Russia’s war on Ukraine entered its 1,227th day on Saturday, with a series of intense battles reported across the country. Here are the key events:
Ukraine struck back at Russian forces by targeting a key airbase in the Voronezh region, hitting the “home base” for Russia’s Su-34, Su-35S, and Su-30SM fighter jets.
Russia retaliated with a massive drone attack, firing 322 drones and decoys into Ukraine overnight. However, only 157 of these were shot down by Ukrainian air forces, while 135 were lost in the attacks.
Russian air defenses also responded to the threat, shooting down dozens of Ukrainian drones across the country. Two such drones were spotted near Saint Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city.
The ongoing conflict took a hit to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure when external power lines supplying electricity to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant were intentionally cut off for several hours before being restored by technicians.
Dutch and German intelligence agencies have warned that Russia is increasingly using prohibited chemical weapons in Ukraine, including the World War I-era poison gas chloropicrin. However, Moscow denies these allegations.
In a significant development, US President Donald Trump announced that he discussed sending Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine during calls with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Germany is also exploring the possibility of purchasing more Patriot air defense systems from the US for Ukraine. Meanwhile, Trump repeated his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that he was “very unhappy” with their relationship due to Russia’s willingness to continue violence in Ukraine.
The two leaders have agreed to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses as concerns mount over US military aid deliveries. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will travel to Washington later this month for talks on air defense systems and production capacities.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/5/russia-ukraine-war-list-of-key-events-day-1227