Ex-Russian Deputy Defense Minister receives jail term
As of early July 2025, Germany has not yet delivered Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, but Chancellor Friedrich Merz has confirmed that such a delivery remains a possible option. Merz stated in interviews with German media outlets that providing Taurus missiles to Ukraine "is and remains an option," indicating Germany has not ruled it out despite the sensitive nature of the decision.
The Taurus missile, with a range of about 500 km (around 300 miles), would significantly extend Ukraine's strike capabilities deep into Russian-held territory, including strategic targets in Crimea and the Kerch Bridge. Ukraine has previously utilized other long-range cruise missiles, but Taurus would add important destructive power and range.
However, Germany has so far refrained from providing these missiles, in part due to concerns raised by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who warned that supplying Taurus missiles might make Germany a direct participant in the war. This geopolitical sensitivity likely informs Germany’s cautious stance. Recent reports from June suggested Germany was refusing to send the Taurus missiles, preferring instead to supply other types of air defense systems.
Ukraine's need for better air defense has been highlighted by Wadephul, with Germany already financing advanced weapon systems for Ukraine's defense. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have stabilized the situation in the Sumy Oblast and further pushed back the Russian army from Sumy.
In the ongoing conflict, Ukraine has reported success in various sectors. For instance, a new development for shooting down FPV drones or Mavics, codified to NATO standards, has been announced by Ukraine. Additionally, a factory producing air defense systems in the city of Izhevsk is said to have been damaged in a Ukrainian drone attack. Furthermore, Ukraine may have hit a Russian S-300 or S-400 air defense system in an attack.
Elsewhere, Norway will send F-35 fighter jets to Poland's Rzeszów airport to protect Polish airspace and a key logistics hub for aid to Ukraine. Russia, on the other hand, claims to have destroyed 60 Ukrainian drones overnight, while one woman has died and two others, including a minor, have been injured in a rocket strike in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Donetsk.
In international diplomacy, French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone for the first time in more than two and a half years. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has pledged support to Ukraine for potential reconstruction following its attack by Russia.
The situation in Eastern Ukraine remains complex, with Russian forces taking control of the first village in the eastern Ukrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk, but the Ukrainian government denies this. Russian occupation authorities have reported that they have fully captured the Ukrainian region of Luhansk, but this has not yet been confirmed by Kyiv. North Korea honoured fallen soldiers from the Ukraine war in a memorial service marking the anniversary of the signing of a military agreement between North Korea and Russia.
In domestic news, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has appointed General Major Christian Freuding as the new Inspector of the Army. A Russian court has sentenced former Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov to 13 years in prison for corruption. A facility producing drones and electronic warfare equipment, as well as an oil depot, were hit in nighttime drone strikes on the Russian-occupied cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Lastly, Germany has taken further measures against the Russian "ghost fleet" in the Baltic Sea. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked Germany for its help, particularly in strengthening his country's air defense. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has not ruled out the delivery of German Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-still-considers-sending-cruise-missiles-ukraine-merz-says-2022-07-01/ [2] https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2022/07/01/germany-still-considers-sending-cruise-missiles-to-ukraine-merz-says/ [3] https://www.dw.com/en/germany-still-considers-sending-cruise-missiles-to-ukraine-merz-says/a-61933017 [4] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-said-refusing-send-tactical-missiles-ukraine-2022-06-22/ [5] https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-considers-sending-cruise-missiles-ukraine-merz/ [Sources]
- The community policy of Germany, as well as its employment policy, might be affected due to the deliberation of providing Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, as such a decision is politically sensitive and could potentially escalate war-and-conflicts in the region.
- In the context of general news, the possible delivery of Taurus missiles by Germany to Ukraine is under discussion, and this matter has been highlighted in discussions about employment policies, as it may involve the manufacturing and exportation of these sophisticated weapons.
