Putin’s forces pushed back by Ukraine despite Moscow’s claims offensive is ‘failing’

At least two Russian ballistic missiles struck an apartment complex and a university building in president Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown yesterday, killing six people and wounding 75 others as the blasts trapped residents beneath rubble, Ukrainian officials said.

The dead included a 10-year-old girl and her mother, Mr Zelensky said, adding that more than 350 people were involved in the rescue operation.

One of the two missiles that hit the central city of Kryvyi Rih destroyed part of an apartment building between the fourth and ninth floors, interior minister Ihor Klymenko said.

Video showed black smoke billowing from corner units and burned out or damaged cars on a tree-lined street. The morning attack also destroyed part of a four-story university building.

The attack in central Ukraine’s industrial town where Mr Zelensky grew up came just a day after the Ukrainian president warned of more attacks inside Russia, stating that “gradually the war is returning to the territory of Russia”.

It was not clear whether the missile strikes were in retaliation for his comments.

Ukraine has reported regaining further ground from invading Russian forces along the eastern and southern fronts in July as its counteroffensive continues, following on from the liberation of a number of frontline villages in June.

Speaking during his latest nightly address on Thursday 27 July, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky claimed the recapture of another village, declaring: “I thank everyone who is fighting for Ukraine! Thank you for the liberation of Staromaiorske. Congratulations again, guys!”

That came after even his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin was forced to admit the Ukrainians were making advances and that the fighting had escalated in recent days.

Billionaire Elon Musk reportedly restricted his Starlink internet access multiple times in Ukraine, which has affected Kyiv’s battlefield strategy.

The world’s richest man denied the Ukrainian military’s request to turn on Starlink near Crimea, the Russian-controlled territory, during the ongoing war with Russia, the New York Times reported, citing people familiar with the situation.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar has the full story:

Ukraine has fought back courageously against Mr Putin’s warped bid to restore territory lost to Moscow with the collapse of the Soviet Union and has continued to defy the odds by defending itself against Russian onslaughts with the help of Western military aid.

Thomas Kingsley and Joe Sommerlad report:

Pro-democracy Russians in Serbia protested Sunday after two prominent anti-war activists and critics of Russian President Vladimir Putin said they faced problems with entry and residence permits in the Balkan country.

Several dozen activists held banners reading “We came to live in peace” and ”I love Serbia and I want safe and happy life here,” as they gathered at a central square in Belgrade, the Serbian capital.

The rally came days after Serbian police refused to extend a residency permit for Vladimir Volokhonski and weeks after another prominent activist, Peter Nikitin, spent more than one day at the Belgrade airport because of an entry ban, according to the two activists.

Footage purportedly shows a drone that Russian media say fell near the southern city of Taganrog late on Sunday, 30 July.

Witness footage from the scene shows the charred remains of the object on fire.

Russian online news outlet Ostorozhno Novosti reported that the drone fell in the settlement of Daraganovka, damaging a car and part of a residential building.

The footage comes two days after Russia claimed to have downed a drone over the same city, not far from the Ukrainian border.

Amid the ravages of war, Sergey, a seasoned Wagner mercenary, found himself grappling with the relentless violence that has become a way of life and death on the front line. The savage conflict, the sense of betrayal from the Kremlin, and rumours of plots, all combined to create an atmosphere of uncertainty and dread.

At the end he decided to abandon the Wagner group and the savage, meat-grinding combat of Donbas where corpses piled up, and towns and cities were razed.

Kim Sengupta meets a fighter – a father of two – who has recently left the mercenary group and hears about the daily routine of ‘fight, eat, pray’ on some of the fiercest frontlines in the war:

Russian missiles slammed into the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, killing at least one person and likely trapping others beneath rubble, an official said Monday.

The two missiles struck an apartment building, destroying a section of it between the fourth and ninth floors, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said, and a university building. Ten people were wounded, he said.

Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region and has seldom been targeted by the Kremlin’s forces since the war began in February 2022.

China imposed restrictions Monday on exports of long-range civilian drones, citing Russia’s war in Ukraine and concern that drones might be converted to military use.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government is friendly with Moscow but says it is neutral in the 18-month-old war. It has been stung by reports that both sides might be using Chinese-made drones for reconnaissance and possibly attacks.

Export controls will take effect Tuesday to prevent use of drones for “non-peaceful purposes,” the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement. It said exports still will be allowed but didn’t say what restrictions would apply.

Joe McDonald has the full story:

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday called for an end to the “irrational” war in Ukraine, urging upcoming peace talks in the Middle East to include representation from both Ukraine and Russia.

Lopez Obrador said Mexico would only take part in the talks in Saudi Arabia, reportedly scheduled to be held over the coming weekend, if both sides were present.

“If there’s acceptance from both Ukraine and Russia to look for solutions to achieve peace, we’ll participate,” the president told reporters at a regular press conference.

“We don’t want the Russia-Ukraine war to continue, it’s very irrational,” Lopez Obrador added, noting that the conflict has caused massive human suffering. “The only thing that benefits from it is the war industry.”

Senior officials from up to 30 countries are expected to participate in the talks between 5 and 6 August in Jeddah, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. Russia has not been invited, the outlet reported, citing diplomats involved in the planning.

On Monday, the Kremlin said it would “follow” the meeting but did not currently see conditions for peace talks with Kyiv.

Lopez Obrador has sought to keep Mexico neutral in the war, though his government has backed some major U.N. resolutions criticising Russia’s role in the conflict. Mexico has refused to send arms to Ukraine and has not imposed sanctions on Russia.

In April, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged Mexican lawmakers to back his plan to end the war, which would include Russia withdrawing its troops from Ukrainian territory.

Lopez Obrador had outlined a separate peace plan last year, which Ukraine opposed, arguing it would have benefited Russia.