Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] 22.54 Leaders of the participating countries of the Coalition of the Willing have agreed to hold the next talks in Ukraine. The decision was made after a meeting in Paris dedicated to further defense support and security guarantees. This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
22.01 One of the main ways to strengthen Ukraine should be a winter package of missiles for air defense, which should contain 100 missiles for Patriot systems per month - 300 missiles for the winter. This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The head of state drew attention to the fact that preparations for winter must begin now. Ukraine is making every effort to get Russia to negotiate.
"This summer has already become the most difficult for Russia. Our long-range operations and medium-range strikes will be continued. We will intensify them," the president emphasized.
According to Zelensky, one of the main ways to strengthen the positions of Ukraine and Europe is a winter package of missiles for air defense. If Ukrainian defenders have enough missiles to shoot down enemy targets, Russia will have less reason to drag out the war into winter.
"We have calculated that this package should include 100 Patriot missiles per month - 300 missiles for the winter. I ask you to consider this," the president noted.
21.47 France will transfer Rafale fighter jets to Ukraine and allow the production of modern missiles and aerial bombs. The first aircraft should appear in Ukrainian skies in 2028-2029. This was stated by French President Emmanuel Macron after a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris.
These decisions were a continuation of the agreements reached by the parties on November 17, 2025.
"We were able to specify these intentions, which we signed on November 17 last year, with the first installments regarding air defense and also regarding the modernization and acquisition by Ukraine of Rafale attack aircraft. The first aircraft should already be flying in Ukrainian skies in 2028-2029," Macron said.
The package also includes the supply of additional radars and missiles, as well as the transfer of licenses for the production of modern weapons.
"Additional radars, additional missiles, and we also added licensing - this is for Aster-30, for SCALP, for AASM bombs. All this will strengthen Ukraine's capabilities, strengthen Ukraine's position on the front," the French president emphasized.
21.12 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope that the Freyja anti-ballistic system will be operational within the next 12 months.
"I hope that within the next 12 months we will see Freyja in operation. The threat of ballistic missiles in the world will only grow. This is one of the main consequences of the wars between Russia and Iran. Therefore, Freyja must become a reality," Zelenskyy said.
According to the president, Europe must increase its missile defense capabilities, as the need for protection against ballistic missiles exceeds available capabilities.
"Our calculation is that there will be more ballistic missiles in the world. And there should be at least enough anti-ballistic missiles. This is what we are doing. Europe can become a world leader in the production of high-quality anti-ballistic systems, without political dependence," the Ukrainian leader noted.
The President also emphasized that European countries themselves will be able to determine the required number of such systems and the location of their deployment, which, according to him, will create a new strategic situation for the security of the continent.
20.11 Ukraine, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom officially created the Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition. This is stated in a statement published on the website of the Elysee Palace.
The leaders of the countries signed a joint declaration on the creation of the Integrated Missile Defense Coalition. The document notes that the decision was made against the background of the growing threat of the use of ballistic missiles.
The coalition members plan to create an integrated missile defense architecture that will complement existing national and European defense systems. To this end, the countries intend to combine defense industry capabilities, scientific research, and combat experience to jointly develop new missile interceptors.
Since Ukraine has unique experience in countering Russian missile attacks, it will become an important component of the coalition's work.
"We recognize Ukraine's unique experience gained in the course of defense against Russia's aggressive war," the declaration states.
The participants also agreed to create joint technical working groups, define governance mechanisms, develop a roadmap for project implementation, and expand cooperation in the areas of scientific research, funding, and data exchange.
20.00 British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the conclusion of an agreement that will give British defense companies access to contracts funded under the EU initiative to provide Ukraine with a loan of 90 billion euros.
The scheme will allow British defence companies to bid for procurement contracts funded by a multi-billion-euro EU loan, opening the way for billions in potential investment, supporting skilled jobs across the country and strengthening the UK's defence industrial base.
"Working together with our European allies, we are increasing support for Ukraine and increasing pressure on Russia. Together, we are sending a clear message: we will stand united against Russian aggression and continue to protect the security of Europe," Starmer said.
