On the night of June 21-22, Russia attacked Ukraine with two Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, one S-300 anti-aircraft missile, and 47 drones. Ukraine shot down 18 drones, and another 10 were “lost” or disappeared from radar. Russian strikes hit seven locations, with Chernihiv Oblast bearing the main assault. Attacks also targeted Sumy and Odesa oblasts.

Russia is using a new reconnaissance drone before Shahed attacks. The drone looks like the Shahed, potentially confusing Ukrainian air defense units. It scouts safe routes for incoming attack drones and detects air defense units. The drone flies at 1-3 km altitude and transmits video over 50 km using an analogue transmitter. It can potentially function as a standard recon or kamikaze drone as well.

One of the new drones has the same kind of camera as an FPV drone.

On June 21, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine’s mobile air defense teams are now using FPV interceptor drones. Units that used to use machine guns are now being equipped with these drones. He stated that there are currentlu 4 companies making the drones. It is likely this number will increase shortly.


Russia attacked Kherson with artillery and drones several times on June 22, killing one civilian and injuring four others. A 46-year-old man sustained blast injuries when explosives were dropped from a drone in the Korabelnyi district. Three women were injured in a subsequent strike on residential areas in the Dniprovskyi district. An 85-year-old and a 54-year-old suffered blast injuries, while another woman remains in serious condition. A man later died from artillery strike injuries.

A Russian attack on Kherson damaged a water supply facility on June 21. The strike hit infrastructure that provides water to the city, potentially causing interruptions or reduced pressure in some areas. A fire at the facility was quickly extinguished with no casualties reported. During repairs, the Dniprovskyi, Korabelnyi and Tsentralnyi districts may face disruptions in the supply of water. 

Russia killed at least three people and injured four in an attack on Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast on June 21. Search teams recovered three bodies from the rubble of a multi-story building. Three more people are believed to be trapped under debris. Four people were hospitalized, with one being left in critical condition. A 14-year-old girl and 2 men, aged 69 and 85, were injured in the attack. Their injuries include head trauma, explosion injuries, concussions, fractures, and shrapnel wounds. Russia struck the city with a 250-kilogram bomb. Five multi-story buildings and 32 residential houses were damaged.

Russia attacked Sloviansk in Donetsk Oblast, killing a 17-year-old boy and injuring three people. The attack damaged 32 houses, two administrative buildings, four high-rise buildings, an industrial site, and three cars.


Russia killed and injured 15 people in Donetsk Oblast on June 21. One resident in Sloviansk and one in Kostiantynivka died. 3 of the injured people were wounded in Sloviansk.


Three people, including two children, were injured in a Russian rocket attack on Ochakiv in Mykolaiv Oblast. A seven-year-old boy, a 12-year-old girl, and a 46-year-old woman were hospitalized in moderate condition. The attack also damaged residential buildings.

Russia launched a missile strike on the Zarichnyi district of Sumy on the night of June 21-22, damaging a house. Earlier that day, Russia attacked civilian infrastructure in Sumy with a Lancet drone, causing a fire at a company. An hour later, a drone struck a residential area, damaging a high-rise building's roof and about 20 windows.

Ukrainian diplomats and the Defense Intelligence evacuated 176 Ukrainian citizens from Israel to Egypt ahead of US strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran. President Zelenskyy stated evacuation from Iran to Azerbaijan is ongoing.


German arms manufacturer Diehl Defence and French defense company Safran agreed to develop strike drones together. The companies will build modular lightweight air-to-ground weapons for multiple platforms. They will develop loitering munitions and other tactical strike weapons that can be integrated into existing platforms and systems. Their drones will use AI  targeting and electro-optical sensors to strike targets with precision-guided munitions.

Ukraine has been provided with French MV-25 OSKAR drones with a 25-kilometer range. The weapon belongs to the MATARIS family that includes four variants with ranges from 10 to 100 kilometers. The largest drone in the family has a turbojet engine and can reach speeds of up to 400km/h. The Ukrainian army has reportedly provided positive reports about the drone. The drone underwent combat tests in June of 2024, and KNDS is developing an anti-armor warhead for it that is based on the BONUS munition.


