Friday, September 8

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky holds a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sept. 7, 2023. (Volodymyr Zelensky / Telegram)

UNESCO adds 20 Ukrainian cultural heritage sites to enhanced protection list.

The list includes the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, an important monastery famous for its complex cave systems, Lviv’s historic center, Taras Shevchenko’s grave, and the Derzhprom building in Kharkiv, which was the first skyscraper built in the Soviet Union.

Women with medical education to be considered eligible for military enlistment.

Women with a medical or pharmaceutical education must register at military enlistment offices from Oct. 1, Fedir Venislavskyi, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s representative in parliament, said on Sept. 7.

Larger US military package required, says former special representative for Ukraine. Kurt Volker, former U.S. ambassador to NATO and special representative for Ukraine, was adamant during a meeting with journalists in Kyiv on Sept. 7.

CNN: Musk turned off Starlink near Crimea to disrupt Ukraine’s strike against Russian fleet. Elon Musk secretly instructed his engineers to turn off Starlink satellite communications near Crimea last year to prevent a Ukrainian submarine drone attack against Russian military ships, CNN reported on Sept. 7, citing an excerpt from an upcoming book by Walter Isaacson.

US intelligence: ‘Realistic possibility’ that Ukraine can break through remaining Russian lines in 2023. There is a “realistic possibility” that Ukrainian forces can break through the remaining Russian defensive lines on the southern front by the end of 2023, Trent Maul, the director for analysis of the U.S.’ Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), said in an interview with The Economist on Sept. 6.

MEPs call on Zelensky to veto draft law on asset declarations. Members of the European Parliament issued a statement asking President Volodymyr Zelensky not to pass the draft law on asset declarations due to concerns the law will undermine trust in reforms, German MEP Michael Gahler said on Sept. 7.

Russia claims drone attack on Bryansk, industrial facility on fire. The governor of Russia’s Bryansk Oblast, Alexander Bogomaz, claimed the city of Bryansk was hit by a drone attack on Sept. 7. He alleged the attack hit an industrial facility, causing an administrative building to catch fire, adding that there were no casualties.

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British American Tobacco sells businesses in Russia, Belarus. British American Tobacco (BAT), one of the world’s leading tobacco companies, said it would sell its Russian and Belarusian businesses to a consortium led by its Russian management team.

National Guard: Russia moving troops to southern front line to strengthen defense. Russia is relocating its troops to the southern front line from other sectors, as Ukrainian forces continue to advance in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, an official within the National Guard said on Sept. 7.

Border guards raise flags in two settlements near Russian border. Soldiers of Ukraine’s Border Guard Service raised state flags in Stroivka and Topoli, two settlements in Kharkiv Oblast near the Russian border that have been previously inaccessible due to mines, the State Border Guard Service reported on Sept. 7.

Lithuanian president: Ukraine could export 10 million tons of grain annually through Baltic Sea ports. If special corridors are developed, Ukraine could transport 10 million tons of grain annually through the Baltic Sea ports, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said, as cited by Delfi media outlet.

Russian officer formerly in charge of Moscow air defense arrested for bribery.

Major General Konstantin Ogienko, a Russian military officer formerly in command of Moscow’s air defense, had been arrested on bribery charges, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported on Sept. 7.

Stoltenberg: NATO sees no indication of deliberate Russian attack against Romania. NATO sees no indication that the drone fragments found on Romanian soil were a result of a deliberate Russian attack against the Alliance member Romania, Reuters reported on Sept. 7, citing NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

Shortlist for Ukraine’s Oscars submissions announced. One of the films will be Ukraine’s entry into the 96th Academy Awards for the Best International Feature Film category.

Read our exclusives

‘My body, my business:’ Ukrainian lawmakers move to legalize pornography

Producing and distributing pornography is currently illegal in Ukraine.

In one case in July, a court in Poltava Oblast fined a woman almost $1,000 for sending two videos to her boyfriend.

Kyiv Independent reporter Alexander Query spoke with lawmakers, advocates, and others about the movement.

Illustration: Lisa Kukharska

Ukraine war latest: Russia moving troops to southern front line to strengthen defense, Kyiv says

According to the National Guard, Russia is relocating its troops to the southern front line from other sectors as Ukrainian forces continue to advance in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Photo by Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Human cost of war

Russian attacks kill 19, injure 48 in Ukraine over past day. Russian multi-weapon attacks against Ukraine killed 19 people and wounded 48 over the past 24 hours, damaging homes and civilian infrastructure, regional authorities reported.

Civilian vehicles hit explosives in Kharkiv Oblast, injuring 3. A truck and a tractor ran into explosives in Kharkiv Oblast in two separate incidents, leaving three people injured, the regional department of the State Emergency Service reported on Sept. 7.

General Staff: Russia has lost 266,900 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022. Ukraine’s General Staff reported on Sept. 7 that Russia had also lost 4,480 tanks, 8,663 armored fighting vehicles, 8,149 vehicles and fuel tanks, 5,611 artillery systems, 741 multiple launch rocket systems, 503 air defense systems, 315 airplanes, 316 helicopters, 4,481 drones, and 19 boats.

Can Russia be held accountable for its crimes against Ukraine’s environment?

International response

Zelensky holds phone call with Netanyahu on visa-free travel. President Volodymyr Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a phone call on Sept. 7, Zelensky said on his official Telegram channel. One issue Zelensky raised with Netanyahu was the “increasing the number of refusals for Ukrainian citizens to enter Israel.”

Pentagon denies Russian claims about depleted uranium rounds. Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh denied Russian claims that depleted uranium rounds the United States is due to send to Ukraine could cause an increase in cancer and other diseases during a press conference on Sept. 7.

Minister: Croatian ports start exporting Ukrainian grain. Ukrainian grain is already being exported through Croatian ports, the Economy Ministry announced on Sept. 7, citing Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko’s comments made during the Three Seas Initiative summit in Bucharest.

France delivers 150 Delair drones to Ukraine. French drone manufacturer Delair sent Ukraine over 150 drones financed by France’s government, Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu reported on Sept. 6.

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