The Russian military relentlessly pressed on with its drive to get Ukrainian cities to submit, shelling several towns already largely in ruins. But in the sole city seized by Russian forces, Kherson in Ukraine’s south, dozens of demonstrators staged a demonstration, showing disregard for the occupiers.

In Ukraine’s second city, Kharkiv, authorities reported Russian military vehicles were on the move. Street clashes erupted in various districts. Pictures on social media showed two Russian vehicles on fire.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development forecast that Ukraine’s economy would grow by 3.5 percent in both 2021 and 2022 as the economy gains momentum towards the end of this year.

Trade between Moldova and the "separatist" area is robust. Transnistria is even part of Moldova's Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) with the European Union, something unheard of in other "breakaway" ex-Soviet entities.

New acting CEO Alexander Kamyshin said there was no way repairs to rolling stock could be completed in time to shift the grain.

The illicit business has boomed as bicycles become a market increasingly being filled with high-end models costing thousands of Euros.

The Caspian delicacy is known worldwide and supplied to Europe’s royal courts and Michelin-starred restaurants. But overfishing, and lack of regulation, brought it to the brink of disappearing.

The unrest has obviously unnerved the EU so much that the President of the EU Council, Charles Michel, scheduled an unexpected visit to the region on July 17.

Their initial videos raised some eyebrows by focusing on alcohol, other drugs, and sex. Occasionally, they veered into the political realm, yet with a Soviet-style understanding of where the "red lines" were. Light and comedic.