Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that on June 12, the Defense Forces continued counteroffensive operations in at least three areas of the front.
The report notes that Ukrainian troops continued counteroffensive operations on at least three areas of the front and made territorial gains on June 12.
Analysts also point to the fact that, according to reports, on June 12, Russian troops launched a counteroffensive in the west of the Donetsk region after the tactical successes achieved by Ukrainian troops on June 11 in the area of the Vremivsky ledge.
Meanwhile, Russian forces did not make any confirmed territorial gains in this counterattack, although some Russian sources reported that Russian forces recaptured Makarivka (5 km south of Velika Novosilka).
However, Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Hanna Malyar reported that as of June 12, Ukrainian troops still control Makarivka.
Pro-Russian militant Ihor Girkin said that if these Russian reports are true, then they confirm the "success of Russian tactics of flexible defense" in the area, and that the Russian military command is more concerned with the exhaustion of Ukrainian forces than with the return of territory.
Girkin claims that the typical defense of Russian forces consists in retreating to rear areas to remove Ukrainian infantry from the cover of air defense and electronic warfare.
He also claims that Russian troops will then attack this territory with the support of tanks and anti-aircraft defense to prevent Ukrainian troops from transferring air defense equipment to the liberated territories.
The report notes claims by Russian sources that bad weather conditions forced Russian planes to land, making it difficult to defend against Ukrainian attacks near the administrative border between Donetsk and Zaporizhzhya regions.
The same sources reported that Ukrainian forces managed to achieve tactical advantages on June 11 due to heavy rain and fog, but on June 12, after the rain ended, Russian aircraft resumed airstrikes against the Defense Forces.
Girkin stated that the weather will play an important role in determining the outcome of operations in this sector in the coming days.
Key findings of ISW for June 12:
- Ukrainian troops continued counteroffensive operations on at least three areas of the front on June 12.
- According to reports, on June 12, Russian troops launched a counteroffensive after tactical successes achieved by Ukrainian troops on June 11 in the area of the Vremivska arc in the west of Donetsk region.
- Russian so-called military bloggers claim that bad weather conditions forced Russian aircraft to land, making it difficult to defend against Ukrainian attacks near the administrative border between Donetsk and Zaporizhia regions.
- Prigozhin announced on June 11 that he had received an order from the Russian Ministry of Defense to submit his forces to the Russian military command.
- The formalization of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation probably aims to centralize control over Russian irregular structures and supplies to respond to Ukraine's counteroffensive, as well as limit Prigozhin's independence.
- Kadyrov continues to make efforts to rhetorically get closer to the Russian Ministry of Defense and further distance himself from Prigozhin.
- Russian troops conducted limited ground fire south of Kreminnaya.
- Ukrainian and Russian forces conducted limited ground fire around Bakhmut.
- The occupiers also conducted limited ground fire along the Avdiyivka-Donetsk line.
- The Armed Forces of Ukraine conducted ground attacks near the administrative border of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions and as of June 12 achieved some success.
- Russian sources reported that Ukrainian troops conducted limited counteroffensive operations southwest of Orichov.
- Russia continues to strengthen its "legal regime" in the occupied territories of Ukraine under martial law.
