(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Ukraine Invasion Day 1,577: Moscow refineries hit again [1] ['Kelli Anne Busey', 'News Corpse'] Date: 2026-06-19 Key Takeaways Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected the peace conditions recently proposed by Ukraine and its European partners on June 7, demonstrating the Kremlin’s continued disinterest in peace proposals that do not accept Russian demands for Ukraine’s capitulation. * Lavrov reiterated that the Kremlin’s unchanged negotiating position remains based on Russia’s maximalist demands. Lavrov also asserted that Russia seeks to fulfill alleged agreements achieved during the August 2025 US-Russia Alaska Summit, despite the absence of any official documentation of any agreement achieved at the summit. * Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov acknowledged the Ukrainian June 18 strikes on Moscow City and started to set information conditions to continue and intensify strike packages against Ukraine. * The Russian Central Bank reduced its key interest rate to 14.25 percent as the bank’s leadership continues to advocate for a more cautious monetary policy. * The reduction of the key interest rate amidst the Russian Central Bank’s leadership’s push for a more cautious monetary policy may indicate that the Kremlin is eroding the independence of the Russian Central Bank. * Ukraine’s intermediate- and long-range strike campaign against Russian fuel infrastructure continues to strain gasoline supplies. Russian authorities continue to impose fuel rationing in Russia and occupied southern Ukraine while some authorities deny that Russia is facing fuel supply shortages. * Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Hulyaipole direction. * Russian forces launched 90 drones against Ukraine on the night of June 18 to 19. Momentum shifting, however slowly. Russian forces conducted a series of long-range drone strikes against Ukraine on the night of June 18 to 19. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched 90 Shahed-, Gerbera-, and Italmas-type strike drones; Banderol-type loitering munitions; and Parodiya-type decoy drones from the directions of Bryansk and Oryol cities; Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Krai; and occupied Hvardiiske, Crimea.[89] The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian Forces downed 79 drones, that nine drones hit eight locations, and that debris struck eight locations. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian forces struck transportation, residential, civilian, energy, and commercial infrastructure in Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, and Zaporizhia oblasts.[90] The Ukrainian Energy Ministry reported that Russian strikes caused power outages in Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Kherson oblasts, and Ukrainian energy operator DTEK reported that Russian forces have been striking power generation facilities in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast for the past two days.[91] Russian forces are reportedly using a new Molniya-2 variant strike drone to inflict more damage during strikes on Ukraine. Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (MoD) advisor on defense technology and drone and electronic warfare (EW) expert Serhiy “Flash” Beskrestnov reported on June 19 that Russian forces are producing a new Molniya-2 variant strike drone called the “Lightning-13” that has four engines and a 13-kilogram warhead.[93] Ukraine’s air defenses downed or suppressed 79 of 90 Russian drones overnight, including Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas, Banderol and decoy UAVs. Impacts were recorded at 8 locations, with debris from intercepted drones falling at 8 more as the attack continued Ukraine’s intermediate- and long-range strike campaign against Russian fuel infrastructure continues to strain gasoline supplies. Russian authorities continue to impose fuel rationing in Russia and occupied southern Ukraine while some authorities deny that Russia is facing fuel supply shortages. The Financial Times (FT) reported on June 15, citing French open-source analyst Clement Molin, that verified footage confirms that Ukraine conducted no fewer than 375 drone strikes against Russian trucks and vehicles in occupied Ukraine since May 2026 – half of which occurred on the M-14 Rostov Oblast-Crimea highway (which Russian occupation officials denote as the R-280 highway).[24] FT noted that Crimean residents spend hours in line at gas stations due to supply shortages. A Local Crimea-based Telegram channel claimed that almost 25 percent of Russian gas stations, including 85 Tatneft locations, 2,200 Rosneft locations, and all Lukoil, Teboil, and Neftmagistral gas stations, imposed restrictions on gasoline purchases.[25] Russian officials continue to deny the gasoline shortages and purchase restrictions, however. Russian state majority-owned oil company Rosneft Chief Executive Officer Igor Sechin claimed on June 19 that Rosneft did not impose any restrictions on refueling vehicles at gas stations and noted that Rosneft guarantees a stable fuel supply for Russian consumers.