For their love for Ukraine, Tigran and Mykyta paid the highest price, their lives. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a decree awarding the Order of Freedom to 16-year-olds Tigran Ohannisian and Mykyta Khanganov, Ukrainian teenagers killed by Russian soldiers in occupied Berdiansk.

After the full-scale invasion and occupation of the city, the boys stayed home. They were friends, and both openly supported the Ukrainian cause.

Ohannisian was repeatedly persecuted by the occupying authorities: he was abducted from his home, tortured, abused, subjected to electric shocks, and mock executions. He was arrested, beaten, and forced into silence.

Khanganov was targeted for arrest as early as October 2022. The occupiers interrogated him and his father, fabricated a case accusing him of “railway sabotage,” and searched their home. He was charged with a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison in Russia.

In 2023, both boys were accused of “preparing sabotage.” Tigran was interrogated and tortured for five days as the occupiers tried to force a confession.

The European Parliament passed a resolution demanding the release of Tigran and Mykyta, but the occupiers ignored the calls of the international community. On 24 June 2023, Russian forces executed the boys.

Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported that Russia still refuses to return their bodies to the parents or to Ukraine. Available information suggests the occupiers buried the teenagers in secret, without notifying the families.

The Ukrainian community in Italy has called to cancel the concert of Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, scheduled for 27 July at the Royal Palace of Caserta, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Gergiev publicly supports the Russian regime and its military aggression against Ukraine.

The community has sent a letter to UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, Dr. Antonio Patuelli, Chair of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO, and the Italian Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli.

The activists emphasize that Gergiev’s support “goes beyond the realm of art” and includes public acts that legitimize a regime responsible for war crimes, the deportation of children, attacks on civilian infrastructure, and on Ukraine’s cultural heritage, which is also under UNESCO protection.

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence: Russia loots ancient treasures from Crimea’s UNESCO heritage site

“Ukrainians view UNESCO as the last line of defense for fundamental values: memory, truth, and respect, all of which the Russian government blatantly disregards,” the letter continues.

The Ukrainian community continues, “How can an institution that safeguards the dignity and memory of nations allow one of its protected sites to host an artist who has become a global symbol of military propaganda?”

“How can it ignore how deeply offensive this decision is to the victims of the conflict, to the Ukrainian people, and to all those fighting for peace and justice worldwide?” the activists say. 

The letter also argues that holding Gergiev’s concert at a historical site like the Palace of Caserta contradicts UNESCO’s principles of protecting peace, cultural heritage, and solidarity among peoples.

Ukrainian supporters to rally in Bologna after Russian propaganda found in Italian textbooks

The European Parliament has declared that Georgia will not be able to join the European Union until its government abandons its authoritarian path.

“Georgia cannot join the EU until its government changes its authoritarian course. The European Parliament stands with the Georgian people. Parliament does not recognise Georgia’s current government and says its EU path is effectively suspended until fair elections happen,” it says in a statement on X. 

The authorities have harshly suppressed protests that erupted after the elections and have continued for over eight months, employing repression against activists and political opponents.

The country’s power remains concentrated in the hands of the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party. The European Parliament also supports former President Salome Zourabichvili as the legitimate leader.

Despite an official pro-European integration stance, the government is working to deepen relations with Moscow, particularly in the security and economic spheres. Approximately 20% of Georgia’s territory is currently occupied, namely Abkhazia and South Ossetia, where Russian troops are present.

Georgian society has been actively protesting since late 2024 for more than eight months against a regime that fails to meet European and democratic standards. People demand new, honest elections, the release of political prisoners, and the country’s return to the European path.

The European Parliament continues to support the people of Georgia, but stresses clearly that without fundamental changes in the political system, including a rejection of authoritarianism and the restoration of democracy, the EU cannot admit Georgia as a member.

In response to the protests and European statements, Russia publicly accuses the West of interfering in Georgia’s internal affairs, supporting “color revolutions,” and attempting to increase informational and political pressure to maintain its influence.

Thus, without transforming the Georgian government and conducting free elections, Georgia’s prospects for EU membership remain blocked indefinitely, while its society continues to fight for a European future.

Despite US President Donald Trump’s ultimatum, Russian ruler Vladimir Putin shows no intention of abandoning his objectives in Ukraine or ending the war. Even under the threat of new sanctions, he appears ready to go to extremes, Foreign Affairs writes. 

Meanwhile, Russia itself is entering a full-fledged economic crisis, something even the Kremlin is now publicly admitting. However, analysts are convinced that Putin still has tools to continue the war, the ones he has so far chosen not to use.

In particular, he could launch a brutal mobilization campaign with harsh penalties for those who refuse to serve. Experts note this would shatter the myth of stability that Putin has carefully built over the years, but destroying Ukraine still takes priority for him.

They point out that after 25 years in power, Putin has created an almost sinister calm in Russia: there is no meaningful political opposition, and public criticism of the government is virtually nonexistent. As a result, Russians are expected to adapt to the new reality.

“Russia’s rise to greatness may be Sisyphean for Putin, but he will go to extreme lengths to avoid defeat. In Ukraine, Putin will risk everything,” the report says. 

Still, the situation does not yet look catastrophic for Ukraine. The territories captured by Russia are not strategically vital for Ukraine’s survival, and all major cities remain out of reach for the Russian military.

Even if Trump ultimately fails to follow through on his own ultimatum, Ukraine continues to receive growing support from Europe.

The US Air Force has announced a search for contractors to develop a new air-launched cruise missile under the working title LACM (Lugged Affordable Cruise Missile). Aviation Week reports, the project is largely based on the concept of the ERAM missile, which is being developed specifically for Ukrainian fighter jets. 

What sets the LACM apart is its focus on low-altitude flight, no higher than 300 meters, with the ability to strike at angles exceeding 70 degrees. A critical requirement is the ability to mass-produce the missile within two years of the contract’s start, at a cost not exceeding $300,000 per unit.

The missile will be compatible with standard external pylons on fighter jets or internal weapons bays, according to Militarnyi.

At least three potential companies are being considered in the early phase of the LACM program: Anduril (with its Barracuda-500M missile), Zone 5 Technologies (Rusty Dagger), and CoAspire, which is already working on the Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile. However, other manufacturers, including L3Harris, may also join the competition.

She was killed to be silenced. On July 19, in Lviv, Ukrainians marked the first anniversary of the death of Iryna Farion. She was a prominent linguist, scholar, politician, and symbol of the fight for Ukrainian identity, UkrInform reports.

Her murder in Lviv in 2023 at the age of 60 is seen not merely as a criminal act but as part of Russia’s hybrid war.

“The enemy is trying to use every tool to divide our nation,” said Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, following her death.

The attack on Farion is also regarded as a psychological attempt to intimidate its most courageous Ukrainian voices.

A year after the assassination, her family, colleagues, students, and community members gathered for a memorial service at the Saints Peter and Paul Garrison Church. Later, a procession made its way to Lychakiv Cemetery, where Farion is buried.

People will also assemble in silence in the courtyard on Masaryk Street, where she was killed, at 7:22 PM, the exact moment the fatal shot was fired one year ago. 

Farion’s daughter, Sofiia Osoba, left a powerful message on Instagram.

“A year. What is it like to live without Mom?.. I am an orphan. Ukraine is orphaned… I don’t want 19 July… This is the end of everything. 23:20. The end of your life. Now, it will be years,” she wrote.

Six days after the murder, Ukrainian law enforcement detained the suspect, 19-year-old Dnipro resident Vyacheslav Zinchenko. The court trial is currently ongoing.

When Russia kills Ukrainian heroes, Ukraine doesn’t forgive. The intelligence war between Ukraine and Russia won’t end with the hot phase of the war. It will continue in the shadows, in hotel hallways, parking lots, and spy offices across the globe, The Times reports. 

The Ukrainian colonel of the Security Service (SBU), Ivan Voronych, who was assassinated in Kyiv, may have been targeted by Russian intelligence for his role in some of Ukraine’s boldest covert operations in recent years, say intelligence sources.

