Russia-Ukraine war: Kyiv liberates first village in counter-offensive
Ukraine says it has liberated its first settlement since launching a counterattack this week.
Kyiv’s troops said they had recaptured the village of Blahodatne from Russian forces in Ukraine’s southeast.
Soldiers hoisted the Ukrainian flag at a bombed-out building in an unverified video published by Ukraine’s 68th Jaeger Brigade in the Donetsk region.
“We’re seeing the first results of the counter-offensive actions, localised results,” Valeryi Shershen, spokesperson for Ukraine’s “Tavria” military sector, said on television.
He said the village lay on the edge of the Donetsk and Zaporizhzia regions a few kilometres south of the Kyiv-controlled village of Velyka Novosilka.
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday gave his strongest signal yet that Kyiv has launched its long-awaited counterattack to seize back land in the east and south, confirming that “counteroffensive and defensive operations” were taking place.
05:03 PM
Today's top stories
Ukraine says it has liberated its first settlement since launching a counterattack this week
Russia’s defence minister awarded medals to soldiers after Moscow said its forces had destroyed four German-made Leopard tanks
Thirty five people, including seven children, were missing in southern Ukraine on Sunday following a devastating flood
Russia is struggling to fend off night attacks due to Ukraine’s use of high-tech gear supplied by the West that is allowing its forces to fight in the dark, according to a think tank
Ukraine attempted to attack a Russian naval ship on patrol in the Black Sea with six high-speed drone boats on Sunday but failed, Russia said
French President Emmanuel Macron urged his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi to “immediately end” Tehran’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Russia’s most powerful mercenary said on Sunday that his Wagner fighters would not sign any contract with the Russian Defence Minister to bring volunteer detachments under his sway
04:58 PM
Watch: Cat swims to safety after flooding in Kherson
Rescuing a kitty in Kherson. pic.twitter.com/rth7lPl2PS
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) June 9, 2023
04:43 PM
Six Ukrainian flood evacuees wounded in Russian attack
Six civilians were wounded on Sunday when Russian forces attacked a boat they were using to evacuate from flooded occupied territory to the Ukrainian-controlled city of Kherson.
The area has been stricken by catatrophic flooding after the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam which Kyiv and Moscow have accused other of deliberately blowing up.
“The Russian army attacked a boat with civilians evacuating from the left bank of Kherson region,” Andriy Yermak, President Zelensky’s chief of staff said..
“They opened fire at the backs of civilians. Six people were wounded. They arrived in Kherson and were taken to hospital... Doctors are fighting for the lives of the wounded,” he said, providing no further details.
04:25 PM
Swarm of high speed drone boats attack Russian navy ship
Ukraine attempted to attack a Russian naval ship on patrol in the Black Sea with six high-speed drone boats on Sunday but failed, Russia said.
The ‘Priazovye’ ship was carrying out what Russia’s defence ministry said was “monitoring of the situation and ensuring security along the routes of the TurkStream and Blue Stream gas pipelines in the southeastern part of the Black Sea.”
Ukraine attacked in the early hours of Sunday about 300 km south-east of Sevastopol, the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea fleet on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula, the defence ministry said.
04:12 PM
Ukrainian Prosecutor says Kherson is scene of 'worst environmental catastrophe since Chernobyl'
Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin and representatives of the International Criminal Court visited the region of Kherson, his office said.
“This is the worst environmental catastrophe since Chernobyl so we are investigating not only a war crime but also an ecocide,” Kostin was quoted as saying in a statement.
“The situation is very complicated,” he added.
He noted that a number of “dangerous” facilities including at least three cemeteries, oil storage terminals and garbage dumps have been flooded.
03:59 PM
Alleged footage of Ukraine's capture of Blahodatne
Blahodatne village in Donetsk region was liberated by Ukrainian Army.
As 68th separate jaeger brigade named after Oleksa Dovbush reports, a Ukrainian flag is now flying over the village!
