“Kyiv has been allowed to ‘use air defense systems supplied by the United States to take Russian planes out of the sky, even if those Russian planes are in Russian airspace, if they’re about to fire into Ukrainian airspace,’ said Maj. Charlie Dietz, a Pentagon spokesperson.
Russia announced that it will give a reward of 1 million dollars and citizenship to Ukrainian pilots who will bring F-16s to their territory safely.
Ukrainian forces conducted drone strikes against at least two oil facilities in Russia on the night of June 19 to 20. Ukrainian outlet RBK-Ukraine reported on June 20 that sources stated that Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) conducted drone strikes against the Tambovnefteprodukt fuel and lubricants warehouse in Tambov Oblast and the Lukoil-Yugnefteprodukt "Enemska" oil depot in the Adygea Republic.[52] Geolocated footage shows fires at the oil depot in Platonovka, Tambov Oblast and the oil refinery in Enem, Adygea Republic.[53] Tambov Oblast Head Maskim Egorov acknowledged that a Ukrainian drone caused an oil tank at the Platonovka oil depot to catch fire.[54] Adygea Republic Head Murat Kumpilov stated that a Ukrainian drone strike started a fire at the Enem oil depot.[55] The Krasnodar Krai Operational Headquarters claimed that a drone fell on a house in Slavyansk-on-Kuban, …. The Krasnodar Krai Operational Headquarters claimed that information about a fire at the Afipsky refinery is not reliable.[58] ISW cannot independently verify that the Ukrainian strike on the Afipsky refinery, and the Afipsky and Enem oil refineries are notably fewer than 10 kilometers apart from each other. The Russian MoD claimed that Russian forces destroyed six drones over the Adygea Republic and three drones over Krasnodar Krai but did not mention activity over Tambov Oblast.[59]
Russian forces conducted a large-scale series of missile and drone strikes against mainly Ukrainian energy infrastructure on the night of June 19 to 20. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched four Kh-101/555 cruise missiles from Tu-95MS aircraft over the Caspian Sea; three Iskander-M ballistic missiles from Voronezh Oblast; two Kh-59 cruise missiles from the airspace above the Sea of Azov; and 27 Shahed-136/131 drones from Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Krai.[94] The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces shot down all four Kh-101/555 missiles, one Kh-59 missile, and all 27 Shahed drones and noted that Russian forces struck critical infrastructure, particularly in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The Russian MoD claimed that the overnight strikes targeted Ukrainian energy facilities that are critical to the operation of Ukraine's defense industrial base (DIB).[95] Ukrainian state electricity transmission operator Ukrenergo stated that Russian drones damaged equipment at energy facilities in Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Kyiv oblasts and that Ukrenergo is increasing restrictions on energy consumption as a result.[96] Ukraine's largest private energy operator DTEK reported that the Russian strikes seriously damaged equipment at an unspecified DTEK thermal power plant and that this is the seventh massive Russian strike on DTEK's thermal power plants in the last three months.[97] DTEK reported that Russian strikes damaged high-voltage power grids in Brovarskyi Raion, Kyiv Oblast.[98] Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Head Serhii Lysak stated that Russian forces struck the Kryvyi Rih and Nikopol raions.[99] Vinnytsia Oblast Military Administration Head Serhii Borzov stated that debris from a downed Shahed drone damaged critical infrastructure in Vinnystia Oblast.[100]
www.understandingwar.org/...
targeting RU air defense systems
Today, the American RC-135W Rivet Joint electronic reconnaissance aircraft monitored virtually the entire Leningrad Military District
Key Takeaways:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a major information operation during his recent visit to North Korea and Vietnam on June 18 and 19 aimed at sabotaging efforts by Ukraine's partners to clearly define a common strategic objective and strategy to decisively defeat Russia’s illegal war of conquest in Ukraine.
- Putin implicitly threatened to use nuclear weapons if the West enables Ukraine to decisively defeat Russia in order to undermine the international community's cohering strategic vision of support for Ukraine.
