Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 21:52 The ICC arrest warrant for Putin will not prevent him from taking part in summits on Ukraine, said Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis. According to him, this issue can be resolved in accordance with Swiss laws. The country's president, Viola Amherd, confirmed that "exceptions are possible when the participation of government officials in conferences is necessary." She clarified that this would require a decision from the Swiss government.
21:38 More than 2,750 Ukrainian prisoners were released from prison and signed a contract with the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Many are already undergoing training at military bases, writes The Washington Post. Minister of Justice Denis Malyuska claims that “the motivation of our prisoners is stronger than that of our ordinary soldiers.” At least 4,000 men are expected to volunteer in the first round of recruitment.
20:21 On Monday, June 17, hourly power outage schedules will be applied throughout Ukraine from 08:00 to 24:00, Ukrenergo reported.
Chairman of the Board of NEC Ukrenergo Vladimir Kudrytsky also warned that in the next few weeks the situation in the Ukrainian energy system will be much more difficult than today. In particular, from 11:00 to 23:00 the outage schedules “will be somewhat larger” than at the rest of the day. According to him, this will continue until approximately the end of July.
“This is due to the peculiarities of repairs at the power units of nuclear power plants. Therefore, we need to prepare for the fact that the schedules will be with us for about a month and a half, and they can be quite significant, especially in the evening hours, during peak consumption hours,” Kudritsky said . He explained that the duration of the outages and the size of the deficit are influenced by three factors: repairs of nuclear power plants, which are traditionally carried out in the summer, the volume of imports and the weather.
19:38 The task of the Ukrainian Armed Forces this year is to prevent Russian troops from achieving success in their offensive, Zelensky said. According to him, the situation in the Kharkov region “is better now, it has stabilized... and in the near future, thanks to our partners, our soldiers will be strengthened.” As for the situation in 2025, according to the president, it will depend on Ukraine’s forces on the battlefield and the results of diplomatic work.
19:27 Switzerland intends to discuss the results of the Peace Summit with Russia, Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said. According to him, the vast majority of decisions cannot be made without the participation of Moscow. Cassis also noted that from the point of view of the possible interest of the Russian side and building a path to peace, only three topics were chosen for the first summit - nuclear and food security, as well as the release of prisoners and children. For this reason, for example, the issue of territorial integrity was not brought up at the summit, because at present the prospects for discussing it between the parties are hopeless, Cassis believes.
He also explained why the final document of the summit was a joint communique rather than a declaration: “In diplomacy, every word counts... A joint communiqué is less binding than a declaration. The idea was to take one small step at a time to attract "As many people as possible. And I think that the fact that almost all the participants joined - only seven or eight refused - is a great success... So this is still a basis on which we can build a little confidence to take a few steps forward." .
According to Cassis, the next meeting will take place in the next five months - probably before the US presidential elections in November. According to him, at the second summit the issue of how to pave the way to peace in Ukraine will be discussed.
18:03 Norway will provide Ukraine with 1.1 billion kroner (about $103 million) to repair energy infrastructure, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said. Of this amount, 120 million crowns will be used to repair the energy sector in Kharkov. In particular, solar panels will be installed in seven maternity and operating rooms in the Kharkov region.
17:45 The communiqué on the results of the Peace Summit is open, and there are countries that are thinking about joining it, Zelensky said. He expects the potential number of document signatories to increase. The president also said that work on holding the second Peace Summit is already underway, and “it will happen in months, not years.” According to Zelensky, there are already countries ready to host a new summit, negotiations with them have begun. Most likely, the second summit will take place in the OAU or Saudi Arabia, and there will be representatives of Russia.
17:12 The Russians hit the village. Sands Radkovskie, Borovsk community, Izyum district, Kharkov region - three people were injured, including a pregnant woman and a 13-year-old teenager, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA.
16:57 Putin’s statement about territorial claims to Ukraine is a big mistake that is useful for Ukraine, Zelensky said following the Peace Summit: “They don’t need peace, that’s a fact. We all need peace... Here behind the scenes of the country they said that this With the message, Putin conveyed to the whole world that everything he had said before about the real desire to end the war was multiplied by zero. Even those who had a different view or had it.”
