Russia-Ukraine war: Ukrainian flag delivered by helicopter to Snake Island

A spokeswoman for Ukraine’s southern military command, Natalia Humeniuk, said on Monday that Ukrainian flag has been delivered by helicopter to install on the Snake Island in the Black Sea after the Russian forces retreted from the island. “The flag has been delivered to the island by helicopter,” Humeniuk told American broadcaster CNN. “It will await the arrival of troops and will then be hoisted.”

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has visited Ukraine to meet President Volodymyr Ukraine, discussing further sports aid and support to the country and its athletes. President Bach also met with around 100 athletes from the Ukrainian team at the Olympic Training Centre and listened to their first-hand accounts of training and competing with the country in crisis.

The delegation included IOC member Sergii Bubka, also the President of the Ukraine National Olympic Committee, and Ukrainian sports minister Vadym Guttsait. They visited a badly damaged sports facility in Kyiv, the Avanhard basketball hall, which had been hit by a missile attack.

President Bach has committed to continuing and strengthening the IOC's support for Ukrainian athletes, with a view to Olympic Games Paris 2024 and Olympic Winter Games MIlano Cortina 2026. As a result, the aid fund to athletes will be tripled to USD 7.5 million.

Source: Associated Press

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is holding talks with Turkey and the United Nations for safe passage of the stranded grain from Ukrainian ports and security guarantees for the same.  “Talks are in fact going on now with Turkey and the UN our representatives who are responsible for the security of the grain that leaves our ports,” Zelenskyy told a news conference as he met with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.

“This is a very important thing that someone guarantees the security of ships for this or that country apart from Russia, which we do not trust. We therefore need security for those ships which will come here to load foodstuffs.”

Western envoys in China criticised Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. US ambassador iterated that China should not spread Russian "propaganda" at the World Peace Forum, organised by Tsinghua University. He maintained that China's foreign ministry spokespeople should stop repeating "Russian propaganda" blaming NATO for the war.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmygal has predicted that the overall cost of rebuilding his country destroyed by the war could reach $750bn (£619bn). He asked Russia to foot the bill. "We believe that the key source of recovery should be the confiscated assets of Russia and Russian oligarchs," he said. "The Russian authorities unleashed this bloody war. They caused this massive destruction and they should be held accountable for it."

Phan Thị Kim Phuc, the girl in the famous 1972 Vietnam napalm attack photo, on Monday escorted 236 refugees from the war in Ukraine on a flight from Warsaw to Canada. Phuc’s iconic Associated Press photo in which she runs with her napalm-scalded body exposed, was etched on the private NGO plane that is flying the refugees to the city of Regina, the capital of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.

Kim, 59, a Canadian citizen, said she wants her story and work for refugees to be a message of peace. With her husband, Bui Huy Toan, she travelled from Toronto to board the humanitarian flight.

The refugees, mostly women and children from across Ukraine, are among thousands of Ukrainians that Canada has provided humanitarian visas in the wake of Russia’s invasion of their country. Millions of Ukrainians have fled since Russia attacked on Feb. 24. Almost 5.5 million have registered with humanitarian organizations in Europe, according to the UN. 

Source: AP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday the reconstruction of his war-battered country is the “common task of the entire democratic world,” as his prime minister laid out a $750 billion recovery plan once the guns of Russia’s invaders fall silent one day.

As Russian forces continued their crushing advance in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, Zelenskyy spoke by video message to the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Switzerland about the needs of the country that has been on an up-and-down march toward democracy since the end of the Cold War and now faces widespread devastation.

“The reconstruction of Ukraine is not a local project, is not a project of one nation, but a common task of the entire democratic world — all countries, all countries who can say they are civilized,” Zelenskyy told hundreds of attendees in Lugano.

”Restoring Ukraine means restoring the principles of life, restoring the space of life, restoring everything that makes humans humans.”

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said such a recovery would require a sort of “Marshall Plan” for Ukraine to help it rebuild.

Source/Image: Associated Press

UK PM Boris Johnson said that an alternative route to enable a safe passage of the stranded grain in Ukraine would need to be looked at, including through Europe’s Danube River, that 's if it cannot be transported  via Turkey's Bosphorus strait.

“The Turks are absolutely indispensable to solving this. They’re doing their very best. It does depend on the Russians agreeing to allow that grain to get out,” the British prime minister Johnson told parliament. “We will increasingly have to look at alternative means of moving that grain from Ukraine if we cannot use the sea route, if you can’t use the Bosphorus," he added. 

Russia's leader Vladimir Putin has declared victory in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk and told Russian troops to rest and “increase their combat capabilities." This comes as Russia's defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, told  President Putin that “the operation” in Luhansk was successful and complete. 

Ukraine's Deputy Interior Minister stated that the country is investigating over 20 cases of sexual violence by Russian soldiers. Speaking to Ukrinform, Kateryna Pavlichenko stated that in some of the cases there might be several instances of sexual violence against several victims or violence committed by several criminals. 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the Ukraine Recovery Conference that rebuilding the war-torn country is a "Generational Task." The EU chief went on to say that external reconstruction advice from the brightest minds and leading global experts is essential, so she and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will organise a high-level conference with international partners after the summer.

She stated, "Rebuilding Ukraine is a generational task. We must bring in also external advice from the brightest minds and leading global experts on reconstruction: Together with international partners, Olaf Scholz and I will organise a high-level conference after the summer."

Speaking via video link to the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano, Switzerland, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that rebuilding Ukraine is the common task of the whole democratic world. "Reconstruction of Ukraine is the biggest contribution to the support of global peace," he added, as per the Ukrainian President's website. The embattled President further stated that Russia's attack not only aims to break Ukraine's independence but it is also a "worldview confrontation."

Amid the ongoing conflict, Ukraine has claimed that its forces have defused more than 150,000 explosives since the onset of the war on February 24. The State Emergency Service claimed that more than 152,000 explosives, including nearly 2,000 aerial bombs, have been defused since Russia launched a full-fledged war in Ukraine, the Kyiv Independent reported. 
 

