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Ukraine Invasion: Part 61

1000 replies

MagicFox · 28/04/2026 15:57

Welcome to thread 61 with many thanks to all So many thanks to all contributors and a special salute to those providing daily updates. For the 61st time, Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

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AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 21/06/2026 17:48

Losing their car because it can no longer br driven anywhere, and having difficulty getting home, is likely to put yeraverage Russian slightly against Putin for having encouraged them to think holidaying in Crimea was a good idea.

MissConductUS · 21/06/2026 23:23

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 21/06/2026 11:52

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Russian forces have reinforced the facility’s defenses with an additional Pantsir anti-aircraft system. The system is located near an exit from the Moscow Ring Road (MKAD).
The unit is equipped with a protective anti-drone net, a feature typically seen on frontline equipment, and carries an incomplete ammunition load, which may indicate a shortage of anti-aircraft missiles in Russia.

Zelensky has returned Poland’s Order of the White Eagle to President Karol Nawrocki.
The Ukrainian president posted a photo from a Nova Poshta branch showing the award being shipped to the Polish presidential office.
In a statement, Zelensky said the Order of the White Eagle symbolizes Poland’s highest trust and gratitude, adding that if the distinction can remain associated with figures such as Catherine the Great, Benito Mussolini, and Gerhard Schröder, “Ukraine will not argue with that.”

If the Russians are deploying SAM batteries around Moscow with a partial magazine load they are absolutely short on air defense munitions. There is no other credible explanation.

blueshoes · 22/06/2026 01:59

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-june-20-2026/

Key Takeaways

  1. Ukrainian forces continued to systematically strike bridges and other transport infrastructure supporting Russian ground lines of communication (GLOCs) that connect occupied Kherson Oblast with Crimea.
  2. Ukrainian strikes on Russian transport and railway infrastructure are already disrupting Russian ground lines of communication (GLOCs) and worsening Russian logistics on the left bank of occupied Kherson Oblast and Crimea.
  3. Ukrainian forces continued to strike Russian oil, gas, and energy infrastructure in occupied Crimea and Russia overnight on June 19 and 20.
  4. Russian officials continue trying to mitigate rising gas prices as gas shortages spread across Russia amidst ongoing Ukrainian strikes against Russian energy infrastructure.
  5. Russian forces are trying to adapt to their use of strike drones to compensate for the sudden loss of Starlink and Ukraine’s intermediate-range strike campaign against Russian military assets and logistics in occupied Ukraine.
  6. Russian forces recently advanced in the Kostyantynivka and Pokrovsk directions.
  7. Russian forces launched 99 drones against Ukraine on the night of June 19 to 20.
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 22/06/2026 10:17

Kyiv Independent:

⚡️Thousands gather for Kyiv's largest Pride march since start of full-scale war.

Ahead of the event in support of the LGBTQ+ community, a counter-demonstration was held in Kyiv, involving supporters of "traditional family values" and far-right activists.

⚡️Former Polish lawmaker returns state honor in protest over Zelensky's award revocation.

Former Polish lawmaker Piotr Fogler said on June 20 that he had returned his state honor, the Golden Cross of Merit, in protest over Polish President Karol Nawrocki's decision to strip President Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle.

⚡️20,000 teddy bears displayed in Los Angeles to symbolize Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.

A large-scale installation of 20,000 teddy bears representing Ukrainian children allegedly abducted by Russia was displayed in Los Angeles on June 20, according to a press release published by a coalition of pro-Ukraine organizations.

⚡️Trump plans to ask US defense firms to produce air defense missiles under license in Ukraine, Zelensky says.

U.S. President Donald Trump plans to ask U.S. defense firms to produce air defense missiles under production licenses in Ukraine and Europe, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a June 21 interview.

⚡️Ukrainian drones bombard occupied territories, Russia in overnight strikes.

Ukrainian drones targeted a power plant in occupied Crimea, with additional strikes reported in other occupied territories and Russia's Moscow Oblast overnight on June 22, social media channels reported.

They attack with everything at once’ — How Russia exploits Ukraine’s vulnerability to ballistic missiles

On June 2, Russia carried out its largest ballistic and hypersonic missile attack of the year. On June 15, it nearly surpassed that record.

The attacks point to a disturbing change in tactics: The Kremlin may be refining a new model of strikes on Ukrainian cities, relying on concentrated salvos of ballistic and hypersonic missiles to inflict maximum damage as Ukraine faces a growing shortage of Patriot interceptors.

⚡️ Breaking: British PM Starmer announces resignation.

Starmer’s departure is likely to trigger a leadership contest and deepen political uncertainty in one of Ukraine’s most vital allies.

⚡️ These are the indicative estimates of Russia’s combat losses as of June 22, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 22/06/2026 10:31

Live:Ukraine

⚡️ Many partners have shown solidarity and condemned President Nawrocki's actions, said Foreign Minister Sybiha.

