Ukraine War News Today - Top Stories and Breaking Updates from Kyiv Post

Millions of dollars in donations poured into charitable funds to rebuild the children’s hospital following last year’s Russian missile attack.

Ukraine’s Minister of Health Oleh Liashko announced that Ukraine’s national specialized children’s hospital, “Ohmatdyt” is being rebuilt with charitable funds.

He noted that the state has reserve funds in its budget to finance the rebuilding efforts if needed.

Following Trump’s election, the US multinational ceased it talks with investors on a Ukraine reconstruction fund valued at around $15 billion in projects.

US multinational investment company BlackRock halted its search for investors for Ukraine’s reconstruction fund earlier this year after Donald Trump’s election win shifted the US stance towards Russia’s full-scale war.

People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that the firm paused investor talks this January.

The Ukrainian Prosecutor General has accused a former Defense Ministry official of embezzling 90 million UAH in a weapons procurement scandal.

A former official from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (MoD)  and heads of defense enterprises were accused of supplying faulty missile launchers to the MoD, which cost Ukraine an estimated 90 million UAH.

On Monday, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko announced a pre-trial investigation into the former MoD official and heads of defense enterprises.

Just hours after Roman Starovoit, former Kursk governor, was sacked by President Putin after a sixth tanker was damaged by an unexplained explosion, he turned his gun on himself.

Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed that the body of Roman Starovoit, the recently sacked transport minister, was found in his personal vehicle outside his home in the town of Odintsovo in the Moscow region, according to Russian news outlet The Insider and Belarusian opposition outlet Nexta. 

Starovoit, who also served as the governor of Russia’s Kursk region before his appointment as transport minister, suffered from a gunshot wound.

Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on Russia’s latest claim, but earlier Monday, Ukraine’s military officials said its troops repelled attacks in the area around Dachne.

Russia on Monday said its troops captured a village in Ukraine’s central Dnipropetrovsk region, the second time in two weeks Moscow has made that claim, as the two sides continue to fight near the regional border.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces took control of Dachne, a small village near the border with Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Russian troops have been pushing toward Dnipropetrovsk for months, and the region has come under growing air and drone attacks.

Russia’s foreign minister said Moscow is open to peace talks under conditions such as the disarming of Ukraine and the lifting of all Western sanctions that effectively calls on Kyiv’s surrender.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said peace settlements with Kyiv should include its disarmament.

Lavrov’s statement escalated from earlier demands that Kyiv troops withdraw from Ukrainian territories that Russia annexed via illegal referendums but does not control.

Ukraine’s military intelligence confirms a long-range drone strike on Russia’s Ilsky Oil Refinery, marking the first attack on Russian energy infrastructure in nearly four months.

Ukraine has resumed strikes on Russian oil refineries after a nearly four-month pause, targeting key facilities in an effort to disrupt Russia’s fuel production linked to its military campaign.

In the early hours of July 7, Ukrainian long-range drones struck the Ilsky Oil Refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region, Kyiv Post has learned from sources within Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR).

Ukraine said investments, not handouts, are key to the country’s recovery from the wreckage caused by Moscow’s invasion ahead of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome.

The fourth edition of the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC-2025) will soon be held in Rome, Italy. The forum will be held on July 10-11 and will follow up on a series of high-level political events dedicated to the rapid recovery and long-term reconstruction of Ukraine, which is suffering from external aggression. 

This time around, the Ukrainian delegation will unveil practical projects that are either being kick-started already, even as the war persists, or are almost ready to be launched. That is to say, Ukraine is not going to request money for the future – “beautiful and unknown” – but will invite investors to a mutually beneficial partnership based on a clear vision and calculations. 

Ukrainian developers say their interceptor drone has successfully downed Russian Gerbera decoy UAVs – foam-built Shahed lookalikes now being used for reconnaissance and attack.

The Ukrainian interceptor drone “General Chereshnya AIR” has reportedly intercepted Russian Gerbera drones – decoy UAVs designed to imitate Iranian-made Shahed-136s – according to the manufacturer, General Chereshnya.

In a video posted to Facebook, the company claimed, “The General Chereshnya AIR drone has, for the first time, taken down enemy Gerberas mid-air.”

Despite Europe’s willingness to increase supplies and US President Trump confirming continued support, the mood regarding future American aid packages is downbeat

Ukraine may be left without US military assistance. On July 2 the Pentagon said aid to the US would be suspended – even weapons already earmarked under the Biden administration which had already been shipped.

