Ukraine Daily

Sunday, September 25

Russia’s war against Ukraine

KUPIANSK, UKRAINE - SEPTEMBER 24: A destroyed bridge is seen on September 24 2022 in Kupiansk, Ukraine. Kupiansk is a frontline city still under attack by Russian forces who are trying to retake the city. In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have reclaimed villages east and south of Kharkiv, as Russian forces have withdrawn from areas they’ve occupied since early in the war. (Photo by Paula Bronstein /Getty Images)

Ukraine calls for UN Security Council emergency meeting over Russia’s sham referendums. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said on Sept. 24 that Ukraine “has requested an urgent meeting” of the UN Security Council over Russia’s sham referendums in the occupied parts of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. “Russia must be held accountable for its further attempts to change Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders in a violation of the UN Charter,” Nikolenko said. The illegal voting on joining Russia started in these four regions on Sept. 23 and will run through Sept. 27.

Official: Russian forces attack Odesa with kamikaze drones. Serhii Bratchuk, a spokesperson for the Odesa Oblast Military Administration, said early on Sept. 25 that the administrative building in Odesa city center was hit three times. One Russian drone was shot down by air defense forces. The rescue operation and fire extinguishing are ongoing, according to Bratchuk. No casualties have been reported.

Zelensky: ‘We won’t allow occupants to go unpunished.’ In his nightly address, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine will respond to “all the attacks” in Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Nikopol, Donbas, and in all Ukrainian cities and regions. “We will definitely liberate our entire country - from Kherson to Luhansk region, from Crimea, I emphasize, to Donetsk Oblast. Every murderer and executioner will be brought to justice for what they did against we Ukrainians.”

SBU identifies Russian commander who ordered troops to torture Kherson residents. Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) said on Sept. 24 that it identified Alexander Naumenko, a Russian commander who reportedly instructed Russian troops to kidnap and torture Kherson residents. Naumenko is also reportedly responsible for dispersing peaceful pro-Ukrainian rallies in temporarily occupied Kherson, ordering Russian forces to use stun grenades and tear gas.

Zelensky: Every Russian soldier that surrenders will get ’civilized’ treatment. President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his video address on Sept. 24 that Ukraine will ensure “the secrecy of the circumstances of the surrender” and provide the possibility not to return to Russia for those Russian soldiers who voluntarily surrender in Ukraine. “If you are afraid to return to Russia and don’t want to be exchanged, we will find a way to ensure that,” Zelensky said. The statement comes after Russian dictator Vladimir Putin announced mobilization in Russia to reinforce its army fighting in Ukraine on Sept. 21.

Ukraine strips Iranian ambassador of title amid provision of drones to Russia. Because Iran has supplied Russia with drones, Ukraine has “decided to deprive the ambassador of Iran of his accreditation and also to significantly reduce the number of diplomatic staff of the Iranian embassy in Kyiv,” the government statement read. The message was reportedly given to the acting ambassador, as the permanent envoy is not in Ukraine.

Russian media: Russia considers imposing martial law, banning men of draft age from leaving the country. Russian media Verstka reported on Sept. 24, citing unnamed sources, that Russia is considering imposing martial law “if Ukraine continues to attack“ occupied territories that Russia plans to illegally annex after holding sham referendums.

New York Times: Putin rejects commanders’ requests to withdraw from Kherson. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been more directly involved in planning Russia’s war in Ukraine, reports the New York Times, citing unnamed U.S. officials. While he has accepted some recommendations by Russian commanders, Putin’s increased involvement on the battlefield has reportedly “created tensions.”

Monitoring group: Over 764 people detained during anti-mobilization protests in Russia on Sept. 24. According to the Russian independent monitoring group OVD-Info, police detained more than 764 people in 33 cities across Russia, including at least 390 in Moscow, during the protests on Sept. 24.

Ukraine shoots down 4 Russian aircraft. Ukrainian forces have recently shot down two Russian Su-30 jets, one Su-25 and one Su-34, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said in its evening briefing on Sept. 24.

The human cost of Russia’s war

Zelensky: Around 50 Ukrainian soldiers killed in action every day. The death rate among Russian soldiers is five times higher than for Ukrainian soldiers, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Ouest-France newspaper. However, Zelensky noted that it is not possible to establish exact figures.

International response

Estonia submits ICJ declaration denouncing Russian genocide in Ukraine. “Russia’s aggression on the pretext of preventing and punishing genocide has seriously undermined the meaning of such a horrible crime as genocide,” said Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu. Ukraine filed a lawsuit at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) nearly seven months ago, urging it to rule that Russia used “genocide” as a pretext for invasion. Countries that have also filed a declaration are the U.S., U.K., Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, France, New Zealand, Romania, and Sweden.

Charles Michel calls for EU countries to allow fleeing Russians to enter. European Council President Charles Michel said in an address to the UN General Assembly that the EU should demonstrate an “openness to those who don’t want to be instrumentalized by the Kremlin.” Michel noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “partial mobilization” announcement on Sept. 21 has changed the dynamic of war, reports Politico.

Belgian PM: ‘There is no room for neutrality’ in Russia’s war against Ukraine. In an address to the UN General Assembly, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s nuclear weapon threats are “much more reminiscent of medieval barbarism than of Russian greatness.” “Everyone in this room, every single country, will one day be asked ‘What did you do to stop this? What did you do to protect the people of Ukraine? Did you look away, or did you act?’” De Croo said.

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