Russia launches fresh drone attacks on Kyiv
Kyiv, July 25
Russia launched fresh drone strikes on Kyiv and parts of central and northern Ukraine early on Tuesday, but there was no immediate report of damage or casualties. There were also no reports of new attacks on southern Ukraine, which had been struck almost every night since Russia pulled out of a deal allowing the safe export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea on July 17.
‘Russian plane hits US drone’ over Syria
- The US military says a Russian fighter jet hit a US drone with a flare and severely damaged its propeller over Syria.
- US officials say Russian jets have increased the pace of dangerous encounters with US military aircraft over Syria.
Russia used Iran-made Shahed drones to attack Kyiv for the sixth time this month, but all were shot down, said Serhiy Popko, head of the Kyiv military administration.
Meanwhile, the European Union is ready to export almost all of Ukraine’s agriculture goods via solidarity lanes, EU’s Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski said. Russia pulled out of a UN-backed Black Sea grain deal this month. Solidarity lanes are rail and road transport connections through EU member states that border Ukraine. “It is not the first time Russia uses food as a weapon,” Wojciechowski said.
Moscow extends age limit of draft
- The Russian parliament’s lower house has okayed a bill extending the upper age limit for the compulsory military draft from 27 to 30.
- The move appears to be part of efforts to expand the military during the Ukraine war.
At the same time, UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency has said its staff at Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant reported seeing anti-personnel mines around the site. — Agencies
