Ukraine war latest: Trump says Russia tariffs will be imposed in 10 days
Key developments on July 29:
- Trump says Russia tariffs will be imposed in 10 days
- Ukrainian drones strike train station, rail infrastructure amid large-scale attack on Russia's Rostov Oblast
- Zelensky signs law allowing citizens over 60 to join military during wartime
- Ukraine shows footage of FPV drones attacking Russian-held gas rig in first such deployment
- 'Another proof of Russia's war crimes' — Russian air strike on Ukrainian prison kills 16 inmates
U.S. President Donald Trump said on July 29 that tariffs on Russia would take effect in 10 days if the Kremlin did not agree to stop the war, according to an audio published by the White House.
The tariffs mentioned by Trump are expected to be secondary sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil, gas and other products, such as China and India.
"Ten days from today. And then we're gonna put on tariffs and stuff," Trump said in response to a reporter's question before boarding Air Force One.
"I don't know if it’s gonna affect Russia, because he (Russian President Vladimir Putin) wants to obviously probably keep the war going, but we're gonna put tariffs and various things."
The remarks follow Trump's earlier ultimatum to Putin on July 14, when he warned that the United States would impose "severe" tariffs of up to 100% if Russia failed to agree to a peace deal in Ukraine within 50 days.
Trump said on July 28 he was no longer willing to wait that long.
"There's no reason in waiting," he said. "It's 50 days, I wanted to be generous, but we just don't see any progress being made.”
Trump voiced frustration with the Kremlin.
“We thought we had that settled numerous times, and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city like Kyiv and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever," he said.
Ukrainian drones strike train station, rail infrastructure amid large-scale attack on Russia's Rostov Oblast
Ukraine's military reportedly launched a large-scale drone attack on Russia's Rostov Oblast overnight on July 29, striking a railway station in the town of Salsk, local officials reported.
Videos posted on social media by local residents and geolocated by the Russian Telegram channel Astra appear to show large flames emanating from the railway station.
Confirming the attack, Rostov Oblast Acting Governor Yuri Slusar said on Telegram that a civilian vehicle was damaged, killing the driver.
Russian Railways, the state-owned railway operator, reported that the attack damaged overhead power lines, forcing the suspension of train traffic through Salsk station.
Ukraine's military rarely comments on drone strikes on Russian territory, although it has regularly targeted the region with drones. Located near the Azov Sea and bordering Ukraine, Rostov Oblast plays a crucial logistical role for Russia's war effort due to its proximity to front-line operations.
Elsewhere in Salsk, located about 200 kilometers (125 miles) southeast of occupied Donetsk Oblast, Ukrainian drones reportedly struck homes as well as vehicles, killing the driver of one of the automobiles, Slusar claimed.
The Kyiv Independent cannot verify claims made by Russian officials.
Another fire was reported near the village of Orlovsky in Rostov Oblast where a drone reportedly struck a traction substation used power to railway infrastructure.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that a total of 74 Ukrainian drones were shot down over various regions of the country overnight.
Zelensky signs law allowing citizens over 60 to join military during wartime
President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bill on July 29 allowing Ukrainian citizens over the age of 60 to voluntarily enlist in the military during martial law, the parliament's website shows.
The measure enables older volunteers to serve in non-combat and specialized roles, expanding Ukraine's recruitment pool amid continued manpower shortages.
Under the new law, people over 60 may sign a one-year contract for military service if they pass a medical commission and are approved by a unit commander. Officer candidates must also be cleared by the General Staff or relevant military authorities.
Each new recruit will undergo a two-month probationary period. If deemed unfit during that time, the contract may be terminated early. The law does not establish a maximum age limit for service, but all contracts will be voided automatically once martial law ends.
Ukraine faced serious manpower shortages in late 2024 amid a heavy Russian offensive in Donetsk Oblast. The Ukrainian leadership has sought to alleviate the crisis by broadening the mobilization pool and offering new incentives for volunteers.
Ukraine shows footage of FPV drones attacking Russian-held gas rig in first such deployment
Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) released exclusive footage on July 29 showing the country's first deployment of first-person-view (FPV) drones on the high seas.
The video, showing a new phase in Kyiv's maritime drone warfare, documents a previously unreported Sept. 11, 2024, operation off the coast of occupied Crimea.
During the raid, Ukraine's Raven Group deployed FPV drones launched from boats in open waters to target Russian forces entrenched on the Petro Hodovalets gas production platform in the Black Sea, which Russia had converted into a military site.
HUR claims that the drones helped suppress Russian firepower, causing unspecified personnel and equipment losses.
Russia has heavily fortified strategic points across occupied Crimea, including oil and gas platforms, since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Petro Hodovalets platform, previously used by Russian forces for surveillance and military logistics, was reported by Ukraine to be under its control as of September 2023.
'More proof of Russia's war crimes' — Russian air strike on Ukrainian prison kills 16 inmates
A Russian air strike against a prison in southern Zaporizhzhia Oblast late on July 28 killed 16 convicts and injured nearly a hundred more, Ukraine's State Criminal-Executive Service said.
Forty-four people were injured and hospitalized, and more than 50 were provided medical assistance on the spot, the authorities said. The State Criminal-Executive Service previously reported one staff member among the injured victims.
Moscow's forces struck the Zaporizhzhia district eight times with FAB bombs overnight, destroying prison buildings and damaging nearby houses, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.
The prison facility in Bilenke, a village around 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Zaporizhzhia, was hit by four bombs at around 11:30 p.m. on July 28, according to the State Criminal-Executive Service.
"The perimeter of the institution was not damaged; there is no threat of escape," the service said.
Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets denounced the attack as a "gross violation of international humanitarian law and yet more proof of Russia's war crimes."
"People held in places of detention do not lose their right to life and protection," Lubinets said on Telegram.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) decried the attack and said that it may amount to a serious violation of international humanitarian law in a July 29 statement.
“Prisoners are civilians, and they must be protected under international humanitarian law,” Danielle Bell, head of HRMMU, said in the statement.
Note from the author:
Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community.
