Russia's war on Ukraine. 21.06.25
Operational situation
Dear readers,
Please, accept our sincere apologies for failing to deliver the June 21st daily brief to you on time. Some technical issues got in the way. We will do our best to make sure no such issues occur in the future.
Sincerely,
CDS Team.
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On the Northern Slobozhansky direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces carried out attacks near Tetkino and Novyi Put, and counterattacked near Kindrativka, Andriivka, Oleksiivka, Novomykolayivka, and Yunakivka.
Russian forces engaged in combat for control of Novomykolayivka, attempted to advance in the forest north of Sadky, and launched attacks near Kindrativka, toward Varachyne, and near Yunakivka.
On the Southern Slobozhansky direction, Russian forces attacked near Zelene, Vovchansk, and Ohirtseve.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian troops advanced east of Dovhenke; the 27th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 1st Tank Army is fighting for Moskovka. The enemy attacked near Dvorichna, Kamyanka, Stroyivka, Kindrashivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Nadiia, Hrekivka, and toward Olkhivka.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces attacked near Ridkodub, Novyi Myr, Karpivka, Zelena Dolyna, Hlushchenkove, Yampolivka, and Torske.
On the Siversk direction, Russian forces advanced northeast of Serebrianka and attacked near Hryhorivka, Verkhnyokamianske, and Ivano-Dariivka.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces attempted to advance in Chasiv Yar and attacked near Predtechyne, Stupochky, and toward Bila Hora.
On the Toretsk direction, Russian forces advanced north of Toretsk and in the center of Yablunivka, attempted to advance west of Oleksandro-Kalynove, and attacked near Dyliivka, Rusyn Yar, Poltavka, Oleksandro-Kalynove, Pleshchiivka, Katerynivka, Novospaske, and Shcherbynivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces attempted to advance west of Shevchenkove and west and south of Udachne, attacking near Koptieve, Malynivka, Myrne, Myroliubivka, toward Volodymyrivka and Novotoretske, and near Promin, Yelizavetivka, Lysivka, and Kotlyne.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Udachne.
On the Novopavlivka direction, Russian forces attempted to advance south of Orikhove, east and south of Zaporizhzhia, north of Komar, and west of Fedorivka, within the area of Shevchenkove. They also attacked near Novoserhiyivka, toward Novopidhorodne, and near Nadiivka, Sribne, Oleksiivka, Odradne, Novoukrainka, Bahatyr, Dniproenerhiya, Perebudova, Vilne Pole, and Novosilka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Muravka and Zaporizhzhia.
On the Huliaypole direction, Russian forces advanced in the center of Malynivka.
On the Orikhiv direction, Russian forces attacked toward Novoandriivka.
General conclusion:
On the Northern Slobozhansky direction, the number of attacks along the Sumy Oblast border has recently decreased.
On the Southern Slobozhansky direction, Russian forces have intensified attacks on Lyptsi. Ukrainian Defense Forces hold positions at the aggregate producing plant in Vovchansk.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces attempt to expand their foothold along the Oskil River near Dvorichna but are unable to establish crossings necessary for a further advance on Kupyansk from the north along the river’s western bank.
On the Siversk direction, Russian forces conduct night assaults using anti-thermal cloaks to evade detection by thermal imaging.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces are regrouping and concentrating troops. The enemy is preparing for larger-scale actions in the area in the near future.
Russian forces have intensified offensive operations on the Toretsk direction.
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
There were 188 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 38 enemy assault attempts. The enemy conducted 10 airstrikes.
On the Southern Slobozhansky direction, the enemy launched 15 assaults on Ukrainian Defense Forces’ positions near Zelene, Hlyboke, Kamyanka, Fiholivka, and Vovchansk.
On the Kupyansk direction, the enemy launched three unsuccessful attacks attempting to advance near Stepova Novoselivka and Holubivka.
On the Lyman direction, 14 enemy assaults were recorded. Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled attacks near Novyi Myr, Olhivka, Hrekivka, Ridkodub, and in the directions of Karpivka and Hlushchenkove.
