War in Ukraine live+++ 05:29 Rutte: deployment of Tomahawks does not pose a threat to Moscow +++
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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte does not see an increased risk of escalation in relations with Russia in connection with Germany’s planned purchase of American Tomahawk medium-range weapons. “We are a defensive alliance. This means that we will never attack anyone,” says the Dutchman. Germany’s deployment of tomahawks is simply to provide a credible deterrent and the ability to defend itself if the worst goes awry.
+++ 04:51 Rocket attack on the city of Odessa +++
Late in the evening, Russia carried out a rocket attack on the city of Odessa. Two people were reported dead and at least eight were injured, local authorities in southern Ukraine said.
+++ 02:23 Parliament approved Zelensky’s personnel changes +++
As part of the cabinet reshuffle initiated by President Vladimir Zelensky, the Ukrainian parliament is approving a new government. A clear majority of 264 deputies voted for 16 ministers. 226 were needed. The candidates were presented by newly confirmed Prime Minister Sergei Koretsky and put to a vote as a package. The foreign and defense ministers are excluded. According to the constitution, Zelensky has the right to propose them. Current Foreign Minister Andrei Sibiga is expected to remain in his post. He has already invited the head of the SBU secret service, Yevgeny Khmara, to head the defense department.
+++ 00:29 The Ukrainian port administration sees a threat to grain supplies +++
According to the Ukrainian Ports Authority, in the first two weeks of July, Russia attacked ports 23 times and civilian ships 17 times. According to traders and analysts, the terrorist attacks lead to a partial stop in grain shipments and an almost complete suspension of grain purchases at port terminals.
+++ 23:10 Great Britain and Sweden ensure the safety of planes to Ukraine +++
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced multimillion-dollar support for protecting Ukrainian airspace during his visit to Kyiv. “I am pleased to say that today we are taking another step forward because I can announce that the United Kingdom, together with Sweden, will provide €300 million in support for the delivery of 16 new modern aircraft that will contribute to the defense of Ukrainian airspace,” Starmer said during a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
+++ 22:15 Poland intercepts Russian fighter jets over the Baltic Sea for the third day in a row +++
According to the military, the Polish Air Force has had to intercept Russian fighter jets over the Baltic Sea for three days in a row. “The Russians are once again testing the performance of our anti-aircraft systems,” writes Defense Minister Vladislav Kosinyak-Kamysh on X. According to this, two Polish aircraft from Malbork initially intercepted two Russian Su-30 fighters. Then a Russian reconnaissance aircraft was spotted approximately 30 kilometers from the Pomeranian coast of the Baltic Sea in the area of Yastrebina Gora. Polish planes escorted the Il-20 further out to sea, where Swedish planes took over the escort. The Defense Minister said that in no case was Polish airspace violated. Russian reconnaissance flights off the coast of NATO member Poland have recently increased again after a hiatus, according to Warsaw. On Tuesday, Polish planes stopped an Il-20 spy plane, and on Wednesday they stopped two Su-30 fighter jets.
+++ 21:34 Bolivia is investigating: Were young people lured to the front with false job offers in Russia? +++
The Bolivian Attorney General’s Office is launching an investigation into three cases against a suspected human trafficking network. His goal was reportedly to lure Bolivian citizens to Russia through fraudulent job offers and recruit them there for the war against Ukraine. Prosecutors identified 16 alleged victims. A suspected recruiter was identified and raids were carried out at a location where young people were being offered false promises of work ahead of their trip to Russia. Relatives complained that recruiters offered contracts paying up to $16,000 (€14,000) with the promise of work in construction or painting. However, according to the prosecutor’s office, the young people were sent to the front immediately upon arrival in Russia.
+++ 21:08 Fedorov’s resignation caused a wave of protests in Ukraine +++
Ukrainian President Zelensky is once again restructuring his cabinet. Many will have to leave, including the popular Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov. The 35-year-old man was forced to announce his resignation, which caused protests among the population of Ukraine.
+++ 20:25 CIA report: Survival time for recruits at the front is reduced to 30 minutes +++
According to a Bloomberg report, CIA Director John Ratcliffe says the Ukrainian military’s use of artificial intelligence-controlled drones has significantly reduced the average survival time of recently deployed Russian recruits on the battlefield. “Our findings are consistent with some publicly available reports from Ukraine that you may have seen: the average survival time of a Russian recruit arriving on the battlefield in Ukraine is estimated to be 20-30 minutes,” Ratcliffe said at the Defense and Innovation Summit in Pennsylvania. He explains this by saying that “AI drones have become highly specialized, low-cost killing machines.” US officials estimate that Russia is losing about 7,000 soldiers a week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said drones were now responsible for more than 80 percent of destroyed Russian targets. On Wednesday, Zelensky said Ukraine currently produces 10 million drones a year, but it should double that number in the future.
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