Victory Chronicles
-DAY 478

A delegation from Africa took shelter in a bomb shelter during a Russian attack - Reuters

The agency’s journalists heard explosions and noticed the smoke trail from two rockets in the air. The Reuters team also saw African leaders arrive in Kyiv in a motorcade and enter a hotel to use its bomb shelter.

Leaders from South Africa, Egypt, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia, and the Republic of Congo are in Kyiv on a peacekeeping mission to establish peace after Russia invaded Ukraine. Among the measures, they may propose the withdrawal of Russian troops, removal of tactical nuclear weapons from Belarus, suspension of the ICC order for Putin’s arrest, and easing anti-Russian sanctions. They also seek an “unconditional agreement on grain and fertilizers,” in which Africa is very interested.

During the visit of African leaders, Russia attacked Ukraine, including Kyiv, with “Kinjal,” “Caliber” rockets, and drones.

Latest news

• Rocket attack on June 16: Air Defense Forces shot down 6 “Kinzhal” and 6 “Kalibr” missiles.
• Denmark to train Ukrainian defenders to pilot F-16s at its airbase
• Ukrainian defenders destroy 24 Russian drones and 19 artillery systems in one day
• Spain to send 20 armored vehicles and 4 Leopard tanks to Ukraine
• Germany to supply 64 more guided missiles for Patriot air defense systems in Ukraine

Symbolic number of the Day - 6000

Over 6,000 Ukrainian defenders are training in different Western countries, said General Mark Milley, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff. “With the efforts of many countries worldwide, over 6,000 Ukrainians are being trained right now in 40 different places under 65 training programs in 33 countries of the world on three continents,” Milley reported.

War in Pictures

The journalists of Skhemy project (Radio Liberty’s investigative reporting project) have published a photo from the Planet Labs satellite, which recorded the results of strikes by the defense forces of Ukraine on the bases of the occupiers near Henichesk, Kherson Oblast.

Satellite images from 15 June, which journalists have, show the aftermath of strikes on the Express recreation center and the Chalet Termal hotel in the occupied village of Shchaslyvtseve, near Henichesk. The images from 15 June show damage to the recreation center building and traces of fires, while the pictures from 26 May show no corresponding destruction.

Quote of the day

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister on recent Russian attack: This is Putin’s “greetings” to the African delegation. “Putin “builds confidence” by launching the largest missile attack on Kyiv in weeks, exactly amid the visit of African leaders to our capital. Russian missiles are a message to Africa: Russia wants more war, not peace”.

Video of the Day

Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces fighters rescue Russians drowning after detonation at the HPP.  The Russian command left their fighters for dead after the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP). After the water spilled, dozens of Russian soldiers were cut off from land in flooded positions in Kherson Oblast. One of these positions was sinking underwater, and several Russians were about to drown. Having received information about possibly capturing some Russian soldiers, the Special Operations Forces moved out to get them.

Five Russian fighters were loaded onto boats. At this time, the Russians hit the boats from other positions, although their “comrades” were also aboard. Under cover of machine gun fire, the Special Operations Forces fighters managed to bring all the prisoners to the coast alive. No Ukrainians were wounded during the mission.

ISW report

Efficiency of Russian electronic warfare complicating Ukraine’s counteroffensive. Russian milbloggers continue to credit alleged superior Russian electronic warfare (EW) capabilities and defensive doctrine for Russian forces’ successful defenses against Ukrainian counteroffensive operations in southern Ukraine. A prominent Russian milblogger claimed that the Russian troops are implementing a “strategic defense” that seeks to advance Ukrainian forces in extended positional battles along a first line of defense before launching counterattacks against weakened Ukrainian assault units. 

ISW continues to assess that Russian forces maintain doctrinally sound defensive operations in this sector. A first echelon of forces repels or slows attacking forces before a second echelon of forces counterattacks against any enemy breakthrough. Another prominent Russian milblogger claimed that Russian EW complexes prevent Ukrainian forces from using precision-guided munitions guided by GPS coordinates and heavily disrupt Ukrainian radio communication. 

