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Ukraine - Russia, today's live news | Russian drone strike, explosions in Odessa. Zelensky proposes peace talks to Putin next week: "Do everything possible for a ceasefire."

Friday, July 18


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Saturday, July 19th's live news on the conflict in Ukraine.

Ucraina - Russia, le notizie di oggi in diretta | Attacco russo con i droni, esplosioni a Odessa. Zelensky propone a Putin colloqui di pace la prossima settimana: Fare tutto il possibile per il cessate il fuoco

8:07 PM|July 19

Zelensky: A meeting at the highest level is necessary to truly ensure peace.

A meeting at the highest level is necessary to truly secure peace. Thus, Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirmed his readiness to negotiate with Vladimir Putin in his speech, announcing that Kiev had proposed a new meeting next week. In June, two subsequent meetings between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations took place in Istanbul, but no progress was made toward a ceasefire.

7:58 PM | July 19

Mattarella: No more massacres of civilians in Gaza and Ukraine.

The President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, returned to two issues close to his heart: environmental protection and the defense of civilians in tragic acts of war, as is happening in Ukraine and Gaza, with a strong warning against the massacres of defenseless citizens. These are two issues dear to the head of state because they intertwine the defense of international law with his desire to ensure a future for younger generations. Mattarella first traveled to Tesero, in the Fiemme Valley, Trentino, for the 40th anniversary celebrations, to commemorate the Stava massacre, in which 268 people died in the space of four minutes, swept away by a wave of mud generated by the collapse of a tailings pond at a mining facility located upstream from the town rather than downstream: a location that could not have been worse, Mattarella noted. The memory of this disaster, not natural but artificially caused by man for profit, must prompt, the President of the Republic said, a new sense of responsibility. This, he noted, was caused by indifference to the danger to people, based on a mistaken understanding of the relationship between man and the environment, with the latter viewed as a resource to be exploited rather than dutifully placed at the service of the community. And then came the warning: there are no excuses; reconciling ourselves with the environment is a matter that also concerns social cohesion, which also concerns democracy. The prospect of sustainable development was a costly achievement, an achievement that some sometimes seem to want to rid themselves of as if it were a nuisance rather than an investment in the future. He therefore invites reflection on the casualness with which, even in Europe, environmental policies are being sidelined so as not to hinder business. After Tesero, Mattarella flew to Rovereto for the centenary of Maria Dolens, the bell cast from the cannons of all the countries that participated in the First World War. It was a return, as he recalled, having come here as Minister of Defense alongside President Ciampi in 2000. In a place that epitomizes the rejection of war, the President of the Republic voiced humanity's dismay at the resurfacing of shadows throughout the world, shadows that were once thought to have no place or presence. These shadows are those who intend to reintroduce wars of territorial annexation, a legacy of dark ages past, or those who seek to restore the rule of the strong over the weak. Mattarella made a clear reference to what is happening in Ukraine and Gaza, where even civilians have become the target, violating the international law that humanity established after the Second World War with the Geneva Convention, intended to make war less atrocious. Mattarella condemned the attitude of those who think they can bomb civilians in their homes or when we witness the massacre of young people celebrating while listening to music, as happened on October 7th by Hamas. In this situation, the Head of State continued,"we no longer limit ourselves to the sad task of targeting opposing soldiers, but we also shoot and kill in places of prayer, in places where water is distributed to the thirsty and bread to the hungry, and we target first responders assisting the wounded, as is happening in Gaza. All of this creates a radical contradiction," Mattarella emphasized,"not only with humanity's expectations but also risks introducing a spiral of resentment, hatred, and opposition that in turn constantly generates further violence. To break this spiral, we must therefore relaunch a message that began here 100 years ago: a state of hope to which humanity aspires and which must prevail over what is happening and over the sadness we witness.

7:26 PM | July 19

Zelensky proposes talks in Moscow next week

Kiev has proposed a new round of peace talks to Moscow next week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, following the negotiations' breakdown in early June. Security Council Secretary Umerov also announced that he proposed the next meeting with the Russian side next week, Zelensky said in his evening address. The momentum of the negotiations must be strengthened. Everything possible must be done to secure a ceasefire. And the Russian side must stop ducking decisions. Prisoner exchange. Return of children. End of killings. A leaders-level meeting is needed to truly secure peace, a lasting peace, the Ukrainian president continued. Ukraine is ready for such a meeting, he concluded.

