Military theatre

• Russia controls 80% of Sieverodonetsk, but Ukraine launches counterattacks, have taken 6 Russian POWs
• Lysychansk is under Ukrainian control: favorable spot on highlands, has strong defenses - RegHead Haidai
• Some Ukrainian units withdraw to Lysychansk, some still fight
• Russians offensive from Popasna continues to stall, Ukraine holds front in Bakhmut, Soledar, Komyshuvakha, Zolote
• Russia continues to shell Bakhmut - Lysychansk road but cannot block it

Davydiv Brid

Satellite imagery from May 31 shows that Russian troops look to have withdrawn from Davydiv Brid and set up positions in locations around the town in the past few days. It’s not clear if Ukrainian troops have entered the town, but they have positions near Andriivka and Bilohirka.

Kherson

The Ukrainian counteroffensive in Kherson Oblast has gotten the attention of Russian forces in the area. The Russians are now scrambling to secure the vital ground line of communication (GLOC) the Ukrainians have threatened.

UA Army Toys

Poland will sell 3 squadrons of AHS 155 Krab self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine, including 54 AHS-155 KRAB systems, in addition to the recently shipped 18. These are newly manufactured vehicles, and Korea will help speed up delivery by sending ready-made K9 chassis from stock.

Ukrainian forces with the M109, most likely the M109A3GN donated by Norway. We’ve heard reports that they were in use with the 72nd mechanized brigade.

Here’s Oleksiy, 38, from Donetsk city, showing us his Italian and Polish munitions at a position near Izyum. He’s quite pleased with their range and ability.

Captured

Soldiers of Free Russia Legion captured a Russian tank in the east

Destroyed

Post-combat banter. Basically they just took out that Russian BTR with a grenade, themselves are a little contused, but in excellent spirits.

Russian truck carrying ammunition struck with a Skif/Stugna-P ATGM by the Ukrainian 3rd Battalion of the 1st Separate Special Purpose Brigade.

Ukrainian Artillery destroying a Russian convoy.

Ukrainian sniper (25th Airborne Brigade) hits Russian infantry.

Another Russian BMP-3 destroyed by the same TD Bridge.

Kadyrovites were caught in an ambush, no survivors. Location unknown, but looks like Eastern front.

A Russian BMP-3 IFV was captured in working condition by UA forces somewhere in the East. Note that a new (“O”) tactical sign has been crudely painted over the original “V”.

Video of artillery strikes on Russian Grad MLRS from Ukraine’s 128th Mountain Assault Brigade.

Russian truck with an AA-gun and a car getting destroyed by the munitions dropped from Ukrainian drones, location unknown

Kherson

Three stationed Russian APCs attacked by a combined force from the Ukrainian 1st Battalion of the 1st Separate Special Purpose Brigade and the 17th Tank Brigade in Kherson Oblast.

Davydiv Brid

Video reportedly showing artillery strikes by Ukrainian M777 howitzers on Russian positions in Davydiv Brid, Kherson.

Luhansk

Severodonetsk

Footage of Ukrainian servicemen during the fight near the Myr hotel in northern Severodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast.

Rubizhne

Previously unseen footage of a LNR (Russian/Separatist) T-64BV burning down during the Battle of Rubizhne after being hit by the Ukrainian National Guard. The ammunition on board later detonated, tearing the tank apart.

Zaporizhzhia

Drone of the Ukrainian 45th Artillery brigade hits a Russian vehicle which tried to hide in the woods, allegedly in Zaporizhzhia Oblast

East Ukraine

Ukrainian jets zipping over the Donbas on their way back from attacking Russian positions.

A bit of what it’s like moving around out in the east. This was between artillery volley

The roads are filled with military equipment, including tanks.

…and trunks carrying pontoon bridges.

The closer you get to the front the more it looks like this on the roads. Black smoke all around. Shelling audible from everywhere. Nowhere is completely safe and there’s no direct route or straight path to any place.

It’s Ukraine’s industrial heartland, so there are countless factories, smokestacks, and slag heaps.

But there plenty of natural beauty too.

… a lot of it actually.

And amid the devastating fighting there is life and there are people going about their business somehow. Life, in a way, goes on.

One thing you quickly realize is that the air raid sirens not only wail frequently, but they do so consistently for several minutes or even hours without a break. Here’s the siren in a very empty and eerie Kramatorsk.

And the siren in Druzhkivka just to the south. It wailed for hours that evening. The airstrike never came. Not there at least. But the threat persists and that is what is mentally exhausting for so many people.

Bonus Kramatorsk scooter footage. 🛴 They’re everywhere and people like them even more now with fuel as rare and expensive as it is.