiv Oblast’s torture chamber. They will be held accountable for their crimes, says Kyiv.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

Ukraine’s new M-1 Abrams tanks are ready—but their brigade might not be. Ukraine is getting 49 M-1 tanks from Australia. It risks wasting them.

NATO’s shortest summit reveals its deepest crisis. The Alliance still names Russia the threat—but behind closed doors, it no longer agrees on how, or even whether, to respond.

Inside Russia’s secret digital war on NATO’s logistics lifeline to Ukraine. A report reveals the scope of a three-year-long cyber campaign: infiltrators gained long-term access using spearphishing and known software flaws.

Military

“We’re standing, and we will keep standing,” Ukrainian pilot dismisses talk of peace with Russia as illusion

. While Kremlin boasts advances and claims Ukraine as its own, frontline pilot Apostol calls for reinforcements.

Ukrainian soldiers dragged 40-kilo grenade launcher into Russia — and kept firing under guided bombs. Then, they refused to leave it behind.

Ukraine wipes out 230,000 Russian soldiers in first half of 2025 alone. Ukraine grinds down Moscow’s manpower and equipment with ruthless efficiency.

Ukraine hits Russian military train just days after first sabotage in partially occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Russia’s key supply line derailed once again.

Ukraine’s air defenses destroy 4,758 Russian aerial targets in June. Last night, Moscow struck Ukrainian farms and homes. Ukrainian jets flew about 895 sorties in May, Air Force reports

Liutyi drones strike deep into Russia, hitting Izhevsk military plant about 1,400 km away (video). Also, local authorities declared a missile threat in Russia’s Akhtubinsk, hosting an air base 600 km from the front.

Frontline report: Bayraktar drones are back — and this time, they’re after Russian warships

. With domestic production now exceeding 120 units a year, Ukraine is deploying Turkish-designed Bayraktar drones in a new role: hunting Russian warships near Crimea.

Ukrainian drones just lit up Russian-occupied Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk — here’s how (video). Last night, Ukrainian drones and missiles ignited the Luhansk fuel facility, destroyed the 8th Army’s command center in Donetsk, and targeted radars and aircraft in Crimea.

Intelligence and technology

Ukraine’s tech revolution clashes with Russia’s massive military machine — result will define future of warfare. Ukraine’s defense relies on rapid innovation, cutting-edge drones, and creative battlefield technology, while Russia counters with sheer numbers and relentless production.

Kyiv unveils joint manufacturing plan with Ramstein coalition, aiming to build weapons at home and abroad. All of weapons will supply the Ukrainian military.

FPV-style upgrade gives Ukrainian long-range UJ-26 Beaver drone real-time visuals. Thermal imaging and new communication systems boost precision in the long-range strikes.

Ukraine’s Intelligence: Explosion disables Russian shadow fleet tanker, carrying 1 million barrels of sanctioned oil

. The Vilamoura, carrying crude oil, was previously spotted at Russian ports and is now under tow.

International

Russia’s digital invasion of Romania signals new warfare against democracy, ex-US ambassadors argue. Three retired diplomats write that Moscow’s failed manipulation of Romanian elections reveals an evolving strategy targeting Western nations.

ISW: While signaling peace to West, Putin’s recent speech reveals drive to annex Ukrainian lands and erase its nationhood. From calling Kherson and Zaporizhzhia “Novorossiya” to branding Odesa as Russian, Putin and his aides double down on propaganda denying Ukraine’s right to exist as a separate nation.

Editor and director of Sputnik Azerbaijan detained in police raid as suspected Russian spies. Local reports say masked police took away the Russian propaganda outlet’s leadership.

FT opinion: Russia may last a year. Ukraine risks collapse within half a year without urgent aid. Russia has the manpower edge to outlast Ukraine, FT warns.

Germany asked to “lead Europe” and persuade Hungary on Russia sanctions

. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says European unity is at stake as Hungary and Slovakia resist.

