Russian army's combat training continues in Belarus before units are sent to Ukraine – General Staff

The Ukrainian Armed Forces' General Staff reported this on June 26.

“Combat training and coordination activities of the Russian Armed Forces units are underway at the training grounds of the Republic of Belarus before they are sent to the areas of combat operations in Ukraine,” the report says. 

The General Staff also notes that the invading Russian forces are attacking in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Marinka directions. Over 35 combat engagements took place there over the last day.

Over the last day, Russia launched 36 airstrikes, 17 MLRS attacks against Ukraine

During the day, Russian troops launched a missile attack and an airstrike against Ukraine, as a result of which Ukrainian defenders destroyed two Kalibr cruise missiles and seven Shahed-136/131 attack drones. The enemy also attacked with four drones from the north, but they were destroyed.

In addition, during the day, the Russian forces launched 36 airstrikes and 17 attacks with multiple launch rocket systems.

Near the state Ukrainian border with Russia and Belarus, the situation hasn't changed significantly, and no enemy offensive groups have been detected. 

At the same time, the Russian Federation continued shelling the entire border line with mortars and artillery: one settlement in the Chernihiv region, 5 more in the Sumy region, as well as 19 towns and villages in the Kharkiv region were attacked. 

Russian attacks in other Ukrainian regions

In the Kupiansk direction, 8 settlements of the Donetsk region came under artillery shelling. 

In the Lyman direction, 9 settlements in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions came under Russian fire. 

In the Bakhmut direction, 7 localities in the Donetsk region were attacked by the invading Russian forces. 

In the Avdiivka direction, 11 settlements of the Donetsk region were shelled. 

In the Marinka direction, 4 settlements of the Donetsk region came under shelling. 

In the Shakhtarsk direction, 15 localities in the Donetsk region suffered from Russian fire. 

In the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions, 36 towns and villages were subjected to numerous attacks by the occupying Russian army. 

Over the day, the AFU struck a control center and launched 6 attacks on Russian military positions

During the day, the Defense Forces' aviation launched six strikes on the invading Russian troops' military positions. In addition, missile and artillery units struck a control center and 10 enemy artillery units at firing positions over the day.

• On June 26, the Defense Forces returned the village of Rivnopil, Donetsk region, to Ukrainian control.