The $500 million Ukraine aid bill advanced in the US Senate after the Armed Services Committee approved it, according to The Hill. The package cleared its first major hurdle this week with strong bipartisan support from the Senate Armed Services Committee. The legislation adds $200 million for 2026 and extends the Pentagon’s Ukraine assistance program through 2028.

Senate committee advances long-term Ukraine support plan

The Hill reported on 11 July that the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) approved the $500 million Ukraine aid bill two days earlier as part of the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The vote passed 26–1. The bill includes a $200 million increase in Ukraine aid for 2026 and extends the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative through 2028.

NATO allies increase defense spending, EU unveils $162M rearmament plan

As part of broader coordination, NATO member states have earlier agreed to raise their defense spending to 5% of GDP — a long-standing demand from Trump. This shift comes as the European Union moves to implement a $162 million readiness initiative aimed at rearming European forces within five years.

Russia suffering heavy losses for minor gains in Ukraine as summer offensive grinds on, ISW reports. The Institute for the Study of War says Moscow is throwing troops into battle for minimal territorial returns, citing The Economist’s data.

Russia suffering heavy losses for minor gains

Russia is suffering heavy losses for minor gains, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). In its 10 July assessment, ISW said Russian forces continue to burn through manpower at “staggeringly high” rates for “disproportionately small gains.”

Since the launch of Russia’s Summer 2025 offensive on 1 May, The Economist estimated about 31,000 Russian troops have been killed. In that time, Russia gained only 0.038 square kilometers — about nine acres — for each killed soldier.

Ukrainian Presidential Office Deputy Head Pavlo Palisa said that as of 4 June, Russia was losing around 167 killed or wounded troops per square kilometer of advance — or just 1.45 acres per casualty.

Offensive pace unlikely to hold

ISW reported that Russian forces captured 498.53 square kilometers in May and 466.71 in June, averaging 15.8 square kilometers per day. The Economist found a similar daily rate — about the size of Los Angeles International Airport.

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BBC identifies 523 foreign mercenaries killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine — from 28 countries

At that pace, The Economist estimated it would take 89 years for Russia to seize all of Ukraine. Capturing the remainder of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts — which Russia illegally claims — would take until February 2028.

ISW noted the pace is unusually fast compared to earlier phases of the war but stressed it is unlikely to continue. Gains have fluctuated based on weather, terrain, and the scale of operations.

Autumn likely to slow Russia’s push

ISW said Russian advances will likely slow again as autumn rains return. Mud and poor conditions have repeatedly hindered maneuverability during earlier phases of the war.

Despite the recent surge, Russia suffering heavy losses for minor gains remains the core dynamic of this campaign. ISW’s analysis, supported by The Economist’s casualty estimates, shows a war strategy trading lives for inches.

BBC Russian Service identified names of 523 foreign mercenaries killed fighting for Russia against Ukraine, using only open-source confirmations. The outlet says those were from 28 countries and died in Ukraine during Russia’s full-scale invasion. Notably, the BBC Russian Service does not refer to them as mercenaries and follows Russian state language, labeling occupied parts of eastern Ukraine as the “self-proclaimed Donbas republics” or the “self-proclaimed DNR and LNR.”

BBC confirms deaths of over 500 foreign nationals in Russian ranks

According to a joint investigation by the BBC Russian Service and Mediazona, supported by a volunteer group, the names of 118,139 Russian military dead have been confirmed since the invasion began. Included in that figure are 523 foreign nationals who did not hold Russian citizenship at the time of enlistment.

The database relies strictly on publicly available information, including Russian official announcements, social media posts by family members, and grave photographs. It excludes Ukrainian sources and Western intelligence.

Central Asians recruited from prisons make up largest foreign group

The highest confirmed number of foreign mercenaries killed fighting for Russia came from Tajikistan (72 deaths) and Uzbekistan (66 deaths). In both cases, more than half had previously been incarcerated in Russian penal colonies. Many signed contracts with Wagner Group in exchange for sentence cancellation.

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Russia tricks Central Asian workers into Ukraine war with fake job promises

Nepalese fighters among the highest casualties outside post-Soviet states

Nepal had the highest confirmed number of indentified fighters killed. The BBC Russian Service documented 70 Nepali nationals killed fighting for Russia, with around 50 more missing. Nepalese authorities sent DNA samples to Russia to help identify the bodies.

The first known Nepali fatality was Sandip Tapalia, a 30-year-old former Gurkha who died in June 2023. He was buried in Ivanovo. 

Egyptian model’s war ends in Russian grave

One of the most publicly documented cases involves Ahmed Valed Deraz, a 25-year-old Egyptian model based in Yekaterinburg. Social media shows him living and working there since at least 2021. He last applied for modeling work in June 2023. At some point after that, he signed a military contract and was eliminated on 17 March 2024 in Ukraine.

He was one of four Egyptians confirmed dead fighting for Russia.

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Ukrainian forces capture Egyptian fighting for Russia

Sri Lankans, Americans, and Africans also among the dead

Russia also recruited from Sri Lanka, where at least 288 former soldiers joined the Russian military, according to that country’s government. Sixteen were confirmed killed. 

The list also includes individuals from Ethiopia, Zambia, the Central African Republic, Tanzania, and Togo.

Americans appear in the list as well. One of the most notable cases is Michael Gloss, son of a serving CIA deputy director, eliminated in Ukraine fighting for Russia. 

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ISW: Russia’s war effort now runs on crypto-mobilization and censored death stats

US intelligence estimates only a handful of American nationals fought for Russia. In contrast, 2,000–3,000 US citizens reportedly joined Ukrainian forces.

Ukrainians also found among Russian ranks

The BBC Russian Service listed 54 Ukrainian citizens who died fighting for Russia. These only the Ukrainian nationals, registered in the Ukrainian-controlled territory at the time the full-scale invasion began. This figure does not include individuals from the occupied territories, counted separately.

Russia’s weaker but destructive drone attack injured at least 27 civilians overnight as strikes hit Odesa, Kharkiv, Chuhuiv, and other cities overnight and in the morning of 11 July, local authorities reported. A separate Russian artillery attack on a medical facility injured at least three more people in Kherson Oblast.

Drones launched from three directions

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russian forces launched 79 drones, including Shahed explosive one-way attack drones and decoys, from Kursk, Millerovo, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk.

Air defenses reportedly shot down 44 drones, and 16 more were suppressed by electronic warfare and disappeared from radars. Nineteen reached their targets across at least eight locations. Debris also fell in three other areas, the report says.

Kharkiv: maternity ward and residential areas hit

In Kharkiv, three explosions occurred around 05:25. According to the Emergency Service, at least 11 people were injured. A dental clinic was hit, and 17 buildings were damaged, with around 200 windows shattered.

One Russian drone strike hit a maternity hospital, forcing staff to evacuate seven patients, three children, and 13 personnel. Medical director Oleksandr Kondratskyi told Suspilne everyone inside experienced severe stress. The blast shattered windows and doors, dislodged ceiling lights, and damaged medical equipment. Staff canceled a scheduled operation due to the destruction.

Chuhuiv: hospital, homes, and factory struck

In Chuhuiv, Kharkiv Oblast, explosions shook the city around 01:20. The blasts injured four people, including a 65-year-old woman. Drones destroyed two detached houses, damaged several others nearby, and heavily damaged the city hospital.

Mayor Halyna Minayeva confirmed further drone impacts on private households in another district. Six drones also struck an industrial site, causing a fire, according to Oblast head Oleh Syniehubov.

Odesa: injured civilians and dead horse after drone hits stable

In Odesa, authorities issued an air alert at 09:19. Five explosions rocked the city as drones struck residential buildings, administrative facilities, and a stable. Local officials reported that 11 civilians were injured.

A drone strike on the stable killed a mare named Kameliia and wounded another horse. At the time of the attack, five horses and four ponies were inside the building.

Sumy: woman wounded, land contaminated

Russian drones struck Sumy early in the morning, the regional authorities reported. One drone injured a 62-year-old woman while she stood in her yard; medics are currently treating her. The blasts damaged non-residential buildings on the outskirts of the city. Environmental officials reported that debris from the attack contaminated 1,190 square meters of land.

Kherson Oblast: artillery hits medical site

In Bilozerka, Russian artillery struck a medical facility, wounding three people: a 40-year-old male patient with leg injuries, a nurse born in 1978 with wounds to her legs, head, and arms, and a driver born in 1976 with hand injuries. All are receiving medical care.

Mykolaiv: explosions and fire, no casualties

Explosions were heard in Mykolaiv after 01:30 during an air raid alert. Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych and regional head Vitalii Kim confirmed multiple blasts and a fire on the city’s outskirts. No injuries were reported.

Ukraine hits four weapons factories in Tula, a regional capital next to Moscow, in a continuing effort to degrade Russia’s defense production capabilities. The drone offensive also struck other military-linked sites across Moscow Oblast, Kursk, Taganrog, Lipetsk, Orsk, and beyond, according to multiple reports. The full extent of damage is currently unknown.

Kamikaze drones strike deep into Tula’s defense industry

Four military-industrial facilities were struck in Tula and Tula Oblast overnight on 11 July, according to reporting by Russian news Telegram channel Astra. 

• Astra confirms that in Tula, drones hit the JSC Design Bureau of Instrument-Making, causing a fire in the administrative building. The same facility was previously attacked in June, when strikes damaged warehouses, a loading hangar, and a power substation — halting operations entirely at the time.
• Also in Tula, drones were shot down directly over the NPO SPLAV plant, which produces multiple launch rocket systems. 
• The fourth site struck was the Aleksinsky Experimental Mechanical Plant in Aleksin, Tula Oblast. Drone debris reportedly fell on the grounds of Workshop No. 4. The plant is involved in producing non-standard equipment for manufacturing explosives and solid propellants, and operates under the state defense-linked Techmash group.
• In addition, Astra reported that a drone hit the Azot chemical plant in Novomoskovsk, also in Tula Oblast. The facility supplies nitric acid used in producing octogen and hexogen — key components of artillery munitions. It had previously been struck in both May and June.

Ukraine struck four weapons factories in Tula overnight, targeting Russia’s defense industry deep inside its territory. Drone attacks also hit sites in Moscow Oblast, Kursk, Taganrog, Lipetsk, Orsk, and more.



TG/Exilenova+, Supernova+ – the clips show the Tula attack. pic.twitter.com/R9CKsNg6YS

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 11, 2025

Drone offensive spreads beyond Tula to Moscow Oblast and other regions

According to Astra and Ukrainian Telegram channels, Exilenova+ and Supernova+, drones also targeted several high-value military and industrial targets in other parts of Russia overnight on 11 July.

• In Dubna, Moscow Oblast, explosions were reported near the Kronstadt Group facility — a drone development site previously attacked in May. Exilenova+ claimed the site was hit again and shared video evidence from the location.
• In Lukhovitsy, also Moscow Oblast, Ukrainian Liutyi long-range drones targeted and reportedly hit the Lukhovitsky Aviation Plant, a facility belonging to the MiG aircraft corporation under Rostec. Astra reports that at least two drones impacted the compressor station on the plant’s grounds, partially collapsing one wall. The nearby Lukhovitsy fuel depot was also in the vicinity of the strike zone. 

Lukhovitsy (Moscow Oblast): Ukrainian Liutyi drones reportedly struck the Lukhovitsky Aviation Plant, part of the MiG aircraft corporation. Astra said two drones hit a compressor station, causing partial collapse of one wall.

TG/Exilenova+, Supernova+ pic.twitter.com/Fa2E386F3T

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 11, 2025

More facilities targeted across Russian territory

Further strikes were reported in multiple other oblasts:

• Kursk Oblast — Drones hit industrial sites in Belyovsky and Kurchatovsky districts. The local governor stated that fires broke out in production areas. In one case, a warehouse reportedly burned after a UAV strike. 
• Taganrog, Rostov Oblast — A UAV was allegedly neutralized near the Beriev aircraft plant. The city’s mayor claimed that debris ostensibly fell onto the factory grounds. Such wording from local officials is often a euphemistic way to report a direct hit. Supernova+ shared footage, showing Ukrainian drones flying over the area.

Taganrog, Rostov Oblast — A UAV was allegedly neutralized near the Beriev aircraft plant.

The city’s mayor claimed that debris ostensibly fell onto the factory grounds. Such wording from local officials is often a euphemistic way to report a direct hit.

Supernova+ shared… pic.twitter.com/LzwhxNcQBP

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 11, 2025

• Lipetsk Oblast — The regional head claimed a drone fell on an agricultural enterprise in Khlevensky district, causing a fire and ostensibly resulting in casualties. 
• Orsk, Orenburg Oblast — Astra and Exilenova+ report that the Orsk Mechanical Plant, a key producer of artillery shell casings and rocket system components, experienced a fire inside its paint shop. Exilenova+ says the sabotage is suspected.
• Saint Petersburg — Rosaviatsia claimed that Pulkovo airport suspended flights temporarily due to security concerns overnight on 11 July.
• In Zhukovsky, Moscow Oblast, the Russian aviation agency Rosaviatsia announced temporary flight restrictions during the night. The same agency later claimed the restrictions had been lifted as of the morning of 11 July.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed that a total of 155 drones were downed over Russian territory and occupied Crimea during the night. According to their statement, this included 13 over Tula Oblast, 11 over Moscow Oblast, and dozens across Kursk, Bryansk, Belgorod, Smolensk, and other areas. 

Update: Ukrainian military confirms some strikes

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that overnight on 11 July, Ukrainian drone units, together with other defense elements, struck two Russian military-industrial sites.

One target was the Lukhovitsky Aviation Plant in Moscow Oblast, which handles full-cycle MiG fighter jet production. Explosions were recorded at the site.

The second strike, carried out with support from Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces and the SBU, hit the Shipunov Design Bureau in Tula Oblast. The facility produces missiles for Russian air defense systems.

The General Staff said explosions, smoke, and emergency vehicle activity were observed near both targets. Damage is being assessed.

European firms stole drone secrets from a top Ukrainian manufacturer while falsely claiming their own UAVs were tested in combat, according to Skyeton CEO Roman Knyazhenko. He did not name the specific European companies allegedly involved. Skyeton’s flagship Raybird drone has flown over 350,000 combat hours, The Telegraph says. 

European drone makers accused of copying, then vanishing

In an interview with The Telegraph, Knyazhenko said some European manufacturers approached Skyeton under the pretense of cooperation. However, then they used the meetings to extract technical details and even plagiarized phrases from company materials.

“Sometimes I open presentations of other aircraft from Europe, and I see literally my own words, without any change,” he told the outlet.

He said firms conducted only a few drone flights far from the front line — such as in Lviv in western Ukraine — and still claimed their systems were “combat tested.” These misleading claims allowed them to secure government contracts worth billions, diverting funds from proven Ukrainian systems.

“They’re investing in technology that’s actually fake. In the end, you will have nothing,” Knyazhenko said, warning that the deception not only wastes money but also harms Ukraine’s war effort.

Skyeton says Raybird drones built under battlefield pressure

Skyeton, formerly focused on ultralight aircraft, now works directly with the Ukrainian army. CEO Roman Knyazhenko said roughly half the drone’s components have been replaced in recent years to enhance radar evasion and endurance. The system can reportedly fly 2,500 kilometers and stay airborne for up to 28 hours with various payloads. He added that pressure on engineers is extreme, with repairs often needed overnight to avoid leaving brigades without support.

“In peacetime, you would say a couple of weeks or a month. But right now, you have one night,” Knyazhenko said. “Because if you do not do it in one night, tomorrow the enemy will try and approach us and we will not have aircraft in the air, so we will have casualties.”

Poor foreign parts and legal limbo slow Ukrainian production

Skyeton says it had to start building more parts itself after receiving faulty imports. Knyazhenko cited one shipment of gimbal cameras where half didn’t work. Test logs showed they failed before leaving the factory, he said. The supplier denied responsibility. Legal action, Knyazhenko added, would take years — while frontline units went without equipment.

