Story By: Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash
This is the moment Chechen special forces troops “liberate” a suburb of Zolote in the eastern region of Luhansk Oblast.
The Chechen military said on 20th June: “Chechen ‘Akhmat’ special forces troops together with allied soldiers have started to liberate the suburb of Malaya Kamyshevakha in the city of Zolote in the Ukrainian region of Luhansk Oblast.
“They are being opposed in this area by various Nazi groups, including Polish mercenaries.
“Despite this, our special forces successfully captured strategically important points and systematically moved forward. At the same time, the guys are escorting civilians out of the settlement, who the nationalist henchmen are trying to use as human shields.
“In the near future, our special forces will completely clear Malaya Kamyshevakha and the city of Zolote from Ukro-nazis and mercenaries, thereby ensuring the advance of the allied troops to Lysychansk. To do this, we have all the necessary means and opportunities that we use with maximum benefit.”
Serhiy Haidai, governor of Luhansk Oblast, said: “It is hard for Russians to march through the Sevrodonetsk industrial zone and the outskirts of the city. The same s happening in the areas of Toshkivka and Ustinivka where more orcs want to breakthrough there, and to do this, they have pulled together a great amount of technology.”
He added: “Unfortunately, at the same time we have no control over Metyolkine near the regional centre.”
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is calling a “special military operation” to “liberate the Donbass”. Today marks the 117th day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 20th June, Russia had lost about 33,800 personnel, 1,477 tanks, 3,588 armoured combat vehicles, 749 artillery units, 235 multiple launch rocket systems, 98 air defence systems, 216 warplanes, 181 helicopters, 601 drones, 130 cruise missiles, 14 warships, 2,527 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 55 units of special equipment.
The new head of the British Army, Gen Sir Patrick Sanders, has told British forces that they need to be ready to face Russia on the battlefield and said the British Army now needs to be capable of defeating Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has visited Ukraine’s southern frontline as Ukrainian forces mount a counter attack in the region to push back Russian troops.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said that the war in Ukraine could last years, adding that while the costs were high, the cost of allowing Russia to achieve its military goals would be even greater.
Washington told China last week that it risked ending up on the “wrong side of history” following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s assurance to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Beijing supports Russian “sovereignty”. Russia has now become China’s top oil supplier amid ongoing sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine.
Thousands of civilians remain trapped in the key eastern Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk, where the water supply is reported to be dwindling. Hundreds of civilians are taking shelter in the bunkers beneath the city’s Azot chemical plant.
Luhansk Oblast governor Serhiy Haidai said all three bridges into Sievierodonetsk had been destroyed, making delivering supplies and evacuating civilians impossible.
United States President Joe Biden has promised Kyiv another USD 1 billion in security assistance and weapons. And US General Mark Milley says Russia has lost around 20 to 30 per cent of its armoured force during the ongoing invasion.
Former Russian president and staunch Vladimir Putin ally Dmitry Medvedev has derided French, German and Italian leaders visiting the Ukrainian capital Kyiv as “fans of frogs, liverwurst and spaghetti”.
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi held talks in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv with President Zelenskyy on 16th June.
President Zelenskyy said that a “historic week” has begun as Kyiv awaits a decision from Brussels regarding its EU candidate status.
The European Parliament adopted a resolution recommending that the European Union grant Ukraine the status of candidate country for EU membership. Some 438 MEPs voted in favour of the resolution, with 65 voting against and 94 abstaining.
