The day of the war at a glance
Ukrainian troops threatened by encirclement – German self-propelled howitzers delivered
6/21/2022, 9:59 p.m
Apparently, Ukrainian units near Zolote in the Luhansk region are about to be surrounded. The federal government makes a U-turn and suddenly talks openly about planned arms deliveries. Meanwhile, the first self-propelled howitzers from Germany are arriving in the Ukraine. The 118th day of the war at a glance.
Ukrainian troops threatened with encirclement near Solote
In the heavily contested eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, Ukrainian units around the towns of Solote and Hirske are threatened with being surrounded by Russian troops. “In the Toshkivka-Pidlisne direction, the enemy captured the towns of Pidlisne and Myrna Dolyna,” the Ukrainian general staff said on Facebook. This would have cut off the northern road connection to the other Ukrainian units around Lyssychansk southwest of Sievjerodonetsk for the Ukrainian grouping around the towns of Solote and Hirske. The connection via Wrubiwka, west of Hirske, had already come under Russian control last week.
German self-propelled howitzers arrived in Ukraine
Almost four months after the start of the war, the first heavy artillery pieces from Germany arrived in the Ukraine. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov thanked Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht on Twitter for the delivery of the Panzerhaubitzen 2000. Ukrainian Ambassador Andriy Melnyk confirmed that the modern guns had arrived in Ukraine.
Federal government gives up secrecy on arms deliveries
The federal government has published an overview of the military goods that Germany has delivered or will deliver to the Ukraine – including 30 “Gepard” anti-aircraft tanks including 6000 rounds of ammunition and seven 2000 self-propelled howitzers. A corresponding list can be viewed on a website of the federal government, which include both material and weapons from the stocks of the Bundeswehr as well as supplies from the German armaments industry.
Difficult situation for the Ukrainian army at Sievjerodonetsk
The epicenter of the armed conflicts in Ukraine is also the Sievjerodonetsk-Lysychansk region. The Ukrainian troops there are cut off from supplies, said the spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, Igor Konashenkov. According to Governor Serhiy Hajdaj, Ukrainian troops now only control the territory of the Azot chemical plant.
Moscow: Ukrainian conquest of Snake Island failed
Since February, Russia has occupied the strategically important Snake Island. An attempt to recapture Ukraine had failed, said Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov. Russian forces shot down 13 drones, 4 Tochka-U rockets and 21 reactive missiles from the Uragan rocket launcher. The failure of this artillery preparation forced the Kiev troops to abandon the subsequent landing maneuver, Konashenkov said. This information cannot be independently verified for the time being.
At the same time, according to British intelligence services, the Ukrainian resistance has so far successfully prevented Russia from taking control of the sea area bordering Ukraine. This has undermined the original concept of the Russian invasion, the British Ministry of Defense said in an update. Originally, Moscow had planned to attack the region around the important Ukrainian port of Odessa from the Black Sea.
Moscow threatens Lithuania over transit ban
Russia has announced an early response to Lithuania’s transit ban on certain goods to its Kaliningrad exclave. “Russia will certainly respond to such hostile actions,” Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said, according to the Interfax news agency. The countermeasures would have a serious negative impact on the Lithuanian population.
Lithuania dismissed Moscow’s complaints. “There is no blockade of Kaliningrad,” Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said in Vilnius, according to the BNS agency. She pointed out that only goods on sanctions lists are affected – especially steel and ferrous metals. The transport of all other goods and passengers, however, takes place.
Confidence ahead of EU summit – “A consensus is forming”
The European Commission recommended on Friday that Ukraine and Moldova should be officially designated as candidates for EU membership. The decision on this now lies with the governments of the 27 EU countries. French Secretary of State for Europe Clement Beaune said: “I think a consensus is emerging.” He is optimistic but also cautious because unanimity is needed at EU summits. For example, it is still unclear whether EU states such as Austria, Slovenia and Croatia will link their approval of the EU accession candidate status for Ukraine and Moldova to progress in efforts to expand the EU to include the Western Balkans.
Estonia reports Russian helicopters in its airspace
Estonia has reported a violation of its airspace by a Russian border guard helicopter. The Mi-8 helicopter entered the airspace of the Baltic EU member on June 18 without permission, the Estonian army said. According to the army, it was the second airspace violation by Russia this year. The helicopter had neither transmitted a flight plan nor had its electronic identification switched on.
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