Glory to Heroes! pic.twitter.com/cgC5GDUbta— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) June 11, 2023
03:31 PM
Ukraine retakes village in 'first results' of counterattack, says army
Kyiv’s troops said on Sunday they had recaptured a village from Russian forces in Ukraine’s southeast, the first liberated settlement they have claimed since launching a counterattack this week.
Soldiers hoisted the Ukrainian flag at a bombed-out building in an unverified video published by Ukraine’s 68th Jaeger Brigade, which identified the settlement as Blahodatne in Donetsk region.
“We’re seeing the first results of the counter-offensive actions, localised results,” Valeryi Shershen, spokesperson for Ukraine’s “Tavria” military sector, said on television.
03:05 PM
Russian defence ministry says Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jet shot down in Kherson region
Russia’s defence ministry said on Sunday that Russian forces had shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jet in Kherson region, where the breach of the Kakhovka dam on Tuesday led to major flooding.
Russian forces have also repelled three attacks of Ukrainian forces in Zaporizhzhia region, the ministry said.
02:37 PM
Heavy rain hampers Kyiv’s counter-offensive
Heavy rain is said to have turned southern Ukraine’s earth into mud and slowed the Ukrainian counteroffensive, writes James Kilner.
Russian sources said that Ukrainian attacks along Russia’s frontlines had continued overnight, but that tank action had been limited.
”It’s been pouring for three hours now,” Vladimir Rogoz, a pro-Kremlin official in occupied Meltipol, said at 8 am.
”Even with a little rain the Zaporizhzhia black earth and rugged terrain turns not just to slush and mud but into an insurmountable natural barrier.”
Mr Rogoz said that the 70-tonne German-made Leopard tanks that Ukraine has deployed in the vanguard of its counteroffensive would struggle in the mud.
WarGonzo, a well-connected Russian military blogger, also said that rain had slowed fighting.
“There has been a noticeable drop in hostilities,” the channel told its 1.2 million followers. “This is due to weather conditions as it is raining.
02:27 PM
Ukraine urges UAE to stop companies trading with Russia
Ukraine urged the UAE to crack down on companies that supply Russia with microelectronics that feature in military weapons.
Delegates from both countries met in Kyiv on Sunday.
Vladyslav Vlasiuk, a sanctions expert and advisor to President Zelensky’s office, said some UAE companies have been helping Russia bypass international sanctions.
“Helping Russia avoid sanctions will not help restore peace. Bypassing sanctions means putting yourself at risk, and at least 10 companies from the UAE have already been subject to sanctions because of this. We urge you to examine the information we are concerned about and take fair measures,” he said.
01:59 PM
35 people missing after massive flood
Thirty five people, including seven children, were missing in southern Ukraine on Sunday following a devastating flood prosecutors called the “worst environmental catastrophe since Chernobyl.”
The Russian-controlled Kakhovka dam along the front line in the Kherson region was destroyed on June 6, forcing thousands to flee and sparking fears of humanitarian as well as environmental disasters.
Ukrainian interior minister Igor Klymenko said that 77 towns and villages had been flooded in the southern regions of Kherson and Mykolaiv.
Klymenko said that in the Kherson region 35 people were missing, including seven children.
01:47 PM
Montenegro holds parliamentary vote to secure reforms, EU path
Polls opened in Montenegro on Sunday for a snap election many hope will bring in a new government to implement economic reforms, improve infrastructure and take the Nato member state closer to European Union membership.
The vote is the first in the former Yugoslav republic since Milo Djukanovic, former leader of the Democratic Party of Socialists, lost the presidential election in April and stepped down after 30 years in power.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, Montenegro - unlike Serbia - joined EU sanctions against Moscow, sent aid to Ukraine, and expelled a number of Russian diplomats. The Kremlin has placed Montenegro on its list of unfriendly states.
01:15 PM
The Russian fortifications Ukraine needs to break through in its counter-offensive
New satellite images reveal the array of minefields, anti-tank ditches and trenches lying ahead of Ukrainian troops, writes Joe Barnes
Advancing Ukrainian troops must break through an elaborate network of Russian defences running hundreds of miles across the country that were built in anticipation of Kyiv’s offensive.
