Ukrainian prayer returns to the heart of the Lavra. For the first time in the history of independent Ukraine, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) held a service in the caves of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a sacred site that had been under the control of the Moscow Patriarchate for decades, UkrInform reports. 

The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, founded around 1051, is considered one of the oldest and most important Orthodox shrines in Eastern Europe. Its complex includes churches and underground caves, which attracted thousands of pilgrims and tourists from around the world before Russia’s war.

On 23 July, Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine led the prayer service in the Lower Lavra, gathering OCU believers and clergy.

“The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is a special sanctuary for our people, which, unfortunately, was long under occupation by the Moscow Patriarchate,” said Epiphanius, adding that prayers have risen here for a thousand years, in the heart of Ukrainian Orthodoxy.

He noted that Ukrainian services have been held in the Upper Lavra for over two and a half years and that this recent service in the caves marks the start of regular worship in the Lower Lavra as well.

“We are beginning regular services. There is always a first step… We are initiating Ukrainian prayer here in the Lower Lavra, near our venerable Kyiv-Pechersk Fathers,” emphasized the Primate.

Prayers were offered for the Ukrainian people, the soldiers defending independence, Ukraine’s victory over the aggressor, and the establishment of a just peace.

“We will appeal to the venerable Fathers… for Ukraine’s victory, for the triumph of truth, and the establishment of a just peace in Ukraine,” said Metropolitan Epiphanius.

The return of the Lavra to the OCU has been underway since 2023, when the government terminated the agreement with the UOC (MP) concerning the Dormition Cathedral and the Refectory Church, due to that body’s ties to the Moscow Patriarchate and threats to national security.

“The Russian Federation uses religious organizations for its own purposes… We are moving forward. This is an irreversible process,” said Epiphanius.

Svitlana Kotliarevska, director of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Reserve, highlighted the event’s symbolism.

“The caves are the heart of the Lavra… Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and of Ukraine,” she explained. 

She added that Ukrainian-language services in the caves are not just a religious milestone but a national one.

“Ukrainian language in Ukrainian caves, in the Ukrainian Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra… I believe future generations will remember this day as the start of a new chapter,” Kotliarevska said. 

Similar services are expected to soon begin in the Near Caves as well.

Ukrainian deputies prepare a counterstrike against a new controversial law in the Constitutional Court. After President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the controversial law narrowing the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP), MPs from the Holos parliamentary faction announced the start of collecting signatures for an appeal to the court.

“In fact, the only thing that can be done now to fix the situation is to strike down this law in the Constitutional Court,” says MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak, emphasizing that the parliamentary procedure was violated during the consideration of the bill.

He believes the initiative is entirely realistic: “We will need 45 signatures from deputies… but I think we can still find that many in the Ukrainian Parliament.”

Protesters have already taken to the streets in Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro, and other cities. They are demanding the repeal of the law, which they believe will bring the country to the era of former President Victor Yanukovych, when the government controlled investigations, the prosecutor’s office, and the courts.

The morning after signing the law, Zelenskyy gathered the heads of all key law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies, including NABU Director Semen Kryvonos, SAP Head Oleksandr Klymenko, SBU Chief Vasyl Maliuk, and Prosecutor Kravchenko.

The president stated that “criminal proceedings must not last for years without verdicts” and said that “we all hear what society is saying.” According to him, a joint plan to protect public interests must be ready within two weeks, followed by an in-depth working meeting with all sides the week after. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed Law No. 12414, which grants the Prosecutor General’s Office control over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP).

The official website of the Ukrainian Parliament has confirmed that the president approved the law despite mass protests from anti-corruption watchdogs, European officials, and activists.

People in Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa took to the streets to protest against the law that brings Ukraine back to the times of former pro-Russian President Victor Yanukovych, who was ousted in the 2013-2014 Euromaidan protests. 

The bill provides that:

• The Prosecutor General gains access to all NABU cases or can grant such access to any other prosecutor.
• The Prosecutor General can issue mandatory written instructions to NABU detectives and, if they are not followed, can change jurisdiction by transferring cases to other agencies,
• Has the right to close investigations at the request of the defense,
  Independently resolves jurisdiction disputes,
• Signs notes of suspicion against high-ranking officials personally.

