Russia-Ukraine war: Canada announces sanctions targeting Russian disinformation

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has called on the international community to condemn Russian action to prosecute Ukrainians in the temporarily captured regions, and increase political, diplomatic and sanctions on Russia. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has raised the demand for violations of international humanitarian law.  

Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Melanie Joly announced new sanctions against 29 state-sponsored disinformation and propaganda agents. Furthermore, Canada imposed sanctions against 15 entities controlled or owned by the Russian government and involved in disinformation work, according to the statement released by Canadian government. Among those sanctioned by Canada include Sumbatovich Gasparyan, the head of the International Department at Russia Today (RT). 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the frontline positions in the Dnipropetrovsk region. During the visit, Zelenskyy held talks with the Ukrainian service personnel and thanked them for their service, according to the statement released on Ukraine President's website. He also held a meeting on the operational situation of the Kryvyi Rih district in the Dnipropetrovsk region. 
 

A court in Moscow sentenced a municipal council member to seven years in prison Friday for his remarks opposing the war in Ukraine. The unprecedented sentence raises the stakes for Kremlin critics in Russia who speak out against Moscow’s invasion of its ex-Soviet neighbor.

Alexei Gorinov was found guilty of spreading “knowingly false information” about the Russian military, an offense that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison under a law the Russian parliament rubber-stamped a week after the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine.

The 60-year-old member of Moscow’s Krasnoselsky municipal council is the first person sentenced to serve time behind bars for a conviction on that charge, according to Net Freedoms, a legal aid group focused on free speech cases.

The two other convictions so far led to a fine and a suspended sentence, the group said. Gorinov, who was arrested in April, is the first elected representative to face charges under the wartime law.

Gorinov criticized Russia’s military actions in Ukraine at a Moscow municipal council meeting in March. A video available on YouTube shows him voicing skepticism about holding a planned children’s art competition in his constituency while “every day children are dying” in Ukraine.

Photographs published by Russian media of a Friday court hearing showed Gorinov behind inside a glass-walled defendant’s dock and holding up a sign that read, “Do you still need this war?” A bailiff tried to cover the sign with his hands.

When President Vladimir Putin ordered the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, a massive wave of outrage and antiwar sentiment swept Russia. Thousands of people protested on the streets of Moscow and St. Petersburg daily, and hundreds of thousands signed online petitions opposing the attack.

The Kremlin insisted that what it called a “special military operation” in Ukraine had overwhelming public support, and moved swiftly to suppress any criticism. Thousands of protesters were arrested, and dozens of critical media outlets were shut down.

Individuals who spoke out publicly against the invasion or accused Russian troops of committing atrocities in Ukraine have been targeted under the new legislation, which outlawed the spread of “false information” about the invasion and disparaging the military.

As of Friday, Net Freedoms had counted 68 criminal cases involving false information charges and at least 2,000 misdemeanor cases for the alleged disparagement of the Russian military.

(The Associated Press)

Luhansk Oblast Governor Serhiy Haidai has said that Severodonetsk is on the 'verge of humanitarian catastrophe', The Kyiv Independent reported. He claimed that about 80% of the residential buildings in the Russian-captured city have been destroyed or damaged. Haidai alleged the Russian Armed Forces of looting the homes of residents. 

Ever since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the unjustified invasion of Ukraine, the ensuing military conflict has undoubtedly united the western countries to stand against Moscow, which has led to the imposition of monetary sanctions on Russia and massive military assistance to Ukraine. After partaking in a meeting of G20 top diplomats, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday stated that steps to cease all mutual relations were not taken by Russia but by the United States and this is its choice while Kremlin has no intention of forcing itself upon Washington, reported TASS.

"It is not us who have ceased mutual contact. This has been done by the United States," he added, saying that "This is all that I can say." We do not run after anyone, offering to meet. If they do not want to talk, it is their choice, "Lavrov stressed.

Speaking about the role of Indonesia as the G20 chair and on the international scene, Lavrov stated that Indonesia understood the need to establish talks in "compliance with the norms of international law that are, in turn, based on the principles of sovereign equality."

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the "West is the direct instigator and perpetrator of war in Ukraine". Speaking at the meeting held at the Catherine's Hall of the Kremlin with State Duma officials and heads of political parties of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, the Kremlin leader lambasted the western nations, stating that the conflict was "instigated" by the Western nations that attempted a coup d'état of the 2014 far-right Ukrainian government, in which they ousted the pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. 

Meanwhile, during the meeting with leaders of the Kremlin, Putin warned Kyiv that it should immediately accept the Kremlin's terms or prepare for the worst, adding that Russia "hasn't even yet started anything in earnest". He accused the US and its allies of the current situation in Ukraine, adding that they want us to kill the last Ukrainian alive. 

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The Belgian Embassy will reopen in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv on Monday, 11 July, Euractiv reported. The development has been confirmed by Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. Peter Van De Velde will be replacing the former Belgian Ambassador to Ukraine, Axel Lenaerts in Kyiv. 

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba virtually addressed the G20 meeting. In his address, Kuleba called for a "resolute global response" to the Russian military offensive. He stressed that Russian aggression in Ukraine poses a threat to the world with energy and food crises. 

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen this month will visit the Indo-Pacific for the time since taking over the department and will use the trip to make the U.S. case for a price cap on Russian oil aimed at reducing revenue to the Kremlin.

Yellen will address the economic and humanitarian challenges wrought by Russia’s war in Ukraine as she represents the U.S. at Group of 20 finance minister meetings on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali and makes additional stops in Tokyo and Seoul, South Korea. During the July 12-19 trip, Yellen will notably avoid visiting China, although she did hold a call with China’s vice premier on Monday.

