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Ukraine Invasion: Part 61

783 replies

MagicFox · 28/04/2026 15:57

Welcome to thread 61 with many thanks to all So many thanks to all contributors and a special salute to those providing daily updates. For the 61st time, Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

**
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A. The agreed purpose of the thread is for the sharing of information and commentary on current events
B. If you post a link please tell us where it leads/give a precis of the content
C. Discussion and debate is welcome, but please keep it respectful
D. Please keep on topic

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ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 03/07/2026 12:25

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Ukraine urgently appeals to nearly 40 allies for Patriot interceptors.
Ukraine says Patriot missiles are already available in partner countries' stockpiles and urged nearly 40 countries to transfer them in July after one of Russia's largest attacks on Kyiv.

⚡️ Ukraine’s Brave1 signs first major Western defense industry partnership with Airbus.
Airbus and Brave1 will collaborate on research, testing of military technologies on Ukraine’s front lines, and modernizing equipment.

⚡️ Ukraine’s sanctions chief lambasts last EU shipyard servicing Russia’s LNG fleet.
Denmark’s Fayard shipyard is helping Russia sustain its liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports by servicing its specialized tanker fleet, said Vladyslav Vlasiuk, a presidential advisor for sanctions policy.

⚡️Lithuania poised to lift nuclear weapon hosting ban.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda highlighted the urgency, saying "it would be truly unfortunate if we became the weak link or a grey zone within NATO."

⚡️Sybiha to meet Polish FM in Warsaw on July 3 amid fallout of Ukraine-Poland rift.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha is set to meet his Polish counterpart Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on July 3 in Warsaw to discuss Polish-Ukrainian relations, a Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.

⚡️ Around 800,000 of Ukrainian publisher’s books destroyed in overnight Russian attack.
According to BookChef, the central warehouse of their logistics partner — where their books were stored — was completely destroyed.

⚡️Russia allows lower-grade gasoline production as Ukrainian attacks choke fuel supply.
Russia will allow oil refineries across the country to produce fuel products adhering to the lower-quality Euro-3 standards, according to a government decree published July 2.

Sweden’s Meteor missile: The ‘long arm’ Ukraine’s air force has sorely needed
Soon, Ukraine will have a new weapon: Swedish Gripen fighter jets carrying Meteor missiles, which can hit targets farther away than any missile Ukrainian pilots have now.
That extra range could help blunt one of Russia’s most destructive weapons by pushing Russian pilots to drop guided bombs from farther behind the front line — shrinking how far those bombs can reach, Ukrainian military aviation expert Andrii Kharuk told the Kyiv Independent.

⚡️ Moldova's prime minister resigns after less than a year.
"I expected more involvement in complicated decisions, more presence to listen to people, to explain what kind of reforms we should make and why we should make them," Moldovan President Maia Sandu said of Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu.

The clock is ticking on Europe's gas: barely 4 months to fill storage tanks before winter
"With the Strait of Hormuz shut and storage only a third full, Europe has barely four months until Nov. 1 to refill its tanks before winter," writes Mykola Kolisnyk, Head of the Generation Department at Naftogaz of Ukraine, in this op-ed.
"And this year, for the first time since the 2022 crisis, the market alone will not do it."

⚡️Ukraine reportedly strikes Russian energy equipment plant in Belgorod.

⚡️'Moscow will fall' — 13 Russian power stations shut down across occupied Ukraine, military says.
The operation targeted energy facilities in occupied Crimea as well as in the occupied parts of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, Unmanned Systems Forces Commander Robert "Madyar" Brovdi reported on July 2.

⚡️Georgia's only oil refinery to stop processing Russian crude.
Black Sea Petroleum (BSP), which operates the Kulevi oil refinery on the Georgian coast, said the facility would no longer process Russian crude oil in order to have greater access to other markets.

⚡️Update: 4 dead, 11 injured after train collides with minibus in Rivne Oblast.
Three of the injured victims are children, Governor Oleksandr Koval reported. The circumstances of the accident are being investigated.

⚡️Monaco identifies suspect behind bombing that injured Ukraine-born businessman, media reports.
The suspect is a woman "around age 30, blonde, and likely from Eastern Europe," reports Monaco-Matin.

⚡️Update: At least 30 people killed in Kyiv following Russia's July 2 large-scale attack.
The death toll in Russia's July 2 large-scale missile and drone attack on Kyiv has grown to 30 people, after three more bodies were recovered in the rubble, Ukraine's State Emergency Service said.

