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France, Italy reportedly opt out of US-NATO arms deal for Ukraine
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Missing Russian Mi-8 helicopter found crashed in Far East, all 5 onboard dead
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Putin unfazed by Trump's threats, plans to fight on in Ukraine, Reuters reports
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3 killed, 40 injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over past day
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Patriot missiles bound for Ukraine already being shipped, Trump says
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General Staff: Russia has lost 1,037,460 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
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American who spied for Kremlin from inside Ukraine receives Russian citizenship
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Finland bans Russians, Belarusians from buying property over security concerns
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Military releases video of Ukrainian drone unit destroying Russian long-range cannon
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Mass attack hits cities overnight as Ukrainians brace for 50 more days of Russian terror
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Fact Check: Video Does NOT Show Gazans Fleeing Palestine Arriving In Sweden -- It Shows A West Bank Soccer Team Touring Europe
Does a viral video on social media show Gazans who are fleeing Palestine arriving in Sweden? No, that's not true: The Ruahel Charity Association soccer team shown in the video represents various cities in the West Bank, not Gaza. The video shows players and coaches on a plane as part of a multi-city tour of Europe in July and August of 2024, when they were scheduled to play in France, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.
The implication they were fleeing was made in a July 14, 2024 post to X.com (archived here) on the @Betar_USA account. It began "Wonderful news of gazans arriving in Sweden!". It continued:
We urge many many to leave Gaza asap and flee flee Palestine!!
Here is what the post on X looked like at the time this fact check was written:
(Source: Lead Stories screenshot of X.com post by @Betar_USA account.)
Not Refugees, Footballers
The video used in the Betar post originated on TikTok July 10, 2025 (archived here) on the Rawahel Charity Association account with the caption about its football club, reading "To Sweden" (shown below translated to English by Facebook) :
(Source: Lead Stories screenshot of left lower corner of Rawahel_charity TikTok post.)
Not Gazans, Boys From The West Bank
The Association's Facebook page (translated to English by Facebook) described the trip as a tour of Europe by its U14 soccer team made up of players from the West Bank cities of Tulkarm, Nablus, Jenin, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Sulfit and Qalqiliya, none of which is in Gaza:
(Source: Lead Stories screenshot of Facebook post on rawahel2016/ page.)
Gaza and The West Bank are about 20 miles apart at the nearest point and distinct from one another. Gazans are not permitted to freely travel to The West Bank. Gaza is controlled by Hamas, while The West Bank is governed partially by Israel and partially by the Palestinian Authority under a complex arrangement.
Readers interested in more Lead Stories fact checks about the war in Gaza will find them collected here.
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US-Ukraine minerals fund looks for manager as critical resources deal advances
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Ukraine eyes building its own private military companies — their role, legal framework remain unclear
Russian President Vladimir Putin has laid out an ultimatum, demanding that Ukraine dissolve military formations. Kyiv responded by saying it can add more.
President Volodymyr Zelensky signaled that Ukraine might consider creating its own private military companies (PMCs).
"I will be thinking about it after these ultimatums," Zelensky
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The EU is close to approving the 18th package of sanctions against Russia: oil is under attack!
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EU fails to approve new Russia sanctions as Slovakia holds up vote
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Russian city of Voronezh comes under massive drone attack, multiple casualties reported
In a devastating night for Voronezh, an unprecedented drone assault and an ineffective air defense response led to significant residential damage and numerous casualties. This marks the most severe aerial attack Voronezh has experienced in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. According to Russian media reports, the skies over the city and its surroundings were filled with the sound of explosions as drones swarmed the area. Debris from drones striking densely populated regions caused extensive destruction and injuries within the city.
At 2:29 AM, an alert was issued in the region, and just a few hours later, the governor of the Voronezh region announced that downed drones had fallen not only in the suburbs but also in the very heart of the city. One of the hit locations was a five-story building on Plekhanovskaya Street, near the regional government and Voronezh Technical University. The attack left 15 people injured, with 13 hospitalized.
The governor reported that many of the victims suffered from shrapnel wounds, one person being in a coma. Drone debris damaged residential facades, a kindergarten, retail outlets, and vehicles. Windows were shattered, and balconies destroyed in several apartments. According to local witnesses, the loud explosions were audible in almost every area of the city.
Voronezh is home to numerous military facilities and infrastructure, including warehouses and training centers. However, the authorities have not specified which targets were hit in this attack.
Voronezh had been a target before, but the city never faced this magnitude of casualties. Until now, similar destruction and suffering were more commonly seen in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, and Kyiv.
Now, Russian civilians are beginning to experience the threats that have been a stark reality for others. This is the price the Russian public is starting to pay for the aggression initiated by the Kremlin.
In just one night, Russia's air defense reported intercepting 55 drones in various regions of the country. Yet, despite these large-scale defenses, the war increasingly reaches Russian soil. As the Russian leadership continues to claim that the "special military operation" is proceeding according to plan, the residents of Voronezh scramble to find intact windows, relocate children to other kindergartens, and treat shrapnel wounds.
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Ukraine war latest: Zelensky shouldn't target Moscow, Trump says
Key developments on July 15:
- Zelensky shouldn't target Moscow, Trump says
- Ukrainian cyberattack "paralyzes" major Russian drone supplier, source claims
- Ukraine passes bill to withdraw from anti-personnel mine ban treaty
- Germany to decide on more Patriots for Ukraine "within days or weeks"
U.S.
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Patriot at the start, Kremlin under pressure: the war enters a new phase | News Pulse
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Denmark, Sweden back funding US weapons for Ukraine
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Promotions and awards assigned on the Day of Statehood