Humanitarian and social impact

Ukraine identifies Russian soldiers who tortured civilians with axe during Bucha massacre. The occupiers forcibly locked people in a cellar and interrogated them.

UN confirms Russia’s guilt for Olenivka massacre in 2022— Ukraine vows to hold Azovstal killers accountable. Kyiv says the pain for the 50 killed Ukrainian soldiers has never faded.

United24: Ukrainian soldier tells how Russian surgeon burnt Glory to Russia on his body while in captivity. The inscription was made by the same Russian surgeon who had operated on his serious combat injuries while the soldier lay unconscious.

BBC: “Life is constant tension, fear, distrust” — reality of Russian occupation in Mariupol. Ukrainian students living in occupation are forced to attend mandatory lessons where they learn that Russia “liberated” Russian-speaking populations from so-called Nazis in 2022, while teachers who refuse to participate face intimidation or termination.

Ukraine captures Russian soldier who tortured and executed Ukrainian POWs. Now he faces life in prison. Sergey Tuzhilov shot a bound Ukrainian soldier in the back of the head and helped kill two others during fighting in Kharkiv Oblast last June, according to Ukrainian investigators.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

Inside Russia’s secret digital war on NATO’s logistics lifeline to Ukraine. A report reveals the scope of a three-year-long cyber campaign. Infiltrators gained long-term access using spearphishing and known software flaws, the report finds.

This is the hell the landmine treaty was meant to prevent—and Ukrainian sappers live it every day.. International law banned landmines. Russia didn’t get the memo.

Ukraine deploys Leopard 1A5 “sniper tanks” with 7 brigades. Fitted with layered armor, these aging tanks are surviving drone strikes, even on Ukraine’s most dangerous front lines.

Ukraine just declared open season on Russia’s drone nests in urgent strategy shift. Ukraine isn’t just shooting down drones anymore—it’s going after the operators. Under new leadership, drone crews are now the priority targets.

Military

Ukraine hits targets 100 kilometers behind Russian lines, destroys 20 armored vehicles and 89 artillery systems. Oil depots burnt, command posts fell, and 423 Russian pieces of equipment were reduced to ashes.

Ukrainian forces capture two Cameroonians who say Russia tricked them into fighting. They signed for 1 million rubles. Typically, Russia recruits civilians from Africa and Asia through deceptive job offers and false promises.

Russian forces drop banned chemical irritants from drones on Ukraine. 111,000 Russian soldiers swarm the front, using forbidden gases and high-tech warfare to choke Ukrainian supply lines.

Intelligence and technology

Ukraine to integrate domestic air defenses into NASAMS infrastructure. Kyiv teams up with Norway’s Kongsberg to link local systems with Western command modules.

Russia unleashes new deadly “Blueberry” drones with 100-kilometer reach on Kharkiv. Children wounded, buildings shattered as Ukraine battles the swarm with anti-air drones and EW.

The Telegraph: Can Ukraine’s new Kevlar suit protect soldiers from drones? Boots may be next. A Ukrainian major has developed the first full-body Kevlar suit designed to stop drone shrapnel. Blast-resistant boots could follow.

Ukraine spy unit manufactures ground drones that switch from logistics to lethal in minutes. Legit combat robots can transport 500 kg of supplies, fire grenades at Russian positions or be configured with explosive charges for suicide missions against fortified positions.

Forbes: Russia’s Shahed drones now have bulletproof engines—and a bag of dirty tricks. Ukraine used to shoot them down. Now, they fly in pairs, drop bombs on the way, and keep coming.

Forged in war, built for Europe: Ukraine’s combat-proven arms to join EU defense drive. Under SAFE, Ukraine steps into the joint production with €150 billion in reach.

International

Polish PM Tusk: Counting on Russian energy supplies during war is “grave sin”. Meanwhile, Polish company Orlen cuts ties with Moscow, joining the fight for Europe’s energy freedom.

Moscow deepens reliance on its key war supplier by ramping up massive aluminum exports. As EU shuts the door, Russia floods Beijing with vital metals to keep its war machine alive.