The United Kingdom will provide a proportional contribution to cover the costs associated with borrowing, in accordance with the value of contracts concluded with British companies.
19.42 Russia will strike Ukraine "on an increasing scale" in response to drone attacks, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has said.
"Wherever they try to strike on the territory of the Russian Federation, we will respond in a mirror image, only several times more powerful. The enemy will feel it. He already feels it, I hope," Putin said.
The Kremlin leader acknowledged that Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries have caused fuel shortages in Russia.
"Yes, they are creating for us, at the moment, as they say, certain problems with oil products," Putin said, but assured that "the situation will gradually improve," since the country's "energy infrastructure" is "very powerful and reliable."
Putin also said that Russia is working on a "fuel supply system" for Crimea, which, according to the Russian dictator, "will be very difficult to reach." Putin did not provide details and did not specify when it would be launched.
19.14 The Syzran Oil Refinery has completely stopped processing raw materials since July 12 as a result of a drone attack.
The Governor of the Samara Region of the Russian Federation, Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, reported on July 12 that an industrial enterprise in the region had been damaged by a UAV attack, without specifying the name of the enterprise that was hit by the drones.
The primary unit AVT-5 at the Syzran Refinery, which has a capacity of 7,100 tons per day (29% of the refinery's capacity), has been stopped in an emergency. Repairs to AVT-5 may last until the end of the month.
On Monday, July 13, during trading on the St. Petersburg International Commodity Exchange, wholesale batches of petroleum products produced by the Samara Group of Plants, which includes the Syzran Refinery, were not offered for sale.
19.07 Ten European states became the founders of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition. This was reported by European Truth, citing an official from the office of French President Emmanuel Macron.
18.41 In the territory of Donetsk region, which is controlled by the Ukrainian authorities, 128 thousand civilians remain, over 70 thousand people have left the region in six months. This was reported by the head of the Donetsk Oblast Regional Administration Vadym Filashkin.
According to him, the situation in the Donetsk region is currently the most difficult, the region is constantly being shelled by Russian troops with various types of weapons, so it is necessary to evacuate.
"I thank those people who are leaving the region. And I want to remind you that at the beginning of this year there were about 200 thousand people in the region, and now there are 128 thousand. Once again, I emphasize that people should take care of themselves, take care of their children and leave the region, because the enemy will increase shelling," Filashkin noted.
18.17 In the first half of 2026, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine increased the number of drones codified and approved for use in the Defense Forces by 30% - to 413 compared to the same period in 2025.
"The Ministry of Defense has codified and approved for use in the Defense Forces of Ukraine a record number of unmanned aerial systems since the beginning of the year. This is 30% more than for the same period in 2025, and 73% more than for the same period in 2024," the report says.
Among the codified UAVs, the most common are copter-type attack drones, fiber-optic "drones" and front-strike drones. The Ministry of Defense gave the names of some of the new drones - Bababoom, Optoslon, Kharyok, White Wolf.
17.30 All young Ukrainians who are fit for military service must be in Ukraine and participate in its defense against Russian aggression. This was stated by Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz.
"Is everything okay with Ukrainians? No, everything is not okay. Is it normal to smash cars worth millions of zlotys and drive into Morskie Oko? No, it's not normal, and such people should be expelled. All young, combat-ready Ukrainians should be in Ukraine and serve their homeland there," the minister emphasized.
17.15 Five crew members were killed in a Russian drone attack on port infrastructure in the Odessa region. Another 10 civilians were injured.
On the afternoon of July 13, the Russian armed forces attacked port infrastructure facilities in the Odessa region with strike drones. In particular, the superstructure of a civilian foreign vessel carrying fertilizers was damaged.
Five crew members were killed in the enemy attack. Ten more civilians were injured: seven men aged 19-64 and three women aged 22-34. Seven are in hospital, and three more injured are receiving outpatient treatment.
16.52 The Security Service documented the war crimes of two more Russians involved in the torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war in the Russian "correctional colony No. 7 in the Vladimir region."