The German exports to Russia increased in the month of May despite sanctions imposed by the western countries on Russia. According to the German Federal Statistical Office, the exports increased by 29.4% in comparison to April. As a result of sanctions, German exports to Russia had fallen by almost 60% in March and by a further 9.9% in April. According to reports, the export of pharmaceutical products also increased substantially.  

Ukrainian Interior Ministry alleged that Russian forces shelled as many as 18 settlements in Donetsk Oblast over the past 24 hours. Without specifying the number of victims, the ministry claimed that Russian forces conducted 24 attacks on the civilian population, causing several casualties, Kyiv Independent reported. 
 

Amid rising concerns across European Union (EU) countries about the possibility of Russia reducing gas exports in retaliation to the EU's support for Ukraine in the war against Moscow, Romania is working towards setting up natural gas production units in the Black Sea. 

Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă on Tuesday, June 28, stated that the beginning of gas production in the village of Vadu on the Black Sea coast of southeast Romania is a historic development that would help the nation to reach its goal of 90% natural gas self-sufficiency, Xinhua reported.  

During the opening ceremony for the natural gas production under the Midia natural gas development project, Prime Minister Ciucă was quoted by Xinhua as saying, “It is a historic moment for the Romanian energy industry...It is the first new natural gas exploitation project in the Romanian Black Sea area in the last 30 years, and the first quantities of gas have already been introduced into the domestic market this month."   

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wished Americans on their Independence day on Monday. Taking to Twitter, he also extended his gratitude to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for standing with Ukraine and providing continuous support including the recently announced military aid package. 

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has stated that the UK wants to follow Canada's lead and seize the assets of Russians living there so that they can be given to Ukraine. This comes right before the foreign secretary is scheduled to address a conference on Ukraine reconstruction in Lugano, Switzerland, on July 4.

Most of Ukraine's senior political leaders are expected to attend in person or virtually. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is believed to have destroyed more than 120,000 homes, necessitating the need for billions of dollars in income to rebuild the nation's economy and transform it into one that is competitive with that of Europe.

Truss stated said during a press briefing, “I am supportive of the concept. We are looking at it very closely. The Canadians have in fact just passed legislation This is an issue that we are working on jointly with the Home Office and the Treasury, but I certainly agree with the concept. We just need to get the specifics of it right.”

Read more. 

Natalia Humeniuk, a spokeswoman for the Ukrainian military’s Southern Command, stated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have raised the country's flag over Snake island after compelling a Russian pullout from the strategically significant region, CNN reported. Snake Island, also known as Zmiinyi Ostriv in Ukrainian, is located about 48 kilometres (30 miles) off the coast of Ukraine and is close to the sea lanes that go to the Mediterranean and Bosphorus. 

The Syrian Ambassador to Russia Riad Haddad accused the West and Turkey of sending Islamic State (IS) militants to Ukraine. "We are not surprised that the West led by the United States, as well as, Turkey are transporting militants from the terrorist organizations ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra from Idlib city to Ukraine," he told the TASS news agency. Haddad further claimed that these banned terrorist organizations are being used as "tools" by the West against peaceful people.  

A leading Swiss nongovernmental group called out Switzerland as a “safe haven” for Russian oligarchs and as a trading hub for Russian oil, grain and coal. 

Public Eye called on the Swiss executive branch to “use all levers at its disposal to stop the financing of this inhuman aggression,” a reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine that has killed untold thousands of people, driven millions from their homes and rippled through world economy by driving up food and fuel prices.

It spoke out on the day that the Swiss president was due to host a conference on Ukraine’s eventual recovery from Russia’s war involving government officials, advocacy groups and UN institutions.

Ignazio Cassis was hosting leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by video message, at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in the bucolic lakeside town of Lugano. Swiss diplomats say the meeting aims try to map out a way forward for the world to help the war-battered country to recover and rebuild when Russia’s war ends one day.

Associated Press

Oleh Synehubov, the head of the regional administration of Kharkiv city, claimed that a secondary school in Ukraine's second-largest city was after it was hit by a Russian missile on Monday morning. “Today at 4 in the morning, the Russian occupiers launched an insidious missile attack on the Shevchenkovsky district of Kharkiv,” Synehubov wrote on Telegram. He further stated that no one was injured and rescue workers are clearing the debris.  

Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry, claimed that the ongoing war will end next year. Budanov emphasised that he would consider the end of the war precisely as "reaching the borders as of 1991". Nothing else is taken into account, he added. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's adviser Mykhailo Podolyak called on some EU leaders to let go of their 'dangerous illusions' around the fact that Putin's war is only against Ukraine but not the whole of Europe. Podolyak in his tweet mentioned that Putin, from his own "point of view" had unleashed a war on the EU via "Gas blackmailing, prices rising, the migration crisis, cyberattacks, propaganda," which many leaders were not able to comprehend.

As the ruthless war between Moscow and Kyiv continues unabated with the death toll from the military offensive advancing relentlessly, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed that his country is supporting Ukraine on multiple fronts to the best of its ability. In an interview with CBS News, Scholz claimed that Germany is supporting the war-ravaged nation with all the financial, humanitarian as well as military help to counter the Russian aggression. 

"We will continue doing this as long as it is necessary for supporting Ukraine, and for avoiding that the outcome of this war is what Vladimir Putin is looking for: a dictated peace. And this is something that neither Ukraine nor we will accept. So it is necessary that we continue with this very strong support," Scholz told the American news outlet. 

When asked why it took so long for Germany to provide military aid to Ukraine, the German Chancellor stated that the country had to take a very tough decision to change the political strategies it has been following for several decades. He went on to say that Germany had to change its policy to not supplying weapons to a country that is in a war. According to reports, Ukraine received the first batch of German Howitzers artillery on June 21. 

