Two killed in Russian shelling on Kharkiv, houses pounded in Zaporizhzhia
From CNN's Maria Kostenko
A Ukrainian serviceman inspects a destroyed Russian tank in the recently liberated village of Novodarivka in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, on July 21, 2023. Stringer/Reuters
Deadly Russian shelling continued overnight, striking targets in Ukraine's Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions.
At least 2 people were killed in northeastern Kharkiv, according to local military commanders. Two others were injured including a 60-year-old man and 72-year-old woman.
“Over the past day, the enemy has been massively shelling settlements in Kharkiv, Chuhuiv, Kupyansk and Izium districts with artillery, mortars and aircraft,” Oleh Syniehubov, head of Kharkiv region military administration, said on Telegram.
“Our defenders are holding their positions in the Kupyansk sector. The enemy has made no progress,” Syniehubov added.
Elsewhere, Russian forces struck 20 civilian settlements in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region 69 times overnight into Sunday, the head of the Zaporizhzhia region military admiration Yurii Malashko said in a statement on Sunday.
Russian troops also attacked the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia city and the district with four missiles overnight, causing no casualties, according to Malashko.
Zaporizhzhia is a key front in Ukraine's counteroffensive.
44 min ago
Zelensky condemns Russian strikes on Odesa: "No excuse for Russian evil"
From CNN's Maria Kostenko
A rescuer takes a picture of a residential building damaged during a Russian missile strike in Odesa, Ukraine, on July 23, 2023. Serhii Smolientsev/Reuters
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said there is "no excuse for Russian evil" following a fifth night of Russian strikes on the city of Odesa.
“Missiles against peaceful cities, against residential buildings, a cathedral... There can be no excuse for Russian evil," the Ukrainian leader wrote in a statement on Telegram Sunday.
"As always, this evil will lose. And there will definitely be a retaliation to Russian terrorists for Odesa. They will feel this retaliation."
"All those who suffered from this latest terrorist attack are being provided with assistance. I am grateful to everyone who is helping people and to everyone who is with Odesa in their thoughts and emotions.
"We will get through this. We will restore peace. And for this, we must defeat the Russian evil."
Some context: Ukraine has been struggling in the past week to repel a wave of Russian strikes against Odesa – with its air defenses unable to cope with the types of missiles that Moscow has used to pummel the region.
Saturday's strikes damaged a Ukrainian Orthodox Church and several "architectural monuments."
1 hr 12 min ago
Overnight Russian strikes on southern Odesa damage historic church, kill 1 and injure others
From CNN's Josh Pennington, Maria Kostenko and Heather Chen
A view shows a residential building damaged during a Russian missile strike in Odesa, Ukraine, on July 23, 2023. Serhii Smolientsev/Reuters
Russian strikes on the southern city of Odesa overnight damaged at least six residential buildings, a Ukrainian Orthodox Church and “architectural monuments,” according to Ukraine’s southern Operational Command.
“Dozens of cars were damaged, facades and roofs of many buildings in the city were damaged and windows were blown out,” it said in a statement on Telegram.
“Several craters have been formed in the city. There are power outages, which may hamper traffic and the route of public transport may be changed.”
The strikes on Saturday night killed at least one person, the statement said, and left at least 19 hurt.
“Another 19 people including four children were injured. Eleven adults and three children were hospitalized while the rest are being treated on an outpatient basis,” the statement said.
Ukraine has been struggling in the past week to repel a wave of Russian strikes against Odesa – its air defenses unable to cope with the types of missiles that Moscow has used to pummel the region.
Russian forces pushing along "almost entire front line" in Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk region
From CNN's Kostan Nechyporenko and Andrew Carey
While Russian forces mount an essentially defensive operation in the south of Ukraine, they've adopted a more offensive posture elsewhere along the front line, according to updates from Kyiv's military, regional leaders and Russian bloggers.
In Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region, in particular, Moscow’s troops appear to have Ukraine firmly on the back foot.
“Yesterday the enemy tried to advance almost along the entire front line (running through the Luhansk region). These attempts were stopped by our military. The enemy is suffering significant losses in personnel and means but is pressing on every day,” Artem Lysohor, head of the region's military administration, said on Telegram Saturday.
Lysohor listed five locations in Luhansk where Russian forces had recently attacked.
A Ukrainian army spokesperson reminded TV viewers that Russia has assembled 100,000 soldiers to the east of an area between the towns of Lyman and Kupyansk. The towns are about 100 kilometers (62 miles) apart, north of Bakhmut on the eastern front.
“Although the situation is complicated, it is under our control,” said Serhii Cherevatyi, the military spokesperson.
