Russia’s war on Ukraine. 26.06.2024

In the operational zone of the Ukrainian Operational Group of Forces (OTG) “Kharkiv” on the Kharkiv direction, the occupiers, with air support, attacked 8 times in the areas of Hlyboke, Vovchansk, and Tyke. Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully repelled 5 enemy assaults; battles continue.

In the “Khortytsia” Operational-Strategic Group of Forces (OSG) operational zone on the Kupyansk direction, the enemy made 10 attempts to displace Ukrainian Defense Forces from their positions near Synkivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Pishchane, Stelmakhivka, and Andriivka. 9 attacks were successfully repelled. The situation remains tense around Stepova Novoselivka, with ongoing fighting. On the Lyman direction, Russian invaders tried to advance 15 times in the areas of Kopanky, Hrekivka, Makiivka, Nevske, and the Serebriansk Forest. Ukrainian defenders repelled 12 attacks; battles continue. On the Siversk direction the situation has not significantly changed. The occupiers made 13 unsuccessful assaults near Bilohorivka, Verkhnyokamianske, Spirne, and Vyimka. 9 enemy attempts to approach Ukrainian Defense Forces positions near Chasiv Yar, Ivanivske, and Andriivka on the Kramatorsk direction failed. However, the occupiers continue their efforts to advance near Chasiv Yar, where battles are ongoing.

On the Toretsk direction, the situation remains tense and largely unchanged. With air support, the enemy attacked 11 times near Toretsk, Pivnichne, and New York. All attacks were repelled by Ukrainian Defense Forces. Measures are being taken to strengthen the resilience of the Ukrainian defense.

In the “Tavriya” OSG operational zone the Pokrovsk direction, the intensity of combat remains high, with 42 clashes. The invaders continue to pressure the Ukrainian Defense Forces’ positions near Yevhenivka, Novooleksandrivka, Vozdvyzhenka, Novoselivka Persha, and Yasnobrodivka. 35 enemy attacks were repelled; battles continued in the areas of Novooleksandrivka and Sokil. On the Kurakhove direction, 6 engagements occurred. 2 enemy assaults near Heorhiivka and Kostyantynivka failed. Meanwhile, enemy activity persists near Krasnohorivka, where fighting continues. On the Vremivka and Orikhiv directions, the situation remains unchanged. Enemy attacks near Kostyantynivka, Urozhaine, Mala Tokmachka, and Robotyne were unsuccessful.

In the operational zone of the “Odesa” OSG on the Prydniprovskiy direction, 4 enemy assaults were unsuccessful.

General conclusion: 

• The enemy’s “Center” Operational Grouping is increasing efforts in the Vozdvyzhenka direction and the Yevhenivka area.
• The enemy’s “East” Operational Grouping has made progress in the Novomykhailivka – Volodymyrivka sector.
• The Russian military command has transferred reserves from Kherson Oblast and some other directions to the Kharkiv direction.

Change in the line of contact (LoC):

• There were 123 combat engagements on various fronts.
• On the Kharkiv direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced within Vovchansk along Soborna Street in the city center. Battles continued near Lyptsi, Hlyboke, and Tyke.
• On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces conducted offensive operations in the areas of Synkivka, Pishchane, Stepova Novoselivka, Kopanky, Andriivka, Hrekivka, Makiivka, and Nevske. The 423rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 4th Tank Division of the 1st Combined Arms Army advanced west towards Stelmakhivka and began fighting within the village.
• On the Lyman direction, battles continued near Torske, Terny, and the Serebriansk Forest.
• On the Siversk Direction, Russian forces advanced southeast of Siversk, fought and advanced within Rozdolivka, and attacked in the areas of Bilohorivka, Verkhnyokamianske, Spirne, Vyimka, and Rozdolivka.
• On the Kramatorsk direction, battles continued near Kalynivka, Ivanivske, Andriivka, and Klishchiivka.
• On the Toretsk direction, Russian forces reached the outskirts of Pivnichne after capturing Shumy, attacked near Pivnichne and Pivdenne, and launched several airstrikes on Ukrainian Defense Forces positions in Toretsk using 11 KAB bombs with UMPC kit.
• On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces advanced in the fields north of Sokil, held positions along the O0544 road from Ocheretyne to Pokrovsk northwest of Ocheretyne, and advanced near Yasnobrodivka, partially encircling Ukrainian Defense Forces units in this area. Battles continued near Oleksandropil, Yevhenivka, Novooleksandrivka, Vozdvyzhenka, Sokil, Novoselivka Persha, Umanske, Karlivka, Nevelske, and the Karlivka Reservoir.
• On the Kurakhove direction, Russian forces advanced north along Tolstogo, Hryhoriya Skovorody, and Lomonosova streets in eastern Krasnohorivka. Battles continued near Heorhiivka, Kostyantynivka, and Paraskoviivka.
• On the Vremivka direction, positional battles continued in the areas of Urozhaine and Staromayorske.
• On the Orikhiv direction, positional battles continued in the areas of Robotyne, Verbove, and Mala Tokmachka.
• On the Prydniprovskiy direction, battles continued on the left bank of Kherson Oblast, including near Krynky.
• In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
  • Black Sea: 1 ship, including 1 cruise missile carrier; the total salvo is 0 cruise missiles.
  • Azov Sea: 8 ships, including 2 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 16 cruise missiles.
  • Mediterranean Sea: 0 ship, including 0 cruise missile carrier; the total salvo is 0 cruise missiles.  

