[Korrespondent] 23:28 Stoltenberg named five key areas on which the attention of the participants of the NATO summit at the end of June will be focused:
- a significant strengthening of NATO's deterrence and defense policy;
- continued assistance to Ukraine and other partners at risk;
- approval of a new NATO strategic concept, which will reflect the position of the allies on Russia and new security challenges, and will also mention China;
- an increase in military budgets and the distribution of the defense load among the allies;
- consideration of applications from Finland and Sweden.
23:21 Washington announced a high probability of the loss of a third American citizen in Ukraine. According to State Department spokesman Ned Price, "there is information" about another American who went to Ukraine to fight the Russians. His whereabouts are unknown. In this regard, Price urged Americans not to visit Ukraine because of the threats in connection with the aggression of the Russian Federation.
23:18 Ukraine will not become a member of the EU tomorrow, if it is granted candidate status, this process will take time, Macron said in an interview with TF1. He explained that even if Ukraine is granted the status of a candidate for EU membership, the accession process itself will not be quick, certain conditions will be set for this and a roadmap will be drawn up, which will be approved by the European Commission.
At the same time, Macron stressed that he supports granting Ukraine candidate status: “We have no right now ... at such a difficult moment to tell Ukrainians “come later.” So we must give them a signal now: yes, we are ready to provide you with candidate status.
10:57 pm Washington is sending military aid to Kiev "as fast as it can," John Kirby told CNN: "They're getting as much as we can send as quickly as possible." He noted that the conflict with Russia "might drag on," but added that no additional congressional help is required at this stage: "We don't feel right now that we need to plan another additional package. We have just begun spending the package that Congress just approved."
22:55 Strong explosions are heard in Khrustalny (Krasny Luch), Luhansk region, which is not controlled by Ukraine, Telegram channels report . Residents write that the occupiers' ammunition depot is exploding. Above the city is a column of black smoke.
22:26 Zelensky told why he is grateful to each of the countries whose leaders visited Ukraine today:
- Italy - for principled political support, for macro-financial and defense assistance;
- Romania - for defense assistance, for assistance in the transit of Ukrainian goods, in particular grain;
- France will provide additional artillery installations to Caesar, also today Macron spoke frankly that European support for Ukraine should be such that it is felt that "together we are defending the same values, defending Europe";
- Germany confirmed the provision of air defense assets for Ukraine and further support.
22:23 Zelensky announced "a lot of news" in the coming days: "Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow there will also be a lot of news for Ukraine, and I believe that it will be positive. I emphasize once again that all this is possible primarily thanks to our heroes, thanks to each and every one, who protects us from Russian troops."
22:15 Zelensky said in an evening video message that today was "a truly historic day - Ukraine felt the support of four powerful European states at once." The President emphasized that all leaders understand why negotiations on the end of the war are not taking place now: “Exclusively because of the position of Russia, which is only trying to intimidate everyone in Europe and continue the destruction of Ukraine, and not look for a path to peace. We will continue to fight until we guarantee our state complete security."
21:58 For military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with the exception of conscripts, they can introduce a five-day "working week" and provide for two days off. The corresponding bill was proposed by the Cabinet of Ministers and has already been approved by the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Defense, Taras Melnichuk, permanent representative of the government to parliament, said.
The bill, among other things, proposes to resolve the issue of providing military personnel with the opportunity to care for a sick child, as well as to solve the issues of clothing, medical and food security for reservists and those called up for military training.
21:52 Information about Russia's attack on Ukraine was "leaked" to the Americans by a high-ranking Russian "mole" with a rank "higher than Lavrov," Bellingcat investigator Christo Grozev said. According to him, "in the military party, about 20 people knew about this, so one of these 20."
21:34 Zelensky on Wednesday, June 15, held a meeting of the headquarters of the commander-in-chief about the possible threat of a new invasion from Belarus. The President instructed to conduct a readiness check in four regions, Danilov said.
21:26 All works written by Russian and Soviet (except Ukrainian) authors will be removed from the school curriculum. This decision was made by a working group under the Ministry of Education as part of updating the content of curricula on foreign literature. In particular, all the works of Pushkin, Lermontov, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Turgenev, Nekrasov, Bulgakov, Krylov's fables, stories by Chekhov and Korolenko and others will be removed from the curricula.
