​​⚠️ Furthermore, despite the threat of a food crisis, Ukrainian armed groups continue using the food industry for military purposes:

🔹 in the Donetsk People's Republic, at the bakery plant (Slavyansk, Bogomoltsa ln.) and the dairy plant (Kramatorsk, Geroyev Soyuza st.), units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have deployed their firing positions, armoured vehicles, artillery guns and MRLS, as well as have been periodically launching attacks at settlements;

🔹 in Kharkov, at the bakery plant №11 (Gvardeytsev-Shironinysev st.), nationalists have deployed long-range artillery and MRLS, while residents of local buildings have been deliberately left without evacuation.

🔹 These facts show again the indifference of Ukrainian authorities to the lives of civilian population.

🔹 It occurs with the tacit consent of the western countries that continue turning a blind eye to the numerous war crimes of the Kiev regime.

📄 More

#MoD #Russia #Ukraine #HumanitarianResponse #HumanitarianAid
@mod_russia_en

📑 Russian Ministry of Defence publishes data on the number of foreign mercenaries in Ukraine

Footage of the collapsed Ukrainian M777 storage after Russian strike. Barrels and other parts of the howitzers can be seen among the debris.

"Expert" views, we make take them, or drop them. Just for general information...

"The second phase of this war has seen Russia returning to basics," Max Bergmann, the director of the Europe program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told CNN.
That has resulted in sluggish but steady progress for Russia, which has won several weekslong battles for strategic cities and exposed limitations in Ukraine's arsenal. "They've used their mass, their artillery assets, and (have been) pummeling Ukrainian forces while operating in a slow grind," Bergmann said.

LUGANSK, July 13 - RIA Novosti. The allied forces of Russia and the Lugansk People's Republic entered the outskirts of Soledar in the Donbass, Vitaly Kiselev, assistant to the head of the LPR Ministry of Internal Affairs, told RIA Novosti.

"The Special Military Operation continues to liberate settlements that were under occupation from the Nazi junta. Our motorized rifle units entered the outskirts of Soledar," he said.

It is noted that the following artillery units took possession of an ammunition depot of about six thousand pieces of 122 mm caliber.
Soledar is a city in the DPR, located near its eastern border with the Luhansk region and under the control of Kyiv. LPR units are developing an offensive against these areas.

ISTANBUL, July 13 - RIA Novosti. Delegations from Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN reached an agreement to establish a coordinating center for the supply of grain in Istanbul, said Minister of National Defense of the host country Hulusi Akar.
“The main technical issues were agreed upon, such as the creation of a coordination center where representatives of all parties will be present, joint control at the exit from the port and at points of arrival, ensuring the safety of navigation on transitional routes,” he said.
Next week, according to Akar, the Ukrainian and Russian delegations will meet again in Turkey to discuss the "grain issue."
"We will try to draw certain conclusions by carrying out our work in coordination with the UN <...> all the details will be reviewed again, and we will sign the work we have done," the minister said.

Lithuania agreed to comply with new EU rules on transit to Kaliningrad
13.07.2022 - 21:11

Lithuania positively assesses the recommendations of the European Commission to allow transit to Kaliningrad by rail and intends to adhere to them in order not to “split the transatlantic unity”. This was stated in the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry.

“We have always said that there can be no special exceptions and regime for the territories of different EU member states, therefore we positively assess the fact that this interpretation, which is fair for all EU member states, does not create such a precedent,” the message says. .

Lithuania says that “being a member of the transatlantic community and a consistent ally”, they cannot ignore the positions of their colleagues, especially given the Kremlin’s intentions to sow a “split in transatlantic unity”, therefore they will continue to adhere to a unified and coordinated EU sanctions policy.

At the same time, “Lithuania understands that the published new EU sanctions instructions may create an unfounded impression that the transatlantic community is softening its position and sanctions policy towards Russia.”

Thus, the Lithuanians agreed to the transit scheme proposed by the European Commission that the transit of sanctioned Russian cargo to Kaliningrad is allowed by rail.

Earlier, Lithuania was going to veto the decision of the European Commission, allowing the transit of goods to Kaliningrad.

Today's statement by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken that Russia allegedly forcibly keeps up to 1.6 million Ukrainian citizens on its territory causes laughter and shock at the same time, said Leonid Slutsky, head of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs.

“Secretary Blinken made a statement today that is shocking and laughable at the same time. The shock comes from the fact that such nonsense comes from the head of American diplomacy, and laughter from the absurdity of what was said.

The head of the State Department claims that Russia forcibly keeps up to 1.6 million Ukrainian citizens on its territory, whose passports were taken away and Russian documents were issued. Ukrainians are allegedly “forced to sign an agreement to stay in Russia.”

The mind is incomprehensible. Realizing perfectly well that the Kyiv regime could go on provocations or launch a massive offensive, Russia began to host the residents of Donbass. They needed to be rescued, thousands of people arrived on Russian territory, many regions, and not only border regions, provided assistance in accommodation. Then, already during the special operation, the Russian military opened corridors from the liberated cities, but the Ukrainian Nazis did not allow civilians to use them. People in the truest sense of the word were looking for salvation in Russia from possible death.

Meanwhile, the number of applications for Russian citizenship from residents of the liberated territories is growing. The local population no longer wants to associate themselves with Ukraine. The denial of these facts is nothing but an outright lie. Right following Dr. Goebbels.

Yes, and the statements of Mr. Blinken sounded now not in vain. Probably, the decree of the President of Russia on the simplified acquisition of Russian citizenship for all residents of Ukraine turned out to be a sore point for Kyiv - it was not for nothing that the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Kuleba, immediately called for more weapons to be sent to Ukraine in response. Are they afraid of a massive exodus of citizens? Weapons and Blinken's tales will not help here! Slutsky wrote in his Telegram channel.

FIRST TROPHY M777 howitzer

"Three axes" were found by fighters of the NM LPR. From a cannon, the militants of the Kyiv regime fired at the quarters of Rubizhne. A foreign, dark-skinned specialist supervised the calculation, foreign mercenaries guarded the howitzer. The second-hand gun and with big mileage across Ukraine (damaged during a successful counter-battery fight). However this is the version with a digital ballistic calculator. The Combat Information System has already been taken for a close examination in a competent organisation.

Congratulations to the fighters of the 2nd AC of the LPR.
@epoddubny

Ukraine severed diplomatic relations with North Korea after it officially recognized the DNR and LNR. Earlier, according to this scheme, Kyiv severed diplomatic relations with Syria.
North Korea also said today that it supports Russia's position on the Ukrainian issue. Pyongyang is unlikely to be very upset about the hysteria in Kyiv.

Night work of the "Victory" helicopter group, performing the combat missions assigned by the command in the Slaviansk direction.
While they are working, we can go to sleep 💤

There are some updates on the "House of Officers".
Margarita Simonian (Editor-in-Chief of RT) quotes source from Russian MOD: "there was there a temporary deployment centre of nationalists".
Also, an Ukrainian source claims, that civilian casualties have occurred because two of the missiles was shot down near the target and the debris cause fire and damage to a civilian building.
#TransFormator