Changes in the enemy disposition:

• An experimental motorcycle platoon has been formed as part of the 5th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 1st Army Corps conducting combat operations near Krasnohorivka.
• Units of the 2nd Battalion of the 119th Airborne Regiment of the 106th Airborne Division are advancing in Rozdolivka and its outskirts.
• Units of the “Sever-V Volunteer Brigade” of the “Russian Volunteer Corps” are operating north of Chasiv Yar near Hryhorivka.
• The Russian military command intends to transfer the 9th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the newly formed 51st Army and the 155th Separate Marines Brigade of the Pacific Fleet to the Kharkiv direction.

Possible operation situation developments:

• The goal of enemy’s tactical grouping on the Toretsk direction is to capture Toretsk and New York, to force Ukrainian Defense Forces units out of their positions in Oleksandropil, to advance north and reach Kostyantynivka, while simultaneously forcing Ukrainian Defense Forces units to retreat from Klishchiivka and Andriivka under the threat of encirclement.
• The command of the enemy’s “Tsentr (Center)” Operational Grouping is increasing efforts in the direction of Zalizne and northward along the Siversky Donets-Donbas canal.
• The ” Tsentr ” Operational Grouping will likely increase its efforts in the general direction of Mayorsk-Pivnichne, with part of its forces targeting either Zalizne or Pivdenne. Simultaneously, they will attack forward positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces along the Kalynove-Stara Mykolaivka and Oleksandropil-Panteleimonivka directions. This development would require additional forces and resources from the enemy’s South-Western Theater of Operations to support the “Tsentr ” Operational Grouping. However, this is unlikely given the concurrent attempts by the “Tsentr” Operational Grouping to turn tactical successes in the Ocheretyne area into operational gains.
• The 74th and 55th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades of the 41st Army, the 15th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 2nd Army, and the 114th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 1st Army Corps, reinforced by several regiments and battalions from territorial troops and mobilization reserves, will soon attempt to break through Vozdvyzhenka towards the Pokrovsk – Kostyantynivka road. Their goal is to cut it off between Malynivka and Nova Poltavka, reach the Vovcha River between Prohres and Komyshivka, and, if conditions allow, establish several bridgeheads.
• The enemy will increase the intensity of attacks in the direction of Sokil – Yevhenivka – Vovche, aiming to break through to the Prohres area and thus support from the north the operations of their tactical group preparing for battles for Novoselivka Persha.
• The fighting in the Staromayorske area is a diversionary action aimed at forming a strike tactical group of 3-4 brigades and 1-2 regiments in the Mykilske-Novodonetske sector. The likely objective of this tactical group could be to break through the Kashlahach River in the Uspenivka area simultaneously with the “Yug (South)” Operational Grouping’s advance towards Kurakhove.

Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 26.06.24  

Personnel – almost 538,060 (+1220); 

Tanks 8,039 (+4);

Armored combat vehicles – 15,450 (+19); 

Artillery systems – 14,321 (+40);

Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,108 (0);

Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 863 (0);

Vehicles and fuel tanks – 19,407 (+45);

Aircraft – 359 (0);

Helicopters – 326 (0);

UAV operational and tactical level – 11,435 (+22);

Intercepted cruise missiles – 2,324 (0);

Boats/ships – 29 (0).

Humanitarian+general:

• According to information provided by the Situation Center of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Russian forces shelled 10 regions of Ukraine over the past day. A total of 82 towns and villages and 150 infrastructure objects were attacked with various types of weapons. The number of casualties is being updated/clarified.
• On June 25, 90 Ukrainian defenders were freed from Russian captivity. This was the 53rd prisoner exchange since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, bringing the total number of Ukrainians returned to 3,300.
• On the night of June 26, Russian occupiers struck civilian infrastructure in the Odesa Oblast with ballistic missiles, damaging an administrative building but causing no casualties.
• In the morning of June 26, Russian forces dropped a FAB-500 aerial bomb on the city of Selydove in Donetsk Oblast, damaging an administrative building of the State Emergency Service, six five-story buildings, and 37 private residential houses. There were no casualties or injuries.
• Russians dropped a guided aerial bomb on a residential area in Derhachi, Kharkiv Oblast, injuring nine people, including two children.
• Due to hostilities, 147,800 consumers in Ukraine are without electricity. On Thursday, June 27, schedules for hourly power outages will be implemented throughout the entire day, from 00:00 to 24:00.
• In Russia, a civilian Ukrainian volunteer, Yaroslav Zhuk, who was abducted in Melitopol in 2022, was sentenced to 14 years in prison. In a video posted online by the occupiers, Zhuk “confesses” to allegedly attempting to assassinate the city’s director of education, Olena Shapurova, on June 17, 2022, and to being involved in a “partisan movement organized by the SBU.” Later, human rights activists published a statement from Zhuk, revealing that he had been beaten, tortured with electric shocks, kept in a basement with a bag over his head, and forced to write the confession.
• According to Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, Iryna Vereshchuk, 6 million Ukrainian citizens, including 1.5 million children, are currently in the temporarily occupied territories.
• Russian archaeologists and developers have completely destroyed an authentic world heritage site in Crimea, Chersonesus Taurica, to construct a new open-air theater on the excavation site. Some of the archaeological finds were transported to Russian museums, according to Evelina Kravchenko, a senior researcher at the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
• According to a survey by the Razumkov Center, 80% of respondents believe in Ukraine’s victory in the war, while 12% do not. Additionally, 38% think that victory will be achieved within 1-2 years.
• A relative majority (42%) of those who believe in victory consider that victory would mean the expulsion of Russian troops from all of Ukraine’s territory and the restoration of borders as of January 2014. Another 17.5% would consider victory to be the destruction of the Russian army and the instigation of uprisings or the disintegration within Russia. 14% would consider victory to be the restoration of the status quo as of February 23, 2022, 8% — the expulsion of Russian troops from all of Ukraine’s territory except for the occupied Crimea, and 8% — the cessation of the war even if the Russian army remains in the territories occupied after the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.

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