Voronych was involved in big numer of operations, including the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline. Major General Viktor Yahun says the upcoming retaliation from the Ukrainian side will be compared to the Operation Spiderweb, when Kyiv hit 41 Russian aircraft. 

Voronych served as a deputy in the unit commanded by Roman Chervinsky, the same figure The Washington Post described as the “coordinator” of the Nord Stream attack. He also oversaw naval drone strikes against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

The SBU colonel was a calm and quiet man who kept himself in excellent physical shape, his colleagues recall. He had served in the elite Alpha unit and carried out missions deep behind enemy lines, including in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.

Some sources claim it was Voronych who initiated the ambush and elimination of Oleksiy Mozgovoy in 2015, the leader of the “Prizrak” group and one of the key commanders of Russian proxy forces in Donbas.

Any one of these actions could have sealed his fate, and, according to intelligence sources, his assassination in Kyiv was the direct result of a long list of high-risk operations where Voronych played a pivotal role.

Ukraine has already avenged his murder by eliminating the killers, but that’s just the beginning. Former SBU officer Ivan Stupak says that such assassinations will continue worldwide for many years. Ukrainians won’t want to operate on allied territory, but perhaps in Thailand, Africa.

The full-scale war in Ukraine will continue beyond 2025, said Robert Brovdi, also known as Madiar, the commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Unmanned Systems, during the LANDEURO conference in Germany’s Wiesbaden, UNIAN reports.

“We don’t see the end of the war coming tomorrow — or likely even this year. Putin is sending more infantry than we can destroy,” Madiar stated.

According to him, the main threats include massive Shahed drone attacks, Ukraine’s shortage of mobilization resources, and the enemy’s numerical advantage.

“Everyone who wanted to fight is already fighting,” he noted.

However, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are already working on solutions: plans include replacing infantry with ground-based drones and building a multi-level “drone wall” to intercept everything coming from Russia.

“This wall, taller than the Great Wall of China, is already being built,” the commander concluded.

Brovdi became the commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Unmanned Systems in June. After taking the position, he announced he would work on the new Drone Line project, a 10-15 kilometer “kill zone” where enemy forces cannot advance without suffering significant losses.

His program also includes:

• Increasing domestic production of munitions and creating a unified supply depot for critical components such as Starlink, batteries, electronic warfare systems, and FPV parts;
• Deploying ground robotic platforms for the logistics of munitions, drones, and peripheral equipment;
• Launching a unified recruitment campaign and establishing a dedicated training network for drone pilots and operators of various systems.

The full-scale war in Ukraine will continue beyond 2025, said Robert Brovdi, also known as Madiar, the commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Unmanned Systems, during the LANDEURO conference in Germany’s Wiesbaden, UNIAN reports.

“We don’t see the end of the war coming tomorrow — or likely even this year. Putin is sending more infantry than we can destroy,” Madiar stated.

According to him, the main threats include massive Shahed drone attacks, Ukraine’s shortage of mobilization resources, and the enemy’s numerical advantage.

“Everyone who wanted to fight is already fighting,” he noted.

However, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are already working on solutions: plans include replacing infantry with ground-based drones and building a multi-level “drone wall” to intercept everything coming from Russia.

“This wall, taller than the Great Wall of China, is already being built,” the commander concluded.

Brovdi became the commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Unmanned Systems in June. After taking the position, he announced he would work on the new Drone Line project, a 10-15 kilometer “kill zone” where enemy forces cannot advance without suffering significant losses.

His program also includes:

• Increasing domestic production of munitions and creating a unified supply depot for critical components such as Starlink, batteries, electronic warfare systems, and FPV parts;
• Deploying ground robotic platforms for the logistics of munitions, drones, and peripheral equipment;
• Launching a unified recruitment campaign and establishing a dedicated training network for drone pilots and operators of various systems.

“I want my children to grow up in Ukraine”. James, an American volunteer known as “Sonechko” or Sun, has voluntarily joined the 154th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

He has been living in Ukraine for a year now and plans to stay there.

“I want to help Ukraine as much as I can. That’s why I’m here. Maybe after the war, my children will grow up here,” James said in a comment shared by the brigade on social media.

His native language is Italian, and although he’s only just learning Ukrainian, James can already communicate freely with his fellow soldiers. He says the decision to become a fighter was thoughtful and deliberate.

“This is my life. I did everything I could to be here, and now I am. The people here are quite professional. It’s not bad at all,” he continued. 

Earlier, Chief of Staff of the 2nd International Legion, Pavlo Slavyntskyi, explained that the distinguishing feature of foreign volunteers units is that all of them came to Ukraine of their own volition. No one recruited or persuaded them, Dzerkalo Tyznia reports. 

Inside the units, there’s no pomp or patriotic slogans. Slavyntskyi stated that some of the figters want to earn money, while others — to boost their CVs, gain experience, learn military affairs, equipment, or tactics of warfare. Some want to fight for freedom and justice, and some simply want to kill Russians.

He said that Americans, Brits, Europeans are mostly men over 40, who came to finish the war they didn’t finish in Afghanistan or Iraq.

They set out believing Russian aggression didn’t exist. Then they saw missiles and mass graves. Three Czech conspiracy theorists who had publicly questioned the scale and even the existence of Russia’s war traveled to Ukraine as part of a documentary project, according to Gromada.cz. 

What began as a skeptical “fact-finding mission” became a confrontation with a reality they could no longer deny. The resulting film, Velký vlastenecký výlet or The Great ‘Patriotic’ Trip, will premiere on 21 August.

The participants, two men and one woman, had openly supported the Kremlin’s position, calling the invasion a “special operation,” spreading disinformation about a media conspiracy, disputing casualty numbers, and blaming everything from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to liberals and even the EU’s Green Deal.

They responded to an open call by Czech director Robin Kvapil themselves, who used social media to invite skeptics to witness the war firsthand. The film crew accompanied them from Prague to Kharkiv and Donbas, capturing their raw reactions as they came under missile fire, met wounded civilians, visited mass graves, and descended into underground schools in metro stations where children study amid constant danger.

Kvapil said one of the defining moments came when they arrived at the site of a children’s oncology hospital in Kyiv just hours after a Russian missile had struck it. This scene further solidified his intent to confront denial with unfiltered truth.

The team also included security analyst Petr Pojman, psychiatrist Petr Piot, and interpreter Lucie Řehořiková, former head of the Czech Centre in Kyiv, to ensure security and mental support. The production was coordinated with the Czech Interior Ministry and Ukraine’s Security Service.

London and Brussels jointly cut the Kremlin’s oil revenues. The UK government decided to lower the price cap on Russian oil from $60 to $47.60 per barrel after the EU adopted the 18th EU sanctions package on 18 July.

According to Western analysts, Moscow’s oil profits have already dropped by 35% compared to last year. The new lower price cap will further restrict the Kremlin’s financial resources used to fund its aggression against Ukraine.

“The UK and its EU allies are turning the screw on the Kremlin’s war chest by stemming the most valuable funding stream of its illegal war in Ukraine even further,” said UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves.

The official added that this decisive step to lower the crude oil price cap will target Russia’s oil revenues and intensify pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin by exploiting his greatest vulnerability.

London emphasized that the sanctions are intended to punish the aggressor and preserve the stability of the global energy market.

The US plans to invest in the production of Ukrainian drones. New Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko has announced that Ukraine intends to sign a drone agreement with American partners, Reuters reports.

“We plan to sign a ‘drone deal’ with the United States. We are discussing investments in the expansion of production of Ukrainian drones by the US,” says Svyrydenko.

The official has clarified that the deal involves the purchase of a large batch of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles.

Svyrydenko added that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump made the political decision on the agreement earlier, and officials are now discussing its details.

Earlier, Euromaidan Press reported that both leaders were considering what’s being called a “mega deal.” Under the proposed agreement, Kyiv would sell its combat-hardened drone systems to Washington. In return, it would sell Ukraine a significant array of American weapons.

Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine is ready to share its knowledge gained from over three years of fighting against Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The UK is forming a new military alliance that mirrors NATO’s Article 5. Within a single week, London signed two defense agreements with key players, Germany and France, reports Defense Express.