Russia manufactures 2,700 Shaheds and 2,500 decoy drones every month. Ukraine's head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, Andriy Kovalenko, stated that Ukraine is developing countermeasures that can defeat sheer brute force attacks that rely on sheer numbers to overwhelm.

Ukrainian troops killed Russian Major Andrey Yartsev during operations near Andriyivka village in Sumy Oblast on June 18. The 225th Assault Regiment captured his command post five kilometers from the border. Yartsev commanded Russia's 30th Motorized Rifle Regiment and was originally from Latvia. Ukraine liberated Andriyivka on June 14 after Russia occupied it on June 4.

Sumy Oblast has installed anti-drone nets over roads to protect supply lines from Russian attacks. 

Belarus launched mobilization exercises in the Brest region from June 18-24 near the borders of Ukraine and Poland. The exercises involve reservists being called up and weapons training. Special operations units are doing live-fire exercises.


North Korea began construction of its largest military factory in Chagang Province. The factory spans 5-10 hectares. The facility will produce CNC machinery for weapons manufacturing. Construction began in May.


Polish ammunition manufacturer Mesko increased small-caliber ammunition production from 50 million to 250 million rounds per year. Four new production lines allow them to produce one million cartridges per day. Mesko is also expanding their 155mm artillery shell production, with the goal of producing 150,000 shells yearly. Mesko is also working on localizing the production of gunpowder to reduce reliance on imported powder. 

Russia is constructing a military garrison in Kandalaksha in Murmansk Oblast near Finland's border. Satellite imagery shows 1.4 kilometers of forest cleared for the military facility. Russian authorities stated that the garrison will house artillery brigade personnel and engineering units. Russia plans to deploy 15,000 additional soldiers to the Finnish border region.


The ISW reported that Russia is operating simultaneous large-scale offensive operations in the Borova-Lyman, Kostyantynivka, and Novopavlivka directions across Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhia oblasts. Russia intensified its offensives in early 2025 and maintains this pace currently. Russia is allocating significant manpower to northern Sumy Oblast operations, though the gains there are slow. ISW reports that current operations likely represent Russia's maximum offensive capacity, and there should be no distinct increase in activity above this level as part of a summer offensive.


Russia has approximately 695,000 troops in Ukraine including reserves, according to Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on June 22. Russia holds 13 divisions plus additional regiments and brigades totaling roughly 121,000 troops in strategic reserve.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha reported on June 13 that Ukrainian intelligence indicates Russia prepares strategic reserves for operations "not only in Ukraine,"but also  for potential operations against NATO states. Syrskyi noted that Russia plans a protracted war of attrition to exhaust Ukraine through sheer manpower numbers. The Russian military is likely prioritizing recruitment for post-war strategic reserves targeting potential NATO conflicts rather than immediate deployment in Ukraine.

Ukrainian milblogger war_home: 

 Lately, the majority of Geran imitation UAVs have started flying with Iranian CRP satellite navigation antennas (Tallysman). These are resistant to electronic warfare systems, which explains why UAVs from the Kyiv region have stopped flying into Belarus, unlike at the beginning of Geran’s deployment, when they used only cheap satellite antennas from Aliexpress.

Iranian CRPA antenna.




Part from an Iranian-made shahed. Markings on components are scratched off crudely in order to hide their origins and potentially the supply chain that allowed these parts to end up in Iran.




Police in Lviv have arrested ahead of a charity worker who was suspected of embezzling $31,000 that was raised to purchase thermal scopes, drones, and cars for the Ukrainian military. He has been known to have stolen money from at least five people, one of whom is an active-duty/ soldier.

Russia’s commissioner of children’s rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, announced that by the end of June. Russia will return five illegally deported children as per an agreement made in Istanbul on June 2. She claimed that the children would be returned earlier, except there was a need for them to finish out the school year. She also stated that Russia was creating a list of Russian children in Ukraine who need to be returned to Russia so they could be reunited with their families. On June 2, Ukraine gave Russia a list of 400 children that had been abducted by Russia that Ukraine expected to be returned. In response to this list, Russia promised that it would work on the return of up to 10 children. Ukraine has information about 20,000 children who have been illegally taken to Russia or transferred around occupied territory.

