Russia likely to mount an offensive on Sloviansk, Ukrainian official says, as strikes on Donetsk intensify
28 min agoIt's 9:30 a.m. in Kyiv. Here's what you need to knowUkrainian officials are urging the remaining residents in the Donetsk region to evacuate to safer areas, as Russian forces inch closer to the eastern territories. After taking over the last remaining Ukrainian-controlled city in the neighboring Luhansk region, Russian forces are moving toward cities in Donetsk still controlled by Kyiv. Here are the latest headlines. Leave Donetsk, residents told: The head of the regional military administration, Pavlo Kyrylenko said, "Russia has turned the entire Donetsk region into a hot spot where it is dangerous to remain for civilians," and urged those still in the region to evacuate. Ukraine still controls 45% of Donetsk, but after taking over Lysychansk in the Luhansk region, Russian forces are now pushing toward Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, with renewed strikes. Pockets of resistance in Luhansk: The head of the Luhansk military administration, Serhiy Hayday, said the region has not yet been completely occupied by Russian forces and fighting continues in a settlement on its outskirts. Up to 8,000 people still in the eastern city of Severodonetsk will soon face "awful conditions" with no water, gas or power supply, according to local military administration official Oleksandr Striuk.Western weapons are "working": Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Western artillery they have received has "started working very powerfully." In his nightly address Wednesday, the President said the military was able to strike "depots and other spots that are important for the logistics of the occupiers," and this "significantly reduces the offensive potential of the Russian army."Crucial grain harvest: Ukraine expects to harvest at least 50 million tons of grain in 2022 — well below the 85 million tons it produced the previous year but still above expectations, said Taras Vysotskyi, the first deputy minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine. He said Ukraine would have to export about 30 million tons of that grain. Crowd-funded drone: A Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drone, secured by Lithuania for Ukraine after a local crowdfunding campaign, was expected to be shipped to Kyiv on Wednesday. The campaign was launched by Lithuanian online broadcaster Laisves TV and the purchase was organized by the Lithuanian Defense Ministry. After learning it was being bought via crowdfunding, the manufacturer donated the drone for free. Sloviansk offensive "likely": Russia is likely to try and mount an offensive toward Sloviansk, in Donetsk, the city's military administration head, Vadym Liakh said, adding that Ukrainian forces are currently holding Moscow’s armies on the Siverskyi Donets river. He warned that "the civilian population will be shelled more and more often." Liakh also said strikes on the city have intensified in recent weeks and the pace of civilian evacuations had increased.6 hr 14 min agoUkrainian official: Luhansk region not in complete Russian control yetFrom CNN's Karen SmithThe eastern Luhansk region has not yet been completely occupied by Russian forces and fighting continues in a settlement on the outskirts of the region, the head of the Luhansk region military administration, Serhiy Hayday said on Wednesday.Russian forces have suffered “enormous losses” in equipment and personnel, according to Hayday. Russian forces have been trying to take control of the Luhansk region for more than four months.He added hospitals in the occupied area of the region are full of Russian soldiers who are severely wounded.Hayday also said he believes Russian forces are trying to develop an offensive against the cities of Sloviansk and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region.2 hr 6 min agoZelensky thanks Ireland for senate resolution recognizing Russia's invasion of Ukraine as genocideFrom CNN's Karen Smith and Hande Atay Alam Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky shakes hands with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin during their press conference in Kyiv on July 6. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP/Getty Images)Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Ireland for taking in Ukrainian refugees and for Ireland’s senate recently adopting a resolution that recognizes the Russian invasion of Ukraine as genocide.At a joint news conference on Wednesday with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in Kyiv, he said the two discussed a joint response to the threat to food security, the energy crisis and the preparation of the new seventh sanctions package against Russia.Martin said “Ukraine belongs to the European Union” and Ireland will be with Ukraine “every step of the way."“Russia's brutal war against this beautiful democratic country is a gross violation of international law. It is an affront to everything that Ireland stands for. It cannot and it will not be allowed to stand,” Martin continued and mentioned that he “witnessed at firsthand the horrific reality of war on the people of Ukraine” while visiting the towns of Borodianka, Irpin and Bucha.Martin a
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It's 9:30 a.m. in Kyiv. Here's what you need to know
Ukrainian officials are urging the remaining residents in the Donetsk region to evacuate to safer areas, as Russian forces inch closer to the eastern territories. After taking over the last remaining Ukrainian-controlled city in the neighboring Luhansk region, Russian forces are moving toward cities in Donetsk still controlled by Kyiv.
