Ukraine Daily

Monday, 13 June 2022

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Russia’s war against Ukraine

Smoke and dirt rise from the city of Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast, due to Russian shelling on June 7, 2022. (ARIS MESSINIS/AFP)

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Erdogan to talk to Putin, Zelensky on grain exports next week. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that they would discuss unblocking grain exports from Ukrainian seaports. Currently, 25 million tons of grain are being blocked by Russian forces in Ukraine.

The Guardian: ‘Specialist gang’ smuggles Ukraine’s historic artifacts into Russia. According to The Guardian, a “specialist gang” is smuggling valuable historic artifacts from Ukraine into Russia, focusing on ancient Scythian gold. “There is now very strong evidence this is a purposive Russian move, with specific paintings and ornaments targeted and taken out to Russia,” says anthropologist Brian Daniels.

Zelensky: 2,606 Russian cruise missiles hit Ukraine since start of war. President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an address on June 12: “Ukraine needs modern missile defense systems. The supply of such systems was possible this year, last year, and even earlier.”

UN commission investigates Russia’s war crimes in Kyiv Oblast. The commission will carry out its first mission in Ukraine until June 16. The UN Council voted in May to launch an investigation into alleged human rights violations and humanitarian law violations by Russian troops in Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Armed Forces: Ukrainian forces holding off Russian attacks throughout Donbas. Russian attacks have been beaten back in the area surrounding Dovhenke, Mazanivka, and Dolyna near Sloviansk in Donetsk Oblast, the General Staff said. Russia’s advances in the vicinity of Vrubivka, Orikhove, and Zolote near Popasna in Luhansk Oblast were also reportedly unsuccessful.

SBU exposes fraudsters scamming relatives of Ukraine’s defenders in Zaporizhzhia. Artem Dekhtiarenko, spokesman for the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), said on June 12 that scammers have been calling relatives and friends of Ukraine’s Armed Forces soldiers “offering help in their alleged release from captivity” in exchange for Hr 50,000-200,000 ($1,710-6,837).

Official: Russian forces export stolen metal from Mariupol. Metal was exported from the Russian-occupied city for the third time on June 12, according to Petro Andriushchenko, an adviser to the city’s mayor.

Institute for the Study of War: Russia ‘continues to struggle with generating additional combat-capable units. Additional Russian battalion tactical groups are reportedly likely to be understaffed and depend on recruits and mobilized reservists. The U.S. think tank also said that pro-Russian sources continue to spread disinformation to influence the Ukrainian population, such as by falsely attributing Ukraine’s Armed Forces. Active hostilities reportedly continue near Sievierodonetsk, as Russian forces try to advance towards near Izium and Sloviansk.

Ukraine’s metallurgical production down by almost 50% in 5 months of 2022. According to the association of metallurgical enterprises Ukrmetalurhprom, during the first five months of 2022, the production of cast iron, steel, and rolled metal in Ukraine has decreased by an average of 47% compared to 2021.

Many bodies of those killed at Azovstal remain in Mariupol. Maksym Zhorin, a former commander of Ukraine’s Azov National Guard regiment, said on June 12 that 220 of those killed at the steel plant have been sent to Kyiv, but “just as many bodies” are awaiting retrieval. Zhorin said talks are underway to facilitate further exchanges but, because many of the bodies are in a bad state, it will “take a very long time to identify each person.”

Luhansk Oblast Governor: Russian troops destroy second of 3 bridges to Sievierodonetsk. According to Serhiy Haidai, Russian forces are currently shelling the last overpass leading to Sievierodonetsk, aiming to cut the town off.

Biden: Putin wants to obliterate Ukrainian culture. U.S. President Joe Biden said on June 12 that Putin wants to destroy Ukrainian culture “because he believes there’s no such thing as an independent Ukrainian culture.” “And that’s why we reinforced NATO, and that’s why we’re giving help to Ukraine,” Biden said.

UK Defense Ministry: Russia to deploy reserve battalions in Ukraine. Russia may rely on new recruits or mobilized reservists to bring in a new battalion in eastern Ukraine, according to the U.K.’ latest intelligence report.

Czech Foreign Minister: ‘Putin doesn’t care how Russia is perceived in the West.’ Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky tackled French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent stance on avoiding humiliating Russia. ‘Macron probably doesn’t understand the issue very well,” Lipavsky said.

Amnesty International: Russia conducts ‘indiscriminate attacks’ on Kharkiv. A report published by the NGO on June 13 details the use of missiles and widely banned cluster munitions by Russia in Kharkiv, resulting in mass destruction and civilian death. The report stated that it is critical that “all perpetrators are brought to justice.”

