Ukraine advanced another mile (1.5 km) on the borders of Bakhmut. Ukraine also made some gains towards Priyutne in the Zaporizhia and Donetsk border zone. Fighting continues over the city of Robotyne. Ukraine fired at least ten British Storm Shadow missiles at a Russian helicopter base near Berdyansk, the largest such attack conducted by Ukraine since the start of the renewed invasion.
NATO countries are preparing for the upcoming summit in Vilnius, Lithuania by offering words of support for Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of defending Ukraine’s sovereignty and the need F-16 training for their pilots. UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace suggested that NATO should “skip” specific requirements and admit Ukraine as a member now. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he would not travel to the summit if the world leaders show a “deficit of courage” while Ukraine is showing their courage “fighting against Russian aggression.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin was out in public greeting people, a rare event, as part of an information campaign to assure the Russian people that he was not weakened by the Wagner Group mutiny and is still loved by the people. Ukrainian intelligence released a statement claiming that the Russian Federal Security Service has been assigned the task of assassinating Wagner Group financier Yevgeniy Prigozhin. It was also reported by a Russian lawmaker that Wagner Group forces will no longer fight in Ukraine. Prigozhin has begun dissolving his media empire within Russia, probably as one of the conditions of his amnesty.
Local communities around the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) have begun exercised so prepare people in the event of a nuclear terrorist attack. The goal of the exercises is to coordinate the relevant services in the event of a genuine catastrophe. This is in reaction to the recent mining of the ZNPP by Russian forces. Russian forces and officials have begun leaving the ZNPP in preparation for an intentional “accident” at the facility. But it is considered unlikely that Russia will create an accident but is only threatening such to constrain Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the region.
The International Monetary Fund authorized an additional $890 million tranche for budget support for Ukraine. Germany also announced a new package of support which includes an air surveillance radar station, three armored bridge-laying vehicles, a portable demining system, two border guard trucks, and 16 off-road vehicles.
Former Vice-President Mike Pence made a surprise visit to Kyiv to show his support of Ukraine and to differentiate himself from the other Republican candidates for US President. The visit was organized by Samaritan Purse.