Here are the latest headlines.
- Leave Donetsk, residents told: The head of the regional military administration, Pavlo Kyrylenko said, "Russia has turned the entire Donetsk region into a hot spot where it is dangerous to remain for civilians," and urged those still in the region to evacuate. Ukraine still controls 45% of Donetsk, but after taking over Lysychansk in the Luhansk region, Russian forces are now pushing toward Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, with renewed strikes.
- Pockets of resistance in Luhansk: The head of the Luhansk military administration, Serhiy Hayday, said the region has not yet been completely occupied by Russian forces and fighting continues in a settlement on its outskirts. Up to 8,000 people still in the eastern city of Severodonetsk will soon face "awful conditions" with no water, gas or power supply, according to local military administration official Oleksandr Striuk.
- Western weapons are "working": Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Western artillery they have received has "started working very powerfully." In his nightly address Wednesday, the President said the military was able to strike "depots and other spots that are important for the logistics of the occupiers," and this "significantly reduces the offensive potential of the Russian army."
- Crucial grain harvest: Ukraine expects to harvest at least 50 million tons of grain in 2022 — well below the 85 million tons it produced the previous year but still above expectations, said Taras Vysotskyi, the first deputy minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine. He said Ukraine would have to export about 30 million tons of that grain.
- Crowd-funded drone: A Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drone, secured by Lithuania for Ukraine after a local crowdfunding campaign, was expected to be shipped to Kyiv on Wednesday. The campaign was launched by Lithuanian online broadcaster Laisves TV and the purchase was organized by the Lithuanian Defense Ministry. After learning it was being bought via crowdfunding, the manufacturer donated the drone for free.
- Sloviansk offensive "likely": Russia is likely to try and mount an offensive toward Sloviansk, in Donetsk, the city's military administration head, Vadym Liakh said, adding that Ukrainian forces are currently holding Moscow’s armies on the Siverskyi Donets river. He warned that "the civilian population will be shelled more and more often." Liakh also said strikes on the city have intensified in recent weeks and the pace of civilian evacuations had increased.
Ukrainian official: Luhansk region not in complete Russian control yet
From CNN's Karen Smith
The eastern Luhansk region has not yet been completely occupied by Russian forces and fighting continues in a settlement on the outskirts of the region, the head of the Luhansk region military administration, Serhiy Hayday said on Wednesday.
Russian forces have suffered “enormous losses” in equipment and personnel, according to Hayday. Russian forces have been trying to take control of the Luhansk region for more than four months.
He added hospitals in the occupied area of the region are full of Russian soldiers who are severely wounded.
Hayday also said he believes Russian forces are trying to develop an offensive against the cities of Sloviansk and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region.
Zelensky thanks Ireland for senate resolution recognizing Russia's invasion of Ukraine as genocide
From CNN's Karen Smith and Hande Atay Alam
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Ireland for taking in Ukrainian refugees and for Ireland’s senate recently adopting a resolution that recognizes the Russian invasion of Ukraine as genocide.
At a joint news conference on Wednesday with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in Kyiv, he said the two discussed a joint response to the threat to food security, the energy crisis and the preparation of the new seventh sanctions package against Russia.
Martin said “Ukraine belongs to the European Union” and Ireland will be with Ukraine “every step of the way."
“Russia's brutal war against this beautiful democratic country is a gross violation of international law. It is an affront to everything that Ireland stands for. It cannot and it will not be allowed to stand,” Martin continued and mentioned that he “witnessed at firsthand the horrific reality of war on the people of Ukraine” while visiting the towns of Borodianka, Irpin and Bucha.
Martin also pointed out that Ireland welcomed 40,000 Ukrainians fleeing the war and said, “They are welcome to stay in Ireland for as long as they need to. Our home is your home.”
Ukraine expects to harvest 50 million tons of grain this year
From CNN's Yulia Kesaieva
Ukraine expects to harvest at least 50 million tons of grain in 2022 — well below the 85 million tons it produced the previous year but still above expectations, said Taras Vysotskyi, the first deputy minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.
“Taking into consideration all circumstances and difficulties of the sowing campaign and the logistics during the wartime, we expect the harvest to be not that bad — higher than the average for the last five years,” Vysotskyi said. “At least 50 million tons of grain, maybe more. It depends on corn harvest, the results of which we will see in October."
Vysotskyi went on to say that Ukraine would have to export more than half of that grain.
“We have internal consumption less than 20 million tons, meaning that at least 30 million tons of harvest will have to be exported,” he said.
