The United States has already begun the process to issue licenses to Ukraine for the production of Patriot missiles; this process could take several months, according to the Kyiv Independent.
Regarding US sanctions on Russia, the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated: “China firmly opposes the new US sanctions against Russia, which target the five largest buyers of Russian crude oil and natural gas, including China.” According to Axios, however, Trump has so far “refrained from fully supporting the new Russia sanctions bill, although he has indicated his willingness to sign it in memory of the late Senator Lindsey Graham.” Trump himself has stated that he believes passage of a new sanctions bill is likely, but, according to the New York Times, he does not consider passing this initiative a priority.
On July 17, Trump also listed Russia among “US adversaries” who allegedly attempted to influence the US elections. According to Trump, “China illegally accessed US voter data in 2020. US authorities have identified approximately 278,000 non-citizens registered to vote in the federal elections, and there may be more. The US ‘deep state’ has concealed data on foreign influence in the elections.”
China’s response was swift: “Trump’s claims of Chinese interference in the US elections are pure fabrication and slander,” according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Ukraine has signed two agreements with the European Union on access for Ukrainian companies to EU defense programs and on new financing of €300 million, announced former acting Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. He specified that €260 million of this amount will be allocated to increasing Ukrainian production capacity. The European Commission has also allocated another €1 billion for drones for Kiev, as part of its €90 billion military financing program.
The EU has authorized Kiev to use borrowed funds for Chinese drone components, the Financial Times reported, citing sources. Ukrainian authorities have asked the European Commission for permission to use part of the €5.9 billion to purchase certain Chinese-made drone components. The European Commission and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense did not respond to the newspaper’s request for comment.
Some EU countries are profiting enormously “from Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Latvia’s Prime Minister reportedly criticized countries that have blocked a new package of sanctions against Russia. Andris Kulbergs said that while some talk about supporting Ukraine, others continue to profit from Russian LNG and turn a blind eye to the activities of the “shadow fleet” that helps the Kremlin circumvent restrictions.
Latvia also plans to ban Russian from state-run media, according to a report by the Latvian public broadcaster LSM. Culture Minister Nauris Puntulis believes that Russian-language content in the country’s media “must disappear.” He previously issued an order banning the use of Russian in public spaces by subordinate institutions. Lithuanian journalist Eldoradas Butrimas was sentenced in absentia to 20 years in prison by Russia “for providing financial support to mercenaries, financing terrorism, and illegally crossing the Russian state border,” according to the Russian Investigative Committee. He has been placed on the international wanted list.
According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry Advisor: “Transmitters in Belarus are still being used for attacks against Ukraine. According to Ukrainian radar systems, the drone was moving along the border with Belarus, then changed course and headed towards the site of the attack.”
“The Russians are trying to create a ‘control zone’ along the Ukrainian state border. To do this, the enemy is using small infantry groups and is seeking new footholds on the front,” says Joint Forces Group spokesman Viktor Tregubov. “The main points of interest for the Russians are the Lyman and Kupyansk directions.”
Among the new threats, the most significant is currently the one towards the village of Kozacha Lopan in the Kharkiv region, where the invaders are attempting to infiltrate across the state border. Similar attempts to establish new footholds have been reported previously In the Degtyarny and Sotnytsky Kozacha areas.
Internal disagreements between the Ukrainian government and the presidency continue. “Fedorov remains on my team. I understand, listen, and respond to what society says. We are fighting for freedom and democracy. People do what they want,” Zelenskyy said regarding today’s protests in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the president has appointed Yevhen Khmara as acting Defense Minister of Ukraine. He announced the news on Telegram. Khmara was previously acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine. “After the completion of the necessary legal procedures, I will ask parliamentarians to support Yevhen Khmara’s candidacy for the post of Defense Minister of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy wrote.
According to Ukrainian law, the choice of the Defense Minister is not up to the President, but to Prime Minister Koretsky. Not only will the Ukrainian parliament convene only on August 18, but by law, Ukraine will be without a Defense Minister, Foreign Minister, and head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) until August 18. According to Ukrainian media sources, the current First Deputy Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Oleksandr Poklad, will become acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine, a news report reported on July 17.
Zelenskyy also confirmed the conflict between Fedorov and Syrskyy. He stated that the Defense Minister and the Commander-in-Chief can only cooperate with the president’s mediation. “They don’t sit without me. And these departments should work independently. A president shouldn’t be forced to make choices in such a situation, during a war. I would very much like unity. The parties haven’t found it. And this is not just the parties’ problem, but also my problem. It doesn’t absolve me of my responsibilities,” Zelenskyy stated. Fedorov had previously claimed that Syrskyy was “scheming” and blocking his initiatives.