⚡️'Terror is their only argument:' Russia's attacks on Ukraine continue, 2 children killed, 10 others injured.
The attacks killed at least 17 people and injured 125 others over the past day, local authorities reported. A 2-year-old girl and a 7-year-old girl were among those killed, while at least 10 other children were injured in attacks across four Oblasts

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦‬
‪@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social‬
· 52m
⚡️ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — JUL 3, 2026
■ Combat engagements remain above average, while casualties are slightly below it
■ 9th highest 🇷🇺 drone losses to date; losses of ground robotic systems surpass 1,800
■ Overnight attacks: drone interception rate could be better, but 1 of 2 missiles shot down
■ Occupied area increases by 69 km² according to LiveUAmap data (unclear where)
■ All 🇷🇺 strike indicators above average; 8 🇺🇦 strikes and 350 🇺🇦 drones launched into 🇷🇺

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 03/07/2026 12:32

Today's New York Times is carrying a story about a young man at a prom in Kyiv waltzing alone because his partner, for whom this would have been a major event, was killed in a Russian drone strike on her apartment block the night before rehearsals for the event started.

I don't know if this link will work, but I am glad (in a tragic way) that this story appeared. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/30/world/europe/russia-ukraine-prom.html

I feel sympathy with the person who said "and all we ask of you: remember Czechoslovakia when she is no longer news" back in 1968. Remember Ukraine, you news outlets! Keep her in the news.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 03/07/2026 12:37

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

🇺🇦Pistorius said the war in Ukraine has entered a decisive phase, and the allies must seize this opportunity.
Responding to a question about the creation of a €40 billion fund to support Ukraine at the NATO summit, the German defense minister stressed that allies should take advantage of the current moment.

Russia has begun a major expansion of Alabuga, its main Shahed drone production facility.
OSINT analysts have released recent satellite imagery showing that construction has begun on new production facilities in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Tatarstan, covering an additional 340 hectares. Installation of the main structures is already underway.
Alabuga is where the majority of Russia’s Geran-series attack drones, a localized version of the Iranian Shahed, are manufactured. According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia plans to produce up to 60,000 long-range attack drones and another 50,000 decoy drones this year.
Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Alabuga with long-range drones, but the facility continues to expand its production capacity.

🤬Damage estimated at approximately $1.9 million. The Ukrainian Red Cross humanitarian warehouse in Kyiv was completely destroyed during the overnight Russian attack.
As a result of the destruction, about 320,000 units of humanitarian aid and equipment worth more than $1.9 million were lost.
According to the organization, the warehouse was storing emergency response supplies at the time of the strike, including medical equipment, generators, stretchers, defibrillators, and patient monitors.
It also contained supplies for emergency response operations, including blankets, hygiene kits, sleeping kits, and materials for temporarily sealing damaged buildings.

⚡️ A record 52,500 Kyiv residents, including 4,500 children, took shelter in the metro during the overnight Russian attack [1-2 July 20206], the Kyiv Metro press service said.
According to the metro, this is the highest number of people to seek shelter underground in the past several years

❗️More than 70 heads of foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations visited the site of the Russian strike on a residential building in Kyiv.
Foreign diplomats were urged to increase pressure on Russia to force it to end the war, as well as to expand support for Ukraine.

Russia monitored European nuclear facilities with drones for 18 months, according to The Guardian.
Analysts from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) identified 144 suspicious incidents across more than 10 European countries. The targets included the RAF Lakenheath airbase in the UK, the Île Longue nuclear submarine base in France, and facilities in Belgium and the Netherlands that store US nuclear weapons.
The drones are believed to have been launched from vessels belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” with the operation reportedly coordinated by Russia’s GRU.

🇪🇪The Estonian government has approved a ban on the purchase of real estate by certain categories of Russian and Belarusian citizens, as well as companies under their control.
The ban will apply to individuals without permanent residence in Estonia and to legal entities whose beneficiaries are citizens of those countries.
The law will enter into force on January 1, 2027.

