Evening report day 107 – June 10
An overview of the situation based on observations by Roman Ponomarenko and recent updates:
Sloviansk, Donetsk Oblast. On 9 June, the command of the so-called DNR announced the beginning of the fighting for Sloviansk. The statement sounded unrealistic because the Russian military is on the far approach, and no tendencies of their breakthrough in Ukrainian defense can be seen. Besides, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have transformed the Sloviansk district into a powerful fortified district. That is, basically, Ukraine will only benefit if Russia launches a frontal assault there. The Russians have already used a similar practice. For almost three months they stormed Ukrainian fortified defenses near Horlivka and Donetsk, where they did not break through but suffered heavy losses. Meanwhile, fighting continues in the east and north of Sloviansk, where the Russians are storming Dovhenke, trying to reach Bohorodychnyi and Raihorodok.
Luhansk Oblast. The Armed Forces of Ukraine continued to heroically defend Sievierodonetsk, Ustynivka, Toshkivka, the Bakhmut-Lysychansk highway, Zolote, and Pylypchatyno area. Despite Russia’s efforts and resources, it fails to achieve any significant success.
Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolayiv, and Kherson oblasts. No significant changes. Rumors of a “successful offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kherson” continue to circulate, without any specific visualization of the successes achieved.
Information from the General Staff of Ukraine as of 18.00 10.06.2022, supplemented by the 06.00 10.06.2022 update, is in the drop-down menu.
In the Sloviansk direction, Russian units are preparing to resume the offensive on the city of Sloviansk. Russia fired artillery at the settlements of Dolyna, Chervona Polyana, Nova Dmytrivka, Hrushuvakha and Dibrivne. In the Sievierodonetsk direction, Russian forces are storming in order to establish full control over the city of Sievierodonetsk and create conditions for the blockade of the Ukrainian units. The fighting continues. Russia fired artillery at the settlements of Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk, Ustynivka, Toshkivka, Zolote, and Hirske. In the Bakhmut direction, Russian shelling was recorded near New York, Zolote, Vrubivka, Komyshuvakha, Berestove, and Luhanske. Russian invaders did not take decisive action in the Avdyivka, Kurakhiv, Novopavliv, and Zaporizhzhia areas. They fired mortars, artillery, and jet artillery in the areas of Avdyivka, Tonenke, Nevelske, Marinka, Orikhiv, Opytne, and Novobakhmutivka. Russia launched air strikes using Su-25 aircraft near Marinka and Krasnohorivka and Ka-52 helicopters near Novobakhmutivka and Mi-8 near Oleksandropil. In the Novopavlivsk direction, the enemy strengthened the grouping of its troops. Russian forces did not wage active hostilities in the Lyman direction. They continue to consolidate in the area of Sviatohirsk and take measures to continue the offensive in the direction of the Lyman–Sloviansk. Russian forces fired near Dronivka and Serebrianka. In the southern direction, Russian forces continue defense measures. Russian troops continue to improve the fortification equipment of the second and third lines of defense and carry out camouflage measures. In particular, the establishment of mine barriers in the area of the settlement of Vysokopillia (Kherson Oblast) has been noted. In the Volyn and Polissia directions, it has been confirmed that the units of the special brigade of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus are involved in border protection in the Gomel region. In the Bessarabian direction, the situation has not changed significantly. In the waters of the Black and Azov Seas, Russia is focusing its efforts on blocking civilian shipping. In the Black Sea, the carriers of the Caliber naval base cruise missiles are ready for use. Units of the defense forces of Ukraine continue to inflict significant losses on Russian troops and maintain a stable defense in all directions. It is increasingly difficult for Russia to replenish units that have suffered losses as a result of the war on Ukraine’s territory. Russia is trying to solve the problem of recruitment by promising favorable financial conditions and introducing short-term contracts for military service. The Russian occupiers themselves call such contracts “one way.” It also became known that due to the losses received during the fighting with Ukrainian defenders in the Kharkiv region, the motorized infantry unit of the 1st Russian Army Corps in full refused to participate in hostilities. Russians are again trying to cross Siverskyi Donets river. They are looking for weaknesses in Ukrainian defense along the right bank of the river in Donbas, looking for Ukrainian artillery. However, this is a difficult operation, a spokesman of the Ukrainian MoD said. Farmers in occupied Kherson Oblast opened fire and killed Russian occupiers who intended to steal their combine, Ukrainian media Telegraf reports. Farmers say occupiers make them sell produce for nothing and grow new harvest. “We try to unite & wait for liberation,” they said. Russian occupiers need more refrigerators for storing corpses of soldiers in Melitopol – Ukrainian intelligence states. The city meat factory fridges are overfilled, so the occupiers “borrowed free of charge,” a.k.a. expropriated, the facilities of local a business to store corpses of soldiers KIA in battles at Huliaipole. Russian occupiers need more refrigerators for storing corpses of soldiers in Melitopol – Ukrainian intel City meat factory fridges overfilled, so occupiers "borrowed free of charge" facilities of local business to store KIA in battles at Huliaipole https://t.co/ZZ6U0Yb7aR pic.twitter.com/J6s2KGen3C — Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) June 9, 2022 The Kremlin is using real neo-Nazis to prosecute its war in Ukraine, undermining still further Russian justifications for starting the full-scale war of aggression against its neighbor, Der Spiegel says, citing German intelligence findings. 150-300 MLRS systems from the US will allow Ukraine to effectively liberate occupied territories, Zelenskyy’s top advisor said on air of BBC Newshour. “We understand very well concerns of partners that we will carry out strikes on Russian territory but it won’t happen,” Mykhailo Podoliak noted. Podoliak added that Ukraine loses 100 to 200 soldiers every day because of the lack of artillery in comparison to Russian forces. That is why high volumes of artillery are an objective need in the current military situation. He noted that while only the full de-occupation of Ukraine will end the war, because Minsk ceasefire agreement [negotiated in 2014-2015 which allowed Russia to establish keep de-facto occupied land as part of two proxy “republics” in eastern Ukraine] didn’t end the previous conflict. As long as there are occupied territories, Russia can resume the conflict, he stated; however, right now Ukraine’s minimum requirement is for Russia to return to 24 February positions. “Until Russia suffers serious military defeat no form of dialog is possible, they will continue trying to take…our country. The Ukrainian tactic is to exhaust Russian forces as much as possible until enough weapons come from partners,” Podoliak added. Ukraine has almost run out of its artillery ammunition and relies on NATO standard shells, Deputy Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine Vadym Skibitsky told The Guardian. It needs 5,000-6,000 shells per day. Ukraine has one artillery piece for 10-15 Russian ones, Russian shelling destroyed Ice Palace in Sievierodonetsk. 5000 people could visit concerts, hockey, volleyball & many other events in this 1970s building, one of the main for the city. Meanwhile, intense fighting continues at the same positions https://t.co/Ez2mWHfLtU pic.twitter.com/vmIC7SJFML — Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) June 10, 2022 As of Friday 10 June morning, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the war to the present day: Ukraine plans to construct a memorial for fallen heroes of Mariupol’s Azovstal steelworks in Kyiv. Presumably, it will be on the bank of the Dnipro River next to the WWII memorial–Mother Motherland monument. Czech RegioJet train company launched a new train route to Ukraine: Prague-Lviv-Kyiv, becoming one of the first train companies connecting Ukraine and the EU countries. The ticket will cost EUR 9 to Lviv and EUR 25 to Kyiv. John Cena meets a Ukrainian teen with Down syndrome who fled the country in wake of a Russian invasion. A boy had posters of Cena in the Mariupol apartment his family lived in before Russian forces bombed the structure. The UK Secretary for Defense Ben Wallace met with President Zelenskyy