6:48 PM | July 19

NATO: We will respond to Russian cyber threats as we deem appropriate. They demonstrate contempt for the UN framework.

The pledge is a"response" to malicious cyber activity by the Russian military intelligence service (GRU) against several allies: a NATO report this week raised a new alarm about Russia's malicious cyber activity, which poses a threat to the security of allies. We stand in solidarity and recognize that Estonia, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States have recently attributed malicious cyber activity to the Russian military intelligence service (GRU) against several NATO allies and Ukraine.

6:25 PM | July 19

Wall Street Journal: Trump administration accelerates Patriot shipments to Germany to facilitate shipment to Ukraine

The administration of US President Donald Trump has decided to prioritize Germany over Switzerland in the production of Patriot air defense systems, thus paving the way for the sale of two German batteries to Ukraine. Three government officials, cited by the Wall Street Journal, reported this. This is the first concrete step taken by the Pentagon in support of Kiev since Trump announced earlier this month that he supported sending new weapons to the country at war with Russia. According to the officials, the rapid replacement of German Patriots with direct supplies from the United States is aimed at responding to growing Ukrainian pressure to obtain more defenses against Russian missiles and drones, at a time when Western production lines are struggling to keep up with demand. The plan is part of President Trump's strategy of making NATO allies pay for the military equipment supplied to Kiev, limiting direct spending by Washington.

6:14 PM | July 19

Kiev and IAEA rule out fire risks in Zaporizhia

A forest fire near the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant does not currently pose a threat to the facility's safety, the Ukrainian Energy Ministry and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said. Power lines connecting the plant to the Ukrainian grid are functioning reliably and are providing the station with reliable power to ensure radiation safety, the ministry said in response to social media reports of plumes of smoke rising near the plant. According to the IAEA, the smoke near the plant is linked to a forest fire that broke out a safe distance from the plant; there is currently no threat to nuclear safety, the statement read, which is also confirmed by the IAEA report on X. In parallel, Minister Svitlana Grinchuk noted that, due to Russian actions and repeated shelling, Europe's largest nuclear power plant has lost connection to the Ukrainian power grid nine times since its occupation by Russian forces began in March 2022. The use of (diesel) generators at a nuclear power plant poses an extraordinary risk to nuclear safety, the ministry's statement emphasized.

5:47 PM | July 19

Russia: 87 drones launched from Kiev intercepted, 13 aimed at Moscow

Russian air defenses intercepted numerous drones last night, a dozen of which were headed for Moscow. Reuters reported this, citing a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry and Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. The ministry said its air defense units downed 87 Ukrainian drones in various areas of central, western, and southern Russia over a period of nearly five hours. Forty-eight drones were downed in the Bryansk region, bordering Ukraine. Sobyanin, on Telegram, claimed that 13 drones were downed after midnight. The mayor of Moscow did not mention casualties or damage in his reports on air defense activity.

5:46 PM | July 19

Mollicone (Fdi): Gergiev, an influencer close to Putin, has nothing against the Russian people.

The new images arriving from the Bolshoi Theatre—which is supposed to be one of the most prestigious opera and dance venues in Europe and around the world—prove once and for all that conductor Gergiev is one of the cultural influencers closest to Putin and his vulgar propaganda. As Minister Giuli rightly emphasized, art must always be free, but it is unacceptable to risk conveying the wrong message through music. We have nothing against Russian culture and the Russian people—with whom we share historic cultural ties and friendships—but hosting, in one of Italy's most renowned and esteemed palaces, a"cultural influencer" who disseminates and acts as a spokesperson for Putin's expansionist ambitions is a different matter. We urge the Campania Region to cancel this event. Italy cannot risk being complicit in the hybrid war that Russia is silently waging with propaganda and deception in many Eastern European countries. During the international conference for the reconstruction of Ukraine, I had the honor of meeting the Ukrainian Cultural Forces. Musicians, singers, and actors enlist in a dedicated unit and go to the front to boost the morale of the troops, demonstrating that culture can also be a formidable weapon. We all want peace, but we don't want to suffer this propagandistic interference. This was stated by Federico Mollicone, president of the Chamber of Deputies' Culture Committee and national head of Culture and Innovation for the Brothers of Italy party.

