The NATO summit in Vilnius may bring good news to Ukrainians. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda confirmed that NATO is seeking consensus on canceling the Membership Action Plan for Ukraine's future accession to NATO. According to the NATO Secretary General, the elimination of the MAP will speed up Ukraine's accession to the Alliance.
"We emphasize that under specific conditions, Ukraine really has every chance to become a NATO member. We are moving forward step by step. Therefore, Ukraine really needs concrete signals now so that the country understands that all this is real not only on paper," the Lithuanian president said.
In addition, Stoltenbreg confirmed that Zelenskyy would attend the NATO summit in Vilnius. According to recent polls, 89% of Ukrainians support joining NATO.
The Russian enemy has been trapped and is suffering losses in Bakhmut, and the city is under fire control of the Ukrainian Defence Forces. This was reported by the Commander of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi.
"The Russian enemy is trapped, the city is under fire control of the Defence Forces. Aerial reconnaissance revealed a Russian position with an ATGM. In the Bakhmut sector, the enemy is being driven out of their positions," noted Syrskyi.
The fact that the initiative in the Bakhmut sector was taken by Ukrainian defenders was confirmed by the Ukrainian military assault forces.
"The situation around Bakhmut has not changed by 100%, but I can assure you that the initiative is now in the hands of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. We can see the enemy's reserves being deployed, their problems, and we are planning appropriate measures. I am sure that in this area you will be able to see our certain tactical gains, which will please not only the Armed Forces with improved positions, but also civilians when we are able to show results. We are working, the days are hot, both because of the weather conditions and the dynamics of the actions," said Major Rodion Kudryashov, deputy commander of the 3rd Detached Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, on Espreso TV.
In total, during the counter-offensive in the Bakhmut sector, the Ukrainian Defence Forces liberated 24 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated 169 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in the Melitopol and Berdyansk directions. This is an area commensurate with the size of Odesa, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported. In the evening report, it was noted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are consolidating the gained ground in the Melitopol and Berdiansk directions.
Over the day, Ukrainian aviation targeted reconnaissance drones. In turn, missile and artillery units hit a command post, 3 areas of manpower concentration, weapons and military equipment, an ammunition depot, 7 artillery pieces at firing positions and one air defense system.
Construction of a Bayraktar production plant has begun in Ukraine. As of 10 July, a Turkish company is already building a plant to produce unmanned aerial vehicles in Ukraine, Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin said.
"As for the plant, construction work has already begun, it is not just in a memorandum. We are talking about production on the territory of Ukraine, this is the same large plant of Bayraktars that was agreed upon a few years ago, then there were stops, then there were scandals. Today, this plant is starting to be built, and we have moved on to real steps," the minister said.
On July 8, in Turkey, Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a new memorandum with Turkey’s Ministry of Industry and Technology on the development of capacities and capabilities for the production of various types of UAVs.
Meanwhile, Germany's largest arms manufacturer, Rheinmetall, will open an armored vehicle production plant in Ukraine in 12 weeks. According to the company's CEO, Armin Papperger, the plant will be located in the west of the country. Rheinmetall will also train Ukrainians to maintain tanks and other armored vehicles produced at the plant.
A 6-year-old child underwent a heart transplant for the first time in Ukraine. The unique surgery was reported by the Heart Institute of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. Doctors promised to provide details later. So far, they have only noted that "the surgery was successful and smooth" and the girl is now feeling well.