Ukraine has launched a major aerial attack on Putin’s forces for the second night in a row, targeting occupied Crimea in an overnight assault that local officials said involved at least 21 drones.
A day earlier Kyiv launched as many as 75 drones towards several Russian regions, with the attack triggering a fire at an oil refinery in the Russian town of Tuapse. Russia claimed the fire was caused by debris from a downed drone, though this could not be verified.
Monday night’s assault on the Crimean port of Sevastopol came as Volodymyr Zelensky’s foreign minister began a rare four-day visit to China, during which he will meet Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
Dmytro Kuleba’s task will be to put Ukraine’s case to Russia’s most important ally. He said he would be discussing “the restoration of peace, deepening our bilateral dialogue, expanding trade and economic cooperation” during the visit.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has announced a deal with creditors to restructure about $20bn of debt, bolstering Kyiv’s efforts to leverage private capital in financing its war against Russia.
Key Points
- Ukraine’s top diplomat arrives in China for historic visit
- Next Ukraine peace summit may include Russia, says EU foreign policy chief
- Russia defends against major attack near Sevastopol
Kyiv says Russian ferry in Crimea ‘seriously damaged'
04:46
Arpan Rai
Ukrainian forces have “seriously damaged” a ferry in occupied Crimea which was being used by Russian forces to transport military equipment, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said last night.
“Today, the grouping of forces and means of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, together with units of other components of the Defence Forces, caused significant damage to the enemy ferry ‘Slavyanin’ in the port ‘Kavkaz’,” the General Staff said.
Russian occupiers were using the ferry to transport railway wagons, motor vehicles and containers for military purposes, it said. The Ukrainian forces also hinted at a “next target” in the region, without providing more details.
The ferry was reportedly the third and last railway ferry being used by Russian forces in the region. The attack, which took place in the early hours yesterday, killed one and injured others, local governor Veniamin Kondratyev said on Telegram.
Putin’s forces set up new military base 200km from Ukraine frontline – report
04:11
Arpan Rai
Russian forces have built a military base just 200km from the Ukraine war frontline in Rostov city, a new investigation has found.
The new military base is being used to conduct strikes into Ukraine and has been set up near to a penal colony and two secondary schools, reported Skhemy, a Ukrainian investigative media outlet.
“According to Planet Labs satellite images, the Russian army set up a new military base in May 2024 between a penal colony and two half-built secondary schools, on the site of another abandoned military facility – cooks’ school No 195 of the Civil Defence Forces, which closed in 2011,” it said.
Work on the base likely began last summer as, after 12 years of inactivity, changes began to take place at the abandoned premises of the former military school, the outlet said.
EU takes away Hungary’s right to host ministerial meet over its stance on Ukraine
04:00
Tom Watling
Pentagon reaffirms support for Ukraine in defence heads call
03:50
Arpan Rai
US defence secretary Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian defence minister Rustem Umerov dialled each other to discuss Washington’s unwavering support for Ukraine, the Pentagon said late yesterday.
This is the first call between the defence heads since US president Joe Biden’s announcement of bowing out of his reelection bid and endorsing vice president Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination to take on Republican former president Donald Trump.
“During the call, the secretary reaffirmed the unwavering support of the United States for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression,” the Pentagon’s press secretary, Major General Pat Ryder, told journalists at a news briefing.
In Kyiv, Mr Umerov said he and Mr Austin also discussed the recent developments on the frontline and Ukraine‘s urgent battlefield needs.
“I once again highlighted the importance and urgency of lifting the bans on long-range fires,” the Ukrainian defence minister said in a statement on X.
The calls comes as a steadfast move to assure Kyiv of Washington’s unrelenting support in the wake of turbulent political atmosphere in the US. On Tuesday Ms Harris national security adviser and his chief of staff spoke with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky said it was important that “the dynamics of our joint work for a just peace do not diminish.”