21:22 Western countries have agreed not to provide Ukraine with attack aircraft and tanks, Macron said. According to him, the decision was made "because of fears of being drawn into a war with Russia," and "Zelensky is aware of this agreement."
21:05 Details about the results of today's visit of four European leaders to Kiev - in the material Candidate and weapons .
20:57 Podolyak said that Ukraine will definitely return to the negotiation process, "only at the right moment and with a strong negotiating position." "When the Kremlin begins to take a sober look at things and stop getting drunk on its own propaganda," the adviser to the head of the Presidential Office added.
20:46 Coca Cola officially leaves Russia - the company announced that it will no longer produce and sell its drinks, including Sprite, Fanta, Schweppes, Burn, Bonaqua, Dobry and Rich, writes Reuters.
20:31 Energy companies from Austria, France, Italy, the Czech Republic and Germany reported a decrease in the volume of Russian gas supplies via the Nord Stream pipeline. The reason for this, Moscow called the delay in the repair of equipment, which is handled by the German concern Siemens. However, Berlin does not believe it and says that Russia is trying to destabilize the European gas market and raise prices. Read more in the material Destabilization of Europe .
20:03 Biden "did not like" the statement of Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin about the victory of Ukraine and the weakening of Russia, writes NBC News. We are talking, in particular, about the statement by the US Secretary of Defense that Washington's goal in Ukraine is to weaken Russia so much that it can no longer repeat its aggression. Biden expressed concern that such words could set unrealistic expectations and increase the risk of drawing Washington into a direct conflict with Moscow.
19:58 Lavrov said that Russia does not discount the threat from Ukraine on the Kerch bridge, although the Kremlin is confident that such plans will fail completely. Meanwhile, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine received and made publicly available detailed technical documentation of the bridge .
"It is difficult to take seriously statements about the complete safety of people who are not able to ensure the preservation of the technical documentation of a strategic facility," the RHO commented.
19:55 The armed forces of Belarus continue to cover the border with Ukraine and equip positions in the border areas of the Brest region, and the Russian army keeps up to 20 Kalibr-type cruise missiles at the ready, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said. The Ukrainian forces repelled the Russian offensive in the direction of the village of Dolyna on the Izyum-Slavyansk highway, the enemy withdrew. Also, the Armed Forces of Ukraine again successfully repelled the offensive of the Russians in the direction of Berestovoye on the Bakhmut-Lysichansk highway.
19:52 As a result of today's air strikes on Lisichansk, an enemy bomb hit one of the buildings where people were hiding. Rescuers, while clearing the rubble, removed the bodies of four dead, said the head of the Luhansk OVA Serhiy Gaidai. According to him, the Russians also fired at the dispensary, as a result of which it was destroyed, people may be under the rubble. Search and rescue work continues.
19:41 Peace with Russia must be achieved on Ukraine's terms, Draghi said: "We really want peace. We want other cities not to suffer, but Ukraine must defend itself in order to achieve peace. And we, one way or another, will not do anything to do without taking into account the will of Ukraine. The world must be the way Ukraine wants it to be, and it must be lasting."
19:38 The leaders of Italy, Germany, Romania and France, after meeting with Zelensky, called on Russia to unblock the export of Ukrainian grain. "This requires an end to the blockade of Ukrainian ports, it must be stopped by the Russian fleet," Macron said. He stressed that the threat to global food security is a direct consequence of Russian aggression, and this has nothing to do with the imposed European sanctions.
19:32 The invaders told the workers of the Zaporizhzhya NPP that they want to subordinate the station to Rosatom from September 1, Energoatom reports. At the same time, the Russians continue to intimidate the ZNPP workers and threaten the residents of Energodar.
19:17 The UK will transfer more than 20 M109 self-propelled guns to Ukraine, Defense Minister Ben Wallace said. According to him, London acquired self-propelled guns from a Belgian arms company. They will be repaired and sent to Ukraine.
19:03 Macron said that Zelensky had agreed to his negotiations with Putin every time since 2019. The French leader believes that it is necessary to have a working channel of communication with Russia just in case, "at least on issues of food security." At the same time, he acknowledged that at the moment these negotiations do not bring any concrete result, but perhaps the moment for success will come in the future. “In the end, this discussion must take place,” Macron said.
"Ukraine must win the war, preserving its territorial integrity and sovereignty, but then it will still have to talk with the Russians," he added.
