Destruction in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv after Russia’s drone and missile strikes, July 31, 2025 (Sky)

EA on India’s NDTV: Putin’s Next Gamble in Ukraine

Thursday’s Coverage: Russia Murders 6, Injures 52 in Kyiv

Map: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1729 GMT:

Matching the bombast of former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Donald Trump has tweeted that he ordered two nuclear submarines to deploy near Russia.

Based on the highly provocative statements of the Former President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that. Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.

Medvedev blustered on Thursday that Trump should remember Moscow had Soviet-era nuclear strike capabilities.

UPDATE 1337 GMT:

Amid threats of tariffs from Donald Trump and narrowing price discounts, Indian state-owned refineries suspended Russian oil purchases last week, sources have told Reuters.

Despite the halt, Trump declared a 25% tariff starting on Friday, claiming that India and Russia are “dead economies”.

EA on India’s News 9: Trump Trash Talks “Dead Economy” India

India sharply increased oil imports from Russia after Moscow’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It is second to China in purchases of Russian supplies.

State-owned refiners such as Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum, and Bharat Petroleum have not purchased Russian oil over the past week, said “four sources familiar with procurement plans”. The companies are sourcing mainly Middle Eastern grades such as Abu Dhabi’s Murban and West African crude.

At least four oil tankers carrying Russian crude are idling off India’s western coast.

The Achilles and the Elyte, sanctioned by the European Union and the UK, are anchored near Jamnagar, having missed their expected arrival at the port of Sikka on July 30-31. Both ships loaded Ural-grade crude from Russia’s Primorsk and Ust-Luga ports in late June.

The Destan, which is sanctioned, was due at Sikka on July 24-25. The Horae was expected to dock at Vadinar on August 1.

Each of four vessels can transport around 700,000 barrels.

UPDATE 1322 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on “how to stop the killings, provide greater protection for our people, and force Russia to end this war”.

Zelensky emphasized that “Russia genuinely fears [sanctions], “no matter how hard it pretends that it couldn’t care less”: “Sanctions are undoubtedly working – and there will be more. We are working with everyone on coordinated restrictive measures.”

The President said he spoke with Starmer about “coordination of actions” with the Trump Administration and “possible formats for peace negotiations at the level of leaders”.

UPDATE 1308 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, responding to comments by Vladimir Putin, has called on the Russian leader to enter face-to-face discussions.

If these are signals of a genuine willingness to end the war with dignity and establish a truly lasting peace – and not merely an attempt to buy more time for war or delay sanctions – then Ukraine once again reaffirms its readiness to meet at the level of leaders at any time.

Zelensky thanked Donald Trump for his work on ending the Russian invasion.

Putin thumped his chest in his statement, reiterating his ultimata and claiming that Russian troops are advancing “along the entire frontline”.

He declared the new Oreshnik missile system is now being mass produced, with first deliveries already made to the army.

He said talks must consider Russia’s invasion “in the context of European security as a whole”. Moscow was “taking back what it owns”.

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko added that Ukraine should accept Putin’s terms, otherwise Russian troops “will bite off everything, seize it and move on, recapture it”.

In what may be an implicit reference to Trump, Putin snapped that if anyone was disappointed in the outcome of Ukraine-Russia talks, that was a consequence of inflated expectations.

Zelensky’s Chief of Staff Andrii Yermak responded:

UPDATE 1117 GMT:

Ukraine Defense Secretary Denys Shmyhal says Germany will deliver two US-made Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, with additional launchers arriving “in the coming days”.

“In a second phase, over the next two to three months, further system components will be handed over,” he said.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the confirmation “shows once again that Germany is by far Ukraine’s strongest supporter when it comes to air defense. Germany is doing the groundwork to quickly meet Ukraine’s urgent current needs.”

He added that Berlin wants to “combine this delivery with an appeal to our partners to promptly provide additional systems”. Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden have said they are willing to purchase and transfer systems.

UPDATE 0851 GMT:

Ukraine Presidential Chief of Staff Andrii Yermak has spoken with senior security officials from the UK, France, Germany, and Italy.

Yermak said discussions included “positive signals from the White House regarding firm actions against the Russian Federation”, including sanctions and secondary tariffs; a “historic bilateral security agreement between Ukraine and the United States” with financial support from European partners; and the status of negotiations in Ukraine’s process for accession to the European Union.

UPDATE 0820 GMT:

The toll from Russia’s attacks on Kyiv early Thursday has risen to 31 killed, including five children.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky updated after the recovery of several bodies, including of a 2-year-old child.

Once again, this vile strike by Russia demonstrates the need for increased pressure on Moscow and additional sanctions. No matter how much the Kremlin denies their effectiveness, sanctions do work – and they must be strengthened. They must target everything that enables such attacks to continue. It is also crucial that the world does not remain silent about them.

Earlier this morning, Ukraine Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko posted:

Entire families murdered in their homes, including children.

The world possesses every instrument required to ensure Russia is brought to justice. What is lacking is not power — but will.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for “regime change” in Russia after Moscow murdered 27 civilians, including three children, and injured 159 in Kyiv early Thursday.

The toll from Russia’s assault, part of more than 300 drones and eight missiles fired across Ukraine, rose throughout the day. Among the wounded are 16 children and six police officers.

“Unfortunately, the worst predictions regarding the number of people who may be trapped under the rubble have been confirmed,” said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the capital’s military administration.

The rescue operation is continuing on Friday. A Day of Mourning has been declared, with flags flown at half-mast on all municipal buildings and all entertainment events cancelled.

Addressing the Helsinki-50 conference by video link, Zelensky summarized, “Russia keeps launching such attacks, even when the whole world is calling on it to stop the war, a war that Russia started, a war that Russia keeps dragging on, a war that only the Russian leadership wants.”

the Kremlin is “mentally stuck in another century, a time of brutal violence…[and] total disregard for human rights and equality” with “a total rejection of the post-Second World War world”, he explained:

We need to fully block Russia’s war machine, cut off its arms industry, limit its energy profits, and finally, put every frozen Russian asset including stolen wealth…to work, defending against the Russian aggression.

It’s time to confiscate the Russian assets, not just freeze them…to use them to serve peace, not war.

If the world doesn’t aim to change the regime in Russia, that means, even after the war ends, Moscow will still try to destabilize neighboring countries.

The President followed up in his nightly address to the nation:

Increasingly frustrated with Vladimir Putin’s continuation of the mass killing and rejection of a ceasefire, Donald Trump said, “Russia – I think it’s disgusting what they’re doing.”

Without giving any details, Trump said the Kremlin has “about eight days” to make a deal:”Yeah, we’re gonna put sanctions — I don’t know that sanctions bother [Putin]….I don’t know if that has any effect, but we’re gonna do it.”