The UK Ministry of Defence reacted to the retreat of the Russians from Snake Island, noting that the reason for such a step was the growing vulnerability to Ukrainian strikes.
Today, enemy troops continue to carry out a creeping encirclement around Lysychansk, approaching from the Popasna direction, eliminating the need to force the Siversky Donets River in this area.
Current ground fighting is likely to be centered around the Lysychansk Oil Refinery, 10 km southwest of the city center. British intelligence believes that the ability of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to fight protracted battles and then retreat to more advantageous positions will remain a key factor in the military campaign in Donbas.
Russia continues chaotic rocket attacks on Ukrainian cities and villages. On the night of July 1, the Russians attacked an apartment building and two recreation centers with Kh-22 missiles. As of the morning of Jul 1, it is reported that 16 civilians died from the impact on the high-rise apartment building and two more, one of them a child, died from a rocket strike on a recreation center. At least thirty-eight people were injured.