The day before the NATO summit in The Hague, June 24, populist politicians from across Europe are going to hold an “anti-war rally“ in opposition to the NATO Summit. The event will have representatives from the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Cyprus, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Latvia, and Greece. 

Ukraine’s GUR managed to successfully strike a fuel and lubricants train in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, in the area near Tokmak. Published footage shows multiple tanker cars being hit with FPV drones. The train was at least 50km from the front, and at least 11 train cars were reported to have caught fire. 

Burning Russian fuel tank train near Tokmok 

SAR satellite imagery of the damaged train.



Ukraine published footage of drone attacks on a Buk M3 air defense system and a Zoopark counterbattery radar. The Zoopark was likely destroyed. As for the Buk, the 9S36M Viking radar was hit with 2 FPV drones, also likely being destroyed. 

Norway will invest $400 million in Ukraine's defense industry for drone and air defense missile production. Defense Minister Tore Onshuus Sandvik visited Ukraine on June 22. Norway's largest defense company, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, opened an office in Ukraine. Norway and Ukraine will jointly develop and produce missiles for NASAMS air defense systems inside Ukraine. Kongsberg signed an agreement with a Ukrainian company to produce cheaper NASAMS missiles.

Ukraine provided the United States with a list of weapons it would like to purchase from US manufacturers. Deputy Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko and Head of the President's Office Andrii Yermak gave the list to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The list includes Patriot air defense systems and other equipment.

Zelenskyy called on Western partners to allocate 0.25% of their GDP to increaseUkraine's arms production. Ukraine plans to sign agreements this summer to begin exporting weapon production technologies. Tentative agreements for joint arms production exist with Denmark, Norway, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom and Lithuania. Ukraine is holding discussions with various countries to produce arms for other countries, both in Ukraine and in these partner countries. Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian technologies are being made available to partner nations.

Ukraine has become a larger trading partner to Germany than Russia is for the first time since 1992. Trade turnover between Ukraine and Germany reached €840 million while Germany-Russia trade was €770 million. Ukraine exports food, metals, machinery, equipment and transport to Germany. Investment in Ukraine’s recovery, technology, and energy also plays a key role in this economic friendship. Germany now purchases 95% fewer goods from Russia than before the war. Russia fell from 12th place to 59th place of all of Germany's suppliers.

NATO countries agreed to allocate 5% of GDP to defense by 2035, overcoming Spanish opposition. The statement was approved by all 32 NATO members ahead of the Hague summit. Spain had originally opposed the proposal but eventually agreed with it. The agreements need to be made official by the leaders of individual countries at The Hague on Wednesday.

Canada is helping upgrade Ukrainian helicopters to counter Shaheds. Canada is supplying modern optics and targeting systems produced by WESCAM for helicopter upgrades. Canada has also agreed to jointly fund Ukrainian-made interceptor drone production designed to intercept Shaheds. Germany is also part of this agreement. 

Ukraine tested a fiber-optic FPV drone with an RPG in combat. The 420th Separate Battalion tested the Queen Hornet drone using an RPG-75 grenade launcher. The drone carries up to 9.5 kilograms over 5 kilometers or 6 kilograms over 17 kilometers. The Czech RPG-75 weighs 3.2 kilograms and penetrates up to 300mm of armor. The rest of the drone’s payload it taken up by the fiber optic spool. 

French manufacturer Parrot created the ANAFI UKR reconnaissance quadcopter, which was developed specifically for the Ukrainian military. The drone weighs 959 grams with a maximum takeoff weight of 1,450 grams. Standard battery provides 38 minutes of flight time. An extra powerful battery can give the drone a 50-minute flight time and 40km range.  The standard battery has a 23-kilometer range while flying at 10 m/s, but you can push it to 17 m/s at the cost of range. The drone’s maximum altitude is 5 km. The drone is resistant to electronic warfare and operates without GPS navigation. Base price starts at €15,000, depending on configuration. It has electro-optical/IR optics that have a 35x zoom. It can detect a human-sized target from 2.2 km away.


