Ukraine war: Massive explosions in southern Ukraine - Russia sends more troops

Created: 09/10/2022Updated: 09/10/2022 07:26

By: Helena Gries, Moritz Serif, Nadja Austel, Vincent Büssow, Nail Akkoyun, Lucas Maier

Fighting in southern Ukraine continues.

Russia sends 1,300 Chechen soldiers - the news ticker.

• Surprised by the offensive:

  Russia was not prepared for the attack near Balaklija

  
  
  

  Putin before charges?

  The Ukraine war could soon have consequences for Vladimir Putin

• Editor

  's note: You can read all the news about the Ukraine conflict in this news ticker.

  Some of the information comes from warring factions in the Ukraine war and cannot be checked directly and independently.

Update from Saturday, September 10, 7:22 a.m.:

Russia has apparently sent 1,300 Chechen fighters to Kherson to support Russian troops in the heavily contested Donetsk region, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Army reported on Saturday (September 10).

According to their own statements, the Ukrainian armed forces have recaptured numerous areas in the region in southern Ukraine.

According to a Facebook post by the Ukrainian General Staff at 6 a.m. Saturday morning, Russian forces are defending the occupied areas of Kherson, parts of Kharkiv, Zaporizhia and Mykolaiv.

There have again been numerous airstrikes in the region.

Among other things, the mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, reported via Telegram on Friday evening (September 9) of explosions and shots in the partially occupied city.

He was combative: "The Ukrainian army wishes the occupiers a 'good night'," wrote Fedorov on Telegram.

Since the beginning of the war, Kharkiv in the south of Ukraine has repeatedly been the subject of intense shelling.

(Archive image) © Hector Adolfo Quintanar Perez/dpa

News in the Ukraine war: Russia wants to evacuate Kharkiv region

+++ 10:05 p.m .:

After the liberation of the city of Balaklija by Ukrainian troops, Russia announced on Friday that the Kharkiv region would be “evacuated” soon.

This was reported by the Russian news agency TASS, citing the regional administrator in the Kupyansk district, Maksim Gubin, appointed by Russia.

Gubin said they wanted to "evacuate" the population for at least three or four days until the situation was "stabilized".

Just a few days ago, the UN Security Council accused Russia of having kidnapped hundreds of thousands of people from Ukraine to Russia.

According to information from the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW), experts are currently assuming that the Ukrainian armed forces will also liberate the city of Kupjansk, which had a population of 30,000 before the war, over the course of the weekend.

This would massively affect a number of Russian supply routes in eastern Ukraine.   

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Warnings from the Ukraine war: Zaporizhia nuclear power plant without an external power supply

+++ 5.50 p.m .:

Due to the shelling of a thermal power plant in the Ukrainian city of Enerhodar, where the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is also located, there was a large-scale power failure on Friday night.

The experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) present on the site warn that the power supply of the nuclear power plant is also affected by the failure and the safe operation of the power plant is again at risk. 

Its director general, Rafael Grossi, called for the shelling of the "entire area" to stop immediately, also because power could only be restored after the shelling had ended.

The IAEA boss spoke of a "serious situation".

The state-owned Ukrainian nuclear operator Energoatom is now considering shutting down the only reactor still in operation, which currently produces the electricity for the cooling and other safety systems of the nuclear power plant.

News about the Ukraine war: Russia sends reinforcements to Kharkiv

+++ 16:59:

Russia continues its attacks on Ukrainian bases.

The soldiers are entrenched in the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, the

reports .

Kyiv accuses the Kremlin of using the nuclear power plant as a protective shield.

+++ 16.16 p.m .:

Due to the Ukrainian counter-offensive, Russia’s war of aggression is entering a “critical phase” from the point of view of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Thanks to support from NATO countries, Ukrainian armed forces were recently able to stop Moscow's offensive in the Donbass and recapture territory, the Norwegian said at a press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday (September 9).

The solidarity of the West should not let up despite the energy crisis and rising living costs.

+++ 3.45 p.m .:

In response to the Ukrainian counter-offensive, the Russian army is sending armored vehicles and cannons to reinforce the Kharkiv region in the north of Ukraine.

This was reported by Russian news agencies with reference to images from the Ministry of Defense showing several military vehicles, some with Russian flags.

The Moscow-appointed chief of administration for the Kharkiv region, Vitali Gantchev, spoke of "heavy fighting" near the town of Balaklija.

"We no longer have Balakliya under control," said Ganchev.

There are attempts to expel the Ukrainian armed forces.

"But the fighting there is fierce and our troops are being pinned on the outskirts of the city."

News about the Ukraine war: Kyiv successfully continues counter-offensive

+++ 1:10 p.m .:

The Ukrainian army is apparently continuing its counter-offensive successfully.

The US also sees Kyiv on the right track in the Ukraine war.

According to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Ukraine's armed forces are making good progress in their operations in Kharkiv and Kherson.

"We're seeing achievements now in Kherson, we're seeing some achievements in Kharkiv - and that's very, very encouraging," Austin said at a press conference with his Czech counterpart in Prague.

+++ 10.30 a.m .:

Ukraine is likely to recapture the city of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region within 72 hours, according to the US-based think tank “Institute for the Study of War”.

The group's latest assessment says that Ukrainian forces are within 20km of the city and that recapturing the city would significantly reduce communications between Russian forces in the region.

The area between Izyum and the city of Kharkiv to the northwest is currently part of the front line between Ukrainian and Russian forces, the British

writes.

Ukraine war news: Russians surprised by offensive

+++ 8.10 a.m .:

The small town of Balaklija, which had around 27,000 inhabitants before the war, had been occupied by Russian troops for several months.

