Ukraine's advance in south, destruction of Russians near Lysychansk, ambulance fundraiser: last night's highlights

President Zelenskyy has said that Ukrainian defenders are advancing step by step in Kherson Oblast, the StratCom of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the army destroyed a detachment of the Sakhalin "OMON" of the Russian Federation near Lysychansk, and at the Summit of the First Ladies and Gentlemen, more than $3 million was collected for ambulances. Here's what you may have missed from the previous night.

Advancement of the Armed Forces in Kherson Oblast

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are advancing step by step into Kherson Oblast, a large part of which is temporarily controlled by the Russian occupation forces. The American Institute for the Study of War says that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are probably preparing for a counteroffensive in Kherson Oblast or have already begun it.

Successes of Ukrainian troops

The aviation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine made six strikes on clusters of manpower and equipment of the occupiers and on a support point in the south on July 23, reported the Operational Command "South".

They noted that Russians lost on the southern front on July 23:

- 54 soldiers;

- three T-62 tanks;

- three Grad multiple rocket launchers;

- gun Msta-B;

- armored and automotive equipment;

- ammunition depot and ammunition supply point in Kherson Oblast.

The Strategic Communications Department of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that the Ukrainian army destroyed a detachment of the Sakhalin OMON of the Russian Federation near Lysychansk. At least 12 Russians died.

5,000 women are serving on the front line

More than 50,000 women currently work in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, of which more than 5,000 are on the front line, said Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Hanna Malyar at the summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen in Kyiv.

"According to the data, Ukraine has one of the largest numbers of women in the Armed Forces among NATO member countries," said Malyar.

Shelling of Sumy Oblast

On July 23, Russian troops shelled the territory of Sumy Oblast 12 times, firing a total of more than 170 different types of ammunition.

Around 3:00 p.m., Russians shelled the village of Bilopolska community with mortars: a 69-year-old local farmer was mortally wounded, two farm tractors, and the community's agriculture were destroyed.

Collecting money for ambulances

Participants of the Second International Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen in Kyiv collected $3.2 million for 32 C-type ambulances, announced the wife of the President of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska.

Such ambulances are equipped with everything necessary to transport the seriously injured to the hospital: oxygen cylinders, cardiomonitors, ventilators, etc.  The approximate cost of one vehicle is 100,000 euros.

Blinken's reaction to a missile attack on the port of Odesa

Washington "strongly condemned" the missile attack on the port of Odesa, which Russians carried out the day after the agreement in Istanbul on the resumption of grain exports from Ukrainian ports, in particular from Odesa, said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Twitter.

"The United States strongly condemns Russia’s attack on the port of Odesa today. It undermines the effort to bring food to the hungry and the credibility of Russia’s commitments to the deal finalized yesterday to allow Ukrainian exports," he wrote.