US military leaders are clear: aid to Ukraine does not harm America. But Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth once again says “no,” despite the facts, the pressure, and the law, NBC News reports. 

Chaos in sky: Hegseth halts Ukraine’s weapons flights without Trump’s order

An analysis conducted by senior US military officers showed that the weapons package for Ukraine, but halted, did not pose a threat to American military capabilities. Nevertheless, Hegseth suspended the shipment, the media outlet writes, citing three US officials.

According to sources, the Pentagon chief’s decision has surprised the US State Department, members of Congress, Ukrainian officials, and European allies. It has been criticized by both Republicans and Democrats in the US. 

Representative Adam Smith, a Democrat from the House Armed Services Committee, has stated that the Pentagon’s explanation for pausing the aid was disingenuous, saying the real reason appears to be simply to end US support for Ukraine.

“We are not at any lower point, stockpile-wise, than we’ve been in the 3½ years of the Ukraine conflict,” Smith says, adding that his staff “saw the numbers,” and there was no evidence of shortages that would justify halting the aid.

The sources said Hegseth was supported by Elbridge Colby, the Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy. Colby has long advocated reducing American aid to Ukraine and shifting weapons and resources to the Pacific region to counter China.

Congressional aides said lawmakers from both parties have been frustrated that they had not been informed in advance and were reviewing whether the delay violated legislation requiring continued security assistance to Ukraine. The White House has defended the decision, stating it followed an ongoing Pentagon review of support to allies and partners.

The review began after Hegseth ordered the Pentagon Joint Staff to reassess stockpiles of all munitions. According to three officials, while some US precision munitions were at lower levels, the figures had not crossed critical thresholds.

Officials say the Joint Staff has concluded that further aid to Ukraine would not reduce US stockpiles below the levels required for military readiness.

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.

Explore further

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.

Ukraine will establish defense plants in Denmark. Ukraine’s Minister for Strategic Industries, Herman Smetanin, and Denmark’s Minister for Industry, Morten Bødskov, have signed an agreement on cooperation.

Herman Smetanin recalls that a year ago, Denmark was the first to begin financing weapons production by Ukrainian companies.

Today, it has become the first country where Ukraine exports its own defense technologies for production, scaling, and delivery to the Ukrainian military.

“This is a unique case of international cooperation for the Ukrainian defense industry. I am extremely grateful to Denmark for such significant support of Ukraine’s defense sector,” the minister states.

He adds that Ukraine will make every effort to strengthen Denmark’s and its partners’ defense capabilities.

In 2024, Ukraine and Denmark introduced a new mechanism for funding arms procurement for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This mechanism was named the “Danish model.”

It is a system of military assistance to Ukraine that involves direct financing and procurement of weapons from Ukrainian defense companies. This approach supports Ukraine’s defense industrial base, helping to equip Kyiv troops with NATO-standard technology.

The first project under the Danish model was the procurement of 155mm 2S22 Bohdana self-propelled howitzers with full-cycle financing, from production to crew training and technical support. In 2025, defense support under this model will scale up to over €1.3 billion, part of which comes from frozen Russian assets. The funds will go toward the production of artillery, attack drones, missiles, and anti-tank systems.

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.

Explore further

Czech firms secretly shipped machine tools to Russia — even during war, investigation finds

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.

The Security Service of Ukraine has found Chinese-made components in the debris of Iranian Shahed drones used by Russia to strike Kyiv.

According to an official statement, the Russian-modified Shaheds contained launch parts marked with the name of Suzhou Ecod Precision Manufacturing Co., Ltd. These drones were used in an overnight attack on Kyiv on 4 July.

“These components, specifically catapult launch mounts, were recovered from the drones that Russian forces used to attack the capital,” the SBU stated, releasing photographic evidence.

A criminal case has been opened, with the strike on Kyiv classified as a war crime.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has pointed to the symbolic irony: “We found a component of the Shahed-136/Geran-2 in Kyiv, manufactured in China and delivered quite recently, while just the day before, the Russian strike damaged the building of China’s Consulate General in Odesa.”

To the minister, this illustrates how Putin has drawn third countries into his war.

“North Korean troops, Iranian weapons, Chinese manufacturers — this is what Ukraine is fighting against,” said Sybiha. 

The Ukrainian foreign minister has emphasized that global security is interconnected: “Security in Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific region is inseparable. This is not a competition for attention.”

He has called on the US and the international community to increase pressure not only on the Kremlin but also on all those supporting its war.

Russia just became the first nation to formally recognize the Taliban government in Afghanistan—nearly four years after the group seized power again. 

The recognition came as Russia accepted credentials from Afghanistan’s new ambassador, a move that the Russian Foreign Ministry stated would “give impetus to the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries in various fields.”

“We value this courageous step taken by Russia, and, God willing, it will serve as an example for others as well,” said Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Russia seeks trade and economic opportunities from Taliban

The Russian Foreign Ministry outlined concrete benefits: cooperation in security, counter-terrorism, and combating drug crime. More importantly, Moscow sees “significant trade and economic opportunities” in energy, transport, agriculture, and infrastructure.

This isn’t sudden diplomacy. Russia has been quietly building economic ties with the Taliban for years. Since 2022, Afghanistan has imported gas, oil, and wheat from Russia. 

Russia’s approach required reversing its previous position, as the Taliban had been designated a terrorist movement in Russia since 2003 until the ban was lifted in April this year.

Will other countries recognize Taliban?

Several nations have already moved partway. China, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan appointed ambassadors to Kabul—steps toward recognition without full diplomatic acknowledgment, according to Reuters.

But Western governments remain firmly opposed. Their position centers on one issue: women’s rights. The Taliban has banned girls and women from high schools and universities. Women cannot move freely without male guardians. Western diplomats say broader recognition won’t happen until these policies change.

The Taliban justifies these restrictions under its interpretation of Islamic law. That creates a fundamental standoff with Western expectations.

The decision also comes as Russia faces security challenges from militant groups operating across the region. President Vladimir Putin described the Taliban last year as an ally in fighting terrorism, a characterization that gained relevance following the March 2024 attack on a Moscow concert hall that killed 149 people, which US officials attributed to the Afghan branch of Islamic State.

Western isolation strategy crumbles

Russia’s recognition carries particular weight given Moscow’s bloody history in Afghanistan. Soviet forces invaded in 1979, fought for a decade against the Mujahideen insurgents, and withdrew in 1989 after losing approximately 15,000 soldiers. Putin is now embracing the group that emerged from that conflict’s aftermath.

Meanwhile, the US has frozen billions in Afghanistan’s central bank assets and maintains sanctions on Taliban leaders. Russia’s move could encourage other countries to break ranks, potentially undermining the Western isolation strategy.

For the Taliban, this represents their biggest diplomatic victory since taking power. They’ve broken the wall of non-recognition that has defined their international status for nearly four years.

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. 

Ukraine and Russia conducted another prisoner exchange on 4 July, with both countries releasing military personnel under 25 years old, wounded and seriously ill defenders, and civilians.

How many prisoners came home this time? Ukrainian officials aren’t saying yet, but say they’ll announce the exact numbers once all exchange phases wrap up.

The released Ukrainians included some of the war’s youngest defenders—soldiers barely out of their teens alongside seasoned veterans. The youngest freed defender was just 20 years old. The oldest: 59.

Who exactly came back? Soldiers from Ukraine’s Armed Forces, National Guard, border guards, and transport security services. But this exchange also freed civilians—people caught up in Russia’s detention system who weren’t combatants at all.

Soldiers who spent three years in captivity finally home

Among those walking free were defenders of Mariupol, the port city that became synonymous with Ukrainian resistance. These soldiers had been in Russian custody since 2022, when the city finally fell after months of siege.

How long had most been held? More than three years, according to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. The released fighters had defended positions across Ukraine’s eastern and southern fronts—Donetsk, Kharkiv, Luhansk, and Kherson.

Russia creates fake diplomatic progress

The freed Ukrainians will undergo medical screening and receive rehabilitation support, both physical and psychological. They’ll also get back pay covering their entire time in captivity.

Will the Istanbul approach continue? Both sides appear committed to the framework, which has produced more regular exchanges than previous negotiation attempts. The focus on categories rather than raw numbers seems to have broken through earlier deadlocks.

Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of weaponizing prisoner exchanges to create fake diplomatic progress that delays new sanctions and weakens US support for Ukraine.

He warns Moscow uses these swaps and prolonged talks like those in Istanbul to buy time while continuing military operations, exploiting a major sanctions loophole that lets Russia keep producing nuclear-capable “Oreshnik” intercontinental ballistic missiles through unsanctioned companies. 

Ukrainian drones struck a critical military-linked facility in Russia’s Moscow Oblast that produces thermobaric warheads for Shahed drones, the Ukrainian General Staff reported on 4 July. The strike ignited a fire and caused visible black smoke, while Russian local authorities acknowledged drone-related damage in the area.

Ukrainian drones target war-linked facility

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, units from the Unmanned Systems Forces, together with other Defense Forces, hit the JSC “Scientific Research Institute of Applied Chemistry” in Sergiev Posad, Moscow Oblast.

The report emphasized that the facility is currently involved in the production of thermobaric warheads for Shahed-type UAVs and plays a vital role in Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.

“It is confirmed that our strike assets reached the target directly. A fire and heavy smoke were recorded in the area of the facility,” the Ukrainian military stated.

The effects of the strike are still being assessed, according to the report.

Fires and explosions in Sergiev Posad

On the morning of 4 July, Oksana Yerokhanova, head of the Sergiev Posad city district, confirmed that drones had attacked the town. She reported that a fire broke out at an electrical substation, leaving six neighborhoods without power.Yerokhanova also reported that two men were allegedly injured during the incident.

Geolocation confirms strike on key industrial site

Ukrainian Telegram channel ExileNova+ geolocated the black smoke column to Substation No. 94 “Zagorsk” (110/35/6 kV), believed to be part of the “Scientific Research Institute of Applied Chemistry.”

Additional footage shared by Exilenova+ shows Liutyi drones flying past the smoke column and striking separate locations.

Despite claiming the destruction of 48 drones overnight, the Russian Ministry of Defense did not mention any incidents in Moscow Oblast in its public statements.

In the early hours of 4 July, Russia launched one of its largest air assaults of the war, targeting Kyiv with an unprecedented wave of 550 air attack assets—explosive drones and missiles—mere hours after a phone call between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian capital and surrounding oblasts faced explosions, fires, widespread damage, one death and at least 26 injuries. Russian drones also injured two men in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Attack began as media reported Trump-Putin phone call

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Russian strike coincided with news reports of the Trump-Putin phone conversation.

“The first air raid alerts in our cities and oblasts began yesterday almost simultaneously with media coverage of President Trump’s phone call with Putin,” Zelenskyy said in a 9:40 statement. He described the strike as “one of the most massive air attacks,” calling it “demonstratively significant and cynical.”

The Air Force later reported that the aerial assault began at 18:00 on 3 July and lasted through the night, and provided more details on the aerial weapons used in the assault. According to the military, Russia’s “main strike direction” was Kyiv. 

After Russia’s attack on Kyiv, Trump says he’s “disappointed” 

After his almost one-hour-long phone conversation with Putin yesterday, Trump said early today that he’s “very disappointed”.

“I’m very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin, because I don’t think he’s there, and I’m very disappointed,” Trump said, according to Reuters. “I’m just saying I don’t think he’s looking to stop, and that’s too bad.”

Explore further

Russian battlefield gains expected after US aid pause, ISW warns

Right after the phone call yesterday, Trump said he was not successful in his peace efforts with Putin:

“I didn’t make any progress with him at all,” he told reporters.

To justify the suspension of weapons to Ukraine – including vital interceptor missiles – Trump claimed the US is still sending weapons, and simultaneously blamed the Biden administration.

“We’re giving weapons, but we’ve given so many weapons. But we are giving weapons,” he said. “And we’re working with them and trying to help them, but we haven’t (completely stopped). You know, Biden emptied out our whole country giving them weapons, and we have to make sure that we have enough for ourselves.”

In his morning statement, Zelenskyy emphasized the need for sustained US aid, particularly missile defense systems like the Patriot.

“These are real protectors of life,” he said.

He urged for “massive pressure” on Russia in the form of sanctions and economic strikes.

“Russia shows it’s not going to stop its war and terror,” he warned.

Explore further

Trump admits “no progress” after sixth call with Putin on Ukraine

Ukraine’s Air Force intercepts hundreds of aerial threats over Kyiv

Ukraine’s Air Force confirmed on 4 July that Russia had used a total of 550 air attack means, primarily aimed at Kyiv. These included:

• 539 Shahed-type drones and drone decoys
• 1 Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missile
• 6 Iskander-M ballistic missiles
• 4 Iskander-K cruise missiles

The Air Force reported 478 air threats neutralized:

• 270 aerial targets shot down using air defense systems
• 208 targets suppressed or lost from radar via electronic warfare

“Confirmed enemy air attack impacts at 8 locations (9 missiles and 63 UAVs), along with debris from downed [munitions] falling at 33 locations,” the report reads.

See also

Pentagon and State Dept defend Ukraine arms pause as “America-first agenda”

Kyiv becomes primary target in massive overnight strike

The attack began in the evening of 3 July, with the first air raid alert in Kyiv issued at 17:16, according to Suspilne. This initial alert was followed by repeated alarms throughout the night. Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko confirmed explosions on the capital’s left bank and multiple emergency responses in districts including Obolonskyi and Solomianskyi.

Shortly after 20:00, a renewed air raid alert was declared across the city as authorities warned of incoming drone attacks. Around 21:00, explosions were reported in several areas of Kyiv. In Obolonskyi district, debris from a downed drone fell on the roof of a residential building. 

By late evening, the capital faced a new wave of more intense attacks. Around midnight, another series of loud explosions rocked various neighborhoods. Fires broke out in Solomianskyi district, where drone fragments struck residential buildings. In Darnytskyi, debris fell in open areas, some without detonation or fires, though multiple impact points were recorded.

Damage across the capital was extensive. The Kyiv City Military Administration reported that more than 30 apartment buildings had been affected, along with five educational institutions, a detached house, retail locations, a garage cooperative, and several vehicles. Fires also broke out in non-residential areas, and five ambulances responding to emergency calls were damaged.

In Kyiv Oblast, the attack continued throughout the night. In Bucha district, windows were shattered in a four-story residential building and a private house. In Fastiv district, the State Emergency Service reported fires at a high-rise building and seven private garages. Authorities documented the effects of the attack at 11 separate sites across five oblast districts.

Civilian casualties

Fires were reported in multiple neighborhoods, and officials noted elevated levels of combustion products in the air. By 03:50, eight people had been injured. That number rose rapidly in the following hours.

Update 13:00:  The number of injured in Russia’s overnight attack on Kyiv rose to 26, including a 10-year-old girl with a leg injury, the Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office reported. Kyiv city endured two air raid alerts with a short pause in between, lasting over 12 hours in total. 

Five ambulances were damaged during the Russian attack while responding to emergency calls in Kyiv. According to Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko, the vehicles were struck as they attempted to reach injured civilians. No medics were reported wounded.

The attack also impacted the city’s railway infrastructure. Ukrzaliznytsia reported damage caused by falling debris, forcing passenger trains heading west to take alternate routes, resulting in delays of up to two hours.

Update: Casualties outside Kyiv

Russian drones injured two men in Kryvyi Rih, the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration reported.

Exclusive

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

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

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

Military

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Intelligence and technology

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

Russian battlefield gains expected after US aid pause, ISW warns

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

International

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

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

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

Humanitarian and social impact

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

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

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

Read our earlier daily review here.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke by phone for nearly an hour. The call focused on the war in Ukraine, stalled negotiations, and shifting international dynamics.

