???? Live: Russia launches overnight strike on Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih

Issued on: 14/07/2023 – 10:28

3 min

10:07am: Putin says Russian mercenary group has no legal basis so ‘doesn’t exist’

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Wagner private military company “simply doesn’t exist” as a legal entity, in comments adding to the series of often bizarre twists that have followed the group’s abortive revolt last month — the most serious threat to Putin’s 23-year rule amid the war in Ukraine.

“There is no law on private military organisations. It simply doesn’t exist,” Putin told a Russian newspaper late Thursday, referring to the Wagner group.

9:38am: Russia’s Lavrov has no plans to contact US side during Indonesia meeting, spokeswoman says

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has no plans for contacts with US officials during his current visit to Indonesia, his spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday. Lavrov and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken are both in Jakarta for the ASEAN Regional Forum, a security gathering.

9:02am: Russia launches overnight drone attack on Ukrainian president’s hometown 

A 56-year-old man was injured in an overnight Russian drone strike on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown, the central city of Kryvyi Rih, the regional governor said on Friday.

The attack damaged a number of buildings in Kryvyi Rih but Ukraine’s air force said 16 of the 17 Iranian-made Shahed attack drones launched by Russia overnight had been shot down in southern and eastern areas of the country.

Falling debris damaged a municipal enterprise, two residential buildings and a transport company in Kryvyi Rih, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram messaging app.

5:17am: France gives its highest order of merit to AFP journalist killed in Ukraine

France has posthumously awarded AFP video journalist Arman Soldin, who was killed while working in Ukraine, the Légion d’Honneur (Legion of Honour).

Soldin was given the top honour with effect from June 28, 2023 by a presidential decree issued on Thursday, according to France’s official gazette.

Soldin, AFP’s video coordinator in Ukraine, was killed in a rocket attack in the country’s east on May 9, more than a year after the Russian invasion.

He was 32 years old.

Key developments from Thursday 13 July:

Ukraine has received US cluster munitions, a senior Pentagon official said on Thursday.

The US announced on July 7 it would send Kyiv cluster munitions as part of an $800 million security package intended to ensure Russian forces that invaded Ukraine nearly 17 months ago cannot halt a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Hungary signalled on Thursday it could ratify Sweden’s bid to join NATO in the autumn, with a ruling party lawmaker saying Turkey’s decision to back Sweden’s bid opened the door to strengthening the alliance at a time of need.

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia could withdraw from the Black Sea grain deal until other sides fulfil their promises.

The deal, which allows for the safe export of Ukrainian grain and fertiliser from Black Sea ports, is due to expire next Monday. Moscow has repeatedly threatened to block its extension over aspects of its implementation affecting Russia’s own exports.

Read yesterday’s live blog to see how all the day’s events unfolded.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)