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Volodymyr Zelenskyy: "There will be no more official relations between Ukraine and Syria"
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IMAGO/Ukraine Presidency/Ukrainian Pre/IMAGO/ZUMA Wire
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Syria breaks off diplomatic relations with Ukraine
8:45 a.m .:
Syria, which is an ally of Russia, has announced the termination of its diplomatic relations with Ukraine.
Damascus decided to do this "according to the principle of reciprocity and as a reaction to the decision of the Ukrainian government," reports the Syrian state news agency Sana, citing the Foreign Ministry.
Kyiv severed its ties with Syria at the end of June.
The government of ruler Bashar al-Assad was the first country in the world after Russia to officially recognize the self-proclaimed People's Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, which are controlled by pro-Russian separatists.
"There will be no more official relations between Ukraine and Syria," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
UK: Little progress on Russian Donbass offensive
7.45 a.m .:
According to British information, the Russian offensive in the Donbass in eastern Ukraine is still making slow progress.
The Ministry of Defense announced in London, citing the latest report from the military intelligence service, that there were minimal gains in territory as the Ukrainian armed forces put up resistance.
In the south, Ukrainian troops damaged the strategically important Antonovsky Bridge over the Dnieper in Russian-occupied Cherson.
The authorities there announced on July 19.
The bridge is probably still usable.
However, it is a weak point for the Russian troops.
Controlling the crossings over the Dnieper will probably be a key factor in the fighting in Kherson.
The region faces the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia.
According to Ukraine, Russia is preparing an offensive on Bakhmut
7:25 a.m.:
The Ukrainian General Staff reports Russian shelling and attacks in numerous areas.
The Russian troops were preparing an offensive on Bakhmut.
Fighting was going on in the direction of the city in the Donetsk region with the aim of taking over the Wuglegirsk power plant.
"The enemy units lack ammunition, food and water," said the general staff, but gave no details.
Saudi Arabia as mediator between Russia and Ukraine?
2:59 a.m.:
According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the government in Moscow sees no willingness on the part of Ukraine to fulfill the conditions of an interim peace agreement reached in March.
After a visit to Iran, Putin said that Kyiv had not adhered to the terms of an interim peace agreement that was "virtually achieved" in March.
Asked about a possible meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Putin said that it depends on the will of both sides to implement the agreements reached.
"Today we see that those in power in Kyiv do not have this will." However, no breakthrough was achieved in the negotiations in March.
According to Putin, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have now offered to mediate between Russia and Ukraine.
Putin warns of further cuts in Nord Stream 1 supplies
12:54 a.m .:
Russian President Vladimir Putin warns against a further reduction in Russian gas supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. If Russia does not receive the turbine repaired in Canada, the daily throughput capacity of the pipeline threatens to fall significantly at the end of July, the Kremlin chief said at night According to the Russian state news agency Tass on Wednesday on the sidelines of a meeting in Tehran.
"We still have a finished route - that's Nord Stream 2. We can put that into operation," said Putin.
The Nord Stream 1 pipeline was commissioned in 2011 and has a capacity of around 55 billion cubic meters per year.
Since June, however, Russia's state energy giant Gazprom has reduced gas deliveries to Germany by more than half the daily maximum - to 67 million cubic meters.
The pipeline is also currently completely shut down for annual maintenance work – until Thursday as planned.
ptz/dpa/AFP/Reuters