Jun 29, 2026, 05:00 PM UTC

Russian forces conducted multiple attacks across Ukraine on June 29, resulting in civilian casualties and infrastructure damage. A guided aerial bomb strike on Kharkiv's Kholodnohirskyi district killed one person and injured five others, some severely. In Zaporizhzhia, a drone attack on a public transport vehicle claimed two lives and wounded six, including a child. Overnight, explosions were reported in Russian-occupied Crimea, with satellite imagery indicating fires near a civilian airfield in Kerch and the Maryanivka power substation, causing localized power outages. Ukraine's General Staff reported 1,230 Russian personnel killed or wounded in the past 24 hours, bringing total estimated Russian losses to 1,402,200 since February 2022. On June 28, 197 combat engagements occurred, with Russian forces concentrating offensive actions in the Sloviansk, Pokrovsk, and Huliaipole areas. Sources: Громадське, Українська правда, Радіо Свобода

Ukrainian MP Mykola Tyshchenko has been served with a suspicion notice by NABU and SAP, facing accusations of demanding over $1 million for non-interference in call center activities, money laundering, and submitting false declarations. Meanwhile, South Korean tech giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are planning significant investments, allocating approximately $520 billion for four new chip factories and an additional $356.36 billion for three AI data centers. European aluminum producers are urging Brussels to address a loophole that allows sanctioned Russian aluminum into the EU market. Concurrently, sovereign funds and central banks overseeing $29 trillion are shifting investments towards energy assets and voicing increasing apprehension regarding the US dollar's future. Separately, Volkswagen is reportedly exploring the sale of assets like PowerCo or Ducati following substantial workforce reductions, though this may not fully stabilize the German automaker.

Sources: Forbes Ukraine

Denis Saint-Amand, a researcher in literary history and sociology of literature at the University of Namur, has released a new book titled Contrer le rire fasciste. Trolling et résistance. The publication analyzes the growing instrumentalization of laughter within far-right circles, examining how humor is employed to assert and maintain dominance. Saint-Amand, who also directs the Observatory of Wild Literatures, explores these mechanisms and proposes democratic responses to counter such practices. The book offers insights into the political weaponization of satire and its implications.

Sources: Le Monde - International