It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
UEFA maintains its World Cup boycott following FIFA crisis
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) announced Thursday that its boycott of FIFA competitions, including the World Cups, remains in effect despite FIFA’s decision to abandon its plan to open up to outside investors.
European soccer's governing body has retained its threat to boycott FIFA competitions despite FIFA apologising for its failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup.
UEFA on Thursday reiterated that it had lost confidence in FIFA president Gianni Infantino and said conditions to withdraw its boycott threat had not been met.
“UEFA’s associations were very clear about the conditions attached to the non participation in FIFA competitions," it said in a statement.
"First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.
“These conditions have not been met. In addition, UEFA made it abundantly clear in it’s statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino’s presidency. That position holds.”
The world governing body also apologised for errors made over it's controversial plan to sell profits in the World Cup through a commercial subsidiary and committed to “ensure they do not happen again.”
FIFA said it hoped its meeting would “help restore confidence” in the organisation after the turbulence created by Infantino’s now abandoned project, which provoked widespread condemnation.
UEFA voted to abandon FIFA competitions if it went ahead. And even after Infantino’s hasty climbdown, Europe’s governing body said it had lost confidence in FIFA’s leadership – paving the way for a challenge to his presidency.
In its defiant statement, UEFA made it clear its position still held.
"Yesterday’s announcement that some people employed by the FIFA president (and whose careers depend on his favour) agree with him changes nothing,” it said.
South American football's governing body CONMEBOL, usually seen as a strong supporter of Infantino, welcomed the withdrawal of FIFA's private investor plan, but expressed "its concern regarding the repeated unilateral actions taken".
(FRANCE 24 with AP)
'There's no turning back': UEFA stands by boycott despite Infantino's apology
Issued on: 07/08/2026 - FRANCE24
UEFA continues to apply pressure on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to resign, while the Norwegian federation turn up the heat with 3 separate referrals to the federation's ethics committee. Antonia Kerrigan reports.
Alison Sargent is pleased to welcome International Sports Journalist Thando Sibiya.She presents the FIFA governance crisis not as an isolated dispute over a failed commercial proposal, but as the culmination of deeper institutional tensions that have been developing over Gianni Infantino's presidency. Sibiya argues that the proposed sale of a permanent stake in FIFA's commercial rights became a catalyst rather than the root cause of the conflict, exposing longstanding disagreements over governance, legitimacy, commercialisation, and geopolitical influence within world football. By connecting the aborted FIFA Forward Entity proposal with the resignation of a key adviser, UEFA's increasingly confrontational stance, disputes surrounding referee protections, and divergent interests between UEFA and CAF, Sibiya frames the controversy within a broader struggle over who ultimately defines and governs the future of global football.
Amazon behind massive private gas plant for new data centers
Washington (United States) (AFP) – Amazon confirmed Friday it is financing a massive, private gas power plant in Texas that could become the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.
It is the latest example of tech giants going off the grid to get their AI operations online faster.
The news was first reported by market intelligence company Cleanview, which reviewed satellite imagery to connect three data center construction permits filed this week by Amazon to the gas plant, which is being developed by Pacifico Energy and is known as GW Ranch.
Previously filed permits for the plant show it would have 35 turbines and generate 7.65 gigawatts -- larger than any gas plant currently operating in the United States.
A bigger facility, at 9.2 gigawatts, is planned in Ohio under a public-private partnership involving SoftBank. That plant would connect to the grid as well as power a data center.
The Pecos County, Texas, plant would be permitted to emit more than 30 million metric tonnes of greenhouse gases a year -- more than any other single source in the country, though facilities rarely emit at their permitted ceiling.
Amazon said that by generating its own power, it would avoid passing the cost on to ordinary Americans, whose electricity bills have spiked as utilities charge consumers for the new infrastructure feeding the AI boom.
"Amazon believes in paying the full costs of powering our operations," a spokesperson said.
"Our new planned data center campus in Pecos County does just that: it's powered by new on-site generation that won't raise electricity costs for Texas families and designed to transition to grid-connected service as interconnection timelines allow."
The company added it was "exploring opportunities" for solar energy and battery storage on site, and it would make use of "non-potable, brackish groundwater" which it said would avoid putting pressure on the watershed.
Amazon added it remained committed to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 under The Climate Pledge, and had enabled 40 carbon-free energy projects totaling nearly 10 gigawatts in Texas.
Building so-called "behind-the-meter" power was once a niche practice, exemplified by Elon Musk's xAI deploying mobile gas turbines to its data center in Memphis in 2024.
xAI still accounts for most of the two gigawatts of behind-the-meter power online today, according to research by Cleanview, which estimates that around 97 gigawatts of such projects are planned involving every hyperscaler -- including Meta, Microsoft and Oracle, with enormous climate implications.
The precise figure depends on how many are built, how efficient the turbines are and how often they run, but the total emissions could easily top 200 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year, roughly equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 45 million cars, or about the entire carbon output of Pakistan.
"There are more efficient ways to use gas," John Rogers, an energy analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists, told AFP. "Virtually none of these plants are proposing to use those, and that matters for on-site pollution, both direct and climate."
While less polluting than coal, gas plants are still significant sources of planet-warming emissions, and their operations, particularly upstream, also leak methane, the main component of natural gas and itself a powerful greenhouse gas.
Beyond their carbon footprints, they emit fine particulate matter, linked to a range of heart and lung problems; nitrogen oxides, which aggravate respiratory disease; and hazardous air pollutants including mercury, formaldehyde and benzene.
EU steps up AI regulation as new transparency rules come into effect
The European Union is stepping up its oversight of artificial intelligence this week, as the main provisions of its landmark AI Act become applicable, giving regulators stronger powers to inspect advanced models and sanction companies that break the rules.
