War
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the BBC Ukrainian that the counter-offensive of Ukrainian troops, which he described as "positive", is currently progressing more slowly than one would like, as the Russians have mined 200,000 sq km of territory, but at some point it will speed up.
During the day, Russia launched a missile and air strike on Ukraine, using three Kh-47 Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles, three Kh-22 cruise missiles and four Shahed-136/131 drones. Ukraine's air defences destroyed three kamikaze drones.
Russia also carried out 44 air strikes and fired about 30 times from multiple launch rocket systems.
Heavy fighting continues in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiyivka and Maryinka directions, where over 20 engagements took place.
According to the Schemes investigative project, satellite images from Planet Labs show that Russia has begun using an airfield near the city of Mozdok in North Ossetia (North Caucasus) to fire missiles at Ukraine. Tu-22M3s took off the from this airfield on the night of 22 June to fire Kh-22 cruise missiles on Dnipropetrovsk Region.
Ukrainian military intelligence representative Andriy Yusov said the damage caused to the Chonhar bridge linking occupied Crimea to mainland Ukraine was a "consistent effort of the Defence Forces, the Resistance Movement and local population waiting for the legitimate Ukrainian authorities to return". More to follow, he added.
Nuclear concerns
Russia is considering a scenario of a terrorist attack at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and has prepared everything for it, President Zelenskyy has warned, quoting Ukrainian intelligence data.
In his evening speech, he said that Ukraine briefed partner states, G7, G20 and international organisations on the situation at the plant. He insists that "full deoccupation of the Zaporizhzhya NPP is necessary" to prevent a nuclear disaster.
Mykhaylo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the presidential office, said that Russia perceives the attack on the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant as a chance to halt the Ukrainian counter-offensive, that is why they attempted to target the dam in Kryvyy Rih with Kinzhal missiles.
Noting that the risk of a Russian terrorist act at the ZNPP "remains high", the Ukrainian Health Ministry issued a guidance on how to act in this case, which includes taking cover in a building, following official notices, discarding the outerwear, taking a thorough shower and changing into clean clothes.
The IAEA said it is aware aware of reports of mines having been placed near the cooling pond at the Russia-occupied Zaporizhzhya NPP. No mines were observed at the site during the Director General’s visit, including the cooling pond. However, the IAEA is aware of previous placement of mines outside the plant perimeter, which the Agency has previously reported, and also at particular places inside - which security personnel at the plant explained were for defensive purposes.
South
In the coming days, the World Bank will publish a report on the damage caused by the blowing up of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station, according to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. He expects the damage to reach "billions of dollars of damage to the environment, infrastructure, and people in Ukraine".
Two Kherson residents and two volunteers were hurt by the Russian shelling of the city on 22 June.
US assistance
Ukrainian presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak has briefed US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan by phone about the current needs of Ukrainian units for various types of weapons, the situation at the front, defensive and offensive actions of the Ukrainian army, as well as intelligence data on Russian plans.
Belarus
President Zelenskyy has dismissed Ihor Kyzym as Ukraine's ambassador to Belarus, appointed by his predecessor Petro Poroshenko on 20 February 2017.
A Russian military helicopter Mi-24 crashed near Ivatsevichy in Belarus. The crew got injured but survived the incident, according to the Belarusian investigative project Belarus Hajun.
Incident
Three people got killed and five were injured as a result of a blast in a Kyiv high-rise in Malyshko Street, tentatively caused by a gas leak.
Culture
President ] Zelenskyy has signed a law banning the import and distribution of books from Russia and Belarus.