The head of SAPO loses the right to participate in prosecutor groups, as this is decided solely by the Prosecutor General. 

Evacuation may become impossible. Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged all Polish citizens currently in Russia to leave the country immediately, The Moscow Times reports, citing an official statement by the agency.

The Polish Foreign Ministry has emphasized particular concern for Polish nationals holding dual citizenship with Russia. According to Polish diplomats, Russian authorities treat such individuals exclusively as Russian citizens, making them subject to military mobilization, a decree issued in September 2022 and still formally in effect.

“We recommend that Polish citizens currently in Russia leave the country using available commercial or private means, unless their personal, family, or professional circumstances require them to remain,” the statement reads.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland has also warned that consular assistance options are extremely limited. Due to Russia’s reduced diplomatic and consular presence, obtaining support may require traveling to remote regions far from major urban centers.

Other risks include the suspension of direct air travel between Poland and Russia, inoperative international bank cards, and the aggressive conduct of Russian security services, who are reportedly authorized to detain individuals, search phones, and carry out street-level surveillance.

“In the event of a sudden deterioration in the security situation, closure of borders, or other unforeseen developments, evacuation may be significantly hindered, or entirely impossible,” the ministry cautions.

Earlier, a Russian drone attack on Ukraine damaged the Polish company Barlinek in the city of Vinnytsia.  As a result of the strike, two employees were hospitalized in serious condition, suffering from numerous burns. According to Polish sources, the attack could be deliberate as retaliation for providing Ukraine with aid. 

People in Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa took to the streets to protest the adoption of bill No. 12414 by the Ukrainian Parliament. It restricts the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), reports Suspilne.

On 22 July, the parliament approved bill No. 12414, which introduces changes to the Criminal Procedure Code regarding the pre-trial investigation of cases related to enforced disappearances under martial law conditions.

According to Ukrainian deputy Anastasiia Radina, amendments were added at the last moment that “turn SAPO into a decorative institution and make the activities of NABU and SAPO fully dependent on the will of the Prosecutor General.”

The bill provides that:

• The Prosecutor General gains access to all NABU cases or can grant such access to any other prosecutor.
• The Prosecutor General can issue mandatory written instructions to NABU detectives and, if they are not followed, can change jurisdiction by transferring cases to other agencies,
• Has the right to close investigations at the request of the defense,
• Independently resolves jurisdiction disputes,
• Signs notes of suspicion against high-ranking officials personally.

The head of SAPO loses the right to participate in prosecutor groups, as this is decided solely by the Prosecutor General, Hromadske reports. 

In Lviv, people gathered near the Taras Shevchenko monument to protest against the law. Co-organizer Justyna Moyseev said initially 30 people registered for the protest, but the expected number grew, and is expected to reach 100.

During the protest, people chanted slogans such as “Hands off NABU,” “Change or die,” and “Corruption is the death of the future.”

Ukraine’s parliament votes to gut anti-corruption agencies amid Russian spy scandal (UPDATED)

“One must always remember that the Ukrainian people stand together primarily because we want victory, peace, and to move toward the EU. Only for this reason do Ukrainians endure and do not want to cause trouble. But it seems the authorities are forgetting this a little. We want to remind them,” said one Lviv protester, Roman Schmidt.

Residents of Dnipro also joined the protest. Participant Anna stressed that she does not support the adoption of this bill.

“This directly affects the fact that corruption in the country will most likely flourish, and that’s not okay. They won’t be independent,” she said. 

A similar protest gathered in Odesa, where people called on the president not to sign the bill, chanting “Protect democratic institutions.” 

Kyiv is also protesting against the bill. People are carrying posters reading “People’s wrath is scarier than NABU and SAPO,” “Money hates silence,” “No to the destruction of the anti-corruption system.”

On 22 July, the Ukrainian Parliament passed bill No. 12414, which effectively destroys the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), says the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO). 

The NAKO emphasizes that this decision will severely undermine trust in Ukraine on the international stage. The development of anti-corruption institutions, supported by civil society and international partners since 2015, was a key condition for Ukraine’s progress towards the EU and NATO.

The liquidation of NABU’s and SAPO’s independence threatens further international aid.

The law was adopted amid high-profile searches at NABU, where security forces uncovered an FSB agent working inside the bureau who passed information to Russia.