Experts are already calling this the emergence of a trilateral military bloc that could either supplement NATO or act as its insurance policy.

The UK-Germany agreement outlines deep mutual defense commitments, including military assistance in case of an attack. Meanwhile, the declaration with France explicitly states that while the nuclear forces of both countries remain independent, they can be coordinated in case of an extraordinary threat.

“It’s clear that the UK is effectively creating an additional trilateral defense arrangement centered around itself,” notes Defense Express.

This is happening despite all three nations already being bound by obligations within NATO. Analysts believe such an initiative signals a “need to reaffirm mutual commitments.”

The core of the signed documents essentially duplicates NATO’s famous Article 5, a collective response to aggression. Across Europe, there is growing concern that relying solely on NATO in the event of a large-scale crisis may no longer be sufficient.

The UK hits a Russian military intelligence unit behind the destruction of the Mariupol Drama Theater with the largest-ever sanctions package in history. It is also responsible for prolonged malicious hybrid operations worldwide. 

“In 2022, Unit 26165, sanctioned today, conducted online reconnaissance to help target missile strikes against Mariupol, including the strike that destroyed the Mariupol Theatre, where hundreds of civilians, including children, were murdered,” says the UK government. 

The restrictions hit three units of Russia’s military intelligence (GRU) and its 18 officers accountable for conducting a sustained campaign of cyberattacks over many years, including attacks inside the UK. 

“The GRU routinely uses cyber and information operations to sow chaos, division and disorder in Ukraine and across the world with devastating real-world consequences,” the UK government said.

Sanctions also target GRU officers responsible for hacking a device of Yulia Skripal, a daughter of former Russian military officer Sergei Skripal, using the malicious software known as X-Agent. This happened five years prior to the failed attempt by GRU officers to assassinate them with the deadly nerve agent “Novichok” in Salisbury.

Russian operatives have also attempted to disrupt UK media outlets, telecom providers, political and democratic institutions, as well as critical energy infrastructure.

Russia has begun using artificial intelligence-based bots for spreading propaganda on social media, especially on Telegram, according to a joint investigation by OpenMinds and the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab).

Researchers have uncovered over 3,600 bots that posted more than 316,000 AI-generated comments in Telegram channels linked to Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories. Another three million messages were spread in broader Ukrainian and Russian Telegram groups. These bots used human-like language, adapting replies to the context of each conversation to promote pro-Kremlin narratives and undermine Ukraine.

Unlike traditional bots that spam identical messages, these accounts simulate real users. They reply directly to other users, shift tone and content, and tailor messages to appear authentic. On average, a bot posts 84 comments per day, with some exceeding 1,000 daily.

The goal is not just to spread fake news, but to create the illusion of widespread public support for the occupation regime, filling comment sections with praise for Russia and attacks on Ukraine. In an environment of information isolation, this becomes a potent tool of mass manipulation.

AI-generated bots often give themselves away through:

• absurd usernames,
• unnatural or AI-generated profile pictures,
• overly formal or awkward phrasing,
• and highly diverse language: one in three comments is uniquely generated by AI.

Even when bot accounts are deleted, their influence lingers. Locals repeatedly exposed to these comments may perceive Kremlin propaganda as the majority opinion, especially in regions where Ukrainian news is inaccessible.

Russian Shaheds now carry napalm and break through Ukrainian electronic warfare systems. Moscow continues to upgrade its Shahed attack drones, enhancing their warheads, engines, and protection, says Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov, a military expert, in an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

“Recently, we discovered a fluid in a Shahed’s warhead that resembled napalm. It not only spreads but keeps burning even in sand. This is terrorism, when drones attack residential areas with incendiary mixtures that cannot be extinguished,” explains Beskrestnov.

According to him, such weapons are absolutely inappropriate for warfare in large cities. Russia is also using at least 4–5 different types of warheads on Shahed drones, expanding their operational roles, from striking industrial targets to deliberate terror against civilians.

Flash reports that Russian engineers have upgraded Shahed engines, allowing them to reach speeds of up to 220 km/h in favorable weather conditions. However, the expert notes that this speed increase is not a decisive advantage: “Globally, whether it’s 180 or 200 km/h. It doesn’t change much.”

The most serious threat now comes from the improved Shahed defense systems against Ukrainian electronic warfare.

“We are increasingly seeing the same target being hit repeatedly. This indicates electronic warfare’s failure to disrupt navigation,” says Beskrestnov.

According to him, Chinese reinforced antennas have been found among the drone wreckage, successfully breaking through Ukrainian electronic warfare defenses.

“Our electronic warfare systems simply aren’t designed to handle such a number of elements. That’s why urgent modernization is needed,” the expert emphasizes.

Beskrestnov separately emphasized that electronic warfare systems do not physically destroy drones but only help protect targets and give air defense systems time to strike them.

The Kremlin has once again erupted in threats and vitriol. Following the adoption of the EU’s 18th sanctions package against Moscow’s aggression, Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian former president, lashed out, calling European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen a “disgusting old hag” and branding Europeans as “imbeciles.”

“European imbeciles have approved the 18th package of sanctions against our country. There’s no point in writing that it will change Russia’s stance any more than the previous seventeen did,” Medvedev said on social media.

EU agrees on new Russia sanctions package targeting energy and finance

He believes the Russian economy would endure and stated that the destruction of Ukraine would continue.

“Strikes on targets in the so-called Ukraine, including Kyiv, will be carried out with increasing force,” he stressed.

Medvedev then escalated his tirade, launching insults at EU nations including Poland, Germany, France, the Baltic states, and the UK. He urged maximum detachment from the EU, which he claimed is now home to “Brits mired in their own shit.”

He went further, stating that Russians should learn to hate Europeans, just as their ancestors once did.

“Hatred is the most powerful weapon, allowing us to move most effectively toward its opposite—love. Naturally, toward those who deserve it,” he claimed.

Von der Leyen received particular scorn, with Medvedev attempting to mock her medical background.

“I’m not sure she even knows where the heart is. Though it seems she’s always thought with the part of her body she used during her failed medical career,” he said. 

Medvedev’s outburst once again illustrates the tone of official Russian rhetoric amid intensified missile strikes on Ukrainian civilians, Russia’s answer to US President Donald Trump’s recent peace efforts.

Ukrainian pilots to gain greater chances in the sky due to Paris’s support. After an hour-long meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on 18 July, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that France is ready to continue training Mirage fighter jet pilots on its own territory.

“I want to specifically highlight our agreement on Mirage pilot training: France is ready to accept additional pilots for training on additional aircraft,” said Zelenskyy.

Among other key issues was the strengthening of Ukraine’s air defense system. The two leaders discussed the supply of missiles for modern SAMP/T systems and the launch of a joint project to fund interceptor drones. Zelenskyy noted that relevant decisions will be prepared at the level of both countries’ defense ministries.

The Ukrainian president also thanked France for its active role in promoting the EU’s 18th package of sanctions and confirmed that Kyiv and Washington are working together so that “Russia feels truly global pressure.”

The EU agreed on a new package after the bloc’s ambassadors reached consensus on restrictions targeting key sectors of the Russian economy. Malta and Slovakia reportedly lifted their vetoes after receiving critical assurances. 

The new Russia sanctions package will include a formal ban on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said the bloc would also reduce the oil price cap as part of efforts to cut the Kremlin’s war revenues.

They paid the highest price for Ukraine’s freedom. British journalist Colin Freeman, in his book The Mad and the Brave, told the stories of foreign volunteers who joined Ukraine’s International Legion, writes The Telegraph.

Freeman compares the influx of volunteers who rushed to aid Ukraine in the early weeks of the all-out war to the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 when thousands from around the world fought fascism.

He portrays a variety of individuals, from veterans of the Syrian war against ISIS to adrenaline seekers and those fleeing heartbreak.

One striking story is that of British combat medic John Harding, who joined the Azov Battalion in 2018. He disproved Russian propaganda about “national extremists” and endured the horrors of the battle for Mariupol, the siege of Azovstal, and months of torture in captivity.