“Every day of delay will cost us millions,” Knyazhenko said, noting Skyeton’s strict government contracts and the constant demand from Ukrainian brigades.

Rapid evolution defines Ukraine’s drone edge

Skyeton says it constantly refines its drones for real combat conditions. Engineers, it claims, adjusted launch systems and designed UAVs that can take off from puddles within minutes. Knyazhenko said key technologies may become obsolete in two weeks.

“Three years here feels like 20 years in peace time,” he said.

He warned that visiting a Ukrainian factory doesn’t mean firms can replicate the work. “It’s the same story as building a BMW from scratch. It takes years,” he said.

In Foreign Affairs, former Biden officials Jon Finer and David Shimer said most countries — including the US — now lag behind Ukraine in drone warfare. Knyazhenko added that instead of rebuilding systems like the Raybird, Western countries should simply fund Ukrainian production abroad.

Ukraine is preparing to defend against Russia’s 1000 daily drones by mass-producing interceptor drones. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the technology is already proven—and now Kyiv is calling on international partners to help scale it up.

Russia plans mass drone attacks to destabilize Ukraine

During a press conference in Rome on 10 July, President Zelenskyy confirmed that Russia plans to launch 700 to 1,000 drones per day in an effort to pressure Ukrainian cities and exhaust the country’s defenses.

“They want to destabilize our society through long-lasting air raids,” Zelenskyy warned.

The President added that Ukraine “will respond,” stating:

“We will shoot down everything.”

Ukraine already has the tech—but needs the money

Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine’s scientists and engineers have developed effective interceptor drones capable of countering the Iranian-designed Shahed drones commonly used by Russia.

“We have found a solution as a country,” Zelenskyy said. “Scientists and engineers have found a solution. This is the key. We need finances. And we will raise it.”

The President emphasized that with adequate funding, Ukraine could mass-produce these drones and deploy them across the front.

Interceptors show better results than “Shahed cowboys”

Recently, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, reported that the new interceptor drones already demonstrate a 70% success rate—nearly double the effectiveness of mobile fire teams.

However, Syrskyi noted that the interceptors still lack radar systems, and consistency is not yet guaranteed. Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces stated the drones show good results, but “it is too early to talk about consistency.”

Unmanned Systems Commander Robert “Magyar” Brovdi recently cautioned about Russia’s 1000 daily drones in the near future: he said, Moscow may soon be capable of deploying more than 1,000 Shaheds per day. 

Trump plans to send Ukraine weapons through NATO, according to three sources familiar with internal discussions who spoke to Axios. The proposed route would involve selling arms to NATO allies, who would then pass them on to Ukraine.

NATO route to Ukraine weapons discussed, Trump confirms intent

Axios reports that President Trump is actively planning to sell weapons to NATO countries with the understanding that those allies will transfer the arms to Ukraine. The proposal has already been discussed with European partners and Ukraine, according to two sources familiar with those discussions.

In an interview with NBC News, Trump “seemed to confirm” the plan, Axios says:

“So what we’re doing is the weapons that are going out are going to NATO, and then NATO is going to be giving those weapons [to Ukraine], and NATO is paying for those weapons,” he said.

Despite this, two administration officials told Axios that the United States is not directly arming Ukraine. One official stated,

“POTUS is sending defensive weapons to NATO. NATO can decide what to do with it. We’re not sending weapons to Ukraine.”

Allies consulted, offensive weapons not ruled out

Axios reports that the scheme was discussed at the recent NATO summit. The discussions included both Ukrainian and European officials. One source told Axios that the sales could go beyond air defense systems and include offensive weapons as well.

A senior European official confirmed to Axios that their government had been involved in conversations about the plan. However, that official noted that no final decision or implementation timeline had been agreed upon.

Trump emphasizes NATO responsibility and payment

Trump presented the arrangement as one in which NATO assumes both operational and financial responsibility. “NATO is paying for those weapons,” Trump told NBC, underlining that the United States is not directly providing aid.

An official told Axios that while Trump continues to oppose direct arms packages to Ukraine, he is pursuing this route through NATO. The goal appears to be enabling Ukraine to receive weapons without direct US involvement.

Trump’s earlier Ukraine policy and shifting stance

Earlier, the Trump administration halted deliveries of certain weapons that had been approved under former President Joe Biden. Some of those shipments later resumed.

Trump previously allowed some existing Biden-era arms shipments to proceed, but had not approved any new aid packages since taking office. Reuters says he plans to approve his own first shipments using his presidential drawdown powers.

Trump activates drawdown powers for the first time in his current term to approve Ukraine military aid, according to Reuters. The $300 million package may reportedly include Patriot missile systems and guided rockets—probably, GMLRS for HIMARS systems.

Trump may be activating drawdown powers to send $300 million in arms from existing US stockpiles

Two sources familiar with the decision told Reuters the aid would come from US weapons already in storage. The package is expected to be pulled from Pentagon stockpiles using Presidential Drawdown Authority. One of the sources said a final decision on the equipment could be made at a meeting on “Thursday.”

The reported $300 million in aid may include defensive Patriot missile interceptors and offensive medium-range rockets. However, “a decision on the exact equipment has not been made,” according to a source. According to Reuters, the equipment is likely to be delivered quickly because the systems are already staged in Europe.

Reuters said the Pentagon and the White House declined to comment when asked about the plans.

First planned direct aid under Trump since return to office

By now, the Trump administration has only “approved”—or, more accurately, did not block—deliveries authorized under Biden.

If finalized, it would be the first time Trump activates drawdown powers to directly send weapons to Ukraine, Reuters notes. The use of authority may show a shift in Trump’s Ukraine policy.

Presidential Drawdown Authority allows the president to transfer weapons quickly from US stocks, bypassing the need for new legislation.

Britain is ready to send troops to Ukraine, UK Defense Secretary John Healey confirmed, as part of a “Coalition of the Willing” proposed international effort to keep the peace in Ukraine. While no peace agreement exists and does not seem reachable in the near future, the UK government says it stands prepared to help reenforce a ceasefire.

Healey confirms UK would send troops

Speaking to Times Radio, John Healey was asked whether sending troops to Ukraine was still on the table.

“Yes,” he replied. “The prime minister has always been clear that he’s ready to put troops into Ukraine to help reinforce a ceasefire.”

As Express reports, this would place British soldiers in Ukraine as part of a coalition peacekeeping mission. France and the UK are expected to provide the core of the force, but support from the United States would also be required. 

“There had been reports that the UK had abandoned plans to send a peace-keeping force… but the Defence Secretary’s comments show the idea has not been abandoned,” Express wrote.

The development comes amid broader defense coordination between London and Paris, focused on strengthening European responses to future threats.

UK and France deepen defense ties with new military commitments

French President Emmanuel Macron is in the UK on a state visit, meeting Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer as part of the 37th Franco-British summit held at Downing Street. According to Defense Secretary John Healey, the summit is the first with a European ally since Brexit and reflects efforts to rebuild strategic defense ties.

The UK and France will create a joint rapid deployment force of 50,000 troops to defend Europe and respond to “extreme threats.” Plans include closer coordination on nuclear deterrence, military exercises, and operational readiness. 

The two countries will also order more Storm Shadow missiles and begin developing a successor to the long-range weapon, which has been supplied to Ukraine, Express says.

Russia’s Gerbera drone crash in Lithuania occurred after the object entered from Belarus and fell near the Šumskas checkpoint. According to Delfi, it resembled the type of UAV Russia uses in its war against Ukraine.

Lithuanian military tracked object from Belarus before crash

On 10 July, around 11:30, Lithuanian Armed Forces detected an object approaching from the direction of Belarus. In a Facebook post, the Armed Forces said the Air Force activated NATO fighter jets already in the air by switching them from training to mission mode.

Shortly after detection, the object fell to the ground. The mission was canceled. Military units notified the State Border Guard Service (VSAT), and troops were sent to the crash site.

The Lithuanian military said the object appeared homemade and posed no danger.

Drone crashed near closed Šumskas checkpoint

Delfi, citing border guards, reported the drone crashed approximately one kilometer from the Belarusian border, close to the closed Šumskas checkpoint in Vilnius District Municipality.

BNS initially reported the object as a Shahed 136 drone — an Iranian-designed craft carrying 50 kg of TNT, which Russia widely uses to target Ukrainian cities. However, that was later corrected. A VSAT representative confirmed it resembled a homemade UAV.

Giedrius Mišutis, spokesperson for VSAT, stated the drone was first detected by the Kenna outpost.

“It appears to be a homemade UAV,” Mišutis said. “There is no indication the object carried any cargo.”

The object was reportedly made of plywood and foam. Officials said it posed no threat.

Mišutis also noted that VSAT had not recently observed smuggling activity involving drones, balloons, or improvised aircraft.

Defense Express: Lithuania failed to identify or down the drone

The Ukrainian outlet Defense Express criticized Lithuania not only for failing to intercept the drone, but for failing to identify it altogether. The publication emphasized that the deeper issue lies in the lack of basic knowledge about Russian drone types.

“The real problem,” the outlet noted, “is that they don’t know what even Ukrainian children consider common knowledge.”

Germany is ready to buy US Patriots for Ukraine if Washington gives the green light, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on 10 July. The statement comes as Ukraine’s air defense capacity weakens under escalating Russian air strikes and limited US support.

Merz says Berlin will fund more Patriots for Ukraine

Germany is ready to buy US Patriots and deliver them to Ukraine, Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed during a press briefing in Rome, Reuters reported.

“We are also prepared to purchase additional Patriot systems from the US to make them available to Ukraine,” Merz stated.

He said he raised the matter directly with US President Donald Trump last week. According to Merz, the United States holds sufficient reserves of the systems.

“The Americans need some of them themselves, but they also have a lot of them,” he said, noting that a delivery decision had not yet been finalized.

The Patriot system—short for Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target—is among the most advanced US air defense platforms. Built by Raytheon Technologies, the theater-wide surface-to-air missile system is designed to counter aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones.

Ukraine uses its Patriot systems to intercept Russia’s ballistic missiles, the fastest munitions in the Russian arsenal.

Trump earlier offered 10 Patriot missiles. Those are enough for one battle at most 

On 8 July, Axios reported that Trump promised to immediately send 10 Patriot missiles to Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal added that Trump is considering delivering an entire Patriot system. 

Ukraine’s military, however, voiced skepticism. Speaking to The Times on 9 July, an unnamed senior Ukrainian Air Force officer—Ukraine’s air defenses report to AF—noted:

“If they actually send us ten [missiles], it will be nothing more than a bad joke,” he said, according to NV. “That’s not enough for even one battle.”

Axios also reported that Trump is pressuring Germany to transfer one of its Patriot batteries to Ukraine, adding further political complexity to Merz’s initiative.

Earlier statements from German officials noted “intensive talks” with the United States regarding Patriot system transfers.

Trump’s erratic weapons policy leaves Ukraine fighting both Russia and mounting uncertainty from Washington, The Atlantic reports. Ukrainian officials told the Atlantic that they are constantly reworking their battlefield strategies due to unpredictable US aid. One senior official compared the process to roulette and said he would bet on zero.

Sudden shifts in US support disrupt Ukraine’s defenses

Military planners said that each pause or reversal forces Ukraine to move units, adjust targets, or cancel operations altogether. When Patriot missile deliveries stalled, Ukraine had to shift air defense systems from other zones.

Josh Paul, a former State Department official, told the Atlantic that such changes pull resources from critical missions. 

Trump’s erratic weapons policy also affects repairs and logistics

According to the Atlantic, delays don’t only affect new weapons. They also impact spare parts, replacements, and technical support. Even one short-term halt can stop Ukraine from fixing damaged systems in time.

Transporting US weapons to the front line requires weeks of planning. Without predictability, Kyiv cannot coordinate operations or logistics.

Ukraine no longer trusts political promises alone

The Atlantic reports that Trump’s approach echoes his first term, when he froze military aid while pressing Zelenskyy for political help. That episode led to his impeachment.

This time, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth paused deliveries without White House coordination. When asked who made the decision, Trump replied, “I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?”

After a call with Zelenskyy, Trump said the weapons would resume. But there were no guarantees of future support. Ukrainian officials are now preparing for more delays, no matter what Washington says.

No new aid authorized under Trump administration

Future supplies will depend on defense contracts with US companies. These systems may take years to arrive. For now, Ukraine is ramping up production with European partners and expanding its own capabilities.

Zelenskyy said political decisions are in place. But he added that they must now be implemented fast—to protect lives and positions.

France says Storm Shadow missile production at MBDA’s UK site restarts this year. The long-range air-launched missile has been actively used by Ukraine in strikes against Russian targets. 

SCALP/Storm Shadow production to resume in 2025 after long pause

France is restarting production of the Storm Shadow missile—known in France as SCALP EG—in partnership with the United Kingdom. French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that manufacturing will resume in 2025, 15 years after the last order. The missiles will be produced at MBDA’s facility in Stevenage, England.

Lecornu made the statement during a visit to the UK site alongside his British counterpart, John Healey on 9 July.

“Supplied to Ukraine, the Franco-British SCALP/Storm Shadow missile has demonstrated its effectiveness in modern high-intensity combat, in decisive situations,” he said.

The SCALP/Storm Shadow has played a prominent role in Ukraine’s defense against Russia, striking hardened targets far behind the front line.

MBDA reactivates line for joint missile project

The missile is manufactured by MBDA, a joint venture of France, the UK, Italy, and Germany. 

France’s Senate had outlined plans to order new munitions, including SCALP missiles, in December 2024.

Air-launched weapon designed to hit fortified targets

SCALP/Storm Shadow is a long-range air-launched cruise missile designed for deep strikes against heavily defended and fixed targets such as command bunkers. The missile weighs up to 1,300 kg, including a 450 kg warhead, and measures 5.1 meters in length.

The export version has a declared range of over 250 km, while domestic variants used by France and the UK can reach up to 560 km. The French and British models differ slightly in software and aircraft compatibility, but are otherwise identical.

US weapons shipments to Ukraine have resumed, with deliveries now confirmed by the Associated Press and the New York Post sources to include precision-guided GMLRS rockets and 155 mm artillery shells. This marks the first clear confirmation of resumed aid content since the Pentagon quietly paused certain deliveries weeks ago.

Guided rockets and artillery shells confirmed in resumed deliveries

The Associated Press and the New York Post report that the United States is once again sending GMLRS munitions for HIMARS launchers and 155 mm howitzer rounds to Ukraine. According to two American officials who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity, the deliveries are already underway. Some shipments had reportedly reached Poland before the initial halt took effect.

These specific munitions were not publicly confirmed until now. Though the Trump administration announced on 7 July that deliveries would resume, neither the Pentagon nor the White House initially revealed what would be included in the new packages.

Pentagon’s pause drew internal backlash

The pause was first implemented last week by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, reportedly to reassess US military stockpiles. The move caught other branches of the administration off guard, including the State Department and White House, according to AP.

President Donald Trump later addressed the issue directly, expressing frustration.

“I will be the first to know. In fact, most likely I’d give the order, but I haven’t done that yet,” he said. Asked who ordered the pause, Trump replied: “I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?”

A White House official, also speaking anonymously, claimed there was never an official “pause,” only a review to ensure alignment with US defense strategy.

• The Pentagon halted the weapon supplies to Ukraine earlier due to concerns over the depletion of American munitions stockpiles. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly ordered the halt.
• In response, 17 members of Congress and the Senate called on Defense Secretary Hegseth to fully resume all weapons deliveries to Ukraine.
• On 7 July, the Pentagon announced that President Trump had directed a resumption of deliveries, though specifics were not provided until this week.