“Yesterday we saw SBU searches that showed NABU is not perfect, and that is true, but today these searches have been used by the authorities to dismantle an independent anti-corruption investigation,” says NAKO senior researcher Tetiana Nikolaienko.

Now the Prosecutor General becomes the de facto head of SAPO prosecutors, gains full access to NABU cases, has the right to transfer them to other bodies, decides jurisdiction disputes, and signs indictments against high-ranking officials. This destroys the possibility of conducting impartial investigations according to the law.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Action Center stresses that President Zelenskyy’s signature under this law will return the country to the times of former pro-Russian President Victor Yanukovych.

“Under these conditions, NABU, SAPO, and the High Anti-Corruption Court lose all meaning as Zelenskyy-installed Prosecutor General will stop investigations against all the president’s friends,” adds NAKO.

Accordingly, there is no point in electronic asset declarations, punishment for illegal enrichment, special confiscation, or other anti-corruption reforms.

The Civil Anti-Corruption Council under the Ministry of Defense says Ukraine’s anti-corruption system has lost its independence within several minutes. The organization is urging President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to veto a bill No. 12414, passed by Ukrainian lawmakers, which curtails the freedom of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO)

While the bill was introduced as addressing the investigation of wartime disappearances, last-minute amendments radically altered its essence. Both the relevant committee and the parliamentary chamber approved the changes at record speed.

“This law strips SAPO of its independence,” states the Civil Anti-Corruption Council under the Ministry of Defense.

From now on, the Prosecutor General will have direct control over prosecutors in the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, can reassign their powers, seize NABU cases, and issue directives.

This opens the door to manual control, political interference, impunity for loyal officials, and the destruction of independent investigations into high-level corruption.

“We are fighting for justice. But this law is about abuse of power and shielding installed persons,” the Council emphasizes.

The West has reacted swiftly to the law. The European Commission has voiced concern, stressing that EU financial support depends on progress in democratic governance. G7 ambassadors have said they plan to raise the issue with Ukrainian officials.

Guillaume Mercier, the spokesperson for the European Commission for Enlargement, has claimed that the EU is providing Ukraine with significant financial assistance “subject to progress in transparency, judicial reform, and democratic governance.”

“These bodies are crucial to Ukraine’s reform agenda and must act independently to fight corruption and maintain public trust,” he says.

NABU was established in 2015 under pressure from Western partners and civil society.

Russia is planning its largest armament program since the collapse of the USSR, spending approximately $1.1 trillion by 2036, says Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence, UNIAN reports. 

“There is a total mobilization of politics, economy, and society in the Russian Federation to prepare for a future large-scale war,” emphasizes Budanov.

Russia’s military reform already includes the creation of two new military districts, the Moscow and Leningrad districts, as well as plans to form new divisions, formations, and military units.

The Ukrainian intelligence head also notes that Moscow seeks to dismantle the global security and economic order. Russia is expanding its influence in Africa, primarily through private military companies Wagner and the African Corps, and supports authoritarian regimes and terrorist organizations worldwide.

Additionally, Russians actively conduct hybrid information and cyber operations in other countries, employing controlled media outlets and politicians to spread their influence.

“Moscow aims to impose its own vision of the future world order, where the ‘great’ powers, primarily the Russian Federation, hold full authority, monopoly over all critical resources, and decide the fate of the world within a closed circle,” Lieutenant General Budanov stresses.

Earlier, UK Defence Journal reported that the US deployed nuclear weapons on British soil for the first time since at least 2008 amid Russia’s aggression. Several B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bombs have been transferred from the US Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico to RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk.

During the Cold War, US nuclear arsenals were stationed at this base, but they were withdrawn in 2008 as part of nuclear disarmament efforts across Europe.

Kyiv risks losing crucial Western support after the Ukrainian Parliament passed, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly signed, the controversial bill No. 12414. It curtails the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), UkrInform reports. 

The law requires key decisions by these institutions to be coordinated with the Prosecutor General’s Office. Vitali Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, published the full text of the amendments, which he says “de facto nullify the independence of NABU and SAPO.”

The West has reacted swiftly. The European Commission has voiced “concern,” stressing that EU financial support depends on progress in democratic governance. G7 ambassadors have said they plan to raise the issue with Ukrainian officials, Reuters reports.

