Thursday, July 13

Russia’s war against Ukraine

The facade of an apartment building is completely destroyed following a Russian drone attack on Kyiv overnight on July 13, 2023. (Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine)

Kyiv reports shooting down all Russian drones in latest attack on capital but debris causes casualties, damage. Kyiv authorities reported shooting down about a dozen Russian drones in Kyiv’s airspace overnight on July 13 in Russia’s latest aerial attack on the capital, the Kyiv City Military Administration reported on Telegram.

FT: G7 agrees on long-term security commitments for Ukraine. The Group of Seven (G7) has agreed on long-term security support to help Ukraine win the war with Russia during the NATO summit in Vilnius, the Financial Times reported on July 12.

Biden: I look forward to Ukraine’s entry into NATO. During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Vilnius summit on July 12, U.S. President Joe Biden said that he looks forward to Ukraine’s entry into the alliance.

Zelensky: NATO summit puts to rest any doubts about Ukraine’s ascension to alliance. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that after Group of Seven leaders agreed to long-term security commitments for Ukraine at the NATO summit in Vilnius, all doubts surrounding Ukraine’s ascension to NATO have been put to rest.

Zelensky hopes for victory within year. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on July 12 he hopes Ukraine will achieve victory in the full-scale war against Russia before the NATO summit in Washington in 2024.

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Russian Defense Ministry: Wagner hands over 2,000 military equipment pieces. The Wagner Group is completing the transfer of military equipment to the Russian Defense Ministry, the ministry informed on July 12.

Erdogan: Return of Azovstal defenders now “a positive” in relations with Russia. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a press conference that the decision to return the Azovstal defenders to Ukraine did not harm Turkey’s relationship with Russia, journalists from European Pravda reported.

Media: Serbia refuses to extradite fugitive SBU ex-general to Ukraine. A court in the Serbian city of Niš rejected the request to extradite fugitive Andrii Naumov, the former head of the internal security department of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to his home country, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported on July 12.

Biden: US is considering sending ATACMS to Ukraine. The U.S. is considering providing long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine, President Joe Biden confirmed in a statement on July 12.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: G7 agrees on long-term security commitment for Ukraine

The Group of Seven (G7) officially announced plans for long-term security commitments to help Ukraine defend itself against current and future Russian aggression in a statement issued on July 12.

Photo: Getty Images

Locals near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant brace for potential disaster: ‘It would be the end of us’

From the rooftop of his home, Anton can easily see the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. He knows that in the case of a disaster at the plant, the Russian-occupied settlement he lives in would be among the first and the most affected.

Photo: Getty Images

Human cost of war

Update: Russian strike against Zaporizhzhia injures 18, including 6 children. At least 18 people, including six children, were injured in a Russian attack against Zaporizhzhia, Governor Yurii Malashko reported on July 12.

General Staff: Russia has lost 235,530 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on July 12 that Russia had lost 235,530 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24 last year.

International response

Canada allocates $410 million to Ukraine, ‘transatlantic security’. At the Vilnius summit on July 12, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced 541 million Canadian dollars ($410 million) in aid to support Ukraine and strengthen transatlantic security.

UK confirms military aid package for Ukraine. The British government presented a new military aid package for Ukraine at the Vilnius NATO summit on July 12, including tank rounds and armored vehicles.

Spain to join G7 security commitments to Ukraine. Spain will join the Group of Seven’s (G7) long-term security commitments for Ukraine to repel Russian aggression, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on July 12 upon the conclusion of the Vilnius summit.

Norway to send 1,000 reconnaissance drones to Ukraine. Norway will send Ukraine 1,000 Black Hornet drones, Norwegian Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram said on July 12. The small drone, which weighs 32 grams and is used for reconnaissance and target identification, falls into the “nano drones” category.

Opinions and Insights

David Kirichenko: Russia’s historical atrocities echo in its ongoing war

“Russia’s full-scale war exposes the terrifying horrors that come as no surprise, given the long history of Russian atrocities committed against Ukraine,” David Kirichenko writes.

Photo: Beata Zarwazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Martin Fornusek, Teah Pelechaty, Alexander Query, Oleksiy Sukhov, Abbey Fenbert, Daria Bevziuk, and Lili Bivings.

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