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Amid the ongoing ruthless war between Moscow and Kyiv, Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba asserted that it was French President Emmanuel Macron who convinced German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to support Ukraine's European Union (EU) candidacy. Notably, on June 23, the 27-member bloc granted candidate status to Ukraine for EU membership.

"I have to say that French President Emmanuel Macron played a very important role in finding the right approach in communication with the Chancellor of Germany, no matter how strange it may sound to some," Kuleba said," European Pravda reported. 

Kuleba claimed Germany and the Netherlands were the main opponents of Ukraine's candidacy status. According to him, both countries believed that Ukraine should be given something but not necessarily the legally binding guarantee of EU membership. The Ukrainian minister also heaped praise on Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi for openly coming out in Ukraine's support for the candidacy status.

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UK Ministry of Defence in its statement said, "Russia’s focus will now almost certainly switch to capturing Donetsk Oblast, a large portion of which remain under the control of Ukrainian forces. The fight for the Donbas has been grinding and attritional and this is highly unlikely to change in the coming weeks.”

Ukraine Armed Forces on Monday claimed that the defenders have liquidated 36,200 Russian troops since the war broke out on February 24. They have also destroyed a host of military tanks, armoured vehicles, Unmanned Flying Vehicles, aircraft, and helicopters. 

Ukraine General Staff of Armed Forces on Monday's war briefing said that Russian troops transported 17 cars of ammunition from the occupied territory of Crimea to Kherson via Myrne railway station. Meanwhile, the Russian troops were also regrouping around Lysychansk and Bilohorivka.

At least 3 people were killed in Russian shelling in Kharkiv Oblast. According to a report by Kyiv Independent, Russian forces bombed the community of Bezruky on July 4. Viacheslav Zadornenko, the community’s head told the publication that two men, 52 and 55, and a woman, 41, were deceased in the strikes. Another 81-year-old woman was severely wounded and is hospitalized.

At least 47 Russian troops were killed by Ukrainian defenders in the past 24 hours, claimed Ukraine's Southern Operational Command. The Ukrainian forces also destroyed one ammunition depot in Mykolaiv. 

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Monday asserted that adhering to Minsk Agreement was a fair chance for Ukraine to avoid the war. In a Telegram post, as translated by NEXTA, Zakharova said, "Zelenskyy, led by Westerners, rejected in public. Now, the Kyiv regime will not get a second chance."

Amid the ongoing war and the EU's plan to minimise dependency on Russian energy sources, UK Defence chiefs have warned fuel suppliers of cut off their contracts if they were caught importing fuel from Russia. According to a report by The Telegraph, the statement from the Defence chiefs came after the issue of British military supply chains was raised.

Citing the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Telegraph reported the officials warned taking "immediate action" if they (oil suppliers) were found diverting Russian oil to the UK. It warned to switch suppliers if they were found to be using Russian products in the supplies provided to British defence. 

As per the report, the UK Defence purchases fuel from a range of suppliers, including jet fuel from Motor Oil Hellas. It had signed a new £10m contract in May this year for fuel supply to Cyprus. In November 2017, it signed another "indirect" contract for five years with Rosneft - a Russian integrated energy company. It is to be mentioned here the original contract was signed between UK Defence Ministry and Motor Oil, however, reports suggest the company has been using Rosneft for the supply of fuels to UK MoD.

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited war-ravaged Ukraine on Sunday and met locals at the sites of the Russian offensive. Albanese, who also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, encountered both warmth and sadness of the Ukrainians impacted by more than 130 days of the Moscow-Kyiv war. According to ABC News, Australian embassy staffer Nadia Teriokhina elaborated to Albanese how her priority was to not get trapped behind the enemy lines when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the “special” operation in Ukraine on February 24. 

She reportedly told the Australian PM that she counter herself among the lucky ones. Notably, just 10 minutes from Teriokhina’s home in Irpin, hundreds were massacred in Bucha, near Kyiv. She told Albanese, “We didn't know what to do, how to behave or where to run...I said to my husband, 'I just don't want to be in the occupied territory,' so we went to Kyiv."

Albanese travelled under secrecy to Ukraine through Poland and transited the war-torn nation using an armoured diplomatic train which was seen being used by a range of other leaders. He travelled in a group of seven and as per the report, these included his social media photographer, foreign affairs adviser, national security adviser, a senior member of his department and one of his personal political staffers.

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As the forces of Russia and Ukraine continue to engage in the ravaging war, US National Security Council (NSC) coordinator John Kirby stated that it's not Washington's role to press Kyiv to engage in peace talks with Moscow. “It’s time for the United States to continue to support Ukraine, and that’s what we are doing,” Kirby told a journalist on Fox News Sunday. He went on to say that the decision of whether and when to pursue a diplomatic settlement with Russia would always be made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

"President Zelenskyy gets to determine how victory is decided and when and on what terms. And what we’re going to do is continue to make sure that can succeed on the battlefield so that he can succeed at the table. But even President Zelenskyy will tell you that the time is not now for those discussions," the US NSC coordinator added. According to reports, Russian troops continue to make steady progress in Ukraine's eastern region and launched recent strikes on Kyiv and other cities in the country. Kirby also commended Ukrainian forces, saying that they have resisted Russian invaders far more successfully than anyone anticipated.

Read more here

Despite the delays, Germany is "doing the most" to provide Ukraine with the military assistance it needs, said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during an interview with CBS News. 

“We will always see that Germany is one of the countries that is doing the most, because what we are sending now is the most sophisticated technology you can use,” Scholz told the channel host on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Madrid. 

When asked about the time frame of delivery of weapons in comparison to the US, Scholz defended his stance, saying Washington "spends that much for defence...and have a lot of weapons and stock." 

The German Chancellor's comments came amid widespread protests in Berlin demanding the German government to disassociate from the Russian war ongoing in Ukraine. 

Ukraine’s State Border Service on Sunday released a video showing Ukrainian prisoners of war being transferred during a swap on June 29. According to a report by Euromaidan Press, the POWs were inflicted with critical injuries an had to be admitted in hospitals. 

