Antonina Tumanova
A Russian guided aerial bomb hit a medical facility in Kharkiv, causing significant destruction. Fourteen people were injured, four were hospitalized, but the medical staff and patients of the facility were not harmed.
Ukraine returned another group of children from the temporarily occupied territories as part of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative. Among those rescued are a child who was forbidden to speak Ukrainian and a teenager who was subjected to propaganda pressure.
Commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, reported that Starlink is not working across the entire front. Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, confirmed problems with Starlink's operation not only in Ukraine but also in other countries around the world.
Since the beginning of the day, 130 combat engagements have been recorded on the front line, 43 of which occurred in the Pokrovsk direction. Russian troops used 1156 kamikaze drones, 4 missiles, 91 guided bombs, and carried out 3821 shellings.
Zhytomyr's Polissya lost to Andorra's Santa Coloma with a score of 1:2, while Oleksandriya lost to Serbia's Partizan 0:2. The return matches for both teams will take place on July 31.
President Zelenskyy has changed the composition of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, approving Rustem Umerov as coordinator. Yulia Svyrydenko, Mykhailo Fedorov, and Denys Shmyhal have joined the Staff, while O. Lytvynenko and H. Smetanin have been removed.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed government officials to present the bill on strengthening the powers of NABU and SAPO to all partners and to engage expert capabilities. The bill provides for the return of old norms, mandatory polygraph for employees with access to state secrets, and a ban on travel abroad for NABU employees.
Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili has again offered convicted opposition leaders to apply for a pardon to participate in municipal elections. They had previously refused this offer, despite being sentenced to 7 and 8 months in prison.
In Kharkiv, rescuers extinguished all fires caused by the enemy air strike. As a result of the attack, 44 people were injured, including 7 children.
The Odesa region prosecutor's office uncovered systemic abuses by officials that led to budget losses of UAH 6. 3 million and environmental damage of almost UAH 200 million. Among the crimes identified are illegal sand extraction from the Danube, embezzlement of state enterprise funds, and misuse of budget allocations.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted a draft law that restores the procedural powers and guarantees of independence of NABU and SAPO. NABU and SAPO called on the Verkhovna Rada to adopt this initiative as soon as possible to prevent threats to criminal proceedings.
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk held a conversation with Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson. The strengthening of sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation and inter-parliamentary cooperation were discussed.
Bill No. 13533 of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on strengthening the powers of NABU and SAPO will be considered by the parliament at the next plenary session. This document, in particular, amends the powers of NABU and SAPO, granting the Prosecutor General of Ukraine the right to give instructions and access to materials of pre-trial investigation.
The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine reported that Russia has launched a large-scale information operation against Ukraine, using the factor of "anti-corruption protests. " The Kremlin is engaging controlled media, bloggers, and influencers in the West to spread narratives about a crisis in Ukrainian society and an "anti-American coup."
Zhytniy Market will receive the status of a newly discovered monument within a month after the approval of the registration documentation. After that, preparations will begin for submitting an application to the Ministry of Culture to obtain the status of a cultural heritage object.
In Kyiv's Desnianskyi district, a four-year-old boy fell from a 21st-floor apartment window and died. The child leaned on a mosquito net while in the room with his sister, while his mother was in the kitchen.
This year, Sofia became the most common name for girls in Ukraine, while Bohdan, Matvii, Oleksandr, and Tymofii were popular among boys. Parents also chose rare names such as Arey, Lucifer, Valkyrie, and Munachimso Aiv.
Football Club "LNZ" (Cherkasy) signed a cooperation agreement with the Ukrainian brand FAVBET for the 2025/26 season. The partnership is aimed at team development, and an updated uniform with FAVBET branding was also presented.
Zhytniy Market in Kyiv has been recognized as a local architectural monument. Now, only restoration work is allowed on the site, which should protect the building from demolition and reconstruction.
Tropical storm Wipha caused severe floods in the central Vietnamese province of Nghe An, killing at least three people and leaving one missing. Over 3,700 homes were submerged, and 1,600 hectares of rice paddies were damaged.
As a result of the enemy attack on Kharkiv, 37 people were injured, 20 residential buildings, a production workshop, and an administrative building were damaged. Mayor Ihor Terekhov announced the restoration of electricity supply and the start of work on closing windows.
Russian troops attacked Kostiantynivka with aerial bombs and artillery, killing two women aged 48 and 59, and injuring 14 people aged 36 to 91. At least 10 multi-story buildings, 21 private houses, and other infrastructure were damaged.
Electricity disappeared in a number of districts of Mykolaiv. Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych reported that the causes are being investigated, and contact is maintained with the regional power company.
The Government of Ukraine met with G7 ambassadors to discuss anti-corruption policy. The President will submit a bill to strengthen the independence of anti-corruption bodies and prevent external influence.
President Zelenskyy announced the completion of the ninth stage of prisoner exchange with the Russian Federation, as a result of which severely ill and seriously wounded defenders returned home. In total, over a thousand Ukrainian citizens have been returned through all stages of exchanges agreed upon in Istanbul.
The head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, announced proposals to Ukraine regarding the exchange of 1,200 prisoners of war, short truces, and the transfer of 3,000 bodies of fallen Ukrainian soldiers. Negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations concluded in Istanbul.
The Russian side proposed Ukraine to create three working groups after the completion of negotiations in Istanbul. The Ukrainian delegation, according to Medinsky, is considering this proposal.
Since the beginning of the day, 72 combat engagements have taken place on the front, 26 of them in the Pokrovsk direction. Ukrainian soldiers repelled attacks in the North Slobozhansky, Kursk, South Slobozhansky, Kupyansk, Lyman, Siversk, Toretsk, Novopavlivka, and Prydniprovsky directions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Israeli Foreign Minister Gidon Sa'ar to discuss the situation in the Middle East, including the Iranian threat.
Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak held a meeting in Istanbul with the Director of the National Intelligence Organization of Turkey, Ibrahim Kalin. The parties discussed issues of the defense industry and the return of prisoners, as well as Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.