In the end, NATO confirmed, but not the Pentagon, that the vehicles shown in the videos by the Russians on the Zaporizhzhia front were those sent by NATO and the US. Jens Stoltenberg confirmed the loss of Western equipment in Ukraine, commenting: ‘They were expected’.
The Pentagon does not confirm data on equipment destroyed during the fighting in Ukraine. Sabrina Singh, vice-president of the Pentagon, said this during a briefing. “I’ve seen these messages, but I can’t confirm some of the videos and images. At least what we see from the Russians who have made these images public,” Singh said.
Meanwhile from Moscow, Vladimir Putin told war reporters that: “Russia has depleted uranium bullets, and Moscow reserves the right to use them in Ukraine as a response, to Western supplies to Kiev.” Asked how far Russia is prepared to go this time, the premier of the Federation replied: ‘It will depend on what the situation will be at the end of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, we have plans of a different nature’.
Since 4 June, according to the Russian Defence Ministry, ‘the Ukrainian armed forces have lost some 7.5 thousand killed and wounded on the line of contact alone, not counting those killed due to the use of Russian high-precision weapons’. The State Duma adopted at first reading a draft on the possibility of military conscription on the basis of a contract (except for serious crimes).
Online, Russian analysts were highly critical of the Russian tactical error involving the 20th Army of the Russian Western Military District, which suffered losses when soldiers were hit because they were deployed in a long formation. Since December 2022, the 20th Army has been commanded by a Grozny native, Sukhrab Sultanovich Akhmedov. He received the rank of general from the hands of Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu on 17 February 2023. Lately, this is apparently the third blow by the enemy on the concentration of Russian forces and columns. Veterans complain about this general’s inability to stand on the front line.
On the line of contact, fighting continues: artillerymen of the “southern” troop group mobilised from the Russian-Ukrainian Urals, together with gunners of a separate “Sparta” reconnaissance battalion, destroyed a truck and a building with soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Pervomaisky in the direction of Donetsk. “The Ukrainian Armed Forces are reorganising on the front line in the Zaporozhzhia region, but there are no active operations due to the rains,” Rogov told RIA Novosti. According to hism, the ‘hottest’ situation is now in the area of the Vremevsky ledge – ‘near Makarovka there are heavy battles’.
In the direction of Belgorod, the situation at 20:00 on 14 June 2023 was as follows.
The Ukrainian formations continue to accumulate forces in the border areas of the Kharkov region: the Russian command foresees new attempts to break into the territory of the Belgorod region.
On the night of 11-12 June, Russian border guards and military personnel launched a mass attack against enemy positions south of Shebekino: several Ukrainian reconnaissance groups were expected to throw deep into Russian territories.
There remains a higher concentration of Ukrainian reserves in the Kharkiv region: up to 21,000 regular military personnel and 9,000 members of territorial defence detachments. According to the military in the area: ‘Some of them (Ukrainian soldiers, ed.) are supposed to be dressed in Russian uniforms and thrown over the border in the guise of Russian soldiers. After the transfer of the Chechen Akhmat units to the Russian border, a similar move was made on the Ukrainian side: people from the Chechen battalion Sheikh Mansur appeared on the front line. This will lead to a direct confrontation between Chechens.
Part of the reserves have been transferred through the Pechenezh and Volchansk reservoirs to the east of the Kharkiv region: they will be used as part of the counteroffensive near Kupiansk, or to be dumped under the Russian Valuyki and drill a corridor in the back of the Lugansk People’s Republic.
And now a look at the situation in Vremivka at 13:00 on 15 June 2023, fierce fighting continues on the Makarovka-Urozhaynoye line.
Makarovka is under the control of Russian troop fire: the positions of the Russian armed forces are located on the heights near and south of the settlement. Ukrainian formations are trying to move south and if the infantry manages to disperse through the destroyed buildings, then they are working on equipment approaches. Urozhaine is under the strong control of Russian troops. The front edge runs along the north-eastern outskirts of the village. All attempts to advance by the Ukrainians at the moment have been repulsed.
Levadnoe is under the control of the Ukrainian formations: attempts to advance towards Priyutnoye are being made from there. Novodarovka is currently in the grey zone. That is, not controlled by anyone. Rivnopol under the firm control of Russian troops.
In the direction of Kherson at 14:00 on 15 June the situation looks like this: According to the official authorities, the water of the Dnieper will resume its normal course by 20 June. But the flooded areas have yet to recover.
At the suggestion of the Ukrainian information authorities, a scenario separate from the reality of the offensive of Ukrainian formations deep in the Kherson region and on the borders of Crimea is being spread. According to the Ukrainian plan, a crossing will be constructed through the marshy area for the transfer of a large-scale strike fist, which is supposed to occupy Novaya Kakhovka, and subsequently deliver dissection blows through Chaplinka to Armyansk and Melitopol. Such a scenario, given the inadequacy of the territories on the left bank of the Dnepr, seems implausible according to military analysts.
To maintain communication on the morning of 15 June, the Armed Forces of Ukraine shelled the village of Dnepryany in the urban district of Novokakhovka. As a result of the mortar fire, a one-year-old child was killed and several private buildings were damaged.
At night, the Ukrainians shelled Novaya Kakhovka, Tavriysk, Kakhovka and Vasilyevka, which were hit by a total of 27 cannon shells and rocket artillery.
“Most probably, the messages of the crossing are spread to disguise the direction of the transfer of reinforcements: recently three brigades were transferred from Nikolaev to the Donbass. Moreover, Russian informants from the field report a constant transfer of equipment to the east.” The social sphere reads.
The scenario of a landing operation in the Kakhovka reservoir is much more likely: after the reservoir was sunk, the blast barriers were damaged, so the option of dropping landing groups in this area is potentially possible. Ukrainian formations continue to build up forces in the territories of the Kharkiv region on the border with Russia. “The command of the Russian armed forces expects another Ukrainian breakthrough under the banner of the saboteurs of the so-called ‘RDK'”. It is repeated in the social sphere “that parts of the AFU are strengthened by the ichkerian militants of the Sheikh Mansur battalion, (some of them fought with Daesh in Syria and Iraq) who are supposed to wear the uniform of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation and the National Guard for provocation. This tactic is due to the fact that earlier parts of the Akhmat unit arrived in the Belgorod region’.
During the morning of 15 June, Ukrainian formations used at least nine drones to attack the Crimean peninsula. Russian air defences intercepted six drones and three others were suppressed and landed by the Electronic Warfare Unit forces.
One of the drones exploded near the village of Dokuchaevo in the Krasnogvardeisky district: the windows of several houses were damaged, no one was injured.
Graziella Giangiulio