Issued on: 03/08/2026 - RFI
Cover image: New provisions of the European Union’s AI Act came into effect on Sunday, 2 August 2026, strengthening transparency requirements and giving regulators wider powers to inspect advanced models and sanction companies that break the rules.
AFP - KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV 01:27
Adopted in 2024, the EU AI Act has established one of the world’s most comprehensive frameworks for regulating artificial intelligence (AI). It seeks to protect consumers and fundamental rights while providing companies with clearer rules for developing and deploying the rapidly evolving technology.
Some parts of the law were introduced earlier. A series of prohibited practices, including certain forms of AI manipulation and exploitation, have been banned since February 2025, while obligations covering providers of general-purpose AI models began to apply in August last year.
From Sunday, however, the European Commission gained the power to enforce those obligations directly, including by conducting investigations and issuing fines.
New transparency requirements have also taken effect, obliging providers and users of certain AI systems to make it clear when material has been artificially generated or manipulated.
Greater transparency
The rules require AI-generated content to carry markings that can be detected electronically. People or organisations publishing deepfakes – highly realistic manipulated images, audio or video – must also disclose that the material has been altered or artificially created.
AI-generated or manipulated text published to inform the public about matters of public interest must generally be labelled, although exemptions apply when the content has undergone human editorial review and a person or organisation accepts responsibility for it.
Special provisions apply to artistic, satirical and fictional works to ensure that labels do not unnecessarily interfere with their display or enjoyment.
Systems placed on the EU market before 2 August have until 2 December to meet some of the new technical marking and detection requirements.
The legislation also places strict limits on biometric identification and facial recognition. Some uses are permitted for law enforcement under tightly controlled circumstances, but practices such as indiscriminate collection of facial images to build recognition databases are prohibited.
AI systems cannot use deliberately deceptive or subliminal methods to manipulate people in ways likely to cause significant harm. They are also barred from exploiting vulnerabilities linked to age, disability or a person’s social or economic circumstances.
Providers of powerful general-purpose models must maintain technical documentation, publish information about the material used to train their systems and establish policies to comply with EU copyright law.
Those developing the most advanced models – which may pose what the legislation calls a systemic risk – face additional requirements, including safety assessments, cybersecurity protections, incident reporting and measures to mitigate potential harm. Stronger enforcement powers
The Commission’s AI Office, established to oversee implementation of the law, can now assess general-purpose models and investigate whether their providers are meeting the requirements.
Companies may be ordered to supply documents and information or grant regulators access to their models for evaluation. In some cases, the AI Office can examine a model before it is released on the European market.
National regulators will oversee other AI systems, including many smaller or more specialised applications.
EU investigators can require companies to take corrective action when they identify a breach. The Commission can also restrict the availability of a model or ask its provider to withdraw it from the market.
The expanded powers mark an important step for Brussels as regulators seek greater access to increasingly capable systems developed by companies based outside Europe, including Anthropic’s Mythos models.
Penalties will vary according to the seriousness of the infringement.
Companies using prohibited AI practices may be fined as much as €35 million or 7 percent of their total worldwide annual turnover – whichever is higher.
Breaches of other requirements can carry penalties of up to €15 million or 3 percent of global annual turnover. Providers of general-purpose models can also be penalised for supplying inaccurate or misleading information, failing to cooperate with regulators or refusing access to their systems.
Smaller companies will face proportionate penalties based on their size and financial circumstances.
Further rules will follow – from December 2027, stricter requirements will apply to high-risk AI used in areas including healthcare, employment, education, migration and security.
Rules covering AI embedded in regulated products such as medical devices, machinery, toys and lifts will take effect in August 2028.
The EU also plans to ban systems designed to create non-consensual sexually explicit images, including so-called nudification tools.
Ukraine’s Missile Shield Cracks: Is The War Entering Its End Game? – Analysis
Aftermath of Russian missile strike in Ukraine. Photo Credit: Ukraine Emergency Services, @SESU_UA, X
Ukraine’s recent failure to intercept any ballistic missiles (despite destroying nearly 100 drones) highlights growing shortages of advanced interceptors and the effectiveness of Russia’s saturation air campaign.
The war is increasingly a contest of industrial capacity, demography and endurance, with Europe now carrying the main burden of support as U.S. assistance declines.
These structural pressures suggest the conflict is entering a decisive phase in which political calculations and the search for a negotiated settlement may gradually outweigh pure battlefield outcomes.
The daily devastating Russian missile strike on Kyiv that leave several dead and dozens injured may well be remembered as more than another tragic chapter in the Russia-Ukrainian War. For the first time in recent months, Ukraine acknowledged that it had failed to intercept a single ballistic missile launched during the assault, despite successfully destroying nearly one hundred attacking drones. The incident has revived an increasingly important strategic question: Has the war entered its end game or is it a ruse to force Ukraine into a serious peace dialogue?
The answer is neither simple nor absolute. One night’s inability to intercept ballistic missiles does not determine the outcome of a conflict that has stretched over four-and-a-half years. Yet it does illuminate deeper military, political and economic realities that are reshaping the battlefield. Behind the spectacular explosions over Kyiv lies a far more consequential struggle—one involving industrial capacity, demographic endurance, alliance politics and strategic patience.
The Changing Character of Russia’s Air Campaign
Russia’s military strategy has evolved considerably since the early months of the invasion in 2022. Initial expectations of a rapid victory gave way to a grinding war of attrition. Today, Moscow relies increasingly on overwhelming combinations of drones, cruise missiles and high-speed ballistic missiles designed to saturate Ukraine’s air-defence network.