18:58 Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said that one of the ways to solve the food crisis could be the transit of grain through the Romanian Black Sea port and the port on the Danube. He also added that work is underway to open a new checkpoint across the Ukrainian-Romanian border.
18:37 Ukraine is part of the European family, and an important stage on the European path is the status of a candidate, Scholz said. He stressed that Germany would unequivocally support a positive solution.
18:21 The European Union categorically confirms its readiness to help Ukraine, Mario Draghi said. He stressed that Italy wants to see Ukraine as part of the EU - "this means that we will unequivocally support Ukraine in obtaining candidate status and joining the European Union."
As for the grain shipment, there is time to unlock, according to Draghi: "The harvest will mostly be in September, and we can do our best not to make the situation too dramatic."
17:50 Zelensky, after meeting with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania, said that the issues of defense of Ukraine, post-war reconstruction, ways to overcome the food crisis, sanctions pressure on Russia and European integration of Ukraine were discussed today.
17:47 Permanent representative of Russia to the EU Vladimir Chizhov said that problems with the repair of turbines for the Nord Stream could lead to its complete halt.
17:41 Macron assured that Europe will not demand territorial concessions from Ukraine to resolve the conflict.
17:38 A Russian spy tried to get a job as an intern at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, but was caught, according to the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD), writes UP. The Russian intelligence officer introduced himself as Brazilian citizen Victor Ferreira, although his real name was Sergey Cherkasov.
“If an intelligence officer could gain access as an intern at the ICC, he could collect intelligence there and look for (or recruit) sources, as well as gain access to the digital systems of the ICC. Perhaps he could also influence the criminal proceedings of the ICC,” - reported in the intelligence of the Netherlands.
17:34 European leaders, criticized by Ukrainians for insufficient assistance in the war with Russia, have promised support until victory and EU candidate status. Their visit is actively discussed in social networks. More details - in the material Macron and Scholz arrived in Ukraine - the reaction of social networks .
17:32 British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss believes that the Baltic countries and Poland should be involved in the negotiation process between Ukraine and Russia: "We cannot allow Ukraine to be forced to give up territory in a way that we ourselves would not allow it. Through the G7 and NATO are doing everything to strengthen Ukraine's negotiating position. We must also ensure the involvement of our friends from the Baltics and Poland."
17:28 France, Germany, Italy and Romania are in favor of immediate EU candidate status for Ukraine , Macron said.
17:24 France will supply Ukraine with six additional Caesar artillery mounts of 155 mm caliber, Macron said.
16:55 Researchers at the Royal United Arms Institute have found microcircuits from 12 American companies, including Intel, Analog Devices, Texas Instruments and Onsemi, in Russian military equipment. Now Russia uses this technique in the war against Ukraine. According to The Washington Post, the FBI began to investigate how the chips could appear in Russian technology. According to the publication, many microcircuits were manufactured before the US imposed sanctions against the Russian Federation in 2014, but some of the equipment was manufactured in 2020.
16:51 The court banned Shariy's Party. The property of the political force must be transferred in favor of the state, but the decision can still be appealed to the Supreme Court. Prior to this, the court had already banned the activities of seven pro-Russian parties: the Socialist Party of Ukraine, the Opposition Bloc, the Socialists, Justice and Development, the State, Ours, the Volodymyr Saldo Bloc.
16:43 Stoltenberg responded to the Pope's statement that the war in Ukraine could have been provoked from outside: "NATO is a defensive alliance, and the war in Ukraine is President Putin's war. What NATO has been doing for many years is supporting an independent sovereign state. This does not threaten anyone. This is not a provocation. It is Putin and Moscow who are responsible for this brutal aggression against Ukraine."
He also stated that all countries have the right to choose their own path without outside interference.
16:21 Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said on the air of the telethon that the greatest threat from Russian weapons is the Iskander complexes, Kh-101, Kh-555 cruise missiles, sea-based cruise missiles of the Kalibr complex, which can strike throughout the depth of the territory of Ukraine.
16:19 The European Economic and Social Committee adopted a resolution in support of granting Ukraine the status of a candidate country for EU membership, as well as recommendations for European institutions and governments of the EU countries to assist Ukraine in post-war reconstruction. The decision was supported by 200 deputies - almost everyone who took part in the plenary session of the committee, Ukrinform reports.
