(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Ukraine Invasion Day 484: Zelenskyy acknowledges counteroffensive progress is slower than expected [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-06-21 Zelenskyy noted that Ukrainian advances are not easy because Russian forces have mined 200,000 square kilometers of frontline territory. Counteroffensive is not a Hollywood movie Ukrainian forces conducted counteroffensive operations on at least three sectors of the front on June 21. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar stated on June 21 that Ukrainian troops had partial success during offensive operations in the Bilohorivka-Shypylivka direction (about 10km south of Kreminna in Luhansk Oblast).[1]... The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces continued offensive operations in the western Donetsk-eastern Zaporizhia Oblast border area on the Vilne Pole-Makarivka line, and Russian milbloggers continued to discuss Ukrainian attacks in this area, particularly south of Velyka Novosilka.[3] Ukrainian and Russian sources reported that Ukrainian troops continued offensive operations in western Zaporizhia Oblast, both south and southwest of Orikhiv and that Russian forces are counterattacking to regain lost positions in this direction.[4] Russian sources noted a relatively slower pace of Ukrainian offensive operations in both western Donetsk and western Zaporizhia oblasts compared to the previous days.[5] The overall slower than expected pace of Ukrainian counteroffensive operations is not emblematic of Ukraine’s wider offensive potential, and Ukrainian forces are likely successfully setting conditions for a future main effort despite initial setbacks. Ukrainian officials have long signaled that the Ukrainian counteroffensive would be a series of gradual and sequential offensive actions and have more recently offered the observation that currently ongoing operations do not represent the main thrust of Ukraine’s counteroffensive planning. [13] Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar emphasized on June 20 that it is not useful to gauge the success of military actions based "solely by kilometers or the number of liberated settlements.” [14] Malyar’s statement echoes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s observation that war is not a ”Hollywood movie” that will deliver immediate and tangible results. [15] www.understandingwar.org/... x At the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London today, I hope they will be discussing in detail this idea: "Why and How to Confiscate Russia’s Sovereign Assets to Help Rebuild Ukraine" Working Group Paper #6, October 11, 2022 https://t.co/1sVRyjOnQM — Michael McFaul (@McFaul) June 21, 2023 Key Takeaways Ukrainian forces conducted counteroffensive operations on at least three sectors of the front on June 21. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged that the progress of Ukrainian counteroffensives has been slower than expected, likely due to effective Russian defenses. The overall slower than expected pace of Ukrainian counteroffensive operations is not emblematic of Ukraine’s wider offensive potential, and Ukrainian forces are likely successfully setting conditions for a future main effort despite initial setbacks. Ukrainian defense industry conglomerate “Ukroboronprom” announced on June 20 that Ukraine built and successfully tested a 1,000km-range drone, indicating Ukraine’s intent and ability to target Russian military infrastructure in Russian-occupied territories and Russia with Ukrainian-made drones. Russian occupation authorities continue to codify legal mechanisms for forcible deportations from occupied areas of Ukraine. Russan and Ukrainian forces continued to engage in positional battles along the Kupyansk-Svatove line. Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations near Kreminna. Russian and Ukrainian forces continued limited ground attacks in the Bakhmut area and along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line. Ukrainian forces conducted limited ground attacks along the administrative border between western Donetsk and eastern Zaporizhia oblasts. Russian and Ukrainian forces conducted limited ground attacks in western Zaporizhia Oblast. The Russian military command is reportedly forming a new Azov Naval District as part of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The Russian State Duma passed a law in the third reading raising age limits for Russian contract personnel and officer, likely to keep personnel currently due to retire in the force. Russian occupation authorities continue to deport children from occupied Luhansk Oblast to Russia under the guise of medical necessity. www.understandingwar.org/... x ⚡️ WAR IN #UKRAINE - JUN 21 Equipment losses above average in dollar terms 3rd day in a row DEVELOPMENT: $2.2B in the last 30 days ⬆ $80M reported today ⬇ Artillery & air defence systems account for roughly half of today's reported losses 📈 https://t.co/5gTQ855PBb pic.twitter.com/NK7492qS0I — Ragnar Gudmundsson 🇮🇸🇺🇦 ragnarbjartur@masto.ai (@ragnarbjartur) June 21, 2023 x Latvia is sending all its helicopters and “Stinger” air defense systems to Ukraine, 🇱🇻 PM Krišjānis Kariņš said at Ukraine Recovery Conference in London In addition, Latvia would continue to train 🇺🇦 soldiers & supply Ukraine with ammunition, Kariņš addedhttps://t.co/VArsGIoH4N — Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) June 21, 2023 x Ukraine Has Thousands Of Old Armored Tractors. It Just Turned Six Of Them Into Fighting Vehicles. https://t.co/j4H0y4f2xx by @daxe pic.twitter.com/hPGI7YHbfJ — Forbes (@Forbes) June 22, 2023 As recently as 2017, Ukraine had 2,000 or more old MT-LBs in storage. Enough for a host of mods including the new 13-ton fighting vehicle. x #Ukraine/#Russia 🇺🇦🇷🇺: I noticed a new version of the 🇺🇦#Ukrainian MT-LBu redesigned for APC. The vehicles have undergone a complete overhaul, getting additional armour on the sides and rear of the vehicle, new rubber mudguards, baskets for crew stuff, Tucha smoke-grenade… pic.twitter.com/iowiLXKbNF — 𝕻𝖗𝖆𝖎𝖘𝖊 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕾𝖙𝖊𝖕𝖍 (@praisethesteph) June 18, 2023 x All-clear sounds in Kyiv. They’re starting to clear in other oblasts too. Maybe fascist Russia’s attack for tonight is over. pic.twitter.com/1orWGbQFKv — Euan MacDonald (@Euan_MacDonald) June 21, 2023 x A Ukrainian FPV loitering munition from the 92nd Mechanized Brigade hits a moving Russian Tor-M2 SAM system. pic.twitter.com/AmkMN207xo — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 21, 2023 x Ukraine's artillery stops a Russian assault cold on the eastern front Ukrainian artillery strikes hit Russian tanks trying to advance in the Lyman-Kreminna sector. 