This was the sixth call between Trump and Putin since Trump returned to office on 20 January. Despite regular contact, the conversations have produced no concrete results, with Trump pushing to end the war and Putin refusing to shift on Russia’s goals.

After the call, Trump acknowledged the lack of progress:

“We also talked about the war with Ukraine, and I’m not happy about that … I didn’t make any progress with him today at all.”

Putin stands firm as talks stall

The Kremlin said Putin reiterated Russia’s commitment to its military goals in Ukraine, which he described as efforts to eliminate the “root causes” of the conflict.

“We will not abandon these objectives,” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov quoted him as saying.

While Putin expressed openness to further negotiations with Ukraine, no new peace talks were discussed. A potential third round—previously suggested for Istanbul—was not mentioned in detail, according to Ushakov.

Trump reportedly began the call by touting the passage of his “Big and Beautiful Act,” a sweeping bill on tax, immigration, and energy reform. It passed the Senate and is awaiting final approval in the House.

Trump–Zelenskyy call set for 4 July

Trump is expected to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 4 July, according to Financial Times, Reuters, and AFP. The conversation comes as the US pauses key military aid to Ukraine, including Patriot missile interceptors and other critical supplies.

From Denmark, Zelenskyy confirmed the upcoming call and emphasized the need for continued US support—particularly PAC-3 missiles for Patriot air defense systems.

“Europe doesn’t yet have some of these capabilities,” he said.

He also commented on the Trump–Putin exchange, saying the two leaders have little in common and that progress will require direct talks with the Russian president.

“Everything in Russia is decided by him,” Zelenskyy said.

On 1 July, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with both Putin and Zelenskyy, marking his first direct contact with the Russian leader since 2022.

Today, there is a lot of news from the Zaporizhzhia direction. Here, as Russian forces quietly amass troops for a renewed offensive in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine has already begun dismantling the operation before it can even begin.

Through a relentless campaign of targeted airstrikes, Ukrainian forces are systematically striking the backbone of Russia’s preparations, crippling their logistics, command centers, and drone operations.

Russian forces are actively redeploying substantial numbers of troops toward Zaporizhzhia, signaling preparations for renewed assaults in this previously calm sector. One visually confirmed instance, documented by Ukrainian analysts, captured a convoy of about 15 trucks, indicating approximately 250 to 300 soldiers being relocated. However, this recorded event likely represents only a fraction of the overall troop movements.

Given that not all convoys are detected, it’s reasonable to assume Russia has shifted several thousand troops in total, aiming to reignite significant offensive operations. Their objectives are clear: to capture the settlements of Orikhiv and Huliaipole.

Strategic goals: Orikhiv and Huliaipole

Securing Orikhiv would push the frontline close enough to Zaporizhzhia city to threaten it with artillery and long-range FPV drones with fiber-optic guidance. This could potentially expose the major urban center of 700,000 residents to constant bombardment, severely disrupting logistics and civilian life.

Capturing Huliaipole, on the other hand, would provide Russia with a stable operational base, facilitating a northern push toward Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and creating another axis of pressure.

Nevertheless, despite these tactical ambitions, any larger Russian aspiration of taking Zaporizhzhia city remains extremely unrealistic. Capturing such a densely populated and fortified city would require hundreds of thousands of troops, as they would face multiple entrenched Ukrainian defense lines just to reach it.

Ukraine’s preemptive air campaign

Aware of Russia’s intent, Ukraine is proactively launching comprehensive air operations aimed at dismantling Russian preparations. Ukrainian forces are systematically targeting critical Russian command posts, ammunition storages, drone control centers, and troop concentrations, aiming to cripple logistical and operational capabilities ahead of a potential offensive.

First in these efforts is Ukraine’s strategic targeting of Russian railway logistics, the backbone of Russia’s military operations. Near Tokmak, Ukrainian FPV drones disrupted Russian rail logistics in two significant incidents.

Initially, a drone strike disabled a train in Tokmak’s industrial zone, temporarily crippling vital enemy transport links. Another precision attack between Tokmak and Molochansk began by halting a Russian train with an FPV drone; additional drones then struck fuel tanks, causing a massive fire that eliminated essential fuel reserves destined for frontline units.

Strikes on command, drone, and supply hubs

Ukrainian airstrikes also target Russian command infrastructure. MiG-29 fighter jets conducted pinpoint attacks using GBU 62 JDAM ER guided bombs against multiple battalion-level Russian command posts, even striking two separate ones in a single day. Another strike in Nesteryanka village obliterated a command building, disrupting local coordination.

Further air operations neutralized enemy drone hubs. Ukrainian aircraft used French-supplied AASM-250 HAMMER bombs to destroy drone control centers and eliminate operators sheltering in dugouts.

Ukraine also targets ammunition and fuel depots. Near Novozlatopil village, a strike involving two bombs destroyed an entire hangar filled with ammo, fuel, and drone operators. Similarly, near Shyroke village, another HAMMER-guided munition annihilated a depot, reportedly killing several Russian personnel.

Ukrainian air power is especially active because Zaporizhzhia is far from Russian mainland airspace. Strikes on Russian air defenses locally and in Crimea have degraded enemy coverage, creating a safer environment for Ukrainian aircraft to operate effectively.

Conclusion: Disrupting the offensive before it starts

Overall, Ukraine’s strategy is clear and proactive. Ukrainian intelligence monitors Russian movements, understanding the importance of weakening enemy capabilities early, before they grow strong enough for a major assault.

By taking advantage of favorable operational conditions, Ukraine launches methodical air strikes to impair Russia’s preparations. These actions aim not only to blunt immediate offensives, but also to impose lasting attrition—denying Russia the critical mass needed to seize the initiative in the Zaporizhzhia sector.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

.

Ukrainian forces launched a successful maritime drone strike overnight on 2 July, destroying a high-value Russian Nebo-M radar complex near the village of Mayak on northwestern Crimea’s Tarkhankut Cape. The assault, captured on video and confirmed through satellite imagery, further highlights Ukraine’s evolving drone capabilities and further depletes Russian air defense systems on the occupied peninsula.

Footage reveals advanced maritime drone tactics

According to Krymsky Veter, a Ukrainian military-linked Telegram channel, Ukrainian naval drones carried out the attack, striking two Nebo-M radars and their command cabin. Footage, shared by the Krymskyi Veter and X account @bayraktar_1love, shows a quadcopter launch from a maritime drone platform and dropping munitions directly on their targets — a capability that had not been publicly demonstrated before.

The channel did not mention the unit responsible for the operation, but the video footage features the emblem of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, along with insignia that may belong to the 73rd Naval Special Operations Center or the Special Operations Center South — Ukraine’s naval spetsnaz unit within its Special Operations Forces (SSO). 

The @bayraktar_1love’s version of the footage includes drone launches:

Russian milbloggers express frustration

Krymsky Veter shared a screenshot from a Russian milblogger channels reacting to the incident on 2 July, reading:“We don’t want to comment on today’s attack on Tarkhankut, because we’d have to swear,” indicating clear frustration among Russian sources.

The source did not specify the target or results but stated that Ukrainian drones were reportedly launched from a maritime drone, and that a relay transmitter over the sea was extending the signal. It also noted the drones allegedly operated on 700–900 MHz frequencies, and hinted on the incompetence of Russian electronic warfare system operators who failed to jam the incoming drones, asking:

“Turns out (or didn’t turn out) that EW systems with frequencies of 1200–1600 MHz don’t neutralize them? Maybe because it’s 5 watts per band? Or maybe it has another purpose?”

Nebo-M system destroyed near Mayak village

Krymsky Veter provided further detail the next day, 3 July, confirming the destruction of the Nebo-M complex near Mayak village. The Nebo-M is a mobile radar system capable of detecting aerodynamic and ballistic objects at medium and high altitudes. The complex includes the meter-band radar module Nebo-SVU, the decimeter-band module Protivnik-GE, and a command cabin — all reportedly eliminated in the strike. Additionally, the system may also include a centimeter-band radar.

According to later update by Krymsky Veter, Ukrainian forces employed naval drones and strike UAVs “Lazar”. A 55Zh6M “Nebo-M” radar system was destroyed, consisting of three components:

• a meter-band radar module 55Zh6M “Nebo-M”;
• a decimeter-band radar module 55Zh6M “Nebo-M”;
• the command and control cabin of the 55Zh6M “Nebo-M” system.

The equipment is estimated to cost around $100 million, underlining the significance of the target. The detection radius of the Nebo-M complex spans up to 600 km, with the ability to track up to 200 targets simultaneously.

A later update from Krymsky Veter, citing satellite imagery, confirmed burn marks on the eastern outskirts of Mayak village, matching the location of the destroyed radar complex.

Russian soldiers stripped Ukrainian civlians and beat them with sticks in 2022. The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that two occupiers will face justice for organizing torture chamber in Kupiansk, in Kharkiv Oblast. 

The torture chamber operated inside the occupied district police department. Another 16 Russia suspects are wanted and will be tried in absentia.

“People were beaten with fists, feet, and sticks, and electrocuted,” the prosecutor’s office stated.

During torture, victims were forced to give false testimony about themselves or others, confessing to cooperation with the Ukrainian Army or the Security Service. 

The torture chamber was active for six months. Ukrainian civilians were held in cells under completely unsanitary conditions, without water, food, or medical assistance. In some cases, the occupiers staged mock executions, forced people to dig their own “graves,” and threatened their relatives.

Among the victims were teachers, rescuers, volunteers, combat veterans, and other civilians.

A total of 18 individuals involved in the torture have been identified.

They include:

• the so-called “chief” of the illegal “Internal Affairs Directorate”
• Russian military personnel
• militants from the illegal Russian-installed entities in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts
• former Ukrainian police officers who betrayed their oath

Earlier, Ukrainian prosecutors identified nine Russian soldiers, who held 11 civilians in devastating conditions for over ten days in 2022. Among the Ukrainian civilians tortured by the Russians were children and elderly people. 

Anton, a fighter from Ukraine’s 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade named after Hetman Ivan Vyhovskyi, known as Shket, has spent a year holding the line on some of the fiercest frontlines in Donetsk Oblast.

Over the last 12 months, he’s faced a wide range of Russian occupiers, from mobilized conscripts to convicts, Yakuts, and even Koreans.

“It was hell,” the soldier recalls.

The toughest position he held was a half-destroyed customs checkpoint that came under daily assaults, twice a day for 17 days straight, by Russian assault groups, including a unit made up of former inmates.

“When we checked their documents, it was clear — they were convicts recruited in Butyrka prison. They were given the cheapest body armor. Their commander didn’t even have a helmet. Command sent them straight to die,” Shket says. 

Shket explains that each Russian group has its own characteristics.

“Yakuts are a bit more stubborn, but they charge in just the same, without thinking. The Koreans, though — they’re young, resilient, and actually well-trained. But we can and must destroy them. It’s either us or them. There’s no third option,” the Ukrainian soldiers reveal. 

Despite his injuries, Anton remains resolute.

“I’m always ready to return as soon as I can. We should take example not from those who talk, but from those who act, even when it’s terrifying,” he adds. 

Currently undergoing treatment in a military hospital, first for a severe concussion and more recently for a new injury, Shket was wounded again after stepping on a Russian explosive device while returning to the front to relieve his comrades after heavy rotations.

The war in Ukraine has underscored the US Army’s need to close a critical gap in its long-range and short-range fires capabilities, Defense One reports. According to Gen. James Mingus, vice chief of staff of the Army, the service is now turning to drones and loitering munitions to fill the “delta” in mid-range firepower.

“We’re imagining a future where instead of it just being all tube,” Mingus said during a discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Wednesday.

The future force structure, he added, will pair traditional cannon artillery with new drone technologies and loitering munitions.

Integrating drones into traditional artillery formations

The 25th Infantry Division is currently testing a hybrid artillery model, integrating first-person view (FPV) attack drones alongside conventional systems like the M777 howitzer and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).

Under the envisioned configuration, the division would include:

• One HIMARS battalion
• One M777 howitzer battalion
• A third battalion blending mortars, 105 mm systems, FPV drones, loitering munitions, and other launched effects.

The US Army has begun simulating these force structures at both the division and corps level to test operational effectiveness in live battlefield scenarios.

Preparing for the arrival of precision strike missile

The Army is also modeling how its forthcoming long-range Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) will reshape future battlefields. This next-generation missile is expected to replace the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), extending the strike range from 300 kilometers to nearly 1,000.

“Think about the difference there,” Mingus said. “How does that change the battlefield architecture and geometry for our war fighters?”

Although the PrSM won’t enter service for another few years, the Army is already training for its integration using live, but surrogate, systems.

Production сhallenges: From Ukraine to the Red Sea

Increased global demand for munitions—from Ukraine to the Red Sea—has exposed the fragility of the US military’s ammunition stockpiles. Mingus acknowledged that production rates and price points are now a major concern for critical systems.

“Our magazine depth right now is not where it needs to be,” he warned, citing depletion from conflicts in Israel, Iran, and Ukraine.

This includes missiles for the Patriot air defense system and Tomahawk cruise missiles used by the Navy in recent strikes against Houthi targets.

Scaling up munitions production: Speed is critical

To meet surge demands during future conflicts, the Army may need to rapidly increase production—from producing 500 Patriot missiles a year to as many as 10,000—and do so within days rather than months.

“We can’t afford to wait that amount of time,” Mingus said.

The only solution, he argued, lies in aggressive automation and robotics to bypass human labor bottlenecks.

“A robot doesn’t care whether it’s working 24 hours a day or 12,” Mingus added.

A powerful explosion killed Manolis Pilavov, the long-serving head of the so-called “Luhansk City Administration” under Russian occupation. It remains unclear whether the deadly incident was a Ukrainian SBU special operation or the result of internal criminal infighting among Russian-controlled structures that dominate the occupied city.

Explosion strikes on central Luhansk street

The blast occurred in the heart of Russian-occupied Luhansk, reportedly on Tarasa Shevchenka Street. Russian state agency TASS confirmed the explosion and the death of Manolis Pilavov. According to early reports cited by Militarnyi, an explosive device had been planted inside a trash bin and detonated precisely as Pilavov walked past.

Footage from the explosion site shows a house on Tarasa Shevchenka about 300 meters from the museum:

Blast in occupied Luhansk reportedly kills 2

So far, it is unclear if the victims are linked to the occupation authorities and/or the incident to SBU operations.
TG/Exilenova+ pic.twitter.com/rOCePngLdt

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 3, 2025

The incident allegedly left one dead and three wounded, with one person in serious condition, according to the Russian-controlled occupation administration as of 13:00. RIA Novosti, another Russian propaganda outlet, reported that the explosion took place near the Luhansk Regional Museum, where an exhibition dedicated to the Russian military operation Pipe – Russian troops who crawled through the disused Urengoy–Pomary–Uzhhorod pipeline in Kursk Oblast to attack Ukrainian units from the rear.

A long-serving collaborator’s rise and fall

Manolis Pilavov was born in Luhansk and studied at the Luhansk Agricultural Institute. Before 2014, he worked in the city’s housing and communal services sector, served as deputy mayor, headed the municipal utility Luhanskvoda, and was elected to the city council as a member of now fugitive president Yanukovych’s Party of Regions. From September to November 2009, he also served as president of the Zorya football club.

After the Russian occupation of Luhansk began in 2014, Pilavov seized control of the city apparatus, becoming the de facto leader of the so-called “Luhansk City Administration.” He was formally appointed by then “LNR” head Ihor Plotnytskyi and held the post until November 2023. Over the years, Pilavov received several awards and honors from both the Russian Federation and the so-called “LNR.”