and Minister of Defence of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov in Kyiv on 10 June. The three agreed to work even more closely going forward in support of their shared goal of enabling Ukraine to liberate itself from illegal Russian occupation. The meetings focused on the UK continuing to provide operationally effective lethal aid that meets the current and future threats facing Ukraine. Zelenskyy spoke at the Fourth Copenhagen Democracy Summit ahead of voting for Ukraine’s EU candidacy. “We need to finally remove this gray zone, which is so tempting for Russia. We need to move from words that Ukraine is part of the European family to action,” Zelenskyy said. 45% of the needed sanctions against Russia are implemented, Yermak-McFaul Expert Group assessed. “As in the past, there is no progress on recognizing Russia as a sponsor of terrorism, secondary sanctions, enhancing the transparency of businesses operating in Russia,” they noted. 45% of the needed sanctions against Russia are implemented, Yermak-McFaul Expert Group assessed. "As in the past, there is no progress on recognizing Russia as a sponsor of terrorism, secondary sanctions, enhancing the transparency of businesses operating in Russia," they noted. https://t.co/LoS9LURGhD — Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) June 10, 2022 The main task regarding sanctions is to kill Russian export, Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba wrote. “Russia earns by selling raw materials abroad. 70% is transported by sea. Russian fleet provides only a small part. It’s dependent on foreign ships, this is their Achilles’ heel,” he stressed. Serbia refuses to join EU sanctions. During his visit to Serbia, German Chancellor Scholz called on the country to join the EU sanctions. President Vucic refused. Serbia is an EU candidate & at the same time maintains close ties with Russia, in particular, gets almost all its gas from Russia. German imports from Russia are up by 60% in January-April 2022, Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk tweeted. “It’s crazy. Despite the Russian war of aggression, Germany increased its imports from Russia by 60%(!) in January-April 2022 and transferred €6 billion more to Moscow. The Ukrainian-German trade fell by 11%,” Melnyk wrote. Lithuania will try to get Russian patriarch Kirill listed in the EU’s 7th package of sanctions, Lithuania’s PM Landsbergis says noting he was removed at the last moment in the 6th package, but there is a political consensus to have him listed. Lithuanian MP gives Putin a hint that Lithuania can also refer to history and demand the return of Smolensk & the rest of the Grand Duchy, if Russia revokes recognition of Lithuania's independence. He also invited Macron & Scholtz to call him and start negotiations around this. https://t.co/hhIRFofQQe — Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) June 10, 2022 Russian proxy “Donetsk People’s Republic” sentences to death three foreigners who fought in Ukrainian Army, Russian state RIA reported. They are Aiden Aslin, Sean Pinner (UK citizens), and Saadun Brahim (Morocco citizen). They have a month to appeal. Russia’s Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said that the Geneva Conventions do not apply to foreigners who protect Ukraine from Russian invaders. According to him, they should be “denazified first.” General Staff of Ukraine stressed that all foreign fighters defending Ukraine are members of the Armed Forces and they are protected by the Geneva Convention. The killing of prisoners is considered a war crime & has no statute of limitations. Russian occupiers in Mariupol are dumping bodies killed during siege together with trash at the landfill, advisor to Mariupol mayor Andriushchenko stated. Russians occupiers aren't dismantling the rubble & collecting the bodies into the mass graves anymore. Now they just destroy the ruined houses & take away the dead people together with the trash to the landfill – Mariupil Mayor Advisorhttps://t.co/1FTl5XQVbH pic.twitter.com/uo4s0LPxKB — Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) June 9, 2022 Ukraine has documented more than 11,600 war crimes by Russian forces. Putin’s war in Ukraine is different from past conflicts in many ways, ranging from the kind of weapons used to the insistence of some that the pursuit of the end of the fighting is more important than defeating the invader. But perhaps