Key developments on July 22:
Ukraine hits Russia's Tuapse oil refinery, source confirms
Russia gathering forces in Kharkiv Oblast for fresh attacks, military says
Russia pushing toward Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast despite heavy losses, Syrskyi says
Kuleba to visit China on July 23-25 in first visit since February 2022
Czech initiative secures funds to provide Ukraine with 500,000 shells so far in 2024
Russia has deployed additional assault units near the village of Hlyboke in Kharkiv Oblast to prepare for offensive operations, Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson of the Khortytsia group of forces, told Interfax Ukraine on July 21.
The village of Hlyboke is located in the northern part of Kharkiv Oblast, 7 kilometers south of the border with Russia and 39 kilometers north of Kharkiv.
Russia launched its offensive in Kharkiv Oblast on May 10, but the assault quickly stalled. Around 20,000 Russian troops were killed during the failed push in the northeastern region, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Russia is currently massing new troops near the village of Hlyboke, including assault groups of the 155th Separate Marine Brigade of the Russian Pacific Fleet and the 18th Motorized Rifle Division of the 11th Army Corps, according to Voloshyn.
Russian troops use drones for remote mining of the area, the spokesperson added.
Voloshyn said that in the central and eastern parts of the town of Vovchansk, which became the scene of some of the heaviest fighting in Kharkiv Oblast, Russian troops continue to regroup forces for further attacks.
"It has also been confirmed that an assault unit of the 153rd Tank Regiment of the 47th Tank Division of the Russian Armed Forces has been withdrawn for recovery, its positions have been taken by the personnel of the (Russian) 128th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 44th Army Corps and the 'Akhmat' unit," the spokesperson added.
The Ukrainian military also recorded the arrival of additional personnel from the 41st Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 72nd Motorized Rifle Division near the Ukrainian border to replenish the thinned ranks.
Read also: Around 20,000 Russians died in Kharkiv offensive, Zelensky says
Ukraine hits Russia's Tuapse oil refinery, source confirms
An oil refinery in the Russian town of Tuapse on the Black Sea coast caught fire after over 75 drones targeted multiple Russian regions overnight on July 22, local authorities said.
The strike against the refinery was carried out by Ukraine's military intelligence service (HUR), a source in the agency confirmed for the Kyiv Independent later the same day.
Russian Telegram channels claimed that the attack also started a fire near the Morozovsk airbase in Rostov Oblast.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the reports.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed its forces intercepted eight drones over Krasnodar Krai, 47 drones over Rostov Oblast, one each over Belgorod, Voronezh, and Smolensk oblasts, and 17 over the Black and Azov seas.
The eight drones targeting Krasnodar Krai have been shot down around Tuapse between 3:17 to 4:20 a.m. local time, local official Sergey Boyko claimed, saying that there were no casualties or damage.
During a second wave of attack later in the morning, drone debris fell on the territory of the Tuapse oil refinery, resulting in damage.
The extent of damage is currently being determined, the Kyiv Independent's source said.
Rosneft's Tuapse refinery has been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian strikes over the past months. Following an earlier strike, the facility underwent an emergency shutdown in May.
According to the Kyiv Independent's source, the refinery produces 12 million metric tons of petroleum products per year, with around 90% of being earmarked for export.
Read also: Russia systemically abuses its soldiers in Ukraine to ‘maintain order,’ The Insider reports
Russia pushing toward Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast despite heavy losses, Syrskyi says
Russian troops continue to push toward the town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast despite heavy losses, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said on July 22.
Russia is carrying out intense attacks in multiple sections of the eastern front, including in Donetsk Oblast, after it captured the city of Avdiivka in February.
Earlier in July, Ukrainian troops withdrew from the Kanal neighborhood of the embattled town of Chasiv Yar, as well as from the village of Urozhaine down south.
"Fierce fighting" continues in Krasnohorivka and in the areas of Prohres, Zalizne, Pivdenne, and Chasiv Yar, according to Syrskyi.
Russian forces continue their attempts to capture the settlements of Stelmakhivka and Makiivka and attack Ukrainian positions in Ivanivske and Klishchiivka, Syrskyi said.
Russian forces are also trying to seize the islands of the floodplain on the east bank of the Dnipro River, the commander added, likely referring to the front in Kherson Oblast where Ukraine recently withdrew from the Krynky beachhead.
Read also: Russia’s advance toward key eastern highway threatens Ukraine’s grip of Donetsk Oblast
Kuleba to visit China on July 23-25 first time since February 2022
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will visit China on July 23 for a three-day visit, marking his first trip to the country since the outbreak of the full-scale war, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry announced on July 22.
During the visit, Kyiv's chief diplomat and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi will discuss Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, China's role in achieving just and stable peace, and Ukrainian-Chinese relations, the ministry noted.
Kuleba and Wang previously met in February at the Munich Security Conference in Germany.
China has positioned itself as neutral in the war but has simultaneously deepened economic ties with Moscow and backed the country against Western sanctions. It has also shaped up to be Russia's leading source of dual-use goods that feed the Russian defense industry.
Kyiv has repeatedly appealed to China to use its sway over Moscow to help bring an end to the war, but these efforts have been largely unsuccessful as the East Asian country snubbed the June global peace summit in Switzerland.
President Volodymyr Zelensky blasted China over supposedly trying to sabotage the summit efforts, drawing rebuke from Beijing.
China proposed its own alternative peace plan, which would include a conference recognized by both Kyiv and Moscow. Ukraine's Ambassador to Singapore, Kateryna Zelenko, said in June that her country would consider attending if the talks are based on the principles of the "U.N. Charter and international law."
Read also: Illegal chip flows from China to Russia slowing down, Reuters reports
Czech initiative to provide Ukraine with 500,000 shells in 2024
The Czech-led ammunition initiative has secured enough funds to provide Ukraine with 500,000 shells by the end of the year, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said in Brussels on July 22.
Prague continues searching for additional finances among the allies to bring this number up to 800,000, the minister added.
Czechia unveiled the international initiative earlier this year amid Ukraine's shell shortages, which were largely caused by delays in U.S. assistance.
Czech President Petr Pavel initially said that with partners' support, Prague could facilitate the purchase of 500,000 155 mm shells and 200,000 122 mm shells, though Lipavsky said in March the total supply could go as high as 1.5 million rounds.
"We will send another 100,000 rounds in July and August. Now we are looking for funds for additional purchases, so that the initiative can continue also in 2025," Lipavsky said.
This is in addition to the roughly 45,000 shells shipped in June, the minister said, adding that the deliveries will pick up pace starting September.
Eighteen countries have pledged support to the initiative, of which 15 have fulfilled their promises and provided the funds, according to Lipavsky.
Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal visited Prague on July 16 to discuss the ammunition initiative and other areas of defense cooperation, including joint military production.
Only days later, the two countries signed a bilateral security agreement solidifying Czechia's support for Ukraine.
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