Russian forces engaged in extensive shelling within Kherson city's central district on Friday morning according to regional military administration spokesman Roman Mrochko, who tweeted a video of damaged structures. The barrage lasted approximately an hour but fortunately resulted in no casualties reported so far. Infrastructure damage is anticipated which could impact the local water supply; however, restoration efforts are underway.
Over the same period, Ukrainian air defenses managed to intercept and neutralize five cruise missiles targeting multiple regions within Ukraine according to Lt Gen Mykola Oleschuk on Telegram. A total of 24 drones were reported in this operation; however, eight are suspected to be decoys intended for overwhelming the air defenses.
Three civilians sustained injuries from a land mine near Kharkiv's outskirran region as per regional military administration reports on Telegram. The incident occurred close to the Russian border in Staritsa village, affecting two men and one woman. Mention of potential demining operations along that front was also noted.
A phone call between defense ministers from Russia and the US reportedly took place aimed at reducing risks related to escalation as tensions rise over Germany's decision on missile deployment, according to Russian Defence Ministry statements on Friday. This follows President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's plans for international engagements including visits to UK and Ireland in the coming week.
The Ukrainian government has refuted a statement by a Russian official claiming they intended to attack hydropower dams, calling it an attempt at intimidation, as per Ukraine's foreign ministry response on Friday. Meanwhile, Russia faces international pressure over its involvement in the recent bombardment of a children’s hospital in Kyiv with calls for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate the incident.
On Thursday, an increase in shelling by Russian forces in Kharkiv led the UK Ministry of Defence's intelligence update on Friday to note the highest daily casualty figures since conflict began – averaging 1,262 in May and around 1,162 in June. Over these two months, total casualties approached 70,000 as described by UK Ministry of Defence reports.
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