Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

Ukraine has received a large aid package from Canada, air defense systems included. Additional shipments are also expected in the near future.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte believes that the rf’s missile attack against Ukraine on the night of July 6 was planned specifically to harm the civilian population.

“France reaffirms its support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people on this day of mourning and will continue to support Ukraine without pause – until a just and lasting peace is achieved,” – the French government condemned russia’s massive shelling of Kyiv on the night of July 6 calling the strikes yet another violation of humanitarian law.

At its 67th plenary session in Georgia, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation adopted a declaration strongly condemning russia’s aggression against Ukraine, in particular the attack on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk has assured that his country will continue to support Ukraine in its fight against russia’s aggression regardless of domestic political debates, as this is first and foremost in the security interests of Poland itself.

Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre has called on China to use its influence over russia to facilitate the start of negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. “There is potential for deeper cooperation between Europe and China, but as long as this war continues and China remains a close partner of russia, this limits that possibility,” he said.

The Brussels public transportation company STIB (Belgium) will donate more than 36 diesel buses to Ukraine as part of the modernization and gradual electrification of its fleet.

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Finland, Germany, Denmark, Lithuania, and Norway have agreed to a large-scale purchase of naval mines to block russian ships in case of war.

Lithuania’s Ambassador to NATO Darius Jauniškis has stated that his country is ready to defend the Suwalki Corridor against russia’s potential attempts to seize it.

The High Court in London denied Nord Stream 2 AG – a subsidiary of “gazprom” and the operator of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline – insurance compensation for damage to the facility. The damage was deemed to be related to russia’s war against Ukraine.

Slovakia has announced that it is suspending the issuance of Schengen visas to russian citizens.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova Mihai Popșoi has warned citizens of Moldova about the risks associated with obtaining russian citizenship. Popșoi has emphasized that a russian passport could become a “ticket to the front lines” and urged Moldovan citizens to be cautious.

Prices for “Zh” grade semi-hard coking coal at Far Eastern ports fell by 6.2% in the week ending June 26. This is the sharpest weekly drop since the beginning of the year. The reason for the price drop is weak demand in China.

Overdue debts of russian companies rose by nearly 20% over the past year, reaching a record 7 trillion rubles.

“Cognac” production in russia fell by nearly 26.7% year-on-year in June. Output volumes have been affected by an overall decline in demand for “cognac” due to a significant increase in its prices.

Steak sales have declined in russia, having fallen by 13% year-on-year in the first three months of 2026. Consumers have also been buying less dry-cured and air-dried sausages: demand for them fell by 11% in January–March of this year.

The ministry of defense of the rf has prepared a draft law that will allow soldiers who have suffered illnesses, injuries, or disabilities to be returned to the front lines without a medical examination to assess their fitness for duty.

russian authorities are preparing to send conscripts to serve in fire departments due to a shortage of firefighters. As of the end of 2025, the fire service was short of more than 203,000 employees.

In russia, prices for private medical consultations have skyrocketed amid a shortage of nearly 100,000 healthcare workers. Over the past three-plus years, the average cost of such services has jumped by 44%, more than doubling the cumulative inflation rate reported by “rosstat” for 2023–2025. Prices have risen across all specialties, but the increases have been most noticeable in dentistry, pediatrics, and mental health services (psychologists and other specialists).

In bashkortostan, street lighting has begun to be turned off due to electricity debts.

Chronicles of the fuel crisis:

• russian authorities’ attempts to begin importing jet fuel amid a massive shortage have been met with resistance from Japan. The country is not allowing such shipments, either directly or through intermediaries, as stated by Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Ryosei Akazawa.

• Fights continue to break out in petrol queues across russia – now involving cold weapons and firearms.

• russians are converting their cars to natural gas en masse to maintain mobility amid the fuel crisis. Waitlists for natural gas conversion installations are booked months in advance.

• russians have also begun actively searching online for “how to make petrol” and how to “turn 92-octane petrol into 95-octane one”.

• The antimonopoly service of the rf has opened a case against six filling station chains for simultaneously raising fuel prices, suspecting them of a cartel conspiracy.

• In nizhny novgorod region, QR codes are being introduced for petrol sales. Petrol will also be sold on specific days depending on license plate numbers. Besides, a limit of 40 liters of petrol per person is being officially implemented in the region.

• vologda region governor’s official vehicle stopped on the motorway due to a lack of petrol. Earlier, the vologda governor had urged local residents not to panic and not to stockpile fuel.

• The governor of novosibirsk region has instructed local officials to reduce fuel consumption.

• The governor of the trans-baikal territory has cited the reasons for the severe fuel shortage in the region. In his view, the causes of the petrol crisis are the coronavirus pandemic – which allegedly derailed previous plans to expand the network of filling stations, as well as the top priority of ensuring an uninterrupted supply to the front lines.

• According to deputy of the sverdlovsk regional duma vyacheslav vegner, to normalize the fuel situation, force must be used and scalpers should be severely punished,. “I would brand them as profiteers in the most brutal way possible, with a red-hot iron”, he declared.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte believes we should not be naive about belarus’ role in russia’s war against Ukraine.

“Discussions about easing sanctions against belarus can only take place after democratic changes occur in that country,” said Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas Juozas Olekas.

belarus is facing growing problems in foreign trade. From January through May of this year, the trade deficit – the excess of imports over exports – rose to $2.2069 billion. A month earlier, this deficit stood at $1.86 billion.