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Military
Ukrainian forces thwart Russian attempt to establish foothold in Kharkiv Oblast. In the Kharkiv Oblast’s Kupiansk district, Ukrainian forces pushed a group of Russian invaders trying to establish a foothold out of Ukraine’s territory back to Russia, Ukraine’s Border Service says.
Frontline report: Ukrainians advance in Zaporizhzhia’s Prokopivka; wound Russian generals in precise Crimea strike on naval HQ. Ukraine secures critical grounds in Zaporizhzhia’s Prokopivka near Robotyne. The recent missile attack on Russia’s Crimea-based naval HQ injured two top generals, hinting at a well-orchestrated strategy to dismantle the adversarial command structure.
Russia nearly defenseless against Ukrainian cruise missile strikes on Crimea, Ukraine’s Air Force spox says. Ukraine shows significant results in using Western-supplied cruise missiles in attacks on Russia-occupied Crimea
Frontline report: Ukrainian troops press offensive, gaining ground north of Novoprokopivka. By pushing Russian forces back around 1 km near Verbove, Ukrainian troops were able to cut off the key supply route connecting Novoprokopivka and Verbove.
We move from one forest belt to another – Ukrainian defenders on offensive near Robotyne, Ukrainska Pravda reports, citing Interfax Ukraine, quoting Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun, the spokesman of the joint press centre of the Defence Forces of the Tavriia front. “Ukrainian defence forces continue to advance in the area of Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Russian troops have suffered increased losses of military equipment in recent days, and they have strong defence lines, so Ukrainian defenders are advancing slowly.
As of Sunday 24 September, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:
- Personnel – about 275850 (+390)
- Tanks – 4662 (+7)
- Armoured combat vehicles – 8914 (+2)
- Artillery systems – 6233 (+23)
- Multiple rocket launchers –MLRS – 789 (+0)
- Air defence means – 531 (+1)
- Aircraft – 315 (+0)
- Helicopters – 316 (+0)
- Automotive technology and fuel tanks – 8734 (+18)
- Vessels/boats – 21 (+0)
- UAV operational and tactical level – 4888 (+21)
- Special equipment – 914 (+2)
- Mobile SRBM system – 4 (+0)
- Cruise missiles – 1518 (+0)
Intelligence and Technology
Zelenskyy says US, Ukraine to jointly produce weapons and defense systems. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described his latest visit to the US as “very productive,” adding that the two countries agreed to jointly produce weapons and defense systems, including air defense for Ukraine.
UK intel: Russian fuel shortages will affect countries dependent on Russian supplies. British intelligence attributes fuel shortages in Russia to rising seasonal demand rather than directly to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Budget Drones Prove Their Value in a Billion-Dollar War, The New York Times reports. “A fleet of inexpensive, mostly off-the-shelf drones is helping Ukrainian forces evade and target sophisticated Russian air defense systems.
They are made of plastic or plastic foam, weigh only a few pounds and are often launched simply by having a soldier throw them into the air […]. In a slow-moving counteroffensive against Russian forces that has been reliant at times on the smallest advantages, a fleet of cheap, mostly off-the-shelf drones is providing one for the Ukrainians.”
International
Britain to continue to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with Ukraine, Shapps says. The U.K. will continue its support of Ukraine and will stand “shoulder to shoulder” with the country, British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said.
Bloomberg: Republican presidential candidate DeSantis says he opposes NATO membership for Ukraine. Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis said he opposes NATO membership for Ukraine, as per Bloomberg.
Reuters: US in talks with Vietnam for arms deal. The Biden administration is in talks with Vietnam over a new arms agreement, Reuters reported.
The Hill: US House Speaker McCarthy says he will keep Ukraine aid in Pentagon funding bill. On 23 September, US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he would keep a $300 million aid for Ukraine in the Pentagon funding bill despite his earlier announcement that he would strip the money out due to opposition from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, The Hill reported.
ISW: Winter will not freeze Ukraine’s counteroffensive. The decisive factor in Ukraine’s counteroffensive is the West’s military aid, not the coming winter freeze.
Europe Made a Bold Pledge of Ammunition for Ukraine. Now Comes the Hard Part, The New York Times reports. “After 30 years of atrophy, experts say, Europe’s shrunken military industry will struggle to provide the Ukrainians with a million artillery shells by March.
The pledge last March sounded as catchy as it was ambitious: European Union states would deliver a million rounds of 155-millimeter ammunition to Ukraine within a year. Now, at a critical moment in the war and with Ukraine running short of artillery shells to drive its counteroffensive, experts, weapons manufacturers and even some government officials are expressing growing doubts. Europe’s shrunken military sector, they say, may simply be unable to ramp up production fast enough to achieve the million-shell goal.”
US, South Korea, Japan raise concerns over Russia-North Korea military cooperation, Reuters reports. “Blinken, South Korea’s Foreign Minister Park Jin and Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa agreed to respond firmly to any acts that threaten regional security in violation of UN Security Council resolution in a brief meeting on Friday, the ministry said in a statement.”
Humanitarian and Social Impact
Russia launches massive air attack on Odesa as Ukraine downs most of missiles, drones. Last night Russia attacked Odesa city and oblast with 19 Shahed “kamikaze” drones, 12 Kalibr sea-based cruise missiles, and two Oniks anti-ship missiles, injuring one local woman. The Ukrainian military says it has downed all the drones and 11 Kalibrs.
Russian shelling kills two, injures seven in Kherson Oblast. Russian shelling of Kherson damaged residential buildings, a kindergarten, and private houses.
IAEA confirmed that Russians had mined Zaporizhzhia NPP, Censor.net reports, citing Ukrinform, quoting the Director General of the IAEA, Raphael Mariano Grossi. “During the tour (of the territory of the ZNPP. – Ed.), the team did not notice heavy weapons, but confirmed that the mines, which were reported earlier, remained in place, the message reads.”
Political and Legal Developments
House of Commons of Canada condemns deportation of Ukrainian children by Russian troops. House of Commons of Canada, the lower house of the Canadian Parliament has adopted a resolution which condemns the deportation of Ukrainian children by Russian troops, according to UkrInform.
Ukrainian parliament doesn’t have enough votes to ban Moscow-linked church – Speaker of Ukrainian Parliament, Ukrainska Pravda reports, citing Radio Svoboda (Liberty). “Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada [Ukrainian Parliament], has expressed doubt that the 226 votes necessary to ban the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) can be achieved in the parliament if they put such draft laws to the vote. […] It is simply ridiculous and both legally and politically irresponsible to put it [banning of UOC-MP – ed.] up for a vote and then let it fail, to Russia’s satisfaction.”
New Developments
Zelenskyy meets with top businesspeople during visit to US. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had met top entrepreneurs and financiers during his latest visit to the United States.
The Guardian: Human rights lawyers find evidence of deliberate starvation caused by Russian troops in Ukraine. Human rights lawyers and the Prosecutor General’s office of Ukraine are preparing a war crimes dossier that will include evidence of deliberate starvation caused by Russian troops during the full-scale war, according to The Guardian.
Russia likely set to empty Crimean museums under pretext of evacuation. As Ukraine steps up attacks on the occupied Crimea, Russian authorities are likely preparing to take valuable museum exhibits from Crimean Museums to Russia under pretext of evacuation
Read the daily review for Sat Sep 23 2023 here