These are Vyacheslav Cherdantsev, a prison medical worker, and Yaroslav Kirilov, a convict serving his sentence there and cooperating with the administration of the regime facility. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the defendants have regularly tortured Ukrainian defenders.
According to the case materials, Cherdantsev knowingly left illegally imprisoned Ukrainians without necessary medical care, even after they had sustained serious injuries as a result of brutal torture.
In addition, the doctor did not provide prisoners of war with infectious diseases with the necessary medications and treatment, and also deliberately kept sick prisoners together with healthy ones.
At the same time, Kirilov, together with special forces and prison guards, participated in "collective" beatings of Ukrainian prisoners. On the instructions of the prison administration, the defendant kept the victims in cells with inhumane conditions, leaving them without food and warm clothing in the cold season.
15.47 The number of victims of the Russian attack on a commercial vessel in one of the ports of the Odessa region has increased to ten people. Three crew members died. This was reported by the head of the Odessa regional military administration, Oleg Kiper.
15.27 Russian troops attacked Kherson again in the morning. As a result of enemy shelling, a civilian was killed and another person was injured. This was reported by the head of the OVA, Oleksandr Prokudin, and the press service of the Kherson OVA.
15.04 Poland recently transferred to Ukraine "three to nine" Patriot missiles, the number of which is estimated to be "insignificant" compared to the existing Polish reserves. This was announced by the Deputy Minister of Defense of Poland, Cezary Tomczyk. He could not say the exact number of missiles transferred, only noting that "three to nine" units.
14.36 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted to the Verkhovna Rada draft laws on the extension of mobilization and martial law in Ukraine. This is according to data on the parliament's website.
14.29 The European Commission plans to introduce changes to the rules for temporary protection for Ukrainians who left for the EU after the start of the full-scale war in July. The innovations may affect those who are only planning to apply for such status, writes Rzeczpospolita.
Thus, the right to protection may be linked to the presence of a special certificate of impossibility of mobilization, which will be issued by the Ukrainian authorities. According to preliminary data, this requirement will apply to both men and women.
13.48 Former commander of the 155th brigade Stanislav Luchanov has been detained. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this on Telegram. In total, 10 people have already been detained. Everything they did will be thoroughly checked, the head of state assured.
13.17 Russians attacked a civilian merchant vessel under the Togolese flag in the Odessa region. Three crew members are known to have died, the Odessa OVA reports.
12.57 On the territory of the temporarily occupied Zapadnaya NPP, where all six nuclear reactors are in a state of "cold shutdown", the Russian army has deployed military equipment directly in the engine rooms of power units 1, 2, 5 and 6. This was reported by the GUR.
12.47 The European Union has not yet agreed on the 21st package of sanctions against Russia, but on July 13 it may approve a separate list of individual restrictions, which will include about 250 Russian citizens and companies. This was announced by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaia Kallas, before the start of a meeting of the heads of foreign ministries of the European Union countries in Brussels, the EP reports on Monday.
12.39 On Monday night, the SBU conducted a large-scale special operation, simultaneously striking a number of military, logistical, and fuel facilities in the territory of the Russian Federation and temporarily occupied Crimea. Among the targets hit were four car ferries at the Crimea terminal in Kerch and the Kavkaz port.
11.51 Two people were killed in Russian drone attacks in Zaporizhia. This was reported by the head of the Zaporizhia OVA Ivan Fedorov on Telegram.
Eleven people were injured, including a 15-year-old boy. He and a 41-year-old woman are in serious condition in hospital.
11.32 Over the past eight days, the Ukrainian military has hit 105 vessels of the Russian "shadow fleet." This was reported by the commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) of the Armed Forces of the Ukrainian SSR, Robert "Magyar" Brovdi, on Facebook.
10.46 Another Russian strike on Ukraine proves the need to strengthen air defense and international pressure on Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram on Monday morning.
