African delegation's meeting with Putin and new facts of Kakhovka HPP dam explosion: highlights of the day

African delegation meets with Putin

A delegation of African countries led by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. Ramaphosa told Putin that "this war must end through negotiations and diplomacy."

The South African president also highlighted the issue of deportation of Ukrainian children and emphasized that they "have become hostages of this conflict and must return to where they came from - their homes."

The Russian president told African leaders the narratives of Russian propaganda about Ukraine, said that the food crisis in the world was "caused by the actions of the West" and called the deportation of Ukrainian children "saving their lives and health."

New facts about Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant explosion

New York Times journalists have concluded that it was Russia that destroyed the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant dam. They talked to experts and analyzed the engineering plans of the structure.

The dam was built in the Soviet Union, so the Russians had all the engineering drawings. The foundation of the dam was designed to withstand almost any external attack. American engineers believe that the most likely cause of the dam's destruction is the undermining of the maintenance passage, which is accessible from the engine room.

Flooding situation

Water levels in southern Ukraine continue to fall. In Kherson Oblast, 11 settlements (1,509 houses) on the west bank of the Dnipro River and 17 settlements on the temporarily occupied territory remain flooded. Also, 35 buildings are still flooded in Mykolaiv Oblast.

Biden will not simplify Ukraine's NATO membership requirements

U.S. President Joe Biden said he does not plan to simplify the requirements for Ukraine's accession to NATO, as Ukrainians must meet the same standards as other members of the Alliance.

In addition, the US president has a number of questions about whether the Ukrainian system is secure and not corrupt. So Ukraine can be in NATO, but not automatically, Biden said.

French channel shows a report from the occupiers' perspective

The French TV channel TF1 published a report in which journalists talked to the Russian occupation forces and showed their positions. Throughout the story, the journalists never mentioned that the Russians are the aggressor in the war.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry condemned the French TV channel's story, saying that it "reaches a new low in journalism" and dishonors those killed by the Russians. The Foreign Ministry also noted that the journalists violated the laws of Ukraine by visiting the occupied territories.

Beating of a volunteer in Kherson

In Kherson, carriers beat a well-known volunteer who evacuated residents of Kherson Oblast from dangerous places for free. The regional administration assured that the attackers have been identified and are being dealt with by the police.

Other news:

• An unidentified drone was spotted on the outskirts of Kyiv. Air defense was operating in the region.
• Denmark said it is ready to provide Ukraine with F-16s as part of the coalition. But only with the consent of the United States.
• European Central Bank believes that transferring profits from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine would "undermine confidence in the euro" - FT.
• Ukraine has agreed with the Czech Republic and Slovakia on the purchase and maintenance of infantry fighting vehicles.
• Sense Bank shareholder intends to sue Ukraine in case of nationalization without compensation.
• The Shevchenko Prize will be awarded without a nomination, the introduction of which has caused criticism.