Ukraine’s drone forces claimed to have hit 116 vessels in the Sea of Azov in the past nine days as Vladimir Putin vowed a powerful retaliation to Ukrainian attacks on its territory.
The commander of Ukraine’s drone forces said its drones struck several tankers and cargo ships with the aim of damaging Russia’s “shadow fleet”. Russia is considering rerouting cargo from the Sea of Azov after increased Ukrainian attacks on shipping, the transport ministry said on Tuesday.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov called the attacks as “acts of terrorism”.It comes as Putin said Moscow would respond to Ukrainian attacks on its territory with retaliatory strikes that would be "several times more powerful", adding that the scale of such responses would increase.
Ukraine’s military also said it struck two Russian oil refineries in the Bashkortostan and Krasnodar regions, sparking fires at the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat complex and the Afipsky refinery, with Russian authorities confirming both blazes.
Russian-controlled Sevastopol in Crimea imposed rolling power cuts after Ukrainian attacks, while fuel shortages linked to strikes on refineries and logistics have led to gasoline restrictions across Crimea.
Key Points
- Moscow attacks civilian vessel near Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa - Kyiv
- In pictures: Russia attacks civilian ship near Odesa, says Kyiv
- Russia strikes Kyiv with missiles and drones in fresh wave of attacks
- Ukrainian parliament accepts resignation of PM Svyrydenko
- Zelensky says Ukraine will need 300 Patriots in winter to face Russia's aggression
- Sam Kiley | Putin ‘will never make peace in Ukraine’ – Here’s the reason why
Russia likely to redirect cargo shipments from Sea of Azov amid Ukrainian attacks
06:02 , Shweta Sharma
Russia's transport ministry has acknowledged it may need to reroute cargo shipments away from the Sea of Azov as Ukraine steps up attacks on Russian shipping in the area.
Ukraine's drone forces commander said on Tuesday that Ukrainian strikes had hit 116 vessels over the past nine days, including several tankers and cargo ships operating in the Sea of Azov.
He said the campaign was aimed at disrupting Russia's "shadow fleet" and restricting fuel supplies to Russian-occupied Crimea.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine on Tuesday of attacking commercial vessels in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea in what he called acts of terrorism.
"What the Ukrainian regime is doing goes beyond even piracy. Pirates, at least, plunder and keep the spoils for themselves. But here, it benefits neither them nor anyone else - the goal is simply to cause damage and intimidate. It is terrorism, pure and simple," Lavrov said.
He said Russia would continue to fulfil its obligations regarding food exports and the provision of hu
Ukraine to buy Rafale jets, air defence systems under France deal
05:45 , Shweta Sharma
Ukraine will use a European loan facility to buy next-generation Franco-Italian air defence systems and French Rafale fighter jets for the first time, while also securing approval to produce key Western missiles domestically under agreements formalised by Kyiv and Paris on Tuesday.
The two countries said Ukraine would order an initial 16 Rafale aircraft, the first tranche of a planned fleet of 100 announced in November 2025, financed through the European Union's Ukraine Support Loan programme.
Training for Ukrainian pilots and mechanics could begin in France as early as 2026, with the first four aircraft delivered after training is completed, the French and Ukrainian presidencies said in a joint statement, providing the first details of purchases outlined on Monday.
Ukraine also plans to acquire four next-generation SAMP/T-NG air and missile defence systems, becoming the first country to deploy the Franco-Italian system in combat.
Two older versions will be dispatched to Ukraine until the new systems are delivered. The move builds on a broader air-defence initiative unveiled on Monday by Ukraine and several European allies aimed at developing a lower-cost anti-ballistic missile capability as Russia steps up attacks on Ukrainian cities.
France and Italy also authorised licensed production in Ukraine of Aster 30 interceptor missiles, while France approved local production of AASM guided bombs and SCALP cruise missiles, deepening defence-industrial cooperation with Kyiv.
Zelensky given license to manufacture French variant of Storm Shadow missile
05:23 , Shweta Sharma
France has agreed to let Ukraine manufacture its Scalp-EG cruise missiles under a landmark defence agreement that also includes Rafale fighter jets and advanced air defence systems.
The deal, signed by president Volodymyr Zelensky and French president Emmanuel Macron in Paris, grants Kyiv access to the blueprints for the Scalp-EG – the French variant of the Anglo-French Storm Shadow cruise missile– allowing it to produce the long-range weapon inside Ukraine.
The agreement also authorises licensed production of Aster air-defence missiles and AASM precision-guided bombs, while Ukraine will receive 16 Rafale fighter jets and four SAMP/T air-defence batteries.
Zelensky said the pact demonstrated "France's true leadership in defence cooperation with Ukraine, in the interest of all of Europe."
The agreement comes just days after president Donald Trump said the United States would allow Ukraine to manufacture PAC-3 interceptor missiles for the Patriot air defence system, underscoring Western efforts to strengthen Kyiv's domestic arms industry.
Russia downed 340 Ukrainian drones over Moscow, mayor says
04:34 , Shweta Sharma
Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 340 Ukrainian drones had been dispatched to the area surrounding the capital over a 24-hour period on Tuesday and most had been downed by anti-aircraft units far from the city.
"Most of them were neutralised by air defence forces on the outer approaches," Sobyanin wrote on Telegram. "More than 50 enemy drones were destroyed on their way to Moscow."
Ukrainian drones approach the Russian capital routinely and Sobyanin provides a running account of the numbers taken out by anti-aircraft units.
Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Russian infrastructure sites, mainly linked to the oil industry.
Ukraine's military said on Tuesday it had carried out drone strikes on the Salavat petrochemical complex in the Urals and the Afipsky refinery in southern Russia. Attacks on oil infrastructure have contributed to gasoline shortages throughout Russia.
Russian forces have stepped up drone and missile attacks on Kyiv in recent weeks.
Russia launched a barrage of drones and ballistic missiles at Kyiv early on Tuesday, the fifth such attack on the Ukrainian capital this month.