Another hero is Briton Christopher Perryman, a veteran of wars in Iraq, Somalia, and Bosnia, who left behind a young son to fight the Russian aggressor.

Perryman believed he had no moral right to abandon millions of Ukrainian parents in distress, given his extensive military experience. Sadly, he was killed by artillery fire at the end of 2023.

After more than three years of war, the fates of foreign volunteers vary: some died, some cope with PTSD, and others continue fighting alongside Ukrainians.

Earlier, Euromaidan Press published a story about a former paramedic from Colombia, known as Miguel, who came to Ukraine intending to serve as a combat medic. However, due to the language barrier, he was assigned to the infantry.

Despite this, he never abandoned his mission. Every day on the front line, he saves the lives of his comrades. He is learning Ukrainian by singing Chervona Kalyna, the country’s patriotic anthem, and surviving tactics against Russian artillery. 

The International Fencing Federation seeks to bring back athletes who support or take part in the killing of Ukrainians. Over 440 fencers from 40 countries have signed an open letter to the organization, urging it to reinstate strict background checks for Russian and Belarusian athletes, Reuters reports.

Russia’s war has killed over 500 Ukrainian athletes, including children. Nearly 500 sports facilities have been partially or completely destroyed in Russian attacks. 

“By removing comprehensive background checks, the FIE risks allowing individuals whose affiliations or actions conflict with the values of neutrality and non-violence to compete under a neutral status,” the athletes stated in the letter, published by the Global Athlete movement.

Elite fencers voiced their opposition to the International Fencing Federation’s decision to replace screening procedures with a formal declaration of neutrality.

Putin’s “neutral” athletes cheer Russia’s atrocities in Ukraine — but FIFA can’t wait to get them back

“The FIE’s decision contradicts the core principles of fencing, respect, integrity, and fair play, and deviates from the approach originally taken by the international sporting community,” the letter reads.

The Ukrainian Fencing Federation has warned it may pursue legal action, as some admitted Russian athletes hold military ranks. The European Fencing Confederation also condemned “the lack of independent verification in the eligibility process for so-called neutral athletes.”

Last week, the organization claimed that its position “underscores the Federation’s commitment to peace, fairness, and the global unity of sport.” But many athletes and federations see this as a cover for bringing aggressors back into international sports.

Ukrainian Olympic champion Olga Kharlan, who was disqualified in 2023 for refusing to shake hands with a Russian opponent, says that such International Fencing Federation policies could destroy fencing’s presence in the Olympic program.

Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri says India is ready to meet its oil needs from alternative sources if Russia’s supplies are affected by secondary sanctions, Reuters reports.

US President Donald Trump has recently warned that countries continuing to buy Russian oil could face 100% tariffs if Moscow does not agree to a peace deal with Ukraine within 50 days. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has also stated that due to the new economic measures, countries, including India, could suffer losses if continue business with Mooscow. 

At the same time, India emphasizes energy security as a priority and says it will make decisions based on market conditions. The head of the Indian Oil Corporation, A.S. Sahni, has stated that if Russian supplies are restricted, the company will revert to traditional import schemes used before the war in Ukraine, when Moscow’s export was lower than 2%. 

So far, some large private refineries, such as Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy, continue to purchase significant volumes of Russian oil, which led to an increase in imports from Russia in the first half of 2025.

Despite the restrictions the West has already imposed on Moscow, the Kremlin continues to use its “shadow” fleet. It includes a large group of oil tankers, many of which are old and poorly maintained. 

Earlier, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence said a powerful explosion occurred in the engine room of Russia’s  Vilamoura tanker on 27 June, while it was en route from the Libyan port of Es-Zuwaytina.

It was located about 150 km northeast of Libya’s territorial waters and was carrying approximately 1 million barrels of crude oil. The tanker sailed under the Marshall Islands flag.

The Swiss Ministry of Defense reports that the US is delaying deliveries of Patriot air defense systems ordered by Switzerland due to priority support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

In 2022, Switzerland ordered five Patriot systems, which were planned for delivery between 2026 and 2028. However, on 16 July 2025, the US officially announced a revision of delivery priorities due to the urgent need to replenish armaments for countries supplying weapons to Ukraine.

According to Defense Express, the contract included the delivery of 17 launchers and a stock of 70 GEM-T surface-to-air missiles, five AN/MPQ-65 radars, six MIDS-LVT data distribution systems, and five AN/MSQ-132 command posts.

Additionally, in November 2022, the US State Department approved the supply of 72 PAC-3 MSE missiles and related equipment to Switzerland worth $700 million.

Switzerland will receive the systems from later production batches, resulting in delivery delays. Meanwhile, Germany has increased its aid to Ukraine by transferring an additional two Patriot systems.

The delay currently has no specific timeline, and it is unclear whether it will affect deliveries of the PAC-3 MSE guided missiles, which the US promised to provide Ukraine earlier than Switzerland last year.

The Czech Ministry of Defense has announced a significant increase in artillery ammunition deliveries to Ukraine in 2025 under its weapon initiative. It combines NATO countries’ donations with direct ammunition sales through a government-led program that has earned the confidence of international partners, Reuters reports. 

Czechia formed a special team for Ukraine, which together with private companies, scours global markets for surplus ammunition stockpiles and new production lines. Ammunition batches are offered to donor countries, which decide individually what to finance.

Director Ales Vytecka of the Czech Defense Ministry’s AMOS international cooperation agency says 850,000 shells have already been delivered in 2025 to Ukraine, including 320,000 of NATO-standard 155 mm rounds. These figures are approaching last year’s total of 1.5 million shells, 500,000 of which were 155 mm.

Despite the opposition party’s threats to shut the program down after elections, Vytecka stresses that transparency is maintained to the extent allowed by security considerations. He added that the 29% increase in donor contributions compared to 2024 is a clear vote of confidence in the program’s effectiveness.

Donor nations, including Canada, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Denmark, choose which deliveries to fund, and all procurement offers are subject to audit in their respective jurisdictions.

“Putin’s criminal war is approaching our borders,” the Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has emotionally declared after the strike on Barlinek. On 16 July, a Russian drone attack on Ukraine damaged the Polish company Barlinek in the city of Vinnytsia.

As a result of the strike, two employees were hospitalized in serious condition, suffering from numerous burns. 

“Russian drones struck the Barlinek group’s factory in Vinnytsia. The factory director just told me this was done deliberately from three directions. There are wounded, two of them with severe burns,” Sikorski wrote on X.

Barlinek is a global manufacturer of wooden flooring, supplying products to 75 countries across 6 continents. The company also produces sports flooring, skirting boards, and biofuel pellets and briquettes for fireplaces. The Vinnytsia factory was opened in 2007.

Ukrainian emergency services and representatives of the Polish consulate were working on the attack site.

The Polish Foreign Ministry has informed a Russian diplomat that the products of the Polish company Barlinek in Ukraine serve civilian purposes. Therefore, Russia’s strike on the company’s factory in Vinnytsia violates international law and may have legal consequences in the future, UkrInform reports.

Paweł Wroński, the Polish Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, says that the bombing of the Barlinek factory could be connected to the meeting of the Ukrainian, Polish, and Lithuanian foreign ministers of the Lublin Triangle in Lublin.

Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania form new alliance to counter Putin’s weaponized historic narratives amid war of attrition

The main objective of these annual meetings, established in 2020, is to strengthen mutual military and cultural ties between the three countries and to support Ukraine’s integration into the EU and NATO.

Barlinek’s CEO, Wojciech Michałowski, reports that the attack severely damaged the factory. Production at the facility will be suspended for at least six months.

Schemy, a project of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, has identified a Russian prison medic responsible for crimes against Ukrainian soldiers held at Penal Colony No. 10 in Mordovia. His cruelty was so extreme that Ukrainian prisoners nicknamed him “Dr. Evil.”

Journalists have gathered testimonies from more than 150 former captives who recognized “Dr. Evil” in photos and videos. He turned out to be 34-year-old Illia Sorokin, a father of two and employee at Medical Unit No. 13 of Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service (FSVP). He had previously listed his workplace publicly on social media, visited occupied Crimea, and participated in 9 May parades wearing Soviet uniforms with a St. George ribbon.

Pavlo Afisov, a Ukrainian marine from the 36th Brigade, said that Sorokin used a stun gun, forced Ukrainian prisoners to crawl, jump, and sing Russian songs.

“He derived aesthetic pleasure from seeing you bent over in front of him, hands raised, with nothing on you, eyes closed. Yet he would kick you between the legs, hit you in the gut, strike your liver, beat you with a rubber baton and a stun gun. He even said that people like us deserve genocide,” the soldier recalled. 

Another soldier, Oleksandr Savov, confirmed the abuse and the denial of medical care. Sorokin was approached concerning the mental health of Ukrainian prisoner, Volodymyr Yukhymenko, who was brutally beaten and later died. A Ukrainian forensic examination found multiple fractures, hemorrhages, and pneumonia.

Despite Sorokin’s denials of responsibility, Tetiana Zhuravliova, a personnel officer at Medical Unit No. 13, confirmed his involvement. She said that Sorokin is currently serving in the Russian army, using the callsign “Doctor” and collecting supplies, equipment, medicine, and camouflage nets for his unit.

As Taiwan is conducting its massive Han Kuang exercises, China has deployed a record number of warplanes and ships toward the island, UkrInform reports. In the past 24 hours, China has sent 58 military aircraft and 10 naval and coast guard vessels toward Taiwan.

Of those 58 aircraft, including fighter jets, bombers, drones, and helicopters, 45 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s air defense zones in the north, center, southwest, and east. The heaviest activity was recorded in the central and southwestern zones, home to key Taiwanese Air Force and Navy bases.

There have been no official intrusions into Taiwan’s airspace or territorial waters, but the situation is described as extremely tense. Taiwanese forces continue combat simulations as part of the extended 10-day exercises, the longest ever, involving a record 22,000 reservists this year.

Earlier, Taiwan unveiled a new naval drone, the Endeavor Manta, inspired by Ukraine’s SeaBaby and Magura drones. At 8.6 meters long, it can carry over a ton of explosives or lightweight torpedoes, another sign the island is preparing for a potential maritime attack.

Russian Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev has threatened the West with “preemptive strikes,” but added that Moscow has no intention to attack Europe, the Kremlin agency TASS reports. 

He has accused the West of waging “full-scale war against Russia,” claiming that NATO supplies Ukraine with satellite data and facilitates missile launches.

“The West has not only treachery in its blood but also a sick, outdated belief in its own superiority. Russia must act accordingly, and, if necessary, deliver preemptive strikes,” Medvedev says.

Despite this, he called information about a possible Russian attack on Europe “nonsense,” which is allegedly being deliberately spread.

Earlier, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service Head Sergey Naryshkin accused NATO of escalating military activity near Russia’s borders. He warned that Poland and the Baltic states would be the first to suffer in a war between Moscow and the Alliance.

He claimed these countries were displaying particular aggressiveness. As an example, he cited Warsaw’s alleged plan to deploy around two million anti-tank mines along its borders with Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad Oblast. 

The EU may revisit the vote on its 18th sanctions package against Russia as early as 18 July after the bloc’s representatives failed to reach a consensus on Wednesday, 16 July. The deadlock stems from Slovakia’s opposition, which is tied to the European Commission’s gas policy.

“No green light today on Russian sanctions during debate with ambassadors. They may return to the issue on Friday,” reports Rikard Jozwiak from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

The proposed sanctions package reportedly includes:

A “dynamic mechanism” for pricing Russian oil, 15% below the market price, which is approximately $47 per barrel

• A ban on operations involving the Nord Stream gas pipelines,
• Sanctions against a Russian oil refinery operating in India,
• Restrictions on two Chinese banks assisting Moscow in evading sanctions,
• Measures targeting Russia’s “shadow fleet” transporting energy resources outside sanctions regimes.

Meanwhile, Estonia has warned it will block the package if the provision to lower the oil price cap is removed, ERR writes.

“We have a very clear position that the oil price cap reduction must be included in this package. We hold a very firm stance on this issue,” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna says.

At the same time, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys has expressed hope that pressure on Russia will only intensify, according to Delfi. He has also announced that the country will begin its work on the next 19th sanction package after the 18th is adopted. 

“The next package should follow, and we will continue this process until the Russian war machine either chokes or shuts down due to lack of revenue,” he has noted. 

Unanimity remains the EU’s only path to advancing sanctions policy, and Russia has proven adept at exploiting this vulnerability.

Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania have agreed to establish a Historians’ Forum within the Lublin Triangle framework to deprive Moscow of any opportunity to manipulate shared history and sow discord among partners.

“We must seek understanding, resolve sensitive issues, and thus deny Moscow any opportunity to undermine our unity,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in Lublin.

On 16 July, he visited the Lublin Triangle’s conference with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys and Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. The main objective of these annual meetings, established in 2020, is to strengthen mutual military and cultural ties between the three countries and to support Ukraine’s integration into the EU and NATO.

The Ukrainian foreign minister added that the parties agreed such meetings of foreign ministers will be held regularly, at least twice a year.

Russia systematically manipulates and distorts historical facts to justify its aggression against Ukraine and to construct a narrative of the war’s “legality” and “necessity.” For instance, on 14 July, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that Russian President Vladimir Putin sent not negotiators, but a “historian” to the last peace talks in Istanbul.

The head of the Alliance was referring to Vladimir Medinsky, who began recounting Russian history starting in 1250 and tried to force Ukraine into capitulation. He also said that Moscow is ready to fight forever, mentioning the 21-year war against Sweden. 

In 2024, during a high-profile interview with American propagandist Tucker Carlson, Putin began the conversation with a long historical monologue in which he attempted to justify his aggression against Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine is launching a project to ensure technological superiority on the battlefield. With support from the German Federal Ministry of Defense and the Office of Effective Regulation (BRDO), Kyiv has announced a program to develop defense startups focused on artificial intelligence technology.

The launch of K4 Startup Studio promises a new format of cooperation between the state, developers, military experts, and global mentors.

Participating teams will compete to solve four key military challenges and can also submit their own ideas. Selected startups will undergo combat testing and receive mentoring support.

After a four-month intensive program, teams will have the opportunity to attract investments or sign government contracts. The four best startups will receive grants of $250,000 each.

“We are not just adapting — we are setting trends,” emphasizes Deputy Defense Minister Kateryna Chernohorenko.

Applications are open on k4.mod.gov.ua until 15 August 2025. Developers and investors interested in battlefield-proven technologies, both Ukrainian and international, are invited to apply.

A Ukrainian soldier could have gone on a date after meeting someone on Telegram. But before the meeting, he was asked to do a “small favor,” which could have turned deadly if not for law enforcement.

 
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), together with the National Police, thwarted a terrorist attack planned by an FSB agent network. One of the plots involved a fake “romantic date” in Dnipro.

A pair of Russian agents gained the trust of the Ukrainian soldier. Through Telegram, they suggested he meet with the “sister of a fellow soldier.” Before the date, the girl asked him to pick up her brother’s belongings from her friend.

“In reality, it was an accomplice who handed the soldier a bag containing explosives,” the SBU reported.

Afterward, Russian agents tried to detonate the device remotely, but it was defused in time.

It was just one of at least five terrorist attacks planned by them inside Ukraine.

• In Kyiv, two drug addicts tried to plant explosives near a military facility. They were coordinated from a detention center by an inmate who recruited his cellmate and two more accomplices.
• In Vinnytsia, a 19-year-old individual from Zhytomyr Oblast was detained while planting explosives near an apartment building housing military families.
• In Rivne, a terrorist hid explosives inside a soldier’s service vehicle and installed a surveillance camera.

Russian intelligence recruited all perpetrators via Telegram channels advertising “easy money.” According to the SBU, each attack attempt came with promises of financial reward.

All suspects have been charged with state treason, sabotage, and terrorism. They face life imprisonment and confiscation of property.

