Ukraine Daily Summary - Sunday, July 28 2024

3 Russian helicopters damaged in Ukrainian sabotage operations -- Oil refinery on fire in Russia's Kursk Oblast -- Over 75% of injured Ukrainian soldiers return to service after rehabilitation -- Blinken warns China of 'taking measures' if it keeps helping Russia's defense industry -- and more

Sunday, July 28

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Ukraine’s players celebrate after forward Ihor Krasnopir scored his team’s second goal during the men’s group B football match between Ukraine and Morocco during the Olympic Games in Paris on July 27, 2024. (Arnaud Finistre/AFP via Getty Images)

3 Russian helicopters damaged in Ukrainian sabotage operations, source says. The operations damaged a Mi-8, Mi-28, and Ka-226 helicopters in Moscow and Samara region, a source in Ukraine’s military intelligence agency told the Kyiv Independent on July 27.

Russia’s Lavrov claims he ‘does not listen’ to Ukraine’s peace talks statements. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said he “does not listen” to Ukraine’s statements about peace talks, claiming recent comments from senior Kyiv officials have been contradictory.

Russia reportedly captures Vovche, Ukrainian military doesn’t confirm yet. Moscow’s troops are attempting to break through Ukrainian defenses in the area, and the sector near Pokrovsk in the western part of Donetsk Oblast has become the hottest part of the front in recent weeks.

Partners to supply Ukraine with 200 units of front-line evacuation equipment. Ukraine has secured an agreement with its allies to acquire 200 evacuation vehicles, Deputy Defense Minister Natalia Kalmykova said on July 27. The Strategic Industries Ministry is also working to ensure Ukraine can produce such equipment domestically.

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Fire engulfs Donetsk mine with 86 miners inside due to Russian shelling, ministry says. Russian shelling in Donetsk Oblast set fire to a mine with 86 miners inside, the Energy Ministry reported on July 27.

Ministry: Over 75% of injured Ukrainian soldiers return to service after rehabilitation. “We have a very high percentage of high-quality rehabilitation and return to service. Our Western partners, those countries that have never had such experience, such a war, also point this out,” she added during a briefing on the sidelines of the Congress on Military Medicine and Mental Health in Kyiv.

Russian Su-34 bomber crashes during training flight. A Russian Air Force Su-34 bomber plane crashed during a training exercise in Volgograd Oblast, Russian state media Ria Novosti reported on July 27.

Oil refinery on fire in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. A drone attack in the Kursk region of Russia overnight on July 28 caused explosions and resulted in several fires, including one at an oil depot.

Read our exclusives

Ex-lawmaker Iryna Farion assassination – everything we know about 18-year-old suspect

After a “challenging” manhunt, a teenager has been detained over the assassination of former Ukrainian lawmaker and linguist, Iryna Farion, Ukrainian authorities announced on July 25. Since then, details have begun to emerge about the potential motive of the suspected killer.

Photo: Stanislav Ivanov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

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Human cost of war

Russian attack on Sumy Oblast kills teenager, injures 14. Russia used multiple launch rocket systems against downtown Hlukhiv, damaging high-rise buildings, houses, vehicles and an educational institution, according to the prosecutors. A total of 12 explosions were recorded.

General Staff: Russia has lost 573,510 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022. This number includes 1,210 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

International response

Blinken warns China of ‘taking measures’ if it keeps helping Russia’s defense industry. “The secretary reiterated serious concern with PRC (People’s Republic of China) support for Russia’s defense industrial base and made clear that if the PRC does not act to address this threat to European security, the United Stares will continue to take appropriate measures to do so,” U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

Orban accuses US of blowing up Nord Stream pipelines amid anti-Western tirade. Russia blamed the U.S. and U.K. for blowing up the Nord Stream pipelines connecting Russia and Germany in September 2022. Investigations have so far failed to find conclusive evidence, and both Denmark and Sweden dropped the case in February 2024. The German investigation is still ongoing.

In other news

Ukraine earns first-ever Olympic football victory by beating Morocco. Ukraine’s football team won its second game at the Olympic Games in Paris on July 27, beating Morocco 2:1.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Olga Rudenko, Chris York, Toma Istomina, Dominic Culverwell, Oleg Sukhov, Kateryna Denisova, and Olena Goncharova.

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