Vysotskyi added, “350,000 tons of agricultural products were exported in March, 1 million tons in April. Now, in June, it was 2.1 million tons. This means that our alternative logistics ways, excluding the Black Sea Ports, have increased.”
He also said the wheat crop will be of a food consumption quality, meaning it can be used for flour and bread making, as opposed to livestock feed.
Crowdfunded Bayraktar drone will arrive in Ukraine from Lithuania
From CNN's Vasco Cotovio in London
A Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drone, secured by Lithuania for Ukraine after a local crowdfunding campaign, is expected to be shipped to Kyiv in the coming hours.
The “Vanagas” (which means "Hawk" in Lithuanian), along with ammunition, arrived in the Baltic country on Monday, the country’s Defense Minister, Arvydas Anušauskas, tweeted. After a press introduction on Wednesday, Anušauskas added the drone would be transferred to Ukraine soon.
“Last hours of Bayraktar “Vanagas” in Lithuania. Very soon it will be delivered to Ukraine,” he tweeted.
The crowdfunding campaign was launched by Lithuanian online broadcaster Laisves TV last month and was able to secure about 6 million euros ($6.11 million) to buy the drone.
The purchase was organized by the Lithuanian Defense Ministry, but it says that after learning it was being bought via a crowdfunding campaign, the manufacturer donated the drone for free.
“Citizens of Lithuania collected funds for this aircraft, but inspired by the idea, the Turkish company 'Baykar', the manufacturer of 'Bayraktar', decided to donate it,” the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said in a statement. “1.5 million euros of the donated 5.9 million was allocated for arming the unmanned aircraft.”
It is not the first time Baykar has donated some of its drones to the Ukrainian armed forces. Last month, after a Ukrainian crowdfunding campaign secured enough funds to purchase three of the drones, the company said it would be donating them for free.
“We ask that the raised funds be remitted instead to the struggling people of Ukraine,” it said in a statement on June 27.
The Bayraktar TB2 drone has played a key role in Ukraine’s defense against Russia. The country had about 20 of the unmanned aerial vehicles before the start of the war on Feb. 24, but Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on June 28 that his office had been able to secure up to 50 drones since the invasion began.
“In the near future, almost all capacity of the Baykar Makina plant will be focused on meeting the needs of the Armed Forces. It's about ordering dozens more drones,” Reznikov added.
Donetsk residents urged to evacuate as fighting rages in eastern Ukraine
From CNN's Olga Voitovych, Yulia Kesaieva and Vasco Cotovio
Ukrainian officials are urging the remaining residents in the Donetsk region to evacuate to safer areas as Russian forces inch closer to the eastern territories.
“Russia has turned the entire Donetsk region into a hot spot where it is dangerous to remain for civilians,” the head of the Donetsk regional military administration, Pavlo Kyrylenko said, commenting on a missile strike in Toretsk on Wednesday.
“I call on everyone to evacuate. Evacuation saves lives.”
Ukraine still controls 45% of Donetsk, but after taking over Lysychansk in the neighboring Luhansk region, Russian forces are now pushing toward Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. Renewed strikes have increased the pace of evacuations but most people have already left the city, according to the head of the Sloviansk military-civilian administration, Vadym Liakh.
“Those who saw (what happened in Severodonetsk or Lysychansk) left a long time ago. Now there are approximately 23,000 residents of Sloviansk (out of around 100,000) that remain in the city,” Liakh said. “The number of people willing to leave has increased. We are working on evacuation in two directions: to Lviv, Dnipro or Rivne.”
Due to the increase in the flow of passengers leaving Donetsk, Ukrainian Railways said it would add additional wagons to facilitate the movement of people.
Although some are resisting calls from officials to evacuate, most people have already left the Ukrainian-controlled Donetsk region. Only around 340,000 people — out of more than 1.6 million before the war — remain, according to Kyrylenko.
“It is difficult to persuade people to evacuate,” Kyrylenko said last Friday. “We are working on that all the time. People are starting to leave more actively, as there is chaotic shelling of civilian infrastructure.”
Some background: The General Staff of the Ukrainian military said on Monday that after taking over the last remaining Ukrainian-controlled city in the Luhansk region, Russian forces were preparing to continue their move toward cities in Donetsk still controlled by Kyiv. Sloviansk and Kramatorsk are the two largest population centers in the area.
After taking Lysychansk, Russian forces now control nearly the entirety of the Luhansk region, barring a few pockets of resistance.
