Kherson Oblast

On the outskirts of Strilkove, Kherson region, a Chevrolet Aveo exploded, carrying three UAV operators from the Russian center "Bars-Sarmat". All three occupiers, including the group leader, were eliminated.

On July 4, Ukraine conducted a prisoner exchange, bringing back military personnel, including those from Mariupol, and civilians, most of whom had been in captivity since 2022. Among those released are seriously wounded, seriously ill, and those under 25 years old.

Ukraine has returned its defenders and civilians, most of whom had been in Russian captivity since 2022. Among those released are servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, National Guard, State Border Guard Service, State Special Communications Service, who defended Ukraine in various regions.

As of July 4, 2025, Ukraine has harvested 331. 9 thousand hectares of early grain and leguminous crops, yielding 865.7 thousand tons. The harvest is ongoing in nine regions, with Odesa region being the leader.

A deputy of the Volyn Oblast Council is suspected of organizing a scheme for illegal transportation of men abroad. He facilitated the issuance of "volunteer" documents for conscripts, and the criminal group included court assistants and heads of charitable foundations.

The "VAKS decided" platform has collected original ways for defendants in corruption cases to hide bribes. These include books, packages, pea cans, and even a judge's robe.

The head of the Kherson Oblast Military Administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, reported on the high intensity of Russian strikes on the region. Over the past month, the occupiers fired about 7,300 shells, resulting in 29 deaths, including 1 child, and 252 adults and 3 children wounded.

The General Staff reported 185 combat engagements over the past day, more than half of which occurred in the Pokrovsk, South-Slobozhanskyi, and Novopavlivka directions. The enemy launched 2 missile and 62 air strikes, carried out 5520 shellings, and used 3194 kamikaze drones.

The prosecutor's office announced suspicions against 18 individuals involved in abusing the civilian population in a torture chamber in Kupyansk during the 2022 occupation. Among the suspects are Russian military personnel, militants, and former police officers who defected to the enemy.

Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets refuted information about Ukraine not returning Ukrainian prisoners deported by Russia, stating that all Ukrainian citizens are on the list for return. 45 Ukrainian citizens of this category are blocked at the Russian-Georgian border, regarding whom a letter has been sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to expedite verification.

ISW analysts indicate that the Russian Federation has larger territorial ambitions in Ukraine than Crimea and the four annexed regions. Putin and his inner circle use narratives about "Donbas", "Novorossiya" and "one people" to justify their encroachments.

The spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces denied the withdrawal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from Kamyanske in Zaporizhzhia, stating that Ukrainian military personnel are holding their positions and repelling enemy attacks. Russians are trying to seize Kamyanske to control the Simferopol-Kharkiv highway and fire on Stepnohirsk and Zaporizhzhia.

Marines raised the national flag of Ukraine and the battle flag over the temporarily occupied part of Kherson region on Constitution Day. This symbolic operation was carried out by soldiers of the 34th separate marine brigade, sending greetings to the occupiers.

Occupiers in Kherson region drafted a plan to involve teenagers in the military game "Zarnitsa", preparing them to be future soldiers of the Russian army. The pro-Kremlin "Movement of the First" was appointed responsible for recruiting teenagers, planning to involve up to 2,000 children and send them to camps in Russia.

Russian troops attacked an energy facility, which led to power outages in a number of settlements in the Kherson region. Residents are urged to prepare for a prolonged absence of electricity.

Kharkiv is home to 1. 3 million residents, including 206,000 internally displaced persons from the occupied territories. Mayor Ihor Terekhov stated that these people want to live and work in Kharkiv, creating new opportunities for the city.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal held a meeting in the Kherson region, where they discussed the key needs of the region affected by Russian aggression. Plans include the construction of shelters, underground hospitals, the restoration of Posad-Pokrovske and financial support for communities.

On the night of June 26, a Russian airstrike on the village of Tavriiske in the Kherson region killed a local resident born in 1987. The head of the RMA, Oleksandr Prokudin, warned of the threat of a Russian airstrike on several settlements in the region.

According to YouControl's calculations, in 2024, businesses in Ukraine generated over 592 thousand tons of hazardous waste. The largest amounts of toxic substances are produced by the non-ore industry, medical institutions, and the agricultural sector, with Zaporizhzhia Oblast leading with 184 thousand tons.

Ukrainian military controls the island system in Kherson region, destroying the enemy when attempting to cross the Dnipro. The enemy is trying to storm positions near the Antonivsky bridge, but the Defense Forces control the entire area.

Applicants are forced to travel significant distances to take the NMT, as the assessment is not conducted in areas where hostilities are ongoing. This creates serious difficulties for graduates who have to travel for hours to reach examination centers.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine considers the ban on studying the Ukrainian language in schools in the temporarily occupied territories as a manifestation of Moscow's genocidal policy. The Ministry emphasizes that the Ukrainian language has powerful protection and all Russian "bans" are temporary.

Commander of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Vice Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpapa, announced the destruction of a Russian Black Sea Fleet boat. The boat with troops was moving along the western coast of Kherson region.

The Russian army on June 22 attacked a temporary training ground of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kherson region with an "Iskander-M" missile, according to the spokesman of the Ground Forces. As a result of the attack, there are dead and wounded servicemen.

On June 21, 171 combat engagements were recorded at the front, the enemy launched 5 missile and 82 air strikes; the Defense Forces hit 12 areas of personnel concentration and 7 missile and artillery systems.

Since the beginning of the day, 77 combat engagements have taken place on the front line, 29 of them in the Pokrovsk direction. Ukrainian defenders are repelling enemy attacks and holding their positions along the entire front line.

On Saturday, June 21, cool weather with short-term rains and thunderstorms is expected in Ukraine, mainly in the western and northern regions. Temperatures will range from +18°C to +25°C, with the highest values in the south.

On June 20, the SBU released exclusive video of the prisoner exchange involving defenders from Mariupol, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv regions. The exchange was made possible thanks to the work of the Joint Center and the Coordination Headquarters.

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.

In the south of Ukraine and Dnipropetrovsk region, the number of bites from venomous spiders, such as karakurts, tarantulas, and yellow sac spiders, has increased. Their bites cause severe pain, convulsions, respiratory problems, and allergic reactions, which in rare cases can be fatal.