Ukraine Latest: Weekly Digest for September 9-15, 2024
VIDEO
September 9/ Interview. Victory Commanders. Ihor Khalus: I came to the war to fight and win, not to build my career
September 10/ Krasnolutskyi: Poisoned rivers: when will the contaminated water reach Kyiv?
September 11/ Kraev: Important takeaways from Harris vs Trump presidential debate
PHOTO
September / Kyiv’s volunteers weaving camouflage nets for soldiers at the frontline
September 9/ An underground school is being constructed in Kharkiv Oblast
September 10/ Introduction of the analytical report "Holy War: how Russian Orthodox Church is helping in the war against Ukraine"
September 10/ Joint press conference by Ukraine’s Prosecutor General and the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, outside of Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv
September 10/ Artist Zoya Sever and patients of a children's hospital draw a mural in a bomb shelter in Kharkiv
September 11/ Performance staged as part of the "From idea to soldier" platform
September 11/ An IT-system to support military logistics management within the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been unveiled at a ceremony in Kyiv
September 11/ People displaced from Bakhmut have planted roses in Dnipro
September 11/ Mental health and rehabilitation center for veterans has been launched in Kyiv
September 11/ Final farewell ceremony for fallen defender Anton Olenchuk, Uzhhorod
September 12/ / Final farewell ceremony for Matityahu Samborsky, who died defending Ukraine, took place in the central synagogue of Kyiv. Matityahu Samborsky was the adopted son of the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Azman
September 12/ Repair works on the site of apartment blocks in Kharkiv City damaged by Russian air raids
September 13/ Rose bushes honoring the town of Bakhmut were planted in Lviv
September 13/ The aftermath of a Russian air raid on Odesa City
September 13/ More than fifty civilians have underwent training at the National Resistance Center in Kharkiv Oblast
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September 13/ The aftermath of a Shakhed drone attack on Odesa
September 14/ A run in support of military and civilian POWs took place in Kyiv
September 14/ A run in support of military and civilian POWs took place in Zaporizhzhia.
FIGHTING
The General Staff has reported 1,012 force-to-force encounters for the week from September 9 through 15, 2024.
President Zelensky: In the Kursk region, Russian forces have launched a counter-offensive operation against Ukrainian troops, but failed to achieve any serious success. The Russian Federation seeks to pull up 60,000-70,000 troops to that region. Russian counteroffensive against Ukrainian forces holding part of the Kursk region under their control is proceeding to Ukrainian plan.
On 13 September, 49 Ukrainians returned home from Russian captivity, among them soldiers from Azovstal; on September 14, another 103 Ukrainian soldiers were brought back home in a POW swap deal mediated by the United Arab Emirates. Overall, 3,672 Ukrainians have been returned home from Russian captivity over the 2.5 years of the full-scale war.
Since the outbreak of the all-out war, 931 Ukrainian children have been returned from Russian-occupied Ukraine as of September 12.
Kursk Incursion
September 10
UK Defense Minister John Healey: The longer they (Ukrainian Armed Forces – ed.) hold Kursk, the weaker Putin becomes. The longer they hold Kursk, the better defended Ukraine will be.
September 11
Oleksandr Musienko, the head of the Center for Military and Legal Studies: Ukraine’s Armed Forces in the Kursk region are moving from offensive actions to an operation to contain the Russian troops the Kremlin had had to withdraw away from the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove fronts.
September 12
President Zelensky: Russian counteroffensive against Ukrainian forces holding part of the Kursk region under their control is proceeding to Ukrainian plan.
September 13
The Pentagon considers the scope of Russia’s counteroffensive against Ukrainian forces holding part of the Kursk region under their control to be "insignificant".
Russian troops launched a counteroffensive against Ukrainian invading forces in the Kursk region, but failed to achieve and significant success.
The unmanned systems battalion Raid, assisted by the separate airborne assault regiment Dzhmyl (‘bumble-bee’) from the Unmanned Systems Forces destroyed Russia’s state-of-the-art, high-valued Zemledeliye remote minelaying system that was deployed near the Seym River in the Russian region of Kursk.
September 14
Russia has amassed from 30,000 to 45,000 troops in its Kursk region. Having taken control of Sudzha, the Ukrainian Defense Forces seriously complicated Russian logistics and military supplies.
Ukrainian Air Assault Forces destroyed five Russian BMD assault vehicles, a tank and an armored personnel carrier in the Kursk region.
September 15
The Ukrainian forces launched a new offensive targeting the district of Glushkovo in Russia’s Kursk region, having occupied several villages in one fell swoop. Ukrainian forces are currently operating in Veseloe (southwest of Glushkovo District capital), have advanced westward from the village of Medvezhye (southwest of Glushkovo) and toward the field areas south of Tyotkino (some 25 kilometers southwest of Glushkovo), which is located close to the border with Sumy Oblast. Moreover, Ukrainian forces continued advances towards north of Sudzha.
