Russia has concentrated more than 100,000 soldiers in the northeast Kupyansk area to try and break Kyiv’s defenses, according to a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military.
Russia launches strikes on Odesa, 24 hours after Kerch Bridge attack
From CNN's Sebastian Shukla, Alex Marquardt, Scott McWhinnie and Josh Pennigton
A CNN team on the ground heard air raid sirens around 2 a.m. local time and saw air defenses operating across the city of Odesa. They also heard four large explosions.
CNN
Explosions were heard in the city of Odesa in southern Ukraine early Tuesday, about 24 hours after an apparent Ukrainian attack on the Kerch Bridge that connects the annexed Crimean Peninsula with mainland Russia.
A CNN team on the ground heard air raid sirens around 2 a.m. local time and saw air defenses operating across the city, followed by four large explosions. Subsequently, it heard four additional explosions and a string of anti-aircraft fire in the port vicinity.
Searchlights were seen coming from the direction of Odesa’s port. The crew captured an object on fire falling out of the sky as well as one large explosion, followed by a large bang.
CNN is not able to confirm where the strikes landed or what were the targets.
Serhiy Bratchuk, a spokesperson for the Odesa military administration, said the Ukraine air defense was repelling a Russian air attack.
“Odesa: Air defense combat work is underway,” Bratchuk said in a Telegram post Tuesday.
Oleh Kiper, head of Odesa’s region’s military administration, said Russia was using drones.
He urged residents to stay in shelters until the air raid sirens ended. At around 4:16 a.m. local time, he posted that the air alert was over for the Odesa region.
Travel “resumed using the opposite direction on the rightmost lane,” Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin said on his Telegram page on Tuesday shortly after midnight local time.
A Ukrainian security official earlier on Monday claimed Kyiv’s responsibility for an attack on the bridge linking the annexed Crimean peninsula to the Russian mainland — a vital supply line for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine and a personal project for President Vladimir Putin.
Khusnullin said officials worked out a temporary solution for organizing traffic on the bridge, saying “the span was additionally tested before making a decision on the possibility of traffic re-opening.”
A video was circulated on social media — that CNN can not independently verify — shows two vehicles crossing the bridge during nighttime.
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Russia pulled out of a critical grain deal. Here's everything you need to know
From CNN staff
Turkish-flagged bulker TQ Samsun, the last ship to leave Ukraine under the U.N.-brokered Black Sea grain deal, is seen in the Black Sea, north of Bosphorus Strait, off Istanbul, Turkey on Monday, July 17.
Mehmet Emin Caliskan/Reuters
Russia has withdrawn from a deal that allows Ukraine to safely export grain to the global market. The decision is being widely criticized as Ukrainian officials urge other leaders to continue the deal without Russia.
The key Crimean bridge linking the annexed peninsula to Russia was hit by two strikes early Monday.
The Black Sea grain deal:
What to know about the deal: The agreement, brokered last year by Turkey and the United Nations, allowed Kyiv to export grain from its ports and navigate safe passage through the Black Sea after Moscow blockaded docks in the region. The deal had been renewed three times, but Russia has argued that it has been hampered in exporting its own products. Over the weekend, Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated that he would not renew the pact, saying that its main purpose — to supply grain to countries in need — had “not been realized.”
What Ukraine is saying: Ukraine wants some version of the deal to continue even without Russia. The head of the Ukrainian Grain Association urged the international community to “find the leverage” to keep moving grain. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he sent official letters to Turkey’s president and the United Nations secretary general with a proposal on how to continue the initiative.
Consequences: Wheat and corn prices on global commodities markets jumped Monday after Russia pulled out of the deal. The collapse of the pact threatens to push up food prices for consumers worldwide. In addition to wheat exports, Ukraine is among the world’s top three exporters of barley, maize and rapeseed oil, according to agricultural data firm Gro Intelligence. It is alsoby far the biggest exporter of sunflower oil, according to the United Nations.
Global reaction: Western officials criticized Moscow’s decision to withdraw from the deal. The White House said Russia’s withdrawal from the plan will worsen food insecurity around the world and urged Russia to reverse its decision. The United Kingdom called the decision a “blatant attempt to harm the most vulnerable as part of its illegal war.” The European Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrell described Russia’s decision as “completely unjustified, weaponizing, the hunger of the people.” France called on Russia to “stop blackmailing global food security.”