US senators unveil revised Russia sanctions bill easing tariff threat for India
04:20 , Shweta Sharma
A bipartisan group of US senators has introduced a revised Russia sanctions bill that reduces the proposed tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil, including India and China.
The updated legislation caps tariffs at 100 per cent down from the previously proposed 500 per cent and limits them to the five largest purchasers of Russian energy.
It also exempts countries importing less than 15 per cent of Russia's natural gas exports if they are taking significant steps to cut those imports.
The bill also targets Russia's shadow fleet, financial institutions and major state-owned energy projects.
It includes a provision allowing president Donald Trump to waive sanctions if he determines it is in the US national interest.
Senate aides said the bipartisan measure had 26 co-sponsors on Tuesday, with more expected to sign on.
European troops and warplanes join Paris Bastille Day parade in a show of unity for Ukraine
03:52 , Shweta Sharma
Ukrainian fighter pilots and troops took pride of place in France's national Bastille Day celebrations Tuesday as a massive parade showcased support for Ukraine and symbolically flexed European military muscle.
On president Emmanuel Macron's last Bastille Day as president, he hosted around 30 other leaders for an event that appeared aimed at showing both Russian president Vladimir Putin and US president Donald Trump that Europe is united and stepping up to defend itself.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky was given an ovation from the assembled European leaders and his country's troops got the biggest cheers of the day from crowds on the tree-lined Champs-Elysees avenue.
Zelensky and Macron shared repeated hugs at the end of the parade.
France's biggest national holiday coincided with raging forest fires and a red-alert heat wave that forced the cancellation of traditional fireworks and firefighters' balls – and with defeat to Spain in a highly anticipated World Cup semi-final.
Lindsey Graham’s death deprives Ukraine of a key ally who had Trump’s ear, experts say
03:00 , Alex Croft
Sophie Clark reports:
Senator Lindsey Graham’s sudden death has removed a “vital diplomatic buffer between Washington and Kyiv”, experts have said, complicating support for Ukraine at a vital juncture of the war with Russia.
Jaroslava Barbieri, a Research Fellow at the Ukraine Forum at Chatham House, told the Independent that Graham has been a critical voice in US foreign policy when it comes to support for Ukraine.
The Republican senator for South Carolina was one of few vocally pro-Ukraine voices in the Republican Party. He used his leverage in the Senate to lobby for military aid to Ukraine dating back to Russia’s initial illegal invasion of Crimea in 2014, per CNN.
Since the invasion of Crimea, Graham, a prominent foreign policy hawk, has pushed for legislation that would prevent the U.S. from ever recognising seized Ukrainian land as Russian, maintaining NATO funding, and increasing sanctions on the Russian economy.
He even once called for someone in Vladimir Putin’s inner circle to assassinate the Russian president, saying they would be “doing your country – and the world – a great service,” per the Associated Press.
Ms Barbieri told the Independent: “Senator Lindsey Graham served as a crucial bridge between traditional Republican foreign policy hawks and Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ administration, using his direct personal access to champion robust support for Ukraine and secure recent White House backing for major secondary sanctions against Russia.
“His sudden passing removes a vital diplomatic buffer between Washington and Kyiv.”
Graham, 71, passed away suddenly from what a preliminary medical report has called an aortic dissection on Saturday.
France showcases 500 'Coalition of the Willing' troops in grand parade
01:29 , Alex Croft
Some 500 soldiers from the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ backing Ukraine marched down Paris' Champs-Elysees on Tuesday in the annual Bastille Day parade, in what France said would be a symbol of Europe's strategic awakening.
France's traditional national day military parade fell one day after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky joined around 25 leaders in Paris for a summit of the coalition of Western allies supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia.
The allies announced an air-defence coalition asUkraine grapples with critical ammunition shortages and intensifying Russian strikes on its capital Kyiv and surrounding regions.
Zelensky, British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and German chancellor Friedrich Merz were among about 30 leaders invited by Emmanuel Macron to watch Tuesday's parade, the French president's last before he leaves office in 2027.
It featured around 25 Ukrainian soldiers marching along the capital's most famous avenue.
Putin ‘will never make peace in Ukraine’ – Here’s the reason why
Wednesday 15 July 2026 00:01 , Alex Croft
Vladimir Putin’s growing unpopularity in Russia means he cannot afford to end the war with Ukraine, as he will be lynched by his own people, one of the president’s greatest personal enemy in the West has warned.
Sir Bill Browder told The Independent’s World of Trouble podcast: “If he does a peace deal, he’ll lose power. If he loses power, then he’ll get strung up from a lamp post.”
The anti-corruption campaigner, who once ran the biggest investment fund in Russia, has fought against Putin for nearly two decades.
His latest intervention comes days after Nato leaders met in Turkey and agreed to allow Kyiv to produce its own Patriot air defence missiles, vital in withstanding the onslaught from Moscow.
The Independent’s world affairs editor Sam Kiley writes:
Putin ‘will never make peace in Ukraine’ – Here’s the reason why
Russia-installed head of parts of Donetsk region says Ukrainian drones kill eight
Tuesday 14 July 2026 23:02 , Alex Croft
The Russia-installed head of parts of Ukraine's Donetsk Region under Moscow's control said Ukrainian drone attacks had killed eight people, including a family of four.
Denis Pushilin, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said the four people died in a strike on a village southwest of the region's main city, also called Donetsk.
Russian forces control well over 70 per cent of Donetsk Region and Moscow has called on Kyiv to abandon the rest of that region and the three others it has annexed as part of any peace deal.
Ukraine has received all such demands.
Four others died in vehicles struck by drones, he said.
Kyrgyzstan bans fuel and gas exports as Russian fuel crisis hits
Tuesday 14 July 2026 22:01 , Alex Croft
Kyrgyzstan's government has indefinitely banned exports of gasoline, diesel fuel and oil, in response to fuel shortages in Russia, from which the Central Asian country sources the vast majority of its fuel needs.
