Ukrainska Pravda

Russian forces have caused a blackout at the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant by striking a transmission line connecting the plant with Ukraine’s unified power grid.

Source: Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko on Telegram

Details: "This line enables the plant to meet its internal needs to maintain radiation safety," Halushchenko said.

He pointed out that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the plant has experienced a complete blackout eight times and has repeatedly been on the verge of one.

Background: On 7 May, a Russian attack cut power from one of the two external transmission lines linking the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to Ukraine’s unified power grid.

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The 18th EU sanctions package against Russia was discussed and ultimately not adopted during a meeting of the EU Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) in Brussels on 4 July due to Slovakia’s opposition.

Source: two diplomats from influential EU member states familiar with the Coreper discussions, speaking anonymously to a European Pravda correspondent

Details: On 4 July, Slovakia effectively blocked the adoption of the 18th EU sanctions package against Russia once again.

"During the discussion on the 18th sanctions package, the Slovak representative stated that they needed more time to make a decision," one of the sources said. "As a result, the package has not been approved today."

Another diplomat added that Slovakia had held positive talks with the European Commission regarding its concerns over potential losses from the planned halt of Russian gas supplies to the EU (starting 1 January 2028). The source also predicted that the 18th sanctions package will be approved soon.

Background:

Slovakia is blocking the sanctions to obtain guarantees from the European Commission on the consequences of a complete rejection of Russian gas from 2028.Earlier, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty editor Rikard Jozwiak predicted that Slovakia would lift its block on the 18th sanctions package following successful negotiations with the European Commission in Bratislava on 3 July.

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Ukrainian intelligence has killed three Russian drone operators from the Bars-Sarmat unit, which is linked to Dmitry Rogozin, the former head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, in the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson Oblast.

Source: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine on Telegram

Details: A Chevrolet Aveo car carrying three Russian soldiers is reported to have exploded on the outskirts of the settlement of Strilkove on 4 July.

It is reported that all three were members of the Bars-1 group, stationed in temporarily occupied Henichesk. Among those killed was the group’s senior officer, who, according to Defence Intelligence, posed a threat to Ukraine’s defence forces and terrorised the local population.

Ukraine’s intelligence notes that the Russians established the so-called Bars-Sarmat centre on the temporarily occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia Oblast in 2024. The centre specialises in the combat use of unmanned aerial vehicles, robotics, electronic warfare, reconnaissance and communication.

Former Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin is believed to be commanding this unit.

Defence Intelligence of Ukraine emphasises that "there shall be fair retribution" for every war crime against Ukraine.

Background:

On 21 December 2022, Dmitry Rogozin and Vitaliy Khotsenko, the so-called prime minister of the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People’s Republic" (DPR) terror organisation, sustained injuries in a strike on Donetsk.Ukrainian state border guards figured out the location of Rogozin and reminded him that violating Ukraine’s state borders entails criminal liability.Later, Russian media reported that the doctors of the "DPR" will not be able to get a piece of shrapnel from Rogozin.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has shared details of his telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump which took place on the afternoon of 4 July.

Source: Zelenskyy on X, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Zelenskyy described the conversation as "very important and fruitful", noting that he began by congratulating Trump and the American people on US Independence Day and expressing gratitude for the assistance already provided.

Quote from Zelenskyy: "Today we discussed the current situation, including Russian airstrikes and the broader frontline developments. President Trump is very well informed, and I thank him for his attention to Ukraine. We spoke about opportunities in air defence and agreed that we will work together to strengthen protection of our skies. We have also agreed to a meeting between our teams."

More details: He added that they also discussed in detail the prospects for joint defence production.

"We are ready for direct projects with the United States and believe this is critically important for security, especially when it comes to drones and related technologies," Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian leader noted that they also tackled mutual purchases and investments and exchanged views on the diplomatic situation and cooperation with the United States and other partners.

The White House and Trump have not yet reported on the conversation.

Background:

On 3 July, Zelenskyy said that he planned to discuss with Trump the resumption of Patriot air defence missile supplies. That same day, he also announced the signing of an agreement with several American companies on the joint production of UAVs, particularly interceptors.On the same day, Trump spoke with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. After the conversation, Trump admitted he had made no progress on ending the war in Ukraine and expressed his disappointment.

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German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has urged those who believe Russia is genuinely seeking peace to consider the aftermath of the latest attack on Ukraine on the night of 3-4 July.

