What happened on 2 July 2022 in Ukraine's war

What was the state of the war on 2 July 2022? It was a day shaped by mourning in the south, by statements from Belarus and by allegations from Mariupol, following a run of events at the end of June.

Mourning in Odesa Oblast

On 1 July, two Russian missiles struck a multi-storey building and a recreation centre in Serhiivka, in Odesa Oblast. At least 21 civilians were killed and 38 others injured. A further account of the attack says the strikes began at 01:00 local time, that one missile hit a residential building and two hit a recreational centre, and that 2 July was declared a day of mourning in the region.

Claims from Minsk

On 2 July, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed that his country had intercepted Ukrainian missiles directed at Belarus three days earlier. He also said that Belarus did not want war with Ukraine.

Mariupol residents

Also on 2 July, the Mariupol City Council claimed that more than 10,000 of the city's residents were being held prisoner by the separatist Donetsk People's Republic.

Snake Island

The backdrop included events of 30 June, when Russia announced that it had withdrawn from Snake Island in the Black Sea as a "gesture of goodwill". That ended an occupation that began in February. Ukraine said instead that it had driven Russian forces from the island after a massive artillery assault. The occupation had started on 24 February 2022, the first day of the invasion, when the Russian Navy attacked and captured the island along with its garrison, and it lasted 126 days.

Taken together, the dates around 2 July show a conflict in which strikes on civilian areas in the south, competing accounts of military developments and claims about the fate of civilians in occupied territory all featured in the reporting.