5:41 PM | July 19

Andriy Sybiha, Ukrainian Foreign Minister: Russia is exploiting the expulsion of our compatriots to Georgia.

Forty-three Ukrainian citizens, including former political prisoner Andrii Kolomiyets, have already been evacuated in this way. However, others remain in difficult conditions at the border. We are actively cooperating with the Georgian and Moldovan sides to relocate the rest of our people to Ukraine, Sybiha continued. However, the minister said there is no guarantee that Russia will not further increase the number of deportations. To avoid further complications, we are publicly offering Russia the option of sending these categories of Ukrainian citizens directly to the Ukrainian border. We will be ready to receive them from there. There are suitable border sections where this can be done. We are conveying this offer directly and through international organizations using official channels, Sybiha wrote in a message on X.

5:12 PM | July 19

Kiev: Moscow launched 6-hour raid in eastern Ukraine

Russia launched its largest-ever attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Pavlohrad, involving hundreds of kamikaze drones and ballistic missiles. The six-hour bombardment was the worst in the city's history, according to Sergey Lysak, head of the Dnipropetrovsk region, who noted that a factory was damaged, a fire station destroyed, and a five-story residential building hit. A hellish night and morning for Pavlohrad. The most intense attack on the city. Explosion after explosion. Russian terrorists targeted it with missiles and drones, according to Lysak.

2:29 PM | July 19

Kiev: Death toll rises to three in Russian attacks today

The death toll from Russian airstrikes in Ukraine today has risen to three, authorities reported. Two people were killed after a missile struck the central region of Dnipropetrovsk, a major industrial hub where Russian forces have recently advanced. According to regional governor Sergiy Lysak, the attack destroyed a clinic, a school, and a cultural institution in Vasylkivska, also damaging several private homes and cars. A third victim was reported in the Ukrainian port city of Odessa, Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov announced the news on Telegram.



12:17 PM | July 19

US House approves continued military aid to Kiev

The United States House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved continued military aid to Ukraine, with a vote of 353 in favor and 76 against. The announcement was made on Telegram by the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, while Representative Don Bacon also confirmed the news on the X platform. The bill, which now moves to the Senate, authorizes the shipment of new weapons and, if approved, will be submitted to the president for signature. During a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, President Donald Trump announced that Ukraine will receive billions of dollars in weapons. The measure, sponsored by Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal and supported by 85 senators, also allows the US president to impose punitive tariffs of at least 500% on imports from countries such as China, Brazil, and India that maintain trade relations with Russia.

9:04 AM | July 19

Zelensky: More than 300 drones and over 30 missiles over Ukraine

Last night, our soldiers from several units repelled another Russian attack. More than 300 attack drones and over 30 missiles of various types were used against our cities. The targets are now being destroyed: drones are still in the air, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram, adding that 10 regions were hit by the attacks.

2:22 AM | July 19

Russian attack in Odessa: at least one dead

The city of Odessa, located in southern Ukraine, was targeted by a massive drone attack on the night of Friday to Saturday. According to Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov, the death toll is at least one. Odessa was attacked by enemy drones, with more than 20 aircraft approaching the city from different directions, he said. Civilian infrastructure was damaged as a result of this attack. A residential building is on fire, and rescuers are rescuing people trapped in the blaze, he added. At the moment, we have confirmed the death of one person, he continued. Despite the deployment of our air defense forces, there is damage to civilian infrastructure, particularly residential buildings, regional governor Oleg Kiper said. The Russian Defense Ministry, for its part, reported on Telegram the destruction and interception of 87 Ukrainian drones, including 48 in the Briansk region and five in the Moscow region, two of which were headed for Moscow. During the night between Thursday and Friday, Russian bombings caused at least six deaths in several Ukrainian regions, according to the country's authorities, despite Donald Trump's ultimatum to Moscow. In recent weeks, Moscow has repeatedly launched record air strikes against Ukraine. The European Union strengthened its sanctions against Moscow on Friday.



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