Norwegian F-35s to join Patriot and NASAMS to fortify Poland’s crucial hub for Ukraine’s aid. As Russian spies and saboteurs lurk in the shadows of Rzeszów, Norway is stepping in with cutting-edge jets to secure the city.

“You can feel Moscow’s hand”: Russia exploits Volyn tragedy to turn Poles against Ukrainians amid war. Kyiv urges Warsaw to resist manipulation as exhumations continue and propaganda spreads.

Slovak foreign minister suggests forgiving Russia and seeking dialogue to achieve peace in Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister responded that “those who have lost no one in this war have no right to make such statements.”

Humanitarian and social impact

High blood pressure, rash of unknown origin ravages Crimean journalist in Russian jail — medical care still denied. His wife’s visit reveals the growing physical torment concealed behind prison walls.

Russian overnight drone swarms never end. Ukraine deals with fires, destruction and injured civilians. A drone attack on a vehicle service station in Kharkiv Oblast triggered a fire and left eight people wounded.

Political and legal developments

Putin shuts curtain on Russia’s reality — new law bans disclosure of war and economic data. From economic figures to mobilization plans, Russia seals off knowledge as external pressures mount.

Ukraine exits global mine ban for self-defense reasons as Russia ignores international law. Ukraine became the latest nation to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, joining Baltic states and Nordic neighbors who concluded the humanitarian treaty limits their defense options against growing Moscow threats.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

Ukraine’s new drone commander has one mission: hunt Russia’s drone crews. The head of Ukraine’s drone force has declared all-out war on Russia’s own drone teams.

Why can’t Ukraine stop Russia’s Shahed drones anymore?. The same mobile teams that hunted Shaheds last year can barely touch them now.

Military

Frontline report: Colombian fighters join Ukraine to dig Russians out of trenches in a brutal forest fight. Colombian fighters stormed a Russian trench network near Ukraine’s border, clearing bunkers with drone support, grenades, and close-quarters combat.

Russia’s bomber base goes dark after Ukraine hits power infrastructure. Infrastructure strikes multiply effectiveness beyond immediate damage.

Russia’s 1060th Logistics Center erupts in fire after Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence operation. The former 120th Arsenal goes up in smoke, as Ukrainian forces dismantle Russia’s ability to wage war.

Poland scrambles jets as Russia launches record 537-projectile attack on Ukraine. Poland’s air defenses remained on high alert until after 6 AM with no airspace violations reported.

F-16 pilot killed while repelling Russia’s most massive-yet night terror attack on Ukraine (updated). “Eternal flight, brother, you did everything you could!” the Air Force said.

Intelligence and Technology

Moscow recruits African women to produce drones in horrific conditions — investigation exposes large-scale fraud. Russia is expanding the production of drones in Tatarstan, using African and Asian women who are deceived into taking dangerous jobs in the Alabuga special economic zone.

YLE: Dubai quietly powers Putin’s planes—with help from US and European parts. Dubai-based firms smuggle Boeing and Airbus components worth €1 billion to keep Russia’s stolen aircraft fleet operational.

YLE: Russia expands factory producing bombers Ukraine just destroyed in Operation Spiderweb. New hangars won’t fix sanctions blocking Western components or workforce shortages hampering assembly lines.

International

Kremlin says it will not end war in Ukraine, even if EU imposes new round of sanctions. Peskov claims Russia won’t respond to pressure.

China may soon build large-scale facilities in Russia‑occupied Crimea. Nearly, $10 billion in Chinese capital could cement Beijing’s role in Moscow’s war machine.

Georgia denies military honors to Ukraine war volunteer in unprecedented snub. Defense Ministry silent on unprecedented departure from military tradition.

Bild: Germany’s Ukraine aid promise math doesn’t add up as € 900 million missing from actual budget. Ministry officials justify the massive shortfall by insisting European funding mechanisms, such as European Peace Facility, will save face, though they provide zero guarantees these external sources will actually deliver.

