The European Union has transferred 1 billion euros in macro-financial assistance to Ukraine, Ursula von der Leyen said. According to her, the total amount that the EU has transferred to Kiev has almost reached 150 billion euros.
“Ukraine is not interested in continuing negotiations with Russia if they do not include a substantive discussion on the ceasefire,” said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga.
Controversy continues over the transfer of the Patriot system from Israel to Ukraine. “Israel has transferred Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine anyway,” Ukrainian aviation expert Khazan said. “There is a very respected person, the Israeli ambassador to Ukraine. He said that Israel has done everything possible to ensure that Patriot systems are available in Ukraine. I trust this person. After all, fortunately, the transfer of Patriot air defense systems from Israel to Ukraine has taken place,” he said. President Volodymyr Zelensky also intervened on the issue, commenting on the statement of Israeli ambassador Misha Brodsky: “Israel has handed over one Patriot battery to the United States, which is currently being modernized and repaired, it is not yet in Ukraine.” Zelensky also said that: “Since the beginning of June, the Russian military has used about 2,800 attack drones, nearly 3,000 guided air bombs and 140 missiles of various types against Ukraine.”
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has returned to the issue of arms deliveries to Ukraine, saying: “Serbia does not send weapons to Russia or Ukraine, despite allegations of possible deliveries through third countries.”
The Russians are reportedly able to see electronic warfare systems from satellites across Ukraine: “The Russian military is building routes for geraniums, bypassing this protection,” Ukrainian radio technology specialist Flash reported. Russia uses low-orbit electronic reconnaissance satellites for this purpose. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, about half of the geraniums that do not reach their target are diverted by electronic warfare systems.
Russia has tested promising laser systems to counter drones, the Russian government press service reported. The event was organized by the Council of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia with the participation of defense companies: companies that are part of the Rostec State Corporation and organizations of the Rosatom State Corporation.
The main goal of the tests was a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of the latest laser systems in conditions as close as possible to real ones. During the tests, the accuracy of guidance, range, reaction speed of the systems to moving air targets, as well as their resistance to different weather conditions were checked.
The tests involved 8 systems of countermeasures for unmanned aerial vehicles of different power, from compact mobile units to high-power. stationary systems, which allowed us to obtain the most complete data on the capabilities of modern laser technologies in the fight against unmanned threats.
The tests confirmed the characteristics declared by the manufacturers and the correctness of the chosen directions for the development of integrated defense systems for critical infrastructure from unmanned aerial vehicles.
Over the weekend, the delivery of bodies of Ukrainian servicemen from Russia to Ukraine was completed in the amount of 6,000. For the first time since the beginning of the Second World War, a train ran along the railway between Ukraine and Belarus to return the fallen of the Ukrainian armed forces. An SBU video shows bodies being transported to Gornostayevka station in the Chernichiv region, the closest station to Belarus. Until February 2022, passenger and cargo traffic was carried out on the railway line between Chernigov and Gomel. Ukraine has not handed over bodies of Russian servicemen. “Russia has thus fulfilled its promises made in Istanbul: 6,060 bodies of deceased officers and soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been handed over to the Ukrainian side,” Medinsky said. “78 of our dead have been received by that side. Prisoner exchanges are also underway. Urgent medical transfers of seriously wounded from the front line have been initiated,” Medinsky added.
The Russian Federation and Ukraine have begun so-called medical exchanges of wounded servicemen, a source told Interfax. Seriously wounded Russian servicemen are also returning and will be transferred to the Russian Federation for treatment and rehabilitation assistance at the medical facilities of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
And now a look at the front line as of 15:30 on June 16. The Russian Armed Forces carried out night strikes with “Geraniums” on Kiev, Lozova, Pavlohrad, Brovary, as well as in the regions of Khmelnytsky, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Chernihiv and Rivne. In the Sumy region, “Iskanders” struck Ukrainian targets.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that from 21:40 to 22:10 (Moscow time), 9 Ukrainian drones were destroyed in the Belgorod region.
In the Bryansk region, Ukrainian drone strikes continued throughout the day on June 16.
In the Kursk border area, Ukrainians continue their attempts to break through to the Kursk region. The Ukrainian Armed Forces deployed units of the 158th Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine into battle; its attack aircraft attempted to break through from Bezsalivka twice. According to the Russian social sphere: “As a result of clashes with small arms, more than half of the Ukrainian personnel were destroyed, while the rest retreated.” From the outskirts of Ryzhevka, Ukrainians from the “Aidar” (24th separate battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine) attempted to infiltrate Russian territory through the forests. As a result of clashes with small arms, most of the Ukrainian personnel were destroyed, while the survivors retreated. Twice, assault groups of the 225th Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine attempted to break through to Tetkino from Iskryskivshchyna but were stopped by Russian UAVs.
In the direction of Sumy, according to the Russian social sphere, fighting is underway in the central part of Yunakivka. In the northern part, Russian forces are advancing along Sudzhanskaya and Veselivka streets. At the same time, the settlement is covered from the east. GrT “North” also reports an advance to Novomykolaivka.
Following Ukrainian counterattacks in the village of Karpivka, in the direction of Lyman, and the elimination of the initial Russian bridgehead on the western bank of the Nitrius River, Russian aviation and artillery began conducting large-scale attacks on Ukrainian positions. FAB-500 glide bombs and TOS-1 thermobaric rocket launchers are regularly used to weaken Ukraine’s defense in this area; the village of Zelena Dolnya and the remaining tactical heights southeast of Karpivka will be captured before significant Russian progress is made in Karpivka itself. The defense of the heights between Shandryholove, Karpivka and Lypove is crucial to the overall defense of the town of Lyman. A collapse in this area would facilitate major advances southward from the more entrenched Russian positions and strongpoints closer to the Zherebets River.
Toward Kostyantynivka, on the right flank, Russian forces from Torets’k continue to move forward, carrying out attacks in the direction of Ukrainian positions on the eastern outskirts of the Kleban-Bykske Reservoir of the settlement of Ivanopillya. On the left flank, fighting continues near the settlement of Yablunivka.
Toward the south of Donetsk, between Komar and Otradne, a “pocket” has been closed. The Russian Group of Forces “East” clashes with Ukrainian forces in the areas of Shevchenko, Malynivka and west of Vil’ne Pole, Zelene Pole and Rivnopil’. Ukrainian forces are trying to regain ground by trying to isolate Russian forward units in Komar with drone strikes.
In Donetsk, six teenagers suffered moderate injuries following the explosion of a Ukrainian drone. In the village of Bogatyr, two people were injured by an explosive device.
Graziella Giangiulio
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