Lysychansk

Here are the highlights of events related to the war in Ukraine over the past 24 hours:

The loss of Lysychansk

Ukraine has acknowledged that its military has withdrawn from the Donbas city of Lysychansk. President Volodymyr Zelensky promised that control over the area would be restored.

The Ukrainian army retreated from the strategic city of Lysychansk on July 3, as Russia claimed a major victory by seizing control of the entire eastern Lugansk region.

The Ukrainian withdrawal followed weeks of fierce fighting and marked a decisive breakthrough for Moscow's forces more than four months after their invasion and after turning their focus away from the capital Kyiv.

"Continuing the defense of the city would lead to fatal consequences. In order to preserve the lives of the defenders of Ukraine, a decision was made to withdraw," said a statement published on social networks, reports Reuters.

Here are the highlights of events related to the war in Ukraine over the past 24 hours:

Kyiv: The last bastion in eastern Ukraine may fall

A group of young off-duty Ukrainian soldiers gathered at a military distribution center to enjoy a rare respite from the fighting that has again engulfed their fractured home in eastern Ukraine.

Here are the highlights of events related to the war in Ukraine over the past 24 hours:

Rocket attack on Odessa: At least 10 people have died

Here are the highlights of events related to the war in Ukraine over the past 24 hours:

Aftermath of the Russian strike in Eastern Ukraine

Rescuers have stopped searching for survivors of the Russian missile strike on a shopping center in the city of Kremenchuk.

Authorities say 36 people are thought to be missing.

A Russian missile strike on a crowded mall in central Ukraine killed at least 18 people in what Group of Seven leaders branded "a war crime" at a meeting in Germany where they looked to step up sanctions on Moscow.

Russian missiles hit the Ukrainian capital Kyiv as G-7 leaders discussed new sanctions against Russia in Germany. To the east, the battle continued in the city of Lysychansk, the last major Ukrainian-controlled city in the Luhansk region.

Here are the highlights of events related to the war in Ukraine over the past 24 hours:

Ukrainian forces withdraw from Sievierodonetsk

Ukrainian forces have begun withdrawing from Sievierodonetsk, the last major bastion of Ukrainian resistance in the Luhansk region. This happened four months after the beginning of the Russian invasion.