On the Siversk direction, the enemy carried out seven attacks toward Hryhorivka and Ivano-Dariivka.
On the Kramatorsk direction, seven clashes occurred toward Bila Hora, Predtechyne, and Stupochky.
On the Toretsk direction, the enemy launched 20 attacks in the areas of Toretsk, Bila Hora, Dyliivka, Shcherbynivka, and toward Yablunivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction 53 assault and offensive actions were repelled in the areas of Poltavka, Myrne, Malynivka, Myroliubivka, Promin, Lysivka, Myrnohrad, Novomykolayivka, Muravka, Orikhove, Oleksiivka, Udachne, Nadiivka, Sribne, and in the directions of Volodymyrivka, Novopavlivka, and Novopidhorodne.
On the Novopavlivka direction, the enemy launched 15 attacks in the areas of Odradne, Bahatyr, Vesele, Fedorivka, Vilne Pole, and Shevchenkove.
On the Huliaypole direction, one enemy assault was repelled near Malynivka.
On the Orikhiv direction, two enemy attacks toward Novoandriivka were repelled.
On the Prydniprovske direction, an enemy assault was repelled in the area of the Antonivskyi Bridge.
In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
Black Sea: 1 ship, including 1 cruise missile carrier; the total salvo is 2 cruise missiles.
Mediterranean Sea: 2 ships, including 0 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 0 cruise missiles.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces carried out drone airstrikes on targets in Lgov, Kursk Oblast; Millerovo and Shakhty, Rostov Oblast; and in Oryol, Tambov Oblasts, as well as in Kazan, Tatarstan.
The Kazan and Tambov airports were closed due to the implementation of the “Kovior” plan.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 1427th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 18th Machine Gun-Artillery Division of the 68th Army Corps operates near Tetkino.
The 102nd Motorized Rifle Regiment and 163rd Tank Regiment of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army, along with the “Storm-V” and “Storm-Z” assault units, operate both northwest and southwest of Toretsk.
The 33rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army operates near Yablunivka.
The 60th Separate Motorized Rifle Battalion of the 9th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army operates on the Pokrovsk direction.
The 37th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 36th Combined Arms Army operates near Odradne, Fedorivka, and Komar; the 77th and 394th Motorized Rifle Regiments of the 127th Motorized Rifle Division of the 5th Combined Arms Army attack near Shevchenkove.
Possible operation situation developments:
On the Northern Slobozhansky direction, the enemy’s “Sever (North)” Operational Grouping is trying to reach the Mala Korchakivka – Nova Sich – Maryinka – Sadky line in the near future.
On the Kupyansk direction, the command of the enemy's "Zapad (West)" Operational Grouping will advance with forces of the 144th Motorized Rifle Division from the bridgehead near Nove toward the high ground near the village of Cherneshchyna, and with forces of the 4th Tank Division, which is advancing on converging directions Raihorodka–Cherneshchyna and Pershotravneve–Kopanky, will attempt to encircle a tactical group of the “Khortytsia” Operational-Strategic Grouping (OSG) defending along the Novoyehorivka–Hrekivka line.
On the Lyman direction, the forces of the "Zapad (West)" Operational Grouping will advance towards the Karlivka – Shandryholove – Drobysheve line while simultaneously advancing near Torske to approach Lyman from the east. The 25th Combined Arms Army will advance in the Dibrova – Yampil direction and in the area of the Serebriansk Forest in order to break through the communication lines of the "Khortytsia" OSG.
On the Siversk direction, the command of the enemy's "Yug (South)" Operational Grouping will attempt to eliminate the Siversk salient held by "Khortytsia" OSG and break through towards the Sloviansk – Kramatorsk agglomeration. The 3rd Combined Arms Army will try to break through to the northern bank of the Siverskyi Donets River between Yampil and Hryhorivka, and from the southeast – toward Siversk.
