Morning opening: Ukraine sends drones to Moscow after one of largest attacks on Kyiv of the warUkraine targeted Moscow with 400 drones overnight, wounding two people and setting buildings ablaze, Russian officials said and Reuters reported, a day after Russia carried out one of the largest ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv of the full-scale war.Smoke billows after Ukrainian drone attacks, according to the local authorities, in the course of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, in Podolsk, Moscow Region, Russia. Photograph: ReutersKyiv has in recent months intensified its strikes on Russian territory, describing them as retribution for more than four years of bombardments against its territory, AFP noted.Elsewhere, I will be looking at updates from Hungary, after the country’s outgoing president and Viktor Orbán loyalist Tamás Sulyok has agreed to stand down amid pressure from the new government of Péter Magyar, and from Germany, where a resignation of a senior ruling centre-right party politician gives Friedrich Merz a chance to reshuffle his struggling government.I will bring you all the latest from across the continent here.Furthermore, we will obviously keep an eye the events from the UK where Andy Burnham is set to take over as the British prime minister from Keir Starmer. I will point you to our UK politics blog before the key moment of the day, so you won’t miss a thing.It’s Monday, 20th July 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.Good morning.ShareUpdated at 03.46 EDTKey eventsStarmer formally resigns as British prime minister, with Burnham set to be confirmed as his successorAndrew SparrowOver in the UK, Keir Starmer has now left 10 Downing Street for the last time and resigned as the UK’s prime minister, and we are waiting for Andy Burnham to be formally named as his successor.Outgoing British prime minister Keir Starmer (C-R) delivers a farewell speech outside 10 Downing Street. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPABritish prime minister Keir Starmer greets members of the media as he and his wife, Victoria Starmer, walk to their car, after Starmer delivered his final statement outside 10 Downing Street. Photograph: Temilade Adelaja/ReutersYou can follow all of that on our UK live blog with Andrew Sparrow:ShareThe European Commission has been asked to respond to mass protests against Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to fire a popular defence minister last week (10:41).Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pinho said the issue “came up briefly” in commission president von der Leyen’s recent discussions with Zelenskyy, but declined to comment in any further detail.
“But what we can say is that we have enjoyed good cooperation with minister Fedorov at a crucial moment of the defence and defence policy, both for the EU and for Ukraine, which we fully appreciated.”
The commission also responded to public demonstrations against Fedorov’s resignation, saying that “peaceful demonstrations are a fundamental right in all democratic countries.”ShareUpdated at 06.45 EDTEU pledges to continue close work with Ukraine on reforms, drones, energy under new PMEuropean Commission president Ursula von der Leyen held a courtesy phone call with the new Ukrainian prime minister, Sergii Koretksyi, this morning.In a post on X, she said:
“Very good phone call with @KoretskyiUA. We will continue cooperating closely on reforms that move Ukraine’s EU accession process forward. Our Drone Deal will harness the EU’s industrial strength to produce Ukraine’s most innovative defence equipment at speed and scale. We also discussed preparations ahead of winter and critical energy infrastructure. You can count on our full support, including in your work to improve energy sector’s governance.”
The European Commission just told reporters that they are further working on more disbursement of the EU’s €90bn loan for Ukraine.ShareNorway sees ‘largest fire in modern times’ destroy over 100 homesMiranda BryantNordic correspondentIn other news, a fire that burnt down an entire neighbourhood in a town near the Norwegian city of Drammen was still smouldering on Monday and authorities said they expect to be fighting the fire for days to come.Around 100 houses in Krokstadelva were destroyed over the weekend and around 400 people evacuated.Smoke and flames rise from a huge fire that has spread from terraced houses by the Krokstadelva in Drammen, Norway. Photograph: Thomas Fure/EPAOn Sunday, police told local newspaper Drammens Tidende that they believe the fire was caused either be accident or spontaneous combustion.Ståle Fuglaas, operations manager for Norway’s south-east police district, said they plan to continue extinguishing the fire for 10 more days.“This is a long-term operation in the area. That says something about the heat in the area,” Fuglaas told VG.
