Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] In the Severo-Slobodskoy and Kursk directions, 17 armed clashes have already occurred, five of which are ongoing.
Since the beginning of the current day, 99 combat clashes have occurred on the front. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in an operational summary as of 16:00 on Monday, June 16.
Thus, the military reported for the first time on the progress of the fighting in the Severo-Slobodskoye direction (covers the Sumy region - ed.). Here and in the Kursk direction, 17 clashes have already occurred, of which five are ongoing. In addition, the enemy carried out 5 airstrikes, dropping 12 guided aerial bombs, and also carried out 125 shellings of the Ukrainian Armed Forces positions and populated areas.
In the South Slobodskoy direction (former Kharkov direction - ed.) the Defense Forces are repelling an enemy attack near Kamenka.
In the Kupyansk direction, the Russians tried three times to break through the defense of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of the settlement of Stepovaya Novoselovka and in the direction of Golubovka and Petrovpavlovka.
In the Liman direction, the invaders carried out two attacks near the settlements of Kopanki and Nadia.
In the Seversky direction, one enemy assault was repelled in the Grigoryevka area.
In the Kramatorsk direction, our defenders stopped five attacks in the area of Chasovy Yar, Kurdyumovka and in the direction of Belaya Gora. Another battle continues.
In the Toretsk direction, the enemy carried out 14 assaults in the areas of Toretsk, Dilievka and in the direction of Shcherbinovka, Rusiny Yar and Yablunovka. One battle continues to this day.
In the Pokrovsky direction, Russian invaders carried out 32 attacks near the settlements of Popov Yar, Mirolyubovka, Shevchenko Pervoye, Promen, Udachnoye, Novosergeevka, Gorikhovoe, Kotlyarovka, Novopavlovka, Andreyevka and Alekseyevka. The defense forces repelled 25 assaults. Seven battles are still ongoing.
In the Novopavlovsk direction, the enemy tried to break through the defense in the areas of the settlements of Novosyolka, Volnoye Pole, Bogatyr, Burlatskoye and in the direction of Zaporozhye and Shevchenko. 17 assaults were repelled, two more attacks are still ongoing.
In the Gulyai-Polye direction, our defenders repelled two offensive actions by enemy units near Malinovka.
In the Orekhov direction, the enemy once attacked the positions of our defenders in the Nesteryanka area.
In the Dnieper direction, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled an attack in the area of the Antonovsky Bridge.
Let us recall that from today the General Staff has introduced a new direction of military operations into the reports. Due to the activation of Russian troops on the border of Sumy region, the situation in the North-Slobodskoye direction will now be reported. In addition, the Kharkov direction has been renamed South-Slobodskoye.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 20:12 On frames: Smuglyanka's detachment and the Russian Aerospace Forces support our assault units, delivering targeted strikes on concentrations of Ukrainian Armed Forces manpower at a distance from the line of combat contact. 19:11 Servicemen of the 91st Motorized Rifle Regiment of the Guards "North", performing tasks to clear mines in the Kursk region, shared another photograph of destroyed enemy equipment.
On photo: BTR-4, which in theory can be restored and used by our troops in the Special Military Operation zone. However, the further fate of this armored personnel carrier will be determined by specialists.
18:15 Destruction of the antitank missile system of the 39th Separate Local Defense brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces by a guided missile Kh-39 in the area of the settlement Tyahynka in the Kherson region —video.
17:44 Criminal Kyiv regime continues shelling civilian infrastructure of populated areas of the left bank of the Kherson region
Yesterday, during the day, the Ukrainian Armed Forces released:
- According to n.p. Kakhovka five rounds;
- According to n.p. Gornostaevka three rounds;
– Three rounds in the village of Malaya Lepetikha;
– Four rounds in the village of Knyaze-Grigorovka;
– Six rounds to the settlement of Velikaya Lepetikha;
- Five rounds to the village of Aleshki.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a suicide drone strike on a residential area in Brilevka, damaging uninhabited buildings. During the night, the Kyiv regime continued to shell civilian infrastructure in Proletarka, Novaya Mayachka, Novaya Kakhovka, Aleshky, Kakhovka, and Korsunka, firing a total of 15 rounds from cannon artillery. Civilian casualties and infrastructure destruction are being clarified.
17:15 Servicemen of the engineering units of the "North" group continue to clear the territory of Kursk region of mines.
