LIVE War in Ukraine, day 573: Drone attack on the city of Lviv in western Ukraine / Zelenski will speak before the UN General Assembly on Tuesday / Ukrainians allegedly broke through Russian defenses near Bahmut

The western Ukrainian city of Lviv was rocked by explosions in the early hours of Tuesday, and local officials said the Russian airstrike injured one person and caused a major fire at an industrial warehouse. The city’s mayor, Andriy Sadovyi, said air raid alerts for the region lasted for almost three hours, ending around 6am. Volodymyr Zelenskiy is in New York for his first in-person appearance at the UN since the start of the invasion, with the Ukrainian president set to address the General Assembly on Tuesday.

Ukraine War Highlights, Day 573, LIVETEXT:

07:43 Moscow and Beijing are on the same page regarding the United States and the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

In a press release issued following an exchange of views between the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, the ministry recalled the close ties between the two countries. The text emphasizes their “similar” positions in the face of “US actions on the international stage, including those of an anti-Russian and anti-Chinese nature.”

“The parties discussed in detail the current situation in Ukraine, noting the futility of attempts to resolve the crisis without taking into account Russia’s interests and, even more so, without its participation,” the statement added. (AFP)

Drone attack on the city of Lviv in western Ukraine

07:35 Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will meet in New York on Wednesday with Zelenski on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the Brazilian presidential office announced on Monday.

Lula has in the past called for a group of nations to mediate an end to the war, but in May said Moscow and Kiev were both to blame for the conflict, angering the United States and European states that support the Ukrainian resistance. Last month, the Brazilian leader said that neither Zelensky nor Vladimir Putin were ready for peace. (Reuters)

06:48 Péter Szijjártó: Our cooperation with Russia does not reflect our political tastes

06:24 Ukraine: Russia launches a drone attack on the city of Lviv

00:51 Diplomatic tensions China – Germany: Beijing denounces “a political provocation” after the head of German diplomacy Annalena Baerbock classified Xi Jinping as a “dictator”

Brief recap of recent information:

• Ukrainian troops broke through the Russian defense line near Bahmut, the commander of the ground forces of Kyiv, General Oleksandr Sîrskîi, said on Monday. According to him, after the liberation of the villages of Andriivka and Klişciivka in the last days, “the enemy’s defense line was pierced”. The Ukrainians recaptured territories in the east and advanced south. ISW: “Operationally solid performance” on the Bahmut front.
• Putin says the Russian economy is “stable”, although the ruble contradicts him. In a video intervention at a meeting focused on the draft federal budget for 2024-2026, the Russian president described the economic situation in the country as “stable and balanced” and praised the resilience of the Russian economy.
• The Ukrainian government fired all six deputy defense ministers on Monday, following the appointment of new minister Rustem Umerov earlier this month. Among the revoked deputies is Hanna Maliar.
• Germany has announced that it will send a new aid package worth 400 million euros to Ukraine. It will include additional ammunition, protective vehicles and demining systems, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.
• Pope Francis met with Russia’s new ambassador to the Holy See on Monday, according to which they discussed the sovereign pontiff’s efforts to promote peace in Ukraine.
• The trial at the International Court of Justice regarding the war launched by Russia in Ukraine. How Moscow defends itself: Genocide accusations against Kiev, simple “statements”.
• The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) expects to invest a similar amount – about 1.5 billion euros a year – in Ukraine over the next two years, the lender’s president said on Monday.

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