The minister emphasized that Ukraine remains grateful to the Polish state and people for their support. At the same time, President Nawrocki is currently a "destroyer of the positive achievements we have recently made."

According to Sybiha, Kyiv will not tolerate "disrespect for the Ukrainian soldier, the Ukrainian people, and our right to our own history" and will act in a mirror-like manner.

"It is important to set emotions aside. We have mechanisms, prior positive experience, and the will. Ukraine is ready for honest and equal dialogue," he stated.

The minister also added that on Monday, he would report to President Zelensky on preparations for the Ukraine Recovery Conference (Gdańsk, June 25–26), particularly regarding the "modalities of its holding."

▪️Yesterday, Sybiha also refused a high Polish state award. Similarly, Head of the Presidential Office Budanov, as well as former presidents Kuchma, Yushchenko, and Poroshenko, did the same.

⚡️ Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Russian leader, stated that Moscow expects "victory" and the realization of its own goals, rather than the implementation of agreements reached during the Putin-Trump meeting in Anchorage.

Ushakov accused "one of the parties" to the Anchorage agreements of being unable to fulfill them.

"Currently, one side continues to adhere to the agreements discussed in Anchorage, while the other side, it appears — and this can now be said — has proved unable to complete its part of the path and implement the agreements," Putin's aide said.

⚡️ Russia struck the Lavra, Ukraine attacked Moscow, and the Polish president revoked Zelensky's order. The week's top stories.

🔷 On Monday, a Russian strike drone hit the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyivan Pechersk Lavra. The altar and about 80% of the building's roof were damaged. On Friday, the Lavra partially resumed operations.

🔶 The same day, a Cabinet of Ministers resolution on experimental military contracts came into effect. The project will run for two years.

🔷 Also on Monday, the EU opened the first negotiating cluster, "Fundamentals," for Ukraine and Moldova. Five more clusters remain to be opened — the EU hopes to do so in July.

🔶 On Tuesday and Thursday, Ukrainian drones struck the Moscow Oil Refinery — just 15 km from the Kremlin. Thursday's attack was described as the largest strike on Moscow since the start of the war. President Zelensky said it was a response to the strike on the Lavra.

🔷 On Friday, Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle — over Zelensky's decision to name a Special Operations Forces center after the "Heroes of the UPA." Following this, presidents Kuchma, Yushchenko, and Poroshenko returned their Orders of the White Eagle. Head of the Presidential Office Budanov, Foreign Minister Sybiha, and former Prime Minister Groysman refused their other Polish awards.

⚡️ "Not once have I given my own name to a unit — it is exclusively their initiative. If historical figures motivate them, I must do everything they tell me," — Zelensky on naming the Special Operations Forces Center "North" after the Heroes of the UPA.

"Karol Nawrocki said that the decree should be rescinded. Well, excuse me, this is our matter, and Poland must understand that. Beyond historical issues, there is also respect for the present: without Ukraine, no one will be able to defend Poland," he said.

In Zelensky's opinion, the Polish president's decision reflects a political struggle fueled by stoking hatred toward Ukrainians, as well as an electoral process ahead of the 2027 elections.

The president also recalled that during their first meeting, Nawrocki gave him a book about the Volhynia tragedy: "I didn't talk about it, I didn't hold a press conference. I lived with it calmly. Now we are speaking about it openly because he is taking steps that I consider wrong."

Meanwhile, in Poland, a group of activists has decided to award Zelensky and the Ukrainian people their own order.

"With this gesture, we show that the majority of Poles cannot be turned against Ukrainians. We have helped and will continue to help. We do not need the consent of politicians to treat others with dignity," their statement reads.

⚡️ Russia attacked Ukraine with a missile and 88 UAVs; air defense shot down 79 drones. Here is what is known about the aftermath of the attacks:

🔷 Sumy region. In the Shostka district, the Russians attacked a large family's home. A 13-year-old boy, his father, and grandmother were killed. Three other family members were injured.

🔶 Zaporizhzhia. One woman was killed and three other people were injured in a Russian attack on the city. Among the wounded is an 11-year-old boy.

🔷 Odesa region. The Russians struck two civilian vessels. A crew member on a ship flying the Panamanian flag — a 58-year-old cook from Egypt — was killed. Ships under the flags of Palau and Belize were also attacked.

⚡️ Overnight, explosions were reported in the temporarily occupied territories and several regions of Russia. The targets included:

🔷 Moscow and the Moscow region;
🔶 Railway station in Berdyansk (Zaporizhzhia region);
🔷 Feodosia, Sevastopol, and other areas of temporarily occupied Crimea;
🔶 Taurida Thermal Power Plant (Crimea);
🔷 Substation near Henichesk (Kherson region);
🔶 Pryazovske area on the land corridor to Crimea;
🔷 Area near Bryansk railway station.

In Armyansk (Crimea), a building of the FSB Border Service caught fire following a strike. Satellites showed a major fire, with eyewitnesses reporting detonations.