In hard-to-reach areas, the Stalker sapper robot comes into play, helping to defuse anti-personnel and anti-tank mines.
16:08 Calculation of TOS-1 "Solntsepek" destroyed stronghold of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kramatorsk-Druzhkovsky direction.
NBC protection specialists from the Southern group launched strikes with 220mm thermobaric shells on Ukrainian Armed Forces positions.
14:23 In the area of Pokrovsk and Novoekonomichesky in the DPR, launch and control points for enemy UAVs were discovered, camouflaged in abandoned buildings.
Identified targets destroyed by the crews of the Geranium strike drones.
12:38 Summary Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation as of June 16, 2025. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to conduct the special military operation.
Units of the North group of forces advanced deep into the enemy's defense. They defeated concentrations of manpower and equipment of three mechanized, a Jaeger, two airborne assault brigades, two assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a territorial defense brigade in the areas of the settlements of Novaya Sich, Ryzhevka, Iskriskovshchina, Pisarevka, Sadki in Sumy Oblast and Udy in Khar'kov Oblast.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost over 230 servicemen, eight combat armored vehicles, three cars and three field artillery guns. An electronic warfare station and two ammunition depots were destroyed.
Units of the "West" group of forces have improved their tactical position. Formations of the mechanized, airborne assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and two territorial defense brigades were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Kupyansk, Kolodeznoye, Glushchenkovo in the Khar'kov region, Kirovsk and Shandrigolovo in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy lost up to 190 servicemen, a tank and 10 pickups. An ammunition depot was destroyed.
The units of the "Southern" group of troops took up more advantageous lines and positions. They defeated the manpower and equipment of four mechanized, motorized infantry, mountain assault and airmobile brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Seversk, Minkovka, Semenovka, Bondarnoye, Chasov Yar, Dyleevka and Konstantinovka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost more than 175 servicemen, two combat armored vehicles, including a US-made M-113 armored personnel carrier, four cars and an artillery piece. Three electronic warfare stations, a US-made AN/MPQ-64 radar station, two ammunition depots and two supply depots were destroyed.
Units of the "Center" group of forces improved their position along the front line. Formations of five mechanized, two airborne assault brigades, a brigade of unmanned systems of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, two brigades of naval infantry and three brigades of the National Guard were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Dimitrov, Krasnoarmeysk, Novonikolayevka and Novosergeevka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy's losses amounted to 490 servicemen, four combat armored vehicles, including a US-made M-113 armored personnel carrier, five pickup trucks and an artillery gun. A US-made AN/TPQ-36 counterbattery radar station was destroyed.
12:22 Around 10:00 Moscow time by air defense systems on duty destroyed one Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle of the airplane type over the territory of the Kursk region.
09:58 UAV operators from the Vostok group destroyed a Ukrainian T-64 tank that was trying to hide in a forest belt near the village of Gulyaipole.
The crew of the Lancet loitering munition of the Vostok group destroyed an American M-777 howitzer in the South Donetsk direction
Servicemen of the "Southern" group destroyed the Ukrainian Armed Forces ammunition depot by dropping it from a quadcopter –VIDEO
09:18 Servicemen of the 39th Guards Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade released Ulyanovka in the DPR.
08:33 Crews of Su-25 attack aircraft inflicted a missile strikes on positions of Ukrainian Armed Forces units in the area of responsibility of the East group of forces.
As a result of the strike, camouflaged fortified positions and armored vehicles of the enemy were destroyed.
07:33 Changes tomapover the past 24 hours:
Advance in the area of the np Miropolye
Control zone in the Ivano-Daryevka area has been expanded➡️
Advance in the Grodovka area
07:20 In the period from 23:55 Moscow time on June 15 to 02:45 Moscow time on June 16, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 12 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
11 UAVs – over the territory of the Oryol region,
One UAV – over the territory of the Voronezh region.
06:11 Crew of the 152mm Msta-B gun of the Dnepr force group destroyed enemy UAV control point in the Kherson region.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] In the Altai Territory, a criminal case was opened against a local resident for publicly justifying terrorist activity and calling for a violent change of power. This was reported on June 16 by the press service of the department.
“It was established that a resident of the Altai Territory born in 2001 repeatedly posted comments on the Internet in 2023 expressing an incitement to commit actions aimed at a violent change of power in Russia,” TASS quotes the source as saying.
