June, 02-05

Intense fighting has continued in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. The aim of the onslaughts launched by the troops of the Russian Federation (hereinafter: Russia) has been in pushing the Armed Forces of Ukraine back from the left bank of the Siverskyi Donets river opening a pathway towards the administrative border of the two oblasts.

Russian subversion and reconnaissance groups have intensified their activities in Kyiv.

Russian and Belarusian troops have continued massing in the territory of Belarus. 

Ukrainian forces have maintained counteroffensives in southern Ukraine. Ukrainian troops have gained a foothold on the banks of the Inhulets river and destroyed Russian military units in the Kherson oblast. These two advances have hindered Russia’s goal of expanding its line of defence in the region. Furthermore, the Ukrainian army has launched a counteroffensive in Severodonetsk and Ukrainian forces have regained control of the majority of the territory of the city.

Five Russian cruise missile ships are currently patrolling the Black Sea coastline, posing a continued threat to Ukraine’s southern oblasts. 

The following structures and locations have been subject to shelling and attacks during the reporting period:

Kyiv – A railcar repair station used for the maintenance of grain export vehicles has been damaged

Kharkiv

Mykolayiv, including the oblast’s coastal rayons 

Kramatorsk

Druzhkivka

Soledar

Slovyansk

Svyatohirsk – buildings sheltering civilians and located in the vicinity of the Svyatohirsk Lavra monstary have been damaged and 4 monks killed 

Derhachi

Kryvyi Rih – a library and six residential buildings have been damaged

Zaporizhzhia

Stryi

Sumy, including settlements located near the Russian border

White phosphorous munitions have been used in attacks in the Kharkiv oblast.

On Sunday 5^th, air raid sirens went off across 11 regions in Ukraine. The expected air raids resulted in half of the Ukrainian territory finding itself in a heightened state of alarm.

The centre of Donetsk was shelled on Saturday 5^th resulting in more than 10 civilian injuries. Ukraine accused Russia of the attack and vice versa.

40 religious buildings have suffered damages in the Donetsk oblast since the beginning of hostilities.

Ukraine and Russia have both reciprocally returned 160 bodies of soldiers killed in hostilities. 

A missile launched from the Caspian Sea on Sunday 5^th directed at Kyiv was recorded flying at a critically low altitude over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Had there been a slight miscalculation in the targeting of the missile or in case of unexpected debris falling off from the missile and hitting the plant, an environmental disaster would have been imminent.

Russian forces have continued attacking and sabotaging Ukraine’s agricultural sector by shelling fields and infrastructure, stealing Ukrainian grains, and maintaining a blockade on Ukraine’s sea ports.

The Russian military administration continues to subject Ukrainian residents living in occupied territories to terror and attacks. Russian troops have, for example, expropriated local businesses, robbed shops, and looted property. The booty has subsequently been exported to Russia.

Ukrainian mobile operators have been able to restore connections to the occupied territories of the Kherson oblast.

According to estimates shared by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Denys Monastyrskyi, it will take up to 10 years to demine Ukraine.

Due to the blockade imposed by Russia on Ukraine’s sea routes, Ukraine has been forced to develop its river transportation network, including the logistical artery provided by the Danube river. 

An explosion was reported in the port of the occupied city of Berdyansk in the Zaporizhzhia oblast on Thursday 2^nd. 

Content criticising the way the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, is managing the Ukrainian army has been spread across Russian media platforms. According to the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, President Zelensky and the Ukrainian army have conflicting views on the future of Ukraine’s military strategy and Ukrainian forces are increasingly unwilling to engage in combat with the Russian troops. Furthermore, reports predicting a coup and highlighting general dismay within the Ukrainian government, especially regarding the state of Ukraine’s freedom and democracy, are increasingly spread.  

The Russian Ministry of Defence has continued sharing messages highlighting the achievements of the Russian army in the Donetsk, Luhansk, and Odesa oblasts. 

Content seeking to justify the military intervention in Ukraine and ongoing mobilization efforts across Russia continue to surface in the Russian media. Such articles have generally focused on two topics; the goal of returning Ukraine to Russia and the need to dismantle the American hegemony. In a recent article published on the topic, the author highlighted the overwhelming capacity and unity of the Russian population and its willingness to join forces in the fight for victory.

The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, has accused Western countries of the global energy and food crisis caused by the war in Ukraine. In a recent interview for the Russian press, the president underscored that Russia has not imposed blockades on Ukrainian grain exports. Furthermore, President Putin revoiced his view that countries delivering arms to Ukraine are responsible for prolonging the conflict and added that there will be negative consequences for the United States if military deliveries continue and expand.

Reports of the humanitarian missions implemented by Russia in the Kherson and Donetsk oblasts are being spread in the Russian media and recent articles have highlighted the involvement of various political parties in such deliveries. The ongoing aid deliveries are assumed to be tied to the prospective attempt to annex parts of Ukraine and organise referendums in the occupied territories, especially in Kherson.

Claims accusing Ukraine’s army of targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in the Donetsk oblast continue to circulate in the Russian media. 

The Kremlin has continued issuing statements regarding the future of the Kherson region as a part of Russia. Representatives of Russia in Kherson have emphasised that the integration process of Kherson into Russia continues regardless of the statements and objections voiced by the European Union. The announcements made by Russian officials have been supported by the provision of Russian passports to the residents of Kherson.

The Russian Orthodox Church has sought to take credit for the humanitarian activities undertaken by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Furthermore, during his recent visit to Belarus, Patriarch Kirill underscored that the orthodox church is the spiritual pillar of all fraternal Slavic countries, including Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.