Wartime Protests Across Ukraine As Zelensky Moves To Oust Defense Chief

"Wartime protests have broken out in Ukraine in the wake of President Zelensky sacking his

popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov - which is reportedly in process but not finalized yet.
The 35-year old defense chief was only six months into his tenure, and is widely hailed as a reformist innovator who has turned the tide of war, having overseen a strategy of punishing wave after wave of devastating drones on Russian energy infrastructure.
The NY Times on Thursday said that "thousands of people took to the streets of cities across Ukraine on Thursday to protest" his dismissal." ZH

Omega special forces say drone strike hit Russian Su-24 bomber in occupied Crimea

"Ukraine's Omega special forces unit said on July 16 that it struck a Russian Su-24M frontline bomber at the Saky air base in Russian-occupied Crimea.

The Su-24M is a modernized version of the Sukhoi Su-24, Soviet-designed supersonic frontline bomber that Russia uses to carry out strike missions against ground targets. The aircraft is capable of launching guided and unguided munitions and has been widely used by Moscow throughout its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to the unit, operators from Omega's combat diver division identified the aircraft as it was preparing for takeoff before carrying out the strike using drones." KI

5.9 Earthquake - 42 km north of Te Anau, Southland, New Zealand

"A strong magnitude 5.9 earthquake hit 42 km (26 mi) away from Te Anau, Southland, New Zealand, in the evening at 9.14 pm local time (Pacific/Auckland GMT +12). The quake had a moderate depth of 76 km (47 mi) and was felt over a large region." VD

249 battles on front lines

"249 combat engagements between the Ukrainian Defense Forces and Russian invaders were recorded on the front lines.
In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors, the enemy carried out one airstrike, dropping two guided bombs, and conducted 65 shelling attacks, including one using MLRS.
In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, Russian forces attacked 19 times in the Starytsia area and toward Izbytske, Kutkivka, Khatne, Kozacha Lopan, Hoptivka, Radkivka, Vilcha, and Bereznyky.

In the Kupiansk sector, the enemy launched three assaults on the positions of the Defense Forces in the area of Kolisnykivka and toward Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi and Novoplatonivka.
In the Lyman sector, Russian forces attempted to breach the defenses 10 times, launching attacks in the areas of Novoselivka, Drobysheve, Novomykhailivka, and toward Lyman, Dibrova, and Ozerne.
In the Sloviansk sector, the Russian army launched 23 assaults toward Kryva Luka, Rai-Oleksandrivka, Pyskunivka, Mykolaivka, and in the areas of Riznykivka and Zakitne.
In the Kramatorsk sector, Russian invaders attacked Tykhonivka once.
In the Kostiantynivka sector, the enemy carried out 20 attacks in the areas of Kostiantynivka, Illinivka, Ivanopillia, Stepanivka, and toward Dovha Balka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, the Defense Forces repelled 37 assaults by the Russian Federation’s army in the areas of Dorozhne, Hryshyne, Novopidhorodne, Rodynske, Vasylivka, Kotlyne, and toward Vilne, Novyi Donbas, Myrne, Serhiivka, and Kucheriv Yar.
On the Oleksandrivka sector, the enemy launched two attacks toward Vorone.
On the Huliaipole sector, the invaders carried out 17 attacks toward Kosivtseve, Verkhnia Tersa, Tsvitkove, Charivne, Hirke, and Vozdvyzhivka.
In the Orikhiv sector, Russian forces launched 10 assaults in the areas of Bilohiria, Shcherbaky, Mali Shcherbaky, and toward Novoandriivka and Prymorske." Ukrin