Three events marked the trends of the Russian ‘special operation’ on social media on 12 July: the death of the Russian-appointed head of the administration of Veliky Burluk in the Kharkiv region, Yevgeny Yunakov. His car was allegedly blown up by Ukrainians. It was better in Kherson against the head of the state administration Vladimir Saldo: some citizens noticed an improvised explosive device near the politician’s car. In Melitopol, there was an attack on the head of the Melitopol district administration Andrei Sioguta, the attacker was killed during the arrest.
Local social channels report that radar did not detect the missiles against Odessa, the alarm only went off after the missiles arrived. According to the Russian Defence Ministry in the Odessa region, near the settlement of Berezan, Iskander launchers of US-made Harpoon anti-ship missiles were destroyed.
Finally, the attack by Ukrainian forces in Nova Kakhovka, which, according to the local authorities, raises the number of dead and wounded to 80. Yesterday’s blasts in Nova Kakhovka were caught on CCTV. The Ukrainians carried out a total of six attacks, three of which were repelled by air defence systems, said Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the VGA. In detail, five people died, seven people disappeared, 80 people were injured. The Kherson regional administration stated that the families of the dead and injured would receive material assistance.
The attack was carried out on the evening of 11 July and involved US HIMARS MLRS;
the bombing caused a fire in a saltpetre warehouse, destroyed a factory producing equipment for hydroelectric power plants around the world and hundreds of flats.
The head of the district VGA compared the attack on Nova Kakhovka to the Beirut port disaster, stating that the order for the attack was given by Vlodomyr Zelenskyy himself; Arestovich commented that the fact that there were vehicles with petrol on board near the warehouse was the icing on the cake. Three days before the attack, the city had been filmed by a US Worldview-2 UAV;
A task force and hotline were launched to help residents and victims of the city; the UN spoke out against the bombing of civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.
DNR Deputy Information Minister Bezsonov also said: “Our fighters have noticed a new tactic of the Ukrainian forces that sometimes brings results. First the enemy fires two salvoes of multiple Uragan rocket launchers at the chosen target to defuse our air defence, and then fires a salvo of Himars missiles, which are more expensive and accurate’.
We come, now, to the situation of military operations and the situation on the fronts on the evening of 11 July updated at 01.23 a.m. on 12 July.
Kharkov Front. Russian forces continue to advance on the enemy’s positions. Fighting in the vicinity of Svitlychne. It is reported that the Ukrainian armed forces, in addition to supplying equipment, ammunition and using aircraft and drones, are undermining the terrain along the Seversky Donec, expecting the Russians to cross the area near Staryi Saltiv. Ukrainian Su-25s and MiG-29s were shot down in the most active combat zone.
Izyum Front – Sloviansk
The final capture by the Russians of Bohorodychne was announced today. The Ukrainian forces also hastily withdrew from the ‘resort area’ of the Blue Lakes, in the vicinity of Krasny Liman. The pressure on Sloviansk from the north is increasing. The fighting is heavy.
Donetsk Front
Tripillya and Volodymyrivka have passed into Russian hands. The position of these points is such that movements can develop from them towards Soledar and Bakhmut to ‘cut off’ the defence of the Ukrainian armed forces between the towns on this line. A Ukrainian Su-25 was shot down near Bogatyr. Under fire from the early hours of the morning Donetsk, Yasynuvata, Horlivka and their surroundings. Nova Kakhovka was hit with HIMARS MLRS; VGA representatives from the region said it hit a saltpetre warehouse. According to initial reports, the blast damaged residential buildings, a hospital and a market; the number of casualties is being determined.
Graziella Giangiulio
