South Caucasus seen as strategic bridge between Europe and Central Asia
The South Caucasus is increasingly being viewed not only through the lens of past conflicts but also as a strategic bridge linking Europe, the Caspian...
Two people were killed and dozens injured in overnight Russian drone attacks across Ukraine, as strikes on energy infrastructure left many regions without power amid freezing temperatures, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The attacks targeted Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhia, Khmelnytskyi, and Odesa, involving more than 200 drones, Zelenskyy said in a post on X.
“The situation in the energy system remains difficult, but we are doing everything we can to restore all services as quickly as possible,” he added.
Zelenskyy also called for urgent international support. “Ukraine still needs more protection, above all, more missiles for air defense systems,” he said.
“If Russia is deliberately dragging out the diplomatic process, the world’s response must be decisive: more assistance for Ukraine and more pressure on the aggressor,” Zelenskyy added.
The strikes came a day after Ukrainian negotiators arrived in the United States to discuss a 20-point peace proposal with the Trump administration, focusing on security guarantees and post-war recovery. Russia has yet to comment on the plan.
Ukraine is facing an acute energy crisis, with the damaged power grid providing only 60% of the country’s electricity needs. Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhia have been particularly hard hit, leaving families struggling to stay warm in freezing temperatures.
In Russian-occupied Zaporizhia, more than 200,000 consumers were left without electricity after a Ukrainian drone strike on Saturday, Governor Yevgeny Balitsky said. Nearly 400 settlements remain without power, with crews working to restore supply.
Zelenskyy noted that over the past week alone, Ukraine has faced more than 1,300 attack drones, roughly 1,050 guided aerial bombs, and 29 missiles of various types, underlining the ongoing intensity of Russia’s campaign.
The U.S. says it has launched strikes on Iran after alleged attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington described the action as a response to threats against civilian shipping and a breach of the ceasefire.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran to end the conflict was "over", adding he did not want to engage with Tehran, calling the Iranian leadership "sick people".
NATO leaders are unveiling multi-billion-dollar arms deals in Ankara as President Donald Trump joins the summit, highlighting Europe's increased defence spending amid tensions over Russia and Iran, and following years of U.S. criticism of the alliance.
Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, has described fresh U.S. strikes on Iran as "absolutely necessary," in remarks at the start of the second day of the alliance's sumit in the Turkish capital Ankara.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 8th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
China's technology sector is producing billion-dollar startups at its fastest pace in nearly five years, with artificial intelligence and robotics driving a new wave of investment that is reshaping the country's innovation economy.
Western Europe experienced its hottest June since records began in 2026, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). The record-breaking month brought extreme heat, widespread disruption and thousands of excess deaths across parts of the continent.
South Korea's Supreme Court has upheld former President Yoon Suk Yeol's seven-year prison sentence in a case linked to his 2024 attempt to impose martial law.
Germany has reached an agreement with the U.S. to purchase Tomahawk cruise missiles and deploy them on German territory, Chancellor Friedrich Merz told lawmakers in Berlin on Thursday.
Australia and India have finalised an agreement allowing Australian uranium exports for India's nuclear energy sector, expanding cooperation on clean energy, critical minerals and infrastructure as the two countries strengthen their strategic and economic partnership.
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