Russia claims restoring 'centralised municipal govt' in occupied parts of Ukraine

Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Russian Defence Ministry has announced that a "centralised municipal government" has been restored in all the cities occupied by Russian forces, TASS reported. The ministry further said that the market and city services have gradually started to operate again in the region and "food supplies have been established".

The Defence Ministry of Russia stated that the military and people have been together restoring the infrastructure in the regions controlled by Russian armed forces. As per TASS, several tons of humanitarian cargo have been sent from Russia to Kharkiv. People in the region have been given basic products and they have started resuming their usual work. The statement of the Russian Defence Ministry comes amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine which has continued for over 130 days now.

Putin simplifies process for Ukrainians to obtain Russian citizenship

Earlier on July 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued the decree simplifying the process for Ukrainians obtaining Russian citizenship. Previously, the simplified procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship applied only to residents of DPR and LPR as well as occupied Ukrainian regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

However, Russian President Putin amended the earlier decree and expanded the provision of obtaining Russian citizenship in a simplified manner to all the people of Ukraine. According to the document released by Kremlin, people who withdrew their citizenship in Russia can now obtain Russian citizenship under a simplified procedure.

“Establish that citizens of Ukraine, the Donetsk People's Republic or the Lugansk People's Republic and stateless persons permanently residing on the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic, the Luhansk People's Republic or Ukraine, including those who previously had citizenship in the Russian Federation and withdrew from citizenship of the Russian Federation in the prescribed manner, have the right to apply for citizenship of the Russian Federation under a simplified procedure," read a statement issued by the Kremlin. 

Ukraine claims destroying ammunition depot in Russian-held Nova Kakhovka

Meanwhile, Ukraine claimed that its armed forces had destroyed a Russian ammunition depot in Russian-held Nova Kakhovka, according to AP. The Ukrainian military’s southern command on Wednesday, 13th July, said that the rocket strike carried out overnight targeted the ammunition depot in Nova Kakhovka.

Ukraine has reportedly used US-supplied multiple-launch High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS to target the Russian ammunition depot. The attack comes as Ukraine in recent days has indicated that it has been planning to launch a counteroffensive to take control over its territories that have been captured by Russian forces.

Inputs from AP

Image: AP