Fighting intensifying in south of Ukraine, says UK
Fighting in southern Ukraine has intensified in the past two days, according to the UK Ministry of Defence, with mixed success for Ukrainian forces.
“Over the last 48 hours there has been an uptick of fighting in two sectors in southern Ukraine,” the MoD said in its latest intelligence update on Saturday.
“South of Orikhiv, fighting is focused near the village of Robotyne, in the area of responsibility for Russia’s 58th Combined Arms Army.
“Eighty kilometres to the east, Ukrainian forces defeated elements of Russian airborne forces’ (VDV) 247th Guards Air Assault Regiment to capture the village of Staromaiorske.
“Meanwhile, in the north, other VDV units continue offensive operations in the Serebriansk Forest west of Kremina but have achieved little ground.”
Key events
Julian Borger
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has issued a special invitation to a Ukrainian fencer to take part in the Paris Olympics next year, after she was disqualified from a tournament for refusing to shake hands with her defeated Russian opponent.
The IOC president, Thomas Bach, a former Olympic champion fencer himself, wrote in person to Olha Kharlan to make a “unique exception” to Olympic qualifying procedures, in an unusually emotional letter.
“As a fellow fencer, it is impossible for me to imagine how you feel at this moment,” Bach said. “The war against your country, the suffering of the people in Ukraine … all this is a roller coaster of emotions and feelings. It is admirable how you are managing this incredibly difficult situation, and I would like to express my full support for you.”
Many of the great Russian-language writers were from Odesa or spent time there, its residents largely speak Russian and its Transfiguration Cathedral was consecrated by Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, in 2010.
But recent strikes targeting the southern Ukrainian city, including the cathedral, have left residents questioning its historical links to Russia.
Read Shaun Walker’s exploration of how the war is changing this cosmopolitan, rebellious port city:
Fighting intensifying in south of Ukraine, says UK
Fighting in southern Ukraine has intensified in the past two days, according to the UK Ministry of Defence, with mixed success for Ukrainian forces.
“Over the last 48 hours there has been an uptick of fighting in two sectors in southern Ukraine,” the MoD said in its latest intelligence update on Saturday.
“South of Orikhiv, fighting is focused near the village of Robotyne, in the area of responsibility for Russia’s 58th Combined Arms Army.
“Eighty kilometres to the east, Ukrainian forces defeated elements of Russian airborne forces’ (VDV) 247th Guards Air Assault Regiment to capture the village of Staromaiorske.
“Meanwhile, in the north, other VDV units continue offensive operations in the Serebriansk Forest west of Kremina but have achieved little ground.”
Russia’s Wagner mercenary group is ready to increase its presence in Africa, its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, told an African news outlet in an audio interview published online earlier this week.
Fighting on Russia’s side, Wagner has taken part in some of the bloodiest battles of the Ukraine war. But its future role was called into question when Prigozhin staged a brief mutiny last month.
“We aren’t reducing [our presence]; moreover we’re ready to increase our various contingents,” Prigozhin told Cameroon-based Afrique Media. The telephone interview was posted on YouTube but had been viewed only 1,400 times as of late Friday.
Reuters could not immediately verify the veracity of the audio, but a voice that appeared to be Prigozhin’s could be heard under a French translation.
In the interview, he said Wagner was fulfilling all its obligations on the continent, and was ready to further develop relations with African countries.
Prigozhin confirmed to Afrique Media that a new rotation of Wagner forces had recently arrived in the Central African Republic ahead of a constitutional referendum on 30 July that could see the president, Faustin-Archange Touadera, extend his term.
“New forces have arrived, we control the territory of the republic,” he said, without stating the size of the force.
Russian mercenaries, including many from Wagner, intervened in 2018 on the side of the CAR government to quell a civil war that has raged since 2012.
Wagner’s role in CAR, Mali and elsewhere in Africa is a source of concern for western governments, including France and the United States. Washington has accused the group of committing widespread atrocities and imposed sanctions on it as a criminal organisation.
Prigozhin denies that, saying in the interview that all Wagner’s activity was lawful and of benefit to the countries where it operates and to their relations with Russia.
Shoigu in North Korea looking for weapons, Blinken says
The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has said Washington believes Russia’s defence minister is in North Korea to secure supplies of weapons to aid the stalled invasion of Ukraine.
Following Sergei Shoigu’s arrival on a rare trip to Pyongyang, Blinken said Russia is scrambling to buy arms from allies across the world.
“I strongly doubt he’s there on holiday,” Blinken told reporters in Australia.
“We’re seeing Russia desperately looking for support, for weapons, wherever it can find them to continue to prosecute its aggression against Ukraine,” he said.
“We see that in North Korea, we see that as well with Iran, which has provided many drones to Russia that it’s using to destroy civilian infrastructure and killed civilians in Ukraine.”
While in North Korea, Shoigu met the country’s leader Kim Jong-un, in what Pyongyang’s state media described as “a friendly talk”.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has posted footage of the aftermath of the Russian missile strike in Dnipro.