- Putin’s nuclear threat is part of an ongoing Kremlin nuclear blackmail campaign aimed at dissuading Ukraine’s allies from decisively committing to defeating Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and is therefore highly unlikely to result in actual nuclear escalation.
- South Korea responded to the Russian-North Korean comprehensive strategic partnership agreement on June 20 and stated that it will reconsider its previous ban on sending lethal military assistance to Ukraine.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin simultaneously attempted to downplay aspects of the Russia-North Korea agreement potentially in response to South Korea's concerns during a June 20 press conference in Vietnam.
- Putin also met with Vietnamese President Tô Lâm, Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, and General Secretary of the Central Committee of Vietnam’s Community Party Nguyễn Phú Trọng during his visit and discussed bilateral relations and the Soviet Union's and Russia's support of Vietnam during the 20th and 21st centuries.
- Russian forces used the new FAB-3000 M-54 bomb with a unified planning and correction module (UMPC) to strike Ukrainian positions in Kharkiv Oblast for the first time, representing a new Russian capability with a high potential for destruction if Russian forces continue to be able to use such weapons uninhibited.
- The United States made a policy change to prioritize delivering Patriot air defense interceptors to Ukraine against the backdrop of the increasing threat of Russian guided glide bomb use in Ukraine.
- US policy still prohibits Ukrainian forces from striking military targets with US-provided weapons in the operational and deep rear of Russian territory.
- The Russian military's increased over-reliance on infantry-heavy frontal assault tactics has greatly degraded the distinctions between various Russian combat services on the battlefield in Ukraine, minimizing the operational efficacy of frontline troops.
- Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov used a working visit to the Eastern Military District in Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai to create the appearance of a strict but engaged defense minister.
- Ukrainian forces conducted drone strikes against at least two oil facilities in Russia on the night of June 19 to 20.
- Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Vovchansk, and Russian forces recently advanced near Chasiv Yar, Avdiivka, and Donetsk City.
Ukrainian forces retake positions in north Kharkiv near Starytsya. Central Vovchansk is still very unclear over whom controls what, but 36th Marine did retake positions in east Vovchansk
Ukrainian forces recently advanced northeast of Vovchansk (northeast of Kharkiv City) amid continued Russian and Ukrainian attacks north and northeast of the city on June 20. Geolocated footage published on June 20 indicates that Ukrainian forces recently retook several positions northeast of Vovchansk and advanced along Soborna Street within northern Vovchansk.[60] A Russian milblogger claimed that Russian forces conducted strikes against Ukrainian positions along Hohol and Olesya Dosvitna streets in central Vovchansk and ISW has not observed recent evidence of enduring Russian positions within this area of central Vovchansk, suggesting that Ukrainian forces maintain positions in the area despite previous Russian claims.[61] ... Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks near Tykhe, supporting previous Russian reports that Ukrainian forces have recaptured the settlement.[64] Ukrainian Khortytsia Group of Forces Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nazar Voloshyn reported that Russian attacks have been less intense near Vovchansk since the morning of June 20.[65] Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian forces also repelled Ukrainian counterattacks in the Lyptsi direction (north of Kharkiv City), including near Hlyboke (north of Kharkiv City).[66]
Russia is considering changes to its nuclear doctrine due to developments "related to lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons," Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed while speaking on June 20 in Vietnam, a day after he visited North Korea.
Nuclear tensions have risen recently after the Russian Defense Ministry said in May it would practice the usage of tactical nuclear weapons in response to purported and unspecified "provocative statements" from the West.
Belarus then announced on June 10 that it will participate in the second stage of Russian drills simulating the launch of tactical nuclear weapons.
NATO spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah told the Kyiv Independent on June 17 that "there are no significant changes" to NATO's nuclear deterrent other than "an ongoing modernization program," after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told the Telegraph that the alliance is discussing putting more nuclear weapons on standby.
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