In the Serbian capital of Belgrade, police detained two men and confiscated about 20 kg of cocaine — the largest such shipment ever seized in the city.
According to Interior Minister Ivica Dačić, following a joint operation by the Criminal Police Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Belgrade High Prosecutor’s Office, the arrest took place during the transfer of the drugs. The convicted men are M.N. (41) and S.J. (24). They have been charged with “illegal production and trafficking of narcotic drugs.” The detainees will remain in custody until the case is brought to court.
According to EMCDDA and UNODC data, cocaine retails in Western and Central European countries for an average of €40-60 per gram, depending on purity and region. In some countries, the price can reach €100-120 per gram.
If sold at retail, the confiscated shipment could have been worth up to €1,200,000.
In June 2025, Ukrainian citizens ranked second among foreign nationals in terms of the number of properties purchased in Turkey. This is evidenced by recent data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK). According to the published information, Ukrainians purchased 111 properties, second only to Russians, who traditionally remain the main foreign investors in the Turkish housing market, with 326 transactions per month.
Iranian citizens came in third place (109), followed by Iraq (97), Germany (95), Azerbaijan (71), Kazakhstan (66), China (54), the United States (41), and Palestine (40).
Experts attribute the growing interest in Turkish real estate to the following factors:
Visa-free travel and well-developed air links between Ukraine and Turkey;
Relatively low entry threshold: housing prices in Antalya, Alanya, and Mersin remain attractive compared to the European market;
The possibility of using housing as a means of preserving capital and as an evacuation address in the context of the ongoing war.
In addition, in June, Turkey saw an influx of buyers from Ukraine due to the active tourist season and investors seeking rental income in foreign currency.
Despite an overall decline in real estate purchases by Russians compared to the peak values of 2022–2023, Russians once again became the largest foreign buyers in Turkey in June 2025. This confirms the continuing trend of relocation, including permanent or temporary residence, against the backdrop of Russia’s international isolation.
Given the current geopolitical conditions and the attractiveness of the Turkish market, Ukraine may maintain its high position in the ranking of foreign buyers of real estate in Turkey in the coming months. At the same time, interest from Central Asian and Middle Eastern countries is also expected to pick up.
Overall, Turkey remains one of the leading destinations for real estate investment among citizens of the post-Soviet space.
According to information published in the Ukrainian media, former Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council (NSDC) of Ukraine Oleksandr Litvinenko may become the next Ukrainian ambassador to Serbia. This was reported by Verkhovna Rada deputy Oleksiy Goncharenko on his Telegram channel, citing sources in the presidential administration.
It is reported that Vladimir Zelensky will soon approve Litvinenko’s appointment to the diplomatic mission in Belgrade by decree.
There has been no official confirmation from the Office of the President or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine yet.
Oleksandr Valeriyovych Litvinenko, born on 27 April 1972 in Kyiv, is a Ukrainian statesman and public figure.
Education: graduated from the Institute of Cryptography, Communications and Informatics of the Russian FSB Academy (1994), received academic degrees in Kyiv and London.
He began his career in the Security Service of Ukraine (1994–1998), then held positions in the National Security and Defence Council, the Security Service and the National Institute for Strategic Studies.
In 2021–2024, he headed the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
On 26 March 2024, by presidential decree, he became Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, holding this position until July 2025, after which he was dismissed.
Litvinenko is a Doctor of Political Science, professor, major general, and Honoured Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine.
According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Litvinenko is ‘a professional with an excellent reputation,’ and he himself is a key figure in the formation of diplomatic strategies.
It is expected that after the decree is signed, the appointment will be sent to the Serbian Assembly for approval. If the candidacy is approved, Alexander Litvinenko will head the Ukrainian diplomatic mission in Belgrade.
The main task is to strengthen bilateral political and economic dialogue, strengthen Ukraine’s position in the Balkans and promote European integration.
The appointment of Oleksandr Litvinenko as Ukraine’s ambassador to Serbia reflects Kyiv’s desire to strengthen its diplomatic presence in the Balkans. His experience working in the National Security and Defence Council, the Foreign Intelligence Service, and strategic institutions makes him a strong candidate for strengthening Ukrainian-Serbian relations.
A group of students from a children’s and youth sports school went to an international sports camp in the Republic of Serbia. According to the Beryslav District Military Administration, 14 children aged 10 to 15, as well as three coaches, took part in the trip. The program includes training sessions, master classes, and cultural exchange with Serbian athletes.
