This article summarizes the most important events of the war in Ukraine from Monday, September 2, 2024. It is the 922nd day of the war.
- The Ukrainian president says the Kursk operation went according to plan, but it has not had the desired effect on Pokrovsky’s situation.
- The purges in the Russian Ministry of Defense continued.
- According to Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, Poland has a “constitutional obligation” to destroy Russian missiles.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi admits that the situation near Pokrovsky is difficult, even though the Ukrainian operation in the Kursk region in Russia is going “as planned”.
Ukraine had hoped that the attack on Russian soil would relieve pressure in the direction of Pokrovsky in eastern Ukraine, in the Donetsk region. So far, however, the situation has not eased, even though, according to Zelensky, Ukraine has captured more than 600 Russian soldiers as prisoners of war in the operation.
Russia has advanced rapidly towards the city of Pokrovsk, which is an important center for the logistics and maintenance of the Ukrainian armed forces. Because of the many service routes passing through the city, it is strategically more significant than its size.
Zelenskyi commented on the issue at a press conference he organized with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof. They met on Monday in Zaporizhia.
At the press conference, Zelenskyi appealed to Ukraine’s western allies to give Ukraine permission to strike with long-range weapons on Russian soil and to supply weapons for these strikes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi hosted Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof in Zaporizhia on Monday. EPA/AOP
The “purges” continue in Russia
Russia has arrested a high-ranking officer who worked in the country’s Ministry of Defense, among others, the news agency AFP reports.
According to AFP, the officer arrested this time is a major general Valeri Muminjanovwho in the Ministry of Defense has been involved in organizing contracts for private companies that supply uniforms for the armed forces.
According to the Russian Investigative Committee, Muminjanov received more than 20 million rubles, or about 202,000 euros, in bribes for his “assistance” in arranging the contracts. During the investigation, it was found that Muminyanov and his family have real estate worth more than 1.2 million euros in Moscow and the Voronezh region.
According to AFP, Muminjanov faces up to 15 years in prison if he is found guilty.
Since April, Russia has reportedly arrested at least ten military officials. Experts have referred to the arrests as “purges”, AFP notes.
In the spring, Russian President Vladimir Putin also pushed aside Sergei Shoigu, who had served as defense minister for almost 12 years. He was replaced by Andrei Belousov, known mainly for his financial expertise, who, like Shoigu, has no military background and no experience in national security.
Putin on Ukraine’s attack on Russia: The result is known
Vladimir Putin commented Monday on Ukraine’s invasion of Russia’s Kursk region, saying it would not stop Russia’s advance in eastern Ukraine. The news agencies Reuters and AFP reported on the matter, among others.
– Their calculation was to stop our offensive activities in the central parts of Donbas. The result is known, they failed to stop our advance in Donbas, Putin said during a visit to Siberia on Monday.
According to Putin, Russia is now advancing rapidly in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine launched a surprise attack on Russia on August 6. According to the Ukrainian administration, one of the goals of the attack was to force Russia to withdraw troops from other parts of the front to defend Kursk.
According to Putin, Ukraine did not succeed in its goal. Illustration picture. AOP
Another wave of missiles from Russia to Kiev
Russia bombarded Kiev again with numerous missiles overnight, Ukrainian officials said.
Ukraine’s air defense destroyed nearly 20 cruise and ballistic missiles, the city’s military administration said on Telegram, according to Reuters.
Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko said on his own Telegram channel that the attack partially damaged the Kyiv waterworks and the Svyatoshyn metro station.
According to Klitschko, at least two people were injured in the attack. He added that cars were catching fire all over the city.
The attack came a week after Russia launched its largest single airstrike in Ukraine so far in the war. Russia bombed Ukraine with more than 200 missiles and drones. At least seven people died in the attacks.
Firefighters put out the destruction of Russian bombings in Kiev on September 2. State Emergency Service of Ukraine
Poland: Destroying Russian missiles a “constitutional duty”
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski says in an interview with the Financial Times (FT) that the country has a “constitutional obligation” to shoot down Russian missiles before they enter Polish airspace.
– NATO membership does not bypass the responsibility of each country for the protection of its own airspace. It is our constitutional duty, the foreign minister told FT.
According to Sikorski, Russian missiles are a serious risk if they are shot down only in Polish airspace, because when the missile debris falls, they can still cause destruction.
Missiles fired by Russia into Ukraine have often briefly flown in Polish airspace.
Volodymyr Zelenskyi last week called on European countries to help counter missiles and drones fired by Russia over Ukraine.
According to Radosław Sikorski, Poland has an obligation to shoot down Russian missiles. OLIVIER HOSLET, EPA / AOP
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