The milblogger specifically claimed that Russian forces use “Murmansk-BN” EW complexes to disrupt sensors on Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance equipment and “Krasukha-4” EW complexes to suppress connections with satellite signals within a radius of 300km. ISW has previously assessed that Russian EW capabilities have been critical in complicating Ukrainian attacks in the Zaporizhia direction. However, it is unclear if continued successful Russian EW tactics result from superior capacities or improved Russian employment of these systems. ISW has previously noted that initial Ukrainian assaults and Russian defensive operations should not be extrapolated to predict the outcome of all Ukrainian counteroffensive operations.

Stories from the war

“Granit” Brigade Commander: Nobody in the world was sure that “Kinjal” could be destroyed, and we proved it in practice! In May 2023, the secret of the Russian “Kinjal” was revealed, or more precisely, the myth about the invincibility of Russian weapons was debunked. And it was done by Ukrainians – air defense forces using American weapons.

“There are no analogues” – the Russians assured, “we’ll try” – we said. And we did: we were the first in the world to destroy the X-47 “Kinjal” aeroballistic missile. First one, and then immediately six, which the enemy launched almost simultaneously with a dozen other ballistic missiles… They withstood crazy air attacks on Kyiv in May, not allowing any over 200 targets to accurately hit objects in the capital. They mastered different manufacturers’ modern air defense missile systems and beat the probability theory, increasingly showing 100-percent results. They proudly wear the “Blessed by Fire” chevron, as they were the first ones attacked by the enemy at the start of the large-scale invasion…

We’re talking about the 96th air defense missile brigade of the “Center” air command, commanded by “Granit” – Colonel Serhiy Yaremenko. He told ArmiaInform correspondent about his people, the persistence and skill that shocks the West, about 700 destroyed targets, each of which helped avoid large-scale destruction and most importantly – human casualties. The colonel also shared some impressive stories that for now remain “off screen”…

“It’s no secret that a rather powerful air defense grouping has been created in the Kyiv region. However, even it cannot guarantee 100% sky protection. We are incredibly grateful to Western partners for the NASAMS, and IRIS-T systems, and a year ago, we couldn’t even dream about Patriot. However, for a country like Ukraine, this amount is not enough. Excellent results are achieved both, thanks to the weapons and primarily due to the skill of the air defense personnel, who seldom act according to the template. The experience we gained during a year of war allows us to respond in time, bring up missiles, reload, change positions. You see that no attack on Kyiv during May achieved its success. I always say “thank you” to the brigade after every target is destroyed.”

Sergiy Yaremenko shares that even before May 4, no one was sure that Patriot could destroy X-47 missiles. Ukrainians proved it. No country in the world has had such experience previously. 

War Heroes

Senior Ukrainian defender Oleksandr Tsakhniv, call sign “Journalist,” was killed on March 25, 2023, near the village of Kurdyumivka in his native Donetsk Oblast. While carrying out a combat mission, the warrior came under enemy artillery fire and received fatal injuries. He was 37 years old.

Oleksandr was born in the village of Krasne in the Donetsk Oblast. He lived in the city of Selidove in his native region. He graduated from Donetsk State University of Management. He worked as a journalist. He played in a band on the bass guitar, wrote music, and read a lot.

During the full-scale war, the man changed his profession and became a warrior. He joined the ranks of the 37th Separate Rifle Battalion (military unit A4069) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He took up the position of a rifleman assistant to the grenadier and went to the front lines. “Sasha was a bright person with a broad outlook and sharpened virtues. He was a worthy warrior who defended Ukraine to his last breath,” said the wife of the deceased, Valentina.

“His entire professional path was filled with love for Ukraine and his native Donetsk Oblast. Before coming to journalism, Sasha was the coordinator of the movement “Strong Communities” and tirelessly engaged in the democratic development of the region – organized public events and initiatives, cultural events; was not indifferent to the development of the Ukrainian East. Sasha never tolerated injustice. Therefore, when he became part of our team, he took on a very important role – he wrote about corruption in Donetsk, dishonest officials, and what prevents us from living decently on our land. He was the honor and conscience of our team. With him, there was always something to talk about: from new movies to theories of philosophy. Sasha was also a talented musician – he mastered the guitar,” wrote colleagues from the “Vchasno” news agency.

Oleksandr was buried at the Alley of Glory of the Stepovoye Cemetery in Selidove. He left behind his parents, brother, and wife.