France's Île-de-France a.k.a Isle of France on Monday extended a gracious proposal to help reconstruct the Ukrainian city of Borodyanka. As reported by Euromaidan Press, the President of the region offered to build the destroyed city as an ecological area with "modern energy-saving technologies." 

"More than a hundred thousand Ukrainian athletes do not have the opportunity of training. Hundreds of sports facilities were destroyed: these are both large sports infrastructure facilities and facilities based on Ukrainian schools, universities and sports clubs," Ukrainian President  Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a meeting with President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach in Kyiv. 

Australian PM Anthony Albanese on Sunday made a surprise stop to Ukraine before ending his Europe trip. He visited the towns of Bucha, Irpin, and Hostomel on the outskirts of Kyiv, where the evidence of Russia's hostilities is out in the open. 

In a Telegram post, Kyiv governor Oleksii Kuleba said PM Albanese "was shocked" to see the remnants of Russian President Vladimir Putin-ordered atrocities. The Australian PM also witnessed traces of mines and the bombed residential infrastructure. 

"Russia’s brutal invasion is a gross violation of international law. I saw first-hand the devastation and trauma it has inflicted on the people of Ukraine ...My visit to Kyiv and recent visits by other world leaders send a clear message that democratic nations like Australia will stand side by side with the Ukrainian people in their time of need," PM Albanese said post his visit. 

Albanese announced additional $99.5m in military aid, which will include: 

• 14 armoured personnel carriers,
• 20 Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles and other military equipment;
• a contribution to Nato’s Ukraine Comprehensive Assistance Package Trust Fund;
• and $8.7m to assist Ukraine’s Border Guard Service to upgrade border management equipment, cybersecurity and border operations in the field.

UK Foreign Secretary Elizabeth (Liz) Truss on Sunday stated that London is in favour of the step taken by Canada to seize Russian assets and redistribute them to meet Ukraine's needs.  

“I am supportive of the concept. We are looking at it very closely. The Canadians have in fact just passed legislation This is an issue that we are working on jointly with the Home Office and the Treasury, but I certainly agree with the concept. We just need to get the specifics of it right,” she said, as quoted by The Guardian. 

Truss, who will participate in the convention on rebuilding Ukraine in Lugano, Switzerland, told the publication that she is mulling over possibilities to follow Ottawa's example. The British FM stressed that the decision will "most probably" need legislation. 

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Sunday reaffirmed his support for his closest ally Russia President Vladimir Putin. Speaking at an event marking the anniversary of the WWII liberation of Minsk by Soviet troops, Lukashenko reiterated that he had been behind Putin "from the very first day." 

Today, we are being criticised for being the only country in the world to support Russia in its fight against Nazism. We support and will continue to support Russia,” Belarusian BelTA news agency quoted Lukashenko as saying.

And those who criticise us, do they not know that we have such a close union with the Russian Federation?…That we have practically a unified army. But you knew all this. We will remain together with fraternal Russia,” he added. 

This comes as Ukrainian authorities have feared a potential threat to west Ukraine from Belarusian forces. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dubbed Lukashenko's words equivalent to "threats" as he watched his Belarusian counterpart's actions carefully. 

Australian PM Anthony Albanese on Sunday slapped new sanctions in retaliation to Russia's war against Ukraine. He imposed a ban on Russian gold imports. In addition, PM Albanese also authorised punitive actions against 16 ministers from Russian President Vladimir Putin's cabinet. 

Ukraine Center for Strategic Communications of Armed Forces on Sunday claimed to have pulled down the railway bridge between Melitopol and Tomak, which was reportedly used by Russian occupiers for transporting weapons and ammunition. 

Ukrainian media reported that Russian occupiers on Sunday launched rocket attacks from Smerch launchers on the Kramatorsk region. Nexta, citing Kyiv authorities, reported that one of the rockets mowed down a hotel and a residential complex while two others damaged roads in a civilian area. 

As many as 89 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed in the ongoing Russian war since February 24, said Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. He added that at least 13 Ukrainian athletes and coaches are currently in Russian captivity. Meanwhile, over a lakh sportspersons are deprived of training as Russian occupiers have destroyed significant facilities in the war-torn country. 

Sumy governor Dmytro Zhyvytsky on Sunday informed that Russian troops fired over 230 mine attacks on the region. 

Speaking during his night address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed that the Russian occupiers suffered significant losses on the 130th of the ongoing battle in east Europe. He thanked the Ukrainian defenders for their relentless service to protect the country despite escalating Russian strikes. "We will rebuild walls, we will conquer the land," he said to boost the morale of the country's Armed Forces as the war continues for an unprecedented time.

Zelenskyy also went on to clarify Ukraine's withdrawal from Lysyschansk. "if the command of our army withdraws people from certain points of the front where the enemy has the greatest fire superiority, in particular, this applies to Lysychansk, it means only one thing: we will return thanks to our tactics, thanks to the increase in the supply of modern weapons," he said. 

Amid the ongoing war and the EU's plan to minimise dependency on Russian energy sources, UK Defence chiefs have warned their fuel suppliers to cut off their contracts if they were caught exporting fuel from Moscow. According to a report by The Telegraph, the statement from the Defence chiefs came after it raised the issue of British military supply chains. Citing the  Ministry of Defence (MoD), the national British English daily, reported the officials warned taking "immediate action" if they (oil suppliers) found diverting Russian oil to the UK. It warned to switch suppliers if they were found to be using Russian products in the supplies provided to British defence. 

Amid the ongoing ravaging war between Russia and Ukraine, Slovakia is likely to provide its MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukrainian Armed Forces to counter the Russian aggression. Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger made the announcement while speaking to the media along with his Czech Republic counterpart Petr Fiala. Speaking further, the Slovak Prime Minister also affirmed the possibility of providing tanks to war-torn Ukraine. "But I don't want to say it in detail, because Ukraine also asked us not to specify this," Heger told ČT24 News channel. 