The project is being implemented with the support of Save the Children, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, and in partnership with Serbian sports organizations. The goal is to promote health, sports integration, and psychological support for children.
The organizers emphasize that this is not the first such initiative and expressed hope for further development of partnerships, including possible return visits by Serbian athletes to Ukraine after the situation stabilizes.
The Beryslav administration and school management express their gratitude to:
The Ukrainian Embassy in Serbia for its diplomatic assistance;
The Save the Children fund for its support;
The Serbian host side for its warm welcome and care.
“Such initiatives give children not only sports, but also faith in the future,” the administration noted.
On July 14, the price of Bitcoin exceeded $120,000 for the first time in history, reaching a peak of $122,571. After that, the price stabilized at around $121,950. The daily growth was about 2–3%, and since the beginning of the year — almost 29%. Analysts attribute the dynamics to a massive influx of capital into Bitcoin-based exchange-traded funds (BTC-ETFs) — over $1 billion daily — and favorable expectations regarding regulation. This refers to the active debate surrounding the Genius Act bill and discussions during Crypto Week.
Institutional players, including giants such as BlackRock and Bitwise, are showing unprecedented activity: from January to July, net inflows into cryptocurrency products exceeded $14.4 billion. Bitcoin is increasingly being treated as a digital analogue of gold — a “store of strength” in times of financial volatility. Technical analysis indicates potential growth to $125,000–131,000 in the coming weeks. If the trend remains stable, the price could reach $200,000–250,000 by the end of the year.
Ethereum is not far behind. ETH updated its five-month high, rising to $3,060. Open interest in Ethereum futures reached $14.25 billion, and ETF inflows exceeded $1 billion. AI-based predictive models see ETH in the $3,000–3,200 range throughout July.
The altcoin market is also showing positive dynamics. XRP rose above $2.80, an increase of 6–7% over the week. The technical picture shows a breakout from the falling wedge formation, opening the way to $3 and possibly $4.35 as early as July. Solana is trading at $160–167, with potential to reach $186–200, while Cardano (ADA) is near $0.725 and showing an upward trend to $0.77. Investors are showing growing interest in assets such as CELO and DOGE, as well as new staking ETFs, particularly those based on Solana.
The total capitalization of the crypto market is approaching $3.8 trillion. Despite geopolitical instability, the market is showing a clear bullish trend. Central bank digital initiatives, including digital currency pilots (CBDCs) in Australia, are creating a favorable backdrop for further growth in crypto assets. Against this backdrop, Bitcoin is increasingly consolidating its status as a reserve asset, prompting large institutions and companies to withdraw significant amounts from traditional assets in favor of digital ones.
The law firm “Barristers” has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the public organizations “Caucasian Union” and the “International Institute for Caucasus Studies” with the aim of providing legal support to representatives of the Caucasian diaspora in Ukraine.
According to the company’s statement, the signing of the document is a response to the challenges faced by people from the Caucasus, who have been fighting against Russian aggression for the past decades. As noted by Yurii Radzievskyi, a partner at “Barristers,” the lawyers specialize in criminal legal defense, particularly in cases involving politically motivated persecution.
“From 2014 to 2022, there were already cases in Ukraine of detentions and extraditions of fighters of Caucasian origin at the request of the Russian Federation. We will not allow such practices to continue,” he emphasized at a press conference at the “Interfax-Ukraine” agency on Thursday.
Another partner at “Barristers,” Oleksii Shevchuk, stated that supporting the peoples of the Caucasus is part of a broader struggle for freedom. “A free Caucasus is an alliance of independence fighters who stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainians in defending the right to be free. We publicly declare our support for this struggle,” he said.
The head of the “Caucasian Union” NGO, Dzhabrail Mirzoev, emphasized the importance of legal assistance, particularly in the context of repression and political persecution. “This team of lawyers will help save the lives of many fighters,” he declared.
In turn, the head of the “International Institute for Caucasus Studies,” Kostiantyn Salii, underlined the role of an independent academic platform that will allow Caucasian researchers to work freely and publish truthful materials. He also noted the importance of protecting scholars and activists from accusations of “extremism” by the Russian Federation: “In Ukraine, one can prove their case relying on lawyers who know how to defend.”
Participants in the initiative believe that the signed memorandum will become an important milestone in the protection of the rights of representatives of the Caucasian peoples under the ongoing Russian aggression.
