The Lugansk battle is about to end in the worst way for the Ukrainians. The defense forces have been ordered to withdraw from the last outposts of Severodonetsk , to avoid being encircled by the Russians. This dramatic turnaround on the ground may also herald the fall of the twin city of Lysychansk in the coming days. And what remains of the region, which represents half of the Donbass.
In the south of the country, however, Russian troops have to face a growing wave of resistance, especially in Kherson . Where an official of the new authorities loyal to Moscow was killed in an attack. The latest in a long series.
The substantial progress of Putin's army is also confirmed in Washington. According to US intelligence, such successes are due to the fact that the commanders learned from the mistakes made during the early stages of the invasion. There is now better coordination of air and ground attacks and improved management of logistics and supply lines. Nor should the new weapons supplied to Kiev, including the American Himars multiple rocket launchers , change the evolution in the field anytime soon.
Moving on to the European Council, on the subject of energy supplies, he inserted in the final document a direct reference to the “price cap” , or rather a ceiling on the price of gas . A measure supported by the Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
Meanwhile, from the Kremlin, further fiery words from Foreign Minister Lavrov , who compared the behavior of NATO and the EU towards Russia to that of Hitler before the Second World War.
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The day by the hour:
Zelensky: "Russia will not destroy us"
"We too, in Ukraine, would like to live life as we used to and enjoy the freedom and this wonderful summer. But we can't do it because the most terrible thing has happened: Russia has stolen our peace". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on video link with the Glastonbury Festival in the UK where he pressured politicians to step up assistance to Ukraine to restore peace. Ukrinform reports it.
"We will not let the Russian war destroy us - he added -. We want to stop it before it ruins the lives of people in other countries of Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America: now they are all threatened. That's why I turn to you for a support! ".
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Kiev: "A Russian fighter-bomber shot down"
Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian fighter-bomber, Su-25 Grach today using an Igla portable air defense system. This was reported by the command of the Ukrainian air assault forces on Facebook. Ukrinform reports it.
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Moscow blocks over 130,000 websites
The Russian Attorney General's Office has secured the blocking of more than 130,000 websites, including those that induced minors to engage in protests. This was stated by the Russian Attorney General Igor Krasnov. "In the past two years alone, we have issued around 600 requests to restrict access to over 130,000 Internet resources. Many of these have been used to engage teens in illegal activities, including protest activities via social networks," he said. .
"Often such foreign-funded NGOs coordinate such destructive actions," he added. At present, 56 foreign entities have been deemed undesirable in Russia and their websites have been blocked.
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Russian MP: "In the event of World War III, the first bombs would be on London"
"If World War III breaks out, the city of London will be the first to be bombed." Word of the Russian Duma deputy Andrei Gurulyov, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
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2,000 Ukrainian soldiers surrounded in Lugansk
Russia claimed to have encircled some 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers in Donbass, particularly in the Lugansk oblast. Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov reported in a briefing, according to Tass. "Four battalions and a group of foreign mercenaries were trapped, as well as 40 armored combat vehicles and about 80 guns and mortars." According to Moscow, "the Ukrainian group surrounded by the Russian army in Gorskoye and Zolotoye is exhausted and has less than 40% men". And "41 Ukrainian soldiers have surrendered in the last 24 hours".
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New US rocket launchers in Ukraine in July
The first batch of four high-mobility multiple rocket launchers (Himars) that the United States sent to Ukraine has arrived in the country and the second package with four others, announced yesterday by the Biden administration, will be delivered by "mid-July". Pentagon sources report this to CNN, adding that a high group of Ukrainian soldiers is receiving training to use the Himars in recent days.
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Putin: "West feeds grain hysteria"
The West is artificially creating an atmosphere of "hysteria" regarding grain exports from Ukraine, which Russia is not preventing. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, quoted by TASS. Putin added that Moscow is ready to "meet its obligations on energy and fertilizer supplies". As for the rise in inflation in Western countries, he said, it is the result of "reckless macroeconomic policies" by their governments.
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Gas, Draghi: "Putin has already cut off supplies, the EU is in great difficulty"
"There is a lot of awareness of the seriousness of the situation" about energy. "There has been a lot of talk about coordination and solidarity, which of course there must be and there must also be an answer to control the price of gas. The objection to the price cap is the fear that Russia will cut back supplies in response. , but by now in Germany we are at 50% of the flow. Putin collects the same figures and the EU has immense difficulties ". Prime Minister Mario Draghi said this at a press conference.
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Lavrov: "Born and the EU like Hitler"
The EU and NATO are putting together a coalition to make "a war on Russia". This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov quoted by Russian agencies, adding that even Adolf Hitler at the outbreak of the Second World War "gathered a significant number of European countries under his banner for a war against the Soviet Union". "We will keep a close eye on the situation," added Lavrov, who spoke at a press conference in Baku after meeting Azerbaijani foreign minister, Jeyhun Bayramov.
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Wheat, openings for the unlocking of ports
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that a "general consensus" was found between the parties to unblock the export of grain from Ukrainian ports. "A general consensus was reached on the establishment of a center in Istanbul for the safe and uninterrupted operations and management of this activity by
Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian soldiers together, as well as with the UN ", Akar said, as reported by Hurriyet, adding that" in the coming days there could be positive developments and concrete measures can be taken ".
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Lavrov: "EU candidacies do not threaten us"
The candidacies of Ukraine and Moldova for EU membership pose no threat to Moscow. This was stated by Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov, quoted by Russian agencies.
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"Russia-EU relations have hit rock bottom"
Relations between Russia and the European Union have already reached "bottom" and it is difficult to "go lower". The Kremlin affirms it.
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Moscow: “Ukraine in the EU? Issue within Europe "
"An internal affair of Europe". Thus the Kremlin commented on the decision of the EU
confer candidate status on Ukraine to join the Union.
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A thousand soldiers killed in two days
"Over 1,000" Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and another 800 have surrendered in the last two days in the battle between the forces of Kiev on one side and the Russian troops and the self-proclaimed republic of Lugansk near Lisichansk, on the other. east of Ukraine. This was stated by a source from the pro-Russian Republic of Lugansk quoted by the Tass agency.
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Severodonetsk, Ukrainian forces in retreat
Ukrainian forces have been ordered to withdraw from the strategic city of Severodonetsk, in the eastern Ukrainian region of Lugansk: this was announced
the governor of the region.
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Ukraine towards the EU, Zelesky rejoices
"It is officially recognized that Ukraine is not a bridge, not a cushion between the West and Russia, not a buffer between Europe and Asia, not a sphere of influence, not a" gray "area, not a transit territory. Not the border between orcs and elves. Ukraine is a future equal partner for at least 27 EU countries. Ukraine is a candidate for membership of the European Union! ", writes President Volodymyr Zelensky on Telegram.
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Kuleba: "Weapons guarantee the diplomatic path"
"Only the military victory of Kiev will convince Russia to serious peace negotiations: arms
they will guarantee the diplomatic path. "The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is convinced of this, according to which the Russian aggression does not only affect Ukrainian houses, but every European family. As for the negotiation path, Moscow's guns continue to fire, says Kuleba , but the offer of a Putin-Zelensky summit still applies to Kiev.
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Russia prepares a new nuclear submarine
The modernized "Irkutsk" nuclear submarine with increased combat power will return to the disposal of the Russian military fleet engaged in the ocean
Pacific at the end of 2023. This was reported by Tass specifying that "the submarine is currently undergoing sea trials.
(Unioneonline)