Source: European Pravda with reference to a statement by Wadephul

Details: Wadephul made this comment while sharing a post by his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha about the overnight attack.

Wadephul reiterated in German that Kyiv had been under attack by hundreds of aerial targets for many hours.

Stundenlang überziehen die russischen Angreifer letzte Nacht Kyjiw mit hunderten Raketen & Drohnen. Wer in Deutschland noch immer glaubt, Putin wolle Frieden, sollte sich diese Bilder gut anschauen. Die #Ukraine braucht unsere volle Unterstützung. Frieden kommt nur durch Stärke. https://t.co/lCDwaoeOGr

— Johann Wadephul (@AussenMinDE) July 4, 2025

"Anyone in Germany who still believes that Putin wants peace should take a good look at these photos. Ukraine needs our full support. Peace can only come through strength," he stressed.

Background:

Earlier this week, Wadephul visited Kyiv and Odesa, where he was shown, among other things, one of the German-made IRIS-T systems supplied to Ukraine on duty.German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suspected it was not a coincidence that another large-scale attack on Kyiv occurred shortly after a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, whose consular office was damaged during the nighttime attack, has called on US President Donald Trump to resume the supply of air defence systems to Ukraine.After Russia's large-scale attack on Ukraine on the night of 3-4 July, Republican US Representative Don Bacon called on Trump to change his approach to Russia, stressing that his chosen strategy was not working.

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On Wednesday 9 July, the European Parliament is set to vote on the resolution on the human cost of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the urgent need to end Russian aggression: the situation of illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war, and the continued bombing of civilians.

Source: final draft of the agenda of the European Parliament session on 7-10 July 2025, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The voting session will run from 13:00 to 14:00 Central European Time, with the resolution on Ukraine scheduled as the last item on the agenda.

Quote from Delphine Colard, chief spokesperson for the European Parliament: "Another important point to conclude the debate that took place in the preceding June plenary session, the MEPs will have a vote on Wednesday to condemn the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia, as well as the execution and acts of torture inflicted upon Ukrainian soldiers."

Background:

European Pravda reported that on 7 July, the European Parliament will assess Ursula von der Leyen's performance as head of the European Commission, and on 10 July, it will hold a vote of no confidence in the Commission.Meanwhile, European Pravda notes that the vote is unlikely to result in von der Leyen’s resignation, as there is insufficient support for a no-confidence motion among MEPs.

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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has had a conversation with US President Donald Trump.

Source: Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, on Telegram

Quote from Yermak: "A very important and meaningful conversation between the presidents [Zelenskyy and Trump – ed.]. All details very soon."

Details: Prior to that, Zelenskyy said he planned to raise the issue of continued US supplies of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, particularly PAC-3 missiles for Patriot systems, during an upcoming conversation with Trump.

A source told Axios correspondent Barak Ravid that the presidents' conversation lasted roughly 40 minutes. They discussed the escalation of Russian strikes on Ukraine and the provision of air defence to Kyiv.

Background:

Russian leader Vladimir Putin had earlier said he would hold a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump on 3 July.Trump later confirmed that the call was scheduled for 10:00 US time.After the call, the US president said he had made no progress in efforts to end Russia’s war against UkraineIn a separate comment to journalists, Trump added that Putin has no intention of ending the war.

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Ukraine used a new type of drone to attack the Azov Optical-Mechanical Plant in Russia’s Rostov Oblast on the morning of 4 July. At least 10 drones hit the plant's territory.

Source: Russian Telegram channel ASTRA, as reported by Oboronka, a defence industry project created by Mezha.Media, a technology and IT news platform within Ukrainska Pravda's holding company

Details: Videos appeared in the morning showing strikes on the facility and the drones flying towards the target. One video shows a Ukrainian drone with a design similar to the Iranian-Russian Shahed/Geran-2, but fitted with additional control surfaces at the front and rear of the airframe.

Ukraine has deployed a new kamikaze drone strikingly similar to the Iranian Shahed-136, spotted over Moscow and Rostov. pic.twitter.com/BZbdMqDcqy

— Polymarket Intel (@PolymarketIntel) July 4, 2025

Defence Blog, a defence and security news outlet, noted that the drone features a vertical tail fin similar to that of the Israeli loitering munition IAI Harop.

Experts interviewed by Defence Blog believe that this design significantly improves the drone’s directional stability and flight correction during targeting, allowing for more precise strikes on enemy targets.