Russia’s drone strikes target Ukrainian morale more than military assets, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports. Moscow now prioritizes psychological pressure over battlefield gain, using massive drone swarms and targeted civilian damage.

Russia turns drone swarms into tools of psychological warfare to degrade morale

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in its 9 July report:

“The continued increase in the size of strike packages is likely intended to support Russian efforts to degrade Ukrainian morale in the face of constant Russian aggression.”

Colonel Yurii Ihnat of the Ukrainian Air Force said Moscow launched over 400 decoy drones in one attack on 9 July, which included 728 UAVs and 13 missiles. The decoy drones also carried warheads, creating not just confusion but real explosions on Ukrainian soil.

ISW notes that this tactic intends to overwhelm air defenses and emotionally exhaust Ukraine’s population. Modified drones now cause wider damage across larger areas, increasing the psychological burden on civilians.

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NYT: Putin believes Ukraine’s collapse is near — and he’s acting like it

Ukrainian forces face constant drone waves, many with no clear military objective.

“ISW assessed in previous years that Russia has used strike packages targeting civilian areas to generate a morale effect in Ukraine, as seems to be the case with the most recent strikes,” the think tank wrote.

Ukraine says enlistment offices are under attack to block mobilization

Colonel Vitaly Sarantsev of the Ukrainian Ground Forces told the Washington Post that Russia now targets enlistment offices. These strikes aim to scare people away from joining the military. Sarantsev added that Moscow wants to make Ukrainians believe recruitment is dangerous.

Russia may escalate drone strategy further

The New York Times reported on 9 July that Russia may soon launch over 1,000 drones in a single strike. Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces Commander Major Robert Brovdi warned about the same possibility.

Electronic warfare expert Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov said Russia already increased Shahed production sevenfold. He expects up to 800 drones per strike soon.

ISW previously reported that Russia has expanded long-range drone production. Some production lines reportedly involve Chinese companies manufacturing “Geran-2 drones (the Russian-made analogue of the Iranian-origin Shahed-136 drones)” drones.

Russian President Vladimir Putin believes Ukraine’s collapse is near, according to The New York Times. The paper reports that this belief is driving a sharp escalation in Russia’s war. Despite multiple calls with US President Donald Trump, the Kremlin continues to press forward. Russian insiders told NYT that Moscow expects Ukraine’s defenses to fall and sees no reason to compromise.

Putin rejects any pause, believing Ukraine’s collapse is near

Two people close to the Kremlin told NYT that Putin expects Ukraine’s front lines to fail within months. They said the Russian president views any halt in fighting as unacceptable unless Ukraine agrees to sweeping concessions.

“He will not sacrifice his goals in Ukraine for the sake of improving relations with Trump,” said Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.

Putin believes he sees momentum on the battlefield and believes time favors Moscow. He continues to press for Ukrainian capitulation rather than any negotiated freeze of his was in Ukraine.

Trump’s personal diplomacy fails to slow Moscow’s offensive

Since February, Trump has spoken with Putin by phone six times. Russia and Ukraine also held two rounds of direct talks in Istanbul.

On 9 July 2025, Trump voiced his anger:

“We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin,” he told reporters. “He’s very nice to us all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.”

Despite the breakdown, Putin continued to praise Trump. At a 27 June press conference in Belarus, he called him “a courageous man.” Referring to Trump’s frustration, Putin added:

“That’s how it is. Real life is always more complicated than the idea of it.”

Putin reiterates goals: NATO rollback, Ukraine neutrality, legal changes

The Kremlin’s war aims now go far beyond territorial control. Putin demands that NATO halt eastward expansion and remove infrastructure from Eastern Europe. He also wants Ukraine to adopt a neutral status and reduce the size of its military. Another key demand: alleged protection for the Russian language in Ukrainian law.

Most significantly, Putin insists Ukraine withdraw all forces from its territory claimed by Russia. That condition continues to block any potential cease-fire.

Kremlin sees no value in compromise — yet

For Putin, the re-opening of direct contact with Trump marked a diplomatic breakthrough after years of Biden-era isolation.

Still, the Kremlin is frustrated that Trump refuses to separate peace in Ukraine from broader US-Russia ties. That approach has stalled Moscow’s hopes of striking a deal quickly, NYT says.

Last night’s Russian missile and drone strike on Kyiv killed two women — a 22-year-old female police officer and a 68-year-old resident — and left more than a dozen others injured. Explosions rocked the Ukrainian capital for nearly 10 hours overnight on 10 July, damaging homes, schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure across at least eight city districts.

Two women killed as Kyiv comes under one of its longest assaults this month

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko confirmed that both fatalities occurred in Kyiv’s Podilskyi district. The victims were a 22-year-old corporal with the metro police and a 68-year-old civilian woman. Klymenko said more than a dozen people were injured and warned the number would grow, while Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko reported by 7:50 a.m. that the total had reached 16. Emergency crews continued door-to-door checks in affected neighborhoods to locate anyone needing help.

The Kyiv City Military Administration and Klymenko (KMVA) reported that the strike damaged residential, medical, educational, transport, and commercial facilities. Fires broke out in several locations, prompting a large-scale emergency response. Around 400 rescue personnel and 90 units of firefighting, engineering, and robotic equipment were deployed, including climbing and bomb disposal teams.

People watch a residential building burn after a Russian attack in Kyiv on 10 July 2025. Photo: Suspilne News / Ivan Antypenko

Civilian injuries and widespread damage reported across city districts

Air raid sirens began in Kyiv shortly after midnight as Ukrainian airspace monitoring channels tracked incoming drones from multiple directions. Soon after, Kyiv authorities issued alerts about ballistic missile threats from Russian territory. Explosions followed within minutes. KMVA confirmed active air defense operations, but several drones and missiles made it through.

The KMVA and Klitschko reported damage in Shevchenkivskyi, Darnytskyi, Solomianskyi, Podilskyi, Obolonskyi, Holosiivskyi, and other districts.

In Shevchenkivskyi, drone debris ignited a fire on the upper floor of a residential building and damaged rooftops, facades, and interiors. A drone also hit a roof near a gas station and another home nearby. Three residents were injured there: an 86-year-old woman with acute stress reaction, a 45-year-old man with multiple injuries, and a 59-year-old man with a cut foot and closed chest trauma.

Rescuers and emergency crews respond after Russian strikes in Kyiv on 10 July 2025.
Photo: Suspilne

In Darnytskyi, falling debris caused fires in garages and a gas station. Drone fragments also landed in the courtyard of a residential building.

Solomianskyi district saw strikes on non-residential buildings and rooftops catching fire at two separate addresses. In Obolonskyi, suspected drone debris also fell. In Holosiivskyi, a drone strike set a cargo truck on fire.

Kyiv Oblast also hit in overnight attack

Kyiv Oblast also came under fire during the same Russian missile and drone strike. Head of the Oblast Military Administration Mykola Kalashnyk reported nearly 10 hours of continuous air assault on 10 July. Four districts — Boryspilskyi, Brovarskyi, Obukhivskyi, and Vyshhorodskyi — sustained damage.

In Brovarskyi, private homes and outbuildings had windows shattered, doors broken, and facades torn by shrapnel. One private home caught fire but was extinguished. Two vehicles were also damaged.

Vyshhorodskyi saw a garage fire, while in Obukhivskyi and Boryspilskyi several private homes were damaged. A 51-year-old man was injured in Obukhivskyi and hospitalized.

Kalashnyk warned that the total number of damaged structures could still rise as assessments continue.

The flight paths of the Russian air assets plotten by the Ukrainian airspace monitoring channels show that the

Flight paths of Russian Shahed drones and missiles targeting Ukraine on 10 July 2025. Source: Telegram/mon1tor_ua, monitorwarr

Russian missiles and most drones targeted Kyiv, with some hitting Poltava, and several more cruising across western Ukraine to trigger air raid alerts there too.

Poltava Oblast: drones downed, buildings damaged

The Poltava Oblast Military Administration reported drone attacks on the night of 10 July. Most were intercepted by air defenses, but some reached the Hlobyne community, where a residential building and an outbuilding were damaged. No injuries were reported.

Separately, a forest fire broke out in Velykobudyshchanska community. The cause is under investigation. Over 150 households temporarily lost electricity. Emergency crews began restoring the grid early Wednesday.

Update: Ukraine downs 178 out of 415 Russian aerial weapons in overnight Kyiv-focused attack

Overnight on 10 July, Russian forces launched 415 aerial attack assets toward Ukraine, primarily targeting Kyiv, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.

The strike package included 397 drones, approximately 200 of them Shahed-type, launched from Bryansk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Kursk, Oryol, and Millerovo. Of those, 164 Shahed drones were shot down, while 204 more were suppressed or lost from radar by electronic warfare.

Alongside the drone swarm, Russia launched:

• 8 Iskander-M ballistic missiles from Bryansk Oblast — all 8 were intercepted,
• 6 Kh-101 cruise missiles from Saratov Oblast airspace — all 6 shot down,
• 4 S-300 missiles from Kursk Oblast — no interception data provided.

“Impacts from enemy aerial attack assets were recorded at 8 locations (33 strike UAVs), and debris from downed drones fell in 23 locations,” the Air Force wrote.

Ukrainian drones seized a Russian fortified position and captured prisoners-of-war in Kharkiv Oblast. The 3rd Assault Brigade calls it the first battlefield capitulation to robotic platforms. Ukrainian infantry didn’t engage in combat. They entered only after Russian forces surrendered, and the treeline was clear.

Ukrainian drones seize fortified position, force surrender

On 9 July, Ukraine’s 3rd Separate Assault Brigade announced that its drone and ground robot operators forced Russian troops to surrender in Kharkiv Oblast — without any infantry engagement or Ukrainian losses.

According to the Brigade, the robotic strike involved both an FPV drone and a kamikaze ground drone carrying three antitank mines — a total of 21-22.5 kg of TNT. The FPV and the first ground drone’s blast hit a dugout entrance in the Russian position. As another land robot moved in for a second strike, two surviving Russian soldiers waved a cardboard sign reading “We want to surrender” in Russian.

“The explosion with the three antitank mines — that was a very powerful blast. The dugout wasn’t fully destroyed, so we got the order to hit it again. We moved in, and they realized we were going to blow it up again. […] ..and they very quickly put the sign out,” one of the Ukrainian soldiers said.

Drone footage shows moment of surrender and remote-led capture

The 3rd Assault Brigade’s Telegram post includes a video file timestamped 8 July, featuring aerial footage of the engagement and the enemy’s surrender. Additionally, Ukrainian drone operators narrate the footage and recount the operation. However, the exact date of the robotic engagement itself is not explicitly stated.

The video shows an aerial FPV drone strike, a powerful explosion of an “NRK”—a remotely controlled “ground robotic complex”—at the entrance to the dugout, and the Russian soldiers displaying the sign.

As recounted by the NC13 unit of the DEUS EX MACHINA drone company, a small reconnaissance UAV was used to guide the surrendering soldiers safely to Ukrainian lines.

“Then the major flew down the Mavic (a Chinese drone, widely used for reconnaissance by both sides, – Ed.), we showed them with the drone — like, come here. [..] They followed the Mavic precisely and lay down in the ‘dolphin pose’ on the ground,” the military said.

After the Russian surrender, Ukrainian infantry moved in quickly and secured the position. The brigade noted that previous Ukrainian attempts to storm the area had failed. This time, however, the assault team held back while drones led the operation.

Ukrainian drones seize fortified position in 15 minutes without a shot

Once the Russian troops were taken prisoner, the planned infantry clearing operation began — but was largely symbolic. The drone operator noted in the interview:

“A clearing operation was planned there — we were supposed to carry out the strike, and they were supposed to clear the area. But it turned out that… that unit took over the dugout’s treeline in just 15 minutes. The entire strip was already ours — literally, and without any losses. You could say, not a single shot was fired.”

He said the drone-led engagement proved that robotic platforms “make operations significantly easier.” In some cases, they “even free the infantry from the task entirely.”

“Our example proved that with robotic platforms, it’s possible not only to storm positions but also to take prisoners,” another drone operator emphasized.

Pentagon paused Ukraine aid without White House or key officials informed

According to five sources cited by CNN, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth halted critical military aid shipments to Ukraine last week without notifying President Trump or key national security officials. The decision was made without briefing the White House, the State Department, or even Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, Ret. Gen. Keith Kellogg.

The freeze was the second time Hegseth had paused Ukraine-bound weapons this year without proper coordination. The first instance occurred in February and was quickly reversed. This time, the White House had to scramble to cover for a decision it had not authorized.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as Trump’s national security adviser, learned about the halt only after press reports broke the story, CNN reports.

Trump distances himself from the pause and orders aid to resume

During a Cabinet meeting, President Trump denied any involvement in the sudden stop to US military assistance. When asked if he had authorized the move, he responded,

“I don’t know, why don’t you tell me?”

Explore further

WSJ: Trump blames Pentagon, not himself, for Ukraine weapons pause

The US president later announced that Ukraine would continue to receive defensive weapons. Trump’s decision to restart the aid included directing the Pentagon to resume shipments of Patriot interceptor missiles, which had already been staged in Poland and were ready for rapid transfer to Kyiv.

A senior administration official told CNN that the weapons had been allocated by the previous administration and were already en route before the pause.

Pentagon’s chain of approval

The uncoordinated pause reportedly stemmed from a chain of internal decisions within the Department of Defense. Hegseth acted after receiving recommendations from Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, a long-standing critic of large-scale US military aid to Ukraine.

“All five sources” CNN spoke with confirmed that Colby, citing concerns over US stockpile levels, advised halting the aid to prioritize other global defense needs. Colby had previously posted on X that “a Europe first policy is not what America needs in this exceptionally dangerous time.”

Colby passed his recommendation to Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg, who approved the move based on his own doubts about the defense industry’s ability to replenish US munitions fast enough. Hegseth then signed off, believing it aligned with Trump’s “America First” stance.

Explore further

Trump sends just ten Patriot missiles to Kyiv, while Ukraine needs hundreds, and other weapons remain in limbo

Congress not briefed—no evidence of urgent stockpile shortages

Lawmakers received no warning about the shipment freeze. According to CNN, Pentagon officials told congressional staff that the pause was due to concerns over US munitions levels. Yet, two sources familiar with those briefings said Congress had not been presented with any credible data showing a critical shortage that would justify the sudden halt.

The currently Baptist-led church council in Kyiv says real peace is impossible without denouncing Russia’s crimes. In a joint appeal, Ukraine’s top religious leaders warn that silence enables atrocities and emboldens aggression far beyond the battlefield.

Churches denounce Russia’s war as evil and imperialist

Ukraine’s Church Council — officially the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (AUCCRO) — issued a public appeal on 8 July 2025, calling on believers around the world to respond to the deepening spiritual and humanitarian catastrophe caused by Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.

AUCCRO described the invasion as “imperialist in nature,” citing widespread suffering: devastated cities and homes, mass displacement, family separations, abductions of Ukrainian children, and systemic violations of rights.

The statement stressed that the situation has become even more intolerable in recent months, as Russia’s military increasingly targets peaceful towns and villages far from the front.

“The powerful of this world avert their eyes,” the Council said, while the ideology behind these crimes — the so-called “Russian world” — continues unchecked.

Statement answers Russian propaganda amplified in the US

This statement also responds directly to Russian propaganda narratives, falsely claiming Ukraine has banned Christianity or Orthodoxy. These narratives have been amplified by some US Republicans and far right public figures, who portray Russia as a Christian power and Ukraine as hostile to religion.

As detailed by Euromaidan Press earlier, the law does not automatically ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP). Instead, it prohibits religious organizations found to be subordinated to Russian structures, specifically the Russian Orthodox Church. The State Service for Ethnopolitics (DESS) will review UOC MP parish statutes and give those linked to Moscow nine months to cut ties.

