Europe

Archived

Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) has uncovered further evidence of Russia's mass abduction of Ukrainian children from occupied territories following a successful cyber operation, the agency reported on July 30.

As part of the operation, Ukrainian cyber specialists gained access to servers belonging to the Russian occupation administration of Crimea, HUR claims.

The files retrieved allegedly further confirm the organized deportation of children from Russian-occupied areas in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk oblasts.

The cache includes thousands of documents, according to HUR, such as personal profiles of abducted children, illegal guardianship appointments assigning Russian citizens as caretakers, relocation addresses, and records of children resettled throughout Russian-controlled areas.

HUR spokesperson Andrii Yusov said that the data will be used to strengthen criminal investigations and aid in returning the children to Ukraine.

"Thousands of files with invaluable information about one of the biggest war crimes of the Russian Federation — abduction of Ukrainian children — have already been transferred to law enforcement agencies," he added.

According to Ukraine's official Children of War database, at least 19,546 Ukrainian children have been confirmed to be forcibly removed since February 2022. Only 1,468 have been brought back home.

Ukrainian officials estimate the real figure could be far higher, with Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets putting the number at up to 150,000, while Children's Ombudsman Daria Herasymchuk has cited a range of 200,000–300,000.

In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children's Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova, citing their personal roles in organizing the illegal transfers.

[...]

Children are now heading to YouTube from the moment they turn on the television, in the latest sign of the video platform’s migration from the laptop to the living room.

YouTube is the most popular first TV destination for generation Alpha, according to a comprehensive survey of the UK’s viewing habits by Ofcom, the communications regulator.

One in five young TV viewers aged from four to 15 turned straight to the platform last year. The survey showed Netflix close behind. While BBC One was in the top five first destinations, children were just as likely to choose BBC iPlayer.

A European Commission proposal to deny Israel partial access to the EU's €95 billion Horizon Europe research fund failed to garner the necessary qualified majority support when EU ambassadors met in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss the issue.

Both Germany and Italy said they needed more time and would let the EU know if they come to a different position in the coming weeks, according to two sources familiar.

The Netherlands, Ireland, France, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Portugal, Malta and Spain all supported the Commission's plan with several saying they would also push the EU for stronger sanctions, potentially in trade, the sources said.

The Commission's motion to suspend Israel's participation in Horizon is in response to an EU report finding the country had breached human rights obligations in the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3793743

Archived

The Hungarian company Milspace Kft is helping Russian Helicopters to sign contracts for the repair of foreign helicopters to circumvent sanctions.

...

An official letter from the Hungarian company Milspace Kft to the Mexican company Personas y Paquetes Por Aire, S.A. de C.V. outlines a clear scheme for circumventing sanctions against the Russian military-industrial complex.

...

Milspace explicitly admits that helicopter repairs at the Russian “plant in Kazan” are impossible, as Russian companies and the Mil Design Bureau are under sanctions because of the war in Ukraine, but then says, "We found a solution."

In the letter, the company offers a ready-made “gray” scheme that allows to conclude a contract bypassing international sanctions:

• Milspace Kft acts as a formal contractor;
• Repairs are carried out at a plant in Kazakhstan licensed by the Russian Mil Design Bureau;
• Spare parts come from Moscow – from Mi-INTER Ltd;
• All work is coordinated with Mil Design Bureau and Russian Helicopters, which are part of the Rostec state corporation.

...

Archived version

...

In the latest move, Russian lawmakers introduced a bill on July 22 to allow continuous, year-round conscription on July 22.

"If this law is passed, it can be considered a stealth mobilization," Ukrainian defense expert, Denys Popovych, told the Kyiv Independent.

"There is a 99% chance that this law will be passed, because it was submitted by (Andriy) Kartopolov, who is (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's man, his mouthpiece. What he submits will largely be approved, and is agreed with Putin," he added.

...

These changes in mobilization laws are ... being accompanied by dramatic defense spending plans.

According to Ukraine’s intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, Moscow plans to spend $1.1 trillion on rearmament by 2036, an unprecedented investment since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

"There is a total mobilization of politics, economy, and society of the Russian Federation to be ready for the upcoming large-scale war," Budanov said.

...

Another factor in Russia's desire to increase mobilization is simply that it might not be able to afford to pay the huge sums necessary to sign contracts for much longer.

"Russia's budget is currently bursting at the seams," Popovych said. "Many industries and transport sectors have collapsed due to sanctions. Therefore, they will obviously not have enough money to recruit people for the war, as they are doing now."

...

[Edit to insert the correct link.]

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3782115

Archived

Estonian officials said Russia has bolstered its electronic warfare systems near its border with the Baltic country.

The Russian army brought additional signals jamming equipment to the area around Kingisiepp, a town around 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the Estonian frontier, Interior Minister Igor Taro said at a press conference in Tallinn.

...

Such equipment has been used on the battlefield in Ukraine to disrupt drones’ navigational signals. However, electronic warfare also causes severe interference to the Global Positioning System, or GPS, used by commercial airplanes and ships.