The latest attack demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach. Ukrainian air defences reportedly destroyed ninety-eight of the 115 drones launched overnight but failed to intercept any of the ballistic missiles. The distinction is crucial. Slow-moving drones can usually be tracked and engaged by multiple layers of air defence. Ballistic missiles, however, descend at hypersonic speeds, leaving defenders with only seconds to react. Only a handful of advanced systems, notably the American Patriot, have consistently demonstrated the capability to intercept such weapons.
President Zelensky was quick to attribute the failure to dwindling stocks of interceptor missiles. He stated that deliveries of air-defence missiles from Ukraine’s partners had fallen dramatically compared with the previous year, underscoring Kyiv’s growing dependence on continued Western military assistance.
Air Defence: More Than a Military Asset
Air defence is often viewed purely in military terms, but its strategic importance extends much further. Every successful interception protects civilian lives, preserves critical infrastructure, maintains economic activity and strengthens public morale. Every missile that penetrates these defences imposes costs far beyond the immediate physical damage.
Russia understands this dynamic well. Rather than attempting to overwhelm Ukraine solely through ground offensives, Moscow appears increasingly focused on exhausting Ukraine’s limited inventory of expensive interceptor missiles. Each successful strike not only damages infrastructure but also forces Kyiv to expend scarce defensive resources. It is a classic war of attrition in which economics becomes as important as battlefield tactics.
The recent attack therefore represents more than a temporary operational setback. It raises legitimate questions about whether Ukraine can sustain its defensive posture if advanced interceptor supplies continue to decline.
The Emerging Burden on Europe
Perhaps the most significant strategic shift of 2026 has been the changing balance of international support.During the early years of the conflict, the United States was the principal supplier of advanced military equipment, intelligence and financial assistance. More recently, however, the burden has increasingly shifted towards NATO members. European countries are now providing the overwhelming share of military and financial assistance, with Germany emerging as the principal supporter. The Trump administration has sharply curtailed new military assistance to Ukraine, leaving Europe as Kyiv’s main source of financial and military support.The US interests have shifted to deal with Iran.
This transition has important implications. European Union countries face slowing economies, budgetary pressures and increasingly divided domestic political opinion regarding continued support for Ukraine. While political leaders remain committed to Kyiv’s defence, sustaining high levels of military assistance indefinitely presents growing challenges.
If interceptor missiles, advanced radar systems and long-range precision weapons become increasingly difficult to replace, Ukraine’s military position could gradually weaken regardless of the determination of its dwindling armed forces. Zelensky Meets Trump
Reviving Russian Peace Talks. Ukrainian President Zelensky met with his United States counterpart Donald Trump at the White House on 28 Jul 2026. Discussions included plans for reviving Russian peace talks.However, diplomatic efforts have slowed recently as Washington focused on other foreign policy priorities.
Ukraine to produce Patriot missile interceptors. A joint production venture. Earlier Trump had agreed to allow Ukraine to jointly produce Patriot air defence interceptors, a crucial component of the country’s defence against Russian aerial attacks. A US official told Reuters that the most feasible option for Patriots would be making some components in Ukraine and assembling them in Germany, where an older Patriot model is already made and the more advanced PAC-3 is expected to be produced as well. Trump has now raised security concerns about handing over highly secretive Patriot blueprints in their entirety to Ukraine. US and Ukraine are also moving closer to a deal on joint drone production, which could help the US catch up with Ukraine in an important military technology.Ukraine is on track to produce six to seven million short-range attack drones this year, while the Pentagon’s $1.1bn production programme is expected to have ordered nearly 200,000 drones by February 2027.Ukraine has proven adept at producing large volumes of dramatically cheaper yet equally or more effective missiles and drones compared with those made by western allies.
The Demographic Reality
Military historians have long argued that wars of attrition are ultimately decided not by tactical brilliance but by structural endurance.Ukraine’s population under government control has fallen dramatically, reducing the pool of available military manpower while simultaneously shrinking the country’s economic and industrial base.
Demography is rarely discussed in daily battlefield reports, yet it remains one of the most decisive elements of prolonged warfare. A smaller working-age population means fewer soldiers, lower tax revenues, reduced industrial production and greater dependence on foreign assistance.
Russia also faces demographic challenges of its own, but its significantly larger population provides greater strategic depth in a prolonged conflict.Manpower and economic resilience will heavily influence the ultimate outcome of the war. Ukraine’s Deep Strikes: Tactical Success or Strategic Solution?
Despite increasing defensive challenges, Ukraine has demonstrated extraordinary innovation in offensive operations. Long-range drones have repeatedly penetrated deep into Russian territory, striking airfields, fuel depots, logistics centres and industrial facilities.
These operations have imposed real costs on Russia. They have forced Moscow to disperse strategic assets, strengthen homeland air defences and absorb repeated attacks on military infrastructure.
Nevertheless, these operations are tactically impressive but cannot by themselves alter the overall strategic balance. Infrastructure can often be repaired or rebuilt, whereas territorial control and sustained military pressure require manpower, logistics and industrial capacity.
The Political Dimension
No modern war is fought solely on the battlefield.Political resolve in Washington, Brussels, Berlin, Moscow and Kyiv may ultimately prove more decisive than developments along the front lines.
Much attention now centres on President Donald Trump’s administration and its future policy towards Ukraine. Speculation continues regarding whether Washington will seek a negotiated settlement or maintain selective military assistance while encouraging diplomacy.
At present, however, there is no publicly confirmed “Trump card” capable of ending the conflict overnight. Any eventual settlement will almost certainly require difficult compromises, extensive negotiations and political willingness from all parties involved.
History suggests that wars of attrition rarely end through total military victory. More often, they conclude when the economic, political and human costs become unacceptable for one or both sides. Is This Truly the End Game?