Importantly, the UOC MP is not even the largest Orthodox denomination in Ukraine. That role belongs to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), an autocephalous church recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Ukraine is also home to Greek and Roman Catholic churches, as well as a wide variety of Protestant communities.

AUCCRO itself includes members from all of these denominations, including the UOC MP — clearly refuting the Russian narrative — and from major non-Christian religious organizations.

Spiritual battle for dignity and justice

AUCCRO warned that Russia’s war is not only military, but moral and spiritual.

“Peace is not the absence of war,” the statement reads, “but the restoration of justice, dignity, and the right to self-determination.”

The clergy insist that only by naming and resisting evil can real peace be achieved. Any silence, they warned, only rewards atrocity and encourages further aggression.

The Council appealed to believers in democratic countries and all people of goodwill to “raise a united voice for truth and justice,” using every available means to help end the war and ensure accountability for Russia’s crimes.

Council now led by Evangelical Baptist head

The Baptist-led council in Kyiv is currently chaired by Valerii Antoniiuk, head of the All-Ukrainian Union of Churches of Evangelical Christians-Baptists.

The statement ends with a call for solidarity and faith in action:

“Let our joint prayers and actions become a powerful sign of solidarity of humanity against the evil that threatens the spiritual and moral foundations of civilization.”

Russian crude continues flowing into the EU through Hungary, despite sanctions, via a covert trade network. An investigation by the Russian investigative outlet Important Stories (IStories) into Kremlin oil deals with Orbán allies uncovers how a shadowy firm helped channel over $10 billion in oil from Putin-linked circles to Hungary’s ruling elite.

Russian oil deals with Orbán allies exposed

IStories traced the vast post-2014 oil trade into the EU to Normeston Trading, a mysterious company registered in Belize and operated through Cyprus. The firm sold over 20 million tons of Russian oil to Eastern Europe between 2011 and 2023 — with about 2 million tons in 2023 alone, including over 1 million tons delivered to Hungary.

At the core of the operation is a network of business and political links stretching from the Kremlin to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s closest allies. The firm’s Russian side was connected to former top executives of sanctioned billionaire Gennady Timchenko, while its Hungarian ownership includes friends and business partners of Orbán.

A race car driver becomes a $10 billion oil trader

In 2014, the Slovak antimonopoly authority publicly named Normeston’s owners: Russian national Lev Tolkachev and Hungarian consultant Imre Fazakas. Tolkachev, a former Lukoil employee and amateur race car driver, officially held the stake at the time. He also managed a mid-sized auto business in Tver and founded the Rumos Racing team in Russia.

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

Tolkachev’s profile stood in sharp contrast to the scale of Normeston’s operations. A former Russian official told IStories:

“In Russia under no circumstances could a race car driver, even if he’s a former oil company employee, be the real owner of an oil trading business with contracts worth billions of dollars.”

Tolkachev’s companies were also connected through shared control in 2017–2018 to those owned by Sergey Gzhelyak, a top executive for Timchenko. Another Timchenko associate, Aleksandr Zhuravlev, still sits on boards with Tolkachev in Normeston-linked firms.

Subbotin re-emerges in the oil trade from Monaco

After Tolkachev, another figure took control: Valery Subbotin, former Lukoil vice president and head of Litasco, its trading arm. Subbotin fled Russia in 2016, settling in Europe and acquiring Cypriot citizenship. In 2023, his Valna Holding Cyprus obtained a 49.9% stake in Normeston.

Subbotin had fallen out with Igor Sechin’s Rosneft during its 2016 takeover of Bashneft. According to Forbes Russia, Subbotin’s contracts were canceled, and he left under pressure. However, IStories found that even in exile, Subbotin maintained ties with Putin’s business circle and associates of former pro-Kremlin fugitive Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych.

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

In 2023, Normeston won a Czech tender worth over $45 million — a deal Czech media linked to Subbotin. His family owns a heavily fortified villa on the French Riviera, where security measures led one witness to mistake it for Sechin’s residence.

Normeston’s deliveries grew with each wave of sanctions

Ironically, EU sanctions boosted Normeston’s activity. In 2014, after Crimea’s invasion and annexation by Russia, the company’s oil exports via Druzhba increased fivefold. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, shipments jumped tenfold. The trader avoided sanctions, largely because it did not buy oil directly from blacklisted firms like Lukoil.

In 2024, Ukraine sanctioned Lukoil, halting its pipeline shipments. But Hungary’s MOL stepped in to purchase the same Russian oil at the Belarus–Ukraine border and continued the deliveries under its own name. According to IStories, Lukoil previously accounted for over 40% of Druzhba’s flow.

Throughout, Normeston remained active. Its Moscow office operates from a building housing firms linked to OTP Bank, headed by Orbán ally Sándor Csányi, and associated with György Nagy — another key Hungarian figure tied to the oil trade.

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Orbán’s allies profit from gas trade too

In 2009, Hungarian oil and gas company MOL sold 50% of its gas trader MET to Normeston. Just two years later, that stake was transferred to Orbán’s associates — István Garancsi and György Nagy. MET quickly grew into a giant, operating in 17 countries with nearly €18 billion in annual turnover.

Anti-corruption researchers in Hungary described the deal as one of the most “critical episodes in the country’s economic history.” According to reports cited by IStories, the MET owners earned over $200 million in a single year by purchasing cheap spot gas and selling it domestically — all with Kremlin knowledge and apparent approval.

A source from within the Hungarian government told Direkt36, iStory’s partner in the investigation, that Russian authorities could have blocked MET’s deals but didn’t.

Old Soviet ties in modern energy networks

Hungarian co-owner Imre Fazakas, who held a 16.7% stake in Normeston, studied in Lviv and worked in Moscow in the 1980s as deputy director of Videoton’s local office. He became familiar with Soviet oil operations while coordinating computer systems for drilling rigs and transportation systems.

Fazakas later consulted for MOL and served on the board of MET — alongside Tolkachev. A former Hungarian official told Direkt36 that Videoton had strong ties to the Soviet military sector and state security.

Explore further

Hungary and Slovakia expand Russian fuel use while EU cuts imports

Another Hungarian shareholder, the Madera Investment Fund, which owns 33.4% of Normeston, is linked to György Nagy, a powerful businessman and partner of Garancsi and Csányi. Nagy graduated from Russia’s MGIMO international relations university and secured major government contracts during Orbán’s premiership — including a $5 million IT deal with the Hungarian post office.

His companies also serve OTP Bank—still doing business in Russia—and telecom clients, including MOL. 

Hungary blocks sanctions — Russian oil keeps flowing

In June 2025, Hungary and Slovakia again blocked a proposed package that would have banned Russian oil and gas imports altogether.

In a June 2025 interview, Orbán went further, saying: if Vladimir Putin visits Hungary, he would be received “with all due honors.”

In 2024, Orbán echoed Russia’s narratives, claiming Europe acts “at the behest of the US” and allegedly sacrifices its own interests to support Ukraine. He insisted that Hungary would not abandon Russian oil.

Ukraine’s military carried out 115 “Deep Strike” long-range drone missions against Russian forces last month, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported. The campaign is a core part of Ukraine’s strategy to disrupt enemy logistics and production far from the frontlines.

115 Deep Strike drone missions targeted Russian forces and supply chains

Syrskyi said in the update after a meeting of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief: 

“[D]uring June, Ukraine’s defenders carried out 115 fire tasks in the Deep Strike direction. Our artillery struck 2,864 enemy targets,” Syrskyi posted on his official channels.

Militarnyi notes he did not specify whether this included only targets inside Russia or also in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.

The Commander-in-Chief stated that Ukrainian troops are using both symmetric and asymmetric tactics to resist Russia, while striking military and logistical targets. He said Ukrainian forces are striking Russian military and logistics targets deep inside Russia, weakening its production potential.

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

Drone attacks hit Russian airfields, factories, and supply hubs in June

Last month, Ukraine’s Deep Strike campaign included several major incidents.

Ukrainian drones targeted the Marinovka airfield in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast, reportedly destroying three Su-34 fighter-bombers and two more partially damaged.

Ukrainian drones hit two chemical plants named Azot, both producing materials used in explosives and rocket fuel—one in Tula Oblast, another in Stavropol.

Russian sources also published evidence of Ukraine’s use of the jet-powered Peklo drones, which destroyed a vehicle bridge across the Aidar River in occupied Luhansk Oblast.

Other targets in June included the Alabuga drone factory in Tatarstan, the Buturlinivka airbase in Voronezh Oblast, an airbase’s fuel depot in Engels.

Chinese drone parts in Russian weapons are helping Russia expand its drone war in Ukraine, Bloomberg reports. Documents reviewed by Bloomberg show Russian firm Aero-HIT partnered with Chinese suppliers and engineers to mass-produce combat drones now used across the frontline.

Chinese engineering behind Russia’s drone buildup

In early 2023, Aero-HIT began working with engineers from Autel Robotics, China’s major manufacturers of drones and drone parts, to adapt the civilian Autel EVO Max 4T for military use, according to Bloomberg. The model proved effective in combat and resistant to jamming.

Aero-HIT claims it can produce up to 10,000 drones per month at its Khabarovsk facility. Its Veles FPV drone has been deployed in Kherson and elsewhere. A March 2024 order priced the units at $1,000 each.

Chinese drone parts in Russian weapons still flowing

Despite sanctions, Chinese drone parts in Russian weapons continue reaching Russia through intermediaries. Bloomberg identified firms like Renovatsio-Invest and Shenzhen Huasheng Industry—both under US sanctions—as key suppliers. Civilian companies in sectors like seafood and catering were used to obscure transactions.

Autel says it cut ties with Russia in February 2022. Yet, documents show resumed contact with its engineers by late 2024 and production plans ongoing into 2025.

The drone project born in Harbin and built in Khabarovsk

The partnership began in late 2022, Bloomberg says. Russian company Komax, linked to sanctioned senator and ex-KGB officer Konstantin Basyuk, led talks with China’s Harbin Comprehensive Bonded Zone. In May 2023, a Russian delegation visited Autel and the Harbin Institute of Technology.

After the visit, Aero-HIT was registered, production began soon after. In August 2024, the Defense Ministry requested 5,000 Veles drones.

Forbes says North Korea’s growing role in Russia’s war exposes Moscow’s military weakness. Pyongyang is preparing to send 25,000–30,000 more troops to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This would triple its original deployment of 11,000 soldiers, first sent last November to fight against Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. The expansion signals Russia’s increasing reliance on foreign forces to sustain its war.

North Korea troops for Russia fill growing gaps on the front

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned in June that Russia is amassing 50,000 troops near Ukraine’s northeast. He suggested North Korean units might be used in occupied territories for a new offensive. North Korea could send up to 150,000 troops, Forbes says. Russia reportedly modifies aircraft to move large numbers across Siberia.

More on the topic

North Korean forces may soon fight inside Ukraine, says Seoul

North Korean state media showed footage of its troops fighting for Russia and confirmed thousands had died. Within months, nearly 4,000 North Korean troops were lost. Pyongyang pulled forces from the front in January 2025. Despite that, 3,000 more troops were deployed in March.

Forbes says this shift marks a deeper military alliance. The relationship now appears strategic, not just transactional.

Putin avoids mobilization with foreign soldiers

In 2024, Russia lost more than 790,000 troops—nearly double Ukraine’s casualties. That year, daily losses exceeded 1,000 soldiers. Russia also lost 15 battalions defending Kursk Oblast. For every square kilometer gained, about 100 Russian troops died, Forbes says.

According to Forbes, Putin has avoided launching another draft due to political risk, and this forced him to rely on non-Russian fighters. Earlier efforts to recruit from Cuba, Nepal, and Africa were small. North Korea became Moscow’s main external source of troops.

Weapons shipments patch Russia’s failing firepower

North Korea also provides Russia critical artillery pieces and shells, and missile systems. Forbes notes Pyongyang sent over 15,000 containers since September 2023. Ukraine believes this supply accounts for 70% of Russian artillery use. Shipments include 9 million shells, hundreds of launchers, and KN-23 ballistic missiles.

Early missile batches were inaccurate. They only improved after joint work between Russian and North Korean experts. Still, North Korea cannot match Western production scale or speed. 

“Thus, North Korea’s weapons support may not be sustainable in the long term; it is mostly a stopgap measure to help Russia regroup,” Forbes says.

Russia halts Kostiantynivka push and is now intensifying its offensive near Pokrovsk, raising the threat of Ukrainian positions being encircled in Donetsk Oblast. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on 7 July that Russian forces recently entered the strategic village of Novoekonomichne and appear to be shifting operations away from the stalled front west of Toretsk.

Russia changes direction after stalled advances: it halts Kostiantynivka push, shifts focus to Pokrovsk

After failing to make significant gains toward Kostiantynivka since early June 2025, Russian forces are now making platoon-sized mechanized assaults in the Pokrovsk direction. Geolocated footage published on 6 and 7 July confirms Russian troops recently advanced into southern and northeastern parts of Novoekonomichne, east of Pokrovsk.

Map: ISW

Russian milbloggers claimed further movements northwest of Koptieve and west of Myrne — both northeast of Pokrovsk — and southwest of Myrolyubivka to the east. ISW assessed that these moves aim to “support both the envelopment of Pokrovsk and the establishment of a salient” that could allow Russian forces “to try to envelop Kostiantynivka and Ukraine’s wider fortress belt.”

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ISW: Russia may trade deep breakthrough attempts for slow envelopment around fortress belt in Donetsk Oblast

One Russian milblogger noted that earlier attempts to storm Novoekonomichne from the east near Malynivka failed, but that Russian troops successfully entered the settlement from the south. Russian forces had been trying to advance into Novoekonomichne for two months, facing sustained Ukrainian defenses and counterattacks.

Threat grows for Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad

With Russian troops now positioned inside Novoekonomichne, ISW suggests that their next targets could include Rodynske, north of Pokrovsk. The goal may be to pressure Ukrainian forces into withdrawing from Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad under threat of encirclement.

ISW concluded that Russia’s actions northeast of Pokrovsk indicate a broader shift:

“Russian forces appear to be refocusing their attention on the area northeast of Pokrovsk in the direction of Dobropillia.”

ISW also noted that Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Novopavlivka in Donetsk Oblast. Meanwhile, Russian troops made gains in northern Sumy Oblast and near Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Novopavlivka.

Rubikon in Donetsk Oblast

ISW has also reported the presence of Russia’s Rubikon units throughout eastern Ukraine, including Donetsk Oblast, from the Borova direction in eastern Kharkiv Oblast to the Velyka Novosilka direction in the west. 

Rubikon is a recently formed drone training and innovation center overseen by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Ukrainian servicemembers operating in the Kostiantynivka direction told the NYT in an interview published on 7 July that the arrival of Rubikon drone operators marked a “turning point” in Russia’s tactical drone capacity.

Ukrainian forces have created a corridor for drones and missiles into Crimea by recently disabling key Russian radar systems near Cape Tarhankut, a military expert says. The destruction of the Nebo-M system has left the western part of the Russian-occupied peninsula uncovered, opening a clear path for future strikes.

Ukrainian drone corridor to Crimea now active

A recent Ukrainian drone attack destroyed valuable Russian radars and a command center for the advanced Nebo-M system.

As reported by RFE/RL’s Krym.Realii project, a former Ukrainian officer from Crimea stated that recent radar strikes created not just a gap but a fully functional route into the peninsula. The expert emphasized that the radar modules destroyed were part of Russia’s Nebo-M complex—systems capable of detecting aerial and ballistic targets at long distances.

These stations once covered areas “from Cape Tarhankut to Kyiv and Kharkiv in the north, Kamianets-Podilskyi in the northwest is about 590 km, to Sievierodonetsk in the northeast — 600 km.” With them now neutralized, the expert confirmed that a large swath of airspace has been left unprotected.

“A real corridor now exists for Ukrainian drones and missiles,” he said.

