Russia says it shot down 4 Ukrainian planes, Kiev denies
The Russian Defense Ministry announced that it shot down four Ukrainian military planes in the east and south of the country, but Kiev quickly denied it.
The Russian Defense Ministry said on July 13 that its forces shot down two Su-25 and Su-24 aircraft of the Ukrainian air force in the eastern province of Donetsk and two Su-25 and Mig-29 aircraft in the southern province of Mykolaiv.
However, Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy immediately denied the information from Russia.
In eastern Ukraine, Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said on July 13 that Russian forces had been shelling the area overnight and into the early morning, with the town of Bakhmut being the hardest hit. Kyrylenko said one person had died and five were injured in the town.
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A destroyed house in Chasiv Yar, Bakhmut town, eastern Ukraine, on July 10. Photo: Reuters. |
Many opinions say that the shelling of the town of Bakhmut could signal a new series of Russian attacks on cities in Donetsk province.
The Russian Defense Ministry said on July 13 that it had inflicted heavy losses on Ukrainian forces in 24 hours, shooting down four military aircraft, nine drones and killing at least 425 soldiers. Russia said it had used guided missiles to strike targets in the southern city of Mykolaiv.
In Kharkiv, regional leader Oleh Synyehubov posted on Telegram on July 13 that at least five people were injured and one person was killed by Russian shelling. Moscow has not responded to the information, but has repeatedly stated that it only targets military targets, not civilian ones.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on July 13 ruled out any territorial concessions as part of any peace deal, adding that no negotiations were underway between Russia and Ukraine.
"Ukraine's goal is to liberate our territory, restore territorial integrity and full sovereignty in the east and south of Ukraine. This is what Ukraine must achieve," the Ukrainian Foreign Minister stressed.
In its latest intelligence report, the British Ministry of Defense said Russia is preparing for new attack efforts.
"In Donbass, Russian forces are likely to focus on capturing a number of small towns over the next week, including Siversk and Dolnya on the approaches to Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. The urban areas of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk are likely to remain the main Russian targets for this phase," the UK Ministry of Defense assessed.
North Korea has recognized the independence of two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, Russian media and the leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Denis Pushili said on July 13. Pushili also expressed hope for "effective cooperation" and increased trade with North Korea. The move makes North Korea the third country after Russia and Syria to recognize the independence of the DPR and the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic (LNR).
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has recorded 5,024 civilian deaths and 6,520 injuries since the conflict broke out on February 24. The actual number may be higher as the fighting situation has hindered verification and statistics.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports more than 9.1 million people have left Ukraine and more than 3.5 million have entered the country from abroad in nearly five months of conflict. The agency records 5.8 million Ukrainian refugees across Europe.
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| The situation on the Ukrainian battlefield after more than 4 months of fighting. Graphics: Washington Post |