Russia-Ukraine War: Day 1,246 Key Events Summary

Current Situation on Thursday, July 24

Fighting and Power Outages

A Russian drone attack targeted an energy facility in the northern Sumy region of Ukraine, leading to power outages affecting approximately 220,000 residents. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that power has been largely restored to those impacted. Meanwhile, Russia's air defense systems reportedly destroyed 33 Ukrainian drones overnight across six regions, according to the Russian Ministry of Defence.

Ceasefire Talks and Prisoner Exchanges

Ukraine has successfully repatriated a new group of prisoners of war from Russia, with Zelenskyy stating that over 1,000 captured soldiers have returned through negotiations in Turkey. The exact number of Russian prisoners released in exchange remains unclear. During recent peace talks in Istanbul, both sides discussed further prisoner exchanges but remained distant on ceasefire terms and potential leadership meetings. Ukraine’s chief delegate, Rustem Umerov, noted progress on humanitarian issues but no advancement on stopping hostilities. He also suggested a possible meeting between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin before the end of August.

Russia’s representative, Vladimir Medinsky, mentioned that Moscow agreed to exchange more prisoners, including over 3,000 bodies of deceased soldiers. However, details about this agreement remain vague.

Military Aid and International Support

The United States Department of State approved $322 million in proposed weapons sales to Ukraine, aimed at enhancing its air defense capabilities and supplying armored combat vehicles. This includes $150 million for maintaining and repairing US armoured vehicles in Ukraine, and $172 million for surface-to-air missile systems.

Former President Donald Trump highlighted a recent deal between the US and NATO, where European allies would purchase weapons and send them to Ukraine. He claimed these allies would cover the full cost of military equipment, much of which would be directed toward Ukraine.

Additionally, reports indicate that Chinese-made engines are being secretly shipped via front companies to a state-owned Russian drone manufacturer, disguised as "industrial refrigeration units" to bypass Western sanctions. This was revealed by three European security officials and documents reviewed by Reuters.

Zelenskyy also met with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar in Kyiv to discuss strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses.

Political Developments and Protests

Zelenskyy faced pressure from Ukraine’s first wartime street protests, which took place over two days in cities nationwide. These demonstrations demanded the reversal of a law that limited the independence of anticorruption agencies. In response, Zelenskyy announced his intention to submit a new bill to ensure the rule of law and protect the autonomy of these agencies.

Regional Military Activities

Russian Tu-95MS nuclear-capable strategic bombers conducted a routine patrol flight over international waters in the Bering Sea, as reported by the Russian Interfax news agency. The Russian Defence Ministry also announced major navy drills involving over 150 vessels and 15,000 military personnel across the Pacific, Arctic, Baltic, and Caspian seas. These exercises, known as the “July Storm,” will run from July 23 to July 27 and aim to test the readiness of the Russian fleet for non-standard operations, the use of long-range weapons, and advanced technologies such as unmanned systems.