On the night of July 5th, Russian forces launched new airstrikes on Ukrainian territory.
The main and heaviest attack was directed against the city of Zaporizhia, where civilian infrastructure was hit. In parallel with the military actions, the Russian Ministry of Defense issued an ultimatum to Kiev with a deadline of 12:00 on July 5 in connection with the controversial situation around the city of Konstantinovka.
Loss and casualties in the midnight shelling of Zaporozhye
As of 04:50 Bulgarian time, it was confirmed that one of the Russian strikes fell directly into a residential area of Zaporozhie city.
- Destruction of an apartment building: The powerful explosion completely destroyed the outer wall of a multi-story apartment building from the first to the fifth floor. Windows of surrounding buildings were broken and cars parked nearby were destroyed.
- Injured: At least three civilians are currently reported injured, including a child. Emergency rescue teams and medics continue to work at the scene of the incident, and the data on victims and injured are being clarified.
- Strike on infrastructure: In addition to the residential sector, the midnight attack also caused damage to critical infrastructure in the city.
This strike comes after a series of intense attacks on Zaporizhia in recent days, including strikes on industrial enterprises and logistics centers.
Tensions around Konstantinovka and a Russian ultimatum
On the front lines, the bitter dispute over control of the strategic city continues Konstantinovka in Donetsk Oblast. While Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the city had been captured, the General Staff of Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky categorically denied this and stated that Ukrainian forces were holding their positions.
In the context of this situation, diplomatic pressure also came in the midnight hours. The Russian Defense Ministry proposed a temporary ceasefire on July 6 in order to carry out a “humanitarian operation“ to hand over the bodies of dead Ukrainian soldiers. However, Moscow set an ultimatum of 12:00 on July 5 (Sunday), by which Ukraine must respond through the channels of the special services whether it accepts the conditions. As of 04:45, there has been no official response from Kiev.
Diplomatic soundings in the background
Over the past 24 hours, amid the ongoing air terror and heavy Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil terminals in St. Petersburg, US President Donald Trump held separate long phone calls with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky. The talks are part of preparations for the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara. According to Zelensky, he and Trump discussed the situation on the 1,200-kilometer front line and that there is a “real prospect of ending this war“.