The decree, dated Monday but published on Tuesday, bans exports "until such time as the domestic market is saturated”.
Kyrgyzstan, a mountainous country of around 7 million, imports more than 90 per cent of its petroleum products from Russia, where Ukrainian strikes against oil refineries have caused acute shortages.
Reuters on Monday reported that jet fuel exports by rail to Central Asia and Afghanistan slumped by more than 92 per cent in June from May to just 3,800 metric tons, while supplies of gasoline dropped by 34 per cent to 99,300 tons.
Kyrgyzstan has appealed to neighbours for help in making up for Russian fuel supplies, and its government has said it has signed contracts for diesel and jet fuel with Belarus and China.
Kremlin rejects Paris meeting which seeks Putin on the negotiating table
Tuesday 14 July 2026 21:00 , Alex Croft
Kyiv and its European backers want to press home Ukraine’s recent successes and compel Putin to negotiate an end to the fighting, although Moscow has shown no willingness to compromise despite peace efforts by the Trump administration.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow will closely follow the Paris meeting but dismissed its aspirations.
“This is a coalition of warmongers,” Peskov said.
“They are driven by the profound delusion that it’s possible to inflict a strategic defeat on our country, so this is a coalition of the deluded, a coalition of those who incite the war.”
Ukraine’s advances in drone technology have given it an edge recently, analysts and Western officials say. Its strikes on supply routes behind the front have robbed the Russian army of momentum and made its progress slow and costly, they say.
Watch: Emergency restoration work under way in Ukraine's Sumy after latest Russian airstrikes
Tuesday 14 July 2026 20:00 , Alex Croft
Ukrainian nationals injured in Iran missile strikes on UAE vessel
Tuesday 14 July 2026 19:01 , Alex Croft
At least one Indian crew member was killed and eight others including Ukrainian nationals were wounded when two Emirati oil tankers were struck by Iranian cruise missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, the United Arab Emirates ministry of defence said on Tuesday, in the latest escalation in the strategic waterway.
Of the eight wounded, four were seriously injured. Six of the wounded were Indian nationals and two were Ukrainian nationals, the ministry said.
The ministry said the tankers, the Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, were targeted in the southern lane of the strait while in Omani territorial waters. The dead crew member was aboard the Mombasa, it said.
Ukraine to produce French missiles and orders war planes, Macron says
Tuesday 14 July 2026 18:02 , Alex Croft
French president Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that France would allow Ukraine to produce French-made cruise missiles, precision guided bombs and air defence interceptor missiles after Kyiv ordered next generation Franco-Italian air defence systems and Rafale fighter jets.
"Earlier this afternoon president (Volodymyr) Zelensky and I agreed on a roadmap between our two countries, implementing what had been agreed in principle last November regarding our bilateral defence cooperation," Macron said at a news conference following a meeting of some 25 leaders in Paris.
Macron's announcement marked the first time France has agreed to licence production to Ukraine, a move that would enable it to ramp up stocks at a time when Russia is intensifying strikes on the country.
The production centres around AASM precision-guided air-to-ground bombs, Aster air-defence interceptor missiles and SCALP, long-range air-launched cruise missiles, which Britain also produces. Macron said radar systems were also being ceded to Ukraine.
He said Zelensky had also ordered the delivery of next generation SAMP-T air defence systems, which would follow deliveries of the older version and a batch of missiles.
At least 16 Rafale warplanes would also be delivered with a view to operating in Ukraine's skies by 2028-2029, Macron said.
Macron also said Ukraine's allies had agreed to begin military exercises in countries neighbouring Ukraine as part of a plan for a multinational force that would deploy once there is a ceasefire with Russia.
Europe unites in Paris for Bastille Day in show of military strength to Putin and Trump
Tuesday 14 July 2026 17:00 , Alex Croft
Paris is hosting a Bastille Day celebration on Tuesday that transcends France's national borders, with troops and warplanes from across Europe participating.
This year's grand parade aims to showcase unwavering support for Ukraine and highlight the continent's collective military strength.
President Emmanuel Macron, presiding over his last Bastille Day as president, is welcoming around 30 international leaders.
The gathering is intended to convey a strong message to both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, affirming Europe's unity and its resolve to defend itself. Among the dignitaries greeted by Mr Macron's wife, Brigitte, was European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Read more:
France sends message to Putin as Europe showcases military strength at Bastille Day
Ukraine and allies vow to protect Europe from ballistic missiles
Tuesday 14 July 2026 16:31 , Alex Croft
Ukraine and nine other countries announced have said they were forming a coalition to protect Europe from ballistic missiles, utilising Kyiv’s experience in fighting Russia's full-scale invasion for over four years.
“Our goal is to build a shared ballistic missile defense capability for Europe,” the 10 nations said in a statement in Paris at talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Zelensky and the leaders of Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom said they recognised “the growing threat posed by ballistic missiles,” which are harder to stop than cruise missiles or drones.
“We believe that protecting Europe requires a comprehensive solution, in the form of an integrated missile defense architecture, to deter and neutralise future missile threats,” the statement said.
“We recognise Ukraine’s unique experience, gained through its defence against the war of aggression waged by Russia.”
The statement gave no time frame for setting up the defense system and said the plan remained open to other countries.
Ukraine says it struck 12 ships in Russia's 'shadow fleet' - ICYMI
Tuesday 14 July 2026 16:00 , Alex Croft
Russia accuses Ukraine of terrorism over Sea of Azov attacks
Tuesday 14 July 2026 15:30 , Alex Croft
Russia has accused Ukraine of terrorism over its escalating attacks on shipping in the Sea of Azov, a route that handles about a quarter of its grain exports.
"What the Ukrainian regime is doing goes beyond even piracy. Pirates, at least, plunder and keep the spoils for themselves,” Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said.
“But here, it benefits neither them nor anyone else – the goal is simply to cause damage and intimidate. It is terrorism, pure and simple," Lavrov said.
Ukrainian drones hit 11 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov overnight, Kyiv's drone forces commander said.
In a statement on Telegram, Robert Brovdi said the targets included five tankers, five dry cargo vessels and a tugboat, bringing the total number of vessels struck in the past nine days to 116.
Ukraine says it hit 105 Russian vessels in 8 days
Tuesday 14 July 2026 15:00 , Alex Croft
Ukrainian forces struck 105 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov next to the Crimean Peninsula between 6 July to 13 July, said Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces.
The vessels included tankers, dry cargo ships, a ferry and tugboats, Brovdi said on the Telegram messaging app.
The campaign is part of a broader Ukrainian effort to isolate the Crimean Peninsula, which is enduring its worst fuel crisis since it was illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014, and disrupt Russian logistics.
Crimea is a key rear base for Russian forces occupying parts of southern Ukraine.
In pictures: Russia attacks civilian ship near Odesa, says Kyiv
Tuesday 14 July 2026 14:44 , Alex Croft
Ukrainian parliament accepts resignation of PM Svyrydenko
Tuesday 14 July 2026 14:29 , Alex Croft
Ukraine's parliament accepted on Monday the resignation of prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
The move passed with 258 lawmakers voting in favor, with 226 needed for a majority.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sunday that he planned to replace Svyrydenko after only a year in office, as he reshuffles his government.
Earlier, Taras Kachka, Ukraine's deputy prime minister for European integration, said the change of Ukraine's government will not impact the country's European Union integration.
"This is an unconditional priority for Ukrainian government so that the negotiations will go, and as well as a reform process," Kachka said in Brussels ahead of the formal opening of a second area of accession negotiations with Ukraine, covering external relations.
Kremlin: There can be no Ukraine security guarantees without our involvement
Tuesday 14 July 2026 14:01 , Alex Croft
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that there could be no security guarantees for Ukraine without Russia's involvement.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also touched on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's stance in support of Ukraine's territorial integrity
This stance is mistaken, Peskov said, adding that Azerbaijan is not the only country with which Russia maintains close relations and whose position on a number of issues differs from Russia's.
Putin ‘will never make peace in Ukraine’ – Here’s the reason why
Tuesday 14 July 2026 13:30 , Alex Croft
Vladimir Putin’s growing unpopularity in Russia means he cannot afford to end the war with Ukraine, as he will be lynched by his own people, one of the president’s greatest personal enemy in the West has warned.
Sir Bill Browder told The Independent’s World of Trouble podcast: “If he does a peace deal, he’ll lose power. If he loses power, then he’ll get strung up from a lamp post.”
The anti-corruption campaigner, who once ran the biggest investment fund in Russia, has fought against Putin for nearly two decades.
His latest intervention comes days after Nato leaders met in Turkey and agreed to allow Kyiv to produce its own Patriot air defence missiles, vital in withstanding the onslaught from Moscow.
Putin has variously claimed that he ordered the invasion of Ukraine in 2014 to see off a potential threat of Nato membership for Kyiv, to save Russian-speaking peoples in the east of the country, or as part of a patriotic duty to return Ukraine to Russia’s empire.
The Independent’s world affairs editor Sam Kiley writes:
Putin ‘will never make peace in Ukraine’ – Here’s the reason why
Russia to reroute grain shipments from Sea of Azov after Ukrainian attacks
Tuesday 14 July 2026 13:00 , Alex Croft
Earlier, we reported that Russia’s transport ministry said it was taking all necessary measures to ensure safe passage of cargo vessels through the Sea of Azov after Ukraine has ramped up its attacks on the civilian fleet.
Now, the agricultural ministry has announced it is preparing to reroute grain shipments, raising concerns over disruption to a route that handles about a quarter of its grain exports.
Shipping in the Sea of Azov remained restricted on Tuesday, according to sources speaking to Reuters news agency, marking the biggest disruption to the Black Sea grain trade since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Russia's Agriculture Ministry said the situation would not affect export volumes or domestic food supplies because grain could be redirected through alternative ports.
"Given Russia's significant capacity for transshipping agricultural cargo in various regions, supply logistics will be redirected if necessary," the ministry said in a statement.
In pictures: Coalition of the Willing troops march in Paris
Tuesday 14 July 2026 12:31 , Alex Croft
France showcases 500 'Coalition of the Willing' troops in grand parade
Tuesday 14 July 2026 12:01 , Alex Croft
Some 500 soldiers from the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ backing Ukraine marched down Paris' Champs-Elysees on Tuesday in the annual Bastille Day parade, in what France said would be a symbol of Europe's strategic awakening.
France's traditional national day military parade fell one day after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky joined around 25 leaders in Paris for a summit of the coalition of Western allies supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia.
The allies announced an air-defence coalition asUkraine grapples with critical ammunition shortages and intensifying Russian strikes on its capital Kyiv and surrounding regions.
Zelensky, British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and German chancellor Friedrich Merz were among about 30 leaders invited by Emmanuel Macron to watch Tuesday's parade, the French president's last before he leaves office in 2027.
It featured around 25 Ukrainian soldiers marching along the capital's most famous avenue.
Ukraine says it struck two Russian oil refineries overnight
Tuesday 14 July 2026 11:30 , Alex Croft
We’re seeing reports from the Ukrainian military of fresh strikes on two Russian oil refineries.
Facilities in the Bashkortostan and Krasnodar regions were attacked overnight, the military said.
Ukraine's General Staff said on Telegram the strikes caused fires at the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat complex as well as near the Afipsky oil refinery.
We’re working to bring you more on the attack.
Lindsey Graham’s death deprives Ukraine of a key ally who had Trump’s ear, experts say
Tuesday 14 July 2026 11:02 , Alex Croft
Sophie Clark reports:
Senator Lindsey Graham’s sudden death has removed a “vital diplomatic buffer between Washington and Kyiv”, experts have said, complicating support for Ukraine at a vital juncture of the war with Russia.
