Explosion at Russian Arctic gas field kills at least 2, injures 8
Authorities opened a preliminary criminal case into the potential violation of industrial health and safety standards, RIA Novosti said.
Nate Ostiller
Articles
Putin holds talks with Assad in Moscow
According to the readout, Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad said he was "happy to see" Russian President Vladimir Putin again and emphasized that "relations between our nations have been based on trust, which is evidence of our nations' maturity."
Romania confirms Russian drone debris landed on its territory
"More heinous attacks have been perpetrated by Russia against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. Debris has been found on Romanian territory," Romanian Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu wrote on X.
Head of Russian military company, linked to disgraced ex-deputy minister, arrested on corruption charges
Kommersant reported there may be additional charges in the future, as both the company and Andrei Belkov himself were previously supervised by former Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov, who is currently also under investigation on corruption-related charges.
Tbilisi accuses ex-officials from Georgia and Ukraine of plotting to kill ruling party chairman Ivanishvili
Georgia's State Security Service (SUS) "is investigating the facts of the preparation of the murder of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the honorary chairman of the Georgian Dream party, organized and financed by former high-ranking officials of the Georgian government and former employees of law enforcement agencies in Ukraine," the SUS wrote on Facebook.
Rheinmetall receives order to build ammunition factory in Ukraine
"The intention is to start the ammunition production in Ukraine within 24 months," Rheinmetall said in a statement.
Kuleba holds more than 3 hours of talks with Chinese FM
"China has always been firmly committed to promoting a political solution to the crisis," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement regarding the talks.
Yermak holds talks with VP Harris' national security advisor
Andriy Yermak and Phil Gordon spoke about "the situation on the frontline and the increasing number of Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities and communities, especially on energy infrastructure," the Presidential Office said in a statement.
Ukraine's military intelligence behind cyberattack on Russian banks, source says
Earlier in the day, Russian media reported on outages from several top banks, including Raiffeisen, Gazprombank, Rosselkhozbank, and Rosbank. The outages also reportedly impacted social networks, payment systems on public transport, and some airlines.
Russia building forces in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, military says
At the same time, there is no indication yet that Russia is preparing for another offensive in the area, said Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Tavria group of forces.
Moscow to pay residents over $21,000 signing bonus for joining army
While other regional authorities have also instituted signing bonuses, such as 1 million rubles in Krasnodar Krai ($11,200) and 500,000 rubles ($5,600) in Dagestan, the Moscow signing bonus appears to be the highest reported so far.
Georgian security service reportedly begins investigating fighters returning from Ukraine
The opposition media outlet Mtavari reported on July 21 that at least four Georgians who fought in Ukraine have been sought for interrogation by Georgia's State Security Service (SUS).
55% of Ukrainians oppose territorial concessions to achieve peace, poll finds
When asked about a possible set of acceptable conditions for peace, the highest number of respondents (62%) said that a situation in which Ukraine regains all occupied territories and becomes a member of the EU but refuses to join NATO would have the broadest level of support.
Ukraine shoots down another Russian Su-25 jet in Donetsk Oblast
Four days earlier, the Khortytsia group of forces said it had shot down another Russian Su-25 jet near Pokrovsk.
Russian shelling injures 5 in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak said that a 37-year-old man was hospitalized in moderate condition as a result of the attack, and that four others were treated on an outpatient basis.
Russia begins dismantling Ukrainian Orthodox church in occupied Crimea
Former Deputy Prosecutor General Gyunduz Mamedov said, citing Metropolitan Klyment of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) Diocese in Crimea, that it was the last remaining OCU church in the occupied peninsula.
Trump's election would end war in Ukraine sooner, improve US stance toward Tbilisi, Georgian PM claims
The impact of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's potential reelection will also cause "our region (to) calm down sooner, which will change the attitude towards Georgia as well," Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze claimed
Russia systemically abuses its soldiers in Ukraine to 'maintain order,' The Insider reports
According to the Insider, the patterns of abuse of Russian soldiers in Ukraine "borrow heavily from Soviet labor camp traditions."
With Krynky lost, what did the perilous operation accomplish?
The Ukrainian operation near Krynky in Kherson Oblast appears to be over, as the military said on July 17 that the positions in the village were "completely destroyed." It follows reports that Ukraine had withdrawn from the village on the Dnipro River's east bank several weeks earlier. "The Defense Forces
Zelensky warns European leaders that Putin may use blackmail to undermine unity
Russian President Vladimir Putin may approach individual European leaders to "tempt, pressure, or blackmail" them so that one "betrays the rest," President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the European Political Community Summit, attended by a Kyiv Independent reporter.
German court convicts German-Russian couple of supplying drone parts to Russia
The court said that the man, assisted by his common-law wife, had sent around 120,000 spare parts and other components for Orlan-10 reconnaissance drones to Russia between 2020 and 2023 in violation of an EU embargo on the export of such goods.
Ukraine sends Palestine 1,000 tons of flour in first tranche of food aid
The first package will be enough to feed more than 100,000 Palestinian families for a month, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said.
New head of NATO Representation in Ukraine appointed
"Patrick Turner brings years of leadership and experience to the role. As a committed public servant, he has a strong track record of delivering results," said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
Citing security concerns, Russian authorities restrict entry to border areas of Belgorod Oblast
Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said that enhanced security measures would be instituted in the areas in question, including the suspension of public transport and the creation of military checkpoints. Only adult men with protective gear, accompanied by soldiers and local officials, will be able to enter, the governor said.
'We're forcing everyone away,' Trump says on Russia sanctions
"So what we're doing with sanctions is we're forcing everyone away from us. So I don't love sanctions," Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said.
Russian companies increasingly looking to Africa to fill vacancies, media reports
The data analyzed by RBC indicated that seven of the 10 countries with the highest increase in vacancies posted by Russian companies were in Africa.
Russian court sentences Ukrainian-Russian national to 26 years in prison for arson against enlistment offices
More than 500 people have been arrested in Russia since the beginning of the full-scale war for acts of vandalism or arson against enlistment offices.
'I don't care' – JD Vance on Ukraine, in his own words
The selection of Ohio Senator J. D. Vance as Donald Trump's running mate this week has sent ripples of concern around the globe, felt not least in Ukraine. One of the most vocal opponents of U.S. aid to Ukraine, Vance has an extensive back catalog of statements that might
Drone drops munitions on factory in Russia's Kursk Oblast, authorities say
Alexei Smirnov, the acting governor of Kursk Oblast, also said that a Ukrainian drone dropped explosives on the town of Tyotkino, located some 70 kilometers (43 miles) from Korenovo. Smirnov claimed that the explosives landed on a house and injured its resident.
Trump will demand Ukraine hold peace talks with Russia if elected, Orban claims
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban claimed that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump "has detailed and well-founded plans for (a peace plan)."
JD Vance opposes military aid, NATO membership for Ukraine. He's now Trump's VP pick
Former U.S. President and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump selected Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate on July 15. The 39-year-old conservative, whose fame ballooned after the publication of his 2016 memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," was announced as Trump's pick for vice president on the first day
From Estonian university professor to convicted Russian spy: the curious case of Viacheslav Morozov
Editor’s Note: Kyiv Independent News Editor Nate Ostiller briefly attended a summer program at the same Estonian university where the main character of this report was a professor and received a passing grade in a one-week summer school course. A university professor is not the first profession that comes
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