In a speech Thursday night, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy showed once again that Ukrainians will not be deterred by the Russian invasion, which began on February 24 and has had economic and other consequences far beyond Ukraine’s borders. “We will do everything to ensure that no one anywhere in the world remains indifferent to this terrible war that Russia has waged on our country and against the very concept of freedom,” Zelensky said. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Russia and Ukraine struck a deal last week to unblock grain exports from Black Sea ports, but UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said “critical” details for the safe passage of ships were still being worked out. Griffiths was optimistic that the first shipment of grain from a Ukrainian Black Sea port could take place as early as Friday. read more Safe passage for grain shipments from Ukraine’s ports will ease shortages that have left tens of millions of people around the world facing rising food prices and hunger.
AIR STRIKES
Ukraine said Thursday that its warplanes struck five Russian strongholds around the southern city of Kherson and another nearby town. The Kherson region, which borders Russian-annexed Crimea, fell to Russian forces shortly after the start of what Moscow calls “a special military operation”. Ukraine describes Russia’s actions as an imperial-style war of conquest. Britain’s military intelligence agency, which is helping Ukraine, said it was possible Ukrainian forces had also set up a bridgehead south of a river that runs along the region’s northern border. Ukraine says it has recaptured some small settlements in the northern tip of the region in recent weeks as it tries to push back Russian forces, a possible prelude to what Kyiv has described as a major counteroffensive to retake the south. The Russian Defense Ministry said its warplanes attacked a Ukrainian infantry brigade in the northern part of the Kherson region, killing more than 130 of its soldiers in the past 24 hours. Members of Ukraine prepare an M777 Howitzer to fire on a front line in the Kharkiv region as Russia’s offensive on Ukraine continues, Ukraine July 28, 2022. REUTERS/Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy read more Kirill Stremousov, the deputy head of the Russian-appointed military-civilian command that commands the Kherson region, also rejected Western and Ukrainian assessments of the situation on the battlefield. Reuters was unable to verify reports on the battlefield.
FILLERS
Ukraine has used long-range missile systems supplied by the West to severely damage three bridges on the Dnipro River in recent weeks, making it harder for Russia to supply its forces on the west bank. British intelligence said the strategy had begun to isolate Russian forces in the Kherson region. “Russia’s 49th Army, located on the west bank of the Dnipro River, now appears extremely vulnerable,” it said in a briefing. The city of Kherson was now virtually cut off from the other lands held by Russia. “His loss would seriously undermine Russia’s efforts to label the occupation a success,” British intelligence said. RIA reported on Thursday that Russian security services discovered a group of Ukrainian agents in Kherson who had been paid to map the coordinates of Russian forces there in Ukraine for artillery targeting. Two people in the southern coastal city of Koblevo were blown up by a sea mine while swimming despite the ban, Mykolaiv regional governor Vitaly Kim said on Telegram. Russia continues to carry out strikes against targets across Ukraine as it seeks to take control of the entire industrialized Donbass region, which includes Donetsk and Luhansk provinces. Russian forces shelled four times the city of Bakhmut, which has been cited by Russia as a main target in its advance through Donetsk, Donetsk regional governor Pavlo Kirilenko said on Telegram. At least three people were killed and three injured, he said. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Report from Reuters offices. Grant McCool writes. Edited by Cynthia Osterman Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