“There we will assist evacuees with retrieving any items that have not yet been retrieved from the fire area. A plan is being worked on between the municipality and the emergency services when it comes to returning to safe places.”
Fire services said they have preventively placed water sprinklers in the area and are patrolling with fire crews, drones and helicopters.“But I wouldn’t say we have control, I wouldn’t use that word yet. It looks better now than before,” firefighter Erik Smidsrød told VG.The area affected by a major fire in Drammen, Norway. Photograph: SPA/dana press/ShutterstockShareThere is also a bit more from Reuters on the context – and the significance – of these continued strikes on ships:
“Both Russia and Ukraine are major grain exporters, and the renewed violence on this route has raised concerns about supply.
Ukraine, which in recent seasons accounted for about 6% of global wheat exports and about 11% of global corn exports, has lost about a third of its capacity to export grain via its Black Sea ports due to Russian missile and drone attacks, traders and analysts have said.
The Ukrainian attacks have forced Russia, the world’s top grain exporter, to limit shipping in the Sea of Azov – a route that handles about a quarter of its grain exports, sources have told Reuters.”
ShareUkraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha responded to the attack on a Guinea-Bissau flagged ship (9:42) last night, saying:
“Upon prime minister @KoretskyiUA’s instructions, @MFA_Ukraine is already informing the International Maritime Organization and our international partners about Russia’s latest attacks on civilian shipping, as well as the governments of the states whose citizens were killed or injured.
During president @ZelenskyyUa‘s recent visit to London, I discussed this issue with the IMO leadership and called for the deployment of an international monitoring mission to Ukraine’s ports. We expect this mission to begin its work as planned in the fall and help document every act of Russia’s maritime terror, paving the way for accountability.”
ShareWe are getting more pictures coming through on agencies showing the aftermath of the Ukrainian drone strikes near Moscow.Smoke rises over trees and rooftops following a Ukrainian drone attack near Domodedovo in the Moscow Region, Russia. Photograph: EPAShareZelenskyy to hold ‘key talks’ on defusing political crisis triggered by defence minister’s sackingMeanwhile, Ukraine’s Zelenskyy said he would hold “key talks” today as he tries to defuse a domestic political crisis after last week’s government reshuffle exposed a deep split between the military’s old guard and young innovators over how to fight the war, Reuters reported.Zelenskyy needs to reassure Ukrainians that sacrificing 35-year-old Mykhailo Fedorov as defence minister and keeping faith with 60-year-old Soviet-trained Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi as armed forces chief won’t derail the fight against Russia amid street protests against the decision.Here is Luke Harding in Kyiv, explaining the background to these protests:Why Ukrainians are protesting against Zelenskyy’s dismissal of defence minister – videoShare10 injured in Ukrainian strikes on Moscow overnightMeanwhile, 10 people were reported injured in Ukraine’s strikes on Moscow overnight.Smoke billows after a Ukrainian drone attack, according to local authorities, in the course of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, near Podolsk in the Moscow Region, Russia. Photograph: ReutersIn a statement on Telegram, Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyov said that seven people, including three Chinese nationals, had been wounded in a drone attack on the town of Domodedovo, close to one of Moscow’s main airports, Reuters reported.The mayor of Domodedovo, Yevgeniya Khrustaleva, said in a statement on Telegram that a fire had broken out at a local industrial park, and that a residential building had also been struck.Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv had struck logistical facilities and an oil depot in the region of the Russian capital.He said:
“Our long-range sanctions have produced results against logistics facilities and an oil depot. … The targets were more than 400 kilometers from our border. Two shadow fleet tankers and four cargo ships were also struck in the Black Sea.
We are responding, justly, to every Russian strike against our cities and communities. This war must be brought to an end, and that is only possible by increasing the pressure on the sole cause of this war – Russia.”
