Pavlo Bashynskyi
On July 4, Ukraine conducted a prisoner exchange, bringing back military personnel, including those from Mariupol, and civilians, most of whom had been in captivity since 2022. Among those released are seriously wounded, seriously ill, and those under 25 years old.
Prosecutors have sent an indictment to court against Oleg Poberezhniuk, former commander of the 211th Pontoon-Bridge Brigade. He is accused of inaction by military authorities, as he did not react to facts of inhumane treatment and torture of subordinate servicemen.
A Chinese component was found in a Russian drone in Kyiv after a night attack. The same night, the building of the Chinese Consulate General in Odesa suffered minor damage from Russian strikes.
The High Anti-Corruption Court extended the obligations for ex-head of the SFS Roman Nasirov until September 4, 2025. He is suspected of receiving a bribe and causing damages to the state exceeding UAH 2 billion.
A study by Info Sapiens found that 63% of Ukrainians are knowledgeable about currency, but less than 50% understand banking services, taxes, and loans. Only 31% can convert a monthly loan rate into an annual one.
On July 4, the USA celebrates the 249th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In Ukraine, this day marks Forensic Expert Day and National Police Day, as well as Country Music Day.
Football club "Liverpool" will forever retire the number 20 for Portuguese winger Diogo Jota, who tragically died in a car accident. Jota, who joined the club in 2020, played 182 matches, scored 65 goals, and provided 26 assists.
Explosions were heard over occupied Donetsk, Makiivka, and Khartsyzk, with eyewitnesses reporting air defense activity. After the shelling, smoke is visible in Khartsyzk.
The US House of Representatives passed President Donald Trump's domestic policy bill, sending it for his signature. The document provides for tax cuts, increased funding for the Pentagon and border security, and a reduction in the federal social security system.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on European countries to increase pressure on Russia, calling it a deliberate anti-European project. He emphasized the need for tough sanctions, a cap on oil prices, and an end to dual-use goods supplies.
The IMF warned that Trump's tax bill would make it harder to reduce the US budget deficit and debt burden. The bill increases the deficit by $3.3 trillion, which contradicts the reduction of federal debt in the medium term.
Russian dictator's aide Yuriy Ushakov stated that the next round of talks in Istanbul will be bilateral between Russia and Ukraine. Washington's participation in this process is not expected.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that a meeting at the level of leaders of Ukraine and Russia is necessary to achieve peace, as only Vladimir Putin makes decisions in the Russian Federation. He also confirmed a conversation with Donald Trump in the coming days.
In total, since 2022, 1754 apartment buildings and 214 educational institutions have been damaged in the capital.
Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko reported that the audit revealed over 20,000 criminal proceedings against businesses, which significantly exceeds official data. All these cases will be reviewed, leading to their closure, additional expert examinations, or referral to court.
Football club "Liverpool" confirmed the death of its winger Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva as a result of a car accident in Spain. The accident occurred due to a punctured tire on a Lamborghini, which led to a fire.
257 civilians died, 2,000 buildings damaged since the start of the invasion.
The Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court reduced the bail for Alla Kyrylenko, wife of the head of the AMCU, from UAH 9 million to UAH 242 thousand. She is suspected of complicity in the illegal enrichment of Pavlo Kyrylenko by over UAH 72 million.
Ukraine had 225 air defense systems in 1992, and by 2019, only about 60 remained. Partners have transferred about 100 air defense missile systems to Ukraine, but the country has lost 171 systems.
Explosions occurred in the Zhytomyr region, completely destroying two production facilities. As a result of the incident, many residential buildings were destroyed and people were injured.
Hromadske journalist Maksym Kotsiubynskyi was detained in Kyiv after a passerby reported him to the police for photographing a building and parked cars. He was taken to the police station, where he was released after the circumstances were clarified and a lawyer arrived.
A photo of the Russian passport of Metropolitan Orest Berezovsky of the UOC-MP, known as Onufriy, has been published online. This confirms his Russian citizenship, despite the UOC's statements to the contrary.
President Zelenskyy announced the preparation of new agreements with Denmark and other partners regarding the joint production of weapons and drones. News regarding interceptor drones is also being prepared.
President Zelenskyy heard reports from the Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs regarding relations with the United States. Details of the supply of defense support, including air defense components, were discussed against the backdrop of the US cessation of supplying certain types of weapons.
President Zelenskyy commented on the deprivation of citizenship of UOC-MP figure Orest Berezovsky (Onufriy). He emphasized that individuals who support or justify Russian aggression have no place in Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte commented on the words of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov regarding the increase in NATO countries' budgets. Rutte noted that since Lavrov's appointment, nothing useful has come from his lips.
An explosion occurred in the village of Berezyna, Zhytomyr region, resulting in casualties. The blast wave also damaged nearby houses.
A 46-year-old Kyiv resident has been notified of suspicion for hooliganism with a weapon. The man shot at a volunteer's car, mistakenly taking it for a car that had splashed him with water.
Prosecutors and the SBU exposed a scheme that caused the state losses of over UAH 33 million due to incomplete assembly of large-caliber rifles. A former Ministry of Defense official and a company head have been notified of suspicion.
The Cabinet of Ministers allowed changing the terms of state contracts for the procurement of UAVs and EW after their conclusion. A price increase of up to 20% is allowed in case of changes in technical solutions at the customer's request.