16:17 Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who was previously criticized for speaking about the need for territorial concessions to Russia from Ukraine, said in an interview with The Sunday Times that Zelensky had fulfilled a historic mission: "Zelensky comes from an environment that has never been appeared in the Ukrainian leadership in any historical period. He historically rallied his country and world public opinion. This is his great achievement."
16:04 After the meeting in Kiev, Scholz thanked Zelensky on his Twitter for accepting the invitation to participate in the G7 summit and assured that "we, the Europeans, are firmly on your side."
15:54 Zelensky's meeting with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania has ended, "Ukraine has the strong support of the international coalition," Yermak said. According to him, the Ukrainian side handed over to the leaders of states a full package of sanctions proposals against Russia, which were prepared by the McFaul-Yermak international group.
15:50 German Economy Minister Robert Gabeck, amid rising gas prices, said that "the time has come" to save on energy consumption. According to him, every kilowatt-hour helps in this situation: “Although supplies to Germany were provided by other, more expensive sources, we must be vigilant. First of all, we must not allow ourselves to be divided, since this is what Putin intends to do ". Gabeck also said that German gas storage facilities are about 56% full.
15:41 During a visit to Irpin, Draghi assured that Ukraine would receive assistance to restore the infrastructure destroyed by the Russians: "This is a place of destruction, but also of hope. Much of what I was told here concerned the future and reconstruction. The war united people, now they can do things that were impossible before the war. The world is on your side."
15:29 The leader of the "LPR" Pasechnik said that up to a thousand Ukrainian soldiers are stationed at Azot in Severodonetsk.
15:27 Venediktova called pseudo-trials against the defenders of Mariupol "medieval barbarism:" Everything that happens bears little resemblance to jurisprudence. This is an exclusively domestic product that will be produced for their own internal propaganda, for the internal consumer ... We see the barbarism that is inherent in the Middle Ages. Therefore, all this will be monitored, procedurally formalized."
15:23 The Seimas of Lithuania recognized the deportation of Ukrainians to Russia as the deportation of the Ukrainian people and called on the international community to seek accountability for these crimes.
15:19 Back in April, Russia and Ukraine agreed on a draft peace treaty by 75%, but then the negotiations stopped, Medinsky said: "These negotiations ended on April 15 with the fact that we handed over to the Ukrainian side the draft treaty agreed upon by the negotiating groups. It was agreed upon by 75 percent Two months have passed, but even now the Ukrainian side has not even bothered to answer this officially, telling us orally that it is taking a break in the negotiations."
According to him, Moscow has the impression that the Ukrainian leadership does not need peace, and the negotiation process "was interrupted after the heads of the Pentagon and the US State Department visited Ukraine in late April." Medinsky claims that Russia is open to negotiations with Ukraine, but Kyiv has not yet officially responded to the agreed draft peace treaty.
15:17 The Russians launched an airstrike on Lisichansk, hitting the building where people were hiding. At least three people were killed, seven more were injured, and the rubble is being cleared, said the head of the Luhansk OVA, Serhiy Gaidai.
15:13 Europe must gather its strength and make it clear that Ukraine is part of the European family, said the head of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, in an interview with Handelsblatt. She stressed that the status of a candidate is extremely important for Ukraine: "This will not only boost the morale of Ukrainian soldiers, but also help maintain political unity - a factor whose importance cannot be underestimated."
Metsola also warned against flirting with Putin or pressuring Ukraine for peace talks as it is about preserving the country's sovereignty.
14:58 333,000 personnel of the armed forces of the Russian Federation are involved in the war against Ukraine, said Alexei Gromov, deputy chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He also said that the enemy had destroyed four bridges across the Seversky Donets.
14:43 The Russians are resettled in the occupied Kherson, they will arbitrarily settle in the empty houses of Ukrainians who fled the war and became internally displaced persons, said Anna Malyar, Deputy Minister of Defense. She stressed that the main goals of Russia remain the complete destruction of Ukrainian statehood and the nation.
Malyar also said that 160,000 kilometers of Ukrainian territory require inspections for mines. According to her, Ukraine is now one of the most "polluted" countries in the world in this context.
14:22 Zelensky began negotiations with the leaders of Germany, France, Italy and Romania.
14:01 After visiting Irpin, Scholz said that Russia's actions in the war against Ukraine are aimed only at destruction: "This says a lot about Russia's aggressive war, which is simply aimed at destruction. We must remember this all when making decisions ... It's scary, what destruction this war is causing, and it's even worse when you see how pointless this violence is."
