Ukraine-Russia war updates: Kyiv says its forces retook Klishchiivka
All the updates as they happened on September 17.
This blog is now closed. Thank you for joining us. These were the updates on the Russia-Ukraine war on Sunday, September 17:
This blog is now closed. Thank you for joining us. These were the updates on the Russia-Ukraine war on Sunday, September 17:
- Ukrainian authorities have announced that Kyiv’s forces retook Klishchiivka, a tactically important town south of the front-line city of Bakhmut.
- The Russian defence ministry says it has stopped six drones off the western, northwestern and eastern coasts of Crimea.
- A Ukrainian drone has damaged an oil depot in southwestern Russia, sparking a fire at a fuel tank that was later extinguished.
- Moscow’s mayor says at least two drones were shot down in the capital region early on Sunday.
- Ukraine’s Air Force says Russia launched a drone and missile attack targeting the Odesa region early on Sunday and struck an agriculture facility.
Russia says it downed three Ukrainian drones over Crimea
Russia’s Defence Ministry has said its forces downed three Ukrainian drones over southwestern Crimea.
The ministry said air defence systems destroyed one drone at about 9:30pm on Sunday (18:30 GMT), an hour after it said its forces downed two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in the same area.
Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-installed governor of Sevastopol, the largest city in Crimea and a major Black Sea port, said debris from the downed third drone fell over farmland and no damage was done.
Earlier, Russia’s Defence Ministry said air defence systems also destroyed a Ukrainian drone over the Belgorod region.
US military chief says Washington doing its best on weapons aid
General Mark Milley, the chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, has defended US weapons assistance being sent to Kyiv, saying Washington is doing its best and cannot just boost Ukraine’s battlefield power by sprinkling “magic dust”.
On Sunday, Milley defended the rate at which the US has been providing weapons and other aid to Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion began in February 2022.
Despite criticism – including from inside Ukraine – that the US government is dragging its feet, Milley said some $40bn in weapons and $100bn in overall aid was “extraordinarily generous”.
The speed of deliveries, however, is governed by logistics and “how fast they can absorb it. So, it’s not just, sprinkle magic dust and the stuff starts showing up”.
Ukraine faces ‘high bar’ to oust all Russian forces: Mark Milley
General Mark Milley said Ukraine’s counteroffensive has not “failed” but that the country’s broader goal of ousting Russian forces from its territory faces a “very high bar”.
Milley said that while the counteroffensive was “slower than the planners had anticipated, it has been steady”.
“I know there’s some commentary out there that somehow this offensive has failed. It hasn’t failed,” Milley said, adding that Ukraine has “a lot of combat power remaining. The Ukrainians are not a spent force.”
However, when it comes to the likelihood of achieving more ambitious goals such as reaching the southern coast and recapturing the city of Mariupol, Milley said he did not want to “make a prediction”.
He said that the overall goal to “completely kick out all the Russians” from all of Ukraine’s territory is “going to be a very significant effort”.
“It’ll take a considerable length of time to militarily eject all 200,000 or plus Russian troops out of Russian-occupied Ukraine. That’s a very high bar. It’s going to take a long time to do it.”
Ukraine says its forces retook Klishchiivka, south of Bakhmut
Ukrainian authorities have announced that Kyiv’s forces retook Klishchiivka, a tactically important town south of the front-line city of Bakhmut.
“Klishchiivka was cleared of Russians,” Oleksandr Syrsky, the commander of the Ukrainian military’s ground forces, said on social media on Sunday.
Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, added: “Klishchiivka is Ukraine. I am grateful to the soldiers for the de-occupation of Ukrainian land.”
Klishchiivka, which was home to several hundred people before Moscow invaded last year, was captured by Russian troops in January.
US raised concerns about Chinese assistance to Russia: Official
The US saw “limited” signs that China may allow some communications between the countries’ militaries during 12 hours of talks between senior diplomats in Malta this weekend, a senior official from President Joe Biden’s administration has said.
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also raised concerns over China’s assistance to Russia during his talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the official said.
