Casualties rise from Russian attacks as Ukraine prepares for potential offensive

Recent Russian attacks have led to a rising casualty count, with a 59-year-old man dying in hospital, bringing the Dnipro death toll to seven. Sixteen individuals remain hospitalized, seven in critical condition. Separately, 21 people were injured, two requiring hospitalization, after a Russian guided aerial bomb strike on an infrastructure site in Sumy. On June 30, Ukrainian forces reported 203 combat engagements, including 25 in the Pokrovsk direction, while Russian forces conducted 51 air strikes and deployed 163 guided aerial bombs. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that a Russian offensive into the Chernihiv region from Bryansk Oblast is a realistic threat, for which Ukraine is preparing. He added that President Vladimir Putin has tasked his General Staff with evaluating offensive options, including from Belarus, to capture Kyiv. Ten civilian sites were reportedly targeted by Russian attacks in June, with over half damaged, including an ancient shrine, a film studio, and residential buildings.

Sources: Радіо Свобода, Українська правда.