Ukraine war briefing: Ukrainian intelligence ‘strikes Su-57 warplane deep inside Russia’

Ukrainian military intelligence claims to have attacked a sophisticated Su-57 fighter jet on a Russian airbase that is located nearly 600 kilometers away from the frontline. They have released satellite images that appear to show an aircraft surrounded by burn marks and craters. The images indicate that the Su-57 was undamaged on June 7th but had been damaged by a fire on June 8th, leaving it with identifiable marks of damage caused by fire. The GUR has made this statement to confirm the success of their operation.

According to GUR, the Akhtubinsk base in southern Russia experienced a strike last Saturday. A plane that has the capability to transport stealth missiles was one of only a few that were in use. The Su-57 fleet in Russia has not been seen much in the skies over Ukraine, but it has been utilized to launch long-range missiles from a remote location across the border.

The UK's Ministry of Defence has stated that Russia is probably attempting to prevent damaging its reputation, decreasing its ability to export goods, and exposing sensitive technology by avoiding the loss of any Su-57 aircrafts on enemy land. On the other side, the Russian defence ministry has said that they destroyed three Ukrainian drones in the area of Astrakhan where the Akhtubinsk airstrip is located. Russian officials consistently claim that all hostile threats are stopped, regardless of the truth.

On Sunday, reports from both sides indicated that the Russian military was progressing in their attack on the crucial Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar. Situated on elevated terrain approximately 12 miles to the west of Bakhmut (which was taken over by Russian forces last year), Chasiv Yar is considered to be a possible launch point for Russian advancement towards Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

According to reports from Ukrainska Pravda, a Ukrainian news source, it has been reported that Russian military personnel are now present in the Chasiv Yar district. Sources, including a military insider and a blogger, have claimed that Russian forces are using guided bombs from the air to clear areas near a prominent road. Additionally, they have claimed that the Russian soldiers have begun advancing and gathering more troops in the area.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, didn't talk about Chasiv Yar during his video address on Sunday night. However, he stated that the zone surrounding the town of Pokrovsk, located in the south-west region, is still the toughest area because of the high pressure from the occupiers.

Ukraine's electricity grid operator, Ukrenergo, has announced power interruptions of one hour each on Monday, between 4pm and 10pm. These interruptions will not affect critical infrastructure sites that provide essential services. Last Friday, the Ukrainian government issued an order requiring all ministries and regional authorities to refrain from using air conditioning and external lighting.