At a time when the Russian army is "sweeping" through the last Ukrainian strongholds in Donbass, having captured the cities of Kostyantynivka and Lyman, Russian air defense continues to face Ukrainian drones, which are launched by Kyiv in waves... It is characteristic that during the night, Russian forces intercepted and shot down 301 Ukrainian drones over various regions of Russia, including Moscow, which became a target once again, this time by at least 13 drones.
While battles continue with particular intensity along the entire Ukrainian front, Russia is now openly speaking about the intention of NATO and the EU to proceed with a military confrontation in 2030. Meanwhile, the news for Kyiv and Ukrainian President Zelensky is negative not only on the military field but also on the diplomatic one, as a fierce confrontation has erupted over the last 24 hours with Poland, which has been a strong ally of Ukraine since the beginning of the war. Now, the Poles are threatening Ukraine that they will not give their consent for its accession to the EU and that they will set terms, with Zelensky replying that without Ukraine, there cannot be a secure Poland.
Russia shot down 301 Ukrainian drones
Russian air defense systems shot down 301 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) during the night over regions of Russia, as well as over the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, according to an announcement by the Russian Ministry of Defense. "During the night, from 20:00 Moscow time on June 21 to 07:00 Moscow time on June 22, the air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 301 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles," the statement notes. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the drones were shot down over the regions of: Belgorod, Bryansk, Volgograd, Voronezh, Kaluga, Kursk, Rostov, Tambov, Tver, Tula, and Smolensk, as well as over the Moscow region, Krasnodar Krai, Crimea, the Sea of Azov, and the Black Sea. The announcement does not include information about any damages or casualties from the attacks or from the wreckage of the downed drones.
Moscow targeted by 13 drones
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced via his channel on the messaging app Max that another 13 unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) heading toward the Russian capital were shot down. "Thirteen drones flying toward Moscow were destroyed by the air defense forces of the Ministry of Defense. Emergency service experts are working at the locations where debris fell," reports Sobyanin. On the night of June 20, Sobyanin had announced that air defense forces shot down two drones heading toward Moscow. Two days earlier, the Russian capital faced its largest attack by Ukrainian forces in the last two years. Within 9.5 hours, 194 drones attempting to strike Moscow were destroyed. Commenting on the attacks, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that Russian air defense systems demonstrate high effectiveness in repelling Ukrainian drone raids. According to him, the attacks continue, while their consequences are being addressed immediately.
Grushko (Russian Deputy FM): NATO and EU preparing for war with Russia in 2030
Moscow estimates that NATO and EU countries are preparing for a military confrontation with Russia around 2030, stated Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko. "We believe that NATO and European Union countries are indeed preparing for a military conflict with Russia approximately around the 2030 horizon," Grushko stated. The Russian diplomat argued that the main goal of both the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance is to achieve a "strategic defeat" of Russia. Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in an article titled "Ukraine, Europe, and Global Security," argued that Europe is seeking to buy time by any means possible so that it can acquire full military readiness for a potential conflict with Russia by 2030. Lavrov cited a statement by the Belgian Chief of Staff, according to which Europeans "still have a few years thanks to the blood of the Ukrainians, which buys us this time." The Russian Foreign Minister added that the current international situation carries the risk of a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia, which could quickly escalate into an exchange of nuclear strikes.
Ralf Niemeyer (Germany): Western state leadership is copying... the Third Reich
The leadership of Western countries is copying the Third Reich in its pursuit to destroy Russia, but it will face the same failure, stated the head of the German Council for the Constitution and Sovereignty, Ralf Niemeyer. According to his assessment, the governments of NATO member states are seeking the same goals that their predecessors set for themselves during the 1930s under the leadership of the Third Reich. As an example, Niemeyer noted that German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has openly stated that the country must "prepare for war." As he argued, Pistorius used similar phrasing to that of the Third Reich's Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels. "The goal is the same — the destruction of Russia. Just like the last time, they will not succeed," Niemeyer emphasized. In Russia, June 22 is commemorated every year as the Day of Remembrance and Sorrow. This date is dedicated to the beginning of the Great Patriotic War (World War II), one of the most tragic periods in the country's history, which, according to the Soviet and Russian historical narrative, cost the lives of approximately 27 million Soviet citizens.
