Key events, official reports, economic news
MK is broadcasting events in Ukraine online. The 492nd day of the special operation is underway. The US State Department once again reported that Washington does not intend to send its troops to Ukraine, Joe Biden made this clear. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Zaluzhny, in an interview with WP, said that Leopard tanks are a «target» on the battlefield, and are not intended for use in parades. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said that now there are no arguments for further continuation of the grain deal.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that negotiations with the current President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky are pointless. According to him, the dependence of the Ukrainian leader on Western partners is well known. Lavrov said that Zelensky is “set to behave”, and in the future he improvises depending on the situation.
The conflict in Ukraine could be endless, Pope Francis said after his peace envoy completed visits to Kyiv and Moscow.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that proposals to make peace in Ukraine in exchange for territory resemble bargaining in a bazaar. According to Lavrov, Russian is currently one of the official languages of the UN. At the same time, Russian speakers are currently being harassed not only in Ukraine, but also in the Baltic countries, as well as in some other European countries.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky explained the slow pace of the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine due to weather conditions and the delay of artillery . He acknowledged that the plans of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to launch a counteroffensive against Russia have slowed down in recent months.
Lukashenka explained the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko spoke about the company PMC «Wagner». “Unfortunately, we don't have them,” he said. “And if their instructors, as I already told them, come and pass on combat experience to us, we will accept this experience.”
The US Department of Defense disclosed data according to which in 2022 the US Army was short of 25% of military personnel.
The head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, acknowledged that the Ukrainian counteroffensive is slower than expected. In his opinion, the counter-offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will continue for several more weeks and will be «very bloody.» He answered in the affirmative to the question: «Is this happening more slowly than computer calculations or different people predicted?». “It will be very difficult and very long, very, very bloody,” the US Army General resorted to such assessments and forecasts, adding that “no one here should have any illusions.”
Pope Francis warns that the conflict in Ukraine has no end. This is reported by Reuters.
General of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and former Deputy Commander of the Special Operations Forces Serhiy Krivonos during the Ukrainian telethon named one of the reasons for the unsuccessful counteroffensive. He blamed this on the information agenda, which had been talking about this long before the offensive.
The US Chief of Staff said that the issue of supplying F-16s and ATACMS missiles to Ukraine had not yet been resolved.
UAV APU tried to attack the Kursk region. The military put him down with an anti-drone gun. This is reported by the Baza Telegram channel.
The United States has «nothing to announce yet about any new funds that may or may not be transferred to Ukraine.» This was stated by John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator at the White House National Security Council.
Denmark allocated a $190 million military aid package, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
White House spokesman said that he has nothing to say about Poland's desire to host American nuclear weapons.
After the Iskander, the APU under the Antonovsky Bridge was hit by the Solntsepek
The EU has already supplied Ukraine with 220,000 artillery shells and over 2,000 missiles, and must fulfill its task of supplying Kiev with 1 million shells and missiles per year, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at a press conference following the EU summit.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny to strengthen the Belarusian direction. This was announced by the head of state in his Telegram channel after the meeting of the headquarters of the commander in chief.
Hungarian Prime Minister Orban: «One thing is clear: we Hungarians… will not give more money to Ukraine until they tell us where about 70 billion euros have gone.»
The key problem of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is the lack of manpower. This opinion was expressed to Izvestia by retired special forces colonel Anatoly Matviychuk. “The biggest deficit in Ukraine right now is Ukrainians,” Matviychuk said. According to the colonel, from 10 to 15 million men capable of serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine have recently left Ukraine.
Poland wants to host American nuclear weapons in response to the deployment of a Russian one in Belarus, the Polish prime minister said.
German Chancellor Scholz called the issue of a possible withdrawal of Russia's frozen assets «terribly complicated» and said that no one yet knows how this is possible.
The euro exchange rate is 97 rubles for the first time since March 29, 2022
Report of the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense Igor Konashenkov on the situation in the special operation zone as of 06/30/2023 .