On the Kramatorsk direction, the command of the enemy’s “Yug (South)” Operational Grouping and the 3rd Army, in particular, may soon change the direction of their main strike and shift it to the north of Chasiv Yar, launching an offensive on both sides of the Bakhmut–Sloviansk road along the Orikhovo-Vasylivka–Minkivka and Blahodatne–Pryvillya directions, which would allow them to break through to the forward approaches of Sloviansk directly from the southeast and create a real threat to the “Siversk” Operational Tactical Grouping (OTG) of Ukrainian Defense Forces by executing a deep flanking maneuver on its right flank. If the enemy manages to achieve operational surprise in these directions and advance to tactical depth, the situation in the Kolodyazi–Hryhorivka sector on the Lyman direction could radically deteriorate for the “Khortytsia” OSG.
In the Novopavlivka direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces will soon have to withdraw from a fairly large area on both banks of the Vovcha River and fall back to the Novopavlivka–Piddubne line.
Russian operational losses from 23.02.22 to 21.06.25
Personnel - almost 1,010 390 (+1,060);
Tanks – 10,955 (+1);
Armored combat vehicles ‒ 22,865 (+5);
Artillery systems – 29,393 (+19);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,421 (0);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,188 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 52,617 (+116);
Aircraft - 416 (0);
Helicopters – 337 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 41,422 (+123);
Intercepted cruise and other missiles – 3,369 (0);
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
During the night of June 21, the enemy launched 280 means of aerial attack at Ukraine — specifically, 272 UAVs, two Kh-47M2 "Kinzhal" aeroballistic missiles, four "Kalibr" cruise missiles, and two "Iskander-K" cruise missiles. The Air Force reports shooting down 140 UAVs, three "Kalibr" missiles, and one each of the "Kinzhal" and "Iskander-K." A total of 112 drones and one missile each of "Iskander-K," "Kalibr," and "Kinzhal" were listed as lost from radar or suppressed by EW means. Impacts were recorded in Kremenchuk, Poltava Oblast, as well as debris falling in three locations.
Russian occupiers once again launched a massive, combined attack on Kremenchuk in Poltava Oblast. In the Kremenchuk district, direct hits and debris falls were recorded on energy infrastructure facilities and open areas. One person sustained moderate injuries. Cluster munition elements were found after the shelling.
As a result of an enemy drone strike in the village of Staryi Saltiv, Chuhuiv district, Kharkiv Oblast, a 60-year-old man was killed.
As a result of Russian shelling in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on June 21, seven civilian men were wounded. Among them were six police officers on duty along the highway. Throughout the day, the aggressor attacked the Nikopol area with drones and artillery. Nikopol, Marhanets, Chervonohryhorivka, and Pokrovske communities came under attack. Two fires broke out due to the strikes. Infrastructure, a gas station, three private houses, an outbuilding, and a vehicle were damaged.
During the day, the Russian army shelled Kherson again. As a result of the strike, one of the city’s key critical infrastructure facilities responsible for water supply was damaged. Some areas may experience water outages or reduced water pressure.
On Saturday around 17:30, Russian forces struck civilian infrastructure in Sumy with a “Lancet” drone, causing a fire at a local enterprise. An hour later, the Russians attacked Sumy again with a UAV. The second strike hit a residential area. No casualties have been reported.
On Saturday evening, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with strike UAVs from the north. At 19:24, the mayor of Nizhyn, Chernihiv Oblast, reported that the city was under a “Shahed” drone attack. A man was killed in the Nizhyn district.
At least 45 Ukrainians, for whom Russia issued deportation orders, have been held for several days in a basement without food or water at the Verkhnii Lars checkpoint on the border with Georgia. Most are former prisoners taken from occupied territories, but there are also civilians among them. The Volunteers Tbilisi project reports the presence of a woman who was likely forcibly removed. Among those held are individuals with HIV, tuberculosis, and disabilities. They are not being fed or provided medical care. Many are in deteriorating condition, and one has already been hospitalized.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, during a briefing with journalists, revealed that the bodies of 20 people returned as fallen Ukrainian soldiers were in fact Russians — some still had Russian passports on them.
President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Ruslan Kravchenko as the new Prosecutor General of Ukraine.