“Fedorov’s dismissal was motivated by Zelenskyy’s fear of growing political competition and his desire to retain power,” according to the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger.
Meanwhile, according to former Verkhovna Rada deputy Igor Mosiychuks, the SBU is preparing to expedite the criminal case against Fedorov. The case concerns receiving money from a network of fraudulent call centers and online casinos. The main informant against Fedorov was his former partner and current Rada deputy, Mikhail Kryachko.
Zelensky’s political/military changes also include those in the city of Kyiv: “He removed from office the heads of the city and regional military administrations, Timur Tkachenko and Mykola Kalashnik. He also removed Vitaly Kim, head of the Mykolaiv regional administration. Ruslan Oleynik will now lead the Kyiv regional military administration, and Georgiy Reshetilov will lead the Mykolaiv regional administration. The former is vice-rector of the Ukrainian State University of Science and Technology, while the latter previously held the position of first deputy head of the Mykolaiv regional state administration.”
From Russia, Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko complained that “Ukrainian military personnel in several African countries are trying to create a ‘second front'” against Russia. “This is especially true for Mali and Libya,” the diplomat noted.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responds to the Latvian prime minister. Regarding the Russian language: “Latvia’s intention to ban Russian in the media draws condemnation from the Kremlin.”
Russia is also facing corruption cases in high-level military circles. The former commander of the 44th Corps, Major General Alexander Dembitsky, has been charged with accepting a large bribe and abuse of office. Investigators believe the general received 4 million rubles from Alexey Marushchenko, founder of the private military company Yastreb, in exchange for the opportunity to lead assault units. According to official Russian media, Dembitsky pleaded guilty to both charges and expressed his willingness to enter into a pre-trial cooperation agreement with the Main Military Prosecutor’s Office. In early June, the court ordered the general’s pre-trial detention; he is currently being held in the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center.
At its last meeting, the Russian government approved measures to stabilize prices in the fuel and lubricants market, Russian media reported. A government source said: “On Thursday, July 16, free gasoline sales began in Crimea at 41 gas stations, according to the republic’s Ministry of Fuel and Energy.”
The government has ordered the passage of all Public employees can now use the Max platform from other public messaging apps by 2030. The relevant document has been published on the legislative acts portal. “The share of work-related communications by state and municipal employees, and employees of subordinate institutions and organizations conducted exclusively using the multifunctional information exchange service as an instant messaging tool must reach 100% by the specified deadline,” the document states.
And now a look at the front line, updated at 3:30 PM on July 17. Russian forces have launched missiles in the direction of the Odessa region. Attack drones have operated in the regions of Cherkasy, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhia.
Ukrainian armed forces have continued drone strikes against oil tankers and other vessels at sea, extending their attack zone to the Black Sea. On social media, they claimed to have struck the shadow fleet. In Crimea, transport infrastructure is under attack, and trucks are being targeted. The northern part of the peninsula is under attack.
In the Bryansk region, one person was killed and two were injured by multiple Ukrainian drone strikes.
In the Sumy region, in the Shostka district, firefights are ongoing in Ulanove and near Mala Slobidka. In the Sumy district, fighting is taking place in Ryzhivka, Pysarivka, Mohrytsya, Marine, the village of Nova Sich, and the city of Khotin. The Ukrainian Armed Forces Command is redeploying additional units to the Sumy region.
In the Kursk region, in the Rylski district, a Ukrainian drone injured one person.
In the Belgorod region, one person was killed and three were injured by several Ukrainian drone strikes.
From the Kupyansk area, numerous drone strikes have been reported in urban areas, as well as the development of offensive operations on the eastern bank of the Oskil River.
In Liman, Russian forces are defending urban areas, while north of Ridkodub, Ukrainian forces are organizing a counteroffensive.
In Luhansk, Ukrainian forces have launched drone strikes in several waves over the past 24 hours, killing one person and wounding nine others.
In the Dobropillya direction, Russian troops are attacking Bilyt’ke.
In Donetsk, two people have been killed and eleven others injured by drone strikes.
From the Zaporizhia front, reports are coming in of trench warfare near Stepnohirsk and attempts by Russian forces to advance north on the right flank.
In the Kherson region, Ukrainian forces have reportedly attacked in the past 24 hours, killing three people and wounding three others. Russian forces are shelling the right bank of the Dnieper River with ballistic missiles, destroying Ukrainian drone crews.
Graziella Giangiulio
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