Victory Chronicles-DAY 861

Andriy Yermak, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, stated during his visit to Washington, D.C. that Ukraine is not willing to compromise with Russia on territorial concessions to end the war. 

However, Ukraine is open to receiving advice on how to achieve a “just peace.” Yermak emphasized the importance of Ukraine’s independence, freedom, democracy, territorial integrity, and sovereignty and stated that these values cannot be compromised. 

When asked about US presidential candidate Donald Trump’s statements on ending the war, Yermak admitted that he did not know how to assess them and said that Ukraine will wait and see. He also mentioned that Ukraine will lobby the new US administration to continue its support, as they have received bipartisan support in Washington, and most Americans still support Ukraine after two years of full-scale war. 

Yermak concluded by stating that the American people will make the final decision, and Ukraine will respect their choice in the presidential election.

The US administration is set to announce a new military aid package for Ukraine valued at over $2.3 billion, as confirmed by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during a meeting with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov in Washington. This aid package will include anti-tank weapons, ammunition for Patriots, and other air defense systems. The move is a response to Ukraine’s request for assistance in combating Russian forces in the Donetsk Oblast. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has recently claimed that Russia launched over 800 powerful guided bombs into Ukraine within a week. 

In the morning, Russian shelling of Borova village in the Kharkiv Oblast resulted in one person being killed and two others wounded. The head of the Kharkiv Oblast military administration, Oleg Syniehubov, stated that the Russians fired on the building of the Borova village council, leading to the death of a man and the hospitalization of a 50-year-old man. A 75-year-old woman also suffered from acute stress. Syniehubov shared photos of the damaged village council building. 

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine has released a video of the destruction of 2 field ammunition depots of the occupiers, a car and a 30-mm AGS-17 grenade launcher. All of this was successfully destroyed by border guards of the “Revenge” brigade using 105-mm howitzers M101.

Ukrainian forces struck an ammunition depot at a Russian military base in occupied Crimea on July 1 that reportedly housed Shahed drones. Ukrainian Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk stated on July 2 that Ukrainian forces struck an ammunition depot in occupied Crimea on July 1.

A Russian source posted a photo on July 2 purportedly of the aftermath of a Ukrainian cruise missile strike against a Shahed drone warehouse near occupied Sevastopol on the evening of July 1, and the geolocated photograph indicates that Ukrainian forces struck the base of Russian military unit 99375 near occupied Flotske (south of Sevastopol).

Russian opposition outlet Astra reported on July 2 that Ukrainian forces launched at least six Storm Shadow missiles at Sevastopol on the evening of July 1 and that one missile struck the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s 758th Logistics Center in occupied Sevastopol. A Crimea-based Telegram channel stated on July 1 that Russian air defense systems activated near occupied Flotske and Sevastopol and that there were explosions near an unspecified Russian military unit near Flotske. Sevastopol occupation head Mikhail Razvozhaev claimed that Russian forces shot down five unspecified air targets over the water and near Balaklava and that small fires started.

Ukrainian defender Ivan Shuklin, with the call sign Riddik, died while performing a combat mission in the Luhansk Oblast. On January 28, 2024, the defender sustained a mine-blast injury in the village of Rayhorodka, Luhansk Oblast.

Ivan Valeriyovych was 39 years old. He was born and lived in Drohobych, Lviv Oblast. He graduated from school #4 and vocational school #15. In civilian life, he worked at the Drohobych Meat Processing Plant. He also traveled to work.

At the beginning of the full-scale war, the man was abroad. But he returned to Ukraine and joined the Armed Forces in June 2022. He served in the 68th separate ranger brigade. He spent a year and a half at the frontline combat positions. For the conscientious performance of military duties, he received an honorable award from the command – the “Warrior Ranger Cross” of the first degree.

“Ivan was a brave warrior. Having not served in the army, he returned from abroad at the beginning of the war to defend the state. I am proud, I love him and I miss him incredibly,” wrote his wife Victoria. The fighter was buried on the Walk of Fame in Drohobych. Ivan is survived by his mother, wife, two daughters and brothers.

*Ivan’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

• US Department of State: If Russia tries to expand front, Ukraine will be able to strike at greater distances
• Bloomberg: US allies allege China is developing attack drones for Russia
• US Secretary of State explains how America invests in Ukraine’s success
• Coordination Headquarters for Prisoners of War: Europe must force Russia to stop torture for Ukrainian hostages to live to see their return
• Politico: Trump talks to Putin about how much Ukrainian territory Russia can keep
• Reuters: Ukraine to get ‘good news’ on air defense at NATO Summit