The phrase “End Game” should be used with caution.The inability to intercept a single night’s ballistic missile barrage does not mean Ukraine is on the verge of collapse. Ukrainian forces continue to demonstrate resilience, innovation and the ability to impose significant costs on Russian military infrastructure.
At the same time, the recent attacks highlight undeniable structural pressures: declining stocks of advanced interceptor missiles, growing dependence on European assistance, manpower shortages and the enormous economic burden of prolonged warfare.
These factors suggest that the conflict may indeed be entering a decisive strategic phase—not necessarily one of imminent military defeat for either side, but one in which political calculations could gradually overshadow battlefield operations.
Both warring nations face near demographic exhaustion, diminishing American military assistance for Ukraine and mounting European fatigue make some form of negotiated settlement increasingly probable by the end of 2026. Whether that prediction proves correct remains uncertain, but it deserves serious consideration as one possible trajectory rather than a predetermined outcome.
Conclusion
Ukraine’s inability to intercept Russia’s latest ballistic missile barrage should be viewed as a warning signal rather than a definitive verdict. It exposes NATO vulnerabilities that cannot be ignored but does not, by itself, determine the outcome of the war.
The future of the Russia-Ukrainian conflict will depend less on any single missile strike and more on the broader contest of national endurance—industrial production, demographic resilience, economic sustainability and political determination.
History teaches that wars are rarely decided by dramatic moments alone. “Wars are not won merely by capturing territory or destroying cities. They are ultimately decided by a nation’s ability to sustain the fight.”They end when strategic realities compel political decisions. There appears to be No strategy to end this war of attrition early either by President Putin or President Zelensky. Whether that moment has finally arrived for Zelensky remains one of the defining geopolitical questions of our time.
About Patial RC
Patial RC is a retired Infantry officer of the Indian Army and possesses unique experience of serving in active CI Ops across the country and in Sri Lanka. Patial RC is a regular writer on military and travel matters in military professional journals. The veteran is a keen mountaineer and a trekker. View all posts by Patial RC →
Military shake-up poses little threat to Ukraine's ongoing drone revolution
Ukraine has built a sprawling drone industry from scratch, hailed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the best in the world.
Zigzagging between robots, weapons and computers in his garage workshop, Ukrainian engineer Eduard Trotsenko was bubbling with excitement as he showed off his latest prototypes and dreamed of sci-fi-inspired futuristic ideas.
Top of his ideas list are "mechanical birds" that can land on high-voltage power lines and recharge themselves, and "robot dogs" that can be sent into battle.
"In order to save human lives, to save soldiers, there must be robots," Trotsenko told the AFP news agency.
Autonomous weapons have come to dominate the war with Russia.
Aerial drones are used on the front lines for reconnaissance and to drop explosives, while down below ground robots support logistics operations.
Ukraine has built a sprawling drone industry from scratch, hailed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the best in the world.
Soldiers from Ukraine's Khartia brigade load ammunition onto a combat ground drone bound for the front line in Kharkiv region, 27 January, 2026 AP Photo
But the dismissal last month of popular defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, one of the most ardent backers of drones, raised some concerns over the future of the sector.
"I don't understand why they sacked Fedorov," Trotsenko, the founder and CEO of robot manufacturer Temerland, said.
Despite his removal, industry players and military personnel AFP spoke to said there was no going back now.
"The young people there won't let it go. There'll definitely be drones," Trotsenko said.
Into the kill zone
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, 55-year-old Trotsenko switched from making car charging stations to military robots.
His speciality is ground drones: autonomous vehicles that crawl the "kill zone," the kilometres-deep stretch of territory where Russian and Ukrainian drones lurk in the skies, posing a constant danger to anybody below.
For now, they mainly help evacuate wounded soldiers from the battlefield or ferry supplies, reducing the need to send more men into the kill zone.
But Trotsenko is looking at combat prototypes: one equipped with an RPG rocket launcher, the other with a heavy machine gun, controlled by onboard artificial intelligence (AI).
Ukraine's former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov speaks in Kyiv, 1 July, 2026 AP Photo
"They're currently being tested in some brigades," said Trotsenko, who is awaiting a green light for further rollout by the General Staff.
Fedorov had been crucial to pushing the technological shift within Ukraine's army.
He created the Defence AI Center A1, a hub dedicated to embedding AI in the military and using live feedback from the front to speed up the deployment of new technology.
Fedorov also pushed to bring private companies into the military system, putting competition at the heart of the army's innovation.
"In a private company, you can take risks more quickly," said Trotsenko, explaining how small companies were incentivised to modify and adapt at speed to win contracts.
Relate
'Bottom-up'
Hundreds of kilometres away, a 45-year-old military commander who goes by the call sign "Jason", was just back from a mission.
He heads a unit that operates the kind of ground drones that Trotsenko develops in his garage.
"You can afford to lose a drone, but not a person. The probability of human losses there is reduced," he told AFP.
That kind of mantra, using drones to save lives, was precisely what Fedorov had been pushing at the defence ministry.
Soldiers from Ukraine's Khartia brigade operate drones from the Kharkiv region, 30 February, 2026 AP Photo
After he was sacked, protestors forced out the Soviet-style commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrsky, who had clashed with Fedorov's reform drive, criticising him for not embracing drones and being too careless with soldiers' lives.
Asked whether Fedorov's removal could upset Ukraine's drone development, Jason brushes it off.
"It's not that simple...the technological initiative was not flowing from the top down. It wasn't a government order," he said.
After Russia invaded, "there was an explosion of bottom-up initiative."
Young engineers began to create new products, showed them to the military, who took what they wanted and then started their own development, he said.
