Victory Chronicles-DAY 1227

At least 26 civilians were injured in Ukraine’s capital during a large-scale overnight missile and drone attack by Russian forces on July 4. Among the wounded is a 10-year-old girl, according to emergency services. Fourteen people were hospitalized, while others received medical attention on the spot.

The strikes sparked multiple fires and caused widespread damage to residential buildings, as well as educational, medical, and transport infrastructure. Five ambulances responding to the attack were also damaged, although no medics were hurt, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Rescue operations were still underway by midday, with over 600 emergency workers, canine teams, and nearly 170 vehicles deployed across the city. Two of the city’s 10 administrative districts still had fire and debris zones, as first responders continued to clear rubble and search damaged structures.

Ukrainian authorities stress the urgent need for additional air defense systems to protect the population.

Slovakia switches mind to support to EU’s 18th sanctions package on Russia. The European Union is poised to approve its 18th sanctions package against Russia after overcoming Slovakia’s resistance, Radio Free Europe/Radio LIberty editor Rikard Jozwiak reported on July 3. Slovakia received assurances from the European Commission regarding its gradual transition away from Russian energy by 2027. This clears a major hurdle for finalizing the restrictive measures. Hungary,often critical of EU support for Ukraine, has not voiced formal objections to the latest package. The deal follows high-level talks between EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Russian airborne attack damages Ukrainian book warehouse in Kyiv. A July 4 Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv damaged the warehouse of “Nash Format,” a prominent Ukrainian publishing house and online bookstore. The blast shattered the building’s windows, collapsed sections of walls and ceilings, and destroyed parts of the office and storage areas. Many books were damaged by the explosion and during efforts to extinguish the resulting fire.

Despite the destruction, the publisher reported no injuries. “The main thing is that everyone is alive. We’ll rebuild the walls and reprint the books,” the Nash Format team wrote on social media. Shipping operations have been temporarily suspended as the team focuses on recovery, but customer service remains available.

This is not the first time the Russian military has targeted Ukraine’s publishing infrastructure. Last year, a missile strike destroyed a major printing facility in Ukraine’s second most populous city of Kharkiv, killing seven people and destroying 50,000 books. That facility, restored with the support of American philanthropist Howard Buffett, resumed operations in early 2025.

Ukraine brings home another group of POWs and civilians from Russian captivity. Ukraine secured the release of another group of defenders and civilians from Russian captivity on July 4 as part of ongoing swaps under the Istanbul agreements that officials confirmed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the return in a statement, noting that most of those freed had been held since 2022. The group includes wounded and seriously ill soldiers, service members under the age of 25, and civilians.

“Our people are home,” Zelenskyy said. “These are defenders from Donetsk, Mariupol, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson — from the Armed Forces, National Guard, Border Guard Service, and the State Transport Special Service — as well as civilians.”

According to the Coordination Headquarters, those freed range in age from 20 to 59. Among them are both enlisted personnel and officers, including several defenders of the Donetsk portside city of Mariupol that Russia had besieged for 87 days and were previously sentenced by Russian courts to long-term prison terms. Some had been considered missing in action.

Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets emphasized the importance of the release of illegally convicted Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. Most of those returned had spent more than three years in captivity.

The total number of those freed will be announced after all stages of the exchange are completed.

Key Takeaways:

• Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin rejected US President Donald Trump’s call for a quick peace in Ukraine during a phone call with Trump on July 3.
• Putin’s stated commitment to his goals in Ukraine, including eliminating the so-called “root causes” of the war directly contradicts his claim that Russia supports meaningful negotiations to end the war.
• Details about the recent US suspension of aid to Ukraine remain unclear.
• A Ukrainian strike killed the deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy in Kursk Oblast, and an unknown actor may have assassinated a high-ranking Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) official in Moscow City.
• Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) reportedly assassinated the former occupation mayor of Luhansk City.
• Ukraine’s Western allies continue to provide military aid to Ukraine, but the United States remains the only Ukrainian partner that can provide certain critical weapons systems – especially air defenses — at scale and quickly.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Borova and Siversk and in western Zaporizhizha Oblast. Russian forces recently advanced near Kupyansk, Toretsk, and Velyka Novosilka and in western Zaporizhia Oblast.

In Memoriam: Mykola Horobchenko, a hero of Ukraine’s defense forces

Jr. Sgt.Mykola Horobchenko was executed in Russian captivity on March 25, 2022, in Mariupol. He was 27 years old.

Born in the southern city of Mykolaiv, Horobchenko was raised by his grandmother after his father’s early death. He studied construction at a vocational school and joined the army at 18, dedicating his life to military service.

In 2016, he moved to Mariupol. He later enrolled in a social work program, aiming to help children after service. A disciplined athlete, he practiced Kyokushin karate and took part in military exchanges with British forces.

Horobchenko served in the 503rd Separate Marine Battalion and later in the National Guard. He was promoted to junior sergeant in 2021. On his 27th birthday, he and his wife Yevheniia bought a home by the Azov Sea.

Captured in March 2022, he was seen in a Russian video, handcuffed and visibly tortured. His body was returned in June. A forensic report confirmed he was shot in the back and tortured before death.

Horobchenko was awarded the “Defender of the Homeland” medal and the Order for Courage, 3rd Class. He is buried at Lisove Cemetery in Kyiv. His name and story are honored in a memorial museum in Bereznehuvate.

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

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