With the initial assaults now underway, new satellite imagery provided to The Telegraph by Maxar Technologies has revealed the array of minefields, anti-tank ditches, and trenches lying ahead of the Ukrainian troops attempting to push south.
The defences, according to a Ukrainian intelligence officer, are constructed in a “three-line system”, with varying levels of fortifications, the depths of which can exceed around 19 miles on some axes.
“They have unbelievable trenches and unbelievable fortifications, it will be hard to break their lines of defence” Serhii, a commander in Ukraine’s National Guards, told The Telegraph.
01:01 PM
Watch: Ukrainians navigate floodwaters caused by burst dam
12:43 PM
Pictured: Ukraine claims to have liberated the village of Blahodatne in the Donetsk Region
12:39 PM
Russia says Ukraine tried to attack Russian vessel near gas pipelines in Black Sea
Russia’s defence ministry said that Ukraine had made unsuccessful attempt to attack a vessel of Russia’s Black sea fleet which was protecting natural gas pipelines.
The ship was monitoring the situation along Turkstream and Blue Stream pipelines route in the Black Sea, the ministry said.
12:22 PM
Pictured: The Russian factory that will churn out Iran-designed kamikaze drones
Satellite images reveal site under construction to produce Shahed-136 drones, which will be used to terrorise Ukraine, writes James Kilner.
A new factory being built in central Russia will begin churning out Iranian-designed drones for use against Ukraine by the start of next year, US intelligence officials have said.
They released satellite images of a factory being built near the city of Kazan that will domestically produce Iran’s Shahed-136 drones, which are being used to terrorise Ukrainian cities.
John Kirby, a spokesman for the US National Security Council, said the “Russia-Iran military partnership appears to be deepening”, adding: “This is a full-scale defence partnership that is harmful to Ukraine, to Iran’s neighbours, and the international community.”
Iran has sold the Kremlin hundreds of Shahed-136 drones since last year. Russia rebrands them as Geran-2 and deploys them to attack civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.
12:18 PM
Russian milbloggers claim Ukrainian forces have advanced northwest of Bakhmut,
Russian milbloggers claimed that Ukrainian forces continued counterattacks and advanced northwest of #Bakhmut, particularly near Berkhikvka and Yahidne (NW of Bakhmut), and 10km NE of Bakhmut near Krasnopolivka. https://t.co/mZr7Go9rqf https://t.co/B6hZn2pvqm pic.twitter.com/MJCqyG62vq
— ISW (@TheStudyofWar) June 11, 2023
12:16 PM
Prigozhin says Wagner will not sign any contract with Russian defence minister
Russia’s most powerful mercenary said on Sunday that his Wagner fighters would not sign any contract with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu just hours after the defence ministry sought to bring volunteer detachments under its sway.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner group, has repeatedly attacked President Vladimir Putin’s top military brass for what he casts as treachery for failing to fight the war in Ukraine properly.
Neither Mr Shoigu nor Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov have commented in public on Mr Prigozhin’s insults and criticism.
11:46 AM
'Ukraine has upper hand in night assaults'
Russia is struggling to fend off night attacks due to Ukraine’s use of high-tech gear supplied by the West that is allowing its forces to fight in the dark, according to a think tank.
The US, UK and other allies have given Ukraine night vision goggles and other such equipment. Russia, by contrast, does not routinely issue such gear to its troops.
On Saturday, Kyiv’s forces conducted counteroffensive operations in at least four front-line areas, according to the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War.
“Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces have tactical advantages in conducting assaults at night due to Western-provided equipment with superior night optics systems,” the Institute for the Study of War said.
11:44 AM
Ukraine claims to have liberated village of Blahodatne in the Donetsk
Ukrainian Land Forces said on Sunday that soldiers of the 68th Separate Hunting Brigade had liberated the village of Blahodatne in the Donetsk region.
It gave no details but a published video showed several Ukrainian soldiers planting a Ukrainian flag in the window of a heavily damaged building.