the most important is that new technologies permit the documentation of Russian war crimes in real time, notes Paul Goble. Ukraine sets up HQ to prepare for the heating season. Russians destroyed >200 boiler houses and severely damaged Kremenchuk, Chernihiv, Okhtyrka, Luhansk, and Sievierodonetsk thermal power plants. This year’s heating season will not be easy, said PM Denys Shmyhal. Ukraine plugs into EU power grid. This means EU opens technical ability to import electricity from Ukraine. “It’s very important for us that… despite the war, we were able to do it 2.5 years earlier than planned. By the year-end we can earn about EUR 1.5 billion,” Ukraine’s energy advisor Lana Zerkal believes. https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1535310775933353984 Ukraine’s gas operator urges Germany to stop Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline. “Only Russia will lose. While Europe is preparing to give up Russian gas, it can be transported to the EU via Ukrainian pipelines, like before Nord Stream,” director of Ukraine’s gas operator Serhiy Makohon said on air of Ukraine’s Fakty TV station. He added that Nord Stream-1 was granted legal exemptions to ensure European energy security, but as it’s not facilitating security now, it is time to switch back to Ukrainian pipelines, which have many branches and thus can ensure energy safety. Russian state media RIA shares video showing stolen grain from Ukraine’s occupied Luhansk Oblast being delivered to Russia, claims 650 tons were delivered. These images invoke memories of the Holodomor, Stalin’s artificial famine of 1932-33, during which at least 4 million Ukrainians starved to death. Russian occupiers have delivered the first 650 tones of grain from Luhansk Oblast to Russia saying "there is a lot of grain" here, Russian media wrote. Such pictures & wording remind Ukrainians 1920s & Soviet collectivization of "farmland for people" which ended in Holodomor pic.twitter.com/wt9Kd8KQ2y — Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) June 10, 2022 Russian artillery damages fertile Ukrainian soil. After full-scale Russia’s invasion, Ukraine’s fertile fields turned into fields of fierce fighting. Instead of ears of corn, there is now land cut by funnels from shelling. Some reach 4-6 meters in depth & tens of m in diameter. Strikes cause soil damage, Ukrinform reported. After full-scale Russia’s invasion, Ukraine's fertile fields turned into fields of fierce fighting. Instead of ears of corn, there is now land cut by funnels from shelling. Some reach 4-6 meters in depth & tens of m in diameter. Strikes cause soil damage https://t.co/nMKx9kCa0v pic.twitter.com/NRJlo53BMI — Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) June 10, 2022 The Institute for the Study of War has made the following assessment as of Friday 10 June: Russian military command continues to face pervasive issues with force generation. The Ukrainian Resistance Center reported that Russian officials in Luhansk Oblast have had to reduce their mobilization efforts due to widespread protests against aggressive mobilization efforts that have taken a toll on the labor market in Luhansk. Attacks on Russian military recruitment offices are additionally continuing. An unidentified assailant threw a Molotov cocktail at the military commissariat in Vladivostok, which is the eighteenth such reported attack on Russian territory since the beginning of the war. As Russian officials escalate mobilization efforts over the background of continued losses in Ukraine, they will continue to run the risk of instigating public dissent and pushback against such recruitment practices. Key Takeaways The US-produced M142 HIMARS & M270 MLRS, even with 80 km-range rockets, fill a crucial gap in Ukraine's needs Turkey's Kasirga&Roketsan are produced under Chinese license, making sale to Ukraine unlikely. But Brazilian Astros II is optimal for Ukrainehttps://t.co/wLzyWB79TT pic.twitter.com/QxowK2kIDX — Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) June 10, 2022 Russia’s war with Ukraine affects billions. NATO could end it in a moment. A recent UN report calls upon the world to “act” to alleviate the impact of Russia’s war with Ukraine on billions worldwide. Yet it does not name the most effective measure to immediately end the suffering of billions of people, writes Hand Petter Midttun.
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