“The enemy is acting according to the classic scheme — they are conducting artillery and air strikes on our positions to the maximum extent possible. And then they try to attack with platoon-company-level units … trying to attack our positions,” Cherevatyi added.
Reports from Russia: Rybar, a Russian military blogging site, says Moscow's forces have made territorial gains in the northeastern Kharkiv region, capturing a railway station in the village of Movchanove and expanding control around the nearby town of Lyman Pershyi.
It is not possible for CNN to immediately verify claims of battlefield gains or losses by either side, but it is notable that the DeepState mapping site also suggests modest Russian gains in the same area.
Also in the east, Ukrainian forces continue their efforts to capture higher ground around Bakhmut, but gains are small and hard to defend, according to reports.
Rybar reported the Ukrainian army has "once again managed to gain a foothold on the heights" near the town of Klishchivka, just south of Bakhmut. But, the Russian site reported, it had come “at the cost of significant losses.”
“The Ukrainian defense forces are holding the initiative (around Bakhmut), putting pressure on the enemy, and liberating Ukrainian land meter by meter,” Cherevatyi said.
1 hr 50 min ago
Ukraine targets ammunition dump in Crimea, forcing evacuations, according to local officials
From CNN's Kostan Nechyporenko, Andrew Carey and Yulia Kesaieva
Ukrainian forces hit an ammunition dump in Crimea on Saturday, forcing an evacuation of the area and canceling train services, according to information from Russian-backed authorities.
Videos posted on social media and geolocated by CNN shows thick black smoke rising not far from a railway station in the town of Oktiabrske in the center of Crimea. In one of the videos, at least three loud explosions can be heard.
Sergey Aksyonov, the Russian-installed head of the peninsula, said a drone had struck an ammunition storage facility, prompting him to order the evacuation of everyone within a 5-kilometer (about 3-mile) radius, as well as the cancellation of several train services.
About Crimea: The depot strike comes after a drone attack struck the bridge linking Crimea to Russia in the early hours of Monday morning, causing significant damage to part of the structure carrying road traffic.
On Wednesday, an ammunition dump was hit in the east of the territory, also causing authorities to evacuate thousands of people living nearby. Unconfirmed reports suggested that attack might have been carried out using a Storm Shadow missile.
And on Thursday, one person was killed when a Ukrainian drone struck four administrative buildings in the northwest of Crimea, Russian-backed authorities said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly vowed to retake Crimea, which was declared annexed by Russia in 2014 in violation of international law.
Russian strikes hit a church and several residential buildings in the southern city of Odesa, killing one person, Ukrainian authorities say. Targeted several times this week, the city has struggled to defend against Russian missiles.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said there was "no excuse" for such an attack and vowed retaliation.
Elsewhere, Ukraine's military says two people were killed in Russian shelling on Kharkiv. The southern Zaporizhzhia region – a key front in Ukraine's counteroffensive – also came under fire.
A Ukrainian serviceman inspects a destroyed Russian tank in the recently liberated village of Novodarivka in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, on July 21, 2023. Stringer/Reuters
Deadly Russian shelling continued overnight, striking targets in Ukraine's Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions.
At least 2 people were killed in northeastern Kharkiv, according to local military commanders. Two others were injured including a 60-year-old man and 72-year-old woman.
“Over the past day, the enemy has been massively shelling settlements in Kharkiv, Chuhuiv, Kupyansk and Izium districts with artillery, mortars and aircraft,” Oleh Syniehubov, head of Kharkiv region military administration, said on Telegram.
“Our defenders are holding their positions in the Kupyansk sector. The enemy has made no progress,” Syniehubov added.
Elsewhere, Russian forces struck 20 civilian settlements in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region 69 times overnight into Sunday, the head of the Zaporizhzhia region military admiration Yurii Malashko said in a statement on Sunday.
Russian troops also attacked the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia city and the district with four missiles overnight, causing no casualties, according to Malashko.
Zaporizhzhia is a key front in Ukraine's counteroffensive.
A rescuer takes a picture of a residential building damaged during a Russian missile strike in Odesa, Ukraine, on July 23, 2023. Serhii Smolientsev/Reuters
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said there is "no excuse for Russian evil" following a fifth night of Russian strikes on the city of Odesa.
“Missiles against peaceful cities, against residential buildings, a cathedral... There can be no excuse for Russian evil," the Ukrainian leader wrote in a statement on Telegram Sunday.
"As always, this evil will lose. And there will definitely be a retaliation to Russian terrorists for Odesa. They will feel this retaliation."
