Tag Archives: donbas

Russia-Ukraine War Update for June 30, 2022

[KYIV, Ukraine] – MTN It has been 3,044 days since Russia occupied Crimea on February 27, 2014.

Odesa – Overnight, Ukrainian forces attacked Snake Island off the coast of Odesa with NATO-provided long-range artillery and missiles. In the early stages of the attack, a Russian Pantsir antiaircraft system and supporting radar station were knocked out. The loss of the radar station disabled command and control of the other air defense assets on the island. The garrison requested to be evacuated and two ships from the Black Sea fleet, supported by helicopters, evacuated the Russian troops. A Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter was shot down during the evacuation. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the withdrawal, claiming it was a planned gesture of “goodwill.”

Severodonetsk – Lysychansk – The situation in the Severodonetsk salient is complex, with continued reports from Pro-Russian accounts that Ukraine is withdrawing or has withdrawn from the city. There are repeated claims that Ukraine withdrew from Pryvillia. However, no videos, pictures, or state media reports have been produced to back up any of these reports.

There is significant evidence that Russian forces have seized control of parts of the Bakhmut-Lysychansk T-1302 Highway Ground Line of Communication (GLOC – aka supply line).

The line of conflict south and southwest of Lysychansk is little changed in the last 24 hours. Russian forces still control Bila Hora and have likely advanced past the children’s hospital and into the residential neighborhoods in the southeastern Lysychansk lowlands. This area is contested, with fighting continuing at the rubber factory. The battle for control of the gelatin plant has entered its sixth day.

NASA FIRMS data suggests there is intense fighting in Pidlisne. It is unlikely the state of control has changed, and this may represent a spoiling attack by Ukraine to ease pressure over the fight to control the oil refinery.

Russian forces have not been able to advance into the Verkhnokamyanka oil refinery. Instead, they flanked the facility to the south, crossed the T-1302 Highway GLOC, and severed it. NASA FIRMS data suggests intense fighting in the eastern part of Verkhnokamyanske.

Russian forces also crossed the T-1302 Highway GLOC west of Mykolaivka and advanced into Spirne. The settlement is contested.

The remainder of Russian combat activity across Ukraine was limited to artillery, Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) rockets, airstrikes, and minor skirmishes across the rest of Ukraine.

Europe – Kremlin-backed Killnet launched cyberattacks on Norweigian government websites in response to Norway blocking land and air transit of sanctioned Russian goods to Svalbard. Norway insists it’s only enforcing existing sanctions, and port access to the archipelago remains unrestricted.

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Russia-Ukraine War Update for June 29, 2022

[KYIV, Ukraine] – MTN It has been 3,043 days since Russia occupied Crimea on February 27, 2014.

The situation in the Severodonetsk salient is deteriorating as Russian forces increase pressure on the Ukrainian Ground Lines of Communications (GLOC – aka supply line), including the Bakhmut-Lysychansk T-1302 Highway and the Siversk-Lysychansk route. The pattern of massive social media-driven disinformation campaigns from Pro-Russian accounts that occurred in Chernihiv, Mariupol, Sumy, and Severodonetsk is occurring again with the battle to control Lysychansk.

Severodonetsk-Lysychansk – Russian forces have pushed north from Bila Hora and have likely reached School Number 12 in the southeastern Lysychansk lowlands. Fighting continues at the rubber factory and the gelatin plant. Ukrainian forces have held the gelatin plant for five days.

Russian forces have secured Vovchyoyanka and reached the quarry at the northern tip of the settlement. Russian forces have advanced west from Vovchoyanka and are fighting at the southeast corner of the Verkhnokamyanka oil refinery but have not reached the T-1302 Highway GLOC.

There were reports, likely started by Igor Girkin, that Ukrainian forces had withdrawn entirely from Pryvillya and Russian forces had made a wet crossing at Kreminna. There is no information, videos, or pictures to support these claims. Given the continued Ukrainian resistance southwest, south, and southeast of Lysychansk, it is unlikely that a full-scale withdrawal has begun.

Russian forces crossed the T-1302 Highway west of Mykolaivka in an attempt to capture Spirne but were unsuccessful and pushed back to the original line of conflict.

Heavy shelling of the T-1302 Highway continued in Berestove and Bilohorivka [Donetsk].

Bakhmut – Russian forces attempted to advance on Klynove, east of Bakhmut but were unsuccessful. Russian forces shelled Bakhmut as well as Travneve.

In the Svitlodarsk bulge, Russian forces shelled Ukrainian positions in Novoluhansk and Travneve on June 28. Both settlements were previously coded as under Russian control. There is fighting for control of the power plant on the northern edge of the Vuhlehirske Reservoir.

South Donbas – Zaporizhia – In the south Donbas, Russian forces tried to recapture Pavilvka but were unsuccessful. Otherwise, there were only artillery exchanges and skirmishes.

Russian forces attempted to capture Dementiivka north of Kharkiv city again but were unsuccessful.

Izyum – On the Izyum axis, Russian forces attacked Dovhalivka and Zalyman again. This does not represent a new offensive and is an attempt to distract and redirect Ukrainian military assets, which are interdicting the Russian M-03 GLOC through Vesele [Kharkiv 49°23’16.6″N 37°11’52.8″E]. Russian forces made piecemeal attacks on Mazanivka and Dolyna in an attempt to advance on Slovyansk. The understaffed units suffered heavy losses and were unsuccessful.

