UKRAINE WAR BRIEF DAILY DRAFT
For: 2024-06-18
Slava Ukraini! In early 2022 I began a Telegram channel aggregating news from a number of sources daily on the war in Ukraine. Since June 2023 I have provided a daily draft for the Ukraine War Brief Podcast collecting news from over 60 sources daily, much of which forms the basis of the script. While the Podcast is on hiatus I will make this Draft available here both on my own Substack and The People’s Media for those who wish to keep up with events on a daily basis.
ALONG THE CONTACT LINE
GSAFU Morning Report
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its Operational Information update at 10:00 on June 18 stated that day 846 of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation against Ukraine had begun.
During the past day,136 combat engagements took place. Over the past 24 hours, the enemy carried out 2 missile strikes, 32 air strikes, 475 drone strikes and almost 2,600 artillery strikes across the positions of Ukrainian forces.
At the same time, Ukrainian soldiers continue to inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the occupying troops, exhausting the enemy along the entire front line and continue to disrupt the plans of Russian occupiers to advance deep into the territory of Ukraine.
Air Force and missile troops and artillery of the Defense Forces of Ukraine hit 13 areas of concentration of personnel and weapons and military equipment of the enemy.
Air Force Daily Report
On the night of June 18, 2024, the enemy attacked with ten attack UAVs of the "Shahed-131/136" type from the Primorsko-Akhtarsk region - Russian Federation.
As a result of combat work by the calculations of mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces of Ukraine and anti-aircraft missile units of the Air Force, all Shaheds were shot down in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
The Khortytsia operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the northeastern part of Ukraine. )
Kharkiv axis: The enemy attacked 14 times over the previous day in the area Vovchansk and once near Lyptsi. The situation remains tense - fighting in four locations continues. Defense Forces continue efforts to strengthen defense positions.
Photos of fighting around Vovchansk - Courtesy GSAFU
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Kupyansk axis: The enemy attacked Ukrainian positions 14 times in the vicinity of Synkivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Pischane and Berestove. There is ongoing fighting, the situation is under control.
Lyman axis: The enemy attacked Ukrainian positions 13 times in the vicinity of Makiivka, Terny, Torske the Serebryanskyy Forest and Hryhorivka. Measures are being taken to increase defense resilience.
Siversk axis: The situation has not changed significantly.
Kramatorsk axis: There were assaults by the enemy in the area of Hryhorivka, Kalynivka, Chasiv Yar and Klishiivka
The Tavria operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the central-eastern and southeastern part of Ukraine.)
Pokrovsk axis: Fighting is intense in this area with a total of 42 attacks over the previous day in the vicinity of Novooleksandrivka, Sokil, Yevhenivka, Novoselívka Persha and Yasnobrodívka. Defense forces are taking measures to prevent the opponent's advancement.
Kurakhove axis: The enemy conducted 11 assaults mostly in the vicinity of Krasnohorivka, but also Heorhiivka and Paraskoviivka. All attacks were repelled. Measures are being taken to prevent the advancement of the enemy.
Vremika axis: The situation has not changed significantly.
Orikhiv axis: The situation has not changed significantly.
The Odesa operational-strategic group
(Responsible for Kherson, Qırım, (also known as Crimea) and the Black Sea.)
Prydniprovsk axis: The enemy made three attempts to breach the defences of Ukrainian forces on the left bank of the Dnipro.
TEMPORARILY OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
Nothing to report.
THE HOME FRONT
Over 70% of Ukrainians believe LGBT people should have equal rights
A survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology at the request of the Nash Svit ("Our World") Centre from 26 May to 1 June 2024. The results of the survey showed that 70.4% of Ukrainians believe that LGBT people should have the same rights as other citizens of Ukraine. Ukrainska Pravda reports.
In 2024, the percentage of those who have a neutral attitude towards LGBT people has increased (from 44.8% to 47.3%), and the percentage of those who cannot decide on their position or have a negative attitude towards LGBT people has decreased (from 38.2% to 32.1%).
14.1% of respondents said they had a positive attitude towards LGBT people. Sociologists report that women and young people were more likely to express such an attitude.
Bomb disposal experts defuse 250-kilogram air bomb in Donetsk Oblast's Kostiantynivka
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) bomb disposal experts have defused a 250 kg high-explosive air bomb that fell on the grounds of a household in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast. SES reported.
"A 250 kg high-explosive air bomb was removed by SES bomb disposal experts from a household in the city of Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast. Fortunately, the ordnance did not detonate and no one was injured."
Bomb disposal experts transported the air bomb to a detonation site and defused it.
Ukrainians will suffer from electricity deficit for at least next two winters
Oleksandr Kharchenko, Director of the Energy Research Centre, during a broadcast on Tuesday that if Ukraine had succeeded in reconnecting the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) to the power grid, there would have been virtually no need for power restrictions. However, without the plant, Ukrainians will be guaranteed to have power restriction schedules for two winters.
"The state of Ukraine's energy system currently stands at three working maximum capacity points out of 12. If we could somehow get back to managing the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and put at least two to three units into operation, it would be a huge factor that would change the situation in the energy system. Restrictions would be practically unnecessary or would be needed very rarely."
RUSSIAN WORLD
Coke pledged to leave Russia - They’re still there
After Vladimir Putin’s troops surged over the Ukrainian border in February 2022, the Coca-Cola Co. was among the first multinationals to pledge it would quit Russia in protest. Aiming to avoid the inevitable headaches of complying with expected Western sanctions on the Kremlin, Coke asked its partners there to pull its cans and bottles from stores, cease deliveries of syrup to soda fountains and stop producing its drinks. Bloomberg reports.