Wanted by Ukraine for terrorism

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) had listed Pilavov as wanted on charges including the violent overthrow of constitutional order, violating the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and creating a terrorist organization.

UPDATE

Sources within the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told Suspilne that the SBU was behind the operation to eliminate Manolis Pilavov.

A Ukrainian missile strike on 2 July reportedly killed Major General Mikhail Gudkov, Russia’s Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, in Kursk Oblast, near the Ukrainian border. The strike targeted the forward command post of the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade in the village of Korenevo, according to an obituary posted by a Russian marine veterans group.

The Typhoon veterans organization claimed four missiles struck the site, killing over 10 Russian officers, including several senior commanders. Russia’s Ministry of Defense later confirmed Gudkov’s death, stating only that he died during “combat work” in a border district.

Senior Navy general confirmed dead

Gudkov’s death was also announced by Primorsky Krai governor Oleg Kozhemyako, who said the general died “fulfilling his duty as an officer” and had continued personally visiting frontline marine positions even after his promotion.

The Defense Ministry did not specify the circumstances of his death but confirmed the date—2 July.

Key role in Mariupol siege

Before his promotion in March 2025, Gudkov commanded the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade, which played a central role in Russia’s siege and assault on Mariupol in 2022. The months-long operation devastated the Ukrainian port city, leaving large portions in ruins. To this day, the true number of civilian casualties remains unknown, though estimates suggest thousands may have died.

Gudkov’s leadership in Mariupol earned him direct praise from President Vladimir Putin, who awarded him the title Hero of Russia and said his performance should be a model for other units.

Heavy losses in the 155th brigade

The 155th Brigade, considered an elite unit, has suffered extensive casualties during the war. A BBC report from December 2023 confirmed at least 234 soldiers killed, with total losses—including the wounded and missing—likely exceeding 1,450.

The brigade also reportedly suffered heavy losses in Sudzha, a border area in Kursk Oblast that saw fighting during a Ukrainian cross-border incursion in August 2024. Though Russian forces later regained control, the clashes revealed gaps in border security and inflicted serious casualties on elite units, including the 155th Brigade.

Gudkov becomes 11th Russian general killed

Gudkov is the 11th confirmed Russian general to die since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

Other notable deaths include:

• Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik, killed in an April 2025 car bombing near Moscow.
• Maj. Gen. Sergei Goryachev and Lt. Gen. Oleg Tsokov, killed by missile strikes during Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive.
• Maj. Gen. Vladimir Zavadsky, killed by a landmine in late 2023.
• Gen. Pavel Klimenko, who died in a motorcycle crash in November 2024, possibly while evading a drone.
• Gen. Igor Kirillov, Russia’s top chemical and biological defense officer, assassinated in Moscow in December 2024 by a scooter bomb. Ukraine’s SBU claimed responsibility.

Early in the war, Russian generals were frequently present near frontline positions to speed up battlefield decision-making—a practice that has continued to result in high-ranking casualties.

Late on 2 July, the Pentagon and the US State Department have confirmed the Trump administration’s decision to suspend certain arms supplies to Ukraine amid Russia’s ongoing invasion. Officials described the Ukraine arms pause as part of a broader capability review to prioritize US defense readiness and the President’s “America First” foreign policy.

Pentagon says weapons “review” is “common sense” step

At a Pentagon briefing on 2 July, Chief Spokesman Sean Parnell stated the Department of Defense continues to offer the president “robust options” on Ukraine aid, in line with his goal of ending the war. Parnell emphasized the pause is part of a “capability review” to align support with national defense priorities and “preserving US military readiness.”

“We will not be providing any updates to specific quantities or types of munitions being provided to Ukraine,” Parnell said, insisting the move is a “common sense, pragmatic step” towards evaluation “what munitions are sent and where.”

Explore further

Russian battlefield gains expected after US aid pause, ISW warns

He added,

“Let it be known that our military has everything that it needs to conduct any mission, anywhere, anytime.”

When questioned about the risk that the Ukraine arms pause might embolden Russia, Parnell replied that peace remains Trump’s highest aspiration, not explaining how it may stop Russia.

“Our job at the Department of Defense is to pursue the president’s America First agenda and make sure that we achieve peace through strength throughout the world,” he stated.

No clarity on timeline or weapons affected

When pressed for details about when the aid pause began or what weapons are being held back, Parnell declined to answer.

“Ultimately, the President and the Secretary will make those decisions about what happens with those weapon systems,” he said.

He also criticized the Biden administration’s prior Ukraine policy, stating it gave away weapons “without really thinking about how many we have.”

“The President’s strategic outset with regards to Ukraine and Russia has been one of peace,” Parnell said, referring to Trump’s months-long failed attempt to force Ukraine and Russia into a peace deal — once again confirming the administration’s continued reliance on an unrealistic diplomatic effort.

Explore further

FT opinion: Russia may last a year. Ukraine risks collapse within half a year without urgent aid

State Dept claims arms assistance continues

During a press briefing on 2 July, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce echoed that diplomacy remains Washington’s focus. She stressed that the Department of Defense manages weapons decisions and repeated that the administration’s goal is a “durable, negotiated settlement” between Russia and Ukraine.

Responding to concerns over the timing and communication of the aid pause — Kyiv said it had not received any official notifications — Bruce claimed,

“Our communication lines with Ukraine have always been robust,” but declined to clarify how or when Ukraine was allegedly informed.

Bruce stated,

“This is not a cessation of us assisting Ukraine or of providing weapons. This is one event in one situation.”

Ukrainian defense forces have destroyed or damaged nearly half of the Russian drone pilot positions identified along the Zaporizhzhia frontline, according to the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) of the Ministry of Defense.

Dronocide operation targets Russian drone pilots

HUR stated that Ukrainian units located 90 positions and residential locations used by Russian operators of strike and reconnaissance drones along the Zaporizhzhia front. Of those, 42 sites have been destroyed or damaged, according to the report.

The effort is part of a comprehensive counter-drone operation code-named Dronocide, focused on targeting and eliminating Russian UAV operator infrastructure.

The campaign is being executed by the Department of Active Operations of HUR, the Air Force Command, the 128th Separate Mountain Assault Zakarpattia Brigade, the 128th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade, the Flight Skull unit from the Drone Systems Forces, and the Operational-Tactical Grouping of Forces Zaporizhzhia along with the Operational-Strategic Grouping Tavria.

Month-long campaign shows results

The Dronocide operation has evolved into what HUR described as a “month of annihilation” for Russian drone pilots. Coordinated Ukrainian forces have launched precision strikes on positions housing enemy drone crews, eliminating threats to Ukrainian front-line troops and infrastructure.

HUR released dramatic video footage showing the moments Russian positions were “turned into molecules” during some of the targeted bomb and drone strikes.

An Estonian court found that Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, ordered arson attacks in Estonia, including the firebombing of a Ukrainian-themed restaurant in Tallinn. The attacks were part of a wider Russian sabotage campaign aimed at destabilizing Western nations and undermining their support for Ukraine.

GRU ordered firebombing operations via Moldovan nationals

On 2 July, the Harju County Court in Estonia sentenced two Moldovan nationals, both named Ivan Chihaial, in connection to arson attacks carried out in January 2024, Euronews and ERR reported. One was convicted of directly executing the operations and received six and a half years in prison. The other, his cousin, was sentenced to two and a half years as an accomplice.

The court stated that the primary perpetrator was working on behalf of Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU. His first mission, according to the court, was a 2024 trial operation involving the arson of a co-op supermarket in Osula, a village in southeastern Estonia. The next day, GRU operatives instructed him to target the Slava Ukraini (“Glory to Ukraine”) restaurant in Tallinn.

Attack on Slava Ukraini restaurant executed overnight on 31 January

Court documents revealed that on the night of 31 January, the main suspect and his cousin traveled to Tallinn and set fire to the Slava Ukraini restaurant. The cousin was reportedly unaware of the GRU connection.

According to the court ruling, at 4:30 a.m. on 31 January, the older Chihaial smashed a window of the Slava Ukraini restaurant, threw in a can of gasoline, and set the building on fire. Meanwhile, the younger Chihaial filmed the arson from across the street; the footage was later uploaded to YouTube by the GRU. After the attack, both suspects left Estonia.

Estonia’s State Prosecutor Triinu Olev-Aas stated that cooperation among Latvian, Lithuanian, and Polish authorities was instrumental in tracking and arresting the men in Italy. They were extradited back to Estonia to face charges.

GRU’s use of foreign nationals signals recruitment challenges

The Estonian Internal Security Service noted that the GRU’s use of Moldovans instead of Russian citizens indicates growing difficulty in recruiting operatives from within Russia. Estonia has previously faced Russian cyberattacks and vandalism targeting vehicles of outspoken anti-Kremlin figures.

The United States has halted key weapons deliveries to Ukraine, a move that think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) warns could accelerate Russian battlefield gains and force Ukrainian troops to conserve dwindling resources. The suspension, which affected munitions already staged in Poland, caught Ukrainian authorities off guard and threatens to weaken Ukraine’s ability to hold the line.

Ukraine not notified before US halted weapons

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense stated that no official notification was given prior to the US announcement about the aid suspension. The New York Times reported US officials as saying the munitions weren’t scheduled for delivery for several months, but the Wall Street Journal contradicted this, noting that deliveries already staged in Poland were halted as of 1 July. Politico cited a Trump administration official as saying no additional aid has been requested, but that remaining Biden-era packages could sustain Ukraine “several more months.”

Ukrainian forces continue to husband matériel

A deputy battalion commander told the Washington Post in a 2 July article that Ukrainian troops are now focused on holding defensive positions rather than advancing. This echoes past situations when US aid suspensions forced Ukrainian forces to ration air defense interceptors, GMLRS rockets, and artillery shells.

While European partners are increasing support and Ukraine’s domestic defense industry is expanding, ISW assessed that only the United States can provide some crucial systems at the necessary scale and speed.

“Ukrainian forces very likely will have to conserve materiel again should the United States continue to suspend weapons deliveries,” ISW wrote.

Russian offensives benefit from past US aid delays

According to ISW, past pauses in US assistance have created openings for Russian forces. During the fall 2023 and winter-spring 2024 suspensions – when the US Congress Republicans delayed approving the Ukraine aid funding for six months.

During this period, Russian troops intensified offensives, particularly around Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast. In January 2024, Russia ramped up its assault on the settlement, eventually capturing it in February while Ukrainian troops were constrained by artillery shortages. These conditions allowed Russia to sustain offensive momentum, aiming westward and launching further attacks toward Pokrovsk during spring 2024, when aid was still delayed.

ISW assessed that between 6 December 2023, when the US aid pause began, and 24 April 2024, when it resumed, Russian troops advanced roughly three kilometers per day — especially in Donetsk Oblast.

In contrast, during the previous six months, Russia had lost around 203 square kilometers due to Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive, which was heavily supported by US and allied military aid.

Why the pause happened: US reviews global commitments

Politico reported that the Trump administration made the decision in early June 2025 to hold off on certain deliveries, but the effect only became clear in early July. White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly confirmed on 1 July that the decision followed a Department of Defense review of US global military assistance. NBC, citing six defense and congressional officials, said the Pentagon ordered the pause while it reassessed stockpiles, and that the delay could be extended if stock levels remain low or if US needs elsewhere take precedence.

Kyiv urges resumption of aid

Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized on 2 July that timely delivery of allocated US defense aid remains critical, especially to bolster air defenses. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that delays would embolden Russia to continue its war and avoid negotiating peace. Ukrainian diplomats noted ongoing talks with Washington to find a path forward that supports Ukraine’s defense needs.

In the early hours of 3 July, Ukrainian drones targeted multiple sites across four Russian oblasts and occupied Crimea, including a confirmed strike on the Energiya defense battery factory in Yelets and an attempt to strike the military airfield in Lipetsk. Local officials and eyewitness footage confirm explosions and fires, while Moscow claims to have downed 69 UAVs in total.

Drone strike hits defense battery manufacturer in Yelets

According to eyewitness footage published news Telegram channels, Ukrainian drones hit the Energiya plant in Yelets, Lipetsk Oblast. The factory is the largest producer of sealed lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, and lithium-ion batteries for Russia’s military, including systems ranging from UAVs to intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Russian Telegram channel Astra reports that a drone struck the factory’s parking area, igniting several vehicles and damaging nearby infrastructure. Explosions and heavy smoke were seen in the area. The Lipetsk Oblast Governor Igor Artamonov confirmed a drone fell near an enterprise parking lot, causing a fire and triggering the evacuation of nearby plant workers. Footage of this fire also shows that windows were shattered in the nearby building of the plant.

One of the clips, featuring the black smoke rising from the parking lot, captured an additional strike on the plant. 

Drones target Russia's military-grade batteries maker and airbase

Energiya factory in Yelets was last hit in May. In Lipetsk, drones seem to have been intercepted before reaching the airfield.https://t.co/q8IyqvZFCL
TG/Exilenova+ pic.twitter.com/GANUZnyEFs

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 3, 2025

Airfield in Lipetsk targeted

Local authorities did not provide specifics on the airfield impact, but explosions were reported in Lipetsk city and across the oblast.

Artamonov claimed that drone fragments allegedly hit a detached house, killing one civilian and injuring two more. Another UAV ostensibly hit a section of an under-construction apartment building in Yelets.

Explore further

Videos show Russian ammo stockpile spectacularly destroyed in occupied Donetsk Oblast’s Khartsyzk

Voronezh Oblast also targeted

Voronezh Oblast Governor Alexander Gusev stated via Telegram that drone fragments damaged the roofs of two detached houses in Voronezh. The strike also knocked down a power line, leaving a local village without electricity. 

Russia claims mass drone interception

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated in the morning that air defense systems allegedly shot down 69 Ukrainian drones: 27 over Belgorod Oblast, 22 over Voronezh, 10 over Lipetsk, 8 over Kursk, and 2 over occupied Crimea.

Despite the scale of the incident, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov and acting Kursk Governor Alexander Khinshtein made no public comment on the attacks.

Flight restrictions and fire in Tambov

Astra reported that Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency temporarily restricted flights at airports in Tambov, and Samara amid the drone threat.

Separately, acting Tambov Oblast Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov reported a fire at an unspecified enterprise in the city of Kotovsk overnight on 3 July. He said the blaze, believed to have been caused by a technological malfunction, killed three employees and injured three others.

Kotovsk hosts several industrial plants, including facilities for plastics, equipment, and a gunpowder factory.

Pervyshov did not connect the incident to any drone activity.

Powerful explosions and detonation erupted in the Russian-occupied city of Khartsyzk, Donetsk Oblast, late on 2 July. Multiple reports and videos from local sources point to a possible Ukrainian strike targeting an ammunition depot deep behind Russian lines.

Nighttime blast and detonation captured on video

Loud explosions occurred in Khartsyzk, accompanied by a strong detonation. Local residents shared videos showing the moment of impact and the subsequent fire. The footage, widely circulated on Telegram, depicted a large blast, followed by intense flames and a heavy smoke column.

The town has been under Russian control since 2014. 

Possible Ukrainian strike on Russian ammunition depot

OSINT Telegram channel KiberBoroshno believes that the strike hit a former industrial storage facility. They stated,

“The area was marked as an ‘abandoned industrial warehouse for explosives,’ covered by a Tor air defense system, but it didn’t help.”

More footage of the last night's attack.

