Death toll of Russia's June 28 attack on Dnipro rises to 2

The death toll from a Russian missile attack on Dnipro on June 28 has risen to two after rescuers found the body of a woman in the rubble, reported Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak on July 2. The attack damaged a nine-story building and injured at least 12 people. As of July 2, emergency services had cleared nearly 70% of the rubble. Dnipro, Ukraine's fourth-largest city and a key logistics and humanitarian hub, has faced multiple deadly attacks from Russian forces since 2022.

The energy situation in Ukraine is expected to improve in August

Ukraine's electricity grid is expected to improve in August as repairs on nuclear power units are completed, increasing available capacity, according to Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, head of Ukrenergo. Additionally, weather changes are anticipated to ease the strain on the energy infrastructure. Since spring, intensified Russian attacks on critical infrastructure have led to blackouts and the implementation of rolling blackouts from May 15. The situation worsened after a mass missile attack on May 31. Current power outages are exacerbated by ongoing strikes, heat, and limited electricity imports. Kudrytskyi hopes that August will see increased generating capacity and more favorable conditions, while ongoing repairs aim to maximize capacity for winter. In a worst-case scenario without sufficient repairs and prevention of future attacks, blackouts could last up to 20 hours a day, warned Dmytro Sakharuk of DTEK.

Ukraine should be allowed to strike ‘valid military targets’ in Russia- US House Intelligence Committee chair says

During a visit to Kyiv on July 1, Mike Turner, chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, advocated for Ukraine to be allowed to strike "valid military targets" in Russia, a position broader than the Biden administration's. Turner, part of a bipartisan U.S. delegation, noted that the U.S. permitted Ukraine to use American-supplied HIMARS rockets for strikes near the Russia-Ukraine border but still prohibits the use of long-range weapons deeper inside Russia. Turner aligned with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who criticized restricting Ukraine's ability to fully defend itself. He also highlighted Russia's significant arms production increase, emphasizing the need for Ukraine to respond militarily. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed a dramatic rise in ammunition production and called for the resumption of short and intermediate-range missile production.