Russian forces shell residential area in Kherson, injuries reported

Russian shelling hit a residential area in Kherson on July 2, injuring several people, according to the regional military administration's report as of 12 p.m.  

The shelling struck a high-rise residential building, a pharmacy, and a restaurant. The victims include a 50-year-old man. They have been hospitalized.    

Earlier, Russia attacked the country with eight Shahed drones and three cruise missiles, all reported to have been shot down.   Heavy combat is ongoing in Kherson, near the destroyed Antonivsky Bridge over the river.

Ukraine reports taking down all eight drones, three missiles fired overnight

Russia attacked Ukraine with eight Shahed kamikaze drones and three Kalibr cruise missiles on the night of July 2, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.  

The Ukrainian military reported destroying all of them. Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukraine's civilian targets, including infrastructure, with drones and missiles since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

The attacks increased significantly from October 2022 through January 2023, with mass strikes using nearly 100 drones and missiles being common.

Since then, while mass strikes have continued, they have used considerably fewer weapons for each one.

Nevertheless, Russia has increased the number of Shahed drones it's buying from Iran and wants to produce its own, according to the British Defense Ministry.

President's Office comments on restoration of water supply after explosion on Kakhovka HPP

The water supply system in Nikopol is still only 30% operational due to the Russians blowing up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP). In the city of Kryvyi Rih, water is supplied hourly, and people are being given bottled water in Kherson Oblast.

Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine  has commented on the progress in restoring water supply in Dnipropetrovsk and Kherson oblasts after the Kakhovka HPP dam was blown up, as well as restoring water supply in Donetsk Oblast that was disrupted by attacks.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, the centralized water supply to Pokrov has been gradually restored since 2 July. In the coming days, the chlorine levels in the water will be higher than usual, but in a week, the residents will be able to get a stable water supply.

In Nikopol, the water supply system is operating at 30% capacity. Despite the Russian attacks, the entire system is being restored and modernized. It is planned to restore the water supply to all residents within five days.

"There will be water in the taps in Marhanets as well. It will take a little more time as the water supply system is being installed," said Kuleba.

In Kryvyi Rih, water is supplied hourly. The construction of the Inhulets-Pivdenne water main continues, it is a large-scale project that will supply water to two districts.

In addition, water is constantly supplied to the hromadas in the oblast. [Hromada is an administrative unit designating a town, village or several villages and their adjacent territories – ed.]

In Kherson Oblast, the situation with water supply is tense in Mylove hromada, Novovorontsovka hromada and the city of Beryslav. Work is underway to restore the full water supply in the area as soon as possible. Bottled water is being distributed to people daily – the townspeople have already received about 40,000 litres.

Also, a mobile water purification filter with a capacity of up to 30,000 litres per day will be installed in Beryslav over the next week.

In Kherson, in the Ostriv neighbourhood, the centralised water supply is connected for technical needs. "In a couple of days, there will be drinking water in the taps," Kuleba promised.

He has also said that the water supply is being restored in Donetsk Oblast, where the water supply system is not fully operational due to constant attacks.

Due to the dam of the Karlivka Reservoir in Pokrovsk being destroyed in May, water is supplied on an hourly basis. Regular water deliveries to people have also been arranged there.

Water supply from the Karlivka reservoir is expected to be restored by mid-July.