The Kerch Bridge:
Key Crimean bridge attacked: A source from Ukraine’s security service (SBU) said the attack on the Kerch Bridge, which killed a couple and injured their daughter, was a joint operation of the SBU and Ukraine’s naval forces. The Kremlin claimed two Ukrainian seaborne drones struck the bridge, though it did not provide evidence for the allegation. The Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation later said the bridge was struck by “naval drones.” Putin called it a “terrorist attack” and directed his country’s authorities to investigate.
Why is the bridge important?: The $3.7 billion Kerch Bridge is strategically important because it links Russia’s Krasnodar region with the Crimean Peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014. It was the physical expression of Putin’s objective to take over Ukraine and bind it to Russia forever and serves as a vital supply line for Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine.
Other developments:
The eastern front: Russian forces are redeploying around the embattled city of Bakhmut to try and stop Kyiv’s offensive, a top Ukrainian general said. Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of the land forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said conditions on the eastern front are “challenging.” Russia has also concentrated more than 100,000 soldiers in the Kupyansk area, a Ukrainian official said.
The southern front: Ukraine says it is advancing along the southern front, despite Russian airstrikes and a large concentration of landmines, according to the commander of the Tavria Joint Forces. Brig. Gen. Oleksandr Tarnavskyi said Monday. He added that Russian forces had been battering Ukrainian forces, but said the soldiers under his command were firing back.
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Ukrainian foreign minister questions whether Kerch Bridge can be considered civilian infrastructure
From CNN's Josh Pennington and Mohammed Tawfeeq
A satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows damaged parts of the bridge connecting the Russian mainland and the Crimean peninsula over the Kerch Strait on Monday, July 17.
Maxar Technologies/AP
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba challenged whether the Kerch Bridge, which was attacked early Monday, could be considered civilian infrastructure when he said it’s mainly used for military purposes.
A Ukrainian security official earlier on Monday claimed Kyiv’s responsibility for an attack on the bridge linking the annexed Crimean peninsula to the Russian mainland — a vital supply line for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine and a personal project for President Vladimir Putin.
The nearly 12-mile crossing is the longest in Europe and holds huge strategic and symbolic importance for Moscow.
UN-appointed human rights experts call for the immediate release of imprisoned US journalist Gershkovich
Gershkovich stands behind a glass wall of an enclosure for defendants before a court hearing to consider an appeal against his detention, in Moscow, Russia, on June 22.
Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters/FILE
UN-appointed human rights experts called for the immediate release of imprisoned US journalist Evan Gershkovich on Monday, according to a release on the UN website.
Mariana Katzarova, Special Rapporteur on human rights in Russia and Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, responded to Gershkovich’s arrest and detention while on a reporting trip in the city of Yekaterinburg, Russia.
The Special Rapporteurs lodged an appeal over Gershkovich’s arbitrary arrest with the Russian authorities on June 12 and called for his immediate release, the UN website said. No response has been received to date.
CNN’s Jennifer Hansler contributed to this report.
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Ukrainian defense minister thanks US for supplying cluster munitions
From CNN's Maria Kostenko and Mohammed Tawfeeq
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov on Monday discussed several topics with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, including the situation on the battlefield and the needs of the Ukrainian Army in regard to weapons and equipment.
Reznikov thanked Austin and the US “for the supply of cluster munitions.”
The US has confirmed it sent cluster munitions to Ukraine as part of a new military aid package. The munitions arrived in Ukraine July 14, according to the Pentagon.
CNN first reported earlier in July that President Joe Biden’s administration was strongly considering approving the transfer of the controversial weapons to Ukraine, whose forces have been struggling to make major gains in a weeks-long counteroffensive.
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Zelensky: Russia does not have the "right to destroy the food security of any nation"
From CNN's Maria Kostenko and Mohammed Tawfeeq
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a press conference during NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania on July 12.
Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Ukraine’s president on Monday blasted Russia’s decision to pull out of the Black Sea grain deal, saying, “no one has the right to destroy the food security of any nation.”
Russia said it was suspending its participation in a crucial deal that allowed the export of Ukrainian grain, once again raising fears over global food supplies.