“The invaders resisted to the last, but could not withstand the onslaught of unrestrained wolverines!,” the Forces said on Facebook.
11:24 AM
Zelensky welcomes UAE delegation in Kyiv
🇦🇪Volodymyr #Zelensky met wit #UAE delegation in #Kyiv
“We appreciate this visit and consider it to be an indication of support for Ukraine by the UAE, a powerful state. We are sincerely grateful for the Emirates’ support and we count on your country to continue this noble… pic.twitter.com/UybhPLPLdv— KyivPost (@KyivPost) June 11, 2023
11:22 AM
Drone crashes in Russia's Kaluga region, says local governor
A drone crashed early on Sunday near the village of Strelkovka in Russia’s Kaluga region, the governor of the region, Vladislav Shapsha, said.
“According to preliminary information - no casualties,” Mr Shapsha said on Telegram.
The report could not be independently verified.
The Kaluga region borders the Moscow region to the north.
11:17 AM
Watch: Cat being rescued from flooded building
A Maine Coon cat gets rescued in #Kherson. pic.twitter.com/CgAqpZ9Woh
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) June 11, 2023
10:58 AM
Russia awards medals after claiming hits on Leopard tanks, US Bradleys in Ukraine
Russia’s defence minister awarded medals to soldiers after Moscow said its forces had destroyed four German-made Leopard tanks and five US-made Bradley fighting vehicles while repelling a Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was shown on state television awarding the “Hero of Russia gold star”, Russia’s highest military honour, to soldiers who said they had destroyed enemy tanks and armoured vehicles.
The soldiers did not identify the tanks in public.
10:39 AM
Crimean treasures must be sent back to Ukraine, Dutch court rules
About 300 artefacts were on loan from four museums in Crimea when Russia illegally annexed the peninsula in 2014, writes James Crisp
Crimean gold, art and treasure must be sent back to Ukraine and not the Russian-occupied peninsula, the Dutch Supreme Court has ordered.
The valuable collection, currently in storage at Amsterdam’s Allard Pierson Museum, was part of Ukrainian cultural heritage, it said, as it upheld an appeals court ruling from 2021.
About 300 artefacts, some more than 2,000 years old, were on loan from four museums in Crimea for an exhibition when Russia illegally annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.
That sparked a tussle over the treasure trove and whether it should be repatriated to Ukraine or Russian-held territory.
10:36 AM
Kremlin: there is no foundation for dialogue with Ukraine
The Kremlin said there was no foundation for any possible dialogue with Ukraine but also that there were no preconditions for potential talks.
‘There is practically no precondition for an agreement at the moment. Moreover, there is no foundation, even flimsy, for any kind of dialogue’, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Rossiya state television.
10:17 AM
Ukraine says Russia blew up Kakhovka dam to prevent offensive in south
The Khakhovka dam was blown up by Russian forces to prevent Ukrainian troops from advancing in the southern Kherson region, deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said on Sunday.
Ukraine has accused Russian forces of blowing up the dam from inside its associated hydroelectric power station. The site has been under Russian occupation since the early weeks of Russia’s invasion in February last year.
Moscow has blamed the destruction of the dam on Ukraine. Each side has accused the other of shelling civilians as rescue efforts are carried out.
10:01 AM
Communities are facing a fresh water crisis following dam collapse, says MoD
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 11 June 2023.
Find out more about Defence Intelligence's use of language: https://t.co/cQAKEyhia0
🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/FA5EYHW8Ma— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) June 11, 2023
09:47 AM
Macron urges Iran to stop backing Russia in Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron urged his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi to “immediately end” Tehran’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which involves supplying Moscow with attack drones, the Elysee said.
Mr Macron in a telephone call underlined the serious “security and humanitarian consequences” of Iran’s drone deliveries “and urged Tehran to immediately end the support it thus gives to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine”, said a statement.
The call came a day after White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Russia was receiving materials from Iran to build a drone factory on its territory that “could be fully operational early next year”.
