Russia hits Odesa with a ballistic missile carrying a cluster warhead
Russian forces struck Odesa on the evening of 7 July with a ballistic missile fitted with a cluster warhead, injuring civilians and damaging industrial infrastructure, Ukrainian authorities said.
The strike sparked a fire at an industrial facility, while several vehicles were also set ablaze. Emergency services responded to extinguish the fires and assist those affected.
Five people were hospitalized following the attack, with one reported to be in serious condition. Ukrainian officials said the missile hit a civilian area, accusing Russia of violating international humanitarian law by using a cluster-warhead missile against non-military targets.
Ukrainian intelligence officer confessed to killing the Monaco bombing suspect
A serving officer with Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) has confessed to killing Anastasia Berezovska, a Ukrainian woman suspected by authorities in Monaco of involvement in the attempted assassination of businessman Vadym Iermolaiev on June 29, Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office and the Security Service of Ukraine announced on 7 July.
According to investigators, Berezovska returned to Ukraine on 1 July after the bombing in Monaco. During the investigation, authorities identified her contacts, including a former law enforcement officer and an active HUR officer who had previously transferred her money through cryptocurrency wallets and bank accounts. The intelligence officer allegedly admitted that he and the former officer killed Berezovska without informing his superiors, claiming he acted on his own initiative.
Investigators said Berezovska's body was found with gunshot wounds to the head, and spent shell casings were recovered at the scene. During searches, authorities also discovered what they described as a basement apparently used as a torture chamber at the former law enforcement officer's home. Both suspects have been detained and charged with premeditated murder.
Berezovska is suspected of involvement in the 29 June bombing in Monaco that injured Iermolaiev, his wife, and their 13-year-old son. Iermolaiev, a businessman originally from Dnipro, has lived in Monaco since 2022. He renounced his Ukrainian citizenship in 2017 and became solely a Cypriot citizen. In 2023, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy imposed sanctions on him over alleged links to Russia, accusations that Iermolaiev has denied.
Russians destroyed the shipping company's logistics hub in Kryvyi Rih
Russian forces destroyed a logistics center operated by Nova Poshta in Kryvyi Rih during an overnight attack on 6–7 July.
No casualties were reported. According to Oleksandr Vilkul, the fire at the warehouse was brought under control by 6:25 a.m., although firefighters continued extinguishing the remaining hotspots. Nova Poshta has not yet commented on the attack.
The strike marked the third attack on Nova Poshta facilities in four days. On 6 July, a Russian strike damaged one of the company's sorting facilities in Dnipro without causing casualties. On 5 July, Russian forces destroyed a Nova Poshta sorting hub in Chernihiv Oblast. Earlier, on 3 July, a drone strike on Zaporizhzhia damaged Branch No. 7 and killed Valerii Hafykin, a 50-year-old driver working for one of the company's transport contractors.
Ukraine is in talks to hold the first meeting of the coalition to counter ballistic missiles
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is preparing a meeting of a European coalition focused on developing capabilities to counter ballistic missiles.
Speaking in Ankara before a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Zelensky said discussions are underway with partner countries to agree on a date for the talks, describing the initiative as organizationally complex but noting that the coalition is already beginning to produce results.
While Zelensky did not specify the format, his remarks suggest the meeting could take place at the leaders' level.
The coalition was first announced in May, when advisers from participating countries met to discuss strengthening Europe's missile defense capabilities. Those talks focused on expanding anti-missile production in Europe, though it remains unclear whether the initiative will also include supplying additional MIM-104 Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine.