Timeline: day 112 of Ukraine's defense against russia's aggression
Today is June 16. russia's military attack on Ukraine has been going on for 16 weeks. We're reporting on the current news. The article will be updated.
What about today?
Key points
Information war in modern conditions is one of the essential factors of victory. Each of the russian fakes has a specific task to intimidate, disorient, sow despair, distress, or even vain hope. Understanding this should encourage you to analyze the surrounding information constantly. When reading the news with a powerful emotional component, you need to remember critical thinking and continuously ask: why does the enemy need it? What action or behavior should result from this information? Then, we have a chance to disappoint the aggressor and not do what he hopes.
Bringing victory closer means not being fooled and confident in our army, now doing everything possible to expel the ruscists from Ukrainian soil forever. It doesn't matter who'll be at the helm of Muscovy, putin himself, a cohort of his twins, or any of his deputies. We do our part!
Two russian P-800 Oniks anti-ship missiles were blocked by Ukrainian air defenses yesterday. These are very difficult (because they're supersonic) and expensive targets. Nevertheless, our air defenses have coped with them. We are proud! Keep it up!
The occupiers suffered losses and retreated near Mykolaivka in the Luhansk region. Due to the active resistance of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the russians regrouped until the offensive resumed. Enemies are storming Novoluhanske, Berestovo, and Vrubivka but fail and retreat to previously occupied positions. The fighting continues. Ukraine's General Staff reports.
Yesterday's Ukrainian military hitting the ammunition depot and the center to repair russian military equipment in Nova Kakhovka was confirmed by the adviser to the head of the Kherson regional military administration, Serhii Khlan.
In addition, our aviation struck three strikes on the accumulated russian workforce and military equipment in the Kherson region. The Ukrainian troops suppressed two command and control points of the enemy. In total, during the day, our units inflicted the losses of 70 russian soldiers and more than 60 units of enemy equipment, including:
- one helicopter,
- one Pion self-propelled gun,
- one Grad multiple-rocket launching system,
- three 152-mm howitzers,
- 19 armored vehicles,
- 33 motor vehicles,
- four units of engineering equipment.
- Two ammunition depots.
Also, the East operational and tactical grouping reports enemy losses:
- 73 soldiers,
- two tanks,
- three IFVs,
- three APCs,
- five artillery systems,
- one mortar,
- five AT-T tanks.
The russians haven't flown into the territory controlled by Ukraine for more than two months, the Air Force reports. Instead, enemy aircraft operate in the temporarily occupied territory, where the Ukrainian forces cannot shoot down their planes. russians often use helicopters and combat aircraft.
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense isn't considering women's mobilization. "We don't have an issue regarding mobilizing women on the agenda. It's not the only fake that russia is spreading," said Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar. According to her, it's currently impossible to predict how the mobilization will be carried out in the future; everything will depend on the situation at the front. "As of today, the mobilization went completely according to plan. We have no disruptions."
The third Rammstein meeting on Ukraine's military support will take place today. Representatives from about 50 countries will meet at NATO Headquarters in Brussels to discuss the situation in Ukraine. Participants will be "reviewing what additional security assistance they can provide in the immediate, medium, and long term to help Ukraine win this war," said US Permanent Representative to NATO Ambassador Julianne Smith.
Who's coming to Ukraine?
On financial and information aid, weapons and politicians
The United States will help Ukraine build temporary granaries. We need them to store surplus grain that Ukraine cannot quickly remove from the country because of a naval blockade. "So we will build silos, temporary silos, on the borders of Ukraine, including in Poland," said Joe Biden.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will provide financial assistance to help Ukraine's Naftogaz compensate for losing natural gas production after russia's invasion. The bank's press service says the EBRD, together with donors and partners, plans to provide a loan of €1 billion to support Ukraine's economy. The first tranche of €50 million is already available for emergency gas purchases.
Howitzers from our allies are already fighting on the front lines. "But we need much more heavy weapons, multiple rocket launchers, tanks, and air-defense systems. The list of needs has been formed," Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, stresses.
News from partners
Western officials are considering three likely scenarios, CNN reports. "I think that you're about to get to the point where one side or the other will be successful. Either the russians will reach Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, or the Ukrainians will stop them here. And if the Ukrainians are able to hold the line here, in the face of this number of forces, that will matter," a senior NATO official said.
"The russians indeed have much more artillery capabilities," said US Under Secretary of Defense Colin Kahl on Tuesday. The problem is that Ukraine used to depend on Soviet-era artillery systems, while the amount of ammunition was limited. Hence the decision is to switch to the supply of artillery systems used in NATO countries. The US Deputy Secretary of Defense also said that the Ukrainian military was completing training on HIMARS multiple rocket launchers and that these systems would soon enter combat.
The United States calls on NATO to intervene directly in the situation in Ukraine. "Let's intervene with NATO. Let's announce it, let's go in there and tell russia to stop, and let's stop it. We cannot stop it without NATO intervention," said Wesley Clark, former commander-in-chief of Allied and NATO allies.
At the same time, on the eve of the meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called for more heavy weapons to be provided to Ukraine. Stoltenberg stressed that Ukraine is "absolutely dependent" on Western military aid.
Sanctions on the aggressor!
The way sanctions are working against russia:
- The Rosstat statistics service estimates that in the first quarter of 2022, the number of russians with incomes below the poverty line increased by 69%: from 12.4 (8.5% of the population in the IV quarter) to 20.9 million people (14.3% of the population).
