Updates on Ground Attacks and Fighting in Eastern Ukraine as of June 11th

The situation in Kharkiv and Lugansk regions

On June 11, Russian forces continued limited ground attacks south of Kremennaya. The General Staff of Ukraine reported that Ukrainian troops repelled the offensive of Russian troops near Belogorivka (12 km south of Kremennaya). A Russian military blogger said that Russian troops are fighting hard near the village.

Russian “military correspondents” claimed that Russian troops made unsuccessful ground attacks near Vesele (30 km south of Kremennaya). The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) said that Russian troops fired on Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups near Movchanovo, Kharkiv region (11 km northeast of Kupyansk) and Torskoye, Donetsk region (14 km west of Kremennaya).

Fighting in Donbas

Ukrainian and Russian forces continued limited ground attacks around Bakhmut on 11 June. Russian military bloggers claimed that Ukrainian forces were attacking near Klishchievka (7km southwest of Bakhmut) and that Russian special forces units were trying to push back Ukrainian forces from positions near Klishchievka.

“Voyenkor” said that Russian forces repelled two Ukrainian attacks in the direction of Soledar-Bakhmut. He claimed that Russian troops had made unsuccessful ground attacks near Bogdanovka (5 km northwest of Bakhmut). The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repulsed a Russian ground attack near Belaya Gora (14 km southwest of Bakhmut).

Ukrainian forces made little progress near Avdiivka as Russian forces continued limited ground attacks on the Avdiivka-Donetsk line as of 11 June. Geolocation footage shows that Ukrainian forces made a minor advance south of Nevelskoye (13km southwest of Avdiivka) as of 11 June.

The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that Russian forces repelled eight Ukrainian ground attacks near Novobakhmutovka (13km northeast of Avdiivka), Krasnogorovka (8km northeast of Avdiivka), Pervomaisky (11km southwest of Avdiivka) and Maryinka (southwestern outskirts of Donetsk) .

A Russian source claimed that on June 10, Ukrainian forces carried out counterattacks near Severny (6km west of Avdiivka) and Poprosne (3km southwest of Avdiivka). A Russian military blogger claimed that Russian forces launched an unsuccessful ground attack near Severny on 11 June.

The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian troops repelled Russian ground attacks near Avdiivka and Maryinka. Footage released on June 11 shows that the Russian 10th Tank Regiment (3rd Army Corps, Western Military District) continues to operate near Avdiivka.

“South Axis”

Ukrainian forces carried out ground attacks near the administrative border between Donetsk and Zaporozhye regions and made progress as of 11 June. Geolocation footage released on June 11 shows that Ukrainian forces have liberated Neskuchne (immediately south of Velyka Novoselka) and Blagodatne (5km south of Velyka Novoselka).

A Russian military blogger said that Ukrainian troops sacked Neskuchnoye and Blagodatnoe without a fight, while the personnel of the Kaskad operational-combat tactical formation (formation of the so-called “DPR”) retreated to avoid the cordon.

Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said on June 11 that Ukrainian troops had liberated Makarovka (7km south of Velyka Novoselka), a settlement south of Russian positions in Neskuchnoye and Blagodatnoe. Russian “military correspondents” claimed that Russian troops retreated from Storozhevoye (3km south of Velika Novoselka), while Ukrainian forces advanced further to the northern edge of Urozhayne (9km south of Velika Novoselka).

Russian military bloggers also claimed that Ukrainian forces took up positions in Levadne (18km southwest of Velika Novoselka) and advanced in the area of ​​Novodarovka (15km southwest of Velika Novoselka). A Russian “military corps officer” claimed that Ukrainian troops destroyed a dam on the Mokri Yala River near Klyuchevoye (18km south of Velikaya Novoselka), but there is no visual evidence of damage to the dam yet.

He also claimed that units of the 336th Guards Separate Naval Infantry Brigade attacked a convoy of Ukrainian vehicles near Klyuchevoi. Russian sources claimed that units of the 127th motorized rifle division (5th combined arms army) and the 36th combined arms army (both of the Eastern military district) were operating in the west of the Donetsk region.

Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces carried out limited ground attacks in the western Zaporozhye region on 11 June. A Russian military blogger posted footage allegedly showing Ukrainian forces seizing Lobkovo (24km southwest of Orekhov) and Pyatikhatka (23km southwest of Orekhov).

Other Russian “military correspondents” claimed that fighting continued in Lobkove, which is located in the “grey zone”. Geolocation footage published on June 11 shows elements of the 429th Separate Motorized Rifle Regiment operating near Lobkoye (19th Motorized Rifle Division, 58th Combined Arms Army, Southern Military District).

Russian sources claimed that the BARS-3 volunteer battalion (part of the Tsarskie Wolves volunteer shock brigade) was operating in the Orekhovsky direction. In the west of the Zaporozhye region, together with the 429th motorized rifle regiment, the North Ossetian volunteer battalions “Storm Ossetia” and “Alania” operate. Units of the 71st Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division (58th Combined Arms Army) are also likely to operate near Robotinoye (13km south of Orkhovo).

Russian military bloggers have said that heavy rain at the front in the Zaporozhye region could hinder Ukrainian operations. One of them claimed that heavy Western tanks and armored vehicles, as well as Soviet T-72 tanks, would get muddy from the rain, making it easier for Russian forces to target Ukrainian kits.

Another “military officer” argued that Ukrainian forces were unlikely to advance after heavy rains, which would give time (one military blogger suggested around 48 hours) for Russian troops to roll over reserves into combat areas.

The ongoing Russian threat to the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has forced Ukraine to switch the last ZNPP reactor from hot shutdown to cold shutdown. The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine ordered NNEGC Energoatom to transfer Reactor No. 5, the last ZNPP reactor in hot shutdown mode, to cold shutdown on June 9.

The State Nuclear Regulatory Authority called it necessary to shut down reactor No. 5 of the destruction of the dam of the Kakhovskaya HPP, continue Russian shelling of the ZNPP and degrade the emergency response system at the ZNPP. ISW has previously reported on ZNPP personnel moving reactors from normal operation to a hot shutdown and then a cold shutdown in response to Russian forces threatening the ZNPP.

The situation at the front on June 11

The Russians are concentrating their main efforts on the Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdeevsky and Maryinsky directions, heavy fighting continues there. During the day there were 19 combat clashes.

Read urgent and important messages about Russia’s war against Ukraine on the channel RBC-Ukraine on Telegram.