Due to the drone attack, Moscow authorities halted operations at all major airports. The attack on the Russian capital is still ongoing, according to local officials. Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its air defense allegedly shot down 301 drones overnight. The mayor of Moscow said the region was attacked by at least 80 drones.

❗️Five earthquakes with magnitudes of up to 4.2 were recorded in Crimea.

According to the Main Center for Special Monitoring, the earthquake's epicenter was near the Crimean coast at a depth of 10 km.

Under the earthquake classification, it is considered strongly perceptible.

⚡️ The office of President Nawrocki has responded as to why the Order of the White Eagle is held by Catherine II, Benito Mussolini, and Gerhard Schröder.

The head of the Polish president's chancellery stated that it is "impossible" to strip Mussolini and Catherine II of the order, as "Poland does not posthumously revoke orders."

In addition, she stated that Gerhard Schröder — who also holds the Order of the White Eagle and is known for his ties to Russia and Putin — "has never insulted the Polish people as openly as the President of Ukraine has," although "his activities on behalf of Putin's Russia should be condemned as harmful to Poland and Europe."

The minister also remarked that Zelensky "did not complain about the order when he received it in 2023," and has now "deliberately offended people who have proven to be Ukraine's best friends" by returning the order via courier.

notimagain · 22/06/2026 10:34

The Ukraine attack on the Antipinsky (Tyumen) refinery a day or two back got reported by the MSM but it's significance maybe wasn't noticed by the same....

.www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/21/ukraine-war-briefing-drones-strike-russia-tyumen-oil-refinery-2000km-away-says-zelenskyy

Some of the SMEs have however picked up on the fact that the attack means the Ukrainians now have the range to hit some industrial facilities very important to the Russian military, including some targets associated with Russia's nuclear weapons production........

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 22/06/2026 10:39

United 24 Media:

⚡️ In temporarily occupied Crimea, damage to power grid infrastructure has caused partial blackouts across the North-West, Central, and South Coast energy districts.

According to reports, most pumping stations operated by the Russian company “Water of Crimea” have lost power as a result of the large-scale outage.

The disruptions have affected electricity supply in several areas of the peninsula.

⚡️ The Russian military-industrial complex has reached its limits, while Russian troops have largely lost their offensive momentum, according to the Financial Times.

The publication reports that Russia’s defense industry is operating close to maximum capacity. Western intelligence sources told the FT that production has effectively plateaued across most sectors, with the exception of drones and long-range strike weapons, where the Kremlin continues to concentrate significant resources.

The effects are increasingly visible on the battlefield. According to analysts from Black Bird Group, Russian forces captured 164 square kilometers between February and May, compared to 1,151 square kilometers during the same period last year. Ukrainian drone strikes targeting logistics routes, airfields, convoys, and oil refineries are gradually reducing Russia’s advantages in manpower and artillery.

At the same time, Russian leader Vladimir Putin reportedly remains convinced that victory is only a matter of time. Former Kremlin officials told the FT that he receives updates from Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov as often as twice a day and continues to be strongly influenced by military commanders who assure him the situation remains under control.

Despite these challenges, Russia retains substantial strike capabilities. It continues to deploy large numbers of drones and missiles against Ukrainian cities and is using loitering munitions extensively along the front line. Financial Times experts believe that without a new wave of mobilization, Moscow will struggle to regain momentum and may seek alternative ways to increase pressure on Ukraine.

⚡️ Russia is no longer expecting the Anchorage agreements to be fulfilled, but is instead focused on achieving victory and its own objectives, Putin aide Yuri Ushakov said in an interview with propagandist Pavel Zarubin.

“At the moment, one side remains committed to the understandings discussed in Anchorage, while the other side, apparently, has not quite proven capable of fulfilling its part of the agreement,” Ushakov said, referring to the United States.

Therefore, according to Ushakov, Russia is no longer expecting those agreements to be implemented and will instead pursue victory and the achievement of its own goals.

❗️A state of emergency has been declared in Sevastopol, Crimea. The occupying authorities have introduced a curfew, cancelled all outdoor events, and banned exterior lighting.

Cafes, restaurants, and shopping centers will be allowed to operate only until 8:00 p.m.

Residents have also been instructed to significantly reduce electricity consumption.

⚡️ Ukrainians in temporarily occupied Crimea, sorry for the constant air raid alerts, closed bridges and roads, darkness, communication outages, and stress. Stay away from military facilities and anything flammable, and be careful. The ‘Bird’ works with precision, but when one cuts down a forest, wood chips will always fly. There is no other way to drive one million occupiers off the peninsula, said the commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert ‘Madyar’ Brovdi.

“Moscow and the bunker grandfather will cling to Crimea until the very end, treating it as the main trophy of the war, even if it becomes an island.

Of course, it remains a pillar of the ideology of greatness and a source of numerous benefits, including the Russian Federation’s so-called ‘internal Azov reservoir.’