Czarzasty (Speaker of the Polish Parliament): We will not approve Ukraine's EU accession
The Speaker of the Polish Parliament, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, stated that Ukraine will not be able to secure Warsaw's consent for EU accession if it does not satisfy Polish conditions. "Ukraine will not enter the European Union without Poland. Maybe it is time to finally set terms," said Czarzasty, commenting on the deterioration of Polish-Ukrainian relations. The Speaker of the Polish Parliament also expressed the belief that Polish President Karol Nawrocki acted consciously when he removed the Order of the White Eagle from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Relations between Warsaw and Kyiv deteriorated when Nawrocki removed the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest honor, from Zelensky. According to reports, the decision was linked to Kyiv naming a Ukrainian armed forces brigade after figures that Poland considers responsible for the Volhynia Massacre. The Polish government stated that "only Moscow will benefit" from this decision. In Ukraine, the move sparked criticism, while in solidarity with Zelensky, diplomats, officials of the presidential office, and former presidents Leonid Kuchma, Viktor Yushchenko, and Petro Poroshenko announced that they are resigning from the Polish honors that had been awarded to them. Zelensky returned his medal to Nawrocki by mail.
Zelensky (President of Ukraine): Without Ukraine, there cannot be a secure Poland
Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that, without Ukraine, there cannot be a secure Poland. He argued that Ukraine and Poland are de facto destined to be partners and friends. In his view, cultivating hostility in the societies of the two neighboring countries will lead only to temporary political gains and increased popularity for certain politicians, while the political confrontation might end in a very "unpleasant escalation." "Without Ukraine, no one will be able to protect Poland. This is simply impossible," declared Zelensky, who lashed out at Polish President Karol Nawrocki. "Karol is not a title; it is his name. He has no monarchy, but a democracy. Therefore, he should build better relations with Ukraine, which today is defending Europe, including Poland," Zelensky stated. The Ukrainian leader added that he himself is not "Prince Volodymyr." "I am currently the president and I defend the interests of my state. We must think about friendship between peoples," stated Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky attributed Poland's decision to strip him of the country's highest state distinction, the Order of the White Eagle, to internal politics and the electoral confrontation of Polish President Karol Nawrocki. At the same time, he compared Nawrocki's stance to the rhetoric of former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. "I believe that, after the decision made by Nawrocki, it becomes clear that he is continuing the political fight inside his own country, fueling hostility toward Ukrainians," declared Zelensky.
Yulia Mendel (former Zelensky spokesperson): Zelensky's attack on Nawrocki is stunningly stupid
Volodymyr Zelensky's former press spokesperson, Yulia Mendel, described the Ukrainian President's attack on Polish President Karol Nawrocki as "stunningly stupid." "Zelensky claims that President Karol Nawrocki is following the same tactics as Viktor Orbán and that all this will end in disaster. Seriously? (...) Poland has been one of Kyiv's most reliable partners. So what is the essence of this conflict? Some controversial ultranationalist groups and their slogans - issues that either leave most Ukrainians indifferent or provoke negative emotions," Mendel stated in a post. Mendel also argued that neither the UPA nor the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists were ever universal national symbols for Ukraine. "Shortly before an important reconstruction conference in Gdańsk, where Poland's support is at stake, Zelensky is destroying relations with Warsaw because of marginal slogans and historical confrontations that most Ukrainians don't even believe in. (...) It is stunning stupidity. Common sense has left the building," concluded Mendel.