- Compared with the fourth quarter of 2021, the average income of russians decreased from 47,694 rubles to 36,234 rubles with a decline of 24%. The average salary decreased from 62,828 rubles to 60,101 rubles or 4.3%.
- The employed population decreased by 800 thousand inhabitants. The volume of social benefits in the first quarter of 2022 did not increase compared to the previous one but, on the contrary, decreased by 19.4%.
Life considering hostilities
Ukrposhta announced the results of voting for the stamp design, "Good evening, we're from Ukraine!" The majority of votes were cast for a tractor pulling a russian tank. This illustration will be on a new postage stamp in a month.
Zelensky instructed Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhnyi to check the provision of fighters with personal protective equipment. President Volodymyr Zelensky asked to "be very attentive to reports in the media and on social media that some of our fighters don't have enough personal protective equipment." "The reports I receive differ significantly from what society is discussing. I expect inspections of logistics in the army, what is supplied and how personal protective equipment is distributed," said the head of state. He says, "today, all those in combat zones should have enough things to protect themselves. The state provides such supplies."
Donetsk and Luhansk regions
It is getting more challenging in the Luhansk region. The military is holding back the enemy from three sides, Serhii Haidai, the head of the regional military administration, informs. Assault operations are ongoing in Sievierodonetsk. Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk, Toshkivka, Ustynivka, Borivske, Metiolkine, Bila Hora, Mykolaivka, and Vrubivka were fired at with mortars, artillery, and multiple-rocket launchers. In Lysychansk, the occupiers fired on buildings near the former Donsoda plant and several houses nearby.
The Guardian writes: "The fight for Sievierodonetsk is turning into one of the war's bloodiest battles and is seen as a potential turning point in russia's advances in the Donbas." But we will persevere! We believe in the Ukrainian Armed Forces!
What's happening in Sievierodonetsk? The review of British intelligence:
- After more than a month of heavy fighting, russian forces now control the majority of Sieverodonetsk. russia's urban warfare tactics, which are reliant on heavy use of artillery, have generated extensive collateral damage throughout the city.
- Elements of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, along with several hundred civilians, are sheltering in underground bunkers in the Azot Chemical Plant, in the city's industrial zone.
- russian forces will likely be fixed in and around Azot whilst Ukrainian fighters can survive underground. This will likely temporarily prevent russia from re-tasking these units for missions elsewhere.
- It is highly unlikely that russia anticipated such robust opposition or such slow, attritional conflict during its original planning for the invasion.
In the Donetsk region, hostilities and shelling of settlements by russian occupation forces continue. They use small arms, tanks, artillery, mortars, Grad MLRS, and Smerch MLRS. 42 objects were damaged, including 33 private houses, one high-rise building, a railway track, the UTOS enterprise, a motor depot, and others.
In Mariupol, the deaths of 21 more children have been confirmed: the number of child deaths during the war reached 313.
Kharkiv region
At night, the occupiers fired on the Chuhuiv district, particularly the Chkalovske community. Houses and outbuildings were on fire.
In the Bohodukhiv district, the occupiers fired on the Zolochiv community at night. There was a fire. The administrative building of one of the enterprises was damaged. The enterprise was destroyed in the Izium district because of attacks, and there was also a fire.
According to Oleh Synehubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, seven civilians were injured in the region in the last 24 hours: Chuhuiv district (4), Izium district (1), Kharkiv district (2).
Today there is a high probability of missile strikes on Kharkiv and Lozova. The Department of Civil Protection of the region urges citizens to stay in shelters throughout the day on June 15, restrict movement, and not be on the streets without need.
Sumy region
The russians shell the Sumy region almost every day. In the morning, there were eight hits in the Sumy region.
In the Shalyhine community, the enemy opened mortar fire on the territory at half-past seven in the morning. There are no victims and destruction. At half-past eight, near one of the settlements of the community, russians tried to destroy the car with a grenade launcher with two shots. Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, Sumy Regional Military Administration, said there were no casualties in both cases.
Dnipropetrovsk region
Tragic morning in the Dnipropetrovsk region: russian troops fired at the city of Apostolove in the Dnipropetrovsk region from Uragan MRLS at night. Mayor Andrii Osa announced this. He said that four people died because of the shelling, and the consequences will continue to be eliminated in the morning.
russian missiles also flew to the Novomoskovsk district of the Dnipropetrovsk region at night. "There are two hits in the Novomoskovsk district. The missiles severely deformed public infrastructure and country houses. There are no victims," said Valentyn Reznichenko, head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration. Mykola Lukashuk, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional council, added that four houses and garages were damaged, and one outbuilding was destroyed.
Zaporizhzhia region
The russians fired on civilian infrastructure near Huliaipole and struck with assault and army aircraft in the area of the settlement of Mali Shcherbaky. They also conducted offensive reconnaissance near Pavlivka, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces says. The aggressor didn't conduct active hostilities in the Zaporizhzhia direction.
Kherson region
Throughout the day, residents of the region reported numerous explosions and shelling, particularly the critical situation in the entire Beryslav district and some settlements of the Kakhovka district. The information about mining the banks of the Inhulets River, bridges, and fields is confirmed again.
10:30 – Explosion in Chornobaivka near the market. There are dead and wounded, Suspilne Kherson reports, citing locals. Serhii Khlan, an adviser to the head of the Kherson Regional State Administration, confirmed the information about the explosion in Chornobaivka.
Mykolaiv region
russian troops shelled the settlements of Lepetykha and Bereznehuvate of the Bereznehuvate community, Shevchenkove of the Shevchenkove community, and Lupareve of the Halytsynove community.