Nevertheless, Crimea as a launchpad for attacks against Ukraine is already becoming a military absurdity.

The recipe for borshch from the freedom-loving Ukrainian Bird continues to work: the collapse of air defense, the crippling of what remains of the fleet, disruption of the shadow economy, total resource and logistical exhaustion, a tourism default, an energy desert, a transport lockdown, and more.

Keep subsidizing it, Grandpa Bunker [Putin — ed.] but do not dream of controlling it. Things will never be the way they were before. We know how to work effectively.

Crimea will bring Moscow down. This is a psychological breaking point, the hidden needle of Koshchei-Sukhorebryk [Putin’s — ed.] lies right under our noses.

All dictatorships collapse suddenly — think of any example. Today, Moscow’s Crimea is stuck. A suitcase without a handle is a heavy burden.”

⚡️ Modern history is shaping a new reality for Ukraine and Poland. Bound by shared values, deep European ties, and a common enemy, the two nations stand united. For instance, the immediate support shown by the Polish people since the start of the Russian full-scale invasion remains a defining example of solidarity between two countries.

⚡️ In total, this week Russian forces launched about 2,200 strike drones, over 1,800 guided aerial bombs, and 87 missiles of various types against Ukraine, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“Just yesterday, five people were killed and 26 were injured as a result of Russian air defense strikes in Zaporizhzhia. Unfortunately, two people were killed and 12 were injured in Poltava, including six children, as a result of shelling. My condolences to the relatives and friends.

The Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, Sumy, Donetsk, Kirovohrad and Rivne regions were also under shelling. Our frontline and border communities are constantly under drone attacks.

It is really important that, against the background of these attacks, the G7 and European Council summits, as well as UDCG meetings, were effective and made new contributions to strengthening our defense. I am grateful to our partners for their unity. Now it is no less important to quickly implement everything, first of all, the supply of air defense missiles, so that the new contributions provide real protection for lives from constant Russian strikes. Thank you to everyone who helps.”

⚡️ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine has developed upgraded long-range drones capable of striking targets at distances of up to 3,000 kilometers, highlighting the country’s expanding deep-strike capabilities against Russian military and industrial infrastructure.

❗️Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with a ballistic missile and 88 drones. Air defense forces neutralized 79 UAVs.

A ballistic missile and five drones hit six locations.

In Zaporizhzhia, a woman was killed in the attack. Three other people were injured.

⚡️ The occupying authorities in temporarily occupied Crimea have suspended the admission of children to camps and sanatoriums until the end of the summer.

“From 11:00 a.m. on June 22 until September 1, 2026, a temporary suspension is introduced on the booking of places, admission, and accommodation of children and groups of children in children’s recreation and health facilities located on the territory of the republic, as well as in other accommodation facilities for participation in various tourist and other events,” said the occupied head of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov.

In the comments under his post, residents of the peninsula asked Aksyonov what will happen with schooling after September 1, but so far the occupying authorities have not provided an answer.

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 22/06/2026 10:42

Kyiv Post:

⚡️ Polish Prime Minister Tusk has moved to cool rising tensions between Poland and Ukraine, warning that the political clash sparked by President Nawrocki’s decision to strip Zelensky of Poland’s highest state honor risks harming both nations.

⚡️ Zelensky compared Polish President Nawrocki to Orbán, accusing him of exploiting anti-Ukrainian sentiment for political gain.

The Ukrainian president said Nawrocki’s decision to revoke his top Polish state honor was driven by domestic politics and warned that “you can’t earn political dividends from hatred” without damaging long-term relations between the two nations.

⚡️ Foreign Minister Sybiha stated that a decision regarding Ukraine’s participation in the June 25-26 Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk, Poland, will be made on Monday following a briefing with President Zelensky.

The announcement occurs amid a deepening diplomatic dispute sparked by Polish President Karol Nawrocki’s decision to revoke Zelensky’s Order of the White Eagle.

⚡️ Ukrainian drones reportedly targeted the Sborka (VZPP-S) semiconductor plant in Russia’s Voronezh region, one of the country’s leading microelectronics manufacturers.

The facility produces transistors, microchips, and power modules used in the guidance systems of Iskander and Kalibr missiles, as well as S-400 air defense systems, making it a key supplier of electronic components for Russia’s defense industry.

blueshoes · 22/06/2026 10:48

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-june-21-2026/

Key Takeaways

  1. Ukrainian forces are conducting a strike campaign to deny Russia’s ability to sustain logistics and transport fuel across the Kerch Strait.
  2. Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil and transport infrastructure are already disrupting Russian logistics, straining energy supplies, and worsening fuel shortages across occupied Crimea.
  3. The Kerch Strait strikes are part of an ongoing systematic Ukrainian campaign to deny Russian forces the use of the main ground lines of communication (GLOCs) to occupied Crimea via occupied southern Ukraine.
  4. Russian forces advanced in the Dobropillya tactical area, but this advance is not likely to be recent.
  5. Russian forces launched four missiles and 105 drones at Ukraine overnight.
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 22/06/2026 12:49

notimagain · 22/06/2026 10:34

The Ukraine attack on the Antipinsky (Tyumen) refinery a day or two back got reported by the MSM but it's significance maybe wasn't noticed by the same....