Barely hours after the Russian Armed Forces made tall claims of capturing Ukraine's Lysychansk province, Kyiv refuted the claims and said, "it is not under the full control of Russian forces."While speaking to BBC on Sunday, Ukrainian defence ministry spokesman, Yuriy Sak, affirmed the region is not under the "full control" of the Russian government but added the situation is "extremely tense". He confirmed that the Russian forces have been attacking the city "non-stop". The spokesperson said that Ukraine gives "preference to human lives" over "winning pieces of land". Sak said it might be possible that the Ukrainian forces have lost their grip over some areas but affirmed it would liberate them from Putin's forces very soon.

Russian forces attack Sloviansk city; killed several Ukrainians 

Russian Defence Ministry chief spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Sunday that the Russian forces had "encircled" Lysychansk and were "fighting inside" the Ukrainian city. "Russian troops and units of the Luhansk People's Republic are fighting inside Lysychansk, completing the defeat of the encircled enemy," Konashenkov said in his daily briefing. The spokesman also claimed Ukraine had launched missile and drone attacks in western Russia, on the cities of Kursk and Belgorod. Konashenkov said Russian air defence systems shot down the missiles, however, in Belgorod, "the wreckage of one of them fell on a residential building in the city".

AP

As the Russian offensive against Ukraine continues even after four months of brutal war, several European Union lawmakers again accused Germany of not providing enough support to the war-torn nation. The lawmakers urged Berlin to ramp up arms shipments to help Ukraine win the war. In an open letter signed and published by six EU lawmakers including two Germans – Green MEP Viola von Cramon and conservative Michael Gahler – as well as MEPs from Lithuania, France, and Poland, they urged the German Chancellor to take immediate action to help Ukraine fight against Russian aggression.

Newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the towns of Bucha, Irpin and Hostomel on Sunday and took a closer look at the destruction made by Russian forces since the onset of the war. Head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration Oleksiy Kuleba, who was also accompanied by the Australian leader, took to the Telegram messaging app and wrote, "Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese visited the Kyiv region. The delegation visited Bucha, Hostomel and Irpin." As per Kuleba, Albanese was shocked by what he saw: destroyed civilian houses, traces of mines, and the destroyed Antonova airport. "Australia supports Ukraine and advocates fair punishment for the crimes committed here," the Prime Minister said.

In his latest remarks, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated that the Group of Seven (G7) nations have decided to impose a cap on Russian oil prices by slashing them to around half of the current purchase price. During a public address in Tokyo on Sunday, Kishida made reference to a joint communique released after the recently concluded G7 summit in Germany. He went on to say that a mechanism would be developed to stop the purchase of Russian oil at a price higher than the cap. 

According to the communiqué, a plan to cap oil prices might allow for the international shipping of Russian crude oil and petroleum products only if the commodity is purchased at or below a specified price. According to reports, limiting the price of oil is anticipated to further tighten the existing sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

The pernicious impact of Russia's war is now visible on nearly every street and building in Ukraine as fighting continues for 130 days. As the conflict burgeons in the eastern part of the country, Ukraine Armed Forces, in its latest operational briefing, claimed to have eliminated at least 35,790 Russian troops since the invasion began on February 24. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in a statement, specified that until July 3, defenders have "liquidated" 35,000 Russian personnel (+ 150 over the past day).

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Russian forces are strengthening their positions in a gruelling fight to capture the last stronghold of resistance in eastern Ukraine's Luhansk province, the region's governor said Sunday. Ukrainian fighters have spent weeks trying to defend the city of Lysychansk and to keep it from falling to Russia, as neighbouring Sievierodonetsk did a week ago. A presidential adviser predicted its fate could be determined within days. “The occupiers threw all their forces on Lysychansk. They attacked the city with incomprehensibly cruel tactics,” Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai said on the Telegram messaging app.

Nearly a month after at least five Russian naval ships "almost encircled Japan", Moscow has again sent its three naval vessels that passed between Japan's two westernmost islands of Yonaguni and Iriomote. Citing Japan's Defence Ministry, Kyodo News Agency, the repeated instances of Russian Naval forces showcasing their muscles have been reported ever since Tokyo criticised Kremlin's unlawful action on Ukraine.  As per the ministry, the destroyer, frigate and supply ships sailed between the islands near Taiwan from Friday through Saturday and moved into the East China Sea. Further, Japan's Defence Ministry said the officials were dissecting the vessel's movement and added the watercraft were on their way to return to Russia.

Governor of the Kursk region Roman Starovoyt, on Sunday, claimed that the Russian air defence systems shot down two Ukrainian Strizh drones while approaching the western Russian city. Sharing the photographs on the Telegram messaging app, he said, "Tonight, on approach to Kursk, our air defences shot down two Ukrainian Strizh drones. Thanks to the competent actions of the military, there were no casualties."

Russian forces are strengthening their positions in a gruelling fight to capture the last stronghold of resistance in eastern Ukraine's Luhansk province, the region's governor said Sunday.

Ukrainian fighters have spent weeks trying to defend the city of Lysychansk, and to keep it from falling to Russia, as neighbouring Sievierodonetsk did a week ago.

A presidential adviser predicted its fate could be determined within days.

“The occupiers threw all their forces on Lysychansk. They attacked the city with incomprehensibly cruel tactics,” Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai said on the Telegram messaging app.

“They suffer significant losses, but stubbornly advance. They are gaining a foothold in the city.” A river separates Lysychansk from Sievierodonetsk.

Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, said during an online interview late Saturday that Russian forces had managed for the first time to cross the river from the north, creating a “threatening” situation.

Arestovych said they had not reached the centre of the city but that the course of the fighting indicated the battle for Lysychansk would be decided by Monday.

In May, Ukrainian and British officials reported that Russia lost nearly an entire battalion in an attempt to cross the Siverskyi Donets River and set up a bridgehead.

