Victorious news of 505th day of war: cluster munitions and Kyiv Motherland Monument 

Ukraine has received cluster munitions from the United States

Ukrainian General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, commander of the Tavria operational and strategic grouping of troops, confirms that Ukraine has received cluster munitions from the US. 

"We just got them, we haven't used them yet, but they can radically change [the battlefield]," the general said. 

"The enemy also understands that with getting this ammunition, we will have an advantage," he added. 

Senior leadership will decide on the "areas of territory where it can be used," Tarnavskyi said, noting that “this is a very powerful weapon.”

According to him, the Ukrainian Armed Forces will adhere to restrictions on the use of these shells, namely, they will not use them in densely populated areas, even if they are occupied by Russian troops.

Spain to hand over mobile hospital, medical vehicles to Ukrainian border guards

This is reported by the press service of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

It is noted that representatives of the State Border Guard Service’s medical staff are based at the Air Force base in Zaragoza. There they are learning how to deploy and operate a mobile hospital, which the Spanish Ministry of Defense will soon transfer to Ukraine.

Ukrainian border guards will also receive medical vehicles, including armored vehicles, which will allow them to evacuate the wounded from the combat zone.

The Ukrainian parliament supports legalization of medical cannabis in Ukraine

At a meeting on July 13, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported in the first reading a bill to legalize medical cannabis. 268 MPs voted for it.

The Servant of the People faction cast the most votes for draft law №7457 - 183. MPs from the European Solidarity party gave 10 votes, and from Batkivshchyna - only one.

The Soviet coat of arms on the Motherland Monument's shield will be replaced with a Ukrainian trident by August 24

The Ministry of Culture is implementing a large-scale project to replace the USSR emblem on the shield of the Motherland Monument in Kyiv with the coat of arms of Ukraine.

This was announced by Minister of Culture Oleksandr Tkachenko at a briefing on July 13, according to Espreso correspondent Valeria Pashko.

According to him, the USSR coat of arms will be replaced with the trident by August 24. Preparatory work is already underway. Business will finance the replacement. A total of UAH 28 million has been raised for this purpose.

The day before, Tkachenko posted a video showing the Motherland Monument with the Ukrainian national trident. 

Germany announces new aid package for Ukraine

This is stated on the German Defense Ministry's website. 

It is noted that the country has additionally supplied:

• 6 Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns and 6,000 rounds of ammunition;
• 3,230 155-mm artillery shells and 1,184 smoke munitions of the same caliber;
• BIBER armored bridge paver and an additional bridge to it;
• 5 armored vehicles for border protection;
• 10 fire control stations and 10 laser target illuminators for IRIS-T SLM;
• 8x8 HX81 heavy-duty truck and 4 trailers;
• 24,192 rounds of 40mm ammunition.

At the NATO summit on July 11, Germany announced a new aid package for Ukraine: the new EUR 700 million package will include two Patriot launchers and 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles, 25 Leopard 1 A5 main battle tanks, as well as 5 Bergepanzer 2s from industrial stocks or industrial repair.

MEPs approve plans to increase production of ammunition for Ukraine

On July 13, the European Parliament approved plans to increase the production of ammunition and missiles in the EU to overcome the current shortage due to supplies to Ukraine

This is reported by the European Parliament's press service.

It is about the approval of the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP), which aims to accelerate the supply of ammunition and missiles to Ukraine and help member states replenish their arsenals.

The ASAP aims to increase EU production capacity to address the current shortage of defense products, in particular artillery ammunition, missiles and their components, by implementing targeted measures that include EUR 500 million in funding.

Russia and Belarus will not be invited to the 2024 Olympics

This is reported by the official website of the International Olympic Committee.  

Russia and Belarus will not receive an invitation from the IOC to participate in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris on July 26.

Invitations to the National Olympic Committees will be sent out on July 26, a year before the start of the Olympics. A total of 203 NOCs have been invited to participate in the Games. Russia and Belarus were not invited because of the sanctions imposed by the IOC on them because of the full-scale aggression against Ukraine.

Ukrainian aviation launched 5 strikes against the Russian troops

The Ukrainian Armed Forces' General Staff reported this. 

Over the past day, the Defense Forces' aviation launched 5 strikes on the manpower concentration areas and 2 on enemy anti-aircraft missile systems.

Over the the day, missile and artillery units struck the Russian forces' military positions, 10 artillery pieces at firing positions and an enemy counter-battery radar station.