Two quick housekeeping notes. First, Rosie is still doing very well. She’s in her second week off before she starts round three next Monday. Thank you all, again, for all the good thoughts, well wishes, prayers, and donations.
Secondly, I know a lot of you are having significant responses to today’s Supreme Court ruling. As such, I’m going to keep this short.
As I start tonight’s update at 8:36 PM EDT, all of northeastern and north central Ukraine and Kherson Oblast are under an air raid alert.
Russia opened up on Ukrainian wheat field in Kharkiv today.
Russian troops shelled a wheat field in Kharkiv Oblast, causing a fire that threatened 110 hectares of crops intended for future bread production. Fortunately, rescuers managed to extinguish the fire and save the field from destruction. This incident evokes a painful historical… pic.twitter.com/E0CUltj3gs
— Iryna Voichuk (@IrynaVoichuk) July 1, 2024
Russian troops shelled a wheat field in Kharkiv Oblast, causing a fire that threatened 110 hectares of crops intended for future bread production. Fortunately, rescuers managed to extinguish the fire and save the field from destruction. This incident evokes a painful historical parallel to the Holodomor in Ukraine during the early 1930s, when Soviet authorities confiscated grain, leaving the population without bread and resulting in widespread famine. Once again, Ukraine faces the threat of losing its essential grain supply due to deliberate acts of aggression.
As well as the city of Kharkiv:
Explosion reported in Kharkiv! Russian forces are attacking my hometown with glide bombs!
— Iryna Voichuk (@IrynaVoichuk) July 1, 2024
Search and rescue operations are still underway in Dnipro:
❗У Дніпрі тривають пошуки людей, які ймовірно перебувають під завалами. Наразі вважаються зниклими безвісті 2 особи.
Шукати людей допомагають кінологічні розрахунки ДСНС.
До робіт на висоті задіяні верхолази ДСНС.
Психологи ДСНС надали необхідну допомогу 47 особам. pic.twitter.com/d5GR336nMg— DSNS.GOV.UA (@SESU_UA) July 1, 2024
❗ In the Dnipro, the search for people who are probably under the rubble continues. Currently, 2 persons are considered missing.
Canine calculations of the State Emergency Service help to search for people.
Climbers of the State Emergency Service are involved in work at height.
Psychologists of the State Emergency Service provided the necessary assistance to 47 people.
Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.
This Month Can Bring Ukraine Even More Strength, in Particular in Protecting the Sky – Address by the President of Ukraine
1 July 2024 – 19:43
I wish you health, dear Ukrainians!
Briefly about this day.
Morning briefing with the military. Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi, Chief of the General Staff Barhylevych. We discussed key frontline directions – including Pokrovsk and other areas in the Donetsk region, as well as the Kharkiv region. We also discussed some of our fundamental decisions – steps we are preparing to ensure the occupiers lose more of their logistics, more of their equipment, and more of their hopes to expand the war. For Russia, all this must end in defeat – and only then will the very idea of a war against Ukraine be defeated. We are doing everything for this with both weapons and diplomacy. These processes are proceeding hand in hand. And I thank everyone who shows enough resilience, enough resolve, and enough personal activity – including by keeping the world mobilized in our support. Despite everything. Despite any political waves and changes in sentiment. We unite everyone in the world by striving for justice – and only that – for ourselves, and therefore for any nation that may similarly suffer from external aggression.
Today, I held several meetings with our international relations team. The team of the Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We thoroughly discussed all the plans for July in detail – this month can bring Ukraine even more strength, in particular in protecting the sky and bringing real security to our country. We clearly see what we need to achieve in negotiations with partners – primarily American ones. Today, I also met with a congressional delegation – a bipartisan delegation from the House of Representatives. I thanked America, all American friends of Ukraine and the rules-based international order. It is very important to maintain an unwavering belief that life must prevail over the Russian war and all of Putin’s hostile ambitions. This is absolutely possible. But it is possible only with the continued courage not only of our own people but also of our partners. Long-range weapons, fighter jets for Ukraine – of sufficient quality and quantity, and more air defense systems – are crucial factors affecting the entire course of this war. And they must impact it exclusively in our favor – in the shared interests of all nations who value life and want a peaceful world. And it will be so. For this, American leadership is needed. We are also preparing further joint steps with our partners in Europe, and the coming months should demonstrate progress in bringing Ukraine closer to the European Union, including the screening procedure and the preparation of the terms of the future agreement on Ukraine’s accession to the EU. There will also be new bilateral security agreements with our partners.