Battlefield situation by the days of the week and sectors of the frontline
September 9
Kurakhove Sector: the invaders attacked 28 times towards Dolynove, Zhelanne Pershe, Ukrainsk, Halytsynivka, Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, and Kostyantynivka neighborhoods, with fighting being the heaviest near Krasnohorivka neighborhood;
Pokrovsk Sector: the adversary staged 23 assaults targeting the approaches to Vozdvyzhenka, Zelene Pole, Novotroitske, Novohrodivka, Hrodivka, Selydove, and Mykhailivka villages. The Defense Forces fended off an offensive at Novohrodivka;
Siversk Sector: Ukrainian forces fought off nine assaults on the surrounding of Verkhnyokamyanske, Ivano-Daryivka, Spirne, and Zvanivka. In the attacks towards Zvanivka, the invaders used armored vehicles, but suffered losses and retreated.
Kupiansk Sector: Synkivka remains a "gray" zone where fighting continues; the Russians failed to take the village under their control.
September 10
Lyman Sector: the invading army mounted 16 attacks targeting Ukrainian defense lines located near Druzhelyubivka, Tverdokhlibove, Nevske, Makiivka, Novosadove, and Torske villages;
Pokrovsk Sector: the invading forces, using air fire support, deployed 14 attacks in an attempt to seize Ukrainian entrenchments near Novooleksandrivka, Vozdvyzhenka, Svyrydonivka, Hrodivka, Ivanivka, Novohrodivka, Mykhailivka, and Marynivka neighborhoods;
Kurakhove Sector: fighting continued on the approaches to the villages of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Ukrainsk, Antonivka, and Kostyantynivka;
Siversk Sector: the adversary was assaulting nine times towards the settlements of Verkhnokamianske, Hryhorivka and Spirne, but never succeeded.
September 11
Pokrovsk Sector: the invaders made 16 attempts to draw Ukrainian defenders out of their entrenchments near Vozdvyzhenka, Zelene Pole, Novooleksandrivka, Hrodivka, Novotroitske, Novohrodivka, Selydove, and Mykhailivka; dropped glide bombs on Oleksandropil neighborhood.
Kurakhove Sector: Russian forces staged 14 assaults aimed to advance towards the neighborhoods of Kostyantynivka, Ukrainsk, and Heorhiivka;
Lyman Sector: enemy forces mounted 9 attacks targeting the villages of Makiivka, Nevske, Terny, Hrekivka, Druzhelyubivka, and Tverdokhlibove. The situation remains controllable by Ukrainian forces;
Kupiansk Sector: The Russian forces deployed six attacks on Ukrainian defending positions; attacks on Lozova and Hlushkivka were fended off.
September 12
Tavria Sector: the Russians intensified their offensive operations on this stretch of the frontline;
Kurakhove Sector: Russian troops attacked 33 times towards Zhelanne Pershe, Ukrainsk, Oleksandropil, Heorhiivka, and Kostyantynivka neighborhoods;
Pokrovsk Sector: the adversary mounted 20 assaults targeting the approaches to Vozdvyzhenka, Novooleksandrivka, Zelene Pole, Novotroitske, Novohrodivka, Hrodivka, Selydove, and Mykhailivka neighborhoods. Defense forces were able to withhold the onslaught of Russian troops;
Toretsk Sector: the occupying forces, using air fire support, tried four times to force Ukrainian soldiers out of their positions defending the approaches to New York and Nelypivka communities, but received a tough rebuff, suffered losses and rolled back.
September 13
Kurakhove Sector: the Russians carried out 21 attacks targeting the approaches to Ukrainsk, Zhelanne Pershe, Heorhiyivka, Kostyantynivka, and Katerynivka villages;
Pokrovsk Sector: the adversary mounted 11 attacks on Ukrainian defenses in the localities of Zelene Pole, Vozdvyzhenka, Hrodivka, Myrolyubivka, Novooleksandrivka, and Novotroitske neighborhoods;
Lyman Sector: the invading forces mounted 14 attacks aimed to seize control of the settlements of Kopanky, Hrekivka, Makiivka, Nevske, Yampolivka, Torske, Serebryanka, and Bilohorivka; deployed attacks with air-to-ground missiles targeting Novoyehorivka village and Serebryansky Forest;
Kramatorsk Sector: the adversary were attacking three times on Ukrainian entrenchments located on the outskirts of Chasiv Yar and Andriivka settlements;
Vovchansk Sector: soldiers from the ‘Hart’ Brigade destroyed a Russian field headquarters and a few supply depots.
