The Ukrainian counteroffensive in recent days has been “particularly fruitful,” and Kyiv’s troops are performing their main tasks, said Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the NSDC. Carrying out the number one task – the maximum destruction of troops, equipment, fuel depots, military equipment, command posts, artillery and air defense forces of the Russian army,” said Danilov.

Ukrainian military personnel from the Gvozdyk self-propelled guns on the Ugledar FrontPhoto: AA/ABACA / Abaca Press / Profimedia

Highlights of the war in Ukraine, day 497, LIVETEXT:

07:44 “Dear Volodymyr Volodymyrovych…” Prime Minister Mishustin reported to Putin that Russia’s economy is doing surprisingly well

07:06 The Bank of Italy has announced that it has frozen Russian assets worth 2 billion euros. Villas, yachts, luxury cars and about 2 billion euros in cash. This is the estimated total value of economic resources frozen by citizens of Russia and Belarus due to sanctions introduced after the aggression against Ukraine

00:52 In a telephone conversation on Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed support for his Ukrainian colleague Volodymyr Zelensky, who is calling for clear commitments from NATO at the alliance’s upcoming summit on July 11-12.

A brief summary of recent events:

  • The Armed Forces of Ukraine have warned citizens that the Russians may soon begin preparations for provocations at the Zaporizhia NPP and have already placed explosive objects on the roofs of two power plants.
  • Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday that 185,000 recruits have joined the Russian military as professional contractors since the start of the year. He also reported that almost 10,000 recruits joined the regular army in the last week alone.
  • Russia on Tuesday accused Ukraine of a drone attack on Moscow and the surrounding region that led to disruptions in flights at one of the capital’s main airports. An unmanned aerial vehicle was intercepted 30 km from the Kremlin, the Russian authorities claim.
  • Vladimir Putin told Asian leaders on Tuesday that the Russian people are more united than ever, the first public international intervention by a leader from the Kremlin since the Wagner mercenary uprising.
  • Investigative journalist Elena Milashyna, who works for the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, was hospitalized after a brutal attack in Grozny, the capital of Russia’s Chechen Republic.
  • Ukraine will not receive modern fighter jets until the counter-offensive launched a month ago is completed, NATO Military Committee Chairman Admiral Rob Bauer said on Tuesday.
  • Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Tuesday that Russia had won another victory over the “collective West,” saying it had failed to “erase” Russian culture.
  • The leader of the Belarusian opposition in exile, Svitlana Tikhanovskaya, said that an unknown person informed her about the possible death in prison of her husband Serhii, whom she had not heard from since March.
  • Austrian Energy Minister Leonore Gewessler appealed to gas traders on Tuesday: do not count on the fact that Russian gas will continue to enter the European Union through Ukraine.
  • The newly formed Armenian battalion “ARBAT”, which is planned to be sent to fight in Donbas, was “blessed” in Moscow, and the person involved in the murder of Ukrainian journalist Vyacheslav Veremiy in 2014 during the Euromaidan took part in the ceremony.
  • NATO decided to extend Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s term for another year on Tuesday, choosing to retain an experienced leader while war looms on the Alliance’s doorstep.

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