Occupied since 2014, Khartsyzk is a key logistics hub for Russian forces and has seen previous attacks in 2022 and January 2025.
TG/Supernova+ pic.twitter.com/kGPWb726BY

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 3, 2025

Although the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has not issued an official confirmation, the nature of the explosion strongly suggests a successful strike on a key Russian military site.

The head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, Andrii Kovalenko, also indicated that the location likely housed a Russian ammunition depot. The Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ echoed that claim, captioning the shared clips as “Strike on an ammo storage in Khartsyzk.”

More footage of the last night's attack.

Occupied since 2014, Khartsyzk is a key logistics hub for Russian forces and has seen previous attacks in 2022 and January 2025.
TG/Supernova+ pic.twitter.com/kGPWb726BY

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 3, 2025

Quisling official’s claims

Victoria Zhukova, a representative of Russia’s occupation administration in the Khartsyzk district, acknowledged that many residents reported shattered windows in apartment buildings. She also noted complaints about heavy smoke in the aftermath of the explosion.

This incident is not the first strike on Russian targets in Khartsyzk. In January 2025, Ukrainian forces reported hitting a Russian army command post in the city. Earlier, in 2022, another ammunition warehouse in the occupied city exploded.

Riding out in broad daylight outside the village of Yablunivka, 10 km from the border with Russia, a three-person T-64 or T-72 tank from the Ukrainian army’s 1st Tank Brigade engaged Russian troops at point-blank range last weekend. It fired several rounds from its 125-mm main gun—and then pumped out a smoke screen and darted back to safety. Mission complete.

The exploding tank shells possibly marked the end of a grueling, month-long battle for Sumy. Seizing the initiative after pushing Ukrainian troops out of western Russia’s Kursk Oblast, a strong force of around 50,000 Russians marched into Sumy, aiming to create a buffer zone along the border and potentially even capture Sumy city, 35 km from the border.

It was a hard fight, but a smaller Ukrainian force—drawn from parts of at least 10 brigades, each with a few thousand people—halted the Russian advance just south of Yablunivka.

“In certain areas, our units are successfully using active defense tactics and liberating Ukrainian land in Sumy Oblast,” Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, the Ukrainian commander-in-chief, stated on Saturday, around the same time that 1st Tank Brigade tank was rolling into battle. “We have re-constrained about 50,000 personnel of the Russian armed forces, including elite brigades of their airborne troops and marines,” Syrskyi added.

The Russians employed their latest tactics, largely leaving behind their increasingly precious heavy armored vehicles. Having lost more than 20,000 armored vehicles and other heavy equipment in the first 41 months of their wider war on Ukraine, and struggling to build more than a few hundred new T-90M tanks every year, the Russians increasingly ride into battle on motorcycles or quad-bikes—or simply walk.

The vehicle-free army

The paucity of Russian armored vehicles in Sumy was striking. “Not sure anybody noticed this, but so far [Russia] has visibly lost one MRAP in Sumy Oblast,” analyst Moklasen noted on 15 June, using the acronym for mine-resistant, ambush-protected armored trucks. “Everything is done either on foot or by bike and quad.”

“As an assault platform, motorcycles are generally seen as weak and unreliable, rarely delivering decisive results,” Ukrainian analysis group Frontelligence Insight explained. “However, when used in a proper role—alongside fire support, electronic warfare support, drones and armored vehicles—they can be highly effective.”

“At roughly $2,000 to $4,000 apiece (depending on model and condition), these bikes are far cheaper to replace than infantry fighting vehicles, with minimal maintenance costs,” Frontelligence Insight added. “Their mobility and low silhouette allow them to slip past obstacles and evade detection more easily than larger platforms—especially when paired with on-board electronic-warfare gear.”

“Concealable even in small buildings, and nearly silent at night in electric variants, they preserve the element of surprise. A motorcycle can reach a position in minutes, outpacing a noisy, slower BMP or tank and narrowing the window for enemy [first-person-view] drone response.” 

But to defeat heavier Ukrainian forces and capture and hold significant terrain, bike troops need strong support. And that support requires coordination that’s still lacking among many Russian formations. “The challenge, of course, is execution,” Frontelligence Insight observed. “Russian forces have struggled to coordinate such combined-arms operations even at the company or battalion level, limiting their ability to use motorcycles as efficient force multipliers.”

Unsupported bike troops, lacking the protection afforded by overhead drones and the extra firepower provided by nearby artillery, would be easy prey for an aggressive tank crew. “Despite the stereotypical view that tanks are obsolete and ineffective in modern warfare, there continue to be examples of their successful use,” the pro-Ukraine Conflict Intelligence Team noted.

That one-tank Ukrainian counterattack outside Yablunivka is one of those examples. That T-64 or T-72 crew may have halted the last Russian advance in this phase of the fight for Sumy.

Explore further

Ukraine deploys Leopard 1A5 “sniper tanks” with 7 brigades

Overnight on 3 July, Russia launched a massive drone attack across Ukraine, hitting multiple civilian locations including a residential building in Odesa, injuring five people—among them two children. The Ukrainian Air Force says air defenses have downed 40 of 52 Russian Shahed and decoy drones. At the same time, Russia continues its “human safari” in Kherson: a Russian drone dropped explosives, injuring a civilian man this morning. 

Russia conducts drone and missile attacks against Ukrainian residential areas every night.

Mass drone assault across Ukraine

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, the Russian military deployed 52 drones—mostly Iranian-made Shahed strike UAVs along with decoy drones—from the directions of Oryol, Millerovo, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia. The attack began around 21:30 on 2 July and continued into the early hours of 3 July.

Ukrainian air defenses reportedly neutralized 40 of the drones: 22 were shot down by firepower, and 18 were suppressed or lost through electronic warfare.

The Air Force confirmed drone impacts in seven separate locations and the fall of downed drones in at least one additional area.

Odesa: civilians injured, high-rise damaged

In Odesa, one of the most heavily affected cities, a Russian drone strike damaged a nine-story residential building. The State Emergency Service (DSNS) of Odesa Oblast report that the fire spread across apartments on the seventh, eighth, and ninth floors.

Five people were injured in the strike, including a seven-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl. The Odesa Oblast Military Administration stated that the children were hospitalized with smoke inhalation, while the other three victims received outpatient care.

Rescue teams evacuated 50 residents from the damaged building, including 11 people from the upper floors. DSNS spokesperson Maryna Averina confirmed the collapse of structural elements, and that specialized equipment is being used to monitor the building for further risks.

Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said that significant damage was observed in at least one entrance of the high-rise, adding that a full assessment will follow after emergency crews remove dangerous debris.

According to the Odesa Oblast Military Administration, six apartments were destroyed, 36 more were partially damaged, and other civilian infrastructure in the area also sustained impact.

Update: Poltava targeted

On the morning of 3 July, Poltava came under a Russian air attack, with local media reporting a strike on the so-called Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center – the regional draft office.

Poltava Oblast Military Administration head Volodymyr Kohut reported an air raid alert at 08:04 and the all-clear at 09:04. Between those times, he confirmed explosions in the city but gave no further details.

Local Telegram channel “We Poltava” said the building of the draft office was likely hit, sharing footage from the site. No casualties have been reported so far.

Kherson: Russian reconnaissance drone attacks civilian

In Kherson, Russian drones continued their ongoing pattern of deliberately targeting civilians, known as “human safari.” The Kherson Oblast State Administration reported that early in the morning, a drone struck a 74-year-old man in the Dniprovskiy District. The victim sustained an explosive injury, concussion, and shrapnel wounds to his face and leg. He was hospitalized in moderate condition.

Air defense activity in Zaporizhzhia

At 02:20, air defense systems were active in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. This was confirmed by the head of the regional military administration, Ivan Fedorov. No additional details were given regarding damage or injuries in that oblast at the time.

The Pentagon has suspended shipments of critical air defense missiles to Ukraine amid concerns about depleted US stockpiles.

The timing is especially concerning: Russia just launched record-breaking missile and drone attacks last month.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga captured the stakes: Russian attacks killed 37% more civilians in the past six months, he noted, while emphasizing Ukraine’s willingness to “buy or borrow” air defense systems if needed.

Why this matters for Ukraine’s survival

How many missiles did Russia fire at Ukraine in June alone? Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha reported Russia launched over 330 missiles, including almost 80 ballistic missiles, plus over 5,000 attack drones and 5,000 KABs (guided bombs).

Now the US has halted 30 Patriot missiles, nearly 8,500 155mm artillery shells, and over 250 precision GMLRS missiles.

Ukraine loses its primary shield against Russian ballistic missiles without sustained Patriot resupply. But the vulnerabilities run deeper.

Ukraine’s defense architecture faces critical gaps

Defense Express analysis reveals how heavily Ukrainian air defense relies on American systems:

• Long-range protection: Patriot systems are Ukraine’s main shield against ballistic missiles—the fast-moving projectiles that can hit anywhere in the country. European alternatives? Ukraine operates French-Italian SAMP/T systems, but Ukrainian air defense expert Serhii Morfinov notes “the question of whether there are enough missiles for SAMP/T systems is very big.”
• Medium-range coverage: Norwegian NASAMS launchers fire American AIM-9 and AIM-120 missiles to intercept aircraft and cruise missiles. Aging American HAWK systems also depend on US resupply.

• Precision strikes: American HIMARS rocket launchers lose their GMLRS guided missiles—the precision weapons that hit Russian supply lines and command posts up to 80 kilometers away.
• Close-range defense: Portable Stinger missiles and truck-mounted Avenger systems protect troops and installations from low-flying aircraft and drones.

What Ukraine can use without American support

Which air defense systems don’t depend on US supplies? Defense Express breaks down Ukraine’s non-American options:

• Short-range systems (up to 10km): Polish Piorun, French Mistral, Swedish RBS-70, and British Martlet missiles provide portable defense. German systems using FZ275 LGR missiles offer additional coverage. Ukraine also operates modified “Osa” systems converted to use R-73 missiles.
• Medium-range systems (up to 20km): German IRIS-T SLS and British Raven systems with ASRAAM missiles on SupaCat chassis. Spain’s Spada systems were promised in 2022 but haven’t appeared in combat.

• Long-range coverage: Only German IRIS-T SLM systems provide medium-range coverage without American missiles. The problem? Ukraine has far more Norwegian NASAMS systems, which depend entirely on US-supplied AIM-9 and AIM-120 missiles.
• Soviet-era systems: If Ukraine still has missiles, aging S-125, “Tor,” and “Buk” systems remain operational. But Soviet ammunition became scarce years ago, forcing Ukraine to create “FrankenSAMs”—Soviet launchers modified to fire American AIM-7 missiles.

The critical gap? Anti-ballistic missile defense. France and Italy provided only two SAMP/T batteries compared to roughly 10 Patriot systems. SAMP/T missiles are also reportedly in short supply.

Suspension shows aid used as leverage

This marks the second major aid suspension under Trump. The first occurred in March 2025 after a heated 28 February Oval Office confrontation where Trump told Zelenskyy “you’re not winning this” and “you don’t have the cards right now.”

That March suspension reportedly pressured Ukraine into negotiations and signing a minerals deal. Within weeks of the aid cutoff, Ukraine had abandoned its victory plan and shifted to promoting ceasefire proposals.

This suspension, like the one in March, also came out of the blue. Ukrainian MP Fedir Venislavskyi told RBC-Ukraine that Kyiv had “worked out various scenarios” for such contingencies but confirmed the decision was “very unpleasant for us.”

How significant is this suspension? Russian responses provide the answer. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that “the less weapons are supplied to Ukraine the closer the end of the special military operation.” Moscow recognizes the strategic opportunity.

Explore further

The weapons Ukraine just lost to US aid freeze, explained

Ukraine’s growing vulnerabilities

Ballistic missile exposure becomes critical

What happens without PAC-3 interceptors? Ukraine becomes “very vulnerable to Russian ballistics,” Morfinov writes. Russia can systematically target:

• Aviation at airfields
• Command centers and military headquarters
• Defense production facilities
• Critical infrastructure and logistics hubs
• Air defense systems themselves during drone swarm attacks

The cascading effect threatens everything. Russian forces use drone swarms to locate Ukrainian air defense positions, then target them with ballistic missiles that depleted Patriot batteries cannot intercept.

Artillery ammunition shortage compounds frontline pressure

Can Ukraine maintain counter-battery fire with 8,500 fewer 155mm shells?

Morfinov explains this creates “weakening during the great summer offensive by the Russians along the entire front line.” Ukrainian production and alternative sources provide some mitigation, but gaps remain.

The loss of GMLRS precision rockets hits harder. Ukraine must rely more on F-16s carrying Storm Shadow missiles, which increases pilot risks.

Explore further

Can Europe fill in the gap if Trump abandons Ukraine?

Strategic implications extend beyond battlefield

Military analyst Jack Watling of the Royal United Services Institute warned that “this decision will cost Ukrainian lives and territory.” The psychological impact compounds material losses as Ukrainian forces and civilians question Western resolve.

NATO Chief Mark Rutte argued on Fox News that “Ukraine cannot do without all the support it can get” for ammunition and air defense. His framing challenges the administration’s logic: “It is also in the interests of the US for Ukraine not to lose this war.”

Rutte’s formula—”secure Europe means secure US”—positions Ukrainian victory as essential for American security, directly contradicting the “America First” rationale.

Pentagon justification reveals broader shift

Why suspend aid now? Defense policy chief Elbridge Colby stated the review ensures “US forces’ readiness for Administration defense priorities.” Translation: Pacific focus amid China concerns takes precedence.

The Pentagon cited recent Middle East operations, including Iran’s retaliatory attack on Qatar that prompted “the largest single engagement of Patriot air defense missiles in US history.” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly’s statement about putting “America’s interests first” suggests strategic repositioning rather than temporary inventory concerns.

Ukraine scrambles for alternatives

How prepared was Ukraine for this scenario? Venislavskyi confirmed that “Ukraine has a certain reserve capacity” for such contingencies, while diplomatic efforts intensify to reverse the decision.

The suspension accelerates Ukraine’s pivot toward domestic production.

Previous reporting shows Ukraine produced over two million FPV drones in 2024 and developed long-range variants capable of 1,700-kilometer strikes.

But critical vulnerabilities remain in air defense and precision strike capabilities. European capacity constraints limit immediate alternatives—the EU faces supply shortages and slower production timelines. Frozen Russian asset proceeds provide funding, but cannot address immediate ammunition shortfalls.

The question facing Ukraine: Can domestic production and European alternatives fill the gaps before Russia exploits the opening?

Metropolitan Onufriy, leader of the Moscow-aligned Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC MP), has had his Ukrainian citizenship revoked, the Ukrainian Security Service announced.

The announcement comes amid growing tensions over the UOC MP’s allegiance in a war increasingly recognized to be driven by the quasi-religious ideology of the “Russian world,” promoted by the Moscow Patriarchy, which is still recognized as the mother church by many UOC MP faithful.

The Security Service (SBU) reported that Onufriy, birthname Orest Berezovskyi, had willingly received Russian citizenship in 2002, while still holding the status of a Ukrainian citizen.

At the time, dual citizenship was prohibited by Ukrainian law, and while a groundbreaking law allowing dual citizenship is pending approval by Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, it still prohibits allegiance to “unfriendly states” like Russia for Ukrainian citizens.

Reportedly, Zelenskyy has signed the decree stripping Onufriy of citizenship, although it has not been published.

UOC MP denies everything, vows to fight back

A UOC MP spokesman rejected the claim that the UOC MP primate has a Russian passport and stated that Onufriy has only Ukrainian citizenship.

Metropolitan Onufriy of the UOC (MP) will also appeal the presidential decree and prove that he has no other citizenships than Ukrainian, the spokesman said in a comment to Suspilne.

