Society

On 10 July, according to the new church calendar, Orthodox Christians in Ukraine commemorate Saint Anthony of the Caves — the founder of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and one of the pioneers of monasticism in Rus’. In folk tradition, this day is known as Anthony’s Day, Anthony the Thunderer or Anthony the Ryasochnik, and the feast itself is regarded as a ‘punishing’ one.

The High Anti-Corruption Court has extended the period during which Pavlo Kyrylenko, the head of the Antimonopoly Committee, is subject to procedural obligations until 30 August. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) accuse him of illicit enrichment amounting to 72.1 million hryvnias and making false declarations.

One of Ukraine’s largest private defence companies — Ukrainian Armoured Vehicles LLC — has reported that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) carried out searches at its premises and that the company’s first deputy director was beaten. The company claims that the investigative actions are linked to a case concerning the supply of single-use anti-tank grenade launchers to the Defence Forces.

In Wrocław, Poland, a 19-year-old Ukrainian man was beaten on Slodowa Island after speaking Ukrainian on his mobile phone. According to the victim, a group of young men knocked him to the ground, hit him on the head and kicked him, and after the attack laughed that they had ‘beaten up a Ukrainian’.

British singer Bonnie Tyler, known for her hits ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’, ‘Holding Out for a Hero’ and ‘It’s a Heartache’, has died at the age of 75. She passed away in a hospital in Portugal following an illness for which she had been receiving treatment.

Уряд доручив підготувати рішення про виділення 3,04 млрд грн із резервного фонду для Вишневого Київської області, яке постраждало від російської атаки 6 липня. Кошти мають спрямувати на компенсації за зруйноване й пошкоджене житло, відбудову будинків, ремонт багатоповерхівок та відновлення інженерних мереж.

No severe magnetic storms are forecast for July 2026, but there will be several days of geomagnetic activity. The most notable peak is expected on 22 July, when the Kp index could rise to 5 points — the level of a weak G1 magnetic storm.

On 9 July, according to the new church calendar, Orthodox Christians commemorate the holy martyr Pankratius, Bishop of Tavromenia. In popular tradition, this day was known as ‘Berry Day’ or ‘Blueberry Day’, as the blueberry was considered the day’s main berry — it was eaten for health, beauty and good luck.

The Cabinet of Ministers has amended the rules governing the issue of driving licences and the authorisation of citizens to drive vehicles. From now on, the validity period of the licence will depend on the category: for cars and motorbikes, licences will be issued for 15 years, and for goods and passenger transport, for 5 years.

In Ukraine, there is a proposal to allow citizens to document traffic offences themselves using photos or videos and to receive a share of the fine in return. If the offence is confirmed, the person who reported it would be paid 20 per cent of the amount paid.

The government is preparing a new pension reform, which is set to change the rules for calculating pension payments in Ukraine. The aim is to link pensions to the contributions an individual has paid throughout their working life, and to divide the system into three parts: a solidarity-based, an occupational and a funded scheme.

Two polls have concluded on the Diia app, in which Ukrainians voted for figures to feature in a new educational project. The winners were the pathophysiologist Oleksandr Bogomolets and the poet and activist in the Ukrainian liberation movement Olena Teliga.