Ukraine Invasion: Part 49

[MagicFox]

Welcome to our 49th thread with the usual thanks to all regular contributors and lurkers 🇺🇦

**
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Do you know it's almost a shame that particular post from our pet troll was deleted!

Ransomware hackers have been targeting private hospitals in the US for exactly this reason. Unless they have proper system backups they really have to pay, and lots of them don't have proper backups.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

With all eyes on Kharkiv, Russian troops take one Donbas village after another (kyivindependent.com/with-all-eyes-on-kharkiv-russian-troops-take-one-donbas-village-after-another/)
As public attention shifted to Moscow's renewed offensive in Kharkiv Oblast, Russian forces steadily advance in the country's easternmost Donbas region, which remains Moscow's primary target.
Moving west from the ruins of the two occupied Donetsk Oblast cities – Bakhmut and Avdiivka – Russian troops have been able to run over a dozen small villages and come close to Chasiv Yar and a strategic highway south of the town.

⚡️'These weeks will determine https://kyivindependent.com/these-weeks-will-determine-this-year-zelensky-alludes-to-critical-situation-facing-ukraine/ this year' – Zelensky describes critical situation facing Ukraine.

⚡️NATO 'land corridors' (https://kyivindependent.com/nato-land-corridors-will-rush-us-troops-to-front-lines-of-any-future-european-war-telegraph-reports/) will rush US troops to front lines of any future European war, Telegraph reports.
According to The Telegraph, U.S. troops and armor would land at one of five ports in the Netherlands, Greece, Italy, Turkey, or Norway, from where they would travel through land corridors to NATO countries bordering Ukraine.

⚡️FT: US proposes https://kyivindependent.com/ft-us-eu-sanctions-loan-end-war/ $50 billion Ukraine loan conditional on EU extending sanctions against Russia until end of war.

⚡️ China's peace plan has international backing, Beijing https://kyivindependent.com/china-peace-plan/ claims after Ukraine summit snub.

⚡️FT: Ukrainians may face blackouts https://kyivindependent.com/ft-ukrainians-may-face-blackouts-for-most-of-day/ for most of day during winter.

⚡️Germany plans to order additional 200,000 artillery shells https://kyivindependent.com/germany-plans-to-order-additional-200-000-artillery-shells-from-rheinmetall-reuters-says/ from Rheinmetall, Reuters says.

⚡️Media: Russia, Sudan close to signing https://kyivindependent.com/media-russia-sudan-close-to-signing-25-year-agreement-on-military-cooperation-port-access/ 25-year agreement on military cooperation, port access.

⚡️Biden to meet https://kyivindependent.com/biden-to-meet-with-zelensky-in-normandy-before-attending-g7/ with Zelensky in Normandy before attending G7.

⚡️Russia's full-scale invasion has destroyed at least 210,000 buildings https://kyivindependent.com/russias-war-has-destroyed-at-least-210-000-buildings-in-ukraine-nyt-analysis-reveals/ in Ukraine, NYT analysis reveals.

⚡️Russia sets up filtration camps https://kyivindependent.com/russia-sets-up-filtration-camps-in-vovchansk-says-governor/ in Vovchansk used to identify and document Ukrainians in occupied territories, says Ukrainian governor. Those who pass through them are often subject to torture, sexual violence, and other violations, sometimes before being forcibly deported to Russia.

⚡️ US Embassy in Ukraine: Ukraine may no longer allow men with dual citizenship leave country. https://kyivindependent.com/us-embassy-in-ukraine-men-with-dual-citizenship-will-no-longer-be-able-to-leave-the-country/

⚡️ Poland arrests 18 https://kyivindependent.com/poland-arrested-18-people-belarus-russia/ over half a year for suspected sabotage plans on behalf of Russia, Belarus.

⚡️Ukraine's parliament passed a law on June 4 establishing English as a language of international communication, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said. https://kyivindependent.com/parliament-passes-law-on-use-of-english-in-ukraine/

⚡️ US allowed https://kyivindependent.com/us-allowed-ukraine-to-down-planes-in-russian-territory/ Ukraine to down planes in Russian airspace since start of full-scale war, White House says.

⚡️Politico: Ukraine-born Congresswoman Spartz https://kyivindependent.com/politico-republican-congresswoman-spartz-under/ under preliminary inquiry due to allegations of abuse of staff.