.www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/21/ukraine-war-briefing-drones-strike-russia-tyumen-oil-refinery-2000km-away-says-zelenskyy

Some of the SMEs have however picked up on the fact that the attack means the Ukrainians now have the range to hit some industrial facilities very important to the Russian military, including some targets associated with Russia's nuclear weapons production........

I wonder just how much of all this Putin is aware of.

From the Ukrainian side's reporting, most of his info comes from Gerasimov and Putin seems to genuinely believe that victory is within his grasp.

(guessing here, but both sides seem as if they are rather fragile for one reason only: lack of soldiers).

MissConductUS · 22/06/2026 20:35

Fuel shortages and high fuel prices are hindering agricultural production in Russia.

https://charter97.org/en/news/2026/6/22/688601/

Fuel supplies are going first to the military, then to the cities, leaving rural areas lacking. If crops don’t go in now, there will be nothing to harvest later. Widespread shortages will lead to higher prices and the need to spend hard currency on imports. If Russia can’t import enough food to make up for the lost harvest, they may have to ration food or risk rioting.

In other words, everything is going according to the plan and Russia is winning.
🤣

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 23/06/2026 10:03

All is under control, it's all part of the plan @MissConductUS

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 23/06/2026 11:18

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Poland's president not invited to Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdansk. Internal Polish affair, says Kyiv.
"It wouldn't be appropriate for us to invite the president of Poland to an event in a Polish city; it's an internal Polish matter," presidential advisor Dmytro Lytvyn told journalists.

⚡️Belarusian opposition warns Ukraine of plans for Minsk to enter war.
The document, created by the United Transition Cabinet of Belarus, outlines clear policy areas pointing to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's domestic shift towards a wartime posture. [When was this document created?]

⚡️ Exclusive: Ukraine believes it secured Trump’s backing to act ‘more boldly’ toward Russia.
Ukraine now believes it has secured White House backing for a campaign aimed at forcing Russia into meaningful negotiations, the Kyiv Independent has learned.
U.S. President Donald Trump privately told President Volodymyr Zelensky to act “more boldly,” a senior Ukrainian official briefed on the recent Trump-Zelensky meeting told the Kyiv Independent.

⚡️Putin, Lukashenko to discuss Zelensky's ultimatum to Belarus, Kremlin says.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko plan to meet in the near future to discuss an ultimatum that President Volodymyr Zelensky recently issued to Minsk.

⚡️ In joint appeal, Ukrainian and Polish media sound alarm over crisis in relations.
Six Polish and Ukrainian media outlets issued a rare joint appeal on June 23, warning that escalating tensions between the two countries risk playing into Russia’s hands.

⚡️Polish Senate deputy speaker returns Ukrainian state awards amid deepening rift.
Michal Kaminski linked his decision to "the actions and statements of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, which were supported by all former presidents of Ukraine and the vast majority of the Ukrainian political class."

⚡️ Russian attack damages production facility of Ukraine’s FPV giant.
“This is war. We were prepared for such events,” the company’s founder, Yaroslav Gryshyn, said. “The enemy will not succeed in stopping us.”

⚡️Estonia receives first medium-range air defense system.
The newly acquired IRIS-T SLM system will allow Estonia to engage aerial threats at greater distances and higher altitudes than its existing short-range air defense systems, according to the Estonian Defense Forces.

⚡️ Drone carrying explosives found in Estonia after Ukrainian strike on Russia.
Estonian officials said the crashed drone may be linked to a Ukrainian aerial attack against northwestern Russia on June 3.

⚡️ Update: Zelensky thanks Starmer for support as British PM announces resignation.

⚡️Children's camps in Crimea suspended amid Ukrainian strikes on Russian logistics.

As war reaches home, Russia's carefully managed elections face a reality check
In Russia, where elections offer little real uncertainty, the Kremlin still stages the ritual of competition — a carefully managed exercise designed not to choose leaders but to reinforce President Vladimir Putin's claim to legitimacy.
With the upcoming parliamentary elections set for Sept. 20, the Kremlin's political wing is tasked with a risky endeavour — mustering up high numbers for Putin's United Russia party in a country stuck with decreasing living standards, extensive internet shutdowns, fuel shortages, and a war that is finally hitting close to home.

Children are the bellwethers of Ukraine's post-war recovery
"The recovery of Ukraine after the war will, in large part, depend on what happens to Ukraine's children who have suffered greatly," writes Irwin Redlener, Senior advisor to the Institute for Global Politics at Columbia University, in his op-ed.
"For children growing up in war, government and policymakers must develop strategies to address the specific challenges that face its youngest citizens."