As evidence of the recapture, Selenskyj published a video allegedly filmed on the town hall.

In front of the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag, a soldier reported to the president about the capture of the city.

"The flag of Ukraine over a free Ukrainian city under a free Ukrainian sky," Zelenskyy wrote.

The Russian military leadership was apparently surprised by the attack near Balaklija, analyzed US military expert Michael Kofman on Twitter.

"The Russian forces were spread too far." There are hardly any reserves there.

In contrast to the rapid push to the east, Ukraine appears to be very systematic in its other counteroffensive to the south in the Kherson region.

News about the Ukraine war: Kyiv successful with counter-offensive

Update from Friday, September 9th, 5.20 a.m .:

The Ukrainian army claims to have penetrated deep into the rear of the Russian occupying forces in its counter-offensive in the east of the country.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Thursday evening the recapture of the district town of Balakliya in the Kharkiv region.

The army has liberated more than 1,000 square kilometers of Ukraine since early September, he said in his video address.

"As part of ongoing defensive operations, our heroes have already liberated dozens of settlements," he said.

"Ukraine is and will be free," he promised.

However, according to earlier reports, Russian troops occupied around 125,000 square kilometers in Ukraine.

That's one fifth of the country's territory, including the Crimean peninsula.

Ukraine war: Vladimir Putin could soon be charged with high treason in Russia

+++ 9:15 p.m .:

The Ukraine war could soon lead to consequences for Vladimir Putin in his own country.

In St. Petersburg, several city deputies are said to want to petition the Duma,

reports , citing

.

The petition is intended to lead to an indictment of Putin for high treason.

The reason given here is the invasion of Ukraine.

“We want to show people that there are MPs who do not agree with the current course and are convinced that Putin is harming Russia.

We want to show people that we are not afraid to talk about it," MP Dmitry Palyug said.

If the petition goes through, Putin could be removed from office under Article 93 of the Russian constitution.

+++ 8.15 p.m .:

The Russian army carried out four rocket attacks on Thursday (September 8th).

In addition, the Russian Air Force carried out 15 strikes on civilian and military targets, according to the summary of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The rocket attacks also hit Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv.

The General Staff of Ukraine spoke of casualties among the civilian population, but did not give any specific figures.

The information could not be independently verified.

Ukraine war news: Russia under pressure

+++ 1.30 p.m .:

Targeted attacks on river crossings put the Russian invasion troops in Ukraine under further pressure, according to British military experts.

According to the daily intelligence update from the Ministry of Defense in London, the Ukrainian defenders destroyed a pontoon bridge along a key supply route in the Kherson region in the south of the country.

"The systematic precision strikes against vulnerable river crossings are likely to continue to put pressure on the Russian forces," said the British experts.

This is slowing down Moscow's ability to deploy reserves and supplies of material from the East.

+++ 11.20 a.m .:

After the start of the Ukrainian counter-offensive, the Russian occupiers said they brought women and children from the city of Kupjansk, an important transport hub in the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv.

"The situation in the city of Kupyansk today is such that we are simply forced to ensure the evacuation of the population - at least women and children - because the city is subject to rocket attacks by Ukrainian military units," said the head of the Russian-installed military administration , Vitaly Gantchev, according to the state news agency Tass.

Ukraine War News: Bloggers Admit “Significant Ukrainian Achievements”

+++ 10.30 a.m .:

The Russian military is concerned that the Ukrainian counter-offensive in Kharkiv will impede communication between Russian forces in the region.

This reports the

.

According to the latest assessment by US-based think tank The Institute for the Study of War, Russian milbloggers — military personnel who write blogs — have expressed concern that the operation is aimed at cutting lines of communication with forces in the cities of Kupyansk and to cut off Izyum and that this "could allow Ukrainian forces to isolate Russian factions in these areas and retake large parts of the territory".

"For the most part, these milbloggers expressed panic and despair, and acknowledged significant Ukrainian achievements," the institute said.

News about the Ukraine war: Kyiv reports conquests in the south

+++ 8.10 a.m .:

In his evening video speech, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj kept a low profile despite the announced military successes: “Now is not the time to name this or that settlement to which the Ukrainian flag is returning.” The event will be official not commented on due to an information blackout.

Videos and photos from recaptured villages around Balaklija are piling up on social networks.

According to Russian correspondent reports, the Ukrainian army is attacking there at a width of 20 to 30 kilometers.

According to these sources, the Russian units are under considerable pressure, and some units are threatened with encirclement.

Apparently, there were also gains in the south in the Cherson region.

The general staff report from Kyiv on Wednesday named Russian air and artillery attacks on several towns that were previously considered Russian controlled.

"Every success of our military in one direction or another changes the situation along the entire front in Ukraine's favor," said Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyi imposes further sanctions on Russia

First report from Thursday, September 8, 7:35 a.m.:

The Ukrainian army seems to be making progress in its counterattack against the Russian invaders in the east of the country.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his video address on Wednesday (September 7) that there was "good news from the Kharkiv region".

According to reports from Russian war correspondents, the Ukrainian army has successfully advanced near the town of Balaklija and has recaptured several towns.

As a political threat to Moscow, Ukraine imposed sanctions on 606 members of the Russian leadership.

"You are responsible for Russia's war against Ukraine," said Zelenskyy.

Of the 32 members of Russia's Security Council chaired by President Vladimir Putin, 28 were put on Ukraine's criminal list.

reports that there are 424 of the 450 deputies in the Russian State Duma and 154 of the 170 senators in the Federation Council

.

Zelenskyj gave no details on the sanctions.

Ukraine has started to enforce the penalties legally, politically and diplomatically.

(nak/na/hg/vbu with dpa/afp)