Guillaume Mercier, the spokesperson for the European Commission for Enlargement, has stressed that the EU is providing Ukraine with significant financial assistance “subject to progress in transparency, judicial reform and democratic governance,” according to Ukrainska Pravda. 

“These bodies are crucial to Ukraine’s reform agenda and must act independently to fight corruption and maintain public trust,” he said.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) arrested a NABU officer on suspicion of spying for Russia and detained another over alleged business ties with Russia. At least 15 NABU detectives were searched. NABU stated the SBU’s actions were “excessive” and effectively “paralyzed the agency’s operations,” Reuters reports.

Transparency International has warned that the developments show “systemic pressure” on independent anti-corruption bodies and urged President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to publicly reaffirm their independence. The allegations against the detectives are seen as too broad and contradictory not to raise suspicion of political motives.

NABU was established in 2015 under pressure from Western partners and civil society. Its ability to operate independently is now in doubt, especially in light of the arrests, which risk undermining trust in Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts. Diplomatic missions are continuing to closely monitor the situation. 

All it takes is one FPV drone, and old North Korean iron blows up like fireworks. The outdated multiple rocket launch systems that North Korea has supplied to Russia have proven fatally vulnerable to Ukrainian FPV drones, Business Insider reports. 

Ukrainian drones don’t just hit targets. They target loaded munitions directly in open launch tubes, causing explosions, fires, and catastrophic damage.

According to the military, the 429th Separate Regiment of Unmanned Systems Achilles launched a drone at a North Korean 107mm Type-75 launcher when it was already loaded. The strike triggered a chain reaction — missile explosions, fire, debris.

The Type-75 is Pyongyang’s version of the Chinese Type-63, equipped with 12 open launch tubes. These old launchers have been spotted on the Russian front for several months now, and they are the ones exploding en masse after drone strikes.

Another case involved the 413th Battalion of Unmanned Systems. In late June, a drone hit one of the munitions in an M1991 launcher. It resulted a premature launch, pierced truck chassis, and a smoke-filled cabin from which soldiers jumped out.

Most Korean weapons are copies of Soviet or Chinese systems that Russia has long used. For example, old BM-21 Grads are also loaded manually and lack drone protection.

In contrast, Western systems like the American M142 HIMARS have protected rocket containers, making the job much harder for kamikaze drones.

While North Korea supplies Russia with outdated systems, militaries around the world are already betting on drones, which are cheap, accurate, and lethally effective.

Russia did not launch a single missile on Kyiv during US Presidential Envoy Keith Kellogg’s visit. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha says this is a direct signal that only Washington can compel Moscow to pursue peace, UkrInform reports.

“While he was in Kyiv, no attacks by the Russian aggressor were recorded. This is further evidence of whom Putin truly fears. Putin fears only Trump,” Sybiha stresses.

According to him, during his intensive visit, Kellogg had the opportunity to receive information “firsthand.” This, the minister notes, is crucial in countering the Russian narrative: “Russia will not win, and Ukraine will not lose. It is important to operate from this very paradigm.”

In addition, the talks included discussions on arms procurement, particularly air defense systems. Sybiha states that Kellogg was provided with specific figures on the required number of air defense systems, long-range weapons, and other front-line priorities.

“Following this, we expect the appropriate contact and communication between Presidents Zelenskyy and Trump for the further implementation of the agreements reached,” the minister adds.

During the meeting, Ukrainian high-ranking defense officials explicitly warned Kellogg that Russia was preparing for a large-scale war, not only in Ukraine, but also against the North Atlantic Alliance.

A hundred women who served prison sentences have already joined the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. They now fight alongside men, both on the frontlines and in communications, logistics, and medical units.

One of them is Halyna, who was convicted of theft and formerly imprisoned in Poltava. She had experience volunteering even before her detention, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 

“I want to go to the front because I lost my son and my husband,” she says.

Another woman, Alvina, also convicted of theft, explains: “My husband and two brothers are fighting. And I have a child I must protect. I don’t want my child to be the one who finishes this war.”

According to Ukraine’s State Criminal Executive Service, around 9,500 convicted individuals have already enlisted in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. 

