Listed below are the important thing occasions on day 1,240 of Russia’s battle on Ukraine.
Right here is how issues stand on Friday, July 18:
Preventing
- The Russian Ministry of Defence claimed that its forces have captured three Ukrainian settlements: Kamianske within the southeastern Zaporizhia area, Dehtiarne within the northeastern Kharkiv area, and Popiv Yar within the Donetsk area.
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Russian air defences destroyed a Ukrainian drone headed for Moscow, the town’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, stated.
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Russia’s Defence Ministry stated 46 Ukrainian drones had been destroyed over a interval of 4 hours on Thursday night, together with a single drone over the Moscow area. Most had been downed in areas close to the Ukraine border, together with 31 over Russia’s Bryansk area and 10 over the Russian-annexed Crimea peninsula.
- Russia and Ukraine have exchanged extra our bodies of their battle lifeless, a Kremlin aide stated, a part of an settlement struck on the second spherical of peace talks in Istanbul in June. A complete of 1,000 our bodies of Ukrainian troopers had been turned over in alternate for 19 our bodies of Russian troopers.
Army support
- Preparations are underneath solution to rapidly switch extra Patriot air defence techniques to Ukraine, NATO’s high army commander, Alexus Grynkewich, stated.
- Czech-coordinated shipments of artillery ammunition for Ukraine are rising this 12 months, in keeping with Ales Vytecka, director of the Czech Defence Ministry’s AMOS worldwide cooperation company. To this point this 12 months, shipments have totalled 850,000 shells, together with 320,000 NATO 155mm calibre projectiles.
- Ukraine will let overseas arms firms check out their newest weapons on the entrance line of its battle in opposition to Russia, Kyiv’s state-backed arms funding and procurement group Brave1 stated.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed the US publication The New York Submit that he and United States President Donald Trump are contemplating a deal that includes Washington shopping for battlefield-tested Ukrainian drones in alternate for Kyiv buying weapons from the US.
- Zelenskyy instructed the nation’s parliament that he expects his new authorities to extend the quantity of domestically-produced weapons on Ukraine’s battlefield from 40 p.c to 50 p.c throughout the subsequent six months.
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The US has knowledgeable Switzerland of delays to the supply of Patriot air defence techniques, the Swiss Defence Ministry stated, including that Washington desires to prioritise supply of the techniques to Ukraine.
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated readability is required on how the US might exchange any weapons that Europe plans to ship to Ukraine. He issued the assertion throughout a go to to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Politics and diplomacy
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President Trump’s determination to ramp up arms shipments to Ukraine is a sign to Kyiv to desert peace efforts, Russia International Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated.
- Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated Russia had no plans to assault NATO or Europe however floated the concept of preemptive strikes if it believed the West was escalating what he forged as its full-scale battle in opposition to Russia.
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Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico stated his nation will cease blocking the approval of the 18th package deal of European Union sanctions in opposition to Russia, which might be accepted on Friday.
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Ukraine’s parliament appointed Yulia Svyrydenko, 39, because the nation’s first new prime minister in 5 years, a part of a significant cupboard overhaul aimed toward revitalising wartime administration of the nation as prospects for peace with Russia develop dim. Ukraine’s former Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has been named defence minister.
- Ukraine’s parliament additionally voted to maintain Andrii Sybiha as overseas minister, whereas appointing Olha Stefanishyna, a deputy prime minister chargeable for Euro-Atlantic integration, because the nation’s new ambassador to the US.
- Russian lawmakers have superior a invoice that might outlaw opening or looking for content material on-line judged to be “extremist” in nature, corresponding to songs glorifying Ukraine and materials by the feminist rock band, Pussy Riot.
