4 July 2023
Zaporizhzhya NPP
At 01:21 a.m. on 4 July, the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant lost supply from the main 750 kV high-voltage line, according to Ukraine's Energoatom.
"After that, ZNPP had to switch to the only available 330 kV backup line, which was repaired and reconnected to the plant only on 1 July, and was damaged four months ago," the company said.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces warned that Russians may be plotting a provocation at the Zaporizhzhya NPP in the near future. On 4 July, foreign objects resembling explosive devices were placed on the outer roof of the plant's third and fourth power units. If detonated, they are unlikely to damage the units but may look as if Ukrainian troops were targeting the plant, which Russia may use propaganda purposes.
Due to the recent events around the Zaporizhzhya NPP, a decision was made to strengthen Ukraine's northern border with both personnel and military equipment, Ground Forces Commander Lt-Gen Serhiy Nayev said.
In the event of an explosion at the Zaporizhzhya NPP, residents of the potential radiation accident zone should be prepared for possible evacuation, the Health Ministry said.
Attack on Pervomayskyy
Over 40 people, including at least 12 children, were injured when Russian troops targeted a residential neighbourhood in Pervomayskyy, Kharkiv Region, at midday. Tentatively, Russia hit the town with an Iskander short-range ballistic missile.
International agenda
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has recognised Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism and the Wagner PMC as a terrorist organisation, according to a member of the Ukrainian delegation to PACE, MP Yevheniya Kravchuk.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Americans on US Independence Day. He appreciated the US assistance in countering Russian aggression and added that "Ukrainian courage takes up American weapons and protects democracy, which we value equally".
Zelenskyy will visit Bulgaria at the government invitation, 24chasa reported. The details of his visit have not yet been made public, but it is likely to take place on Thursday, 6 July.
Zelenskyy had a phone conversation with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to coordinate positions ahead of the NATO Vilnius summit and thank for the alliance chief's personal support for Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
Assistance
The Netherlands allocates more than €118 million to Ukraine and appoints a special envoy for business. Of this amount, €93 million will come from the state reserve and €25 million from the budget for foreign trade and cooperation.
War
Ukraine's defence forces continue to conduct an offensive operation in the Melitopol and Berdyansk directions, consolidating their positions, inflicting artillery fire on the identified Russian targets and carrying out counter-battery measures, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in its evening update.
Ukrainian troops also repelled Russian attacks in the Kupyansk sector in the area south of Novoselivske in Luhansk Region, in the Bakhmut sector - near the village of Bohdanivka in Donetsk Region, and near the town of Maryinka.
In the Avdiyivka sector, Ukrainian troops continue to hold back the Russian offensive in the vicinity of Avdiyivka.
Ukrainian aviation carried out 13 strikes on Russian clusters, three on anti-aircraft missile systems, and one on a command post.
Missile and artillery units struck a cluster of Russian manpower, weapons and military equipment, three ammunition depots, 18 artillery pieces at firing positions, three air defence systems and two electronic warfare stations.
Russian troops conducted 35 air strikes and fired about 50 multiple launch rocket systems at Ukrainian troops' positions and populated areas.
In the Berdyansk sector, Ukrainian defenders have advanced up to 2 km deep into the enemy's defences, Valeriy Shershen, a spokesman for the joint press centre of the Tavriya Defence Forces, said.
Russian troops are returning to their positions in Kherson Region, where the water has receded, the head of the press centre of the Defence Forces South, Natalya Humenyuk, said. According to her, the Russians have expanded the area where they use guided aerial bombs.
Appointment
The commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valeriy Zaluzhnyy, has appointed Col Oleksandr Okhrimenko as the head of the Odesa regional military recruitment and social support office.
Moscow blasts
Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate, commented on the morning explosions in Moscow: "Speaking of Moscow, we, of course, traditionally do not comment on this. But it happens, it happens in life. If, for example, the ruscist 45th Special Forces Brigade is engaged in sabotage in the Ukrainian rear, it means that something may end up flying in Moscow. It happens."
Police
The police are investigating 84,000 criminal proceedings on Russian war crimes, Zelenskyy said in a speech on the occasion of National Police Day. A special database, War Criminal, has been created, with more than 200,000 records of Russian mercenaries and military personnel.
Reconstruction
Only 150 out of 22,000 applicants have been approved for compensation for war-damaged housing, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said. He blames local authorities for slow work.
According to him, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to allocate almost UAH 5.3 billion for the restoration of 10 regions: Vinnytsya, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy, Cherkasy and Chernihiv.
Crime
MP Serhiy Alekseev, a member of the European Solidarity faction, who is suspected of fraud, has been released from custody on bail of UAH 2.264 million.