Devastating aftermath of deadly Lviv attack captured on drone footage
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Ukrainian forces have made “tactically significant gains” in the Bakhmut area, the Institute for the Study of War said in an update.
The US think tank also said Kiev has advanced in “at least three more sectors of the front”, including north and south of Bakhmut.
Bakhmut has been the epicenter of violence in recent months as Ukrainian and Russian forces have fought from trenches with relentless artillery and rocket attacks across a heavily mined battlefield described as a “meat grinder ” by the commanders of both sides.
Elsewhere, the White House weighed in on Ukraine’s possible NATO membership shortly after announcing it would send controversial cluster munitions to the eastern European country.
The munitions will be sent for the first time amid Ukraine’s ongoing war against Russia, as the conflict enters its 500th day this weekend and ahead of next week’s NATO summit in Lithuania
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that his country “deserves” to be in the Western bloc.
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Zelensky’s forces make “significant gains” in Bakhmut
Ukrainian forces have made “tactically significant gains” in the Bakhmut area, the Institute for the Study of War said in an update.
The US think tank also said Kiev has advanced in “at least three more sectors of the front”, including north and south of Bakhmut.
Maryam Zakir-HussainJuly 8, 2023 07:50
Sunak says the UK is part of a convention that advises against the use of cluster munitions
Britain is a signatory to a convention that bans the production or use of cluster munitions and advises against their use, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Saturday after the United States said it planned to supply Ukraine with them.
“We will continue to do our part to support Ukraine against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion,” Sunak told reporters.
(son PA)
Maryam Zakir-HussainJuly 8, 2023 1:15 p.m
Russia calls for UN Security Council meeting on Nord Stream explosions
Russia has requested a new UN Security Council meeting for July 11 to discuss last September’s Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions, a senior Russian diplomat at the United Nations said on Saturday.
Russia has unsuccessfully demanded access to investigations by Sweden and other countries into the explosions, which severely damaged gas pipelines connecting Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea.
“We asked for a new open meeting of the UN Security Council on the Nord Stream explosions for July 11,” Dmitry Polyansky, Russia’s deputy ambassador to the UN, said on the Telegram messaging platform .
He also said Russia would invite “a couple of interesting impartial speakers” to the meeting.
In March, Russia failed to get the UN Security Council to call for an independent investigation.
Moscow has said the West was behind the blasts. Western governments have denied involvement, as has Ukraine, which is fighting Russian forces on its soil.
The pipeline explosions occurred in the exclusive economic zones of Sweden and Denmark. Sweden, Denmark and Germany have said their own investigations were still active and that Russia had been informed.
Maryam Zakir-HussainJuly 8, 2023 12:05 p.m
Zelensky defiantly visits Snake Island to mark 500th day of Ukrainian war
July 8 marks the 500th day since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the European country.
“500 days of war on a large scale. Snake Island The free island of free Ukraine,” Zelensky said in his message.
He added: “I am grateful to everyone who fought here against the occupiers.
“We commemorated the heroes who gave their lives in this battle, one of the most important during the full-scale war.”
Ukraine reclaimed Snake Island in the summer of 2022.
Zelensky defiantly visits Snake Island to mark 500th day of Ukrainian war
Volodymyr Zelensky released a defiant video statement from the symbolic Snake Island in the Black Sea as the war with Russia entered its 500th day. July 8 marks the 500th day since Russia launched an invasion of large scale European country. “500 days of war on a large scale. Snake Island The free island of free Ukraine,” Zelensky said in his message. He added: “I am grateful to everyone who fought here against the occupiers. “We commemorated the heroes who gave their lives in this battle, one of the most important during the full-scale war.” Ukraine reclaimed Snake Island in the summer of 2022.
Maryam Zakir-HussainJuly 8, 2023 11:08 am
Bakhmut is “place of intense combat” – Ministry of Defense
The UK Ministry of Defense has said that Bakhmut is once again the site of “intense fighting” after a brief lull in action.
Read the full update here:
Maryam Zakir-HussainJuly 8, 2023 10:18 am
What are cluster bombs and why is it controversial that the US is sending them to Ukraine?
The United States has announced that it will send cluster munitions to Ukraine to help its military push back entrenched Russian forces on the frontline.
Joe Biden’s administration said it would send thousands as part of a new $800m (£630m) military aid package.
The move is likely to anger some allies and humanitarian groups that have long opposed the use of cluster bombs.
Maryam Zakir-HussainJuly 8, 2023 09:27
Live: Zelensky visits Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul amid cluster munitions controversy
Watch live as Volodymyr Zelensky visits the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Istanbul amid the cluster munitions controversy.
The White House weighed in on Ukraine’s possible NATO membership shortly after announcing it would send controversial cluster munitions to the eastern European country.
Maryam Zakir-HussainJuly 8, 2023 08:43
White House confirms prisoner swap talks with Russia over WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed Friday that there have been discussions about the prospect of a prisoner exchange for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, “but those discussions have not produced a clear path forward towards a resolution”.
Sullivan also told reporters that he met with Gershkovich’s family “to discuss the latest status of his case and our efforts to bring Evan home.”
He said he didn’t want to give “false hope” about the efforts.
“All I can do is tell you that we have a clear commitment and the conviction that we will do everything we can to bring him home.”
Peony HirwaniJuly 8, 2023 08:30
Russian Defense Minister Xoigu is shown inspecting troops
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has inspected troops and supervised the training of newly created units made up of military contractors, his ministry said on Saturday.
The ministry posted video footage on its Telegram channel showing Shoigu in khaki military fatigues inspecting soldiers at a firing range, in his first public appearance with troops since the aborted mutiny by Wagner’s mercenary group last month.
The ministry did not say when the video was recorded or when the inspection took place. Shoigu said on Monday that the riot did not affect Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Wagner’s fighters seized the southern Russian city of Rostov and advanced on Moscow on June 24 as their leader Yevgeny Prigozhin demanded the dismissal of Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valeri Gerasimov.
The crisis was defused when Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko brokered a deal between the Kremlin and Prigozhin.
“The Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation personally checked the training of servicemen engaged in combat operations in various conditions, including urban combat,” the defense ministry said on Saturday.
Maryam Zakir-HussainJuly 8, 2023 08:25
New satellite images show mysterious “white objects” on the roof of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
Russian troops seized Europe’s largest nuclear facility on March 5, shortly after their invasion began in February.
The new photos were captured by satellite imaging company Planet Labs on Wednesday (July 5), showing five white shapes above the plant at 7.51am UTC (8.51am BST). Notably, an image captured earlier at 5.27am UTC (6.27am BST) shows none.
Peony HirwaniJuly 8, 2023 08:00
