Francis Farrell answers questions about war in Ukraine

1:49 AM

Kremlin's war economy shows cracks as military spending boom fades.

The slowdown indicates that Western sanctions, though not a knockout blow, are increasingly damaging the Russian economy.

11:09 AM  (Updated:  July 5, 2025 10:50 pm)

Trump says Putin 'wants to keep killing people,' signals US may send Patriots to Ukraine.

"It just seems like he wants to go all the way and just keep killing people. It's not good," U.S. President Donald Trump said.

10:29 PM

Zelensky describes phone call with Trump as 'best conversation in all this time.'

"Patriot (missiles) are key to protection from ballistic (missiles). We discussed several other important issues that our teams will work out in detail at meetings in the near future," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

9:09 PM

Pipelines supplying Russian military explode in Russia's Far East, source says.

Explosions near Russia's Vladivostok damaged a gas pipeline and destroyed a water pipeline that supplied military facilities in the area, an unnamed intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent on July 5.

7:35 PM

BlackRock halted Ukraine recovery fund following Trump victory, France working on replacement, Bloomberg reports.

BlackRock, a U.S. investment firm, suspended work on its multibillion-dollar Ukraine recovery fund following U.S. President Donald Trump's election victory, prompting France to work on a replacement, Bloomberg reported on July 5.

6:05 PM

Ukraine hits Russian electronic warfare facility making Shahed, Iskander components, General Staff says.

The facility develops and manufactures Kometa adaptive antenna arrays used in Shahed-type drones, Iskander-K cruise missiles, and guided aerial bomb modules, according to the Ukrainian military.

5:33 PM

Russia captures 2 villages near Dnipropetrovsk Oblast border, monitoring group says.

Russian troops have been escalating their assaults in the area and are attempting to breach into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, which has not seen significant Russian incursions since 2022.

4:44 PM

Ukraine's army chief warns of new Russian offensives in northeast as he visits Kharkiv Oblast front.

Russian troops are ramping up attacks in the sector using large numbers of troops, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.

9:11 PM  (Updated:  July 5, 2025 2:46 pm)

'Nothing but terror and murder' — Russia pounds Kyiv with record overnight drone, missile attack, 2 dead, 26 injured.

Fires broke out across the city as Russia attacked the capital overnight on July 4. At least 23 people have been injured, with 14 of the victims hospitalized.

2:27 PM

EU to help Moldova fight hybrid attacks from 'agents of autocracy,' von der Leyen says ahead of September election.

"Who is behind those attacks is clear to all of us here," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

2:08 PM

Drone threat reportedly causes mass flight delays in Russia's Moscow, St Petersburg airports.

Some passengers reported waiting more than 10 hours, according to the pro-Kremlin Telegram channel Shot.

1:03 PM

Russia seeks to involve Laos in war against Ukraine, military intelligence claims.

Moscow is organizing the deployment of a combined unit of military engineers from the Lao People's Armed Forces to Russia's Kursk Oblast, allegedly to help with demining operations, Ukraine's military intelligence said.

11:49 AM

4 killed, 37 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day.

Russia launched 322 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type attack drones, according to Ukraine's Air Force.

7:44 AM  (Updated:  July 5, 2025 11:10 am)

Ukrainian drone strike on Russian airfield hits bomb depot, aircraft.

The airfield hosts Su-34, Su-35S, and Su-30SM jets that Russia regularly uses in air strikes against Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian military.

9:20 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 1,025,260 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

The number includes 1,050 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day, according to the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces.

8:00 AM

New NATO commander takes helm as alliance lauds outgoing chief for modernizing defense.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte presided over the handover, commending outgoing U.S. Army General Christopher G. Cavoli for his contributions to modernizing NATO's collective defense and bolstering support for Ukraine.

5:47 AM

Moldova's EU future rests on September election, President Sandu says.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu hopes her pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) will retain its parliamentary majority in the September 28 elections.

4:41 AM

NATO chief urges US 'flexibility' on Ukraine aid as Washington halts deliveries.

"The US has to make sure that the stockpiles are at the level we need for the U.S. to have, because they are crucial for our collective defense," Rutte told reporters on July 4. "At the same time, of course, we hope for the flexibility, we have to make sure also that Ukraine can move forward."

2:59 AM

'Coalition of the willing' for Ukraine to meet in UK on July 10, Politico reports.

"On the agenda, there's how to maintain Ukraine in a capacity to fight, how to increase pressure on Russia, and how to continue the work on the next steps," an unnamed French official told Politico.

12:44 AM

US did not halt weapons shipments to Ukraine, Meloni says.

The U.S. has "reviewed" the components it is supplying Ukraine, but did not halt assistance, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said.

11:23 PM

'1,000 units per day' — Ukrainian commander warns of increased Russian Shahed drone attacks.

Robert "Magyar" Brovdi, commander of the elite drone unit "Birds of Magyar," warned on July 4 that Russian Shahed drone strikes could increase to 1,000 per day, prompting Ukraine to consider relocating drone production.

10:33 PM

Russia

Death of top Russian oil executive fuels fresh scrutiny of elite's 'window falls'

10:22 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Russia pounds Kyiv with record overnight drone, missile attack, 1 dead, 26 injured

9:24 PM

Germany reportedly mulls $29 billion tank, vehicle order to deter Russia.

Berlin is reportedly considering purchasing up to 2,500 GTK Boxer armored vehicles and up to 1,000 Leopard 2 battle tanks.

9:20 PM

Field report

Russia launches another horrific attack on Kyiv moments after Trump-Putin talks call