[Korrespondent] 23:11 Zelensky signed a law on the demobilization of the military, whose close relatives died or went missing during martial law.
23:05 Zelensky said that he had held "an important meeting on the spiritual independence of Ukraine, our next steps to protect the rights and legitimate interests of Ukrainian citizens in the field of religious relations. There will be news soon."
22:48 Zelensky said in an evening video message that options for actions and agreements were worked out at the meeting of the Headquarters "in order to preserve both the Ukrainian global role of the guarantor of food security, and our maritime access to the world market, and jobs for Ukrainians in ports and agrarian industry".
21:36 The Ukrainian counter-offensive is “far from failure”, although it is going slower than expected, Mark Milley, head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said: “The counter-offensive began about five to six weeks ago, and the various war games that were held in advance assumed certain progress levels and it's slowed down because that's the difference between a war on paper and a real war.These are real people in real vehicles who really clear real minefields and they really die.So when that happens the units tend to slow down and that's right to survive and get through these minefields." Milli added that Ukraine has "a significant amount of combat power that is not yet deployed."
21:31 Zelensky said that he had met in Kiev with the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, Akihiko Tanaka: "We have a special interest in attracting Japan to establish the production of mine-clearing equipment, develop a network of rehabilitation centers for veterans and the military, as well as the production of energy equipment".
21:28 Kuleba said during a debate at a meeting of the UN General Assembly that countries calling for immediate peace with Russia want to give the Ukrainian territories it has captured to the Russian Federation: "After resisting Russian full-scale aggression for more than a year and a half, my 40 million people can respond to all these offers only one thing: no!"
The minister is also convinced that everyone who proposes to stop supporting Ukraine is simply striving to leave the country defenseless against the Russian army in order to "continue business with the Russian Federation faster."
21:22 The next meeting of the Contact Group on Defense Issues of Ukraine was held online. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that the allies will not stop until Ukraine receives the weapons and ammunition it needs. About what the new Ramstein will give - in the material The key moment of the war .
21:07 The "authorities" of the occupied Tokmak, Zaporozhye region, announced that the city was shelled - six missiles were allegedly fired, four of which shot down the air defense, and two "hit the TV tower."
20:43 The international coalition has prepared 17 brigade combat groups - more than 63,000 military - for the current counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said Mark Milley, head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
20:21 In the Liman-Kupyansk direction, the Russian army has concentrated significant forces and launched offensive operations from Saturday. About what is happening there now - in the material of the Russian Federation went on the offensive against Kupyansk .
19:38 The EU-Latin America summit failed to agree on a final statement due to disagreements over Ukraine, said the head of the European Council, Charles Michel. The European Union wanted to condemn the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine in the document and demand a "complete and unconditional withdrawal of troops," but the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean opposed it, proposing to "express concern."
19:36 The Armed Forces of Ukraine seized the initiative in the Kupyansk direction , the enemy’s offensive is currently unsuccessful, but the fighting continues, said Anna Malyar, Deputy Defense Minister. On the southern phalanx around Bakhmut today, like all previous days, there was an advance of Ukrainian troops. There were battles on the northern flank, the enemy is trying to regain lost positions.
19:30 South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that if Putin is arrested on an ICC warrant, his country is threatened with war with Russia. According to Ramaphosa, the Kremlin made it clear that the arrest of the Russian president during a visit to South Africa for the BRICS summit would be taken as a declaration of war. "It would be incompatible with our Constitution to risk going to war with Russia. I have constitutional obligations to protect the national sovereignty, peace and security of the republic," Ramaphosa said. He also believes that "at the moment there are no legal grounds for the arrest and extradition of President Putin."
19:23 Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer supported the "peace initiative" of Brazilian President Lula da Silva, according to which it is proposed to form a group of countries ready to negotiate a ceasefire and become mediators between Ukraine and Russia.
19:18 The United States will allocate $250 million to Ukraine to support agriculture after Russia withdraws from the grain deal, USAID head Samantha Power said during a visit to Odessa. The funds will be used to develop agricultural infrastructure and expand other export routes.
19:11 The fifth column of Wagner PMC mercenaries has already been spotted in Belarus. According to the Belaruska Gayun monitoring group, there are already at least 2,000 militants in the country. Only today, the arrival of two columns of 170-185 vehicles was recorded.