10.25 On Monday morning, four regions of Ukraine experienced new power outages due to attacks by Russian invaders and bad weather. Ukrenergo reported this. Emergency restoration work is already underway where security conditions allow.
10.16 On the night of Monday, July 13, Moldova recorded the fall and explosion of a Russian "Shahed" drone near a village located almost 30 km from the Ukrainian border. The country's Ministry of Defense confirmed that it was a Russian "Shahed" drone ("Geran-2") that entered Moldovan airspace during an attack on the Odessa region.
09.49 Russian troops have expanded their zone of control near the village of Zaliznychne in the Hulyaipil direction. Analysts from the DeepState project note that the enemy has advanced in the Zaliznychne area in the Zaporizhia region.
09.23 According to the Kherson Regional Prosecutor's Office, on July 13, 2026, at about 05:00, the Russian military carried out an artillery shelling of the village of Novovorontsovka in the Berislavsky district. A 68-year-old woman died as a result of the strike.
Also, according to the head of the Kherson OVA, Oleksandr Prokudin, over the past day, Russian troops have been intensively shelling settlements in the Kherson region with artillery and attacking them with drones. One woman died during the morning shelling in Novovorontsovka, and the death of another woman, who was mortally wounded during the attack on Kherson on July 11, became known on the morning of July 13.
08.34 Russian invaders launched an attack on Odessa on the morning of Monday, July 13, striking transport infrastructure. The head of the Odessa city military administration, Serhiy Lysak, noted that the enemy attacked the city, and hits on transport facilities were recorded. The details of the enemy attack are being clarified.
08.12 As a result of the Russian drone attack in Zaporizhia, six people have already been injured. According to the head of the OVA Ivan Fedorov, a 15-year-old boy is among the injured. Eleven apartment buildings were also destroyed.
05.27 EU foreign ministers will consider new sanctions against Russia on Monday over the illegal detention of Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war. The basis for the discussion will be a document by the international human rights organization IPHR. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights confirmed that Russia is detaining at least 1,800 civilians.
03.49 Drones attacked an oil depot in the city of Mikhailovsk, near Stavropol, Russia. The attack on the oil depot caused a large-scale fire. The previous attack on this oil depot took place on the night of July 9.
00.28 The number of victims of the attack on Zaporizhia has increased to six. Facades, windows, balconies, roofs of buildings, as well as cars were damaged.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] The Russian occupiers are most actively trying to storm near Pokrovsk and Slavyansk.
Since the beginning of the day and as of 4:00 p.m., Russian aggressors have carried out 70 attacks on Ukrainian army positions. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this in an operational summary on Monday, July 13.
Thus, in the North-Slobozhansk and Kursk directions, the invaders once stormed the positions of our defenders.
In the South Slobozhansk direction, the invaders tried five times to break through the defenses in the areas of the settlements of Vovchansk, Figolivka and towards Zarubinka and Hoptivka. One clash is ongoing.
In the Lyman direction, Ukrainian soldiers repelled three attempts by the invaders to advance towards the settlements of Cherneschyna, Lyman, and in the Novoselivka area. Two attacks are ongoing.
In the Slavyansk direction, 17 attacks were stopped towards the settlements of Kryva Luka, Rai-Oleksandrivka, Pyskunivka, and in the Riznykivka and Zakytne districts.
In the Kramatorsk direction, the invaders carried out one attack in the Nikiforivka area.
In the Kostyantynivka direction, our defenders repelled eight attacks in the areas of Kostyantynivka, Illinivka, and Ivano-Frankivsk.
In the Pokrovsky direction, since the beginning of the day, the invaders have tried 21 times to push our soldiers out of the occupied positions in the areas of the settlements of Toretske, Vasylivka, Kotlyne, Udachne, Filiya and towards the settlements of Vilne, Bilytske, Novy Donbas, Shevchenko, Myrne, Serhiivka, Novopavlivka. Two clashes are ongoing.
In the Oleksandrivka direction, the enemy tried to advance three times towards Kalynivske and in the Zlagoda area. Two attacks are still ongoing.
