Ukraine-Russia war latest: Anti-corruption protests target Zelensky in Kyiv ahead of crucial peace talks
Ukraine has toughened restrictions on the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office.
Amendments approved by Volodymyr Zelensky's party yesterday have rolled back the agencies' autonomy in favour of tighter executive control, a move the Ukrainian president says is needed to rid the organisations of 'Russian influence'.
Angry protesters held signs reading 'F*** corruption' and 'Corruption = Death' while chanting 'Ukraine is not Russia'.
Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv and a prominent political opponent of Mr Zelensky, was among the protesters.
Marta Kos, the EU's enlargement commissioner, said the move was a 'serious step back' for Kyiv's membership hopes, while French European affairs minister Benjamin Haddad said it 'not too late' for Kyiv to reverse the decision.
It comes as a third round of talks is set to take place in Istanbul, Turkey after previous summits in May and June failed to yield any results, except agreement on swapping prisoners of war.
Russian forces launched 71 Shahed drones at Ukraine overnight, Kyiv's air force has said.
A total of 26 drones struck their targets but the rest failed to reach their destination.
Here is what the air force said in its morning report, according to Ukrainska Pravda:
As of 09:00, air defence systems have shot down or jammed 27 Russian Shahed-type UAVs (and other types) in the north, east and centre of the country.
Another 18 UAVs disappeared from radar or were suppressed by electronic warfare. A total of 26 UAV impacts were recorded in 14 locations and debris from downed drones fell in five locations.
Drones were launched from Russia's Kursk, Millerovo and Primorsko-Akhtarsk regions, and targeted Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkiv and Cherkasy regions, the air force added.
Alex Croft23 July 2025 09:15
In pictures: Russia carries out 'July Storm' Navy test
Alex Croft23 July 2025 08:43
France calls on Ukraine to reverse decision on anti-corruption agencies
We've just heard from Benjamin Haddad, France's European Affairs minister, who said it is not too late for Ukraine to reverse its decision to roll back the autonomy of two anti-corruption agencies at the centre of the country's reform drive.
Amendments passed yesterday grant the general prosecutor, appointed by the president, strict control over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, several lawmakers said.
The decision by Ukraine's executive has prompted protests in Kyiv and other cities across the country
"It is not too late to go back on this," Haddad told France Inter radio. "We will be extremely vigilant on the subject."
Alex Croft23 July 2025 08:17
Russia begins major 'July Storm' navy drill with 15,00 troops
Russia has began huge navy drills with more than 150 vessels and 15,000 troops in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, the defence ministry said.
The 'July Storm' exercise will test the readiness of Russia's fleet for non-standard operations, including the use of long-range weapons and other advanced technologies, the ministry said.
"At sea, the crews of the ships will practice deployment to combat areas, conducting anti-submarine operations, defending areas of deployment and economic activity,' it added.
The will also practice "repelling attacks by air attack weapons, unmanned boats and enemy drones, ensuring the safety of navigation, striking enemy targets and naval groups'.
More than 120 aircraft will take part and 10 coastal missile systems, the ministry said. Navy chief, Admiral Alexander Moiseev, will lead the exercise.
Russia has the world's third most powerful navy after China and the United States, according to most public rankings, though the navy has suffered a series of high-profile losses in the Ukraine war.
Alex Croft23 July 2025 07:47
Ukraine's military loses first French Mirage fighter jet in crash
A Mirage 2000 fighter jet supplied to Ukraine from France crashed yesterday after experiencing equipment failure during an assignment, with the pilot ejecting safely, Ukraine's military said.
It was the first loss of a Mirage jet since Ukraine's military started receiving them earlier this year.
"Equipment failure occurred, which the pilot reported to the flight controller," a military statement said on Telegram.
"The pilot then acted competently, as is expected in crisis situations, and successfully ejected. A rescue crew found the pilot in a stable condition. There were no casualties on the ground."
Ukrainian news reports said the incident occurred in the northwestern Volyn region.
Ukraine's military announced the arrival of the first batch of Mirage aircraft in February.
Arpan Rai23 July 2025 07:15
Zelensky offers to meet Putin as Russia casts doubt on peace talks
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has renewed his call to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin face to face as Russia cast doubt on fresh peace talks being held this week.
Mr Zelensky said Ukraine was working to 'prepare a leaders' meeting aimed at truly bringing this war to an end', as the Kremlin said it did not expect any breakthroughs from fresh negotiations being held in Istanbul on Wednesday.
'Our position is fully transparent. Ukraine never wanted this war, and it is Russia that must end the war that it started,' the Ukrainian president said.
In May, Mr Zelensky challenged the Russian leader to meet him, saying he would be waiting in Turkey for him 'personally'.
But on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia was unlikely to agree to a peace deal and would continue 'pursuing our interests'.
Arpan Rai23 July 2025 06:59
Ukraine military intelligence chief posts cryptic message after law on anti-corruption agencies passed
Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov shared a cryptic message warning against infighting on his Telegram after Ukraine cleared a new law threatening the autonomy of the country's anti-corruption bodies.
"Ukrainian history has taught us — a nation loses if it is torn apart by internal contradictions," Mr Budanov wrote in a post on his Telegram channel.
"We have one common trouble, one enemy. Therefore, internal contradictions should be resolved through open dialogue to achieve a single common goal — to defend our country. I am confident that Ukraine will be saved by a strong military and institutions," Mr Budanov said.
Arpan Rai23 July 2025 06:57
Russia says 33 Ukrainian drones destroyed overnight
Russia's air defence systems destroyed 33 Ukrainian drones overnight in six regions, the Russian defence ministry said on its Telegram channel this morning.
Most of these drones were downed near the border region between Ukraine and Russia, the ministry said.
Arpan Rai23 July 2025 06:29
Ukraine allies looking for solutions in EU on Patriots, German minister says
Ukraine's allies are looking to see whether some member states in the European Union could supply Ukraine with five Patriot missile defence systems, of which Germany is willing to finance two, Germany's defence minister Boris Pistorius said this morning.
Mr Pistorius said Germany would have been willing to give two of its own systems to Ukraine but needed reassurance that it could replace them within six to eight months.
"We are now looking for solutions that will allow us to identify Patriot systems in member states in Europe," he said.
"So, it's not hopeless, but the prerequisite is that countries that have them are prepared to hand them over now so that others can pay for them and they can go to Ukraine," he added.
Arpan Rai23 July 2025 06:14
Zelensky issues remarks after parliament votes on anti-corruption bodies
In his nightly video address, issued well after midnight, Volodymyr Zelensky said he had spoken to National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine chief Semen Kryvonos and other top prosecutors.
Anti-corruption bodies, he said, would continue to function "but without any Russian influence. It all must be cleansed.'
"There must be more justice. Of course, NABU and SAPO [Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office] will continue their work," he said. "It's also important that the prosecutor general be committed to ensuring real accountability for those who break the law. This is what Ukraine truly needs."
Mr Kryvonos had urged the Ukrainian president not to sign the fast-tracked bill, which he called an attempt to "destroy" Ukraine's anti-corruption infrastructure.
Arpan Rai
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