13:45 Great Britain has included in the sanctions lists Patriarch Kirill, Children's Ombudsman of the Russian Federation Maria Lvova-Belova and ten more citizens of Ukraine and Russia - in particular, Russian colonels involved in the events in Bucha, and members of the so-called Committee for Saving Peace and Order - organizations, which cooperates with the invaders and supports the occupation of the Kherson region.
13:26 The Kremlin hopes that Macron, Draghi and Scholz during their visit to Kiev "will encourage Zelensky to really look at the state of affairs," Peskov said.
13:24 Children born in the Zaporozhye region after February 24 will also automatically become citizens of Russia, Vladimir Rogov, a member of the "administration" of the region, said.
13:22 Macron responded to a request from journalists to comment on his statements that Russia should not be humiliated: "France has been next to Ukraine from the first day ... We are next to the Ukrainians without ambiguity ... It is necessary that Ukraine be able to resist and win."
13:15 Twitter has restricted the account of the head of Roscosmos Rogozin for inciting hatred towards Ukraine. In a June 13 message, Rogozin called Ukraine "an existential threat to the Russian people, Russian history, Russian language and Russian civilization" and said that Ukraine must be ended even if more Russians have to die in the war.
12:49 Reznikov said that he had met with German and Danish defense ministers Christine Lambrecht and Kaisa Ollongren: "I highly appreciate the participation of Germany and Denmark in the Ramstein format meeting. I see real progress in our cooperation and I believe that we will soon see the fruits."
12:43 From July 16, all sites must switch to the Ukrainian language, and goods with computer programs must be equipped with a Ukrainian interface. According to the language ombudsman Taras Kremen, this is due to the entry into force of Parts 2 and 6 of Art. 27 of the Law of Ukraine On ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as a state language.
All Internet information resources, as well as websites, pages in social networks and applications of stores and enterprises must have the main version in Ukrainian, which must be loaded for users by default.
12:41 Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told the "DPR" delegation that he would instruct to begin the procedure for official recognition of the "DPR" and "LPR", the "Ministry of Information" reported.
12:39 A new package of US military assistance to Kiev "poses a threat to both Ukraine and Europe," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
12:37 Captured Ukrainian soldiers from Azovstal are being checked for the presence of "high-ranking mercenaries," Pushilin said.
12:26 New weapons will allow Ukraine to return the occupied territories, including Crimea, Reznikov said in an interview with CNN. According to him, Crimea is "a strategic goal for Ukraine, because it is Ukrainian territory, but we will move step by step."
The minister named three stages in stabilizing the situation in Ukraine: preventing further losses against Russian troops, pushing Russian troops back to their positions before the invasion on February 24, and then there will be a discussion with Ukraine's partners on "how to liberate territories, including Crimea."
12:20 Reznikov, in an interview with CNN, said that he received assurances from US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, British Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace and other officials that support for Ukraine would not stop. At the same time, the promises concern not only military assistance, but also financial, economic and political, the minister said: "I think they have decided that they want to be partners in this victory."
According to Reznikov, the West now understands that the idea of not provoking Russia in order to avoid conflict does not work, and NATO now sees Russia as an adversary, and not as a strategic partner.
12:12 The M113 armored personnel carriers transferred by Lithuania are already in Ukraine, the country's Minister of Defense Arvydas Anusauskas said: "M113 have already reached the battlefield in Ukraine and will protect the lives of the Ukrainian military." The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense notes that the total amount of assistance provided to Ukraine has reached 115 million euros.
12:01 Macron, Scholz, Draghi and Johannis arrived in Irpin:
11:55 In Lisichansk, the fire and rescue units of the State Emergency Service once again went to eliminate fires that occurred as a result of shelling. Hundreds of people are stuck in basements, many are sitting without food and water, the State Emergency Service said. Rescuers continue to deliver water and food to the city - humanitarian aid and more than 30 tons of water were delivered to Lisichansk over the past day.
11:42 Pushilin hopes that Russia's "special operation" will end before the end of the year, and after its completion, a referendum on joining the Russian Federation can be held. He also said that the West's supply of new weapons to Ukraine "forces the DPR troops not to stop at the border of the Donetsk Republic." Answering a question about Odessa, he stated that "all Russian cities must be liberated."