⚡️Driver hospitalized as Russian strike destroys trolleybus in Sumy Oblast.

[21-22 June 26] ⚡️10 killed, 48 injured in Russian strikes across Ukraine over past day as family killed in Sumy drone attack.
In Sumy Oblast, a Russian drone struck a home, killing a 13-year-old boy, his 36-year-old father, and his 73-year-old grandmother.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦‬
‪@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social‬

⚡️ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — JUN 23, 2026
) ■ Record high losses of land-based equipment and unarmored vehicles (including fuel trucks)
■ Casualties above average despite fewer engagements; no territorial changes confirmed
■ Three-week visually confirmed equipment batch: 0.5x 🇷🇺/🇺🇦 (75:139)
■ 🇷🇺 overnight attacks: drones above average; interception rate could be better
■ All 🇷🇺 strike indicators below average; 18 🇺🇦 strikes reported and 250 drones launched into 🇷🇺; 30-day strike ratio continues to improve

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 23/06/2026 11:28

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

The first negotiation cluster has just been opened, and from this point on, each candidate country will be responsible for its own progress. Ukraine’s and Moldova’s paths toward EU membership will no longer be synchronized, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the Moldova–EU summit.
According to her, this step is necessary because the candidate countries must implement different reforms.

❗️In June, Russian forces have been losing more than 1,000 personnel per day, the first time this has occurred consistently since spring 2025.
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, daily Russian losses ranged from 1,200 to 1,500 personnel on most days, falling below 1,200 only three times.

🇧🇾 The Belarusian opposition has submitted a report to Ukraine detailing what it describes as preparations by the regime of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko for possible participation in the war alongside Russia.
The 30-page document was delivered to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry by Pavel Latushka, Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, following agreements reached during the opposition's visit to Kyiv in May.
According to the report:
▪️ Belarus has amended its Constitution and military doctrine, allowing for “preventive strikes” and the deployment of Belarusian troops abroad. The opposition argues that these changes have effectively ended Belarus's status as a neutral and nuclear-free state.
▪️ The number of contract servicemen has reportedly increased by 50% since 2022, while the mobilization reserve is estimated at 289,000 personnel. Authorities are creating a Southern Operational Command and forming a so-called “people’s militia.”
▪️ Defense spending has increased fivefold over the past four years. The report claims that Belarus’s defense industry is now deeply integrated with Russia’s military-industrial complex, with more than 4,000 new pieces of military equipment entering service in 2024 alone.
▪️ Military integration with Russia has intensified, including the permanent presence of Russian forces, deployment of tactical nuclear weapons, and the stationing of the Oreshnik missile system. Belarusian troops are also reportedly receiving training from former Wagner instructors.
▪️ Defensive fortifications are being constructed along the borders with Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania, while transportation infrastructure is being upgraded to accommodate Russian heavy military equipment.
▪️ Wartime civil defense measures have expanded, including inspections of thousands of bomb shelters, regular testing of warning systems, and new medical triage procedures for wartime conditions.
▪️ Strategic reserves are being increased. Fuel stockpiles have reportedly been doubled, and recent legislation allows civilian transport assets to be requisitioned and organized into military convoys during martial law.
▪️ Large-scale military exercises continue throughout 2026, which the opposition describes as a mechanism for testing mobilization systems and maintaining a heightened state of military readiness.
“The report provided to the Ukrainian side not only documents these dangerous trends, but also offers specific recommendations for preventing the worst-case scenario and deterring the aggressive ambitions of the Lukashenko regime,” the Belarusian opposition said.

Russia is strengthening the Crimean Bridge’s defenses against naval drones.
Google Maps has updated its satellite imagery of the Kerch Strait. The new high-resolution images show layered defenses around the bridge, including barges, booms, protective structures, and air defense positions.

Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov: Since the beginning of the year, Ukraine’s Defense Forces have struck more than 800,000 Russian targets using drones.

🤬 In Zaporizhzhia region, Russian drones destroyed the historic Myklashevsky Estate, a unique architectural monument in the village of Bilenke.
On the morning of June 22, Russian forces reportedly struck the estate with three drones, causing a fire that completely destroyed the building.

Minus “Pantsir-S2” in the Zaporizhzhia direction.
According to reports, Russian forces attempted to conceal the air defense system in an underground shelter, but drone strikes led to its destruction and the equipment was completely burned out.

❗️Seven people were injured as a result of Russian attacks on Zaporizhzhia and Zaporizhzhia district, according to the head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, Ivan Fedorov.
During the day, Russian forces launched 1,050 strikes on 56 settlements across Zaporizhzhia region.
According to Fedorov, the attacks included:
▪️ 18 air strikes
▪️ 769 UAV strikes of various types, primarily FPV drones
▪️ 3 MLRS attacks
▪️ 260 artillery strikes
A total of 169 reports were received regarding damage to residential buildings, vehicles, and civilian infrastructure.