Ukrainian drone manufacturer WIY DRONES developed two interceptor drones. STRILA targets Shahed drones and can fly at speeds of over 300 km/h with a 15 to 20-minute flight time. The manufacturer developed its own propellers that can tolerate high-speed maneuvering. It has daytime and Infrared cameras. It hasn’t seen combat yet, but it is in testing in the field along common Shahed routes. The BUREWIY drone is designed to intercept Russian reconnaissance UAVs like Orlan, Zala, and SuperCam at altitudes between 1,000 and 2,000 metres at speeds up to 250 km/h. It also has thermal and daytime cameras. It has not been used in combat yet, but it has undergone testing by Ukraine’s MoD and is reportedly close to being approved for use.

The Come Back Alive Foundation raised UAH 309 million for the "REBnemo tak REBnemo: We'll Jam the Enemy" project. The project provided FPV interceptor drones, electronic warfare systems, command centers, and vehicles to the Ukrainian Air Force. The FPV interceptors use ten-inch frames with remote detonation warheads and reach speeds up to 50 metres per second. The drones have already been used to down Russian reconnaissance drones. 

Ukraine began producing domestic tactical radars for drone interceptor units. Many of Ukraine’s successes in intercepting Russian recon drones can be attributed to smaller tactical radars provided by Western partners; smaller radars can be positioned closer to the front, where large ones are too easy to spot and target. The West is not supplying enough of these tactical radars, so Ukraine is manufacturing its own. One Ukrainian manufacturer has a 13-month queue for radar orders, up from six months previously. A spokesman for the Come Back Alive Foundation, said Ukraine doesn’t have the capacity to scale up to meet demands yet. 

Ukrainian radars are simpler and more stable than Western models, but have a shorter range than foreign systems that detect objects beyond ten km. The Ukrainian radars also have some advantages in that they were designed specifically to be highly mobile and to detect drones. One major challenge is training operators. Ukraine has limited training centers available, so training people to operate Western models has its own separate bottleneck in addition to the bottleneck caused by the slow rate of deliveries. Highly experienced units often provide in-the-field training for new drone interception crews, as it can be faster and better than formal training.

Mobile air defense teams achieve 40% effectiveness against targets according to Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky. This rate primarily applies to Shaheds. Russia increased drone flight altitudes making them harder to target with 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm machine guns used by most mobile groups.

Saab selected the American company Anduril Rocket Motor Systems to supply solid rocket engines for GLSDB systems. These guided bombs are currently in use by Ukraine. New engines will replace recycled M26 rocket parts. Full-scale production begins in 2026 with Anduril investing $75 million to expand production facilities in McHenry, Mississippi. The GLSDB is meant to be a safe, affordable alternative to missiles or air-dropped munitions. The GLSDB has reportedly struggled to operate under the influence of Russian electronic warfare systems, but SAAB has been working to update and modernize them. An upgraded version of the GLSDB was tested in March 2025. 

A Ukrainian soldier from the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade captured four Russians single-handedly. The soldier called "Marik" confronted the troops after drones located them trying to secure a dugout near a strip of trees. Two Russians died in the open while survivors surrendered after "Marik" approached them shouting, “There are many of us here, surrender!” The Russian troops were searched and then provided with first aid.

Estonian Defense Forces began construction of the Baltic Defense Line along the southeastern border with Russia. Currently,  anti-tank ditches are being constructed along the border with plans for 28 bunkers and equipment storage facilities by the end of 2025. Estonia also announced plans for a new military base in Narva, which will host over 200 troops plus NATO personnel.

