Here is a summary of the current status of the conflict on Friday, July 12, 2024:

Fighting

• The Ukrainian Air Force reported shooting down five cruise missiles and 11 drones launched by Russia, with the main target being the town of Starokostiantyniv, a crucial Ukrainian air base.
• Russian forces attacked east and northeast Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of five individuals, including a child. Reports indicate systematic attacks against civilians.
• A Ukrainian drone strike in southern Russia's Belgorod region caused injuries to five children, two of whom were seriously wounded.
• Ukraine seized a cargo ship near Odesa and arrested its captain for allegedly illegally exporting Ukrainian grain.

Diplomacy

• President Joe Biden reaffirmed U.S. support for Ukraine at the conclusion of a NATO summit, emphasizing the nation's commitment to global affairs.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged NATO allies to remove all restrictions on Ukraine conducting long-range strikes inside Russia for a successful outcome in the conflict.
• Zelenskyy expressed optimism about Ukraine's progress towards NATO membership despite not receiving a formal invitation at the summit.
• During his introduction of Zelenskyy, President Biden mistakenly referred to him as "President Putin" before correcting himself.
• China criticized a NATO summit communique, labeling it as biased and supportive of Russia's actions in Ukraine, aiming to create divisions.
• Norway pledged 1 billion crowns ($92.69m) at the summit to bolster Ukraine's air defense capabilities.
• The United Nations General Assembly demanded Russia to withdraw unauthorized personnel from Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and hand over control to Ukrainian authorities.
• The Kremlin warned that the U.S. plan to deploy long-range missiles in Germany could lead to a Cold War-like standoff between Russia and the West.

Politics

• Russia labeled Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of late opposition leader Alexey Navalny, as a "terrorist" and "extremist." This decision came shortly after issuing an arrest warrant for her.
• A Moscow court upheld the prison sentence of human rights advocate Oleg Orlov, co-chair of the banned group Memorial, known for criticizing the war in Ukraine.