Ukraine recaptures villages amid rainfall, Russia enlists Chechen forces

In the midst of heavy rainfall and fierce combat, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported progress and losses inflicted on Russian forces. Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar announced that the Ukrainian military had recaptured seven villages, covering an area of 90 square kilometres (35 sq miles) in eastern Ukraine. In contrast, Russia’s defence ministry did not acknowledge any Ukrainian advancements, stating that its forces had repelled attacks in the Donetsk and Zaporizhia regions.

The Russian ministry also revealed that it had signed a contract with the Akhmat group of Chechen special forces, requiring all private armies fighting for Russia to do so by July 1. In the town of Orikhiv, Zaporizhia Governor Yuri Malashko confirmed that at least one person had been killed and another injured in a Russian attack. Additionally, Pavlov Kyrylenko, the governor of Donetsk, reported two people injured in Avdiivka after Russia bombed the House of Culture and high-rise residential buildings. According to Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, 41 people remain missing following the floods caused by the Nova Kakhovka dam breach, with ten confirmed fatalities in the southern Kherson region.

On the diplomatic front, France, Germany, and Poland have expressed support for Ukraine’s counteroffensive, with French President Emmanuel Macron declaring that “Ukraine will not be conquered.” Russia’s TASS news agency reported that the leaders of seven African countries may visit Ukraine and Russia this week to discuss a peace initiative. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the United States is working to secure consular access for detained US citizen Travis Leake, a former musician arrested in Moscow on drug charges.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern over Russia’s potential departure from the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI) on July 17. Moscow has repeatedly threatened to abandon the agreement, which allows Ukraine to export its farm products from its Black Sea ports. In a rare face-to-face meeting with ordinary troops at the Central Vishnevsky Military Clinic outside Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Russian soldiers injured in Ukraine on Russia Day holiday. Furthermore, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) announced that athletes from Russia and Belarus would be permitted to participate in competitions from 2024, potentially leading to appearances at the Olympics.

In terms of weaponry, Dutch defence minister informed Reuters that Ukrainian pilots could commence training on F-16 fighter jets as early as this summer. While not specifying a month, she noted that the entire training programme is expected to be fully operational within six months.