Sunday, September 3, 2023
19:32
COUNTER-OFFENSIVE: “THE UKRAINIANS ARE MAKING PROGRESS”, TO PARIS
In Le Monde columns, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said the Ukrainian counteroffensive was heading in the right direction. “The Ukrainians have always said that they would carry out their counteroffensive over several months, not in a few days or weeks. They themselves say that the operations are difficult,” she emphasized. “Nevertheless, (they) are making progress and have made breakthroughs in certain areas. Before we make judgments, we must remember that they are the ones who fight and sacrifice their lives,” emphasized the head of diplomacy. According to one of its generals, the Kiev army has made a significant breakthrough into Russian defense lines in southern Ukraine.
Furthermore, Catherine Colonna opined that “obviously the time has not yet come when negotiations for a just peace could begin in good faith,” and estimated that “the only country that is talking about it is Ukraine.” “It goes without saying that it is up to the Ukrainians to decide when the time will be for negotiations. From the Russian side we see no sign of any desire to start negotiations,” she said.
As for support to Kiev, “the plan is to expand the assistance we provide to Ukraine in the medium term in the military, but also in the civil and humanitarian spheres,” the minister explained. “It’s about helping Ukraine in the long term, as this war is likely to continue.”
6:03 p.m
CORRUPTION
A Ukrainian oligarch accused of fraud and money laundering was arrested on Saturday. Igor Kolomoisky is a former supporter of President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose election campaign he financed in 2019. This arrest comes as Kiev is trying to fight corruption as best it can.
International
Posted today at 9:11am.
16:47
ASIAN GAMES
Russian and Belarusian athletes will not take part in the Asian Games, which will be held in China at the end of September, the International Olympic Committee said on Sunday, deeming the project “unfeasible”.
“The idea of participation of athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports in the 2023 Asian Games was examined, as stated at the Olympic Summit in December 2022, but it was not feasible for technical reasons,” an IOC spokesman said.
Both countries have been banned from many sporting events since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, but individual athletes have been allowed to compete since then under certain conditions.
3:55 p.m
Kyiv confirms attack on “port infrastructure”
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry confirmed on the X network that a Russian attack targeted “Ukraine’s port infrastructure.” “Of the 25 Shahed-136/131 combat drones launched, 22 were shot down. Impacts occurred and a fire broke out, which was quickly brought under control. Unfortunately, two port employees were injured,” he explained.
Earlier in the day, the Russian army claimed to have carried out a drone strike on Sunday against the port of Reni on the Danube in southern Ukraine, on the border with Romania, a NATO member country.
3:48 p.m
V. ZELENSKY AND E. MACRON TALK ABOUT “NEXT AID PACKAGES”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on the X network (formerly Twitter) that he had spoken to Emmanuel Macron on the phone this Sunday. “I thanked France for its support, especially its important military assistance. We discussed the next (aid) packages,” he wrote. The two leaders also agreed that “France and French companies will take part in the next Defense Industrial Forum in Ukraine” and discuss “ways to ensure the functioning of the grain corridor and strengthen the security of the Odessa region.”
“We also agreed to start negotiations on bilateral security guarantees following the relevant G7 declaration. Our teams have the task of moving forward,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy continued, also stating that he “thanks France for taking the initiative to implement the peace formula.” , namely the conditions set by Kiev to end the conflict.
3:44 p.m
“MARATHON OF UNCIVILITY”
This Sunday, a special half marathon called “Invincibility” will take place in Lviv in western Ukraine: fifteen injured Ukrainians will take part in the race, mainly soldiers who suffered serious injuries and some amputations during operations at the front, according to the Nexta press agency . Among them is a 12-year-old girl, Yana Stepanenko, who lost both legs in a rocket attack on Kramatorsk train station in April 2022 that killed more than 50 people. “The young girl showed incredible strength and resilience,” praised the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.