“About 9,500 convicted individuals are carrying out tasks on the front, including in combat zones. But not all of them are men, 100 are women with criminal convictions now serve in the Armed Forces,” the statement says.

Most were convicted of property-related crimes. The breakdown, according to the Service:

• 55% — property crimes
• 11% — drug offenses
• 9% — bodily harm
• 6% — traffic accidents with injuries
• 6% — murder

Deputy Minister of Justice Yevhen Pikalov said that 20–30% of all convicts in Ukraine could potentially be mobilized, UkrInform reports. 

“Today, more than 8,300 convicts have joined the Armed Forces, with another 1,000 applications under review. In terms of potential, about 20–30% of Ukraine’s total prison population could take advantage of this opportunity and help defend the country,” he explained.

According to Pikalov, Ukraine currently holds 37,000 detained individuals. However, not everyone is eligible for the service: those convicted of terrorism, corruption, sexual violence, or crimes against national security are excluded.

Russia launched over 400 drones on 21 July. The same day, Ukrainian allies announced 200,000 shells for the Gepard air defense system at the 29th meeting in the Ramstein format. 

In addition, Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal, who took office on 17 July, stated that the US has initiated a new mechanism with NATO, allowing European countries to purchase American weapons specifically for Kyiv.

During the meeting, Germany announced it would contribute five Patriot systems, which will be delivered to Ukraine “soon.” Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed he had agreed with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on supplying them, RBC-Ukraine reports. The Patriots are the only assets Ukraine has capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles. 

Berlin is also supplying over 200,000 shells for the Gepard system and will fund the procurement of Ukrainian long-range drones. 

“The parties will coordinate actions to achieve this goal in the coming days,” Pistorius added.

Other aid from allies:

• Canada: 20 million CAD for the maintenance of Ukrainian tanks + support via the Danish model.
• The Netherlands: €200 million for interceptor drones, €125 million for F-16 maintenance.
• Norway: €1 billion for drones in 2025, including €400 million for Ukrainian manufacturers.
• Sweden: Preparing a new package with air defense, artillery, and equipment.

This meeting was co-organized by the defense ministers of the United Kingdom and Germany, John Healey and Boris Pistorius. Representatives from 52 countries and international organizations participated in it.

Key guests included: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Christopher G. Cavoli, and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas.

According to Denys Shmyhal, the meeting was “more technical and coordination-focused,” concentrating on the procurement of American weapons for Ukraine.

He paid special attention to financial support: “Ukraine needs $6 billion to cover this year’s procurement deficit. This will enable us to create more FPV drones, more interceptor drones to counter ‘Shahed’ drones, and additional long-range weapons.”

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Office of the Prosecutor General have uncovered a Russian mole in the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). He worked in the elite, classified D-2 unit and was spying for the Russian intelligence service.

The investigation has established that the agent’s subversive activities were coordinated by traitor Dmytro Ivantsov, the former deputy head of security for ousted ex-president Viktor Yanukovych. In February 2014, Ivantsov helped Yanukovych flee to Russia after EuroMaidan protests, where over 100 activists were killed by pro-government snipers. He stayed in Crimea, where he was recruited by the FSB.

The SBU documented at least 60 instances of the suspect transmitting classified information to the former deputy head of Yanukovych’s security. According to the intelligence agency, he gathered foundational data on Ukrainian law enforcement officers and other citizens targeted by Russia for planned terrorist attacks and special information operations. Moscow planned to use this information for its attacks on them.

The agent obtained personal information about potential Russian targets from closed databases of Ukrainian law enforcement agencies. For each completed task, he received payments from his handler via bank card transfers.

“Earlier, SBU officers alerted NABU leadership about possible risks related to this employee. However, the agency’s management took no response measures, and the suspect continued working in his position while attempting to destroy evidence of his illegal activities,” the SBU statement says.

After documenting the crimes of the spy, the SBU and Prosecutor’s Office detained him, seizing his phone and computer equipment used to contact his handler. He faces imprisonment for up to 15 years.

Ukraine needs $6 billion to cover this year’s procurement deficit. During the latest online meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the Ramstein format on 21 July, new Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal addressed partners and called for continued support.