15:51 The President's Office published the text of the communique following the Peace Summit in Switzerland . The Declaration contains three main points:
Nuclear Security: The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant must operate under Ukrainian control, and any threat or use of nuclear weapons in the context of a war in Ukraine is unacceptable.
Global food security: signatories called for access to ports in the Black and Azov Seas.
Return of prisoners of war, illegally detained civilians and deported children.
The summit was attended by 101 countries and international organizations, representing all parts of the world and continents. Two thirds of the participating countries were represented at the highest level. According to Radio Liberty, the final communiqué of the Peace Summit was supported by 80 countries and four organizations. Among those who have not signed the communiqué are Saudi Arabia, Thailand, India, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil and the UAE.
The final communiqué of the Peace Summit was supported by 80 countries and four organizations
14:39 Ukraine understands that it will have to talk with Russia, Kuleba said: “We understand that the moment will come when it will be necessary to talk with Russia. But our position is very clear: we will not allow Russia to speak in the language of ultimatums, as it speaks now.” . According to the minister, Putin's latest ultimatum "did not arouse any appetite at the summit, because everyone understands that it was done with one simple goal - to create some kind of PR wave on the eve of the summit."
13:58 Danish F-16 aircraft will arrive in Ukraine in the near future, Zelensky said following a meeting on the sidelines of the Peace Summit with Danish Prime Minister Matte Frederiksen.
13:23 The Russians hit the private sector. New Poltavka, Kramatorsk district, Donetsk region - seven people were injured, including two children, the prosecutor's office reported.
09:40 Putin’s proposals to end the war in Ukraine were not discussed at the peace summit in Switzerland, Scholz said. According to him, Moscow's initiative "did not have a serious intention." In addition, according to the chancellor, Putin's proposals were aimed only at diverting attention from the conference.
09:17 Trump promised to “sort out” the financing of Ukraine if he is elected president of the United States: “Zelensky is perhaps the greatest trader of any politician who has ever lived. Every time he comes to our country, he leaves it with 60 billion dollars... Then he returns to his homeland and declares that he needs another 60 billion... And so on endlessly. I will deal with this first of all when I take the White House as president-elect."
08:39 Reuters published a draft communique following the Peace Summit in Switzerland. The document supports the principle of the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, and also contains a clause that the Zaporozhye NPP should operate “under the full sovereign control” of Ukraine and the IAEA. Any threat or use of nuclear weapons in the context of the ongoing war against Ukraine is unacceptable, the draft emphasizes.
The document also contains clauses on freedom of navigation in the Black and Azov Seas and the inadmissibility of attacks against civilian ports and civilian port infrastructure; on safe and free supplies of Ukrainian agricultural products to third countries; on the complete exchange of all prisoners of war and the return of illegally deported Ukrainian children and civilians. “Achieving peace requires participation and dialogue between all parties. Therefore, we have decided to take concrete steps in the future in the above-mentioned areas with the further involvement of representatives of all parties,” the draft communiqué said.
07:13 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of June 16:
personnel - about 526,310 (+1160) people,
tanks - 7956 (+0),
armored combat vehicles - 15,269 (+6),
artillery systems - 13 913 (+58),
MLRS - 1104 (+1),
air defense systems - 853 (+0),
aircraft - 359 (+0),
helicopters - 326 (+0),
UAVs of operational-tactical level - 11,159 (+11),
cruise missiles - 2296 (+3),
ships/boats - 28 (+0),
submarines - 1 (+0),
automotive equipment and tank trucks - 18,967 (+56),
special equipment - 2325 (+3).
01:36 After kidnapping Ukrainian children in temporarily occupied territories, Russians offered them 100 thousand rubles to move to Russian cities of their choice, according to an investigation by The Independent.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] Soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces give a worthy rebuff to the Russian occupiers.
Since the beginning of the day, in the Pokrovsky direction, the invaders have attacked the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces 36 times, 25 assaults were unsuccessful, and another 11 attacks are ongoing.
