14:05
A “massive” Russian bombardment of the city of Sloviansk, according to the municipality
The city of Sloviansk, the next target of Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, will face a “massive” bombardment, its mayor announced, urging residents to seek shelter.
“Sloviansk! Massive bombing of the city. The center, the north. Everyone remains protected,” Vadim Liakh, the mayor of this city of about 100,000 before the war, said on Facebook.
13:59
Western weapons delivered to Ukraine end up on the “black market,” Moscow accuses
Russia, through its Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, has confirmed that military equipment supplied to Ukraine by Western countries is now present both in the black arms market and in the Middle East, but without providing any evidence.
Sergei Shoigu accused Western countries of having shipped more than 28,000 tons of arms to Ukraine so far “hoping to prolong the conflict” and bleeding Russia dry.
13:03
Update on the situation at 1 p.m.
• The Dnepropetrovsk region hit by Russian missiles. “The Russian army fired seven rockets at Dnepropetrovsk,” the region’s administration said in a message on Telegram. Ukrainian forces shot down six while one hit the town of Pokrov.
• NATO initiates ratification for Sweden’s and Finland’s accession. The thirty member states of NATO have started the ratification process for the accession of Sweden and Finland, announced Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. “The signing of the accession protocols initiates the ratification process in each member country,” he said.
• Russia is making “significant progress” on its goal of “liberating” Donbass. The British Ministry of Defense says Russian troops are advancing and repelling Ukrainian forces.
• At the Lugano meeting, Ukraine and its allies set the principles for reconstruction. The Lugano Declaration states that the signatories are “fully committed to supporting Ukraine on its way” and committing it to its status as an EU candidate country, and recognizes that Ukraine itself is responsible for reconstruction should be.
12:58 p.m
At the Lugano meeting, Ukraine and its allies set the principles for reconstruction
Dozens of officials from Ukraine’s main allies in its resistance against Moscow, international institutions and the private sector have been meeting in Lugano in the south of the Alpine country since Monday to reaffirm their solidarity with the country invaded by Moscow and to lay the foundations for the reconstruction that the in the words of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be a “colossal” task.
Denys Chmygal, his prime minister, who arrived in Lugano at the head of a large delegation, estimated on Monday that it would cost at least $750 billion to lift the country from the rubble.
The Lugano Declaration states that the signatories are “fully committed to supporting Ukraine on its way” and committing it to its status as an EU candidate country, and recognizes that Ukraine itself is responsible for reconstruction should be.
12:45 p.m
Having captured Lysychansk, the Russians could now focus on the east of the Donetsk region
The governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai, told Telegram on Tuesday that Russian forces would now focus on the cities of Sloviansk and Bakhmut, which lie east of the Donetsk region.
This area borders the Lugansk region, which the Russians claim to have fully captured this weekend.
“Their number one target is the Donetsk region. Sloviansk and Bakhmut are attacked. Bakhmut is already under heavy fire,” said Serhiy Haidai.
12:15 p.m
With the capture of Lysychansk, Russia is making “significant progress” in its goal of “liberating” the Donbass.
The British Ministry of Defense says Russian troops are advancing and repelling Ukrainian forces.
“Russia’s relatively rapid capture of Lysyhansk extends its control over almost the entire Lugansk region and allows Russia to claim significant progress towards the goal of ‘liberating’ Donbass,” he said in his daily point.
The ministry also adds that “the Ukrainian armed forces will now be able to retreat to a more easily defended front line.”
11:15
Russia plans to build a rail link to the occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions
Russia plans to set up a rail link between the Rostov region of western Russia and its occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine, the Cup news agency reported.
When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, it had the same priority and rushed to build transport links.
10:40 a.m
NATO starts ratification for membership of Sweden and Finland
The thirty member states of NATO have started the ratification process for the accession of Sweden and Finland, announced Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
“The signing of the accession protocols initiates the ratification process in each of the member countries,” he said before the ambassadors of the countries of the alliance initialed these protocols.
One country, Turkey, made its ratification conditional on honoring the commitments made by the two Nordic countries at the Madrid Counter-Terrorism Summit.
10:21
Russia accuses Ukraine of torturing prisoners of war
Russia has said it is investigating the alleged torture of Russian soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces and released in a prisoner exchange with Ukraine.
Since the Russian offensive, both countries have conducted several POW exchanges. The last one dates back to June 29 and involved 144 Ukrainians and as many on the Russian side.
According to the press release, some of the Russians released on this occasion reported “suffering numerous acts of violence” during their detention and referred to beatings, torture with electricity or deprivation of water or food.
10:06
“What Russia is exporting today is death”: Ukrainian minister calls for restricting Russia’s access to sea transport
In a tweet, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on the international community to restrict Russia’s access to sea transport.
“Russia’s export-oriented economy is heavily dependent on maritime transport by foreign fleets. I call on partners to restrict Russia’s access to their services and exhaust Putin’s war machine. What Russia is really exporting to the world today is death, crisis and lies,” he wrote.
9:45
Dnepropetrovsk region has been hit by Russian missiles, Ukrainian officials say
Ukrainian officials on Tuesday reported Russian missile attacks on the Dnipropetrovsk region in the country’s east-central region.
“The Russian army fired seven rockets at Dnepropetrovsk,” the region’s administration said in a message on Telegram.
Ukrainian forces shot down six while one hit the town of Pokrov, damaging several houses. No casualties were reported.
9:22
A former member of the Russian security services heads the government of the occupied Kherson region
Sergey Eliseyev, a Russian official with the powerful Security Services (FSB), took over as government in Ukraine’s Russian-held Kherson region.
“Russia is here forever,” he said.
Since the conquest of Kherson, Moscow has been pursuing a policy of Russification: the ruble was introduced, Russian passports were issued, the first Russian bank was opened there at the end of June, critical voices were suppressed and economic activity was largely kept under professional administration.
9:11
Britain imposes new sanctions on Putin’s ally Belarus
On Tuesday, Britain introduced new economic and trade sanctions against Belarus over its support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These include import and export bans.
“The Belarusian regime actively facilitated Putin’s invasion by allowing Russia to use its territory to take Ukraine in a pincer movement – sending troops and missiles from its border and smuggling Russian planes into its airspace,” the British government said in one Explanation.
4:06
The Swedish prime minister promises support for Kyiv and sanctions against Moscow
Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, who visited Kyiv and its suburbs on Monday, called for increased European support for Ukraine and new sanctions against Russia, whose army is advancing on eastern Ukrainian territory.
“Russia must not profit from its violation of international law and other fundamental principles,” Magdalena Anderson said during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“The best way to win this war is to support Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia with new sanctions,” she said.
4:05
Macron and Scholz agree on the war in Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz continued their “close coordination on the response to the war in Ukraine” at a working lunch Monday night in Paris.
The two heads of state met a week after a private dinner, on June 25, on the occasion of the G7 summit in the Bavarian Alps.
They also traveled to Kyiv with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on June 16 to express their support for Ukraine and that country’s candidacy for membership of the European Union.