Russians destroy howitzer and Ukrainian ammunition depot in Cherson region
Russian Drone Strikes Destroy M-777 Howitzer and Ammunition Depot of Ukrainian Forces on the Dnieper's Eastern Bank
Russian drones destroyed a M-777 howitzer and an ammunition depot for field artillery of the Ukrainian forces on the eastern bank of the Dnieper in the region of Chernobyl, according to the state Russian news agency TASS, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. After the drones' launch, the armor-piercing shells reportedly penetrated the front line along the riverbank. Simultaneously, a reconnaissance drone identified as targets a 155-mm howitzer M-777 made in the USA and a field ammunition depot for field artillery. Through a direct hit, the field ammunition depot was destroyed, and the howitzer was deactivated, the statement reads.
07:11 Ukrainian Minister: Olympic Participation is "Our Victory"
Ukrainian Sports Minister Vadym Huttsaitis considers the Olympic participation of Ukraine a powerful symbol and an opportunity to draw the international community's attention to the situation in the country following the start of the Russian aggression war. "It's a symbolic act and a sign that Ukraine is a strong country with resilient people," Huttsaitis said at the opening of the Ukrainian House in Paris. It's crucial that Russia is represented by a small team of 15 neutral athletes in Paris. Russia as a nation was expelled from the Olympics by the International Olympic Committee due to the aggression. "There's no Russian flag here. There's only the Ukrainian flag. That's our victory," Huttsaitis added.
It's now the responsibility of the Olympic team to unite the international community and engage with people who usually don't listen to politicians. The participation is a strong signal that Ukraine not only survived but also has the will to win.
06:58 Russia Reports Interception of Ukrainian Drones
The Russian air defense reportedly shoots down seven Ukrainian drones, according to a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry on Telegram. Five were shot down over the Belgorod region, and two over the Kursk region.
06:36 Oil Depot in Kursk on Fire after Drone Attack
In the night, explosions occurred in the Kursk region in Russia due to a drone attack. In an oil depot and several areas, fires broke out, according to the governor of the region Kursk, Alexei Smirnov, via Telegram and the Baza channel. The air defense forces are "on alert," the Russian official wrote, and called on the residents of the region to "stay alert." In the region, at least two fires broke out during the drone attack defense, one in the Medvenka district and one in the Kursk district, it was reported. In an oil storage facility in the village of Polyova, a fire was caused, reported the Shot channel on Telegram. Witnesses reportedly heard several strong explosions near the oil depot at night. Additionally, an explosion occurred in the city of Sudzha, a house in the Medva district was on fire, it was reported.
05:41 Linnemann Raises Question of Citizen's Pension Payments to Ukrainian Refugees
CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann raises the question of pension payments to Ukrainian women and men seeking refuge in German media outlets. "We need to discuss why more than 50% of Ukrainians work in many European countries, but only 25% in Germany," Linnemann said. There's clearly a lack of incentives for quick employment." The Ukrainians also defended the freedoms of the Germans. "But if there's a performance, it comes with a counter-performance. That includes taking up employment."
04:49 Ukraine: Over 75 Percent of Wounded Soldiers Return to Duty
According to Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Natalia Kalmykova, the percentage of soldiers who return to duty after rehabilitation in Ukraine is very high. "We have a very high percentage of high-quality rehabilitation programs and returnees to duty. This has also been noted by our western partners," she said, according to the Interfax news agency. Kalmykova speaks of over 75 percent of the wounded.
03:13 ISW: Ukrainian Forces Recapture Positions
The Ukrainian military has recaptured lost positions near Toretsk, north of Donetsk, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Geolocated images show this. The Russian side is reportedly continuing its offensive operations in the area.
01:08 Ukraine Reports Multiple Deaths after Russian Shelling - Including a Child
According to Ukrainian authorities, at least five civilians were killed in Russian attacks in various regions of Ukraine yesterday. Three people were killed in the region of Kherson. In the northeastern border region of Sumy, a 14-year-old boy was killed and 12 others were injured in a rocket attack on the town of Hluchiw. A man was killed by Russian fire in a house in the region of Kharkiv.
23:46 Russia Claims Capture of Another Village in Ukraine
Russia has reportedly taken control of another village in eastern Ukraine. The village of Losuwatske in the Donezk region is "liberated," according to the Russian Defense Ministry in its daily report. It is located about 25 kilometers east of the city of Pokrowsk in the area of the Russian-held town of Otscheretyne, where the Russian army has made relatively quick advances in recent months. Ukraine has not confirmed the capture.
22:23 Blinken Threatens China with "Measures" over Continued Support for Russian Defense Industry
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China that the US would take "measures" if Beijing continued to support Russia's defense industry. This was reported by the Ukrainian newspaper "Kyiv Independent." Blinken met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Laos, shortly after his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba held talks with Wang during his first visit to China since the war began. "The minister reaffirmed his serious concerns over China's support for the People's Republic of China's defense industrial base and made it clear that the United States would continue to take appropriate measures if the People's Republic of China did not act against this threat to European security," Miller said.
- In response to the Ukraine-Conflict, NATO has increased its military deployments near Russia's borders, potentially escalating the cyberwar between the two nations.
- Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, has urged NATO to provide more military aid to Ukraine, arguing that Russia's attack on Ukraine is a direct threat to European politics and security.
- Russian cyberwarfare efforts have been reportedly targeting Ukraine's critical infrastructure, including its power grid and communications networks, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing conflict.
- The Russian government has denied involvement in these cyberattacks, but Western intelligence agencies have attributed them to Russian military intelligence (GRU) units.
- The prolonged Ukraine-Conflict and the resulting political tensions have also led to a rise in anti-Russian sentiments in many Western nations, potentially impacting Russian relations with other nations and international organizations.