And one more thing.
I have just spoken with the President of The Gambia. I thanked him for the participation of his country’s representative in the first Peace Summit and for supporting the Summit’s communiqué. We believe that the Peace Formula is a reliable foundation for strengthening the security of not only Ukraine but every nation in the world. This includes food security, energy security – all forms of security. The work of the relevant groups on the points of the Peace Formula will begin soon. Together with many leaders and countries, we will do everything to ensure that the UN Charter truly works – for us and for everyone in the world. Thank you to everyone who helps!
Glory to Ukraine!
The cost:
Now it’s been released officially..
Rest In Peace to a legendary volunteer Pete Fouche who has been killed on the frontlines.
A true legend and face of the fight against Ukraines oppression. #Ukraine️ #NAFO #Fellas pic.twitter.com/HrZwMlaghQ
— Harley EOD (@EL4UKR_Harley) June 30, 2024
Peter Fouché, British combat medic and volunteer, has died defending Ukraine.
Peter saved over 200 lives of our Defenders.
In March 2022 Peter Fouché came to Ukraine as a volunteer. Later, he joined the Territorial Guards. In January 2024, Peter Fouché officially joined the AFU… https://t.co/siM39YGwYO pic.twitter.com/qN3IGysSNI
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) July 1, 2024
Peter Fouché, British combat medic and volunteer, has died defending Ukraine.
Peter saved over 200 lives of our Defenders.
In March 2022 Peter Fouché came to Ukraine as a volunteer. Later, he joined the Territorial Guards. In January 2024, Peter Fouché officially joined the AFU as a combat medic.
Peter was the co-founder of Project Konstantin that evacuates injured soldiers and does medical training.
He has a 15 year old daughter Nichola – he went to Ukraine for her.
Eternal memory and eternal glory to the Hero. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten.
📸:
@KonstantinTeam / Facebook
Thank you so much to everyone who has donated to our fundraiser for the 67th Brigade so far 🫶 🇺🇦
🔗 https://t.co/NgMxX1BULY pic.twitter.com/ZRoHXLdXy0
— Project Konstantin (@KonstantinTeam) June 26, 2024
The reason:
“My name is Tetiana, I am a drone operator, and at this war I defend my children” – Ukrainian Warrior, callsign “Ruda” (“Red”).
Glory!
📹: zemliachky. ukrainian_front/Instagram pic.twitter.com/o7MWxd1htk
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) July 1, 2024
The Ukrainians are averaging five kills on Russian aircraft per month in 2024.
For the first time, @AFUStratCom published a map of a russian aircraft downed in the first six months of 2024.
Our brave soldiers hit more than 30 russian planes:
◾️ 2x A-50
◾️ 1x Su-57
◾️ 1x Il-22M11
◾️ 1x Tu-22M3
◾️ 13x Su-34
◾️ 9x Su-25
◾️ 2x MiG-31
◾️ 1x Su-35
◾️ 1x Su-35S… pic.twitter.com/DYx4ZRK39l— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) July 1, 2024
For the first time, @AFUStratCom published a map of a russian aircraft downed in the first six months of 2024.
Our brave soldiers hit more than 30 russian planes:
◾️ 2x A-50
◾️ 1x Su-57
◾️ 1x Il-22M11
◾️ 1x Tu-22M3
◾️ 13x Su-34
◾️ 9x Su-25
◾️ 2x MiG-31
◾️ 1x Su-35
◾️ 1x Su-35SMore to come…
Russian air defense isn’t faring much better:
June was a bad month for russian air defense.