The assassinations of Russian generals have exposed deep divisions within Putin's security apparatus, Fox News reports.
A series of killings of senior Russian military officers has highlighted growing tensions between the Russian military and the Federal Security Service (FSB), according to a source in European intelligence and Russian opposition politician Maxim Katz.
On June 9, a BMW exploded in Balashikha, near Moscow, killing Lieutenant General Damir Davydov of the Russian Ministry of Defense, who was responsible for supplying Russian forces with missiles and artillery ammunition. Notably, the explosion occurred about 350 meters from the site where Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik, deputy head of the Main Operational Directorate of the Russian General Staff, was killed in a car bombing in April 2025.
Earlier, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of Russia's Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Forces, was killed in Moscow when a bomb concealed in an electric scooter exploded. At the time, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine told Reuters that the operation had been carried out by the SBU.
According to Fox News' sources, these attacks are part of a broader campaign targeting senior Russian military leaders and increasingly reveal internal problems within Russia's security system.
A source in European intelligence said that since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, senior officers have been killed not only on the battlefield but also in missile strikes, drone attacks, car bombings, and plane crashes.
“There are internal contradictions between Russia's security structures. The Russian military wants the FSB to guarantee the physical security of its generals, but the FSB is unwilling to take responsibility for protecting the military,” the source said.

The UK Royal Air Force will decommission its Storm Shadow cruise missiles, according to Defense Express. @notimagain
The decision is outlined in the UK’s Defense Investment Plan, approved by the British government, which allocates £298 billion (about $395 billion) in defense funding over the next four years.
“Having studied the experience of Ukraine, we are now moving to the next generation of low-cost cruise missiles, which means we will acquire significantly more missiles at a lower overall cost,” the document states.
The plan does not specify when the transition will take place, although most of its programs are scheduled to be implemented by 2030. It also does not identify the new low-cost missiles that will replace the Storm Shadow.
In addition, the UK will invest £300 million (about $398 million) “to apply lessons learned from Ukraine and its technological innovations to develop new, lower-cost cruise missiles, initially air-launched, with further exploration of land- and sea-based variants.”

The Russians struck a swimming pool in Zaporizhzhia with a drone.

❗️Russian massive attack on Kyiv: 10 people remain unaccounted for, President Zelenskyy says.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
notimagain · 03/07/2026 12:47

@ReleaseTheDucksOfWar

. It also does not identify the new low-cost missiles that will replace the Storm Shadow.

There are a few comments along those lines in the actual DIP document referring to various current weapons systems.

It's a bit of a worry because that thinking leads to gapped capabilities...

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 03/07/2026 12:47

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

German prosecutors say Ukraine’s state authorities ordered the 2022 Nord Stream sabotage, charging Ukrainian army officer Serhiy Kuznetsov with helping lead the operation aimed at cutting Russian gas revenues funding Moscow’s war.

Zelensky said Russia would face consequences after launching one of the largest combined aerial attacks on Kyiv since the start of the full-scale invasion.
Speaking at a collapsed building in the capital’s Darnytskyi district, he said Moscow "will receive a response" as rescue operations continued.

Another Russian Ka-52 attack helicopter has reportedly been lost, according to Russian military Telegram channels.

US intelligence has warned Poland that Russia could stage an armed provocation within the coming months, according to The Telegraph and Polish outlet Onet.
Reported scenarios include drone strikes on critical infrastructure, such as power plants, or simulated air attacks designed to trigger Poland’s air defense systems.

Another piece of Ukraine’s natural heritage is gone.
Nearly 2,000 hectares of the protected Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve have burned in Russian-occupied Kherson, destroying rare steppe ecosystems and endangered plants. The reserve blames Russian occupation forces.

Ukraine struck several key electrical substations across Russian-occupied Crimea overnight, sparking major fires at power facilities.
Satellite thermal imagery and local monitoring groups indicated multiple blazes across the peninsula’s electricity grid.

Ukraine and Germany have established a joint working group to discuss the return of Ukrainian men of military age, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany said.
The group will focus on legal and practical mechanisms for encouraging eligible Ukrainians in Germany to return home.

For the second time in a week, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) struck the Saky and Gvardiyske air bases in occupied Crimea, damaging or destroying at least seven Russian warplanes and hitting hangars storing Shahed drones and aviation equipment.

Belarus has urged its citizens to avoid traveling to Russia’s border regions, warning that doing so puts both travelers and their families at risk.
The statement from Belarus’ Security Council Secretary comes amid growing security concerns near the Russian border.

Fuel shortages have forced authorities in 12 Russian regions, including occupied Crimea, to impose restrictions on public transport and raise fares, according to The Moscow Times.