Sea-launched drones hit precise targets

Video of the attack analyzed by Krym.Realii shows a hexacopter drone taking off from an unmanned surface vessel close to the shore of Cape Tarhankut. While its exact type remains unidentified, the drone closely resembles Ukraine’s Baba Yaga strike drones—a term used by Russian forces for the Vampire model developed by SkyFall.

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First-of-its-kind strike: Ukraine destroys prized Nebo-M radar system in Crimea using sea-launched bomb drones (video)

These drones, commonly used for nighttime missions, carry thermal imagers and payloads up to 15 kg. Their loadout includes mortar rounds, anti-personnel grenades, and thermite devices.

He also noted that the drones were controlled on frequencies between 700 and 900 MHz—outside the range of local Russian jamming systems operating at 1200 to 1600 MHz. This allowed them to bypass electronic warfare defenses in the area.

Ukraine’s evolving naval drone tactics

This and other recent drone operations in Crimea also highlighted a shift in Ukraine’s drone warfare tactics. Previously, Ukraine showcased Magura sea drones—specifically the V5 strike model, the W6P multifunctional platform, and the V7 drone armed with either missiles or machine guns.

In a military documentary, two new drone boat variants appeared. One vessel carried four launch-ready FPV drone containers and used a traditional propeller engine instead of waterjets. These unmanned boats likely transported the hexacopter drones used in the attack on Tarhankut.

Why Ukraine must bet it all on Putin’s greatest weakness—Crimea

Western Crimea left exposed

With radar systems in both Saky and Tarhankut eliminated, experts now consider the Ukrainian drone corridor to Crimea active. The expert noted that the absence of coverage from the west and northwest leaves the peninsula vulnerable to repeated precision strikes.

“The radar strike opened a window of opportunity,” he said. “From the sea or the air, that entire sector is now blind.”

US President Trump reportedly told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call on 4 July that he wasn’t responsible for the pause in US weapons deliveries to Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal reported on 7 July that Trump blamed the Pentagon and said he never gave an order to freeze military aid.

People briefed on the call told WSJ that Trump explained he had initiated a review of Pentagon munitions stockpiles after recent US strikes on Iran but had not intended for that process to block shipments to Kyiv.

According to WSJ, Trump assured Zelenskyy the United States would send as much military aid as it can spare. Zelenskyy later called the conversation “probably the best… in all this time” and thanked Trump for his “readiness to help” during his 5 July address.

Weapons deliveries resume after Trump shifts stance

On 7 July, Trump confirmed publicly that the United States would resume sending weapons to Ukraine.

“They are getting hit very hard. We’re gonna have to send more weapons,” he said during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement the same day:

“At President Trump’s direction, the Department of Defense is sending additional defensive weapons to Ukraine to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves.”

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Trump flips on Ukraine weapons cutoff: “We have to help them”

According to a March 2025 State Department fact sheet, the US has provided $66.9 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

The UK has imposed new sanctions on Russian chemical weapons use in Ukraine, targeting two senior Russian generals and a military research institute accused of supplying banned toxic agents. The designations come amid growing evidence that Russia’s battlefield tactics increasingly rely on prohibited substances.

UK targets Russian military command and weapons supplier

On 7 July 2025, the UK government updated its sanctions list to include Russia’s Major General Aleksey Rtishchev and Major General Andrei Marchenko. Both serve in Russia’s Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense Troops—Rtishchev as Head, Marchenko as Deputy Head—and are accused of being responsible for or supporting the use and transfer of chemical weapons in Ukraine.

According to the UK government, these troops have played a direct role in chemical warfare. The sanctions include an asset freeze and trust services ban, intended to block any UK-linked financial dealings with the officers.

Facility supplied banned weapons, generals oversaw their use

In the same action, the UK also sanctioned the Joint Stock Company Federal Scientific and Production Center Scientific Research Institute of Applied Chemistry. Based in Moscow Oblast, the research institute is accused of supplying RG-Vo riot control agent grenades to the Russian military, which were then used against Ukraine in breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The UK describes the institute as directly supporting Russia’s illegal warfare tactics by enabling access to chemical munitions. The lab, originally founded in 1945 and incorporated in 2011, is now under full sanctions including an asset freeze and restrictions on trust services.

The UK has also backed Ukraine’s defense efforts with a £400,000 voluntary contribution to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, aimed at boosting protective equipment, training, and logistics.

Russia’s chemical warfare in Ukraine

Ukrainian military intelligence previously reported that Russian forces have increasingly used poison gas munitions on the frontline.

Ukraine’s General Staff stated in January that the use of dangerous chemical substances had become systematic, with over 5,300 documented incidents since February 2023. 

Russia launched another night-time drone strike on Mykolaiv Oblast, wounding a man and causing fires in suburban areas. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted dozens of incoming Shahed explosive drones, but some reached their targets. The lower number of drones used in last night’s daily assault used this time may indicate that Russia is stockpiling them ahead of a larger assault.

Shahed wounds civilian in Mykolaiv amid Russian drone stockpiling

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that between 00:30 and 08:00 on 8 July, Russian forces launched 54 Shahed-type drones and four S-300/400 missiles. The drones came from Kursk and Oryol in Russia and from Hvardiiske in Russian-occupied Crimea. Air defense units destroyed 34 drones — 26 were shot down, and eight were electronically suppressed or lost from radar. Nonetheless, drone strikes hit five locations.

The southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv Oblast was the main target. Air raid alerts sounded at 02:03. By 02:26, the Air Force warned of incoming drones toward the city. At 02:28, a group of Shahed drones was reported approaching from the Black Sea. Explosions followed at 02:29, confirmed by Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych. The all-clear was given at 02:55.

Civilian wounded and homes set on fire in Nadbuzke

Between 02:10 and 02:32, Shahed drones struck the Vesnianka community in Mykolaiv Oblast. According to the oblast’s head, Vitalii Kim, a 51-year-old man in the village of Nadbuzke was wounded in the strike and hospitalized. As of the morning, his condition was described as serious but stable. Fires broke out in two detached houses and dry grass areas; emergency services managed to extinguish them.

More drone and artillery attacks earlier on 7 July

Russian attacks on the Mykolaiv oblast had already intensified the previous day. The oblast authorities reported that on 7 July, Kutsurub community was targeted by artillery and three Russian FPV drone strikes. Outside Solonchaky, artillery fire sparked a fire in dry grass and shrubs. In Dmytrivka, additional FPV drone attacks damaged a store roof, disrupted power lines, and caused another fire. No injuries were reported in those cases.

Just after 03:30 on 8 July, another FPV drone struck the waters near the Ochakiv community — again, no casualties were recorded.

Explosions also reported in Kherson

Suspilne reported hearing explosions in Kherson—a city east of Mykolaiv—around 01:07, though no details on damage or casualties were available at the time. The blast might have been the activity of the Ukrainian air defenses, targeting the drones flying towards Mykolaiv.

Reduced drone numbers may hint at escalation

While the number of drones launched on 8 July was lower than during previous everyday attacks, in which Russia has used hundreds of drones, such lulls have repeatedly preceded larger combined drone and missile assaults. This pattern raises concerns that Russia may be deliberately reducing the scale of daily attacks to accumulate stock for future mass strikes.

US President Donald Trump has ordered the delivery of more weapons to Kyiv, days after the Department of Defense paused military shipments to Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian invasion of the country. The Pentagon confirmed the new deliveries, stating they were directed by Trump to ensure Ukraine can defend itself amid intensifying Russian attacks.

“We’re going to send some more weapons — we have to,” Trump says

Speaking on 7 July 2025 at the White House during a dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said the United States would resume arms shipments to Ukraine, according to multiple media reports.

“We’re going to send some more weapons. We have to. They have to be able to defend themselves. They’re getting hit very hard now,” Trump told reporters. “Defensive weapons, primarily, but they’re getting hit very, very hard. So many people are dying in that mess.”

Trump also expressed clear dissatisfaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating,

“I’m disappointed, frankly, that President Putin hasn’t stopped. I’m not happy with President Putin at all.”

US President Trump: We're gonna to send some more weapons to Ukraine. We have to. They have to be able to defend themselves. pic.twitter.com/TiroEZwScW

— Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (@Archer83Able) July 8, 2025

These remarks came after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 4 July. According to Zelenskyy, the discussion covered Russian airstrikes and the broader front line, with the leaders agreeing to work together on strengthening Ukraine’s air defense.

“President Trump is very well-informed, and I thank him for his attention to Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said after the call.

Pentagon confirms shift: weapons to help stop the killing

Soon after Trump’s public comments, the Department of Defense issued an official statement confirming resumed military support.

“At President Trump’s direction, the Department of Defense is sending additional defensive weapons to Ukraine to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace and ensure the killing stops,” said Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell.

Parnell added that the framework for evaluating global military shipments “remains in effect and is integral to our America First defense priorities” — the same justification, used earlier by the Pentagon to justify the suspension of weapon supplies.

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A brief but turbulent pause in support

Trump’s promised to send more weapons to Ukraine followed a short but controversial pause in arms shipments, which had sparked backlash in Washington and among European allies. The Pentagon’s pause, initiated around 30 June, halted deliveries of air defense munitions, Patriot missile interceptors, and precision-guided artillery rounds. US officials cited concerns about allegedly declining stockpiles.

Trump had defended the pause at first, stating the US needed “to make sure we have enough for ourselves.” The White House said the decision was based on a Department of Defense review and framed it as part of the administration’s policy to prioritize US interests.

According to the New York Times and Bloomberg, the halt was ordered after a review launched by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, following US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Two people familiar with the matter told the NYT that someone at the Pentagon classified weapons into categories and suspended those intended for Ukraine. Reports indicated the White House was initially unaware of the Pentagon’s decision.

Russia escalates with record air assault on Ukraine

Trump’s shift came shortly after Russia launched the largest combined drone and missile barrage of the war so far, killing at least 11 civilians and injuring over 80, including seven children, as reported by AP. The attack targeted Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities and occurred hours after Trump spoke with Putin on 3 July. Trump later told reporters he made “no progress” with the Russian leader during the call.

Similar Russian air attacks, targeting residential area in the cities far behind the frontline, occur every day. 

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Trump satisfied with Zelensky call, suggests Patriot missiles still possible for Ukraine despite deliveries halt

Pause triggered alarm in Washington and Europe

The halt in aid led to concern that Ukraine’s defenses could be weakened at a critical moment. US lawmakers from both parties, including Republican Representatives Don Bacon and Michael McCaul and Democrat Marcy Kaptur, pushed for an investigation into how the decision was made.

According to NBC News, senior military officials assessed that continuing support to Ukraine would not reduce US stockpiles below critical readiness levels. Three officials said that the Pentagon’s Joint Staff concluded that delivering the paused munitions would not jeopardize US capabilities.

Mixed messaging and internal divisions

While the White House eventually confirmed the pause publicly through Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly, Trump had remained silent until after the Russian assault and his calls with Putin and Zelenskyy. As Atlantic Council analyst John E. Herbst noted, the policy reversal highlighted tensions between factions within the administration — with figures like Hegseth and others seen as more aligned with a “restrainer” view, skeptical of continued large-scale support to Ukraine.

Trump’s ultimate decision to resume aid aligned with the positions he had expressed at the June NATO Summit in The Hague, where he voiced support for helping Ukraine acquire more Patriot systems. Ukrainian officials said they had not received formal notice of a change in aid schedules but were tracking developments closely.

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Trump administration’s Ukraine pause exposes internal divide

The Atlantic Council’s John E. Herbst says the Pentagon’s short-lived aid pause revealed deep policy splits within Trump’s team. He noted that “administration policy on Russia and Ukraine is put together with the input of people with vastly different worldviews,” citing “restrainers” like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and DNI Tulsi Gabbard.

Herbst suggested the pause was likely to end soon, though he warned that “restrainers are still in the game.” He contrasted the administration’s softer posture toward Russia with its assertive stance on Iran, describing it as part of a broader reluctance to challenge the Kremlin.

Looking forward

The resumption of shipments reestablishes a key supply line for Ukraine at a time of heightened Russian aggression. Though the list of weapons included in the resumed aid was not disclosed, Trump has also earlier suggested the US might sell additional Patriot missiles to Ukraine.

“They’re going to need something because they’re being hit pretty hard,” he said last week aboard Air Force One.

Read the follow-up:

WSJ: Trump blames Pentagon, not himself, for Ukraine weapons pause

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow and Budapest should “unite efforts” in defending their “compatriots” in Ukraine — a term the Kremlin uses to justify interference in foreign states. The comments appeared in an exclusive interview with Magyar Nemzet, a pro-government Hungarian newspaper, published on 7 July 2025.

Lavrov has repeatedly invoked the concept of “defending compatriots” as part of Russia’s stated goals in Ukraine. In this interview, he again mentioned it while proposing joint steps with Hungary.

Speaking to Magyar Nemzet, Lavrov said:

“Today, Russia and Hungary are openly speaking out in defense of their compatriots. We can unite our efforts in this regard,” Lavrov stated.

Lavrov blames Kyiv for alleged discriminatory policies against minorities, while Russia kills Ukrainian civilians every day

Lavrov repeated the Kremlin’s narrative that Ukrainian authorities target Russian-speaking citizens and other national communities. He said that after 2014, Ukraine ostensibly pursued policies aimed at erasing Russian language, culture, traditions, “canonical” orthodoxy—meaning Moscow’s church in Ukraine—and media.

Lavrov said Hungary is well aware of what he called the “forced Ukrainization” of minorities, including ethnic Hungarians. He stated that both Russia and Hungary are already speaking out in defense of their compatriots and proposed that the two countries unite their efforts. He presented the issue as one affecting language, identity, and rights — and as a shared cause for coordinated action.

He accused Kyiv of “destroying everything connected to Russia, Russians, and Russian-speaking people” in areas it controls. Lavrov added that other ethnic groups, including Hungarians, Romanians, Poles, Bulgarians, Greeks, Armenians, and Belarusians ostensibly “also underwent violent Ukrainization.”

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Kremlin praises Hungary’s cooperation and ongoing projects

Lavrov praised Hungary’s stance toward Russia, calling it “balanced” and “pragmatic.” He noted that Hungary follows this course despite “constant pressure from NATO and the EU.”

He highlighted that “despite anti-Russian sanctions” Russian-Hungarian economic cooperation continues, including energy shipments and the Paks nuclear plant expansion. 

Lavrov reiterates demand for Ukraine’s de facto capitulation, blames NATO and Kyiv for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Lavrov rejected any ceasefire that would allegedly allow “Kyiv regime” (Russia’s euphemism for Ukraine to deny its sovereignty, – Ed.) to regroup, stating that Moscow seeks a “lasting peace” instead. He demanded full removal of Western sanctions, return of seized Russian assets, withdrawal of all legal claims, and Ukraine’s total demilitarization and “denazification.”

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Sanctions hit harder than bombs: Russian courts reveal systemic failure in weapons supply

He also insisted Kyiv must recognize Russia’s sovereignty over Ukraine’s Russian-occupied regions. According to him, those are Crimea, Sevastopol — a city in Crimea which Russia considers a separate entity, Donetsk and Luhansk — which Lavrov referred to as “people’s republics,” Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. Russia does not even control in their entirety the latter four oblasts.

The Russian Foreign Minister once again repeated the Kremlin’s narrative that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was allegedly provoked by NATO’s eastward expansion and Ukraine’s pursuit of alliance membership. He also reiterated the Kremlin’s false claim that “Russians were persecuted and killed” in Ukraine following what he called the “February 2014 state coup in Kyiv.”

“After 2014, Ukrainian punitive squads killed more than ten thousand Russian and Russian-speaking Donbas residents — innocent civilians,” Lavrov stated, invoking a fabricated death toll often used in Russian propaganda without evidence.

In reality, the UN reported about 4,300 military and civilian deaths in the Donbas, with 3,404 civilian deaths.