Baza: Explosions inside Russia damage ‘Druzhba’ oil pipeline valve. Three explosions were heard on June 11, near Gulevka in Russia’s Bryansk region, damaging parts of the pipeline’s valve but not the pipeline itself, Baza reported quoting Russian state-controlled media. Earlier, “Druzhba” was excluded from the sixth round of sanctions imposed on Russia by the EU.

Luhansk Oblast Governor: Around 500 civilians remain at Azot plant in Sievierodonetsk. Serhiy Haidai said on June 12 that 40 of those remaining at the chemical plant are children. On June 11, Russian shelling of the plant caused an oil leak, leading to a large fire.

Luhansk Oblast Governor: Police identify 50 potential collaborators in Lysychansk. According to Serhiy Haidai, 50 people are suspected of having shared information via their phones about Ukraine’s military to Russian forces.

The human cost of Russia’s war

Luhansk Oblast Governor: Russian occupiers kill 6-year-old child in Lysychansk. Serhiy Haidai said the child died as a result of Russian shelling of the city.

Governor: Russian troops kill 1, injure 3 civilians in Donetsk Oblast on June 12. Donetsk Oblast Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said that the killed civilian was from the city of Soledar. A total of 39 residential buildings were reportedly damaged in the village of Mykolayivka: two houses were completely destroyed, and 22 homes were left without roofs.

Former British soldier killed in action in Sievierodonetsk. Jordan Gatley, who fought for Ukraine after leaving the British army in March, was shot on the front line while defending Sievierodonetsk. “He made a massive difference to many people’s lives, not only soldiering, but also by training the Ukrainian forces,” Jordan’s father, Dean Gatley, wrote.

Zelensky: Russia has lost largest number of troops in many decades. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 12 that it is likely that Russian military commanders will send poorly trained conscripts to the front, potentially resulting in a death toll that could reach 40,000 people this month. Russia’s military death toll is estimated at between 15,000 and 32,000, according to different sources, and it is the highest number of casualties suffered by Russia since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan or arguably since World War II.

Ukraine’s military: Russia has lost 32,150 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on June 12 that Russia also lost 1,430 tanks, 3,484 armored fighting vehicles, 2,455 vehicles and fuel tanks, 715 artillery systems, 226 multiple launch rocket systems, 97 anti-aircraft systems, 178 helicopters, 212 airplanes, 582 drones, and 13 boats.

International response

Von der Leyen: EU faces ‘historic’ decision on Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on June 11. Von der Leyen said EU member states face a “historic decision” on whether to grant Ukraine membership status. “I hope that in 20 years, when we look back, we will be able to say that we did the right thing,” she said.

British firm to provide Ukraine with 10 demining robots. There will be a total of 22 TALON robots in Ukraine, according to Oleksiy Biloshitsky, a deputy chief of the patrol police. The robots, produced by QinetiQ, can reach speeds of up to 8.3 kilometers per hour and run for up to 4.5 hours without recharging.

German media: Germany blocks Spain from sending Leopard tanks to Ukraine. Der Spiegel reported, citing anonymous government sources, that Germany warned Spain that it “would constitute a departure” from the alleged informal decision by the West not to provide Western tanks to Ukraine. “If Berlin agreed, it would have been the first time a NATO member had delivered battle tanks to Ukraine,” Der Spiegel reports.

Canadian lottery winner to donate some of his $70 million jackpot to help rebuild Ukraine. According to Canadian CTV News, a retiree from Quebec, Marcel Lussier, said he plans to use some of the $70 million jackpot “to help rebuild Ukraine and to fund projects to help people with autism.”

German media: Marder vehicles ready but need go-ahead from Germany for supplies to Ukraine. The first of the 100 Marder infantry fighting vehicles being repaired by German arms producer Rheinmetall are ready, the company’s CEO, Armin Papperger told Bild newspaper. However, it is up to the German government to decide where they are shipped, Papperger said. He added that 88 Leopard tanks, as well as Leo tanks, will also be upgraded. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been accused of blocking arms supplies to Ukraine. Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, said on June 12: “Why are you [Scholz] refusing the Ukrainian army these Marder infantry fighting vehicles, available immediately from Rheinmetall, while Ukraine is bleeding dry in the Donbas before your eyes?”

Lithuania buys additional 4 drones for Ukraine. According to Lithuanian TV anchor Andrius Tapinas, the Lithuanian public have crowdfunded to purchase four EOS C VTOL reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles, valued at over $692,000. An additional two drones will be sent in two months. Tapinas said the drones are named “Magyla,” which is the Lithuanian goddess of death.

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