❗️Ukrainian diplomat Roman Bessmertnyi said Putin spent two days pressing Lukashenko at Valdai to join the war against Ukraine. According to Bessmertnyi, Lukashenko lacks the means to enter the war and is alarmed by Ukraine’s warnings, so he flew to Beijing to seek answers from Xi Jinping after the talks with Putin.
Zelensky confirmed Ukrainian long-range strikes hit the Ufa refinery for the second time, calling it one of Russia’s largest lubricant producers and noting it sits more than 1,300 km from the front. He also confirmed a strike on a strategic Russian defense industry site in Penza, about 600 km away, which develops and produces components for missile weapons used against Ukrainian cities.
❗️Russia will temporarily suspend the movement of people, vehicles, goods, and cargo through several rail border crossings with Finland, Estonia, and Latvia from July 1 under a government order signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. The order applies to designated railway checkpoints on Russia's borders with the three countries and instructs authorities to notify Helsinki, Tallinn, and Riga.
🇿🇦 Anti-immigrant demonstrations have been taking place in #SouthAfrica, with protestors carrying whips and sticks.Many foreign nationals staying away from work and business closed over fears that the protests could turn violent. Previous demonstrations in the country has led to attacks on migrants and their property.The organizers called on the government to increase deportations of undocumented ...
Crimea’s Russian-installed head Sergey Aksyonov said large fuel volumes will not go on sale in the coming days, despite Putin’s claims that shortages would ease soon. He said residents are filing daily complaints about unfair power outages and public transport failing to run routes.
Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Karpenko said Russia is expected to announce a new mobilization wave in September after elections, with Putin seeking up to 500,000 additional recruits. He also said internet restrictions may be imposed within five days after the vote.
❗️The EU allocated €3.9 billion to Ukraine for advanced drone technologies under a €90 billion loan package. EC President Ursula von der Leyen said the first tranche will support Ukrainian innovation, strengthen defense, and help protect European security.
Zelensky confirmed Ukraine struck the Dubna Space Communications Center in Moscow Oblast for the second time. Located more than 500 km from Ukraine’s border, the facility supports Russian satellite communications, reconnaissance, and coordination of occupation forces.
Defense Minister Fedorov met Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen to expand Ukraine-Denmark defense cooperation. Talks focused on scaling the Drone Deal, developing anti-ballistic capabilities, backing defense startups, and unblocking €6 billion through the European Peace Facility for critical needs of Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
❗️Poland will not transfer MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine after Kyiv refused to share drone production technologies, Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said. Warsaw had proposed “MiGs in exchange for drones,” offering aircraft in return for access to Ukrainian UAV know-how and counter-drone experience.
❗️Ukraine is negotiating with France to secure a license for domestic production of SCALP cruise missiles, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said. SCALP is one of the most technologically complex cruise missiles currently in service.
🇻🇪 #Venezuela Earthquake Updates: According to state media, acting President Delcy Rodriguez said in an update on Friday that at least 589 people were killed and another 2,980 were injured in the two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela late on Wednesday.…
❗️Zelensky said Putin is demanding the capture of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts by December 31, calling it Russia’s 15th deadline since the war began. He warned Russians not yet mobilized to consider what awaits them if Moscow keeps throwing troops at Ukraine’s defenses, and said Ukraine’s long-range and medium-range sanctions plan against Russia continues.
❗️Estonian FM Margus Tsahkna said Ukrainian drones occasionally falling in NATO countries are "a price worth paying" for strikes on Russian refineries and military targets. "We are not saying Ukraine should stop. This is hitting Putin's lifeline," he said.
❗️Russia temporarily banned gasoline and kerosene exports and is considering a full diesel export ban after Ukrainian strikes on fuel infrastructure. Putin said major refineries are running at full capacity, gasoline reserves stand at 1.7 million tons, and a special headquarters has been created to monitor the domestic fuel market.