Yellen has been a critic of China’s economic relationship with Russia — urging China to use its “ special relationship with Russia” to persuade Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

Unlike the Group of Seven finance leader meetings in April, the G-20 will involve participant countries that are not united in taking action in opposition to the war in Ukraine. China, India, South Africa and Brazil have largely resisted signing on to efforts by the U.S. and its allies to punish Russia for its invasion. Russia is expected to participate as well.

Yellen will also tour an LG factory in South Korea and deliver a speech about the importance of strong international partnerships in building supply chains. LG in April announced plans to build a $1.4 billion battery plant in Queen Creek, Arizona.

Yellen’s trip to Asia will come days after the death of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Abe, a divisive arch-conservative and one of his nation’s most powerful and influential figures, was shot from behind during a campaign speech Friday in western Japan, according to NHK public television.

(The Associated Press)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will not participate in the official dinner and the evening session of the G20 summit in Indonesia, Nexta reported. He will be leaving early from the G20 Foreign Ministers Summit in Bali. 

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Friday called on his international counterparts at the G20 meeting to "find ways" for a concrete resolution to resolve the four-month-long running Russian war in Ukraine. In her opening address, Marsudi emphasised that it is important to end the war in Ukraine "sooner than later" given the mounting atrocities and devastation in the east European country. She also noted the grave ripple effect of the ongoing conflict, which has led humanitarian organisations to flag warnings of an imminent global food crisis.

Retno Marsudi also noted the crippling impact of the war on low-income and developing nations. For the unversed, the G20 convention is currently underway in Bali in the presence of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. 

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The Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the United Kingdom stated in its latest Defence Intelligence update that Moscow is probably concentrating equipment on the front line towards the direction of Ukraine’s city, Siversk, which is nearly 8 kilometres to the west of the present Russian front line. Taking to Twitter, the British Ministry claimed that before starting new military actions in Donetsk Oblast, it is probable that the Kremlin's soldiers are taking a break to resupply.   

The UK Defence Ministry further asserted, “There is a realistic possibility that Russia’s immediate tactical objective will be Siversk, as its forces attempt to advance towards its most likely operational goal of the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk urban area.” 

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Russian delegation to "let the grain out" of Ukraine. During his address at the second G20 session in Bali, Blinken accused Russia of blocking Ukrainian grain, AP reported citing Western diplomat. In his address, Blinken said, “To our Russian colleagues: Ukraine is not your country. Its grain is not your grain. Why are you blocking the ports? You should let the grain out,” AP reported citing diplomat.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has addressed the Pacific Islands Forum. During his address, Kuleba highlighted the role of the Pacific Islands Forum in promoting peace. Dmytro Kuleba further stated that Ukraine counts on the support of the Pacific Islands Forum in tackling global threats of the Russian military offensive. 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was not present during the address of Ukrainian counterpart at the summit of G20 countries in Bali. 

The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office said that 347 children have lost their lives since the onset of the military conflict. It further said that another 646 children have been wounded in the war-torn nation since the Russian invasion began on February 24. According to Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office, 2116 educational institutions have been damaged due to bombing and shelling by Russian forces. 

Foreign Ministers of the G20 countries did not take the group photo at the summit in Indonesia. The ministers did not take the traditional photo as a number of leaders refused to get captured with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Nexta reported.

The Russian Defence Ministry has announced that forces of Moscow have been conducting an "operational pause to rest and regain their combat capabilities", the Institute for the Study of War said in the report. It further stated that Russian troops make efforts to advance towards Slovyansk from Izium and they might be trying to develop conditions for advancing from Barvinkove. According to ISW, Russian forces carried out offensive operations in Bakhmut and conducted a limited attack on north of Kharkiv city.

The Ukraine's Armed Forces on Friday, July 8, claimed that Russia has lost 36,900 soldiers since the onset of military conflict. Taking to Facebook, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that the Russian troops have suffered loss of 1637 tanks, 828 artillery systems, 3811 armoured combat vehicles, 155 cruise missiles and 66 special equipment since the war began on February 24. Apart from this, the Russian forces have lost 247 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), 107 anti-aircraft warfare systems, 217 aircraft, 187 helicopters, 2685 vehicles and fuel tanks, 15 ships or boats as well as 669 unmanned aerial vehicles.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting in Bali. During the meeting, the two leaders discussed regional and international issues, including Afghanistan as well as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. 

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Friday condemned Russian space agency Roscosmos for using the space administration in spreading propaganda campaigns. 

This came after Roscosmos released a photo of Russian astronauts holding flags used by Russian proxies. It was in reference to promoting Russian victories in the occupied east Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. 

"NASA strongly rebukes using International Space Station for political purposes to support (Russan)i war against Ukraine," the statement said. 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday said he is ready to help Ukraine "as long as it is necessary." As quoted by Deutsche Welle, Scholz indirectly urged Russian Federation to refrain from hostile rhetorics. "We cannot accept one country attacking another and saying, I will steal a piece of your land from you now, it belongs to me now", he stated.

Russian prosecutors on Thursday called for prison sentences for a prominent opposition activist and for a Moscow city council member who opposes the invasion of Ukraine, in a sign the Kremlin's crackdown on dissent continues to gather pace.

Prosecutors asked that Andrei Pivovarov, former head of the Open Russia organization, be given a five-year sentence for “directing an undesirable organization,” a criminal offense under a 2015 law, according to his lawyer, Sergei Badamshin.

Pivovarov rejected the charges and pointed out during the court hearing that the criminal case was opened two days after Open Russia shut down. The group disbanded in an attempt to shield members from prosecution after it was designated an “undesirable” organization.

