UKRAINE: THE SITUATION 130 - JUNE 29, 2022

The Ukrainian Resistance Center reported on June 28 that the Kremlin is defining the terms of integrating the territories of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia into the Russian Federation following the model of the "Tauria Governorate" from before 1917. The Tauria Governorate (or Tauride) was a historical province of the Russian Empire.

According to the scenario of the Tauria Governorate, the left bank of Kherson Oblast and a part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast would be directly annexed to the Russian Federation, likely as one entity. The Ukrainian Resistance Center reports that the Russian authorities are preparing a pseudo-referendum to establish the conditions for the annexation of the Tauria Governorate (as opposed to the proxy "people's republics"). Additionally, the Russians are demanding that Ukrainian citizens in southern Ukraine open bank accounts with the state-owned Russian Promsvyazbank. The head of the Ukrainian administration of Kherson Oblast, Hennadiy Lahuta, reported that the Russian forces have halted civilian traffic in the northern Kherson Oblast and are not allowing anyone to enter or leave the occupied areas, which could be another attempt to control the civilian population in preparation for annexation measures.

Russian forces continued their offensive operations in and around Lysychansk.

Russian forces made minor advances east of Bakhmut along the E40 highway and may be preparing for a direct offensive on Bakhmut.

Russian forces continued their offensive operations to advance on Sloviansk from the northwest near the border between Kharkiv and Donetsk regions.

The complete Russian Offensive Update 130 is available directly from UNDERSTANDING WAR.

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