INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Ukrainian officials have called on civilians to urgently evacuate the city of Sloviansk as Russian troops press towards it in their campaign
to secure the Donbas region.Sloviansk has been subjected to "massive" Russian bombardment in recent days, with at least two people killed
and seven others wounded in an attack on a marketplace Tuesday.Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of the Donetsk region, which includes Sloviansk,
told Ukrainian media his "main advice is evacuate!""This week there hasn't been a day without shelling," he said Tuesday evening, adding
that the city was now within range of Russian multiple-rocket launchers."The enemy is shelling chaotically, the attacks are aimed at
destroying the local population," he said"So, once again, the main advice is to evacuate."AFP journalists on the ground in Sloviansk saw
rockets slam into the marketplace and surrounding streets, with firefighters scrambling to put out the resulting fires.Kyrylenko also
reported shelling across "the entire frontline" in the eastern Donbas region, where Russia has refocused its efforts since abandoning its
initial aim of capturing Kyiv, following tough Ukrainian resistance.Donbas is mainly comprised of Luhansk, which Russian forces have almost
week after the Ukrainian army also retreated from the neighboring city of Severodonetsk, has freed up Russian troops to advance on
according to AFP reporters."Heavy fighting is taking place on the outskirts of Luhansk region near Lysychansk," Luhansk Governor Serhiy
region, Russian troops have deployed helicopters and artillery to try to stem Ukrainian counter-attacks.A spokesman for Ukraine's defense
ministry said Tuesday that Russian forces outside Donbas were "trying to bind our troops in order to prevent them from moving to the battle
areas."Kherson city, which lies close to Moscow-annexed Crimea, was the first major city to fall to Russian forces in February, and has seen
a campaign of so-called Russification since.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking in his evening address Tuesday, said he was
continuing to press for upgraded anti-missile systems as air siren alerts sounded across much of the country, including the capital."The
Russian army does not take any breaks," he said."Our task is to hold on."'Timely, correct'Moscow's invasion has encouraged both Sweden and
Finland to drop decades of military non-alignment and become part of NATO, which kicked off their accession process on Tuesday.In Brussels,
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and the foreign ministers of Sweden and Finland hailed the move as "historic.""The membership of
both Finland and Sweden will not only contribute to our own security but to the collective security of the alliance," said Finland's Pekka
Haavisto, after protocols were signed launching the required ratification process.Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov welcomed
Tuesday's "timely (and) correct" step, adding on Twitter: "Who will be next...?"And in a sign of regional tension over the invasion, Latvia
announced Tuesday it would reinstate compulsory military service."The current military system of Latvia has reached its limit
Meanwhile, we have no reason to think that Russia will change its behavior," Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks told reporters.NATO
offered Ukraine a path towards membership in 2008 but that stalled amid strong Russian opposition and has been further complicated by its
invasion.With the war well into its fifth month, Kyiv's allies meeting in the Swiss city of Lugano committed Tuesday to supporting Ukraine
cost at least $750 billion.More than 10,000 civilian deaths or injuries have been documented across Ukraine as of July 3, according to UN
rights chief Michelle Bachelet, who said the real figure is likely to be much higher.At least 335 children were among the 4,889 dead, she
said, demanding an end to "unbearable" civilian suffering and slamming the "senseless war."