Pivovarov was pulled off a Warsaw-bound plane at St. Petersburg’s airport just before takeoff in May 2021. He was taken to the southern city of Krasnodar, where he was accused of supporting a local candidate on behalf of an “undesirable” organization. The criminal charge is based on a his social media posts supporting independent candidates in Krasnodar's municipal elections.

Badamshin, the lawyer, said prosecutors also requested that his client be barred from holding office for eight years.

Also on Thursday, a Russian prosecutor asked for a seven-year sentence for a Moscow city council member who spoke up against Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

Alexei Gorinov, who was detained in April, is the first Russian elected representative to face prison for spreading “knowingly false information” about the Russian army, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

Gorinov criticized Moscow’s military actions in Ukraine at a city council meeting in March, a recording of which is now available on YouTube. The video shows him voicing skepticism over a planned children’s art competition in his constituency while “every day children are dying” in Ukraine.

At a court hearing last month, Gorinov was photographed holding up a sign saying “I am against the war” as he sat in the defendant’s cage.

Moscow effectively outlawed independent discussion of its Ukraine operation, including all references to it as a “war” or “invasion," weeks after its troops rolled into Ukraine.

In another development Thursday, Russia issued an arrest warrant for Ilya Krasilshchik, an outspoken tech executive and former publisher of a leading independent Russian news site, Meduza.

Russian media have linked the charges against Krasilshchik, who left Russia in early March, to an Instagram post in which he voiced shock and outrage over the mass executions of civilians in Kyiv suburbs that were occupied by Russian troops in early spring.

Associated Press

Kyiv lawmakers on Thursday proposed legislation that will incriminate those illegally using funds allotted by European Union for Ukraine's assistance. In a televised address, Ukraine's Director of the Bureau of Economic Security Vadym Melnyk said that any "misuse" of such aids will incur criminal liability. 

On the 134th day of the all-out war on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy clearly stated that he and his administration will not be a part of negotiations where Ukraine has to "give away its land." Speaking to CNN, the embattled President reaffirmed his ground saying that concession of Ukrainian territory will not be part of talks aimed to end the war. "We always talk about that, and we are intending to prove it," he said.

"Ukrainians are not ready to give away their land, to accept that these territories belong to Russia. This is our land," Zelenskyy told CNN on Thursday.

The brutal invasion of Ukraine now has lasted for over four months with Russian forces making small but pivotal gains in the eastern part of the war-torn country. In the past week and earlier this week, the invaders seized two key cities in the industrial hub of Donbass region- Severodonetsk and Lysychansk. Meanwhile, the Russian troops, which foreign observers say have restored "some motivation" have continued to shell port cities in the southern part. Noting the renewed series of attacks, White House officials are now at a loss of confidence that Ukraine could reclaim all of its lost lands, CNN reported.

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Finland's parliament on Thursday agreed to a bill that permitted the fortification of borders with Russia. The lawmakers voted in the majority to build barriers along the Russian border. As reported by Kyiv Independent, Helinski also close agreed to temporarily close gates for asylum seekers. 

Russian Ministry of defence (moD) spokesperson Igor Konashenkov on Thursday announced that Moscow's troops in Ukraine have officially subsided to "operational pause" as they halted their advancement to "rest & regain" their combat capabilities, the Institute for Study of War (ISW) said. 

With Russia's military action in Ukraine in its fifth month, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday warned Kyiv that it should quickly accept Moscow's terms or brace for the worst, adding ominously that Russia has barely started its action.

Speaking at a meeting with leaders of the Kremlin-controlled parliament, Putin accused Western allies of fuelling the hostilities, charging that "the West wants to fight us until the last Ukrainian.” “It's a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, but it looks like it's heading in that direction,” he added.

“Everybody should know that largely speaking, we haven't even yet started anything in earnest,” Putin said in a menacing note.

Source/Image: Associated Press

Romania on Thursday announced that it is ready to boost gas supplies to Ukraine.

According to a report by Romanian RV Digi 24, Romanian PM Nicolae Ciurca said that the country will be able to ramp up delivery to Ukraine and Moldova after it has restored a train line connecting its Galati port on the Danube River to Ukraine. 

Kharkiv Prosecutor General's Office informed that at least 3 people were killed on Thursday after Russia renewed shelling in the region. The regional office published photos of the July 7th bombings of the Nemyshlyanskiy district.

Ukraine Armed Forces Southern Command in its Thursday war update report claimed that the defenders have destroyed significant Russian equipment, personnel in southern Ukraine.

On July 7, Ukrainian defenders killed 12 Russian soldiers and eliminated a Russian Msta-B howitzer, an ammunition depot, an Orlan-10 UAV, and a tank, Kyiv Independent reported.

Top diplomats from the world’s richest and largest developing nations are confronting multiple crises as they open talks beset by sharp divisions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its impacts on food and energy security, along with climate change, endemic poverty and the lingering effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Foreign ministers from the Group of 20 countries begin meeting on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on Friday with little prospect of achieving the kind of lofty consensuses on weighty issues that have been a hallmark of past gatherings. And, as they attempt to prepare for a G-20 leaders’ summit to be held at the same venue in November, they got a last-minute jolt with Thursday’s resignation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, one of the champions of the West’s hard-line on Russia.

While Johnson’s departure is unlikely to dent U.S. and European efforts to promote a tough line on Russia among other G-20 members, it will almost certainly be seen as a sign of weakness by China and Russia, both of which will be represented by their foreign ministers in Bali, Wang Yi, and Sergey Lavrov.

U.S. officials say they are determined not to allow distractions to divert attention from what they believe should be the primary focuses of the Bali conference: the disruption to world food and energy supplies caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine, blaming Moscow for its cause, and marshaling an international response to prevent further shortages that are already wreaking havoc in Africa, Asia and elsewhere.

