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Ukraine will step up counteroffensive actions, new army chief says
Back to Ukraine, the country’s new commander in chief said Ukraine’s armed forces have been tasked with stepping up counteroffensive actions.
“The president of Ukraine has set clear objectives for us: to continue and intensify offensive operations in all domains, to plan new operations behind enemy lines, to develop our military and its technologies, and to build up the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” Mykhailo Drapatyi said on Facebook.
Key events
France reports 'unprecedented' level of excess deaths amid heatwave
Meanwhile, in France, 5,764 more deaths than usual were recorded during a record-breaking heatwave last month, health authorities have said, describing the excess mortality among people aged 15 and older as “unprecedented”.
Those who lost their lives between 17 June and 2 July died of “all causes” – none yet clearly linked to the heat, they said.
In comparison, the country reported 5,722 excess deaths linked to heat over the whole summer last year.
EU steps work on tackling Russia's shadow fleet with flag verification boardings, Kallas says
As we await any updates on whether the EU ambassadors managed to agree on the 21st package of sanctions on Russia, the bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas took to social media to highlight the work on tackling Russia’s shadow fleet.
In a post on X, she said:
“We’re turning up the pressure on Russia’s shadow fleet. The oil tanker MV SOUTH STAR, suspected of sailing under false flag in breach of international maritime law, has been boarded on 20 July by Operation @EUNAVFOR_MED IRINI forces for flag verification. Every illicit voyage helps sustain Russia’s war machine. We are matching our sanctions with action at sea.
In parallel, Member States this week have authorised Operation @EUNAVFOR ATALANTA to begin conducting flag verification boardings of suspected Russian shadow fleet vessels, in the same way Operation IRINI does. This decision further tightens the net.”
Germany blames Russia for false information on nuclear-weapons research
Meanwhile, Germany denied online reports that it was conducting nuclear-weapons research, dismissing them on Wednesday as Russian propaganda aimed at discrediting Berlin’s efforts to support Ukraine.
“The German government regards these statements as part of the usual Russian propaganda. The allegations made are simply unfounded … it is an attempt to discredit Germany as Ukraine’s strongest supporter,” a government spokesperson said in comments reported by Reuters.
There is a bit of helpful background on Drapatyi from Reuters:
“Drapatyi, 43, appears well-suited to his new role: a former field commander respected by troops for both his tactical leadership and moral integrity, he has held an array of high-level posts including head of Ukraine’s ground forces.
That job in particular provided him with an insider’s view of troop recruitment, offering critical experience he will likely call upon to plug widespread personnel gaps that have enabled Moscow to make grinding gains along much of the front.
But he takes the top spot at a time of rising social and political tensions around Ukraine’s wartime leadership, as Kyiv seeks to regain the upper hand in the fifth year of war.
Writing on social media, former Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi, now Kyiv’s ambassador to London, said Drapatyi’s tenure would be ‘much harder than he imagines.’”
Ukraine will step up counteroffensive actions, new army chief says
Back to Ukraine, the country’s new commander in chief said Ukraine’s armed forces have been tasked with stepping up counteroffensive actions.
“The president of Ukraine has set clear objectives for us: to continue and intensify offensive operations in all domains, to plan new operations behind enemy lines, to develop our military and its technologies, and to build up the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” Mykhailo Drapatyi said on Facebook.
Spain, France battle wildfires as heat continues to grip southern Europe
Firefighters continued to battle huge blazes in Spain and France on Wednesday, with the risk of more wildfires very high across much of Spain even as a major one raging in its central Guadalajara province receded, allowing some residents to return home, Reuters reported.
In France, where two firefighters died on Tuesday as their truck was engulfed in flames in the southwest region of Gironde, authorities urged people to avoid using barbecues in areas hit by heatwaves. They stressed that nine out of 10 wildfires start, accidentally or not, as a result of human activity, Reuters said.
Meanwhile, in the western Balkans, the danger has shifted from heatwaves to hailstorms, with several people injured in North Macedonia and eastern Kosovo.
Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent and scientists say human-driven climate change is increasing the intensity of heatwaves, droughts and wildfires, while also creating conditions for sudden, destructive storms.
Morocco calls for investigation into arrested national's death in Bologna
Morocco’s foreign ministry said it was concerned by the death of a national during a police arrest in Bologna in Italy and urged a “thorough investigation,” Reuters reported.
The Moroccan ministry called on Tuesday night for the necessary explanations regarding the death to be provided and for responsibility to be established.
Rabat urged Italian authorities to “shed full light” on the incident and called for “responsibility to be established and that the full application of the required legal measures and procedures be guaranteed”, the foreign ministry said in a statement reported by AFP.
