June 12, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news

Our live coverage of Russia's war in Ukraine has moved here.

Russian-backed officials and military bloggers are reporting intense fighting along the border of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, in an area where Ukrainian forces have made gains in recent days. 

The fighting is taking place south of the town of Velyka Novosilka along both sides of the Mokri Yaly river, an area where the Ukrainians appear to have had greater success than elsewhere in the initial stages of their counter-offensive. 

Late Monday, a senior Russian-appointed official, Vladimir Rogov, spoke of heavy fighting in an area known as the Vremivka ridge, claiming that higher ground remained under Russian control. 

Rogov, a member of the Russian-installed Zaporizhzhia administration, said on Telegram that Russian attack helicopters were in action, and that "reciprocal shelling and heavy fighting of ultra-high intensity continues" in the vicinity of the village of Urozhaine.

Rogov conceded that Ukrainian forces were "holding their positions on the northern and eastern outskirts of the village." 

He also claimed that in the nearby village of Makarivka, "the enemy has already been driven out by the quick and effective counterattack of the 127th Division," although other accounts paint a gloomier picture for Russian forces around Makarivka.

Rogov said heavy fighting about 10 kilometers to the west had turned the area into a "gray zone," but that Ukrainian units had dispersed from the area —around the village of Levadne. 

Russian military bloggers have also been reporting intense combat in the area, with one Telegram channel (Our Donetsk) saying "the enemy managed to deepen and advance through the wooded areas, threatening with further advance to encircle" nearby Russian units. 

There is no way to verify these unofficial reports, but they are consistent with a pattern in the fighting that has evolved in the last week. 

"Our Donetsk" acknowledged that Russian troops had been forced to abandon Neskuchne — just south of Velyka Novosilka — for a second time, "retreating to positions where they would not be encircled." 

It said the Ukrainians were "accumulating forces" in the area, and heavy fighting continued. 

Also late on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented on the fighting in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia border region, saying "the enemy's losses are exactly what we need." 

 By contrast, Russian military bloggers are claiming that Ukrainian efforts to advance south of Orikhiv, in another part of the southern front, have been resisted, with several saying that the Ukrainians had lost a significant number of de-mining tanks in an area known to have been heavily fortified by the Russians with minefields and tank traps. 

Geolocated video appears to show Ukrainian armor losses in this area. 

Russian and Ukrainian forces reported intense clashes Monday along the borders of the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, in Ukraine's east and southeast.

Ukrainian forces have recaptured seven villages within the last week, according to Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar.

Ukraine has lost 16 US-supplied armored vehicles in the past few days, according to an open-source intelligence website.

Here are more of the latest developments:

• Ukrainian troops make incremental gains in Bakhmut: Ukrainian troops made incremental gains in the eastern city of Bakhmut, according to the spokesperson for the Eastern Grouping of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. "There was position fighting there over the past 24 hours. The enemy tried to attack, we counterattacked on the flanks, moving forward from 250 to 700 meters," Serhii Cherevatyi said on Monday during a national telethon. 
• Russians claim counterattack underway in Zaporizhzhia: The Russian military has launched a counterattack in the area of ​​the Vremivka ledge, where Ukrainian forces have made progress in recent days, according to a leading Russian-appointed official in the area, Vladimir Rogov. Rogov told the Russian Komsomolskaya Pravda radio station: "At the moment, a counterattack has begun on the part of our guys — the 127th division is going into battle, moving forward."
• Ukraine's ultimate goal with their counteroffensive is to win back all territories: Ukrainian President Zelensky’s chief diplomatic adviser Igor Zhovkva said Monday that the "ultimate goal of the counteroffensive campaign is to win back all the territories, including Crimea." During an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Zhovkva said some counteroffensive actions were already underway, but would not give details. 
• Putin visited a hospital and urged wounded soldiers to continue military service: Russian President Vladimir Putin made a visit to the central Ministry of Defense Hospital in Moscow on Monday and told wounded soldiers that their country needed them. Putin visited the hospital as one of several public appearances to mark Russia Day. He bestowed state awards on fighters wounded in Ukraine and said that he understood the conflict is "not some movie, it's all happening in reality."
• Death toll rises to 10 following Nova Kakhovka dam collapse: The death toll in Ukrainian-controlled areas following the flooding from the Nova Kakhovka dam collapse has risen to 10, according to the head of the Kherson region military administration on Monday. Two more civilians have died due to the flooding in Kherson city, said Oleksandr Prokudin, the region military administration head. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address on Monday that fighting is tough but Ukrainian forces are "moving forward" and recapturing territory.  

