Ukraine continued its attacks on three sectors in the directions of Bakhmut, Berdyansk, and Melitopol. Ukrainian forces made advances in all three sectors. The most important results were breaking through Russian defenses north of Priyutne. Ukrainian forces also advanced another mile (1.7 km) closer in the Melitopol direction. Advances were also made south of Bakhmut.
Russia launched 17 drones and one missile against Ukraine. 16 of the drones were shot down. Russia targeted Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Dnipropetrovsk Oblasts. The one drone that got through struck military infrastructure in Kryvyi Rih.
Although Ukraine has not yet used them, the cluster bombs from the U.S. have arrived. These weapons are banned in 123 countries who signed the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions. The U.S., Russia, and Ukraine are not signatories to the Convention. This will change the playing field as it rains terror on an already demoralized Russian army. Cluster bombs explode in mid-air releasing smaller submunitions that cover several football fields in area. The concern is that 2.5% of these smaller submunitions fail to explode immediately and can detonate years later causing harm to civilians long after the war is over. They also ignite fires that can raze a whole community. Ukraine has pledged not to use them over communities because of this. Russia has threatened countermeasures if Ukraine uses them against Russian troops. But Russia already uses them against Ukrainian civilian populations, so Ukraine will already have to deal with these explosions for years.
Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an interview which took a strange Bidenesque turn. He began the interview praising the soldiers of the Wagner Group and crediting them with great victories in the “special operation” against Ukraine. But when asked if the Wagner Group will continue, Putin responded that the Wagner Group had never existed as it is illegal for a private army to exist in Russia.
Wagner Group forces that had served in the Central African Republic have arrived at military bases in Belarus set up for the Wagner Group. These initial troops will set up the training for the Wagner Group forces when they all arrive in Belarus in September.
Russia ordered the closure of the Polish Consulate in Smolensk in response to Poland’s continuing support of Ukraine. The Consulate was opened after a devastating plane crash that killed 96 people, including Polish President Lech Kaczynski, to serve the many Poles who visit the memorial. There is also a memorial to the 22,000 Polish officers who were killed in the Katyn Massacre of 1940 by Soviet Forces.
France approved their next six-year budget with military spending increasing by 40%, the largest such increase since their conflict in Vietnam fifty years ago. Spending over the next six years will amount to $450 billion. The reason given for the increase was Russian aggression in Europe. In comparison though, the U.S. spends nearly $800 billion on the military every year.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin who assured him that the Ukraine grain deal will be extended after it expires on Monday.