The first 2 of 14 new F-16 fighter jets from the US land in Slovakia
03:00
Tom Watling
Civilians killed and wounded as Russia and Ukraine trade attacks. Russia claims gains in the east
02:00
Tom Watling
Starmer’s words will be welcomed in Kyiv – but Zelensky needs action more than ever
01:00
Tom Watling
The loneliness of an Olympic athlete training in wartime Ukraine through an AP photographer’s lens
Wednesday 24 July 2024 00:00
Tom Watling
British army not as strong as it should be because of ‘historic underinvestment’ says defence chief
Tuesday 23 July 2024 23:00
Tom Watling
Belarus' foreign minister arrives in North Korea for talks expected to focus on Russia cooperation
Tuesday 23 July 2024 21:00
Tom Watling
Zelensky holds briefing with top military chiefs
Tuesday 23 July 2024 20:00
Tom Watling
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has held a briefing with his top military chiefs, including army commander Oleksandr Syrskyi.
“A lot of attention was paid to the ability to strike behind the front line. We analysed the effectiveness of our drones of various types, as well as the tactics of the Russian army regarding drones,” Mr Zelensky wrote on the Telegram messenger app. The effectiveness of EW (electronic warfare) and other methods of combating UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) was evaluated.
“Rocket program. We are actively working to reduce dependence on the supply of missiles by partners, in particular for air defence.”
Ukraine’s Olympic team readies for Paris 2024
Tuesday 23 July 2024 19:00
Tom Watling
Zelensky holds phone call with newly-appointed Estonia PM
Tuesday 23 July 2024 18:00
Tom Watling
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has held a phone call with newly-appointed Estonian prime minister Kristen Michal hours after he took over from former Ukraine champion Kaja Kallas.
Mr Michal is taking over from Ms Kallas after the former Estonian PM accepted a role as the new foreign policy chief for the European Union. Support for Ukraine is expected to continue to be high on Tallinn’s agenda.
Estonia, which shares a border with Russia, has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest allies. It also has a strong defensive alliance with the United Kingdom, hosting around 900 British soldiers as part of the enhanced forward presence (eFP) programme.
I had a productive phone call with @KristenMichalPM on his first day as Estonia’s Prime Minister, wishing him every success in his work for the prosperity of his nation.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 23, 2024
Estonia is one of our most principled allies, and we are grateful for their annual defense support to… pic.twitter.com/bT6VcoWBZL
EU takes away Hungary’s right to host ministerial meet over its stance on Ukraine
Tuesday 23 July 2024 17:00
Tom Watling
Estonia will support Ukraine 'until victory', new PM says
Tuesday 23 July 2024 16:10
Tom Watling
Estonia’s incoming government will support Ukraine until “victory” in its war with Russia, newly-appointed prime minister Kirsten Michal told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday, pledging continuity on the issue with the former administration.
Michal, 49, has replaced Kaja Kallas, who recently resigned to become the European Union’s foreign policy chief after emerging as one of the strongest critics of Russia and supporters of Ukraine in the European Union and Nato.
“We will support Ukraine until the victory of Ukraine in this war. We are in this for a long term, I hope our allies are too,” Michal said after taking the oath of office.
“The message to our enemies is that Estonia is well-defended, we will increase our (defence) expenditure,” he added.
On my first day in office, spoke with @ZelenskyyUa. Thank you, dear Volodymyr, for your warm wishes.
— Kristen Michal (@KristenMichalPM) July 23, 2024
Estonia's support for Ukraine is unwavering. Your victory is our shared goal. European security is at stake.
We will continue to give 0.25% of GDP to Ukraine in military aid. pic.twitter.com/RvgD6cGJk6
We have some more photos coming out of Ukraine
Tuesday 23 July 2024 15:50
Tom Watling
Below, you can see passers-by visiting Independence Square in central Kyiv, where a memorial has been set up honouring all those who have lost their lives fighting against Russia.