Dnipro. Friday evening. A high-rise building and the Security Service of Ukraine’s building were hit. Russian missile terror again.
Promptly held conversations with the Security Service of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Emergency Service, and the military… pic.twitter.com/UulEGKjQUj
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 28, 2023
Two children were among the nine people injured in the Russian missile strike on Dnipro, the local governor, Serhiy Lysak, has said, calling it “a difficult night” for his region.
“First, missile strikes on the Dnipro. And already at night, the enemy continued his terror. I visited Nikopol region,” the Dnipropetrovsk governor wrote on Telegram.
“Heavy artillery hit Nikopol itself and the Marganets community. The consequences are being investigated. But the main thing is that the locals are whole.
“In Dnipro, the number of victims has not changed. 9 people, including two children. In addition to the attacked administrative buildings and high-rise buildings, we also have damage. These are 4 residential buildings around. One is high-rise, the others are two-story. 3 administrative buildings and 7 cars were also affected.
“After the third night, emergency workers completed the search and rescue operations. Utility workers got involved. I have personally seen how all services work. Coordinated and eager to help everyone. Thanks to them for that.
“I know it’s difficult, but we will persevere. Those who gave criminal orders, carried them out and sincerely rejoiced at our misfortune, will get theirs. After all, evil always returns to those who bear it.”
Some images from the site of the missile strike on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Friday night.
Russian missiles hit Dnipro, injuring nine people
Russian missiles hit an apartment block and a nearby building of Ukraine’s security service in the central city of Dnipro on Friday night, injuring nine people and causing widespread damage.
The regional governor, Serhiy Lysak, said on Telegram the injured were receiving treatment at home.
The Dnipro mayor, Borys Filatov, said it was the third time the SBU security service building had been targeted. Both buildings were largely empty – the residential building because it had just been completed and units were being put up for sale.
“There were two hits in Dnipro at about 8.30pm, Iskander missiles, according to preliminary information,” Lysak said on national television.
“Part of the apartment building was destroyed. It was not even yet in use and there weren’t many people there. A few people were trapped but are now out. The security service building is partially destroyed.”
Pictures posted on social media showed part of one building reduced to rubble and debris strewn across a large courtyard.
“Dnipro. Another terrorist attack,” said Sergiy Kruk, head of the Ukrainian State Emergency Service, on Telegram. “Currently, we know of 9 injured, including two children. Work continues.”
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said: “Dnipro. Friday evening. A high-rise building and the security service of Ukraine’s building were hit. Russian missile terror again”.
Russia says it does not target civilian sites.
Zelenskiy said he had convened emergency meetings with the SBU, the interior ministry, emergency services and local officials following the missile strikes.
Opening summary
Welcome back to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine. This is Mark Gerts with the latest.
Our top stories this morning:
Russian missiles hit an apartment block and a nearby building of Ukraine’s security service in the central city of Dnipro on Friday night, injuring nine people and causing widespread damage. The Dnipro mayor, Borys Filatov, said it was the third time the SBU security service building had been targeted. Both buildings were largely empty – the residential building because it had just been completed and units were being put up for sale.
The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has said Washington believes Russia’s defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, is in North Korea to secure supplies of weapons to aid the stalled invasion of Ukraine. “We’re seeing Russia desperately looking for support, for weapons, wherever it can find them,” Blinken said.
More on these shortly. Elsewhere:
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The Russian defence ministry said it shot down a Ukrainian missile in the southern city of Taganrog, about 40km (24 miles) east of the border with Ukraine, and local officials reported 20 people were injured, identifying the centre as an art museum. The ministry said it downed a second Ukrainian missile near the city of Azov, which like Taganrog is in the Rostov region, and debris fell in an unpopulated location.
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Russian air defences downed a Ukrainian military drone before it could attack its targets near Moscow on Friday, the RIA news agency cited Russia’s defence ministry as saying. The ministry said the incident caused no casualties or damage to buildings.
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The head of Ukraine’s ground forces has said Russian forces are constantly attacking in the direction of Kupiansk and Lyman in the Donetsk region but that Ukraine’s defence line is holding firm. Oleksandr Syrskyi said the main task for Ukrainian troops at the moment was to knock out enemy artillery where possible, and he claimed small advances in the Bakhmut direction.
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Yevgeny Balitsky, the head of the Russian-imposed administration of the occupied Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine, described the situation on the frontline there as “tense” and on Friday claimed that Russian forces control the Vremivka direction and that “the enemy suffers significant losses but is trying to hold out in the north-western part of the village of Staromaiorske”.
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Poland and Lithuania are considering closing their respective borders with Belarus amid concerns over the presence there of the Wagner mercenary group.
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The Egyptian president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, urged Russia on Friday to revive the Black Sea grain deal. Sisi told the Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg that it was “essential to reach agreement” on reviving the deal.