The issue of Onufriy’s citizenship had already come up in 2023, when a media report found that he and 20 other UOC MP hierarchs had Russian passports.

After the publication, the UOC MP’s top hierarch decried Russia’s invasion and claimed that his Russian citizenship was extended by default from the time when he lived and studied in Moscow. Nevertheless, now he does not have a Russian passport now and considers himself only a Ukrainian citizen, he said without specifying when he stopped being a Russian citizen.

However, media reports from NV and Agenstvo have circulated scans of Onufriy’s allegedly valid passport, casting doubt on these refutations.

Can Ukraine actually strip its citizens of citizenship?

Ukraine’s Constitution prohibits stripping citizenship—but allows terminating it for those who voluntarily acquired foreign passports without resolving their Ukrainian status.

Parliament member Serhiy Vlasenko explained that Onufriy now automatically becomes a foreigner in Ukraine, losing all citizen rights. He must register as a foreign resident, obtain residence and work permits—”the same procedures as any Russian Federation citizen coming to Ukraine.”

The legal distinction matters. President Zelensky previously terminated citizenship for oligarchs Igor Kolomoisky, Viktor Medvedchuk, and businessman Hennadiy Korban using identical grounds: holding undeclared foreign passports.

Onufriy can challenge the decree in court. But if judges confirm he holds a Russian passport, the presidential decree stands. And renouncing Russian citizenship isn’t simple—it requires a “long, complex, bureaucratized procedure” involving personal participation in Russian consular processes.

The citizenship revocation transforms Ukraine’s top Moscow-aligned cleric into a legal foreigner in the country where he leads 8,000 parishes.

What will happen to Onufriy?

Ukrainian law technically gives stateless individuals three months to leave before facing deportation. But reality operates differently. As Archbishop Iona of the St. Iona Monastery casually noted on Facebook, many UOC bishops stripped of citizenship “continue to live and serve the church and people of Ukraine. Don’t panic.”

Namely, 13 UOC hierarchs lost their citizenship in January 2023. Five more followed in February 2023. None were deported. They remain in Ukraine, conducting services, managing parishes—functionally unchanged despite their legal limbo.

The SBU’s move creates a different kind of pressure. If Onufriy attempts international travel, he faces the fate of businessman Hennadiy Korban and others stripped of Ukrainian passports: denied re-entry, effectively trapped inside the country they call home.

But deportation? Unlikely. Ukraine lacks both political will and practical mechanisms to forcibly remove an 80-year-old religious leader whose 8,000 parishes still serve millions of faithful. The state has bigger battles, like the ongoing court proceedings under August 2024’s law banning Moscow-linked religious organizations.

The nine-month transition period for churches to prove independence has expired. The UOC MP now faces potential dissolution of its entire network—a far more existential threat than one prelate’s passport problems.

The citizenship revocation serves as legal theater while the real drama unfolds in courtrooms where the UOC MP’s survival hangs in the balance.

Does the law ban the UOC MP? Not so fast

“Not about banning.” Theologian unpacks Ukraine’s new anti-Russian church law

Is the UOC MP aligned with Moscow?

The status of the UOC MP in Ukraine became especially contentious after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The Moscow-aligned church, which enjoyed privileged status for years while promoting “Russian world” ideology, came under increased pressure to clarify its allegiance.

And while the UOC MP claimed to sever ties with its mother church, the Russian Orthodox Church, in May 2022, it did not walk the talk, a Ukrainian expert committee found in 2023.

Reportedly, there is a split within the church, with hardliner parishes ignoring the instructions to no longer pray for the Moscow Patriarch during liturgies.

As well, the alleged severance of ties is not followed up by recognition of the UOC MP as a separate entity in the Orthodox world’s constellation of independent churches. The UOC MP hierarchs are also, apparently, still part of the Moscow Patriarchy’s ruling structure—the Synode.

The Ukrainian state has attempted to curb the UOC MP’s influence—not only via the August 2024 law, but by opening 174 probes into the collaboration of separate church hierarchs with Russia, with 31 guilty sentences.

However, many UOC MP faithful insist they are patriots of Ukraine, with select church voices stressing that UOC MP faithful defend Ukraine in the ranks of the Ukrainian army.

Thus far, the UOC MP’s status is hybrid: while some leaders like Metropolitan Iona have flipped from “Russian world” advocate to self-declared Ukrainian patriot, leaflets promoting Russian chauvinistic and imperialistic views are still observed in other church centers.

Explore further

Anatomy of treason: how the Ukrainian Orthodox Church sold its soul to the “Russian world”

Growing church drama in Ukraine

The UOC MP’s precarious position is complicated by competition with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), granted independence by Moscow Patriarch Kirill’s nemesis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, in 2018.

Both structures have roughly similar numbers of parishes (8,097 UOC MP vs 9,000 OCU). 687 parishes have ditched affiliation with the UOC MP to join the OCU since 2022. However, these transitions are increasingly marred by accusations of forceful takeovers amid state backing.

What is Moscow’s stake? The UOC MP represents a whopping 23% of the Russian Orthodox Church’s parishes worldwide, and is the largest concentration of parishes outside Russia itself.

The UOC MP remains Moscow’s sole surviving pillar of influence in a Ukraine that has otherwise severed all connections to Russia since 2022. Its ideological power runs deep: the fantasy of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus as “Holy Rus” united against the “satanic West” forms the theological cornerstone of Putin’s war.

This, as well, as revocations of leases on historic churches in state property, has prompted the UOC MP to lead a campaign decrying alleged religious persecution in Ukraine. This messaging has had impressive success among American Republicans, largely due to the lobbying efforts of lawyer Robert Amsterdam.

The Ukrainian state would indeed prefer a single Orthodox Church, and public opinion increasingly backs decisive action.

A June 2025 SOCIS poll found 34.7% of Ukrainians support liquidating the UOC MP as a legal organization, while 10.8% favor forcing its merger with the OCU.

Combined, 45.5% want the state to act decisively.

Yet 31.7% believe the government shouldn’t interfere in religious affairs, revealing Ukraine’s deep ambivalence about using state power against a church that still claims millions of faithful.

The resistance of even Ukraine-oriented UOC MP parishes to joining the OCU structure hints at deeper issues beyond historical animosity between two competitors.

Clashing allegiances, models of religious life, and the OCU’s desire to occupy the privileged state-promoted status once held by Moscow’s church in Ukraine will continue to stir Ukraine’s religious life for many years ahead.

Explore further

Russian World: the heresy driving Putin’s war

Editor’s note: This article was updated to include the section “Can Ukraine actually strip its citizens of citizenship?”

Ben Burgess came to Ukraine believing the country deserved freedom. He died fighting for it.

The 33-year-old former British Army soldier was killed 20 June while operating drones in Andriivka, a contested village in northern Sumy Oblast just three miles from Russia’s border, where Russian forces are actively advancing. Local reports confirmed his death during combat operations with the 78th Air Assault Regiment.

How did a Portsmouth native end up flying military drones in Ukraine’s most dangerous zones?

Burgess, known by his call sign “Budgie,” volunteered in 2022 when Russia’s full-scale invasion began. He started with artillery units in Zaporizhzhia before moving to medical evacuations in Donetsk—work that meant retrieving wounded soldiers under fire, the Telegraph reports.

But drones became his specialty. First-person-view (FPV) drones, specifically—the kind that require split-second decisions and nerves most people don’t possess.

“He was among the best pilots we had,” said his fellow soldier “Azrael,” one of the last foreign fighters in their regiment. “He came to Ukraine because he truly believed in its freedom. And he died fighting for that.”

I’ve lost many friends in this war—he’s my biggest loss

Forty people gathered at Kyiv’s main crematorium 30 June to say goodbye, according to Kyiv Post. Mourners laid sunflowers and roses on his coffin as Ukraine’s national anthem played. Later, they planted a flag in his honor at Maidan Square among hundreds of other memorials.

The messages left on his flag tell the story: “Thank you for protecting.” “Love you brother, until we meet again.” “Ben was a true Cossack.”

Burgess left behind a girlfriend in Odesa but no children. For his friend Azrael, the loss cuts deeper than professional respect.

“We were the last two foreign fighters in our regiment,” he said. “He was my family here. I’ve lost many friends in this war—he’s my biggest loss.”

A Foreign Office spokesman confirmed Britain is supporting Burgess’s family and coordinating with Ukrainian authorities.

Vladimir Putin appears to have abandoned his narrowed military objectives in favor of conquering all of Ukraine, according to recent statements and battlefield developments.

 “All of Ukraine is ours,” he told an economic forum in St. Petersburg last week. “Wherever the Russian soldier treads is ours.”

The declaration came as Russian forces attempted to push into Sumy, a region Putin never bothered to annex in 2022. Why the shift?

After failing to capture Kyiv in 2022, he pulled back and focused on four eastern and southern regions: Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. He annexed them in September 2022, signaling narrower, more achievable goals.

His original strategy isn’t working, the Telegraph reports. Nearly three years later, he still doesn’t fully control even one of those regions.

Russia claims full control of Luhansk after three years

However, Russian forces claimed Monday they captured the final sliver of Luhansk Oblast after controlling 99% of it for years. If confirmed, Luhansk becomes the first Ukrainian region to fall completely since Putin seized Crimea in 2014. However, so far there has been no independent verification from the Russian Defense Ministry or Ukrainian authorities. 

But three years to capture one region? That’s not the lightning campaign Putin promised.

Ukraine rejects penetration of Russian forces into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

Multiple Russian Telegram channels also claimed forces seized their first village in Dnipropetrovsk oblast, bordering Donetsk Oblast.

Ukraine’s General Staff disputed this, saying a small Russian reconnaissance group penetrated Dachne village, took photos with a Russian flag, then died.

“The invaders managed to take photos with the Russian tricolor, but this was their last activity: Ukrainian soldiers destroyed the occupiers,” military officials stated.

Explore further

ISW: Russian forces advance to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast border

Ukrainian military officials said information about establishing a bridgehead in Dnipropetrovsk region does not correspond to reality, and that Ukrainian units continue to contain pressure from Russian forces attempting to cross the administrative border between Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions without success.

Still, the attempt matters. In over a decade of war, Ukraine never had to defend Dnipropetrovsk from ground invasion. The flat terrain and sparse settlements could allow swift Russian advances—if they can establish a foothold.

Tens of thousands of Russian troops are also massing around Sumy and Kharkiv, which are bordering Russia on the northeast. Both regions were early war targets Putin failed to capture.

Meanwhile, North Korea plans to significantly increase its military support for Russia in the war against Ukraine by sending an additional 25,000 to 30,000 troops, tripling its current deployment of about 11,000 soldiers initially sent in November 2024. 

North Korean troops were involved in helping Russian soldiers to push back Ukrainian forces which occupied a part of Russia’s Kursk Oblast, which borders Sumy. As of 2025, Russia regained control over most of the region.

Explore further

60 Sumy border settlements completely abandoned amid intensified Russian attacks and offensive threat

Putin believes he captures “historical Russian cities”

Angelica Evans from the Institute for the Study of War traced Putin’s expanded ambitions to his May visit to Kursk. There, he ordered creation of a “buffer zone” along Ukraine’s border.

“That was a light way to introduce that into the information space,” Evans told The Telegraph. “First, it’s a buffer zone, it’s just 30km to protect Russians. Then you’re not that far from major regional cities, so why not take those?”

The logic follows Putin’s historical claims. If these are “historic Russian cities,” why not seize them?

The expanded operations coincide with increased strikes on civilian targets. Recent attacks killed 18 people in a Kyiv apartment building and 17 passengers on a civilian train in Dnipropetrovsk region.

Evans suggested these strikes serve multiple purposes:

“A lot of these strikes are about undermining Ukrainian morale and for some of these settlements, that are closer to the frontline, an effort to convince people to leave and to make it easier in the future to seize these places.”

Peace talks dead in the water

Meanwhile, peace negotiations have stalled following two rounds of direct talks in May and June that yielded only agreements on prisoner exchanges and repatriation of the dead. Putin has stated that talks are “nowhere close” to success after efforts by Donald Trump failed to progress.

Explore further

Ukraine and Russia to exchange prisoners of war this weekend — only result of Istanbul peace talks

During Istanbul peace talks in May, Russian officials reportedly warned Ukraine that Moscow could sustain its war effort for 21 years. Vladimir Medinsky, who led the Russian delegation, said Moscow wanted peace but would fight “however long it takes” and threatened to annex Sumy and Kharkiv if Ukraine rejected Putin’s demands.

Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, blamed Russia for derailing negotiations.

“Russian claims that it is the US and Ukraine stalling peace talks are unfounded,” Kellogg said. “We urge an immediate ceasefire and a move to trilateral talks to end the war. Russia cannot continue to stall for time while it bombs civilian targets in Ukraine.”

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry summoned the top US diplomat Wednesday to address concerns over military aid delays, warning that any slowdown would “encourage the aggressor to continue war and terror.”

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha requested the meeting with Chargé d’Affaires John Ginkel as the Pentagon suspends critical air defense shipments and precision munitions to Ukraine. The timing could not be worse—Russia is unleashing its heaviest bombardments on Ukrainian civilians in months while Washington halts the very weapons needed to protect them.

Ukrainian warnings on aid consequences

Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa expressed gratitude to the United States for support provided since Russia’s full-scale invasion began but emphasized the critical importance of continuing delivery of previously allocated defense packages, especially focusing on strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses.

“Any delay or slowing down in supporting Ukraine’s defense capabilities would only encourage the aggressor to continue war and terror, rather than seek peace,” Betsa told the American diplomat, according to the ministry statement.

The Ukrainian side emphasized that Russia not only rejects the full and unconditional ceasefire that Ukraine agreed to on 11 March, but also continues to escalate aerial attacks against Ukrainian cities and communities, killing civilians, and conducting battlefield assaults.

“In these circumstances, strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities and increasing coordinated transatlantic pressure on the aggressor are critically important,” Betsa said.

Pentagon cuts air defense amid Russian escalation

The Pentagon’s decision to halt air defense missiles and precision munitions shipments follows an internal review showing American arsenals had dropped to concerning levels. Officials justified the suspension as “putting America’s interests first,” even as Russia intensifies bombardments of Ukrainian cities.

The White House confirmed Wednesday that the Pentagon suspended deliveries due to concerns that US weapons stocks had been depleted. Ukrainian officials said they had not received official notification of the suspension or revision of delivery schedules for previously agreed defense assistance.

• Since February 2022, the US has provided $66.9 billion in military aid to Ukraine. The last package worth $500 million was announced by the Biden administration on 9 January, with the US not announcing new packages in the five months since Trump took office.
• The Trump administration suspended all military aid in March following a confrontational meeting, only to resume deliveries weeks later. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that Ukraine “cannot do without” US support as European allies cannot fill the gap.

North Korea plans to send an additional 25,000 to 30,000 troops to assist Russia against Ukraine, Ukrainian intelligence assessments reveal, tripling Pyongyang’s military commitment from the original 11,000 soldiers deployed in November 2024.

North Korean military build-up accelerates

The new troop deployment could arrive “in the coming months,” according to Ukrainian intelligence assessments reviewed by CNN. Russian defense ministry documents indicate Moscow can provide “needed equipment, weapons, and ammunition” to further integrate North Korean units into Russian combat operations.

Satellite imagery from the Open Source Centre shows a Russian personnel carrier arriving at Dunai port in May, matching patterns from last year’s initial North Korean deployments. Additional activity at North Korea’s Sunan airport in June revealed cargo planes, potentially IL-76 aircraft, consistent with troop transport operations.

