- Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his troops have “no different” however to “push again and destroy the offensive potential” of Russian forces, because the battle strikes from Luhansk to close by Donetsk.
- President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Russian troops on “liberating” the jap Ukrainian area of Luhansk.
- Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai discloses Ukrainian forces that retreated from Lysychansk are actually holding the road between Bakhmut and Sloviansk, getting ready to fend off an extra Russian advance.
- Ukraine is holding talks with Turkey and the United Nations to safe ensures for grain exports from Ukrainian ports, Zelenskyy says.
- Reconstructing Ukraine is anticipated to value $750bn, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has mentioned, including that seized Russian property needs to be used to pay for the restoration.
Listed here are the most recent updates:
Practically 90 Ukrainian athletes, coaches have died amid struggle: Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy’s workplace has detailed the toll on Ukrainian sport through the Russian invasion, now in a fifth month.
A complete of 89 athletes and coaches have died “on account of hostilities,” 13 extra have been captured by the Russians, and “greater than 100 thousand Ukrainian athletes wouldn’t have the chance of coaching,” Zelenskyy has mentioned.
Zelenskyy praises IOC for supporting bans on Russian sport
Zelenskyy has thanked the IOC for supporting a ban on Russian groups and athletes competing in most Olympics sports activities, forward of a court docket listening to Tuesday to problem the ruling in worldwide soccer.
Zelenskyy met in Kyiv on Sunday with Worldwide Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach and praised “his unwavering place” on sports activities sanctions towards Russia and its ally Belarus, in response to a readout of the go to supplied by his presidential workplace.
The IOC suggested sports activities leaders on February 28 to behave and soccer our bodies FIFA and UEFA made a joint ruling later that day. It’s the topic of an attraction Tuesday by the Russian soccer federation on the Court docket of Arbitration for Sport within the Olympic dwelling metropolis of Lausanne, Switzerland.
The IOC additionally mentioned it has now tripled its fund for Ukrainian sport to $7.5 million for the reason that struggle began.
🇺🇦 IOC President visits Ukraine to fulfill athletes and maintain talks with President @ZelenskyyUa.
With a view to @Paris2024 and @milanocortina26, he introduced that the IOC assist fund for Ukrainian athletes will likely be tripled to USD 7.5 million.
Study extra right here 👉https://t.co/3DOD03Lvvo pic.twitter.com/IeCgCVZU84
— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) July 4, 2022
Putin has doubtless directed an ‘operational pause’: ISW
Putin has doubtless directed his troops to take an “operational pause” after they captured Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, the Institute for the Research of Conflict (ISW) has mentioned.
After congratulating his troops on taking the Luhansk area, Putin mentioned the forces collaborating within the current features ought to “completely relaxation and get well their army preparedness.”
“Putin‘s public remark was doubtless meant to sign his concern for the welfare of his troops within the face of periodic complaints in Russia concerning the therapy of Russian troopers. His remark was additionally doubtless correct – Russian troops that fought by Severodonetsk and Lysychansk very doubtless do want a major interval by which to relaxation and refit earlier than resuming large-scale offensive operations,” the ISW mentioned.
“It isn’t clear, nevertheless, that the Russian army will settle for the dangers of an extended sufficient operational pause to permit these doubtless exhausted forces to regain their energy,” it added.
#Putin celebrated the #Russian seizure of #Lysychansk and the #Luhansk Oblast border and appeared to direct the Russian army to conduct an operational pause.
Learn the complete report from @TheStudyofWar and @criticalthreats: https://t.co/YBDpvpJt9m pic.twitter.com/xTHrsdJ1Nc
— ISW (@TheStudyofWar) July 5, 2022
Putin wouldn’t congratulate Biden on July 4 as a result of ‘unfriendly’ relations: Kremlin
Russian President Vladimir Putin wouldn’t congratulate his US counterpart Joe Biden on Monday’s US Independence Day due to Washington’s “unfriendly” actions in the direction of Moscow, the Kremlin has mentioned.
“Congratulations this 12 months can hardly be thought of applicable,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov instructed reporters on a convention name. “America’ unfriendly insurance policies are the explanation.”
Zelenskyy given 1711 letter from Swedish King recognising early Ukraine peoples’ independence
Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has given Zelenskyy a letter written in 1711 by King Charles XII – beforehand saved in her nation’s nationwide archives – by which the king instructs the Swedish ambassador in Constantinople to recognise the Zaporizhzhian Sich as an impartial state.
