Ukrainian prosecutors have identified five Russian military officers, including Rear Admiral Alexei Petrushin and Vice Admiral Sergei Pinchuk, as responsible for the October 2023 missile strike on a café in Hroza, Kharkiv Oblast, which killed 59 civilians. The suspects were charged in absentia with war crimes and premeditated murder. The investigation involved over 180 forensic examinations, 3D scans, and missile trajectory analysis. Two local residents allegedly passed coordinates to Russian forces and fled to Russia.

Background: Ukrainian forces have been striking energy infrastructure and fuel supply routes in occupied Crimea, causing power cuts and a fuel crisis. Today: Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure in occupied Crimea caused extensive blackouts, with rolling outages expected to last two weeks to a month and full restoration potentially taking months. A strike on the 110/35/10 kV Moinaki substation in Yevpatoriya, which had undergone a 1 billion ruble modernization in 2024, knocked out power in the city. The attack followed a strike on the Saky Thermal Power Plant the previous day and damage to substations in the Saky district. Russia claimed to have shot down 376 Ukrainian drones overnight, including over Crimea. The campaign has contributed to a fuel crisis on the peninsula, with Russian-appointed governor Sergey Aksyonov acknowledging fuel shortages will continue.

Ukrenergo reported a 36% increase in hits on Ukraine's energy infrastructure in the first half of 2026 compared to 2025, with Russia now using 20-25 drones per facility, up from 3-4 earlier in the war. Ukraine has lost 50% of its generation capacity, and peak outages on 8 February affected over 12 million consumers. Ukrenergo's losses approach UAH 90 billion ($2 billion), and the company has lost UAH 4 billion in revenue, prompting a review of transmission tariffs. Reconstruction costs are estimated at $91 billion over a decade.

Russian forces conducted 1,038 attacks on 49 settlements in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region over the past day, including 21 airstrikes, 714 drone strikes, one MLRS attack, and 302 artillery strikes. The attacks killed one civilian and injured 12 others, damaging infrastructure, homes, and vehicles. Governor Ivan Fedorov reported the strikes.

The Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration has ordered the mandatory evacuation of all residents from Vasylkivka in Synelnykove district and Vyshchetarasivka in Nikopol district due to ongoing Russian attacks. Children had already been evacuated, and over 6,500 adults remain. Five transit centers have been set up to provide financial, legal, psychological, and medical assistance, as well as food and hygiene kits.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed interest in partnering with Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to establish domestic production of Patriot PAC-3 interceptors in Ukraine, following a US promise to provide a production license. However, Japan's Three Principles on the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology prohibit arms transfers to countries in active conflict, and Ukraine is not among the 17 countries with which Japan has Equipment and Technology Transfer Agreements. While Japan loosened its arms export rules in April 2026, it retained the prohibition on transfers to conflict zones, making any partnership aspirational rather than imminent. The article highlights Ukraine's strategy to replicate Japan's model of licensed production and the diplomatic hurdles involved.

Background: Ukraine's Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets previously called on the ICC to recognize Russia's systematic militarization of Ukrainian children in occupied territories as a crime against humanity, following Russia's introduction of mandatory 'Cossack classes' with military training for fifth-graders. On July 9, 2026, an OSCE Moscow Mechanism expert report concluded that Russia has systematically militarized and indoctrinated Ukrainian children in violation of international law, documenting forced transfers, illegal adoptions, and curriculum changes aimed at erasing Ukrainian identity. The report calls for accountability and protection measures. Lubinets reported that Russia has killed 707 Ukrainian children, injured 2,548, and left 2,318 missing since 2022, with the youngest victim a two-day-old baby killed in a maternity hospital.

Ukraine's 'front-brewing' model of drone development, where designs are rapidly iterated by front-line technicians and fed back to small industrial workshops, has frozen the front lines and enabled interdiction of Russian logistics. This decentralized approach, born from necessity and weak central government capacity, contrasts with traditional centralized military production and may represent a shift in defense industrial base evolution, though its replicability by high-capacity states is uncertain. The article explores whether this model is a temporary stage or a lasting revolution, noting similar patterns in Sudan, Myanmar, and among sub-state actors like Hezbollah and the Azawad Liberation Front.

Ukrainian drones struck the Moynaki electrical substation in Yevpatoriia, Crimea, causing a fire and cutting power to the city and nearby settlements. The substation had been modernized in 2024 at a cost of 1 billion rubles, increasing its capacity nearly fourfold to 126 MVA. This attack is part of Ukraine's ongoing campaign to degrade Russian energy infrastructure in occupied Crimea.