Since the beginning of the day, the number of military clashes along the entire front line has increased to 88, including in the Pokrovsky direction, the invaders attacked the positions of the Defense Forces 36 times. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced this in an evening report on Sunday, June 16.
It is noted that during the day the enemy is intensively increasing the pace of offensive and assault operations, looking for ways to penetrate the defense and try to dislodge Ukrainian units from occupied lines. Soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces give a worthy rebuff to the invaders, destroying personnel and equipment.
In the Kharkov direction, Russian invaders attacked twice in the Volchansk area. Defense Force units successfully repelled one enemy assault, and another is ongoing. Enemy aircraft from the Russian Belgorod attacked Volchansky Khutors twice with 16 NARs.
In the Kupyansky direction, Ukrainian fighters are holding back the pressure of the Russians near Berestovoy and Stepnaya Novoselovka. There are currently two clashes going on there. The invaders struck the village of Peski-Radkovskie with a controlled aerial bomb, and hit Sinkovka with 16 NARs.
In the Liman direction, during the day the enemy attacked 10 times in the areas of Makeyevka, Nevsky, Druzhelyubovka and Grekovka. He actively uses aviation, in particular, he launched three strikes with six KABs on Druzhelyubovka, and two more strikes, also with six KABs, on Sheykovka. Ukrainian soldiers repulsed three assaults, and seven more clashes continue.
According to preliminary information, the losses of the Russian army in this direction amounted to: 54 infidels, one armored fighting vehicle and ammunition.
In the Pokrovsky direction, the Russians are not slowing down the pace of their offensive. Since the beginning of the day, the enemy has attacked the defensive lines of the Ukrainian defenders 36 times. 25 assaults by the aggressor were unsuccessful, another 11 attacks are ongoing.
Another 10 military clashes took place in the Kurakhovsky direction. The Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled five enemy attacks. It lasts just as long. Gornyak and Konstantinovka received air strikes from KABs. According to preliminary information, enemy losses in this direction amounted to 56 occupiers and one electronic distribution station.
In the Dnieper direction, the defenders repelled five attacks by the Russians in the Krynok area. The situation is under control. In other areas, the situation has not undergone significant changes.
Let us recall that in early May, Russian troops launched an offensive in the north of the Kharkov region. The occupiers captured about 10 villages, mainly in the “gray zone” and began fighting for the city of Volchansk.
According to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, since the beginning of the offensive in the Kharkov direction, the Russian invaders have lost 4,000 military personnel . Russia has not abandoned plans to continue the offensive in the Kharkov region, despite heavy losses.
Suck it up, just like the rest of us do, homie.
[KavkazUzel] In Makhachkala, for the Eid al-Adha holiday, prices for lamb almost doubled compared to last year, city residents said.
As the " Caucasian Knot " wrote, this morning thousands of believers gathered in the central Makhachkala Juma Mosque to participate in the holiday prayer on the occasion of Kurban Bayram.
Kurban Bayram (Eid al-Adha) is a holiday of sacrifice in memory of the decision of the prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son. This is one of the two main Muslim holidays, it is celebrated 70 days after the holiday of Eid al-Fitr and falls on the tenth day of the month of Dhul-Hijj, which marks the end of the Hajj - the pilgrimage to Mecca.
Prices for lamb have increased significantly for the Eid al-Adha holiday, believers from Makhachkala told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent today.
“Today the cost of one ram ranged from 15 to 20 thousand rubles, whereas last year it did not exceed 10 thousand. It is very expensive, my brothers and I raised money and bought it for everyone,” said Makhachkala resident Magomed Yusupov.
It is customary to treat the meat of animals sacrificed during Kurban Bayram to poor people, as well as relatives and friends, the imam of the Makhachkala Ikhlas mosque Rakhmuddin Badruddinov told the Caucasian Knot in 2023. “Thus, the festival of sacrifice has a very great social significance, when the rich support the poor and share joy with them. The poor and poor, who cannot afford the festival, thanks to the meat of sacrificial animals that is distributed on these days, can also afford the festival.” - said the imam.
COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, MEAT PRICES HAVE ALMOST DOUBLED
“On Eid al-Fitr, according to tradition, many products have become more expensive.
