Ukraine Hits 12 Russian Oil Tankers Amid Nationwide Fuel Shortages

Ukraine has hit 12 Russian tankers in the Sea of Azov, the general staff of the armed forces has said.

"The affected vessels were used, among other, to supply fuel and oil materials to the grouping of troops of the Russian Federation, as well as to transport oil and petroleum products in the absence of international sanctions," read a statement on Telegram.

"They provide the export of energy carriers, which is one of the key sources of financing the war against Ukraine."

One tugboat and one dry loader were also among the vessels struck.

Meanwhile, president Donald Trump has said the US will allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors by giving the war-hit nation a license to built a defence against incoming Russian missiles.

"We're going to give a license to you to make Patriots. That's pretty cool. This way, you can't complain that we're not giving 'em enough," Trump said at a meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at the Nato summit in Ankara.

However, Trump’s announcement triggered condemnation from Moscow, with a foreign ministry spokesperson saying Nato's decisions at the Turkey summit could have catastrophic consequences.

Nato chief Mark Rutte claims that Trump trashing European allies is ‘like a family argument’

Nato secretary general Mark Rutte has once again come to the defence of Donald Trump, insisting that the President’s divisive comments about European allies are akin to a “family argument”.

This week, Mr Trump renewed his threats to acquire Greenland and declared a ceasefire agreement with Iran “over”. He attacked Spain for a lack of contributions to Nato and called for a suspension of all bilateral trade.

Rutte, who refused to criticise the US leader throughout, was asked by a Danish reporter if supporting Trump while he lashed out at allies and started trade wars "has any effect on your self-respect".

Nato chief claims that Trump trashing European allies is ‘like a family argument’

Rutte previously raised eyebrows by calling Trump ‘daddy’ at last year’s summit

Maira Butt9 July 2026 15:30

Ukraine's top prosecutor says no signs of Kyiv being behind Nord Stream blasts

Ukraine's Prosecutor General denied on Thursday Kyiv's involvement in blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022, and proposed forming a joint investigation team with Germany, which suspects that Ukrainian state entities were behind the explosions.

The explosions, months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, damaged the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, a vital route for Russian gas exports to Europe, as well as the Nord Stream 2 branch, which had yet to enter service.

The Prosecutor General's office said in a statement that, based on the investigation so far, no evidence indicated that Ukraine, its official entities or any of its officials were involved in the September 2022 explosions in the Baltic Sea, or had issued any related orders on behalf of Ukraine.

Maira Butt9 July 2026 15:00

Watch: Zelensky shares footage he says shows Ukrainian army striking Russian oil depots

Maira Butt9 July 2026 14:30

Trump confuses Iran for 'Islamic Republic of Japan' in Zelensky Q&A

President Donald Trump on Wednesday confused a current American adversary for a long-ago foe when he told reporters that U.S. aircraft carriers had come under fire from Japanese forces during a bilateral meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky.

The 80-year-old American president was in the midst of a freewheeling impromptu press conference alongside the Ukrainian leader when he began extolling the virtues of American defensive weaponry after what he said was an attack on the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln.

Trump says US shot missiles at ‘Islamic Republic of Japan’ in latest baffling fumble

The president also confused Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he was seated next to, and the Ukrainian president’s arch foe, Vladimir Putin, in the same session

Maira Butt9 July 2026 13:30

Kremlin says US has 'misconception' that escalation of Ukrainian strikes can help end war

Russia said on Thursday that the United States was mistaken in its belief that deep Ukrainian strikes into Russian territory could help bring about an end to the war.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said that any creation of a no-fly zone over Ukraine would mean that Nato was operating there, which was exactly what Russia was trying to prevent.

Maira Butt9 July 2026 13:04

Trump's announcement on Patriots for Ukraine welcomed in Washington

Senior officials in the US have welcomed Donald Trump’s announcement on allowing Ukraine to make their own Patriot missile interceptors.

Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine's ambassador to Washington, said the meeting in Ankara sent "several important strategic signals" about collaboration between the US ⁠and Ukraine and said she looked forward to turning the signals into concrete decisions.

"We highly value the United States’ continued engagement in advancing a path toward a just and lasting peace," Stefanishyna said in a statement.

US lawmakers also praised the announcement.

"This is a great decision," Republican Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska said on X.

"The manufacturer is currently not keeping up with the needs, and this will surely help."

Democratic senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut also praised the announcement.

"Enabling Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptors will save civilian lives, strengthen its long-term security, & bolster the arsenal of the democratic world," he said on X.

Maira Butt9 July 2026 13:00

Russia bans diesel exports to protect domestic supply after Ukrainian drone attacks on oil facilities

Russia introduced a ban on diesel exports on Wednesday among a raft of measures to support the domestic fuel market after systematic Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries triggered gasoline shortages and price spikes.

Drivers in many regions are facing hours-long lines to refuel as intensifying Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure squeeze supplies of diesel and gasoline.

Deputy prime minister Alexander Novak told a televised government meeting, chaired by president Vladimir Putin, that the fuel situation remained complex and that "it is clear that the current situation at filling stations is causing concern among the public".

"Today, a ban on diesel fuel exports was introduced, and this will make it possible to increase supplies to the domestic market," he said, adding that Russia would start importing fuel in July.

The ban will stay in place till 31 July.

Industry sources said last week that Russia had started seaborne imports of gasoline from India.

Maira Butt9 July 2026 12:25

Russia fumes at Nato summit decisions on aid for Ukraine and defence

Russia denounced Nato's decisions at a summit in Turkey, saying they could have catastrophic consequences, after the alliance announced military aid to Ukraine and reaffirmed members' commitment to collective defence.

Russian foreign ministry spokesperson ⁠Maria Zakharova said Nato's priorities remained unchanged.

"The militarisation of the European continent, the focus on building up defence capabilities, preparation for an armed conflict with Russia, and, of course, aid to Ukraine,” she said.

"It is a pity, because if Nato strategists had stopped and thought for a moment, they might not have made such irresponsible decisions that could lead to a catastrophe not just for the alliance, but for the whole world," Zakharova said in a statement on her ministry's website.

Nato members at the summit pledged €70bn (£59.7bn) in military assistance to Ukraine for ‌2026.

They reaffirmed their "ironclad commitment" to collective defence under the alliance's Article 5 pact in a summit declaration and unveiled arms deals worth at least $50bn.

In her comments, Zakharova said "cracks" between ⁠the United States and its Nato partners "have not gone anywhere".

“Against this backdrop, the Americans do not hide their disappointment with the North Atlantic bloc," she wrote.

"The issue with Greenland is not being resolved according to the American scenario. There is also resentment that alliance members, as Washington sees it, ‌did not act in a supportive way when the ​United States needed their backing,” she said.

Maira Butt9 July 2026 11:50

Fuel prices surge in Crimea

Fuel prices have surged in Russian-occupied Crimea according to a new report published on Wednesday.

According to the data published by Rosstat, average fuel price rose by 78.4 per cent in the region, almost doubling previous levels.

It follows a ban on diesel fuel exports introduced by the Russian government. The shortage in fuel has been sparked by Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure including refineries.

Maira Butt9 July 2026 11:20

Russia-appointed Crimea governor says fuel shortages are set to last

Russian-appointed governor of occupied Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov has warned that fuel shortages are likely to last as Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy continue.

“The fuel supply situation remains tense and will continue for some time,” Aksyonov wrote on Telegram, according to Reuters.

“On certain days there will be no fuel available to be freely sold.”

Aksyonov has said that he has discussed the crisis with the energy minister Sergey Tsivilyov and said possible solutions had been identified but did not share further details.

Maira Butt9 July 2026 10:50