June, 16-19

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (hereinafter: Russia) have focused the efforts of their military operation on capturing settlements located in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, and settlements under considerable pressure include Severodonetsk and Lysychansk. Russian troops have been significantly strengthened by the manpower of the inhabitants it has forcibly mobilized to join its military efforts from the territories it occupies. Mobilising residents of occupied territories to join war efforts constitutes a violation of the Geneva Conventions.

According to the Head of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Denis Pushylin, reaching the administrative borders of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblast is not the ultimate goal of the Russian military operation. The statement has been interpreted as signalling that Kharkiv and other oblasts remain under threat as potential targets for future onslaughts. 

The Armed Forces of Ukraine has continued to mount counteroffensives in the Kharkiv and Kherson oblasts. According to analysts, the pace of Ukraine’s offensives has been slowed down by the lack of heavy military artillery. Reports have, however, indicated that the Ukrainian army is making advances in the Zaporizhzhia oblast.

The Ukrainian army has managed to destroy large ammunition warehouses situated in the Temporarily Occupied Territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts (TOTDLO). One of the targeted warehouses was a storage building located near Khrustalne town in the Luhansk oblast as well as headquarters of the 1^st army corps of the Donetsk People’s Republic.

Russian military units have shelled settlements located in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in attempt to provoke attacks from Ukraine.

The Ukrainian government is reportedly seeking to regain control over the Crimean peninsula militarily due to the impasse in negotiations with Russia. 

The following settlements have been targeted by shelling and attacks during the reporting period:

Mykolayiv – Industrial facility and residential houses destroyed

Severodonetsk – The Azot chemical plant sheltering 58 civilians subjected to constant shelling and a mosque sheltering 17 civilians devastated

Lysychansk  – Residential houses damaged

Pokrovsk – A farm, including its livestock, damaged

Kryvyi Rih – Residential houses shelled

Novomoskovsk – Oil depot destroyed

Kremenchuk – Oil refinery damaged

Hlukhiv

Hulyaipole 

21 000 households have been cut off from electricity in the Zaporizhzhia oblast.

Incessant shelling of oil depots and refineries has caused critical fuel shortages across Ukraine.

Ukrainian air defence systems have successfully intercepted cruise missiles near Kyiv.

Russian hostilities targeting Kyiv continued during the official visit of European high-level leaders from France, Germany, and Italy to Ukraine on Thursday 16^th. Air raid sirens were rung several times during the visit.

Ukraine and Russia have completed an exchange of prisoners of war. Both sides exchanged 5 prisoners. Ukrainian paramedic, Yuliya Payevska, was among the released individuals.

Russian troops continue to target civilians with violence and abuse in the territories they occupy. Reports from occupied territories have highlighted cases of abductions, continued forced relocation of civilians to Russian territories, ongoing forced military mobilisation to the frontlines, and widespread looting of businesses coupled with the confiscation of goods. Examples of recent abductions include the disappearance of Pastor Valentin Zhuravlyov in Melitopol on Sunday 19^th, and according to estimates, more than 300 000 children have been relocated to Russia since the beginning of the invasions. Farmers have been forced to give up parts of their yields in exchange for trade rights. Confiscated goods are being transported to Russia through Crimea.  

The ongoing invasion is estimated to have caused a 104 billion USD deficit to the Ukrainian economy. The inflation rate has reached record heights and the export sector, including grain exports, remains in a critical condition.

The Russian army has either destroyed or damaged approximately 700 hospitals since the beginning of the invasion. 12 doctors are confirmed to have been killed. 

Educational institutions located in occupied territories continue to be pressured to integrate the Russian curriculum into their teaching and to switch to Russian as the language of instruction. According to estimates, 1200 Ukrainian schools are located in occupied territories.

Ukraine has introduced a visa regime for Russian citizens denying entry from anyone without a valid visa starting on July 1^st.

Russian sources continue to spread anti-Ukrainian narratives criticizing and discrediting the Ukrainian government and its foreign policy. Examples of such comments include:

The Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, describing the visit made by the leaders of Germany, France, and Italy to Kyiv as useless – “they drank horilka (Ukrainian alcoholic beverage – translator’s note) and now they would be heading off home. This does not bring peace any closer while the clock is ticking”.

The Press Secretary of the President of Russia, Dmitry Peskov, underscoring his hope for the ceasing of massive arms deliveries to Ukraine in order to end the prolongation of the conflict.

The Chairwoman of the Federation Council, Valentina Matviyenko, calling the decision of the Ukrainian government to introduce a visa regime for Russian citizens uncouth behaviour.

Increased criticism has been voiced by the Kremlin against allied post-Soviet countries that have refused to share Russia’s political position and official narratives regarding the military operation in Ukraine. Russian politicians have, for example, made threats against Kazakhstan following the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, refusing to recognize the independence of the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics in the presence of Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin. The First Deputy Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Konstantin Zatulin, highlighted that with his remarks, President Tokayev challenged the authority of President Putin. Following the exchange, the Head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, accused leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization of failing to adopt a common, pro-Russian position on Ukraine. 

Anti-European narratives continue to be spread across Russian platforms, with an emphasis on comments targeting Lithuania after the state forbid the transportation of sanctioned goods through its territory. An example of the claims made by Russian leaders against European nations, includes Mr Medvedev stating that the EU will disintegrate and disappear before Ukraine becomes its member. Speaking at the Russian Economic Forum on Friday 17^th, President Putin claimed that the West is more affected by its sanctions than Russia. The president also noted that Russia has not threatened Ukraine and the West with nuclear weapons but it would not hesitate to do so to protect its sovereignty. 

Russian decision-makers have voiced severe criticisms targeting the European Union (EU) and its member states regarding Ukraine’s potential EU membership. Statements critical of Ukraine’s accession to the EU have highlighted the threats Ukraine’s integration poses to European economies and EU policies. Russian sources have referred to European nations as European Communists. 

Weapons deliveries to Ukraine continue to be the target of sharp criticism. Critical voices have been coupled with claims that the weapons provided by EU states are not sufficient to counter Russia’s operations.

Russian officials have accused the United States of resorting to biological terrorism in Ukraine. The notion was voiced by the Head of the Russian Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defence Armed Forces, Igor Kirillov, in his statement claiming that funding directed from the United States Department of Defence to Ukrainian biological projects coincided with several cases of infectious diseases reported by the military and inhabitants in the Donbas region. 

The Russian government has publicly shared plans regarding the reconstruction of Mariupol lead by the Russian Vice Prime Minister, Marat Khusnullin. The statements made regarding future reconstruction efforts have supported narratives regarding the so-called liberation of the Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics claimed to be under ongoing Ukrainian shelling. Furthermore, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been accused of shelling Russian settlements located on the Ukrainian border in the Kursk oblast.