Odesa – Black Sea- Ukrainian forces “shelled” Snake Island, reporting that several Russian military assets, including a radar station and a Pansir antiaircraft system, were destroyed.

Russia continued to launch Short-Range Ballistic Missiles (SRBM) and cruise missiles into Ukraine. Missile strikes hit Dnipro, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kremenchuk, and Kharkiv.

In all other regions in Ukraine, there was no change in territorial control and only positional battles.

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Russia-Ukraine War Update for June 28, 2022

[KYIV, Ukraine – MTN It has been 3,042 days since Russia occupied Crimea on February 27, 2014.

The Russian Air Force fired two Kh-22 land-to-sea cruise missiles from Tu-22M3 strategic bombers at Kremenchuk, Poltava. Both missiles struck the Amstor Mall at 3:52 PM local time, with over 1,000 civilians inside. On Wednesday morning Ukrainian officials reported that 20 were dead, 59 were wounded, and 36 were still missing. Monday’s attack is the worst since Russia destroyed the railroad station in Kramatorsk on April 8 with cluster munitions delivered by Short-Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM).

Lysychansk-Severodonetsk – Russian forces are holding a line that extends from Bila Hora to the southwestern corner of the rubber factory on the edge of Lysychansk. The line continues southwest to the gelatin factory, where fighting has been ongoing for four days.

Russian forces control most of Vovchoyarivka, with intense fighting continuing to control the settlement’s northern part. Russian forces have reached the southeastern edge of the abandoned Verkhnokamyanka oil refinery, which is adjacent to the T-1302 Highway Ground Line of Communication (GLOC – supply line).

Bakhmut – Slovyansk – East of Bakhmut and north to the Popasna advance, Russian forces continue to try and take full control of the T-1302 Highway GLOC. Russian forces attempted to advance toward Klynove and Pokrovske but were unsuccessful. Russian forces likely reached the eastern edge of Klynove in heavy fighting but were pushed back to Midna Ruda. Russian forces also attempted to advance on Yakolivka but were unsuccessful.

Russian forces shelled Soledar, Bilohirivka [Donetsk], Berestove, Mykolaivka, Vesele [Dontesk, 48°44’38.5″N 38°08’56.5″E], and Spirne. Shelling of Berestove and Spirne was particularly fierce. Both settlements are west of the T-1302 Highway.

Two Russian ammunition depots south and east of Zymohirya [Luhansk] were attacked by NATO-provided High Mobility Rocket Artillery System (HIMARS) missiles. A coal mine was the closest target, 70 kilometers east of Bakhmut.

In the Svitlodarsk bulge, there were indications that Ukrainian forces shelled Russian positions in Semhirya, Dolomitne, and Myronivskyi.

South Donbas and Zaporizhia – In the south Donbas, Russian forces attempted an offensive against Ukrainian forces in Shevchenko [Donetsk 47°43’45.5″N 37°08’29.4″E] and were unsuccessful. With reports of further advances, Ukrainian forces continue to hold recent territorial gains.

Kherson and Mykolaiv – In Kherson, the Ukrainian counteroffensive continued. Ukrainian troops advanced from Soldatske to the western edge of Myrolyubivka. Russian and Ukrainian forces continued intense fighting to control Stanislav, Kyselivka, and Snihurivka. The United States Department of Defense and Ukrainian officials have hinted that “several” settlements were liberated between June 25 – 26 in the Kherson Oblast but have requested that the details be temporarily withheld to support Operational Security (OPSEC).

Kharkiv – North of Kharkiv, Russian forces launched an offensive to recapture Dementiivka, but they were unsuccessful. Skirmishes continued near Velyki Prokhody, Vesele [Kharkiv 50°10’26.3″N 36°31’59.5″E], and Rubizhne [Kharkiv]. Satellite data indicated that Ukrainian forces remain on the east bank of the Pechenihy Reservoir near Khotimlya.

Southeast of Chuhuiv, fighting continues along the M-03 and M-07 highways. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine continues to request to honor OPSEC in this region. We will only share open-source intelligence in today’s report. Sattelite data indicated fighting in Russian-controlled Nova Hnylytsya.

Izyum – On the Izyum axis, Russian forces shelled Mospanove but made no advances on the settlement. Russian forces attacked Dovhalivka and Zalyman from Savyntsi, suffered significant losses, and were forced back. We have also been requested to honor OPSEC in this region and will only share information available through open-source intelligence.

Sattelite data indicated intense fighting north, northeast, and north of Spivakivka, almost to Prydonetske. Sattelite images also confirmed the destruction of the Russian 20th Combined Arms Army command post in Izyum and the adjacent fuel depot.

Russian forces attempted to advance on Mazanivka from Dovehenke and were unsuccessful. Russian forces shelled Ukrainian positions in Dolyna and Bohorodychne. Ukrainian artillery interdicted the GLOC from Oskil to Sosnove with artillery.

Other Key Developments – Kremlin-backed hacker group Killnet launched a widescale DDoS cyberattack on Lithuania, disabling key websites and computer systems. Killnet says they will continue to attack the Baltic nation until trade restrictions to Kalinigrad are lifted.

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