Russia continuing to make ‘minor’ advances but suffering ‘dwindling stockpiles’ of modern weapons

 Russia's Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the Russian military continued to make "minor" progress in eastern Ukraine, but was affected by a reduction in the stockpile of more precise and modern weapons.

The defense ministry said in its latest update that airstrikes and artillery shelling allowed Russian troops to advance around the city of Lysichansk.

In recent weeks, heavy fighting has taken place in both Lysichansk and Severo Donetsk, but Ukrainian resistance forces have succeeded in preventing Russian troops from entering the southeastern region of Lysichansk, the Defense Ministry said.

"Russian forces continue to make small gains near Lysichansk, where aerial and artillery fire continues," the Defense Ministry said.

"Ukrainian troops will likely continue to block Russian troops in the southeastern suburbs of Lysichansk.

"Russia continues to use air-launched anti-ship missiles as a secondary role in land attack, possibly due to a reduced stockpile of more accurate modern weapons."

The report comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of deliberate terrorism following a series of deadly attacks near Odessa.

The attack killed 21 people, including a 12-year-old boy.

Mr Zelensky said: "Three rockets hit an ordinary apartment building, a nine-story building where no one was hiding weapons, military equipment or ammunition, as Russian propagandists and officials always reported such attacks.

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 2 July 2022

Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/fwzYduGXwf

🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/VTNFQTqnjK

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) July 2, 2022

"It's a simple house with about 160 people. It's inhabited by ordinary people, civilians. The recreation centre was also destroyed by this strike - definitely a typical object of a seaside resort.

"I stress: this was a deliberate terrorist activity against Russia, not some mistaken or accidental missile attack." Two British men were captured by Russian troops and charged with becoming mercenaries in Ukraine. 

Dylan Healy, a 22-year-old Cambridgeshire development worker, and Andrew Hill, a military volunteer, have been accused of "mercenary activities", officials from the Moscow-backed Donetsk People's Republic said, according to Russian state media TASS.

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It is understood the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is actively investigating and providing support to the men's families.

An FCDO spokeswoman said: "We condemn the exploitation of prisoners of war and civilians for political purposes and have raised this with Russia.

"We have been in constant contact with the Ukrainian government regarding their cases and fully support Ukraine's efforts to release them."