Armed Forces of Ukraine

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Valerii Syrskyi announced the completion of the first phase of the transition to a corps command system. This reorganization optimizes the use of military personnel and creates combat-ready reserves for offensive operations.

Ukrainian serviceman Serhiy Dobrovolsky, who was recently released from Russian captivity, died in Rivne region. He had been in captivity since 2023 and returned in late May.

On June 17, in the Kostiantynivka direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled a powerful assault by Russian invaders. 15 units of heavy armored vehicles were destroyed and about 50 occupiers were eliminated, including the so-called "bikers" on motorcycles.

Ukraine plans to sign agreements on technology export this summer, opening production lines in Europe. These enterprises will produce weapons, including drones, missiles, and artillery, for Ukraine and partner countries.

Over the past day, the Defense Forces eliminated 1060 Russian occupiers and 116 units of enemy vehicles. The total enemy losses from February 24, 2022, to June 21, 2025, have reached over 1 million personnel.

On the night of June 21, Ukrainian naval sailors destroyed 10 enemy kamikaze drones "SHAHED-136". The Southern Defense Forces are ready for a new wave of Russian assaults.

On the night of June 21, an air alert was declared in Kyiv and all regions of Ukraine due to the threat of the use of ballistic weapons from the northeast.

On June 20, 2025, 157 combat engagements took place at the front, the enemy carried out 3445 shellings and used 847 kamikaze drones. The most active battles took place in the Pokrovsky, Pivnichno-Slobozhansky, and Kursk directions.

Volodymyr Putin stated that the Russian army does not have the task of occupying Sumy, but he does not rule out such a possibility. He explains the actions in the Sumy Oblast by "constant shelling" of border territories by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

A new grouping of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been created in Ukraine, uniting all military units of the USF and Drone Lines under a single command. This is intended to ensure unified approaches and systematic combat use of UAVs; most units are already performing combat missions under the leadership of Robert "Madyar" Brovdi.

Since the beginning of the day, 91 battles have taken place at the front. About two-thirds of the combat engagements were recorded in the Pokrovsk, North-Slobozhansky, Kursk, and Lyman directions. The Defense Forces of Ukraine are holding back the advance of the Russian occupiers, repelling their attacks.

Today, June 20, Ukraine conducted a prisoner exchange, bringing home servicemen who have severe injuries or serious health problems, among them defenders of Mariupol. The oldest released is 60 years old, and all of them will receive necessary medical assistance and rehabilitation.

President Zelenskyy announced the return from Russian captivity of most of the soldiers who had been there for more than two years. Among them are defenders of Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast, Luhansk Oblast, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Kherson Oblast, Kharkiv Oblast, and Chernihiv Oblast.

Police uncovered approximately 100 cases of forged disability care certificates to avoid military service. Eight individuals have been charged with draft evasion.

Over the past day, 176 combat engagements took place on the front lines, with more than half of them occurring in the Pokrovsk, Lyman, and Toretsk directions. The enemy launched over 5,000 artillery strikes and deployed almost 2,800 kamikaze drones.

Ukraine's defense forces repelled an overnight attack of 86 Shahed-type drones and simulators. 70 enemy drones were neutralized in the north, east, and south of the country.

As of the morning of June 20, 2025, Russian ships have not been recorded in the waters of the Black and Azov Seas. Instead, 2 Russian Federation ships are in the Mediterranean Sea.

Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree appointing Brigadier General Hennadii Shapovalov as Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The President emphasized the importance of implementing the combat experience of warriors.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Hennadiy Shapovalov as the Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Specialists discussed the critical problem of the Ukrainian aviation industry's dependence on Soviet components. Spare parts stocks are being depleted, and domestic manufacturers require state support for modernization.

Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and the State Border Guard Service showed a video of the first conversations of Ukrainian defenders after their liberation from Russian captivity. Most of the soldiers had been in captivity for over 3 years.

Ukraine and Russia held another exchange of prisoners, as a result of which Ukrainian servicemen from various branches of the military, as well as defenders with injuries and significant health problems, returned home.

Ukrainian Armed Forces, National Guard, and State Border Guard Service soldiers released from Russian captivity. Most of the military personnel had been in captivity since 2022, fighting on various fronts.

A 33-year-old serviceman who was recruited by the GRU has been detained by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He passed the coordinates of the Neptun complexes to the Russians, preparing a combined drone and missile strike. The SBU counterintelligence foiled this plan.

Last day, 163 combat clashes were recorded, the most on the Pokrovsk, North Sloboda, and Kursk directions. The enemy carried out 40 airstrikes and conducted 5111 shelling attacks.

Since the beginning of the day on June 18, the AFU have repelled 136 Russian attacks, the enemy carried out 32 airstrikes. The most tense situation persists in the Pokrovsk direction, where 36 assaults were repelled.

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the procedure for granting combatant status to foreigners and stateless persons. The Ministry of Veterans Affairs will become the sole body authorized to grant such status.

A deputy of the Dnipropetrovsk regional council organized a fictitious service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the sake of image. She did not attend training, received a title and more than 200,000 hryvnias from the budget.

At night, Russia attacked Ukraine with 58 drones, 30 of which were neutralized. Hits were recorded in 9 locations, the main directions of the attack were Donetsk region, Dnipropetrovsk region and Zaporizhzhia region.

No enemy ships were recorded in the Black and Azov Seas on June 18. There are three enemy ships in the Mediterranean Sea, one of which is a carrier of cruise missiles.