September 14
Kurakhove Sector: Ukrainian forces endured 27 attacks on their entrenchments located in the surroundings of Selydove, Ukrainsk, Krasnohorivka, Dolynivka, Zhelanne Druhe, Heorhiivka, Kostyantynivka, and Katerynivka neighborhoods;
Pokrovsk Sector: the Russian military deployed 23 attacks targeting the approaches to Sukha Balka, Vozdvyzhenka, Zelene Pole, Novooleksandrivka, Novotoretsk, Hrodivka, Krasny Yar, Novohrodivka, and Marynivka neighborhoods;
Lyman Sector: the invading forces staged 11 assaults targeting Druzhelyubivka, Makiivka, Nevske, Novosadove, Zarichne, Serebryanka, and Terny settlements;
Kupiansk Sector: the adversary mounted four attacks towards Lozova and Synkivka neighborhoods.
September 15
Kurakhove Sector: the invading forces mounted 22 attacks targeting the approaches towards Zhelanne Druhe, Ukrainsk, Selydove, Dolynivka, Heorhiivka, Katerynivka, and Kostyantynivka communities;
Pokrovsk Sector: the Russian forces deployed 16 attacks targeting Ukrainian defending positions located near Vozdvyzhenka, Zelene Pole, Novotoretsk, Hrodivka, Novohrodivka, and Marynivka neighborhoods;
Lyman Sector: the invading forces staged 16 assaults on Ukrainian defenses located near Druzhelyubivka, Kovalivka, Tverdokhlibove, Nevske, Makiivka, Terny, and Novosadove; deployed air-to-ground attacks on the surroundings of Serebryansky Forest, as well as Tverdokhlibove and Dronivka villages;
Toretsk Sector: the adversary staged 11 assaults targeting Toretsk, Dachne, Shcherbynivka, and Nelypivka neighborhoods.
GRAPHICS. Weapons of victory: MLRS system Bureviy (‘Hurricane’)
WAR: LOSSES AND AFTERMATH
ENEMY LOSSES
Over the week from September 9 through 15, 2024, Russia’s war toll in personnel and equipment had totaled:
8,540 personnel;
44 tanks;
166 armored combat vehicles;
305 artillery guns;
11 MLRS vehicles
5 air defense vehicles;
1 warplane
370 tactical-operational UAVs
30 cruise missiles
466 motor vehicles and fuel tanks
37 pieces of specialist equipment.
September 11: A special operations force affiliated with Ukraine's Defense Intelligence (GUR) attacked and shot down a Russian Su-30SM Flanker multirole fighter jet over the Black Sea using a shoulder-launched surface-to-air missile. The Su-30SM took off from its home base located near the city of Saki in Russian annexed Crimea. The downing of this $50 million aircraft was part of the intense battle for control over offshore oil and gas platforms located off the coast of the Crimea peninsula.
September 14: a hacker team affiliated with the Main Intelligence Directorate at Ukraine’s Defense Ministry (HUR MoD) launched a massive DDOS attack targeting Russia’s banking system, including Bank of Russia, Tinkoff Bank, and Gaz Bank; another attack targeted the SBP payment system, which provides services to occupying Russian forces in Ukraine.
September 12: Ukrainian hackers deployed a cyberattack targeting servers owned by Russia’s Federal Certification Center for digital signatures, having hacked 1.5 million digital signatures and bringing to a halt digital signature issuance operations.
September 10: A train in Russia’s Belgorod region was derailed in the aftermath of a joint operation by Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) and Special Operations Forces (SSO). Explosives were planted and detonated on the Stary Oskol – Valuyki railway line. The operation successfully derailed a freight train supplying the Russian army, paralyzing the key railway route. The operation left a locomotive and 11 empty freight cars derailed and overturned.
UKRAINE: WAR LOSSES AND AFTERMATH
Over the time since the outbreak of Russia’s full-scale invasion, 575 Ukrainian children died, 1,599 sustained injuries, and 1,916 others have been declared missing as of September 10, 2024.
Over the time of the full-scale invasion, the Russian occupiers have committed 137,000 war crimes punishable under international law, and committed some six hundred crimes against journalists in Ukraine.
Ukraine’s energy system has suffered losses exceeding $1 billion in the aftermath of Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure since the outbreak of Russia’s invasion.
Over the time of the full-scale war, Russia has deployed over 50 air raids on Ukraine’s port infrastructure, having destroyed and damaged more than 280 facilities.
523 sports facilities have been destroyed or damaged in the aftermath of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Russian invaders have inflicted more than UAH 1 trillion worth of damages to natural ecosystem in Luhansk Oblast alone.
Official statistics says that, since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine, 19,546 Ukrainian children have been deported and/or forcibly displaced (but the actual number are known to be much higher), and around 1.5 million others remain in Russian occupied Ukraine, facing the risk of forced deportation.
Russian forces deployed 447 munitions containing hazardous chemical agents against Ukrainian troops throughout August.
Russian air raids on the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhya, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Cherkasy left 32 civilians dead and 114 others injured over the week under review.
Russian air raids on Ukraine
September 10
Defense forces shot down 38 out of 48 explosive drones Shakhed launched in a wave of overnight attacks. Three drones launched flew beyond the boundaries of Ukrainian controlled airspace -- one into Russia and two others into the Russian occupied Luhansk region, while three others crashed on the Ukrainian territory, presumably under the influence of ECM measures.
In Kyiv Oblast, no hits to critical or residential infrastructures were reported.
The adversary deployed an attack with Shakhed suicide drones targeting critical infrastructure assets in Sumy Oblast.
In Cherkasy City, Russian drones injured two civilians and damaged an infrastructure site and houses.
September 12
Air defense forces shot down 44 out of 64 one-way attack drones Shakhed launched by Russia against Ukraine; three drones flew across the border into Russia, and four others were defeated with ECM and fell in Ukraine without causing any damage.
All of the drones Russia launched at Kyiv were shot down on the approaches to the capital city.
The adversary attacked Borova and Zolochiv in the Kharkiv region with Shakhed drones; a few civilian sites sustained damage; a woman was recovered alive from under the rubble.
In night hours, a Russian drone was spotted flying in close vicinity to the Khmelnytsky Nuclear Power Plant. Air defenses shot down 11 drones flying towards Khmelnytsky city.
September 13
Air defense forces took out 24 out of 26 Shakhed one-way attack UAVs launched.
An industrial site in the Ivano-Frankivsk region was damaged and set ablaze in the aftermath of a Shakhed drone strike, having caused disruptions in power supply. No casualties have been reported.
In Odesa city and the surrounding, falling debris from a downed drone damaged four garages and as many vehicles, as well as two premises attached to an apartment building, and shattered windows in two dozen apartment buildings. An injured casualty was reported.
September 14
Air defenses shot down 72 out of 76 Shakhed kamikaze drones launched by Russia against Ukraine. Of the remainder, two fell in Ukraine without causing any damage, while two others were diverted back into Russia.
In Kyiv’s Obolon District, debris of a downed Shakhed drone fell on the territory of a utility company, causing no fire or damage.
In Odesa and Izmail, falling fragments from downed drones damaged and set ablaze houses, a storage site and a hangar.
In the Sumy region, Russian launched drones hit and damaged an energy site, equipment and shelters; a driver man was killed and seven workers at the site sustained injuries;
In the aftermath of a Shakhed drone attack on Chernihiv Oblast, overhead wires were disrupted, leaving 413 consumers without power supply.
In the Zaporizhzhia region, a drone barrage damaged an overhead line, cutting off power supply to a few substations.
In Pokrovsk, Russian launched drones hit and destroyed the road overpass Skhidny.
Russia deployed drones to attack public transport in Kherson city. At least two instances of dropped explosives were reported, which left two men injured.
Belarus raised a fighter jet into the air to intercept a Russian launched drone.
September 15
Air defense forces shot down one Kh-59 ground attack missile and ten Shakhed explosive drones launched by Russia at Ukraine.
In the aftermath of a Shakhed drone attack on Kharkiv’s Kyivsky district, four apartment buildings, three administrative buildings, a hospital and an educational institution were damaged. No casualties were reported.
In the Mykolaiv Oblast, emergency workers extinguished fires at storage sites and a food company, caused by falling fragments from downed Russian launched drones.
GRAPHICS. Iranian ballistic missiles.
On September 15, the Russian army deployed an air raid on Kharkiv city. In the Nemyshlyansky district, a high-rise apartment building was hit, with four floors set ablaze, and civilian sites sustained damage. The attack left one civilian dead and 43 others injured, among them four minors.
On September 12, Russian forces deployed a shelling attack on Virolyubivka, Donetsk region, having killed three people and injured two others. The casualties were full-time employees of the ICRC. Mirjana Spoljaric, the president of the ICRC, never mentioned Russia in her statement responding to the death of ICRC employees from Russian shelling attack on the Donetsk region.
The fighting in Ukraine took the lives of:
Pavlo Parkhomenko, an operator at the Pryamiy TV company;
Matityahu Samborsky, the adopted son of the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Azman
Pavlo Dmytrash, a musician at the Ivano-Frankivsk Philharmonic, who was considered missing since January.