⚡️French military instructors would be 'legitimate target' for Russian attacks https://kyivindependent.com/french-military-instructors-would-be-legitimate-target-for-russian-attacks-lavrov-says/ Lavrov says.

⚡️ 43% of Ukrainians see democracy decline, 19% improve, 29% say 'no change,' survey shows. https://kyivindependent.com/survey-democracy/
Around 43% of Ukrainians think that the state of democracy worsened during the five-year tenure of President Volodymyr Zelensky, with 11% linking it to circumstances of wartime and 28% blaming the authorities, according to a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) published on June 4.

Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) was behind a large-scale DDoS attack that "paralyzed" the work of several Russian ministries and companies, a source in the agency told the Kyiv Independent on June 5. https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-cyberattack-paralyzes-work-of-russian-ministries-companies-source-said/

⚡️Week-long military exercises to be held https://kyivindependent.com/week-long-military-exercises-to-be-held-in-kyiv-oblast/ in Kyiv Oblast, commander says.

⚡️Over 800 children killed https://kyivindependent.com/over-800-children-have-been-killed-due-to-russias-war-in-ukraine-since-2014-prosecutors-office-says/ due to Russia's war in Ukraine since 2014, Prosecutor General says.

⚡️Suspected FSB collaborator arrested https://kyivindependent.com/fsb-operative-arrested-while-plotting-terrorist-attack-against-military-enlistment-office-in-zaporizhzhia-oblast-sbu-says/ while plotting terrorist attack against military enlistment office, SBU says.

⚡️ Russian strikes against Kherson Oblast kill 1, injure 2.
⚡️ Update: 4 injured in Russian attack on Kherson Oblast village.
⚡️ Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy oblasts kill 1, injure 1.
⚡️2 injured in Russian attacks on Sumy Oblast.
⚡️ Russian attacks on Kherson, Donetsk oblasts kill 1, injure 7.

1280 Russian soldiers killed
Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦
⚡️ WAR IN

• JUN 5, 2024

■ Engagements at 7-day average; casualties stay above it ■ 7-day artillery & vehicle losses reach new heights ■ Good increase in 🇺🇦 strikes, improved strike ratio ■ 30-day ratio of visually confirmed equipment losses at 2.3x

Interesting in a worrying way about the perception of a decline in democracy.

The suspension of normal elections seems to have been fairly accepted generally, so perhaps it's not to do with that. Or else people see it as a decline in democracy, but a necessary one for the time being.

That could be a proxy vote on war fatigue. Eventually after two years of war and still going you might find yourself saying better alive under Putin than dead as a free Ukrainian? As long as Putin is willing to keep throwing young Russian men into early graves and crucially enough Russian citizens continue to support him, it must be soul destroying to think it’ll never end.

Yes ... I wonder what the Western Ukrainian perspective is about living under Russian rule. Do many of them fear being killed.

As Russia reaches further back into the locker and deploys older and older combat vehicles, they are losing badly to the Bradleys.

As Russia’s Armored Vehicles Get Worse, Ukraine’s American-Made M-2s Destroy Them Faster - Thirteen-ton Russian MT-LBs are no match for 34-ton Ukrainian M-2s.

Here's a video of one of the engagements:

https://x.com/DefenceU/status/1785950101556637882

And the Ukrainians recently received another 100 Brads, which means they can be deployed to many more sectors.

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

Participants of the Summit on Peace for Ukraine, which will be held on June 15-16 in Switzerland, intend to agree on concrete steps for future negotiations with the participation of Russia, — Bloomberg with reference to the draft document.

Biden Arrives in France for the 80th Anniversary of the Normandy Landings
In addition to attending ceremonies, he will meet with Presidents Macron and Zelenskyy.
Reuters writes that the use of some $300 billion from frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine will also be discussed during the meeting.

The former Chief of the General Staff of Moldova, Igor Gorgan, who left his post in 2021, was an informant for Russian military intelligence for years and still continues this activity, The Insider reports.
The journalists claim that they got access to Gorgan's telegram correspondence with one of his curators, Colonel Alexei Makarov.
The Russian side was particularly interested in what kind of weapons Ukraine was buying from Moldova. Gorgan leaked information that Ukraine was trying to buy six MiG-29s under the guise of a company in the United Arab Emirates. In another correspondence, he told how representatives of Ukraine "have been going around our Ministry of Defense for three weeks, asking for everything in a row, especially artillery shells.