Top White House official and China FM discuss Ukraine
The White House’s Jake Sullivan met with China’s Wang Yi in Malta, Beijing and Washington have said, discussing, among other issues, the war on Ukraine.
Sullivan’s meeting with Wang on Sunday was the latest in a series of high-level discussions between US and Chinese officials that could lay the groundwork for a meeting between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year.
Global community will ‘unite’ as Russia-N Korea relations deepen: S Korean president
South Korea’s president says the international community “will unite more tightly” to cope with deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea as he plans to raise the issue with world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly this week.
Yoon Suk Yeol made the comments in written responses to questions from The Associated Press ahead of his departure to New York.
Worries about Russian-North Korean ties have flared since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un travelled to Russia last week for a summit with President Vladimir Putin and to tour a slew of high-profile military and technology sites.
Two cargo ships arrive in Ukraine port via temporary corridor
Two cargo ships have arrived in one of Ukraine’s ports, using a temporary Black Sea corridor established by the government.
According to an online statement by the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, two Palau-flagged bulk carriers docked at the seaport of Chornomorsk in the southern Odesa region.
Ukraine’s deputy prime minister said in an online statement that the two ships will be delivering some 20,000 tonnes of wheat to countries in Africa and Asia.
They are the first since Russia’s withdrawal from a wartime agreement designed to ensure safe grain exports from the invaded country’s ports.
Moscow to develop cooperation with N Korea despite sanctions: Lavrov
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said Moscow wanted to develop “equal and fair cooperation” with North Korea despite sanctions imposed on Pyongyang by the UN Security Council.
“We have not declared sanctions against North Korea, the Security Council did that. So appeal to the Security Council and we will develop equal and fair cooperation with the DPRK,” Lavrov said in a state TV interview, excerpts of which were broadcast on Sunday. Lavrov used the acronym for North Korea’s official name – the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The Kremlin earlier said it abides by UN sanctions but that it has a right to develop neighbourly relations, including in relation to sensitive topics.
Ukrainian farm worker killed by mine in Kherson region
One farm worker died and another was injured on Sunday in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region after their tractor hit a mine while ploughing a field, Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.
Partly liberated after a long Russian occupation, the Kherson region is heavily mined and farmers risk their lives trying to work in fields that have not yet been cleared of mines.
“I’m once again appealing to the residents of the region. Do not start any work until the fields have been inspected by sappers. Take care of your safety,” Prokudin said on the Telegram messaging app.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal earlier this year said that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had created the world’s largest minefield with an area of 250,000 sq km (96,525 sq miles).
US ‘pursuing a war against us’: Lavrov
Sergey Lavrov claimed the US is controlling the war in Ukraine, according to the news agency TASS, which cites an excerpt from a TV program that Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin posted on his Telegram channel.
“No matter what it says, it [the US] controls this war, it supplies weapons, munition, intelligence information, data from satellites; it is pursuing a war against us,” the foreign minister said as he spoke about potential supplies of longer-range missiles to Ukraine by the US.
Lavrov also stated that the delivery of long-range weapons would “not change the essence of what is going on in Ukraine”.
“What is going on is that Ukraine has been prepared, has long been prepared for inflicting strategic defeat to Russia,” TASS quoted Lavrov as saying.
Red Cross confirms Kherson mayor as prisoner of war
Suspline, Ukraine’s national broadcaster, reported that The International Committee of the Red Cross has confirmed the status of Kherson Mayor Ihor Kolykhaiev – who was reportedly captured by Russian forces on June 28 2022 – as a prisoner of war.
Kolykhaiev’s son told Suspline that he had contacted the Red Cross, who confirmed that his father was on the list of prisoners and that he was located in Russia.
They did not say where exactly or comment on his health.
Chechnya’s Kadyrov releases footage to quash rumours he is ill
Head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, on Sunday, released new video footage in which he smiled and recommended everyone practise sports in an apparent move to quash speculation about his ill health, according to the AFP.
Speculation has swirled for months that the hugely influential 46-year-old head of Chechnya, accused by rights groups of running a “totalitarian regime”, might be ill. Ukraine’s Security Service Spokesperson Andriy Yusov had told Ukrainian news outlet Obozrevatel on September 15 that Kadyrov was in critical condition due to serious illness.