PTI

As the ongoing Ukraine war continues with no signs of cessation anywhere in sight, Russia has claimed that a significant number of residents in Melitopol city have applied for Russian citizenship. Located in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast region of southeastern Ukraine, Melitopol city is currently occupied by the Russian forces. Galina Danilchenko, Melitopol's acting mayor appointed by Russia, claimed that there are already 10,000 people in line for citizenship. "We have a lot of applicants, Melitopol residents want to obtain Russian passports as well as citizenships. Pre-registration has already exceeded 10 thousand people - a month and a half in advance," Danilchenko stated, TASS news agency reported. 

The Russian-appointed mayor further noted that the city's administration is working on the issue of opening additional passportization points in a bid to speed up the process between the submission of documents, their processing, and the issuance of passports. Danilchenko, who is also the head of the military-civilian administration of Melitopol, claimed that the necessary team of specialists has been employed at the centres to hasten the process of receiving and processing documents. 

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As the Moscow-installed military administration ruling confirmed their plans of holding a referendum on joining Russia in Ukraine's Kherson region, the UK Ministry of Defence, in its daily intelligence report, claimed that the referendum would be conducted by autumn 2022. According to the UK Defence Ministry, Russia is likely prioritising a "pseudo-constitutional vote" in an attempt to legitimise its control of the region. Earlier, in a video published on Telegram, Kirill Stremoussov, the deputy head of Kherson's military and civil administration, confirmed the plan and said, "Yes, we are preparing for a referendum -- and we will hold it."

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As Russia's offensive continues to batter the already war-ravaged Ukraine, Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, confirmed that the country has been making all efforts to force the European Union to impose another set of sanctions on Moscow. He made the remarks after a telephonic conversation with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell on Saturday. According to the details shared by Kuleba on his Twitter account, he affirmed that  Borrell agreed on the need for the seventh EU sanctions package on Russia. He conveyed that both parties have already started working on it. "We both agree on the need for the seventh EU sanctions package on Russia and we are working on it," he said.

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United States President Joe Biden has "failed to deter" Russian military aggression in Ukraine and now he is "clueless about what to do" with the ongoing conflict, said former US national security adviser John Bolton as the war entered day 130. The national security adviser of Donald Trump-era even claimed that a deal between Ukraine and Russia appears to be unlikely in the present circumstances.

While appearing on CBS on Saturday, Bolton, a Republican who is a vocal critic of Russia, claimed that Biden had “made mistake after mistake” in handling the Russia-Ukraine war. According to the former security adviser, Biden had the means to prevent the Russian army from launching the full-scale attack on Ukraine but “didn’t exercise them”. Bolton critiqued that Biden shouldn’t have publicly admitted that Washington will not send its troops to Ukraine to “leave the burden of ambiguity on Russia”.

While the West ramped up anti-Russia sanctions after Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24 announced the “special” military operation in Ukraine, Bolton believed that the sanctions should have been imposed before the start of the offensive, not after it had already begun.

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Ukrainian Armed Forces in its current war briefing mentioned that at least 35,970 Russian troops were eliminated since February 24. In addition, they also destroyed over 1,500 tanks and 3,744 armoured personnel vehicles. 

Advisor to Mariupol Mayor, Petro Andryushchenko on Sunday confirmed that at least 3 Russian troops were killed on June 30 after Moscow's amphibious assault boat 'Shark' was detonated in the Black Sea. 

"Finally, we received confirmation that on June 30, in the waters of Mariupol, a Russian amphibious assault boat of project 1176 "Shark" of the D-106 Black Sea Fleet was blown up by a mine," Andryushchenko wrote in a Telegram post. 

Ukrainian forces on Sunday struck a Russian base with more than 30 missile attacks in the occupied southern city of Melitopol.

According to a video message posted by the city’s exiled Ukrainian mayor, Ivan Fedorov, on his Facebook page, “The Armed Forces of Ukraine do everything to return peaceful life and Ukrainian statehood to Melitopol. All the invaders can do is flee from our city.”

The strike was confirmed by Russia’s RIA news agency.

A Moroccan and a Briton, who were sentenced to death by a pro-Russian separatist court in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, have appealed against their sentences, according to Russian news agency TASS. The report stated that the Supreme Court of self-proclaimed Donetsk people’s Republic (DPR), a territory recognised only by Russia and Syria, had received appeals from lawyers of Moroccan Brahim Saadoun and Britain’s Shaun Pinner. 

Saadoun, Pinner and Aiden Aslin were handed out death sentences by the DPR court and were designated as “mercenaries” fighting in Ukraine against Russian forces as the Moscow-Kyiv war continues unabated. While Pinner and Saadoun have appealed against the ruling, Aslin has reportedly not yet submitted an appeal. 

The sentencing of foreign nationals after being charged for “mercenary activities” has triggered intensified criticism from the West against Russia as a show trial. The relatives of both Britons and the Moroccans have said that they were contracted to fight in the Ukrainian army and therefore, they should not be designated as mercenaries and should be protected under the Geneva Conventions for prisoners of war. 

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Ukrainian authorities hired minors against meager payment to act as victims of war, said Russian colonel-general Mikhail Mizintsev. 

The Institute for Study of War (ISW) on Saturday claimed that Ukraine "deliberately" withdrew from Lysychansk leaving Russian troops to completely take over the city on July 2. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Saturday, said that it would be a “very difficult path” to victory but all his compatriots must inflict heavy losses on invaders. As Russian troops crossed the Siverskyi Donets River for the first time in four months, Zelenskyy reasserted that Ukraine “cannot be broken.” In his nightly address, he also spoke about the intensity of the attacks underscoring that Russian attacks have intensified on the frontline with the Donbas region being the epicenter. 

In his nightly address, Zelenskyy said that it would be a “very difficult part” to victory but Ukrainians must maintain their resolve and inflict losses on the aggressor … so that every Russian remembers that Ukraine cannot be broken.”

