Ukraine war live ticker: +++ 06:48 Prigozhin probably suspected that he would have to die after the failed mutiny against Moscow +++

The mother of the late Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin reveals in an interview with the Russian news agency Fontanka that her son seemed "lost" after his failed mutiny and had already expected his death in the days before his private plane crashed. Prigozhin, the founder of the notorious Wagner mercenary group, died when his corporate jet crashed in the summer of 2023. Two months earlier, his fighters had briefly seized control of the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and advanced toward Moscow in a short-lived rebellion. "The last time I saw him, he looked lost," said 85-year-old Violetta Prigozhin. Asked if he had foreseen his death, she replied, "Of course."

+++ 06:33 Lithuanian Intelligence Service: Russia and Belarus maneuvers significantly reduced +++ The Lithuanian intelligence service expects up to 30,000 soldiers to participate in the joint military exercise Zapad-2025 between Russia and Belarus, as the newspaper "Kyiv Independent" reports. Belarus had already announced a reduction in the size of the maneuver at the end of May, without providing exact figures. "This year, up to 30,000 soldiers are expected, significantly fewer than in previous exercises. Around 6,000 to 8,000 will be stationed in Belarus, with several thousand in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad," the newspaper quoted the Lithuanian intelligence service as saying. Russia and Belarus deployed 200,000 soldiers for Zapad-2021.

+++ 05:58 Former Foreign Minister Gabriel: "Germany must return to conscription" +++ Former SPD leader and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel advocates a return to conscription in light of the security situation that has worsened due to the war in Ukraine. "Germany must return to conscription. Otherwise, we will not succeed in transforming the Bundeswehr back into a territorial army that also has sufficient reservists," Gabriel told the "Tagesspiegel" newspaper. Former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces and SPD politician Hans-Peter Bartels also supports its reintroduction: "No matter which direction Russia's war in Ukraine develops—ceasefire or perpetual struggle—for the Bundeswehr, both mean that it must quickly grow to its planned new strength," he told the newspaper.

+++ 05:16 China considers participation in peacekeeping forces - skepticism in Brussels +++ According to EU diplomats, China is apparently willing to participate in potential peacekeeping forces in Ukraine. This is reported by "Welt am Sonntag," citing diplomatic circles with contacts to Chinese government circles. However, the government in Beijing is only willing to do so if the peacekeeping forces are deployed on the basis of a United Nations (UN) mandate. In Brussels, the plan from Beijing has met with a mixed response. On the one hand, the inclusion of countries from the Global South, such as China, could promote acceptance for the stationing of foreign troops to monitor peace. "But there is also the risk that China primarily wants to spy in Ukraine and, in the event of a conflict, adopt a clearly pro-Russian position instead of a neutral one," says a senior EU diplomat familiar with the current deliberations in Brussels.

+++ 3:47 a.m. Russia: Trump to decide on sanctions in two weeks +++ US President Donald Trump is dampening hopes for a meeting between Russian President Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Zelensky and is once again bringing sanctions into play. He will make an important decision in two weeks regarding his efforts to bring about peace in Ukraine, Trump said. There could be massive sanctions against Moscow – or he could "do nothing," Trump emphasized. "In two weeks, we'll know which path I'm going to take. Because I'm going to choose a path, and I'm going to figure out what that is," the US President said. "Which means whether it's going to be massive sanctions or massive tariffs or both. Or whether we do nothing and say, 'It's your fight.'"

+++ 02:42 Klingbeil on security guarantees: "Germany will bear responsibility" +++ Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil calls on international partners to closely coordinate on security guarantees for Ukraine. "Germany will bear responsibility to secure a peace solution," the SPD chairman told the Funke newspapers. They are working intensively on this "so that we are prepared for every scenario." It is too early for concrete decisions. For Germany, the priority remains to strengthen Ukraine and its army. "Putin's war is not only aimed at Ukraine. We must defend the freedom and self-determination of the states in Europe," says Klingbeil. "This must not be allowed to fail because of the budget."