On Sunday, two videos appeared on Kadyrov’s Telegram channel. Wearing a raincoat, he was seen in the first video strolling in an unidentified location. He smiled but his face appeared puffy.
In the second video, he was heard speaking in Chechen and then saying in Russian, “I strongly recommend that everyone who cannot distinguish the truth from lies on the internet go for a walk, get some fresh air and put their thoughts in order”.
It remains unclear exactly when the videos were recorded.
Russia says it hit armoured vehicle repair plant in Ukraine’s Kharkiv
Russia has carried out a missile strike on a plant in the northeast Ukrainian city of Kharkiv where armoured vehicles for Ukraine’s military are repaired, the Russian defence ministry said on Sunday.
The ministry did not say when the strike occurred or provide any other details.
Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov, writing on Telegram, said that Russia had hit the building of a “civilian enterprise” in Kharkiv with four S300 missiles.
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, had a population of more than 1.4 million before Russia’s full-scale invasion. Parts of the city lie less than 32 km (20 miles) from the Russian border.
Ukrainian forces ‘likely made a significant tactical breach’ in southern front line: ISW
The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has said that Ukrainian forces “have likely made a significant tactical breach” along a section of the southern front line.
The ISW also said Russian forces continued to fight along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line further north and had reportedly made marginal advances south of the city of Kreminna.
Ukrainian forces have likely made a significant tactical breach along a section of the current Russian defense layer in the #Robotyne area over the past several weeks that they continue to widen.ð§µ(1/7)https://t.co/ruU8mVL3mA https://t.co/uEw8D2VxvB pic.twitter.com/CpxPB1Wuuo
— ISW (@TheStudyofWar) September 17, 2023
Canada will contribute to partnership that provides air defences for Ukraine
Canada will contribute 33 million Canadian dollars ($24.5m) to a United Kingdom-led partnership buying air defence equipment for Ukraine to help it fend off Russian missile and drone attacks, Defence Minister Bill Blair said on Sunday.
In a statement, Blair said the contribution was part of the 500 million Canadian dollars ($369.8m) worth of military aid for Kyiv that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in June.
Canada, home to one of the world’s largest Ukrainian diasporas, is a vocal supporter of Kyiv. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ottawa has committed more than 8 billion Canadian dollars ($5.9bn) in aid, including about 1.8 billion Canadian dollars ($1.3bn) in military assistance.
The partnership, which includes the US, the Netherlands and Denmark, aims to buy hundreds of short- and medium-range air defence missiles and associated systems.
Drone update: What attacks have taken place today?
Russia and Ukraine are now trading regular overnight drone attacks. Here is an updated summary of what we know today:
What Kyiv claims:
- Ukraine’s Air Force says Russia launched six drones and 10 missiles, primarily focused on the Odesa region and damaging an agricultural facility.
What Moscow claims:
- The Russian defence ministry says it stopped six drones off Crimea’s western, northwestern and eastern coasts.
- A Ukrainian drone reportedly damaged an oil depot in southwestern Russia, sparking a fire.
- Two drones were shot down near Moscow, according to the city’s mayor. Thirty flights were delayed and six were cancelled at Moscow’s airports as a result.
- A drone was downed in Russia’s Voronezh region, according to the local governor. No casualties or damage were reported.
- Authorities in the Tula region claim a drone crashed on the grounds of a logistics centre. No casualties or damage were reported.
Two drones shot down over Russia
There are reports of two further drones downed over Russia on Sunday.
One was downed in Russia’s Voronezh region, according to the local governor Aleksandr Gusev and the Russian Ministry of Defence. According to Gusev, there were no casualties or damage.
Authorities in the Tula region also reported a drone crashing on the grounds of a logistics centre, though there were no casualties or serious damage to infrastructure.
Earlier, two drones were reported to have been shot down over Moscow while another struck an oil depot in the country’s southwest. A drone attack on Crimea was also thwarted according to Russian authorities.
ICJ prepares to hear Russian objections to Ukraine genocide case
Russia and Ukraine will square off before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday in a case that centres around Moscow’s claims that it invaded Ukraine to prevent genocide.