European Parliament staff were at a site targeted during Russia’s overnight attack on Kyiv but were not injured, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said.

The death toll from Russia’s overnight missile attack on Kyiv has risen to 30, with more than 90 people injured after Russian missiles struck residential buildings across the Ukrainian capita
Rescue operations have now concluded.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 03/07/2026 12:52

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

The EU will eliminate tariffs on nearly 80% of Armenia's exports due to economic pressure on the country from Russia.
This was announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen following a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
The duty-free regime will apply to fresh vegetables, fruits, plants, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
In addition, the EU is allocating €18 million to Armenia — the final part of a previously announced €52 million package — and will send experts to help expand the supply of Armenian products to EU countries.

In Russia's Kursk region, a vehicle carrying local administration employees was blown up by a mine.
The incident occurred in the center of the city of Rylsk. An explosive device was remotely detonated. As a result of the explosion, the head of the Rylsk district, Volodymyr Kovalchuk, was injured — he sustained a mine-blast injury and shrapnel wounds.
The driver was Serhiy Besedin, director of the economic services department. He sustained wounds to his abdomen and thigh and is currently undergoing surgery.
At the time of the explosion, the head of the culture department and a specialist from the Civil Defense and Emergency Situations department were standing near the building. They were also injured.

In Russia, the Michurinsk thermal power plant in Belgorod has been hit.
Its capacity is 24.2 MW to 36 MW.
It supplies power to the production and administrative facilities of the enterprise "Belenergomash – BZEM" (which produces pipes, metal structures, and power equipment).
As a result of the attack, Belgorod is experiencing power and water supply disruptions.

🇩🇪🇺🇦Germany's far-right party "Alternative for Germany" (AfD) is demanding an end to aid for Ukraine following the indictment of Ukrainian Serhiy Kuznetsov in the Nord Stream case.
Party co-leader Tino Chrupalla stated that "the evidence is already sufficient to cease any military aid to Ukraine." The German politician also called for an investigation into the activities of the then-leadership of the Ukrainian army and intelligence services.

🇸🇪Sweden has officially abandoned Russian-derived names for Ukrainian cities and regions, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

The Russian embassy in Sweden has claimed that they were "attacked" by two drones.
Overnight, one quadcopter dropped a container of red paint onto the embassy grounds, while another crashed nearby with a dummy improvised explosive device attached to it.
The Russians said there have been dozens of such incidents over the past two years. They accuse Swedish law enforcement of "merely formally recording the attacks" while failing to bring investigations to any conclusion.
▪️The Russian embassy in Sweden reported a similar incident last year. On the night of May 25, a quadcopter dropped a glass container of red paint onto the area in front of the entrance.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 03/07/2026 13:27

So it seems that it was Ukraine blew up Nordstrom 2.

that's something that's going to stick in the German craw in the long term but it might actually have been best for both countries.

MissConductUS · 03/07/2026 14:16

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 03/07/2026 13:34

Interesting. I just added my two pence to the discussion. 😁

PerkingFaintly · 03/07/2026 14:35

PerkingFaintly · 30/06/2026 08:37

Parcel bomb injures Ukrainian oligarch and family in Monaco - reports
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpv37wx03v7o

I'm usually very restrained and like to wait for information from the police / courts rather than spam the internet with wild speculation.

But having been right before, if I were a betting woman I'd put money on this being a Russian-commissioned attack probably carried out by a know-nothing Ukrainian schmuck, very like the attacks on Starmer's former car and property. To be followed by Russian propaganda about those crazy Ukrainians.

Win-win for the Kremlin.

First information fits.

Obviously at this stage she is just a suspect, hasn't been charged or convicted. We also have no information about how witting she was, even if she was the person who delivered the bomb. So I could yet be proved wrong.

Ukrainian woman named by Interpol as main suspect in Monaco bomb attack
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gy603z2qlo

A woman with dark hair and a serious expression is seen in a composite image with the crime scene which is covered by a white blanket

Ukrainian woman named by Interpol as main suspect in Monaco bomb attack

Officials in Monaco say they believe she was "disguised as a man" and may not have acted alone.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gy603z2qlo

MissConductUS · 03/07/2026 15:24

Well, this is disturbing. From the Telegraph:

Russia planning attack on Poland to test Nato resolve, US warns - Critical infrastructure could be targeted by missiles and drones, with soldiers potentially crossing the border from Kaliningrad or Belarus

I can see the Russians thinking that this type of action might intimidate Nato countries to stop supporting Ukraine, but I think they're wrong, especially if Russian troops actually cross the border.