Independence Square is also where protesters gathered to oppose pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych in 2013 and 2014, eventually forcing the politician to flee to Moscow. More than a hundred demonstrators were killed during the protests after Yanukovych’s forces are believed to have opened fire on the crowds.
Each flag brought by relatives bears a name of a soldier killed in battle with Russian troops. International flags mark foreign volunteers who was fighting in the Ukrainian Army
Ukraine’s top diplomat arrives in China for historic visit
Tuesday 23 July 2024 15:20
Tom Watling
Ukraine’s top diplomat has arrived in China for the first official visit from a Ukrainian delegation since Russia launched its full-scale war more than two years ago.
Foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba arrived in China, a close ally of Russia, earlier today. Beijing is one of the few countries outside of Ukraine and Russia that have proposed their own peace plan for the conflict in eastern Europe - a group of African nations also put forward a proposal - but many have viewed China’s proposal as pushing Moscow’s talking points. Western officials have spoken openly about China being the only country able to dissuade Vladimir Putin of his war in Ukraine.
“Extensive, detailed, substantive negotiations with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi are ahead regarding ways to a just peace,” wrote Mr Kuleba on Facebook.
“We must avoid competing peaceful plans. It is very important that Kyiv and Beijing conduct a direct dialogue and exchange positions.
“We will also discuss bilateral relations. I am convinced that after Ukraine started negotiations on joining the European Union, China 8 should look at relations with our country through the prism of its strategic relations with Europe.”
Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, began his diplomatic visit to China, aimed at achieving "a just and stable peace" for Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/9ecYFVunbm
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 23, 2024
Zelensky meets with Vatican City official
Tuesday 23 July 2024 15:05
Tom Watling
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has met with the secretary of state for the Vatican City.
The pair focused on the first peace summit held in Switzerland last month and continued humanitarian issues in Ukraine, according to a statement from Mr Zelensky, which you can read in full below.
I had a meaningful meeting with the Secretary of State of the Holy See @TerzaLoggia, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 23, 2024
We discussed the consequences of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the ongoing aerial terror, the difficult humanitarian situation, and the outcomes of our meeting… pic.twitter.com/toxRSoooDA
British army not as strong as it should be because of ‘historic underinvestment’ says defence chief
Tuesday 23 July 2024 14:40
Tom Watling
Next Ukraine peace summit may include Russia, says EU foreign policy chief
Tuesday 23 July 2024 14:25
Tom Watling
The next peace summit organised by Ukraine could also involve the participation of Russia, the European Union’s foreign policy chief has said.
Speaking during a press conference in Brussels after the EU Foreign Affairs Council, Josep Borrell was asked about the next peace summit. The first was held in Switzerland last month, to which Russia was not invited.
“I am convinced that President Zelensky will continue to push in these negotiations to have the next conference with Russia’s presence,” Mr Borrell said. “This is real, of course. We have already said what has been said – the next step requires Russia’s involvement.”
But he also stressed that while it was important to pursue diplomatic deals, Vladimir Putin’s current terms for peace need still be rejected. Currently, Putin maintains that any peace deal is predicated on Ukraine ceding all the territory contained within the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine, as well as the Crimean peninsula.
“Yes, of course, we must place hope in peace through diplomatic negotiations, but on a certain basis.,” Mr Borrell added. “And this is not Putin’s basis.”
Moscow bans 15 British nationals from entering Russia over Ukraine roles
Tuesday 23 July 2024 14:10
Tom Watling
Russia has expanded its list of British nationals banned from entering the country due to what it called their anti-Russian public statements on Ukraine or their role in training or arming the Ukrainian armed forces.
The Russian foreign ministry published a list of 15 people it said were representatives of Britain’s military-industrial complex or who were experts or publicists who pushed what it called anti-Russian lines in the media.
Residents rescued from frontline city
Tuesday 23 July 2024 13:45
Tom Watling
Rescuers from a small city near the frontline in eastern Ukraine have been evacuated, images have shown.