The deal — originally brokered by Turkey and the United Nations a year ago — ensured the safe passage of ships carrying grain from Ukrainian ports in the midst of Russia’s invasion. So far the deal has allowed for the export of almost 33 million metric tons of food through Ukrainian ports, according to UN data.
Zelensky said throughout the course of the war, Russia “destroyed navigation freedom in the Black and Azov seas” and attacked Ukrainian ports and grain terminals.
“The only possible consequence of this is the destabilization of food markets and social chaos in the countries critically dependent on food imports. Ukrainian food is basic security for four hundred million people,” the president said.
Zelenksy said the deal should keep operating without Russia. He said he sent official letters to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres with a proposal to continue the initiative.
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Ukraine can export grain without Russia if provided international support, grain association president says
From CNN’s Niamh Kennedy and Isa Soares Tonight staff
The international community needs to “find the leverage” to move grain from Ukraine to the global market without Russia, the head of the Ukrainian Grain Association said Monday.
Nikolay Gorbachov said he is “sure that Ukraine can export grain without Russia” if it is provided “international support.” It comes after Russia withdrew from the Black Sea grain deal.
“The international community, developed countries have to find the leverage how to move grain from Ukraine to the world market,” the president told CNN. According to Gorbachov, this support could come from the Turkish fleet or insurance guarantees from companies.
Gorbachov refuted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claims that Ukraine has not fulfilled a vital part of the grain deal in ensuring grain is exported to poorer countries, calling it “manipulation.”
Although 60% of grain exported from Ukraine moves through European ports, it “doesn’t mean that Europe absorbs this grain as a final consumer,” he said, adding that Ukrainian grain feeds about 200 million people outside the country.
Gorbachov maintained that Ukraine’s status as one of the world’s leading grain producers should drive countries to intervene sooner rather than later.
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Ukrainian foreign minister holding "urgent consultations" at UN over grain deal
From CNN's Maria Kostenko
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba addresses the opening session on the first day of the Ukraine Recovery Conference at InterContinental London O2 on June 21, in London, England.
Henry Nicholls/WPA Pool/Getty Image
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says he’s holding “urgent consultations” at the United Nations following Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
“On [Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s] instruction, I am holding urgent consultations with partners at the UN in New York on our next steps following Russia’s withdrawal from the Grain Initiative,” Kuleba tweeted Monday. “Russia puts global food security in jeopardy. We do our utmost to preserve the Black Sea grain corridor.”
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Ukraine says it's advancing along the southern front, despite Russian strikes and landmines
From CNN's Maria Kostenko and Vasco Cotovio
Ukraine says it is advancing along the southern front, despite Russian airstrikes and a large concentration of landmines, the commander of the Tavria Joint Forces, Brig. Gen. Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, said on Monday.
Tarnavskyi said Russian forces had been battering Ukrainian forces, but said the soldiers under his command were firing back.
“Artillery units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the Tavria sector completed 1,412 firing missions,” he said. “Over the past day, the enemy attacked our positions 16 times and carried out 650 shelling attacks.”
Tarnavskyi added that 25 units of Russian military armor had been destroyed, along with three ammunition depots.
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Russia's decision to withdraw from Black Sea grain deal is "unconscionable," US secretary of state says
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken talks to reporters in the press briefing room at the State Department Harry S. Truman headquarters building on July 17, in Washington, DC.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea grain deal “unconscionable” and said the agreement should be “restored as quickly as possible.”
The top US diplomat said Monday that the deal should not have been necessary in the first place, and only became so after Russia launched its war in Ukraine.
Blinken said the Ukrainians, the US and others will look to see if there are “any other options” to transit grain safely through the Black Sea onto the market, such as by rail and by road, but said there are challenges in trying to find alternatives.
“The challenge is this: if Russia is ending this initiative and sending a message that grain cannot and other food products cannot leave Ukraine unimpeded, even if there are other options, I think it will likely have a profound chilling effect on the ability to pursue them, as other countries, companies, shippers, etc., will be very concerned about what happens to their ships and to their personnel if Russia is opposing any export of food products from Ukraine,” Blinken said.
“The whole point of this was to have a voluntary agreement that involved all of the relevant parties that was endorsed by the United Nations to make sure there was safety, security, predictability, in moving food out of Ukraine into places that were desperately in need of it,” he said.