He sings Ukrainian songs and stops Russian assault troops. A former paramedic from Colombia, known as Miguel, came to Ukraine intending to serve as a combat medic. However, due to the language barrier, he was assigned to the infantry.

Despite this, he never abandoned his mission. Every day on the front line, he saves the lives of his comrades. He is learning Ukrainian by singing Chervona Kalyna, the country’s patriotic anthem. 

“At first, it was tough on the front line,” Miguel says, “but over time I realized you can fight back even against artillery. You have to attack and retreat, attack and retreat. That’s how I survived.”

The hardest part, he says, is overcoming the fear in your first battle.

“That’s the problem: people go into their first fight and afterward, because of fear, decide they can’t do it. But you have to adapt,” Miguel explains.

Even without official medic status, Miguel has repeatedly provided first aid to the wounded.

“The first cases stayed with me the most, but every single one of them inspires me to keep fighting and helping people. In the Legion, we are all one family. We always support each other,” he concludes.

Earlier, the Ukrainian 47th Mechanized Brigade Magura formed a reconnaissance and strike group composed mainly of Colombian volunteers.

The company commander, known as Hamlet, personally organized the arrival of foreign volunteers, including Colombians and fighters from Peru, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Italy, and Mexico. Ukrainian state programs allow them to quickly undergo training and integrate into the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Ukrainian fighters describe Colombian volunteers as “brave and humane,” who retrieve their wounded comrades and injured Ukrainians from the frontline, and are ready to carry out essential missions.

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated that it should not be Europe, but Russia itself, using its frozen assets, that pays for American weapons for Ukraine. He made this comment in response to the new US and NATO initiative to rearm Kyiv, PAP reports.

“I asked my fellow foreign ministers: Who should pay for American equipment? Should it be European taxpayers, or, in my opinion, should the aggressor pay for it using its frozen funds?” Sikorski said following a meeting of EU foreign ministers. 

He voiced support for Trump’s new plan with a 50-day deadline: if Russia does not end the war within this period, the US will impose tough sanctions on Moscow and its partners.

“We hope that this 50-day window before potential US sanctions is a time to increase pressure on the Russian Federation so that it finally comes to its senses,” the Polish foreign minister emphasized.

Sikorski also noted his approval of Washington’s new stance on the war, adding that he is pleased the US president has now reached the same conclusions that EU countries had drawn earlier.

Earlier, Kaja Kallas, EU foreign policy chief, said that the timeline of a 50-day ultimatum to Putin for Ukraine peace talks is too long, as civilians die daily.

Also, Trump did not clarify what would happen if Russia refuses to agree to a peace deal with Ukraine. Meanwhile, the deadline coincides with the timeframe reportedly shared by Putin during a recent conversation, in which he stated that Moscow plans to escalate military operations in eastern Ukraine. This effectively gives Putin 1,5 months to continue killing Ukrainian civilians.

Russia’s war has triggered a tsunami of crises, says Bob Rae, President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and Canada’s Permanent Representative to the UN. Moscow’s aggression against Ukraine has sparked a global food crisis, mass displacement, and setbacks in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, UkrInform reports.

Rae notes that the war has sharply increased food prices for billions of people, endangered food security, and caused large-scale forced migration both within Ukraine and beyond its borders. This poses a serious challenge to the international community, which must ensure that people’s basic needs, especially access to affordable food, are met.

According to Rae, Russia’s effect on the global economy has been consistently negative. Even though inflation is beginning to ease, its effects remain deeply felt in many countries.

The diplomat likens the war’s impact not to “ripples on the water” but to a tsunami, so vast is the scale of the invasion’s consequences on a global level.

At the same time, he emphasizes that despite all challenges, Ukraine remains strong: its economy is holding, and its people continue to resist. Rae expresses hope that international support would remain as resilient as Ukraine itself.

Ukraine aims to strengthen the defense of over 3,000 kilometers of its border with Russia and Belarus. Roman Kostenko, Secretary of the Parliament Committee on National Security, says that to achieve this, Kyiv is seeking a temporary suspension of the Ottawa Convention on the prohibition of anti-personnel mines, UkrInform reports. 

The Ottawa Convention bans anti-personnel landmines worldwide. Since 1999, it has drawn 164 countries committed to destroying their mine stockpiles and clearing contaminated land, as mines can cause severe injuries and deaths among civilians. However, given that Ukraine has the right to protect itself, the government temporarily suspended its participation in the treaty.

“Considering the over 3,000 km border with Russia and Belarus, it is necessary to create a minefield at least several dozen kilometers wide, a preventive defense,” Kostenko explains.

Anti-personnel mines are effective, low-cost, and straightforward means of holding positions and creating denial zones for enemy infantry. They can demoralize the adversary and significantly complicate their movements and operations.

Kostenko emphasizes that fortifications without mine barriers are often ineffective.

“The enemy bypasses them. They are not always built in the right places. Fortifications must be guarded or be part of a combined system with mine barriers. One without the other does not work,” he says. 

According to him, the use of anti-personnel mines will allow Ukraine to rapidly defend positions and significantly enhance the country’s defensive capabilities.

Six months ago, Lithuania and Finland also withdrew from the Ottawa Convention. Now, they are preparing to start the domestic production of anti-personnel landmines to supply their militaries and Kyiv. This decision reflects growing European concerns that Russia’s military ambitions may extend beyond Ukraine. China and the US never signed the document.

A Ukrainian female political prisoner has spoken out about brutal torture in Russian captivity. Journalist Iryna Danylovych has appealed to the European Parliament, asking to pay attention to the terrible conditions in Russian Women’s Colony No. 7 in Zelenokumsk, Zmina reports. 

Danylovych’s relatives have delivered the appeal to Pina Picierno, the Vice-President of the European Parliament. 

The Ukrainian woman describes the colony as “an endless hell.” At night, the Russians never turn the lights off, making it impossible to sleep even with a blindfold. Every day, loud equipment operates in the barracks for several hours, which is especially difficult for her due to chronic ear inflammation, which goes untreated there.

Prisoners are also forced to stand outside for hours in cold and bad weather.

The journalist calls on the European community and Russian Ombudswoman Tatyana Moskalkova to intervene in the situation.

Before her arrest, Iryna defended the rights of medical workers in Crimea and reported on violations in healthcare. In 2022, she was abducted by FSB agents, held in a basement without a lawyer, and later sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of possessing explosives.

Earlier, 22-year-old Ukrainian soldier Valentyn Marynych came back home from 36 months in Russian captivity. He said Russian troops beat him with rebar, bricks, knuckledusters, belts, fists, and boots during regular runs through crowds of occupiers. 

Ukraine has charged three Russian commanders suspected of ordering the rocket attack on a residential area of Chernihiv with Grad multiple launch rocket systems in 2022. The attack killed 20 people and wounded 28, the Prosecutor General’s Office reported.

The Prosecutor General’s Office, together with the Security Service of Ukraine, has identified Colonel Oleg Kurygin, a commander of the 35th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Russian 41st Army, as well as two subordinates, Major Ramis Zagretdinov and Captain Timur Suleymanov, who were responsible for battalion tactical groups.

On the morning of 16 March 2022, they ordered a massive strike on the residential area using unguided rockets, despite the absence of any nearby military targets. At that time, civilians were standing near a shop buying groceries.

“Russian military personnel were aware they were using weapons against civilians. This was a deliberate attack on the civilian population,” the Prosecutor General’s Office emphasizes.

Under international law, such actions constitute a war crime. The commanders are charged with violations of the laws of war, combined with the intentional murder of a group of persons by prior conspiracy.

The documentation of war crimes was conducted by the public organizations Truth Hounds and Global Rights Compliance.

According to the investigation, Kurygin personally gave the order to shell using high-explosive fragmentation ammunition, and his unit temporarily controlled the border areas of Chernihiv Oblast in 2022.

During a recent meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Beijing, Chinese leader Xi Jinping stated that China and Russia must “deepen their strategic partnership.”

The meeting took place the day after NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and US President Donald Trump gathered in Washington, where both sides pledged greater support for Ukraine.

