Russia revealed on Wednesday the combat training missions of its most dangerous naval submarines, while Kyiv announced a financial reward for anyone who helps track down Ukrainian collaborators with the Russians.

The Russian "TASS" news agency quoted sources as saying that the "Dmitriy Donskoy" submarine, which it described as the largest nuclear-powered submarine in the world, is currently carrying out combat training missions at sea, without additional details.

And the agency indicated on the Telegram website, quoting an unnamed source, that the decision on the future fate of "Dmitry Donskoy" could not be taken before next December.

Meanwhile, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu directed, during a visit to his country's forces participating in the war on Ukraine, to increase the efficiency of destroying marches over the Russian border areas, according to the Defense Ministry.

Since the Russian army began the war on Ukraine on February 24, the drones have played an important role in carrying out reconnaissance operations, launching missiles or dropping bombs.

The Turkish march Bayraktar during a previous military parade in Kyiv (Reuters)

In the same context, Washington revealed some time ago that Iran would provide Russia with hundreds of drones to help its forces confront the resistance shown by the Ukrainian army in the east of the country, which both sides denied.

financial rewards

On the other hand, Vitaly Kim, the governor of the Mykolaiv region - located in southern Ukraine - which is constantly bombarded, said a reward of 100 dollars was given to anyone who helps identify collaborators with the Russians.

In a statement, Kim called on his account on Telegram, to provide the local authorities with information about anyone who "reveals to the occupiers the locations of the deployment of Ukrainian forces" or helps determine the coordinates of possible bombing targets.

"After our careful verification and confirmation of the information provided, you will receive a reward of 100 dollars," he wrote in the statement, stressing his intention to "close" the city of Mykolaiv for a few days with the aim of eliminating collaborators with the Russians.

Members of the Ukrainian Regional Defense Forces during a training exercise near Kyiv (European)

These statements come at a time when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expelled the head of the security services and the prosecutor, accusing them of insufficient efforts to combat spies and collaborators with Moscow.

He pointed out that the Ukrainian authorities are currently investigating more than 650 cases of suspected treason committed by local officials, including sixty cases in areas occupied by Russian and pro-Moscow forces.

Zelensky added that "the large number of crimes against the foundations of national security, the links established between Ukrainian law enforcement officials and Russian special services" raise very serious questions, stressing that "each of these questions will be answered."

Field Developments

On the ground, Al-Jazeera correspondent in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine, reported that the surrounding towns witnessed mutual shelling between Russian and Ukrainian forces.

For its part, the Ukrainian General Staff said that its forces carried out a limited attack this morning on the Dmitivka region to prevent the advance of Russian forces there.

In Mykolaiv, in the south, Al-Jazeera correspondent reported that the confrontations between Ukrainian and Russian forces continued in the city's countryside, and that the sounds of Ukrainian artillery had been heard continuously throughout the last night.


The mayor of Mykolaiv said that the countryside of the district was bombarded with six Russian missiles, which led to the registration of civilian casualties.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian army reported the destruction of a Russian radar station in Kherson with US HIMARS missiles.

The Ukrainian army also destroyed a Russian electronic warfare complex in Nova Kakhovka in Kherson, and shot down a Russian Sukhoi-35 fighter in an area in Nova Kakhovka as well, in addition to five Russian unmanned aircraft in separate locations.

cut ties

In a political matter, Damascus announced today, Wednesday, the severance of diplomatic relations with Kyiv, in accordance with the principle of "reciprocity", weeks after Ukraine took the same step following the Syrian government's recognition of the independence of the two separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, its most prominent supporter.

The official news agency, SANA, quoted an official source in the Syrian Foreign Ministry, that "the Syrian Arab Republic decided to cut diplomatic relations with Ukraine, in accordance with the principle of reciprocity and in response to the Ukrainian government's decision in this regard."

On June 29, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that "relations between Ukraine and Syria have ended," noting that the "sanctions pressure" on Damascus "will intensify."

His decision came hours after Syria announced the recognition of the independence of the separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, becoming the first country to do so after Russia, which recognized them on February 21, before the start of its invasion of Ukraine on the 24th of the same month.