Pictures released by Ukraine’s state emergency services show a handful of residents being evacuated from the city of Toretsk, less than three miles from the nearest Russian soldiers.
8 мешканців Торецької громади, з них 2 маломобільні людини, евакуювали рятувальники евакуаційної групи «Фенікс».
— DSNS.GOV.UA (@SESU_UA) July 23, 2024
Людей вивезли до більш безпечних населених пунктів Донеччини.
Фото: Diego Herrera/Anadolu Agency. pic.twitter.com/n12jUKxYeD
Thousands in Ukraine attend funeral of former lawmaker and critic of Russia who was killed in Lviv
Tuesday 23 July 2024 13:10
Tom Watling
French interior minister praises law enforcement for security work at Paris Olympics
Tuesday 23 July 2024 12:41
Tom Watling
Photos from the frontline - Ukraine
Tuesday 23 July 2024 12:26
Tom Watling
Below are some of the latest photos coming from the frontline in Ukraine. These soldiers are pictured in the Khmelnytsky region in western Ukraine.
The first 2 of 14 new F-16 fighter jets from the US land in Slovakia
Tuesday 23 July 2024 12:00
Tom Watling
MoD issues update on Russian recruitment of ‘violent criminals and rapists'
Tuesday 23 July 2024 11:41
Tom Watling
The British Ministry of Defence has issued a video report on the Russian recruitment of convicts into its army ranks.
Russia is recruiting from its prison cells. Violent criminals and rapists are having their sentences cut in return for military service.
— Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) July 23, 2024
The threat these convict soldiers pose to Russian society is a serious concern for Russia but not the Kremlin.
#StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/jhbc8O3jWg
Photos from the frontline - Russia
Tuesday 23 July 2024 11:20
Tom Watling
The Russian defence ministry has posted photos from the frontline in Ukraine.
Russian lawmakers seek punishment for troops using smartphones in Ukraine war
Tuesday 23 July 2024 11:00
Tom Watling
Russia’s lower house of parliament, the Duma, has proposed disciplinary detention for up to 10 days for troops using devices with camera and geolocation functions in combat zones such as Ukraine, Russia’s Tass state news agency reported.
Mobile phones have been used by both sides to identify targets in the Ukraine war, both by tracking signal locations and by accessing the photographs or messages posted by the devices, according to Russian and Western officials.
According to a draft law supported by the State Duma Defence Committee, the use of electronic devices meant for “household purposes” and which allow for filming, audio recording and transmission of geodata while in the combat zone in Ukraine, will be classified as gross disciplinary offence, Tass reported.
The bill would allow commanders of military units to decide on the imposition of disciplinary arrest for a period of up to 10 days for one gross disciplinary offence, Tass reported.
A 2024 report by the Enea cybersecurity software firm has found that mobile phones could be easily tracked on the battlefield in numerous ways by the opposing sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
A Ukrainian missile strike in 2023 killed nearly 100 soldiers in the Russian-controlled Donetsk region of Ukraine housed in a vocational school after unauthorised use of mobile phones by the troops allowed Kyiv forces to locate them.
Tass reported that the Duma draft law also seeks disciplinary arrest for up to 10 days for troops who violate the existing ban on public distribution of information that could identify Russian military personnel or their location.
EU takes away Hungary’s right to host ministerial meet over its stance on Ukraine
Tuesday 23 July 2024 10:30
Tom Watling
Lukoil's oil supplies to Slovakia and Hungary via Ukraine have not resumed, source says
Tuesday 23 July 2024 10:00
Tom Watling
The transit of Russian oil from Lukoil to Slovakia and Hungary via Ukraine has not resumed, a senior Russian oil industry source told reporters on Tuesday.
Slovakia and Hungary said earlier this month that they had stopped receiving oil from Lukoil through the Druzhba pipeline after Ukraine imposed a ban last month on the transit of resources from Lukoil via Ukrainian territory.