NATO allies conduct major river crossing joint exercise in Germany as Russian security threat persists. German, British, Dutch and Italian forces are constructing ferry systems to transport 1,200 soldiers and 500 units of heavy equipment across the Rhine river.

Humanitarian and Social Impact

Kyiv accuses Russia of supplying Bangladesh with wheat mixed with grain, stolen from occupied territories. The Ukrainian government plans to call on the European Union to intervene.

“Chinese citizens should know they are being lied to,” Russian POW reveals Kremlin’s foreign fighter scam. Foreign recruits promised rear positions find death in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast trenches.

Russia planned Russification of Ukrainian children after swift victory—now, it uses them to pressure Kyiv into concessions. Yale reports Russia has stolen 35,000 Ukrainian kids and forced them to sing the Russian anthem under a threat to their parents.

Read our earlier daily review here

Exclusive

Why Ukraine must bet it all on Putin’s greatest weakness—Crimea. Ukraine must focus its strategic efforts on reclaiming Crimea to exploit Putin’s most vulnerable position.

Military

Ukraine strikes Crimea again, destroys Russia’s Pantsir air defense system and helicopters
On the night of June 27–28, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) carried out a drone strike on the Kirovske military airfield in Russian-occupied Crimea.

Ukraine intercepts a mystery Russian bomb near Dnipro — officials debate if it’s Grom-1
At approximately 11:30 AM local time, a loud explosion shook the suburbs of Dnipro, a major city in central Ukraine.

Intelligence and technology

Ukraine intelligence: Russia deploys Soviet-era tanks as modern reserves dwindle amid massive losses
Russia began deploying Soviet-era T-62 tanks from the 1960s, as the country faces mounting equipment losses in its war against Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate.

Zelenskyy: Russian missiles and drones still packed with Western tech — and still killing Ukrainians
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russia continues to rely on foreign-made components, including from Western countries, to build weapons used in its war against Ukraine.

International

Bild: Germany’s Ukraine aid promise math doesn’t add up as € 900 million missing from actual budget
A nearly one billion euro gap has emerged between German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’s public promises of Ukraine military aid and the actual budget allocations approved by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s cabinet, according to Bild.

NATO allies conduct major river crossing joint exercise in Germany as Russian security threat persists
Military units from Germany, Britain, the Netherlands, and Italy successfully completed a large-scale river crossing operation on 28 June as part of ongoing joint military exercises in Germany.

German chancellor rules out direct contact with Putin as previous calls led to more strikes on civilians
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ruled out telephoning Russian President Vladimir Putin in the foreseeable future, citing a pattern of escalated attacks following diplomatic outreach attempts, according to an interview with Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Frontline report: UK patrols cut off Russian shadow tankers at Baltic chokepoints – Putin’s oil billions at risk

Humanitarian and social impact

Russian drone strike on Odesa kills teacher and husband, injures children — “We heard it coming, helpless” (updated) Two people were killed in a Russian drone attack on a residential high-rise in Odesa, local authorities confirmed.

Pope expresses sorrow for Ukrainian prisoners and victims of war. Zelenskyy asks for help to return prisoners Pope Leo XIV expressed solidarity with Ukrainian families suffering from the Russian aggression during a Vatican service, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to request papal help in bringing home Ukrainian prisoners of war and deported children.

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Exclusive

Why Ukraine must bet it all on Putin’s greatest weakness—Crimea. Ukraine’s strikes are turning Crimea from Russia’s “unsinkable aircraft carrier” into a sinking ship that could drag Putin’s regime down with it.

Russia killed her mom and little sister. Now her iPhone keeps showing them smiling.. The photo shows Mariia’s proud face after cutting her own hair.

These spiky Russian vans look like a joke—until the drones hit. What looks like a construction site mishap is actually Russia’s “porcupine van”—a spiked vehicle built to deflect Ukrainian drones on the battlefield.

Ukraine quietly won the NATO summit where everyone was waiting for drama. Ukraine got everything it realistically could from NATO — and somehow, that was enough.