+++ 01:36 EU transfers 10 billion euros from frozen Russian funds to Ukraine +++ The EU transferred 10.1 billion euros in proceeds from frozen funds from the Russian central bank to Ukraine in the first half of this year. This is shown by figures from the EU Commission obtained by "Welt am Sonntag." Brussels is using the money to support military and civilian projects in Ukraine. According to the figures, President Volodymyr Zelensky's government received one billion euros in interest income in March, May, June, and July each year; in January, it was three billion, and in April, 3.1 billion. The Russian assets themselves are held by the Belgian company Euroclear, which holds securities and settles equity transactions. In 2022, the EU seized a total of 210 billion euros from Russia.

+++ 00:54 US Special Envoy Kellogg Apparently Travels to Kyiv +++ The US Special Envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, will reportedly travel to Kyiv later today. Reuters reporter Gram Slattery writes this on X. Kellogg will participate in the celebrations for Ukrainian Independence Day. He will also discuss this week's diplomatic developments with other heads of state and government. Kellogg was originally the special envoy for Ukraine and Russia and was supposed to mediate between the two sides. However, in March, his responsibility for Russia was withdrawn, according to media reports, because he was considered pro-Ukrainian in the Kremlin.

+++ 11:08 PM Putin sees "light at the end of the tunnel" in relations with the US +++ With the inauguration of US President Trump, Kremlin chief Putin says he sees "light at the end of the tunnel" in relations with the US. Both countries are discussing joint projects in the Arctic and Alaska, Putin said during a visit to a nuclear research facility. He did not provide details about the potential projects. He expressed confidence that Trump's leadership qualities would help restore relations. According to Putin, the next steps depend on the administration in Washington.

+++ 10:14 PM Zelensky: Russian not our second official language +++ President Volodymyr Zelensky rejects Kremlin claims that Russian-speaking Ukrainians are being discriminated against and suggests that Moscow may be buying time to avoid peace talks. According to Ukrinform, Zelensky told reporters that Ukrainians "already have one state language – Ukrainian" – and would not introduce Russian as a second official language. "Russia can say whatever it wants... I believe these demands serve only to impose ultimatums and complicate the negotiation process."

+++ 9:47 PM Ukraine takes stock of Russian drone attack +++ During the night, the Russian armed forces deployed 55 Shahed attack and decoy drones against Ukraine. According to "Ukrainska Pravda," 46 of them were neutralized, the Ukrainian Air Force reported. However, four impacts were also recorded. There are no reports of deaths or injuries yet.

+++ 8:54 PM Ukraine can return 65 stranded citizens +++ Ukraine has repatriated 65 of its citizens who were stranded in the buffer zone at the Dariali border crossing between Russia and Georgia, according to Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Among them are ten women and eight seriously ill people. A large group of Ukrainians was also repatriated from Georgia via Moldova. "We thank the official representatives of the Georgian and Moldovan governments for their assistance in organizing the transit route and overcoming logistical challenges," Sybiha wrote on social media. In previous months, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry had initiated the repatriation of 44 citizens. This brings the total number of people repatriated from the Dariali border crossing to 109. The ministry continues its efforts to bring the remaining citizens who wish to return to Ukraine to their homeland. The crisis on the Russian-Georgian border arose in the second half of June, when the Kremlin began drastically increasing the number of Ukrainians deported. Kyiv publicly called on Moscow to send Ukrainian citizens directly to the Ukrainian border instead of redirecting them to Georgia, which denied entry for "security reasons."

+++ 8:15 p.m. Russia slowly but steadily gains ground in the Donetsk region +++ According to Moscow, Russian forces have captured three villages in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. The settlements affected are Katerynivka, Volodymyrivka, and Rusyn Yar, the Russian Defense Ministry explained on Telegram. Russian troops have recently been slowly but steadily gaining ground. Russia's latest territorial gains come amid mutual accusations from Kyiv and Moscow that the other side is not interested in a lasting peace.

+++ 7:37 PM Show of force? Putin visits nuclear research center +++ Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting the city of Sarov, home to Russia's Federal Nuclear Research Center, according to the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. The visit comes one day after US President Donald Trump wrote in a social media post that Ukraine had "no chance of victory" if it was not allowed to attack Russia. Putin's visit will include a meeting with nuclear industry officials and the laying of flowers at a monument to the chief designer of the first Soviet atomic bomb. Sarov is also home to the Nuclear Weapons Museum. Access to the city is severely restricted, even for Russians. The city is surrounded by fences and guarded by the Russian military.

You can find all previous developments track here.