That’s not tradition, dear heart, but merely economics. When more people want to buy a limited quantity of a thing, the price for it goes up until people turn to substitutes. Chicken instead of mutton, for instance, or possibly ditch weeds and grass.
We usually get together with the whole family on this day, invite family and friends, cook delicious food. Compared to last year, meat has almost doubled in price, now less than 700 rubles per kilogram of good quality is not you will find it. It’s very expensive for our family,” complained Malikat from Makhachkala.
A resident of the city of Anisat also reported an increase in prices. “All products have become more expensive. We can’t afford to buy meat every day. I live in a five-story building in Makhachkala. We have a friendly yard, there is a tradition - every Kurban Bayram, neighbors who have the opportunity, collect money and buy meat. Then in the yard in They cook food in a big cauldron and call everyone,” she said.
Makhmud Ilyasov, a resident of Makhachkala, said that he buys a sheep every year. “According to tradition, a third of the meat should be given to those in need, a third should be given to neighbors, relatives, friends, and the rest should be kept for yourself. I bought a lamb for 17 thousand, took the meat to my wife’s elderly parents, and gave it to poor neighbors,” the man said.
Let us remind you that in Dagestan, as in Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria and Ingushetia, residents are given only one day off on the occasion of Kurban Bayram - June 17. In Chechnya, two days, June 17 and 18, have been declared holidays.
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[EngMilRu] The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
The units of the Sever Group of Forces continue to advance deep into the enemy defences. The AFU 71st Jaeger Brigade and the 125th Territorial Defence Brigade have been hit close to Volchansk and Ternovaya (Kharkov region).
Russian troops have repelled seven counterattacks by assault detachments from the 36th Marine Brigade and the 13th National Guard Brigade.
The enemy losses were up to 350 troops, two tanks, three motor vehicles, one 122mm D-30 howitzer. and two Bukovel-AD electronic warfare stations.
The units of the Zapad Group of Forces have taken more advantageous lines and defeated formations of 14th, 63rd, 116th Mechanised brigades of the AFU, the AFU 117th Brigade and the 13th Brigade of the National Guard close to Sinkovka, Petropavlovka (Kharkov region), Dronovka, Grigorovka (Donetsk People's Republic), and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic).
The AFU losses were up to 495 troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, and nine motor vehicles.
In addition, during counter-battery fire, two 155mm U.S.-made M777 howitzers, one 155mm British-made FH-70 howitzer, one 152mm 2A65 Msta-B howitzer, one 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, one 122mm D-30 howitzer, and one 122mm BM-21 Grad MLRS combat vehicle have been hit.
The units of the Yug Group of Forces have improved the position along the front line and also defeated manpower and hardware of 56th Motorised Infantry, 41st Mechanised, 79th Air Assault, and 46th airmobile brigades of the AFU close to Elizavetovka, Kalinina, Orekhovo-Vasilyevka, Chasov Yar, Stupochka, and Gornyak (Donetsk People's Republic).
Russian troops have repelled one counterattack of the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade of the AFU.
The enemy losses were up to 630 troops, one infantry fighting vehicle, and five motor vehicles.
In the course of counter-battery warfare, one UK-made 155mm FH-70 howitzer, one U.S.-made 155mm M777 howitzer, one U.S.-made 155mm M198 self-propelled artillery system, one 155mm AS-90 Braveheart self-propelled artillery system, one 152mm D-20 howitzer, 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, four 122mm D-30 howitzers, two U.S.-made 105mm M119 guns, one 122mm Grad MLRS combat vehicle, and one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery station.
In addition, three AFU field ammunition depots have been destroyed.
The units of the Tsetr Group Forces have improved the tactical position and defeated formations of 47th and 110th Mechanised brigades of the AFU close to Vozdvizhenka, Novoaleksandrovka, Voskhod, Novopokrovskoye, and Yevgenovka (Donetsk People's Republic).
Russian troops have repelled five counterattacks by assault detachments of 23rd and 24th Mechanised brigades of the AFU.
