Ukraine Counterattacks In Lyman Sector

THE BRIEFING 

Here’s what’s happening in geopolitics today.

Washington is once again dominating the geopolitical headlines, with Tulsi Gabbard stepping down as Director of National Intelligence while questions continue to swirl around the Trump administration’s broader national security direction.

Elsewhere, a deadly coal mine disaster in China, growing unrest in both Bolivia and Spain, and France’s dramatic move to ban Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir all point to a week where political pressure and public anger are boiling over across multiple regions.

Furthermore, Ukraine has launched a series of counterattacks around the Lyman sector to relieve pressure off one of the most important battles of 2026.

THE LAST 24 HOURS IN GEOPOLITICS 

1. Tulsi Gabbard resigns as director of national intelligence
Tulsi Gabbard has resigned as U.S. Director of National Intelligence, with her departure set to take effect on June 30, citing her husband’s recent diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer. Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman and Iraq War veteran who became one of Donald Trump’s most high-profile intelligence appointments, said she could not “in good conscience” leave her husband to face the illness alone while continuing in the role. Her resignation follows a turbulent tenure marked by internal White House tensions, controversy surrounding intelligence policy and growing speculation over the administration’s direction on Iran and national security issues.
read more 

2. Coal mine gas explosion in China kills at least 90 people, state media says
At least 90 people were killed after a gas explosion tore through a coal mine in China’s northern Shanxi province, in one of the country’s deadliest industrial disasters in recent years. Chinese state media said around 247 workers were underground at the Liushenyu coal mine at the time of the blast, with rescue crews continuing efforts to locate several miners still missing as authorities investigate the cause of the explosion. President Xi Jinping ordered a full-scale rescue operation and called for tougher industrial safety measures, as the disaster renewed scrutiny over safety standards in China’s heavily relied-upon coal sector.
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3. Bolivia to open ‘humanitarian corridors’ to move supplies through blockades
Bolivia’s government announced it will open temporary “humanitarian corridors” on Saturday to allow fuel, food and medical supplies to move through road blockades that have paralysed parts of the country amid escalating anti-government protests. The corridors are intended to ease shortages affecting major cities including La Paz, where demonstrations demanding President Luis Arce’s resignation have intensified alongside growing economic unrest and clashes between protesters and security forces. Officials warned the measure would be temporary and closely monitored, as authorities continue negotiations with protest groups.
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4. France bans Israeli Security Minister Ben Gvir from country
France has banned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from entering the country, citing his treatment of European activists detained after Israeli forces intercepted a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the decision followed what he described as “unacceptable” behaviour toward French and European citizens, while also calling for wider European Union sanctions against the far-right Israeli minister.
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5. Tens of thousands march in Madrid to demand Prime Minister’s resignation
Tens of thousands of protesters marched through Madrid demanding the resignation of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez amid growing anger over a series of corruption investigations linked to figures within the ruling Socialist Party. Spanish authorities said at least seven police officers were injured and several arrests were made after clashes broke out near the Moncloa Palace, although the demonstration remained largely peaceful overall. The rally, backed by opposition parties including the conservative People’s Party and Vox, highlights mounting political pressure on Sánchez as Spain faces increasing domestic polarisation ahead of future elections.
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Conflict Tracker

Russia-Ukraine

Ukraine has launched a coordinated series of counterattacks in the Lyman direction, opening at least four separate assault vectors in what appears to be an effort to reduce the growing Russian salient west of the Nitrius River and relieve mounting pressure on both Lyman and the wider Borova sector.

According to battlefield reporting, Ukrainian forces, including elements of Azov, are attacking from Ridkodub toward Nove and Katerynivka, from Korovii Yar toward Serednje, from Drobysheve toward Shandryholove, and from Ozerne toward Lyman itself. Fighting is also ongoing around Dibrova and the forests south of Lyman.

The attacks appear highly coordinated, but at this stage the scale remains relatively limited. Current force concentrations are not large enough for this to be considered a full operational counteroffensive, but rather a series of simultaneous counterattacks designed to disrupt Russian momentum, probe weak points and force Moscow to divert reserves across multiple sectors.

Ridkodub currently appears to be the area where Ukrainian gains are the most tangible, although casualties are reportedly increasing. At least eight Ukrainian armoured vehicles have already been struck by Russian FPV drones during the opening stages of the assaults, highlighting the continued lethality of Russia’s short range drone network even in defensive operations.

Much of the reported Ukrainian success around Dibrova and Ozerne remains inside contested grey zones rather than firmly held Russian territory. However, the geography may favour Ukraine more than in other sectors. Large forest belts around the Lyman axis provide concealment from Russian drone surveillance and create conditions where infantry infiltration and dispersed assault tactics become more viable.

The broader objective appears less about achieving a rapid breakthrough and more about stabilising the front, relieving pressure on Lyman, and forcing Russia to redistribute manpower away from other active sectors. The coming days will determine whether these operations remain limited tactical counterattacks or evolve into something much larger.

The repeated counterattacks are an increasing trend — my take? We’re seeing the wear and tear of an army that has been on the offensive for several years now. Cracks may seem to be appearing, along with the increasingly significant role of drones and external support.

Sources
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TODAY IN HISTORY

(May 23, 1951): China formally annexed Tibet as an autonomous region, giving rise to a Tibetan independence movement—led by the Dalai Lama, winner of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize—that continued into the early 21st century.