Friday, July 5
Russia’s war against Ukraine
Ukrainian servicemen of the 4th Brigade of the Operational Assignment “Rubizh” present drones at a recruiting point in Kyiv on July 4, 2024 (Sergei Supinsky/AFP)
Ukraine withdraws from eastern Chasiv Yar neighborhood, military says. The decision was made because defensive positions in the area were destroyed, and commanders agreed to withdraw to better-protected positions, said Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for the Khortytsia group of forces.
‘Yermak is a strong manager, does what I tell him,’ Zelensky dismisses criticism of his chief of staff. President Volodymyr Zelensky denied in an interview with Bloomberg published on July 4 that his office’s head, Andriy Yermak, is concentrating too much power in his hands.
All Russian Kinzhal missiles downed over Kyiv since arrival of Patriot systems, Ukrainian Air Force says. All Kinzhal ballistic missiles fired by Russia at targets in Kyiv have been downed since the U.S. provided Patriot air defense systems in May 2023, Ukrainian Air Force Colonel Serhii Yaremenko said in an interview with Ukrinform published on July 4.
14 brigades underarmed, aid arriving too slowly, Zelensky comments on battlefield situation. Ukraine is grateful to Western partners for their support, but the pledged assistance is arriving too slowly, complicating the situation on the front lines, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Bloomberg published on July 4.
Ukrainian drone hits gunpowder plant in Russia, source says. Ukrainian “kamikaze” drones operated by Ukraine’s military intelligence attacked a gunpowder plant in the town of Kotovsk in Russia’s Tambov Oblast, a military intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent.
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At least 9 of 33 ‘neutral’ Russian athletes allowed to participate in Olympics visited occupied Crimea, allegedly support war, media writes. Another five athletes have not participated in such “propaganda tournaments,” but their social media activity indicates that they also support the war, Babel said.
97% of Russian missiles, drones, bombs hit civilian infrastructure, diplomat says. Only 3% of Russian missiles, drones, and guided bombs hit military targets in Ukraine, while 97% have struck civilian infrastructure, Danylo Kubai, Ukraine’s envoy to international organizations in Vienna, said on July 3, according to Ukrinform.
Destruction of Russian bombers halt Russia’s advance on battlefield, Kuleba says. The destruction of Russian fighter bombers and the replenishment of ammunition stocks will help Ukraine halt Russia’s advance on the battlefield, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told the LRT media outlet.
Russia claims strike on Ukrainian Air Force base in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Kyiv hasn’t confirmed. The Russian military destroyed a Ukrainian Mig-29 fighter jet that was stationed on the Dovhyntseve airfield in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed on July 4.
Bureaucracy preventing allocation of funding to protect Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, media reports. Ukraine’s government has not distributed EU funding for the reconstruction and protection of energy infrastructure worth 150 million euros ($162 million) for four months due to “bureaucratic obstacles,” Ekonomichna Pravda (EP) reported on July 4, citing sources familiar with the situation.
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Ukraine war latest: Ukraine withdraws from eastern Chasiv Yar neighborhood, military says
Ukrainian troops have withdrawn from the Kanal neighborhood of the embattled town of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast, said Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for the Khortytsia group of forces, on state television on July 4.
Photo: Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images
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Ukraine fights disinformation, not Christians, amid Russian aggression
Trump propagandist’s claims debunked: Ukraine not persecuting Christians but rather shutting down Russia’s use of religion for influence campaigns
Photo: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images
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Human cost of war
Russian attack on Dnipro kills 7, injures over 50, shopping center hit. Five fatalities were reported on the day of the attack. A 60-year-old woman and a 58-year-old woman died in the hospital a day later, Governor Serhii Lysak said.
Russian attacks on Donetsk Oblast kill woman, injure 8, including children. Russian attacks on Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast killed a woman and injured eight people, including children, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported on July 4.
International response
Russian commander linked to Bucha killings detained on corruption charges. Russian authorities have detained Colonel Artyom Gorodilov, the top military commander whose troops were responsible for the massacre in Bucha, on charges of large-scale fraud, Russian state media outlet TASS reported on July 4.
Relations between Russia, China are ‘at their best in history,’ Xi, Putin say. Chinese President Xi Jinping indicated his support for Russia on the subject of its full-scale war on Ukraine, saying on the sidelines of the summit that China “has always stood on the right side of history.”
Belarus joins Shanghai Cooperation Organization led by Russia, China. Before Belarus joined, the organization consisted of nine member states, including China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Putin claims Istanbul peace plan draft still ‘on table’ for talks between Russia and Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on July 4 that the alleged peace plan proposal drafted during negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow in 2022 in Istanbul, could be the basis for a “settlement” of a Russia’s full-scale war, the Kremlin-controlled TASS news agency wrote.
5 must-watch films about Russia’s war in Ukraine
In other news
Presidential Office denies plans for Zelensky interview with Tucker Carlson. Presidential Office spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov responded sarcastically to Tucker Carlson’s earlier announcement, saying that the commentator should “more carefully check his sources in the FSB (Russia’s Federal Security Service).
IAEA informed of alleged drone strike on occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant area, one substation out of service. IAEA experts stationed at the plant said that they saw thick smoke rising above the facility and heard explosions after they were told by the representatives of the Russian-occupied plant that drones allegedly hit it.
Investigation of alleged SBU pressure on journalist stalled, revealing long-standing tendency, lawyer says. Despite public pressure and condemnation from as high up as President Volodymyr Zelensky, the investigations have yet to lead to any tangible results.
Ukraine considering transiting gas from Azerbaijan to EU, Zelensky says. Kyiv is in talks to transit gas from Azerbaijan to the EU after the contract to transit Russian gas expires in December 2024, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Bloomberg on July 3.
Up to 1.5 million museum artifacts under Russian occupation, Ukraine’s culture minister says. Approximately 1.5 million museum artifacts remain in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, according to acting Culture Minister Rostyslav Karandieiev, who spoke on national television on July 4.
Islamic leader of Russia’s Karachay-Cherkessia announces temporary niqab ban. The Muftiate of Karachay-Cherkessia, a republic of Russia in the North Caucasus, announced a temporary ban on the wearing of the niqab, a day after the Muftiate of Dagestan announced a similar ban.
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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Dmytro Basmat, Rachel Amran, Martin Fornusek, Nate Ostiller, Kateryna Hodunova, Teach Pelechaty, Kateryna Denisova, and Elsa Court.
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