Associated Press

Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday stated that he believed Boris Johnson's step down as the PM of the United Kingdom will not change London's support for Kyiv. 

"Undoubtedly, during this war, Boris Johnson showed himself to be a brave person and a person who is not afraid to take risks. At least remember his visit to Kyiv in April. He is such a person that it is very difficult to replace, there will never be a person like him. But I am convinced that whoever becomes the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Britain's policy and support for Ukraine will remain unchanged. And we will cooperate with them and they will provide us with help," Kuleba said during a televised address, as quoted by Radio Liberty. 

Warning of a looming food crisis that may befall world's vulnerable population, the UN's World Food Programme on Thursday called for a short and long-term fitting response to Russian blockade of the Black Sea. Director of the UN subsidiary, Patrick Beasley on Wednesday said that the current crisis over food affordability will increase if the 25 million tonnes of grains are not free from Ukraine. 

“This number has increased to 345 million due to the Ukraine crisis. And a staggering 50 million people in 45 countries are now just one step from famine. “The international community must act to stop this looming hunger catastrophe in its tracks – or these numbers will explode," he wrote in the Blair Institute pamphlet over the looming hunger crisis, as quoted by The Guardian. 

At the meeting of the parliamentarians, Russia's president Vladimir Putin said that the war in Ukraine was "instigated" by the Western countries who attempted coup d'état of the 2014 far-right Ukrainian government, in which they overthrew the pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. 

"This collaborative west is the direct instigator and perpetrator of what is happening in Ukraine," said Vladimir Putin. 

Russia's president went on to add that the western countries "provoked a conflict" via Ukraine to fight against Russia. 

Credit: Kremlin

Invading Russian troops have lost at least three ammunition storages and one fuel base in the last 24 hours, Sehiy Bratchuk, speaker for Odesa Regional Military Administration informed on messaging app Telegram. The Russian military arms depot was attacked by Ukrainian forces in Petrovsky and Ilovaisk district of breakaway territory of Donetsk. While the fuel storage came under attack in Kirovsky district. 

Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas presented combat drone to Ukraine that was donated by the Turkish manufacturer after a private crowdfunding and arrived in the country earlier this week. “One weapon won’t win a war but symbols are extremely important in any war,” he told public broadcaster LRT. The crowdfunding initiative was launched at the end of May with a target amount of 5 million euros, which it reached in just days as thousands of citizens chipped in.

Lithuania, a Baltic nation of 2.8 million that’s a former Soviet republic, is among the most active supporters of Ukraine and has provided military aid to Kyiv on a regular basis since Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.

Image/Source: Associated Press

In a pro-Russian tone, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro declared that the West's barrage of sanctions against the Russian federation "did not work" and have instead faltered. “The economic barriers that the United States and Europe imposed against Russia did not work,” Bolsonaro iterated, as per Guardian newspaper. Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the bilateral ties with Brazil when Bolsonaro visited Moscow on February 16 just days before Russia launched an all out invasion of its neighbour. 

Ukraine's soldier Ihor Lutsenko has claimed on social media that Russian troops have set fire to the fields of Ukrainian grain “like matches” from incendiary munitions. In a post, the former informed that the “flame sometimes reaches a height of 5 meters, a strip of hundreds of meters in width. Black smoke flies up and spreads across the sky for many kilometers.”

Credit: Facebook/Ihor Lutsenko

Canadian defense minister Anita Anand has announced that Ottawa will transfer 39 General Dynamics Land Systems made armoured vehicles meant for Canadian armed forces to Ukraine. The deal was struck in 2019, she informed in a statement. Furthermore, the Canadian defense minister continued that Ottawa will deliver an additional 360 armoured vehicles later in the upcoming months. 

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has hailed UK's role in protecting freedom for Ukraine, which he labelled as "truly global." "Ukraine's support from the United Kingdom should not change," he added during his nightly address. 

Ukraine’s presidential office said in its morning update that cities and villages in seven of the country’s regions were shelled in the past day. Most of the civilian deaths occurred in Donetsk province, where fighting is ongoing. Seven civilians were killed there, including a child, the presidential office said.

Later Thursday, a missile hit a residential area in the Donetsk city of Kramatorsk, killing one civilian and injuring at least six, officials said.

Source: Associated Press

Ousted UK PM Boris Johnson tweeted in response to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelesnkyy's reaction to the end of his leadership. 'You're a hero,' Johnson said, thanking for Zelenskyy's "friendship."

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has said that Kyiv "should quickly accept Moscow’s terms" to end the ongoing military operation that could turn into "worst." “Everybody should know that largely speaking, we haven’t even yet started anything in earnest,” he said as at least nine civilians were killed and six were injured in Russian shelling in Ukraine. 

Russia’s Defense Ministry seemed to confirm that assessment, saying in a statement Thursday that Russian soldiers had been given time to rest. “The units that performed combat missions ... are taking measures to recover their combat capabilities. The servicemen are given the opportunity to rest, receive letters and parcels from home,” read the statement, quoted by AP from Russian state news agency Tass.

Foreign analysts say Russia may be temporarily easing its offensive in eastern Ukraine as the Russian military attempts to reassemble its forces for a significant — and what it hopes could prove decisive — new assault on its neighbor. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned menacingly on Thursday that his forces “haven’t even started” to fight.

Russian forces made no claimed or assessed territorial gains in Ukraine on Wednesday “for the first time in 133 days of war,” according to the Institute for the Study of War. The Washington-based think tank suggested Moscow may be taking an “operational pause,” but said that does not entail “the complete cessation of active hostilities.”

“Russian forces will likely confine themselves to relatively small-scale offensive actions as they attempt to set conditions for more significant offensive operations” and rebuild the necessary combat power, the institute said.

