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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.

The unexplained death of a top Russian oil executive on July 4 is fueling renewed scrutiny over the rising number of high-profile Russian officials and businessmen who have died under mysterious circumstances, specifically, have fallen out of windows. Andrei Badalov, vice president of Transneft, Russia's largest state-controlled pipeline transport company,

Key developments on July 4: * 'Nothing but terror and murder' — Russia pounds Kyiv with record overnight drone, missile attack, 1 dead, 26 injured * Zelensky, Trump discuss air defense, joint drone production amid Russian strikes * 'There is also good news' — Ukrainian drones hit key military optics plant in Russia, General Staff

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

KYIV — Ripe cherries and apricots fill the stalls of fruit vendors, while people bustle about on a scorching July Friday. Yet just a five-minute walk from the stand, the scene shifts dramatically: a gaping hole mars the five-story residential building where the stairwell once stood. Rescuers tirelessly sift through the

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.

"This is a unique case of international cooperation for the Ukrainian defense industry," Strategic Industries Minister Herman Smetanin said.

"Today we discussed the situation: Russian air strikes and, more broadly, the situation on the front lines. President Trump is very well informed," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

The Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko spent a day with an artillery crew from the 28th Mechanized Brigade in the front-line city of Kostiantynivka. Following the recent decision by the Pentagon to halt shipments of certain weapons to Ukraine, a looming shell shortage is once again on the horizon for Ukrainian forces.

China has not publicly acknowledged the incident or reported any damage to its diplomatic premises in Odesa.

A senior military review had concluded that while some munitions stockpiles, including precision weapons, were low, they had not fallen below critical thresholds, according to NBC. Still, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth opted to stop the shipment. This is reportedly his third such move since February.

Dutch intelligence services, together with German intelligence, have found that Russia is systematically escalating the use of chemical weapons against Ukrainian forces, the Netherlands Military Intelligence (MIVD) reported on July 4.

"Our people are home. Most of them had been in Russian captivity since 2022," President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in a statement.

"I'm speaking to President Zelensky tomorrow in the morning, and I'm very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin," U.S. President Donald Trump told journalists.

Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's counter-disinformation center, said a drone hit the Azov Optical and Mechanical Plant in the town of Azov, Rostov Oblast. The facility reportedly manufactures critical components for the Russian military, including sights, rangefinders, thermal imaging systems, and fire control equipment for tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, ships, and aircraft.

While Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly advocating for the easing of energy sanctions, others in the administration disagree. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum favors reducing U.S. reliance on Russian imports rather than expanding trade, according to Politico.

The latest U.N. figures show a threefold jump in the number of deaths and injuries for children over the three months ending in May.

"Patriots and their missiles are real defenders of life," President Volodymyr Zelensky said. "It is very important to maintain the support of partners in ballistic missile defense."

The number includes 1,120 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

"Americans should be asking why a president who says he wants to end a major war is instead letting the aggressor run rampant."

"You know, Biden emptied out our whole country giving them weapons and we have to make sure that we have enough for ourselves," Trump added after his initial denial.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi reportedly told the EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas on July 3 that the country cannot afford for Russia to lose the war in Ukraine amid fears the U.S. would shift focus towards Beijing, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, citing sources familiar with the conversation.

When asked if he had made any progress with Putin on the call, Trump responded: "No, I didn't make any progress with him today at all."

"We believe that the act of official recognition of the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will give impetus to the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries in various fields," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Key developments on July 3: * Putin tells Trump Russia won't back down from its war aims in Ukraine * Deputy commander of Russian Navy killed in Ukrainian strike in Kursk, Russian official confirms * Ukraine signs major drone co-production deal with US Swift Beat, Zelensky announces * Russia targets Ukrainian conscription offices to

When Russia illegally declared ownership in 2022 over all of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast – despite never fully capturing or controlling much of it — it only strengthened the case for holding a literary festival there, says Svyatoslav Pomerantsev, president of the international literary corporation Meridian Czernowitz. Hosting a cultural event in the

"The conditions for Sputnik Azerbaijan to continue its activities in this country are not in place," Russia Today media group CEO Dmitry Kiselyov said.

Ukraine does not currently recognize same-sex marriages or partnerships, and this court ruling may serve as a critical legal milestone in expanding rights for LGBTQ families.

The ruling orders Russia to pay more than $1.5 billion in damages and an additional 300,000 euros ($330,000) in legal costs to Ukraine's largest state-owned bank, according to a press release.

The hour-long conversation between the two presidents focused on Russia's war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, according to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov.

When the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) halted the transfer of critical air defense missiles and other weapons to Ukraine, Kyiv and its partners were caught off-guard and are now left scrambling for clarity on the scope and length of the Trump administration's decision. The White House confirmed the