Ukraine's Security Service has exposed the plan of Russia's proxies in Donetsk Oblast to involve children aged 13-17 in pseudo-referendums. Minors will be able to "vote" if accompanied to "polling stations" by their parents or guardians. This way, according to SBU, the occupiers are trying to artificially increase "the catastrophic lack of votes."
Germany will provide Ukraine with new long-range missiles "very shortly, very soon," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, without mentioning the name of the weapons being supplied.
The "Test in Ukraine" initiative will allow foreign companies and governments to create solutions for real war challenges while receiving immediate feedback from military personnel and improving products based on combat experience.
Held under NATO auspices, the exercises aim to boost combat readiness and interoperability among allied and partner nations.
"On one hand, it is very positive that President Trump is taking on a strong stance on Russia... On the other hand, 50 days is a very long time if we see that they are killing innocent civilians," EU Special Envoy Kaja Kallas said.
Allied capabilities now allow NATO to "take that (Kaliningrad) down from the ground" faster than ever before, U.S. Army Europe and Africa commander General Chris Donahue said.
As part of the plan, the U.S. was weighing the sale of Patriot air defense systems from its own military stockpiles, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reviewed the drone, known as the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (LUCAS), during a July 16 demonstration at the Pentagon.
"The people of America need this technology, and you need to have it in your arsenal," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"The U.S. wants to strengthen its support to Ukraine... The U.S. has therefore decided to reprioritize the delivery of Patriot ground-based air defense systems," the Swiss Defense Ministry said in a statement.