In addition, Pushilin noted that the release of the Ukrainian military, who did not participate in the battles, will be discussed after the end of the "operation", but so far no one has been released.
11:23 Scholz spoke about the purpose of the visit to Kiev: "We not only want to show solidarity, we also want to assure that the assistance that we organize - financial, humanitarian, and also when it comes to weapons - will be continued. Until then as long as it is necessary for Ukraine's struggle for independence."
Macron, in turn, noted that he arrived with a "message of European unity addressed to Ukrainians." "We will meet with President Zelensky to go to the battlefield where the killings were carried out and hold the scheduled meetings. This city is Irpin," he told BFMTV in a commentary.
11:03 Mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov spoke about another type of guerrilla warfare: local residents processed cherries that were stolen by the occupiers, which caused a "mass disease" among the Russians.
10:40 Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced that he arrived in Kiev on a visit: "Today in Kiev with my European colleagues Chancellor Olaf Scholz, President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Mario Draghi, to show our strong support and full solidarity with President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian people. This illegal Russian aggression must stop!"
10:38 Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Russia has lost 20-30% of its armored vehicles, General Mark Milley said: "These are significant losses, this is a huge number."
10:34 The decision to execute the British and Moroccan "sentenced" in the "DNR" can be made no earlier than in a month, Pushilin said.
10:02 Slovakia handed over to Ukraine four Mi-17 helicopters and one Mi-2, as well as ammunition for the Grad multiple launch rocket system, Defense Minister Yaroslav Nagy said. According to him, helicopters are already in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
10:00 In Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, as a result of an enemy missile hit, 30 heads of cattle were killed, Mayor Ruslan Trebushkin said.
09:58 US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith said that Kiev daily sends requests to the West for the supply of weapons, and they often change. At the same time, some countries' own reserves are being exhausted. In this regard, it is difficult to provide Ukraine with all the necessary weapons, Smith explained.
09:54 Khmelnitsky Regional Council has introduced a moratorium on the public use of the Russian-language cultural product in any form in the region. The moratorium will be in effect until the complete cessation of the occupation of the territories of Ukraine.
09:53 In the Kharkiv region during the day in the Lozovsky district, one person was injured, in Izyumsky - five civilians were injured, the head of the OVA Oleg Sinegubov said.
09:42 The Russians are deliberately shooting high-rise buildings in Severodonetsk from tanks, many of which are now beyond restoration, said the head of the Lugansk OVA, Sergei Gaidai. According to him, the Russians have not been able to conquer Severodonetsk for four months, they have no success in street battles, so they are destroying the city with artillery.
“Control over the streets is constantly changing, the situation is rather shaky, but our defenders hold a strong defense and fight for every house. Sometimes a battle can really last a whole day for just one high-rise building,” Gaidai said. He added that if long-range artillery comes from Western partners, "Severodonetsk will soon be de-occupied."
09:19 The General Staff announced the approximate losses of the enemy on the morning of June 16. The enemy suffered the greatest losses in the Bakhmut direction.
- personnel - about 32,950 (+200) people liquidated,
- tanks - 1449 (+9),
- armored combat vehicles - 3545 (+17),
- artillery systems - 729 (+7),
- MLRS - 233 (+3),
- air defense systems - 97 (+0),
- aircraft - 213 (+0),
- helicopters - 179 (+0),
- UAV operational-tactical level - 591 (+0),
- cruise missiles - 129 (+0),
- ships/boats - 13 (+0),
- automotive equipment and tankers - 2494 (+9),
- special equipment - 55 (+0).
08:55 British intelligence reports that all the main bridges across the Seversky Donets River, connecting Severodonetsk with the territory controlled by Ukraine, have been destroyed. In doing so, Ukraine likely managed to withdraw most of its forces that initially held the city. And with the bridges destroyed, Russia will most likely have to either cross the river or advance on stalled flanks to turn a tactical advantage into an operational advantage.
Analysts note that Russian forces in the Donbas are likely to operate as part of increasingly fragmented and severely understaffed groups. For both sides, fighting on the front lines is likely to be more and more about confronting small groups of troops, who usually operate on foot. Some of Russia's strengths, such as its tank advantage, are becoming less relevant. This probably contributes to the slow pace of its progress, experts say.
08:42 In the Luhansk region, the enemy is pressing in Severodonetsk and Toshkovka, destroying the villages of the Gorsky and Popasnyansky communities. Yesterday, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled another assault on Toshkovka, said the head of the UVA, Sergei Gaidai.