Ukrainian defenders destroyed 59 russian air defense systems. It’s the second-highest number in more than two years of the invasion.
Bravo! pic.twitter.com/s0QN3wv4ta
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) July 1, 2024
Nor their artillery:
New month—new record 🔥
1,415 russian artillery systems were destroyed in June.Ukrainian warriors continue to transform russian weapons into scrap metal. More to come! pic.twitter.com/lOU0YBhGuS
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) July 1, 2024
Two nights ago we were talking about Russian infiltration in order to influence and subvert and that this was partially being done through the National Prayer breakfasts. And that the organization behind that has itself acted to infiltrate non-US governments to influence and subvert. A new book on this general topic is coming out in a couple of weeks:
I’m lucky to have to read an early copy of @cjcmichel’s new book, Foreign Agents, and can say it’s absolutely fascinating. My fave chapter is obviously the one featuring Paul Manafort and Ukraine etc. Add this book to your summer reading list. https://t.co/OSJTK0Bs15
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) July 1, 2024
Speaking of:
As part of Russia’s ongoing US election interference and attempt to swing black votes to Trump, American disinformation casualty, Kanye West is apparently in Moscow, picking up a bag of cash in exchange for making Russia look normal. pic.twitter.com/85JHbQmNS1
— Jay in Kyiv (@JayinKyiv) June 30, 2024
Hungary:
👀 Look who’s coming to Kyiv: Viktor Orbán to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy on maiden wartime trip to Ukraine on Tuesday
Scoop w/ @alicemhancock @HenryJFoy https://t.co/rNzjKCTfUz via @FT
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) July 1, 2024
Well that’s unexpected. The Financial Times has the details:
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will visit Kyiv on Tuesday, three people with knowledge of the situation told the FT, marking the first time since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine that the EU’s most pro-Russian leader has visited the war-torn country.
Orbán, the EU and Nato’s most prominent critic of ongoing military aid to Kyiv, and one of the few western leaders to have met Russian President Vladimir Putin since the 2022 invasion, will visit a day after his country assumed the rotating presidency of the EU council.
Orbán will meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other senior officials just days after the two spoke at an EU summit in Brussels. They shared a private conversation before the Ukrainian urged all EU leaders to step up their military support to Kyiv.
The Hungarian premier has regularly opposed financial aid to Ukraine and left the room during an EU leaders’ meeting in December in order not to vote against a decision to open accession negotiations with Ukraine — a significant milestone on the country’s path to becoming a full EU member.
Budapest has justified its hardline position on Ukraine by claiming Kyiv is failing to meet its demands in guaranteeing the rights of the country’s Hungarian minority. The EU accession criteria include minority rights.
Almost all EU leaders except Orbán have visited Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. He is also one of only two — along with Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer — to have met Putin in that time.
More at the link.
The Novomykhailivka front:
Brave warriors from the 79th Air Assault Brigade repelled another massive attack near Novomykhailivka and destroyed 7 russian IFVs. pic.twitter.com/YJBN8CvjRx
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) July 1, 2024
Sevastopol, Russian occupied Crimea:
Russian-occupied Sevastopol today pic.twitter.com/iL91BvaGyh
— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) July 1, 2024
/2. Traces of the Russian air defence systems activity and approximate location of the strike on a map. pic.twitter.com/Ct0y6nhJfy
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) July 1, 2024
/4. Additional footages from Crimea https://t.co/e7yEn6xeQ0 pic.twitter.com/0Lf8HD1PbJ
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) July 1, 2024
Vuhledar:
Vuhledar.
Russian forces have been beating their heads against the wall of Ukraine’s 72nd Mechanized for more than 2 years (!!!)
Again and again, the outskirts of that small town (or of what once used to be a town) end up being a giant graveyard of Russian columns.… pic.twitter.com/jKtnMEBOqZ
— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) July 1, 2024
Vuhledar.
