According to a reactor safety expert, the safety of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhia is in danger in the medium term after the destruction of a dam. The water supply for the cooling systems is guaranteed for a few months despite the dam bursting, said Nikolaus Müllner from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna. But in view of the acts of war, it is questionable whether this time window can be used to develop alternative water sources, said the head of the Institute for Safety and Risk Sciences. “Obviously it’s a threatening situation.”
+++ 02:32 water level in flooded parts of Ukraine is gradually falling +++
After the partial destruction of the Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine, the water level in parts of the affected areas is beginning to fall, according to Ukrainian authorities. 35 settlements on the right bank of the Dnipro River are still flooded, more than 3,700 houses are under water, “but the water is gradually receding,” explains Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the Ukrainian military administration in the Kherson region. The water level in the region dropped from an average of around 5.4 meters to almost five meters on Friday, Prokudin continues. His colleague in the Mykolayiv region, Vitali Kim, also states that the level there is falling.
+++ 01:31 EU states want rules for the prosecution of sanctions violations +++
In future, there are to be minimum regulations in the EU for punishing violations of EU sanctions. For example, the delivery of military goods to Russia is to be punished across the EU with imprisonment for a maximum of at least five years. This means that penal rules would no longer be possible that only provide for penalties of up to two years for such offenses. The plans agreed at a meeting of interior ministers in Luxembourg were drawn up in particular to reduce circumvention of punitive measures against Russia. So far, EU member states are not obliged to prosecute such violations. According to information from government circles, no changes to the law will probably be necessary in Germany because sanction violations can already be severely punished there.
+++ 00:41 Rheinmetall boss admits losses of German weapons in Ukraine +++
The head of Germany’s largest armaments group, Rheinmetall, Armin Papperger, admits losses in weapons systems that were delivered to Ukraine from Germany. At the same time, he praises their basic quality. “There are always losses in life,” said Papperger in an interview with the editorial network Germany (RND), but one does not talk about it. In principle, the weapons systems developed and produced in Germany have proven themselves in the Ukraine, emphasized the armaments manager. Some of the manufacturers themselves were surprised by their stability. “Take the PzH2000 self-propelled howitzer, whose chassis and weapon systems were supplied by Rheinmetall. We actually say that the barrel has to be changed after about 4,500 rounds. But the Ukrainians fire up to 20,000 rounds – actually impossible,” says Papperger. “Other pipes would have buckled long ago.”
+++ 23:46 Sweden ready to accept NATO troops even before its own accession +++
Sweden agrees to allow temporary NATO bases on its territory – even before it is a full member of the military alliance. “The government has decided that the army can make preparations with NATO and NATO member states to enable future joint operations,” said Swedish Conservative Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who is also Defense Minister Pal, in an article in the daily Dagens Nyheter Jonson signed. The preparations mentioned could also include a temporary stationing of material and personnel on Swedish soil, it says. “The decision sends a clear signal to Russia and strengthens Sweden’s defence,” write Kristersson and Jonson. The presence of NATO troops also serves as a deterrent against Russia.
+++ 22:55 Selenskyj speaks of “particularly difficult battles” +++
Under the impression of reports that the Ukrainian counter-offensive may have started, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks of “particularly difficult battles”. He held a meeting with the high command of Ukraine, says Zelensykj in his evening video address. “We focus our attention in all directions where our actions are needed and where the enemy may suffer defeat,” he adds. It was about “our defensive actions, our offensive actions, our gains on the front lines”. Zelenskyy thanks all soldiers “who are in particularly difficult battles these days”. In addition, the Ukrainian head of state reports on the ongoing rescue operations after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in the southern Kherson region.
+++ 22:02 Zaporizhia nuclear plant: According to the IAEA, the cooling pond is under pressure +++
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is focusing on the large cooling pond of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhia after the dam burst on the Dnipro. The IAEA reports that the pressure on the dike around the pond is increasing on the inside because the level of the dammed river has fallen sharply on the outside. The nuclear authority – which has stationed observers in the Russian-occupied nuclear power plant – is monitoring the situation closely, reports IAEA boss Rafael Grossi. Europe’s largest nuclear power plant is not threatened in the short term, but the destruction of the Kachowka dam and increasing military activities would cause “significant new difficulties”, according to Grossi.