❗️One person was killed and eight others were injured as a result of Russian attacks on Kharkiv and 16 settlements across the region, according to Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Head Oleh Syniehubov.
Russian forces launched UAV strikes on the Kyivskyi, Saltivskyi, and Nemyshlianskyi districts of Kharkiv.
According to Syniehubov, the enemy used a variety of weapons across the region:
▪️ Three missiles;
▪️ One Lancet loitering munition;
▪️ Nine Molniya-type UAVs;
▪️ 13 FPV drones;
▪️ 16 UAVs of an unidentified type.
Civilian infrastructure facilities were damaged and destroyed as a result of the attacks.

🇵🇱 Activists in Poland have created the “Civil Order of the Future” to honor President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people.
The initiative was launched in response to a decision by Polish President Karol Nawrocki to revoke the Order of the White Eagle that had been awarded to Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people in 2023.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 23/06/2026 11:36

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Ukraine is set to receive the first €3.2 billion tranche of the EU’s €90 billion loan package during the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk on June 25–26, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
A second €5.9 billion tranche earmarked to support Ukraine’s military is also expected to be disbursed by the end of June, a European official said.

Russia is ready for dialogue with the European Union, Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov said.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said Moscow is ready to resume “serious” peace talks with Ukraine.
He also said he does not want to believe the Alaska meeting was intended to buy time for arming Kyiv, although “events unfolded exactly that way.”

A massive fire broke out in Kerch, Russian-occupied Crimea, following reported strikes, with local sources suggesting a thermal power plant (TPP) was hit.
Russian Telegram channels report that nearly half of Crimea has been left without electricity. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/78770

Germany will provide Ukraine with 600 air defense missiles, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced.

Russia would need to assemble around 70,000 troops to launch a major offensive from Belarus, but Ukraine is working to prevent such a scenario, National Guard Commander Maj. Gen. Oleksandr Pivnenko said.
He added that Ukrainian forces are monitoring the northern border around the clock and are prepared for any potential attack.

The Kremlin is expanding its recruitment drive, with regional authorities targeting debtors and former prisoners to replenish mounting battlefield losses.
According to Atesh and Russian local reports, officials have intensified street raids to pressure vulnerable men into signing military contracts, echoing earlier reports of forced recruitment in Russia’s Penza region.

Polish President Nawrocki rejected claims by President Zelensky that the decision to strip him of Poland’s highest state honor was driven by domestic political considerations.
Nawrocki said the dispute concerns historical issues and Poland’s rejection of symbols associated with Ukrainian nationalist movements.

“There’s no gasoline. The buses have stopped. Even getting to a doctor is a problem” — a resident of Russian-occupied Crimea described worsening fuel shortages and transportation disruptions in a phone call intercepted by Ukraine’s intel.

Ukraine has carried out its first legal dispensing of medical cannabis-based medicines, with a multiple sclerosis patient and two war veterans receiving treatment in Vinnytsia.
The milestone marks the practical launch of a system created after medical cannabis was legalized in 2024.

Beach season is closed.”
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry warned tourists to stay away from Russian-occupied Crimea after strikes on fuel depots, gas compressor stations, air defenses, and radar sites, saying the peninsula is becoming increasingly unsafe as fuel shortages and logistical disruptions mount.

Putin’s forces struck Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih with ballistic missiles, damaging industrial infrastructure.
Information on casualties is being clarified, while emergency and rescue operations remain ongoing.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 23/06/2026 11:43

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

The Russians struck one of the facilities of the company "General Cherry" — it has been damaged, the company's founder Yaroslav Hryshyn reported.
The company is currently assessing the damage.
"General Cherry" is a Ukrainian defence-tech company that develops and manufactures strike FPV drones, fiber-optic UAVs, interceptor drones, and fixed-wing UAVs. The company produces approximately 100,000 drones per month.

🇭🇳Honduras will purchase drones from Ukraine to combat drug trafficking and protect its borders, said the country's President Nasry Asfura.
Honduras is used as a transit route for drug trafficking from the north to the south of the Americas. At the same time, Honduras has a high crime rate, and the homicide rate is nearly four times higher than the average.

Interceptor pilots of the 118th Separate Mechanized Brigade destroyed 61 Russian "Molniya" drones in a single day, setting a Ukrainian record for UAV interceptions.
The previous highest figure among Ukrainian military personnel was 44 drones shot down in a day.

The Russians struck the Sumy, Kherson, and Dnipropetrovsk regions — there is one fatality and several wounded. Here is what is known about the aftermath:
🔴Sumy region. In Bilopillia and Hlukhiv, one person was injured. Fires broke out and were extinguished.
🔴Kherson region. Kherson and Molodetske came under fire — four people were wounded. Homes, apartment buildings, educational institutions, administrative buildings, and vehicles were damaged.
🔴Dnipropetrovsk region. One person was killed, and nine others were injured. A post office, gas station, homes, apartment buildings, vehicles, and a school were also damaged. Fires broke out.
🔴Kharkiv region. A drone struck near an apartment building in Kharkiv — a woman was injured.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 23/06/2026 11:44

Interesting if true - From United24 Media. Although I can't help wonder who the hell would answer an FSB poll honestly if they were anti-war!