“This appears to indicate the routes previously used to move D​PRK troops are active, and could be used in any large-scale future transfer of personnel,” Joe Byrne, senior analyst at the Open Source Centre, told CNN.

Heavy casualties fail to deter expansion

Around 4,000 of the original 11,000 North Korean soldiers were killed or injured in Kursk Oblast, according to Western officials. Yet rather than deterring further deployment, these losses have prompted deeper military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov warned Thursday that Kim Jong Un risks destabilizing his own government by exposing elite troops to high casualty rates. “Russia’s use of elite North Korean troops demonstrates not only a growing reliance on totalitarian regimes but also serious problems with its mobilization reserve,” Umerov said.

Russian media footage from the Kursk region reveals extensive North Korean military preparations, including dugout accommodations and translation materials for basic military Russian terms. Videos show North Korean and Russian troops conducting joint training exercises, marking greater integration than initially observed.

Strategic implications for Ukraine’s defense

The timing coincides with Russia amassing 110,000 troops near Pokrovsk, a strategic population center in eastern Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. This concentration suggests preparations for a major offensive against Ukrainian defensive positions.

Sergei Shoigu, a top Putin adviser, announced during his 17 June Pyongyang visit that 1,000 North Korean sappers and 5,000 military construction workers would join Russian forces to clear mines and “restore infrastructure destroyed by the occupiers” in Kursk Oblast.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service briefed lawmakers that North Korea has begun selecting personnel for overseas deployment as early as July or August, indicating the expansion could begin within weeks.

Explore further

North Korean forces may soon fight inside Ukraine, says Seoul

Weapons technology exchange deepens

Beyond manpower, North Korea has supplied Russia with extensive military hardware since 2023. Ukrainian intelligence documented 82 strikes by North Korean KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missiles, including a January 2024 attack that killed 11 civilians in Pokrovsk.

A UN member states report revealed North Korea sent at least 100 ballistic missiles and 9 million artillery shells to Russia in 2024. Training manuals for North Korean artillery, translated into Russian, demonstrate the increasing interoperability between the two militaries.

Jenny Town, senior fellow at the Stimson Center, suggested the assessment of 30,000 troops “sounds high… but they can certainly come up with that number.” She told CNN 10,000 to 20,000 troops might deploy in stages, with Russian generals potentially training forces inside North Korea.

Background

The expanding North Korean-Russian military partnership represents a significant shift in the war’s dynamics. Previous reporting revealed Russia’s plans to deploy North Korean troops to new offensives in eastern Ukraine, with forces expected to wear Russian uniforms while claiming to defend “Russian territory” in occupied Ukrainian oblasts.

Recent intelligence assessments indicate that more than 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed, wounded, or gone missing while fighting alongside Russian forces in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, according to UK intelligence, representing over half of the estimated 11,000 troops initially deployed to the area.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he understands the US administration’s desire to prioritize its own interests, but at the same time calls for continued military support for Ukraine.

The statement, delivered after the White House confirmed the suspension of systems approved under President Biden, a move that raises alarm as Ukraine fights against ever-increasing Russian missile and drone attacks.

Speaking on Fox News, Rutte said he “fully understands” the US desire to ensure American security interests are met first.

“But when it comes to Ukraine, in the short term, Ukraine cannot do without all the support it can get when it comes to ammunition and air defense systems,” Rutte said.

The NATO secretary general referenced discussions between Presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump during last week’s NATO summit, describing “a very good discussion, in particular focusing on air defense systems.”

The White House confirmed Wednesday that the Pentagon suspended deliveries of air defense missiles and precision-guided munitions to Ukraine due to concerns that US weapons stocks had been depleted.

“Yes, I understand that the US has to take care of its own weapons stockpiles. At the same time, we must allow for some flexibility,” Rutte said.

Ukrainian officials said they had not received official notification of the suspension or revision of delivery schedules for agreed defense assistance.

European limitations acknowledged

Rutte said European countries are increasing defense spending and aid to Ukraine, “but we cannot do without practical support from the US.”

“It is also in the interests of the US for Ukraine not to lose this war… And a secure Europe also means a secure US. This all is completely connected,” the NATO secretary general said.

Explore further

Politico: US cuts critical air defense shipments to Ukraine needed to protect civilians from Russian terror

Ukrainian prosecutors have documented 273 Ukrainian prisoners of war killed by Russian forces since the invasion began, but only two Russians face convictions for these systematic executions.

The Prosecutor General’s Office revealed these figures in response to a LIGA.net information request, exposing a massive accountability gap as Ukraine fights for survival while its captured soldiers face execution rather than protection under international law.

Russian executions surge while prosecutions stagnate

The numbers paint a stark picture. In the first six months of 2025 alone, prosecutors documented 22 separate killings involving 56 Ukrainian prisoners. Russian forces have accelerated their execution campaign while facing minimal consequences.

Seven Russian soldiers have been charged with these specific war crimes across 77 criminal cases. Only three cases reached trial. Two received convictions—though prosecutors won’t say if these were real trials or symbolic in absentia verdicts.

The latest case surfaced 1 July when Russian troops tied a Ukrainian prisoner to a motorcycle and dragged him through a field. Russian military bloggers filmed it. They celebrated it. They shared it online.

From “Glory to Ukraine” to mass executions

Each killing follows documented patterns that reveal systematic policy, not battlefield chaos.

March 2023: Russian soldiers executed Ukrainian sniper Oleksandr Matsievskyi after he said “Glory to Ukraine” while standing in a trench. They forced the 42-year-old to dig his own grave first.

Explore further

Ukrainian Army names POW who Russians executed for saying “Glory to Ukraine” (UPDATED)

February 2024: Russian forces promised to evacuate wounded Ukrainian defenders from Avdiivka’s Zenit plant for prisoner exchange. Instead, they shot six soldiers: Heorhii Pavlov, Andrii Dubnytskyi, Ivan Zhytnyk, Oleksandr Zinchuk, and Mykola Savosik. The execution videos appeared on Russian Telegram channels.

December 2023: Russian troops forced three Ukrainian prisoners to kneel before shooting them at close range near Robotyne. The same month, they killed two surrendering soldiers near Avdiivka after the Ukrainians emerged from bunkers with raised hands.

Russian commanders issue direct execution orders

Ukrainian intelligence has documented over 150 additional prisoner executions with evidence showing direct orders from Russian commanders.

“Prisoners are not needed—shoot them on the spot,” one Russian deputy brigade commander told troops, according to UN investigators who interviewed Russian deserters.

The Financial Times identified Russian soldiers posting execution videos online while their units received honors from Putin. Russia’s 30th Motorized Rifle Brigade earned “Guards” status in July 2024 despite documented involvement in prisoner executions.

Explore further

Russian forces executed over 150 POWs from Ukraine intelligence units as part of systematic policy

Torture, branding, and systematic dehumanization

For prisoners who survive initial capture, Russian facilities offer systematic torture. UN investigators found 95% of returned Ukrainian prisoners experienced torture including beatings, electric shocks, sexual abuse, and mock executions.

The brutality extends beyond beatings. A Ukrainian soldier recently revealed how a Russian surgeon burned “Glory to Russia” into his stomach while he was unconscious after surgery. Guards forced prisoners to memorize the Russian national anthem, beating those who failed “until they couldn’t get up.”

At least 206 Ukrainian prisoners have died in Russian custody, according to Ukrainian government figures reported by the Associated Press. Forensic analysis of returned bodies shows untreated infections, missing organs, and extensive trauma, according to forensic expert Inna Padei.

Explore further

United24: Ukrainian soldier tells how Russian surgeon burnt Glory to Russia on his body while in captivity

Escalating execution methods target psychological impact

Recent cases show calculated cruelty designed for maximum psychological damage:

• Forced labor before death: Russian forces make wounded prisoners conduct dangerous demining work before execution.
• ISIS-style killings: Russian Telegram channels shared videos of Ukrainian soldiers being beheaded, with executioners wearing Russian military symbols.
• Mock evacuations: Russian commanders promise prisoner exchanges, then execute captured soldiers and film the results.
• Public degradation: Prisoners shot in legs for “not speaking clearly” before final execution shots to the back.

War crimes documentation outpaces accountability

Ukraine has opened 125,000 war crimes cases since February 2022. Prosecutors call prisoner executions their “priority number one.”

But documentation far exceeds accountability. Russian forces operate across multiple front sectors with apparent impunity. They film their crimes. They share them online. They receive military honors.

The Olenivka prison massacre alone killed 49 Ukrainian prisoners—more than the total number of Russians even charged with prisoner executions. Ukrainian prosecutors determined Russian forces used thermobaric weapons to kill prisoners and hide torture evidence.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian treatment of Russian prisoners follows international law. While some Russians faced mistreatment during initial capture, UN investigators confirmed abuse stopped once they reached official Ukrainian facilities.

Today, there is a lot of interesting news from Russian-backed Transnistria, a breakaway state of Moldova.

With gas reserves depleted, energy production cut in half, and Moscow planning a 10,000 strong troop deployment, the enclave is quickly becoming both a liability and a flashpoint. However, behind this local collapse lies a larger risk: if Russia loses its grip on Transnistria, it will also lose the strategic payoff of any future advance through Odesa.

For months, signs of strain were building. In January, Ukraine cut off Russian gas transit across its territory, no longer willing to tolerate the role of middleman in a trade that indirectly financed the Kremlin’s war effort. That decision plunged Transnistria into an energy crunch. Moscow responded with short-term shipments rerouted via Hungary, but volumes remained small, inconsistent, and subject to immediate political pressure from both Moldova and Russia.

However, this was by design; Russia reportedly blocked Transnistria from receiving energy imports from the West, preferring to let the region suffer rather than risk losing influence. If Western countries stepped in and improved conditions, the local population might begin to question their dependence on Moscow. If they did not, Russia ensured that Transnistrians remained dependent through gas.

Meanwhile, Moldova has refused to act as a fallback supplier. The government in Chisinau halted liquefied gas shipments and phased out centralized deliveries to Transnistria, arguing that it cannot be expected to support a breakaway territory still in a formal frozen conflict with the state of Moldova.

 In parallel, Russia reportedly pressured the Transnistrian leadership to reject any Western assistance, further isolating the region. With no official transit routes, no contracts, and no backup reserves, the region’s economy has tanked. Industrial output is down 43%, trade has fallen by 31.5%, energy production has halved, and metallurgy and chemical industry output have dropped by over 60%. This is having terrible effects on the Transnistrian economy, with GDP expected to decline by 12% and inflation to rise by 16%, casting doubts among Transnistrians if continued cooperation with Russia is in their best interests.

However, to maintain control, Moscow is now preparing to deploy up to 10,000 troops to Transnistria, a dramatic increase from the current 1,500 strong contingent, according to Western and Moldovan intelligence reports. This is not defensive positioning, but rather a preemptive move to secure Russia’s last position west of Ukraine before it becomes irretrievable. The buildup would deepen the risks of confrontation with Moldova and its European backers, but for Moscow, losing Transnistria would mean forfeiting a key staging area for future operations.

This planned deployment runs parallel to Russia’s growing interference in Moldova’s internal politics, where it is backing a pro-Kremlin candidate, against a rival who supports initiating formal European Union accession talks, raising the stakes for both Russia and the West. 

The military buildup, the election meddling, and the economic pressure are all part of maintaining the same strategic goal: Russia still wants to create a land bridge from the mainland to Transnistria. If Moscow allows Transnistria to fall, it forfeits both its last foothold west of Ukraine and its only chance to link that outpost to future territorial gains.

A successful land bridge from Kherson to Odesa only makes sense if it links up with a viable Transnistrian base. Without that, Russia would face two bad options: abandon its ambitions or prepare for a full-scale invasion of Moldova. The former would be humiliating, the latter, highly risky. 

Unlike Donetsk or Crimea, Moldova offers no Russian population large enough to legitimize annexation through referendum, and no fallback if things go wrong. With Transnistria collapsing and Moldova shutting the door, Russia risks losing the very reason to attempt a southern advance at all.

Overall, the crisis in Transnistria is more than just a local energy crisis; it marks the potential collapse of Russia’s westernmost outpost and exposes a critical vulnerability in Moscow’s regional strategy. The deployment of 10,000 troops signals desperation, not a show of strength, but a last-ditch attempt to hold ground in a region where Russia once had all the leverage.

If the West stays focused and Moldova continues to deny legitimacy to the breakaway enclave, Transnistria’s collapse could mark the beginning of the end for Russia’s land bridge ambitions. And with it, a major blow to the idea that military might alone can reshape Europe.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Russia is expanding its military training infrastructure to include motorcycle programs as part of efforts to formalize new assault tactics developed during the war in Ukraine, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

The Russian Ministry of Defense published footage on 27 and 28 June showing officials visiting the Novosibirsk Higher Military Command School and a new military training ground in Krasnodar Krai, highlighting the creation of motorcycle training programs at these facilities.

Defense Minister Andrei Belousov ordered Ground Forces Commander Andrei Mordvichev to equip training facilities with motorcycles and All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) for what they’re calling “modern tactics.”

Russia has already modernized over 200 training centers based on what they’ve learned in Ukraine. The Krasnodar training ground now features dedicated tracks for motorcycles, ATVs, and quad bikes.

Who’s behind this tactical shift?

Ground Forces Commander Andrei Mordvichev appears to be the architect. Russian sources claim he pioneered motorcycle and ATV use in late 2024 during pushes toward Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast. By June 2025, his forces had developed formal operating procedures—now being rolled out across other front sectors.

But here’s the current reality: most Russian soldiers still get their motorcycles from volunteers or buy them personally. Mordvichev wants to change that through centralized procurement and stockpiling.

How many motorcycles is Russia buying?

The numbers vary dramatically depending on the source. Russian military channels report the country purchased over 40,000 Chinese-made motorcycles in 2024, with forces receiving 20,000 so far.

Future plans? One military source claims Russia wants 120,000 motorcycles, 30,000 ATVs, and 12,000 buggies by year’s end. Another source suggests an even more ambitious target: up to 200,000 motorcycles and 60,000 other light vehicles in 2025.

Do motorcycle assaults actually work?

Here’s where Russian confidence meets battlefield reality. A former Storm Z instructor painted a grim picture on 30 June: motorcycles and ATVs are sitting ducks for Ukrainian FPV drones. Worse, motorcycle assaults create higher killed-to-wounded ratios than traditional infantry attacks.

The instructor identified a potential solution—coordinating motorcycle units with heavy air support, drone coverage, and electronic warfare. But that level of coordination remains theoretical.

What’s the current impact? According to the Institute for the Study of War, motorcycles have marginally improved Russian forces’ ability to navigate contested areas and evade some drone strikes. The catch: Russia’s advance rate hasn’t meaningfully accelerated despite integrating these faster vehicles.

The Pentagon decided to halt shipments of certain air defense missiles and precision munitions to Ukraine right as Russia unleashes its heaviest bombardments on Ukrainian civilians in months.

The decision came from Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby after a stark internal review, Politico reports. Three sources familiar with the move say US arsenals of artillery rounds, air defense missiles, and precision munitions have dropped to concerning levels. The initial call was made in early June, but implementation waited until now.

Which weapons are affected? The list reads like Ukraine’s shopping list for survival:

• Patriot interceptor missiles
• 155mm artillery shells
• HIMARS rockets
• Stinger missiles
• Hellfire missiles 

PBS correspondent Nick Schifrin reported the Pentagon also halted AIM-7 air-to-air missiles and GMLRS rockets for Ukraine’s most effective long-range systems.

The timing couldn’t be worse. Ukraine faces some of Russia’s largest missile and drone barrages targeting civilians in Kyiv and beyond. Each intercepted Russian missile requires an American-made interceptor that now won’t be replaced.

