Putin Announces Continuation of Strikes Against Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russian forces will continue conducting mass strikes against Ukraine.

Speaking during a visit to the auxiliary command post of the Joint Group of Forces on July 3, as reported by the Russian news agency Interfax, Putin stated that strikes targeting Ukraine’s military-industrial complex and the infrastructure supporting its operations must continue.

Putin also stated that in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian cities, Russian forces will expand the “security zone” within Ukrainian territory, specifically citing operations in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions.

Furthermore, he claimed that the Russian military has fully captured the city of Kostiantynivka and the Luhansk region, and has made advances in the Donetsk region.

Strikes on Zaporizhzhia and Odesa

The statements from the Russian leadership follow a renewed wave of aerial attacks across Ukraine. Late Friday night, July 3, Russian forces launched guided aerial bombs and missiles at civilian infrastructure in the Zaporizhzhia and Odesa regions.

Russian forces targeted the city of Zaporizhzhia with guided aerial bombs. The strike hit a residential area and damaged a two-story building. Eight people sustained injuries, including a 15-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl, two women, and four men. Local authorities had issued warnings regarding the threat of guided aerial bombs shortly before the impact.

Separately, Russian forces launched a missile strike targeting civilian infrastructure in the southern Odesa region. The strike hit a food storage warehouse, sparking a fire. Rescue services extinguished the blaze. Two people were injured in the incident, and nearby warehouse facilities sustained structural damage.

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Berlin called the reports “deeply disturbing,” saying any support that helps Russia continue its war also threatens European security.

Deadly daytime attacks

The overnight assaults followed a series of daytime attacks across Ukraine earlier on Friday. In the northeastern city of Sumy, a combined strike utilizing drones and guided aerial bombs targeted a central street near an apartment building and a commercial store.

At least four people were killed in the Sumy attack, including one child. Twenty individuals were hospitalized, with approximately half reported to be in serious condition. Preliminary data indicates that three of the injured are minors. Emergency services continue debris clearance operations in the affected residential neighborhoods.

Earlier on Friday, Russian forces also conducted multiple daytime strikes on Zaporizhzhia. Regional authorities reported that these attacks hit an industrial enterprise and other city locations, resulting in two fatalities and 17 injuries, including an 11-year-old child.