News of Ukraine for September 12-16 – the main events of the week
The offensive of the Armed Forces
Since the beginning of September, the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated almost the entire Kharkiv region, as well as several settlements in Donetsk and Kherson regions.
During the counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region, the military returned 421 Ukrainian points under control. The total area of the de-occupied territories in the south and east of the country is 6,000 square kilometers.
In addition, the Armed Forces of Ukraine managed to capture many trophies in the Kharkiv and Kherson directions. In total, the enemy lost 336 units of equipment.
Also, according to the Ministry of Defense, all logistical routes of the occupiers on the southern front are under the control of the Armed Forces.
Strike on CHP-5 in Kharkiv
Kharkiv TPP-5, one of the largest in Ukraine, was partially disabled as a result of the Russian attack on September 11. Due to the attack, Kharkiv and Donetsk regions were left without power, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy regions were partially cut off. Also, for some time the water supply in the cities disappeared, the metro stopped in Kharkiv.
The President’s Office called the attack on TPP-5 an unconditional manifestation of Russian terrorism with the intention of leaving civilians without electricity and heat. “Such a cowardly “response” to the escape of one’s own army from the battlefield,” the OP said.
Rocket terror in Kryvyi Rih
Russian troops shelled Kryvyi Rih several times this week. On September 14, 8 rockets attacked the dam of the Karachuniv Reservoir. As a result of the impact, the water level in Ingulka rose, several districts of the city were flooded. Rocket attacks on critical infrastructure continued on September 15.
On Friday, hydraulic engineering facilities in Kryvyi Rih came under fire again. Rescuers eliminate the consequences to prevent a man-made disaster.
Aggravation between Azerbaijan and Armenia
The military confrontation between Armenia and Azerbaijan regarding Nagorno-Karabakh intensified again on September 13. Both countries reported casualties and blamed each other for the escalation.
Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan called Russian President Putin and appealed to the CSTO. The very next day, he announced that he was ready to sign documents that would allow him to be considered a traitor and removed from power. And already in the evening, a rally was held near the Armenian parliament demanding Pashinyan’s resignation.
At the same time, the United States believes that Russia can reduce the escalation of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in order to divert attention from the war in Ukraine.
Security guarantees for Ukraine
The President’s Office presented a document entitled “Kyiv Security Agreement”. It contains recommendations on international security guarantees for Ukraine. It is assumed that the guarantor countries should not cancel the sanctions against the Russian Federation until the aggression against Ukraine is stopped and all damages are compensated.
The document also provides a list of possible guarantees (USA, Great Britain, Canada, Poland, Italy, Germany, France, Australia, Turkey, Northern and Baltic countries, Central and Eastern Europe).
Budget-2023
The government submitted the draft budget for the next year to the Verkhovna Rada. His main priorities are the army and social programs. Almost 50% of the entire 2023 state budget will be directed to the security and defense sector.
The size of the living wage and salaries for state employees in 2023 will not increase, but the indexation of pension payments and all social benefits will be ensured.
In the forecast of the Cabinet of Ministers for the calculation of budget indicators, it turned out that the average annual exchange rate will reach about 42.2 hryvnias per dollar. But by the end of 2023, it may rise to 50 hryvnias.
New aid from the US
Another $600 million U.S. aid package for Ukraine includes additional ammunition for HIMARS, more than 30,000 105 mm artillery shells, anti-artillery radars, trucks and equipment trailers, anti-drone air systems, mine clearance equipment, Claymore anti-personnel ammunition and other equipment .
US President Joe Biden ordered a new aid package on September 16, a week after the planned tranche of $675 million.
Head of the European Commission in Kyiv
On September 15, Ursula von der Leyen visited Kyiv on a working visit. At the meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyi, the head of the EC discussed the country’s energy security against the backdrop of shelling and the upcoming heating season.
In addition, she emphasized that Ukraine is quickly and decisively moving towards joining the European Union, the country is on the right track.
Zelensky in Izyum
On September 14, the President of Ukraine arrived in free Izyum and took part in the ceremony of raising the national flag.
The head of state was also present in Izyum with the commander of the Ground Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi, who leads the counteroffensive in Kharkiv region, Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Malyar and representatives of the security forces. Volodymyr Zelenskyi thanked the soldiers for the liberated Ukrainian lands.
Consequences of the occupation of Kharkiv region
According to the assessment of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the destruction in free Izyum of the Kharkiv region can be compared in terms of scale with the destruction in several Borodyanki, and in terms of the number of victims – at least with two Buchs.
After the escape of the Russian troops, mass burials took place in the forest near Izyumomila. Only one of them contains more than 400 bodies with signs of torture. In addition, law enforcement officers tortured at least 10 occupiers in Izyum, Balaklia, Vovchansk, and Hrakovo.
The President of Ukraine once again called to recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, leaving no other way to stop its terror. On September 16, international and Ukrainian journalists arrived at the mass burial site near Izyum.
Road accident with Zelenskyi
The motorcade of the President of Ukraine got into a road accident on the night of September 15. Zelenskyi’s car collided with a car in the center of Kyiv.
The head of state was not seriously injured. The driver of the passenger car was given first aid by the medics who escorted Zelensky, after which he was taken away by an ambulance. The SBI has launched an investigation into the accident with the presidential motorcade.
Monkey pox in Ukraine
The first case of monkeypox was laboratory confirmed in Ukraine on September 15. The patient was identified thanks to PCR testing.
Patients were hospitalized with high fever and rashes on the body. He claims that he did not travel abroad and did not come into contact with monkeypox patients. The results of the collected anamnesis indicate that he was infected in one of the major cities of the country.