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Crimean bridge was struck by "naval drones," Ukrainian minister says
From Maria Kostento and Vasco Cotovio
This video grab shows the section of a road split and sloping to one side following an alleged attack on the Crimea Bridge, that connects the Russian mainland with the Crimean peninsula across the Kerch Strait, on July 17.
Stringer/Reuters
The Kerch Bridge was struck by “naval drones,” the Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said on Telegram on Monday.
“Today the Crimean bridge was blown up by naval drones,” Fedorov said.
The key bridge links the annexed Crimean peninsula to the Russian mainland and serves as a vital supply line for Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine.
The minister also said design of the equipment as well as production facilities would be kept under secrecy. “It is better to act, not to reveal photos of our own production facilities and to supply the Defense Forces,” Fedorov said. “Production has already increased by over 100 times in some categories compared to last year.”
“We need even more drones. And there will be more,” he added.
Earlier Monday, a source in Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) told CNN the attack was a joint operation of the SBU and Ukraine’s naval forces. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because they had not received authorization to speak on the record.
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Russia has assembled more than 100,000 soldiers in the Kupyansk area, Ukrainian official says
From CNN's Maria Kostento and Vasco Cotovio
A residential building destroyed during the bombardment by Russian aircraft in the village of Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi, Ukraine on June 28.
Sofiia Bobok/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images/FILE
Russa has concentrated more than 100,000 soldiers in the Kupyansk area to try and break Kyiv’s defenses, Serhii Cherevatyi, Ukrainian Deputy Commander for Strategic Communications of the Eastern Military Grouping, said on Monday.
He added Russian forces are “putting everything into breaking through our defense. Our soldiers are standing firm in defense.”
Cherevatyi said the Russian push in the area was to try and achieve some success after Ukraine seized the momentum around Bakhmut.
“(Russians) need to show at least some success, so they have put maximum effort into this area, doing everything they can and cannot, to show offensive actions,” he said.
Cherevatyi went on to say Russian forces remained on the back foot in Bakhmut, adding their casualties were increasing.
“The enemy’s losses are already approaching those that were at the peak of the fighting with the Wagner,” he said. “The Russians are continuously renewing their combat staff, sending paratroopers there first and foremost in the hope of stopping our offensive.”
“We are being very cautious and deliberate in order to preserve our forces and people as much as possible,” he added.
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Pope's Ukraine peace envoy is traveling to Washington this week, Vatican says
From CNN's Sharon Braithwaite in London
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi presided over Celebration of Mass during the 77th CEI General Assembly, in Vatican City, on May 25.
Massimo Valicchia/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Pope Francis’ Ukraine peace envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi is heading to Washington, DC, for a three-day visit this week as part of a peace mission for Ukraine, the Vatican said on Monday.
“We inform you that from 17 to 19 July 2023, Card. Matteo Maria Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Episcopal Conference, accompanied by an Official of the Secretariat of State, will travel to Washington as Envoy of the Holy Father Francis,” the Vatican said in a statement.
At the end of June, Zuppi paid a visit to Moscow that was “aimed at identifying humanitarian initiatives, which can open paths for the achievement of peace,” the Vatican had said in an official communiqué.
Zuppi met with top officials during the visit including Yuri Ushakov, Russian presidential aide, and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russian commissioner for children’s rights.
“During the talks, the humanitarian aspect of the initiative was strongly emphasized, as well as the need to be able to achieve the much-desired peace,” the Vatican had said, adding that Zuppi also had a “fruitful” meeting with Patriarch of Moscow Kirill.
On June 5 and June 6, Zuppi traveled to Kyiv to talk with Ukrainian authorities about “the possible ways to achieve a just peace and support gestures of humanity that contribute to easing tensions.”
In May, Pope Francis appointed Zuppi to lead a peace mission in Ukraine to help address tensions in the conflict.
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Traffic on Kerch Bridge will resume on September 15, official says
From CNN's Josh Pennington and Vasco Cotovio
Traffic on the Kerch Bridge, which links the annexed Crimean peninsula to the Russian mainland, will resume in one lane only on September 15, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin said.