 In their latest series of attacks, Putin's forces shelled the eastern city of Lysychansk. The Siverskyi Donets River river separates Lysychansk from Sievierodonetsk- a city that, last week, fell to the Russians. Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, on Saturday said Russian forces had managed for the first time to cross the river from the north, creating a “threatening” situation. He added that the fate of the city would be decided as early as Monday. 

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At least 3 people have been reportedly killed after explosions hit Russia's Belgorod- a city located 40 km from the Ukraine border. The Governor of the Belgorod region said, about 11 apartment buildings were damaged and 39 private residential houses, including five, fully destroyed. Among the dozen who sustained injuries in the blast was a 10-year-old boy, the governor added, as posted on Telegram. 

Whether the attack was from the Ukrainian side is yet to be confirmed. Meanwhile, Kyiv has refused to comment on the matter. 

The State Bureau of Investigation in Ukraine is currently probing nearly 600 cases of collusion and treason with Russian troops, Kyiv authorities told All-Ukrainian telethon. 

"Since the beginning of active hostilities, since February 24, the SBI has been investigating a total of almost 600 criminal proceedings for collaborationism and treason. Of them, more than 440 are treason, 140 are collaborationism," the DBR's communications adviser told the publication. 

Russian Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, who is the chief of Russia’s National Defense Management Center on Saturday accused Ukraine of shelling on the civilian population in the Slavyansk region of Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). 

"In Slavyansk, Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), in order to pin the blame for extermination of the civilian population in Ukraine on Russia, the Ukrainian Armed Forces carried out artillery shelling of residential areas from the Slavyansk feed mill plant (on Literaturnaya Street) on June 30, 2022. A woman was killed and about 10 people were injured," he said, as quoted by Russian state-run news agency TASS. 

Ukraine's armed forces in its latest operational update the Russian occupiers are launching systematic rocket attacks in the Mykolaiv direction. A statement by the Ukrainian MoD said that Russian troops are focusing on securing positions in the Lysychansk region.

German Cultural Commissioner Claudia Roth on Saturday expressed her discontent over the common boycott of Russian culture over developments in Ukraine. Speaking to Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper Roth explained that "Many uncertainties exist about the attitude to have towards the Russian culture. I believe the boycott is completely wrong because often exactly Russian people of art attempt to keep remains of free space." 

As the Russia-Ukraine war gains momentum in eastern Europe, a phone conversation between an invader and his wife has been overheard by Ukrainian intelligence. The intercept was made public on Telegram by the press service of Ukraine's Chief Directorate of Intelligence, Ukrinform reported. The soldier has informed his wife about the several casualties as well as the capture of a Russian commander prisoner who attempted to escape the front lines. 

According to the Ukrinform report, a Donetsk People’s Republic invader said, “The fourth battalion, they took their commander prisoner. They forced him to stay with them so that he wouldn't flee.” He also added, “They have a lot of wounded. We also loaded the vehicles yesterday. They are ready to escape. An order was given to stay. Yesterday, more than twenty wounded Russians were taken away".  

Furthermore, previously, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense's Chief Directorate of Intelligence stated that a large number of Russian security agency workers had started to submit resignation letters. 

Meanwhile, the Russian soldiers have detained nearly 8 mayors from Ukrainian cities in seized territory, according to the Association of Ukrainian Cities, which was cited by Kyiv Independent. Ihor Kolykhaiev, the mayor of communities in the occupied Kherson Oblast, is one of the eight authorities. 

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As the Russian war continues to escalate, European nations have agreed to bolster their support for Ukraine. On Saturday, Minister of Defense of the Czech Republic, Jana Černochová engaged in a discussion with her Ukrainian counterpart Hanna Maliar over defence positions between both countries. Černochová said the Czech sees eye-to-eye with Ukraine and agreed to ramp up defence cooperation to counter Russian aggression. 

"Today I worked in Lviv, where I was meeting with the Minister of Defense of the Czech Republic, Jana Černochová. We had a very warm meeting. Of course, we talked of war and aid to Ukraine," Maliar said in a Telegram post. 

The UK has denounced Russia’s “exploitation” of prisoners of war and civilians for political reasons after Moscow forces captured two more Britons and charged them with being “mercenaries” in Ukraine. 22-year-old Dylan Healy and military volunteer Andrew Hill were charged with carrying out “mercenary activities” by the pro-Russia authorities in Donetsk, according to Russian news agency TASS. The report also stated that both men were not cooperating with the investigators. 

In a statement to news outlets, UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) stated that it has raised its concerns regarding Healy and Hill’s detention with Russia and is closely monitoring the developments. As per The Independent, the British Foreign Office said that it is maintaining “constant contact” with the Ukrainian government on the cases regarding both British nationals and are “fully supportive” of Ukraine. 

“We condemn the exploitation of prisoners of war and civilians for political purposes and have raised this with Russia,” the Foreign Office said on July 2.

It added,  “We are in constant contact with the government of Ukraine on their cases and are fully supportive of Ukraine in its efforts to get them released.”

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On the 130th day of the brutal Moscow-Kyiv war in Eastern Europe, Lysychansk, a city in eastern Ukraine, has become the focus of conflicting declarations, with both Russian and Ukrainian forces claiming to be in charge. Although Ukraine claimed that its troops have been subjected to heavy Russian bombardment there, it asserted that the city has not been captured, BBC reported. Separatists supported by Russia, however, alleged that they have reached the city's centre and are in control of the city. While Russian-backed rebels and Russian soldiers allegedly encircling the important eastern city of Lysychansk have been denied by the Ukrainian army, The Guardian reported. 

Lysychansk is still in the authority of Ukraine, according to Ruslan Muzytchuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian National Guard. Muzytchuk further said, “Fighting rages around Lysychansk,” The Guardian reported. Russian-back separatists had previously said that Lysychansk was "totally" besieged. 

