Key Takeaways
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the leadership of its central and southern groups of forces fighting Ukraine has changed, confirming ISW’s previous assessment that the Russian high command is restructuring the leadership of operations in Ukraine.
Ukrainian intelligence officials emphasized that Belarus remains highly unlikely to join the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian sources confirmed that Russian forces have taken full control of Severodonetsk and are fighting within Lysychansk.
Russian forces made measured gains to the north and southeast of Bakhmut.
Russian forces continued unsuccessful attempts to advance southeast of Izyum toward Slovyansk.
Russian forces continued positional battles north of Kharkiv City.
Russian forces attempted to strengthen their defensive lines and recapture lost positions on the Southern Axis.
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Kyiv Independent Telegram channel
⚡️Greece no longer accepts visa applications from Russian citizens.
⚡️New York Times: Allied commandos coordinate supplies and train Ukrainians.
The New York Times cites official sources who state that special forces operatives play a large role in organizing and delivering armaments into Ukraine to help stave off Russia's invasion, as well as providing training. The same sources report that the CIA has been playing a significant role in delivering crucial intelligence to Kyiv.
⚡️BBC: Russia's debt deadline approaches threathening default.
Russia is on the verge of debt default - the first one since 1998 - if the country fails a June 26 deadline to make its $100 million interest payment. Although BBC reports that Russia has the funds and is willing to pay, it cannot transfer the money to international creditors due to sanctions.
⚡️Russian military reportedly kidnaps families of Ukrainian soldiers in occupied areas of Mykolaiv, Kherson oblasts.
⚡️CNN: Biden visits Europe to rally support for Ukraine as international attention fades.
⚡️Energoatom: Russian missile passed 'critically low' over nuclear power plant.
⚡️Biden confirms G7 to impose ban on Russian gold imports.
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UkraineNOW
⚡️The President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausèda said that Lithuania won't make concessions to Russia concerning the issue of transit of the goods to Kaliningrad.
"We've discussed this issue with Ursula von der Leyen, the Head of the European Commission, in Brussels. It's clear that Lithuania must and will apply EU sanctions. Lithuania must and will maintain control over the goods transported through its territory, and there can be no talk of any "corridors," just as there can be no talk of Russia's concessions in response to threats by the Kremlin," Nausèda said.
A reminder: Lithuania has restricted the transit of sanctioned goods to Kaliningrad Region through its territory.
The Indonesian President will visit Ukraine and Russia on a peacekeeping mission. Joko Widodo said that the Russian-Ukrainian war has catastrophic consequences for the whole world, so he invites the parties to sit down at the negotiating table, reports Reuters.