Victory Chronicles-DAY 1225

The U.S. Defense Department has paused deliveries of certain critical weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, including air-defense Patriot interceptors and precision-guided rockets, according to reports by Politico, CNN, and NBC News citing unnamed officials familiar with the decision.

The pause affects dozens of Patriot missiles, thousands of 155-millimeter artillery shells, more than 250 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets, and other munitions. Sources say the move came after a review by senior Pentagon officials raised alarm about U.S. stockpile levels and the military’s ability to meet its own defense needs.

The decision reportedly took effect in late June, even as Ukraine faces intensifying Russian missile and drone attacks on major cities, including Kyiv. It has sparked concern among Ukraine’s allies in the U.S.’s bicameral Congress, who warn the delay could leave Ukraine vulnerable to further strikes.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said it had not received formal notice of the delay and has requested direct consultations with U.S. counterparts. Kyiv emphasized the need for continuity in military aid, especially in bolstering air defense systems, and expressed gratitude for ongoing U.S. support.

Germany funds production of 500 Ukrainian long-range “Lyutyy” drones. Germany will finance the production of over 500 Ukrainian-made “Lyutyy (Fierce)” (An-196 Feb) suicide drones for long-range strikes against Russia, Welt reported on July 2, citing Ukrinform. This marks Berlin’s first contract for Ukrainian long-range drones following Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s pledge to boost Ukraine’s strike capabilities. The drones, with a 1,200-kilometer range (about 745 miles) and 50-kilogram (110-pound) warheads, are expected to be ready within a month. Germany is also expanding arms cooperation, aiming to establish joint ventures to accelerate Ukrainian weapons production.

Russia targets firefighters responding to earlier drone strike in eastern Ukraine

Russian forces conducted what is called a “double tap” strike on a group of Ukrainian firefighters with a drone on July 2 while they were responding to an earlier aerial attack in Druzhkivka, a town in Donetsk Oblast near the front lines in eastern Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.

The firefighters had been working to assess damage and assist civilians after a prior Russian drone strike on a residential area when a second drone was deliberately deployed to target them. Authorities say no one was injured, as the crew managed to evacuate moments before the attack.

Photos shared by the emergency service show a fire engine with shattered windows and a warped body from the blast. At least four homes had already been damaged in the earlier strike, which also injured three civilians.

Russia has repeatedly targeted emergency responders and recovery workers in Ukraine, in what Ukrainian officials say is a calculated attempt to escalate harm and sow chaos after initial attacks.

Ukrainian Special Operations Forces kill four Russian soldiers, capture one in cross-border raid. Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SSO) conducted a successful combat mission on a Russian position near the state border on July 1 without specifying the exact geographical location, killing four enemy troops and capturing one prisoner, the SSO press service reported. 

The video posted on July 2, during a bold reconnaissance mission, showed Ukrainian operators detected Russian movement in the area. After assessing the situation, the unit launched a swift and targeted assault on the position.

Footage released by the SSO shows the aftermath of the raid, including the interrogation of the captured soldier and recovery of materials from the scene. Radio intercepts were also conducted following the operation.

Key Takeaways:

• A Russian occupation official claimed that Russian forces seized the entirety of Luhansk Oblast for the second time during Russia’s full-scale invasion, but Russian military bloggers denied this claim.
• The Russian military command is modernizing Russian training grounds to include motorcycle tracks and reportedly intends to purchase up to 200,000 Chinese-made motorcycles for the Russian military.
• Ukrainian forces continue to strike defense industrial enterprises in Russia’s rear.
• The Ukrainian military command continues to transition to a corps structure and improve its training system.
• Russian-Azerbaijani relations continue to deteriorate over a number of smaller-scale incidents in recent days, inflaming unresolved disputes over the December 2024 Russian shoot down of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane.
• An investigation by the Center for Human Rights in Armed Conflict found that Russian forces were responsible for a 2022 strike that killed Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) in occupied Donetsk Oblast, as ISW assessed at the time.
• Ukrainian forces advanced near Pokrovsk. Russian forces advanced near Toretsk and Novopavlivka.

In Memoriam: Volodymyr Dziadyk, a hero of Ukraine’s defense forces

Volodymyr Dziadyk, a soldier of Ukraine’s National Guard, was killed in action on Aug. 18, 2023, during a combat mission on the southeastern outskirts of the village of Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. He was 40 years old.

Born in the village of Honcharivka in Lviv Oblast, Dziadyk studied at Lviv Higher Vocational School No. 52, where he trained as an electric locomotive assistant and repair mechanic. He worked as a rolling stock repairman at the Lviv-Zakhid Locomotive Depot and had a deep interest in agricultural machinery.

In April 2023, Dziadyk joined the National Guard of Ukraine to defend his country against Russian aggression. He served as a grenadier assistant in the 3rd Operational Brigade named after Colonel Petro Bolbochan.

“Volodymyr was an incredibly kind and compassionate person, a good husband, and a wonderful, loving father to his children,” his wife Galyna said.

For his bravery, Dziadyk was posthumously awarded the Order for Courage, 3rd Class.

He was laid to rest in his native village of Honcharivka.

He is survived by his wife Galyna, daughter Yana, son Vladyslav, brothers Orest and Vasyl, and sisters Nadiya, Lesya, and Mariya.

*Dziadyk’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

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