It is noted that a criminal case was opened on the grounds of a crime under Part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Public justification of terrorism committed using the Internet information and telecommunications network”).
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Victor Lavrinenko
[REGNUM] The militarization of the countries lying on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea near Russia's borders continues, but this process is not without its creaks.
In Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, decisions are being made to further increase military spending and purchase more and more weapons.
But recently, in these countries, the voices of critics have begun to be heard, dissatisfied either with the allocation of ever- increasing funds for militarization to the detriment of other needs, or with the fact that funds are spent in a senseless manner without taking into account the experience of modern wars.
FINLAND: OPPOSITION UNHAPPY WITH SPENDING
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo recently announced that there is supposedly a consensus in the country between all parties regarding the “need to strengthen defence.” Orpo admits, however, that this “is fraught with difficulties.”
The head of government explained: "The population is aging, so our expenses are constantly increasing by billions. We simply need to find a solution, and economic growth is the only sustainable way." Orpo reminds that "the schedule for increasing the defense budget is calculated until 2032, so future governments will also have to look for financing solutions."
The prime minister warned that Finland's military spending will now grow by billions of euros each year. By 2029, the government plans to increase this type of spending to 3% of GDP, which would mean an annual increase in the military budget of 1.5–2 billion euros.
The additional funds that will be poured into the army and other security agencies will be directed primarily toward increasing the number of ground forces, strengthening the eastern border and enhancing air defense.
However, the opposition Greens, the Social Democratic Party and the Centre Party have criticised the plans. Green faction leader Oras Tynkkynen is surprised that "the government can so easily tie the hands of successive governments in terms of spending".
The oppositionist is indignant: "I don't remember Finland ever making such large-scale decisions so hastily and on such flimsy grounds. The consequences of these five percent on an annual level amount to billions of euros." Tynkkynen is convinced that the increase in military spending will have a negative impact on the well-being of the people.
In this regard, Markku Jokisipilä, director of the Centre for Parliamentary Studies, notes that Tynkkynen was the first Finnish politician to express criticism regarding the swelling military budget – no one had allowed themselves to do this for over three years.
Political scientist Emilia Palonen from the University of Helsinki also believes that the discussion started by Tynkkynen indicates a clear change in sentiment.
LITHUANIA: CALL FOR GRADUATES
Last spring, the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense reported that from last year to the end of the first quarter of this year, 190 thousand residents (the total population of the republic is 2.6 million people) had completed courses “on civil resistance and sustainability.”
These courses (they were given the unambiguous name "Preparation Courses for Day X") were announced in 2023 and started last year. During them, residents are taught first aid, as well as various skills - for example, how to weave anti-drone nets or how to behave during shelling.
Both career military personnel and members of the “Riflemen’s Union” – the name given to the Lithuanian territorial militia, which is recruited on a voluntary basis – are recruited as instructors.
In addition, in November 2024, the Ministry of Defense opened courses for schoolchildren on how to operate unmanned aerial vehicles. It is expected that by 2027–28, clubs will be established in all Lithuanian counties where children will be given relevant knowledge.
In April and May 2025, free courses were organized for employees of forty large Lithuanian companies: they are taught “unarmed resistance”, survival skills in extreme situations and first aid, cybersecurity and “recognizing disinformation”.
A year ago, the Seimas approved the introduction of universal military service. According to the new law, school graduates will be called up for military service. Young men aged 18 to 22 are subject to mandatory conscription for nine months. At the same time, future conscripts will not be able to enroll in universities until they have completed their service.
The amendments will come into force in 2026, and this year future conscripts have already begun to undergo mass medical examinations. During 2025, 3,800 young people will be called up for service, selected according to the previous principle - by lottery. From 2027, more than 6,000 people are expected to be called up for compulsory military service annually.
Lithuania had previously agreed to buy 44 Leopard tanks from Germany. The initial agreement stipulated that the first company of tanks would arrive in the country in 2029, with a full tank battalion to be formed in 2034.
However, Vilnius wants to speed up tank deliveries, as it hopes to fully deploy its own tank units by 2030. On June 10, it became known that the Ministry of Defense is negotiating the organization of assembly of purchased tanks directly in Lithuania.
