Jul 24, 2026, 01:30 PM UTC

Russian forces launched a fresh wave of air and missile strikes across Ukraine, causing heavy casualties and damage. According to Ukrainian authorities, a Russian ballistic missile struck a training facility in the Kyiv region, leaving 10 people dead and nearly 100 injured. In Zaporizhzhia, an airstrike wounded at least 30 individuals, including seven children. Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat confirmed that Russian forces deployed high-speed ballistic and Onyx missiles during the offensive.

Concurrently, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha warned that Russian attacks on Black Sea cargo vessels threaten global food security, drawing parallels to Iranian actions in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the European Union officially adopted its 21st sanctions package against Moscow, expanding blacklists to 218 entities and targeting Russia's shadow fleet and energy price caps.

Sources: Ukrinform.

US President Donald Trump has introduced new import tariffs ranging from 10 to 12.5 percent on 60 trading partners, including the European Union, Canada, the United Kingdom, and China. The measures came into effect immediately after a previous set of global duties expired following a 150-day limit mandated by a US Supreme Court ruling.

The White House cited inadequate national efforts to combat forced labor as the justification for the levies. Under the new rules, goods from the EU, Canada, and the UK face a 10 percent tariff, while other nations face higher duties.

Foreign trade representatives and legal experts have questioned the legal rationale behind using forced labor regulations to impose broad import duties. The decision represents the latest adjustment in Washington's trade strategy.

Sources: NOS, Rzeczpospolita, Tagesschau

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has announced a cabinet reshuffle following the resignation of CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn over a surrogacy scandal.

Under the plan presented on Friday, Health Minister Nina Warken will become Chancellery chief. She replaces Thorsten Frei, who was nominated to succeed Spahn as parliamentary leader. CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann is set to head the Health Ministry, while Philipp Amthor will serve as federal-state commissioner.

Although the initial announcements were smaller than expected, Merz indicated further personnel changes are coming. Reports suggest Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder may be replaced by financial politician Fritz Güntzler, though Merz has not officially confirmed changes to the transport portfolio.

Sources: Der Standard, ORF, Tagesschau.

The United States carried out a 13th consecutive night of airstrikes against Iranian military targets, aiming at command centers, drone warehouses, and coastal monitoring facilities. Iranian media reported four deaths and explosions near Qeshm Island, while Kuwait reported Iranian shelling near its frontier.

Simultaneously, maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has reached record lows, creating an acute crisis for commercial mariners. The United Nations Human Rights Office warned that approximately 6,000 seafarers remain stranded aboard 400 ships, with owners abandoning at least nine vessels and 93 crew members.

In response to commercial shipping disruptions, US President Donald Trump stated that Washington would use frozen Iranian assets to reimburse vessel and cargo damage. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the measure, cautioning that asset seizures establish a "highly dangerous precedent."

Sources: Der Standard, ORF, Tagesschau.

A Russian air attack on Zaporizhzhia injured at least 25 people, including six minors and a three-month-old infant, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov. Ukrainian authorities reported that five glide bombs were dropped on the southern city, damaging residential homes and a private medical facility.

Separately, Ukrainian prosecutors in the Donetsk region opened a war crimes investigation into allegations that Russian troops executed a Ukrainian prisoner of war near the village of Yalta. According to regional officials, a Russian soldier shot the captive under orders from a superior following an interrogation.

Sources: ORF