Thursday, August 1

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Svitlana Mikhailichenko (L), and Tatyana Levytska (R), belonging to the demining unit of Police Department of Kharkiv, work demining a field nearby Chkalovske town in Kharkiv Oblast on July 31, 2024. (Narciso Contreras/Anadolu via Getty Images)

First F-16 fighter jets arrive in Ukraine, Bloomberg reports. The news comes a year after the allied “fighter jet coalition” took shape following Kyiv’s repeated appeals for Western aircraft.

Russia must be present at next peace summit to end war, Zelensky says. Ukraine, along with most countries, believes that Russia must be present at a second peace summit in November in order to end the war, President Volodymyr Zelensky told French media in an interview published on July 31.

Ukraine able to produce over 3 million drones a year, ministry says. Ukraine has the production capacity to produce more than 3 million drones a year, but requires financing from foreign partners, Deputy Strategic Industries Minister Hanna Hvozdiar said on July 30.

At least 5 kamikaze drones entered Belarus airspace in latest Russian attack on Ukraine. At least five Russian Shahed-type kamikaze drones flew off course and entered into Russia-ally Belarus during an overnight mass attack on Ukraine on July 31, the Belarusian Hajun monitoring group reported.

Russia used new ‘distracting’ drone type during recent attack on Ukraine. Russia used a significant number of so-called “distracting drones” designed to probe air defenses rather than destroy targets in its mass attack on Ukraine on July 31, said Andrii Yusov, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) spokesperson.

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Ukraine concluded ‘one of the largest cyberattacks’ against Russia, source says. The wide-reaching DDoS attack began on July 23 and disrupted the services of Russia’s top banks, social networks and messengers, government websites, and more. Russian media widely reported on the problems experienced by users across the country.

Ukrainian Navy claims attack on Russian weapons depot near Kursk. The attack targeted “a warehouse for storing weapons and military equipment” near Kursk, the General Staff said.

Putin more than doubles lump-sum payment for joining war against Ukraine. The presidential decree published on the government website effectively doubled the lump-sum payment of 195,000 ($2,260) rubles initially promised to recruits in September 2022.

Russia begins ‘third stage’ of tactical nuclear arms drills. “As part of this phase of the drills, missile formations’ personnel from the Southern and Central military districts will carry out combat training tasks, including acquiring special training ammunition for the Iskander-M tactical missile systems,” Russia s Defense Ministry said.

Russia’s Gazprom net losses nearly double year on year. Gazprom’s revenue fell by 30% last year with a net loss of $6.9 billion, the largest in 25 years.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: First F-16 fighter jets arrive in Ukraine, Bloomberg reports

The deadline for the transfer of F-16s was late July, the sources told Bloomberg. Ukraine received “a small number” of the planes, the sources said.

Ukraine is expected to receive at least 79 F-16s from the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, and Norway, with the deliveries to continue in the coming years.

Photo: Omar Marques/Getty Images

F-16s have reportedly arrived in Ukraine – here’s how they can help fight Russia

While “game-changer” has been mentioned in some quarters, most professional opinion about F-16s has been more restrained, yet still ambitious.

Earlier this month, retired Polish brigadier general, Jaroslaw Kraszewski, said the arrival of the jets could help create the conditions for a Ukrainian counterattack.

Photo: AFP via Getty Images

Human cost of war

Azov soldier Oleksandr Ishchenko dies in Russian captivity, Ukraine’s Ombudsman says. Ishchenko was 55-years-old and a native of Mariupol, Ukrainska Pravda reported. He joined the Azov Brigade as a driver shortly after the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion and was captured in Mariupol in 2022.

Opinions and insights

Opinion: What a Trump presidency could look like for Ukraine

“Unless (presidential candidate Donald) Trump and his running mate undergo remarkable ideological transformations in the coming months, the prospect of Ukraine being reliant on the former president for military assistance is cause for alarm,” writes Doug Klain in his latest op-ed.

Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images

War reporter Francis Farrell answers questions about Russia’s invasion

International response

China expands military drone export restrictions following FM Kuleba visit. China adjusted its export controls on military drones amid growing criticism from the U.S. and its allies over support for Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine.

Americans evenly split on US’ responsibility to aid Ukraine, survey shows. While around 63% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning respondents believe the U.S. has the responsibility, only 36% of Republicans and Republican-leaning Americans think the same, the survey shows.

Ukraine at Olympics

Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk comes short of a comeback in Olympic tennis quarterfinals, exits tournament. Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, 22, loses to Croatian Donna Vekic, 28, in a nerve-racking Olympic tennis quarterfinals match 4:6, 6:2, 6:7 (8:10).

Ukrainian women’s rowing team comes 5th in Olympics. The rowing team of Yevheniia Dovhodko, Kateryna Dudchenko, Daryna Verkhogliad, and Anastasiia Kozhenkova stopped just two steps away from Ukraine’s second medal.

Illia Kovtun places 4th in men’s gymnastics all-around Olympics final. After the last rotation, Kovtun totaled 86.165 and lost to the bronze medalist by 0.199 points.

In other news

Russia transfers dissident Kara-Murza, other political prisoners amid speculation of US-Russia prisoner swap. Russian prison officials said on July 31 that Vladimir Kara-Murza, a jailed Russian journalist and opposition figure, was being moved from the penal colony where he was held to an uncertain destination.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Martin Fornusek, Elsa Court, Chris York, Lili Bivings, Kateryna Denisova, and Olena Goncharova.

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