Thousands attend funeral of former MP and Russia critic killed in Lviv
Tuesday 23 July 2024 09:30
Shweta Sharma
Thousands of people gathered in Lviv to mourn the assassination of a former Ukrainian MP best known for her controversial campaigns to promote the country’s language.
Iryna Farion, 60, was shot on Friday by an unknown assailant. She suffered injuries and later died from her wounds in a hospital.
A search is underway for her attacker, who fled the scene. Ukrainian officials said the attack is being investigated as an assassination.
Farion’s funeral was held in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv yesterday.
Her daughter Sofia Semchyshyn said: “Killed, they killed her near her house during the day, on a sunny day.”
Farion served as a member of the Ukrainian parliament between 2012 and 2014, and was best known for her campaigns to promote the use of the Ukrainian language, urging that Ukrainian officials should not speak Russian.
She controversially criticised Russian-speaking members of Ukraine‘s Azov regiment who defended the port city of Mariupol in the first days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russia sentenced another US journalist on same day as WSJ reporter
Tuesday 23 July 2024 08:30
Shweta Sharma
A Russian court sentenced a Russian-US journalist to six and a half years in jail on the same day Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was convicted, it has emerged.
Alsu Kurmasheva, who used to work for US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was convicted and sentenced after two days of court proceedings of spreading false information about the Russian army, the court revealed on Monday.
RFE/RL president and CEO Stephen Capus called Kurmasheva’s trial and conviction “a mockery of justice”.
“The only just outcome is for Alsu to be immediately released from prison by her Russian captors,” Capus said in a statement. “It’s beyond time for this American citizen, our dear colleague, to be reunited with her loving family.”
It comes after a court in Yekaterinburg sentenced Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison for espionage, following a three-day trial held behind closed doors.
His newspaper and the United States have called the trial a sham, and Washington says it is working to secure his release.
Gershkovich and Kurmasheva are among at least a half dozen Americans convicted and jailed in Russia amid the biggest breakdown of relations between Moscow and the West since the Cold War.
Russian lawmakers propose punishment for soldiers using smartphones in Ukraine
Tuesday 23 July 2024 07:34
Shweta Sharma
Russian troops could face disciplinary detention for up to 10 days for using smartphones in combat zones under a new law being considered by Russia’s parliament.
The lower house of parliament, the Duma, has proposed punishment for soldiers using devices with cameras and geolocation functions in combat zones such as Ukraine, Russia’s TASS state news agency reported.
Mobile phones have been used by both sides to identify targets in the Ukraine war, both by tracking signal locations and by accessing the photographs or messages posted by the devices, according to Russian and Western officials.
According to a draft law supported by the State Duma Defence Committee, the use of electronic devices meant for “household purposes” and which allow for filming, audio recording and transmission of geodata while in the combat zone in Ukraine, will be classified as gross disciplinary offence, TASS reported.
The bill would allow commanders of military units to decide on the imposition of disciplinary arrest for a period of up to 10 days for one gross disciplinary offence, TASS reported.
Ukraine reaches deal to restructure $20bn debt
Tuesday 23 July 2024 07:10
Shweta Sharma
Ukraine struck a deal with international creditors to restructure about $20bn of national debt, bolstering Kyiv’s efforts to leverage private capital in financing its war against Russia.
The Zelensky government said yesterday that it won an agreement with investors to reduce the debt by more than a third.
The development brings the war-torn country closer to an unprecedented debt rework and comes just a week before a two-year debt suspension agreement struck in 2022 is due to run out.
“After months of engagement and hard work with our private bondholders, the IMF and our bilateral partners, we have reached an agreement in principle with the Ad Hoc Creditor Committee on the comprehensive restructuring of our public external debt,” finance minister Serhiy Marchenko said in a statement.
This was an important step to ensure Ukraine maintained the budget stability and cash resources needed to continue financing its defence, he added.
Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal said the deal would free up resources for urgent needs, including defence, social protection and recovery.
US-Russian journalist jailed after secret trial
Tuesday 23 July 2024 07:00
Joe Middleton
A Russian court has convicted Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva of spreading false information about the Russian army and sentenced her to six and a half years in prison after a secret trial, court records and officials said.
The conviction in the city of Kazan came on Friday, the same day that a court in the city of Yekaterinburg convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich of espionage and sentenced him to 16 years in prison in a case that the US called politically motivated.
Ms Kurmasheva, who worked for the US government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and was an editor for the Tatar-Bashkir service, was convicted of spreading false information about the military, according to the website of the Supreme Court of Tatarstan.
Court spokesperson Natalya Loseva confirmed to the Associated Press that Ms Kurmasheva was sentenced to six and a half years in prison in a case classified as secret, with no details available about the nature of the accusations.
Asked about the verdict on Monday, Stephen Capus, RFE/RL president and chief executive, denounced the trial and conviction as “a mockery of justice” and said “the only just outcome is for Alsu to be immediately released from prison by her Russian captors”.
“It’s beyond time for this American citizen, our dear colleague, to be reunited with her loving family,” Mr Capus added in a statement to the AP.
Ms Kurmasheva, who lives in Prague with her husband and two daughters, was taken into custody in October 2023 and charged with failing to register as a foreign agent while collecting information about the Russian military.
Later, she was also charged with spreading false information about the Russian military under legislation that effectively criminalised any public expression about the war in Ukraine that deviates from the Kremlin line.
RFE/RL was told by Russian authorities in 2017 to register as a foreign agent, but it has challenged Moscow’s use of foreign agent laws in the European Court of Human Rights. The organisation has been fined millions of dollars by Russia.
In February, RFE/RL was outlawed in Russia as an undesirable organisation.
Russian airstrike damages critical infrastructure in Sumy
Tuesday 23 July 2024 06:52
Shweta Sharma
An attack by Russian forces has damaged critical infrastructure facilities in the Sumy region in northeastern Ukraine, Ukrainian officials said today.
No casualties have been reported in the aerial attack, the region’s military administration told parliament, but important infrastructure was damaged. No further details regarding the target of the attack were provided.
Ukraine‘s air force said on Telegram that its air defence systems destroyed seven out of the eight drones that Russia launched overnight.
Russia also launched a Kh-69 guided air missile, the air force said, but added that as a result of its forces’ countermeasures, the missile “did not reach its target”.
Russia holds second mobile nuclear missile launcher drill in a month
Tuesday 23 July 2024 06:30
Shweta Sharma
Russian forces are conducting drills involving Yars mobile nuclear missile launchers, Russian media reported on Tuesday, in what would be the second such exercise in less than a month.
Missile launcher crews in the Volga river basin, some 700km (435 miles) east of Moscow, were set to move over 100km (62 miles) and practice camouflage and deployment, the Interfax news agency reported.
The drills follow similar exercises in early July in at least two different regions and are taking place less than two months after Russia held tactical nuclear weapons deployment exercises alongside ally Belarus.
Russia’s Kommersant newspaper reported on Tuesday that the systems, equipped with a missile with multiple warheads, can hit targets at a distance of 11,000 km. It also reported that the systems can be mounted onto truck carriers or deployed in silos.
Since invading Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has conducted numerous military exercises on its own or with other countries including China and South Africa.
Russia says it repelled 25 drone attacks launched overnight
Tuesday 23 July 2024 06:01
Shweta Sharma
The Russian defence ministry said its defence systems destroyed 25 attack drones that Ukraine launched overnight.
It said some 21 drones were destroyed over the Crimean Peninsula and the Black Sea waters, while two each were downed over Russia’s Bryansk and Belgorod regions that border Ukraine, the ministry said.
If confirmed, it would represent the second major Ukrainian drone attack on Putin’s forces in as many nights. Russia said its defences destroyed 75 Ukrainian drones targeting several Russian regions on Sunday night.
Andrei Nastase was targeted by Russian mafia for exposing corruption. Now he aims to bring Moldova into the EU
Tuesday 23 July 2024 06:00
Joe Middleton
The former deputy prime minister is running for the country’s presidency, writes Kim Sengupta. He knows support from the West against the Kremlin will be vital
EU to block Hungary from hosting Ukraine meeting
Tuesday 23 July 2024 05:40
Shweta Sharma
The European Union has denied Hungary the right to host the next meeting of foreign and defence ministers over its controversial stance on the Ukraine war and close ties with Russia.
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said the decision was a consequence of Hungary’s own actions and “we have to send a signal, even if it is a symbolic signal”.
Hungary has assumed the chair of the Council of the European Union, a role which would normally see it host the informal meeting of foreign and defence ministers scheduled for 28-30 August.Hungary has denounced the move as “completely childish”.
Hungary’s outlier stance on the Ukraine war has angered its European partners, with right-wing prime minister Viktor Orban holding a meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow earlier this month
Mr Orban called it a “peace meeting” and said Hungary “took the first step to restore dialogue” with Russia. He also accused the EU of having a “pro-war policy”.
Mr Borrell told reporters: “If you want to talk about the war party, talk about Putin.“I can say that all member states – with one single exception – are very much critical about this behaviour.“I think it was... appropriate to show this feeling and to call for the next foreign and defence council meetings in Brussels.”
Ammunition deliveries to Ukraine will accelerate, says Czech minister
Tuesday 23 July 2024 05:00
Joe Middleton
A Czech-led initiative to buy ammunition from around the world for Ukraine will deliver 100,000 rounds to the country in July and August, Czech foreign minister Jan Lipavsky said on Monday.
The Czech Republic has been an avid supporter of Ukraine against Russian aggression and led efforts to raise funds to get more ammunition and shell deliveries to Kyiv.
“During July and August we will send about a total of 100 (thousand) pieces more. From September these deliveries will accelerate,” Mr Lipavsky told reporters in Brussels.
Russia shoots down more than 15 Ukraine-launched drones near Sevastopol, official says
Tuesday 23 July 2024 04:28
Shweta Sharma
Russia has claimed that its air defence systems in a Crimean port destroyed more than 15 drones launched by Ukraine overnight.
The Russia-installed governor of Sevastopol said today that the Ukrainian assault in the city was thwarted with no loss of lives or infrastructure.
“No objects in the city were damaged,” Mikhail Razvozhayev said on his Telegram channel.
Ukraine’s foreign minister visits Russian ally China
Tuesday 23 July 2024 04:10
Shweta Sharma
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, is arriving for talks in China today to press Russia’s closest ally to end the war.
Mr Kuleba’s visit is unusually long, running from today until Friday 26 July. It comes at the invitation of the Communist Party of China, and will see Mr Kuleba meet with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced on Monday.
China has presented itself as a neutral party despite its deepening “no limits” ties with Russia. Beijing has not condemned the war but called for peace, presenting itself as a mediator.
However, the US and Europe have accused China of sending dual use components and equipment that can help Russia in the war.
“This will be the first bilateral visit to your country (China) in my capacity as foreign minister. We will discuss important matters, such as restoration of peace, deepening our bilateral dialogue, expanding trade and economic cooperation,” Mr Kuleba said.
“We have a lot to achieve, if we work together.”
Russian forces make ‘relentless attacks’ as they advance on town of Pokrovsk
Tuesday 23 July 2024 04:00
Joe Middleton
Ukraine‘s top commander said on Monday that Russian forces were staging relentless assaults to try to advance towards the town of Pokrovsk, a logistics hub in the east, and that there was active fighting taking place along the entire front line.
“The enemy pays no attention to their fairly high level of losses and continues to push through towards Pokrovsk,” Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi said in a statement from the eastern front.
Pokrovsk is less than 15 miles from Russian-occupied land, according to open-source intelligence battlefield maps, and lies at an intersection of roads and a railway that makes it an important logistics point for the military in the east.
“Active combat operations of varying intensity a