Since then, there have been many statements that Ukraine and the US would continue cooperation, with reassurances from President Donald Trump after his conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. However, this already happened once in March – after Zelensky’s Oval Office confrontation – and given the volatility of decisions by the current US administration, it could become a problem again.

Daily updates from the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) regarding frontline developments and casualty figures amidst Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

As of July 7, Russia has lost 1,027,540 troops after launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022 – including 1,100 troops over the past day, according to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU). 

Russian casualties in Ukraine surpassed one million on June 16.

Russian drones hit military recruitment centers in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia on July 7, injuring at least four people, including soldiers, according to Ukraine’s Ground Forces.

Russian troops struck military recruitment center buildings (TRCs) in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia with drones on Monday, July 7, injuring several soldiers, Ukraine’s Ground Forces reported on Telegram.

“Today, July 7, the enemy launched air strikes with UAVs on Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia. As a result, enemy drones hit the building of the Kharkiv regional TRC and the surrounding area, as well as near the Zaporizhzhia regional TRC,” the statement reads.

Latest from the British Defence Intelligence.

• On 01 July 2025 Russia’s former Deputy Defence Minister Timur Ivanov was convicted on charges of embezzlement and money laundering and sentenced to 13 years in prison. Prior to his arrest in April 2024, Ivanov had been responsible for significant military construction and procurement projects, including rebuilding in illegally occupied Ukrainian territories. Reports of Ivanov’s luxurious lifestyle had sat awkwardly with Russian President Putin’s calls for a new national elite comprised of so-called heroes of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
• Ivanov is the most high-profile figure to be convicted in a Russian government crackdown on embezzlement by senior officials below executive or cabinet level, which has also targeted several other top officials who, like Ivanov, have close links to former Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu. Shoygu was dismissed from his post as Defence Minister on 12 May 2024, and moved to the post of secretary of Russia’s Security Council.
• Whilst deeply rooted corruption that exists within the Russian Ministry of Defence significantly undermines the effectiveness of the Russian military, the goal of Russian authorities is almost certainly not the eradication of corruption entirely; such behaviour is fundamental to the functioning of the Russian regime. Instead, Russian authorities are likely seeking to limit corruption to more manageable levels that have less impact on the functioning of the department.

Bloomberg said that replacing Ukraine’s ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, with the current PM was discussed during Zelensky’s call with Trump on Friday.

President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly discussed replacing the sitting Ukrainian ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during his Friday call with US President Donald Trump. 

Zelensky and Trump both called the discussions positive, with Zelensky stating that the two discussed procurement of air defense assets and joint arms production, with no mention of the recent halt to US arms delivery. 

Russia’s Ministry of Transport reported an “incident during loading and unloading operations” of the Eco Wizard liquid gas tanker on Sunday resulted in a “minor leak of liquid ammonia.”

There was at least one, possibly two explosions on board a Liberian flagged liquid gas tanker, the Eco Wizard while moored in the Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga on Sunday as reported by Russia’s Ministry of Transport on social media. According to the Leningrad Regional Governor, Alexander Drozdenko posting on Telegram this resulted in a “minor leak,” there were no casualties, its 23-member crew was evacuated as a “simple precautionary measure,” and there was no threat to residents or the environment.

There is confusion over the registration of the vessel with some media outlets reporting it as registered in the Marshal Islands – a popular “cover” for those tankers suspected of being part of Russia’s sanction-busting shadow fleet – indicating the ship is likely part of that armada.

Ukraine’s campaign of targeting Russia’s warfighting infrastructure continues with strikes on installations in the south and near Moscow that are linked to military logistics.

Ukrainian drones struck deep inside Russia overnight, hitting an oil refinery in the south and triggering explosions near a military-linked chemical plant outside Moscow, Russian officials and media reports said Monday, July 7.

In the Krasnodar region, debris from a downed Ukrainian drone crashed onto the grounds of the Ilsky oil refinery, according to local authorities. No injuries or major damage were reported.

Bohdan Nahaylo, the editor-in-chief of the Kyiv Post, discusses the latest developments in Ukraine on Poland’s TVP World.

Photos shared from the scene show flames engulfing the roof of a university building damaged in the attack.

Russian forces launched a drone strike on the city of Zaporizhzhia and the surrounding region on Monday morning, July 7, injuring at least 10 people and damaging civilian infrastructure, including a university building, according to local officials.

The attack began shortly after 10:00 a.m. when the Ukrainian Air Force issued an alert about incoming attack drones targeting Zaporizhzhia and the wider area. Minutes later, explosions were reported across the city.

The move was announced by the Polish government last week amid a fiery political debate largely focused on the German authorities’ policy of returning illegal migrants to the border.

