1 Instute for the Study of War and AEI’s Crical Threats Project 2023
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 16, 2023
Riley Bailey, Nicole Wolkov, Grace Mappes, Karolina Hird, and Mason Clark
June 16, 2023, 5:15pm ET
Click here to see ISW’s interactive map of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This map is
updated daily alongside the static maps present in this report.
Click here to access ISW’s archive of interactive time-lapse maps of the Russian
invasion of Ukraine. These maps complement the static control-of-terrain map that
ISW produces daily by showing a dynamic frontline. ISW will update this time-lapse
map archive monthly.
Note: The data cutoff for this product was 2pm ET on June 16. ISW will cover
subsequent reports in the June 17 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment.
Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive actions on at least three sectors of the
front on June 16 and reportedly made gains. The Ukrainian General Staff stated that the
Ukrainian forces conducted successful counteroffensive operations southwest of Bakhmut near
Stupochky (about 12km southwest of Bakhmut); in western Donetsk Oblast near Vuhledar; in the
western Donetsk-eastern Zaporizhia Oblast border area along the Levadne-Staromaiorske line; and in
western Zaporizhia Oblast along the Novodanlylivka-Robotyne line.[1] Geolocated footage posted on
June 15 indicates that Ukrainian forces have made marginal gains on the northwest ern outskirts of
Bakhmut west of Yahidne, and Russian milbloggers claimed that Ukrainian troops continued
counterattacks northwest, west, and southwest of Bakhmut.[2] Russian milbloggers additionally
claimed that Ukrainian forces continued attacking Russian positions south of Velyka Novosilka in
western Donetsk Oblast, made gains in central Zaporizhia Oblast just south of Hulyaipole, and
mounted offensive operations southwest of Orikhiv.[3]
Russian forces targeted Kyiv and Kryvyi Rih with cruise missiles and kamikaze drones
on June 15-16. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces conducted five missile
strikes with Kh-59, Kh-101, and Kh-555 cruise missiles on June 15 and that Ukrainian forces also shot
down two Shahed drones.[4] Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Head Serhiy Lysak reported that Russian
missiles had targeted two industrial facilities in Kryvyi Rih on June 15.[5] Ukrainian officials also
reported that Ukrainian air defenses intercepted six Russian Kinzhal and six Kaliber missiles that
targeted Kyiv Oblast during the day on June 16, coinciding with the visit of several African heads of
state in Kyiv.[6]
The heads of state of seven African countries met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelensky on June 16 in Kyiv as part of joint peace mission. President of South Africa Cyril
Ramaphosa, President of Zambia Hakainde Hichilema, President of Comoros Azali Assoumani,
President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso, Prime Minister of Egypt Mostafa
Mabdouly, President of Senegal Macky Sall, and a Ugandan representative met with the Ukrainian
leadership in Kyiv.[7] Russian forces conducted a missile strike on Kyiv during the visit, forcing the
African leaders to take shelter in bunkers during their meetings.[8] Some Russian milbloggers