08:36 In the Sumy region, as a result of an enemy missile airstrike on the Sadovskaya community, four people were killed, six more were injured, said the head of the OVA Dmitry Zhivitsky. Another rocket attack occurred in the Krasnopolskaya community, information about the victims is being specified.
08:33 Children born in the Kherson region after February 24, as well as orphans will automatically receive Russian citizenship, said the "deputy head" of the region Kirill Stremousov.
08:07 Macron, Draghi and Scholz arrived in Ukraine , German and Italian media report and publish photos. The information was confirmed by the head of Ukrzaliznytsia Alexander Kamyshin, who published the same photo and wrote: "For me today it was the third night on the train in a row. But not only I spent tonight on the train."
07:36 The government of the Czech Republic approved the allocation of another batch of military aid to Ukraine in the amount of more than 8 million crowns (about 320 thousand euros). Prague will transfer ammunition and chemical protection equipment to Kyiv. In the future, the Czech authorities intend to continue providing military assistance to Ukraine.
07:29 Russian troops are looking for weaknesses in the defense in the Slavic direction and are shelling civilian objects. On the Yegorovka-Shevchenko direction, the Ukrainian military discovered and destroyed an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group. The enemy is concentrating the main efforts on the Bakhmut direction and continues to storm Severodonetsk, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports in the morning report .
04:11 The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggests that pro-Ukrainian actions are likely to "continue to frustrate Russia's efforts to consolidate full-scale administrative control over the occupied territories and plans for annexation."
Experts also note that Russian troops launched a ground assault on Severodonetsk and nearby settlements, but as of June 15 they do not have full control over the city. The invaders are conducting mostly unsuccessful offensive operations around the T1302 Bakhmut-Lysichansk highway, trying to cut Ukrainian land lines to Lysichansk. They also continued to advance along the E40 highway to Slavyansk and southeast of Izyum. Fighting continues in settlements around Kharkov.
Russian troops continued to reinforce reserve positions in the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, while taking defensive measures to increase their presence in the Black Sea. Satellite imagery from June 14 shows an increase in fortifications and military equipment on Zmeiny Island.
03:23 The UN recorded 4452 deaths and 5530 injuries of the civilian population of Ukraine as a result of the Russian invasion. Most of the deaths and injuries are caused by the use of large-area munitions and explosives, including heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket attacks, as well as rocket and air strikes.
03:01 Russians are transporting wheat, seeds and even cherries from Melitopol in wagons. The trains with the loot go to the Crimea, said the mayor of the city Ivan Fedorov.
02:27 The G7 and NATO summits later this month will provide an opportunity to demonstrate the unity of the West and its determination to support Ukraine in the long term, Johnson said following a telephone conversation with Zelensky.
00:58 White House spokesman John Kirby commented on reports of the capture of two former US servicemen near Kharkov: "I think now is a good time to remind that we oppose Americans traveling to Ukraine and participating in hostilities in Ukraine." At the same time, he added that there are other ways to support Kyiv.
Kirby could not confirm the accuracy of the information about the capture of American prisoners, since he himself had just learned about it. "We will do our best to follow up on this," he assured.
00:41 Relations between Russia and the United States are "at zero point", there is no dialogue as such between the countries, Peskov said.
00:34 The Russians are abandoning their intention to annex the occupied Ukrainian territories through imitation of "referenda", said NSDC Secretary Alexei Danilov on the air of the telethon. According to him, they are replacing the separatists in power in the occupied territories with Russian officials, therefore, they may not "hide behind fig leaves of polls", but will immediately appoint the leadership of the Russian Federation.
00:28 Every day up to 1000 Ukrainian soldiers are killed or injured in Donbas. Of these, an average of 200 to 500 were killed, said Arakhamia , who is now in Washington, writes Axios. Earlier, Zelensky said that between 60 and 100 Ukrainian soldiers die every day. According to Arakhamia, this number has increased significantly over the past two weeks.
At the same time, Arakhamia says that Ukraine has drafted a million people into the army and has the opportunity to recruit another two million, so it has enough strength to continue the fight. However, Ukraine lacks weapons and ammunition: "Our negotiating position is actually quite weak, we do not want to sit at the negotiating table if we are in such a position. We need to somehow reverse the events."