On 14 July, the American leader announced the delivery of 17 Patriot air defense systems to Kyiv and a new agreement with NATO under which allies will pay for US weapons for Ukraine. Trump also issued an ultimatum: Russia will face 100% tariffs if it doesn’t end the war within 50 days.

At the meeting with Lavrov, the Chinese president claimed that the two countries must strengthen mutual support and unite Global South nations to form “a more just international order.”

Xi emphasized that the foreign ministries of both countries must implement the agreements reached between him and Russian ruler Vladimir Putin, and enhance cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

“The SCO has become an influential regional organization that plays a major role in the stability of Eurasia,” the Chinese leader stressed.

The SCO was founded in 2001. Its mission has evolved from counterterrorism to broader economic and political cooperation. The organization currently unites 10 countries and is headquartered in Beijing.

China is Russia’s largest trading partner and has provided Moscow with economic support that has helped it withstand Western sanctions.

Xi and Putin have met dozens of times and signed a “no-limits partnership” in February 2022, less than three weeks before Putin sent troops into Ukraine, according to Ukrainska Pravda. 

This year, Putin and Xi signed another agreement to further deepen their comprehensive strategic partnership.

Earlier, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told a senior EU diplomat that China “cannot accept” a Russian defeat in the war against Ukraine, arguing that such an outcome would allow the US to shift its foreign policy focus toward Beijing.

Europe is preparing billions of dollars to deter Russian ruler Vladimir Putin. Denmark and the Netherlands have agreed to join US President Donald Trump’s new plan for jointly financing American weapons for Ukraine, including Patriot air defense systems, EurActiv reports. 

The agreement, which was announced on 14 July in Washington, provides that European NATO allies will purchase air defense systems from the US, including Patriot systems, and deliver them to Kyiv. Germany has already proposed purchasing at least two batteries.

“This is an appeal to all other European NATO members. They all need to open their wallets,” emphasized German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

According to him, Ukraine urgently needs to strengthen its air defense, as Russia escalates its attacks whenever peace is discussed.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen has also confirmed that the country is “absolutely ready” to join the program, with details still being finalized. His Dutch counterpart, Caspar Veldkamp, has said the Netherlands is “positively inclined” to participate.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has stated that the scheme would allow Ukraine to receive weapons from existing stockpiles, which would then be replenished with new purchases from the US. However, systems like the Patriot are scarce in Europe, and not all countries are willing to part with them.

In addition to the three countries, Canada, Norway, Sweden, and the UK are also considering joining the program. Final funding amounts and the list of weapons will be determined in the coming weeks. 

Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, passed alarming information to US Presidential Special Representative Keith Kellogg during their meeting in Kyiv. Russia is preparing for a major war, not only against Ukraine but also against NATO. 

The meeting was also attended by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, the Chief of the General Staff, Andrii Hnatov, and other intelligence officials. The American side was briefed on an updated assessment of the operational situation and the Kremlin’s plans for 2036.

“The Kremlin’s imperial ambitions are not limited to Ukraine. They encompass all of Europe. However, with US support, we are capable of stopping Russia and nullifying its military potential,” Budanov emphasized.

The head of the intelligence agency thanked the US for its assistance and stressed, “Russia respects only strength,” and that only through strong resistance can Ukraine achieve a true and lasting peace.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump, frustrated by fruitless “pleasant talks” with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on the war in Ukraine, issued an ultimatum to Moscow. He said that if the Kremlin doesn’t reach a peace agreement within 50 days, the White House will impose 100% tariffs on Russia. This effectively gives Putin 1,5 months to continue killing Ukrainian civilians. Trump also did not clarify what would happen if Moscow refuses to sign any deal with Kyiv. 

Later, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev openly mocked Trump’s statements, saying the Kremlin is indifferent to Washington’s new threats.

US President Donald Trump, frustrated by fruitless “pleasant talks” with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on the war in Ukraine, has issued an ultimatum to Moscow. The Kremlin responded by saying that Russia doesn’t care.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has openly mocked Trump’s statements, saying the Kremlin is indifferent to Washington’s new threats. According to him, Trump’s threats are theatrical in nature, and Europe had expected more.

“Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, expecting the consequences. Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn’t care,” Medvedev wrote on X. 

On 14 July, the American president also said that the new tariffs would target Kremlin allies, though he did not specify which countries he meant. Notably, China is the largest sponsor of Russia’s war in Ukraine, while North Korea supplies over half of Russia’s ammunition and military personnel in exchange for technology.

Trump also did not clarify what would happen if Russia refuses to agree to a peace deal with Ukraine. Meanwhile, the 50-day deadline coincides with the timeframe reportedly shared by Putin during a recent conversation, in which he stated that Moscow plans to escalate military operations in eastern Ukraine within the next 60 days. This effectively gives Putin 1,5 months to continue killing Ukrainian civilians.

Putin reportedly told Trump during their 3 July conversation that Russia intended to continue offensive operations until it secured the full administrative borders of the occupied Ukrainian oblasts.

Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including most of Luhansk Oblast, two-thirds of Donetsk Oblast, and parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Oblasts. Moscow illegally declared the annexation of all four regions after sham referendums, despite not fully controlling any of them. At present, Russia has fully occupied only Crimea.

Vitalii Shabunin, Ukraine’s top anti-corruption activist and head of Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Action Center, has been charged in a controversial criminal case. The State Bureau of Investigation has accused him of evasion of military service and misuse of a vehicle intended for the military, sparking a public outcry and allegations of political persecution, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty writes. 

According to investigators, Shabunin allegedly “systematically evaded” military service during martial law and illegally used a vehicle imported as humanitarian aid for the Armed Forces, including for personal travel in Kyiv. They claim the vehicle was never officially registered for military use.

He has been charged under two articles of the Ukrainian Criminal Code:

• Part 4, Article 409 — evasion of military service under martial law
• Part 2, Article 190 — large-scale fraud

The maximum penalty is up to 10 years in prison. 

Shabunin’s response

The activist has denied all allegations and called the case politically motivated. He published a photo of his military ID issued on 25 February 2022, the day after Russia’s full-scale invasion began.

He says he served on the front lines with Ukraine’s Armed Forces from the first days of the war, first near Kyiv, then in eastern Ukraine. After combat duty, he joined the Ministry of Defense to work on logistics reform and digital projects, including the Delta situational awareness system, according to the BBC.

In February 2025, he was transferred to a border guard unit in Kharkiv Oblast, a move he links to retaliation for his outspoken criticism of the government.

Civil society reacts: “An attack on free speech and democracy”

More than 50 non-governmental organizations, human rights groups, and civic organizations have appealed to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, and the State Bureau of Investigation’s Head, Oleksii Sukhachov, demanding that the investigation be dropped.

In their joint statement, they warned that the case is either a sign of gross incompetence or deliberate pressure on a government critic. Shabunin continued his anti-corruption work while in uniform, publicly opposing the sabotage of reforms and poor governance and defending the independence of Ukraine’s anti-graft institutions, Deutsche Welle reports.

Olena Shcherban, deputy director of Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Action Center, has called the case an attempt to destroy an organization that has fought for transparency for years. It could also be a broader crackdown on independent activists, a dangerous precedent for democracy under martial law.

The American foreign policy takes an unexpected turn as the US ramps up arms supplies to NATO for Ukraine. President Donald Trump has announced a sharp increase in arms shipments to European allies, intended for eventual transfer to Ukraine, a dramatic reversal of his earlier stance on the war, Axios reports. 

According to a well-informed source, the first wave of deliveries will see the US sell roughly $10 billion worth of weapons to NATO partners for Ukraine. 

“The supplies ultimately bound for Ukraine include missiles, air defense weaponry and artillery shells,” the report writes. 

This marks a fundamental shift in Trump’s stance towards Ukraine, as he initially refused to take sides and insisted on providing only defensive weapons to avoid escalating the war. 

In addition, he issued a stark ultimatum to Moscow: Russia has 50 days to agree to a peace deal, or face 100% tariffs. Journalists note that such a move could significantly impact global oil markets.