...

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3782669

Archived

Russia launched a missile attack on Kamianske in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on the night of 28-29 July, damaging a maternity hospital. Diana Koshyk, a 23-year-old woman who was pregnant, was killed during her stay at the medical facility.

...

In total, 3 people were killed and another 22 were injured in the missile strike on Kamianske. In addition to the maternity ward, the city hospital department and a three-storey building that was not in operation were also damaged.

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3774704

Archived version

A Russian delegation has arrived in Geneva for the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament. The group includes Federation Council Chair Valentina Matviyenko, Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Pyotr Tolstoy, and Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutsky.

All three are under EU and international sanctions. While Switzerland is not a member of the EU, it largely mirrors and has adopted most EU sanctions against Russia — especially those related to finance and international trade — to prevent their circumvention through the country. However, there appear to be no entry bans for some individuals, which is why some high-ranking Russians, including propagandists and state officials, are able to cross Switzerland’s border and attend international events.

On Monday, July 28, Matviyenko spoke at the Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament, where she urged participants to visit Donbas in order to witness for themselves what she described as the crimes of the “Kyiv regime.” Matviyenko’s speech, titled “Women, Peace, and Security 25 Years On: Persistent Issues and the Way Forward,” encouraged listeners to:

“Please, come to Donbas and see the Alley of Angels, dedicated to the memory of the murdered children. Russia was forced to intervene to stop the bloodshed, to stop the killing of civilians. And yesterday, July 27, was the Day of Remembrance for Children Victims of the War in Donbas. I always urge people to speak the truth when looking others in the eye, to be guided by facts rather than invented stories.”

...

The European Commission has proposed suspending Israel’s access to EU funding for tech startups as pressure grows among the bloc to take a stronger stance over the catastrophic situation in Gaza.

The suggestion to partially suspend Israel’s involvement in the Horizon research programme, which can be reversed, will be discussed by the EU’s 27 countries on Tuesday and will need the majority of member states to approve it to go into force.

The proposal comes as a reaction to a review of Israel’s compliance with the human rights clause of an agreement governing its relations with the EU.

Archive: https://archive.ph/2025.07.28-131825/https://www.ft.com/content/1b9ce558-551e-45d4-80ae-57e3cc32d7ed

Archive: https://archive.ph/2025.07.28-163549/https://www.ft.com/content/00ecf91a-6de7-49b7-8a65-27ba49c3235b

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3757480

Austria’s Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger has called for an open discussion on the country’s long-standing neutrality, stating that it no longer guarantees national security in the face of growing geopolitical instability and an increasingly aggressive Russia.

In an interview with Die Welt, Meinl-Reisinger emphasized that neutrality alone does not protect Austria and pointed to the importance of strengthening defense capabilities and deepening international partnerships. “Austria is protected by investment in its own defense capacities and in its partnerships,” she said.

The minister’s remarks follow a proposal by Emil Brix, Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, suggesting that Austria consider joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Meinl-Reisinger expressed support for a public debate on the issue, acknowledging that the current political and public majority remains opposed to NATO membership.

...

Meinl-Reisinger also addressed Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, stating that Ukraine seeks peace, while Russia continues its campaign of aggression. She added that if Russian leader Vladimir Putin were genuinely interested in peace, he would have engaged in ceasefire negotiations.

...

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3757652

Archived version

...

The group consists of four members of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia which is known for its pro-Russian stance. They are still in Russia and awaiting an opportunity to return. It is not reported who the individuals are.

The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs is aware of the situation and noted in a statement that options for providing consular assistance are currently limited.

In 2023, Czech police filed criminal charges against a member of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia who displayed a Russian flag with the letter Z – a symbol of Russian aggression – at an event in the [Czech] town of Nymburk.

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3758390

Archived version

The recent collapse of a canopy at the Novi Sad railway station, built by a Chinese company, has once again raised important questions about how Serbia cooperates with China on infrastructure projects. The incident, which claimed 16 lives, is not just a technical or engineering issue – it is a symptom of a much deeper and contentious relationship between the two countries.

...

The model of cooperation is almost always the same: Chinese state-owned banks provide “favorable” loans to the Serbian government. These loans finance large infrastructure projects, but the work is carried out exclusively by Chinese companies – without public tenders, without competition, and often without independent control over the cost or quality of the works.

In practice, this means that money from Serbia's budget ends up in the accounts of Chinese companies, while the debt remains at the expense of the state and its citizens. Some of these projects are even overpaid and have minimal involvement of local businesses or workers.

...

One of the most problematic points of these agreements is the lack of transparency. The terms of Chinese loans are often unknown to the public. There are no public tenders, no independent control over costs and in many cases, there is no accountability for the quality of the works. The collapse of the canopy at the Resnik station [in Novi Sad] is a concrete indicator of this problem.

This approach ... risks Serbia losing control over the construction of its strategic infrastructure.

Archive: https://archive.ph/2025.07.27-200519/https://www.ft.com/content/85d57e0e-0c6f-4392-a68c-81866e1519c3