Turks know that all Russian tsars see themselves at the Bosporus and Dardanelles
Advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Vadim Denisenko named the goal that Russia is actually pursuing in the war. In an interview for RBC-Ukraine Denisenko said that the goal of the Russian forces is not the Donbass, but control over the Black Sea.
According to Denisenko, if the Russian forces succeed in capturing Odessa, then Russia will return to the times when the USSR was the dominant power in the Black Sea. At the same time, the adviser noted that so far the Russian forces cannot put this plan into practice.
“The situation is such that we have partially cut off the supply system between parts of the Russian army groups in southern Ukraine. So far, they cannot do anything special in this direction,” he stressed.
Ukraine challenges statements about complete occupation of Luhansk region
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine refutes Russia’s statements about the complete seizure of the Luhansk region. Earlier, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to President Vladimir Putin about taking control of the entire region.
This information was denied by the representative of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Yuriy Sak in the comments of the Air Force. According to him, the city of Lisichansk is not under “full control” of Russian troops. Sak noted that the situation in the city “has been very tense for quite a while now” and Russian ground forces have “attacked the city non-stop.”
“For Ukrainians, the value of human life is a top priority, so sometimes we can retreat from certain territories in order to recapture them in the future,” Sak said.
The Ministry of Defense also noted that the battle for Donbass will not stop after the occupation of the entire Luhansk region, since the Armed Forces of Ukraine control other large cities in the region.
Moscow urges Kyiv to accept Russia’s conditions
Dmitrii Peskov, press-secretary for the President of Russia, claims that Ukraine has to understand Russia’s conditions and resume talks.
Peskov is convinced that, at the moment, the West leans towards continuing military action in Ukraine, and that allegedly “Western countries led by Washington…don’t let Ukrainians either think or talk about peace.” He also added that “sooner or later common sense in the West will prevail and the talks will resume.” “Kyiv has to understand Russia’s conditions, agree with them, resume talks and sign a document.”
Wheat not in the fields, but on battlefield
Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Mykola Solsky said the Ministry is actively working to resolve the issue of unblocking the export of grain crops. More than 20 companies are already planning or have begun construction of transshipment in areas where new logistics routes pass.
“We are actively working to increase logistics across western borders. This month we are expecting about two million tons of grain exports, which have already passed through new logistics routes: Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia. And there is potential for growth. More than 20 companies are planning or have started building transshipment facilities in these zones,” he said.
Solsky specified that the ministry is currently negotiating with the EU and at the end of July there will be a separate meeting with a wide range of participants at the ministerial level.
State that robs you with ship and train, not with sack
A Russian cargo ship allegedly carrying Ukrainian grain has been detained by Turkey’s customs authorities at Kiev’s request, Ukrainian Ambassador to Turkey Vasily Bodnar said on Sunday.
“We have full co-operation [with Turkey]. The ship is currently standing at the entrance to the port, it has been detained by the customs authorities of Turkey,” Reuters quoted him as saying. According to Bodnar, investigators will meet on Monday to decide about the ship’s fate.
For his part, Vladimir Rogov, a member of the military-civil administration of the Zaporozhye region, said that the arrest of a ship carrying grain in Turkey is part of a plan to accuse Russia of world famine, it is a classic example of piracy.
Playing “war” is no longer a game for Polish children
From September in Poland, children from the age of 13 will be taught how to use weapons.
“Ten years ago, if the current minister had proposed to elementary school students to conduct such classes, he would have been ridiculed. However, what we saw [in Ukraine] and the way this war was fought with such atrocities showed us that the danger is real,” Education Minister Przemysław Czarnek stated in an interview with The Washington Post. “These are essential skills,” he added. “This is not about the militarization of children, but about skills that would be useful for safety and security in the event of an escalation of the conflict.”
Approximately 130 billion are spent on the upkeep of the army every month, said the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal.
To date, there are agreements on such support – in the amount of almost 29 billion US dollars, of which we have already received a fairly large amount. There are still about 20 billion left. This is assistance from both the European Union and the United States of America and Canada. Apart from the member states of the European Union, there is also direct budgetary support. There is grant and credit support from international financial institutions: the IMF, the World Bank, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. That is, today all our partners are actively involved and are helping us,” the head of government said.
Russians “shoot at their own homes”
A photo of a part of a rocket stuck in the wall of a residential building is being circulated in local publics in Belgorod. Observers agree that this is the Pantsir air defense system.
“Parts of the Pantsir missile system, which is in service with the Russian army, have been found in Belgorod,” Anton Herashchenko, an advisor to the head of the Ministry of the Interior of Ukraine, wrote on Telegram. In his opinion, the Russians “shot at their own homes”.
Meanwhile, Russia’s defense ministry said Belgorod was fired upon by Ukrainian forces with three Tochka U missiles, which had been knocked down by anti-aircraft defense, and the remains of one of the missiles fell on a house.
