Destruction in Kyiv, Ukraine after Russia’s missile and drone strikes, July 2, 2026

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UPDATE 1854 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

The dismissal followed a meeting with military leadership on Wednesday, but rumors had been building for days that Fedorov would be removed, albeit with no clear reason why.

His replacement is Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko.

Fedorov confirmed his departure, posting that it was “a great honor to serve the Ukrainian people as Defense Minister”. He cited successes including the shutdown of Starlink systems for Russian forces, the campaign against Russian logistics in occupied Crimea, and “an unpopular but extremely important” military reform initiative.

He said that he was unable to transforming Ukraine’s defense ministry fully “in accordance with NATO and common sense”; to overhaul the procurement system; and to build “a culture of accountability.”

It was not clear if Fedorov will be offered another post in the Government. He wrote, “I will continue to work toward the mission I came to the Defense Ministry with — to defeat the enemy through asymmetry, the speed of innovation, and the strength of our organization.”

The dismissal is likely to be criticized widely. Fedorov was hailed for innovations in the defense against Russia’s invasion and in Ukraine’s move to counter-attack.

On Tuesday, Zelensky removed Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. Her replacement has not been named.

UPDATE 0917 GMT:

Having decimated the Russian shadow fleet in the Sea of Azov, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Force has turned to the Black Sea, attacking 20 vessels overnight.

The Ukrainians struck 17 oil tankers, two gas tankers, and one tugboat.

Ukraine launched the naval campaign on July 5, hitting 116 tankers and other vessels in the Sea of ​​Azov. The operation seeks to cut off supplies from Russia to Russian-occupied Crimea.

UPDATE 0819 GMT:

Ukraine’s air defenses downed 101 of 122 drones launched by Russia overnight. Two missiles and 18 UAVs hit 19 locations.

UPDATE 0648 GMT:

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has arrived in Kyiv, her 11th visit during the Russian full-scale invasion.

Von der Leyen will participate in ceremonies for Ukraine’s Statehood Day. “It’s a special moment. Ukraine has built a strong military momentum. The tide is turning,” she posted.

She is expected to announce initiatives to integrate European and Ukrainian defense industries, “so we can produce more, and faster”. Discussions will include Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and preparations for the winter.

UPDATE 0642 GMT:

Russia struck a civilian cargo ship in the port of Odesa in southern Ukraine for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, killing two people.

A Marshall Islands-flagged vessel was struck by a drone, damaging and setting afire the superstructure.

On Monday, five people were killed, including three foreign crew members, and 10 injured when a Togolese-flagged cargo vessel was struck as it unloaded mineral fertilizers.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukraine has endured the deadliest month for civilians from Russian strikes since April 2022, soon after the launch of the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion.

At least 293 civiians were murdered and 1,990 injured in June, reported the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission. That surpassed the previous record in May, when 282 people were killed and 1,794 injured.

The casualties were 37% higher than the total in June 2025.

Danielle Bell, the head of the HRMMU, noted that the steady increase in casualties this year is from Russia’s intensified attacks and use of more powerful weapons.

From January to June, the UN documented 1,396 civilians killed and 7,978 injured in strikes, 37% increase compared with the same period in 2025 and a 114% increase compared with the first half of 2024.

Long-range missiles and drones caused 45% of all casualties in June, with 126 murdered and 907 injured. Civilian casualties from short-range drones near the frontline were at their highest since the start of the full-scale invasion, with 89 killed and 588 wounded.

The highest numbers of civilian casualties in June were in the Zaporizhzhia region, where 23 people were killed and 229 injured. This was followed by Kherson in the south with 18 killed and 236 injured; neighboring Dnipropetrovsk with 25 slain and 77 wounded, and Kyiv with 11 killed and 112 injured.