Ukrainian forces make ‘tactically significant’ gains in Bakhmut, US thinktank says
Ukraine’s counteroffensive has made “tactically significant” gains in the Bakhmut area and continues operations in at least three other frontline sectors, according to a US thinktank.
the Institute for the Study of War says that geopolitical footage shows that Ukrainian forces are making more ground near villages north and south of Bakhmut, regaining control of lost positions in the area. Military officials confirmed ongoing offensive operations in western Zaporizhia and along the border between Zaporizhia and Donetsk oblast.
The Russian Ministry of Defense and other Russian sources say that Ukrainian forces are conducting offensive operations in the direction of Kreminna along the Kharkiv-Luhansk border.
Main events
Here are some of the latest pictures from Ukraine:
President of the US Joe Biden condemned by human rights groups after he approved the sending of the widely banned cluster munitions to Ukraine, with a fellow Democrat branding the decision “unnecessary and a terrible mistake”.
The Pentagon has announced a new $800m military aid package to Ukraine that includes cluster munitions. National security adviser, Jake Sullivan said: “We recognize that cluster munitions create a risk of civilian harm from unexploded ordnance.”
The White House defended the “very difficult” decision, saying Ukrainian forces were running out of artillery.
Cluster munitions are banned in more than 100 countries and typically scatter many small bombs over a wide area, sometimes as large as a football pitch, and kill indiscriminately. Those that fail to explode threaten civilians, especially children, for decades after the conflict ends.
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NATO leaders meet at a key summit on Vilnius is a city in Lithuania next week to discuss how to bring Ukraine closer to its goal of joining the military alliance.
However, US president Joe Biden said he did not think there would be “unity in Nato” to speed up the membership process in the midst of Russia’s invasion.
White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan said that while Biden and Nato leaders will show “unity and determination” for the war-torn country, “Ukraine will not join Nato coming out of this summit”.
Pressure is building from Kyiv as president Zelenskiy said this week that he wants a membership invitation “now” and that Biden is the “decision maker” in NATO.
Fighting with Bakhmut The past seven days have been some of the most intense on the front as Ukraine continues its counteroffensive in the Russian-held city, according to UK Ministry of Defencelatest intelligence report.
Ukrainian forces have made steady gains north and south of the Russian-held town. Russian defenders likely struggled with poor morale, a mix of disparate units and limited ability to locate and attack Ukrainian artillery.
The Russian leadership will almost certainly find the Bakhmut concession, which carries symbolic weight as one of Russia’s few victories in the last 12 months, politically unacceptable. However, there is likely to be little additional reserves to commit to the sector.
The UN condemned the civilian casualties on the 500th day of the war in Ukraine
the United Nations condemned the civilian cost incurred as the war passed its 500-day mark.
“Today we mark another terrible event in the war that continues to inflict a terrible damage on civilians in Ukraine,” said. Noel Calhoundeputy head of the Human Rights Monitoring Mission of the UN in Ukraine.
More than 9,000 civilians, including more than 500 children, have been killed since the Russian invasion, although experts have previously warned that the true number is likely higher.
While this year the number of casualties was lower on average than in 2022, the number began to rise again in May and June, the monitoring mission said.
president Volodymyr Zelenskiy secured significant Turkish support for Nato aspirations in Ukraine after meeting with president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Istanbul.
Erdoğan said “there is no doubt that Ukraine deserves to be a member of Nato”, but also reaffirmed his long-standing call for peace negotiations.
Turkey has been a key mediator in the war and talks with Zelenskiy Closely watched by the Kremlin. Erdoğan said he would personally brief Vladimir Putin on the latest negotiations when the Russian president visits Turkey next month, his first trip there since the invasion.
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Ukrainian forces make ‘tactically significant’ gains in Bakhmut, US thinktank says
Ukraine’s counteroffensive has made “tactically significant” gains in the Bakhmut area and continues operations in at least three other frontline sectors, according to a US thinktank.
the Institute for the Study of War says that geopolitical footage shows that Ukrainian forces are making more ground near villages north and south of Bakhmut, regaining control of lost positions in the area. Military officials confirmed ongoing offensive operations in western Zaporizhia and along the border between Zaporizhia and Donetsk oblast.
The Russian Ministry of Defense and other Russian sources say that Ukrainian forces are conducting offensive operations in the direction of Kreminna along the Kharkiv-Luhansk border.
Opening summary
Welcome back to our continued coverage of the war in Ukraine, I’m Yang Tian bringing you the latest news, as the conflict enters its 500th day.
Ukraine made “tactically significant gains” on Friday in Bakhmut and its broader counteroffensive, the US thinktank Institute for the Study of War said. It comes as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy also secured significant Turkish support for his pledge to join Nato during a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Istanbul.
More details soon, on other important developments:
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US president Joe Biden has been condemned by human rights groups after agreeing to send widely banned cluster munitions to Ukraine, with a fellow Democrat branding the decision “unnecessary and a terrible mistake”. Washington said it had received assurances from Kyiv to minimize the risk to civilians, including not using munitions in populated areas. Biden said the decision was “very difficult”, but Ukrainian forces were “running out of ammunition”.
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The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog said it was “making progress” in inspecting several areas of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, after Ukraine claimed that “external objects similar to explosive devices” had been placed on the roofs of the area. UN officials said they “saw no signs of explosives or mines” while touring the cooling ponds and other areas, but had not yet visited the facility’s roofs.
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NATO leaders publicly recommit to Ukraine becoming a member of the military alliance when they met in Vilnius on Tuesday, according to the organization’s secretary general. US president Joe Biden said he does not think there is “unity in Nato” to bring Ukraine into the military alliance. Zelenskiy also criticized Nato for a lack of “unity” which he said explains the failure to provide a guarantee for Ukraine’s membership.
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If Russia does not agree to extend an agreement that allows the safe export of grain and fertilizer from Ukrainian ports, it is unlikely that western states will continue to cooperate with UN officials who are helping Moscow. of its exports., the UN aid chief said. Russia has threatened to pull out of the deal, which expires on July 17, because many demands to send its own grain and fertilizer have not been met. The last three ships traveling under the agreement are loading cargo at the Ukrainian port of Odesa and are expected to leave on Monday.
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More than 9,000 Ukrainian civilians, including more than 500 children, have been confirmed dead since the start of the Russian invasion, according to the latest United Nations data. However, the real numbers are likely to be higher.
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A report by the Kyiv School of Economics and B4Ukraine, a coalition of NGOs lobbying international businesses to leave Russia, says that 56% of foreign companies are still operating in the country last year despite the exodus of a significant minority. However, Russia’s revenue from oil and gas sales fell by half.