The enemy losses were up to 320 troops, three infantry fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155mm M777 howitzer, three 152mm 2A65 Msta-B howitzers, three 122mm D-30 howitzers, and one U.S.-made 105mm M102 howitzer.
The units of the Vostok Group of Forces have taken more favourable lines and also defeated manpower and hardware of the 58th Motorised Infantry Brigade of the AFU, 102nd and 125th brigades of the AFU, and the 21st Brigade of the National Guard near Novoukrainka, Neskuchnoye, Oktyabr (Donetsk People's Republic), and Gulyai Pole (Zaporozhye region).
The AFU losses were up to 140 servicemen, one tank, one armored fighting vehicle, three motor vehicles, two Polish-made 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery systems, and one 152mm 2A65 Msta-B howitzer.
The units of the Dnepr Group of Forces have defeated manpower and hardware of formations of the 23rd Brigade of the National Guard near Vyshetarasovka and Dobraya Nadya (Dnipropetrovsk region).
The enemy losses were up to 75 troops and three motor vehicles.
In addition, U.S.-made MLRS M142 HIMARS and M270 MLRS launchers, as well as one 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system have been destroyed.
Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have neutralised manpower and military hardware in 106 areas.
Air defense facilities have shot down 54 unmanned aerial vehicles, four French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, as well as ten U.S.-made HIMARS projectiles.
In total, 613 airplanes and 276 helicopters, 25,845 unmanned aerial vehicles, 529 air defence missile systems, 16,340 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,341 combat vehicles equipped with MRLS, 10,491 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 22,567 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 23:58 Official summary of the DPR Representative Office in the JCCC from 00:00 06/16/2024 to 00:00 06/17/2024.
A total of 20 facts of armed attacks by the UFU were recorded by the DPR Representative Office in the JCCC over the past 24 hours.
Information has been received about the death of a civilian.
DAMAGED:
No damage to residential buildings and civil infrastructure was recorded.
A total of 17 artillery attacks in the Donetsk direction.
Two artillery attacks in the Gorlovka direction.
One artillery attack in the Volnovakha direction.
A total of 45 units of various ammunition were fired.
23:31 DPR (region of Konstantinovka settlement):reported about the work of Russian tactical aviation against identified enemy positions. FAB-500 with UPMK was sent to the enemy’s lair.
“It is also reported that our artillerymen and reconnaissance identified and destroyed the enemy UAV control center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” the message says.
21:00 Kubanskie artillerymen from the 238th Artillery Brigade, they finished off a damaged enemy tank with precision-guided ammunition from Krasnopol.
19:50 Drone operator 36A destroyed enemy communications antenna UBIQUITI LBE-5AC-23. This amplifier is designed to send a signal over long distances.
18:52 Units of the 18th Combined Arms Army destroyed PVD with enemy personnel on the right bank of the Dnieper.
18:27 Air strike by the VKS with two FAB and two ODAB bombs on a forest plantation where the enemy was sitting -video.
17:57 Naval infantry of the Dnepr group of troops are conducting training on crossing water barriers and landing troops.
The terrain of the upcoming combat operations is specific, there are many narrow channels and islands that do not have a hard surface, so the skills of each fighter must be practiced to the point of automaticity.
Training is conducted in conditions as close to reality as possible. Each soldier carries about 30 kg of cargo, most of which is weapons and ammunition.
16:42 Fighters of the Dnepr group discovered armored vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Berislavsky region during aerial reconnaissance. The enemy was trying to transport soldiers for rotation. The target was destroyed by Russian UAV operators. As a result, armored vehicles and camouflaged positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were destroyed, and enemy losses amounted to more than ten people.
15:55 The Diary of a Paratrooper reports on successes in the Kupyansk direction:
From the side of Kharkhmalny, the Russian Armed Forces are conducting offensive operations towards Peschany and have occupied part of the adjacent forest belt. South of Ol'shany, our fighters knocked out an enemy tank, and in the Stelmakhovka area they hit an enemy UAV crew.
15:27 The work of snipers of the Russian Armed Forces against the enemy in Volchansk -video.
15:10 Kyiv is pulling equipment to the second and third echelons of defense in the Khar'kov direction, this may be part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ preparation for a counter-offensive, told operator of the Lancet UAV with the call sign "Lin".