19:05 Saudi Arabia and Turkey are negotiating the return of Ukrainian children from Russia, the Financial Times writes, citing sources. According to them, negotiations have been going on for several months, and Russian businessman Roman Abramovich is also participating in them.
18:37 Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg will hand over M113 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine within a few months, the three countries said in a joint statement. The number of cars was not disclosed.
18:12 The United States will announce a new $1.3 billion military aid package to Ukraine in the coming days, Reuters reports. According to sources of the publication, the package will include, in particular, VAMPIRE anti-aircraft systems manufactured by L3Harris Technologies.
17:51 Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said that his country supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine: "As for Ukraine, we believe in the territorial integrity of every country, including Ukraine, which should be a priority of all countries on the basis of international law. And, of course, we continue to push for an end to the war through political dialogue."
17:29 The UN has confirmed civilian casualties since February 24, 2022 in the amount of 25,671 Ukrainians - including 9,287 dead. The organization emphasizes that the real number of victims is much higher.
17:10 The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a pilot project to start the restoration of the Kakhovskaya HPP. The project is designed for two years: at the first stage, all engineering structures will be designed, the necessary base for restoration will be prepared, and the second stage will begin after the de-occupation of the territories where the HPP is located - it provides for construction work.
16:48 The Russians fired on the village of Dvurechnaya, Kupyansky district, Kharkiv region: one person was killed, another was wounded, the OVA reported.
16:15 The 14th meeting in the Ramstein format has begun, it is taking place online, the Pentagon said. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin assured in his opening speech that the Contact Group members will continue "to provide training, equipment and support to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in order to build capable and professional Ukrainian troops that can defend themselves now and deter aggression in the future."
15:44 The European Parliament called on the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Lukashenka in connection with Belarus' involvement in the deportation of Ukrainian children. In addition, MEPs believe that the EU Council should expand the list of Belarusian and Russian persons subject to EU sanctions, in particular, those involved in the forced deportation of Ukrainian children.
15:29 Yermak showed a photo of the engine carburetor of the Iranian Shahed drone, which attacked Nikolaev at night. It says "Made in Ireland" on it. The head of the OP insists on the introduction of new sanctions restrictions, as well as on effective implementation and control.
14:47 Peskov said that night strikes on port infrastructure facilities in Odessa are "retaliation strikes for the Crimean bridge."
14:32 American cluster munitions will be ready for use within a few days, Syrsky said in an interview with the BBC. He did not specify where and when they would be used, but the journalists of the publication reported that they saw American M777 howitzers in positions around Bakhmut, which would fire cluster shells. About Bakhmut, Syrsky said that it was a matter of honor to return the city: "We lost many of our brothers there, we simply have to recapture it."
14:18 In Melitopol, the Russians take an average of ten people prisoner every day, the mayor of the city Ivan Fedorov said. According to him, the enemy is changing the tactics of terror: before, searches were mainly carried out early in the morning, but now they come at night, wake up everyone in a multi-storey building, so that residents are afraid. Then they defiantly take the man out with a bag over his head, put him in a car and take him away. Also, many are taken away at checkpoints during the day.
13:55 Zelensky said that he had held a meeting of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the main issue is sea grain exports and port security. They also heard reports on the fight against enemy drones, on the plans of the enemy, on the situation on the battlefield and the dynamics of the supply of shells.
13:43 It is "practically impossible" to achieve quick results during the offensive, Alexander Syrsky, commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said in an interview with the Air Force: "Our advance is really not going as fast as we would like. We would like to achieve very quick results. But in reality it's practically impossible." He explains this by the dense mine coverage of the territories and the large number of Russian strongholds.
At the same time, the general emphasized that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have an advantage: "I believe that the unity of our military leadership and the trust of soldiers in each other is the strength of our army."
13:16 The Pentagon and the US government have been sending millions of secret emails to the West African state of Mali for a decade. The media claim that the US Department of Defense received warnings about this, but did nothing to stop the leak of information to a Russian ally. More details in the material Funny story .
13:11 The fourth convoy of Wagner PMCs has already arrived in Belarus, consisting of more than 80 vehicles of various modifications on LDNR license plates. The monitoring group of Belarus Gayun reports that as of the morning of July 18, there were about 600-700 Wagner mercenaries on the territory of the Republic of Belarus.
