STOPPED ON FRONT LINES, RUSSIA AND UKRAINE CLAIM VICTORIES IN NEGOTIATIONS

After Russian-led forces took control of the entire Luhansk People’s Republic, front lines in Ukraine faced no significant changes. While there are no advances on the battlefields, the warring sides claimed some successes in the diplomatic field. Heavy positional battles continue in eastern and southern Ukrainian regions. The both sides are suffering from shelling with precise weapons. After Ukrainian forces received foreign military equipment, including the US Himars, they managed to destroy a number of Russian ammunition and fuel depots in the Donbass as well as in other regions. Last night, Ukrainian forces inflicted a massive blow on the air defense units of Lugansk. The Luhansk People’s Militia confirmed that several missiles reached their target. Luhansk was hit by three Tochka-U missiles, presumably from the Ukrainian positions between Bakhmut and Soledar in the DPR. The sky over Lugansk is currently controlled by Russian reserve air defense forces. On July 12, Kiev forces struck an ammunition depot at the plant in the Petrovsky district of Donetsk. Another depot was reportedly hit in the area of Avdeedvka. In the Zaporozhye region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked an energy depot near the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant with a kamikaze drone. At least one UAV was shot down by Russian air defense. No information on any damage was revealed. Ukrainian formations continue to regularly shell the settlements of the DPR and LPR. The Donetsk region and the cities of Stakhanov and Lisichansk are constantly hit. Attacks result in casualties among civilians. Ukrainian military positions are also pounded by Russian missiles along the entire front lines. The foreign military equipment supplied to Kiev forces is the main target. On July 12, Russian forces destroyed the launchers of the US Harpoon missile system in the area of Berezan island in the Odessa region. Meanwhile, the sides claimed some successes in the diplomatic processes. Another exchange of the bodies of the dead took place in the Kamensky district. 40 bodies were exchanged to 40. On July 13, the delegations of Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN are holding a meeting in Istanbul. The main topic for negotiations is the export of Ukrainian grain. The meeting takes place after a round of talks between the Turkish officials and the Ukrainian and Russian military. Ukraine and Russia are “two steps away” from reaching an agreement on grain exports, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said. Another victory was reported in negotiations between the European Union and Russia. The sides reportedly agreed on the transit of goods to the Kaliningrad region. Brussels provided a document that “fully satisfied” Moscow.