Source/Image: Associated Press

At the UNHRC meet, Russia asserted that it has been "hypocritical and short-sighted that the EU countries, the US and their allies have been ignoring violence in Kyiv for 8 years, extermination of the residents of Donbass region, as well as specific facts of human rights violations in Ukraine." A representative for Russia warned that delivery of lethal weapons to Kyiv will not bring peace in Ukraine and Europe, but will only prolong the conflict further and lead to new victims among civilians, according to statement shared by Russia's Ministry of Foreing Affairs. 

In acccordance with the new draft rules adopted by the EU parliament, the Ukrainians can now continue using their driver's licence without having to switch to an EU one. 

Russia's leader Vladimir Putin during the planery meeting has warned the West that the longer the conflict in Ukraine drags on, the prospect of any negotiations with Kyiv will fail. Speaking to the ministers from the Russian State Duma, Putin was hinting at the weapons supply by the Western nations that he indictaed has flared the war in Ukraine. Putin also iterated that the military campaign in Ukraine has not even started “in earnest”.

In a statement on UK PM Boris Johnson's resignation, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainians have been feeling “sadness" after the ouster of the UK prime minister. Johnson was hailed for his immediate response, approval of weaponry for Kyiv to tackle Russia’s invasion.

“We all heard this news with sadness. Not only me, but also the entire Ukrainian society, which is very sympathetic to you,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. “My entire office and all Ukrainians are grateful to you for your help. We have no doubt that Great Britain’s support will be preserved, but your personal leadership and charisma made it special,” he added. 

President of Russia Vladimir Putin who held a meeting at the Catherine's Hall of the Kremlin with State Duma officials and heads of political parties of the Federal Assembly of Russian Federation asserted that "Russia will protect national interests, ensure sovereignty of the country." 

Putin hailed the Duma officials, all branches of government for "acting decisively, and quickly like real statesmen and patriots of Russia, for whom in difficult conditions, any inter-party disagreements fade into the background" after Moscow decided to launch a military intervention in Ukraine. He thanked parliamentary parties for humanitarian support to the residents of Donbass where Russian forces advanced fiercely pushing back the Ukrainian troops. 

Putin lambasted the "unfriendly, and obviously hostile actions of Western countries" against Russia, and the economic blitzkrieg aimed at crippling its economy. 

"Their [West's] goal was to sow discord against Russia, confusion in our society, demoralize people. But even here they miscalculated: nothing came of it, and I'm sure will not work," said Putin. He added that if the West aims to defeat Russia on the battlefield, it is welcome to try.

Credit: Kremlin

Citing the documents related to the military-biological activity of the USA in Ukraine, Russia's MoD has said that one of the key Pentagon contractors 'Metabiota' which received funding from US President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden's investment fund was involved in the response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. "The special military operation has led to receiving documents that reveals the plans of Metabiota and the Ukrainian Scientific-Technological Centre to study the Ebola virus in Ukraine," Russia's MFA quoted the Defense Ministry's report. 

Ukraine and the post-Soviet states have been converted to testing ground for biological weapons by the US as well as the NATO allies, Kremlin has claimed. Various biological projects were conducted on behalf of Joint Medical Service of the German Armed Forces, it further added. 

The documents were gained at the branch offices of the Defence Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). They contain the data on evaluation of healthcare, veterinary and biosecurity system efficiency prepared by a group of US experts in 2016, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. 

As the Russia Ukraine war has peaked the global inflation, the US dollar has been surging so much that it’s nearly equal in value to the euro for the first time in 20 years.  That trend, though, threatens to hurt American companies because their goods become more expensive for foreign buyers. If US exports were to weaken as a result, so, too, would the already-slowing US economy. Rubeela Farooqi of High Frequency Economics said that despite concern about a potential recession in the United States, “the US economy is on firmer footing compared to Europe.”

Source: Associated Press

The presidents of NATO members Poland and Lithuania voiced confidence that allied troops can fully safeguard a strategically vital corridor, which links their countries, between Russian ally Belarus and a Russian Baltic Sea exclave.

Concern over NATO’s ability to defend the so-called Suwalki Gap, a 70-kilometre (43-mile) wedge joining Poland and Lithuania, has rocketed since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. The bottleneck separates Belarus from the Kaliningrad exclave, where Russia’s Baltic Fleet — and nuclear-capable missiles — are based.

President Andrzej Duda of Poland and Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda visited the sparsely populated area Thursday and met with NATO troops on the Polish and the Lithuanian side. “This is a very sensitive area and the eyes of an aggressor could potentially be directed here,” Nauseda said in Szypliszki, on the Polish side.

The corridor links Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia — all former Soviet republics bordering Russia — to Poland and other NATO members. “We have decided to come to this place ... to show that it is safe ... just because of what you can see here today: the daily, calm but full of vigilance service of the Polish, Lithuanian and other NATO troops,” Poland’s Duda said.

(Associated Press)

Amid the ongoing war, Ukraine's international reserves have seen a decrease of 9% in June. According to the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), the government body sold $4 billion, decreasing the national reserves to $22.8 billion.

Foreign analysts say Russia may be temporarily easing its offensive in eastern Ukraine as the Russian military attempts to reassemble its forces for a significant - and what it hopes could prove decisive - offensive to conquer the neighbouring country.

On Wednesday, Russian forces made no claimed or assessed territorial gains in Ukraine “for the first time in 133 days of war,” according to the Institute for the Study of War. The think tank based in Washington suggested that Moscow may be taking an “operational pause,” but that it does not entail “the complete cessation of active hostilities.”

“Russian forces will likely confine themselves to relatively small-scale offensive actions as they attempt to set conditions for more significant offensive operations and rebuild the combat power needed to attempt those more ambitious undertakings,” the institute said. 

