The press service of the Eastern Ukrainian Military Group said on national TV that there are currently more than 50,000 Russian soldiers in the Bakhmut sector of Donetsk. “In the Bakhmut direction there are 52 thousand Russian soldiers and about 274 tanks, more than a thousand armored vehicles, 150 artillery systems and just over 120 multiple launch rocket systems,” spokesman Ilya Yevlash said. And he added that Moscow “only in the eastern direction has around 150 thousand soldiers and numerous equipment”. According to the army, Ukraine is making progress on the southern flank of the eastern direction.
“In the fighting for Andriivka, the Russians lost not only territory, but also many soldiers,” writes the head of the Ukrainian presidential office Andry Yermak, publishing a gruesome video in which the corpses of Russian soldiers can be seen scattered everywhere on the ground. “Recently, the Russians began to use all available reserves in this area. Sometimes the soldiers did not even have time to live for a couple of hours, and new meat was immediately sent to replace them.” The video shows a small part of the destroyed Katsaps. These corpses are scattered everywhere.” According to Kiev, Andriivka, a village in Donetsk south of Bakhmut, was reconquered by the Ukrainian army two days ago after heavy fighting.
Stoltenberg, we must prepare for a long war
In an interview published today, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warns that we will need to “prepare for a long war in Ukraine”. “Most wars last longer than expected when they start,” Stoltenberg told German media Funke. “We must therefore prepare for a long war in Ukraine.” “We all want a quick peace – continued the NATO secretary general -, but at the same time we must recognize this: if President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainians stop fighting, their country will no longer exist; if President Vladimir Putin and Russia lay down their weapons, we will have peace.” Regarding Kiev’s desire to join NATO, Stoltenberg assures: “There is no doubt that sooner or later Ukraine will join” the Atlantic Alliance. “When this war ends we will need security guarantees for Ukraine, otherwise history could repeat itself”, warns the NATO secretary general.
Explosions in Odessa, alert throughout the country
Explosions are being reported in the southern city of Odessa, with air raid warnings raised across Ukraine after the launch of cruise missiles by Russian strategic bombers. The local media reported it.
Russian troops attacked the Odessa region with missiles and drones, a grain warehouse and agricultural land were damaged, the regional military administration said on Telegram, quoted by Ukrinform. “Our air defense units destroyed two combat drones and five missiles. Unfortunately, some targets were hit by enemy projectiles in the Berezivka district. Russian terrorists caused damage to agricultural infrastructure: agricultural land and a grain warehouse” , we read in the message. No casualties were reported. Emergency services are still working.
At least eight drones were shot down during the night by Russian forces in the Moscow region and towards the annexed Crimean peninsula, according to the Moscow Ministry of Defense. Another drone crashed in the central Russian city of Oryol, causing no casualties or damage. Governor Andrey Klychkov said this. Ukrainian drone attacks against Russian territory and Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014, have increased in recent months against the backdrop of Kiev’s counteroffensive that began in early June.
Drone hits oil site in southwestern Russia
Last night a drone attacked an oil depot in the south-west of Russia, in the Oryol region, causing a huge fire visible even from many kilometers away, as shown in a video published on Telegram by the Mash website. Governor Andriy Klychkov said that around 3.50 am a drone “fell” on the territory of the city, on a “non-residential object”. Subsequently he stated: “The fire in a fuel tank on the territory of the industrial plant of the railway district of the city of Orla has been extinguished, there are no victims,” he said, quoted by UNIAN.
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2023-09-17 16:06:00
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