New Minister of Defence of Ukraine. 1245th Day of War

Russian troops intensified the offensive towards Pokrowska and took the Piszczane and Zwirowe located south of it. According to the Ukrainian media, the aggressor's reconnaissance and diversion groups would penetrate the city, utilizing the minute of rotation of defenders' forces. The hard situation is exacerbated by the advancement of invaders north of Myrnohrad, where they effort to take control of the road leading to Dobropol, which is the logistics center and military facilities of the Ukrainians. akin actions by the Russian army take to the west of Pokrovsk, where it leads the attack on Udaczne and Kotłyne, trying to gain control of the E-50 Pawlohrad–Pokrowsk route.

The agressor besides made crucial advancement towards Nowopawliwka at the border of Djepropetrowski and Doniecki circuits. He was to occupy Nowykołajiwka and Kotlarivka west of Nowypawliwka and Piddubne, Yalta and Woskresenka south of this town. Thus, over the last week he took over the territory with a full area of 9 km².

The invaders proceed trying to break through from the south towards Constantinople, trying to bypass the Kleban-Bćke reservoir. The fierce fights are fought for Jablonivka and Oleksandro-Kalynovka and Peszczijiwka and Kateryniwka. The limited success of the occupier reached the Siewieerski direction, gaining control of Verchniokamjansk. He besides tries to orbit Siewiersk – in his area he is making advancement to the north (the acquisition of Hryhorivka) and south (the storms to Perejizne) of this town. 1 success besides reached north of Sum, where it focuses efforts on the Jabluniwka–Junakiwka–Sadky line, making it to the east part of an extended forest belt separating the opposing forces from the circuit capital. On the another hand, the defenders were to effectively counterattack in Kindrativka and Andrijiwka north of Sum.

On the night of July 15th and July 16th, Russian forces carried out an air strike utilizing 1 Iskander-M ballistic rocket and 400 Shahed drones and their atrap. The main targets of the impact were energy and industrial infrastructure in the thin Horn, Dniepor and Winnica. Six people were injured, including 2 hard ones. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that 198 enemy drones were shot down that night, while 145 were disabled by radio-electronic combat systems (WRE).

Another massive air attack by the aggressor was carried out at night from July 18 to July 19, utilizing 12 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, 8 Iskander-K maneuvering missiles and 15 Ch-101 and 200 Shahed drones and 144 their attraps. Defenders reported a full of 208 aerial assault measures shot down, including 185 unmanned, 7 sparkers-M/KN-23, 7 sparkers-K and 9 Ch-101s. 7 maneuvering missiles and 129 decoy drones disabled the WRE systems. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that 5 missiles and 30 drones hit 12 undetermined locations. Impacts on critical infrastructure facilities in Sumach and Odessa have been confirmed.

A day later, the invaders conducted a series of rocket and drone attacks. mainly targeted in Kiev, Kharkiv and Ivano-Frankivsk, which has been subject to the most intense fire since the launch of a full-scale invasion. The Russians utilized 426 Shahed-type impact drones and their atrap and 5 Ch-46 Kindzarz missiles, 4 Calibr missiles, 1 Iskander-K type, and 14 Ch-101. The Ukrainian Air Force has notified that 200 ‘shaheds’ and 203 attrapes have been disabled. All missiles were to be shot down. The targets of the attack were critical infrastructure and civilian facilities. As a consequence of the raid, the entrance to the Lukjanivska metro station in the capital was besides damaged. president Volodymyr Zelenski declared that 15 civilians were injured as a consequence of the beatings and 2 people were killed.

As part of the reconstruction of the government voted by the ultimate Council on 17 July, the erstwhile Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal was appointed as Minister of Defence. In a peculiar message published after the constitution of the fresh cabinet, the president recommended the fresh head of the defence department "the urgent conclusion of all drone contracts" and achieving a level of over 50% saturation of the armed forces with home equipment. In his speech in the ultimate Council, Szmyhal announced the implementation of the 3 main tasks of the ministry: providing military personnel with the full equipment needed to defend the country, expanding the amount utilized on the armed front and military equipment manufactured in Ukraine, and improving and improving the efficiency of the ministry's work.