Ukrainian troops are making modest advances in the southeast near Komar, aiming to pressure Russian supply lines through Velyka Novosilka in Donetsk Oblast. By crossing the Vovcha River and expanding the gray zone, Ukrainian forces have nearly zeroed out Russian gains in recent months, achieving a virtual stalemate. Ukraine's advantage in drone warfare and air control over the gray zone, partly due to throttled Russian Starlink terminals, has enabled these counterattacks. However, Russia still holds numerical superiority in infantry and ballistic missiles, and the war is far from over.

Background: Russia has concentrated over 140,000 troops across three southern front sectors, with the highest activity on the Lyman front. In a July 9 television broadcast, Viktor Tregubov reported 39 clashes in the past 24 hours across the Kharkiv, Lyman, and eastern Sumy regions. He stated that Ukrainian forces are preventing Russian troops from establishing a foothold in Kupiansk and Lyman. In Lyman, Russians are attacking from three directions (north, south, and east) but have been unable to consolidate. In Kupiansk, fighting is intense on both banks of the Oskil River, with Russian attempts to split the Ukrainian bridgehead on the left bank and advance into the city on the right bank. Tregubov noted that Russian efforts to create a 20 km buffer zone north of Kharkiv have only achieved 4–5 km, and he dismissed Russian territorial claims as exaggerated.

Ukraine's deputy UN ambassador told the Security Council that Russia is intensifying its campaign of terror against civilians and suffering catastrophic battlefield losses, with new recruits surviving only 10 days to 3 weeks. Ukraine called for stronger military support, tougher sanctions, and accountability for war crimes, rejecting any 'sham peace'.

On 10 July 2025, Russian forces conducted over 30 attacks using drones, artillery, and aerial bombs across four districts of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast—Nikopol, Kamianske, Synelnykove, and Kryvyi Rih—injuring five civilians. Infrastructure, residential buildings, a kindergarten, a vocational school, and a petrol station were damaged. The attacks targeted multiple hromadas including Nikopol, Pokrovske, Marhanets, Chervonohryhorivka, Verkhnivtseve, Bozhedarivka, Synelnykove, Vasylkivka, Novopillia, and Hrushivske.

Background: Poland had halted the transfer of MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine after Ukraine failed to provide drone technology as agreed, amid escalating bilateral tensions. Today: Poland and Ukraine have resumed negotiations on the 'MiGs for drones' offer, with Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz confirming on 9 July that talks restarted two weeks after the freeze. The proposal would transfer up to nine MiG-29s to Kyiv in exchange for Ukrainian drone technology. Kosiniak-Kamysz expressed hope for a positive finalization and noted discussions on integrating Ukraine's war experience into Polish defense systems. Additionally, Poland is involved in Patriot missile production and servicing, having received preliminary US approval and signed agreements with Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden to create a European servicing center for PAC-3 interceptors.

Background: Polish far-right Confederation party co-chair Krzysztof Bosak alleged the government secretly transferred Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine, deepening domestic political divides. Today: Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz publicly confirmed the transfer, stating it was done at the request of the United States and NATO's secretary general. He defended the decision as serving Poland's national interest and accused President Karol Nawrocki of hypocrisy and betraying the Polish uniform by blocking defense procurement legislation, specifically refusing to sign the EU's SAFE defense-spending program. The minister asserted the government, not the president, decides arms donations, and that Nawrocki was informed of the transfer. The row underscores tensions over who controls Polish security policy as Poland rapidly rearms on NATO's eastern flank.

Ukrainian military spokesperson Vladyslav Voloshyn reported that Russian troops have been ordered to deploy infiltration and sabotage groups toward Orikhiv, taking advantage of deteriorating weather conditions. Russian forces are conducting daily airstrikes with guided aerial bombs on Orikhiv and other southern settlements, with up to 25 strikes per day and approximately 100 guided bombs used daily.

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, speaking at the UN Security Council, condemned Russia's escalating attacks on Ukrainian civilians as a 'campaign of terror' and called for an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire. They argued Russia's conduct is incompatible with its role as a permanent Security Council member and demanded accountability for war crimes. The statement highlighted a July 6 attack involving 68 missiles and 351 drones that killed at least 23 people, and noted Russia's military has suffered 1.4 million casualties since the full-scale invasion began.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called on Ukrainians to reconsider their approach to the Volyn tragedy and urged Poles to avoid inflaming emotions, warning that Russia would benefit from a crisis in Polish-Ukrainian relations. He noted that Presidents Nawrocki and Zelenskyy met at the NATO summit in Ankara, signaling awareness that the dispute harms both countries. Tusk also accused Russia of using bots and propaganda to exacerbate tensions, and called for resolute countermeasures against disinformation and hostile actions on both sides.