It should also be kept in mind that any military develops multiple contingency plans and keeps them current as a matter of course, so that they have options ready to implement. That doesn't mean that any particular plan is likely to be put into action.

Russia planning attack on Poland to test Nato resolve, US warns

Critical infrastructure could be targeted by missiles and drones, with soldiers potentially crossing the border from Kaliningrad or Belarus

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/126bb05e04af1728

blueshoes · 03/07/2026 15:29

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 03/07/2026 12:32

Today's New York Times is carrying a story about a young man at a prom in Kyiv waltzing alone because his partner, for whom this would have been a major event, was killed in a Russian drone strike on her apartment block the night before rehearsals for the event started.

I don't know if this link will work, but I am glad (in a tragic way) that this story appeared. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/30/world/europe/russia-ukraine-prom.html

I feel sympathy with the person who said "and all we ask of you: remember Czechoslovakia when she is no longer news" back in 1968. Remember Ukraine, you news outlets! Keep her in the news.

This broke me. The Red Cross too but this hit hard because I have children who not so long ago had their proms.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
blueshoes · 03/07/2026 15:33

MissConductUS · 03/07/2026 15:24

Well, this is disturbing. From the Telegraph:

Russia planning attack on Poland to test Nato resolve, US warns - Critical infrastructure could be targeted by missiles and drones, with soldiers potentially crossing the border from Kaliningrad or Belarus

I can see the Russians thinking that this type of action might intimidate Nato countries to stop supporting Ukraine, but I think they're wrong, especially if Russian troops actually cross the border.

It should also be kept in mind that any military develops multiple contingency plans and keeps them current as a matter of course, so that they have options ready to implement. That doesn't mean that any particular plan is likely to be put into action.

It seems counterintuitive if it is just a scare tactic as that would surely galvanise Poland. It will also wake up the rest of NATO (especially the Western European countries) to finally take the Russian thread seriously. UK, I am looking at you in despair.

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 03/07/2026 15:35

blueshoes · 03/07/2026 15:29

This broke me. The Red Cross too but this hit hard because I have children who not so long ago had their proms.

I'm sorry for having caused you pain. But I don't regret posting it, because the main stream media telling us about Ukraine is a seldom thing and should be noted.

MissConductUS · 03/07/2026 15:53

blueshoes · 03/07/2026 15:33

It seems counterintuitive if it is just a scare tactic as that would surely galvanise Poland. It will also wake up the rest of NATO (especially the Western European countries) to finally take the Russian thread seriously. UK, I am looking at you in despair.

Putin, and the Russians in general, are prone to this type of strategic miscalculation. They don't understand the West as well as they think they do.

DdraigGoch · 03/07/2026 16:06

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 03/07/2026 13:27

So it seems that it was Ukraine blew up Nordstrom 2.

that's something that's going to stick in the German craw in the long term but it might actually have been best for both countries.

It seemed pretty clear when it happened that it was Ukraine who stood to gain from Germany losing the ability to fund Russia.

blueshoes · 03/07/2026 16:35

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 03/07/2026 15:35

I'm sorry for having caused you pain. But I don't regret posting it, because the main stream media telling us about Ukraine is a seldom thing and should be noted.

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime no worries at all! I'd have to turn off the news completely if I did not want to get affected by what is going on in the world right now.

I want Ukraine to stay in the news. It is easy for me when reading about the drones and the ebbs and flows on the battlefield and casualty numbers to think like it is an abstract game. It is the human stories that break through that bring the reality home. The rules-based world must not forget why it is so critical that Ukraine prevails.

blueshoes · 03/07/2026 16:38

MissConductUS · 03/07/2026 15:53

Putin, and the Russians in general, are prone to this type of strategic miscalculation. They don't understand the West as well as they think they do.

Totally agree.

Just like Russia thinks killing children and babies is going to make Ukraine surrender. It is because of Russian atrocities that Ukraine will not surrender an inch of land.

PerkingFaintly · 03/07/2026 16:39

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 03/07/2026 13:27

So it seems that it was Ukraine blew up Nordstrom 2.

that's something that's going to stick in the German craw in the long term but it might actually have been best for both countries.