"The battles are fierce, but we are moving forward, and this is very important. The enemy's losses are exactly what we need," Zelensky said. "Although the weather is unfavorable these days — the rains make our task more difficult — the strength of our warriors still yields results, and I thank everyone who is in combat now, everyone who supports our combat brigades in the relevant areas."

Zelensky also said that "the most important and hottest" operational areas are in the Tavria and the Khortytsia directions, and he received reports from the commanders in those areas during his staff meeting on Monday. 

The General of the Ukrainian Land Forces and the General of the Tavria operational-strategic group reported "on the success we have achieved, on the front areas where we need to reinforce and on the actions we can take to break more Russian positions," according to Zelensky. 

"We are maintaining and strengthening our operational dominance," Zelensky said. "I am particularly grateful for Bakhmut as we are increasing our control in this area."

Some more context: Earlier on Monday, Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said that within the past week, Ukrainian forces in the Bakhmut area recaptured 16 square kilometers. On the left flank in Bakhmut, Ukrainian troops advance 1.5 kilometers, and on the right flank, they advanced 3.5 kilometers, according to Maliar.

"This week, as always, will be very meaningful," Zelensky added in his address. "First, we are preparing new weapons support from our partners for our warriors. Second, we are preparing to involve more global actors in the implementation of the Peace Formula. Third, we are working to make the [NATO] Vilnius Summit truly meaningful."

Ukrainian President Zelensky’s chief diplomatic adviser Igor Zhovkva said Monday that the "ultimate goal of the counteroffensive campaign is to win back all the territories, including Crimea." 

During an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Zhovkva said some counteroffensive actions were already underway, but would not give details. 

He also sought to tamp down any expectations that the campaign would achieve rapid results, saying it could take many months for Ukraine to achieve its aims. 

In the same vein, he reminded Amanpour that this was not Ukraine’s first counteroffensive – a reference to the Ukrainian army’s successful advances in September and October when Russian forces were pushed out of the Kharkiv region and the northern part of the Kherson region. 

The current push would “probably would not be the last counteroffensive operation,” he added. 

He also said that if Ukraine was going to be successful it needed Western partners to supply more artillery and ammunition. 

 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday praised Ukraine's military for driving Russian forces "back and out of occupied Ukrainian territory” and lauded the support of the US and NATO allies in assisting in that effort.

“Having blunted (President Vladimir) Putin’s unprovoked escalation last year, Ukraine is driving forces back and out of occupied Ukrainian territory on multiple fronts. Reaching this point in the conflict is, of course, due in large measure to the heroism of the brave Ukrainians defending their homeland. But their success is also a credit to the tangible support of the United States, NATO allies and friends around the glove who value the same sovereignty,” he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that a “meticulously” planned Ukrainian counteroffensive started “several days ago" but did not specify where in Ukraine.

Speaking at a press conference with German and Polish leaders in Paris, Macron also praised the “excellence” of the tactical sense and organization of Ukraine’s military leaders.

The counteroffensive had been planned over several weeks or months, he added.

Since the beginning of the war, France has “intensified the delivery of arms and munitions, armored vehicles and logistical support” to Ukraine, Macron said. He added that such support would continue.

Russian President Vladimir Putin made a visit to the central Ministry of Defense Hospital in Moscow on Monday and told wounded soldiers that their country needed them.

Putin visited the hospital as one of several public appearances to mark Russia Day.

He bestowed state awards on fighters wounded in Ukraine and said that he understood the conflict is "not some movie, it's all happening in reality."

Putin told soldiers, "There's no doubt that your country, your homeland, and the Armed Forces need people like you," urging them to continue their military service once they recover.

Putin's visit to soldiers comes amid Ukraine's defense officials claiming to have recaptured several settlements in the Donetsk region.

Ukrainian forces have recaptured seven villages within the last week, according to Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar.

In Donetsk and Tavria, "the advance of the offensive troops amounted to 6.5 kilometers," Maliar said Monday on Telegram. "The area taken under control amounted to 90 square kilometers." 

Maliar said the villages of Lobkove, Levadne, Novodarivka, Neskuchne, Storozheve, Makarivka, and Blahodatne were liberated.

Earlier, Ukraine's Tavria Defense Forces posted a video on Facebook of soldiers holding up the Ukrainian flag in Storozheve, claiming to have recaptured the village in the Donetsk region, but it is not clear when the video was taken. 

"The national flag is flying again over Storozheve, and it will be the same with every settlement until we liberate all Ukrainian land," the Tavria Defense Forces said. "Thanks to the 35th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Ostrohradsky."

CNN cannot independently verify battlefield reports.