Politico noted that Lavrov’s remarks, aimed at encouraging Hungary to more openly back Moscow, come as Russia tries to “get Budapest to more overtly support its ongoing full-scale invasion.”

Russian weapons supply failure confirmed by courts is at the center of an investigation by The Insider, which analyzed arbitration rulings involving nine defense contractors. The findings reveal that sanctions are not just symbolic—they are dismantling the Kremlin’s war machine from within.

Fake parts, failed deliveries, and smuggling schemes

In case after case, Russian manufacturers admitted they could not fulfill military contracts due to the unavailability of sanctioned components. A shipment of programmable chips from Azimut LLC to NTC Elins was rejected after the Chinese replacements failed to function with the Ministry of Defense’s software. In court, Elins declared the chips unusable, citing their incompatibility.

Zaslon JSC, tied to United Russia’s Andrei Turchak, claimed a batch of microchips delivered under contract showed signs of tampering. The company’s technical experts pointed to “numerous scratches” consistent with reballing – tampering the microchips for the reuse. The court agreed and dismissed the supplier’s claim.

Russian courts expose offshore arms trafficking routes

One lawsuit revealed that Northern Star LLC imported banned electronics via ARP Investment, a firm registered in the British Virgin Islands. The operation routed shipments from Chinese firms under European branding. The court documents directly confirmed that Northern Star was supplying these goods for Russia’s Ministry of Defense.

The choice of the BVI—a British Overseas Territory—made the scheme unusually risky. UK authorities have access to its corporate registry, which means the real beneficiaries of such supply chains can be easily identified.

Drone development stalls as local components fail

NaukaSoft was tasked with delivering a power supply for SES-7000-NS drones. The supplier couldn’t manufacture key connectors—once a Soviet strength—leading to court-ordered penalties. Without access to lighter imported equivalents, the company failed to meet even basic technical specifications.

Shipbuilding delayed by failed sonar delivery

The Amur Shipbuilding Plant sued the Priboy Plant after it failed to deliver the Zarya-2 sonar system. The system, essential to the corvettes Grozny and Bravy, relied on components banned under EU sanctions. Priboy admitted its suppliers could not fulfill the order, and its efforts to use “domestic” replacements failed when the Russian-made parts were found to contain foreign chips themselves.

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Western manufacturers halt shipments after spotting deception

One legal dispute showed how a British manufacturer canceled delivery of specialized maritime communication modules after detecting at least ten conflicting orders—all designed to hide the Russian military end user.

“Since the end user of the product was the plaintiff,” the ruling states, the supplier “was unable to provide the documentation requested by the manufacturer.”

The module was for NII Elektropribor, which builds navigation and gyroscopy systems for military vessels.

Banking shutdowns block import routes in Central Asia and Türkiye

Technolink LLC’s attempts to import lab equipment were thwarted when banks in Kyrgyzstan and Türkiye closed accounts linked to suspect shipments. Courts revealed how one of the supplier’s Kyrgyz partners had its account shut down even before a contract was signed. In Türkiye, DenizBank closed accounts entirely.

Uzbek banks rejected payments based on customs commodity codes, while Kyrgyz authorities demanded import licenses. The courts ruled that these shutdowns were predictable under current sanctions conditions and rejected claims of force majeure.

Swiss sanctions freeze space systems deliveries

In another case, Russian Space Systems was left without frequency generators after Swiss company AnaPico AG halted deliveries. AnaPico’s Russian partner admitted in court it could no longer fulfill contracts after Swiss authorities intervened. Russian courts terminated the contract.

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Czechia to probe firms accused of arming Russia

Domestic replacements fall short—even when available

The Russian National Guard refused to accept an anti-drone system after the Ford Transit chassis was replaced with a GAZelle, citing contract violations. The supplier blamed foreign automakers’ exit from Russia. The court ruled that the supplier had no alternative and upheld the replacement.

Courts confirm systemic failure in Russian weapons supply

Across every case, Russian arbitration courts exposed a common thread: the country’s military industry cannot operate without sanctioned foreign tech. None of the failures involved personal sanctions—only export controls on dual-use, non-consumer goods.

The Insider’s investigation concludes that Russia’s efforts to smuggle, substitute, or manufacture its way around sanctions fail. The courts have documented the consequences: stalled ships, grounded drones, rejected deliveries, and a defense sector in crisis.

“The conclusion is clearly supported by Russian court rulings: sanctions are having a material impact on the work of Russia’s military-industrial complex,” The Insider’s investigation wrote.

Russia’s censored war death stats are drawing scrutiny just as President Vladimir Putin renews his call for more volunteer fighters. According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the Kremlin appears to be suppressing mortality data while stepping up patriotic messaging to offset growing problems with recruitment.

Putin leans on “mass public movement” for war support

On 6 July, Putin attended the “Everything for Victory” forum in Moscow City, hosted by the People’s Front — a state-backed coalition of non-governmental groups and political parties formed by Putin in 2011. ISW reports that the coalition is largely led by Putin’s United Russia party and has evolved into a military logistics initiative supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The People’s Front has supplied over 110,000 drones and more than 14,000 vehicles to Russian forces, and its “Kulibin Club” is involved in drone and electronic warfare technology development. During his address, Putin claimed the group had grown into a “mass public movement” thanks to “the overwhelming majority of Russian citizens” who support defending “the life principles and values” passed down through generations. He also asserted that the Russian military enjoys “universal, nationwide support.”

“Putin is likely attempting to shore up public support for the People’s Front and the war to increase voluntary recruitment among Russian citizens,” ISW wrote.

ISW: Kremlin avoids mobilization to contain public backlash, relies on “crypto-mobilization”

ISW stated that Putin is likely trying to boost recruitment through patriotic messaging because the Kremlin is struggling to maintain voluntary enlistment rates. 

“ISW continues to assess that Putin remains averse to declaring another partial mobilization out of fear of domestic discontent and remains committed to promoting crypto-mobilization efforts” – unofficial and less visible recruitment efforts, according to the think tank.

Russia’s censored war death stats raise fresh alarms

While pushing for more volunteers, the Russian government has quietly erased key mortality data from public view. On 5 July, opposition outlet Meduza reported that the Russian Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) excluded demographic statistics from its “Socioeconomic Situation in Russia” report covering January to May 2025.

Additionally, electoral statistics researcher Dmitry Kobak said in late June that Rosstat had declined his requests for 2024 data on male excess mortality and monthly death counts by actual date of death.

ISW previously assessed that Rosstat is concealing population data “likely also aims to obscure the Russian military’s high personnel loss rates.” 

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that over the past week, Russia launched around 1,270 attack drones, 39 missiles, and nearly 1,000 guided aerial bombs. He shared the update on 7 July, emphasizing the ongoing threat to civilians and the need for air defense.

According to Zelenskyy, Russia launched 101 drones overnight on 7 July alone. Most were Iranian-designed Shaheds—long-range explosive drones. The drones targeted multiple oblasts, and air raid alerts resumed in the morning across several cities.

Zelenskyy calls for air defense and expands drone production

Zelenskyy said Ukraine depends on its partners to fulfill air defense agreements.

“Air defense is key to protecting life,” he noted.

He also confirmed that Ukraine is actively advancing its own weapons production, including all types of drones. Interceptor drones were described as a key priority.

“We are contracting at maximum capacity,” he said.

Updates on last night’s Russian drone strikes

As we reported earlier, in Kharkiv alone, Russian attacks injured 27 people, including three children. A three-year-old girl was among the injured. Three individuals required hospitalization.

Read our morning report:

Drone flames in Kharkiv, missile blasts in Chuhuiv, shell in Kherson—Russia kills 13, injures 67

Russia attacked Kharkiv twice on the morning of 7 July. The first strike occurred at 05:20 and injured 29 people, including children aged 3, 7, and 11.

A second wave of Russian drone strikes followed at 10:22, hitting the Holodnohirskyi district. Residential houses, outbuildings, and transport infrastructure were destroyed. Eleven more people were reported injured in the second attack.

In Zaporizhzhia, at least 11 people were injured during the Russian drone strikes. The drones hit Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic University, damaging dormitories, apartment buildings, detached houses, and non-residential infrastructure.

According to the Ukrainian Ground Forces, military draft offices in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia were also hit during the 7 July drone attacks. Several military personnel sustained injuries.

On 7 July, Ukraine’s military intelligence released a Russian general’s telegram ordering a reinforcement of troops at the Russian base in Gyumri, Armenia—directly contradicting Yerevan’s public denial of the Russian military buildup the day before.

Armenia says no troop increase—Ukraine shows otherwise

On 6 July, Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan dismissed Ukraine’s earlier claims of a Russian troop buildup, calling the information false.

The statement emphasized Armenia’s “principled position” against allowing third countries to use its territory for hostilities against neighbors. Yerevan insisted Russia was not increasing its military presence on Armenian soil.

Badalyan referred to the Ukrainian intelligence earlier statement as “certain fabricated reports.” 

Not so fabricated: Leaked Russian document reveals troop selection and deployment

Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) responded on 7 July by publishing a telegram from Major General Serhii Zemskov, acting chief of staff of Russia’s Southern Military District. The document contains an explicit order from the district’s commander to “reinforce” the Russian military base in Gyumri via what is described as “additional staffing.”

The order directs commanders to urgently select personnel from four armies—namely, the 8th, 18th, 49th, and 58th general armies of the Southern Military District—for future deployment. The timeframe for selecting candidates was from 13 May to 11 June 2025. Those chosen would then sign their first contracts and be dispatched to the base in Armenia for service.

Strict screening and recruitment criteria set for candidates

The leaked telegram instructs commanders to facilitate the selection process. It outlines specific criteria for professional fitness, psychological resilience, and combat readiness. The order explicitly bans the recruitment of individuals involved in drug trafficking or the distribution of psychotropic substances.

HUR’s initial report

The Ukrainian intelligence’s original report, issued on 5 July, stated that Russia was rapidly staffing its Gyumri base to increase military-political pressure on the South Caucasus. According to HUR, the effort is part of a broader Kremlin strategy aimed at global destabilization. The initial report said that troops were being recruited from Rostov and Volgograd oblasts, as well as from occupied Crimea.

HUR spokesperson Andrii Yusov described the deployment as one piece of a broader plan:

“The deployment of Russian troops in Armenia is part of a complex Kremlin strategy aimed at destabilizing the global security situation.”

Gyumri base

The Russian base in Gyumri, known as the 102nd military base, is the largest Russian military facility in the South Caucasus. As of now, it hosts around 5,000 personnel—approximately 2,500 Russians and 2,000 Armenians. The base includes MiG-29 fighter jets and S-300 air defense systems and was established in 1995 under an agreement between Moscow and Yerevan that runs until 2044.

Ukraine hits a Russian ammunition supply-chain plant near Moscow in a deep drone strike inside Russia on 7 July. Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed it downed 91 drones, including eight over Moscow Oblast. Despite those claims, residents of Krasnozavodsk and Sergiev Posad in the region reported about ten loud explosions.

Strategic ammo supply plant targeted

The locals told the Russian pro-Kremlin Telegram channel Shot that drones flew low before the blasts. Locals believe the Krasnozavodsky Chemical Plant was the target. Another Russian Telegram channel, Astra, confirmed reports from local chats in Krasnozavodsk, where users described an attack on the chemical plant. Russian authorities have not officially confirmed any damage.

Ukrainian channel Exilenova+ shared footage of the attack and also confirmed that Ukrainian drones hit the Krasnozavodsky Chemical Plant. The channel geolocated multiple impact points within the facility and concluded that the strike targeted several areas of the plant.

Ukraine hits Russian ammunition supply plant near Moscow in deep drone strike

Locals heard about 10 blasts. The Krasnozavodsk chemical plant is linked to Grad, Uragan, and Tornado-G rocket systems.

Read more: https://t.co/zYhmeFmMAx pic.twitter.com/xbvJ11EnqC

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 7, 2025

Andrii Kovalenko from Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council also confirmed the same target, saying the plant produces explosive materials, powder, and components for missiles and munitions.

Exilenova+ added that the plant supplies Russia’s Ministry of Defense with munitions like signal cartridges, anti-tank missile igniters, detonators, thermite blocks, and explosive charges.

Facility linked to rocket launcher systems

According to the same source, the plant repairs and modernizes Russia’s multiple rocket launchers, including Uragan, Grad, and Tornado-G. As of 2023–2024, it had assembled and upgraded full systems and their parts.

One of the drone strikes likely hit a newer workshop, Exilenova+ reported, noting that the factory plays a critical role in maintaining Russia’s artillery capabilities.

FP-1 drone used in deep-strike mission

Exilenova+ stated that Ukraine used FP-1 drones in the strike. The drone reportedly carries a larger warhead—than Liutyi, usually used in such attacks—and may now be in serial production. The channel called the attack “great news,” highlighting the FP-1 as a powerful addition to Ukraine’s long-range strike capability.

Russia’s claims

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed drones were also shot down not only in Moscow Oblast, but also over many other oblasts. According to their data, 20 drones flew over Belgorod Oblast, 14 over Kursk, and 9 over Lipetsk. Eight were reported over both Bryansk and Voronezh oblasts, and seven over the Black Sea. Three drones each appeared over Novgorod, Tver, Tambov, and Leningrad oblasts. Two more were intercepted over Oryol Oblast, and one each over Vladimir Oblast, Krasnodar Krai, and occupied Crimea.

Russia kills 13, injures 67 in Ukraine as its forces launched sweeping air and ground attacks on civilian areas across at least nine oblasts overnight, according to reports from local administrations. Drones, missiles, artillery, and guided bombs hit cities, villages, homes, schools, farms, and shops—leaving behind a trail of dead, injured, and destroyed infrastructure.

Kharkiv: Explosive drones hit homes and schools, injure 27, other attacks injure five others

In Kharkiv, Russian drones struck the Shevchenkivskyi and Slobidskyi districts around 05:30 on 7 July, hitting high-rise buildings, schools, and a kindergarten. As of 07:50, 27 civilians were confirmed injured, including three children aged 3, 7, and 11, according to Kharkiv Oblast head Oleh Syniehubov and city mayor Ihor Terekhov. An eighth-floor apartment caught fire. A shop and other civilian buildings also suffered significant damage. Syniehubov said Russia used four Shahed explosive drones in the attack.

The broader regional figure includes three civilians injured in Kupiansk—a 73-year-old woman, a 67-year-old woman, and a 56-year-old man. In the village of Ternova, part of Lypetska community, an explosion from an unknown device injured two men aged 68 and 75.

Additionally, Suspilne reported two explosions this morning in the Chuhuiv community, Kharkiv Oblast. Syniehubov later confirmed that two Russian missile strikes hit the area, damaging civilian infrastructure. The full extent of damage was still being assessed.

Odesa: One killed in nighttime strike

In Odesa, a Russian Shahed drone attack killed one person and damaged garages, a car service building, and vehicles, according to regional authorities. 

Donetsk Oblast: Seven civilians killed in one day

According to Donetsk Oblast Military Administration, Russian forces killed seven civilians on 6 July—four in Kostiantynivka, two in Druzhkivka, and one in Novohryhorivka. Another 15 people were wounded in the oblast the same day.

Kherson: Drone kills driver, previous attacks kill two other civilians

The Kherson Oblast Military Administration says that between 06:00 on 6 July and 06:00 on 7 July, Russian aggression killed 2 civilians and injured 9 others across the oblast. 

Later this morning, Russian forces launched new attacks, killing another civilian and injuring two more.

A Russian drone strike hit a tractor near Beryslav, killing the driver on the spot, the regional prosecutor’s office said. In a separate artillery attack on a residential house in Nadezhdivka, Bilozerska community, a 19-year-old man and a 67-year-old woman were wounded. According to the Oblast Military Administration, both sustained explosive injuries and contusions; the man also suffered shrapnel wounds to the back and leg.