+++ 21:20 Despite sanctions: Russian bank VTB expects record profit +++
Despite the financial sanctions imposed by the West, the major Russian bank VTB is expecting record profits in the billions this year. After a record loss in 2022, the state-owned financial institution expects earnings of around 400 billion rubles (equivalent to 4.5 billion euros) for the current year, says VTB boss Andrej Kostin in an interview with the Reuters news agency. In the first five months, the profit has already amounted to 239 billion rubles. Kostin added that last year’s record loss of 612.6 billion rubles was caused by the fall of the ruble against the dollar following the imposition of Western sanctions and asset freezes in the West. Also, VTB does not expect to pay a dividend this year, but the decision depends on the shareholders, Kostin added.
+++ 20:38 Iceland stops embassy operations in Russia +++
Iceland will cease operating its embassy in the Russian capital Moscow from August 1. Foreign Minister Thórdís Kolbrún Gylfadóttir decided that, according to the Icelandic Foreign Ministry. Relations with Russia are at an all-time low. The maintenance of embassy operations can therefore no longer be justified. Gylfadóttir is also calling on Russia to restrict its embassy operations in the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik. Her ministry emphasizes that the step does not represent a severance of diplomatic relations. As soon as conditions allow, Iceland will give priority to resuming embassy operations in Moscow. However, this depends on the decisions made by the Kremlin.
+++ 20:07 USA: Iran supports Russia in building drone factory +++
According to the US, Russia has deepened its defense cooperation with Iran and has received hundreds of attack drones in the process. These were shipped across the Caspian Sea and then used against Ukraine, said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. In addition, Russia is apparently receiving materials from Iran to build a drone factory that could go into operation early next year. The US would release satellite imagery of the site in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone. Conversely, Iran receives billions of dollars worth of military equipment. Statements from the two states are not available.
+++ 19:31 British fighter jets intercept Russian aircraft near NATO airspace +++
Britain has dispatched fighter jets to intercept and escort several Russian planes not far from NATO airspace for two days in a row. “The Russian planes failed to comply with international rules by not communicating with the appropriate flight information regions,” the British Ministry of Defense said. However, the Russian planes remained in “international airspace” during the incidents and “flown professionally,” it said. On Thursday evening, RAF Typhoon aircraft based in Estonia and Swedish Gripen aircraft were reportedly “mobilized” to intercept two Russian aircraft “flying near Swedish and NATO airspace.” British jets intercepted Russian planes over the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea on Friday morning.
+++ 19:06 USA announce another aid package of 2.1 billion dollars +++
The US Department of Defense announces an additional $2.1 billion in military aid to Ukraine. The package includes ammunition for Patriot and Raytheon’s HAWK air defense systems, AeroVironment’s Puma unmanned aerial systems and other equipment, as well as aid for repair training, the statement said.
+++ 18:38 report: US spy satellites detected explosion at dam +++
According to a newspaper report, US spy satellites recorded an explosion there shortly before the rupture of the Kachowka dam. The satellites used infrared sensors to detect a heat signature that indicated a larger explosion, a US government official told the New York Times. Analysts from the US secret service assumed that Russia was behind the destruction of the dam. However, there is no reliable evidence. Earlier, the Norwegian seismological institute Norsar announced that it had detected an explosion at the Kachowka dam at the time of its destruction.
+++ 18:03 expert: Ukrainians “surprised by the doggedness and flexibility of the Russians” +++
Military expert Markus Reisner sees the Ukrainian army “surprised by the doggedness and flexibility of the Russians” in light of the reports of high losses on the front line in the Zaporizhia region. According to the expert, the Russian army was not only able to stop the Ukrainian offensive by using artillery and minefields, but also used the air force for tactical support. In addition, according to Colonel Reisner, the Russians have become more flexible: “They are now using very small mobile squads with anti-tank guided missiles with a range of two kilometers on buggies,” said the military expert. These small vehicles are hardly recognizable. “This is a nasty surprise for Ukraine.”
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