Russian forces have been beating their heads against the wall of Ukraine’s 72nd Mechanized for more than 2 years (!!!)
Again and again, the outskirts of that small town (or of what once used to be a town) end up being a giant graveyard of Russian columns.
Unbelievable fields of death for nothing.
Kherson Oblast:
Черговий ворожий удар по Херсонщині!
Вчора ворог обстріляв один із населених пунктів Дар’ївської територіальної громади. Пошкоджень зазнав житловий будинок і господарча споруда, виникла пожежа.
Херсонські рятувальники разом із місцевою пожежною охороною загасили загорання. pic.twitter.com/mJ7MCsYVPI— DSNS.GOV.UA (@SESU_UA) July 1, 2024
Another enemy attack on the Kherson region!
Yesterday, the enemy shelled one of the settlements of the Daryevsk Territorial Community. A residential building and an outbuilding were damaged, and a fire broke out.
Kherson rescuers together with the local fire department put out the fire.
Kupyan, Kharkiv Oblast:
Сьогодні вранці ворог скинув авіабомби на прифронтовий населений пункт Куп’янського району на Харківщині. Вони поцілили по навчальному закладу, будинку культури, приватному сектору, й завдали руйнацій.
У школі виникла пожежа площею 150 кв.м. Обійшлося без жертв і постраждалих. pic.twitter.com/4TqXdCrJMN— DSNS.GOV.UA (@SESU_UA) July 1, 2024
This morning, the enemy dropped aerial bombs on a front-line settlement in the Kupyan district in the Kharkiv region. They targeted an educational institution, a cultural center, and the private sector, and caused destruction.
A fire broke out in the school with an area of 150 square meters. There were no victims or victims.
Ochakiv, Mykolaiv Oblast:
❗Сьогодні вдень ворог обстріляв м.Очаків, що на Миколаївщині.
Загорілося 3 будинки, 7 господарчих споруд, суха трава та чагарники на території приватних домоволодінь й рекреаційна зона загальною площею 3,5 га.
Пошкоджено газопровід низького тиску.
Попередньо, без постраждалих. pic.twitter.com/3wycQfsdyV— DSNS.GOV.UA (@SESU_UA) July 1, 2024
❗ This afternoon, the enemy shelled the town of Ochakiv, in Mykolaiv Oblast.
3 houses, 7 outbuildings, dry grass and bushes on the territory of private households and a recreational area with a total area of 3.5 hectares caught fire.
The low-pressure gas pipeline is damaged.
Previously, there were no casualties.
Konstantinovka, Russian occupied Donetsk Oblast:
Footage of repelling the Russian attack on Konstantinovka by the 79th Brigade. The Ukrainian positions were mined and prepared.
Additional footage of an air strike in Paraskoviivka. pic.twitter.com/z6LT61LqEg
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) July 1, 2024
Sumy Oblast:
Air strikes on Russian positions in the Sumy region on border with Russia. https://t.co/OFj7uwZGyb https://t.co/eMb6hUN2Ek pic.twitter.com/49YK6GnciZ
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) July 1, 2024
Belgorod Russia:
Drone attack has caused blackout in Belgorod, with Voronezh and Kursk facing power outages as well. Looks like this game has two players now. pic.twitter.com/tADitmdez2
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) July 1, 2024
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
A new video from Patron’s official TikTok!
@patron__dsns Це гном чи це Пес Патрон? #песпатрон
Here’s the machine translation of the caption:
Is it a gnome or is it Patron Dog? #песпатрон
Open thread!
Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom
Frist! 😂 Happy Canada Day to all Canadian jackals!🇨🇦
On a more serious note, any word on the 8 Patriot systems Israel is supposed to be “donating” to Ukraine ?
Thank you Adam, as always.
Scamp Dog
I get that interfering with grain production and export is part of Russian strategy, but attacking individual grain fields doesn’t seem like an efficient way of doing that. What am I missing?
Jay
Thank you, Adam.
Adam L Silverman
@Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom: Israel is not donating any Patriot systems to Ukraine. I have a bridge to sell anyone who thinks that is going to happen.
