What happened on the day of July 2nd. The main thing

The Russian Embassy in Sweden was attacked by drones again, after which the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Swedish ambassador. The Russian armed forces retaliated against the facilities of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine and continued to advance in the area of their military-industrial complex. The head of the Bank of Russia, Elvira Nabiullina, announced at the Central Bank's Financial Congress that she was ready to introduce the digital ruble and assess the state of the economy. The Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked a bus carrying Belarusian citizens in the Bryansk region, and hockey player Alexander Ovechkin extended his contract with the NHL club Washington Capitals. All the details and other main events of the day are in the Izvestia digest.

Massive retaliation strike by the Russian Armed Forces against military installations in Kiev

The Russian Armed Forces have inflicted a massive blow on the enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine in Kiev and the Kiev region. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, facilities producing missile control systems, electronic warfare systems, sighting systems for armored vehicles, as well as drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) were hit. In addition, the Russian military attacked gas distribution stations that operated enterprises of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex. The ministry stressed that the operation was a response to the Kiev regime's terrorist attacks on Russia's civilian infrastructure.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, reported to President Vladimir Putin on the results of the retaliatory strike, noting that all targets were military or near-military in nature. Irish journalist Chay Bose called the strike a direct response to the actions of the Ukrainian authorities, and State Duma deputy Andrei Kolesnik said that the attack was effective and disrupted the logistics of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In turn, Zakharova stressed that the strikes were aimed at military-strategic facilities, not civilian infrastructure. At the same time, Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the incident as the largest-scale attack on the Ukrainian capital since the beginning of the conflict.

Drone attack on the Russian Embassy in Sweden

The Russian Embassy in Stockholm was attacked by drones. According to the diplomatic mission, one of the drones dropped a container with red paint on the territory, and the second, to which an improvised explosive device was attached, fell next to the building. The embassy said that the incident was in the nature of an attempt to intimidate employees. After the incident, Russia sent a note to the Swedish Foreign Ministry demanding to be informed about the results of the investigation. According to Russian Ambassador Sergey Belyaev, the drone was presumably launched from Stockholm and was a handicraft device with a short flight range. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova added that the Swedish ambassador would be summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry in connection with the attack.

Nabiullina's statements at the Central Bank's Financial Congress

The head of the Bank of Russia (CBR), Elvira Nabiullina, said at the Fincongress that the regulator is fully ready for the mass introduction of the digital ruble from September 1. According to her, systemically important banks and large trading companies are technically ready to work with the new form of national currency, and the Central Bank is also discussing with banks the opening of digital ruble wallets on their balance sheets. Nabiullina noted that the Central Bank considers the situation on the fuel market to be temporary and will assess its impact on inflation by the July meeting. In addition, the regulator does not observe excessive growth of citizens' savings, does not see signs of "hypothermia" of the economy and systemic risks to the financial market.

The head of the Central Bank also said that the discussion of the possible privatization of the National Payment Card System (NSPK) is at the initial stage, but the controlling stake will remain with the Central Bank. She added that the stock market is experiencing difficulties, but it does not need emergency intervention from the regulator, Visa and Mastercard cards will be gradually withdrawn from circulation, and expectations for the trajectory of the key rate have shifted upward.

Ukrainian Armed Forces attack on Belarusian bus in Bryansk region

A Ukrainian drone attacked a tourist bus en route Minsk – Gomel – Anapa in the Bryansk region. The Investigative Committee of Russia has opened a criminal case under the article on the terrorist attack. Two drivers and a passenger were injured in the attack. All of them were evacuated to the Gomel region, and six more Russians were placed in a temporary accommodation facility. Russian Ambassador to Belarus Boris Gryzlov said that the strike indicates Kiev's targeted attacks on Belarusian citizens. Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Rodion Miroshnik also expressed the opinion that the Ukrainian side is deliberately tracking down the Belarusian transport, trying to provoke Minsk.

State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Alexander Volfovich said that the injured drivers are in serious condition. On the same day, a second Ukrainian Armed Forces attack was recorded in the area of the Krasny Kamen customs crossing, after which the authorities recommended that carriers choose safer routes. After the attack, the Interior Ministry of Belarus announced increased security measures in the border areas of the Gomel region. Oleg Gaidukevich, a member of the Parliament of the Republic, in turn, said that by attacking civilians, the West is trying to destabilize the situation in Russia and Belarus and draw Minsk into the conflict.

Ovechkin extends contract with Washington Capitals

Russian striker Alexander Ovechkin has signed a new one-year contract with the Washington Capitals of the NHL. Under the terms of the agreement, the hockey player will receive $1 million in salary, as well as bonuses stipulated in the contract. Ovechkin has been playing for Washington since 2005 and is the best sniper in the history of the NHL regular season. The extension of the agreement will allow the 39-year-old striker to spend at least one more season at the club.

The advance of the Russian Armed Forces in the special operation zone

The Russian Defense Ministry announced that Russian troops had liberated the village of Piskunovka in the DPR and were continuing their offensive in the Slavyansk direction. At the same time, the assault units are completing the sweep of Konstantinovka and Krasny Liman, where the mine clearance and mopping up of the territory have begun. According to the ministry, the strikes destroyed logistics centers with Ukrainian drones in the Mykolaiv region, a railway locomotive in the Kirovohrad region, and gas distribution stations that operated enterprises of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex in Kiev and the Kiev region. The Defense Ministry also reported the destruction of equipment, artillery, electronic warfare stations, UAV control points and robotic complexes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as the interception of Baba Yaga and Vampire drones trying to deliver ammunition and food to Ukrainian units.