On July 10, Russian attacks on civilian energy infrastructure caused power outages in Donetsk, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Ukrenergo reported emergency repairs underway where security permits. Adverse weather also left ten settlements in Sumy and Dnipropetrovsk regions without power. Electricity consumption as of 09:30 was 1.3% lower than the previous day due to clear weather boosting household solar generation. Ukrenergo advised consumers to use high-power appliances between 11:00 and 15:00.

On July 8, 2026, a Russian FPV drone struck a White Angels police evacuation team in Druzhkivka, Donetsk region, while they were evacuating a man with reduced mobility and his son. Three police officers and both civilians sustained shrapnel wounds. Despite a second drone approaching, the team managed to rescue the civilians and escape. All five victims are receiving medical treatment. The attack was captured on camera by journalists from Inter TV channel.

On July 10, Russian forces conducted three drone attacks on Sloviansk, Donetsk Oblast, injuring two men. Overnight, a Molniya-2 drone damaged two houses and a Gerbera drone struck an infrastructure facility. Around midday, a Kub drone hit a petrol station, damaging equipment and four vehicles. The attacks underscore ongoing Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure in eastern Ukraine.

On July 10, Russian forces launched an airstrike on the city center of Konotop in Ukraine's Sumy region, injuring a 70-year-old man and damaging a school, a hospital, and heating plants. Mayor Artem Semenikhin confirmed the attack on Telegram, continuing the pattern of Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure in the region.

Russian military recruitment offices in St. Petersburg are advertising positions for mobile air defense groups to protect critical infrastructure, offering monthly pay of about 180,000 rubles and no deployment to Ukraine. The move follows a series of Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries and military facilities in and around St. Petersburg, including during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. This recruitment highlights Russia's efforts to bolster local air defenses against Ukraine's expanding drone campaign targeting energy and military sites deep inside Russia.

Denmark has contributed an additional €10.66 million to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, bringing its total contribution to over €78.5 million. The funding is intended to strengthen Ukraine's energy resilience ahead of the winter season, as stated by Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal. This follows similar contributions from Sweden, Estonia, and other donors.

Satellite imagery reveals Russia is constructing reinforced aircraft shelters at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant and Dzemgi Air Base in the Far East to protect Su-57, Su-35, and Su-30SM2 fighter jets from long-range Ukrainian drone and missile attacks. The facility is Russia's only production site for Su-57 and Su-35 aircraft. Construction includes hardened shelters directly around parked aircraft and a large new production hall. The construction follows successful Ukrainian strikes on Russian air bases, including Operation Spider's Web on June 1, 2025, which destroyed Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 bombers, and highlights Russia's efforts to protect high-value tactical aircraft.

The Russian Black Sea Fleet has been largely neutralized by Ukrainian countermeasures, with no ships deployed at sea for months. In a new development, Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk stated that Russia lacks effective submarine defense against underwater attacks. He explained that surface protection grids are ineffective below the waterline and that underwater explosions propagate differently, making such defenses useless. This assessment comes as the Russian Black Sea Fleet remains largely unable to operate at sea due to Ukrainian countermeasures.

The Committee to Protect Journalists has urged Ukrainian authorities to investigate an attack on an Ukrainska Pravda film crew in Kyiv Oblast, where security guards at a hotel complex sprayed journalists with green dye while they were reporting. Police have opened an investigation under Article 171.1 for obstruction of journalists' lawful professional activities. The incident highlights ongoing threats to press freedom in Ukraine.

Background: Russian forces have repeatedly struck Ukraine's Chernihiv region with drones, damaging critical infrastructure, residential buildings, and agricultural machinery. On July 6, Russian drones attacked multiple civilian infrastructure targets in Chernihiv region, including a water supply facility in Koriukivka, a gas station in Kholmy, a woodworking plant, and an energy facility. The attacks used Molniya and Gerbera UAVs, causing fires and damage to storage facilities and a combine harvester.

On the night of July 10, Russian forces shelled a gas station in Shostka, Sumy region, destroying it and causing a fire. No injuries were reported. Separately, a Russian drone struck a truck and damaged a car in the Voronizh Starosta District, injuring the driver. This attack is part of ongoing Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine's border regions.