Jay
@Scamp Dog:
Missile, artillery and bomb attacks against civilian apartments isn’t an effective use of resources either, but the ruZZians do it.
A big issue for Ukrainian farmers are ruZZian UXO and remote mining. The entire field has to be swept and cleared before the farmer can go back. If not swept and cleared before early fall, the fall rains will cause mold and ruin the crop.
Well, that and ruZZian proxies in Poland and Slovenia blocking shipments with illegal blockaides.
In last fall, (winter rye and winter wheat), many Ukrainian farmers had to create their own remote control minesweepers out of old tractors, RC car parts and scrap metal, to clear their fields for plowing and planting.
15% of Ukrainian farmland is out of production in the unoccupied areas of Ukraine, due to UXO and ruZZian remote mining, with another 7.5% occupied by ruZZia.
So, 22.5% of the world largest producer by far of oil seeds and grains, is currently out of production.
Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom
@Adam L Silverman: Oh FFS! I should have known. 😡 No wonder Zelensky keeps talking about air defence.
Speaking of, Zelensky is looking increasingly pale & tired. This is not good on both the political & personal level. Love or hate him, Zelensky has become the public face of Ukraine, its greatest sales person, for lack of a better term. On the personal level, the physical & psychological damage to him will probably be life long, & since he & his wife are neither of them stupid, they both probably know it.
Adam L Silverman
@Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom: The Israeli military leadership has been telling the Israeli press for two weeks that in a full scale war with Hezbullah, the Iron Dome system will be overwhelmed. There is no way Israel is giving up any air defense systems right now. I honestly do not understand where these rumors come from.
Timill
@Adam L Silverman: The Times of Israel:
US and Israel in talks to send Patriot systems to Ukraine — report
Dated 28 June 2024
Adam L Silverman
@Timill: I’ve seen the reporting, it just doesn’t pass the smell test.
Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom
@Timill:
@Adam L Silverman: Sadly, I have to agree with Adam. Unless something really changes, Ukraine is not getting those Patriot systems. I might add that Israel taking on Hezbollah, while Hamas is far from beaten & Israelis are taking to the streets, again, demanding a ceasefire & the return of the hostages, is not a particularly brilliant strategic move. But then, Netanyahu doesn’t care. He’s focused on saving his own skin, no matter what the cost is to Israel.
Scamp Dog
@Jay: Thanks. I guess my understanding of the situation wasn’t too far off. Still, almost a quarter of Ukrainian farmland out of production is bad news, for Ukraine and food markets worldwide.
Gin & Tonic
I wrote about this earlier today, so here’s a repeat for this crowd.
I’m going to be circumspect here (some may say annoyingly vague) for what I consider valid reasons, but my dear wife and I have returned from the better part of three weeks in a large Eastern European country. We visited with family, both living and dead, and with friends old and new, some unfortunately also dead. We traveled, saw many sights, had many conversations, attended a wedding. It was wonderful (in the true sense – full of wonder,) it was exhilarating, it lifted my soul, it was exhausting, it was tragic, it was so many things that words fail me. As I digest my experiences and impressions, I’ll post something from time to time, probably also vague in many respects – some of that because I don’t really want things scraped and indexed in a particular context, some because I was asked not to describe things I saw.
But since I’ve come to the realization that I had been consuming more internet than is healthy for me, I think Adam’s threads are the only part of this site I’ll be visiting regularly. If you have questions, I’ll be here most nights.
All things considered, it’s good to be back in the US. But I guess I’ve missed a few things.
AlaskaReader
Thanks Adam
Jay
@Gin & Tonic:
Glad you are back,
share what you can, when you want to.
YY_Sima Qian
@Gin & Tonic: I echo Jay. But, yeah, it appears the nakedly reactionary majority on the SCOTUS will be a huge problem for a looooooong time, unless the Dems pack the courts. Not just for liberal democracy, but even just basic competence in governance.
YY_Sima Qian
Sadly & entirely predictable: