Ukraine Daily

Monday, June 27

Want to get the news faster? Follow our website: kyivindependent.com.

Russia’s war against Ukraine

A nine-story residential building in central Kyiv was struck by a Russian missile early on June 26, 2022. (Dmytro Sanin)

Dear readers, we are launching a new newsletter, Belarus Weekly, and you are the first to see it! To receive the Belarus Weekly newsletter in the future, subscribe via this link.

Russian missiles strike Kyiv apartment building, kindergarten, killing 1 person. Russian missiles hit a nine-story residential building and a kindergarten in central Kyiv early on June 26, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Rescuers pulled out 25 residents from under the rubble at the apartment building in Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi District so far, Klitschko reported. At least one person was killed and six were injured, according to the mayor. One of the building’s residents confirmed to the Kyiv Independent that it’s the same building that was previously attacked in late April, killing RFE/RL journalist Vira Hyrych and injuring 10 people. Read our coverage here.

Institute for the Study of War: Missile strike on Kyiv likely ‘direct response’ to meeting of G7 leaders. The U.S. think tank said on June 26 that the Russian attack on Kyiv is “likely to coincide” with ongoing talks by Western leaders at the summit about aid to Ukraine, reminiscent of when airstrikes were conducted during UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ visit to Kyiv on April 29. The ISW also reported that Russian forces are continuing to consolidate control of Sievierodonetsk and attack the outskirts of Lysychansk, as well as to intensify shelling of Ukrainian positions along the southern Axis.

Governor: 24 explosions reported in Sumy Oblast on June 26. Governor Dmytro Zhyvytsky said that Russian forces fired mortars on the oblast’s Shalyhinska and Yunakivska communities on the morning of June 26. According to the preliminary data, there were no casualties.

Bloomberg: Sanctions push Russia to first foreign default since 1918. Russia has defaulted on its foreign-currency sovereign debt for the first time in a century due to punitive Western sanctions imposed for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. June 26 marked the expiry of a 30-day grace period for the payment of around $100 million to investors.

UK Intelligence: Capturing Sievierodonetsk is a significant achievement of Russian forces. According to the recent intelligence update by the U.K. Defense Ministry, Russia’s capture of the city is a significant achievement within the reduced objective of the invasion, which in April shifted from aiming to occupy the majority of Ukraine to a more focused offensive in the Donbas. “However, it is only one of several challenging objectives Russia will need to achieve to occupy the whole of the Donbas region,” the ministry said. Sievierodonetsk in Luhansk Oblast fell to Russia on June 25, bringing Moscow closer to taking full control of the oblast, 95% of which is already under the control of Russian forces.

Energoatom: Russian missile passed ‘critically low’ over nuclear power plant. Ukraine’s state-run nuclear company Energoatom accused Russia of committing “another act of nuclear terrorism,” saying in the early morning of June 26 that a Russian missile passed critically low over the South Ukraine nuclear power plant. “Any damage to the existing power unit will lead to severe consequences and could threaten the world with a terrible nuclear catastrophe,” the company said. It added that the missile likely flew in the direction of Kyiv, where on the same morning, a Russian strike hit a residential building, killing at least one person.

Ukrainian troops destroy Russian column, 2 command posts with US rocket launchers. Ukraine’s 72nd mechanized brigade released footage showing a ruined command post. InformNapalm, an open-source intelligence outfit, said that it used to be the Russian 20th Army’s command post, which was destroyed with U.S.-made HIMARS multiple rocket launchers near Izyum, Kharkiv Oblast. Ukraine’s military also reportedly destroyed several Uragan multiple rocket launchers.

Russian media: Putin to make first trip abroad since start of Russia’s full-scale war. Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Tajikistan and Turkmenistan this week, reports Reuters, citing Russian state-controlled television Rossiya 1. Putin will also reportedly visit Grodno, Belarus, on June 30 and July 1 to participate in a forum with Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko.

General Staff: Ukraine’s military inflicts heavy losses on Russian forces near Bakhmut. Russian troops withdrew after an unsuccessful assault near the village of Pavlivka, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported. Russian forces are also trying to block Lysychansk from the south with the help of heavy artillery, the report said.

Russian officials say Ukraine again strikes drilling rigs Russia seized in Black Sea. Russian officials in the occupied Crimea claimed that on June 26, Ukraine’s Armed Forces hit for the second time in a week the oil drilling rigs of Ukraine’s Chornomornaftogaz enterprise, a subsidiary of Ukraine’s state-owned oil and gas company Naftogaz, Russian state-controlled media TASS reported. The rigs were seized by Russia after the Crimean annexation in 2014.

Official: Russian invaders making ‘business on blood’ in occupied Enerhodar. According to Enerhodar Mayor Dmytro Orlov, Russian occupying forces are demanding a ransom of $1,700 for the release of the hostages. Hundreds of citizens are currently being held captive, including skilled workers from the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, and some have been beaten or electrocuted, Orlov said in a Telegram post on June 26.

Agriculture Ministry: Russia has stolen at least 400,000 tons of grain since Feb. 24. Before the current Russian invasion, there were 1.5 million tons of grain in the territories that are currently occupied by Russia, according to Taras Vysotsky, the first deputy agriculture minister.

Russian Defense Ministry says Shoigu visited Russian troops in Ukraine. The ministry didn’t specify the location or the date of the Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu’s visit. Some Russian media reported that Shoigu went to the occupied territories in Donbas.

Intelligence chief: Russia conducting covert mobilization campaign. Kyrylo Budanov, the chief of the Defense Ministry’s Intelligence Directorate, told Reuters that Russia is conducting a covert mobilization to replenish its ranks in the east of Ukraine, which is why there is no point in waiting until Russia exhausts its resources. He added that Ukraine could only achieve a victory against Russia through military force.

Intelligence: Russia increasing its military presence in Belarus. According to the Defense Ministry’s Intelligence Directorate, Russia plans to increase the number of operational and tactical aircraft in Belarus, claiming it’s needed to conduct a joint airspace patrol during drills. “A flight of 10 planes to Baranovichi airfield (Brest region, Belarus) is planned,” the intelligence said.

Zelensky calls on Belarusians to resist Kremlin’s military goals. In a virtual address to Belarusians on June 26, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “the Kremlin has already decided everything for you, your lives are worthless to them. But you are not slaves or cannon fodder. You don’t have to die. And you can not let anyone decide for you what awaits you next.”

Russian shelling leaves 84 communities without electricity, 108 without gas in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. According to the Zaporizhzhia regional military administration, 23,641 customers are without electricity and 80,985 customers are without gas due to damaged power and gas supply lines.

Russia launches missile strike on Odesa Oblast, casualties reported. Six people, including one child, were injured in a missile strike launched from a Tu-22M Russian aircraft, according to Odesa City Council, citing Ukraine’s Operational Command “South.” Several residential buildings have reportedly been destroyed or set on fire. More information to come.

Ukraine’s military destroys Russian tanks, ammunition depots in southern Ukraine. Ukraine’s Operational Command “South” reported on June 26 that it killed 39 Russian troops and destroyed a Russian T-72 tank, four armored vehicles, and three military vehicles. Two Russian ammunition depots in Mykolaiv Oblast and one in Kherson Oblast were also destroyed.

The human cost of Russia’s war

Russian shelling kills 2, wounds 1 in Kharkiv Oblast. Both women died in the settlement of Kluhyno-Bashkyrivka in Kharkiv Oblast as a result of Russia’s artillery shelling on June 26, according to Viktor Zabashta, head of the Emergency Medical Center in Kharkiv.

Russian airstrike kills 1, wounds 5 near Cherkasy. Two missiles hit an infrastructure facility, Cherkasy Oblast Governor Ihor Taburets said on June 26.

Governor: Russian forces fire on Sumy Oblast 150 times, launch unguided missiles from helicopters. Sumy Oblast Governor Dmytro Zhyvytsky reported that one person was killed and another injured due to Russian attacks on the communities of Yunakivka, Bilopillia, Krasnopillia, and Shalyhine.

Prosecutors: Russia’s war has injured at least 613 children since Feb. 24. According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, 339 children have been killed as of June 26. The figures are expected to be higher since they do not include casualties in areas where hostilities are ongoing and in the Russian-occupied areas, the prosecutors said.

General Staff: Russia has lost 34,850 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24. Ukraine’s General Staff reported on June 26 that Russia has also lost 1,532 tanks, 3,659 armored fighting vehicles, 2,564 vehicles and fuel tanks, 764 artillery systems, 243 multiple launch rocket systems, 99 anti-aircraft systems, 184 helicopters, 217 airplanes, 630 drones, and 14 boats.

Governor: Russian forces kill 1, wound 8 people in Donetsk Oblast. Donetsk Oblast Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko reported that the individual killed on June 26 was in Novoluhanske.

International response

G7 leaders to pledge indefinite support to Ukraine for ‘as long as it takes.’ According to a draft statement seen by Bloomberg during the G7 summit, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.S. and the U.K., are set to announce that their countries “will continue to provide financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support and stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes,” the text says.

Biden confirms G7 to impose ban on Russian gold imports. U.S. President Joe Biden said on June 26 that the G7 countries will ban imports of Russian gold, which is “a major export that rakes in tens of billions of dollars for Russia.” Gold is a crucial asset for Russia’s central bank, which has restricted access to some of its assets abroad because of the Western sanctions.

UK ready to be guarantor for $525 million loan to Ukraine. The U.K. government said on June 26 that it’s ready to provide $525 million in guarantees for the World Bank lending to Ukraine. “The U.K. will continue to back Ukraine every step of the way because we know that their security is our security, and their freedom is our freedom,” U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. The lending will cover costs such as the salaries in the public sector and the running of schools and hospitals, the statement said.

UK, France agree to provide more support for Ukraine. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron met on the sidelines of the G7 summit at Germany’s Elmau Castle to discuss further support on June 26. A French official said France backs banning Russian gold exports and is not opposed to a cap on Russian oil prices.

CNN: US to announce purchase of surface-to-air missile defense system for Ukraine. U.S. President Joe Biden plans to announce the purchase of an advanced, surface-to-air missile defense system for Ukraine as early as this week, reports CNN, citing a source familiar with the announcement. The missile defense system, or NASAMS system, can strike targets over 100 miles (170 km) away, according to the source.

Want to get the news faster? Follow our website: kyivindependent.com.

Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Thaisa Semenova, Alexander Query, Natalia Datskevych, Lili Bivings, Oleg Sukhov, Toma Istomina, Olena Goncharova, and Teah Pelechaty.

If you’re enjoying this newsletter, consider becoming our patron on Patreon or donating via GoFundMe. Start supporting independent journalism today.