The Council of the European Union has extended all sanctions against Russia for six months, until 31 January 2025. This was announced in a statement by the EU Council.
While from Ukraine, army commander-in-chief Oleksandr Stanislavovyč Syrs’kyj stated that: ‘There is a total lack of short-range anti-aircraft missiles in the Ukrainian armed forces’. In addition, 38,000 prisoners who had been released early in Ukraine to make up for the shortage of Ukrainian forces were reported to have been deployed at the front. This was reported by the British newspaper The Guardian, citing data from the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice.
Ukraine’s financial problems have also been resolved, at least for the time being: Kiev has reached an agreement in principle with the Committee of Eurobond Holders of Ukraine on restructuring its foreign debt, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal said. He said this ‘important step’ in restructuring would save $11.4 billion in debt servicing over the next three years and $22.75 billion by 2033. Bloomberg clarifies that the committee accepted nominal losses of 37% of its assets on 13 bonds, waiving claims for $8.67 billion.
From Russia, the Tass news agency reports that 75 drones were intercepted and destroyed in Russian regions on the night of 22 July, more than half of them in the Rostov region, citing the Russian defence ministry.
In a press conference on Monday morning, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: ‘The Kremlin does not comment on the prospects of a possible exchange of Gershkovich, who was sentenced to 16 years for espionage; the Kremlin was not very surprised by Biden’s withdrawal from the race, as it had learned not to be surprised by anything related to the US issue.
Peskov described the future of US-Russian relations as very important for the Russian Federation, stressing that ‘they are going through the worst period in history’; ‘the Kremlin does not expect anything good from the outgoing US administration towards Russia; we cannot yet assess US Vice-President Harris; no contribution from him to relations with the Russian Federation has been noted; the statements of US Vice-President Harris are full of hostile rhetoric towards Russia’. Peskov concluded: ‘The Kremlin considers it obvious that the US will continue to help Ukraine, but with an increasing financial burden on Europe; US assistance to Ukraine cannot influence the outcome of the special operation, but leads to the prolongation of the conflict; NATO continues to surround Russia with its infrastructure.
Finally, the FSB released a video of FSB agents blocking a network in St. Petersburg that was transporting explosives from Italy and Germany to the Russian Federation to carry out terrorist attacks, the agency’s Public Relations Centre (PSC) reported.
According to the FSB, ‘terrorist weapons were transported in several postal consignments (parcels) from Italy and Germany and hidden in the empty spaces of car spare parts’. The DSP recalled that “a similar system for transporting explosives from Europe to Russia was discovered in the Republic of Crimea in April 2023”.
And now a look at the front line, updated at 14:00 on 22 July. At 08:37 Italian time, an air raid alert was declared in the Ukrainian regions of Kiev, Sumy and Chernihiv, as well as in Kiev. Explosions were heard in the Odessa region in southern Ukraine. Source: Ukrainian magazine Glavkom. Local authorities have not commented on the situation.
Towards Kharkiv: In the Lyptsi sector of Hlyboke, Russian troops are advancing from the east and south, making tactical gains. The Ukrainian forces are bringing in reserves from other directions. In Vovčans’k, the RF Armed Forces achieved tactical successes and advanced in the area of the high-rise buildings. In the direction of Vovčans’k, the Russian Armed Forces are advancing in Tykhe, there are tactical successes. On the morning of 22 July, the Strana news agency reported an explosion in Kharkiv.
Towards Kupjans’k-Liman: Russian forces have made tactical gains in the Pishchane area. Ukrainian forces have retreated to more advantageous positions and are gaining ground in Kivsharivka and Kolisnykivka.
Russian troops have advanced on the Makiivka-Novovodyane road and continue to push into the southern part of Makiivka.
In the Ternove area, RF forces have made tactical gains, advancing along the ravine in the northern part of the settlement.
Seversky direction: North of Bilohorivka, the Ukrainian forces, after reorganising, continued to attack, but did not achieve any tactical successes. In the Spirne area, the area south of the railway line came under the control of the RF Armed Forces. The heights north of Ivano-Dar’ivka also came under Russian control.
Časiv Jar direction: Russian forces made tactical gains on the northern flank of Kashiv Jar and advanced north of Kalinina.
Torec’k direction: Russian forces are pushing south of Ozarianivka. In Niu-York the Russian forces achieved tactical successes, advancing along Zalizna Street to the junction with Kozats’ka Street and securing a foothold along Naberezhny Lane in an area 2.23 km wide and 1.22 km deep. And also from the south-eastern direction to the centre of the settlement the control of the territory was extended by 1 km.
Towards Pokrovs’k: Russian troops will continue attacks on the Lozuvats’ke base in the direction of Tymofiivk, pressing in the direction of Vozdvyzhenka. Russian forces are pressing between Prohres and Lozuvats’ke, attacking from two directions; tactical successes are recorded along the forest belts;
In Novoselivka Persha, trench warfare continues; Ukrainian forces continue to control positions south of the village. In the Karlivka area, Russian forces advanced southwards from the southern bank of the Karlivka reservoir and towards the isthmus between the reservoirs along the northern bank. Russian forces made tactical gains and advanced along the forest belt east of Nevel’s’ke.
On Kurachove: Fighting continued in Krasnohorivka for the northern part of the town. Russian forces are making tactical gains. South of Paraskoviivka, Russian forces are advancing towards the O0532 Vuhledar-Konstantinivka road.
On Vremivka: North of Urozhaine, the imminent fighting continues. The situation has not changed much.
On Zaporozhizhie: There are no active hostilities.
Graziella Giangiulio
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