US President Donald Trump’s 50-day pause ahead of possible secondary sanctions on Russia gifts the Kremlin a window to exploit the incremental gains of recent weeks in Ukraine’s east.

In June, Russia's Defense Ministry reported downing a total of 2,368 Ukrainian drones, with an average of almost 79 drones per day across the month. Thus far in July, the Defense Ministry said it has downed 1,533 Ukrainian drones, with a daily average of 90 drones.

Russia has launched overnight attacks on four Ukrainian cities, injuring at least 15 people and targeting energy infrastructure.

Despite the changes in warfare, Russian forces retain the ascendancy and are making slow but steady advances in the east and north of Ukraine. Russia has also caught up in UAV technology after falling behind early in the war, according to military analysts, and like its enemy is churning out drones domestically at a rate of millions a year.

This week marked a possible pivot by President Donald Trump regarding Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

A Russian official says American Daniel Martindale has been rewarded with citizenship for spying on Ukraine, "by decree of our President Vladimir Putin."

Daniel Martindale helped the Kremlin target Ukrainian troops and was then spirited out of eastern Ukraine by Russian special forces.

Russia targeted Ukraine with more than 1,800 drones, 1,200 guided aerial bombs and 83 missiles of various types, President Zelenskyy said.

Two Russian agents were killed by Ukrainian security forces Sunday following reports that the Russian operatives assassinated Ukrainian Colonel Ivan Voronych.

Ukraine's security agency says it has killed Russian agents suspected of assassinating a senior officer in Kyiv.

U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to ramp up arms shipments to Ukraine is a signal to Kyiv to abandon peace efforts, Russia said on Thursday, vowing it would not accept the "blackmail" of Washington's new sanctions ultimatum.