Zelensky, Vance discuss Ukraine's air defense needs in 'productive' call

The incident began at around 11:55 a.m., with the ammunition detonation continuing until 7 p.m. The cause and circumstances remain unclear.

Zelensky underscored that strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses remains Kyiv’s top priority amid ongoing Russian attacks, with particular emphasis on obtaining additional Patriot missile interceptors to protect against ballistic missile attacks.

"We will definitely respond to this attempted strike against Ukraine and the Ukrainian commander," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

"After more than four years of war, the nature of the threats has changed, and so have our approaches to preserving monuments," Serhii Anzhyiak, director of the city's Department of Culture, said.

One source said their regiment was currently unable to recruit personnel from reserve battalions or newly mobilized soldiers assigned through enlistment offices. Another source confirmed that their unit had received notice of a "suspension of personnel allocations" following a decision by the commander-in-chief.

In this report, the Kyiv Independent's Dominic Culverwell and Nick Allard travel to Ukraine's agricultural heartland, documenting how two brothers survived Russian occupation, rebuilt their farm from scratch, and continue to harvest under the increasing threat of Russian FPV drones.

In the city of Volgograd, the Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka refinery, one of Russia's largest oil refineries, with an annual crude oil processing capacity of 15 million metric tons, was targeted.

"It was a provocation, an intention, an alliance test. In this case, the next weeks will probably give us more answers," Polish Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk said.

Russian forces launched another large-scale aerial attack on Ukraine, deploying 255 Shahed-type attack drones overnight on July 31, the Air Force said.

Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for Russia's war against Ukraine to be frozen and urged a return to peace negotiations based on a revised version of the Istanbul talks.

Russia launched dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as hundreds of drones, towards Ukraine in the early hours of July 30 in yet another large-scale attack. Damage was reported in various cities, including Kyiv and Lviv, just hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia was preparing another large-scale attack.

The figure includes 1,340 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to visit Kyiv in the second half of August, a senior correspondent for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's (RFE/RL) reported on July 30, citing sources familiar with the plans.