United 24 Media:
🔷 Europe could enter winter with its lowest gas storage levels in 15 years, according to the Financial Times.
Gas storage facilities across Europe are expected to be only 76% full by October, according to consultancy Wood Mackenzie. That would mark the lowest pre-winter storage level since at least 2011, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE). The slow pace of replenishment is attributed to the disruption of liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies through the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Iran conflict.
After winter, EU gas storage facilities began the replenishment season at just 28% capacity, lower than is typical for this time of year. According to GIE, they are currently 48% full on average.
At the same time, gas prices in Europe rose sharply following the US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late June but have remained relatively stable in recent days. This has created another challenge, as prices at European gas hubs have fallen too low to attract LNG cargoes, particularly from the United States.
“We are at a crucial stage of the summer for Europe’s gas supply plans. While the announced agreement between the US and Iran has pushed gas prices lower and raised hopes of significant Gulf LNG supplies returning to the market, the longer supply constraints persist, the lower European gas storage levels will be at the start of winter, increasing the likelihood of a sharp rise in prices during the heating season,” said Argus Media analyst Natasha Fielding.
❗️A Russian aerial bomb struck the Kholodnohirskyi district of Kharkiv.
One person was killed and five others were injured, some of them seriously, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.
A tram, power lines, more than 15 vehicles, a company building, and nearby residential buildings were damaged.
🔶 Russia has decided to further intensify military training for schoolchildren.
Starting on September 1, half of the mandatory “Fundamentals of National Security and Defense” course for students in grades 6–11 will be devoted to military training, Russian Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov announced.
Whereas previously about 20% of the curriculum was dedicated to such instruction, it will now account for at least 50%. Students will be taught drone operation, basic weapons handling, first aid, and the use of hand grenades. Field training is also planned.
Business Insider notes that the course resembles the Soviet-era basic military training program, which included drill exercises, weapons handling, and field training.
According to the publication, the Kremlin is continuing to militarize the education system and prepare children for life in a permanent state of war.
👀 Russia sentences occupier Alexander Lunin for demanding a meeting with Putin and threatening a coup.
In Russia’s Voronezh region, blogger and former military officer Alexander Lunin was arrested for 11 days for “propaganda of extremist symbols,” reports Verstka.
The day before, he published an appeal to Putin demanding a meeting and threatening a coup. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the statements as “strange.”
🔷 The German government is considering reintroducing compulsory military service if it becomes clear by mid-2027 that volunteers alone are insufficient to meet the armed forces' personnel needs, according to DW.
This was stated on June 27 by the chairman of the Bundestag's Defense Committee, Thomas Röwekamp. He admitted that he still has “serious doubts” about whether enough volunteers will come forward. A decision on the issue must be made by July 31, 2027.
On June 24, the Bundeswehr published a preliminary assessment of the new military service model launched on January 1. The program involves sending questionnaires to 18-year-olds to inform them about military service and strengthen the Bundeswehr's long-term personnel readiness. Nearly 300,000 questionnaires have already been sent out, and 530 recipients have committed to voluntary military service this year.
Röwekamp believes it is worth waiting another year before drawing conclusions based on the results. However, he said that in the first half of 2027, the authorities will have to thoroughly assess whether volunteers alone will be enough to meet the ambitious targets for expanding both the armed forces and the reserve.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius hopes the reform will help meet NATO's target of having 460,000 military personnel available in the event of a crisis or war by the end of 2035. To achieve this, the number of active-duty personnel must increase from the current 185,000 to at least 260,000, while the number of reservists must grow from 60,000 to 200,000.
“My main concern is increasing the number of conscripts and regular military personnel, because they are the ones who fly fighter jets, operate ships, and drive tanks,” Röwekamp said.
According to him, Germany must recruit an additional 10,000 military personnel in these categories every year.
Röwekamp also commented on the student protests against compulsory military service that have taken place in many German cities in recent months, saying he understands that many young people feel uncertain about the issue.
According to him, they need to be convinced that this is not a political agenda but “a military necessity caused by the threat from Russia.”
🔶 Today, for the first time since his appointment, Denmark’s Defense Minister Jeppe Bruus is visiting Ukraine. “This is a very important signal of support for our people. We discussed preparations for the Drone Deal, which is almost ready,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
“We share the view that the Drone Deal between Ukraine and Denmark should be concluded as soon as possible.
We also paid special attention to joint work on anti-ballistic capabilities. It is necessary to strengthen European capabilities in this area.
In addition, we discussed the contents of the next, already 30th, military aid package.
I am grateful for the assurance that the new Danish government will continue its policy of strong support for Ukraine and our people,” Zelenskyy said.
⚡️Putin has ordered Russian forces to capture the Donbas by December 31, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
According to the president, Russia has already set 15 different deadlines for capturing the Donetsk and Luhansk regions since the start of the war.
“If Putin wants to send another million of his soldiers to continue fighting against this wall, then the million Russians who have not yet been mobilized into the Russian army and are now standing in line for gasoline should think about what awaits them next,” Zelenskyy said.
