The Russian military says it is making progress in eastern Ukraine. In a statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday July 25 that it had advanced two kilometers near the town of Lyman, an important railway junction. The town had been recaptured by Ukrainian forces in October. “The total advance of our troops took place over four kilometers along the front and up to two kilometers in depth”, specified the Russian authorities who declare to have taken the locality of Serguiïvka. The day before, kyiv had claimed to have taken back more than 16 km2 from Russian forces last week in the east and south of the country, almost two months after the start of its counter-offensive. Follow our live.
Vladimir Putin will go to China in October. The Russian President “for” to visit China in October, Kremlin diplomatic adviser Yuri Ushakov said. “We have received an invitation and plan to visit China for the Belt and Road Forum to be held in October,” he added, quoted by Russian news agencies. It would be Vladimir Putin’s first trip to China since the start of the Russian military offensive in Ukraine. His Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, came to Moscow in March.
Russia is giving itself the means to mobilize more. Russian deputies voted on Tuesday July 25 a law providing for the increase in the age limit for compulsory military service, which will increase from 27 to 30 years, while the armed conflict with Ukraine enters its 18th month. The reform will come into force on January 1, 2024, specifies the text of the law. From this date, citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 will be called up for military service.
The Russian military says it destroyed two Ukrainian naval drones in the Black Sea. These naval devices were destroyed overnight from Monday to Tuesday with the armament of a Russian ship “at a distance of 1,000 meters and 800 meters, no injuries”, said the Russian Ministry of Defense. Naval drones are boats that operate on the surface of the water, without a crew, while being controlled remotely. Moscow regularly accuses the Ukrainian army of using it.
kyiv targeted by a new drone attack. Ukrainian forces foiled another drone attack in Kyiv overnight from monday to tuesdayaccording to the country’s military authorities, who have not reported any casualties or destruction at this stage. “All aerial targets have been detected and destroyed”said Sergey Popko, head of the local military administration, on Telegram.
Mines around the Zaporizhia power plant. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Monday it had seen “a few mines” anti-personnel in a buffer zone of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, occupied by Russian forces. But these mines do not, according to her, pose a danger to the safety of the installations.
Russia receives African countries. Vladimir Putin welcomes from Thursday his African partners in Saint Petersburg for a Russia-Africa summit. On the menu of discussions: Moscow’s abandonment of the agreement which allowed Ukraine to export its cereals by the Black Sea, despite the Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports.