Shelling of Lviv, return from captivity, and Zelenskyy's visit to Bulgaria: highlights of July 6
On the night of July 6, a Russian missile hit an apartment building in Lviv, killing six people. Another 45 Ukrainians were returned from Russian captivity. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits Bulgaria. Sofia supported Ukraine's membership in NATO. We have collected the key news of July 6.
Attack on Lviv
On the night of July 6, Russian troops fired missiles at Lviv, hitting an apartment building.
As of 10:20 p.m., 6 people were killed and 40 injured.
Three more people may be trapped under the rubble, which will be cleared throughout the night, Mayor Andrii Sadovyi told hromadske.
The Russians hit the buffer zone within the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Lviv – Historic Center Ensemble” territory.
According to the city council, 35 buildings were destroyed, two in critical condition, and approximately 60 apartments were destroyed. There is also damage to educational institutions, Lviv Polytechnic National University dormitories, and a large office center nearby. About 57 cars were damaged.
Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi said that the night attack was the largest attack on Lviv's civilian infrastructure since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. A two-day mourning period was announced in Lviv in memory of the victims.
Also, all shelters on the territory of the Lviv community should now be open around the clock.
Return of prisoners
Another 45 Ukrainians – 43 military and two civilians – were returned from Russian captivity.
Most of those liberated from enemy captivity are privates and sergeants, and two are officers. They were defending Ukraine in Mariupol, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Kherson directions.
Zelenskyy's visit to Bulgaria
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Bulgaria.
The Head of State and Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov signed a joint declaration on Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration. This is the 22nd country to support Ukraine's membership in NATO.
“It is very important that during the greatest moral crisis in Europe in this century, Bulgaria is a defender of freedom and an opponent of the absolutely genocidal policy that Russia is pursuing against our state, independence, freedom, and our people,” Zelenskyy said.
Denkov expressed his belief that an independent and sovereign Ukraine is the key to security in the Euro-Atlantic region.
“Russia must definitely withdraw from the territory of Ukraine, recognize its borders, and be held accountable for the crimes it has committed,” he said.
At the same time, a dispute arose between Zelenskyy and his Bulgarian counterpart, Rumen Radev. Radev said that “more and more weapons will not solve the problem”, to which Zelenskyy responded: “God forbid you should be in my place. Would you would say: ‘Putin, please, take over the Bulgarian territory’?”
“Ukrainian Shield”
The government and representatives of the Security and Defense Forces held a meeting on the Ukrainian Shield security and defense reform.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that the meeting discussed all the security issues that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously announced during the announcement of the new Ukrainian doctrine, including:
- Creation of an extensive network of quality shelters.
- Safety of public space.
- Humanitarian demining of Ukrainian territories.
After the war, a professional army will become the basis of Ukrainian defense. At the same time, two reserve components will be created. And all persons liable for military service will have to undergo compulsory training in certain military specialties.
Notice of suspicion for Sharii
Blogger and pro-Russian propagandist Anatolii Sharii has been served with a new notice of suspicion of high treason.
The investigation notes that Sharii organizes pro-Russian PR campaigns from Spain, and creates and disseminates politically biased anti-Ukrainian news stories.
The investigation also found that Sharii helped the Russian Federal Security Service to make staged videos of interrogations of Ukrainian prisoners: he personally suggested how to film the interrogation and what questions to ask prisoners of war. And after filming, he edited the video, cutting out moments that were “unfavorable” for Russia.
Other news for the day:
- Finland provides Ukraine with a new military aid package worth €105 million.
- Energoatom said that the Russians' refusal to put the fifth power unit of the ZNPP into a “cold shutdown” state could lead to an accident and a large-scale radiation release.
- Russian occupation forces destroyed the railway station at the Odnorobivka station in the Zolochiv community of Kharkiv Oblast.
- The president of Kyivmiskbud, Ihor Kushnir, who left Ukraine using a disability certificate and then climbed Mount Everest, was suspended from his duties.
- In Odesa Oblast, a deputy is suspected of embezzling 24 million hryvnias from the state budget.
- Georgian Ambassador to Ukraine Giorgi Zakarashvili left Kyiv at the request of the Ukrainian authorities due to the situation with Mikheil Saakashvili.