1/ Damage to the #Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (KHPP) dam in the early hours of June 6 caused massive flooding of the #Dnipro River delta, river wetlands, estuaries, and shoreline settlements in #Kherson Oblast.
2/ The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and #Ukrainian officials stated that the drop in the water level at the #Kakhovka Reservoir should not affect the safety of the #Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).
3/ #Ukrainian officials stated that #Russian forces intentionally destroyed the KHPP dam and suggested that the Russian military did not prepare for subsequent flooding.
4/ #Russian officials accused #Ukrainian forces of destroying the #KHPP dam and used the allegations to bolster ongoing efforts to portray Ukrainian assaults elsewhere in #Ukraine as immediate failures.
5/5 ISW has not yet observed clear evidence of what transpired at the #KHPP on June 6 and is therefore unable to offer an independent assessment of responsibility at the time of this publication.
2/ #Ukraine appears to have committed only a portion of the large reserve of forces available for counteroffensive operations.
3/ It is additionally noteworthy that the Russian Southern Military District Forces deployed in this particular area are likely to be a higher quality force grouping than Russia has elsewhere in theater...
Russian forces appear to have executed their formal tactical defensive doctrine in response to the Ukrainian attacks southwest of Orikhiv. isw.pub/UkrWar060823
2/ Russian doctrine for a defending motorized rifle battalion calls for a first echelon of troops to repel or slow attacking forces with minefields, fortifications, and strongpoints, with a second echelon of forces counterattacking against an enemy breakthrough.
3/ Russian forces apparently operated in this fashion in this sector – Ukrainian forces penetrated the initial defensive lines; Russian forces pulled back to a second line of fortifications; and Russian reserves subsequently counterattacked to retake the initial line of defenses.
The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) responded to the Ukrainian attack in western #Zaporizhia Oblast with an uncharacteristic degree of coherency and praised Southern Military District elements for repelling the attack and regaining lost positions. isw.pub/UkrWar060823
2/ The overall Russian response to the attack, both among milbloggers and the MoD, was notably coherent and relatively consistent with the available visual evidence, which may suggest that Russian forces were not surprised and reacted in a controlled and militarily sound manner.
3/ As ISW has previously assessed, the Russian information space reacts with a high degree of chaos and incoherence when taken by surprise by battlefield developments that do not allow the propaganda apparatus to develop a clear line.
Ukrainian forces conducted a limited but still significant attack in western #Zaporizhia Oblast on the night of June 7 to 8. Russian forces apparently defended against this attack in a doctrinally sound manner and had reportedly regained their initial positions as of June 8.🧵⬇️
2/ Russian sources began reporting late at night on June 7 that elements of Ukrainian brigades that have recently been equipped with Western kit launched an attack southwest of Orikhiv in western #Zaporizhia Oblast. isw.pub/UkrWar060823
3/ Several Russian milbloggers claimed that Ukrainian forces attacked along the Mala Tokmachka-Polohy line with the aim of breaking through the Russian defensive line between Robotyne and Verbove (both about 15km southeast of Orikhiv). isw.pub/UkrWar060823
NEW: #Ukraine has conducted #counteroffensive operations with differential outcomes in at least three sectors of the front as part of wider counteroffensive efforts that have been unfolding since Sunday, June 4.
2/ Ukrainian officials signaled that Ukrainian forces have transitioned from defensive to offensive operations in the #Bakhmut sector and are making gains of between 200 meters and nearly two kilometers on the flanks of the city.
3/ Ukrainian forces have made tactical gains during limited localized counterattacks in western #Donetsk Oblast near the #Donetsk-#Zaporizhia Oblast border since June 4.
2/ Ukrainian officials have long signaled that there will not be an announcement that the #counteroffensive has begun.
3/ The #counteroffensive won’t likely unfold as a single grand operation. It will likely consist of many undertakings at numerous locations of varying size and intensity over many weeks.