The Zaporizhzhian Sich was as a semi-autonomous quasi-state of the Cossacks, a predominantly jap Slavic group originating in the steppes of Ukraine, that existed between the sixteenth to 18th centuries. It centred across the area spanning the decrease Dnieper river, the place Ukraine’s present Zaporizhia area is situated.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the letter to journalists and skim out a fraction he thought related, in response to an announcement from his workplace:
“… to implement as quickly as potential the article concerning the will of Ukraine and all Cossacks that every one Ukraine and the Zaporizhzhia Military beneath the present commander Pylyp Orlyk regain the traditional freedom, possession of their land and its former borders, in order that any more this folks will turn into an impartial state and by no means once more be topic to the obedience or safety of the king.”

Ukraine is in talks with Turkey, UN on grain exports: Zelenskyy
Ukraine is holding talks with Turkey and the United Nations to safe ensures for grain exports from Ukrainian ports, Zelenskyy has mentioned.
“Talks are in reality happening now with Turkey and the UN [and] our representatives who’re liable for the safety of the grain that leaves our ports,” Zelenskyy instructed a information convention alongside Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.
“This can be a essential factor that somebody ensures the safety of ships for this or that nation – other than Russia, which we don’t belief. We subsequently want safety for these ships which is able to come right here to load foodstuffs.”
Zelenskyy mentioned Ukraine was working “immediately” with UN Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres on the problem and that the organisation was “enjoying a number one function, not as a moderator”.
Ukraine has not misplaced the struggle: Luhansk governor
Serhiy Haidai, the Ukrainian governor of the Luhansk area, has acknowledged his total province was now successfully in Russian palms however instructed the Reuters information company: “We have to win the struggle, not the battle for Lysychansk … It hurts so much, but it surely’s not shedding the struggle.”
Haidai mentioned Ukrainian forces that retreated from Lysychansk have been now holding the road between Bakhmut and Sloviansk, getting ready to fend off an extra Russian advance.
Russia captured the town of Lysychansk in jap Ukraine on Sunday, bringing an finish to one of many largest battles in Europe in generations and finishing its conquest of Luhansk province, considered one of two areas it has demanded Ukraine cede to separatists within the Donbas area.
Ukraine may have withdrawn from Luhansk weeks in the past however selected to maintain combating to exhaust the invasion pressure. It hopes the ferocious battle will go away the Russians too depleted to carry features elsewhere.
‘We have to break them’, Zelenskyy says after Putin congratulates his forces
Ukraine’s armed forces have been undeterred of their efforts to “break” Moscow’s will to pursue an almost five-month struggle, Zelenskyy has mentioned, as Russia’s Vladimir Putin has hailed his army’s victory within the gruelling battle of Luhansk.
“There have been no vital modifications on the battlefield up to now 24 hours,” Zelenskyy mentioned in his nightly video message.
“The Armed Forces of Ukraine reply, push again and destroy the offensive potential of the occupiers day after day. We have to break them. It’s a tough job. It requires time and superhuman efforts. However we’ve got no different.”
Earlier on Monday, Putin congratulated Russian forces on “victories within the Luhansk route”, after his troops captured the city of Lysychansk, Ukraine’s final stronghold within the area. Members in that fight ought to “completely relaxation and get well their army preparedness” whereas items in different areas maintain combating, the Russian president mentioned in a quick televised assembly together with his defence minister.
Sweden’s PM meets with Zelenskyy in Kyiv
The Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has visited Kyiv on Monday to fulfill with Ukraine’s President, with the 2 events signing a joint assertion on defence and power cooperation.
“That is the primary such doc within the historical past of bilateral relations. The joint assertion units out key points for each our states. This is applicable, particularly, to defence cooperation, sectoral cooperation within the fields of nuclear power, power effectivity, and monetary assist for Ukraine,” Zelenskyy mentioned in an announcement.
Zelenskyy additionally thanked Sweden for its humanitarian assist for Ukraine.
“100 thousand Ukrainian residents are in Sweden, and Sweden helps them. We are going to keep in mind your honest consideration to the residents of Ukraine on this tough time of the Russian struggle,” he mentioned.

Learn all of the updates from July 4 right here.