June 5-12 live war map: Donetsk front crisis and clearing sky over Crimea

Kharkiv region front

A month has passed since Russian forces opened a new front in northern Kharkiv and announced an offensive on Kharkiv. For three weeks now, there have been no changes on this front line. However, Russian troops persist, replacing destroyed units with forces from other areas, like Klishchiivka near Chasiv Yar and the Kurakhove direction. This shift has somewhat calmed certain areas in the Donetsk region.

Ukrainian forces continue counterattacking. Urban battles rage in Vovchansk, with Ukraine’s infantry gaining control house by house. Recently, Ukrainian forces launched a powerful attack on Hlyboke, where Russians were massing for an offensive on Lyptsi. First, Ukrainian aviation bombarded the village, followed by Bradleys that significantly thinned Russian ranks. Additionally, Ukraine carried out its first historic airstrike on Russian territory, destroying a building in Belgorod where the operational headquarters of the Russian North troop grouping, leading the offensive on Kharkiv, was located.

City battles begin in Chasiv Yar

During the week, Russian troops began entering the Kanal district, which is separated from the rest of the city by the Siverskyi Donets canal. Previously, they surrounded this area from three sides, and then, using massive shelling and airstrikes, launched "meat" assaults. They managed to occupy several eastern blocks, taking control of 50% of the district. The Ukrainian Defense Forces may soon need to leave the entire quarter and retreat to the right bank of the city, but for now, fierce battles continue for every high-rise building.

On the northern flank, Russian troops failed to enter Kalynivka, but on the southern side, they completed the occupation of Ivanivske, part of which had been in the gray zone for weeks. The defenders of Klishchiivka held their ground and even slightly improved their positions in the village.

Post-Avdiivka front

After the setback near Ocheretyne, the Ukrainian Armed Forces still can't stabilize this part of the front. The Russian army keeps advancing toward Vozdvyzhenka, now less than 5 km from the highway linking Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka. This week, Russia nearly captured Novooleksandrivka entirely and expanded their control to the north. Advancing on Novopokrovske, they pushed back the Ukrainian Defense Forces by 500 m over a 2.5 km section. However, the Ukrainian Armed Forces held off Russian troops at Sokil.

On this front, Russian troops have significant room to maneuver in various directions. Ukrainian defense lines are set up based on the current situation, not in advance. Thus, the threat from the Russians in this area is growing.

On the southern flank of the post-Avdiivka front, Russia expanded its control near Umanske but couldn't dislodge the Ukrainian defenders at Yasnobrodivka and Novoselivka Persha. Across this front, the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed a substantial amount of Russian equipment, making it increasingly difficult for Russians to advance.

Vuhledar and the southern front

In the Vuhledar area, Russian forces are slowly pushing their plan to encircle the town from the north. Despite losing a lot of equipment and personnel, the trend is clear. Over the past two weeks, they have pushed the front line south of Pobieda and advanced a few hundred meters near Volodymyrivka and Solodke.

In the Berdyansk direction, Russia has nearly re-occupied Staromayorske. The Ukrainian Armed Forces still control only the northern outskirts. The Russians are also advancing on Urozhaine, but the Ukrainian Defense Forces are holding most of the territory and preventing deeper Russian advances.

Sky cleared over Crimea

The Crimean air defense, once the most effective after Moscow's, is now as leaky as a sieve. The Ukrainian Armed Forces have ramped up strikes, demolishing defenses that once protected Crimea from Ukrainian missiles and drones. Recently, an S-400 and S-300 anti-aircraft missile division was hit in Dzhankoy. Before that, strikes targeted Chornomorske, Krasnoperekopske, Simferopol, Pervomayske, Yevpatoria, and the villages of Naumivka and Mykhailivka in the Saky district. Notably, the newest S-400 systems in Crimea are depleting, and Ukrainian forces are increasingly destroying the outdated S-300s, which can't stop the range of incoming strikes. The Atesh partisan movement reported that Russian military personnel are advised to start evacuating their families from the peninsula.

Unique strikes on Russia

For the first time in the war, Ukrainian drones reached Mozdok airfield, a thousand kilometers from Ukraine in North Ossetia. This airfield hosts aircraft that launch missile strikes on Ukraine, including Tu-22M3 bombers with Kh-22 cruise missiles and MiG 31-K Kinzhal missile carriers. The strike results are still unknown, but reaching the airfield is just the beginning. More actions will follow.

The damage to Russia's modern Su-57 fighter jet at the Akhtubinsk airfield in Astrakhan is a significant reputational blow to Russia. It shows that they can't even protect their most crucial strategic sites. Remember, Akhtubinsk is where they test their latest weapons.

It's nice that another modern Su-34 decided to end its service independently during a flight from the Caucasus.

The maps were created using information from the Ukrainian General Staff and other verified sources. However, these maps are not highly accurate and only provide a rough representation of trends in the war zone.