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Kyiv's diplomatic and air-defence pressures, early July 2023
Summary
Two developments from 3 July 2023 framed the political agenda in Kyiv in the days before 6 July.
What was occupying Kyiv's political leadership on 6 July 2023? Two decisions announced three days earlier, on 3 July, set the agenda.
That day, Russia launched drone attacks on Sumy, killing two people and injuring 19 others. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for a major upgrade of the country's anti-aircraft defences. The strike formed part of the wider Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure reported during 2022 and 2023.
The same day, Zelenskyy also made a diplomatic request. He asked Georgian ambassador Gela Dumbadze to return home within 48 hours to negotiate the transfer of Mikheil Saakashvili to a Ukrainian clinic. Saakashvili, the imprisoned former Georgian president, is also a Ukrainian citizen, and the request cited his declining health.
The 48-hour deadline fell between 3 July and the covered date. Together, the two items showed Kyiv pressing on defence at home and on a consular and health case with Georgia.
