UAF – Ukrainian Forces
RF – Russian Forces
MLRS – Multiple Launch Rocket Systems
Summary of the Events
Thanks to the US HIMARS MLRS, RF have not been able to move forward in the Donbas after taking Severodonetsk and Lysychansk weeks ago. RF continue to hammer the region around Bakhmut, but made very little gains and suffered heavy losses.
Battle for the Donbas
President Zelensky has urged all Ukrainian citizens still living in the Donbas to evacuate immediately.
Target Bakhmut – RF conducted artillery strikes against eight communities around Bakhmut, and upon Bakhmut also. RF also conducted airstrikes on Pokrovsk, Novoluhanske, Soledar, and Vesela Dolyna. RF attempted assaults against Soledar, Vershyna, and Semyhiria, but two failed resulting in heavy losses for the RF. RF were able to establish control over the outskirts or Semyhiria.
Target Siversk – RF fired artillery on Siversk and Spirne. RF unsuccessfully attempted an assault on Verkhnokamyanske but were forced to retreat.
Target Slovyansk – RF fired artillery at eight communities north of Slovyansk.
Avdiivka/Novopavlivka/Zaporizhia Line – RF continue their attempt to flank this line with constant attacks around Avdiivka. Nine communities plus Avdiivka came under artillery fire. They made unsuccessful attempts to take Avdiivka, Kamianka, Krasnohorivka, and Pisky.
Battle for Kharkiv
RF fired artillery at 13 communities north of Kharkiv, and on a school in Kharkiv as well. RF conducted an air strike on Stariy Saltiv.
Battle for Kherson (includes Mykolaiv)
UAF conducted seven airstrikes on RF position throughout the Kherson region. A command post and two weapon depots were among the targets. 105 Russian soldiers were killed. Equipment destroyed included seven tanks, a howitzer, 3 artillery and mortar systems, and 17 armored vehicles.
Mykolaiv was again shelled overnight. A high-rise apartment building was struck killing one and injuring six.
Chernihiv/Sumy Border Line
RF continues to strike infrastructure targets in the border areas of Chernihiv and Sumy regions. They conducted an aerial reconnaissance by drones near the village of Hremyach.
Other Regions
Dnipropetrovsk – RF continues to shell the residents or Nikopol over the Dnipro River from their safe location at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant where Ukraine cannot retaliate. But UAF did fire a missile at the hotel near the power plant which is being used as barracks for RF.
Other News
The Ukrainian Parliament passed the first reading of a bill that will allow the government to seize any property they need during periods of martial law but must fairly compensate their owners within 15 months. It moves forward into the editing stage at which time it will be presented for its second reading.
Russian TV journalist Marina Ovsyannikova was fined $800 and lost her job for walking onto the set of one of Russia’s most popular news programs in March with a sign that read “No war, stop the war, don’t believe the propaganda, they are lying to you here.”
The unemployment rate in Ukraine has skyrocketed to 35% since the Russian invasion started in February. But the National Bank of Ukraine expects it to begin going down.
Russia has suspended all delivery of gas to Latvia.
International Support
Lithuania has banned the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill from entering their country.