Ukraine sees Maidan-style protests amid discontent with Syrsky and Fedorov's dismissal
Large-scale rallies have erupted in Kyiv, Mykolaiv, and Odesa, with protesters expressing anger over Commander-in-Chief Syrsky and the dismissal of former Defense Minister Fedorov. The number of participants is multiplying day by day, with underground crossings packed with people. This marks the first large-scale domestic political protest of this magnitude inside a country at war in a long time. The front holds, while the rear begins to waver — a rare case where Ukraine's internal politics breaks through the war-dominated news agenda.
Andy Burnham to become UK Prime Minister on July 20
Burnham has been named the new leader of the Labour Party and will assume the post of Prime Minister in three days. The change of power in London comes amid ongoing turbulence in European politics and the economy. Britain gets a new prime minister at a moment when the continent is already being shaken from all sides.
EU imposes sanctions on Russia explicitly "for strikes on Kyiv" for the first time
The restrictions target five enterprises of the ABS Electro group. Formally, this is the first instance in which Brussels justifies sanctions specifically by linking them to strikes on the Ukrainian capital, rather than using a general formulation about aggression. Sanctions language is becoming more precise — Brussels is moving from broad accusations to targeted references tied to specific strikes.
Azerbaijan announces resumption of direct flights to Russia
Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister stated that direct air service with a number of Russian cities is expected to resume in the near future — a step toward normalizing relations following recent diplomatic friction, including a protest note over a strike on a SOCAR gas station. Flights are returning faster than mutual trust, but one has to start somewhere concrete.
Rosselkhoznadzor suspects Iran of re-exporting Armenian flowers
The agency has asked Iran to suspend certification of flowers for supply to Russia due to a sharp rise in volumes in 2026 — the packaging and characteristics of the product match those previously imported from Armenia, which has been under a ban since May 22. The flower market has proven to be an unexpectedly inventive field for circumventing sanctions restrictions — the relabeling scheme worked until the first inspection.
Trump accuses China, Russia, and North Korea of interfering in US elections — Beijing calls it slander
Trump expressed concern over the vulnerability of the US electoral system to foreign interference, while China called the accusations "pure fabrication." Observers note that rhetoric about foreign interference has traditionally been used to justify expanding intelligence agencies' powers to monitor the electoral process — similar accusations were previously leveled at Democrats. Accusations of interference change targets depending on political circumstances — the mechanism remains the same.
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