A White House official told Axios that Moscow must agree to a ceasefire during that time to avoid harsh sanctions and tariffs.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, for his part, reiterated that Ukraine seeks peace. He noted that the Alliance, which would pay for Kyiv’s weapons, would now assess what the country specifically needs. After that, NATO will properly structure military aid packages. The country will gain access to a wide array of weapons, including missile defense systems and ammunition.

Ukraine to receive record-breaking financial aid package from EU and partners for recovery, energy, air defense, and agriculture. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has announced multi-billion euro agreements reached during the Ukrine Recovery Conference in Rome.

Among them is the creation of a new European Flagship Fund worth €500 million, set to launch in 2026 with a focus on energy and infrastructure investment.

In addition, under the Ukraine Facility, agreements have been signed for:

• €1.8 billion in loan guarantees,
• €580 million in grants,
• and blended financing mechanisms.

Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, commenting on the deal, stated that the EU aims to unlock up to €10 billion in investments to “rebuild destroyed homes, reopen hospitals, support businesses, and ensure energy security.”

Switzerland has committed €5 billion for economic recovery efforts.

The European Investment Bank is providing Ukraine with:

• €134 million for transport infrastructure,
• and a €200 million loan to Ukrhydroenergo (with the first €120 million tranche) to help restore hydropower plants.

Separately, the UK is offering a $2.3 billion loan for Ukraine’s air defense needs. The funds will be used to procure weapons and defense materials from the UK. The loan has a 19-year term with a 6-year grace period.

Ukrainian farmers will also receive €50 million in grant aid.

Shmyhal added, “We’ve reached an agreement with the Council of Europe Development Bank to fund €100 million in housing certificates under the eRecovery program, and an additional €200 million loan to support internally displaced persons.”

US officials have been briefed. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov reveals that during the visit of Keith Kellogg, the US presidential envoy, to Kyiv, the Ukrainian side shared alarming intelligence on the Kremlin’s plans.

The Ukrainian defense minister says that Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Chief of the General Staff, Major General Andrii Hnatov, Chief of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, and other intelligence officials held a briefing for the US side.

According to Umerov, Ukrainian officials explicitly warned their American counterparts: Russia is preparing for a large-scale war, not only against Ukraine, but also against the North Atlantic Alliance.

“They presented the operational situation, assessed enemy plans, and informed about Russia’s preparations for a broader-scale war,” the minister states.

Umerov describes the conversation with Kellogg as “substantive and candid,” focusing on achieving a lasting and just peace. Key topics included continued defense support, joint defense projects, and the localization of air defense and drone production in Ukraine and Europe.

He also notes that Ukraine has a “unique combat experience, especially in the field of drones, and we are ready to share it,” with the US, adding that some of the defense projects could be financed using frozen Russian assets.

On 14 July, US President Donald Trump confirmed the conclusion of a new agreement with NATO that provides for the delivery of a powerful military aid package worth billions of dollars to Ukraine, UkrInform reports. 

According to the American leader, some of these systems would arrive within days. Countries that currently possess Patriot systems have agreed to send them to Ukraine in exchange for new US deliveries. Trump said the systems have a full set of batteries intended to bolster Ukraine’s air defense.

He emphasized that the weapons would be financed by NATO allies, not American taxpayers. 

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, for his part, reiterated that Ukraine seeks peace.

During his meeting with President Trump at the White House, he said it is vital to provide Ukraine with everything necessary to defend itself from Russia. He called the decision for Europeans to pay for Ukraine’s aid entirely logical.

Rutte added that the agreement is the result of the Alliance summit in The Hague, where NATO members committed to gradually increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP, continuing to support Ukraine, and expanding defense production.

He noted that NATO would now assess what Ukraine specifically needs so that the alliance can properly structure military aid packages. Ukraine will gain access to a wide array of weapons, including missile defense systems and ammunition.

In his view, the US president’s decision will allow weapons to reach Ukraine at an accelerated pace.

At the same time, Rutte remarked that in light of the latest news from Washington, if he were in Russian ruler Vladimir Putin’s place, he would reconsider his approach to negotiations with Ukraine.

The new agreement is the result of a series of talks following Trump’s disappointment over Russia’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire. He also threatened Russia with tough secondary tariffs if negotiations fail within 50 days. 

The US is ready to hit the Kremlin with tariffs if peace isn’t reached soon. President Donald Trump has announced that he will impose strict secondary tariffs on Russia and its allies if a peace agreement on Ukraine is not reached within the next 50 days, UNIAN reports. 

He believes the proposed 100% tariff restrictions could serve as a decisive lever of pressure on Moscow.

In addition, Washington will supply Ukraine with 17 Patriot air defense systems, some of which are expected to arrive within days. The countries that agreed to transfer the systems will receive replacements from the US The coordination of deliveries will be overseen by Matthew Whitaker, the US representative to NATO, in cooperation with the Alliance.

Trump has also agreed with the EU on a joint program to supply weapons to Ukraine. Production will remain US-based, but the financial burden will fall largely on EU countries.

The US president has also recognized the bravery of the Ukrainians resisting Russia’s massive strikes on a daily basis. According to Trump, Russia continues targeting civilian infrastructure, not just military targets, destroying cities, power grids, and residential areas, posing a long-term humanitarian crisis for Ukraine’s population.

He has also voiced disappointment with Russian President Vladimir Putin, from whom he had expected a readiness for a ceasefire two months ago. However, the Kremlin has continued its aggressive course, prompting the US to prepare a powerful economic response.

Earlier, reports emerged that Trump was considering providing Ukraine with powerful air-launched JASSM cruise missiles.

With a range of up to 370 km, a 450 kg warhead, and high-precision targeting, the JASSM could change the dynamics of Ukraine’s defense capabilities, especially amid Russia’s summer offensive.

The US is taking an unprecedented step to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses. President Donald Trump has announced that 17 Patriot surface-to-air missile systems will soon be transferred to Ukraine, RBC-Ukraine reports. 

Some of them are expected to arrive within days. He made the statement during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

According to Trump, the Patriot systems will be provided by a partner country that won’t be needing them, and the US is already arranging their rapid delivery.

Last week, the US president confirmed that Patriots would be sent to Kyiv and that European allies would cover their cost.

The announcement comes amid continued Russian attacks and could prove to be a key factor in reinforcing Ukraine’s air defense capabilities in the coming weeks. In June alone, Moscow launched 330 missiles and 5,000 drones on Ukraine. 

Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has documented 232 civilian deaths and 1,343 injuries the same month, marking the highest monthly casualty toll in three years as Russian forces launched ten times more missile strikes and drone attacks than in June 2024.

The surge demonstrates Moscow’s strategic shift toward terrorizing populations across practically every Ukrainian region as Russian military casualties exceed one million, forcing reliance on terror tactics against defenseless civilians rather than battlefield advances.

Earlier, reports emerged that Trump was considering providing Ukraine with powerful air-launched JASSM cruise missiles.

With a range of up to 370 km, a 450 kg warhead, and high-precision targeting, the JASSM could change the dynamics of Ukraine’s defense capabilities, especially amid Russia’s summer offensive.

US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering providing Ukraine with powerful air-launched JASSM cruise missiles, according to Military Watch Magazine.

These missiles, capable of being launched from F-16 fighter jets, would significantly boost Ukraine’s ability to strike strategic targets deep behind Russian lines.

With a range of up to 370 km, a 450 kg warhead, and high-precision targeting, the JASSM could change the dynamics of Ukraine’s defense capabilities.

Only four countries operate this advanced weapon system, including Poland, which purchased 110 JASSMs for its F-16s. The US had previously denied such exports to allies like South Korea, underscoring the technology’s sensitivity.

Trump has already expressed support for delivering Patriot air defense missiles to Kyiv and hinted at broader arms transfers. 

Today, the Russians are receiving reinforcements for the start of the second wave of their summer offensive. Moscow concentrated 100,000 troops in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast from the overall 700,000-strong Russian grouping.

Russia occupies about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including most of Luhansk Oblast, two-thirds of Donetsk Oblast, and parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Oblasts. Moscow illegally declared the annexation of the four oblasts as Russian following sham referenda in late 2022, while not fully controlling them.