Armenia is holding parliamentary elections against a backdrop of deteriorating relations with Russia

Ukraine is considering the possibility of recruiting foreign workers due to an acute labour shortage, but they must not compete with Ukrainians for jobs. A proposal has been put forward in the Verkhovna Rada to allow the employment of foreign nationals only in those sectors where vacancies cannot be filled by domestic workers.

The Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, is prepared to continue peace talks only once the Russian Federation has seized the whole of Donbas. The Russian Ministry of Defence is assuring him that this can be achieved by 2026, but rank-and-file soldiers disagree.

Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas has stated that, as the war against Ukraine has not yielded the expected results, the Kremlin may seek a further escalation. According to him, Russia may regard the Baltic states and Poland as its next potential targets.

Major General Ihor Skybyuk is to become the new Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The personnel decisions regarding the reshuffle of the military leadership are due to be formalised on 22 July.

The British company BAE Systems is to begin licensed production of L119 105-mm howitzers directly in Ukraine. The agreement was signed at the Farnborough International Airshow.

Ukrainian radio stations and television channels, whose frequencies have been temporarily reallocated for defence and security purposes, will be able to switch to new broadcast channels. For some listeners and viewers, this may mean having to retune their radio or T2 television set.

Ukraine may begin a gradual increase in gas and electricity tariffs for households as early as 2027. This scenario is set out in the updated Memorandum on Economic and Financial Policies, which the Ukrainian authorities have agreed with the IMF. However, no final decision has yet been made – the document itself does not imply an automatic increase in tariffs.

In the first six months of 2026, 73,292 children were born in Ukraine, whilst 259,853 people died. The death rate is therefore almost four times higher than the birth rate.

Large-scale testing of fifth-generation mobile networks has begun in Kyiv. Owners of compatible smartphones can use 5G, although coverage depends on the network operator and the specific area of the city.

The Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) has announced that it is seeking a communications expert. The vacancy has been advertised as part of an international technical assistance project aimed at strengthening the capacity of anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine.

In Stavropol, Russia, a sanitaryware manufacturer ran a promotional campaign that caused quite a stir on social media. Visitors to one of the shopping centres were invited to drink a soft drink from the new toilet bowls, and then take part in another unusual challenge

In the town of Argos-Orestiko in northern Greece, a 52-year-old man was arrested after he drove his car into the main entrance to a military base. According to preliminary reports, the driver was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.

The President of Hungary, Tamás Szujók, has signed a constitutional amendment providing for the early termination of his term of office. The document marked the final stage of a political process that had lasted several months following an initiative by Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s government

Israel approached the United States with a proposal to join military action against Iran, but the US administration did not support this initiative

The Moldovan Ministry of Defence plans to procure modern air target detection systems, as well as equipment for intercepting drones. Funding will be provided by the European Union