🇮🇸Iceland will transfer an additional €667,000 to the Ukrainian Energy Support Fund. This is the country's second such transfer, the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine reported.

Russian media: Putin began wearing bulletproof vest at public events
An unnamed Russian official claims that Putin wore a hidden bulletproof vest on May 9 this year.

Spanish Senate Calls for Recognition of Holodomor as Genocide of Ukrainian People

These horrific photos show Roman Horylyk after 2 years in Russian captivity.
Roman is a senior checkpoint supervisor at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The Russians took him captive at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, and in March 2022 brought him through Belarus to Russia. On May 31, he was returned home along with 74 other prisoners of Russia in this condition.

... on the other hand, after seeing those photos I imagine many Ukrainians would rather fight to the death or flee Ukraine than ' live ' under the Russians.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

Biden said https://time.com/6984968/joe-biden-transcript-2024-interview/ that peace in Ukraine means ensuring that Russia can never occupy Ukraine. At the same time, he believes that NATO membership is not necessary for this.
The US President reminded that he had not been a supporter of Ukraine's membership in the Alliance before.

🇨🇳 Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2024/06/5/7187458/ it had taken note of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's statement that the Chinese peace plan was allegedly supported by 26 countries and that Ukraine and Russia had separately “confirmed most of the content” of its principles.

Almost 2,000 children have been injured or killed by the Russians
The fate of another 2,000 is unknown - they are missing. Russia has deported almost 20,000 children. [This does NOT include the children from the occupied territories incl Mariupol, as far as I am aware]

They literally look like holocaust survivors. It’s the literal embodiment of a failure to uphold “never again”.

'Live' in inverted commas because they may also be aware of Bucha and Mariupol, Sulyhivka, Virnopillia and Kamianka, Irpin, Bakhmut....

and what happens under Russian rule; soldiers coming into any house they want, taking anything they want, including the daughters of the family.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-june-4-2024

Key Takeaways:

• Select Russian military commentators continue to complain about superior Ukrainian drone and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities on the battlefield, continuing to highlight the rapid and constant tactical and technological innovation cycles that are shaping the battlespace in Ukraine.
• Ukraine and its partners have reportedly drafted a document for the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland on June 15 that calls for future engagement with Russia on a limited number of issues connected to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, although the Kremlin remains unlikely to engage in meaningful negotiations on the proposal or any wider settlement to the war in Ukraine.
• Russia is conducting a wide-scale hybrid warfare campaign targeting NATO states in tandem with Russian efforts to augment its conventional military capabilities in preparation for a potential conflict with NATO
• A joint investigation by Russian opposition student journal DOXA and open-source outlet Kidmapping highlights the role of the Kremlin-backed Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in Russifying Ukrainian children whom Russian authorities have deported to Russia.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin named First Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council and United Russia Secretary Andrei Turchak the acting governor of the Altai Republic on June 4.
• Newly appointed Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov reportedly invited select Russian war correspondents and milbloggers to meet with him to coopt several Russian information space actors, prompting limited criticism from a prominent Russian milblogger.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Vovchansk, Siversk, and Donetsk City.
• The Russian military reportedly continues to forcibly send Russian military personnel, including those with serious medical issues, to fight in Ukraine.
• Russia continues efforts to militarize deported Ukrainian youth and prepare them for future service in the Russian armed forces.

It was indeed Russia behind the NHS cyberattack:

I can’t articulate how not shocked I am by this….. wankers!

Also not shocked. Constant arseholery at all possible levels of arseholery. Forever.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Battlefield situation is difficult, but Ukraine has chance https://kyivindependent.com/battlefield-situation-is-difficult-but-ukraine-has-chance-to-change-it-syrskyi-says/ to change it, Syrskyi says.
Russia is continuing to push on the Kurakhove, Pokrovsk, Kupiansk, and Kharkiv sectors, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said after visiting the eastern front.

⚡️Ukrainian and Chinese delegations meet https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-and-chinese-delegations-meet-for-political-consultations-in-beijing/ for political consultations in Beijing.
On June 5, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Sun Weidong.
The parties discussed bilateral cooperation and trade, and Sybiha urged China to participate in the upcoming peace summit in Switzerland.

