As explosions rocked the capital and other regional centers more than 500 days after the Russian invasion, military officials said Ukrainian forces were making progress in their counteroffensive on the eastern and southern front lines. These include territorial gains near the ruined city of Bakhmut, captured by Russian forces in May after months of fighting. At least one person was killed and four were injured by the wreckage of kamikaze drones shot down by Kyiv’s air defense during the third consecutive attack overnight from Wednesday to Thursday.

Highlights of the war in Ukraine Day 505 LIVETEXT:

08:00The production of wheat or rapeseed in Romania in 2023 will be 15-20% higher than last year, but this still does not cover the costs of local farmers, who, in addition, have to face the pressure of Ukrainian grains, which have a production cost of almost twice with the EU, – says Alina Kretsu, executive director of APPR, in an interview with HotNews.ro.

07:12Nighttime attacks on Kyiv left at least one dead and four wounded, local authorities said Thursday, during the third night of kamikaze drone strikes on the Ukrainian capital, where explosions rang out in several districts, AFP reported.

01:02Russia says NATO returned to “Cold War strategies” after Lithuanian summit.

Russia’s foreign ministry said Wednesday that the results of a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, indicated that the military alliance “has finally returned to Cold War strategies,” CNN reported.

“The collective West, led by the United States, is not ready to put up with the emergence of a multipolar world and intends to defend its hegemony by all available means, including the military,” the agency said in a statement.

00:45Russian hackers allegedly leaked documents on preparations for the NATO summit in Vilnius, but at the end of the two-day meeting

A group of Russian hackers made public confidential information about preparations for the North Atlantic Alliance summit in Vilnius on the evening of July 12, writes “European Truth” with reference to one of the largest Lithuanian news sites 15min, reports Ukrainian Pravda.

00:30Ukrainian troops are advancing south of Bakhmut – Minister of Defense of Ukraine

Ukrainian troops managed to advance south of Bakhmut, said the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Sky News quotes.

Hanna Malyar said defense forces are now at the borders of the devastated city in the east of the country, which was the scene of months of bloody fighting before it was captured by Russia in May.

The Ukrainian army also repelled the Russian troops who tried to advance in the direction of Kupyansk, Lymansk, Avdiyivka and Marinsk, Malyar reported in Telegram.

A brief summary of recent events:

• A group of Russian hackers made public confidential information about preparations for the North Atlantic Alliance summit in Vilnius on the evening of July 12, writes “European Truth” with reference to one of the largest Lithuanian news sites 15min, reports Ukrainian Pravda.
• Romania will begin training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets, possibly as early as next month, CNN reports citing a source familiar with the current discussions.
• Ukraine can receive long-range ATACMS missiles from the United States, the American general said.
• Russia says NATO returned to “Cold War strategies” after Lithuanian summit.
• Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday he would submit ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership to parliament at the opening of the autumn parliamentary session, adding that he expected Stockholm to take some anti-terrorism measures in exchange for approval, Reuters reported.
• British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace on Wednesday compared Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Army Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov to the famous comedian couple Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, known in Romania as Stan and Bran, Reuters reported.
• According to CNN, French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, speaking at the NATO summit in Lithuania, said that Russia is currently “fragile militarily and politically.”
• Wagner’s mercenary group is completing the transfer of weapons to Russia’s regular armed forces, Russia’s defense ministry said on Wednesday, more than two weeks after the group staged a brief armed mutiny, Reuters reported.

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Wednesday’s events related to Russian aggression were broadcast LIVE on HotNews.ro