Section: The Centre for Eastern Studies (Poland)
Ukrainian counter-offensive in the south of the country. Day 470 of the war
On 7 June, Ukrainian units struck in the Zaporizhzhia oblast, attempting to break through Russian defences in two or three places (depending on the attack wave) south of Orikhiv; the heaviest fighting is taking place over the town of Robotyne. Attempts to break through the invaders’ defences are also being undertaken about 25 km west of...
Russian volunteers destabilise the Belgorod oblast of Russia. Day 463 of the war
Russian volunteer formations fighting on the side of Ukraine are continuing a psychological sabotage operation to confirm that resistance to the regime is growing in Russia. On 31 May, a spokesman for the Free Russia Legion reported that “between 500 and 1000 people” who are exclusively Russian citizens are fighting in its ranks. The formation is...
Denmark: higher spending on defence and military support for Ukraine
On 30 May, Denmark’s acting defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen presented the government’s proposal for the new Defence Agreement covering the 2024–33 period. It provides for additional defence spending of 143 billion kroner (€19.20 billion) over the next 10 years. The increase is expected to allow the country to meet the target of...
More massive attacks on Ukraine. Day 459 of the war
On the night of 28 May, the Russians launched a massive attack on Kyiv (the largest to date, according to the Ukrainian government’s assessment) using Shahed-136/131 kamikaze drones. According to the Ukrainian General Staff, only one of the 59 drones launched by the Russians hit its target (earlier, the Air Force Command of Ukraine had...
Slowdown on the front. Day 456 of the war
Ukrainian forces failed to break through the Russian defences north and southwest of Bakhmut, and after 22 May, when the command of the Eastern grouping declared that some slight advances in the field had still been made, they went on the defensive again. Nevertheless, the Ukrainian Land Forces commander General Oleksandr Syrskyi was still able...
The credibility of Russian economic statistics is a growing problem
Analysing Russia’s current economic situation is becoming increasingly difficult. Since the beginning of its invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has restricted access to statistical data, including those concerning foreign trade. On 26 April, the government of the Russian Federation decided it would no longer report on the country’s oil...
Another Hungarian veto aimed at Ukraine
According to press reports, the Hungarian government is blocking the payment to EU member states of the next tranche (€500 million) of funding from the European Peace Facility (EPF), which reimburses the military support provided to Kyiv by EU countries. On 17 May, these reports were confirmed by the Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijjártó,...
The Ukrainians leave Bakhmut. Day 452 of the war
On 20 May, Yevgeny Prigozhin announced that the Wagner Group he owns had seized all of Bakhmut, and said his mercenaries would hand over their positions to regular Russian army troops by 25 May. The Russian defence ministry confirmed the report. On 21 May, the Kremlin reported that Vladimir Putin had congratulated the Wagner Group’s assault...
Ukrainians maintain the initiative at Bakhmut. Day 449 of the war
Ukrainian troops are continuing offensive operations west of Bakhmut. The fighting is mainly focused on the hills between Ivanivske and Klishchiivka; the Russians are slowly being pushed back toward the latter village, which they captured four months ago. The Ukrainians are also attacking on a 10-kilometre front line running from...
Appreciating and mobilising Germany. Zelensky in Berlin
As part of his European trip, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky visited Berlin on 14 May, where he met President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and attended a meeting of Germany’s security cabinet (which Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Economy and Climate Protection Robert Habeck, foreign minister Annalena Baerbock,...
