ISW: Ukraine continues to make progress in countering Russian forces

The Ukrainian Defence Forces have achieved certain successes during the offensive in several directions countering the Russian troops in different areas.

On June 19, Ukrainian forces conducted counteroffensive operations in at least three sectors of the frontline and made gains, Caliber.Az reports, citing a new report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

A Russian military blogger reported that Ukrainian troops continued attacks northwest, northeast, and southwest of Bakhmut on June 19 and claimed that Ukrainian forces advanced near Krasnopolivka (about 12 km northeast of Bakhmut).

According to Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar, over the past week, Ukrainian troops in the Tavrisk (Zaporizhya) direction have advanced up to seven kilometres and liberated 113 square kilometres of territory, including eight settlements in western Donetsk and western Zaporizhya oblasts.

Russian military bloggers claimed that Ukrainian troops attacked south of Velyka Novosilka in western Donetsk Oblast.

Geolocated footage posted on June 19 confirms that Ukrainian troops liberated Pyatykhatky, about 25km southwest of Orikhiv in western Zaporizhya Oblast.
The bloggers also reported fighting south and southwest of Orikhiv on June 19.

On the same day, the UK Defence Ministry assessed that Russia has likely deployed large portions of the Dnipro Grouping of Forces from the east (left) bank of Kherson Oblast to the Zaporizhya and Bakhmut directions to respond to Ukrainian counteroffensive actions over the past 10 days.

Key takeaways

Russian forces conducted drone and missile strikes targeting southern Ukraine on June 19.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reported that the Chinese government reiterated that it is not providing, and will not provide, lethal assistance to Russia for use in Ukraine.

US defence manufacturer Lockheed Martin indicated that it is ready to help Ukraine fly and maintain Lockheed’s F-16 fighter jets if NATO states agreed to send them to Ukraine.

Kremlin-affiliated Russian tech giant Yandex claimed that international sanctions against Russia prevented the company from providing the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) with user data in compliance with a Russian security law, resulting in a significant fine.

Russian forces made gains in the Kupyansk area and continued ground attacks along the Svatove-Kreminna line.

Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations while Russian forces conducted limited ground attacks near Bakhmut.

Russian and Ukrainian forces conducted limited attacks on the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line and made marginal gains.

Ukrainian forces conducted limited ground attacks along the administrative border between western Donetsk and eastern Zaporizhya oblasts.

Ukrainian forces conducted limited ground attacks in western Zaporizhya Oblast.

The Wagner Group continues efforts to expand its recruitment pool in the wake of significant losses in Ukraine.

Russian sources claimed that a car carrying a Zaporizhya Oblast occupation official exploded in Simferopol, occupied Crimea.