Victory Chronicles-DAY 863

Germany has announced the arrival of the third Patriot air defense system in Ukraine, highlighting the importance of improving the protection of the population and infrastructure. 

The Ukrainian crew has successfully completed training in Germany to operate the system. This development follows Germany’s previous commitment to provide Ukraine with a quarter of its stockpile of Patriot air defense systems, with the third Patriot being a part of this delivery.

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A Russian drone missile attack on Dnipro, Ukraine, on July 3 has resulted in eight deaths, with two victims dying in the hospital. The attack also caused over 50 injuries and significant damage to a shopping center, schools, kindergartens, and medical facilities. Dnipro, the fourth-largest city in Ukraine, plays a crucial role as a logistical and humanitarian center during the ongoing full-scale war. 

ince 2022, Russian forces have launched several deadly attacks on the city and its surrounding areas. Just days before the July 3 attack, a Russian missile strike on June 28 claimed the lives of three people and injured at least 12 others when it hit a nine-story building in Dnipro. The continuing assaults on Dnipro are causing significant harm and placing the lives of residents at risk.

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The State Emergency Service of Ukraine released photos of the consequences of enemy shelling in Kherson Oblast. The shelling caused 6 fires in ecosystems. The area extinguished was 11.5 hectares. Fire and rescue units and local fire brigades were involved in the elimination. In addition, 2 residential buildings, 4 outbuildings and garages in the region’s settlements were burning due to enemy ammunition hits. The fires were extinguished.

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The official website of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine posted a video of a border guard crew of an infantry fighting vehicle daringly breaking through to their positions under deadly enemy fire.

The YPR-765 armored personnel carrier of the Steel Frontier Brigade was targeted by two enemy Grad multiple rocket launchers and 15 shells from cannon artillery. Thanks to the skillful skills of the driver, the vehicle managed to overcome 2 km of mined terrain, replace the fighters at their positions, and evacuate the wounded and fallen comrades.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin explicitly rejected Russian participation in any meaningful negotiations on a ceasefire agreement, instead demanding Ukraine’s “irreversible” “demilitarization” as a precondition for any ceasefire agreement. Putin is thus demanding that Ukraine effectively surrender in advance of any ceasefire. Putin commented on the prospects of a negotiated ceasefire in Ukraine at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, on July 4, but instead of offering his typical feigned interest in such negotiations he outright rejected any ceasefire negotiation process.

Putin has repeatedly portrayed the West as his envisioned negotiating partner in a ceasefire agreement in order to prompt Western concessions on Ukrainian sovereignty, but Putin notably dismissed all intermediary parties as possible mediators for an agreement between Ukraine and Russia.

Putin also dismissed the Verkhovna Rada as a possible point of contact for negotiations despite previously claiming that the body was the only legitimate Ukrainian entity that Russia could negotiate with. Putin has now labeled all Ukrainian governing institutions illegitimate or unsuitable for negotiations and has dismissed the idea of third parties participating in negotiations — de facto rejecting any realistic process for meaningfully negotiating a ceasefire agreement.

Putin instead highlighted his demand for Ukraine’s “demilitarization” as a primary prerequisite for any ceasefire agreement, demanding that Ukraine agree to “demilitarization” measures that would be irreversible. Putin argued that Russia cannot allow the Ukrainian military to take advantage of a ceasefire to reconstitute its forces. Putin notably did not address the near-certainty that Russian forces would take advantage of a potential ceasefire in exactly such a way, and ISW continues to assess that Russia would use the respite of a ceasefire to reconstitute and expand its forces and to further mobilize its defense industrial base (DIB) for future aggression aiming to destroy the Ukrainian state.

Putin’s rejection of any ceasefire agreement short of Ukrainian capitulation further illustrates that he is confident in his assessment that Russia can pursue victory by continuing creeping advances in Ukraine, outlasting Western support for Ukraine, and winning a war of attrition against Ukrainian forces.

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Ukrainian defender Roman Pyroh, with the call sign Blade, was killed on July 5, 2023, while performing a combat mission in the village of Robotyn, Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Roman was 24 years old. He was born in the village of Kalanchak, Kherson Oblast. He graduated from the local school No. 2 and then from the Admiral Makarov National University of Shipbuilding in Mykolaiv, specializing in physical education and sports. He achieved the standard of master of sports in the discipline of powerlifting “Strict biceps lift”.

In civilian life, he worked as a physical training coach in Kyiv. He devoted all his free time to training. He led a healthy lifestyle.

During the full-scale war, he voluntarily defended Ukraine. He joined the 47th separate mechanized brigade, “Magura,” and held the position of machine gunner. He received combat training from the US military in Germany.

“Roman will be remembered as a strong, courageous, brave warrior, a reliable friend to his comrades and colleagues, a kind and loving son to his mother and family. A wonderful guy who never had time to learn what family is, but was the best for his beloved,” wrote Natalia Pirog’s mother.

The defender was buried on the Walk of Fame at the city cemetery in Kamianets-Podilskyi.  Roman is survived by his mother and grandmother.

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

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• Stoltenberg hopes Ukraine will join NATO within 10 years
• Ukrainian Defence Intelligence kamikaze drones hit Tambov Gunpowder Plant in Russia
• Ukraine’s Air Force downs all 32 Russian Shahed drones overnight
• Putin says he will not cease fire in Ukraine
• Ukraine’s Navy chief: F-16s will challenge Russia’s aerial dominance over Black Sea