“We are ready for this and are charged to destroy this equipment and replenish our video range of applications,” he said.
14:49 The 3rd Separate Guards Special Forces Brigade is working north of Ocheretino in the Donetsk sector of the Northern Military District - a detachment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has surrendered -video.
13:56 Summary of the Russian Ministry of Defense on the progress of the military defense in Ukraine (as of 06/16/2024)
Units of the North group of troops improved the situation along the front line. Enemy losses amounted to up to 265 military personnel, two tanks, three cars, a 155mm M198 howitzer made in the USA, a 122mm D-30 howitzer, as well as a Bukovel-AD electronic warfare station. In addition, three ammunition depots were destroyed.
Units of the West group of forces occupied more advantageous positions. The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 500 troops, two armored combat vehicles, nine cars, a 122mm D-30 howitzer and three Nota electronic warfare stations in one day.
Units of the “Southern” group of troops improved the situation along the front line. The enemy lost up to 380 military personnel, a Leopard tank made in Germany, two Kozak armored fighting vehicles, 15 vehicles, two 152mm D-20 howitzers, a 152mm 2A65 Msta-B howitzer and two 105mm M119 guns made in the USA.
Units of the "Center" group of troops have improved their tactical situation. Enemy losses amounted to up to 375 military personnel, two infantry fighting vehicles, two US-made Humvee and MaxxPro armored combat vehicles, two vehicles, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer, three 152mm 2A65 Msta-B howitzers, five 122mm D-30 howitzers, as well as a 105mm M119 gun made in the USA.
Units of the Vostok group of troops liberated the village of Zagornoye, Zaporozhye region, and occupied more advantageous positions. The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 135 military personnel, an armored combat vehicle, four vehicles, a 155mm AS-90 “Braveheart” self-propelled artillery mount and a 155mm FH-70 howitzer made in Great Britain, as well as two Bukovel-AD electronic warfare stations.
Units of the Dnepr group of troops destroyed up to 90 Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel, two vehicles, a Polish-made 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery mount, a 152mm D-20 gun, two 122mm D-30 howitzers and an 85mm D- gun 44. Operational-tactical aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile forces and artillery of groupings of troops of the Russian Armed Forces defeated concentrations of enemy manpower and military equipment in 115 regions.
Ten Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down by air defense systems.
13:19 Ukrainian Telegram channels report about explosions in occupied Kherson.
12:54 Attack of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of ??the settlement. Glubokoe in the Khar'kov direction was repulsed. The enemy suffered significant losses in manpower and armored vehicles, and there were prisoners.
12:24 Ukrainian troops shelled the Petrovsky district of Donetsk five times in 45 minutes, firing 14 each 155mm rounds, the DPR JCCC reported.
11:51 Air defense units of Ivanovo paratroopers work in the vicinity of Chasov Yar.
Crews of the Verba portable anti-aircraft missile systems protect Russian units from enemy air attack and reconnaissance weapons.
The paratroopers have equipped a network of aerial observation points that allow them to timely detect and destroy enemy unmanned aerial vehicles.
11:00 Local Telegram channels report about explosions in Mirgorod, Poltava region. There is a military airfield near the city.
10:41 Lancet operator told about the “hunt” for rare examples of NATO equipment. Russian kamikaze drones hunt enemy self-propelled artillery, infantry fighting vehicles and tanks. Among the targets hit are also rare examples of foreign weapons - namely multiple launch rocket systems based on the American Hummer pickup truck.
“We were flying on a completely different mission, we just noticed out of the corner of our eye that two MLRS based on the Hammer were being prepared for work. The first one was struck even before work began, and the second one turned away and drove into a forest plantation, and we decided to make such an extreme approach, to go into the bushes. They hit me, and I remember why - they were already preparing to finish him off, but after 15 minutes he began to detonate, launch missiles and eventually burned out,” said the fighter with the call sign “Lun”.