Now, programmers, telecoms specialists and engineers are fully integrated into the army.
Jason said "the shortage of professionally trained people" is the biggest challenge he faces.
Back in Trotsenko's workshop, his engineers are already working to redefine the technological and geographical limits of war.
On a whiteboard, he sketched out his vision of the future: conflicts fought by "humanoid robots", controlled by operators in another country, or wounded soldiers lying in hospital beds.
"Things have really taken off," he said confidently.
ANALYSIS
Why has Ukraine's former military chief given up on NATO membership?
The former chief of Ukraine's armed forces, Valery Zaluzhny, says his country, fighting Russian invasion since 2022, will "never" join NATO – despite Kyiv's intention to become a member of the military alliance. While some analysts suggest Zaluzhny is primarily seeking to highlight the alliance’s weaknesses, others say he is laying the groundwork for a presidential bid.
Issued on: 05/08/2026 - RFI
Valery Zaluzhny, former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and current Ukrainian ambassador to the United Kingdom, in Kyiv, 5 February, 2025. AP - Efrem Lukatsky
"I know NATO very well. For roughly 12 years I've personally worked on mastering NATO standards, and every year I've listened to the same fairytale that we're about to join," Zaluzhny said at a meeting of Kyiv's ambassadors on Monday.
"Unfortunately, we never will," he added, in comments quoted by Ukrainian news site European Pravda.
Zaluzhny, a popular figure, was sacked as commander-in-chief by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February 2024, and is now the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Kingdom.
He said that "given the current level of development of the Ukrainian Armed Forces" it was impossible for Ukraine to join the alliance which, according to Zaluzhny, "adheres to doctrines dating from the Second World War".
Ukraine prides itself on its military industrial progress, particularly in drone technology, which it has developed extensively since Russia invaded the country in February 2022. Official line
His statement stands in stark contrast to Kyiv's official line, whereby NATO membership remains a strategic objective enshrined in the Ukrainian constitution.
Political scientist Olexiy Haran says he is "surprised" by the former army chief’s comments.
"It is still Ukraine’s official objective, and I think it will remain so," he told RFI, adding that Ukrainians are nonetheless frustrated by the current situation with regards to membership.
"They are no longer certain that membership will materialise, but it remains their goal and they will do everything in their power to join NATO."
According to a poll published in April, nearly 69 per cent of Ukrainians are in favour of NATO membership.
Ruslan Bortnik, an expert on Ukrainian politics, echoed Haran's surprise. "It contradicts Ukraine’s official line. And it is very strange to hear such a statement from an ambassador appointed by the Ukrainian government," he told RFI. Reliance on allies
For Haran, Zaluzhny’s comments could reflect his personal disappointment following years of cooperation with NATO – but could also be intended to serve as a wake-up call for Ukraine's Western allies.
"Perhaps he simply wanted to draw attention to the reality of the situation," he said. "If you cannot guarantee our security within NATO, if you are not even prepared to discuss it, then do what is actually necessary today to defend Ukraine. The West is doing a great deal and we appreciate it, but it is not enough."
In an opinion piece for UK newspaper The Daily Telegraph published last month, Zaluzhny said the war in Ukraine had "exposed uncomfortable questions about whether NATO is equipped for the conflicts of the 21st century".
Pointing out that "Ukraine's ability to sustain the war depends heavily upon continued backing from its allies", Zaluzhny acknowledged the importance of that support, but added that he believes the experience gained by the Ukrainian army now puts it ahead of several Western countries.
"Ukraine has every reason to appreciate the support NATO members have provided, and continues to provide. But respect for the alliance should not prevent an honest assessment of its shortcomings," Zaluzhny wrote.
Bortnik also posits that Zaluzhny is attempting to "put pressure on NATO" in order to draw its attention to Ukraine’s needs and secure further military and financial support.
Bortnik also puts forward a more political hypothesis: by declaring NATO membership impossible, Zaluzhny could be seeking to align his position with that of United States President Donald Trump's administration, which opposes Ukraine’s accession to NATO in the near future.
This, he argues, could be a way of making himself more "acceptable" in Washington’s eyes ahead of possible peace negotiations with Russia.
Zaluzhny is frequently portrayed as a potential rival to Zelensky in Ukraine's next presidential election. And according to several Ukrainian media outlets, a June poll showed 73 percent of the public had confidence in him.
Haran remains cautious, however, regarding this interpretation.
As long as Ukraine is at war and under martial law, no presidential election can be held, and there is no indication that a campaign is imminent, making it difficult, he believes, to establish a direct link between Zaluzhny's statement and a future candidacy.
For Bortnik, however, it could enable Zaluzhny to begin building an international profile: that of a figure capable of engaging with Washington and, in the long term, of taking part in a negotiated settlement of the conflict. 'New security architecture'
Zaluzhny believes Kyiv will need to align itself with the new blocs and alliances emerging in Europe.
He cites the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) as a potentially effective mechanism. Led by the UK, it brings together 10 countries – Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK itself.
This coalition operates outside NATO’s structures and focuses on strategic regions such as the Baltic, the North Sea, the Arctic and the North Atlantic.
Since November 2025, Ukraine has been its first external "enhanced partner". This status gives it access to intelligence sharing, joint exercises and regional planning. In return, Kyiv contributes its frontline experience, particularly with hybrid attacks, drones and long-range strikes.
However, Ukrainian media outlets have been quick to warn that the JEF provides for neither automatic collective defence, nor an obligation of mutual assistance comparable to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty.
Bortnik sees these discussions as a sign of a broader realignment.
“We are witnessing numerous attempts to create a new security architecture in Eastern Europe," he said. "There are ideas for smaller coalitions, bringing together European countries and the United Kingdom. Perhaps the aim is to create something new, complementary and specifically tailored to the Ukrainian crisis."
