Offensive in the South, mining of ZNPP and return of prisoners of war from Hungary: highlights of June 20

Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant explosion: the number of victims has increased

We already know about 21 people who died as a result of the Russians' explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant. Five of them were killed by Russians' targeted shots.

In addition, another 28 people were injured, 16 of whom were liquidators of the hydroelectric power plant explosion.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 595 houses in Kherson Oblast remain flooded. The epidemiological situation is stable and under control. No outbreaks of infectious diseases have been reported.

Situation at the frontline

The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue offensive operations in the Melitopol and Berdiansk sectors. No positions have been lost where Ukrainian defenders are on the defensive, the General Staff noted.

Russian troops have focused their main efforts on defense and preventing the advance of Ukrainian troops. According to the General Staff, the occupiers are using reserves and trying to regain lost ground.

Main Intelligence Directorate: Russia mined a cooler at Zaporizhzhia NPP

The head of the Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, has warned that Russians have mined a cooler at the seized Zaporizhzhia NPP.

“If they disable it by blowing it up, there is a high probability that there will be significant problems,” the Main Intelligence Directorate chief said.

Slovakia recognizes the Holodomor as a genocide of Ukrainians

The Slovak Parliament recognized the Holodomor of 1932-1933 as genocide against the Ukrainian people.

The Holodomor has been officially recognized as genocide of the Ukrainian people by more than 30 countries, as well as by the Catholic Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Ukraine returns three prisoners of war

Ukraine has managed to return from Hungary three of the 11 prisoners of war that Russia handed over to Budapest without Ukraine's consent.

Before that, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said that Hungary as a state was not involved in the exchange of 11 Ukrainian prisoners of war with Russia. He said that the negotiations were conducted by religious organizations.

The Hungarian government claimed that the Ukrainian prisoners “wanted to come to Hungary of their own free will” and now they “can stay or leave Hungary at any time of their own free will”.

Fake news about the detention of a Ukrainian diplomat

Several media outlets have reported the alleged detention of a Ukrainian with diplomatic status in Switzerland.

Instead, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine informed us that all Ukrainian diplomats working in Ukrainian diplomatic missions in Switzerland are on site and performing their duties as usual.

“Moreover, in response to our request, the Swiss Federal Police informed us that they were not aware of any detentions of Ukrainian citizens,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.

Other news for the day:

• Russian troops shelled rescuers in Kherson who were clearing silt. The shelling killed one rescuer and injured 8 others.
• In the Donetsk sector, an anti-aircraft missile unit of the Air Force destroyed another Ka-52 attack helicopter.
• On June 20, the Kyiv City Council decided to derussify two more streets in the city. Thus, Drahomyrova Street in the Pecherskyi district is now named after military man Andrii Verkhohliad (call sign “Livsha”). Read more about him in our article.
• Zelenskyy appoints ambassadors to Brazil, Colombia, and India.
• On June 20, Ukraine receives from the EU the first batch of textbooks under the New Ukrainian School program for the fifth-grade Ukrainian language.
• Losses to Ukraine's economy due to field mines will reach up to $800 million annually, a study shows.