Closed polls have shown Russians are tired of the war: they demand an end to it at any cost, including a nuclear strike on Ukraine. But Putin’s security detail, the Federal Protective Service, may be behind these studies.

The poll data was obtained by the Russian outlet FariDaily from journalist Farida Rustamova, who has previously worked with opposition media.

According to sources, the surveys were conducted ahead of the United Russia primaries in May, and the mood among respondents reportedly surprised members of the ruling party.

“In focus groups, voters are no longer shy about saying: we need a solution. We’re waiting for a solution — for the war to end one way or another.

If you can hit them with something, hit them. If you can do something else, do something else. But do it already.”

However, this isn’t about a growing number of anti-war Russians: those who want the war to end quickly are little concerned about the fate of Ukraine or the “results of the Second World War.” The majority of respondents—over 60%—express fatigue with various aspects of the war.

The number of people prepared for a less-than-victorious outcome in the “SVO” is growing, the article states.

A high-ranking source close to the government asserts that “war fatigue isn’t limited to ordinary Russians; it’s present in everyone.”

Alongside the FariDaily publication, an investigation was released by the opposition Russian news agency Verstka on the sociology of wartime in Russia.

It states, in particular, that the Federal Protective Service of the Russian Federation (FSO) conducts closed opinion polls and monitors social media to assess public sentiment.

To address these issues, the FSO has a special closed sociological unit.

This unit conducts secret public opinion polls directly for the president and the country’s top officials.

The results of these secret studies regularly supplement official open statistics. The Russian leadership uses this classified data when making key political decisions.

The FSO conducts approximately 500 sociological studies annually, with a total sample size of over 400,000 respondents (by comparison, conventional sociological services typically use samples of 2,000–5,000 people).

The FSO’s activities in this area are based on Putin’s Decree No. 1013 of 2004, which mandates that the FSO provide government agencies with information based on ongoing monitoring of socioeconomic and sociopolitical processes in the country.

The FSB is now directly responsible for the persecution of dissidents.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 23/06/2026 11:48

So it looks like this spat about the medals between Poland and Ukraine really is politically motivated and the Prime Minister is very anti-Ukraine.

Tusk's in for a difficult time.

Poland is becoming more and more powerful and this US administration seems to support the current Polish government.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 23/06/2026 11:51

Following that report about the FSB's opinion polls, i wonder if Russia really would use some nuclear weopons if they lose too badly.

The world's outrage would be immense, but in the long term it would vastly increase the world's trepidation of Russia too which Russia will only capitalize on.

notimagain · 23/06/2026 12:12

@ReleaseTheDucksOfWar

*Minus “Pantsir-S2” in the Zaporizhzhia direction.
According to reports, Russian forces attempted to conceal the air defense system in an underground shelter, *

Errors, yeeessss...... Things like radar, SAMs and Anti-Aircraft artillery work really really well when hunkered underground.................

That really doesn't look like winning...

MissConductUS · 23/06/2026 13:01

notimagain · 23/06/2026 12:12

@ReleaseTheDucksOfWar

*Minus “Pantsir-S2” in the Zaporizhzhia direction.
According to reports, Russian forces attempted to conceal the air defense system in an underground shelter, *

Errors, yeeessss...... Things like radar, SAMs and Anti-Aircraft artillery work really really well when hunkered underground.................

That really doesn't look like winning...

Agreed. One thing to keep in mind is that casualties among Russian air defense crews must be extremely high. Their equipment is a high-priority, high-value target for Ukrainian drones. And it can't be managed remotely. Air defense crews have to be in close proximity to reload launchers, operate command stations, and perform other tasks. So when the equipment is hit, the crews die too.

I suspect that it's more about the crews trying to take shelter than saving the equipment. But either way, they've abandoned the fight and left the assets they're supposed to protect defenseless.

blueshoes · 23/06/2026 13:33

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 23/06/2026 11:51

Following that report about the FSB's opinion polls, i wonder if Russia really would use some nuclear weopons if they lose too badly.

The world's outrage would be immense, but in the long term it would vastly increase the world's trepidation of Russia too which Russia will only capitalize on.

That is a fear. What would Putin do if he were cornered and run out of road. It would destroy his hopes of an imperialist legacy but maybe he does not care.

Hopefully China can pull him back from the brink.

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 23/06/2026 13:47

I rather hope that his close circle would prefer not to have Moscow nuked with them in it and would take steps to stop him, if only by judicious inaction.

DuncinToffee · 23/06/2026 18:48

Catfished

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
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