Zaluzhny’s statement remains a personal view and does not represent the position of the Ukrainian government. However, it has succeeded in raising questions over the future of Ukraine’s bid to join NATO, the search for alternative security guarantees, and the positioning of potential contenders to succeed Zelensky.
Intensifying clashes between Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea are threatening a crucial trade artery responsible for nearly a third of the world's wheat supply, stoking fears of soaring prices and shortages.
Earlier in July, a Russian cruise missile struck the grain carrier Golden Leo, claiming ten lives. This marked the deadliest blow yet in a mounting campaign by both Russian and Ukrainian forces targeting cargo ships in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
"This is a new development in recent months," claims shipping analyst Yoruk Isik, who runs the Istanbul-based Bosphorus Observer consultancy. Isik warns that cargo vessels are caught in a deadly tit-for-tat.
"Ukraine has been targeting Russian seaborne bulkers in particular, the ones transporting stolen grain from the occupied territories of Ukraine," explains Isik, "Russia retaliated and hit Ukraine's civilian port infrastructure in Odesa; a mid-sized vessel carrying corn out of Odesa was totally sunk, other vessels were damaged, and sailors died," he adds.
Turkey’s Shipowners’ Association, having logged 136 incidents involving commercial vessels in recent months, is now urging its members to avoid the Black Sea altogether.
Beyond its role as a key channel for Russian oil, the Black Sea is a lifeline for global grain exports, with Russia and Ukraine among the top suppliers.
"It is very important to note that most of Russia's agricultural commodities are exported through the Black Sea, and that almost all of Ukraine's agricultural commodities are shipped via Ukraine's ports," warns Isik. Bad timing for harvest
Around a third of the world's wheat moves through these waters. The surge in attacks across the Black Sea and the neighbouring Sea of Azov has brought exports to a near standstill.
"No port is officially closed, but almost no shipowner wants to go there, so trade is close to zero," claims Istanbul-based international grain dealer Can Atbasoglu. "Sellers want buyers to handle the vessels, and buyers want sellers to handle the vessels, but shipowners don't want to risk it."
This deadlock arrives at the worst possible moment: harvest time. "Normally, Russian sellers would have sold all their August cargoes by now; I don't know if anybody has any sales on their books at present," says Atbasoglu.
Wheat prices are already reacting. "The price in Romania is, say, 20-25 percent higher – that's the clearest effect we're seeing. But everybody is waiting for some kind of intervention, and soon," adds Atbasoglu.
Turkey now leads a NATO mission, along with Bulgaria and Romania, to safeguard navigation in the Black Sea. However, former Turkish ambassador and navigation rights expert Mithat Rende believes Ankara will be wary of any effort to enforce passage for commercial ships. "It's very important that the Ukrainian war should not be transformed into a regional war," cautions Rende.
"Where would it stop? Would you fire missiles and intercept Russian missiles in the Black Sea? They (Russia) already accuse all of us of fighting Russia as NATO. It's very important to avoid such operations," he adds.
Full impact yet to be felt
Rende argues Ankara’s priority is diplomacy, having played a pivotal role in brokering the 2022 United Nations-backed grain export deal after Russian forces blocked Ukrainian shipments. "Turkey maintained a dialogue with both the Russian and the Ukrainian sides at the same time," says Rende, "But is there political will for a ceasefire now? I don't see it at present."
Grain trader Atbasoglu warns the full impact of the disruption is not yet reflected in prices. "Buyers are still not fully reacting. It's seen more as an August, or at the latest a September issue, and the markets still want to believe both sides will get together and talk," he says.
However, Atbasoglu cautions that time may be running out. "In 2022, Ukraine was completely closed off, and there was a major panic. We saw the effect: wheat prices jumped 50 percent in 2022, and we could expect something similar if this continues," he concludes.
Africa and the Middle East, which are heavily reliant on Black Sea grain, are beginning to seek pricier alternatives. Europe, too, may soon feel the strain, as drought-hit wheat harvests threaten to push global food prices even higher.
By: Dorian Jones
Ugandan military honours Netanyahu’s brother with Entebbe memorial statue
Uganda’s military has unveiled a monument to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s older brother, who was killed during a hostage rescue operation in the East African country in 1976.
Issued on: 04/08/2026 - RFI
This monument honors the late Yoni Netanyahu, brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at the old terminal of Entebbe International Airport in Entebbe, Uganda, here as unveiled on 1 August, 2026. Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces P - Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces P
The statue of Yonatan Netanyahu holding an assault rifle was unveiled on Saturday by Ugandan military chief Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who said he commissioned the monument to pay tribute to the soldier’s courage.
Kainerugaba is also the eldest child of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and widely seen as a possible successor since Museveni's reelection in January.
Among those attending the ceremony were members of an Israeli delegation, including Barak Orland, a businessman based in Uganda.
The statue has been installed outside the airport terminal in the town of Entebbe where Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu was shot dead as he led Israeli commandos in a mission to rescue 106 passengers who had been taken hostage on an Air France flight. He was the only Israeli commando killed in the mission.
“Today, this memorial stands not only in remembrance of a distinguished soldier, but also as a tribute to the enduring values he embodied: courage in the face of danger, unwavering commitment to protecting innocent lives, and steadfast devotion to duty,” Kainerugaba said at the ceremony.
Kainerugaba also described the mission as "one of the most significant episodes in modern history" and spoke of the now close ties between the two countries as a "remarkable journey".
The hijackers – two Palestinians belonging to a faction of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and two Germans from the Revolutionary Cells – separated dozens of Jewish and Israeli passengers from the others on board.