Jaroslava Barbieri, a Research Fellow at the Ukraine Forum at Chatham House, told the Independent that Graham has been a critical voice in US foreign policy when it comes to support for Ukraine.
The Republican senator for South Carolina was one of few vocally pro-Ukraine voices in the Republican Party. He used his leverage in the Senate to lobby for military aid to Ukraine dating back to Russia’s initial illegal invasion of Crimea in 2014, per CNN.
Since the invasion of Crimea, Graham, a prominent foreign policy hawk, has pushed for legislation that would prevent the U.S. from ever recognising seized Ukrainian land as Russian, maintaining NATO funding, and increasing sanctions on the Russian economy.
He even once called for someone in Vladimir Putin’s inner circle to assassinate the Russian president, saying they would be “doing your country – and the world – a great service,” per the Associated Press.
Ms Barbieri told the Independent: “Senator Lindsey Graham served as a crucial bridge between traditional Republican foreign policy hawks and Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ administration, using his direct personal access to champion robust support for Ukraine and secure recent White House backing for major secondary sanctions against Russia.
“His sudden passing removes a vital diplomatic buffer between Washington and Kyiv.”
Graham, 71, passed away suddenly from what a preliminary medical report has called an aortic dissection on Saturday.
Moscow attacks civilian vessel near Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa - Kyiv
Tuesday 14 July 2026 10:30 , Alex Croft
Russian forces have attacked a civilian vessel near Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa, Ukrainian navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk has said.
No casualties have been reported in the attack, Pletenchuk added.
Odesa, Ukraine’s most important Black Sea port that is not under Russian occupation, has come under sustained Russian attack since it launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
Watch: Emergency restoration work under way in Ukraine's Sumy after latest Russian airstrikes
Tuesday 14 July 2026 10:01 , Alex Croft
Ukrainian drones strike 11 vessels in Sea of Azov
Tuesday 14 July 2026 09:35 , Alex Croft
Ukrainian drones hit 11 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov overnight, Kyiv's drone forces commander said on Tuesday.
In a statement on Telegram, Robert Brovdi said the targets included five tankers, five dry cargo vessels and a tugboat, bringing the total number of vessels struck in the past nine days to 116.
Moscow may divert cargo from vessels in Sea of Azov after Ukrainian attacks
Tuesday 14 July 2026 09:44 , Alex Croft
Moscow has said it it may divert cargo that was carried by cargo vessels via the Sea of Azov to other modes of transport on other routes due to increased Ukrainian attacks.
Russia is taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of vessels in the Sea of Azov, the Transport Ministry said.
Putin shows no signs of Russia backing down in attacks on Ukraine
Tuesday 14 July 2026 08:22 , Arpan Rai
Russian president Vladimir Putin was unyielding, as he vowed emphatic retaliation yesterday to Kyiv's recent long-range attacks on refineries, tankers and terminals that have caused widespread fuel shortages.
“Wherever they attempt to strike Russian territory, we will respond in kind, but our strikes will be several times more powerful,” Putin told a meeting with pro-Kremlin activists.
European foreign ministers were meeting separately in Brussels where they discussed Ukraine’s needs and Russia’s threats to the continent.
Volodymyr Zelensky is keen to accelerate efforts with European countries to develop its air defences ahead of winter, when Russia usually intensifies its attacks to deny Ukrainians electricity, heat and water.
Ukrainian officials were in Paris to present a proposed Anti-Ballistic Program and meet with government leaders, national security advisers and defence companies who might take part, Zelensky said.
Peace in Ukraine unlikely to be reached soon, Polish PM says
Tuesday 14 July 2026 08:16 , Arpan Rai
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk says it seemed very unlikely that peace in Ukraine would be reached soon and he expected Russia to extend the conflict at least until the winter.
"These will be exercises that prepare the entire coalition (of the willing) gathered today in Paris for such real security guarantees for Ukraine, but also for the region," he said this morning.
Tusk said he had discussed the situation with Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
“At this point, it seems unlikely that a ceasefire or peace agreement will be reached in the near future, given the rigid stance of Russia and Putin,” Tusk told journalists in Paris.
“Everyone expects an escalation of actions from Russia at this time, and it's quite likely that Russia will want to prolong this war at least until the winter,” he said.
Tusk said Poland would host military exercises with French and British troops in the autumn so that they can be prepared to ensure security for Ukraine and the region after a peace agreement or ceasefire is eventually reached.
Zelensky says Ukraine will need 300 Patriots in winter to face Russia's aggression
Tuesday 14 July 2026 08:02 , Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky has said war-hit Ukraine will need at least 300 Patriot missile interceptors to get through the next winter.
His request came as Ukraine and nine other countries announced they were forming a coalition to protect Europe from ballistic missiles, utilising Kyiv’s experience in fighting Russia's full-scale invasion for over four years.
“We need to start preparing for next winter now. Of course, we are doing everything we can to push Russia toward diplomacy. And this is already the most difficult summer for Russia,” Zelensky said at the summit yesterday in Paris.
Ukraine can strengthen its overall position by securing a sufficient “winter package of air defence missiles,” he said.
“If we have enough protection for the winter, Russia will have far less reason to drag the war into the winter. We have calculated that this package should include 100 Patriot missiles per month – 300 missiles for the winter. Please consider this,” Zelensky said.
We need to start preparing for next winter now. Of course, we are doing everything we can to push Russia toward diplomacy. And this is already the most difficult summer for Russia. Our long-range operations and mid-range strikes will continue. We will strengthen them.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 13, 2026
And one of… pic.twitter.com/aia1zuMKcz
Government change will not impact Ukraine's EU integration, deputy PM says
Tuesday 14 July 2026 07:39 , Arpan Rai
An upcoming change of Ukraine's government will not impact the country's European Union integration, Taras Kachka, Ukraine's deputy prime minister for European integration said today.