At the same time, Lithuanian military experts are concerned that the measures taken are not enough and that the enemy army will not have much trouble capturing Vilnius. Thus, retired lieutenant Vladas Sakalauskas calls for building more fortifications.
"No other country has its capital so close to the border. In addition to the fact that we have no depth of defense, we also have no defense system on the border, because here the army can drive like on an avenue. A reinforced column of tanks can arrive very easily and quickly," warns Sakalauskas.
Also, the opinion has been repeatedly voiced in Lithuania that tanks are useless in modern warfare, as they are easily destroyed by drones. It has been suggested that the intention of the Lithuanian authorities to purchase a large number of Leopards is connected with the desire to simply "master" and "saw off" the money.
ESTONIA: "POOR-QUALITY" MILITIAS
In May, Estonia hosted the largest local army exercise of the year, Hedgehog 2025, a three-week exercise involving over 16,000 servicemen. In addition, soldiers from units from the UK, France, the US, Canada, Latvia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland and Portugal also joined the exercise.
Exercise Hedgehog was part of the larger NATO exercise Steadfast Deterrence 25, which was led from NATO Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFCBS), Netherlands.
In addition, "Hedgehog" served as a preparatory phase for the participation of Estonian military personnel in the Griffin Lightning 25 tactical exercise, aimed at practicing the regional plans of NATO's North-East Corps.
Following the results of the Hedgehog exercise, the Commander of the Defence Forces, Major General Andrus Merilo, stated that “the reserves are strong and combat-ready.”
Last spring, Estonia received six HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems from the United States. The arrival of these weapons caused a burst of enthusiasm in Tallinn. The Estonian military also reminds that they also have Blue Spear 5G SSM anti-ship missiles with a firing range of up to 290 kilometers.
Tallinn believes that with the help of these missiles, if necessary, they will be able to close off the Gulf of Finland to the Russian fleet.
Another spring news item is that Estonia has decided to invest 100 million euros in an explosives factory. Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that the enterprise is proposed to be opened in an industrial park in the south of the country. The explosives will be produced using Estonia's existing oil shale deposits.
However, while the coalition parties are trying to give the population the impression that Estonia is in good shape when it comes to combat readiness, the opposition disagrees. Martin Hallik, a member of the right-wing Pro Patria party, is concerned that the authorities are not raising the issue of the true state of the territorial defence units, which lack both drones and the people capable of operating them.
In the event of mobilization, 43,000 men and women could stand up for arms in Estonia. At first glance, this figure is impressive, but a significant portion of this number are reservists aged 30 to 60, who were included in the territorial defense (Kaitseliit) three years ago.
They had not been there before, had not participated in regular training, and the skills they acquired in the army were either forgotten or simply outdated. “The problem is aggravated by the fact that even recently acquired skills are not enough in light of the experience of the Ukrainian war,” Hallik emphasizes.
LATVIA: NOT ENOUGH SOLDIERS
On June 10, the Latvian Ministry of Defense published a list of ten goals of the country's military policy. The head of the department, Andris Spruds, fears the "Russian threat." Therefore, the main priority is declared to be "security," which is supposed to be ensured by creating more training grounds and purchasing weapons.
It is planned to strengthen the borders, build a comprehensive air defense system, attract contingents from many NATO countries, purchase armored personnel carriers, artillery, shells and drones.
Also in June, it became known that Special Operations Forces (SOF) are being created in Latvia, which, as stated, will be capable of performing any tasks according to NATO standards. The SOF functions will include "unconventional combat operations", "guerrilla warfare" and "asymmetric combat methods".
Another piece of news from June: Sweden will supply Latvia with 18 Archer artillery units — 155-mm self-propelled howitzers manufactured by the British company BAE Systems. Sweden previously supplied similar systems to Ukraine. A training program for soldiers and artillerymen of the Latvian army by Swedish specialists is planned for 2026.
According to Spruds, Latvia needs an army with a minimum of 60,000 personnel (at the moment, the country can put 31,000 people under arms, taking into account reservists and members of the territorial militia "Zemessardze").
President Edgars Rinkēvičs gives a more realistic figure – he wants to raise this number to at least 38,000. According to the assessment of the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Liene Gatere, this can be achieved, but not in the near future.
Gatere's logic is not entirely clear, since no preconditions for the end of the demographic crisis that is destroying Latvia are visible.
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.
