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Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,227

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,227

Al Jazeeraa day ago
Here is how things stand on Saturday, July 5 :
Fighting
Russian air defences have downed dozens of Ukrainian drones in widely dispersed parts of the country, including two near the country's second-largest city, Saint Petersburg, according to officials.
All external power lines supplying electricity to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine were down for several hours before being restored, the UN nuclear watchdog said.
Ukrainian authorities blamed Russian shelling for the power cut, adding that technicians had to take action to restore it.
Dutch and German intelligence agencies say that Russia is increasing its use of prohibited chemical weapons in Ukraine, including the World War I-era poison gas chloropicrin. Moscow denies this.
Weapons
United States President Donald Trump said he discussed sending Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine in calls with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
A German government spokesman said the country was exploring the possibility of purchasing more Patriot air defence systems from the US for Ukraine.
Politics and diplomacy
Trump said that he discussed sanctions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a Thursday call, who is worried about them and understands they might be forthcoming.
The US president repeated that he was 'very unhappy' with his Russian counterpart, adding: 'He wants to go all the way, just keep killing people – it is no good.'
Zelenskyy says he agreed with Trump, to work to strengthen Ukraine's air defences, as concerns mounted in Kyiv over US military aid deliveries. The two leaders had a 'very important and fruitful conversation' by phone on Friday, Zelenskyy said.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius will travel to Washington later this month for talks with his US counterpart about air defence systems, as well as production capacities, the ministry said.
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