Monthly chart: Dollar exceeds 40 hryvnias (https://kyivindependent.com/monthly-chart-dollar-exceeds-40-hryvnias-as-ukraines-budget-needs-grow/) as Ukraine's budget needs grow

⚡️Ukraine has used https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-has-used-us-weapons-to-hit-targets-inside-russia-source-tells-ap/ US weapons to hit targets inside Russia, the Associated Press (AP) reported on June 5, the first such confirmation since the White House partially lifted a ban on such actions last week.

⚡️Russia still hasn't restored https://kyivindependent.com/russia-still-hasnt-restored-ferry-crossing-in-crimea-after-ukraines-strike-military-says/ ferry crossing in Crimea after Ukraine's recent strike, military says.

⚡️ Putin threatens to supply weapons https://kyivindependent.com/putin-threatens-to-supply-weapons-to-third-parties-to-strike-west/ to other countries to strike Western targets.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 5 said Moscow could supply advanced weapons to certain regions to enable strikes against "sensitive" Western targets as a response if Ukraine strikes Russia with Western arms.

⚡️ Ukraine's military intelligence destroys Russian vessel https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-military-intelligence-destroys-russian-ship-in-black-sea-spokesperson-says/ in Black Sea, spokesperson says. The vessel, a Project 498 "Saturn" raiding tug boat, was destroyed in occupied Crimea.

⚡️12 EU countries urge https://kyivindependent.com/12-eu-countries-urge-belgium-to-speed-up-ukraine-and-moldova-eu-accession-process/ Belgium to speed up Ukraine and Moldova EU accession talks.

Kyiv struggles with rolling blackouts as officials warn of bleak months ahead https://kyivindependent.com/kyiv-struggles-with-rolling-blackouts-officials-warn-of-bleak-months-ahead/
Kyiv is once again adjusting to life without electricity as the capital faces what could be its worst energy crisis since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Authorities are trying to evacuate all children from the Zolochiv community in Kharkiv Oblast, which lies less than one kilometer from the Russia-Ukraine border, Zolochiv's military administration head Viktor Kovalenko said on June 5 in an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-conducting-mandatory-evacuation-for-children-in-kharkiv-oblast-near-border-with-russia/

⚡️France to provide https://kyivindependent.com/france-to-provide-ukraine-over-700-million-in-critical-infrastructure-support/ Ukraine over $700 million in critical infrastructure support.
The funds will primarily focus on projects related to Ukraine's transportation and energy infrastructure, hit hard by heavy Russian assaults in 2024.

⚡️Explosions, oil refinery fire reported https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-oil-refinery-fire-reported-in-russias-rostov-oblast/ in Russia's Rostov Oblast.

⚡️Zelensky arrives https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-arrives-in-qatar-to-discuss-returning-of/ in Qatar to discuss return of kidnapped Ukrainian children.

⚡️Gazprom won't recover https://kyivindependent.com/gazprom-wont-recover-losses-from-full-scale-war-report-says/ losses from full-scale war, report says.
"The main consequences of sanctions for Gazprom and the energy industry are the contraction of export volumes, which will be restored to their 2020 level no earlier than in 2035," the internal report said.

⚡️Humeniuk appointed https://kyivindependent.com/humeniuk-appointed-deputy-head-of-communications/ deputy head of communications for Southern Operation Command.

⚡️US 'micromanaging' war effort https://kyivindependent.com/us-micromanaging-war-effort-in-ukraine-johnson-says/ in Ukraine, Speaker Johnson says.

⚡️ Kakhovka power plant could be rebuilt in 6-7 years https://kyivindependent.com/kakhovka-hydroelectric-power-plant-may-be-rebuilt-in-6-7-years-but-territory-must-be-de-occupied/ once liberated, Ukrhydroenergo says.

⚡️ Hungary to participate in Ukraine's peace summit https://kyivindependent.com/hungary-to-participate-in-ukraines-peace-summit-hungarian-fm-confirms/ FM confirms. [well shit]

⚡️Politico: Stalled US F-16 training program frustrates https://kyivindependent.com/politico-stalled-us-f-16-training-program-frustrates-ukraine/ Ukraine.
Over the past several weeks, Kyiv has officially requested that the U.S. train the additional pilots at the Tucson facility. The U.S. has not granted the request, citing committments to other nations in line for F-16 training at the base.

⚡️50% of Ukrainians think https://kyivindependent.com/50-of-ukrainians-think-zelensky-failed-to-fulfill-all-or-most-of-pre-election-promises-survey-shows/ Zelensky failed to fulfill all or most pre-election promises, survey shows.

