{"id":188825,"date":"2022-07-01T11:42:47","date_gmt":"2022-07-01T08:42:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uacrisis.org\/?p=188825"},"modified":"2022-07-01T11:42:51","modified_gmt":"2022-07-01T08:42:51","slug":"day-127","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uacrisis.org\/en\/day-127","title":{"rendered":"Day 127: Ukraine retakes Zmiinyi Island, Russia conducts assault on Lysychansk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ukraine recaptures Zmiinyi Island.<\/strong> On June 30, the Ukrainian Armed Forces conducted massive strikes and destroyed a Russian garrison on Zmiinyi Island, forcing Russian forces to retreat. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhnyi released a video of Ukraine\u2019s strikes on Zmiinyi Island. Self-propelled howitzers Bohdana had a key role in forcing Russian occupying troops out of the isle, Lieutenant General Zaluzhnyi said. It is unknown how big the occupying contingent was, what losses it took, and how much personnel and equipment Russia saved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zmiiynyi Island has a total area of only 0.2 square kilometers (approx. 0.08 square miles). It is more than 600 meters (0.37 miles) long and more than 500 meters (0.31 miles) wide. Yet it has strategic importance for control of the western part of the Black Sea. \u201cIf Russian troops succeed in occupying Zmiiny Island and install their long-range air defense systems, they will gain control of the sea, ground, and air in the north-west of the Black Sea and in southern Ukraine,\u201d Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov told BBC. Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine\u2019s Defense Ministry Kyrylo Budanov attributed similar importance to Zmiiny Island. Possession of the island secures control of the naval and partly air situation in the south of Ukraine, Budanov stated. It could also enable Russia to land tactical marine paratroopers in Transnistria, a territory it occupies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trying to justify a major defeat, Russia\u2019s Defense Ministry said the withdrawal from the island was a \u201cgoodwill gesture\u201d. \u201cWe demonstrated to the international community that the Russian Federation is not impeding UN\u2019s efforts to organize a humanitarian corridor to allow the export of agricultural products from Ukraine,\u201d the agency\u2019s statement reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. company Maxar Technologies released satellite images of Zmiinyi Island taken on June 30 after Russian forces retreated. \u201cSmoke can be seen rising from burning vehicles and structures at several locations across the northern<\/em>section of the island,\u201d Maxar said.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Military situation in east: tense situation in Lysychansk.<\/strong> On the Lysychansk axis, Russia has partial success. The Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled hostile assaults on the Kharkiv, Slovyansk, and Bakhmut axes. \u201cOn the Lysychansk axis, Russian forces attack the positions of Ukrainian troops near Lysychansk, and conduct an assault in the area of the Lysychansk oil refinery. They have partial success. Russian forces hold north-western and south-eastern parts of the plant,\u201d the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in an evening report on June 30.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. President Joe Biden announces new aid package to Ukraine worth USD 800,000. <\/strong>The package would include air defense systems and offensive weapons. Fifty allies stand ready to provide Ukraine with 140,000 pieces of antitank weapons, more than 600 tanks, about 500 artillery systems, more than 600,000 artillery ammunition, more HIMARS systems, anti-ship and air defense systems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explaining Ukraine podcast. Seven things to understand about contemporary Ukraine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the key elements of contemporary Ukraine? How can we understand its past 30 years? We discuss decentralization, generational changes, people vs power, the fluidity of the language situation, and other topics. Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld.org, and Tetyana Ogarkova, Ukrainian scholar and journalist, in charge of international outreach at the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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