Or at least Ukrainians.

That might not make a difference to some Germans. To others it might make quite a large difference whether this was an officially sanctioned act or not.

Natsku · 03/07/2026 16:47

blueshoes · 03/07/2026 15:29

This broke me. The Red Cross too but this hit hard because I have children who not so long ago had their proms.

It is heartbreaking

blueshoes · 04/07/2026 04:00

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-3-2026/

Key Takeaways

  1. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed late on July 3 that Russian forces seized Kostyantynivka, contrary to all available evidence of the true extent of Russian advances in the city.
  2. Putin likely staged the meeting with his commanders late on July 3 at least in part to influence Western media coverage of the war into the weekend, particularly the July 4 holiday in the United States.
  3. The United States reportedly warned Poland that Russia is considering kinetic provocations against Poland and other NATO states.
  4. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s approval rating sharply fell in late June 2026 after weeks of steady decline.
  5. The Russian government continues efforts to increase domestic fuel supplies amid intensifying gasoline shortages across Russia.
  6. Unknown actors reportedly detonated an explosive against a car carrying members of the Rylsk Raion, Kursk Oblast administration on July 3.
  7. Neither Ukrainian nor Russian forces advanced on July 3.
  8. Ukrainian forces reportedly conducted a long-range strike against Russian energy infrastructure in Belgorod Oblast. Russian forces launched two Kh-59/69 guided aircraft missiles and 105 drones against Ukraine overnight.
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 04/07/2026 11:25

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

😢🙏 The number of civilian deaths in Ukraine has increased by 40% over the past six months, according to the UN.
Between December 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026, at least 1,270 civilians were killed in Ukraine, while another 6,850 were injured.

❗️Following the attack on Kyiv, the Special Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has opened a criminal case against Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov.
According to the investigation, he was involved in planning and organizing massive missile strikes against civilian infrastructure, including yesterday’s attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region.

🇺🇦🇵🇱Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with his Polish counterpart, Radosław Sikorski.
Sybiha proposed an anti-crisis package of measures aimed at restoring healthy relations between the two countries. The proposal includes consultations between the foreign ministries of Ukraine and Poland, a meeting of historians specializing in World War II, and the involvement of religious leaders in the process.
Sybiha assured Sikorski that the selection of an honorary name for the military unit was not intended to be anti-Polish.
Sikorski reaffirmed that Poland will continue to support Ukraine in strengthening its defense capabilities.
“We respect the history of others and expect the same approach to our own history and independence from our partners,” Sybiha said.

❗️The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has confirmed the results of previous strikes on facilities used by Russian forces to support the war against Ukraine.
The strikes destroyed two spans of a road bridge in the Azov area of Zaporizhzhia region on June 29 and three spans of a road bridge over the Kalka River near Hranitne in Donetsk region on July 1.
These bridges were used by Russian forces for military logistics, including the movement of personnel and the transport of weapons and ammunition.

On the Dnipro–Zaporizhzhia highway, Russians are striking agricultural machinery working in the fields. Terrorists.

🛰 Russia is trying to build its own version of Starlink, but the project has run into problems from the very beginning, Bloomberg reports.
About six years after SpaceX began deploying its low-Earth orbit satellite network, which now consists of more than 10,000 satellites, Russia launched the first batch of 16 Rassvet satellites into orbit in March. However, in June, it emerged that one of the satellites had malfunctioned.

Putin’s space ambitions soon suffered another setback. On July 1, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported a strike on a space communications center near Moscow, damaging the main building and destroying several antennas.
The Rassvet deployment and the strike on the communications center highlight the challenges Russia faces in trying to catch up with the United States and China in space, particularly during wartime.

Bakhmut. Through the lens of a border guard.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 04/07/2026 11:28

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Russia's mass missile attacks on Ukraine 'must continue,' Putin says.
"I note that massive, coordinated strikes against the infrastructure of Ukraine's military-industrial complex and the facilities supporting its operation must continue," Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

⚡️Next months may be 'critical,' Tusk says amid reports of planned Russian provocation against Poland.
The Polish media outlet Onet reported on June 30 that, according to five undisclosed sources, Moscow may be preparing a limited military provocation aimed at Poland.

