Ukraine denies carrying out a drone attack on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet headquarters in annexed Crimea, which Russian officials say injured six personnel as fighting between the countries enters its 158th day.
Sergiy Bratchuk, spokesman for the Odessa Coastal Military Region, dismissed claims that Ukraine was behind the attack as “pure provocation”. (Reuters)
Sunday July 31, 2022
Several injured in drone attack on Russian Black Sea Fleet HQ
An explosive device carried by a drone detonated at the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, injuring six people, officials said.
The explosion at the headquarters of the city of Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, prompted the cancellation of Russian Navy Day celebrations.
The Black Sea Fleet press service said the drone appeared to be homemade. He described the explosive device as “low-powered”, but Sevastopol Mayor Mikhail Razvozhaev said six people were injured in the blast.
Ukraine denies carrying out drone attack
Ukraine has denied carrying out the drone attack on the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
Sergiy Bratchuk, spokesman for the Odessa Coastal Military Region, on Sunday called allegations that Ukraine was behind the attack “pure provocation”.
“Our liberation of Crimea from the occupiers will be done in another and much more efficient way,” he wrote on Telegram.
Zelenskyy: grain harvest could be halved by conflict
Ukraine’s president said the country’s harvest could be half its usual volume this year due to the conflict in Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian harvest this year is threatened to be half as much,” suggesting half the usual amount, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote in English on Twitter.
“Our main objective – to prevent the global food crisis caused by the Russian invasion. Grain always finds a way to be delivered alternatively,” he added.
Drone attack on Russian fleet in Crimean port of Sevastopol leaves five injured – governor of city annexed to Russia pic.twitter.com/gjME0Ehst7
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) July 31, 2022
Gazprom’s gas flows to Europe via Ukraine remain at 42.2 million cubic meters
Russian gas producer Gazprom said its gas supply to Europe via Ukraine through the Sudzha entry point was estimated at 42.2 million cubic meters (mcm), down from 42.1 mcm the previous day. .
A request for gas supply through the Sokhranovka entry point was rejected by Ukraine, Gazprom said.
Russia invites UN and Red Cross experts to investigate prison deaths
Russia has invited UN and Red Cross experts to investigate the deaths of dozens of Ukrainian prisoners in a jail held by Moscow-backed separatists, the Defense Ministry said.
In a statement, the department said it was acting “in the interest of conducting an objective investigation” into what it called an attack on the prison earlier in the week.
The separatists left 53 dead and accused kyiv of hitting the prison with rockets. Ukraine’s armed forces have denied responsibility, saying Russian artillery targeted the prison to hide the mistreatment of those held there.
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Source: TRTWorld and agencies