WAR: POLITICAL DECISIONS, TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGHS, ARMAMENTS, ALLIED AID
Ukrainian home front
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky:
September 9
At a meeting at the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Headquarters, listened to reports regarding the protection of the energy sector and frontline positions from Russian airstrikes;
awarded state awards to 276 Ukrainian service members, 267 of them posthumously;
met with the Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov to discuss the results of the most recent meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the Ramstein Air Base;
met and talked with the Armed Forces chief commander Oleksandr Syrsky to discuss the war situation, in particular at the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove fronts;
September 10
introduced Andriy Sybiha as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs replacing Dmytro Kuleba, and outlined the key tasks to be handled by the country’s diplomatic corps;
expressed his gratitude to the Republic of Panama for joining in the communiqué on the foundations of a just peace for Ukraine, adopted at the end of the inaugural Ukraine Peace Summit in Switzerland;
listened to intelligence reports from the HUR and Foreign Intelligence Service;
met and talked with the US historian Timothy Snyder, the ambassador for the fundraising platform UNITED24;
September 11
delivered a speech at the inauguration ceremony for the Memorial to the Victims of the Genocide of the Crimean Tatar People in Kyiv;
September 12
met and talked with the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan;
met with a Danish parliamentary delegation to discuss implementation of the bilateral security agreement and defense-industrial cooperation;
made a reshuffle at the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC);
September 13
had a meeting with American actor, producer, and UN Messenger of Peace Michael Douglas and his son Dylan;
September 14
held a meeting with the Armed Forces chief commander Oleksandr Syrsky to discuss the situation at key fronts in the Donetsk region and the progress of Ukrainian offensive into Russia’s Kursk region;
held a meeting with a US congressional delegation to discuss Ukraine’s priority needs in the context of the defense and security assistance provided by the USA;
September 15
presented state awards to 48 defenders of Ukraine;
held a meeting with the Armed Forces chief commander Oleksandr Syrsky to discuss the battlefield situation and the progress of Ukrainian offensive into Russia’s Kursk region;
Key takeaways from President Zelensky's speech at the 20th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy:
So far, only Belarus has been known to shoot down Russian launched drones. International partners should be more decisive in helping Ukraine protect its skies and counter Russian missile attacks;
In the Kursk region, Russian forces have launched a counter-offensive operation against Ukrainian troops, but failed to achieve any serious success. The Russian Federation seeks to pull up 60,000-70,000 troops to that region. Russian counteroffensive against Ukrainian forces holding part of the Kursk region under their control is proceeding to Ukrainian plan.
The Ukrainian defense forces shoot down 35% of Russian launched suicide drones Shakhed using man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS);
Zelensky declined to reveal the number of Patriot batteries available to Ukraine so far, but said that the reality is better than reported officially;
Ukraine needs a long-range capability potent enough to force the Russian Federation into seeking peace.
President Zelensky met and talked with former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the sidelines of the annual Yalta European Strategy forum.
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Visits to Ukraine
September 9
Ukraine’s National Police chief Ivan Vyhovsky, at a meeting with US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma and US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, thanked American partners for their continued logistical and equipment aid provided to the National Police.
September 11
The Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk and Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa discussed the soonest possible launch of the International Registry of Losses and the policy of sanctions against Russia.
President Zelensky met with the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and the UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy to discuss long-range strike capabilities for Ukraine and the country’s defense and security needs.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, at a meeting with the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and the UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said that Ukraine is waiting for a permission from the USA and UK to launch their provided long-range weapons deep inside the Russian Federation
President Volodymyr Zelensky and visiting President of the Republic of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda discussed Ukrainian defense needs and co-production of drones and armaments.
Visiting President of the Republic of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda presented First Lady Olena Zelenska with the Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great.
September 12
President Zelensky held a meeting with visiting Estonian President Alar Karis to talk over defense and security support, Ukrainian recovery and reconstruction, as well as the progress achieved by Ukraine on its path to the EU accession.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal held a meeting with visiting delegation of the Danish Parliament, the Folketing, led by Speaker Søren Gele.
President Zelensky met with the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Danish Folketing, to discuss the implementation of the bilateral security agreement and cooperation in arms production.
September 13
President Zelensky, at a meeting with former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, said that Ukraine is waiting for a permission from partners to use their provided long-range weapons against targets deep inside the Russian Federation.
President Zelensky met with visiting Foreign Ministers Gabrielus Landsbergis of Lithuania and Radoslaw Sikorski of Poland to talk over the implementation of bilateral security agreements and selected provisions of Ukraine’s Peace Formula, as well as preparation for the follow up Ukraine Peace Summit and the acceleration of Ukraine's integration with the EU and NATO.