"This is an unconditional priority for Ukrainian government so that the negotiations will go, and as well as a reform process," Kachka said in Brussels ahead of the formal opening of a second area of accession negotiations with Ukraine, the so-called "cluster" six covering external relations.
Ukraine is in the middle of a major reshuffle of the Volodymyr Zelensky administration that saw prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko step down on Sunday.
Under attacks from Ukraine, Russia says it will protect cargo vessels in Sea of Azov
Tuesday 14 July 2026 07:32 , Arpan Rai
Russia’s transport ministry said it is taking all necessary measures to ensure safe passage of cargo vessels through the Sea of Azov after Ukraine has ramped up its attacks on the civilian fleet.
The ministry said ship owners of the vessels are also working on measures to protect their fleets from attacks.
The freight will be redirected to other modes of transport if necessary, the ministry added.
Officials in Russia made the announcement a day after Ukraine’s drone operations commander confirmed Ukrainian forces have struck 105 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov next to the Crimean Peninsula in the last week.
Ukraine's allies call for direct peace negotiations with Russia
Tuesday 14 July 2026 07:19 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine and its allies gathered in Paris yesterday for the Coalition of the Willing summit have called for direct peace negotiations with Russia for a “just and lasting peace” in war-hit nation.
“We reiterate our call, in that context, for an immediate and complete ceasefire in Ukraine and for the resumption of direct negotiations,” a statement by the prime minister Keir Starmer’s office said yesterday.
It added: “We support the proposal for a direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia - with active US and European participation - to bring about a ceasefire starting from the line of contact and support further meaningful negotiations, based in particular on the following parameters,” adding that the talks need to be held with Ukraine and Europe.
“No arrangements regarding European interests and security can be negotiated without Europeans. Elements of any negotiation related to the EU and Nato would need the consent of the EU and its Member States and Nato Allies respectively,” the statement said.
Why Lindsey Graham’s death is bad news for Ukraine
Tuesday 14 July 2026 07:07 , Arpan Rai
Senator Lindsey Graham’s sudden death has removed a “vital diplomatic buffer between Washington and Kyiv”, experts have said, complicating support for Ukraine at a vital juncture of the war with Russia.
Jaroslava Barbieri, a Research Fellow at the Ukraine Forum at Chatham House, told the Independent that Graham has been a critical voice in US foreign policy when it comes to support for Ukraine.
The Republican senator for South Carolina was one of few vocally pro-Ukraine voices in the Republican Party. He used his leverage in the Senate to lobby for military aid to Ukraine dating back to Russia’s initial illegal invasion of Crimea in 2014, per CNN.
Lindsey Graham’s death deprives Ukraine of a key ally who had Trump’s ear
Ukraine says it hit 105 Russian vessels in 8 days
Tuesday 14 July 2026 06:39 , Arpan Rai
Ukrainian forces struck 105 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov next to the Crimean Peninsula between 6 July to 13 July, said Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces.
The vessels included tankers, dry cargo ships, a ferry and tugboats, Brovdi said on the Telegram messaging app.
The campaign is part of a broader Ukrainian effort to isolate the Crimean Peninsula, which is enduring its worst fuel crisis since it was illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014, and disrupt Russian logistics.
Crimea is a key rear base for Russian forces occupying parts of southern Ukraine.
Kremlin rejects Paris meeting which seeks Putin on the negotiating table
Tuesday 14 July 2026 06:34 , Arpan Rai
Kyiv and its European backers want to press home Ukraine’s recent successes and compel Putin to negotiate an end to the fighting, although Moscow has shown no willingness to compromise despite peace efforts by the Trump administration.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow will closely follow the Paris meeting but dismissed its aspirations.
“This is a coalition of warmongers,” Peskov said.
“They are driven by the profound delusion that it’s possible to inflict a strategic defeat on our country, so this is a coalition of the deluded, a coalition of those who incite the war.”
Ukraine’s advances in drone technology have given it an edge recently, analysts and Western officials say. Its strikes on supply routes behind the front have robbed the Russian army of momentum and made its progress slow and costly, they say.
Ukrainian nationals injured in Iran missile strikes on UAE vessel
Tuesday 14 July 2026 06:00 , Arpan Rai
At least one Indian crew member was killed and eight others including Ukrainian nationals were wounded when two Emirati oil tankers were struck by Iranian cruise missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, the United Arab Emirates ministry of defence said on Tuesday, in the latest escalation in the strategic waterway.
Of the eight wounded, four were seriously injured. Six of the wounded were Indian nationals and two were Ukrainian nationals, the ministry said.
The ministry said the tankers, the Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, were targeted in the southern lane of the strait while in Omani territorial waters. The dead crew member was aboard the Mombasa, it said.
Ukraine to produce French missiles and orders war planes, Macron says
Tuesday 14 July 2026 05:40 , Arpan Rai
French president Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that France would allow Ukraine to produce French-made cruise missiles, precision guided bombs and air defence interceptor missiles after Kyiv ordered next generation Franco-Italian air defence systems and Rafale fighter jets.
"Earlier this afternoon president (Volodymyr) Zelensky and I agreed on a roadmap between our two countries, implementing what had been agreed in principle last November regarding our bilateral defence cooperation," Macron said at a news conference following a meeting of some 25 leaders in Paris.
Macron's announcement marked the first time France has agreed to licence production to Ukraine, a move that would enable it to ramp up stocks at a time when Russia is intensifying strikes on the country.
The production centres around AASM precision-guided air-to-ground bombs, Aster air-defence interceptor missiles and SCALP, long-range air-launched cruise missiles, which Britain also produces. Macron said radar systems were also being ceded to Ukraine.
He said Zelensky had also ordered the delivery of next generation SAMP-T air defence systems, which would follow deliveries of the older version and a batch of missiles.
At least 16 Rafale warplanes would also be delivered with a view to operating in Ukraine's skies by 2028-2029, Macron said.