In the Hulyaipil direction, eight attacks were repelled towards the settlements of Girke, Vozdvizhivka, Tsvitkove, Charivne, and Hulyaipilske.
In the Orikhiv direction, the enemy stormed the Stepovoye and Plavni areas three times.
No enemy offensive actions have been recorded in the Kupyansk and Prydniprovsk directions yet.
Earlier, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrsky, announced the failure of Russia's offensive in the first half of 2026. If earlier the Russian army conducted active offensive operations in 13 operational directions, now there are a maximum of six or seven such directions left.
And President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that the current situation on the front is the best for Ukraine in the last 10 months.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[NewsFront] 21:37 The Armed Forces of Ukraine hit a who woman died at a market in Starobelsk.
The enemy struck the central market in Starobilsk, near the bus station. As a result of the attack, a 34-year-old woman was seriously wounded. She was quickly hospitalized. Medics did everything possible, but were unable to save the victim.
21:09 UAV operators destroyed Ukrainian Armed Forces vehicles in the areas of the Orekhovatka and Novoselivka settlements of the Donetsk People's Republic.
Drone operators burned enemy ground robotic systems in the Kondratovka and Alekseevo-Druzhkovka areas of the DPR.
Drone crews destroyed enemy manpower in the Zaporizhzhia direction.
20:22 During the day, from 8:00 to 20:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 146 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the fixed-wing type over the territories of the Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kaluga, Kursk, Oryol, Rostov, Ryazan, Tula regions, the Moscow region, the Republic of Crimea and over the waters of the Azov and Black Seas.
19:19 FPV drone crews from the 34th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Sever group destroyed M-113 armored personnel carriers in the Sumy region.
In the Zaporizhzhia region, drone operators of the Vostok group liquidated artillery guns of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and counter-drone crews of the 40th Separate Guards Naval Infantry Brigade rammed the enemy UAVs.
Drone operators from the Center group continue to crush the enemy in the Dobropillia sector. Kamikaze and attack drone crews from the 56th Separate Special Forces Battalion razed a network of fortifications and drone control centers, while marine interceptor drones shot down attack and reconnaissance UAVs.
In the Zaporizhzhia region, UAV operators from the 58th Guards Combined Arms Army of the Dnepr group hit Ukrainian Armed Forces targets, and a Molniya-2 from the Tula paratroopers destroyed an enemy electronic warfare station and its crew.
14:57 Russian Aerospace Forces hit:
UAV control post of the 159th separate brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of the village of Ustinovka.
temporary deployment point of the 41st separate separate brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of the settlement of Blagodatovka.
14:14 The Russian army has improved its positions in the Markovo area, MAP.
14:00 Russian Armed Forces advanced west of Malinovka in the Kramatorsk direction, MAP.
13:47 With the help of the FAB-3000, the Russian Aerospace Forces crew leveled with the ground temporary deployment point of the unit of the 63rd separate brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
12:38 Operational-tactical aviation, attack UAVs, missile forces and artillery of the Russian Armed Forces groups inflicted. The destruction of fuel, energy, and transport infrastructure facilities used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, storage sites and assembly workshops for long-range UAVs, fuel and lubricants and ammunition depots, as well as temporary deployment points for Ukrainian armed forces and foreign mercenaries in 142 districts.
10:46 Defeat of the 63rd Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces by FAB-3000 in the village. Shchurovo, –video.
08:39 During the night, from 20:00 Moscow time on July 12 to 8:00 Moscow time on July 13, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 342 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the fixed-wing type flew over the territories of the Volgograd, Vladimir, Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga, Kursk, Lipetsk, Oryol, Rostov, Ryazan, Tula regions, the Moscow region, Krasnodar Krai, the Republic of Crimea, the Republic of Adygea and over the waters of the Azov and Black Seas.
07:55 As a result of group strikes by long-range air-launched precision weapons and attack unmanned aerial vehicles hit port infrastructure facilities in Chornomorsk, Odessa Oblast, used for unloading and storing military cargo and fuels and lubricants.
