June 7: According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), President Vladimir Putin’s strategy for victory in Ukraine relies on the theory that Russian forces can conduct gradual offensives indefinitely, prevent Ukraine from launching effective counteroffensives, and win a war of attrition. Russian forces made advances near Svatove, close to Chasiv Yar, and northwest of Avdiivka.

The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russia launched attacks in the Kharkiv, Lyman, Siversk, Kramatorsk, Pokrovsk, Kurakhove, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, resulting in 101 clashes. Over the course of 24 hours, Russian forces conducted three missile strikes, 101 airstrikes, and 89 shellings targeting Ukrainian positions and residential areas.

Pro-Russian Governor Volodymyr Saldo claimed that in Sadove (Kherson region), 22 people were killed and 15 wounded in an alleged Ukrainian strike with HIMARS rockets. Saldo accused Ukrainian forces of employing a "double-tap" tactic, targeting a store full of people. The Russian Ministry of Defense also accused Ukraine of firing five ATACMS rockets at occupied Luhansk, reportedly injuring at least 20 people, including children. Later in the evening, Leonid Pasechnik reported the death toll had risen to 57, with four of the injured succumbing to their wounds. Thirty-three buildings were damaged, including two schools, three kindergartens, and the Luhansk Higher School of Information Technology and Business. Ukraine did not comment on these allegations.

The United States announced a new military aid package worth $225 million. The Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark pledged joint production of 230 Swedish CV90 infantry fighting vehicles. Ukraine signed a contract for a second Ground Master 200 radar, compatible with the SAMP/T system. French President Emmanuel Macron announced the swift completion of the coalition of military instructors for Ukraine.

June 8: EU ambassadors failed to reach a consensus on starting Ukraine’s accession negotiations due to opposition from Hungary. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated that the European Commission supports the initiation of talks, and according to Financial Times, negotiations were expected to begin in June and conclude before Hungary assumes the presidency of the EU Council.

June 9: Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov claimed that the "Akhmat" regiment had captured the village of Ryzhivka in the Sumy region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied this, emphasizing that it was a propaganda operation and that Ukrainian forces fully controlled the situation.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan reported that the Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region had stalled due to Ukraine’s use of American weapons to target military sites in Russia. ISW noted that the U.S. decision to allow limited strikes on certain Russian targets reduced Russia's "ground sanctuary" by up to 16%, leaving most of its territory beyond the range of Ukrainian ATACMS systems.

Russian forces made advances near Kupiansk, Siversk, Chasiv Yar, Avdiivka, and Donetsk.

According to Bloomberg, Russia was compelling thousands of immigrants and foreign students to join its army to bolster manpower on the front lines. Refusal to comply risked non renewal of visas and deportation.

Illustrative photo. Generated by AI