War in Ukraine: new Russian attacks, Zaporizhzhia and Kiev hit. Cardinal Zuppi on mission to Moscow

Another night of attacks against Ukraine. In the Zaporizhzhia region there were three deaths, while one person lost his life in Kiev. Two people were killed in a Russian attack on a car in Novotavriyske. One person lost his life and four were injured in Komyshuvas. In Kiev, under attack since last night, a man died in the Solomianskyi district after a Russian drone hit a non-residential building. At least 4 injured in Russian bombing of the capital. Raids also affected Odessa, again against civilian structures. In all, three people were injured. During the night, Russian forces attacked a ship in the Black Sea bound for Odessa with military equipment and dual-use goods for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This was reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has complained about the lack of support from some large G20 countries such as China and India. "We are constantly working with the Europeans, the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia and other partners to strengthen our defense and concrete diplomacy. But, unfortunately, a strong and coherent position from China and India, Brazil and South Africa, the G20 countries and the Global South is missing," he wrote on X after the latest wave of Russian bombing. "All these countries have influence on Russia and could help make peace a reality. Building guaranteed and dignified security here, in Ukraine, means adding security and stability at a global level", he assured.

"The meetings with Russian officials are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. All this is part of the humanitarian mission that was entrusted to me first by Pope Francis and then confirmed by Pope Leo XIV". The president of the CEI, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi confirms his mission for Moscow to TASS. "I have been ordered to support the parties' efforts to address issues related to children (evacuated from combat zones), prisoner exchanges and civil problems arising from the conflict," the envoy said. According to Zuppi, among other things, the parties will verify whether all civilians forcibly displaced by the Ukrainian military from the Kursk region have returned home. "We are evaluating all the requests from both the Ukrainian and Russian sides within the dialogue that has already begun. We wish to further develop this dialogue as we know how much suffering the war causes. We are trying to contribute to putting an end to all this", underlined the cardinal.

"Cardinal Matteo Zuppi is always welcome in Moscow". Thus the Russian ambassador to the Holy See, Ivan Soltanovsky, in an interview on Avvenire, on the eve of the Archbishop of Bologna's new trip to Russia. Zuppi's third visit to Moscow begins tomorrow and he will be in the city from today. Three days of meetings and talks which will end on Wednesday, reports the CEI newspaper, and which arrive after the July visit to Ukraine where the cardinal had also entered a Russian army prison camp and where he had received the request to do the same in Russia to verify the conditions of those captured by the Kremlin military. The Russian ambassador to the Holy See Soltanovsky observes in Avvenire that humanitarian diplomacy "has produced concrete results", recalling the exchange between prisoners of war favored by the mediation of the Pope's envoy. Now work is being done on the exchange between civilian prisoners. "This is a new topic and it is still difficult to say what developments it may have. In-depth work will be necessary to establish precisely who falls into this category. Based on the lists received so far, it is still difficult to evaluate to what extent such exchanges will be possible", says the ambassador. Finally, Soltanovsky supports the words of the Pope who condemned the rearmament of Europe which EU leaders justify by also recalling the Russian "threat". "The rearmament of Europe is a dangerous process and is, unfortunately, also the result of the complete absence of dialogue between Russia and EU countries - underlines the diplomat -. We observe that a part of the European elite tries to rearm not only the countries, but also the minds and hearts of Europeans experiencing serious economic problems. It is precisely these forces that are sabotaging the peace process in Ukraine".

Russian forces attacked a ship in the Black Sea bound for Odessa with military equipment and dual-use goods for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This was reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Military infrastructures in the Kiev, Nikolayev and Odessa regions were also hit during the night. In particular, the Russian ministry explained, a plant of the Zalmer Group, which receives and distributes Western aid, in Krasilovka, in the Kiev region, was targeted. Two warehouses of drones and warheads were bombed in Nikolayev and Ilyichovka, Odessa region.

A Russian drone attack hit the Odessa region in southern Ukraine overnight, particularly affecting the city of Kiliia, in the Izmail district, near the border with Romania. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the administration of the Izmail district. "Overnight, the enemy launched an air strike on the city of Kiliia. Port and civilian infrastructure were hit," the administration reported. The attack caused fires, which were put out by rescuers from the Ukrainian State Emergency Service. According to local authorities, there were no victims

Losses in units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are increasing and would no longer be compensated by new recruits. Viktor Vodolatsky, first vice-president of the Duma commission for CIS affairs, Eurasian integration and relations with compatriots, told TASS. “The losses today of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are enormous, they are no longer covered by those young people that the Territorial Recruitment Centers take across the country,” Vodolatsky said, as reported by Tass. The Russian MP added that, according to data from the Russian Defense Ministry, in the Dobropillia area of ​​the Donetsk region, Ukrainian forces would lose on average between 30 and 50 soldiers per day. Vodolatsky also claimed that Ukrainian forces would begin a "secret mobilization" of women. According to the Russian deputy, the latter "are the first to give up", because they do not want to die.

Total losses among Russian troops since the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 have been approximately 1,528,970, including 1,690 on the last day. The toll, which does not distinguish between dead and wounded, was released by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, as reported by Ukrinform. As for military equipment, according to the infographic of the Ukrainian military, the Russian army lost 12,384 tanks, 25,442 armored fighting vehicles, 50,428 artillery systems, 2,163 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,677 air defense systems, 443 aircraft, 356 helicopters, 2,762 ground robotic systems, 535,846 tactical drones, 5,118 cruise missiles, 35 ships and boats, 2 submarines, 154,245 motor vehicles and tank trucks and 4,756 special equipment.

"Cardinal Matteo Zuppi is always welcome in Moscow". The Russian ambassador to the Holy See, Ivan Soltanovsky, told Avvenire on the eve of the Archbishop of Bologna's new trip to Russia. Zuppi's third visit to Moscow begins tomorrow - the CEI newspaper reports - and he will be in the city from today. Three days of meetings and talks which will end on Wednesday and come after the July visit to Ukraine where the cardinal had also entered a Russian army prison camp and where he had received the request to do the same in Russia to verify the conditions of those captured by the Kremlin military. The Russian ambassador, in his conversation with Avvenire, speaks of the work carried out by Zuppi for the liberation and exchange of prisoners: "Every time an agreement is reached, it is a result of great importance, which we naturally welcome. We are very grateful to Cardinal Zuppi for his contribution". As for the exchange of civilian prisoners, "it is a new topic and it is still difficult to say what developments it may have. In-depth work will be necessary to establish precisely who falls into this category. Based on the lists received so far, it is still difficult to evaluate to what extent such exchanges will be possible", says the diplomat. Finally, for Soltanovsky "the rearmament of Europe is a dangerous process and is, unfortunately, also the result of the complete absence of dialogue between Russia and EU countries. We observe that a part of the European elites tries to rearm not only the countries, but also the minds and hearts of Europeans experiencing serious economic problems. It is precisely these forces that sabotage the peace process in Ukraine".