Wednesday, September 6

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Russia’s war against Ukraine

Now-former Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov waves during the voting for his resignation in Ukraine’s parliament in Kyiv on Sept. 5, 2023. (Photo by Andrii Nesterenko / AFP via Getty Images)

Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine to receive $500,000 reward. Maksim Kuzminov, a Russian helicopter pilot who has defected to Ukraine, will receive the hryvnia equivalent of $500,000 (approximately Hr 18.48 million), Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR) spokesperson Andrii Yusov said on Sept. 5.

Zelensky nominates Umerov as defense minister. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has submitted a draft resolution to the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, for the appointment of Rustem Umerov as defense minister.

Ukraine’s parliament approves Reznikov’s resignation as defense minister. The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, has approved Oleksii Reznikov’s resignation as defense minister, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said on Sept. 5. The decision reportedly received 327 votes.

Head of Zelensky’s faction says he will open his declaration voluntarily. David Arakhamia, head of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s faction in parliament, said on Sept. 5 that he, as well as other parliamentary leaders and officials, would voluntarily make their asset declarations open to the public.

Parliament restores asset declarations but fails to make them public. The Ukrainian parliament on Sept. 5 approved the second reading of a bill to restore asset declarations for officials but failed to make them public.

NYT: Russian general Surovikin makes public appearance after release. Sergei Surovikin, a top Russian general who was detained in the aftermath of Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mutiny in June, has been released and made a public appearance, the New York Times (NYT) reported on Sept. 5, citing two undisclosed U.S. officials and a source close to the Russian Defense Ministry.

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Media: Defense Ministry procured substandard drones from company owned by former MP’s wife. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry has ordered 55 HAWK drones from a company partly owned by the wife of former MP Boryslav Rozenblat, despite the drones having clear defects, investigative outlet Bihus.info reported on Sept. 4.

Deputy PM: Ukraine will be ready for EU membership in 2 years. Ukraine will be ready for European Union membership in two years and for NATO membership even earlier, Olha Stefanishyna, the deputy prime minister for European integration, said in a Sept. 5 interview with the Voice of America.

UK Defense Ministry: Russia plans to hold sham ‘elections’ in occupied regions.

Russia plans to hold sham “elections” on Sept. 8-10 in occupied parts of Ukraine, the U.K. Defense Ministry reported in its latest update on Sept. 5.

Russian media: Drone shot down over Russia’s Tver Oblast. According to Russian media outlet The Moscow Times, drones were shot down over Russia’s Tver Oblast, near the town of Zavidovo, where Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly has a residence.

Russian forces shell Kherson Oblast 57 times over past day. According to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin, the Russian military targeted residential districts and grain storage in Kherson Oblast’s Beryslavskyi district.

Official: There will be no ‘mass extradition’ of draft evaders from abroad. Ukrainians evading conscription abroad may be extradited “individually” but there will be no “mass extradition,” Fedir Venislavsky, President Voldymyr Zelensky’s representative in the Verkhovna Rada, said on Sept. 5.

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Ukraine war latest: Zelensky nominates new defense minister as parliament approves Reznikov’s resignation

As Volodymyr Zelensky nominates Rustem Umerov as the new defense minister, Ukraine’s parliament approves Oleksii Reznikov’s resignation.

Photo: Odd Andersen/AFP via Getty Images

Human cost of war

Governor: 1 killed following Russia’s attack on Odesa Oblast. One civilian was killed during Russia’s drone attack against Odesa Oblast in the early hours of Sept. 6, regional Governor Oleh Kiper reported on his Telegram channel.

Russian attacks kill 1, injure 4 over past day. Russian forces shelled nine of Ukraine’s oblasts over the past day, killing one person and injuring four, according to local authorities.

General Staff: Russia has lost 265,680 troops in Ukraine. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Sept. 5 that Russia had lost 265,680 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24 last year.

International response

Romanian president: No Russian drones crossed the border. There is no evidence Russian drones reached Romania during an overnight attack on Ukraine on Sept. 4, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Sept. 5. He recognized that the attacks took place “at a very short distance from the Romanian border.”

Germany delivers ammunition and vehicles to Ukraine in latest military aid package. Germany has delivered more ammunition and military vehicles to Ukraine as part of its latest military aid package, the German Federal Government announced on Sept. 5.

Germany sends ammo for Gepard anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine. Germany has delivered to Ukraine its first batch of ammunition for Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns out of a total of 300,000 rounds, Germany’s Ministry of Defense said on Sept. 5.

Lithuanian president: Corruption in Ukraine slows down weapon supplies.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told Lithuanian outlet LRT on Sept. 5 that corruption scandals in Ukraine have a significant impact on Western state’s decision to supply Kyiv with weapons.

Cuba uncovers human trafficking ring for Russian military recruitment. Cuba has uncovered a human trafficking ring aimed at recruiting Cuban citizens to fight for Russia in its full-scale war against Ukraine, the Cuban Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Sept. 4.

In other news

Zelensky fires governor of Donetsk Oblast. President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sept. 5 issued a decree to fire Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of Donetsk Oblast.

Deputy PM: Ukraine will be ready for EU membership in 2 years. Ukraine will be ready for European Union membership in two years and for NATO membership even earlier, Olha Stefanishyna, the deputy prime minister for European integration, said in a Sept. 5 interview with the Voice of America.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Oleksiy Sorokin, Oleg Sukhov, Alexander Query,  Mariia Kashchenko, Daria Shulzhenko, Elsa Court, Lili Bivings, Olena Goncharova and Rachel Amran.

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