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Russia’s war against Ukraine
Smoke billows above the city’s buildings following mass Russian drone and missile strikes in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on July 12, 2025. (Yuriy Dyachyshyn / AFP via Getty Images)
2 killed, 38 injured as Russia launches missile, drone attacks striking Ukrainian cities far from front line. Russia continued its attacks on western Ukrainian cities overnight on July 12, striking communities far from the front line with drone swarms and missile attacks for the third straight night.
Germany-funded long-range weapons to arrive in Ukraine by late July, general says. German Major General Christian Freuding confirmed that the weapons systems’ initial deliveries are expected by the end of July. The arms will be supplied in a “high triple-digit quantity,” he said.
Trump considering sending new funds to Ukraine for first time since taking office, CBS News reports. The funds could come from the $3.85 billion remaining in Presidential Drawdown Authority from the Biden administration or from frozen Russian assets, current and former U.S. officials said.
Zelensky signals major cabinet reshuffle, calls for defense reforms. Zelensky said Ukraine “requires more positive momentum in relations with the United States, alongside new steps in managing the nation’s defense sector.”
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‘Impeccable results’ — New Skynex video shows Ukrainian forces destroying Russian drones with German gun. Filmed in an undisclosed location at an unspecified time, the video published on July 12 shows Ukrainian soldiers shooting down multiple Russian targets with a German-made Skynex air defense system.
‘Cut off the head’ — Ukrainian intelligence accuses ‘Putin’s favorite’ brigade of another war crime. “Cut off the head, impale it on a pike, throw it the f**k away,” says the voice attributed by HUR to a company commander from Russia’s infamous 155th Marine Brigade. The intelligence agency said the order, intercepted on July 10, concerned a Ukrainian prisoner of war (POW).
Ukraine destroys Russian drone unit after Kherson infant killed, child ‘should never have been a target,’ governor says. “Dmytro should never have been a target. I thank our soldiers for their just retribution. No occupier who brought death and destruction to our land will escape punishment,” Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.
Ukrainian doctors transplant organs of deceased girl amid Russian strikes, saving 3 children. “This is a story about humanity, the incredible power of a parent’s decision, and the chance for life even in the most difficult times,” the hospital said in a statement.
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Analysis: Russia is stepping up attacks. Allies are stepping back. What happens to Ukraine next?
Short of a massive injection of military aid, or crushing sanctions on Moscow, there’s little that Trump could announce that could help Ukraine bring Russia’s full-scale invasion to a swift end on terms favorable to Kyiv.
Photo: Drew Angerer, Saul Loeb, Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Image
Ukraine’s top anti-corruption activist faces charges that his team calls political vendetta
Vitaliy Shabunin, the chair of the Anti-Corruption Action Center’s executive board and member of the Armed Forces, was charged with evading military service and fraud — an accusation his team rejects.
Photo: Evgen Kotenko/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images
Ukrainians grapple with how to memorialize a war still being fought
While the improvised memorial reflects a public need to honor those killed in the war, designing a permanent monument for a conflict with no clear end presents a unique challenge for urban planners and designers.
Photo: Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images
Human cost of Russia’s war
At least 13 killed, 46 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over past day. Russia launched 623 aerial weapons overnight, including 339 Shahed-type drones, various decoy UAVs, and 26 Kh-101 cruise missiles, the Air Force said.
Hungarian foreign fighter killed in Ukraine fighting against Russia, media reports. Benjamin Aser, originally from Hungary, was previously a contracted soldier in the Hungarian Defense Forces.
General Staff: Russia has lost 1,032,690 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022. The number includes 1,070 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
International response
Slovakia seeks EU guarantees on Russian gas phase-out ahead of sanctions deal, Reuters report. While Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said the sanctions package itself is not objectionable, his government has blocked the proposal over concerns about a separate EU plan to fully phase out Russian gas imports by 2028.
Polish president-elect urges Ukraine to allow full exhumations of Volyn massacre victims, despite resumed work. Speaking at a ceremony in Chelm marking the 82nd anniversary of the 1943-44 Volyn massacres, Polish President-elect Karol Nawrocki said the victims “do not cry out for revenge, but for a cross, a grave, and memory,” and urged Ukraine to authorize further work across multiple sites.
Former Wagner fighter seeks asylum in Finland after fleeing across Russian border, media reports. The man, identified only as Yevgeny, reportedly served in a Wagner assault unit and fought in eastern Ukraine, including in Bakhmut and around Selydove.
French army chief says Russia sees France as ‘main enemy in Europe’ due to Ukraine support. The head of the French army, General Thierry Burkhard, attributed Russia’s view of Paris as a primary adversary largely to France’s unwavering support for Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Russia blames Western sanctions for collapse of UN food deal. A day earlier, the U.N. announced that the three-year agreement would end on July 22. The deal “will not be renewed” because of disagreements, a source close to the discussions told the AFP.
Russia’s Lavrov cautions West on North Korea security pact. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the U.S., South Korea, and Japan of military buildups around North Korea. “We warn against exploiting these ties to build alliances directed against anyone, including North Korea and, of course, Russia.”
In other news
Putin backs ‘zero enrichment’ in new Iran nuclear deal, sources tell Axios. Russia’s position, conveyed to both U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian officials, marks a notable shift given Russia’s historical public advocacy for Iran’s right to enrich.
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