Andrii Kovalenko, Head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defence Council, said that the Azov Optical-Mechanical Plant produces vital components for Russian forces, specifically sights, rangefinders, thermal imagers and fire control systems for tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, ships and aircraft.

Background: Earlier, Ukraine's Ministry of Defence and the American company Swift Beat LLC signed a memorandum agreeing to increase production of interceptor drones to shoot down Russian loitering munitions. Defence Minister Rustem Umierov noted that Ukraine is set to receive hundreds of thousands of such drones this year.

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Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth unilaterally ordered a halt to the transfer of certain types of weapons to Ukraine despite a military analysis having established that these supplies would not pose a threat to US combat readiness.

Source: NBC News, citing three US officials, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The US Department of Defense had justified the suspension of military supplies to Ukraine by citing concerns about shortages of certain weapons in US stockpiles.

However, according to the three sources, an analysis by senior military officials found that the aid package delayed by the US would not jeopardise the American military’s reserves.

According to several sources, the decision to halt arms deliveries astonished the Department of State, members of Congress, officials in Kyiv and European allies.

Democratic Congressman Adam Smith, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, disagreed that supplies to Ukraine would jeopardise US stocks.

"We are not at any lower point, stockpile-wise, than we’ve been in the 3½ years of the Ukraine conflict," he said.

Smith added that his staff had seen the figures and, without going into details, noted that there were no signs of a shortage that would justify suspending aid to Ukraine.

Sources also told NBC News that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had unilaterally suspended military aid to Ukraine.

According to the sources, this is the third time Hegseth has independently suspended aid to Ukraine. In the two previous cases, in February and May, his decisions were reversed a few days later.

Hegseth’s deputy for policy, Elbridge Colby, supported these steps.

Lawmakers from both parties were disappointed that they were not informed in advance and were investigating whether the delayed shipment violated legislation mandating security assistance for Ukraine.

These lawmakers and some European allies were trying to determine why the Pentagon had ordered the suspension and making every effort to have the decision reversed.

The White House has defended the decision, saying it was made following a Defense Department review of US assistance provided to allies and partners abroad, which began last month.

The review began after Hegseth issued a memo ordering the Joint Staff to check stockpiles of all munitions.

According to three officials, the assessment showed that some stocks of precision-guided munitions were at lower levels but had not yet fallen below critical minimums.

The sources added that the Joint Staff had concluded that providing further assistance to Ukraine would not deplete US stocks below the level necessary to ensure military readiness.

Background:

Earlier this week, the White House confirmed that the Pentagon had suspended deliveries of some air defence missiles and other precision-guided munitions to Ukraine.The official reason given was that there were concerns that US weapons stocks had been depleted.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was working with the US "at working levels" to clarify the details of military aid supplies following reports of the suspension of deliveries.US President Donald Trump said that US weapons supplies to Ukraine are continuing, but his administration has to ensure that there are enough for US forces as well.

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Ukraine's defence forces have released videos showing severely wounded, seriously ill and defenders under 25 coming back home as part of the eighth major exchange agreed upon during Istanbul talks.

Source: videos from Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Ministry of Defence and State Border Guard Service; Major Andrii Yusov, Deputy Head of the Coordination Headquarters and spokesperson for Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, during the national 24/7 newscast

Quote from Yusov: "Despite a difficult night for the whole country, the day is also bright: another stage of the major exchange under Istanbul agreements took place today, the eighth stage so far. It happened with the direct participation of Lieutenant General [Kyrylo] Budanov, Head of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. Young, seriously ill and severely wounded, privates and sergeants, officers have been released. There are civilians as well. Among the freed are medics."

Details: A notable aspect of this exchange is that those released include defenders sentenced by Russia to long prison terms and soldiers who were previously considered missing.

The youngest freed defender is only 20 and the oldest is 59.

*Freed Ukrainian defenders.*Photo: State Border Guard Service of Ukraine

The videos released by various institutions show sincere emotions, gratitude for the belief in their return, the fight to secure their release, and their first phone calls to relatives. The freed defenders admit that it feels freer to breathe on their native land.

Background:

At the negotiations in Istanbul on 2 June, Ukraine and Russia agreed on a 6,000-for-6,000 exchange of bodies of fallen soldiers. The Ukrainian and Russian delegations agreed on an all-for-all exchange of seriously wounded service members and those aged 18-25.In June, a number of prisoner exchanges and repatriations of bodies of fallen Ukrainian soldiers took place.