Macron also said Ukraine's allies had agreed to begin military exercises in countries neighbouring Ukraine as part of a plan for a multinational force that would deploy once there is a ceasefire with Russia.
Watch: Rescuers battle blaze as Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia leaves 12 injured
Tuesday 14 July 2026 05:33 , Arpan Rai
Russia-installed head of parts of Donetsk region says Ukrainian drones kill eight
Tuesday 14 July 2026 05:19 , Arpan Rai
The Russia-installed head of parts of Ukraine's Donetsk Region under Moscow's control said Ukrainian drone attacks had killed eight people, including a family of four.
Denis Pushilin, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said the four people died in a strike on a village southwest of the region's main city, also called Donetsk.
Russian forces control well over 70 per cent of Donetsk Region and Moscow has called on Kyiv to abandon the rest of that region and the three others it has annexed as part of any peace deal.
Ukraine has received all such demands.
Four others died in vehicles struck by drones, he said.
Ukraine and allies vow to protect Europe from ballistic missiles
Tuesday 14 July 2026 04:54 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine and nine other countries announced have said they were forming a coalition to protect Europe from ballistic missiles, utilising Kyiv’s experience in fighting Russia's full-scale invasion for over four years.
“Our goal is to build a shared ballistic missile defense capability for Europe,” the 10 nations said in a statement in Paris at talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Zelensky and the leaders of Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom said they recognised “the growing threat posed by ballistic missiles,” which are harder to stop than cruise missiles or drones.
“We believe that protecting Europe requires a comprehensive solution, in the form of an integrated missile defense architecture, to deter and neutralise future missile threats,” the statement said.
“We recognise Ukraine’s unique experience, gained through its defence against the war of aggression waged by Russia.”
The statement gave no time frame for setting up the defense system and said the plan remained open to other countries.
UK agrees deal to join EU Ukraine Support Loan scheme
Tuesday 14 July 2026 04:35 , Arpan Rai
Prime minister Keir Starmer signed Britain up to an EU defence loan for Ukraine on Monday, one of his last acts as the nation's prime minister to try to improve London's ties with the bloc after years of wrangling over Brexit.
Sir Keir announced the agreement, which will give British defence firms access to contracts funded by the €90bn ($102.59bn) Ukraine Support Loan, as he arrived in Paris for a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing group of Ukrainian allied countries.
"This agreement will help ensure Ukraine gets the support it needs to defend itself against Russian aggression, while backing British defence companies, supporting skilled jobs and strengthening our national security," Sir Keir said in a statement.
Putin shows no signs of Russia backing down in attacks on Ukraine
Tuesday 14 July 2026 04:27 , Arpan Rai
Russian president Vladimir Putin was unyielding, as he vowed emphatic retaliation yesterday to Kyiv's recent long-range attacks on refineries, tankers and terminals that have caused widespread fuel shortages.
“Wherever they attempt to strike Russian territory, we will respond in kind, but our strikes will be several times more powerful,” Putin told a meeting with pro-Kremlin activists.
European foreign ministers were meeting separately in Brussels where they discussed Ukraine’s needs and Russia’s threats to the continent.
Volodymyr Zelensky is keen to accelerate efforts with European countries to develop its air defences ahead of winter, when Russia usually intensifies its attacks to deny Ukrainians electricity, heat and water.
Ukrainian officials were in Paris to present a proposed Anti-Ballistic Program and meet with government leaders, national security advisers and defence companies who might take part, Zelensky said.
Zelensky says Ukraine will need 300 Patriots in winter to face Russia's aggression
Tuesday 14 July 2026 04:26 , Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky has said war-hit Ukraine will need at least 300 Patriot missile interceptors to get through the next winter.
His request came as Ukraine and nine other countries announced they were forming a coalition to protect Europe from ballistic missiles, utilising Kyiv’s experience in fighting Russia's full-scale invasion for over four years.
“We need to start preparing for next winter now. Of course, we are doing everything we can to push Russia toward diplomacy. And this is already the most difficult summer for Russia,” Zelensky said at the summit yesterday in Paris.
Ukraine can strengthen its overall position by securing a sufficient “winter package of air defence missiles,” he said.
“If we have enough protection for the winter, Russia will have far less reason to drag the war into the winter. We have calculated that this package should include 100 Patriot missiles per month – 300 missiles for the winter. Please consider this,” Zelensky said.
We need to start preparing for next winter now. Of course, we are doing everything we can to push Russia toward diplomacy. And this is already the most difficult summer for Russia. Our long-range operations and mid-range strikes will continue. We will strengthen them.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 13, 2026
And one of… pic.twitter.com/aia1zuMKcz
Russia strikes Kyiv with missiles and drones in fresh wave of attacks
Tuesday 14 July 2026 03:53 , Arpan Rai
Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv with missiles in the early hours today, triggering fires in widely separated districts of the city, senior officials said.
The air alert in the city was lifted after about 50 minutes. No casualties were reported.
Tymur Tkachenko, head of the capital's military administration, said two storage areas were hit and set on fire in the Holosiivskyi district just outside the city centre.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said drone debris had hit the ground in an open area in an eastern suburb and cars had been set ablaze. Reuters witnesses reported several explosions in the city.
In the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, Russian drones struck residential and other areas, injuring 11 people, emergency services said.
A drone attack in a town outside Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city in the northeast, injured six people, Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said on Telegram.
Comment: Inside the Andy Burnham security pact which could reshape Britain’s future
Tuesday 14 July 2026 03:00 , Maira Butt
There is a widespread view that Andy Burnham cannot negotiate a significantly better relationship with the European Union without breaking Labour’s manifesto commitments. If that were true, it would be a serious problem, since forging a closer partnership with the EU is one of the most important things that the UK’s next prime minister could do.
Fortunately, there is a way to cut a deal that is good for Britain while also respecting Labour’s promises not to rejoin the bloc, its single market or its customs union, at least until the next general election. The solution is to create a bold security pact covering far more than defence.