Furthermore, videos of separatist or Russian military purportedly marching through the city were shown by Russian media. Additionally, unconfirmed Russian sources posted a video of what seemed to be the Soviet flag being hoisted over the city's demolished administration centre, BBC reported. 

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his night address on Saturday claimed that Russian troops have fired at least 12 missile strikes on Ukraine in past 24 hours. "Today, the Russian army continued to fire missiles at our cities. As of the evening alone, there have already been six missile strikes, a total of 12 missiles. Mykolaiv, the Donetsk region..." he said. 

Zelenskyy added, "The airstrikes continued. Fierce hostilities continue along the entire frontline, in Donbas - the epicenter is, of course, in the cities of the Luhansk region. The enemy’s activity in the Kharkiv region is intensifying. We managed to oust the occupiers from Ivanivka, Kherson region, we continue to put pressure in the south of our country..."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday stated that the country is preparing for the special conference dedicated to the reconstruction of Ukraine at the Conference in Lugano, Switzerland. "A large-scale international event dedicated to the reconstruction of our country. Reconstruction in the broad sense of the word. It is necessary not only to restore everything that the occupiers destroyed but also to create a new basis for our life, for Ukraine - safe, modern, convenient, and barrier-free," Zelenskyy said.  

Russian shelling on Odesa's Sergeyevka region left as many as 20 dead and over 38 wounded. Two among the deceased with children who lived in the residential building that was struck by X-22 missiles. Rescue work continued for two consecutive days helping retrieval of survivors. 

Check out video of rescue operations shared by Ukrainian State Emergency Services.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Culture has reportedly recorded over 400 crimes against heritage and cultural monuments in the country committed by Russia. According to the Minister of Culture of Ukraine, Alexander Tkachenko, strikes by occupiers have demolished at least 145 heritage buildings, including religious infrastructure, NEXTA reported. 

Donetsk governor Pavlo Kyrylenko on Sunday informed that at least 2 persons were killed and 3 others injured as Russia renewed shelling in the Donetsk region. 

Russian troops in occupied areas have captured at least 8 Ukrainian mayors, said the Association of Ukrainian Cities, as quoted by Kyiv Independent. Among the 8 officials are the mayor of settlements in seized Kherson Oblast, Ihor Kolykhaiev. 

A NATO-allied nation in Europe may soon become the target of the Russian aggression that could lead to direct military intervention by the United States of America, US Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, warned on July 2. "Throughout the conflict, I have urged the Biden Administration to back their posture with decisive action like supporting the transfer of military equipment to Ukrainian forces. Unfortunately, even when they have done the right thing, it has been too little too late," the politician from North Dakota asserted. 

“Our support for Ukraine extends far beyond its borders and goes even further than the Ukrainian people themselves," US Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) told the Senate Committee on the Armed Forces on Saturday. 

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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has accused Ukraine of shelling military facilities across the border. He alleged that Belarusian forces also intercepted rockets fired from the Ukrainian side about three days ago. 

In a stern response, Lukashenko, who is a strong ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, will not hesitate to join the Russian war if the Ukrainian military crosses the Belarusian border or "kills Belarusian people."

“Almost 16 million people in Ukraine today need humanitarian assistance; water, food, health services, a roof over their heads, protection. These are conservative numbers that the United Nations is in the process of revising now," said UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Osnat Lubrani. Amid growing alarm over global food insecurity, the situation has transpired into what can be described as "devastating" in Mariupol, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Bucha, Irpin and beyond, she added. 

Meanwhile, WFP Ukraine Deputy Emergency Coordinator Kate Newton reiterated that the lack of safe access to Ukrainian ports and the cereal silos they house could lead to grave food emergencies. “Without the Black Sea ports, we cannot get anywhere close to the kind of export levels that Ukraine urgently needs,” she added. 

Ukraine on Saturday warned of a threat of escalation on the border with Belarus, and summoned an emergency meeting of the city's military and officials to develop an action plan for response. Mayor of Lviv Andrii Sadovyi, in a Facebook post, claimed that the military threat has been suspected to emerge near the Ukrainian city of Lviv. Belarusian military might launch an offensive and also possibly impose a blockade of export routes. 

"In each district of the city, we will create a defense headquarters and conduct additional training for members of the volunteer formations of territorial defense forces," Mayor of Lviv Andrii Sadovyi, informed on Saturday. "We will not transfer them to 24-hour duty yet. However, this decision can change at any moment. Since the situation on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border is unpredictable, this is its biggest difficulty. We are also considering the option of forming reserve volunteer battalions from employees of the city council and utility enterprises,” he went on to add. 

Ukraine’s NSDC Center for Combating Disinformation, meanwhile, claimed that Russian troops have been planning a strategic attack on Ukraine from the frontier shared by Moscow's ally Belarus. Belarusian President Lukashenko has also recently claimed that Ukraine's forces have attempted to attack the military facilities on Belarusian territory. This, he said, happened three days ago. He warned that his country does not want to start a war with Ukraine, having earlier condemned the western arms supply. 

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Ukrainian officials on Saturday informed that demining troops were able to defuse over 48,000 explosives in Kyiv oblast. According to administration officials, as told to Kyiv Independent, as of July 2 over 17739 hectares of land have been successfully demined. 

Ukrainian Armed Forces on Saturday claimed to have eliminated two Russian control points. In addition, they destroyed two ammunition depots, and up to 20 armoured combat vehicles and 10 tanks along the frontlines at Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk 

As the war gains momentum in eastern Europe, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday night said that every "Russian must remember that Ukraine cannot be broken.”

“In many areas from the front, there is a sense of easing up, but the war is not over...Unfortunately, it is intensifying in different places and we mustn’t forget that. We must help the army, the volunteers, help those who are left on their own at this time,” Zelenskyy said.

This comes as Russia has continued to pound pockets of Ukraine in the past week, including a series of deadly strikes on Odesa which killed 21 people. about 19 people were killed after a Russian missile struck a shopping mall last Monday.