Ukraine’s newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha met and talked with his Lithuanian and Polish counterparts, Gabrielus Landsbergis and Radoslaw Sikorski and hosted a press briefing at the end of the meeting.
President Zelensky, at a meeting with the Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, conversed about selected aspects of bilateral defense cooperation, among them deliveries of F-16 jet fighters and co-production of armaments.
Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov met with his Danish counterpart Troels Lund Poulsen and briefed him on the situation on Ukrainian battlefields and the country’s urgent defense needs.
September 15
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski discussed the role Poland has played in building up Ukraine’s defense-industrial capacities
On September 11, Kyiv hosted the fourth edition of the Crimea Platform Summit. Following are the key highlights from the event:
President Zelensky held a news briefing alongside Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa;
Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk hosted a meeting with the Speaker of the Senate, the upper chamber of the Czech Parliament, Mr Miloš Vystrči.
September 12: The Fourth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen took place in Kyiv, initiated by Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska. This year's theme was "Protecting Childhood: Ensuring a Safe Future." The event was attended by first ladies and gentlemen from Lithuania, Estonia, Serbia, Denmark, Slovenia, Guatemala, Belize, and Finland. A joint declaration on the protection of children's rights was signed at the end of the gathering. President Zelensky spoke at the event.
Ukraine has denied reports suggesting President Volodymyr Zelensky's "victory plan" includes a partial ceasefire or freezing the front lines where they are in its ongoing war with Russia.
The denial comes in response to an article published by the German newspaper Bild which claimed that Ukraine might propose a localized ceasefire as part of a broader strategy to end the war.
The Bild article, which circulated widely across both Ukrainian and Russian media, claimed that Zelensky was prepared to offer Russia a ceasefire in certain areas of the war zone, signaling a possible freeze of military actions.
The German newspaper reported that Zelensky purportedly intended to discuss this plan with President Joe Biden and other American political figures during an upcoming visit to the United States.
Dmytro Lytvyn, communications adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, dismissed the report, branding it as misinformation.
"Bild has spread a fake. Bild has not seen the victory plan, and of the few people currently involved in the preparation of the Victory Plan, none of them have spoken to Bild," Lytvyn told Ukrainska Pravda on Sunday. He added, "Ukraine opposes any freezing of the war, and this stance is communicated by Ukrainian authorities at all levels."
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Cabinet of Ministers:
September 10
Endorsed procedures for automatic granting of veteran’s status amid martial law to soldiers involved in military (combat) operations or in currently Russian-occupied Ukraine;
Endorsed the text of a draft legislation that expands the competences of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
September 13
Endorsed the draft 2025 State Budget, which has a strong focus on defense spending
Ukraine has launched domestic production of 155-mm artillery projectiles.
ZBROYARI: Manufacturing Freedom initiative: Ukraine has received confirmation from international partners regarding the purchase of $675 million worth of domestically produced armaments;
Ukraine's Defense Ministry has codified and authorized for use by the country’s armed forces a domestically built, vehicle-based workshop for field maintenance and repair of weapons and equipment. Furthermore, the Ministry has authorized recently designed indigenous drone-bomber "Black Widow" for Ukrainian military use.
The Armed Forces are working on 1) setting up an instructors’ school that will be the only platform to train highly proficient military instructors; 2) extending the duration of basic military training.
In Ukraine, there are currently working 53 mine action operators who have received relevant certification documents and humanitarian demining permits.
The Defense Ministry’s procurement agency State Operator of the Rear showed off to potential suppliers, producers and distributors a new model of food supply for the Armed Forces, which will become operational as a pilot project in 2025.
Due to mine contamination of territories, Ukraine loses $11.2 billion annually, which amounts to 5.6% of the country's GDP for 2021.
As of September 13, 2024, Ukrainian farmers had harvested 39.06 million tons of crops on 10.9 million hectares.
PrivatBank has won a dispute with its former owners, Ihor Kolomoisky and Cyprus-based Triantal Investments Ltd. Prior to the nationalisation, Kolomoisky owned 41.7% of the bank's shares, while Triantal Investments held 16.6%. In 2019, they filed a lawsuit seeking to have the agreements made during PrivatBank's nationalisation, under which the Ukrainian government acquired ownership rights to the bank, declared null and void, and to reclaim the bank's shares in their favour.
In May 2024, the court of first instance closed the proceedings by applying the provisions of Law of Ukraine No. 590-IX "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine to Improve the Mechanisms for the Regulation of Banking Activities".
The Northern Commercial Court of Appeal in Kyiv upheld the closure of the proceedings, confirming that PrivatBank cannot be returned to its former owners.
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ALLIES AND PARTNERS
The EU condemned Russian "elections" in Crimea, saying it does not recognize their results, which are legally void.