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German government spokesman Stefan Cornelius has confirmed that Germany is conducting intensive negotiations with the United States on the supply of Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine amid large-scale Russian attacks and the suspension of some US supplies to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Source: European Pravda, citing Bloomberg

Details: When asked whether Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government is negotiating with the US on the purchase of Patriot systems for Kyiv, Cornelius replied that there are various ways to meet Ukraine's air defence needs.

"I can say that intensive discussions are indeed taking place on this matter," he said.

Background:

Earlier, the Bild tabloid reported that the German government is currently working on an emergency decision to provide Ukraine with new air defence systems and a sufficient number of interceptor missiles.In addition, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy intends to raise the issue of continuing the supply of weapons and ammunition from the United States to Ukraine, in particular PAC-3 missiles for Patriot systems, in a conversation with US President Donald Trump.The Ukrainian leader also stated that Ukraine is clarifying the details of military aid supplies with the United States at the working level following reports of a suspension of supplies.

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Russian forces have damaged equipment belonging to DTEK, the largest private energy company in Ukraine, and destroyed two transformer substations during the latest large-scale attack on Kyiv.

Source: press service for DTEK

Details: Power engineers reconnected all houses to backup power lines. As of now, all families have electricity again, DTEK reported.

Efforts to repair the damaged equipment are ongoing.

Background:

On the night of 3-4 July, Russian forces launched a large-scale strike on Kyiv with attack UAVs and ballistic missiles. Fires and damage to residential buildings were reported in six districts of the city.Railway infrastructure also sustained damage in the attack.The strikes damaged several branches and the sorting office of Nova Poshta (New Post), the largest private postal operator in Ukraine.A warehouse of the book publishing house and online shop Nash Format was damaged.As a result of the Russian strike, gas supply was temporarily halted to buildings in the Sviatoshynskyi, Kyiv-Sviatoshynskyi, Solomianskyi and Holosiivskyi districts of Kyiv.

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Russian troops struck the centre of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast on 4 July, killing a 55-year-old woman and injuring two others.

Source: Oleh Syniehubov, Head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration

Quote: "A Russian shell hit the central part of the city, near a shop. Unfortunately, a 55-year-old woman was killed."

Details: A 56-year-old man and a 61-year-old woman were wounded. They were taken to hospital, and their condition is being stabilised.

Background: On the night of 3-4 July, the DeepState analytical project reported that Russian troops had occupied two settlements in Kharkiv Oblast.

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Emergency workers have found a deceased person while dealing with the aftermath of the Russian large-scale attack on Kyiv on 4 July.

Source: Tymur Tkachenko, Head of Kyiv City Military Administration, on Telegram; State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) on Facebook

Quote from Tkachenko: "While dealing with the aftermath of the attack in the Sviatoshynskyi district, emergency workers found a deceased person."

Details: Emergency workers said that they had retrieved a body from under the rubble of a building destroyed by the large-scale Russian attack.

In total, 26 people were injured in Kyiv, including one child. Psychologists from the State Emergency Service provided assistance to 39 people.

The aftermath of the attack is still being dealt with: firefighters are extinguishing fires and clearing the rubble. More than 300 tonnes of construction debris have already been removed.

Dog handlers, 512 emergency workers, 135 units of SES equipment including a fire-fighting robot, as well as police, Red Cross volunteers and other city services are working at the scenes of the strikes.

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Piotr Łukasiewicz, Head of the Polish Embassy in Ukraine, has commented on Russia's overnight large-scale attack on Kyiv.

Source: Łukasiewicz on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: Following the Russian strike, it was reported that the consular department of the Polish Embassy in Kyiv had been damaged.

Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Paweł Wroński said that embassy staff who were at shelter at the time heard the strike and later discovered a hole in the roof.

Commenting on the incident, Łukasiewicz wrote: "Drones will not scare us. We stand with Ukraine. Together towards victory".

Background:

On the night of 3-4 July, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 550 drones and missiles. Ukrainian air defence units successfully downed 478 aerial assets, but eight hits were recorded and debris fell in 33 locations.Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski called for the resumption of air defence supplies to Ukraine in light of the strike on Kyiv.

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Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov has said that the Kremlin is paying close attention to statements made by US President Donald Trump, who previously expressed his disappointment with the results of his conversation with Vladimir Putin.

