The day of the war at a glance
Russian front is crumbling – Ukrainians liberate important towns
9/10/2022, 9:04 p.m
The Ukrainian triumph in the east of the country continues at a fast pace. While the Kremlin is still announcing its withdrawal from the city of Izyum, Kyiv is already celebrating the liberation of the strategically important city of Kupyansk. Ukrainian troops are also advancing in the Luhansk region. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Baerbock has promised further arms deliveries. The 199th day of the war at a glance.
Kremlin announces withdrawals
With their counter-offensive, the Ukrainian troops apparently pushed the Russian troops to retreat from the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv. The spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, Igor Konashenkov, said in Moscow that soldiers should be withdrawn from the strategically important city of Izyum. Russian troops are also to withdraw from the city of Balaklija, which the Ukrainians had already reported as liberated. The military administration deployed by Russia in Kharkiv called on people to leave the region.
The official justification for the withdrawal was that the regrouping should strengthen the units in the neighboring Donetsk region. However, many military experts assume that the Russians have come under so much pressure in the face of the massive Ukrainian advance in the Kharkiv region that they have decided to flee.
Ukrainians reach Kupyansk and Izyum
Previously, Kyiv had reported the recapture of the strategically important city of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region. The domestic secret service SBU published photos showing units in the small town. Kupjansk served as a transport hub for supplying the Russian troops around Izyum to the south-west. Footage published online also showed Ukrainian soldiers in Izyum.
Later, the military governor of the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, Serhiy Hajday, reported that their own troops were also advancing there and had already advanced to the outskirts of Lysychansk. Russian occupiers and collaborators would abandon their settlements in the region in droves. Lysychansk was the last major city in the Luhansk region to be conquered by the Russian army in July. According to Hajday, Ukrainian partisans have already raised the Ukrainian flag in Kreminna, a town near Sievjerodonetsk, the neighboring city of Lysychansk.
Kremlin surprised by Kharkiv offensive, according to London
“Ukrainian troops are advancing in eastern Ukraine and are liberating other towns and villages,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko said in Kyiv. The “courage” of the Ukrainian soldiers coupled with military support from the West is bringing “amazing results”. According to a spokesman for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Ukrainian troops were also advancing in the south of the country into areas that had been taken by Russian soldiers at the beginning of their invasion.
According to British information, the Ukrainian troops took the Russian forces by surprise with their counter-offensive. The Ministry of Defense in London, citing secret services, said the Ukrainian spearheads had advanced up to 50 kilometers on a narrow front into previously Russian-occupied territory. Only a few Russian troops were gathered in the area, it said. “The Russian forces were apparently taken by surprise.”
Puschilin: “Of course we will win”
The leader of the separatists in Donetsk, Denis Pushilin, reported on fierce fighting in the Donbass region. The situation in the city of Lyman, which was occupied by Russian soldiers at the end of May, is “quite difficult, just like in a number of other places in the north of the ‘People’s Republic’,” Puschilin said in a Telegram video. “We have no choice but to hold Donbass and we will succeed,” he assured. “Of course we will win.”
Kyiv: Parts of the Russian air force worth 155 million euros destroyed
Ukraine says it destroyed parts of the Russian air force worth $157.5 million in three days. The Air Force Command of Ukraine said that, among other things, six Ch-101 cruise missiles, two Ch-59 airborne standoff missiles, two Kamov Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopters, one Mi-24 attack helicopter, two Sukhoi Su-25 ground attack aircraft and ten Orlan-10 reconnaissance drones were destroyed had been.
Baerbock promises more arms deliveries
Meanwhile in Kyiv, Federal Foreign Minister Baerbock promised that Germany would continue to help Ukraine in the future “by supplying weapons and providing humanitarian and financial support.” Baerbock warned of the strategy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is counting on “that we tire of sympathizing with the suffering of Ukraine” and “that he can rob us of the energy to defend ourselves against this brutal attack on the values of all of us”. Putin’s calculation “must not and will not work out”. All of Europe knows “that Ukraine is defending our peace order,” stressed Baerbock.
At the same time, during her visit to Ukraine, the Foreign Minister called for Russia’s complete withdrawal from the site of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. By occupying the nuclear power plant, Putin is exposing the entire region to the danger of a nuclear incident, the Greens politician said. “He’s turning a nuclear power plant into a pawn in a war zone,” she emphasized, and demanded: “Russia must end this game with fire immediately.”
Kyiv demands renewed “Leopard” tanks
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba renewed his call for Leopard tanks. “We don’t see any obstacles to this,” said the 41-year-old after meeting Baerbock. Until Berlin decides to do so, Germany should continue to supply artillery ammunition. “This noticeably increases our offensive options and helps us to liberate new areas,” said the chief diplomat, referring to the ongoing Ukrainian offensives in eastern and southern Ukraine. Kuleba also mentioned that Kyiv expects the Iris-T anti-aircraft system this fall.
Scholz encourages Germans
Chancellor Scholz encouraged citizens in the current energy crisis. “We will join hands as a country because we are a country of solidarity. We’ll get through it,” he said in a video message. The people of Germany felt that they were living in serious times. “But we have prepared ourselves,” assured the Chancellor.
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