13:08 The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation called today's attack on the Odessa and Nikolaev regions "a retaliation strike".
12:32 Peskov said that the zone for the implementation of the grain deal is allegedly used by Ukraine "for military purposes." He also called "unscrupulous" the position of the European states, "failed to fulfill their obligations under the grain deal." Speaking about the prospect of a grain deal without Russia's participation, the Kremlin speaker spoke of "security risks." At the same time, he added that the termination of the grain deal "is not the fault of the UN Secretary General, we highly appreciate his efforts."
Peskov also said that proposals for Putin on "a response to the attack on the Crimean bridge and measures to improve its security are still being developed."
12:28 Belarus kidnaps thousands of Ukrainian children, writes The Telegraph. According to the publication, since September 2022, about 2,150 Ukrainian children over the age of six have been taken to Belarus. Children are placed in sanatoriums and camps in the Minsk and Gomel regions, where forced "re-education" is carried out.
12:11 The European Court of Human Rights denied Russia's claim against Ukraine. It was the only interstate complaint against Kyiv, the Ukrainian Justice Ministry said. Russia filed a lawsuit in July 2021. It contained ten charges, including responsibility for the downing of the MH17 plane, because Ukraine "did not close the airspace."
12:02 The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation claims that during the night strike on the Odessa and Nikolaev regions, it was allegedly attacked not ports, but "objects where terrorist attacks against Russia were being prepared using unmanned boats, as well as places of their manufacture in the Odessa region." And in the area of Nikolaev, "fuel infrastructure facilities that provide the Armed Forces of Ukraine with fuel" were allegedly destroyed.
11:07 The Ukrainian military have an advantage in the battles for Staromayorskoye in the Donetsk region, said the speaker of the joint press center of the Defense Forces of the Tauride direction Valery Shershen. He added that heavy fighting is underway for the settlement.
11:02 The number of victims of yesterday's Russian shelling of Belopolye, Sumy region, has risen to three - one of the wounded died in the hospital, Mayor Yuri Zarko said.
10:56 Spokesman for the Eastern Group of Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Sergey Cherevaty specified that the accumulation of 100,000 Russian soldiers in the Kupyansk direction is nothing new: "The Defense Forces have not made any progress for many months in a row and have been hitting them powerfully. That is, this is 100 thousand did not appear yesterday.
According to him, although the Russian grouping is large, it is not well-prepared and motivated. And the more than 900 tanks that Russian forces have pulled up to the Liman-Kupyansk direction are old Soviet equipment, while the latest models are much less common on the battlefield than at the beginning of the invasion.
10:23 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg condemned Russia's decision to stop participating in the grain initiative: "I condemn Russia's unilateral decision to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, despite the efforts of our ally Turkey and the UN. Russia's illegal war against Ukraine continues to harm millions of vulnerable people."
09:48 In the Voronezh region, the bodies of two Wagner PMC mercenaries were found, who were shot for refusing to participate in Prigozhin's rebellion, the Baza telegram channel writes. According to him, the bodies were found on July 6, and on July 17, a suspect in the murder, a 25-year-old Wagner mercenary, a native of Kyrgyzstan, was detained. During interrogation, he said that the men were killed on June 24 for refusing to participate in the rebellion.
09:35 Yermak said that the Russian night attack on Odessa and Nikolaev is another proof that the Russian Federation wants to endanger the lives of 400 million people in different countries dependent on Ukrainian food exports.
09:32 In the Donetsk region over the past day, as a result of Russian shelling, three people were killed (in Stepanovka, Makarovka and Stepnoy), four more were injured. In the Zaporozhye region, as a result of an air strike on a residential area of Orekhov, one person was killed, five more were injured. There are three wounded in the Kherson region, two in the Kharkiv region, according to the OVA.
09:20 The Air Force Command clarified that 38 air targets were destroyed during the night. Russia attacked from the south with six Caliber cruise missiles and 36 Shahed attack drones. Caliber launches were made, probably, from the Russian frigate Admiral Essen, drones - from the area of the Chauda training ground (Crimea). All six Calibers, 31 Shahed-136/131 attack drones and one reconnaissance UAV were destroyed by the forces and means of the Air Force.
Caliber cruise missiles and the vast majority of kamikaze drones were destroyed in the south - in the Odessa and Nikolaev regions, the rest of the strike UAVs were hit in the Donetsk, Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk regions.
