Ukraine Briefly

July 21, 2023

Ukraine, Briefly

RussiaUkraine

Listen to Today's Edition

This week, Ukraine’s Black Sea cities of Odesa and Mykolaiv faced Russian bombardment, with multiple cruise missiles and attack drones targeting the cities’ vital ports, CBS News reported. More than 20 civilians were wounded, including five children, as the attacks continued for three consecutive nights after Russia withdrew from a deal allowing Ukraine’s cargo ships safe passage through the Black Sea blockade. Moscow warned that any ship sailing through those waters could be considered a military target, drawing condemnation from Ukraine and other nations.

Meanwhile, Ukraine suffered significant losses with around 20 percent of its armament and vehicles damaged or destroyed during its counteroffensive, according to the New York Times. This compelled officials to reassess their strategy and slow down the advance to reduce further losses. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed the importance of foreign aid, adding that talks with 20 countries have taken place to garner support for Ukraine’s cause. Meanwhile, Ukrainian Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi told the BBC that the advance has been slower than expected due to Russian strongholds and defensive barriers, especially those involving landmines. Syrskyi is leading the counteroffensive in eastern Ukraine and is aiming to recapture Bakhmut and other lost territory. The retaking of Bakhmut is considered strategically and symbolically important for Ukraine.

Also this week:

• Yevgeny Prigozhin, the boss of the mercenary Wagner Group, appeared in a video addressing his fighters in Belarus, saying that Wagner will not currently fight in Ukraine due to the botched invasion, the Washington Post added. He expressed plans to continue operations in Africa and develop Belarus’ military as “the second army in the world.” Despite previous conflict with Russian authorities, Prigozhin and Wagner troops are now seemingly aligned with the Kremlin. Recent satellite imagery and reports indicate Wagner’s movement of equipment from Russian-controlled territory to Belarus. Wagner’s main training camp in Russia is set to close on July 30.

• China dispatched navy ships to hold joint exercises with Russia’s maritime forces this week, indicating its support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Associated Press noted. The exercise involves more than 10 ships and 30-plus aircraft and is set to take place in parts of the East Sea. China claims to be neutral in the conflict but has maintained robust economic, diplomatic, and trade ties with Moscow. The joint drills will focus on ship-to-ship communications, maneuvers in formation, and maritime search and rescue. China operates the world’s largest navy and has consistently backed Russia in its Ukraine invasion.

• Russian forces in the occupied region of Zaporizhzhia are allegedly denying medical care to Ukrainians who refuse to obtain Russian passports, Business Insider noted. Ukrainian officials said medications, including subsidized insulin and thyroid hormone drugs, are being withheld, despite locals’ entitlement to free or discounted medicines. The Kremlin and Russia’s Ministry of Defense have not responded to the claim. Last year, Russian passports were distributed in some occupied cities, leading to international condemnation and concerns about coercion. Some believe these actions may potentially violate the Geneva Convention’s provisions on the treatment of occupied populations.

• Lithuania has revoked the residency permits of more than 100 Russians, citing security threats and concerns over their views on Crimea and the Ukraine war, Euronews wrote. The number of Russians applying for residency permits in Lithuania doubled between 2021 and 2022, despite increasing restrictions. Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine heightened security concerns in Lithuania, a staunch ally of Kyiv. Some Russians in Lithuania have complained of experiencing hostility over their government’s invasion of Ukraine, while support for Ukraine is high among Lithuanians. Now, according to Euronews, the country finds itself balancing the desire to support opponents of Putin with security concerns about allowing citizens of Russia and Belarus into Lithuania.

This story originally appeared in the July 21, 2023 newsletter, Null and Void.