Situation at a glance - Heavy fighting in the east - Ukraine under pressure
Heavy fighting in the eastern part of Ukraine, according to the military leadership in Kiev, continue. "The situation was at its peak today in the area of Pokrovsk, in addition, the enemy was active in the direction of Lyman and Kurachowe," the Ukrainian General Staff reported in its evening situation report. All three mentioned cities lie in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. A total of 123 engagements took place throughout the day.
Forty-one of these engagements were reportedly in the area of Pokrovsk. There were 19 attacks in the direction of Lyman and 17 in Kurachowe. While the General Staff reported that 29 attacks at Pokrovsk had been repelled, 12 battles were still ongoing. The defenders were making every effort to stabilize the situation and prevent the enemy from advancing deep into Ukrainian territory, it was stated.
Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian offensive war for over two years.
Russian troops advance in the area of Pokrovsk
The Russian Defense Ministry reported earlier in the day that the capture of the village of Sokil had been achieved in this area. The Heeresgruppe Zentrum managed to take control of the settlement and improve its tactical situation, the Defense Ministry in Moscow reported. The Ukrainian side initially commented on this. Independent confirmation of the reports of the warring parties cannot always be obtained.
However, the pro-Ukrainian portal "Deepstate" had already marked the small settlement, which is located next to the significantly larger and long-contested settlement of Ocheretyne, as being under Russian control at the end of June. Sokil, which had a few dozen inhabitants according to a census before 2001, is located in the Pokrovsk district. Pokrovsk is considered one of the potential targets of the Russian advance in this area.
Sokil is no longer mentioned in the General Staff's situation report, instead the western settlement of Prohres is mentioned. According to Ukrainian military information, there have been over 180 Russian soldiers killed in the area of Pokrovsk. In addition, several Russian military vehicles were reportedly destroyed. These statements cannot be verified independently.
The frontline at Pokrovsk is considered relatively threatened. Since the Russian troops were able to take the fortress of Avdiivka at the beginning of the year, they have been advancing slowly for months. The Ukraine has not yet been able to stop the advance and stabilize the defense lines.
New drone attacks from the Russians
The Russian armed forces have again attacked the eastern Ukraine at night with so-called Kamikaze drones. The air defense in Kharkiv and Sumy reported drone intrusions in several waves. The Ukrainian military initially made no statements about the effects of the attacks.
President Zelensky announces new maritime strategy
Ukraine intends to push back Russian influence in the western part of the Black Sea. Ukraine will develop a new national maritime strategy, announced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his daily video address. "We understand clearly that the war has changed the balance of forces in our Black Sea region and the Russian fleet in this basin will never dominate again," Zelenskyy said optimistically. Ukraine will pursue its own national interests at sea and those of its partners and protect transportation routes, he said.
Russia had already taken control of a significant part of the Ukrainian fleet during the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Further Ukrainian ships were lost to Kiev shortly after the beginning of the large-scale Russian invasion in 2022 with the capture of the seaport Berdjansk in the southern Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia. The flagship of the Ukrainian Navy, the Hetman Sahaidatschnyj, went down in Mykolajiv.
Despite the fact that the Ukrainian Navy currently does not possess large warships, Kiev has managed to drive the Russian Black Sea Fleet out of the western part of the Black Sea. This allowed at least partial revival of maritime trade through Odessa. The Ukrainian Navy is expected to be restocked with weapons deliveries from Western partners in the near future.
Chinese soldiers landed for military exercises in Belarus
Chinese soldiers have reportedly arrived in Belarus (formerly known as White Russia) for a joint anti-terror exercise, according to official statements. The exercise is scheduled to take place from July 8 to 19, the Belarusian Defense Ministry announced on its Telegram channel.
Initially, there were no details about the planned exercises. The exact number of Chinese soldiers involved is unknown. A Chinese transport aircraft, capable of carrying a three-digit number of soldiers, is visible in the photos released by the Belarusian Defense Ministry.
The already tense relations between Belarus and the West, particularly with Ukraine, have deteriorated further. Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has repeatedly portrayed the West as a threat to his country. His closest ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, has allowed the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons on his territory.
Recently, Belarus has strengthened its troops at the border with Ukraine and justified it with alleged provocations from the neighboring country. Kiev, in turn, feels threatened by Minsk. Russian troops had entered Ukraine from Belarusian territory during their attack on Ukraine more than two years ago.
Ukrainian Armed Forces Situation Report (Ukr)
- The Ukrainian military is actively engaging in heavy fighting in the eastern part of Ukraine, particularly in the areas of Pokrovsk, Lyman, and Kurachowe, all located in the Donetsk region.
- The defensive efforts in Pokrovsk have resulted in 29 attacks being repelled, but 12 battles are still ongoing, according to the Ukrainian General Staff.
- Russia's advance has been noted in the Pokrovsk area, with the Russian Defense Ministry reporting the capture of the village of Sokil early in the day.
- The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Selensky, announced a new national maritime strategy to push back Russian influence in the western part of the Black Sea.
- Ukraine's military leadership is facing a significant threat at Pokrovsk, as Russian troops have been advancing slowly since taking the fortress of Avdiivka at the beginning of the year.
- New drone attacks were reported from the Russians, targeting Kharkiv and Sumy with Kamikaze drones in several waves.
- Russia had previously taken control of a significant part of the Ukrainian fleet during the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and captured additional Ukrainian ships during their 2022 invasion.
- In response to the Russian threats, Germany has been identified as a crucial partner for Ukraine, providing military support and weapons deliveries.
- The conflicts in Ukraine have also impacted the region, withBelarus hosting Chinese soldiers for a joint anti-terror exercise, further straining relations with Ukraine.
- With its military leadership focused on defense against Russian aggression, Ukraine continues to face multiple challenges and conflicts, both within its borders and beyond.
