Russia steps up attacks, Ukraine faces challenges from many directions

The Russian Defense Ministry said that on June 9, the settlement of Staromayorskoye in the direction of Donetsk was taken under the control of the Russian military. “Units of the Eastern Battle Group continue to penetrate the defense lines of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and liberate the settlement of Staromayorskoye in the (self-proclaimed) Donetsk People’s Republic,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on June 10.

Also on June 10, Donetsk head Denis Pushilin told TASS that the Russian army was making great advances in the Avdeevka area.

“The Avdeevka direction is definitely the area where we see the strongest progress,” said the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic.

He added that the Russian army has recently taken control of the settlements of Netailovo and Umanskoye, and improved their frontline positions in the direction of Ocheretino.

“Umanskoye and Netailovo are small but important communities because they are more conveniently located and have a significant role in ensuring operational security,” Pushilin said.

He added that the Russian military also achieved successes near the Chasov Yar area, known as the main hub of Kiev forces.

“In fact, we improve our positions on the front line near Chasov Yar every day. All this is achieved with great efforts and the situation is not very pleasant, but our units are moving forward and taking control of the territories,” Pushilin said.

On the same day, Igor Kimakovsky (adviser to Mr. Pushilin) told TASS that Kiev forces suffered huge losses in manpower while trying to hold the line east of Chasov Yar.

“The eastern part of Chasov Yar was for some time called the gray zone. Then the Ukrainian armed units tried to enter and consolidate their positions there. This defense cost the Ukrainian Armed Forces huge losses,” Kimakovsky said.

“In this area, we now have almost complete control,” he added.

According to him, pressure on the Ukrainian army is increasing in the southern, southwestern and southeastern regions of Chasov Yar.

World - Russia steps up attacks, Ukraine faces challenges in many directions — (Illustration)

On June 11, the Russian Defense Ministry also reported new advances in the Lugansk and Kharkov directions. Accordingly, the Russian military liberated the Artyomovka settlement in the Lugansk direction and the Timkovka settlement in the Kharkov direction. On June 12, the Sever Forces Group of the Russian military said that its units were advancing deeper into the Ukrainian defenses. “Attacks were carried out on Ukrainian units of the 42nd Mechanized Brigade and the 36th Marine Brigade in the Glubokoye and Tikhoye areas,” Yaroslav Yakimkin, a spokesman for the group, said.

The spokesman also said that two counterattacks by the 13th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine were repelled, noting that Kiev forces suffered personnel losses and a field ammunition depot was destroyed.

Videos released to the media from June 9 to June 12 show that the Russian military carried out airstrikes and artillery shelling against the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Donetsk, Lugansk and Kharkiv directions.

Overall, Kiev forces are still trying to stop the Russian army's advance in all directions, but the situation may not be easy.