💢British defense ministry: General-Major Sergei Goryachev was almost certainly killed in a strike on a command post on or around 12 June 2023, in southern Ukraine. Goryachev was the chief of staff of 35th Combined Arms Army (35 CAA). With 35 CAA's nominated commander, General-Lieutenant Alexandr Sanchik, reported to be filling a gap in a higher HQ, there is a realistic possibility that Goryachev was the acting army commander at the time of his death. Goryachev is the first Russian general confirmed killed in Ukraine since the start of 2023. It continues a war record which has been both difficult and controversial for 35th CAA: in March 2022 elements of the army were present during the massacre of civilians in Bucha, and in June 2022 the force was largely wiped out near Izium.

💢British defense ministry: On 10 June 2023, the Russian MoD demanded that members of 'volunteers formations' such as Wagner Group sign contracts directly with the MoD, a move explicitly endorsed by President Putin on TV on 13 June 2023. For several months, Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin has been aiming vitriolic criticism at the MoD hierarchy but deferred to Putin's authority. However, despite Putin's comments, on 14 June 2023 Prigozhin said that, 'none of Wagner's fighters are ready to go down the path of shame again. That's why they will not sign the contracts'. Prigozhin's rhetoric is evolving into defiance of broader sections of the Russian establishment. 01 July 2023, the deadline for the volunteers to sign contracts, is likely to be a key way-point in the feud.

💢Poland received six K2 tanks from South Korea today, soon will be sent to Ukraine

💢ISW: Ukrainian forces continued counterattacks on the northern and southern flanks of Bakhmut on June 15. Ukrainian General Staff Spokesperson Oleksandr Shtupun stated that Ukrainian forces conducted successful counterattacks near the Rozdolivka Krasnopolivka 13 - 16km north of Bakhmut and Berkhivka-Yahidne 2 - 4 km north of Bakhmut lines. Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces advanced near Klishchiivka 5km southwest of Bakhmut and conducted additional counterattacks near Ozaryanivka and Kurdyumivka both 12–14km southwest of Bakhmut. Ukrainian Eastern Group of Forces Spokesperson Colonel Serhiy Cherevaty stated that Ukrainian forces have recaptured 16 square kilometers of ground during counterattacks near Bakhmut in the past two weeks. UKR Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar stated that Russian forces are transferring reserves from the Kherson direction to the Bakhmut area, though ISW has not yet observed Russian elements previously committed to Kherson recommitted near Bakhmut.

💢Turkiye army bombarded a hospital in the Tal Rifat northern Syria. During the past days, they fired directly at Syrian army and several soldiers were killed.

📝Britain has new plans for Pakistan that are not unrelated to Iran..

💢ISW: Ukrainian forces continued limited ground attacks in western Zaporizhia Oblast and made gains in this area on June 16. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces conducted successful offensive operations in the direction of the Novodanylivka-Robotyne line 6km to 15km south of Orikhiv. A Russian milblogger claimed that Ukrainian forces made unspecified progress near Robotyne and captured new positions near Dorozhnyanka 35km southeast of Orikhiv. Russian milbloggers claimed that Ukrainian forces conducted assaults southwest of Orikhiv and that elements of the 429th Motorized Rifle Regiment (19th Motorized Rifle Division, 58th Combined Arms Army, Southern Military District) repelled the assaults.

💢A few hours ago, clashes between Iranian armed forces and PJAK terrorists and Kurdistan Democratic Party in the Marivan, near Iraq border