Here is our explainer on the case:
At least 15 people injured after two trams collide in Rotterdam
Two trams collided on a key bridge in Rotterdam on Wednesday leaving at least 15 hurt, one seriously, AFP reported.
The Erasmus Bridge is a major landmark in the Dutch port city, spanning the Maas river, and a major transport hub.
Webcam footage of the bridge showed a tram steaming into the back of another, sending debris flying across the lanes of traffic and damaging both trams, AFP said.
Rotterdam authorities initially said 18 were injured, but revised this down to 15, according to national broadcaster NOS. The seriously injured person has been taken to hospital.
Jakub Krupa
Let’s take a quick look at other news from around Europe.
EU talks on finalising 21st package of sanctions against Russia under way
Jennifer Rankin
in Brussels
Here in Brussels talks between senior EU diplomats are under way in the latest attempt to overcome Greece’s opposition to the bloc’s sanctions against Russia.
Greece is the last remaining obstacle to the EU’s 21st round of sanctions against Russia, as it seeks to block a ban on transporting oil that would affect a large shipping company, Dynagas, owned by billionaire George Prokopiou.
Dynagas, which specialises in transporting liquefied natural gas in sub-zero temperatures, has invested in icebreakers to transport energy from Russia’s Yamal peninsula in Siberia to non European countries.
But amid great fanfare, the EU agreed last year that the “the purchase, import or transfer, directly or indirectly” of Russian LNG will cease from 1 January 2027.
Athens is now holding up the 21st package, as it seeks an exemption on this previously agreed measure. The 21st round of sanctions includes measures targeting crypto companies, banks and oil traders helping Russia evade sanctions. It would maintain a price cap on Russian oil at $44 to prevent the Kremlin gaining from rising crude prices, following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz
The stand-off has already necessitated an emergency prolongation of the EU’s oil price cap on Russia. Without further agreement., the oil price cap will go up automatically later this summer. EU ambassadors meeting in Brussels on Wednesday have given themselves until tomorrow to resolve the impasse.
A ban on imports of Russian cod has already been dropped, amid opposition from Portugal and Germany, the latter fearing the impact on the price of fish fingers.
A proposed ban on Russian combatants entering the EU looks set to be delayed, following opposition from France and Italy, two member states that grant large numbers of visas to Russian tourists.
The unraveling of the package has prompted some insiders to ask if the EU’s sanctions policy is reaching its limits.
But Ukraine, which is enduring an intensification of Russian attacks that have increased the numbers of civilians killed and injured, argues the EU can still do more to pressure Russia.
Writing on X, Ukraine’s sanctions envoy Vladyslav Vlasiuk wrote:
“Is it fair that while many [EU] companies left the [Russian] market and accepted the cost, others stayed, earned windfall profits, and now seek exemptions?”
Zelenskyy names new head of Ukraine's General Staff as he continues military reshuffle
And sticking to that topic, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said major general Ihor Skybiuk would replace Andrii Hnatov as the head of Ukraine’s General Staff, as he continued reshuffling the military.
“He is a highly experienced officer who defended Ukraine shoulder to shoulder with the new Commander-in-Chief. It is important that all components of our Armed Forces continue to function in complete coordination.,” Zelenskyy said on X.
Ukrainian military reshuffle will not change frontline situation, Kremlin says
Meanwhile, responding to the top military brass reshuffle in Ukraine, the Kremlin said these changes will not affect the situation on the frontline, AFP reported.
“I don’t think this will lead to any changes on the frontlines,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, adding that Moscow intends to continue pressing in its almost four-and-a-half-year offensive.
US 'would like to see that war come to an end,' Rubio says, as he says he will discuss Ukraine with Lavrov
Rubio gets asked about his plans to meet Russia’s foreign minister Lavrov tomorrow.
He says “the war in Ukraine, I think, has in many ways impeded the ability of Russia and the US to find areas of agreements on other topics,” but the US can still cooperate with Moscow in some areas.
He says the US “would like to see that war come to an end,” and “it would be good for Russia if that war came to an end,” so “we will raise it.”
“The US remains open and willing to play a constructive role in bringing that war to an end if that opportunity presents itself,” he says.
He says the talks between the US and Russia didn’t make much progress in recent months, but “perhaps there are now new conditions in place that will allow that conversation to happen and it is one of the things we will explore tomorrow.
Jakub Krupa
Right on cue, US secretary of state Rubio is speaking to reporters in Manila now.
He’s, perhaps understandably, mostly getting questions about Iran, but I am listening in for any lines on Europe, Ukraine or Russia ahead of his Lavrov meeting later this week.
Russia's Lavrov to meet US counterpart Rubio this Thursday
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov just told reporters that he will be meeting US secretary of state Marco Rubio on the sidelines of a regional Asean (that’s the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) forum in Manila this Thursday.
One to watch.
