US President Donald Trump is trying again to end the war in Ukraine – not by targeting Russia, but by hitting the countries that buy Russia’s oil.

At least two people were killed and 27 others injured when a 500-kilogram Russian aerial bomb struck a marketplace and shopping area in Dobropillia, a town in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, on Wednesday evening.

Despite the changes in warfare, Russian forces retain the ascendancy and are making slow but steady advances in the east and north of Ukraine. Russia has also caught up in UAV technology after falling behind early in the war, according to military analysts, and like its enemy is churning out drones domestically at a rate of millions a year.

Officials have warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that a demographic crisis could mean the country he leads will be short millions of workers by the end of the decade.

Azerbaijan and Armenia, despite their historical rivalry, are finding common ground in their shared frustration with Russia. Tensions have escalated due to diplomatic spats, arrests, and territorial disputes,

President Vladimir Putin intends to keep fighting in Ukraine until the West engages on his terms for peace, unfazed by Donald Trump's threats of tougher sanctions, and his territorial demands may widen as Russian forces advance,

Ukraine seeks ironclad guarantees against future Russian aggression. These can come in two general forms: outside assurances, with the most conspicuous one being the Article V protections that come with NATO membership, or the “steel porcupine” strategy whereby Ukraine builds up its own robust domestic deterrent with assistance from Western states.

In a stunning policy reversal, President Donald Trump reportedly encouraged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to conduct deep strikes into Russian territory, according to a Financial Times report on their July 4th phone call.