1:55 p.m
RUSSIAN ATTACK ON THE DANUBE
Romania condemns Russia’s “unjustified” attack on the Danube port of Reni. On X (formerly Twitter), the foreign minister of this NATO member country described a “barbaric” attack carried out near its border.
13:12
CONFIDENTIAL DATA LEAK
The Daily Mirror reveals that sensitive information about the security of British military and intelligence sites has been leaked online by Russia-linked hackers. According to the British tabloid, hackers from the Russian-speaking group LockBit have published thousands of pages of data that could, in particular, threaten the security of the Faslane naval base, where nuclear submarines are located.
Information about high-security prisons and a military site, which are essential to the UK’s cyber defenses, was also reportedly stolen.
13:04
THE PORT OF RENI ATTACKED BY RUSSIA
The Russian army claims to have carried out a drone attack on the port of Reni on Sunday. It lies on the Danube in southern Ukraine and borders Romania, a NATO member. “Tonight, Russian Air Forces carried out a group attack with drones on fuel depots used to refuel the military equipment of the Ukrainian army in the port of Reni,” the Russian Defense Ministry said, assuring that the aim of the attack was “achieved” and all targets were reached.
11:25
A VICTIM IN SOUMY
According to Ukrainian authorities, Russian troops shelled the town of Seredyna-Bouda in the Sumy region, killing one person and wounding three others. Shortly after the invasion began, Russian forces entered this region of northern Ukraine before Ukrainian forces regained control a few weeks later.
10:35
ATTACK IN ODESSA
A drone attack on port infrastructure in the Odessa region caused a fire. It was “quickly deleted,” according to the army, which released images of the firefighters’ nighttime operation.
10:27
ATTACK IN THE DANUBE REGION
If Kiev claims to have shot down 22 of the 25 drones launched by Russia last night, one of them hit “port infrastructure” on the Danube, injuring at least two people. The southern Ukrainian military command said on Telegram that at least two civilians were injured in the attack on a so-called “civilian industrial site.” However, no information was provided about the type of facility affected.
10:10
UPDATE ON THE SITUATION
It’s 10 a.m. The opportunity to look back at the highlights of the last 24 hours.
International
Published today at 8:06 am.
09:23
NEW RECRUITS
According to the Vice President of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, the state news agency Tass cited around 280,000 people in the Russian army since the beginning of the year. A figure that cannot be confirmed and represents fewer than the 300,000 reservists called up in September 2022 as part of the “partial mobilization” ordered by the Kremlin.
As a reminder: Since the spring, the Russian army has been carrying out an extensive recruitment campaign for volunteers, with a lot of advertising on the streets and on the Internet, promising future soldiers particularly attractive salaries as well as social and banking benefits.
09:19
Anti-corruption crusade
Igor Kolomoiski was accused of fraud and money laundering and was arrested on Saturday. He is a new figure in Ukraine’s anti-corruption fight and a former supporter of President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose campaign he financed in 2019.
International
Posted today at 9:11 am.
07:44
THE BREAKTHROUGH OF UKRAINE
In an interview with the Guardian, a Ukrainian general revealed that he had broken through a first line of defense of the Russian bastion near Zaporizhzhia. “We are now between the first and second lines of defense,” explained Oleksandr Tarnavsky, who led this counteroffensive. Enough to cause faster progression, according to his analysis. Because, in his opinion, Moscow “spent 60% of its time and resources on building the first line of defense and only 20% on the second and third lines of defense.” He states that this breakthrough may have occurred during the night after weeks of demining.
06:38
Strikes in Odessa
The Ukrainian Air Force announced this morning that it had shot down 22 Russian drones in the Odessa region in the south of the country. “On the night of September 3, 2023, the Russian occupiers launched several waves of ‘Shahed-136/131’ drone strikes from the south and southeast,” the Ukrainian Air Force wrote on Telegram, adding that 22 drones were destroyed.
06:38
WELCOME TO THIS LIVE
Hello and welcome to this new live broadcast dedicated to monitoring the war in Ukraine as the 557th day of the conflict begins.