What did the days around 14 June 2023 reveal?
A look back at the war's pressures on Ukraine in the days before 14 June 2023, from the Kakhovka dam collapse to strikes on Odesa and foreign aid.
What did the days leading up to 14 June 2023 show about the pressures on Ukraine and the response of its partners? The reported events point to three strands: civilian harm, battlefield claims and international support.
Civilian harm
The Kakhovka Dam was breached in the early hours of 6 June 2023, causing extensive flooding along the lower Dnipro in Kherson Oblast. The dam had been under the control of the Russian military since the early days of the invasion. Many experts concluded that Russian forces likely blew up a segment of it to hinder the planned Ukrainian counter-offensive. Ukraine specifically blamed Russia's 205th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, and Russian authorities denied the accusations.
On 10 June 2023, Russian forces attacked Odesa with drones and missiles, as reported at the time, killing three civilians and injuring 27 others.
Battlefield claims
On 8 June 2023, the Russian Defence Ministry said it had destroyed several Ukrainian tanks in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, including a Leopard 2. It described this as the first Western-made tank destroyed by Russian forces in the war. The ministry released a video showing a column of tanks being hit in a field, with one confirmed as a Leopard 2.
Foreign support
On 10 June 2023, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a $500 million military aid package for Ukraine, including 288 AIM-7 missiles. He also announced a $10 million humanitarian package to help victims of the Kakhovka dam collapse.
What it showed
Taken together, these reports show humanitarian needs growing at the same time as military pressure. The Canadian announcement addressed both: weapons, and relief for people affected by the flooding. The dam collapse was a civilian emergency in its own right, and the aid package acknowledged it as one.