📹https://t.co/He44YCUfni pic.twitter.com/ke8Crweubp — Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) June 22, 2023 Russian Subordinate Main Effort #1 – Luhansk Oblast (Russian objective: Capture the remainder of Luhansk Oblast and push westward into eastern Kharkiv Oblast and northern Donetsk Oblast) Russian and Ukrainian forces continued to engage in positional battles on the Kupyansk-Svatove line on June 21. The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed that Russian forces stopped three Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups near Synkivka (9km northeast of Kupyansk), Kotlyarivka, (27km northwest of Svatove), and Novoselivske (13km northwest of Svatove). [24] Russian Western Group of Forces Spokesperson Colonel Sergei Zybinsky claimed that artillery units of the 6th Combined Arms Army (Western Military District) struck Ukranian troops near Vilshana (15km northeast of Kupyansk). [25] www.understandingwar.org/... www.understandingwar.org/... Russian Subordinate Main Effort #2 – Donetsk Oblast (Russian Objective: Capture the entirety of Donetsk Oblast, the claimed territory of Russia’s proxies in Donbas) Russian and Ukrainian forces continued limited ground attacks in the Bakhmut area on June 21. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive actions near Orikhovo-Vasylivka (11km northwest of Bakhmut), Ivanivske (6km west of Bakhmut), and Bila Hora (16km southwest of Bakhmut). [39] Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar stated that several combat engagements occur in the Bakhmut area daily. [40] The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces deployed elements of the 83rd Guards Airborne Assault (VDV) Brigade to the Klishchiivka (7km southwest of Bakhmut) area to replace elements of the 31st Guards VDV Brigade that recently suffered heavy losses. [41] ... The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed that elements of the Southern Grouping of Forces repelled Ukrainian assaults near Vesele (20km northeast of Bakhmut). [43] www.understandingwar.org/... www.understandingwar.org/... x A #Russian 🇷🇺 T-90M broke received multiple hits and still attacked the #Ukrainian line of defence 4km south of Marinka. 📌47.895387, 37.517776#geolocation #UkraineRussiaWar @GeoConfirmed @mdfzeh @T_90_M @200_zoka @Sprinter99880 @GeromanAT https://t.co/mwp1hFwGJQ pic.twitter.com/ZtoFHfyi6k — chris__759 (@chris__759) June 21, 2023 Russian Supporting Effort – Southern Axis (Russian objective: Maintain frontline positions and secure rear areas against Ukrainian strikes) Russian forces conducted limited ground attacks in the Vuhledar area on June 21. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive actions near Vuhledar. [50] Ukrainian forces conducted limited ground attacks along the administrative border between western Donetsk and eastern Zaporizhia oblasts on June 21. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces are conducting offensive operations along the Vilne Pole-Makarivka line (up to 7km south of Velyka Novosilka). [51] Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive operations south, southwest, and southeast of Velyka Novosilka. [52] ... Geolocated footage published on June 21 purportedly shows elements of the 3rd Battalion of the 60th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade (5th Combined Arms Army, Eastern Military District) operating near Makarivka (6km southeast of Velyka Novosilka) and the “Kaskad” Operational Combat Tactical Formation (a Donetsk People’s Republic formation) operating near Urozhaine. [54] Footage published on June 21 purportedly shows the 40th Naval Infantry Brigade (Pacific Fleet) operating near Novodonetske (10km southeast of Velyka Novosilka). [55] Russian and Ukrainian forces conducted limited ground attacks in western Zaporizhia Oblast on June 21. www.understandingwar.org/... www.understandingwar.org/... x The Russian military group launched an offensive with an infantry assault group supported by tanks. Ukrainian soldiers engaged in combat. The enemy tanks were destroyed 😁#UkraineWarNews #Russia #Budanov #London #Moscow #counteroffensive #Bakhmut #Crimea pic.twitter.com/XlyxP5meWY — Dr. Khaled Alfaiomi (@Alfaiomi) June 22, 2023 x These 32,000 Wagner mercenaries who survived Ukraine owe their freedom to Prigozhin. Many will likely function as mercenaries he can now activate all over Russia, including against the Kremlin regime. Girkin took Sloviansk (population 106,972) with 45 mercenaries in 2014. — Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) June 21, 2023 x EU to cover 45% of Ukraine’s recovery budget gap, EU Commission’s President Ursula von der Leyen announced The support will be provided through a special fund which will be financed with “proceeds from the immobilized Russian assets,” she said https://t.co/5wF4qMxRVt https://t.co/iWZqdalfOa — Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) June 21, 2023 x Germany is hosting @NATO's two-week-long Air Defender 23 exercise — the alliance's largest ever of its kind. pic.twitter.com/YMyYZW3AfB — DW News (@dwnews) June 12, 2023 [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/6/21/2176789/-Ukraine-Invasion-Day-484-Zelenskyy-acknowledges-counteroffensive-progress-is-slower-than-expected Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/