The European Union obtained ample evidence that Iran has transferred a shipment of its ballistic missiles to Russia.
The UN General Assembly does not have the leverage to force Russia to comply with the Organization's Charter and with international law requirements, but urges the Russian Federation to comply with them.
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ALLIED AID
The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded a USD 1.2 billion contract to RTX Corporation to manufacture and supply the 38th batch of AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles. These advanced air-to-air missiles will be supplied to the U.S. military as well as several allied nations, among them Ukraine, under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
Currently, the AIM-120 AMRAAMs are being actively used in Ukraine, where they form a crucial component of NASAMS air defence systems and are deployed on Lockheed Martin F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon fighter jets supplied by European nations.
On September 9, the government of Sweden announced it would send its 17th aid package to Ukraine with further military support totalling 4.6 billion Swedish crowns ($443 million), according to Defense Minister Pal Jonson.
The new package will include ammunition for infantry fighting vehicles already donated by Sweden, as well as purchases that would facilitate a transfer of Gripen fighter jets in the future, though no such transfer has been decided on yet.
"We want to have the ability to donate Gripens to Ukraine at a possible later stage," Jonson told a press conference.
Jonson said support included additional combat boats, missiles and camouflage gear as well as funding to support defence procurements for Ukraine. The measures were decided in close collaboration with Kyiv.
About half of the value of the package consisted of parts needed in Sweden's production of the latest model Gripen E fighters for its own air force. This would mean Sweden would not as previously planned need to cannibalize its existing C/D models as part of the upgrade, allowing the older jets to be transferred to Ukraine at a possible future date.
September 11: British foreign minister David Lammy said Britain would provide a further 600 million pounds ($781 million) of support for Ukraine as he visited Kyiv with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The British government said it would provide 242 million pounds of funding, including for humanitarian needs, and 484 million pounds in loan guarantees for World Bank lending to Ukraine before the end of the year.
US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, while visiting Kyiv, announced more than $700 million in new assistance to continue to support Ukraine and its people against Russia’s war of aggression. This assistance will support Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, provide vital humanitarian assistance for Ukrainian internally displaced persons and refugees, and support demining operations that are preventing civilian casualties, restoring civilian infrastructure, and facilitating the safe delivery of humanitarian aid.
Specifically, Secretary Blinken’s announcement includes the following:
$325 million in energy assistance to support Ukraine’s energy infrastructure efforts in the midst of ongoing Russian attacks. Working with Congress, the Administration intends to provide $325 million in urgent energy sector assistance for Ukraine, in addition to the $500 million announced by Vice President Harris at the Ukraine Peace Summit and over $1 billion announced by our international partners since June 2024. This assistance will help repair and restore Ukraine’s power generation facilities damaged by Russia’s brutal attacks, deploy new, distributed power technologies, provide emergency backup power for critical services like water and heat, and strengthen the physical security of critical energy infrastructure.
Nearly $290 million in new humanitarian assistance. The U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development will provide the people of Ukraine and refugees in the region with critical support, including safe drinking water, food, accessible shelter, legal assistance, healthcare, livelihoods, protection services, and education through the support of international and local partners. Additional funding will allow humanitarian organizations to provide assistance such as generators, fuel, and thermal kits to help people stay warm through winter as Russia targets Ukraine’s energy and electric grids.
Over $102 million in humanitarian demining assistance. Working with Congress, the Administration intends to provide over $102 million to address landmines and unexploded ordnance left behind by Russia’s forces, supporting Ukraine’s economic recovery and civilian security in line with Ukraine’s National Mine Action Strategy. Projects will include training and equipment for Ukraine’s deminers and support for NGO demining teams to return land to productive use.
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine, which contains armored personnel carriers among other supplies, and Latvia also committed to donate Ukraine’s Armed Forces hundreds of computers, along with specialist clothing, binoculars and other equipment.
Ukraine will receive a battery of the Patriot air defense system from Romanian partners.
The Polish government has committed to allocate 100 million euros for the purchase of artillery munitions for Ukraine under the Czech-led initiative, with the first half to be provided this year, and the remainder to follow in 2025,
Finland has announced a new aid package to Ukraine worth €118 million.
Lithuania sent a package of mine-clearing equipment to Ukraine, comprised of M113 armored personnel carriers, all-terrain vehicles and spare parts.
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SANCTIONS
The EU Council has officially extended individual sanctions against Russia for another six months – until March 15, 2025. The sanctions affect individuals involved in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and will continue to apply to over 2,200 individuals and entities in Russia.