A Thursday statement from Russia’s Defense Ministry seemed to confirm that assessment. It said Russian military units involved in combat in Ukraine had been given time to rest.

(Associated Press)

In a recent development, the German government has refused to supply Fuchs armoured personnel carriers to Ukraine. "We support Ukraine with everything possible and responsible, but Germany needs to be able to have the ability to defend itself," German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht told reporters, Kyiv Independent reported. 

Ukraine has criticised Turkey for releasing a ship carrying grain that was stolen from Ukraine. The Russian cargo ship Zhibek Zholy, which the Turkish authorities had first detained at the request of the Ukrainian authorities, has now been released. 

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed three decrees instituting state rewards for Ukrainian defenders. The President issued Decree No. 470/2022, through which 63 Ukrainian troops, including one posthumously— would receive awards. Furthermore, 198 military personnel would receive state awards, 63 of them posthumously, as per document No. 471/2022. Whereas Decree No. 472/2022 would award 50 Ukrainian militaries, Ukrinform reported.  According to a report by Ukrinform, the necessary decrees have been posted on the Ukrainian president's website. 

Meanwhile, earlier in July, 634 defenders of Ukraine received state honours from President Zelenskyy. In accordance with Decree No. 460/2022, the President awarded 237 military personnel, 223 of whom received their decorations posthumously. Awards were presented to 187 defenders, 32 of them posthumously, in line with Decree no. 461/2022. A total of 224 military members received decorations from the head of state, 36 of them posthumously, as per Decree No. 462/2022. 

A Ukrainian official stated that the country is in talks with Russia only on humanitarian issues. Speaking at a pan Ukraine television marathon, Presidential office advisor Mykhailo Podoliak informed a "subgroup" is holding negotiations with Russia over concerns related to the exchange of prisoners and war casualties. He clarified, that the discussions do not count as direct participation of Kyiv in formal deliberations over the cessation of the ongoing violence by the Russian Federation.

"There are certain contacts, but at the level of humanitarian subgroups. Because we always need to solve issues related to the exchange of prisoners and the exchange of bodies. And if possible, certain humanitarian corridors should also be opened. From a political and diplomatic point of view, [Ukraine-Russia talks] have been paused," Ukrinform quotes Podoliak as saying.

A staggering 71 million more people around the world are experiencing poverty as a result of soaring food and energy prices that climbed in the weeks following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United Nations Development Program said in a report Thursday.

The UNDP estimates that 51.6 million more people fell into poverty in the first three months after the war, living off $1.90 a day or less. This pushed the total number globally at this threshold to 9% of the world’s population. An additional 20 million people slipped to the poverty line of $3.20 a day.

In low-income countries, families spend 42% of their household incomes on food but as Western nations moved to sanction Russia, the price of fuel and staple food items like wheat, sugar and cooking oil soared. Ukraine’s blocked ports and its inability to export grains to low-income countries further drove up prices, pushing tens of millions quickly into poverty.

“The cost of living impact is almost without precedent in a generation... and that is why it is so serious,” UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner said at the launch of the report.

The speed at which this many people experienced poverty outpaced the economic pain felt at the peak of the pandemic. The UNDP noted that 125 million additional people experienced poverty over about 18 months during the pandemic’s lockdowns and closures, compared with more than 71 million who hit poverty in just three months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February.

(Associated Press)

On the 134th day of the ravaging war between Moscow and Kyiv in Eastern Europe, the Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergey Lavrov stated on Wednesday that the allegations made by Ukraine about the Russian troops attacking its own towns and cities are false. Lavrov said in a response to a TASS query during a news conference held after meetings with the senior diplomat for Vietnam, Bui Thanh Son, “In a word, they are lying. Facts are well-known, our Defense Ministry presents facts on a daily basis".  

The West needs to acknowledge its responsibility for the killings of civilians in Donbass and Ukraine, the Russian foreign minister said. Further, Lavrov remarked, “Western countries certainly should recognize their responsibility, regardless of what (Ukraine’s President Vladimir) Zelensky and his team say,” Tass reported. “Generally speaking, it is state terrorism," he added.  

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The Ukrainian Armed Forced hoisted a larger flag on Snake Island today. According to reports, Ukraine regained the region from Russia's control on June 30. 

Joe Biden has yet again blamed Russia for the unprecedented inflation in the United States. According to the POTUS, it was his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin who has been blocking the major sea ports in Ukraine, resulting in 40-year high inflation in the United States. "We've got a long way to go because of inflation, because of – I call it the Putin tax increase – Putin because of gasoline and all that grain he’s keeping from being able to get to the market," RT News quoted US President as saying. Notably, this was not the first time when Biden blamed Putin over inflation in the US. Earlier in May this year, he levelled a similar allegation against Putin. 

His statement predominantly focused on the grains that have been blocked in war-torn Ukraine since the onset of the "special military operation". Besides, the US leader also blamed his Russian counterpart for a historic spike in energy prices. In a bid to control inflation, he announced the release of oil from global oil reserves on June 4. While announcing the initiative, he stated that it would help the oil prices to get down, which have been continuously surging since the onset of Russia's invasion. Apart from oil, he has also directed the sale of gasoline using homegrown biofuels this summer. 

Read more. 

Luhansk Oblast Governor Serhiy Haidai claimed that Russia is attempting to recruit Lysychansk, Sievierodonetsk residents to join its armed forces. He stated that Russian occupiers are looking to reinforce their army by enlisting citizens of the occupied towns of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk.

Whatsapp LLC could be slapped with an 80 million rubles fine ($377,000) by Moscow court after failing to meet repeated demands stipulated under Russian media laws. According to Russian media reports, Moscow's Tagansky district court will deliver the verdict on the case filed by Roskomnadzor [Russia's media watchdog] against the social media messaging application for refusing to localise data of Russians. The verdict will reportedly be delivered on July 28.

