6:20 a.m. – Leading Russian bank expelled from Swift
As part of its sixth sanction package against Moscow, the EU has agreed to exempt Russia’s main bank, Sberbank from the Swift international finance system.
06:00: EU approves EUR 9.4 billion to Ukraine for immediate liquidity requirements
To cover the immediate cash requirements of Ukraine’s economy, the 27 EU member countries have approved the grant of 9 billion euros to the Ukrainian government. According to kyiv, its monthly cash needs are estimated at 5 billion dollars. European financing will be in the form of “long term loans” with subsidized rates.
5:55 a.m . : EU agrees that Russian oil imports will be reduced by more than “two-thirds”
Charles Michel, President of the European Council, announced that the embargo on Russian oil, which covers more than “two-thirds” of their imports, was approved by the 27 members of the European Union late Monday night.
He stated on Twitter that this reduction will be in place by the end the year and would exert maximum pressure on Moscow to end the war.
5:50 a.m . : South Ossetia announces it has abandoned its referendum project for its integration into Russia
The pro-Russian Georgian separatist area of South Ossetia’s new authorities announced Monday that they had abandoned the organization of a referendum regarding its integration into Russia.
“President” Alan Gagloev, in a decree, invoked “the uncertainty associated with the legal consequences” such a consultation. This was a consultation that had been held by Anatoly Bilovlov (his predecessor) and was due to take place on July 17.
5:45 a.m . 5:45 a.m. – Russian shelling intensifies at Donbass, the hard hit city of Bakhmut
Our Guardian colleagues report that Russian forces are concentrating on Donbass. Bakhmut is a 72,000-strong town in the Donetsk area.
“We’re screwed”, some soldiers have even been reported to be saying so, having already witnessed the 2014 clashes. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, “all Russian forces” have been deployed in Donbass. They also stated that Bakhmut is not safe and that the situation in Kurakhov is “difficult”.
5:45 a.m . Greetings everyone! Welcome to this live, where we will be following the current situation in Ukraine on the 97th Day of the Russian Invasion.
