Forced relocation, assimilation of Ukrainians reported in Ukraine's south

The Ukrainian Armed Forces' General Staff reported this. 

Invading Russian forces are attacking in 5 areas, with about 20 combat engagements taking place over the day. 

During the day, the Russian troops launched a missile and air strike against Ukraine, using 2 Kalibr cruise missiles, 1 Iskander-M ballistic missile and 20 Iranian Shahed-136/131 strike UAVs. As a result of the successful combat work of Ukrainian defenders, 2 Kalibr cruise missiles and 20 attack drones were destroyed.

In addition, Russia launched 46 airstrikes and about 40 attacks with multiple launch rocket systems at the Ukrainian troops' positions and populated areas. Unfortunately, civilians, including children, were injured, and residential buildings and other civilian and administrative infrastructure were destroyed.

The threat of missile and air strikes across Ukraine remains high.

Frontline situation

Invading Russian forces are attacking in the Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka directions, and heavy fighting continues. About 20 combat engagements took place over the last day.

Near the state Ukrainian border with Russia and Belarus, the situation hasn't changed significantly, and no enemy offensive groups have been detected. 

At the same time, the Russian forces continued shelling the entire border line with mortars and artillery: over 15 settlements in the Chernihiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions were attacked. 

Russian attacks in other Ukrainian regions

In the Kupiansk direction, 8 settlements in the Kharkiv region came under artillery shelling. 

In the Lyman direction, over 10 settlements in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions came under Russian fire. 

In the Bakhmut direction, over 15 localities in the Donetsk region were attacked by the invading Russian forces. 

In the Avdiivka direction, over 10 settlements in the Donetsk region were shelled. 

In the Marinka direction, over 10 settlements in the Donetsk region came under enemy fire. 

In the Shakhtarsk direction, over 6 localities in the Donetsk region were attacked. 

In the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions, over 20 cities and villages were subjected to numerous attacks by the occupying Russian army. 

Occupying Russian forces continue to practice forced relocation and assimilation of Ukrainians in the temporarily occupied territories

For example, in the Henichesk district of the Kherson region, the Russian forces have begun forcibly deporting Ukrainian citizens who have not yet received or refused to receive Russian citizenship, including families with children and the elderly. The occupying Russian forces usually settle representatives of Russian national minorities from low-income groups into the homes of Ukrainians.

The Defense Forces destroyed 7 Russian military positions, 10 artillery pieces and a counter-battery station

Over the last day, the Defense Forces' aviation launched 5 strikes on the Russian manpower concentration areas, and 2 on the enemy's anti-aircraft missile systems.

Over the course of the day, missile and artillery units struck a manpower concentration area, 10 artillery pieces at firing positions, as well as an enemy counter-battery radar station.

• On the night of July 13, Russia once again launched an air attack on Ukraine. In Kyiv, about 10 Shaheds were shot down, debris fell on high-rise buildings, one person was killed and others were injured. A school building and houses were damaged in the Mykolaiv region.