Whatsapp was previously imposed with $54,040 in fine for against the same complaint in August.  

Foreign ministers from the Group of 20 leading rich and developing nations are gathering in Indonesia’s resort island of Bali for talks bound to be dominated by the conflict in Ukraine despite an agenda focused on global cooperation and food and energy security.

The one-day gathering will take place on Friday on the mostly Hindu “island of the gods” in the majority Muslim archipelago nation. 

Underscoring the backdrop of tensions hanging over the meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russia’s top diplomat Sergey Lavrov stopped in various Asian capitals on their way to Bali, drumming up support and fortifying their ties in the region ahead of the talks.

The United States and its allies have sought to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin in as many ways as possible, including by threatening a boycott of the G-20′s Bali summit in November unless Putin is removed from the forum.

So as this year’s president of the G-20, Indonesia has been forced into playing a more constructive role on the world stage rather than acting just as an “event organizer.” The country has sought to remain neutral in dealing with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and President Joko Widodo has been guarded in his comments.

Widodo was the first Asian leader to visit the warring countries. Ukraine is not a member of G-20, but Widodo has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the November summit along with Putin, hoping to appease all sides and limit any distractions from the forum’s agenda.

Zelenskyy has said he won’t attend if the war is continuing then and has opted to follow the discussions by video link. Widodo reportedly told Italian Prime Minister Marion Draghi, on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Germany, that Putin also will not be coming. Moscow has said a decision has not yet been made.

That apparent compromise may be put to the test when the G-20 foreign ministers gather in Bali’s heavily-guarded Nusa Dua tourist haven to lay the groundwork for the 17th summit of the West’s economic powerhouses.

Associated Press

As the war in Eastern Europe continues unabated with no sign of ending anytime soon, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has warned against any attempts by Western nations to punish a nuclear power like Russia. He stated that doing so could potentially imperil humanity. "The idea to punish a country with the largest nuclear potential is absurd and potentially creates the threat to mankind’s existence," he stated on Telegram, the Associated Press (AP) reported. Medvedev also slammed the United States, accusing it of spreading instability and havoc around the globe in the name of "true democracy."

Medvedev, the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, also denounced US-backed calls for an international tribunal to try Russia for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. He stated that it's the habit of the US to accuse others while staying immune from any trial. Pointing out the US nuclear attack on Japan during World War II and the Vietnam War, the Russian leader said that Washington has a long history of fighting brutal wars. "Was anyone held responsible for those crimes? What tribunal condemned the sea of blood spilt by the US there?" Medvedev asked. 

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Amid the ongoing Moscow-Kyiv war in Eastern Europe, the Russian Embassy in the United States issued a statement claiming that the United States' demand to exclude Russia from all sporting events worldwide is "politically driven and an instance of unfair competition". The US Department of State released a statement on Tuesday, saying that Washington and its allies have urged to suspend the participation of national sports federations of Russia and Belarus in all global federations. The US government further claimed that these announcements were in the context of Russia's special military campaign in Ukraine. 

"We have noted yet another Russophobic attack from the United States and its satellites, which do not leave attempts to limit Russian participation in sporting events," citing the Russian Embassy's statement posted on its Facebook account, TASS reported. The statement further added that these comments of the US have been done on the flimsy pretext of Russia purportedly breaking international law and abusing human rights in the wake of the "special military operation in Ukraine." 

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Ukrainian Armed Forces on Thursday claimed that it has liquidated 36,650 Russian troops since the beginning of the war. In addition, the defenders also eliminated 1,600 tanks, 3,797 armoured vehicles, and over 815 artillery systems. 

The Office of the Prosecutor General, Iryna Venediktova, of Ukraine released an update on the casualties in the war waged by Russian since February.

According to the report, the death of children in the invasion rose to 347. Another 646 were reported injured in the past 4 months. 

A staggering 71 million more people around the world are experiencing poverty as a result of soaring food and energy prices that climbed in the weeks following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the United Nations Development Program said in a report Thursday.

The UNDP estimates that 51.6 million more people fell into poverty in the first three months after the war, living off $1.90 a day or less. This pushed the total number globally at this threshold to 9% of the world's population. An additional 20 million people slipped to the poverty line of $3.20 a day.

In low-income countries, families spend 42% of their household incomes on food but as Western nations moved to sanction Russia, the price of fuel and staple food items like wheat, sugar, and cooking oil soared. Ukraine's blocked ports and its inability to export grains to low-income countries further drove up prices, pushing tens of millions quickly into poverty.

“The cost of living impact is almost without precedent in a generation... and that is why it is so serious,” UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner said at the launch of the report.

The speed at which this many people experienced poverty outpaced the economic pain felt at the peak of the pandemic. The UNDP noted that 125 million people experienced poverty over about 18 months during the pandemic’s lockdowns and closures, compared with more than 71 million in just three months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February.

“The speed of this is very quick,” said George Molina, UNDP chief economist and author of the report.

Some of the countries hardest hit by inflation include Haiti, Argentina, Egypt, Iraq, Turkey, the Philippines, Rwanda, Sudan, Kenya, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan. In countries like Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Mali, Nigeria, and Yemen, the impacts of inflation are even harder for those already at the lowest poverty line.

Associated Press

Irish PM Micheal Martin on Wednesday called on Russia to end its "inhumane and immoral" invasion of Ukraine during a visit to Kyiv. In a joint presser with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, PM Martin also noted the irreparable damages after he visited the Bucha, Irpin, which has become synonymous with atrocities of war after roads were found strewn with dead bodies following the Russian retreat in March. 