Why did this happen? A Pentagon insider reveals the agency has been sorting munitions by criticality since February, partly because of heavy weapons use in Yemen operations. An action memo sat on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s desk for months during personnel turnover. The plan: redirect artillery shells, tank rounds, and air defense systems back to the US homeland or Israel.

But wasn’t Trump just promising more Patriots? He was. After meeting Zelenskyy at the NATO summit, Trump said Ukraine could get additional Patriot systems.

“They do want to have the anti-missile missiles, as they call them, and we’re going to see if we can make some available,” he told reporters. “They’re very hard to get.”

The White House defended the suspension through Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly.

“This decision was made to put America’s interests first following a DOD review of our nation’s military support and assistance to other countries across the globe. The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned — just ask Iran,” Kelly said.

Congressional allies aren’t buying it. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, who co-chairs the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, warned that halting shipments “will surely result in the imminent death of many Ukrainian military and civilians.” She called Patriot systems “the centerpiece of Ukraine’s defenses” that “save lives every day.”

Is this legal? The suspension echoes Trump’s 2019 freeze of $214 million in Ukraine aid. The Government Accountability Office ruled that move violated the Impoundment Control Act—policy disagreements aren’t grounds to block congressionally appropriated funds. If the current freeze follows the same pattern, it risks the same legal violations.

How critical are these weapons? Tom Karako from the Center for Strategic and International Studies put it simply: “Air defense won’t win a war for you—but the absence of it will lose one fast.”

The suspended weapons come from two funding streams established under Biden. Some represent drawdowns from current US stockpiles, with Congress providing money to replenish them. Others come through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, where the US funds direct purchases from American defense firms.

Can Ukraine buy replacements? Zelenskyy says Ukraine stands ready to purchase a “large aid package” from the United States, estimated between $30 to $50 billion. Kyiv has submitted its wish list and awaits Washington’s response.

The question now: Will those interceptors arrive before Russia’s next barrage?

Explore further

Ukraine submits multibillion-dollar  weapons purchase list to US as Trump halts new aid for months

Russian forces hit a hospital in Kherson and destroyed a mail depot in Donetsk Oblast during widespread drone attacks that injured at least 14 civilians across three regions.

Ukraine’s air defenses shot down 79 of 118 incoming threats on the night of 2 July. Russian forces launched 4 S-300 missiles and 114 Iranian-designed Shahed drones, according to Ukraine’s Air Forces. Enemy drones found their targets at 14 locations.

Kherson: Artillery hits hospital late in the evening

Russian gunners targeted Kherson Regional Hospital during evening hours when patients would be sleeping. The 11 p.m. artillery strike wounded eight people—five patients recovering from other conditions, plus three nurses on duty.

A 44-year-old hospital worker took shrapnel to the chest and needed surgery. Two other medical staff, ages 54 and 44, were treated and released. Four patients remain hospitalized: men aged 58 and 60, women aged 64 and 57. All suffered blast injuries and shrapnel wounds.

The building tells the story. More than 100 windows blown out. Patient wards destroyed. Facade cracked from the explosion.

Oleksandr Prokudin, who runs Kherson’s regional administration, reported 10 people wounded across the area in 24 hours. Russian forces hit apartment buildings, private homes, farms, and vehicles throughout the day.

Donetsk Oblast: Mail service disrupted in Sloviansk

Shahed drones leveled Nova Poshta’s sorting facility in Sloviansk, eliminating 300 packages but sparing 5,000 others. No workers died as the terminal was likely empty during night operations.

“We are restructuring package sorting and logistics, but delays in shipments from Sloviansk are possible,” Nova Poshta announced. The company will pay compensation to affected customers.

Here’s the broader impact: Sloviansk serves as a logistics hub for eastern Ukraine. Disrupting mail delivery affects everything from medicine shipments to family communications.

Kharkiv: Drones torch agricultural targets

Russian operators steered drones into farm buildings in two villages near the front line. Warehouse fires erupted in Borivske and Volska Balakliia after direct hits on agricultural enterprises.

Why target farms? Ukraine feeds much of the world. Destroying grain storage and farming equipment creates food shortages months later.

Three people were injured in the agricultural strikes, according to preliminary reports.

In Kharkiv city itself, a drone hit an abandoned building that caught fire across 300 square meters. The blast damaged a car repair shop, apartment building, and bus stop nearby. No casualties reported there.

Russia continues targeting civilian infrastructure, such as hospitals, postal services, and farms, rather than military positions. The strategy appears designed to make daily life unbearable for Ukrainian civilians.

Exclusive

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

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

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

Military

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Intelligence and technology

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

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

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

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

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

International

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

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

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

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

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

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

Humanitarian and social impact

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

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

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

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

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

Read our earlier daily review here.

Nine months after Australia pledged 49 surplus M-1A1 Abrams tanks to the Ukrainian war effort, the 69-ton combat vehicles are finally about to reach Ukraine. A photo that circulated online on Friday depicts one of the heavily-armed tanks in Poland, presumably awaiting onward shipment to Ukraine.

Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy celebrated the Abrams’ imminent arrival way back on 18 May. “I’m grateful for Australia’s comprehensive support, for the Abrams tanks that are helping our warriors defend Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said at a meeting in Rome with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Taka miła niespodzianka czekała na mnie ostatnio w Gdyńskim porcie

100 punktów dla tego, kto zgadnie z jakiego kraju pochodzi ten kamuflaż pic.twitter.com/DwBzZD7ofe

— Krzysztof Sowa (@Krzysztof_s0wa) June 27, 2025

Ukrainian troops surely welcome the fresh tanks, even as heavy armored vehicles play a smaller and smaller role along the drone-patrolled, mine-infested 1,100-km front line of Russia’s 41-month wider war on Ukraine. 

But the brigade the US-made tanks are likeliest to join, the 47th Mechanized Brigade, was recently in the throes of a leadership crisis. Citing “clueless leaders” ordering troops to execute “stupid tasks,” one of the brigade’s battalion commanders, Oleksandr Shyrshyn practically begged for his chain of command to relieve him of duty in a 16 May post on social media.

Explore further

“Let your children follow these orders”: Ukrainian commander in Kursk quits over “idiotic tasks”

It’s unclear what, if anything, resulted from Shyrshyn’s protest. But the turmoil in and around the 47th Mechanized Brigade risks wasting precious tanks the Ukrainians have been waiting a long time for. It’s possible, however, that the Ukrainian army will distribute the newly arrived M-1s across more units than just the 47th Mechanized Brigade.

Pat Conroy, Australia’s defense industry minister, announced the M-1 donation in October. “These tanks will deliver more firepower and mobility to the Ukrainian armed forces, and complement the support provided by our partners for Ukraine’s armored brigades,” Conroy said.

The four-person M-1A1s equipped the Australian army’s armored brigade until the brigade upgraded to newer M-1A2s last year. The older tanks are still in “reasonably good working order,” J.C. Dodson, a Ukraine-based defense consultant who helped negotiate the tank transfer, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Ukrainian officials had asked for the old Abrams in 2023, but the Australians waited until their new Abrams arrived before pledging the excess tanks. The US government holds the export license for the M-1s, which were made in Ohio—and the Russia-friendly administration of Pres. Donald Trump waited to sign off on the deal, adding further delay.

In any event, it seems at least some of the tanks are finally on the last legs of their long journeys to Ukraine. It’s apparent what the Ukrainian army will do with the ex-Australian Abrams. First, it will up-armor them with extra reactive armor, anti-drone cages and radio jammers. And then it will probably assign at least some of them to the 47th Mechanized Brigade’s tank battalion, the only Ukrainian unit with any experience on the M-1.

The 47th Mechanized Brigade got all 31 of the surplus M-1A1s the United States pledged to Ukraine in 2023. In 18 months of hard fighting, the brigade has lost at least 12 of the original M-1s: 10 destroyed, one captured and one so badly damaged it wound up as a museum piece in Ukraine. 

Other M-1s have been damaged—and at least a few are probably write-offs. The 47th Mechanized Brigade may be down to half its original tank strength.

Fresh tanks

The 49 Australian M-1s are enough to restore the brigade’s tank strength while also equipping a second battalion in another brigade—or in one of the new multi-brigade corps the Ukrainian army is standing up.

The same sweeping reorganization that’s introducing the army to corps operations is also reducing, or even eliminating, Ukraine’s four separate tank brigades—each with 100 tanks—in favor of smaller but more numerous separate tank battalions with just 31 tanks apiece.

In the meantime, it’s apparent that some brigades are making do with just a single tank company with a dozen or so tanks. That seems to be the plan for Ukraine’s growing fleet of German-made Leopard 1A5s.

Explore further

Ukraine deploys Leopard 1A5 “sniper tanks” with 7 brigades

Ukrainian officials clearly appreciate that tiny explosive drones, and not 69-ton tanks, are now the dominant weapons along the front line. 

The May leadership crisis may also complicate the 47th Mechanized Brigade’s tank refresh. “I haven’t received any more stupid tasks than in the current direction,” Shyrshyn wrote.

“I’ll tell you the details sometime, but the loss of people has dulled my mind, trembling before the clueless generalship leads to nothing but failures,” Shyrshyn added. “All they are capable of is reprimands, investigations, imposition of penalties. Everyone is going to Hell. Political games and assessment of the real state of affairs do not correspond to either reality or possibilities. They played around.”

It’s possible Shyrshyn was referring to Ukraine’s six-month incursion into western Russia’s Kursk Oblast, which saw a strong Ukrainian force of around a dozen battalions cling to a 650-square-km salient around the town of Sudzha before an elite Russian drone team finally deployed—and severed the only main supply route between Sudzha and the border with Ukraine, destroying hundreds of Ukrainian vehicles in the process.

The 47th Mechanized Brigade was in the thick of that fighting and, soon after retreating back to Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast in early March, supported smaller-scale raids into Kursk—raids that risked heavy Ukrainian casualties for fleeting territorial gains of questionable strategic value. 

More recently, the 47th Mechanized Brigade has been defending Sumy Oblast from an infantry-led Russian counteroffensive that has, at great cost in Russian lives, brought Russian artillery to within firing range of Sumy city.

That the general staff in Kyiv continued to order brigades to fight their way into Kursk even as Russian troops massed for their coming Sumy operation was an ominous development for the units, including the 47th Mechanized Brigade, that had to carry out the pointless or even counterproductive orders. It was even more ominous for the innocent residents of Sumy Oblast.

The 47th Mechanized Brigade is probably on the cusp of receiving new tanks, thanks to Australia’s largess. Shyrshyn and other brigade troops surely hope their superiors don’t ask them to squander those tanks on ill-conceived missions. 

Especially when they have a Russian counteroffensive to defeat.

NATO just held its shortest summit in history. One page. 450 words.

Compare that to last year’s Washington Summit: 5,400 words covering everything from China’s rise to Africa’s instability, from cyber threats to Ukraine’s path toward membership. The Washington Declaration addressed strategic competition, Iran’s destabilizing actions, the deepening partnership between China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, and their mutual attempts to undercut the rules-based international order.

What happened to the other 5,000 words?

They disappeared because America and Europe no longer agree on what threatens them, who their enemies are, or what NATO should do about it. They no longer share values and principles. The Hague Declaration reads like a divorce settlement—the bare minimum both sides could stomach.

Member states agreed to spend 3.5% of GDP on defense by 2035 and count Ukraine aid as NATO spending. That’s it. No mention of Russia’s horrific, unjustified and unprovoked war against Ukraine. No plan for deterring future aggression. No roadmap for Ukrainian NATO membership.

Even more telling: the declaration omitted Russia’s ongoing hybrid war against NATO territory itself—the sabotage, assassinations, cyberattacks, forced displacement, human trafficking, and irregular migration that continue across Alliance borders without meaningful consequence.

The war Russia wages on NATO soil

Russian operatives sabotage critical infrastructure across Europe. They attempt assassinations on European soil. They launch cyberattacks on government networks. They disrupt navigation signals. They violate the airspace and territorial waters of NATO member states. They run disinformation campaigns targeting elections. They orchestrate forced displacement operations designed to destabilize European societies. Russia is waging a hybrid war on the territory of the Alliance.

Russian intelligence services target defense contractors, government officials, and civilian infrastructure. They do so with impunity because NATO cannot agree on a response.

None of this made it into NATO’s 450-word summary. Acknowledging Russia’s hybrid war would require a unified response. America and Europe cannot agree on what that response should be.

America pivots to Asia, Europe left behind

The silence reveals America’s strategic shift. President Trump wants Europe to handle Russia alone while helping America fight China. Project 2025 spells it out: “Beijing presents a challenge to American interests across the domains of national power, but the military threat that it poses is especially acute and significant.”

The document demands that “US allies must play their part not only in dealing with China, but also in dealing with threats from Russia, Iran, and North Korea.” It stresses that NATO must be transformed so that its “allies are capable of fielding the great majority of the conventional forces required to deter Russia while relying on the United States primarily for […] nuclear deterrent”, and other selected capabilities, while “reducing the US force posture in Europe”.

The US does not want to commit to fighting wars in Europe but seeks to commit Europe to fighting wars in the Indo-Pacific area.

But here’s the fundamental disconnect—Europe sees Russia as the primary threat launching an actual war on European soil. Trump sees Russia as a business opportunity. While Europe wants to destroy Russia’s war economy, Trump pursues economic cooperation with Moscow.

When Europe seeks justice and accountability for Russian war crimes, Trump blocks efforts to hold Putin responsible. His peace plan rewards Russian aggression while pressuring Ukraine to surrender territory. In the UN, America now sides with Russia, China and Belarus against European resolutions on Ukraine.

Trump’s positions and rhetoric have become increasingly aligned with Putin’s, especially on Ukraine, NATO, and international law. He rewards the aggressor while pressuring the victim.

Explore further

NATO Summit with US participation recognises Russia as long-term threat to entire Alliance

The systematic dismantling of cooperation

Trump’s America First policy has systematically dismantled the cooperative framework that defined NATO for decades. Previous declarations emphasized international cooperation as key to enhancing stability and upholding international law. They addressed political dialogue and practical cooperation with partners based on mutual respect, benefit, and interest. NATO’s Open Door Policy was a key policy for years.

All gone.

Trump has withdrawn America from the World Health Organization, the Paris Agreement, the UN Human Rights Council, and the main UN relief agency for Palestinians. His executive orders call for reviewing American involvement in UNESCO and overall UN funding.

Beyond withdrawals, the administration has dismantled USAID—ending a strategic soft power tool that ensured global influence for decades and affected millions worldwide. It launched sanctions against the International Criminal Court, directly eroding international rule of law. It started trade wars against America’s closest allies while threatening land grabs in three different regions and suggesting ethnic cleansing in Gaza.

America now prefers bilateral deals over multilateral institutions and views international treaties as constraints on American interests. The US is setting international law aside in favor of “might makes right.”

An alternative take

Ukraine quietly won the NATO summit where everyone was waiting for drama

The contempt runs deep

The European Union used to be singled out as a crucial partner in past declarations. The Washington Summit Declaration stressed that NATO would take concrete steps to deepen its cooperation with the EU.

Today, Trump’s team doesn’t hide its disdain for European allies who have fought alongside American forces in numerous operations. “It’s pathetic!” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blasted, referring to Europe’s dependence on American military power. Vice President JD Vance expressed huge disregard for allies, claiming Europeans haven’t “fought a war in 30 or 40 years” and calling the continent dysfunctional and dying.

