Day 493 (July 1, 2023)

Ukrainian forces continued to push forward in their counteroffensive. They advanced closer to Klishchiivka and Rozdolivka north and south of Bakhmut. Their biggest gains were in the region where Zaporizhia and Donetsk come together advancing towards Robotyne.

Ukraine is beefing up its defense on the Belarusian border as Wagner Group forces are redeploying to bases in Belarus. But President Zelensky’s spokesperson, Mykhailo Podolyak, assured the nation that Ukraine was not at risk of an attack from Belarus as the Wagner Group is a shell of what it had been. Half of the Wagner Group has signed contracts with the Russian army or national guard. Another quarter will return to Africa. Only a fourth of the forces will go into exile in Belarus and will probably be used to train Belarusian soldiers.

Denmark has decided to give to Ukraine their fleet of 30 F-16 fighter jets that they had intended to retire as they upgrade to a fleet of F-35s. Denmark has already begun training Ukrainian pilots.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez took his first trip as President of the EU to Ukraine to meet with President Zelensky and the Ukrainian parliament. He tweeted that he wanted to make his first trip to Ukraine to stress EU’s support of Ukraine.

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