The United Kingdom has imposed sanctions targeting Russia’s Aerospace Forces, the military transport aviation command, the 924th state center for unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as Russian vessels “Skif-V”, “Omskiy-103”, “Musa Dzhalil”, “Baltiyskiy”, and “Begey”, which are involved in transporting Iranian lethal aid to Russia. Ten Russian tankers delivering Russian produced crude oil and products to third countries have also been sanctioned. The UK also announced restrictive measures against four Iranian companies identified as responsible for facilitating Iran’s transfer of ballistic missiles to the Russian Federation.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced new sanctions against the Russian media channel RT, accusing it of being a "de facto arm of Russia's intelligence apparatus".
The top US diplomat told reporters on Friday that RT is part of a network of Russian-backed media outlets which have sought to covertly "undermine democracy in the United States".
September 10: The United States imposed new sanctions on Iran’s main airline as three key European allies announced they will move to do the same in response to Tehran’s transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia for its war in Ukraine.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken previewed the move to impose sanctions on Iran Air calling Iran’s supply of the missiles to Moscow “a dramatic escalation.”
The foreign ministers of France, the United Kingdom, and Germany on Tuesday jointly called the missile transfer “a direct threat to European security.”
In addition to moving towards sanctions, they also said their countries “will be taking immediate steps to cancel bilateral air services agreements with Iran.” That move will restrict Iran Air’s ability to fly into Europe and the UK. Beyond the additional sanctions on Iran Air, the US also imposed sanctions on Russian and Iranian officials and companies involved in the weapons transfers. They also identified “four vessels as blocked property that are enabling Iran’s delivery of weapons components and weapons systems, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and close-range ballistic missiles (CRBMs), to Russia,” the Treasury Department said in a press release Tuesday.
Iran has already provided Russia with hundreds of drones that Russian forces have used in their war against Ukraine, and Russia has been building a drone-manufacturing facility in country with Iran’s help, Iran has also trained Russia on how to use the drones.
The United States has introduces import restrictions to protect the cultural heritage of Ukraine; imposed tougher sanctions on Russia’s IT industry, prompting a number of leading companies to announce their withdrawal from the Russian market.
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PERMITS FOR UKRAINE TO USE WESTERN PROVIDED LONG-RANGE MUNITIONS AGAINST TARGETS IN RUSSIA
The Netherlands announced that Ukraine is free to use its donated weapons for strikes inside Russia.
Finland and Sweden never imposed any specific restrictions on Ukraine’s use of their supplied weapons for attacks on targets in Russia.
Canada supports Ukraine's right to strike military targets on Russian territory with long-range weapons.
Ukraine has not yet received permission from the US to strike deep into the Russian Federation.
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COOPERATION
Ukraine has reached a deal with the IMF for next $1.1 billion tranche of loan
Ukraine and Lithuania signed a memorandum on defense cooperation.
The first group of Ukrainian pilots began training on F-16 fighters at the 86th air base in Romania.
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Democratic U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris leads Republican Donald Trump 47% to 42% in the race to win the Nov. 5 presidential election, increasing her advantage after a debate against the former president that voters largely think she won.
Google has banned verification of accounts using Russian phone numbers.
Vienna-based energy supplier Wien Energie GmbH has commited to eliminating Russian gas by 2025, meeting the need for energy security.
PUBLICATIONS AND INTERVIEWS
September 9/ Xavier Tytelman, French military expert: The war in Ukraine will lead to the inevitable collapse of Russia
September 10/ Fath-360 missiles: interceptable, but destroyed launchers would do better
September 10/ Russian TV channel "Zvezda" and its role in information support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine
September 10/ Ihor Khalus, company commander, 220th Battalion, 126th Separate Brigade, Territorial Defense Forces: I came to the war to fight and win, not to build a career
September 11/ Protection for defenders: endless kilometers of camouflage nets and thousands of trench candles
September 11/ Russian propaganda is sharing fakes about Ukraine purportedly "establishing ties" with terrorists in Syria
September 12/ Sudzha residents responding to a film revealing the crimes committed by Russian soldiers in Bucha
September 12/ Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of Kherson regional military administration: We know the identities of not only the Russian units that hunt civilians with drones, but also of specific perpetrators
September 12/ British lawyer Jason McCue: Once you start taking the assets kleptocracy, it crumbles
September 13/ EW system Pokrova "multiplies by zero" the effectiveness of the one-way attack drone Shahed-136
September 13/ Azov: Superhumans and the red carpet of the Venice Film Festival
September 14/ Polish fake with Russian roots: Ukraine is creating a "dirty bomb" under the guise of building a nuclear power plant in Cherkasy region.
September 14/ That’s the plan or what makes Russia’s Kursk counteroffensive good news
Compiled by Zhanna Telehanova, Kyiv
