As the attacks between Russia and Ukraine continue, the third round of negotiations between the two countries is expected to take place this Wednesday. The ultimatum from the President of the United States, Donald Trump, seems to have brought Russians and Ukrainians back to the negotiating table in Istanbul, where the last round of talks took place on June 2.
Although there is not great optimism about the outcome of the negotiations, both parties seem willing to meet again now that the 50-day deadline set by Washington on July 14 has begun.
On the other hand, Ukraine lost its first French Mirage 2000 combat aircraft in an accident during a mission on Tuesday, although the pilot managed to activate the ejection mechanism, reported Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky.
The incident marks a new blow for the Ukrainian army, which faces a lack of resources to counter Russian attacks. Pilots and aeronautical mechanics received training in eastern France to operate these combat aircraft from Dassault Aviation, whose delivery began earlier this year as part of the aid provided by France.
Russian delegation leaves Moscow to participate in negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul
The plane carrying the Russian delegation responsible for negotiating with Ukraine took off from Moscow on Wednesday bound for Istanbul, as reported by the Russian news agencies Ria Novosti and TASS, citing anonymous sources.
A source from the Russian delegation, quoted by TASS, stated that the talks are scheduled for the afternoon in the Turkish city.
Zelensky reveals the composition of the Ukrainian negotiating delegation in Istanbul
Just hours before the start of the third round of direct negotiations held this year between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed the composition of the Ukrainian delegation, which will once again be led by the former Minister of Defense and current Secretary of the National Security Council, Rustem Umérov, as reported by Efe.
In addition to Umérov, among the 14 members of the delegation, the Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kislitsia and the Deputy Chief of Ukrainian Military Intelligence (GUR), Vadim Skibitski, stand out, representing Kiev in the meeting along with other members of the Ukrainian Army, intelligence services, the presidency, and the Office of the Ombudsman.
The President of Ukraine has set as priorities for the meeting to agree on new prisoner exchanges, progress towards the return of all Ukrainian minors who remained in Russian territory after the occupation of their towns and cities, and to convince the Russians of the convenience of a meeting as soon as possible between Zelensky himself and the Kremlin leader, Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine attacks railway infrastructure in Russia and suffers new Shahed drone strikes
Ukraine attacked a railway infrastructure located in the Rostov region of southwestern Russia last night, used to supply Russian troops in Ukraine, while also suffering a new attack with Russian drones resulting in 26 direct hits in 14 different locations, reported Efe.
The attack on the Russian rear was reported on the Telegram channel by the head of the Disinformation Center of the National Security Council of Ukraine, Andriy Kovalenko, who stated that the infrastructure attacked in Russia is a key logistics hub for the enemy.
Kovalenko also reported another attack on a Russian Army infrastructure in the same area dedicated to the distribution of weapons, fuel, and ammunition.
Regarding the drone launches in the opposite direction, the Ukrainian Air Force recorded the arrival of a total of 71 Russian drones in Ukrainian territory, including attack drones and replicas without explosive charges used by the Russians to confuse the enemy.
Twenty-seven Shahed attack drones were neutralized by Ukrainian air defenses, which failed to prevent another 26 drones from hitting 14 different unspecified locations, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
France says Ukraine still has time to reverse its decision on anti-corruption agencies
Benjamin Haddad, French Minister of European Affairs, stated on Wednesday that Ukraine still has time to reverse its decision to reduce the autonomy of two key anti-corruption agencies in the country's reform drive, as reported by Afp.
"It is not too late to turn back," Haddad said on France Inter radio. "We will be extremely attentive to this."
Russia launches major naval exercises in the Pacific, Arctic, and Baltic Seas
Russia began significant naval exercises on Wednesday in the Pacific, Arctic, and Baltic Seas, as well as in the Baltic and Caspian Seas, as reported by the Ministry of Defense, according to Reuters.
The "July Storm" exercise, taking place from July 23 to 27, will test the fleet's readiness for unconventional operations, the use of long-range weapons, and other advanced technologies, including unmanned systems, according to the ministry.
More than 120 aircraft and 10 coastal missile systems will participate, according to the ministry. The Navy Chief, Admiral Alexander Moiseev, will lead the exercise. Russia has the third most powerful navy in the world, after China and the United States, according to most public rankings, although the navy has suffered several significant losses in the war in Ukraine.
Russia claims 33 Ukrainian drones were destroyed overnight
Russian air defense systems destroyed 33 Ukrainian drones overnight in six regions, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported on the Telegram messaging app on Wednesday.
Zelensky defends measures regarding his anti-corruption agency
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky defended in his latest daily address to the nation both the raids by his secret service against the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the law passed on Tuesday by Parliament giving the president-appointed prosecutor general power over NABU and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP), as reported by Efe.
Zelensky spoke out for the first time about these measures shortly after a few thousand people took to the streets in Ukrainian cities like Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, and Dnipro to denounce the authoritarian drift they believe the law represents and to ask him to veto it, in what are the first relatively massive protests against the power since the start of the large-scale Russian invasion over three years ago.
"The anti-corruption infrastructure will work, just without Russian influence," Zelensky said in his speech, published after midnight, referring to the justification given by the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) for the raids, which led to the arrest of two senior NABU officials for alleged collaboration with Russia.