❗️Russian soldiers survive an average of 20–35 minutes on the front lines, according to the New York Post.
Citing Russian pro-war military bloggers, the publication reports that the Russian army is currently losing about 30,000 soldiers per month. Moreover, the time between signing a military contract and death often does not exceed three weeks.
British historian Peter Frankopan told Foreign Policy that, due to the widespread use of drones, Russia is losing about eight soldiers for every Ukrainian soldier killed. Despite these heavy losses, however, Russian forces are making no significant territorial gains.
Former Director of the US Defense Intelligence Agency Robert Ashley believes that Ukraine is “on the path to victory,” as Russia remains unable to achieve its key military objectives.
🔷 Russian forces have attacked public transport in Zaporizhzhia again, injuring seven people.
The injured include two girls aged 14 and 16, as well as five adults aged 23 to 64.
🔶 A road bridge was hit in the Novoazovsk area of the Donetsk region, as well as two railway bridges in the Luhansk region, the General Staff reported.
In addition, a warehouse of material and technical supplies belonging to Russian forces in the Novosvitlivka area of the Luhansk region was struck.
Three enemy UAV control points were also hit in the areas of Huliaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region, Tyotkino in the Kursk region (Russia), and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, as well as the control point of an electronic warfare unit near Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk region.
According to additional data analysis, strikes on two enemy facilities in the area of the village of Minyaevo in the Moscow region, which provided military communications, have been confirmed. One building was destroyed on June 26, while another sustained significant damage and partial destruction.
🔷 Putin’s yacht has sailed under military escort for the first time since the start of the full-scale war.
The convoy included the superyacht Graceful, which is linked to the Russian leader, the patrol ship Voevoda, and the destroyer Nastoychivy.
According to Danish media, this is the first time the yacht has left the Baltic Sea since February 2022. During that period, the vessel remained virtually invisible on radar and operated with its transponder switched off.
The yacht is estimated to be worth 750 million Danish kroner (approximately €100 million).
Denmark dispatched its patrol vessel Freja to monitor the Russian convoy.
❗️The UN has confirmed 129 executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian forces since 2022, including cases where detainees were no longer taking part in combat.
From November 2025 to January 2026 alone, 37 executions were documented in 18 separate incidents. Almost all released prisoners reported torture and ill-treatment, and cases of sexual violence were also recorded.
The report also details human rights violations in the temporarily occupied territories, including arbitrary detention, forced mobilization, and the imposition of Russian education systems.
🔶 Negotiations on granting Ukraine licenses to produce long-range weapons, including SCALP missiles, are ongoing, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said during a joint briefing with Denmark’s Defense Minister Jeppe Bruus.
“I can say that during our president’s visit to France, there was a very productive conversation with President Macron about the possibility of granting our country licenses to produce SCALP missiles. Discussions with both the French government and the manufacturer are continuing, and all the details are being clarified.
There has indeed been progress, but it is still too early to say more, because this is a complex process involving intellectual property rights, production licensing, and other bureaucratic procedures.
We cannot disclose any details yet, but it is unprecedented that this was announced after the G7 summit and that such talks have begun at all. As for SCALP missiles, the discussions have already become much more detailed. These are the first steps.
We are continuing these discussions carefully in order to achieve a concrete result. There are many technical issues related to the components and production of this weapon.
Following the G7 summit and the adoption of the declaration on strengthening air defense and granting production licenses, consultations are also continuing with our American partners at the National Security and Defense Council level.
At this stage, it is crucial to support Ukrainian manufacturers through the Danish model and other formats, because we know how to scale up what is already working effectively.
Today, we are relying on our own capabilities as much as possible. That is why we are working to invest every additional dollar in Ukrainian production and expand that production.”
⛽️Gas stations operated by Russian oil giants in Moscow have introduced fuel purchase limits.
At Gazprom Neft gas stations within the city, customers can buy no more than 30 liters of gasoline or 60 liters of diesel per visit. Fuel is also no longer sold in canisters.
At Gazprom Neft highway gas stations, customers are limited to 30 liters of gasoline or 200 liters of diesel per visit. One of the company’s gas stations in Moscow has also imposed a 30-liter limit on gasoline purchases.
🔷 Russian forces struck the historic district of Zaporizhzhia, injuring four people.
The blast wave also damaged a two-story building and five vehicles.
🔶 The EU is allocating the first tranche of €3.9 billion to support the acquisition of advanced drone technology aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s defense, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
“A key factor in Ukraine’s success in resisting a full-scale Russian invasion is its ingenuity. It is this ingenuity that we want to support by providing the first tranche. Additional funds will follow,” von der Leyen said.
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko noted that the tranche is part of the new financial instrument Ukraine Support Loan and is specifically directed toward defense support.
The funds will be used to produce Ukrainian drones, strengthen the defense industry, and ensure urgent deliveries for frontline needs.
On June 25, Ukraine’s state budget also received €3.2 billion in support under the same loan mechanism. In total, €7 billion has been disbursed to Ukraine through this instrument so far.