"All those who suffered from this latest terrorist attack are being provided with assistance. I am grateful to everyone who is helping people and to everyone who is with Odesa in their thoughts and emotions.
"We will get through this. We will restore peace. And for this, we must defeat the Russian evil."
Some context: Ukraine has been struggling in the past week to repel a wave of Russian strikes against Odesa – with its air defenses unable to cope with the types of missiles that Moscow has used to pummel the region.
Saturday's strikes damaged a Ukrainian Orthodox Church and several "architectural monuments."
A view shows a residential building damaged during a Russian missile strike in Odesa, Ukraine, on July 23, 2023. Serhii Smolientsev/Reuters
Russian strikes on the southern city of Odesa overnight damaged at least six residential buildings, a Ukrainian Orthodox Church and “architectural monuments,” according to Ukraine’s southern Operational Command.
“Dozens of cars were damaged, facades and roofs of many buildings in the city were damaged and windows were blown out,” it said in a statement on Telegram.
“Several craters have been formed in the city. There are power outages, which may hamper traffic and the route of public transport may be changed.”
The strikes on Saturday night killed at least one person, the statement said, and left at least 19 hurt.
“Another 19 people including four children were injured. Eleven adults and three children were hospitalized while the rest are being treated on an outpatient basis,” the statement said.
Ukraine has been struggling in the past week to repel a wave of Russian strikes against Odesa – its air defenses unable to cope with the types of missiles that Moscow has used to pummel the region.
While Russian forces mount an essentially defensive operation in the south of Ukraine, they've adopted a more offensive posture elsewhere along the front line, according to updates from Kyiv's military, regional leaders and Russian bloggers.
In Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region, in particular, Moscow’s troops appear to have Ukraine firmly on the back foot.
“Yesterday the enemy tried to advance almost along the entire front line (running through the Luhansk region). These attempts were stopped by our military. The enemy is suffering significant losses in personnel and means but is pressing on every day,” Artem Lysohor, head of the region's military administration, said on Telegram Saturday.
Lysohor listed five locations in Luhansk where Russian forces had recently attacked.
A Ukrainian army spokesperson reminded TV viewers that Russia has assembled 100,000 soldiers to the east of an area between the towns of Lyman and Kupyansk. The towns are about 100 kilometers (62 miles) apart, north of Bakhmut on the eastern front.
“Although the situation is complicated, it is under our control,” said Serhii Cherevatyi, the military spokesperson.
“The enemy is acting according to the classic scheme — they are conducting artillery and air strikes on our positions to the maximum extent possible. And then they try to attack with platoon-company-level units … trying to attack our positions,” Cherevatyi added.
Reports from Russia: Rybar, a Russian military blogging site, says Moscow's forces have made territorial gains in the northeastern Kharkiv region, capturing a railway station in the village of Movchanove and expanding control around the nearby town of Lyman Pershyi.
It is not possible for CNN to immediately verify claims of battlefield gains or losses by either side, but it is notable that the DeepState mapping site also suggests modest Russian gains in the same area.
Also in the east, Ukrainian forces continue their efforts to capture higher ground around Bakhmut, but gains are small and hard to defend, according to reports.
Rybar reported the Ukrainian army has "once again managed to gain a foothold on the heights" near the town of Klishchivka, just south of Bakhmut. But, the Russian site reported, it had come “at the cost of significant losses.”
“The Ukrainian defense forces are holding the initiative (around Bakhmut), putting pressure on the enemy, and liberating Ukrainian land meter by meter,” Cherevatyi said.
Ukrainian forces hit an ammunition dump in Crimea on Saturday, forcing an evacuation of the area and canceling train services, according to information from Russian-backed authorities.
Videos posted on social media and geolocated by CNN shows thick black smoke rising not far from a railway station in the town of Oktiabrske in the center of Crimea. In one of the videos, at least three loud explosions can be heard.
Sergey Aksyonov, the Russian-installed head of the peninsula, said a drone had struck an ammunition storage facility, prompting him to order the evacuation of everyone within a 5-kilometer (about 3-mile) radius, as well as the cancellation of several train services.
About Crimea: The depot strike comes after a drone attack struck the bridge linking Crimea to Russia in the early hours of Monday morning, causing significant damage to part of the structure carrying road traffic.
On Wednesday, an ammunition dump was hit in the east of the territory, also causing authorities to evacuate thousands of people living nearby. Unconfirmed reports suggested that attack might have been carried out using a Storm Shadow missile.
And on Thursday, one person was killed when a Ukrainian drone struck four administrative buildings in the northwest of Crimea, Russian-backed authorities said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly vowed to retake Crimea, which was declared annexed by Russia in 2014 in violation of international law.