Military

Watch: Ukraine’s FPV drones strike Russia’s prized S-400 air defense occupied Crimea. For the attack, Ukraine’s military intelligence unit used FPV copters, likely launched from a naval drone.

Four Su-34 warplanes reduced to ashes as Ukrainian special forces hit deep behind Russian lines again. Explosions ripped through the airfield with Russia’s most lethal bombers.

Frontline report: Ukraine set a forest trap in Sumy — a Russian battalion vanished inside. Ukrainian forces killed battalion commander Andrey Yartsev and overran his command post, forcing dozens of Russian soldiers to surrender.

Russia couldn’t win in close combat—so it set city ablaze with weapons that fuse to body and refuse to extinguish. Protocol III prohibits attacks with this substance near civilian concentrations, but that didn’t stop Moscow troops in Luhansk Oblast.

Russia concentrates 111,000 troops for breakthrough in this hottest sector of Ukraine’s front. Syrskyi warns that behind the offensive lies a political motive.

Intelligence and technology

Drone wipes out Kim Jong Un’s rocket system in Ukraine strike (video). Initially confirmed in Russian service only in April 2025, the vehicle was located and neutralized in Donetsk Oblast.

FT: Taiwan deploys Ukraine-inspired “overkill” suicide drones against China threat. Taiwan has completed combat trials of suicide drones modeled on Ukraine’s anti-tank weapons, with plans to acquire 25,000 units equipped with the same AI systems Ukrainian forces use to destroy Russian armor, the Financial Times reports.

Czech firms secretly shipped machine tools to Russia — even during war, investigation finds. Tools from top manufacturers entered Russia even in 2024, data shows, according to The Insider.

Ukrainian interceptor drone climbs to 11 km—higher than Everest and as high as airliners (video). A video released online shows it soaring above Kherson Oblast skies.

Canada may co-build weapons with Ukraine—and it could boost its economy. New partnerships could help Ukraine scale drone manufacturing while strengthening Canada’s defense economy.

International

North Korean forces may soon fight inside Ukraine, says Seoul. South Korea warns Pyongyang is preparing for deployment of forces into Ukrainian territory as early as July.

Germany passes law blocking family visas for 388,000 refugees. Germany’s parliament has approved legislation preventing families of 388,000 migrants with subsidiary protection status from entering the country, as Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt cited overstretched integration capacity in education, housing and childcare.

Pro-Palestinian activists cause $ 1.1 mn damage to Ukraine-bound military vehicles in Belgium. One hundred fifty pro-Palestinian activists stormed a Belgian military equipment facility after mistakenly believing the company was supplying weapons to Israel, according to Belgian media reports.

Ukraine has done its part for accession talks start, now it’s EU’s turn, Leyen says. Hungary alone holds up talks despite Kyiv’s compliance and Brussels’ green light.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russia targets Ukrainian air base. Ukraine downs almost all of 363 drones and 8 missiles. Four civilians were injured in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, while the death toll from the previous attack rose to 21.

Political and legal developments

America First policies threaten Russian war crimes in Ukraine documentation efforts. International organizations, collecting evidence of sexual violence and torture by the Russians in Ukraine, face losing American funding under new Trump’s White House recommendations.

“West keeps trying to bury Russia, but they will die themselves soon,” says Putin in new speech. While offering peace talks, the Kremlin leader lashes out at the West.

Putin: Russia ready for third round of peace talks despite “absolutely opposite” terms on ending war. The Russian leader also emphasized that recent massive prisoner exchanges and body returns had established a foundation for continued talks.

“Only Russia is friend of Russia,” says Russian general amid Trump’s peace efforts. Behind public praise, Russian leadership treats Trump’s peace overtures as unreliable, and continues the war with full force.

Half of Ukrainians believe country moving towards democracy, 41% – towards authoritarianism – poll shows. Trust in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy determines how Ukrainians view their country’s political direction, with 82% of his critics seeing authoritarianism compared to 76% of supporters who perceive democratic development.

Read our earlier daily review here