The incumbent position of Defence Minister Rustem Umierov was appointed Secretary of the National safety and Defence Council. According to his declaration, the tasks entrusted to him will include the supervision of arms supplies and participation in peace negotiations with Russia. In the second case, he proposed a gathering of the delegation of both countries in Istanbul on 23 July.

On the eve of the government's reconstruction, the ultimate Council adopted at first reading an amendment to the budget bill expanding military spending by 412 billion hryvnia (about $9.8 billion). The lion's share of these funds – 311 billion hryvnia ($3.4 billion) – will receive the Ministry of Defence. Thanks to the change of defence funds will full 2.6 trillion hryvnia (about $62 billion), or 66% of all budget expenditure. As a result, the contribution of the defence sector to the projected GDP for this year will be around 31.1%, which will one more time guarantee Ukraine first place in the planet in this respect.

On July 15, the ultimate Council extended the martial law for the 16th time for another 3 months, until November 5. “For” were 320 MPs, “against” – 1 (Ołexij Honcharenko of the opposition European organization Solidarity of erstwhile president Petr Poroshenko) and 16 did not vote.

On 21 July, participants of the 29th contact group of military support countries Ukraine has confirmed erstwhile commitments and any of them have besides revealed fresh supply details. The main subject was to support the air defence there. The head of the German Defence Ministry Boris Pistorius reiterated the announcement of providing Kiev with 2 medium-range Patriot air defence systems, after which he added that Ukraine needs at least 5 such. Norway has decided to finance another, but it is not known where the last 2 will be obtained. The national Republic of Germany is besides to be liable for helping coordinate the supply of patriots (see IP/10/73). German military aid to Ukraine: a fresh model of support?). The United Kingdom has reported that in the last 2 months it has given Kiev anti-aircraft and artillery ammunition worth £150 million and will supply an additional £700 million by the end of the year.

17 July Minister of Defence of Latvia Andris Sprūds stated that 15 of the declared 42 wheeled armored transporters Patria 6×6 has already been sent to Ukraine. On the same day, Belgium announced that it would allocate €140 million to Ukrainian air defence under the German Immediate Action on Air Defence (IAAD) initiative and would make its A400M transport aircraft available to support logistics activities in favour of Kiev.

On the same day, Switzerland announced that it had received a unilateral notification from the US that it had delayed the transportation of 5 air defence batteries contracted in 2022 Patriot by giving precedence to deliveries to Ukraine and the countries supporting it.

Also on July 17, the "New York Post" announced that Presidents Zelenski and Donald Trump are considering the anticipation of a deal that would include buying American weapons in exchange for selling Ukrainian drones.

On July 19, the Ministry of Defence of Australia reported that most of the 49 promised M1A1 SA Abrams tanks had already been delivered to Ukraine.

On 21 July, during a gathering with French Minister for Europe and abroad Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot, president Zelenski announced (without details) that the companies there had decided to start production of drones in Ukraine, and Paris will intensify efforts in the area of air defence and training of Ukrainian soldiers.

As part of the yearly UN report Poland reported that in 2024 it exported to Ukraine, among others, 295 unspecified armored transporters, 10 D-44M guns, 18 cannonhaubic Krab, 78 cannonhaubic 2S1 Worźk, 285,000 anti-tank missiles (most likely to RPG-7), 15,000 hand grenades and 1100 device guns. This list only covers materials sold – free military aid by the Polish government remains classified.

In line with the words of General Alexander Syrian, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine losses of Russian troops on the Ukrainian front since the beginning of the year are on average 1,251 soldiers per day (It should be assumed that this is about the dead and the wounded).

According to Ukrainian monitoring group DeepState The full dimension of enemy engineering and fortifications is now 8312 km. The calculations included areas in the Kursk, Bielgorod and Brian circuits and fortifications taken over from Ukrainians as a consequence of advancement on the front. Compared to November 2023, erstwhile the dimension of the fortifications was estimated at over 6,000 km, their growth occurred, especially in the Kharkiv circuit (+350%) and Donetsk circuit (+51%). The most fortifications are located in Donetsk (2814 km), Zaporoš (1991 km) and Lugansk (1302 km).

