Ukraine is preparing for a new Russian offensive in the east, while attacks against the authorities in place in the occupied areas increase on Monday, July 11. Franceinfo summarizes the highlights of this 138th day of war.
kyiv fears a new offensive
Ukraine believes that the Kremlin will launch new operations ofin eastern Ukraine, in the Donetsk region. “There are signs that enemy units are preparing to intensify combat operations in the direction of Kramatorsk and Bakhmut”warned the General Staff of the Ukrainian forces.
The city of Kramatorsk, the administrative center of Donbass still under Ukrainian control, and the neighboring town of Sloviansk are considered to be the next targets of the Russian military in their plan to completely conquer Donbass, four and a half months after the start of the invasion from Ukraine.
Death toll rises to 31 in Chassiv
The death toll from Sunday’s bombardment of an apartment building in Chassiv Iar, another locality in the Donetsk region, has risen to 31 dead, according to the Ukrainian Emergency Service. AFP journalists saw dozens of rescuers working in the ruins of this partially destroyed building, helped by a mechanical digger.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov, for his part, assured that “more than 300” Ukrainian fighters had perished near Chassiv Iar, without however saying when. In Kharkiv, in the northeast, civilian buildings (a shopping center and housing) came under enemy fire in the morning. Several missiles hit houses, according to theUkrainian administration.
A leader of the occupying forces assassinated
The occupation authorities announced that a bomb attack had claimed the life of the head of the administration installed by the Russians in Veliki, in the Kharkiv region, partially conquered by Moscow. This “terrorist act” was committed, on an unspecified date, by a group of Ukrainian saboteurs who infiltrated behind Russian lines, according to these sources.
In recent weeks, attacks against officials put in place by Moscow have multiplied in the occupied regions of Kherson and Zaporizhia, also in southern Ukraine. At the end of June, an official of the occupation administration had been killed in Kherson.
Russian decree makes it easier for Ukrainians to obtain Russian citizenship
Russia has made it known that, through a decree by Vladimir Putin made public on Monday, it wanted to facilitate access to Russian nationality for all Ukrainians. A measure that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry shortly after “firmly” condemned. “The mentioned decision constitutes a new encroachment on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, incompatible with the norms and principles of international law”believes the Ukrainian diplomacy.
The football championship will resume in August despite the war
The Ukrainian football championship will resume in August despite the invasion of Russia initiated at the end of February, announces the Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine. The new season of “Ukrainian football championship will start on August 23”said Vadym Gutzeit on Facebook.
Ukrainian football clubs decided on April 26 to end the previous season early, suspended in February due to the Russian offensive, without designating a champion.