Sumy: FPV drones kill two

The Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported that nearly 90 Russian strikes hit 38 settlements between 6 and 7 July. In Sumy community, two civilians were killed and one injured in Russian FPV drone strikes. Another person was injured in Khotinska community.

The attacks reportedly included 30 VOG munition drops from drones, 20 KAB bomb strikes, and missile attacks.

Dnipro: Five wounded, school set ablaze

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast head Serhii Lysak said five civilians were injured overnight. In Nikopol and Marhanets communities, Russia’s artillery and drone attacks injured a 66-year-old woman and a 73-year-old man. Two one-family homes were damaged, and a fire broke out in a preparatory school. In Malomykhailivska community, three more civilians—a woman and two men—were injured, and fires were reported in homes and a dining hall.

Zaporizhzhia: Hundreds of drone and artillery strikes

The Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration reported that Russian forces used 378 drones—mostly FPV—to attack multiple towns, including Huliaipole, Kamyanske, and Mala Tokmachka.

Two civilians were injured in Vasylivskyi and Polohy districts. The oblast also saw six airstrikes, 152 artillery attacks, and MLRS fire.

Read the follow-up:

Russia floods Ukraine with 1,270 drones and nearly 1,000 bombs in a week—“We need air defense now,” Zelenskyy says

Russian airports crippled by airspace threat canceled 171 flights in Moscow alone. Operations in five other cities were suspended entirely. The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) said that “external interference” disrupted airport functions. Authorities cited safety as the reason for halting air traffic. It is unclear, if the airports have been under a cyberattack or the agency just uses the vague language to describe Ukrainian drones in the airspace.

Sheremetyevo, Moscow’s main airport and Russia’s largest, suffered the largest collapse. As of 18:00 Moscow time on 6 July, 171 flights were canceled. Another 56 flights faced delays exceeding two hours, according to Rosaviatsia.

Around 15,000 passengers were preparing for departure at Sheremetyevo. They waited in crowded terminals as staff worked to stabilize operations.

St. Petersburg and Nizhny Novgorod airports crippled too

Pulkovo airport in St. Petersburg also faced major disruptions. According to Rosaviatsia, 90 flights were canceled and 37 delayed by over two hours.

Officials restricted access to the clean zone at Pulkovo. They aimed to reduce passenger congestion during the shutdown.

The Nizhny Novgorod Chkalov airport saw the most prolonged disruption. Authorities canceled 26 flights and delayed 13 others. Staff at Chkalov increased shift capacity to speed up boarding and baggage handling.

Smaller Russian cities halt airport activity completely

Airports in Ivanovo (Yuzhny), Kaluga (Grabtsevo), Pskov, and Tambov (Donskoye) stopped all flight services. Rosaviatsia said these closures were due to “periodic interference” from outside. All five airports had no incoming or outgoing flights. 

Authorities claim the situation is stable and controllable, use trains as fallback

Rosaviatsia claimed the situation was under control. The agency stated that Russia’s aviation system had “enough resources” to manage disruptions.

Russia’s Deputy Transport Minister Vladimir Poteshkin visited Sheremetyevo twice that day. He checked airline operations and crowd control measures.

Rail routes between major cities began to absorb stranded travelers. Authorities claimed over 8,000 train seats were available between St. Petersburg and Moscow from 6 to 8 July.

Trump can make Russia pay — not by deploying troops, but by taking action with what’s already in US hands. As detailed in a Forbes op-ed by Andy J. Semotiuk, after President Trump’s recent phone call with Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin rejected any peace and resumed bombing Ukraine.

Reports indicated that Russia launched nearly 5,500 missiles and rockets in June 2025 alone. Up to 1,000 drone strikes per day could hit Ukraine in August.

Even as the West backs Ukraine militarily, it continues buying Russian oil and gas — channeling far more money into Putin’s war machine than it sends to Ukraine, Forbes says. Since February 2022, Western energy payments have tripled the aid given to Kyiv. Russia, meanwhile, has inflicted over $552 billion in theft and destruction — looting grain, steel, industrial equipment, and flattening critical infrastructure.

Russia’s looting campaign has cost Ukraine over half a trillion dollars

According to Forbes, Russia has inflicted more than $552 billion in theft and destruction across Ukraine — seizing over 1,150 companies, looting grain and steel, and devastating infrastructure. These losses underscore the scale of Moscow’s economic war alongside its military one.

Forbes: Trump can’t stop the war with words — but he can with Russian money

Frozen Kremlin assets can fund Ukraine’s defense

Semotiuk notes that $330 billion in frozen Russian sovereign funds are sitting untouched in Western banks. Trump can make Russia pay by leading a legal effort to seize those funds — a move with precedent, as the US has done with Iraq and Afghanistan. That money alone could cover Ukraine’s defense and reconstruction for three years. Acting swiftly would likely push allies like Canada, the UK, and EU states to follow.

Historian Timothy Ash, quoted in the op-ed, estimates Ukraine needs $150 billion annually to secure victory. If it loses, NATO could face over $4.5 trillion in defense spending within a decade. Mass refugee waves, destabilized markets, and aggressive moves by China or North Korea would likely follow. Funding Ukraine now prevents far greater costs later — both financial and strategic.

Shift energy policy to isolate Russia and protect US interests

Semotiuk argues that supporting Ukraine also means cutting off Russia’s revenue stream. The US and its allies — especially Canada — have the capacity to replace Russian energy in global markets. That would boost Western economies and deny Putin the cash to wage war. Countries still purchasing Russian oil — including China, India, Türkiye, Brazil, and several EU members — should face strict US sanctions.

Ukraine has earned America’s support — and needs it now

For over 30 years, Ukraine has supported every major US military operation. In return, Washington pledged protection in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, when Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal. Turning away now, Semotiuk warns, would shatter US credibility.

The op-ed notes that Ukraine has already inflicted immense damage on Russia’s military: over a million troops dead or wounded, the Black Sea Fleet decimated, and weapons facilities under constant attack. All without a single American soldier on the battlefield.

The Odesa car bombing suspect, a 22-year-old man, was arrested on 5 July 2025 by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the National Police, the same day the explosion seriously injured a local man. Odesa is the local capital in southern Ukraine on the Black Sea coast.

Explosive detonated under parked car in Odesa’s Kyivskyi District

According to the SBU, the suspect, a previously convicted resident of Zaporizhzhia, planted a pre-prepared homemade explosive device under a vehicle. His handler from Russian special services selected the targeted car. The bombing took place in the morning of 5 July on Varna Street in the Kyivskyi District of Odesa.

The SBU states the Odesa car bombing suspect acted on instructions from Russian handlers who coordinated the attack remotely. The Russians reportedly recruited the man through Telegram channels. SBU says he acted on direct instructions from Russian intelligence. To transmit the explosion to his handlers in real time, the suspect installed a remotely-accessed smartphone facing the bombing site.

Civilian seriously injured in the explosion

Suspilne reported shortly after the attack that the blast seriously injured a local man, who was hospitalized with heavy bodily injuries. His car, under which the explosive was planted, was completely destroyed.

This comes amid the daily Russian drone and missile strikes, often targeting Odesa. Nearby residents told Suspilne that the explosion, which occurred without any air raid alert, also damaged windows in adjacent residential buildings.

A local resident said,

“I heard a strong explosion. I looked outside and saw smoke. We helped him—he was alive but in shock.”

According to witnesses, the blast occurred around 09:00.

SBU captures Odesa car bombing suspect as he tries to flee after the attack, the man faces terrorism charges

The SBU reports that following the detonation, the suspect attempted to leave Odesa Oblast, hoping to go into hiding. However, SBU officers and the National Police detained him “hot on the trail” later that same day, 5 July 2025.

The man has been formally notified of suspicion under the Criminal Cde’s Part 2 of Article 258—committing a terrorist act. He faces up to 12 years in prison. The SBU says pre-trial investigative actions are ongoing, and efforts are underway to establish all the circumstances of the crime.

Last night’s Russian drone assault injured at least nine civilians. The injured included the elderly and the young across Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts overnight 6 July 2025. Residential buildings, a kindergarten, vehicles, garages, and power lines were among the affected targets. Additionally, Russia targeted another military draft office.

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, more than 150 drones were launched from Russian territory and temporarily occupied Crimea. Ukrainian air defenses neutralized 3/4 of them. 

In Kyiv Oblast, kindergartens and homes hit, elderly woman trapped under rubble

Kyiv Oblast’s Vyshhorod district faced widespread destruction as Shahed drones damaged multiple apartment buildings, six detached homes, and a preschool. Local authorities reported that windows and doors were shattered, facades were punctured, and outbuildings were set on fire.

In Novi Petrivtsi, a Russian drone strike destroyed the home of Nina Ivanivna, a disabled 87-year-old woman.

“They pulled me out of bed… I can barely move. So they carried me out on a stretcher, out into the street,” the woman told Suspilne.

Rescuers managed to evacuate her from under rubble.

In total, four people were injured in Kyiv Oblast, including a 35-year-old man with shrapnel wounds and two elderly residents — a 75-year-old man and a 79-year-old woman — both suffering acute stress reactions, local officials said.

In Kharkiv, toddler and woman injured in nighttime attack

Kharkiv experienced drone explosions across at least three city districts — Shevchenkivskyi, Kyivskyi, and Novobavarskyi — starting at 01:06 on 6 July 2025. Authorities confirmed injuries to a 46-year-old woman hit by flying glass and a girl initially reported as 2.8 months old but later clarified to be two years old. Both suffered stress-related symptoms, according to Kharkiv Oblast head Oleh Syniehubov.

The drone assault damaged 14 residential buildings, a sports complex, a dental clinic, two shops, a café, and multiple civilian vehicles.

In Mykolaiv, Russian drone assault injures two civilians

In Mykolaiv, Russian drones struck the city during the morning hours, injuring two people. According to Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych and Oblast head Vitalii Kim, a 31-year-old woman was hospitalized in moderate condition, and a 35-year-old man received medical assistance on site.

At least ten residential buildings were damaged, along with a bank and a food establishment. The attack also affected port infrastructure and warehouse buildings, causing damage to power grids. In Koblevo’s Rybakivka village, 13 one-family homes and several resort buildings were hit, including a post office and a store. Fires broke out but were extinguished by emergency services.

Zaporizhzhia: 90 or nearly 90-year-old woman injured

In the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, six Shahed drones struck various targets, destroying a home, outbuildings, and damaging a business, farm, and storage facilities. Fires spread over 1,000 square meters, according to the State Emergency Service.

Officials reported that an elderly woman was injured during a strike on the village of Yurivka. Different sources listed her age as either 89 or 90. She received medical care after suffering injuries in the destroyed residential area.

Russia strikes another Ukrainian enlistment center

In addition to targeting homes and civilians, Russia continued its apparent pattern of attacking military recruitment infrastructure. On 6 July 2025, a Russian drone hit the district territorial enlistment center in Kremenchuk, according to Ukraine’s Ground Forces cited by Suspilne. No casualties were reported, but the impact damaged the draft office and a nearby residential building.

This was the third such attack in one week. On 3 July, drones struck recruitment buildings in Poltava, killing two and injuring over 50. On 30 June, a drone exploded near a draft center in Kryvyi Rih. 

Air Force response and ongoing threat

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that overnight on 6 July 2025, beginning at 20:30 on 5 July, Russian forces launched a combined attack consisting of four S-300 surface-to-air ballistic missiles from Kursk Oblast and 157 strike UAVs — mainly Shahed-type drones and decoy drones — from multiple locations, including Shatalovo, Millerovo, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia, as well as Hvardiiske and Chauda in occupied Crimea.

Of the 157 drones launched, 117 were neutralized: 98 shot down by air defenses and 19 suppressed or lost due to electronic warfare. Drone impacts were confirmed in 19 locations across northern, eastern, central, and southern Ukraine. Debris from downed drones also fell on two additional sites.

The Air Force’s summary did not mention two Kinzhal ballistic missiles launched the previous day. No casualties or damage were reported from those strikes, but it remains unclear whether the missiles were intercepted or missed their targets.

“Let’s hold the sky! Together — until victory!” the Air Force wrote on its official Telegram channel.

Update 17:00:

As of 15:00, Russian drone attacks killed one person and injured five others in Kherson Oblast, the local military administration reported. Additional strikes injured one man in Sumy Oblast and another in Zaporizhzhia.

Authorities confirmed that on 5 July, a Russian drone struck a car carrying a displaced family near the village of Odnorobivka, Kharkiv Oblast, just 8 km from the Russian border. An eight-year-old boy was killed. His four-year-old brother sustained severe injuries, their father was moderately wounded, and the mother suffered an acute stress reaction, according to Zolochiv hromada head Viktor Kovalenko. The family had previously relocated from nearby Stohniï during the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion and were visiting relatives when the attack occurred. The injured child and father were hospitalized in Kharkiv.

Russia seeks to retake Lyman in northern Donetsk Oblast, where it briefly established control in 2022, but Ukrainian forces say their defense remains solid and enemy advances are slow and costly. Offensives in the Lyman sector are part of Russia’s broader supporting efforts, secondary to its main operations in western Donetsk Oblast.

Ukrainian officer describes Russian tactics near Lyman

On 5 July, Maksym Bilousov, head of communications at the Ukrainian Army’s 60th Separate Mechanized Inhulets Brigade, told Suspilne that Russian troops are attempting to exploit any opportunity to break through Ukrainian lines near Lyman. He said Moscow’s goal is to seize the key city it occupied for nearly five months in 2022 at the early stages of the full-scale invasion.

“They push into any opening that appears by chance. Their goal is to capture Lyman, which they already took in 2022, but was later liberated by our Defense Forces,” Bilousov stated during the Suspilne.Studio broadcast.

Bilousov explained that while some Russian progress exists, it’s slow and demands substantial effort.

“Progress does exist, but it’s extremely slow. They spend so much time and so many resources to achieve even that,” he said. “We don’t currently see a threat to Lyman of such scale that would require sounding the alarm.”

He acknowledged that the situation remains difficult:

“Of course it’s hard, and there are a lot of them. But Ukrainian fighters are well-trained and hold the line.”

Lyman residents remain in city as tensions rise

Despite the renewed Russian push, thousands of civilians still live in the affected area. According to local authorities cited by Suspilne Donbas, as of 7 June, the Lyman hromada (community) remained home to 7,233 people, including 3,800 in the city of Lyman itself. The community also includes 168 children.

Lyman under occupation in 2022

Russia first captured Lyman early in the full-scale invasion, maintaining control for nearly five months. Ukrainian forces liberated the city on 1 October 2022 as part of the counteroffensive that followed gains in Kharkiv Oblast. 

The city’s strategic location near the northern edge of Donetsk Oblast has made it a recurring flashpoint in the war.

If NATO fails to boost its deterrent capabilities, Russia may invade Estonia within 5-7 years, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in a 5 July 2025 interview with The New York Times. The NATO chief warned that despite no immediate danger, the Kremlin might strike in the future unless the alliance accelerates defense investment and coordination.

Russia’s military buildup fuels concern

In the NYT interview, Rutte cited Russia’s rapid rearmament as a central concern, noting that “Russia is reconstituting itself at a pace and a speed which is unparalleled in recent history.” According to him, Moscow now produces three times more ammunition in three months than all of NATO does in a year. He said this buildup, supported by cooperation with North Korea, Iran, and China, threatens not only Ukraine but also broader European security.

Baltic states in focus after Estonia drill

His comments followed a New Yorker article describing NATO training exercises in Estonia, which revealed that Estonian forces lacked critical defense capabilities such as air power and naval strength. Rutte acknowledged the findings but insisted Estonia would not face an invasion today because “our reaction will be devastating.” However, he warned that without significant increases in defense investment, that calculus might change within years.