The Institute for Study of War in its Thursday's war update warned that the Kremlin has continued to prepare for protracted war by settling conditions for crypto-mobilisation of the economy. 

Europe's largest bank (by assets), HSBC Holdings is in talks with local Russian Expobank Igor Kim to sell off its Russian business in a bid to cease operations in the country. According to Telegraph, people close to the matter informed that the decision came in response to pressure from MPs to exit from Russia to deplore its war against Ukraine. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during his night address on the 133rd day of the war, promised that he will not "give our land and the whole sovereign territory of Ukraine will be Ukrainian." Zelenskyy urged his officials to spread the word in the occupied villages. "Take every opportunity to tell people in occupied areas that we remember then and we are fighting for them."

Russia on Wednesday, July 6  halted exports of Kazakhstan oil via the major Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). A Moscow court ordered a 30-day suspension of the activity of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which transports the oil from the Black Sea via one of the world's largest pipelines through Kazakhstan. In late April, the Russian federal agency Rostransnadzor which supervises pipelines conducted an audit of the company operating pipeline CPC-R. The audit that concluded in May “revealed a number of documentary violations under the Oil Spill Response (OSR) Plan.” The court ruled for a 30-day suspension.

The move came just weeks after Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg that he will not formally recognize the eastern separatist republics of Donetsk and Luhansk of Ukraine as "independent states." Syria, Russia's other ally, became the world's first country to do so. 

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Ukraine General Staff of Armed Forces on Thursday thanked Lithuania for the "consistent and constant" support on their State Brotherhood Day. 

"We are grateful for the openness of your hearts to everyone who found rescue from Russian bombs, missiles., atrocities, and war crimes in your extraordinary country," the statement said, adding that both Ukraine and Lithuania have a common vision toward end results of radical changes of the Armed Forces during the war and after victory over Russian Federation. 

Ukrainian Southern Command in its operational update claimed that Russia on Wednesday upped its Black Sea fleet with 5 missile carriers, two submarines, and a single amphibious assault ship. 

This comes as the invading troops continued shelling east and southern Ukrainian cities. In Kharkiv, Russian troops launched airstrikes in Rubizhne. Meanwhile, following the takeover of Lysychank, Russian soldiers were trying to advance toward settlements in Verkhnokamisanske and Hryhorivka, a statement by Ukraine's General Staff of Armed Forces said. 

Russian missile strikes on Kharkiv Pedagogical University completely destroyed the main building, lecture halls, library and museum, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "When it comes to the definition of barbarism, this strike fits the bill the most. Only an enemy of civilization and humanity can do such things - strike missiles at a university, a pedagogical university," he added. 

The European Union (EU) is trying to draft a mechanism that would allow the use of confiscated Russian assets to be used for the reconstruction of Ukraine. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, has said that the new provision will restore justice as it would make Russia foot the bill for the widespread destruction that its forces have wreaked on Ukrainian soil. Furthermore, she said that the EU is seeking to use assets of the Russian government and Russian oligarchs' money for reconstruction efforts in the war-torn nation, The Kyiv Independent reported.

Speaking at a press conference in Strasbourg, France, der Leyen said that the bloc will establish a "legal framework" that would allow them to use assets from Russia and help in the restoration of Kyiv."I think it is a matter of justice to consider this issue," she said. The platform will be used to map and calculate the total investment needs, as well as coordinate action and channel resources, von der Leyen told the Ukraine Recovery Conference in the Swiss city of Lugano separately, where Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made such a demand. 

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Two children were reported killed on Wednesday, with three others wounded in the rebel-held Donetsk town of Makiivka in a shelling blamed on Ukraine.

In footage gathered of the aftermath by The Associated Press, eyewitnesses said that a Soviet-era Uragan missile struck a playground outside a residential home.

Russian media cited the Territorial Defense – civilian-paramilitary outfits of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic - as saying that two children were killed, three more children wounded as well as two adults, although information was scarce, with no official sources from either side making a claim thus far.

Associated Press

Russian Deputy Representative Dmitry Polianskiy on Wednesday requested the UN Security Council to hold an informal meeting on "neo-Nazism" and "radical nationalism' in Ukraine. Calling for a session on July 11, Poliyanskiy said, he would give the council an "opportunity to learn the history of Nazsm in Ukraine and its current status." 

Ukrainian envoy to the council dubbed the move as "aggravation of aggressive mimicry," Kyiv Independent reported. 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday said Berlin will deliver weapons to Kyiv under the principle of "circular exchange." He explained that Germany will send Kyiv their artillery supplies in return for Ukraine's Soviet-era weapons. 

Ukraine Prosecutor General, Iryna Venediktova's office is currently investigating at least 21,000 war crimes reported against Russian troops. She told local media that her office records approximately 200-300 reports daily. 

After the seizure in March, Russian troops are steadily converting Europe's largest nuclear power plant into a military base. More than 500 Russian troops have set camp in Zaporizhzhia with heavy artillery and batteries and using the NPP as a shield, the Washington Post reported. 

They have also reportedly laid mines along the reservoirs, the water from which cools at least six reactors, the workers of the NPP told WSJ. The newly infused weaponry definitely prevents potential counterattack due to underlying risks of nuclear spill of. 

Speaking at a national address on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy said that the weapons delivered by the West are beginning to work "very powerfully." 

"Finally it is felt that the western artillery - the weapons we received from our partners - started working very powerfully," Zelenskyy said in the video message.

"Its accuracy is exactly as needed. Our defenders inflict very noticeable strikes on depots and other spots that are important for the logistics of the occupiers. And this significantly reduces the offensive potential of the Russian army. The losses of the occupiers will only increase every week, as will the difficulty of supplying them," he added.