Wednesday, September 11

Russia’s war against Ukraine

A Ukrainian soldier sees his family off at a train station on Sept. 8, 2024, in Kramatorsk, Ukraine. (Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Russia claims capture of Donetsk Oblast village near Vuhledar, Kyiv doesn’t confirm. Moscow’s troops have recently ramped up their offensive near Vuhledar in southern Donetsk Oblast. The loss of Vodiane, lying just some 5 kilometers from the town, would increase the risk of Vuhledar’s encirclement.

85% of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure protected against Russian strikes, PM says. Ahead of the coming winter, Ukraine has protected 85% of its energy infrastructure in anticipation of further Russian attacks, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at a Sept. 10 press conference attended by a Kyiv Independent reporter.

Ukraine identifies Russian general suspected of ordering strike on Kyiv children’s hospital. Ukrainian authorities on Sept. 10 announced war crime charges in absentia against Russian Lieutenant General Sergey Kobylash over a deadly strike against the Ohkmadyt children’s hospital in Kyiv.

Biden, Starmer expected to discuss Ukraine’s battlefield needs on Sept 13, Blinken says. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sept. 13 that he “fully anticipates” U.S. President Joe Biden and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will discuss Ukraine’s military needs when they meet on Friday, in response to a question about Kyiv’s restrictions on long-range strikes inside Russia.

Blinken, Lammy to visit Ukraine as US confirms Iranian missile shipments to Russia. “I can confirm that Tony and I will be traveling to Kyiv this week, the first joint visit of this kind for well over a decade,” U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said during a joint press conference with Blinken.

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Ukrainian river polluted by factory sewage in Kursk Oblast, PM says. “There are no threats to human life and health. There are no risks due to water intake in Chernihiv, (and no risks) from the Desna River and further along the Dnipro River in Kyiv,” Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.

Russia ramps up pressure near Kupiansk, Ukraine repels cross-border attack in Kharkiv Oblast. Moscow’s troops attempted fresh attacks in Kharkiv Oblast, with the 92nd Assault Brigade reportedly repelling a new cross-border raid in the area.

Moscow claims Ukraine launched ’massive’ 144-drone attack on Russia, casualties reported. Ukraine launched a massive drone attack on several Russia’s regions overnight on Sept. 10, including Bryansk, Moscow, Tula, Kaluga, Belgorod, Kursk, Oryol, Voronezh, as well as the Krasnodar Krai region.

Russian Navy starts Ocean-2024 exercises. The Russian Navy has started the naval exercise Ocean-2024, which will take place on five seas and test operational readiness and the use of high-precision weapons, among other objectives, the Russian Defense Ministry announced on Sept. 10.

Jewish pilgrims warned against travel to Uman for Rosh Hashanah. Jewish pilgrims should refrain from visiting Uman for Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year, Cherkasy Oblast Governor Ihor Taburets warned on Sept. 10.

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Outrage erupts over Canadian tax dollars funding ‘Russians at War’ documentary

The controversy surrounding Canadian-Russian filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova’s “Russians at War” documentary has intensified following revelations that Canada, despite being a staunch supporter of Ukraine, awarded public funds to a film that is accused of whitewashing Russian war crimes.

Photo: Alberto Pizzoli / AFP via Getty Images

Ukraine war latest: Russia claims capture of Donetsk Oblast village near Vuhledar, Kyiv doesn’t confirm

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed on Sept. 10 that its forces had captured the village of Vodiane northeast of the fortified Donetsk Oblast town of Vuhledar.

The Kyiv Independent could not immediately verify the claim. A Ukrainian military spokesperson refused to comment.

Photo: Oles Kromplias/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

Sweden takes step toward supplying Ukraine with Gripen fighter jets

Known to be light and highly maneuverable, the JAS 39 Gripen can conduct offensive and defensive operations. It is equipped to carry various weapons, from Meteor air-to-air missiles to Taurus cruise missiles and guided bombs.

Photo: Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency/AFP via Getty Images

Russian POW phone call restrictions spotlight Ukraine, Russia’s treatment of prisoners

Last week, Ukraine’s Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets announced that Russian prisoners of war would no longer be able to make phone calls to relatives. They are still allowed to communicate through letters, meeting Geneva Convention requirements, he noted.

Photo: Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images

International response

Estonia launches new program for Ukrainian refugees. Estonia launched the “ROSE Estonia” project to help Ukrainian refugees in the country with their goals in self-employment and entrepreneurship.

Biden weighs lifting long-range weapons restrictions for Ukraine, Reuters reports. U.S. President Joe Biden stated that the potential lifting of restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons is currently under consideration, Reuters reported on September 10.

Bipartisan calls continue for Biden to lift restrictions on Kyiv using long-range weapons against Russia. At least 20 House Democrats and five House Republicans are calling on President Joe Biden to lift restrictions on Kyiv’s use of American long-range weapons to strike deep inside Russia, according to a letter sent to the president on Sept. 10 obtained and seen by the Kyiv Independent.

Biden ‘not ruling out’ letting Ukraine strike deep inside Russia, Blinken tells Sky News. U.S. President Joe Biden may permit Ukraine to launch strikes deep into Russian territory, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview with Sky News.

UK, France, Germany to further sanction Iran after ballistic missile deliveries to Russia confirmed. The three countries said that they have “privately and publicly been clear that we would take new and significant measures against Iran if the transfers took place.”

China supplies Russia’s war machine, receives military tech in exchange, US says. China is supplying Russia with materials that directly boost Russia’s war machine, and in return is receiving military technology support from Russia, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell told journalists on Sept. 10.

Freeland voices concern over Canadian funds going to ‘Russians at War.’ Canadian government officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, have strongly criticized the use of public funds to support a controversial documentary that portrays Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine.

Opinions and insights

Opinion: How Russian propaganda reached Venice’s red carpet

“A film about Russian soldiers taking part in the war against Ukraine was recently presented at the Venice Film Festival. The film portrays ordinary people who care about their families, joke, and have doubts, fears, and dreams. Spoiler: We don’t see a Russian army killing, raping, robbing, or abducting people,” Oleksandra Matviichuk and Ilya Nuzov write in their op-ed.

Photo: Chris McGrath/Getty Images

In other news

Harris, Trump face off for the first time in second presidential debate. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump exchanged foreign policy views on Russia’s war against Ukraine during the second presidential debate of the 2024 U.S. election in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 10.

Trump refuses to answer if he believes Ukraine’s victory is in US interests. Vice President Kamala Harris criticized Trump’s position on Ukraine, saying, “I believe the reason that Donald Trump says that this war would be over within 24 hours is because he would just give it up. And that’s not who we are as Americans.”

Public broadcaster backs off airing ‘Russians at War’ amid Toronto festival protests. Canada’s publicly-funded broadcaster TVO announced on Sept. 10 that it will not be airing a controversial documentary about Russian soldiers, following protests from the Ukrainian-Canadian community against the film’s inclusion in the Toronto International Film Festival.

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