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NATO chief says Ukraine “cannot do without” US aid as Pentagon suspends deliveries

Washington remains committed to NATO Article 5, Rutte believes

Rutte emphasized that the United States would fully support Estonia if attacked. “One hundred percent,” he said, adding that his discussions with the Trump administration confirmed total US commitment to NATO and Article 5. He dismissed the notion that America is retreating from Europe, instead arguing that Washington expects Europeans to shoulder more of the burden while shifting focus toward the Indo-Pacific.

Deterrence and readiness depend on industry and manpower

Rutte highlighted a growing concern about Europe’s defense industry and personnel shortages. “We simply lack the defense industrial base to produce the weapons we need,” he said, stressing that funding must translate into operational capability. He refrained from prescribing conscription but suggested higher salaries and national decisions could address the manpower gap.

Although questions remain about democratic cohesion within NATO, Rutte avoided commenting on the internal politics of member states like Türkiye, the US under Trump, or pro-Russian Hungary. Instead, he insisted that NATO remains “stronger and more united than ever in recent history.”

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Looking ahead: Investment or vulnerability

Rutte warned that if NATO fails to follow through on its commitments, countries like Estonia could face existential threats in the near future.

“If we don’t [invest], we’ll have to learn Russian,” he said.

For now, he remains confident that NATO’s deterrence, especially with US backing, is strong—but the clock is ticking.

Russian forces are advancing northeast of Pokrovsk and may be preparing a wider push toward Dobropillia, aiming to bypass Ukraine’s heavily fortified “fortress belt” in Donetsk Oblast from the west. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on 5 July disclosed the Russian news envelopment strategy near the fortress belt, saying that recent gains and troop movements indicate a renewed focus on partial envelopment tactics rather than direct assaults on fortified positions.

Envelopment strategy: Tactical focus on Dobropillya and Rodynske

ISW noted in its 5 July 2025 assessment that Russian troops had recently taken Koptieve and Shevchenko Pershe and advanced into southeastern Razine, northeast of Pokrovsk. These gains support a broader objective: enveloping Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad from multiple directions “to force Ukrainian withdrawals” without a frontal assault on Ukraine’s main defense line, based on Russia’s operational patterns showed in its in previous seizures of cities in the region.

“The Russian military command is likely implementing the same doctrinal method used to seize Avdiivka and Vuhledar in its attempts to seize Pokrovsk and possibly Ukraine’s fortress belt,” ISW wrote.

Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi confirmed on 28 June that Russian forces are actively attacking in the “Dobropillya direction.” Units involved include the Russian 68th Army Corps and two divisions from the 8th Combined Arms Army.

Combat elements of the Russian 39th and 150th Motorized Rifle units, having operated in the Pokrovsk area since spring 2025, recently advanced near Novotoretske and Novoekonomichne. They previously seized Malynivka and now hold Koptieve. Meanwhile, elements from the 110th Motorized Rifle Brigade are also active northeast of Pokrovsk.

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Struggles in other sectors push tactical adaptation

ISW says Russian forces have struggled to break Ukrainian lines southeast and southwest of Pokrovsk since early 2025, especially under drone fire. Instead of launching high-risk penetrations, Russia now appears to be prioritizing slow advances toward Rodynske and Dobropillia to exert pressure on the fortress belt from the west, which supports the idea that the Russians are imposing the new – envelopment – strategy near the fortress belt. Ukrainian artillery units report repeated attacks in areas such as Malynivka, Novoolenivka, and Popiv Yar — all northeast of Pokrovsk.

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A Ukrainian National Guard commander stated on 5 July that Russian forces are using motorcycles and buggies to conduct assaults. Russian milbloggers reported that Kremlin forces have tried to disrupt Ukrainian logistics by damaging a bridge near Shakhove and targeting ground lines near Udachne and Kotlyne.

Possible long-term operation west of the fortress belt

Further Russian moves toward Dobropillia would suggest an effort to develop a salient bypassing Ukraine’s fortress belt from the west. To sustain such a position, Russian forces would need to secure settlements along the Pokrovsk-Oleksandrivka line and ensure supply over the Kazenyi Torets River — a task complicated by uncertain river conditions and Ukrainian resistance.

“Such an operation would likely be a multi-year effort with significant personnel losses and hard-fought gains, although Russian forces have proven willing to undertake such long-term operations,” ISW wrote.

ISW assesses that the Russian command may be adapting its original strategy for a direct assault against Kostiantynivka and instead pursuing operations to envelop the fortress belt through attritional advances. However, the success of this approach remains uncertain given the apparent exhaustion of Russian units after over a year of sustained operations in the area.

In the evening of 5 July, Russia launched two Kh-47M2 Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles targeting Ukraine’s Khmelnytskyi Oblast. The missiles, launched from a MiG-31K jet, caused explosions in the region but resulted in no damage or casualties, the Oblast Military Administration confirmed later the same day.

Missiles launched amid nationwide air raid alert

Ukrainian airspace monitoring channels reported the detection of Russian MiG-31K aircraft — Russia’s only Kinzhal carrier — at around 17:30. The alert triggered air raid warnings across the country.

Minutes later, at approximately 17:35 and 17:45, Ukrainian airspace monitoring channels reported the launch of two Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missiles.

According to Khmelnytskyi Oblast Military Administration chief Serhii Tiurin’s report at about 21:00, two Russian missiles caused no injuries or infrastructure damage. In a Telegram statement, Tiurin wrote:

“Today, during the air raid alert from 17:35 to 18:14, there was a Russian attack. Fortunately, there are no consequences — no casualties or destruction.”

The official did not specify if the Kinzhals missed their targets or were shot down.

Another take-off of the MiG-31K in Russia triggered one more all-Ukraine air raid alert at around 21:40, yet there were no launches.

On the morning of the same day – overnight on 4-5 July, Russia had already launched a massive drone assault on the same region, aiming again at Starokostiantyniv. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 42 Shahed drones during that attack, as reported by national outlets.

Starokostiantyniv base remains key Russian target

The Ukrainian airfield in Starokostiantyniv, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, remains one of Russia’s persistent targets. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, Russian forces have repeatedly attacked the base with drones, cruise missiles, and hypersonic Kinzhals.

The apparent target of the 5 July missile attack was the Starokostiantyniv air base, known as the Kanatove Airdrome, home to Ukraine’s 7th Tactical Aviation Brigade, which operates Su-24M and Su-24MR bombers. Located in Khmelnytskyi Oblast, the base has frequently come under attack during Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. 

Kinzhal performance doubts

The Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missile, touted by Russia as an unstoppable hypersonic weapon capable of speeds up to Mach 10, has seen repeated deployment in the Russo-Ukrainian war. First used in 2022, it was successfully intercepted for the first time in May 2023 following the deployment of MIM-104 Patriot systems. Ukrainian Patriot operators reported that the missile’s actual speed was closer to Mach 3.6 — much lower than Russian claims. Additionally, the Ukrainian military has stated that Kinzhal missiles often suffer from poor targeting accuracy, frequently missing intended targets.

A Ukrainian attack on 4 July targeted a key Russian defense facility in the city of Azov, Rostov Oblast, about 200 km from the frontline. The Azov Optic-Mechanical Plant, which manufactures critical electronic components for Russian missiles and armored vehicles, was hit by multiple drones in a bold daylight assault. The extent of the damage is currently unknown.

Morning drone strike hits Azov military facility

According to Militarnyi, the attack occurred on the morning of 4 July when Ukrainian strike drones launched an assault on the Azov Optic-Mechanical Plant, part of Russia’s Tactical Missile Armament Corporation.

Social media footage showed fixed-wing UAVs diving toward the site, followed by explosions and visible smoke. One of the drones bore a delta-wing “Shahed-like” structure, suggesting the use of an unknown new UAV model.

The original Shaheds are Iranian-designed long-range explosive drones that Russia uses in its daily attacks on Ukrainian cities. They are easily recognizable by their rounded nose and triangular, delta-shaped wings.

Witness footage and drone type

Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ posted an image, showing a delta-wing drone with the caption:

“Rostov. Likely a new UAV from Ukraine’s Defense Forces.”

Later, the same channel shared videos capturing different UAV types, including a well-known Ukrainian drone and a delta-wing aircraft believed to be a new model.

“Azov was attacked by several types of birds,” Exilenova+ commented. “We see an FP-1 pass over, and then, probably, the strike of that same ‘new’ drone.”

Militarnyi noted that “Delta-wing drones are fairly common, but they are rarely used by those attacking the aggressor country. What specific model was used remains unknown at this time.”

At least 10 drones

Russian authorities initially claimed their air defense forces intercepted the drones. Russian Telegram channel Astra reported that at least ten UAVs or their debris “fell” on the factory grounds. The local emergency services confirmed the site was impacted on 4 July.

Yury Slyusar, acting governor of Rostov Oblast, stated that evacuation efforts were underway due to widespread damage from UAV debris, claiming that the attack damaged residential buildings. While initial reports suggested no injuries, Slyusar had also stated that one woman killed in the overnight attack.

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed  that air defenses downed 26 drones over Rostov Oblast overnight on 4 July. In Shakhty, a UAV strike allegedly caused a transformer substation to shut down, leaving around 2,000 homes — with more than 6,000 residents — without power. Buildings near the substation also suffered window damage.

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Ukrainian drones strike Russian plant making Shahed warheads near Moscow

Targeted facility and its military role

The Azov Optic-Mechanical Plant is a core producer of high-precision electronics, optical, and thermal imaging equipment for Russia’s military. As detailed by Exilenova+, it manufactures lenses, prisms, radar homing heads, and control systems used in tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, naval systems, and aircraft.

Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, under the National Security and Defense Council, confirmed the strike. Its head, Andrii Kovalenko, emphasized that the plant produces “eyes” for Russian military hardware, including fire control systems and rangefinders. He stated,

“Despite a difficult night (a reference to Russia’s massive missile and drone attack on Kyiv, – Ed.), there is good news. In Russia, targets were hit in Moscow and Rostov oblasts. The Azov Optic-Mechanical Plant was struck.”

The facility has been under US sanctions since March 2022 due to its role in the Russian war effort. It is also sanctioned by Canada, Switzerland, the European Union, New Zealand, and Ukraine. The Ukrainian Defense Intelligence’s War & Sanctions project has identified foreign-origin components at the site, including machinery from Taiwan, South Korea, and Switzerland.

Czech counterintelligence will investigate domestic companies allegedly involved in exporting machinery to Russia for weapons manufacturing. The Czech Security Information Service (BIS) says it will act once official information is provided, according to iRozhlas.

On 21 June, Zelenskyy told reporters that Russia continues receiving machine tools from foreign companies, including eight based in the Czech Republic. He said these tools are used for weapons manufacturing. Though he withheld specific names, Zelenskyy stated he knows the companies involved and urged sanctions against them.

BIS awaits official list, doubts direct Czech exports

BIS spokesperson Ladislav Šticha told iRozhlas that Czech authorities have yet to receive any official list of the companies Zelenskyy mentioned.

“It is therefore very difficult to comment on which companies and goods are involved,” Šticha stated.

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According to him, hundreds of companies are attempting to export to Russia. Šticha added that many of the now-embargoed items were exported before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when such trade was still legal.

BIS believes it is “almost certain” none of the cases involve direct exports from the Czech Republic to Russia, as such transfers require a license and could not legally cross borders otherwise.

Third-country reexports suspected

Šticha suggested that it could be goods delivered legally before 2022 or re-exported via other countries. In some cases, companies may have sold products to “safe” nations, including EU members, not realizing they would be reexported to Russia.

“Firms often argue they were unaware of subsequent resales, and it’s very difficult to prove otherwise,” Šticha noted.

Recently, Ukrainska Pravda reported that the Czech company Leseft International s.r.o., located in Ostrava, may have been involved in delivering components used in Russian rockets. Šticha declined to comment directly but confirmed:

“This company is not unknown to us.”

Sanctions evasion

According to Šticha, BIS handles dozens of cases annually where companies attempt to bypass sanctions by routing embargoed items through complex export networks. The agency cooperates with other state institutions and foreign partners to intercept such attempts.

Šticha stressed that the number of state experts is too small compared to the volume of companies attempting to skirt sanctions.

Last week, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský stated that based on Ukrainian-provided information, Czech authorities have found no indicators confirming the transfer of dual-use items to Russia.

During a tense high-level meeting in Brussels, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the EU’s foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas that Beijing cannot allow Russia to lose in its war against Ukraine. According to several sources cited by the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on 4 July, China fears that such an outcome would allow the United States to fully pivot its attention to Beijing.

SCMP reports that during a four-hour closed-door discussion with EU officials on 2 July, Wang Yi said a Russian defeat in Ukraine was strategically unacceptable for China. This comment to Kallas — who assumed her EU role in late 2024 — echoed what many in Brussels suspected to be Beijing’s true position but contradicted China’s public statements claiming it is “not a party” to the war.

Wang rejected accusations that China is supporting Russia militarily or financially, asserting that if it had been doing so, the war would have ended already. Some EU officials saw Wang’s tone as a harsh dose of realpolitik, designed to pressure the EU to reconsider its support for Ukraine.

Diplomatic friction intensifies

EU diplomats were surprised by Wang’s bluntness, especially just weeks before the scheduled summit in China on 24 and 25 July. SCMP sources said Wang hinted the summit could be shortened, a possible warning over the bloc’s ongoing stance.

On the same day, Wang also met with European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. According to EU sources, all three European leaders shared a unified stance across all major points.

A major point of contention remains the EU’s 18th sanctions package against Moscow, which includes plans to blacklist two small Chinese banks over violations of existing Russia sanctions. Wang reportedly vowed multiple times to retaliate if these sanctions are approved by the bloc’s 27 member states.

China’s version softens the narrative

Beijing’s official account of the meeting with Kallas significantly downplayed tensions. According to the Chinese foreign ministry, “There is no fundamental conflict of interests between China and the EU, and they have broad common interests.” It emphasized mutual respect, learning, and cooperation, without addressing the contentious topics raised during the meeting.

On 4 July, Dutch and German intelligence agencies have confirmed that Russia is using banned chemical weapons in Ukraine on a large scale, with drones dropping choking agents on Ukrainian positions. The revelations, based on joint investigations, show what officials describe as a systematic and intensifying pattern of illegal chemical warfare.

Intelligence agencies confirm large-scale Russian chemical weapons program

Reuters says Dutch and German officials jointly reported that Russia is operating a coordinated program to produce and deploy banned chemical weapons in Ukraine. The Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) and Germany’s BND foreign intelligence agency confirmed gathering evidence of these violations, including Russia’s use of drones to drop choking agents—such as chloropicrin—on Ukrainian trenches to force soldiers into open fire.

According to Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans, “we can confirm Russia is intensifying its use of chemical weapons.” He added that this trend is not isolated but part of a normalization of chemical warfare tactics by Russian forces.

Thousands of chemical-related incidents and battlefield injuries

The head of the Dutch MIVD, Peter Reesink, said his agency’s conclusions were based on independent investigations.

At least three Ukrainian deaths have been tied to chemical attacks, according to Brekelmans, and more than 2,500 people have reported symptoms related to chemical exposure on the battlefield, Ukrainian health authorities report.

The United States had first accused Russia of using chloropicrin in May 2024. The compound, originally used by Germany in World War One, is more toxic than riot control agents and is banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

According to Reesink, Russia’s chemical weapons use is no longer a matter of improvisation:

“This isn’t just some ad-hoc tinkering at the frontline; it is truly part of a large-scale program.”

Calls for sanctions and exclusion from international bodies

Brekelmans called for increased sanctions and political pressure:

“We must further increase the pressure. This means looking at more sanctions and specifically not allowing them (Russia) to participate in international bodies like the Executive Council of the OPCW.”

The European Commission is considering adding 15 more individuals and entities to its sanctions list for suspected involvement in chemical weapons use in Ukraine.