ShareAndrew SparrowBy the way, our UK politics live blog is now live with Andrew Sparrow guiding you through the day as Andy Burnham is set to take over as the British PM from Keir Starmer.10 Downing Street’s door is visible on a camera screen as members of the media gather on the day of the transfer of power from outgoing British prime minister Keir Starmer to Labour leader Andy Burnham, in London, Britain. Photograph: Isabel Infantes/ReutersYou can read it all below – but stay here for updates from across Europe.ShareRussia sees Baltics, Poland as ‘nearest targets’ as it looks for ‘a new escalation,’ Lithuania’s defence minister warnsRussia sees the Baltic countires and Poland as their “nearest targets” as they look for “a new escalation” amid stalling war in Ukraine, Lithuania’s defence minister warned.Speaking to public broadcaster LRT, Robertas Kaunas said:
“Since the war in Ukraine is not unfolding as Russia planned, they are unable to win, and today explosions are echoing within Russia itself, there are fuel shortages […] Russian society is already questioning the Kremlin regime about why this is happening and where the promised victory is.
The Kremlin, [Vladimir] Putin, needs a new escalation, some kind of new win, and the Baltic region and Poland are the nearest target in this case.”
His comments come amid repeated warnings from Lithuanian, Latvian (Europe Live, 15th July), and Polish leaders about a potential escalation by Russia as it struggles to make progress in its war against Ukraine.ShareUpdated at 04.16 EDTRussian strikes have killed 28 people in Ukraine’s southern Odesa region in July, the regional governor said on Monday, as reported by Reuters.“If you take since the beginning of July, the Odesa region was under constant daily shelling. There were days when 13-15 air raid alerts had been announced in the region,” Oleh Kiper told Ukrainian television.Share10 killed in Russian strikes on merchant ship near Ukraine’s OdesaLuke Hardingin KyivTen people were killed in a Russian strike near the Ukrainian port city of Odesa on a merchant ship flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau. The vessel loaded with grain set off on Sunday. On board were 17 crew members – citizens of Syria and India – as well as a local Ukrainian pilot.Smoke rises from the grain carrier Golden Leo under the Guinea-Bissau flag after Russian missile strike in the Black Sea close to Odesa, Ukraine. Photograph: Michael Shtekel/AP“The search and rescue operation lasted all night. The fire on the ship was brought under control. Eight crew members were rescued and brought ashore. Unfortunately, 10 people including the pilot, died,” the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority said.In recent weeks Ukrainian drone forces have hit at least 118 Russian-linked vessels in the Sea of Azov, and a further 54 ships in the neighbouring Black Sea. The campaign has effectively closed down a major Russian commercial route used to export grain and other products, as well as for military purposes. Kyiv’s goal is to isolate Crimea.Russia has bombed Odesa since the start of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale 2022 invasion. It now appears to be copying Ukrainian tactics.ShareMorning opening: Ukraine sends drones to Moscow after one of largest attacks on Kyiv of the warUkraine targeted Moscow with 400 drones overnight, wounding two people and setting buildings ablaze, Russian officials said and Reuters reported, a day after Russia carried out one of the largest ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv of the full-scale war.Smoke billows after Ukrainian drone attacks, according to the local authorities, in the course of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, in Podolsk, Moscow Region, Russia. Photograph: ReutersKyiv has in recent months intensified its strikes on Russian territory, describing them as retribution for more than four years of bombardments against its territory, AFP noted.Elsewhere, I will be looking at updates from Hungary, after the country’s outgoing president and Viktor Orbán loyalist Tamás Sulyok has agreed to stand down amid pressure from the new government of Péter Magyar, and from Germany, where a resignation of a senior ruling centre-right party politician gives Friedrich Merz a chance to reshuffle his struggling government.I will bring you all the latest from across the continent here.Furthermore, we will obviously keep an eye the events from the UK where Andy Burnham is set to take over as the British prime minister from Keir Starmer. I will point you to our UK politics blog before the key moment of the day, so you won’t miss a thing.It’s Monday, 20th July 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.Good morning.ShareUpdated at 03.46 EDT