Two strikes were reportedly carried out around 3 a.m. local time Monday (8 p.m. ET Sunday), damaging part of the bridge, according to Telegram channel Grey Zone, which supports the Wagner mercenary group led by Yevgeny Prigozhin.
A source in Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) told CNN this attack was a joint operation of the SBU and Ukraine’s naval forces. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because they had not received authorization to speak on the record.
Khusnullin said that ferries for civilian and commercial transportation will be available. The railway bridge is operating as normal.
CNN’s Alex Stambaugh, Brad Lendon and Christian Edwards contributed reporting to this post.
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Putin calls Crimea bridge strike a "terrorist attack" and urges Russian authorities to investigate incident
From CNN's Katherina Krebs and Vasco Cotovio in London
Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Future Technologies Forum in Moscow on July 13.
Alexander Kazakov/AFP/Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called a Ukrainian strike on the Kerch Bridge a “terrorist attack.” The key bridge links the annexed Crimean peninsula to the Russian mainland and serves as a vital supply line for Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine.
The Russian president called on his country’s authorities, including the FSB, to investigate the incident and asked for measures to secure the “strategically important transport facility” from future strikes.
“It is necessary to comprehensively assess the damage caused and start restoration work as quickly as possible,” he added.
Putin said that there will be a Russian response to the strike. “The Ministry of Defense is preparing relevant proposals,” he said during a meeting with officials.
Putin also claimed there was no military significance to hitting the bridge.
“This is a senseless crime from the point of view of no significance since the Crimean bridge has long not been used for military transport and brutal since innocent civilians have been killed,” he said.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin said Monday that the supports of the Kerch straight bridge were not damaged by the blast. Divers were completing the inspection of the bridge and the decision on the possibility of launching car traffic will be made within two hours, he claimed.
Earlier Monday, a source from Ukraine’s security service (SBU) said that an attack on the Crimean Bridge was a joint operation of the SBU and Ukraine’s naval forces. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because they had not received authorization to speak on the record.
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US ambassador to UN meets with Ukrainian foreign minister in New York City
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
USA Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks during the press encounter along with the ambassadors of UK, France, Albania, Ukraine ahead of the Security Council meeting at UN Headquarters on June 23.
Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket/Getty Images
US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in New York City on Monday.
“Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield expressed continued solidarity with the Ukrainian people and commended them for courageously defending their country against Russia’s war of aggression,” Evans said. “She reiterated the United States’ commitment to a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine, rooted in the principles of the UN Charter, and to stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
In a statement earlier Monday, the White House warned that Russia’s decision to suspend participation in the Ukraine grain deal “will worsen food insecurity and harm millions of vulnerable people around the world” and urged Russia to “immediately reverse its decision.”
Belarus State Border Committee said on Monday that a Ukrainian reconnaissance drone was intercepted on Sunday in the Bragin district of the Gomel region, according to a statement published by the agency.
According to the agency, the border guards used an electronic gun and forcibly landed the drone on the water. The incident is being investigated.
Some background: Ukraine shares a 1,000-kilometer (621-mile) frontier with Belarus, a country that has played a key role in aiding Russia’s attack.
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Ukraine acknowledges "difficult" conditions in the east and says Russia is redeploying forces around Bakhmut
From Maria Kostenko and Vasco Cotovio
A Ukrainian infantry soldier catches a ride to a fighting position near Kupyansk, Ukraine, after being treated due to shrapnel wounding on the back during an attack, on July 12.
Daniel Carde/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
A top Ukrainian general has acknowledged his country is facing “difficult” conditions on the eastern front and said Russian forces are redeploying around the embattled city of Bakhmut to try and stop Kyiv’s offensive.
Syrskyi went on to say conditions on the eastern front were “challenging.”
“The operational situation in the eastern sector remains difficult,” Gen. Syrskyi went on to say. “At the same time, the enemy launched an offensive in the Kupyansk direction, aiming to defeat our troops in the Kupyansk area and continue the offensive deep into our combat formations.”
“Amid such challenging conditions, I visited the combat brigades of our grouping and met with unit commanders to adjust our plans and resolve problematic issues on the spot,” he added.
More on the front lines: On Sunday, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said the positions on both sides are “changing dynamically” along the eastern front as fighting there has “somewhat escalated.”
“In Bakhmut itself, we are shelling the enemy, and the enemy is shelling us,” she added.