Source: Interfax, a Russian news outlet; Telegram channel Vy Slushali Mayak (You listened to the Lighthouse) with reference to Peskov

Quote from Peskov: "Of course, we are paying very close attention to all of President Trump's statements. During the conversation, President Putin reiterated that we are interested in achieving our goals during the special operation [as the Russians refer to the Russo-Ukrainian war – ed.], and preferably doing so through political and diplomatic means." [N.B. Ukrainska Pravda does not recognise Putin as president – ed.]

Details: Peskov said that as long as it is impossible to achieve these goals "by diplomatic means", Russia will continue its so-called special operation, i.e., full-scale war against Ukraine.

Peskov also noted that Putin informed Trump that he’s waiting for the dates of the third round of direct negotiations with Ukraine to be agreed.

Background:

Russian ruler Vladimir Putin announced that he would have a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump on 3 July.Trump later confirmed the telephone conversation with Putin, which was to take place at 10:00 US time (17:00 Kyiv time).After the conversation, the US president said that he had not made any progress in talks with Putin on ending Russia's war against Ukraine.In another comment to the media about his conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump said that the Russian ruler had no intention of ending the war.

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A warehouse of the book publishing house and online shop Nash Format was damaged in a Russian attack on the city of Kyiv on 4 July.

Source: PEN Ukraine; Nash Format on Facebook

Details: In particular, the facade of the building was significantly damaged due to the blast wave from the explosion and debris – all of the windows were broken, the ceiling was damaged, part of the walls collapsed and the inside of the warehouse and an office was destroyed.

Photo: nash Format on Facebook

In addition, many books were damaged during the attack and subsequent firefighting.

Photo: nash Format on Facebook

"But the most important thing is that no one was injured or dead. We can replace the iron and concrete, reprint the books," Nash Format noted.

The publishing house also emphasised that the sending of orders was temporarily suspended, because the entire team is working on resuming work.

Photo: nash Format on Facebook

"The website and call centre of the online shop are working and we are ready to answer all questions about orders. We plan to resume shipping next week. Thank you to all readers for your understanding," they conclude.

Background:

A warehouse and office belonging to the Ukrainskyi Priorytet (Ukrainian Priority), another publishing house, were completely destroyed in a Russian attack that took place on the night of 16-17 June.On 23 May 2024, the Russians hit the Faktor-Druk printing house in Kharkiv. Fifty thousand books were burned, seven people were killed and 22 employees injured. In addition to Vivat books, Factor-Druk produced books for KSD, Ranok, Folio, Svichado, Zelenyi Pes and other publishers.In September 2024, Factor-Druk resumed its work. Half a year later, in March, its premises were renovated. American businessman and billionaire philanthropist Howard Buffett helped in this effort.

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Republican Congressman Joe Wilson, commenting on Russia's large-scale attack on Ukraine, called for stopping Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and providing Ukraine with the necessary means of defence.

Source: European Pravda; Joe Wilson on X (Twitter)

Details: Joe Wilson says Putin is resorting to scorched soil tactics in Ukrainian cities.

"As Americans begin to enjoy the sounds of fireworks in celebration of our Nation’s Independence, war criminal Putin, who is losing his pathetic war, resorts to scorched earth tactics across Ukrainian cities that predate Moscow’s existence," Wilson said.

The Republican congressman expressed hope that Donald Trump's administration would send additional air defence equipment and approved weapons to "help stop this absolute depravity, as allies have and must continue doing at a rapid pace".

"Armed with cheap Iranian and North Korean weapons, Putin delights in fire bombing sleeping families and will continue his imperialist perversions until he is stopped," Wilson said.

Anothеr Republican Congressman, Don Bacon, commenting on Russia’s large-scale attack on Ukraine, called for stopping Putin and providing Ukraine with the necessary means for defence.

Mr President, your policy towards Russia is not working. While we negotiate, Putin bombs Ukrainian cities. Here is Kyiv today. It is time to change strategy. We and our allies must arm Ukraine to the teeth & we need the toughest sanctions. Putin is mocking you and America. pic.twitter.com/Jc7ShlrWIN

— Rep. Don Bacon 🇺🇸✈️🏍️⭐️🎖️ (@RepDonBacon) July 4, 2025

Background:

From 18:00 on 3 July, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with a record 550 aerial assets. Of them, 478 targets were destroyed, but there were strikes in eight locations and debris fell in 33 locations. Kyiv was the main target of the attack.On the evening of 3 July, Trump spoke with the Kremlin leader. Following the conversation, the US president said that he had not made any progress on the ceasefire in Ukraine.