This was the first meeting following Shmyhal’s appointment as Defense Minister, replacing Rustem Umerov. The UK and Germany co-chaired the meeting. Participants included US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and NATO’s new commander in Europe, Alexus Grynkievich.

According to Denys Shmyhal, the meeting was “more technical and coordination-focused,” concentrating on the procurement of American weapons for Ukraine. At the call, he emphasized that Patriot air defense systems and interceptor missiles are “critically important for protecting Ukrainian cities” as Russia escalated its attacks on civilians. 

He paid special attention to financial support: “Ukraine needs $6 billion to cover this year’s procurement deficit. This will enable us to create more FPV drones, more interceptor drones to counter ‘Shahed’ drones, and additional long-range weapons.”

Previously, US President Donald Trump announced that he would impose strict secondary tariffs on Russia and its allies if a peace agreement on Ukraine is not reached within the next 50 days. However, a recent Russian attack serves as an indicator that Moscow is just using this time to kill more Ukrainians. 

The Ukrainian defense minister also stated the need for sustained support in 2026 and for Ukraine’s inclusion in the European SAFE credit program, a “critically important source of funding for next year.”

Although Ukraine is not a formal member of the initiative, in 2025, the EU granted it associate partner status, recognizing Ukraine’s security as integral to that of Europe. This allows Kyiv to participate in joint defense projects and access funding from SAFE’s credit facility, which totals up to €150 billion. 

The Russians are ready to sacrifice tens of thousands of their soldiers for a political goal. Donetsk Oblast remains one of the hottest regions of Ukraine, where the Russians try almost daily to break through to the city of Pokrovsk, says Andrii, the commander of the battalion of the 32nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, Suspilne reports.

“Pokrovsk is located at one of the transport hubs. Accordingly, for them, this is a standard target — to partially cut off our logistics. This is a political goal,” the commander explains.

Russian troops use all possible forces and tricks to break through the Ukrainian defense, but unsuccessfully. According to the commander, they are even ready to “sacrifice tens of thousands of their soldiers just to occupy or capture something.”

Recently, the President of Ukraine and the Commander-in-Chief reported the destruction of sabotage groups in this direction. As Andrii notes, Russia’s tactics of using small sabotage groups of 2–3 people are not new. They try to “sneak past the positions of the Armed Forces units” to weaken the Ukrainian defense.

On 14 July, Dmytro Zhmailo, a Ukrainian expert and the Executive Director of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, said Kyiv troops managed to stop the first wave of the Russian summer offensive. Currently, Moscow is trying to fulfill its main objective, which is the complete capture of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

Russia masses 100,000 troops to crush Ukraine’s defenders in Donetsk’s crucial battle

About 100,000 troops from the overall 700,000-strong Russian grouping are concentrated near the Kostiantynivka settlement in Donetsk Oblast. The Russians are receiving reinforcements for the start of the second wave of the offensive.

Pavel Slavinsky, Chief of Staff of the 2nd International Legion, reveals the motivations of foreigners fighting in Ukraine. He says this Ukrainian military project is quite dynamic and “has a future,” Dzerkalo Tyzhnia reports. 

“Some want to earn money. Some want to improve their service record. Some want to gain experience, learn modern warfare techniques and methods. Some fight for the adrenaline rush. Some fight for freedom and justice, and some want to kill Russians,” says Slavinsky. 

According to him, volunteers from Colombia and Brazil form one large conglomerate in the Legion. 

“The rest are from America, Britain, and Europe. Roughly 50/50 are Anglos and Spanish speakers. Their motivations differ greatly,” he explains. 

For Brazil and Colombia, many are either economic migrants or cartel-related, sent to gain military experience. These are mostly young men of 25–35 years.

“The Anglos are mostly much older men, over 40, who came to finish what they started in Afghanistan or Iraq,” he continues. 

He does not disclose the exact number of volunteers in the Legion: “That’s classified information. We are a special forces battalion with additional capabilities.”

The ratio of Ukrainians to foreigners is about 50/50. Half are Ukrainians, the other half are international fighters. Many of them are in support roles like logistics, while infantry and specialists tend to be foreigners.

Slavinsky notes that Americans and Brits have the highest discipline. But due to coordination issues, mistakes happen: “If Colombians or Americans are in key positions and aren’t informed that friendly UAVs are flying overhead, they might shoot down anything they see, considering anything unknown as hostile.”

