Day 110: missile strikes on Chernihiv region, new mass grave outside Bucha, Mykolayiv as fortress

Russia’s missile strikes on Ternopil, Chernihiv regions. Twenty-three people, both civilians and military personnel were wounded in a missile strike on Chortkiv, in Ternopil region, on the evening of June 11. A 12-year-old girl was one of the injured. Ten people were taken to hospital.

On June 13, Russia struck Chernihiv region with three missiles, and particularly the town of Pryluky, the regional military administration said. The missile strikes took place at 13:15, the Operational Command Pivnich (North) reported. People in several villages of Pryluky district were evacuated due to the threat of fire, Serhiy Boldyrev, an official responsible for civil emergency and defense at the Chernihiv regional military administration told Suspilne. An evacuation was called in the villages Zayizd, Petrivske, Tykhe, and Sukhostavets.  

New mass grave of civilians discovered near Bucha. A mass grave containing the bodies of civilians was discovered near Myrotske village in Bucha district of Kyiv region, head of the Kyiv regional police Andriy Nyebytov said. “Russians tortured seven civilians, and then brutally killed them by shooting them in the head. The mass grave with civilians was discovered today on the Russian soldiers’ positions near Myrotske village in Bucha district. Some of the victims had their hands tied behind their backs and were shot to the knees,” the police chief wrote in a Facebook post. Experts began to identify the victims, Nyebytov added.

Battle for Severodonetsk rages. In the past days, the military situation in Severodonetsk deteriorated. Russian troops control the center of the city and take heavy losses as fighting rages, spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said during a news conference at Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform on Monday, June 13. The Russian military command operates with disregard for losses trying to seize as much of the territory as possible, Motuzyanyk reported. Russian forces currently aim to reach the administrative border of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, secure a land corridor to occupied Crimea, and block Ukraine’s maritime infrastructure in the north-west of the Black Sea. 

Russian forces destroyed all bridges to Severodonetsk, head of the Luhansk regional military administration Serhiy Hayday said. He reassured that Ukrainian troops are not cut off.

There is no way to [organize] civilian evacuation or bring in relief aid. Residents of Severodonetsk that stay in the city survive in extreme conditions. Ukrainian troops can send wounded to hospitals, Hayday said. 

Ukraine in Flames #93: How do Ukrainian journalists work during the war?

More than 30 Ukrainian and foreign journalists have been killed since the start of the Russian large-scale invasion in February 2022. Some of them were doing their job to keep the world informed about the atrocities committed by Russian troops on Ukrainian soil. Some joined the ranks of the military to protect their country with a weapon in hand. Either way, the life of media professionals in Ukraine have changed dramatically after February 24. Ukraine In Flames #93 talks to the representatives of the field to find out how they carry on with their work, what challenges they face and how they keep bringing us the most important thing – the truth. 

Speakers: 

Mykola Balaban, Deputy Head of the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security of Ukraine

Tetyana Troshchynska, Editor-in-Chief of Hromadske Radio

Otar Dovzhenko, Editor-in-Chief of Detector Media

Olena Kalaytan, Head of the Donetsk regional union of journalists

Yurii Larin, journalist from Kharkiv

Ukraine in Flames #94: How the Ukrainian education system withstands war challenges

Ukraine in Flames #95: Hero city of Mykolaiv: life in Ukraine’s southern fortress