On 16 July, the ultimate Council adopted the Act increasing the number of Ukraine safety Service (SBU) from 27 1000 to 37 1000 people in peace and from 31 1000 to 41 1000 during martial law. Moreover, the paper foresees an increase in the number of soldiers Special unit ‘Alfa’ SBU up to 10 thousand. According to the deputy and Colonel SBU Roman Kostenko, it is presently liable for the demolition of about 10% of enemy targets and is active in effective operations like attacks on Russian refineries. The fresh rules are intended to let more volunteers to be admitted, for whom previously there were no seats. The number of 10,000 is due to apply both during the war and during peace, because, according to Kostenka, the war of peculiar services will begin after the end of the armed action.

The Council besides voted on 16 July Act allowing entry into the army for contract during martial law to persons over 60 years of ageprovided that they are considered fit for service by the medical board. Candidates for officers must get approval from the unit commander, approved by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. A two-month probation period has been introduced, contracts will be concluded for 1 year with the anticipation of extension and will automatically be terminated after the end of the martial law.

On July 17, the Military Prisonership Coordination Staff announced that The bodies of 1,000 dead were brought to Ukraine. According to the Russian side, they are to be Ukrainian citizens, including soldiers. The body will be identified and tested by law enforcement experts and the Ministry of the Interior. Previously, Russian remains were found among allegedly Ukrainian victims. Vladimir Miedinski, the typical of the president of the French Federation, said that Ukraine had only 19 bodies in exchange.

15 July SBU and National Police Ukraine was captured by six national safety Service agents planning terrorist attacks on Ukrainian defence Forces soldiers utilizing explosives. They were all recruited by Russian peculiar services through the telegram channels. The detention took place in Kiev, Dniepra, Vinnytsia and Plains.

On the night of 17 to 18 July, a drone attack occurred in the village of Pierwomajski in the Tulsk region, including substances utilized in the military sector of the Szekinoazot plant. According to the Russian accounts of the anti-aircraft defence unit, they were to destruct 3 drones whose remains were to origin a fire of industrial objects. According to Ukrainian sources, the impact was intended to paralyze the company's work, including the production of methanol utilized to produce rocket fuel and explosives.

On the night of 18 to 19 July, the Armed Forces of Ukraine carried out a massive drone strike on FR territory. The Russians reported that the air defence forces captured and destroyed 73 enemy machines, of which 31 were shot down over the Brianski circuit, 17 – over the Orlovski region, 10 – over the Moscow region, 4 – over the occupied Crimea, 3 – over the Azov Sea, 2 – over the Smolensk and the Low-Nogrod region, and 1 – over the Bielgorod region, Kałuski and Voronsk and the Black Sea. The effects of the attack stay unknown. The following night, Ukrainian unmanned workers hit Moscow and the localities in Moscow and Kałuski Oblast. According to the mayor of Sergei Sobian, Russian air defence forces shot down 16 drones flying towards her, while the Ministry of Defence of the F.R. announced that 93 Ukrainian machines were shot down and intercepted, including 19 above Moscow circuit.

On the night of 20 to 21 July, Ukrainian unmanned drones hit a railway station on the Kamienołomni settlement in the Rostov region, located 38 km from the border with Ukraine. The station is utilized as a logistics hub on the Rostov-Taganrog–Donieck way and plays an crucial function in the transport of military equipment.

Hackers from BO squad and Ukrainian Cyberalians supported by the local military intelligence had effectively attack the network and server infrastructure of the Russian company Gaskar Integration – 1 of the main drone suppliers for the aggressor army. They have accessed more than 47 TB of method data on unmanned production, including information on cooperation with China. All information on the servers, including 10 TB backups, was destroyed. The attack resulted in paralysis of the Internet, production and accounting programs and the company's improvement center. Among the data received are confidential worker surveys and complete method documentation of drone production, which was handed over to specialists from the Defence Forces of Ukraine.