07:38 Su-34 crew destroyed the launch site of the UAV with enemy manpower.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Mikhail Pavliv
[REGNUM] Ukrainian politics has suddenly emerged from a state that until recently seemed almost completely stagnant. Several events occurred almost simultaneously, each significant in its own right, but together they form a much more interesting picture.
So, following the NATO summit and a series of international meetings, talk of possible negotiations and Ukraine's future political structure intensified again. Then, Ukrainian media reported on a meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Valeriy Zaluzhnyy, immediately linking it to possible elections.
Almost simultaneously, an assassination attempt was made on Ukrainian businessman Vadim Yermolaev in Monaco. This was followed by reports of new attacks on the entourage of GUR head Kirill Budanov, including in connection with this case.
Finally, a new reformatting of the executive branch was announced almost unexpectedly, although just recently it seemed that after the appointment of Yulia Sviridenko as Prime Minister, the personnel structure had finally stabilized.
This cascade of events isn't just a coincidence, but the result of decisions made under current circumstances. These circumstances are such that a consensus has emerged among European "partners" to continue active strikes against Russia and withdraw from any negotiations. Meanwhile, the United States has adopted a wait-and-see approach.
So, the leak about the elections.
According to our sources, back in May and June, Kyiv and London concluded that the pressure from the Trump administration to find a peaceful solution and enter into negotiations had been temporarily eased.
Amid the pause in the conflict with Iran, falling oil prices, and the escalation of Ukrainian airstrikes on Russian territory, some in the Ukrainian elite felt a new window of opportunity had opened. They speculated that if, under the pressure of the strikes and the crisis, negotiations did begin, they could serve not only as an attempt to stop the fighting but also as the start of a new political cycle, in which Zelenskyy hoped to be re-elected.
It was in this logic that the meeting with Zaluzhny took place.
The fact that it became publicly known through the flagship grant-funded publication, Ukrainska Pravda, is part of a complex political game. The oligarchs behind it, Tomas Fiala and Viktor Pinchuk, are pursuing several objectives simultaneously.
The first is to clear the political space around the current Defense Minister, Mikhail Fyodorov, who is considered their main political project. The second is that oligarchs aligned with Soros and London are interested in maintaining control over the Ministry of Defense, where the battle over multi-billion-dollar defense contracts continues.
They are fighting against American proxies, David Arakhamia and Rustem Umerov, who are interested in maintaining their own influence over defense financial flows.
It's no coincidence that, simultaneously with the leak about election plans, criticism of Fedorov from media-friendly "green" MPs intensified. He is one of the key problems in the announced government reshuffle, initiated for the simple reason that Bankova ultimately decided to drop the election issue once again and "simply fight," as demanded by London and Brussels.
For Zelenskyy, escalation is essentially a substitute for the electoral process, a way to continue to retain full power. And to achieve this, he must dismantle the structure that Andriy Yermak has been building for the past several years.
It was this Cabinet of Ministers that was considered the pinnacle of his apparatus influence.
Prime Minister Sviridenko has made her political career alongside Yermak. First Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba is a longtime associate of his and oversees the reconstruction of the regions, which receive enormous budget and international financial flows. A number of other ministers are also "fledglings of Yermakov's nest."
Therefore, after the departure of the "feng shui magician," and especially after he was served with a notice of suspicion, maintaining the previous government configuration was impossible in any case. The corrupt toxicity that was preventing full communication with the Americans needed to be eliminated.
Incidentally, it's no coincidence that the dismissal of Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, is being presented as part of a fight against corruption. "The current Ukrainian ambassador to the United States is expected to leave her post in Washington as an investigation into her family's purchase of an apartment in Kyiv at a price investigators claim was significantly below market value continues," according to a Financial Times article. Meanwhile, she is already a defendant in a corruption case involving the embezzlement of international aid (under review of European legislation).
But the primary goal of "rebalancing" with the Americans is not the reshuffling of minor figures at the top of ministries, but rather the reform of the security sector. This is precisely what is being covered by the smokescreen of discussions about the candidacy of an unknown prime minister, whose name is not even worth mentioning.
