Saakashvili's condition, escalation near Bakhmut: higlights
The National Commission has canceled the decision to raise water tariffs, the situation near Bakhmut has escalated again, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy has instructed the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to summon the Georgian ambassador due to Mikheil Saakashvili's condition. Here is a roundup of the news on July 3.
Escalation at the front
Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Hanna Malyar said that the situation on the Bakhmut axis had escalated again. The battle for the initiative is now underway. According to her, Ukrainian troops are advancing on the southern flank of Bakhmut, near Klishchiyivka, with fighting. Meanwhile, fighting continues on the northern flank.
The Defense Forces are also advancing on the Tavria axis. Over the past day, the enemy lost almost three companies in killed and wounded. Ukrainian troops managed to destroy 34 pieces of military equipment, including a Russian Ka-52 (Alligator) attack helicopter.
Saakashvili's condition deteriorates
Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili revealed the deterioration of his physical condition during his imprisonment by joining the court hearing online.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon the Georgian ambassador to Kyiv and protest to him in this regard. He also once again called on the Georgian authorities to transfer Saakashvili to Ukraine for the necessary treatment and care.
Shelling of Ukraine
A Russian drone hit a five-story building in Sumy. Two people were killed and 19 wounded. Four victims are still in health care facilities. In total, four hits were recorded in the city in the morning.
In the evening, the Russians shelled the village of Kindiyka, Kherson Oblast, injuring a couple. One of the enemy shells hit near the local church. The occupiers also shelled the village of Stanislav in Kherson Oblast with artillery, injuring three local residents.
New tranche from IMF
The general fund of the state budget of Ukraine received the second tranche of $890 million from the International Monetary Fund.
This brings the total financing under this program to $15.6 billion, a four-year program approved by the IMF Board of Directors in March. It is part of an even broader $115 billion package of international support.
MP Aleksieiev taken into custody
Lviv's Lychakivskyi District Court has imposed a pre-trial restraint on European Solidarity MP Serhiy Aleksieiev, who is suspected of fraud, in the form of 60 days in custody with the possibility of release on bail of over UAH 2.2 million ($59,600).
Rada to finalize bill on English language
Following a public outcry, the Verkhovna Rada will finalize the clause of the draft law on the English language concerning the dubbing of films, MP Yevheniya Kravchuk said.
She explained that parliamentarians had received "a lot of questions" from citizens, distributors, and businesses. In particular, it is not entirely clear how preschool children or people with poor eyesight who cannot read subtitles with translation will watch the original films.
Other news
- Dozens of Leopard 1 tanks to arrive in Ukraine "in the coming weeks" - German Defense Minister.
- Strike on Kramatorsk: writer Victoria Amelina dies in hospital - death toll rises to 13.
- In Khmelnytskyi Oblast, military registration and enlistment office employees entered a private house. An official inspection is scheduled.
- The commander of the Chechen "Akhmat" detachment dies in Ukraine.
- The manufacturer of Domestos, Axe and Rexona was added to the list of international sponsors of war.
- The wife of an Armed Forces soldier stated that she had been beaten by a drunken military commisariat officer in Uzhhorod. The police began an investigation.
- Designer Kostiantyn Omelya reported a homophobic attack in Kyiv. The police opened an investigation.