Ukraine brought the case to the UN’s highest court just days after the Russian full-scale invasion in February last year. Kyiv argues Russia is abusing international law by saying the invasion was justified to prevent an alleged genocide in eastern Ukraine. Russian officials, on the other hand, continue to accuse Ukraine of committing genocide.
Russia wants the case to be thrown out and objects to the jurisdiction of the ICJ. The hearings, set to run until September 27, will not delve into the merits of the case and are instead focused on legal arguments about jurisdiction.
Moscow says Ukraine is using the case as a roundabout way to get a ruling on the overall legality of its military action. Ukraine has already cleared one hurdle as the court decided in its favour in a preliminary decision in the case in March last year. Based on that, the court ordered Russia to cease military actions in Ukraine immediately.
Moscow airports now operating as normal: TASS
The two Moscow airports that closed on Sunday morning are now operating as normal, the Russian Federal Agency for Air Transport told TASS.
“Earlier, early in the morning, restrictions were temporarily imposed on flights to airports of Domodedovo and Zhukovsky for safety of flights on civil aircraft. One flight was diverted,” the agency said.
The press service of Vnukovo Airport said temporary restrictions were imposed at 1:35am (22:35 GMT on Saturday) for reasons outside its control. “Starting 2:14am [23:14 GMT] all restrictions on flights were removed. The airport terminal operates as usual,” the airport said.
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin had earlier said the capital’s air defence systems had repelled drone attacks on Moscow over the Istra and Ramenky districts.
‘We must prepare ourselves for a long war in Ukraine’: Stoltenberg
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has warned there will be no swift end to the war in Ukraine during an interview published by Germany’s Funke media group on Sunday as Kyiv pushes on with its counteroffensive against Russia.
“Most wars last longer than expected when they first begin,” Stoltenberg said. “Therefore, we must prepare ourselves for a long war in Ukraine.”
“We are all wishing for a quick peace,” said Stoltenberg. “But at the same time, we must recognise: if President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy and the Ukrainians stop fighting, their country will no longer exist. If President Putin and Russia lay down their weapons, we will have peace.”
On Ukraine’s ambitions to join the alliance, Stoltenberg said: “There is no doubt that Ukraine will eventually be in NATO.”
Kim Jong Un receives drones as gifts as Russia trip ends
According to the official TASS news agency, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un received five explosive drones, a reconnaissance drone, and a bulletproof vest as gifts from a regional governor before he began his journey home by train.
TASS said the “leader of the DPRK received five kamikaze drones and a ‘Geran-25’ reconnaissance drone with vertical takeoff”, using the official name of North Korea.
Read more about the unusual choice of gifts here.
Poland bans entry of Russian-registered passenger cars
Poland has begun to enforce an EU ban on all Russian-registered passenger cars seeking to enter the country – the latest in a series of sanctions on Russia.
Under the EU’s decision, motor vehicles registered in the Russian Federation are no longer allowed to enter the 27-member bloc.
“A car registered in Russia has no right to enter Poland,” Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski said on Saturday, announcing the ban that took effect hours later at midnight.
“This is another element of the sanctions imposed on Russia and its citizens in connection with the brutal war in Ukraine, due to the fact that the Russian state today constitutes a threat to international security,” Kaminski said.
Photos: A look back at Kim Jong Un’s Russia visit
Stoltenberg urges Germany to increase defence spending
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has stepped up pressure on Germany to increase its defence spending.
“During the Cold War, when Konrad Adenauer or Willy Brandt ruled, defence spending was between 3 percent and 4 percent of economic output,” Stoltenberg said in a translation of an interview published in Germany’s Funke Mediengruppe newspaper. In his native Norway, he said, it was similar. “We managed it then, and we have to manage it again today.”
Stoltenberg recalled the decision of the July NATO summit in Vilnius, according to which 2 percent of gross domestic product for military spending was “the minimum”, though Berlin continues to fall short of reaching this target.
He said he expected many allies to exceed that amount and stressed that Germany is “well on its way” to reaching the NATO target.