But first, Burnham will have to take the British people on a journey. Although a big majority think Brexit was a mistake, they do not yet regard it as one of the country’s most pressing problems.
Inside the Andy Burnham security pact which could reshape Britain’s future
Russia uses Japan's help for tech in Ukraine war – report
Tuesday 14 July 2026 02:00 , Maira Butt
Russia’s banned spies, which faced the international wrath in their deployed countries, have started turning up in Japan and using their technology, according to a report by The New York Times.
The spies kicked out of the western nations following the full-scale invasion launched by Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Japan’s weak espionage laws and sought-after technology industry has made it lucrative for Russia to operate a part of its war effort through the country.
At least 90 per cent of Russian missiles and drones include Japanese components, said the Ukrainian government in its new estimates.
Russia is also operating its 20th Directorate, a military intelligence unit, which has unit officers pretending to be diplomats or business people holding important positions as they purchase or steal combat technology to introduce it to Russia, said former and serving members of five Western intelligence agencies, the report added.
Comment: The West is preparing for the wrong post-war Russia
Tuesday 14 July 2026 01:00 , Maira Butt
Whenever and however the war in Ukraine ends, it will leave Russia more constrained at home, but more likely to cause disruption beyond its borders.
This matters because too much Western thinking about Russia still rests on one of two assumptions: that sustained pressure will eventually force Moscow to moderate its behaviour, or that the system is heading towards collapse. Both assumptions misunderstand the nature of the pressures building inside Russia.
These pressures are not new and did not begin with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The West is preparing for the wrong post-war Russia
In pictures: Coalition of the Willing met in Paris
Tuesday 14 July 2026 00:01 , Maira Butt
Editorial: Is there a way out of Vladimir Putin’s forever war?
Monday 13 July 2026 23:00 , Maira Butt
How will it ever end? This has been one of the questions hanging over the war in Ukraine since Vladimir Putin launched his all-out invasion, aimed at taking Kyiv and subjugating the entire nation, in February 2022.
Sir Bill Browder has a plausible answer. In an exclusive interview with The Independent’s Sam Kiley on the World of Trouble podcast, President Putin’s great enemy said: “I don’t believe you are ever going to have Putin signing a peace treaty. I don’t think the war is ever going to end officially, but I can imagine it is going to grind down to a low level, potentially even totally quiet front, in the same way as North and South Korea did.”
Is there a way out of Vladimir Putin’s forever war?
Watch: Emergency restoration work under way in Ukraine's Sumy after latest Russian airstrikes
Monday 13 July 2026 22:00 , Maira Butt
Lindsey Graham’s death deprives Ukraine of a key ally who had Trump’s ear, experts say
Monday 13 July 2026 21:00 , Maira Butt
Senator Lindsey Graham’s sudden death has removed a “vital diplomatic buffer between Washington and Kyiv”, experts have said, complicating support for Ukraine at a vital juncture of the war with Russia.
Jaroslava Barbieri, a Research Fellow at the Ukraine Forum at Chatham House, told the Independent that Graham has been a critical voice in US foreign policy when it comes to support for Ukraine.
The Republican senator for South Carolina was one of few vocally pro-Ukraine voices in the Republican Party. He used his leverage in the Senate to lobby for military aid to Ukraine dating back to Russia’s initial illegal invasion of Crimea in 2014, per CNN.
Lindsey Graham’s death deprives Ukraine of a key ally who had Trump’s ear
Ukraine's Kernel suspends port operations after Russian attacks
Monday 13 July 2026 20:00 , Daniel Keane
Ukraine's top grain exporter Kernel Holding said on Monday it had halted operations at Chornomorsk port due to a series of Russian attacks as Moscow intensifies pressure on key Ukrainian trade routes.
Russian missile and drone attacks between Friday and Sunday, described by Kernel as some of the largest wartime strikes, damaged grain, sunflower oil and meal storage and transshipment infrastructure, the company said.
Kernel, a major Ukrainian grains and oilseed producer, said the timing for restoring operations was uncertain.
Putin ‘will never make peace in Ukraine’ – Here’s the reason why
Monday 13 July 2026 19:00 , Maira Butt
Vladimir Putin’s growing unpopularity in Russia means he cannot afford to end the war with Ukraine, as he will be lynched by his own people, one of the president’s greatest personal enemy in the West has warned.
Sir Bill Browder told The Independent’s World of Trouble podcast: “If he does a peace deal, he’ll lose power. If he loses power, then he’ll get strung up from a lamp post.”
The anti-corruption campaigner, who once ran the biggest investment fund in Russia, has fought against Putin for nearly two decades
The Independent’s world affairs editor Sam Kiley reports:
Putin ‘will never make peace in Ukraine’ – Here’s the reason why
Nato condemns Russia's 'malicious cyber activities'
Monday 13 July 2026 18:30 , Maira Butt
Nato allies on Monday said they condemned cyber activities by Russia, which the alliance said were aimed at sabotaging infrastructure and government entities.
"We strongly condemn Russia's persistent malicious cyber activities, leveraging its cyber ecosystem to target allies and NATO partners," the alliance said in a statement.
"These activities constitute a threat to allied security. We call on Russia to stop these destabilising activities, which disregard agreed international norms of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace."
The EU on Monday broadened sanctions against Russia to include individuals and entities seen to be contributing to Russian cybercrime.
Russia summons German ambassador and accuses Berlin of supporting Ukrainian attacks
Monday 13 July 2026 18:00 , Daniel Keane
Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Monday it had summoned Germany's ambassador in Moscow and accused Berlin of supporting Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure in Russia through military cooperation and arms supplies to Kyiv.
The ministry told the ambassador that it considered Germany's increasing support for Kyiv unacceptable.
It cited military cooperation agreements, direct weapons supplies and joint projects to develop drones, missiles and other weapons that Moscow says are being used in attacks on civilian infrastructure in Russia.
Ukraine and Russia have both stepped up their attacks on each other's infrastructure in recent weeks. They both deny targeting civilians.
