General Staff: Russia has lost 503,800 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

9:44 AM  (Updated:  July 2, 2024 7:00 pm)

Orban urges Zelensky to consider ceasefire during visit to Kyiv.

The previous day, unnamed sources in Budapest told the Guardian that the visit was confirmed after negotiations on the rights of the ethnic Hungarian minority living in Ukraine.

6:55 PM

Ukraine's defense of Kharkiv 'unconditional success,' says ex-Polish defense minister.

In an interview with Ukrinform, Janusz Onyszkiewicz said it raised hopes that Moscow's forces would not launch another offensive in northern Ukraine, including an attack from the territory of Belarus.

5:58 PM

US to announce $2.3 billion military aid package to Ukraine 'soon,' Pentagon says.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the package will include air defense missiles, anti-tank weapons "and other critical munitions from U.S. stockpiles," Voice of America reported.

5:33 PM

Warsaw, Berlin agree to boost defense cooperation, coordination on Ukraine aid.

Germany and Poland have reaffirmed their security cooperation in a joint action plan, Reuters reported on July 2.

4:59 PM

Russian attack on Nikopol kills 2 elderly women, injures 9.

Russian troops attacked the city of Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on July 2, killing two people and injuring nine, including children, regional Governor Serhii Lysak reported citing preliminary information.

3:50 PM

Xi, Putin to participate in Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting in Astana.

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who skipped Ukraine's peace summit in June, is expected to participate in the event in Astana as well, the U.N. in Kazakhstan reported on X.

3:36 PM

Georgian Su-25 jet crashes during military exercises, killing pilot.

The pilot, Kakhaber Zurabishvili, was killed in the crash. The Georgian Defense Ministry said the cause of the crash was being determined.

3:31 PM

Ukrainian writer-turned-soldier Aseyev suffers shrapnel injuries.

"A miracle happened to me again. This piece of shrapnel entered my neck, missed the artery, and got stuck in soft tissue," Stanislav Aseyev wrote on X.

3:03 PM

Mass fire breaks out in Russia's Kursk Oblast, authorities say.

Alexei Smirnov, the acting governor of Kursk Oblast, claimed that the fire has been contained, and that there are at least 60 first responders at the scene fighting the blaze.

2:21 PM

Ukraine hit ammunition depot in Russian-occupied Crimea, Air Force confirms.

Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk's statement comes after news about explosions on July 1 in Balaklava, a municipal district of the city of Sevastopol.

1:42 PM

EU introduces 'emergency brake' on eggs, sugar imports from Ukraine.

According to the newly implemented rules, an emergency brake can be applied to imports of eggs, poultry, sugar, oats, maize, groats, and honey. The measure will be automatically triggered if import volumes reach the average yearly imports recorded between July 1, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2023.

1:34 PM

Less than half of Ukrainians say society is united, survey finds.

Chief among the reasons for societal disunity were corruption (16%), language issues (14%), and lack of trust in authorities (13%).

12:58 PM

Moscow court orders arrest of Ukraine's former PM, ex-ministers in absentia.

A Moscow court on July 2 ordered the arrest in absentia of Ukraine's former Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, former Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, former Finance Minister Oleksandr Shlapak, and Ihor Dovhan, the head of Western Operational Command of Ukraine's Ground Forces.

12:30 PM

Russian attack on Kherson injures 5 civilians.

Russia launched an attack against the central part of the southern city of Kherson on July 2, injuring at least five residents, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

11:28 AM

Russia starts to chair UN Security Council in July, Ukraine not on agenda.

Each of the 15 members of the UN Security Council, including Russia, holds the presidency for a month. Russia last chaired the organization in April 2023.

11:03 AM

Ukraine-born Congresswoman Spartz charged with weapons violation.

"Last Friday, Representative (Victoria) Spartz accidentally carried an empty handgun in her suitcase with no magazine or bullets, which she did not realize was in the pocket of her suitcase, while going through security at Dulles airport," a spokesperson for the congresswoman told NBC News.

10:30 AM

Russian attacks across Ukraine kill 4, injure 42 over past day.

In Donetsk Oblast, Russian attacks killed four people and injured 27, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.

10:16 AM

Russia not elected to one of UN principal organs, Kuleba says.

"This vote once again demonstrates that Russia can hit the wall as many times as it wants, but the outcome will remain the same: international criminals are not welcome in international bodies," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote.

10:15 AM

Russia deployed attack submarines close to Irish Sea on 2 occasions, sources tell Bloomberg.

Sources said that the U.S. was "aware" of the submarines' presence in the Irish Sea, but the U.K. Defense Ministry said it "doesn't comment on operations." The Irish Defense Department also declined to comment.

9:20 AM

Death toll of Russia's June 28 attack on Dnipro rises to 2.

Russian troops carried out a missile attack on the city of Dnipro on June 28, damaging a nine-story building. At least 12 were wounded, the authorities reported.

9:10 AM

NATO plans to establish new post in Kyiv, 'Trump-proof' Ukraine aid, WSJ reports.

This is part of the alliance's effort to safeguard long-term aid for Ukraine should Donald Trump return to the White House after the U.S. presidential election later this year.

2:16 AM  (Updated:  July 2, 2024 8:48 am)

Guardian: Orban to make surprise visit to Kyiv.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will make a surprise visit to Kyiv on July 2, three sources told the Guardian on July 1.

8:26 AM

Kazakh opposition activist dies in Kyiv after assassination attempt.

Kazakh opposition activist and journalist Aidos Sadykov died in Kyiv on July 2, two weeks after being wounded in an assassination attempt, said his wife, Natalya Sadykova.

8:20 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 545,090 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,280 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.

8:07 AM

Ukraine and The Gambia revive diplomatic relations after 20-year pause.

President Volodymyr Zelensky held his first conversation with Gambian leader Adama Barrow, marking a renewal of diplomatic relations after a 20-year pause.