Ukrainian Defense Forces conduct counteroffensive in at least three sectors of front on Monday – ISW
Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations in at least three sectors in Zaporizhia and Donetsk regions of the front and made territorial gains on June 12, were able to recapture several tens of square kilometers of Ukrainian territory from the invaders, a report of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) for June 12 says.
The report says of the advance of Ukrainian forces in the west of Zaporizhia region, on the border of Zaporizhia and Donetsk regions, as well as on the flanks of the town of Bakhmut, Donetsk region. Russian sources also additionally reported on the fighting of Ukrainians in the west of the Zaporizhia region in Horikhiv area, but noted that the intensity of shelling in this area has somewhat decreased.
“Russian forces reportedly launched a counterattack on June 12 in western Donetsk region following Ukrainian tactical gains near the Vremivka salient on June 11 … Russian forces have made no confirmed territorial gains in these counterattacks as of this publication, though some Russian sources reported that Russian forces recaptured Makarivka (5km south of Velyka Novosilka) … Fighting in the Vremivka salient as ongoing and that the results of the battle are unclear. Ardent nationalist and former Russian officer Igor Girkin claimed that the weather will play an important role in determining the outcome of operations in this sector in the coming days,” the report reads.
According to the ISW, Russian forces conducted limited ground attacks south of Kreminna, as well as along the Avdiyivka-Donetsk City line.
In addition, Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin announced that he had received an order from the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) to subordinate his forces to Russian military command, what, as analysts note, “are likely intended to centralize control of Russian irregular personnel and supplies to respond to Ukraine’s counteroffensive,” as well as restrict Prigozhin's independence, and it is not related to Prigozhin's criticism of the Russian military department. In turn, Chechen Republic Head Ramzan Kadyrov continues efforts to rhetorically align himself with the Russian MoD and further distance himself from Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin.
The ISW also note about video footage circulated on June 12 which reportedly shows Russian barrier troops shooting Russian forces that abandoned their positions somewhere in Ukraine.
