Summary

  • Russian and separatist forces in eastern Ukraine have taken the city of Lysychansk, Russia's defences ministry says

  • Its defence minister has told Russian President Vladimir Putin that all of Ukraine's Luhansk region has been 'liberated'

  • But, Ukrainian defence ministry spokesman Yuriy Sak has told the BBC that Lysychansk is not under the "full control" of Russian forces

  • He added the situation in the city has been "very intense for quite a while now" with Russian ground forces "attacking the city non-stop"

  • The mayor of Slovyansk, Vadym Lyakh, says the city - lying further west - has been shelled by the Russians; at least six have been killed

  • At least three people have been killed in several explosions in the Russian city of Belgorod, a regional governor says

  • Vyacheslav Gladkov says dozens of residential buildings were damaged in the blasts. This hasn't been independently confirmed

Live Reporting

Edited by Chris Giles

  1. Lysychansk could fall, says Zelensky advisor

    The fighting in Lysychansk sent plumes of smoke rising to the skyGetty Images

    An adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy has conceded Lysychansk, the last Ukrainian-held city in the Luhansk region, could fall to Russian forces as fighting intensified this weekend.

    Oleksiy Arestovych says Russian forces crossed the Siversky Donets river and were approaching the city from the north.

    Arestovych says: "This is indeed a threat. We shall see. I do not rule out any one of a number of outcomes here. Things will become much more clear within a day or two.”

    Rodion Miroshnik, ambassador to Russia of the pro-Moscow breakaway Luhansk People's Republic, told Russian TV that Lysychansk had been "brought under control" but was "not yet liberated".

    The governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai, says there has been no let-up in the assault on Lysychansk, with the Russians approaching the besieged city from all sides.

    Map showing areas of Russian military control around Lysychansk.

  2. Good morning - What's been happening in Ukraine?

    Welcome to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine – 130 days since Russia launched the invasion. Most of the Russian effort has been concentrated in the eastern part of Ukraine, with fighting raging in the key city of Lysychansk for days.

    • Ukrainians say Lysychansk - the only remaining city in the Luhansk region still under Ukrainian control - has been enduring intense shelling in the past 24 hours.
    • The governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai, says Russian forces have been approaching the besieged city from all sides.
    • However, the US-based Institute for the Study of War says it appears Ukrainian forces “likely conducted a deliberate withdrawal from Lysychansk, resulting in the Russian seizure of the city” on 2 July. Ukrainian officials have not confirmed a withdrawal from Lysychansk.
    • The mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, says Ukrainian armed forces have launched 30 strikes and destroyed one of four Russian military bases located in the city.
    • At least three people have died in explosions in the Russian city of Belgorod, which lies 40km (26 miles) from the border with Ukraine, said regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. The blasts partially destroyed 11 apartment buildings and at least 39 private residential buildings, he said.