They threatened to kill the hostages unless Israel released dozens of Palestinian and other prisoners.
The Paris-bound Airbus A300 had taken off from Tel Aviv on 27 June 1976 and stopped in Athens, where the four hijackers boarded. They seized the aircraft and forced it to fly first to Libya to refuel and then to Uganda, where Idi Amin welcomed them.
After a week of negotiations, Israeli commandos stormed the airport overnight on 3 to 4 July. They rescued 102 hostages, while three were killed during the raid. A fourth hostage, Dora Bloch, who had been taken to hospital before the operation, was later murdered on Amin’s orders.
Dozens of Ugandan soldiers were also killed during the operation, which lasted less than an hour.
Subtle diplomatic switch
At the time, Uganda's President, dictator Idi Amin Dada, had severed ties with Israel and was an open supporter of the Palestinian independence cause.
Israel’s success humiliated and enraged Amin, while the Organisation of African Unity – now the African Union – condemned the raid as a violation of Uganda’s sovereignty.
President of Uganda Idi Amin Dada while addressing the media on 28 July, 1975, in Kampala during the Organisation of African Unity (OUA) summit. AFP
The rescue remains a seminal event in Israeli history and is widely regarded in Israel as one of the country’s greatest military successes. Benjamin Netanyahu has said his brother’s death in the operation “changed the course” of his life.
Netanyahu welcomed the unveiling of the monument. In a message released after the ceremony, he described his brother Yoni as an enduring symbol of courage, devotion and love for Israel.
“Fifty years have passed, but his spirit continues to inspire in Israel and around the world,” he said.
Amin was overthrown in 1979. Uganda gradually rebuilt its foreign relations after his fall, although contacts with Israel remained limited for several years.
Museveni, who came to power in 1986, adopted a more pragmatic foreign policy, and Uganda and Israel formally restored diplomatic relations in 1994 after more than two decades without official ties.
Benjamin Netanyahu visited Uganda in July 2016 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Operation Entebbe.
Relations have since grown closer, with Israel seeking to strengthen its diplomatic and security partnerships across East Africa.
(with AP)
Russia accuses France of ‘silencing dissent’ over journalist expulsion
Russia has accused France of suppressing freedom of expression, after French authorities ordered the expulsion of pro-Kremlin Russian journalist Xenia Fedorova and froze her assets.
Issued on: 06/08/2026 - RFI
Ksenia Fedorova, former head of RT France. AP - Francois Mori
Russian Foreign Ministry officials on Thursday condemned what they called the “political persecution of journalists based on false accusations”, saying the measures taken against Fedorova contradicted France’s stated commitment to free speech.
“Such actions are incompatible with France’s rhetoric regarding its commitment to the principles of freedom of expression,” deputy Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexei Fadeev said in Moscow.
Fadeev accused French authorities of branding dissenting views as Russian propaganda and attempting to force out journalists and media organisations whose positions did not conform with the official line.
He also criticised what he described as the French leadership’s persistent efforts to blame Russia for the country’s domestic problems.
French authorities accuse Fedorova of acting as “a conduit for disinformation campaigns orchestrated by the Russian authorities” and designed to destabilise public order in France.
She was served with an expulsion order in late July and had her assets frozen.
Fedorova said on Monday that she was currently outside France and did not intend to return until the measures had been suspended or withdrawn.
Fedorova has rejected the accusations, saying in a statement attributed to her on X (formerly Twitter): “My conduct consists of living in France for nearly 10 years in compliance with the law, paying my taxes, but also having an opinion and expressing it as part of my work as a journalist."
The original post no longer appears to be visible on her public X profile.
'A serious violation'
Fedorova previously headed the French branch of the Russian state-run broadcaster Russia Today (RT), whose programmes have been banned across the European Union since March 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Her current employers, Canal+ and Lagardère, have defended her, describing the French government’s actions as “a particularly serious violation of freedom of expression”.
The case comes amid growing concern in France over foreign interference and disinformation campaigns ahead of next year's presidential election.
French authorities have repeatedly accused Russia of seeking to amplify political divisions and shape public opinion through coordinated influence operations.
Moscow has denied interfering in France’s domestic affairs and has accused European governments of using allegations of Russian propaganda to silence alternative viewpoints.
Kremlin critic leaves Moscow for Paris after ban from running for election
Russian anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin has left the country after being prevented from standing in September’s parliamentary elections, becoming the latest prominent Kremlin critic to move abroad amid an intensifying crackdown on dissent.
Issued on: 05/08/2026 -
Boris Nadezhdin, charged with "demonstrating extremist symbols", appears in court in the town of Dolgoprudny in the Moscow region on 17 July. AFP - ALEXANDER NEMENOV
Nadezhdin, who attempted to challenge President Vladimir Putin in the 2024 presidential election, announced his departure in a video posted on the Telegram messaging service on Monday.
The 63-year-old politician appeared in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, although he did not say whether he intended to remain in France permanently.
“Good news: I’m alive and free. Unfortunately, not in Russia for the time being,” he said, adding that he needed “to look around and figure out life going forward”.
His departure follows several weeks of mounting legal and political pressure that effectively ended his attempt to contest elections for the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament.
Nadezhdin was added to Russia’s register of “foreign agents” in July – a designation that imposes extensive reporting requirements, brings additional government scrutiny and carries strongly negative connotations inside Russia.
People classified as foreign agents are also barred from standing for elected office.
He was subsequently fined 1,000 roubles – around €11 – for allegedly displaying “extremist symbols”, a charge he dismissed as absurd and politically motivated.
The case concerned a video posted online in 2023 that briefly showed an image of Alexei Navalny, the opposition leader who died in a Russian prison in February 2024.