Border checks were reintroduced on Poland’s frontiers with Germany and Lithuania at midnight, as the country seeks to tighten its control on immigration.

The move was announced by the Polish government last week amid a fiery political debate largely focused on the German authorities’ policy of returning illegal migrants to the border, leaving them stranded.

The Quantum Systems drone was struck repeatedly by Russian small arms fire while carrying out a reconnaissance mission over enemy lines before returning safely home.

Dave Sharpin, CEO of German drone producer Quantum Systems, reported that a Vector unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operated by Ukrainian armed forces (AFU) was repeatedly struck by Russian small arms fire during a recent operational mission but managed to return safely and is currently being repaired. He did not disclose exactly when or where the incident occurred.

Sharpin said the drone which was carrying out an ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) mission “was at a very extended range… when it was struck 11 times by small arms fire.” He said that the drone carried on working until its “gimbal [stabilizer] took a direct hit.”

As protests sparked by Georgia’s about-face on its European path continue, more and more opposition figures are being arrested. Kyiv Post reports from Tbilisi.

Over the past six weeks, the Georgian government has imprisoned eight prominent opposition figures – including party leaders, former lawmakers, and even a former defense minister – in what critics call a calculated and legally veiled purge.

Despite the US pause on air defense and other weapons for Ukraine, it is obvious to even the most reluctant to help Kyiv that drones are the future and a partnership with Ukraine is crucial.

While Americans were watching fireworks this Independence Day, Ukrainians were dodging drones and missiles. But in the midst of that grim contrast, something important happened. A pivotal phone call between President Trump and President Zelensky may offer a breakthrough the world desperately needs.

According to sources familiar with the call, the two leaders discussed the idea of a US-Ukraine drone partnership. For those of us who have been working for months to bring clarity, urgency, and realism to Washington’s understanding of this war, that single moment matters more than people may realize. It finally creates a path to advance the part of our strategy that has long been stalled: let’s arm Ukraine to the teeth.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be trying to increase volunteer recruitment among the Russian population, likely due to waning domestic support for the Kremlin’s crypto-mobilization efforts.
• Russian forces conducted a series of drone and missile strikes against Ukraine on the night of July 5 to 6, including a “double-tap strike” against emergency responders. Recent adaptations to Russian long-range drone technologies and strike tactics suggest that Russian strikes against civilian targets are very likely intentional.
• The Russian Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) has stopped reporting on the number of deaths in Russia, likely as part of Kremlin efforts to conceal Russia’s losses from the war in Ukraine.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Borova. Russian forces recently advanced near Novopavlivka.

Separately, Berlin has confirmed that Chancellor Friedrich Merz will take part in the Fourth Ukraine Recovery Conference, to be held in Rome on July 10 and 11.

At a meeting in Vilnius on Sunday, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier discussed support for Ukraine, increasing pressure on Russia, and defense cooperation.

“Discussed Lithuanian-German close cooperation on defense, support for Ukraine, pressure on Russia, and strategic investment in military mobility with President Steinmeier. Germany remains a key ally in ensuring security, resilience, and peace in Europe,” Nauseda wrote on  social media.

Defenders have been building different kinds of barricades for smaller waves of invading units: Fewer big trenches for tank groups and large battalions, more camouflaged foxholes hidden from drones.

Moscow’s forces have been altering their invasion strategies over the past year to account for Ukraine’s blistering drone defenses: Russian units have been turning to motorcycles and other more nimble modes of bringing soldiers to the front to better evade swarms of UAVs.

In turn, Ukrainian defense forces have been altering their architecture for fortifications designed to slow them down: shorter defense lines and building low-rise strongpoints that are less visible to counter Russian drones.

The Pentagon’s “absolute mess” created trying to end aid to Ukraine unilaterally means “there’s real pressure on the US to bring something meaningful to the table,” a policy analyst tells Kyiv Post.

US President Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg is planning to travel to Rome this week to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and to attend the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) 2025, a high-stakes event dedicated to the reconstruction of Ukraine during and after Russia’s war, Kyiv Post’s Washington correspondent was informed by two sources familiar with the matter.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will host the conference on July 10 and 11, which Kellogg plans to attend as part of a US delegation.

A Chinese car, vacations in Venezuela, and Russian substitutes for French cheeses and yogurt. As for the Russian replacement for McDonalds? “The kids love it,” one suburban Muscovite family says.

For Sergei Duzhikov and Maria Tyabut, a middle-class couple living in a town just outside Moscow, Western sanctions on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine have been manageable.

The pair drive a Chinese car, vacation in Venezuela and buy “Camembert” cheese made in Russia.