Key Events on the 1,255th Day of Russia’s War in Ukraine
Fighting
- Rescue workers in Kyiv recovered over a dozen bodies from the remains of a collapsed apartment building, raising the death toll from Russia’s attack on Thursday to 31.
- A total of five children were among the dead, making this the worst air strike on Ukraine’s capital this year. The attack injured 159 people, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who confirmed the end of a 24-hour rescue operation at the site.
- Zelenskyy reported that Russia fired more than 3,800 drones and nearly 260 missiles in its strikes against Ukraine throughout July.
Military Aid
- NATO countries, Ukraine, and the US are working on a new mechanism aimed at expediting the delivery of US weaponry to Ukraine through the Priority Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), according to Reuters, citing sources close to the development.
- Under the PURL mechanism, Ukraine will prioritize its weapon needs in batches of approximately $500 million, and NATO allies will then negotiate who supplies or funds the items needed.
- Germany has agreed to supply Ukraine with two Patriot missile defense systems after securing an agreement with the US to receive the latest Patriot systems in return for those donated to Kyiv.
- A senior advisor to President Zelenskyy stated that Russia is providing North Korea with technology for producing Shahed-type attack drones, aiding their production.
Ceasefire
- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Zelenskyy supported US President Donald Trump’s new demand for Russia to make progress in ending the more than three-year war in Ukraine. Zelenskyy discussed potential formats for a peace summit with Starmer.
- Russia’s President Vladimir Putin expressed hopes for further peace negotiations with Ukraine, stating that the momentum of the war is in Moscow’s favor, with no indication of a shift in stance despite a looming sanctions deadline set by Trump. Putin also confirmed the delivery of the first batch of mass-produced Oreshnik ballistic missile systems to the Russian army.
- Responding to Putin’s comments, Zelenskyy reiterated his willingness to meet with the Russian leader, emphasizing Ukraine’s desire to “move beyond” statements and lower-level talks.
- “If these are genuine signals of a willingness to end the war with dignity and establish truly lasting peace… Ukraine is ready to meet at the leadership level at any time,” Zelenskyy stated.
Regional Developments
- President Trump directed the positioning of two nuclear submarines in “appropriate regions” in reaction to comments by former Russian President and current Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev regarding the risk of nuclear conflict between the two nations.
- Russian opposition leader Ilya Yashin called for Europe to recognize Ukraine as a European nation and its military as a European defense force during his address to Russians living in Serbia.
- “The Ukrainian army isn’t only defending Ukraine; it’s defending Europe from Russian aggression,” Yashin stated to his audience.