Almost immediately after the events in Monaco, according to our sources in Kyiv, two closed meetings were held at Bankova Street. First, First Deputy Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Oleksandr Poklad, presented Zelenskyy with a detailed report on the Yermolayev incident, including materials linking the incident to Budanov's entourage.
The president then gathered virtually the entire security leadership and demanded an explanation for how this story had gained such widespread international attention and begun to cause political damage to the country's leadership itself. It was from this point on that the assassination attempt in Monaco ceased to be a purely criminal affair and became part of a larger underhanded scheme.
Budanov, who was laying claim to a piece of power and an independent political line, had very heavy weights placed on his feet.
First, the Khimprom case resurfaced, in which he, as they say, was completely in the wrong. Almost simultaneously, the commander of the Artan Battalion, Viktor Tarkotyuk, known by the call sign Titan, was detained in Vienna at the request of the Ukrainian side.
In Ukrainian political circles, "Artan" has long been referred to as the former head of the GUR's personal guard, and Tarkotyuk himself is linked to European criminals and the execution of specific tasks for GUR's leadership. He has also been linked (privately, of course) to the assassination attempt on Yermolayev.
All of this could be exploited if Budanov once again tries to turn his recognition into independent political capital. He's being knocked out of the running.
Against this backdrop, Poklad's profile has naturally grown stronger. Many are already calling him the de facto head of the security service. Regnum news agency sources are confident that Poklad enjoys Zelenskyy's high level of trust and is primarily oriented toward the United States, while clashing not only with Budanov, but also with the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrsky, and the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Oleg Ivashchenko.
Classic system of checks and balances.
So, along with the government restructuring, changes will inevitably begin in the leadership of the SBU, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecutor General's Office, and other security agencies. Poklad could become one of the main beneficiaries of this reform.
In the expected package vote in the Rada (the Prosecutor General, the heads of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Security Service of Ukraine), he could well secure enough votes to head the service.
All Ukrainian politics is once again being relegated to a "perpetual war" mode, where American influence is needed only to avoid prematurely falling into the enormous hole into which the British are pushing Ukraine. For example, as with the urge to attack Belarus. They will squeeze the last vestiges out of the economy—as well as the remaining population.
All security agencies are being brought under a more or less unified coordination center with the goal of inflicting maximum damage on Russia. Any possible alternatives within the country are being completely shut down.
Of the long line of oligarchs (besides Fiala and Pinchuk), only Rinat Akhmetov remained in power, despite previous conflicts with Bankova, having managed to integrate into the new system. He became a participant in reconstruction programs and energy projects, maintaining working relationships with virtually all centers of influence.
Petro Poroshenko remains the only political figure of national significance. However, he no longer has any freedom of action. Investigations against him are ongoing, and an attempt to siphon off some of his assets through a sham divorce has reportedly failed to produce the desired results.
At the same time, Poroshenko himself avoids open confrontation with Zelensky.
Former grant politicians, long oriented toward the structures of the US Democratic Party, gradually shifted their focus to European elites, Pinchuk, and Fiala. Yulia Tymoshenko, after coming under severe pressure, has virtually ceased to play an independent political role.
The former "pro-Russian flank" has long been voting as Bankova requires. And Vitali Klitschko, despite retaining control of Kyiv, remains more of a backup figure for future elections than an independent decision-making center.
Serhiy Levochkin occupies a special place in this structure. He is said to be the person behind the new political group, which could include leaders of frontline regions, including Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov, Mykolaiv Governor Vitaly Kim, as well as deputies Maksym Buzhansky, Danylo Hetmantsev, and Oleksiy Goncharenko.
However, in general, all of this is under the “roof” of Arakhamia, and, accordingly, the White House, and has been postponed until later.
Zelenskyy's Ukraine is regrouping its forces ahead of what it believes will be a decisive attack on Russia. Essentially, everything it has left is at stake, hoping that this all-or-nothing gamble will yield some immediate result.
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