Posts
September 28 2024
Russia launched a missile and drone attack on Ukraine.
What
was shot down:
0/2 Iskander-M ballistic missiles launched from occupied Crimea.
2/2 Kh-59/69 guided air missiles launched from the Zaporizhia region.
69/73 Shaheds
3 Shaheds were “lost”.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb believes Ukraine should first join the EU before becoming a NATO member. At the Helsinki Security Forum, he said it's unrealistic for Ukraine to get a NATO invitation this year but sees it happening in the future. He does not believe Russia can stop Ukraine from joining NATO.
On September 27, nine children and a 20-year-old man were brought back from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. The children are aged 13 to 17 and some have disabilities or chronic illnesses. Qatar facilitated the repatriation. One child’s father was killed while defending. There was a report that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to exchange children, but this was denied by Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s Commissioner of Human Rights. He said that no deal had been made because Ukraine holds no Russian children and does not stop people from returning to Russia if they want to.
On
September 21, 2024, the 23rd Arsenal in Tver, Russia Russia was
destroyed by Ukrainian drones. Shortly before its destruction, the ammo
depot received 94 train cars worth of air defense missiles from the
1562nd Separate Anti-Aircraft Repair and Maintenance Base in Belarus.
This was the largest shipment of air defense missiles from Belarus to
Russia, by far. Each train car was loaded with 20-30 tons of munitions.
The effects of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian ammo depots are expected to be seen on the front lines by October, according to Estonian intelligence officer Janek Kesselmann. Kesselmann reported a decline in Russian attacks, from 226 per day last week to 155 this week. He said that the destruction of this ammunition will likely force Russia to prioritize its actions in the weeks ahead. He also said that Russia's advances near Pokrovsk had put it in position to begin encircling Selydove, endangering the supply lines to Pokrovsk and Kurakhove.
Bloomberg reports that the long-term continuation of Ukraine’s military aid is in danger because some allies are facing their own domestic financial difficulties, and others don’t want to give more money. Russia is producing more weapons than Ukraine can get from its allies. A $50 billion loan deal from the G7 countries, using frozen Russian assets is still being worked out. Even if the deal goes through, it won’t be enough to cover Ukraine’s needs for 2025, and more money will be needed to keep supporting Ukraine’s defense. Ukraine expects to face a budget deficit of $35 billion in 2025, which is roughly 19% of Ukraine’s GDP. Despite assistance from the IMF and the EU, about $15 billion remains to be covered.
On September 27, President Zelenskyy met Donald Trump at Trump Tower in New York. Zelenskyy thanked Trump for the meeting and emphasized the need to stop the war in Ukraine and ensure Putin doesn’t win. He also discussed Ukraine’s "Plan of Victory" with Trump. Trump expressed his intention to work with both sides to resolve the conflict, calling Ukraine’s situation "terrible." Trump claimed he could quickly end the war in Ukraine if elected. He emphasized his “very good relationships” with both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.. Zelenskyy said, “We can’t stop Putin before November,” and stated that he met with both presidential candidates because either could win.
Lithuania will deliver 5000 new GA-10 AI FPV drones These quadcopter-style drones can take off and land vertically, have a payload of up to 3 kg, can operate autonomously in GPS-contested environments, and can also use various camera types and radio frequencies. They are developed by five companies in Lithuania as part of an $8 million investment deal. The Lithuanian Armed Forces will receive 2300 drones as well. The drones were tested and passed by the Lithuanian military as well.
According to UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, the decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range Western weapons against military targets in Russia could be made by early winter.
Lammy:
“Over the coming days and weeks, I expect us to be in a very strong position to ensure that Ukraine is in the best position it can be as we head into that tough winter in 2025."
Serhii Nykyforov, a spokesperson for President Zelenskyy, stated that if Ukraine receives permission to use Western long-range weapons to strike deep into Russian territory, the Russians will be the first to know.
On the morning of September 27, Russia launched a missile attack on the National Police headquarters in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Five people have been reported injured, and some may still be trapped under the rubble. An administrative building was destroyed, and nearby houses were damaged. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with four people still missing. Two of the injured are hospitalized in moderate condition. Authorities are treating this as another Russian war crime.
