Military situation:
Zelenskyy accused Russia of a rocket attack on the pedagogical university in the second largest city of Kharkiv. “That characterizes the Russian invasion with 100 percent accuracy. If you define what barbarism is, this blow is the most appropriate.” Only an “enemy of civilization and humanity” could fire rockets at a teacher training college.
No occupier will get away with it unpunished, Zelenskyy asserted. “Every Russian murderer and rapist who has entered our country will be held accountable. And it doesn’t matter how long it takes to complete this task.” Ukraine will restore everything.
According to Governor Serhiy Hajdaj, the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk is not yet fully controlled by the Russian army. The fighting continued in the outskirts, he said via the Telegram news service. The Russian military has casualties.
The Ukrainian army only withdrew from those positions that could not be held. Hajdaj accused the attackers of leaving scorched earth in the region. He assumes that the Russian army wants to launch an offensive from Luhansk against the towns of Bakhmut and Sloviansk in the Donetsk region.
Meanwhile, both warring parties blamed each other for the dead and injured in new attacks. The pro-Russian separatists in the Donetsk region accused the Ukrainian army of shelling killing six people, including three children. 19 people were injured.
For its part, Ukraine accused the Russian army of shelling several locations. Three people were killed in the Donetsk region. The information could not be independently verified.
Political situation:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj sees western weapon systems as a powerful reinforcement of the Ukrainian army in the war against Russia. With accurate artillery, Ukraine is destroying depots and other targets that are important for Russian logistics, Zelenskyy said in a video message on Wednesday.
“And this significantly reduces the offensive potential of the Russian army. The casualties of the occupiers will increase every week,” he said. Thursday marks the 134th day of the war for Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in late February.
Against this background, the authorities in the Donetsk region are calling on the civilian population to flee. “Russia has turned the entire Donetsk region into a dangerous hotspot, including for civilians,” Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said.
Sloviansk Mayor Vadym Lyakh announced that civilians would be taken to the west of the country by bus and train. “Don’t take any risks! Pack up!” appealed Ljach. A total of 17 people have been killed and 67 injured since the fighting began in Sloviansk.
Before the meeting of the G20 foreign ministers on Thursday in Bali, the Ukrainian head of department Dmytro Kuleba called Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens). “We will not let Russia take the stage at the meeting in Indonesia, and we will continue to give strong support to Ukraine,” the Foreign Office said on Twitter.
Kuleba also spoke to his US counterpart Antony Blinken. “We have coordinated steps to expedite shipments of heavy weapons from the United States and other partners,” Kuleba said.
Outlook: That will be important on Thursday
The foreign ministers of the G20 meet in Indonesia. Minister Baerbock is there for Germany. It is eagerly awaited how Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will be received. In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin meets the leadership of the State Duma and the faction leaders there in the Kremlin.
Also read: The Ukraine update on July 6 – Ukrainian politician wanted for treason, Medvedev threatens with nuclear weapons