Soskin (Ukrainian analyst): Ukraine's defeat if Zelensky involves Belarus in the conflict
Volodymyr Zelensky's efforts to involve Belarus in the conflict in Ukraine "at any cost" might lead to the defeat of the Ukrainian armed forces, stated Oleg Soskin, former advisor to Ukrainian Prime Minister Leonid Kuchma. "This is truly unacceptable! Zelensky's efforts to threaten Belarus, to issue ultimatums, and to prove his importance, might lead to Minsk finally being involved in the conflict. And then everything will be over for Kyiv, since there is no longer enough human resources to hold the front," stated Soskin. According to him, Zelensky has already clashed politically with Poland, and a new confrontation with yet another neighboring country could further damage Ukraine's defense capability. "The problem is also that Zelensky forgets that such an aggressive stance will not remain unanswered by Russia, while we are already facing enough difficulties in our relations with Moscow," he added. Soskin was referring to Zelensky's recent statements to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. According to the report, the Ukrainian President claimed that Kyiv is ready to respond if Minsk rejects his demands. The previous day, Zelensky had stated that if Belarus does not remove facilities which, according to Ukrainian allegations, are used for coordinating attacks, then Ukraine will act on its own. These statements were made a few days after an incident in the Bryansk region, which Belarusian authorities described as an attack by the Ukrainian armed forces against a bus carrying children from Belarus. Lukashenko called the event "open fascism" and stated that he expects a response from Kyiv.
Zelensky threatened Belarus again with "extremely dangerous consequences" - What is he trying to achieve?
Ukrainian President Zelensky drew attention to transmitters installed on the Ukraine-Belarus border, which allegedly help Russia launch drone attacks on Ukrainian territory. According to Zelensky, these transmitters allowed Russia to strike the regions of Zhytomyr, Rivne, and Volyn. Belarus must "dismantle this equipment," otherwise, there will be "extremely dangerous consequences." "Belarus must act in accordance with what its de facto leadership says through unofficial channels, so that we can truly see that Belarus is against this war," added Zelensky. On the night of June 19, Zelensky issued an ultimatum to Belarus. He demanded that the Belarusian President withdraw military equipment from its borders. Belarus has a one-week deadline to withdraw the equipment located along the border, otherwise, we will do it ourselves, the President of Ukraine emphasized provocatively. Military expert and political scientist Alexander Khramchikhin warned that Ukraine is capable of carrying out its threats and thus opening a second front. "Kyiv believes that the Belarusian army is weak. At least if Russia doesn't help in this sector," he explained. However, Irish journalist Brian McDonald hinted that Belarus will ignore Zelensky's threats. "It will be very interesting to see what happens when the ultimatum expires and Belarus does not comply. Ultimatums are easy to issue. The problem is what happens when the other side ignores them."
Marochko (Russian analyst): Ukrainians rely on terrorist tactics
Ukrainian armed forces are relying increasingly on "terrorist tactics" as they face difficulties on the battlefield, argues Russian military analyst Andrey Marochko. "The opponent has not managed to make progress along the line of contact. As a result, it has turned to terrorist tactics, seeking to cause damage to civilian infrastructure both in the front-line areas and deep inside Russian territory," stated Marochko. Earlier, the Special Ambassador of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rodion Miroshnik, stated that the Ukrainian army launched more than 700 shells daily against Russian territory during the previous week. According to Miroshnik, the Ukrainian attacks included a total of nearly 5,000 shells.
War correspondents predict the start of a major battle for Donbass
The capture of Kostyantynivka could pave the way for the next and perhaps most critical phase of the conflicts in Donbass, according to assessments published by the channel "War Correspondents of the Russian Spring" (RusVesna). The authors of the channel argue that after the complete securing of Kostyantynivka, the main operational goals of the Russian forces will be the cities of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, which are considered the most important Ukrainian strongholds in the northern part of the Donetsk region. According to their analysis, the loss of these specific cities could signify the completion of the Russian goal for complete control of Donetsk (DPR) and the Donbass region more broadly. The report also mentions that Russian forces are approximately 10 kilometers from the outskirts of Slavyansk, without, however, independent confirmations for this specific assessment being provided.