Navalny had been convicted on extremism charges that he, his supporters and international observers widely regarded as an attempt to quash his political activities.
Pressure ahead of elections
The conviction prevented Nadezhdin from collecting the signatures required to appear on the ballot for September’s parliamentary elections.
Police had briefly detained him before the court hearing, and he said Russian authorities had also imposed a temporary ban preventing him from leaving the country.
It was not immediately clear whether that restriction was subsequently lifted or how he was able to travel to France.
Nadezhdin initially said he would continue his parliamentary campaign despite the foreign agent designation, arguing that the measures against him were intended to remove one of the few remaining publicly visible opponents of the war in Ukraine.
He later acknowledged that the combined legal obstacles had made it impossible for him to continue the campaign.
The ruling United Russia party is seeking to maintain its commanding majority in the State Duma in the September vote.
Its principal nominal challengers include the Communist Party and several smaller parties which frequently support the Kremlin on major legislation and foreign policy.
The election campaign comes as the authorities face signs of public fatigue over the war in Ukraine, alongside economic pressures and fuel shortages linked partly to Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
Rare anti-war presidential campaign
Nadezhdin emerged as an unexpectedly prominent figure ahead of the March 2024 presidential election, after openly calling for an end to the war.
Thousands of people queued at campaign offices across Russia in January 2024 to sign documents supporting his candidacy, creating one of the most visible demonstrations of anti-war sentiment since the full-scale invasion began two years earlier.
His campaign gathered more than the 100,000 signatures required to register as a presidential candidate.
However, Russia’s Central Election Commission rejected his application after ruling that more than 9,000 of the signatures submitted were invalid. The Supreme Court later upheld the decision, keeping him off the ballot.
Putin faced only token opposition in the election and secured a fifth presidential term.
Nadezhdin's relatively moderate political background had allowed him to remain in Russia longer than many other prominent Putin critics, even as he became increasingly outspoken against the war.
Since launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Russian authorities have sharply restricted independent reporting, public protest and criticism of the armed forces.
The beetle that hears fire: why it is so valuable to science
The black pine jewel beetle is drawn to forest fires. This seeming paradox actually aids woodland recovery and inspires new early wildfire detection tech.
For weeks now, devastating wildfires have been raging across large parts of Europe. Entire regions have to be evacuated, people are losing their homes and, time and again, lives are being lost. The persistent heat is making the situation even worse. According to many researchers, climate change is increasing both the frequency and intensity of forest fires.
However, science has long since been looking not only at how fires can be extinguished . It is also investigating what happens afterwards and which solutions nature itself has in store. A key role here is played by a rather inconspicuous inhabitant of our forests: the black pine jewel beetle.
A beetle that seeks out fire
The black pine jewel beetle (Melanophila acuminata) is one of the few animals that actively respond to forest fires. As soon as a fire has gone out, it flies to the burnt areas to lay its eggs there. Biologist Lydia Schübel, head of the animal welfare inspection unit at the Munich Animal Welfare Association, explains to Euronews why this is.
"The beetle flies towards the flames because its larvae can only develop in freshly burnt trees. Healthy trees have defence mechanisms that the small white larvae cannot overcome."
What is remarkable, Schübel says, is that the animals can detect a fire "from distances of at least 80 kilometres".
How exactly the beetle finds fires has fascinated researchers for decades. Scientists at the University of Bonn have now been able to show that the insect can literally "hear" fire.
The beetle has special sensory organs on both sides of its body. They consist of tiny cavities filled with fluid. When the heat radiation from a fire hits these structures, the fluid expands and deforms fine sensory hairs. The nervous system registers these pressure changes in much the same way as sound waves.
A model for new fire detectors
This very mechanism is now set to help people as well.
Since the early 2000s, researchers at the University of Bonn have been working on replicating the beetle's sensory organ in technical form. The field of research is known as bionics, in which solutions found in nature are transferred to technical applications.
The scientists developed a simple infrared sensor inspired by the beetle. Instead of the natural sensory organ, they use a thin plastic plate that expands slightly when exposed to heat radiation and passes this movement on to a sensor.
Project leader Helmut Schmitz explained in a report on the project's current status that forest fires cause damage running into billions of euros in the European Union alone. Detecting them as early as possible could help prevent devastating mega-fires. In the long term, bionic infrared sensors could therefore contribute to early detection of fires.
According to the researchers, the first prototypes cost only a few euros and were therefore significantly cheaper than conventional infrared sensors. Although they initially did not match their performance, the researchers see them as a promising approach.
After the fire, the forest starts again
The question of what happens after a fire is also on many people's minds.
The black pine jewel beetle is one of the so-called pyrophilous species, animals that benefit from fire. Its larvae burrow through the dead wood, speeding up its decomposition.
According to Lydia Schübel, this returns nutrients to the forest soil more quickly. The loose deadwood at the same time creates favourable conditions for new plants
The black pine jewel beetle is not alone in this. "Other pyrophilous animal species in Germany include the four-spotted ground beetle, the pit ground beetle, the pine bark bug and the smoke fly," Schübel tells Euronews.
Worldwide, they are considered important helpers in the regeneration of forests.
Some plants too are adapted to fire, Schübel says. Some possess particularly fire-resistant properties, while others only open their seed pods after being exposed to intense heat, helping forests to grow back quickly.
Even certain bird species benefit temporarily from the altered habitats. Species such as the wryneck, tree pipit or common redstart use dead trees as nesting sites and find food particularly easily in the open areas.
Forest fires remain natural disasters with usually devastating consequences. At the same time, though, they also show how resilient ecosystems can be and how much there is to learn from nature. Ironically, a beetle that goes looking for fire could in future help to detect blazes earlier and limit their impact.
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