⚡️Poland should be cautious in promising further Ukraine aid at NATO summit, PM Tusk says.
"Not because I believe Ukraine does not need financial assistance, but because I believe Poland has very significant responsibilities related to the entire eastern EU border," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on July 3.

⚡️Ukraine proposes 'anti-crisis' measures to defuse tensions with Poland.
"Our job as diplomats is to maintain dialogue and utilize every tool in the diplomatic arsenal to solve problems," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said after a meeting with his Polish counterpart. "It is time to set emotions aside."

⚡️Ukraine denies Putin's Kostiantynivka claims.
Ukraine on July 4 denied claims made by Russian President Vladimir Putin that the Donetsk Oblast city of Kostiantynivka was under Russian control.

⚡️Update: Monaco issues arrest warrant for Ukrainian woman suspected of bomb attack that injured Ukraine-born businessman.
Monaco issued an Interpol "red notice" — an international arrest warrant — for a 39-year-old Ukrainian woman named Anastasiia Berezovska.

⚡️Kyiv air quality plunges after Russia's biggest attack on capital of entire war.
The smell of smoke and haze lingered over the capital. Authorities urge residents to keep windows closed, limit time outdoors, drink plenty of water, and use air purifiers if available.

⚡️Irish EU presidency scores quick win for Ukraine and Moldova membership paths.
An agreement was reached to invite Kyiv and Chisinau to submit their negotiating positions on another one of the six enlargement clusters, two EU diplomats told the Kyiv Independent.

⚡️St. Petersburg oil terminal reportedly struck by Ukrainian drones.
Ukraine's military reportedly carried out an attack on St. Petersburg in the early hours of July 4, striking an oil terminal in the city, Russian Telegram media channels reported.

⚡️Ukraine strikes Russia's Saky air base in occupied Crimea for second time in a week, SBU says.

⚡️Ukrainian missile strike on Russia's Belgorod disrupts power, water supply across city, official says.

⚡️Major Russian oil refinery suspends operations again after Ukrainian drone strike.
The Lukoil-Nizhegorodorgsintez plant is the fourth-largest oil refinery in Russia, second-largest producer of gasoline, and Lukoil's largest refinery.

⚡️Fires reported at ferry terminal, airfield in Russian-occupied Crimea as Ukrainian strikes continue.

Russia continues producing dozens of missiles every month despite years of Western sanctions. While much attention has focused on microchips entering Russia through intermediary countries, our investigation found another critical piece of the puzzle: European industrial machinery.
Customs records obtained by the Kyiv Independent reveal that specialized metalworking equipment manufactured in Germany, Italy, Spain, and other EU countries continued reaching Russian metallurgical plants during the war through a Turkish intermediary.
The Kyiv Independent’s Alisa Yurchenko investigates how these shipments kept reaching Russia despite sanctions.
.

‘We created a unique system for the defense sector:’ Full interview with Ukraine's central bank governor

⚡️Update: 4 dead, 27 injured after Russian airstrike on Sumy.
A 5-year-old girl and her mother are among the victims who died in Russia's attack, authorities in Sumy said. Six guided aerial bombs struck a busy residential neighborhood on July 3.
Several children are among the wounded.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦‬ ‪@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social‬
· 1m
⚡️ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — JUL 4, 2026
■ Combat engagements remain above average; casualties below average
■ 7th highest 🇷🇺 artillery losses to date; 22 air defence systems hit in the last 7 days (most this year so far)
■ Overnight attacks: interception rate could be better; 2 missiles launched
■ Heavy 🇷🇺 drone launches and shelling, but 23 🇺🇦 strikes and 300 🇺🇦 drones launched into 🇷🇺; strike ratio improves

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 04/07/2026 11:38

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Russia is mass-deploying a new AI-powered version of its Molniya attack drone that can fly autonomously without a pilot, making it far harder to detect and jam, Ukrainian officials warn.
The upgraded drones are already being used in the Zaporizhzhia region and feature advanced reconnaissance capabilities, including Starlink connectivity and high-zoom cameras.