09:14 Ukrainian troops are successfully advancing in the South in the directions of Malaya Tokmachka - Novopokrovka and Bolshaya Novoselka - Harvest, said the speaker of the General Staff Andriy Kovalev. In the Bakhmut direction, the Armed Forces of Ukraine continue offensive operations north and south of the city of Bakhmut. The enemy puts up a powerful resistance, there are heavy battles.
08:59 White House National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby said that now grain from Ukraine can only be exported via a land corridor: "The only option that exists is to transport it by land, by rail, by truck. This is more difficult, less efficient ". At the same time, Kirby stressed that the United States will not send warships to escort commercial vessels from Ukraine after the break in the grain deal.
08:45 The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stated that at night Ukraine tried to attack Crimea with 28 drones, of which 17 were allegedly destroyed by air defense systems, another 11 were suppressed by electronic warfare. There were no casualties or damage.
08:37 The General Staff announced the approximate losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of July 18:
- personnel - about 239,010 (+710) people liquidated,
- tanks - 4119 (+4),
- armored combat vehicles - 8051 (+17),
- artillery systems - 4542 (+38),
- MLRS - 689 (+4),
- air defense systems - 428 (+0),
- aircraft - 315 (+0),
- helicopters - 310 (+0),
- UAV operational-tactical level - 3839 (+11),
- cruise missiles - 1273 (+0),
- ships/boats - 18 (+0),
- automotive equipment and tankers - 7086 (+27),
- special equipment - 677 (+0).
08:29 At night, the Russians attacked the south of Ukraine: several waves of shock drones were sent to detect and deplete air defense forces, after which six Caliber cruise missiles were fired from the Black Sea in Odessa. All the missiles were destroyed, however, the fragments of the downed missiles and the blast wave damaged port infrastructure facilities and several houses. One person was injured, OK Pivden reported. 21 drones were shot down on approach from the sea in the Odessa region, four more - in the sky over the Mykolaiv region.
08:21 PMC Wagner mercenaries in Belarus will perform two functions: training soldiers and "irritating" NATO member countries, said Andrei Yusov, spokesman for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense. According to him, today we are talking about 500-700 militants who arrived in Belarus. Some of them, according to him, will train the Belarusian army, and also, possibly, train new units of mobilized Russians. "And some will be publicly and deliberately involved, in particular, in unnerving Poland, other member countries of the Alliance and the European Union," Yusov added.
He stressed that the mercenaries do not pose a threat to the EU and NATO countries. They enter Belarus disarmed, and also disarmed, they mostly leave the territory of Ukraine. According to Yusov, today the arrival of the Wagnerites in Belarus does not in any way change the security situation.
08:12 At night, the Russians attacked Nikolaev: four kamikaze drones of the Shahed-136 type were shot down over the region, there was also a hit in an industrial facility. A fire broke out, which was promptly extinguished, people were not injured, said the head of the OVA, Vitaly Kim.
07:57 The Russian army is concentrating its main efforts on the Kupyansky, Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdeevsky and Maryinsky directions - 36 military clashes have occurred over the past day, the General Staff said in the morning summary . The Defense Forces of Ukraine continue the offensive operation in the Melitopol and Berdyansk directions, and consolidate on the achieved lines.
07:26 The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believes that Russian troops will not be able to make an operationally important breakthrough in the Kupyansk direction, where they launched an offensive. Analysts note that the Russian troops decided to take advantage of the fact that Ukrainian forces are concentrated in other sectors of the front, and divert the attention of Ukrainian reservists from critical areas of hostilities. But the low quality and composition of the Russian troops deployed on this front line will not allow Russia to achieve more than tactical success, ISW predicts.
03:52 Kuleba said at a press conference in New York that Russia uses the Kerch bridge mainly for military purposes: "Why do you think that the Kerch bridge is a civilian infrastructure, given that it is mainly used to supply the Russian army in the occupied Crimea and southern Ukraine with ammunition, fuel and other military equipment necessary to continue the aggressive war against Ukraine?"
The Minister stressed that not every bridge is civil by definition. "And this particular bridge, firstly, was built illegally. It exists outside the law, and we must always remember this. And secondly, it is mainly used for military purposes, and we must treat it as such," Kuleba added.