Summary of the day (June 27, 17:30):
1. Counteroffensive:
- Velyka Novosiilka Axis: The Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) have captured Rivnopil. On this axis, presumed to end at the city of Mariupol, the Ukrainian Army is approximately 80 km away from entering the city.
- Orihiv-Tokmak Axis: Relatively calm in terms of territorial liberation, but the Ukrainians continue to push the Russians out of trenches and bombard them with artillery. On this axis, the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) are only 3-5 km away from the first line of fortifications in the "Surovikin line" and are advancing.
- Battle for Bakhmut: The Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) have captured several streets in Bakhmut (Attention, on-the-ground sources I directly spoke to have confirmed this). The Russians in the city are under attack from both Khromove and Ivanivske.
Around the city, the Russian encirclement claws practically no longer exist since Wagner withdrew from there, and now the AFU has managed to cross the canal between Chasiv Yar and Bakhmut from the south, approaching Kurdyumivka and advancing towards Opytne.
In the north of Bakhmut, battles are taking place on the outskirts of Yahidne. Practically everything the Russians captured with huge losses over months has evaporated in a few weeks. NOT A SINGLE assault brigade from "The Nine" is being used to encircle Bakhmut.
- Herson Axis: AFU has started an operation to establish a bridgehead across the Dnieper River, crossing the Antonovsky Bridge and is now at the entrance to Oleshky, preparing to cross the Konka River.
Ukrainian Weapons Production:
2. Alexander Kamyshin, the former head of Ukrainian Railways, became the Minister of Strategic Industries at the end of March. Ukrainian weapons production has recorded the following figures (source: Thomas C. Theiner
@noclador
):
- Artillery ammunition in May (152mm, 122mm, 82mm, etc.) increased by 1100% (one thousand one hundred percent).
- Artillery ammunition in June: more than in the entire year 2022.
- Stugna guided missiles in May: a 300% increase.
- Resumption of production of T-84 Oplot-BM (One of the most advanced tanks of Soviet origin in the world) and BTR-4 (Infantry Fighting Vehicle).
3. Putin-Prigozhin-Lukashenko:
- We are still far from understanding in-depth what happened on June 24, but one thing is clear: Putin is bleeding, and in an oligarchic regime filled with powerful people, sharks always circle, waiting for the scent of blood. Putin is bleeding. In the last 20 hours, he has appeared in front of the nation three times to make statements, indicating a state of desperation and attempts to regain control.
- Wagner and Prigozhin have been "exiled" to Belarus, where, according to Lukashenko's statement today, they will assist in training the Belarusian Army. Some of the Wagner members have signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense, while others have refused and will follow Prigozhin to Belarus.
Lukashenko has handled this situation the best, while Putin has come out the worst.
4. International Aid:
- The United States announced two important things: that they miscalculated the expenses so far, resulting in an additional $6 billion. This means they have an extra $6 billion to provide to Ukraine to support the war effort.
- The United States also announced a new military aid package worth $500 million. The most important elements include 30 Bradleys and 25 Strykers, ammunition for Patriot, Stinger, and Javelin systems.
I have been saying since last year that Russia has lost this war. Now, what's important is for Ukraine to win because they don't come together. The fact that Ukraine hasn't launched strong strikes in the counteroffensive, ones that would lead to breaking through the "Surovikin line," indicates an uncommon meticulousness and patience on the part of Ukrainians, who are obviously eager to see victories while the West pressures them in this regard.
Ukraine will deliver significant blows to Russia this summer and autumn, leading to a form of decline in the federation like we haven't witnessed in a while.
Glory to Ukraine!