Russian guided bombs struck Europe’s largest poultry farm in Chornobaivka, Kherson region, triggering a massive fire that destroyed a significant part of the production complex, according to Ukrainian media.
Preliminary estimates put the damage at hundreds of millions of dollars. [god only knows how many animals burned to death]

Systematic strikes by Ukrainian forces have disabled 42.7% of Russia’s total projected oil refining capacity as of early July, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The campaign has hit eight Russian refineries over the past month alone, contributing to an estimated $13.5 billion in industry losses since August 2025 and triggering localized fuel crises across more than 50 Russian regions

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Poland will no longer be the only side showing goodwill in its relationship with Ukraine, adding that President Volodymyr Zelensky must find a way to ease tensions.
Tusk said escalating tensions harms both countries and that good relations require goodwill from Kyiv as well. He also claimed the recent deterioration in bilateral ties was caused by what he described as an unjustified decision by Zelensky.

China has yet to respond after Ukraine presented serial-number evidence linking Chinese-made components to Russian missiles and drones.

Russia has wasted through an estimated 224,000 liters of fuel launching almost 1,400 Shahed drones at Ukraine over the past week — averaging 160 liters per drone — even as domestic fuel shortages force multiple Russian regions to ration gasoline.

Russia is turning to Japan for jet fuel as Ukraine’s deep strikes continue to hammer its refining sector.
Moscow is expected to receive 200,000 barrels via South Korea this month, while already importing gasoline from India, Kazakhstan, and Belarus to ease a deepening fuel crisis.

Olena Zelenska Foundation expanded its international partnerships at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) 2026 in Gdańsk, securing a new $500,000 agreement with the Minderoo Foundation to further develop its “Safe School” project.
During the conference, the Foundation also presented its comprehensive Safe School model, which combines modern bomb shelters, upgraded school kitchens, energy resilience, and mental health support to ensure Ukrainian children can continue learning safely despite Russia’s ongoing war.
It also hosted an international workshop focused on building safer educational environments across Ukraine.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 04/07/2026 11:49

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his wife already have supplies "in case of war," he said in an interview with Der Spiegel.
When asked about personal readiness, the minister replied that at home they could manage for a few days, and that they had made sure to have an adequate supply of drinking water.
Pistorius also explained why he had often spoken about readiness for war in the past. He said he wanted to shake up society and make people aware of the threats. At the same time, his position has not changed: the Bundeswehr is preparing for a defensive war so that no one dares to attack Germany. To this end, Germany is actively implementing drone technologies, drawing on Ukraine's combat experience.
Pistorius emphasized that the war "may have entered a decisive phase," and Germany is already preparing approximately €12 billion as part of a new NATO aid package of €40 billion.
▪️Earlier, Pistorius stated that Germany must be prepared for possible Russian aggression by 2029. He explained that Russia is rapidly building up its military potential and could pose a threat to NATO countries. The minister also warned that Moscow is monitoring Western satellites.

Italy has opposed EU sanctions against the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, Politico sources say.
Sources believe Rome's position is linked to the Vatican — Italy does not want to impose sanctions against the head of a Christian church.

In Britain, there is a push to ban the Russian animated series "Masha and the Bear," The Guardian reports.
Over 50 MPs have asked Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to review whether the show can be removed from the air. In their view, it spreads Russian "soft power" — a "fluffy" form of Russian propaganda.
The MPs reference episodes where Masha wears clothing resembling the uniforms of Soviet tank crews and NKVD border guards. They also cite assessments from Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation and Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which have previously called the series an instrument of Russian influence.
The studio Animaccord denies the allegations. They stated that the series has no political messages, has never received state funding, and for nearly 20 years has been telling children stories "about friendship, kindness, and imagination."
The British government has declined to comment, stating that broadcasters themselves decide what content to purchase, as long as it complies with the rules of media regulator Ofcom.
▪️Recently, Netflix renewed its license for the series in over 100 countries. [Ok that's going too far!]

Overnight, the Russians launched two missiles and 86 strike drones at Ukraine. Air defense shot down 69 UAVs.
Another 17 drones and 2 missiles — a ballistic Iskander-M and an Kh-59/69 air-launched missile — struck 16 locations, with debris falling at 5 sites.
🔴In Sumy, late in the evening, an aerial bomb struck one of the central streets. Four people are reported dead, including a 5-year-old girl and her mother. Another 33 people were injured, including 7 children.
🔴In Zaporizhzhia, the Russians attacked residential areas overnight. Among the 8 injured are two teenagers.
🔴In the Dnipropetrovsk region, overnight shelling with drones and guided bombs killed two people and wounded 17 others.
🔴In the Odesa region, the Russians struck a food warehouse, injuring two people.
🔴In the morning, Russian drones struck Kherson — a man and a woman were injured in a residential building.

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