[26] The Russian Cabinet of Ministers announced on June 19 that Russia intends to ensure a stable supply of petroleum products and prevent “localized market imbalances.”[27]Intensified Ukrainian strikes against Russian energy infrastructure will likely cause shortages to continue to spread across Russia and exacerbate existing shortages that the Russian government will not be able to ignore.[28] The Ukrainian General Staff reported that the Moscow Oil Refinery ceased operations following Ukrainian strikes against the refinery on June 18. The Ukrainian General Staff reported on June 19 that Ukrainian strikes on the Moscow Oil Refinery (also known as the Kapotnya Refinery) on June 17 to 18 damaged the primary oil refining unit, three RVS-10,000 tanks, and one RVS-30,000 tank, and noted that the refinery suspended oil refining operations.[31] Russian opposition source Vazhnye Istorii reported on June 18 that the Moscow Oil Refinery produces about a third of the fuel sold in Moscow City, supplies 40 percent of Moscow City’s gasoline demand, and supplies 50 percent of Moscow City’s diesel demand.[32] General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Operational Update as of 22:00 on June 19, 2026, regarding the Russian invasion In total, 131 combat engagements have taken place since the start of this day. The enemy carried out 45 airstrikes, dropping 132 guided bombs. In addition, it deployed 2,087 kamikaze drones and carried out 1,341 shelling attacks on populated areas and the positions of our troops. In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors, the enemy carried out two airstrikes using five guided bombs and fired on populated areas and our troops’ positions 54 times, one of which involved the use of multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS). In the Southern Slobozhansky direction, the enemy attacked the positions of our units seven times in the direction of the settlements of Prylipka, Izbytske, Vovchansk, Okhrimivka, and Dvorichanske. One of these attacks is still ongoing. In the Kupiansk direction, no enemy assaults were recorded. In the Lyman direction, Ukrainian soldiers repelled 10 assaults by the occupiers in the areas around the settlements of Borova, Drobysheve, Novoselivka, Stavy, and Lyman. Two of these attacks are still ongoing. In the Sloviansk sector, the enemy launched nine assaults toward Rai-Oleksandrivka and in the areas of Riznykivka, Kryva Luka, Zakytne, and Kaleniky. Three of these assaults are still ongoing. In the Kramatorsk sector, the enemy launched a single attack in the area of Chasovyi Yar. In the Kostiantynivka sector, the occupiers launched 15 assaults today on the positions of our defenders in the areas of the settlements of Kostiantynivka, Pleshchiivka, Illinivka, Rusyn Yar, Vilne, and Kucheriiv Yar. One of these assaults is still ongoing. In the Pokrovsk sector, the enemy carried out 23 attacks. The occupiers attempted to advance in the areas around the settlements of Ivanivka, Novyi Donbas, Rodynske, Novooleksandrivka, Bilytske, Novohryshyne, Serhiivka, Kotlyne, Udachne, Filiya, and Novopavlivka. Two of these attacks are still ongoing. According to preliminary estimates, 29 occupiers were killed and 14 wounded in this sector today; three vehicles and two artillery pieces were destroyed. Additionally, five vehicles, three artillery pieces, a UAV command post, and 32 enemy shelters were damaged. A total of 297 UAVs of various types were destroyed or neutralized. In the Oleksandrivka sector, the invaders carried out three assault operations in the areas of Kalynivka, Verbove, and Oleksandrohrad. In the Huliaipole sector, 25 attacks by the occupiers were recorded, four of which are still ongoing. The enemy carried out assaults toward the settlements of Rybne, Novoye Zaporozhye, Dobropillya, Hirke, Vozdvizhivka, Staroukrainka, Olenokostyantynivka, Verkhnia Tersa, Hulyaypilskoye, Charivne, Lyubytske, and Novoselivka. In the Orikhiv sector, the enemy launched a single assault in the Stepnogorsk area. In the Dnipro sector, the enemy did not carry out any offensive operations. In other sectors, there were no significant changes in the situation. Let’s defeat the enemy and bring our Victory closer! Glory to Ukraine! https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-june-19-2026/ 2/while the Netherlands separately allocated funds for about 700 cruise missiles. The total amount may still increase after final calculations.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ — 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@militarynewsua.bsky.social) 2026-06-19T11:37:56.715Z Germany and Ukraine launch Europe’s largest combat robot deal Germany is about to become the assembly floor for the biggest unmanned ground vehicle order ever placed in Europe, and the machines rolling toward the front were designed and battle-tested in Ukraine first. Quantum… pic.twitter.com/HpFkI0qJ0U — Gandalv (@Microinteracti1) June 19, 2026 [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/6/19/800058109/community/ukraine-invasion-day-1577/ Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/