Because the struggle enters its 876th day, these are the primary developments.
That is the place the struggle stands on Saturday, July 20, 2024:
Combating
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A Russian missile hit a kids’s playground in Ukraine’s southern metropolis of Mykolaiv, killing a toddler and two adults, and injuring 5 others, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned on Telegram. Vitaliy Kim, the regional governor, praised residents who rushed to the location to assist earlier than medics arrived and mentioned one other missile had landed elsewhere within the area.
- Russian assaults killed two individuals on the correct financial institution of the southern Ukrainian area of Kherson, a day after Ukraine acknowledged its foothold on the left financial institution was largely destroyed. Within the city of Bilozerka, about 5km (3 miles) inland from the Dnipro river, “large strikes by Russian rocket artillery” left two useless, mentioned Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin.
- No less than 5 others in Kherson had been wounded, together with a paramedic who was hit by a drone whereas serving to the injured, Prokudin added.
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Russian drones launched in an in a single day assault on Ukraine hit power infrastructure services in two areas within the nation’s north, the Reuters information company reported, citing Ukrainian regional officers. One of many Shahed drones hit an power facility within the Sumy area whereas one other struck a web site within the Chernihiv area. There have been no instant studies of casualties.
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Ukrainian air defence forces shot down 13 of 17 Russian drones over 5 areas within the east, north, and centre of the nation, the air power mentioned.
- Russian forces have captured the village of Yurivka within the Donetsk region in japanese Ukraine, in accordance with Russia’s Ministry of Defence. The declare couldn’t be independently verified.
- Russia shot down 26 Ukrainian drones in a single day within the southern Rostov area, a number of hundred kilometres from the entrance line, Vasily Golubev, the regional governor mentioned, however there have been no casualties. Final week, an oil depot within the Rostov area caught hearth after a Ukrainian drone assault.
Politics and diplomacy
- Ukraine is on its option to with the ability to “stand by itself ft” militarily, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned, noting that greater than 20 different international locations have pledged to keep up their very own army and monetary assist to the nation even when the USA had been to withdraw its assist beneath a distinct president. Blinken for the primary time instantly addressed the chance that former US President Donald Trump might win the November election and again away from commitments to Ukraine.
- US Republican presidential nominee Trump mentioned in a publish on Reality Social that he had a “excellent name” with Zelenskyy and pledged to finish the struggle.
- Zelenskyy additionally reported his dialog with Trump and expressed thanks for US army help. However he made no reference in a publish on social media platform X on efforts to finish the 28-month-old battle. He additionally congratulated him on securing the presidential nomination, condemned the assassination try on him and agreed to rearrange a gathering in individual.
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The US has imposed sanctions on two leaders of the Russian hacktivist group Cyber Military of Russia Reborn, citing their roles in focusing on US important infrastructure, the Treasury Division mentioned. Yuliya Vladimirovna Pankratova and Denis Olegovich Degtyarenko are the group’s chief and a main hacker, Treasury mentioned in an announcement.
Weapons
- Zelenskyy mentioned Poland had taken a choice that might pace up the deliveries of much-needed F-16 jets to his nation however didn’t say what it was. Poland, which borders Ukraine and has been an in depth wartime ally, just isn’t among the many international locations that pledged to provide the jets to Ukraine. There was no instant announcement from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s workplace on the comment.
Sport
- Two-thirds of Russian athletes accepted by the Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) to compete within the Paris Olympics as neutrals have expressed assist for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or have hyperlinks to the army, in accordance with a report from International Rights Compliance, a basis primarily based in The Hague. The IOC and host France have mentioned correct vetting guidelines had been adopted. Fifteen Russians and 16 Belarusians have accepted invites to compete beneath a impartial banner on the video games, which start on July 26, in accordance with the IOC.
Crime
- A gunman has shot and killed a nationalist former member of Ukraine’s parliament recognized for vociferous campaigns to defend the Ukrainian language, the authorities mentioned. Police mentioned they’re nonetheless on the lookout for a suspect alleged to have killed Iryna Farion, 60, on a road within the western metropolis of Lviv. Writing on Telegram, Inside Minister Ihor Klymenko mentioned investigators had been for the second linking the capturing both to Farion’s political exercise or to a private motive.