Two years later, Coke’s distinctive red logo is still easy to find in supermarkets and restaurants across the country. And taking into account a newcomer called Dobry Cola—sold in cans with a remarkably familiar red tint and a taste few would be able to distinguish from the original—Coke by some measures remains Russia’s leading fizzy drink maker.
That’s because Multon Partners, the Coke bottler in the country, is owned by a separate, London-listed company called Coca-Cola HBC in which the US mother ship owns a 21% stake. When HBC stopped making Coke after the invasion, Multon introduced Dobry Cola. It’s become the country’s most popular soda, with 13% of the market, according to researcher Prodazhi.rf. “The profits from selling Coca-Cola in Russia have merely shifted to Coca-Cola HBC, which has taken market share through the success of Dobry,” says Garrett Nelson, an analyst at CFRA Research.
Original Coca-Cola is imported from neighbouring countries such as Georgia and Kazakhstan. After the invasion, Russia passed a law allowing branded goods to be sold without the trademark owner's consent. Thanks to this import, Coca-Cola has become the third most popular carbonated beverage in Russia, capturing 6% of the market.
SBU drones hit Russian oil depots in Rostov Oblast
Drones operated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) hit two oil depots in Russia's Rostov Oblast overnight on June 18, a source in security and defence forces told the Kyiv Independent.
Russian authorities reported fires at several oil storage tanks in the Russian town of Azov in southwestern Rostov Oblast earlier the same day.
According to the source, the drone attack successfully targeted the oil depots Azovska and Azovnaftoprodukt, where 22 oil storage tanks were located. Powerful fires erupted following the reported attacks.
NEWS WORLDWIDE
West must make China pay for its support of Russia – NATO
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said, during a speech at the Wilson Center think tank in Washington, that there should be consequences for China for supporting Russia in the war against Ukraine. Ukrainska Pravda reports.
Stoltenberg accused China of fuelling Russia's war against Ukraine, pointing out that last year, Russia imported 90% of its microelectronics from China, which are used to manufacture missiles, tanks, and aircraft. He added that Beijing is also working to provide Moscow with improved satellite capabilities.
"President Xi has tried to create the impression that he is taking a back seat in this conflict. To avoid sanctions and keep trade flowing."
However, Stoltenberg noted that China is fuelling the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II and yet also wants to maintain good relations with the West.
"Well, Beijing cannot have it both ways. At some point – and unless China changes course – Allies need to impose a cost," he said.
White House reaffirms belief in Ukraine’s NATO future
White House official John Kirby highlighted that the United States is helping Ukraine win the war against Russian aggression, pointing to President Joe Biden and other countries signing a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine to provide long-term support for Ukraine’s defence.
Ukraine must first win the ongoing war against Russian aggression before it can join NATO, according to John Kirby, the US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications.
This comes as Ukraine expects EU and NATO memberships that would strengthen the security of Ukraine and other European countries, according to Zelenskyy.
“The [NATO] alliance and the United States certainly talked about, and first they [Ukraine] gotta win this war,” Kirby said at a White House press briefing on 17 June.
Kirby emphasised that the US is doing everything possible to ensure Ukraine’s victory in the war.
He stated that even after the war ends, Ukraine will still face significant security threats due to its long border with Russia.
“We do believe that NATO is in Ukraine’s future, and we’re going to work with them every step of the way to get them there,” he said.
However, Kirby clarified that the decision to admit Ukraine into the alliance lies also with the existing member states and is not something the United States can make happen alone.
MILITARY & TECH
Ukraine to get German-made ‘Frankenstein’ tank
A new “Frankenstein” air defence tank designed to shoot down Russian drones and missiles is to be supplied to Ukraine by a top German arms firm. The Telegraph reports.
Rheinmetall has announced it will mount its state-of-the-art Skyranger anti-aircraft system on Cold War-era Leopard 1 tank hulls, creating a new vehicle to bolster Ukraine’s defences.
Weapons systems that are capable of dealing with short-range threats such as drone swarms and artillery fire are increasingly seen as crucial on the front line in Ukraine, in what has been called the first drone war.
“There are still many Leopard 1 main battle tanks on whose chassis we could mount the Skyranger turret with the 35 mm calibre automatic cannon,” Bjorn Bernhard, head of land systems at Rheinmetall, told Bild, a German newspaper.
Ukraine’s army has already received close to a hundred conventionally-configured Leopard 1 tanks.
Rheinmetall has only recently developed the Skyranger system, which boasts sophisticated sensors with 360-degree vision of the battlefield, capable of dealing with swarms of drones.
Mr Bernhard made his comments at a top secret workshop recently opened by Rheinmetall in western Ukraine, where the company is repairing German-made tanks that have been damaged on the front.
Italy weighs Storm Shadow missile transfer to Ukraine
Italian media reported on 18 June that it plans to transfer a batch of long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine.
According to the Italian newspaper Fatto Quotidiano, the missiles are allegedly set to arrive as part of the ninth aid package, which is expected to be allocated by the end of June.
The Italian Ministry of Defense has not yet commented on this information. Italy has reportedly received 200 Storm Shadow missiles since 1999, according to the Italian media outlet.
British Foreign Secretary Grant Shapps said in April that Italy, along with Britain and France, has already been involved in supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine.
In the same package, Rome plans to transfer the SAMP/T air defense system to Ukraine, as announced by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in early June.
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