Trump himself put it bluntly: “The European Union was formed in order to screw the United States.” He argues that all countries take advantage of America, but “in many cases, our allies are worse than our so-called enemies.” “The European Union has treated us so terribly,” he said.

Trump has long criticized allies for taking advantage of the US by under-spending on defense and “free-riding” on security provided by American superpower status.

Consider this stunning fact: Trump has threatened to occupy NATO territory by military force. Putin has never done that.

Ukraine’s vanishing NATO path

Last year’s Washington Summit explicitly supported Ukraine’s “irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO membership.” Those words have vanished from the 2025 declaration.

Trump has explicitly ruled out Ukrainian NATO membership. In his “final offer” peace plan presented in Paris, the administration promised Ukraine would never join the Alliance—a key Kremlin demand.

Some have argued that omitting Ukraine’s NATO path from the declaration is advantageous, claiming it preserves past commitments through silence. This is naive. The declaration reflects Trump’s policy. Past statements he disagrees with have been systematically deleted. The silence speaks louder than previous promises, and there are no indications Trump will change his position.

Explore further

Trump says NATO meeting was “nice.” Zelenskyy wore a suit. The war goes on

The dangerous math of denial

European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius reports that European intelligence agencies predict possible Russian attacks on Europe by 2030. Some analysts believe aggression could begin as soon as the next three years. Yet NATO just agreed to reach adequate defense spending by 2035—potentially 5-8 years after conflict begins.

This timeline gap undermines any remaining Alliance credibility. Russia already knows NATO won’t defend itself effectively. That’s why Moscow wages hybrid war across Alliance territory with impunity.

The ongoing sabotage, assassinations, and cyberattacks continue because Russia calculates that NATO lacks both will and unity to respond. Russia tests Alliance resolve and finds it wanting.

If America and Europe fundamentally disagree on threats, values, international law, and the purpose of alliances themselves, NATO isn’t an effective military alliance. If member states’ interests and concerns aren’t heard and accounted for, it’s not even an alliance.

The appeasement trap

European leaders chose appeasement at The Hague, giving in to Trump’s demands while fueling his ego. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s deference to Trump may have secured this hollow declaration, but it solved nothing and demonstrated neither NATO unity nor credibility.

Trump walked out early from the G7 summit in Canada rather than meet with President Zelenskyy, allegedly due to his dislike for President Macron and lack of interest in Ukrainian concerns. A repeat of that G7 walkout might have been preferable to the hollow Hague Declaration.

Why do we insist on pretending that NATO is a credible Alliance when we clearly know it is not? Russian aggression demonstrates that it already knows it is not. Strategic denial helps no one.

The path forward

Bringing the discord out into the open would help create strategic clarity.

European leaders face a choice: continue the charade or acknowledge reality. If Europe and America only agree on 10% of what used to be shared strategic objectives, honest acknowledgement would enable essential discussions about European strategic autonomy and credible deterrence by decade’s end.

Europe can become a great power if it decides to. A Coalition of Like-Minded Countries could create genuine deterrence detached from an America that no longer shares European interests, values or threat assessments.

Ukraine is presently far more important to European security and stability than the United States. Ukraine fights Europe’s war while America pursues business opportunities with the aggressor. Europe should act accordingly.

European security cannot depend on the hope that America will help while America actively undermines European security by ending aid to Ukraine, including air defense and counter-drone missiles that protect both Ukraine and Europe. Denying Ukraine defense aid undermines security on the European continent. It puts allies in peril.

Explore further

Inside Russia’s secret digital war on NATO’s logistics lifeline to Ukraine

European security must be founded on credible European military capabilities and political unity, not wishful thinking about American reliability.

It’s time for Europe to stand up for its values and principles. If they run contrary to American foreign policy, say so. Take a stand. Appeasement only leaves autocrats hungry for more—but they respect strength.

The 450-word Hague Declaration tells the real story: The US and Europe have already divorced in all but name. NATO is no longer a credible defensive alliance. The question is whether Europe will acknowledge this reality and build something that works, or keep pretending the marriage functions while the house burns down around them.

Hans Petter Midttun

Hans Petter Midttun, independent analyst on hybrid warfare, Non-Resident Fellow at the…

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

Submit an opinion to Euromaidan Press

Three former US ambassadors to Romania have written that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s failed attempt to manipulate the country’s 2024 presidential election through digital warfare represents a new battleground for democratic sovereignty. In a Politico opinion piece, the retired diplomats argue that Romania’s successful resistance offers a blueprint for defending Western democracies against authoritarian interference.

Former diplomats describe Putin’s digital invasion strategy

Mark Gitenstein, Adrian Zuckerman and Jim Rosapepe write that Putin spent millions of dollars attempting to install a pro-Russian president in Romania through what they characterize as a sophisticated social media manipulation campaign.

The diplomats contend that Putin’s strategy involved boosting candidate Călin Georgescu from complete obscurity to capturing 21% of the vote in just two weeks through TikTok, Telegram and other platforms. They describe this “social media blitzkrieg” as a “Leninist-style effort to destroy democracy in Romania” designed to undermine US, NATO, and EU security interests.

Ex-ambassadors argue intelligence intervention proved crucial

The former diplomats write that Romanian and Western intelligence services successfully uncovered what they call a “stealth invasion” of the country’s electoral process. They argue that the discovery of serious violations of electoral law and foreign interference led to the constitutional court’s extraordinary decision to annul the first round and order a complete do-over.

According to the opinion piece, Georgescu violated Romanian law by claiming he neither raised campaign contributions nor incurred campaign expenses while benefiting from the multimillion-dollar Russian operation. The authors contend this exposed the candidate as having “a malevolent benefactor in Putin.”

Former ambassadors claim voter surge demonstrated democratic resilience

The retired diplomats write that when the second round was held, Romanian citizens responded to the crisis with “clarity and courage,” driving turnout from the average 51% to nearly 65%. They argue that voters chose the democratic, pro-NATO path by a decisive 54% to 46% margin, effectively rejecting Putin’s interference.

The three former ambassadors reveal they had publicly urged Romanians to reject the Russia-backed candidate in what they describe as an unprecedented intervention. “We couldn’t silently stand by and allow the patently false Russia-driven propaganda to go unchallenged,” they write, explaining their decision to issue an open letter with four other former US ambassadors.

Ex-diplomats argue Putin adapted KGB tactics for digital age

The opinion piece argues that Putin’s approach evolved from his KGB background after failing to capture Kyiv militarily. The authors write that “never far from his KGB roots, the Russian president realizes public opinion can be manipulated and shaped by political proxies and propaganda beholden to Russia’s strongman.” They contend this represents a long-standing Soviet strategy to destroy Western democracies from within, now deployed through social media platforms.

Ex-ambassadors warn about upcoming European election threats

The retired diplomats argue that “Putin’s war on democracy continues” beyond Romania, writing that fall elections in Moldova, Estonia, Georgia, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and other European nations “are all ripe for interference.” They contend that cracking down on violations of election laws is imperative before propaganda can take hold.

Nine Russian soldiers held 11 civilians in devastating conditions for over ten days in 2022. Ukrainian prosecutors have identified them and filed charges with the Office of the Prosecutor General.

Among the Ukrainian civilians tortured by the Russians were children and elderly people.

According to the investigation, on 27 March 2022, in the village of Andriivka in Bucha district, a Russian commander and a sergeant detained and beat two local residents.

“The occupiers beat them and then unlawfully detained them in a garage together with four other civilians,” the statement reads.

One of the detainees was interrogated with at least five blows to his back, several strikes to his abdomen, and was hit on the head with the back of an axe.

Also, on 25 February 2022, in the village of Vyshhorod in Bucha district, seven Russian soldiers unlawfully detained 11 civilians.

“Among the hostages were children aged 11 and 13, as well as elderly people aged 61 and 79,” the prosecutors note.

The occupiers forcibly locked the people in a cellar unfit for prolonged stay, lacking light, heating, water, or sanitation.

“The Russian military held the victims in the cellar for more than 10 days, allowing only two women to go out once a day,” the agency reported.

The suspects’ actions have been classified as cruel treatment of civilians and other violations of the laws and customs of war.

The future of modern warfare is being built in Ukraine at this moment. New equipment is being developed and deployed in Ukraine at a significantly lower cost and in a remarkably shorter time compared to almost anywhere else in the world, Bloomberg reports. 

Ground drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which have been used on a large scale for the first time in the war with Russia, have sparked a revolution on the battlefield.

Russian forces under Russian President Vladimir Putin’s command have deployed nearly 695,000 soldiers along the front and continue to bombard civilian populations with missiles and drones. The main weapon against the invaders has become the adaptability of Ukraine’s defense industry.

A striking example is the modular robotic platform TerMIT, which serves both for transportation and clearing pathways. It is equipped with Starlink satellite internet and is already in use by more than 20 military units.

TenCore, a company that started in February 2024 with five employees, now has 175 workers and projects $80 million in revenue for 2025, due to producing over 2,000 units of equipment. Investors sought to buy the company, but TenCore refused.

Also, over 70% of Russian equipment has been destroyed by Ukrainian drones, making the country one of the most powerful drone armies in the world.

Russia, in response, is ramping up drone production and using technologies that make them harder to jam. While Moscow scales up production, Ukraine bets on innovation and creativity — and this could change the course of the war. Whichever model prevails will decide the outcome of the war.

The biggest obstacle for Ukraine’s defense industry is funding. Despite a defense budget of $12 billion, Ukraine’s production potential is three times greater than it is today. Kyiv seeks to attract more investment from its Western allies, including from the European new project SAFE, which envisions $150 billion for defense tech funding. 

Russia shows no signs of stopping in Ukraine. A recent report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) draws attention to alarming statements made by high-ranking Russian officials on 30 June.

In particular, during a meeting on the socio-economic development of temporarily occupied territories, Russian President Vladimir Putin frequently used imperial terms such as “Donbas” and “Novorossiya” instead of the legally defined names of Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts.

Equally telling were the statements of his press secretary Dmitry Peskov, who responded to comments by Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov that “Odesa is not a Russian city” by referring to the “inseparable historical unity” of the city with Russia.

The idol, the butcher: Expanding gap in attitudes toward Stalin reflects Ukraine and Russia’s diverging identities

Meanwhile, Putin’s aide Vladimir Medinsky once again repeated the Kremlin myth that “Ukrainians and Russians are one people.”

“Putin’s, Peskov’s, and Medinsky’s June 30 statements are only the latest statements from high-ranking Kremlin officials indicating the extent of Russia’s territorial ambitions,” notes the ISW.

Analysts add that the Russian leadership systematically denies Ukraine’s right to independent statehood, culture, language, and identity. The Kremlin openly demonstrates its intent to destroy the Ukrainian nation as a distinct subject of international law.

The UN has officially debunked Russian lies about the Olenivka prison massacre. A group of UN experts has released findings exposing a war crime committed by the Russian military against Ukrainian prisoners of war at the Volnovakha Correctional Colony No. 120 in Olenivka, says Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets. 

The report has identified the type of weapon and munitions used by Russia in the attack carried out during the night of 28–29 July 2022, which killed over 50 Ukrainian defenders and wounded around 130 more.

“You run, they knock you down, and beat you with rebar”: Ukrainian POW’s 3-year hell in Russian captivity

“This is an important document that should become a powerful push for continuing the investigation,” states Lubinets. 

He reminds that the pain over Olenivka has not faded, and Ukraine continues to demand just punishment for those responsible.

The report also exposes Russia’s manipulations, including its immediate attempt to blame Ukraine by falsely claiming the attack was carried out with a HIMARS strike.

The UN officially refuted that lie only a year later: “The Olenivka attack was not caused by a HIMARS missile.”

Despite the ICRC and UN’s initial readiness to investigate the tragedy, the mission was disbanded just five months later due to a lack of security guarantees. Lubinets notes that he repeatedly tried to submit materials to the UN mission, but they refused to review them.

“I also proposed a joint visit to the site of the tragedy with Russia’s human rights commissioner that offer was declined as well,” he adds.

In 2024, Serhii Yevsyukov, the former head of the Olenivka colony, died in a car bombing that also critically injured his wife. Ukrainian authorities accused Yevsyukov, who was then the head of the Olenivska colony, of involvement in the deaths of Ukrainian prisoners of war from the Azov battalion held in the detention center. 

The explosion was caused by a planted explosive device equivalent to approximately 100 grams of TNT. 

Ukraine will produce weapons together with allies at home and abroad. Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has announced the launch of a joint weapons production program with countries participating in the Ramstein format.

The program envisions creating new manufacturing capacities both within Ukraine and in partner countries.

Ukrainian manufacturers will receive a special legal and tax regime, enabling rapid scaling and modernization of defense production.

Until the war ends, all products from these enterprises will be supplied directly to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“This is a new type of military-industrial cooperation, where Ukraine is an equal partner and player on the global defense market,” Umerov emphasizes.

To implement the initiative, the Ministry of Defense, together with the Ukrainian Parliament’s Committee on Finance, Tax, and Customs Policy, has already presented key provisions of four draft laws to defense enterprises. The first vote in the parliament is expected to be conducted this month.

Earlier, Kyiv announced its air and missile defense systems would be integrated into the high-tech infrastructure of the Norwegian-American NASAMS complex. 

NASAMS can destroy drones, aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, and ballistic targets at medium and low altitudes in all weather conditions.

Ukraine’s long-range strike drone UJ-26 Bober (“Beaver”) has been upgraded with a manual operator control system similar to that of first-person-view (FPV) drones, along with thermal imaging and a high-quality data transmission channel—marking a major advancement in the country’s drone warfare capabilities.

Bober drone gets FPV-like manual guidance and thermal vision

Militarnyi reports that Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) has received a modified version of the Ukrainian-made UJ-26 drone developed by Ukrjet. This upgraded strike UAV features an FPV-style manual control system, allowing operators to guide it in real-time. The drone is now equipped with a thermal imaging camera and an unspecified communication system that ensures high-quality video transmission all the way to impact.

Read more on this particular attack in our previous report:

Ukrainian drones just lit up Russian-occupied Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk — here’s how (video)

The enhanced imagery from these drones was previously observed during missions conducted by the Prymary unit. At the time, Russian milbloggers claimed that fixed-wing drones used in those operations might have included built-in Starlink satellite communication terminals.

Control delays hint at satellite link usage

Despite the improved image quality from the thermal camera, Militarnyi notes that the drone’s control remains relatively sluggish. This could indicate a high signal transmission delay between the UAV and the operator’s console, lending credibility to the theory of a satellite communication link, possibly Starlink, being used.

Possibly increased payload potential shown in Crimea strike

The latest attack on the Saky airfield in occupied Crimea highlighted the drone’s operational capability. The required flight distance was under half the Bober’s maximum combat radius, suggesting it may have carried a heavier warhead. The standard payload is estimated to be just 20 kilograms, Militarnyi notes.

Catapult launch boosts range, raises deployment questions

The launch footage released shows a Bober drone being catapulted rather than taking off from a runway. This launch method requires a large launching platform but eliminates the need for landing gear. As a result, it improves the drone’s aerodynamics and extends its range. However, this approach may limit the rapid deployment of multiple UAVs, since each unit needs time-consuming setup on its launcher. A possible solution could involve pre-positioning drones already airborne, though that strategy introduces its own challenges.

From strategic to tactical: the shifting nature of drone warfare

Militarnyi notes that the introduction of upgraded UJ-26 Bober drones—alongside the Russian modifications of the Iranian Shahed-236 UAVs—marks a new phase in the drone warfare. 

“The ‘drone war,’ with the increase in production of heavy long-range drones, is shifting from the strategic to the tactical level—they are increasingly being used to strike individual combat units in the rear,” Militarnyi says.