09:57 Units of the Dnepr group of troops in the Kakhovka direction during the day provided control of the island zone of the Dnieper River. Artillery fire prevented the regrouping of enemy troops. They continued to destroy the Ukrainian Armed Forces' watercraft trying to land on the left bank of the Dnieper. They actively destroyed FPV drones, reconnaissance and attack UAVs.
09:45 Soldiers of the North group of troops in the Khar'kov direction traced behind the enemy quadcopter and discovered the location of the UAV crew, which was then covered with artillery.
09:36 Russian troops advanced near Ocheretino - in the area of Novoaleksandrovka and Sokol, writes the Ukrainian channel Deep State.
Thus, the Russian army continues to move toward the important Pokrovsk-Konstantinovka highway.
09:05 Report for the morning of June 16 from military correspondent Evgeny Lisitsyn:
Donetsk direction: Chasov Yar: Fierce fighting in the Kanal microdistrict. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are strengthening their positions.
Nevelskoye: The Russian Armed Forces are knocking out the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the south-eastern part. Intensified fighting helps advance in Krasnogorovka. It was reported that Georgievka came under our control.
Maksimilyanovka: The Russian Armed Forces are caught up in the eastern outskirts.
Karlovka: Fighting on both banks of the reservoir.
Vozdvizhenka: almost liberated. The Russian Armed Forces are aimed at cutting the important Konstantinovka-Pokrovsk highway.
Khar'kov direction:
Volchansk: Promotion in the city center. Heavy fighting in the east.
Peschanoye: the Russian Armed Forces reached the eastern outskirts;
Kupyansk direction: the Russian Armed Forces are advancing to the west of Kharkhmalny, knocking out the enemy from the forest belts;
Zaporozhye direction:
Zagornoye: The Russian Armed Forces are moving towards Mirny.
Malinovka: Attacks on positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the private sector;
Avdeevskoe direction:
N.p. Novoaleksandrovka is almost liberated.
The Russian Armed Forces advanced, coming close to Novoselovka First.
Also, the Telegram channel “Two Majors” writes:
In general, at the front, the Russian Army retains the initiative and forces the enemy to drain reserves and mobilize more and more new citizens into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. However, the full mobilization potential of Ukraine still amounts to several million bayonets, even if this requires lowering the age limit;
The Russian Armed Forces are conducting offensive operations in the Seversky and Kurakhovsky directions, near Chasov Yar, west of Avdievka, on the Zaporozhye Front.
08:10 Su-34 bombers accompanied by a Su-35s fighter inflicted a strike on the command post and manpower of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the zone of responsibility of the West group of forces.
08:04 The gunner of the T-72B3M tank with the call sign “Bereza” spoke about combat work in the Northern Military District zone -video.
08:01 Enemy reports:
“The Russian Armed Forces came close to the village of Sokol, advanced to Novoaleksandrovka, and that part of the village that was under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine moved into the gray zone. In addition, a gray zone has been added near Georgievka."
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin is in italics.
[ olonelCassad] In the final communiqué of the G7 summit, China was mentioned 28 times, writes The New York Times. However, unlike the recent past, when the PRC was treated as a partner, in almost all references Beijing appeared as some kind of sinister force similar to Russia.
He quietly attended the G7 summit in Italy. China has emerged as the savior of, as the final communique put it, the “Russian war machine”, as a growing threat in the South China Sea, and as a capricious economic player, flooding Western markets with its electric vehicles and threatening to withhold critical minerals needed for high-tech industries.
In total, the final communiqué contained 28 references to China, almost all of which described Beijing as a sinister force.
The contrast with how the Celestial Empire was imagined just a few years ago is very serious.
At past summits, the West's largest economies have often spoken of joining forces with Beijing to combat climate change, terrorism and nuclear proliferation.
Although China has never been invited to the G7 like Russia once was, Beijing has often been described as a "partner", a supplier and, above all, an excellent buyer of goods ranging from German cars to French fashion.
But now this is no longer the case. This year, China and Russia have often been discussed in the same terms and in the same threatening terms, perhaps a natural outgrowth of their deepening partnership.
Well, since the end of the tenth China has been officially considered an enemy of the United States, which is reflected in doctrinal documents.