On
September 28, Russian forces launched a double-tap strike on a hospital
in Sumy, killing 10 people and injuring 22. The first strike caused
extensive damage to the hospital, killing one person. A second strike
hit as rescuers were evacuating patients, killing more, including two
policemen. The purpose of the double taps is to kill and injure first
responders. The attack used Shaheds and a guided bomb. All patients were
evacuated to other hospitals. The number of double taps targeting
rescue workers has been increasing over the past several months.
Ukrainian Defense Intelligence (DIU) reported that Russian Colonel Alexei Kolomeitsev was killed in Kolomna, Moscow Oblast, on September 27. He was in charge of a unit that trained specialists to operate and maintain drones, including Shaheds. DIU said that Kolomeitsev was directly involved in Russia's invasion and war crimes.
Switzerland has ended its “neutral” position on the war in Ukraine. Switzerland supports the Chinese-Brazilian "peace initiative" for Ukraine, despite it not referencing the UN Charter or Ukraine's territorial integrity. The plan was crafted by allies of Russia and had no involvement from Ukraine, and has been rejected by Ukraine. Swiss Foreign Affairs spokesperson Nicolas Bideau said Switzerland backs the plan because it promotes a ceasefire and “political resolution.” Switzerland is presenting this proposal as an alternative to “bellicose” positions taken by both Ukraine and Russia. Switzerland apparently believes Ukraine is too aggressive and strident in its demands to have its territorial integrity respected and have all abducted people and POWs returned.
European
countries are starting to reject weapons made by Swiss companies
because of Switzerland's ban on re-exporting weapons to Ukraine. This
has upset many European purchasers of Swiss arms. In response, Germany
has excluded Swiss firms from some defense contracts, leading to
complaints from Switzerland that it feels its “neutrality” is being
attacked. In 2023, the Netherlands also stopped buying Swiss weapons
after Switzerland blocked the export of 96 Leopard 1 tanks meant for
Ukraine. Despite these refusals, Switzerland remains a major weapons
exporter in Europe, particularly for anti-aircraft systems, making it
difficult for countries to completely distance themselves from
Swiss-made arms and ammunition. Guns made in Switzerland are used in
Gepard, Skyranger 30/35, MANTIS, Skynex, and other systems.
A Russian drone struck a car in Kozacha Lopan, Kharkiv Oblast, on September 28, killing a Ukrainian Supreme Court judge who was delivering humanitarian aid. Three women in the car were also injured and taken to the hospital. The attack occurred around 1 p.m., and Judge Leonid Loboyko died immediately.
An explosion occurred on a railway bridge in Samara Oblast near the town of Kinel, halting the movement of freight trains. The blast damaged parts of the bridge, but no injuries were reported. Russian authorities are investigating, and passenger trains remain unaffected.
President Biden announced that the next Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in Germany will take place on October 12.
The KAMAN Corporation will produce new components for Ukraine's HAWK anti-aircraft missile system under a $14 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense. The work will take place in Middletown, Connecticut, and will supply 500 missile components for the refurbishment of HAWK missiles. The U.S. is also selling Ukraine $138 million in maintenance services for these systems.
Soldiers from the Unmanned Strike Aviation Systems Battalion “Achilles” of the 92nd Assault Brigade successfully repelled a large-scale Russian assault near Pishchane in the Kupiansk area. Reportedly, approximately 50 Russian military equipment vehicles were involved. The battalion used drones to repel the attack, destroying 40 units, including 5 infantry fighting vehicles, 3 tanks, and various trucks.
Vladyslav Voloshyn, a spokesman for Ukraine's Southern Defense Forces, announced that Ukrainian intelligence believes Russia to launch assaults in the Zaporizhzhia area, particularly near Pryiutne shortly. He noted that Russia is gathering troops and has recently received 25 light buggy-type vehicles for these operations. He said that Russian forces are focusing on improving their tactical positions in preparation for these assaults. He specified that these would be assaults and not a full-scale offensive operation.
Quote of the Day:
“Many's the man/ who thought himself wise/ but what he needed/ was a hedgehog...”
― Richard Wagner, The Ring of the Nibelung