Russia's T-90M tank production reached approximately 280 units in 2024, according to Conflict Intelligence Team analysis. This challenges Michael Kofman's estimates in The Economist of only 28-30 new T-90M tanks being produced, and about ~60 were modernized. Since 2001, the Uralvagonzavod plant has produced 140 tanks yearly during peacetime while manufacturing assembly kits for India. They managed to exceed this rate 6 times. They reached a peak of 180 tanks per year for the export market. The facility now runs 24-hour, three-shift operations. CIT analysts noted 110-137 visually confirmed T-90M battlefield losses since the invasion began, suggesting higher production than Western estimates; they probably could not have lost this many tanks with the incredibly low production estimates. The plant expanded production capacity with a 158 million rouble investment in hull production workshops completed by November 2025. Russia lost approximately 200 tanks in the first five months of 2025, with 480 total tank losses expected for this year compared to 1,000 annually in 2022-2024. The tank fleet may actually grow by several hundred vehicles annually if current loss rates continue. The Wall Street Journal provided an estimate of ~300 tanks per year based on their sources in Western intelligence.

The EU is planning to spend €75 billion to modernize its ports and transport infrastructure in preparation for a potential war with Russia. This will be the largest project of this nature since World War II. Work began in ports across Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, and Romania to quickly facilitate the transfer of NATO troops and equipment. NATO identified 500 critical infrastructure facilities requiring modernization, including roads, railways, bridges, tunnels, and ports. Some operators of ports complain that these projects may disrupt their economic growth, or that these improvements will make the ports targets for the Russians. NATO and the EU have identified 500 pieces of infrastructure that need to be modernized.

Ukrainian drones struck the Joint-Stock Company Instrument Design Bureau in Tula. Five drones hit the facility on June 18, damaging the electrical substation, three warehouses, and the administrative building, causing a 400 square metre fire. Another drone struck on June 20, damaging a hangar roof and walls. The attack caused work to be suspended at the facility. The JSC Design Bureau is a subsidiary of state-owned arms manufacturer Rostec. It has 8,000 employees and engages in weapon research and development, as well as the serial production of weapons and equipment such as Pantsir air defense missiles, AGS-17s and AGS-30 automatic grenade launchers, OSV-96 sniper rifles, GM-94 grenade launchers, and Kornet ATGMs. 

Fuel tanks burned at the Atlas plant in the Rostov region following a drone strike. NASA's FIRMS satellite recorded a huge fire at 3:41 a.m. The facility has 32 petroleum product storage tanks. This is the third attack on the Atlas plant. The other strikes took place in November 2024 and August 2024. The plant is 100-150 km from the frontline.

Ukrainian intelligence reported cannibalism occured in the Russian military. An intercepted conversation between soldiers involved a conversation of a servicemember nicknamed "Brelok" who killed and ate another soldier named "Foma.” Both served in the 52nd Separate Reconnaissance Battalion of the 68th Guards Motor Rifle Division operating near Kupiansk.. "Brelok" was later found dead.

Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko has provided 92 ATVs worth UAH 15 million to the Ukrainian military.
 

Russian milblogger ZA_NAS_ZA_VDV:

 
“Thanks to US President Trump on behalf of the Russian fighters.

The situation at the front is not very good right now...

Yes.. We are moving forward now. We are moving forward only due to manpower. There are many losses.

But if the Yankees gave the hohols weapons and money, they would go on the offensive.

But Donald Trump doesn't.

Trump is with us, with Russia!

And that's why the hohols are screwed!

Glory to Russia!”

Ukrainian soldier Muchnoy airborn

Situation along the front, eastern direction (June 22):

Pokrovsky direction:
The situation on our line is relatively difficult. Battles are going on everywhere now, but without serious breakthroughs. The enemy is accumulating, regrouping forces, and tightening logistics. Enemy infantry is mainly storming near the borders of the Dnipropetrovsk region. It is also trying to enter Udachny from the south, and the storming of Novosergiyevka and Muravka does not stop. In the last village, Rusnya, "Solntsepyok" is working on our positions.

Interfluve of the Solon and Vovcha rivers:
Fighting is taking place west of Kotlyarivka and west of Gorikhove. Our Cossacks did not allow the [Russians] to gather strength in the central part of Troitsky—they struck the building with an FPV drone. Our fighters retain control over the remnants of the fields north of Zeleny Kut and are conducting a drone attack on enemy positions in Oleksiyivka.