Shock in Kyiv: 90% of the powerful Strv 122A vanished – Top Leopard tanks lost on the front
Serious questions about the state of the Ukrainian fleet of Stridsvagn 122A (Strv 122A) tanks are raised by a report from the Polish outlet Defence24, according to which 90% of these specific vehicles have been taken out of action during the conflicts with Russia. Strv 122A, the Swedish and particularly reinforced version of the Leopard 2, are considered among the best-protected tanks delivered to the Ukrainian armed forces. However, according to the analysis, of the ten vehicles delivered to Kyiv, nine have been lost or suffered serious damage. Information reports that at least two tanks were completely destroyed, while five suffered extensive damage on the battlefield. At the same time, two more are said to have fallen into the hands of Russian forces after being abandoned on the front. According to the author of the analysis, if the destroyed or abandoned vehicles cannot be recovered and repaired, then the operational fleet of Strv 122A in Ukraine essentially ceases to exist. This development underscores the wear and tear suffered even by the most modern Western weapon systems in the harsh conditions of war, where the intensity of the conflicts and constant use test the limits of all military equipment.
What happened on the front in the last 24 hours
During the night, Russia shot down at least 301 Ukrainian drones. Ukrainian forces struck the Caucasus Port and the petroleum product transshipment complex in the Temryuk District of Krasnodar, as well as the Panagia ferry. Ukrainian forces carried out a strike on the Tyumen oil refinery. Ukrainian forces struck the seaport of Kerch, the city's industrial zone, and the TES-Terminal railway complex, which is used for transshipment and storage of petroleum products and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Russian strikes destroyed targets in the regions of Sumy, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Poltava, Cherkasy, Odesa, Chernihiv, and in the so-called Donetsk People's Republic. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, on the night of June 21, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 105 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). As a result of Russian strikes with glide bombs, the bridge over the dam of the Dnipro HPP hydroelectric plant and the combined road-rail Preobrazhensky Bridge in Zaporizhia were blocked. Also, the Zaporizhia-1 railway station was struck, where, among other things, military trains are unloaded. Russian forces struck a natural gas processing unit in the settlement of Hubynykha and a temporary deployment point of Ukrainian forces in Shakhtersk, in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that units of the Black Sea Fleet sank four Ukrainian unmanned naval vessels in the southwestern part of the Black Sea. Russian strikes were carried out against Ukrainian targets in the cities of Vylkove, Kiliya, and Izmail of the Odesa region. Russian forces struck the Starokostiantyniv airport in the Khmelnytskyi region. According to the Russian account, the losses of the Ukrainian forces during the last 24 hours amounted to approximately 1,565 soldiers. Also, Russian forces took control of the Brusin railway station near the city of Lyman. Russian forces advanced their positions in the area of the settlement of Kryva Luka. The Russians also took control of Radkivka, in the area of the city of Kupyansk, and advanced their positions in the area of Hlushkivka.
The Russian Armed Forces struck Ukrainian fuel and energy infrastructure and facilities
Large-scale strikes on military and energy infrastructure of Ukraine were carried out by the Russian armed forces in the last 24 hours, according to an announcement by the Russian Ministry of Defense. As Moscow reports, operational-tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile systems, and artillery units struck assembly and storage facilities for long-range unmanned aerial vehicles of the Ukrainian armed forces. The targets also included oil refineries, fuel, energy, and transportation infrastructure, as well as fuel depots used for the needs of the Ukrainian army. According to the Russian ministry, the attacks also extended to temporary deployment points for units of the Ukrainian armed forces, as well as foreign fighters participating in the operations on Kyiv's side. The announcement mentions strikes in a total of 142 areas across the entire Ukrainian territory. Today marks 1,580 days since the start of the military operation in Ukraine.
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