⚡️ Ukraine-bound passenger train collides https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-bound-passenger-train-collides-with-freighter-in-czechia-casualties-reported/ with freighter in Czechia, at least 4 dead.

⚡️ Russian attacks across Ukraine kill 2, injure 22 over past day.

Ragnar Gudmundsson
WAR IN #UKRAINE - JUN 6, 2024
■ Combat engagements & casualties above 7-day average
■ Record 7-day landbased equipment, vehicle & artillery losses
■ Fewer strikes on both sides; strike ratio above average
■ Janovsky: 70Ru 23Ukr added; 30-day ratio at 2.4x
■ Poternet: +425Russian KIA added; total now exceeds 79k

Also not shocked.
Destabilising the west is all part of whatever plan Putin has.

totally offtopic but laughter is good - ime our Ukrainians all had wonderful humour: https://x.com/VeteranIrish/status/1798397737756467567

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

❗️ Germany must be ready for war with Russia by 2029, — Minister of Defense Pistorius.
He noted that Russia "long ago switched to a military economy and continues to arm itself", and its victory in Ukraine will be more expensive for the West than the current aid to Kyiv.

🇫🇷A Russian citizen was arrested in France on charges of terrorism, — Reuters
French police have arrested a 26-year-old Russian citizen after he blew himself up with an explosive device in a hotel room north of Paris.

Last year, Russian forces deliberately blew up the Kakhovka Dam on the Dnipro River, causing a large-scale humanitarian and environmental disaster.
Many experts have concluded that the occupiers did this to hinder the planned Ukrainian counter-offensive. Although the dam had been under Russian control since the early days of the full-scale invasion, most of the Western media didn't do their job to report the real state of affairs, which would have led them to say that Russia was the one who committed the crime. Instead, they played with words and tried to bury their heads in the sand.
A year after this heinous crime, the Russians released footage of themselves committing it, laughing in the face of the world media at how the Kremlin got away with it. The evidence is there. The question to Western media is: "Are you still going to play the game of ‘objective’ journalism, or are you going to finally do your job and bother to actually look out of the window?” https://t.me/United24media/22456

Ukraine and the UN estimate the damages from Russia’s destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP)—which flooded southern Ukraine—at $14 billion. But this is just what can be calculated; the actual losses are much higher.
Read full article: https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/a-year-ago-russia-destroyed-the-kakhovka-hydroelectric-power-plant-today-people-still-feel-the-consequences-612

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in France.
On June 6, the President of Ukraine flew to France for negotiations and to participate in the commemorative events marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy.

In Zaporizhzhia, the Dnipro HPP dam, which was attacked by Russian terrorists a few days ago, has resumed traffic, said Ivan Fedorov, the head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration.

Yesterday the Russians hit a recreation center in the Bilhorod-Dniester district. An explosion was heard in Odesa.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

Germany's defense minister believes that his country needs to introduce a "new form of military service" and be ready for war with Russia by 2029
n 2011, Germany abolished compulsory military service. Boris Pistorius said he would present his proposals for conscription reform.
As for sending German troops to Ukraine, the minister excludes this possibility. Earlier, Olaf Scholz also spoke out against it.

Russia's Novoshakhtyn Oil Refinery (Rostov oblast) was attacked by drones
A large-scale fire broke out at the site. Local media reports that the flames reached the height of a 15-story building. A fire train was used to extinguish the fire.
In the Belgorod oblast, drones also attacked the Starooskolsk oil depot. Governor Gladkov claims that one tank is on fire.

One of the most prominent Ukrainian writers, Serhiy Zhadan, just joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces🫡

Russian woman who emigrated to Mexico in an attempt to get into the USA, just does not understand why everyone hates Russians https://t.me/liveukraine_media/21595

I don’t know if this is just me having read an account of the appalling sexual abuse and torture of 4 Ukranian POWs yesterday, but is anyone else finding the coverage and speeches of the commemorative D Day services a bit tone deaf? Absolutely nothing against the heroes or those who died, but I can’t imagine how Zelensky must feel hearing speaker after speaker saying ‘never again’.

I completely understand this, and made a similar comment to my husband last night whilst watching the news.

Absolutely! Why the pictures of those Ukrainian POW's aren't all over the Western media, particularly given the current focus on WW2, is beyond me.