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As part of the Istanbul agreements, another group of Ukrainians was brought back to Ukraine from Russian captivity on 4 July. This group consists of defenders who had sustained serious injuries and seriously ill service members, as well as fighters under the age of 25.

Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Telegram; Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War

Quote from Zelenskyy: "Our people are home. Most of them had been in Russian captivity since 2022.

Today, our defenders who have fought for Ukraine in various regions are coming back: Donetsk Oblast, the city of Mariupol in particular, and Luhansk, Kharkiv and Kherson oblasts. These are service members of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Border Service, and the State Special Transport Service. There are also civilians."

The Coordination Headquarters noted that the youngest freed defender is only 20 years old, and the oldest is 59. In addition to soldiers and sergeants, officers were also freed.

Photo: Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of WarPhoto: Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War

Among those freed today are again defenders of Mariupol who had been held captive since 2022.

The vast majority of those released had been in captivity for more than three years.

Ukrainians who defended the country in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Luhansk and Kherson oblasts are returning home.

Today, illegally convicted defenders and Ukrainian civilians deprived of their personal freedom were released from Russian captivity.

Quote: "The exchange process in accordance with the Istanbul Agreements continues. The exact number of people released will be announced after all stages of the exchange are completed."

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French President Emmanuel Macron had a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump late on 3 July. One of the topics was Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda with reference to The Guardian citing sources in the Élysée Palace

Details: A source at the Élysée Palace said the presidents discussed Iran, Ukraine and the ongoing EU-US tariff talks.

Macron also spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss the situation in Iran and Gaza on Thursday.

**Background:**On the evening of 3 July, Trump spoke with the Kremlin leader. Following the conversation, the US president said that he had not made any progress on the ceasefire in Ukraine.

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The Ukrainian quadcopter-type R-34-T drone, which can provide laser targeting for strikes on enemy targets, has been officially approved for use by units of the Ukrainian defence forces.

Source: Mezha Media, a technology and IT news platform within Ukrainska Pravda’s holding company; Ministry of Defence of Ukraine

Details: The drone's main feature is a laser that will light up targets for strikes with precision munitions. It is already known that the drone will be used for airstrikes with guided bombs and artillery strikes with precision munitions.

The Ministry of Defence notes that laser targeting will significantly increase the effectiveness of guided munitions over long distances and in conditions of active enemy air defence and electronic warfare.

The R-34-T has secure communication channels, modular construction, and resistance to electronic warfare. These features allow more efficient use of available resources on the battlefield, minimise ammunition consumption, and reduce risks for operators and combat units.

The approved drone is a modification of the Ukrainian R-34 bomber drone developed by FRDM GROUP. It is already being used on the front line and was recently presented at the International Drone Show 2025 in Denmark.

In addition to drones, the company has developed a number of other technological solutions. For example, the D-21 robotic platform or the D-12 automated turret.

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A Russian drone strike on the city of Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast left three people injured on the morning of 4 July.

Source: Yevhen Sytnychenko, Head of Kryvyi Rih District State Administration; Serhii Lysak, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration

Quote from Sytnychenko: "The enemy has attacked the city of Kryvyi Rih with UAVs. Early reports indicate two men have been injured. A fire broke out at the scene."

Details: Sytnychenko said all the circumstances of the incident are currently being established.

Update: Later, Oleksandr Vilkul, Head of the Kryvyi Rih Defence Council, said that the Russians had hit a civilian infrastructure facility; three people were injured.

"At the moment, three injured have been injured, none in a serious condition. A civilian infrastructure facility was struck. A large fire has broken out. We are all working on the spot," Vilkul said.

Vilkul also added that the high-speed tram "will not work for several hours" as restoration work continues.

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As part of efforts to reduce the Russians’ ability to launch airstrikes, units of the Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces, in cooperation with other components of the defence forces, struck the Scientific Research Institute of Applied Chemistry in Russia’s Moscow Oblast on 4 July.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Details: It is noted that at present, the facility in Sergiev Posad, Russia’s Moscow Oblast, manufactures, in particular, thermobaric warheads for Shahed-type UAVs and is an important link in the Russian Federation's armed aggression against Ukraine.

It has been confirmed that Ukrainian assets directly hit the target. A fire and heavy smoke were observed near the facility.

The results of the strike are being confirmed.

Background: Russian authorities have reported a drone attack on several settlements in Rostov Oblast and the Sergiyevo-Posadsky district near Moscow on the night of 3-4 July.

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