Kiev considers the presence of PMC «Wagner» on the territory of Belarus a threat and is closely monitoring the situation in the republic, said Alexei Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine.
Russian troops were able to destroy 30 servicemen of the Ukrainian army near the Antonovsky bridge, a dozen soldiers were injured. This was announced by the Acting Governor of the Zaporozhye Region Vladimir Saldo, attaching a video to the publication.
Zelensky instructed to strengthen the security of the border with Belarus after the relocation of the Wagner PMC there.
Against the backdrop of the unsuccessful course of the conflict in Ukraine for the White House, the United States is taking steps to increase the recruitment of those wishing to fight in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The dollar exceeded 89 rubles. for the first time since March 29, 2022.
The IAEA specialists did not see any signs of the Russian Federation preparing a terrorist attack at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, said the agency's director general Rafael Grossi, France24 reports.
The Ukrainian army was shocked by the scale of the preparation of the Russian side. Ukrainian sergeant Georgy Volkov stated this to The Wall Street Journal. According to the publication, the Russian troops prepared at least three defensive lines.
In 10 days, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost more than 700 people near Kremennaya, dozens were captured, a source told RIA Novosti.
Commander-in-Chief AFU Valery Zaluzhny in an interview with the Washington Post: «No one says that tomorrow we should rearm and get 120 aircraft. I don't need 120 aircraft. A very limited number will be enough. But they are needed.
Kiev did not see any changes on the front line in connection with Prigozhin's attempted rebellion, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Zaluzhny said in an interview with The Washington Post.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny admitted in an interview with The Washington Post that his » enrage» comments about the slow advance of the Ukrainian army. He emphasized that this is not a «show that the whole world is watching.»
Lavrov: Russia will destroy «gatherings» of the Ukrainian military with mercenaries and Western generals.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called strange the statement of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken about the end of the conflict in Ukraine «by diplomatic means, through negotiations.»
Lavrov: «About 200 Ukrainian children were placed in the families of the Russian Federation, it was not an adoption «
The likelihood of Turkey's approval of Sweden's application for NATO membership at the alliance's summit in Vilnius in July is low, despite pressure on Ankara, a knowledgeable diplomatic source in Ankara told RIA Novosti.
The Russian Federation is not obliged to explain anything to anyone on the subject of an attempted rebellion and possible influence on the processes in the country — Sergey Lavrov.
The Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation recommended that universities award applicants up to 10 additional points for military service and participation in a special operation.
The euro exchange rate rose above 96 rubles for the first time since March 29, 2022.
Pushilin announced the beginning of the liquidation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPR
SHOT: Ukrainian military shelled the Russian checkpoint< /p>
Former US President Donald Trump, in an interview with Reuters, said that his goal is to stop the death of people in Ukraine. He admitted that he wants people to stop dying because of this «ridiculous» conflict.
Trump said that Ukraine will have to cede part of its territories to Russia in order to stop the conflict, reports Reuters. He added that the lands could be negotiated if he were president.
AFU attacked Berdyansk, according to preliminary data, with Storm Shadow missiles, Vladimir Rogov said.
In the areas of the villages of Nevskoye and Makeevka in the LPR, mass graves of servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) were discovered during aerial reconnaissance. This was announced by a retired officer of the People's Militia (NM) of the LPR Andrey Marochko.
The Politico newspaper, citing its own sources, reported that discussions have intensified in Washington on the possibility of supplying cluster munitions to Kyiv. According to the publication, the White House is currently actively considering the possibility of sending cluster munitions to Ukraine.
The EU intends to provide military assistance to Ukraine without prejudice to the interests of the Union countries. According to the results of the first day of the summit in Brussels, the leaders of the EU countries called for the continuation of military support to Ukraine.
Former President of the United States of America Donald Trump, in an interview with Reuters, said that after the Ukrainian conflict is resolved, Kiev can keep what you deserve. According to him, Ukraine has the right to keep much of what it deserves.