Now the United States is more actively involving its satellites in the Cold War against China in preparation for a large-scale economic war against China (in which Europe will certainly be involved), as well as in preparation for a future war for Taiwan. Now there is simply a stage of stigmatization and demonization of China. Therefore, similar messages. We also passed this stage in relations with the West at one time.
Text taken from a news report in Russia Today.
[ColonelCassad] Western media assess how expensive the production of ammunition that the United States and its satellites supply in the interests of waging war in Ukraine has become.
According to the reported data, for a number of items the price has increased three to five times. For example, 122mm rockets for the Grad MLRS increased in price from $900 per unit in 2022 to $6,000 in 2024.
The situation is similar with the most popular 155mm shells for towed artillery and self-propelled guns. These shells are not produced in Ukraine and are supplied by the United States and NATO for the operation of Western artillery systems. At the beginning of the war, one 155mm artillery shell cost $800. In 2024, its cost will already reach $4,800.
It is quite obvious that, given the shortage of the same 155mm shells and their actual shortage, manufacturers simply inflate prices in order to increase their margins, while there is probably a lobbying and corruption component when receiving contracts for the production of such shells for subsequent delivery to Ukraine.
The same applies to the sale of such ammunition from long-term storage warehouses in formally neutral countries, where there is also a “deficit markup” on sales, leading to an increase in the cost of 155mm ammunition on the secondary market. The main rise in price occurred after the United States and NATO significantly unloaded their warehouses of 155mm shells, and stocks were also used up 155mm shells stored in Israel and South Korea, which were also exported to Ukraine.
NATO expects that in 2026-2027, when the production of 155mm shells in the United States and Europe reaches a more serious level, this will partially reduce the price per unit of production.
The situation will be more complicated with shells and missiles for Soviet types of ammunition (122mm missiles for Grad, 122mm and 152mm shells for howitzers and self-propelled guns, etc.), since the warehouses of the former Warsaw Pact Organization in Eastern Europe are largely devastated, the secondary market is also limited in capacity (hence the stalling of the Czech initiative to purchase old ammunition on the secondary arms market), and production volumes in Ukraine and Eastern Europe are insufficient to meet needs.
As a result, a situation arises where, despite the supply of ammunition for the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the West, Russia maintains a significant advantage in the number of shells used per day. According to the enemy, this advantage is now seven to one, and in the Kharkov direction it is five to one.
To even out this imbalance, the enemy expects to increase supplies of ammunition in 2025 in order to reduce this gap, while recognizing that before this hypothetical moment the Ukrainian Armed Forces will have to retreat and surrender territory.
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin
[ColonelCassad] Regarding the excitement about the “offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kharkov region.”
1. Initially, they aired a video where a fighter simply assumed that the enemy was accumulating forces in the depths of the Kharkov region for a future strike. It was pulled away and off we went.
2. The enemy has been conducting both offensive and counter-offensive operations in the Glubokoye area and Volchansk for several weeks now, using reserves pulled from other directions for this purpose.
3. Currently, these actions have allowed the enemy to slow down the advance of the Russian Armed Forces in the north of the Kharkov region, at the cost of significant tactical concessions and losses in other directions, which were weakened in the interests of building up the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kharkov region. Rabotino, Krynki, Staromayorskoe, etc. - all these are consequences.
4. Now the enemy continues offensive and counter-offensive actions, in attempts to achieve at least tactical results in the north of the Kharkov region in order to justify the strengthening of the Kharkov group. Hence the counterattacks in Volchansk and attempts to push through our defenses in Glubokoye.
5. The enemy is forced to hurry, as he needs to stabilize the situation north of Kharkov as quickly as possible and begin transferring part of his reserves to Donbass to stabilize the situation in the Chasov Yarsky and Kurakhovsky directions. Preparations for such a transfer are already underway.
6. Accordingly, the task of our group in the north of the Kharkov region is to tie up the enemy’s Kharkov group with battles for as long as possible in the interests of advancing in other directions where the enemy does not have enough reserves.
7. The enemy will almost certainly try to resolve the emerging operational time pressure through a series of attacks in the Kharkov region, after which he will one way or another go on the defensive.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