Novopavlivka direction:
The enemy is advancing southwest of the Zaporizhzhia settlement and is gradually trying to approach the Zirka settlement. Fighting is ongoing in the eastern part of Yalta. The enemy is still advancing above the lower reaches of the Vovcha River. They have completely taken the Perestroika settlement and established control in the northern and western outskirts. The enemy now has to cross the Tonka River and enter the Myrne settlement from the flanks.

South-Donetsk direction:
Fighting continues for the Shevchenko settlement. The enemy controls the southern part and is fighting for the northeastern part, having made progress. Artillery work is underway on Komyshuvaka. There is progress in Vilne Pole, and the gray zone is expanding

Additional Milestones:

Kostyantynivka direction:
The gray zone is expanding north of the highway to Konstakh and north of Yablunivka. In the village, the enemy is trying to move in the center toward the eastern part. Our fighters are stopping the attacks, working with precision on every foothold. Combat is also underway in Oleksandro-Kalynov. There have been no new advances. We are destroying the enemy in the southern part.

Stupochok area:
There are no changes. The enemy does not have full control. The village has become a death trap for their forces.

Chasiv Yarsky direction:
We still hold part of the streets, the microdistrict, Shevchenko, and the northwestern private sector. The enemy is actively accumulating infantry groups, trying to advance to our positions, and using artillery along Mykolaivka and to the south.

Seversky direction:
The enemy is advancing in Verkhnyokamyanske. We control the western part of the village. They are trying to press on and take neighboring Novoselivka. Our fighters are also active in Serebryanka. The enemy lacks fortifications but is entering the eastern part in small sorties. Without equipment, this is difficult, as all movements are cut off by FPV drones.

Officer_33

 Russia attacked Kramatorsk throughout the night with approximately 10 guided bombs, hitting residential buildings. The strikes also targeted civilian areas with multiple launch rocket systems in the early morning hours.
...

Ukrainian forces liberated Andriyivka in Sumy Oblast but the situation remains difficult. Military analysts describe the Sumy direction as similar to the Vovchansk sector with ongoing intense fighting.
...

A Russian Ka-52 helicopter crew accidentally opened fire on their own forces in Novohrodivka during a combat mission. The friendly fire incident occurred when the helicopter crew mistakenly engaged Russian positions.
...

Russia continues daily strikes on Kramatorsk using guided bombs and Smerch rockets against what they claim are military targets. The attacks frequently hit abandoned houses and empty fields but also strike residential buildings causing civilian casualties.

Bakhmut Demon:

Ukrainian forces in Yunakivka and Loknya repelled Russian attacks throughout the night. Defenders achieved successful actions and pushed back Russian advances in both locations.
...

Russia suffered significant losses near Andriyivka, Yunakivka, and Loknya in Sumy Oblast. Ukrainian troops flanked Russian positions in some areas while Russian command failed to warn their personnel. Officers from Lgov and Rylsk districts show little concern for their troops. Intercepted communications reveal some Russian units consider retreating as they question their mission objectives.

Petrenko:

 In the area between the Mokrye Yaly and Volchya rivers, the enemy advanced in the settlement of Perebudova, in the western part of which he filmed footage of a demonstration of flags. Russian maneuver groups continue to storm west of the Mokrye Yaly River and on the northern outskirts of Perebudova east of the aforementioned river.

Severskoye direction. According to DS, the enemy advanced on a broad front in an area of up to 26.2 km² and consolidated in the central part of Verkhnekamenskoye.

…
In the Sumy direction, Ukrainian troops drove the enemy out of the Andreevka area and took it under control. Russian resources also confirm this information, complaining about the "difficult situation".

...

Between the Volchya and Mokrykh Yal. According to reports from the Ukrainian military, the settlement of Perebudova is completely under enemy control. Fighting is taking place in the direction of Yalta, Zirka, and a company stronghold north of Perebudova.

Southwest of the interfluve, fighting is taking place in the southern and eastern parts of the settlement of Shevchenko. South of the latter, the enemy has advanced in the area of the settlement of Privolnoye.

Quote of the Day:

“How do hedgehogs mass in the evening, when you get 10,000 in a flock and they drift around… How do they keep together? How do they all move at the same time?”

-David Attenborough