Military tactics have changed fundamentally since 2022. Western veterans, who taught the Ukrainians at the start of Russia’s war, now have to learn new approaches on the frontlines. 

“Now combat involves UAV dominance, small groups of two to four soldiers, and heavy equipment is largely unnecessary as it can’t reach the front line—it gets destroyed en route,” Slavinsky says. 

Sometimes, legionnaires depart from active duty military service and stay in Ukraine before returning home.

“Of course, at the train stations, a person who doesn’t look Ukrainian, especially in camo, attracts police and military police attention. These foreigners often end up in reserve battalions,” Slavinsky says.

From there, they are either transferred to the Legion or try to find ways to leave Ukraine, often communicating well with each other to find exit routes.

Beijing threatens to respond following sanctions for cooperation with Russia. The European Union has, for the first time, included Chinese banks and companies in a new sanctions package against Russia for the attack on Ukraine.

Beijing’s reaction was immediate and harsh: “China expresses strong dissatisfaction and resolute protest.”

According to a statement from the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese side views the 18th sanctions package as an unfriendly act that violates international law, undermines economic relations with the EU, and threatens financial cooperation.

Four Chinese companies were added to the EU blacklist, including two from Hong Kong, Zhu Jiang Shipmanagement and ACE Electronic HK, as well as Wuhan Global Sensor Technology and Shandong ODES Industry from mainland China. The reason: assistance to Russia in circumventing restrictions, supplying technologies and components that can be used in the production of weapons that kill Ukrainians.

“China calls on the EU to immediately stop its wrongful practice of including Chinese enterprises and financial institutions on sanction lists and will take necessary measures to reliably protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies,” the statement said.

China’s outrage coincides with preparations for the 25th anniversary China–EU summit, scheduled for 24 July in Beijing. This is the second consecutive time the summit will not be held in Europe as Xi Jinping refused to travel to Brussels, and instead, European leaders will come to China to discuss the most sensitive issues in bilateral relations.

Despite the pressure, Brussels sends a clear signal: sanctions evasion via third countries, including China, will no longer go unanswered.

Previously, US Army Europe and NATO Allied Forces Supreme Commander General Alexus Grynkewich has warned that American and its European allies likely have only a year and a half to prepare for a potential global military conflict with China and Russia. According to Bild, the two dictatorships may launch a coordinated strike in 2027.

On 21 July, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot came to Kyiv for a two-day visit. After arriving, he immediately headed to the sites hit during the massive overnight attack on the Lukianivka district.

“Shelters themselves are no longer entirely safe, as the metro station next to me, which serves as a shelter for Kyiv residents, became a target of the attack. It happened at the same time President Zelenskyy, on Saturday morning, declared Ukraine’s readiness to enter new negotiations with Russia,” he emphasized. 

In Kyiv, Foreign Minister Barrot is set to meet with Zelenskyy, new Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, and his counterpart Andrii Sybiha, UkrInform reports. 

During the visit, he will also take part in Ukraine’s Ambassadors Conference and visit the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The facility is still undergoing the restoration of the site after the Russian occupation in 2022 and a Shahed strike, which damaged the protection shield over the plant itself. 

“Our embassy staff, like all Kyiv residents, were forced to seek shelter from 3 AM to 5 AM,” the minister said.

He noted that the wave of attacks struck not only civilian infrastructure but also kindergartens, supermarkets, and residential buildings. Two people were killed in an attack, and a dozen civilians were hospitalized. 

“That’s why the package of mass sanctions adopted at the European level last Thursday is crucial to increase pressure on Vladimir Putin, to raise the cost of this outrageous war, and to compel him to cease fire and engage in talks that will lead to a just and lasting peace,” Barrot stated.

On 18 July, the EU agreed on a new Russia sanctions package, with ambassadors reaching consensus on the bloc’s 18th sanctions round. The round targets key sectors of the Russian economy, including Slovakia and Malta. The restrictions hit energy, the main source of Moscow’s revenues. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

His program also includes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

His program also includes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AI-generated bots often give themselves away through:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EU agrees on new Russia sanctions package targeting energy and finance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The proposed sanctions package reportedly includes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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