Ukraine war: town on Russian border liberated – secret service sees “turning point in the war”

Created: 09/13/2022, 11:18 am

By: Helena Gries, Teresa Toth, Karolin Schäfer, Moritz Serif, Diana Rissmann, Nadja Austel, Vincent Büssow, Nail Akkoyun, Lucas Maier

Ukrainian troops advance further, Russia attacks again.

Ukraine claims to have recaptured 6,000 square kilometers from Russia.

The news ticker.

• Ukraine counter-offensive:

  Kiev has allegedly recaptured 6000 square kilometers

• Weapons deliveries:

  The Russian ambassador sees the "red line" crossed by Germany.

• 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.

+++ 11.18 a.m .:

Ukraine has confirmed the liberation of the city of Vowchansk in Kharkiv Oblast on the Russian border.

The State Border Guard Service released a video this morning titled "Vovchansk is home again," showing Ukrainian troops removing Russian flags and signs from buildings in the city.

Vovchansk was occupied on the first day of the invasion and is said to have been evacuated by Russian troops on September 11th.

9/11 photo: Ukrainian soldiers in recaptured areas in Kharkiv region.

© Cover Images/Imago

+++ 9.45 a.m .:

According to British secret services, leading units of the Russian army have been enormously weakened by the Ukraine war.

In the early stages of the war in particular, there were heavy casualties from which the troops never recovered, according to the short report by the British Ministry of Defence.

The First Guards Tank Army, for example, is affected.

Parts of this unit, which is one of the most prestigious in the Russian military, withdrew from the Kharkiv region last week.

The Ukraine War in Pictures - Destruction, Resistance and Hope

View photo gallery

+++ 7.30 a.m .:

As the

writes, the US secret service sees the Russian withdrawal from the Kharkiv region as a turning point in the war.

The Ukrainian counteroffensive is increasing pressure on Russia to increase its troops, US and Western officials have told The

.

Although Russia's next steps are unclear, an unnamed US official said Russia's "weaknesses have been exposed and it does not have large reserves of manpower or equipment."

Meanwhile, Russian attacks continue: As reported by the governor of the Sumy region, Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, on September 12, Russia attacked the municipality of Esman in the Sumy region 18 times with artillery and 17 times with mortar shells.

The municipality of Shalyhynska was also shelled six times by self-propelled guns, Zhyvytskyi said.

also read

There is rumbling in Putin's empire: after Kadyrov's threat, the Kremlin spokesman's response gives a deep insight

Habeck falls badly in the ranking of politicians - Söder and Wagenknecht are involved in the front

Ukraine-News: Ukraine wants to have reconquered 6000 square kilometers from Russia

Update from Tuesday, September 13, 6:20 a.m .:

According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian army has recaptured more than 6,000 square kilometers of land from the Russian occupiers since the beginning of September.

"Our troops are on the move," he said in Kyiv on Monday evening.

In the face of Russian rocket attacks on his country's power grid, he called for faster deliveries of anti-aircraft weapons from abroad.

The Ukrainian General Staff reported Russian attacks on many parts of the front.

In the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, which was occupied by Russian troops, the situation eased somewhat because two power lines to the cooling system of the shut down reactors could be repaired.

Tuesday marks the 202nd day of Ukraine's defense against the Russian invasion.

In Germany, the discussion about the delivery of battle tanks and armored personnel carriers to the attacked country continues.

Ukraine-News: Russia apparently stops sending new troops

+++ 10:30 p.m .:

The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, occupied by Russian troops, is again connected to two reserve power lines.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna announced on Monday evening that one line could supply the cooling system for the reactors that were shut down, while the second was in reserve.

The sixth and last reactor has been shut down and now requires less electricity for cooling.

Nevertheless, the situation in and around Europe's largest nuclear power plant in the middle of the combat zone remains precarious, said IAEA boss Rafael Grossi according to the announcement.

The four main lines have been destroyed and the power plant is not delivering any electricity.

"A nuclear safe and secure zone is urgently needed," he said.

He had conducted the first consultations with all those involved (see update from 4.34 p.m.).

News about the Ukraine war: Ukrainian troops are looking for collaborators

+++ 9.45 p.m .:

The Ukrainian troops are combing the recaptured areas in the east for collaborators of the Russian occupying power.

In addition, mines would be cleared, the Ukrainian General Staff said in its situation report on Monday evening.

He gave no further information on the advance of the Ukrainians, who have largely routed the Russian troops in the Kharkiv region.

Photos showed Ukrainian soldiers on Monday in Sivatohirsk in the Donetsk region.

There was no confirmation of the capture of the city with an important orthodox monastery.

The General Staff reported fighting on Monday along almost the entire front line in the east.

Several attacks by the Russian army were repelled.

Its own air force and artillery have destroyed several Russian command points and depots.

The military information was not independently verifiable.

News about the Ukraine war: Russia apparently stops sending new troops

+++ 8:00 p.m .:

The military command of the Russian Federation has stopped sending new units to Ukraine after the Ukrainian counter-offensive.

This was announced by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

"The military command of the Russian Federation has suspended the deployment of new, already formed units to the territory of Ukraine," the General Staff Facebook page said.

Furthermore, the current situation should ensure that many voluntary fighters from Russia refrain from deployment in the neighboring country.

Among other things, medical care is responsible for this: "Especially in Russian hospitals, the diagnoses and the type of combat injuries are deliberately simplified, and no time is allowed for rehabilitation in order to quickly bring the soldiers back into the combat zone."

So far, this information has not been independent.

The Kremlin has not yet commented on Ukraine's claims.

News about the Ukraine war: Ukrainian forces occupy a strategically important location

+++ 18.00:

As reported by

, the Ukrainian armed forces are about to take control of the occupied city of Svyatohirsk in the Donetsk region.

This was shown by geolocated images and videos showing Ukrainian units on the Seversky Donets River.

The US news channel also points to the city's damaged administration building, with the Ukrainian flag flying over the entrance.

The small town of Sviatohirsk is considered strategically important, since Ukrainian control would make any attempts by the remaining Russian soldiers to retreat enormously difficult.

Ukraine war news: Pro-Russian forces move towards Bakhmut

+++ 5:28 p.m .:

While the Ukrainian counter-offensive in the east of the country is being successful, Denis Puschilin, pro-Russian leader of the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” reports successful resistance in the Donbass.

Armed forces of the "Donetsk People's Republic" are currently said to be moving in the direction of Bakhmut.

The Russian news agency

describes the Bakhmut region as a "major transport hub" which is currently controlled by Ukrainian troops.

News about the Ukraine war: IAEA wants a security zone around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant

+++ 16:34:

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is committed to a security zone around the contested Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhia.

Russia, which occupies the plant, and Ukraine would have to agree to stop shelling the nuclear power plant and the surrounding area, said IAEA chief Rafael Grossi on Monday in Vienna.

He confirmed to journalists that his proposal does not include the withdrawal of arms and troops.

"We have to keep it simple," he said.

At a UN Security Council meeting last week, Grossi called for a security zone without further explaining his plan.

The IAEA Director-General reported Monday (September 12) that he is in contact with both Kyiv and Moscow.

The open questions therefore include the radius of the zone and the activities of the IAEA experts stationed in Zaporizhia.

According to Grossi, these experts could report on any violations of the ceasefire.

Grossi confirmed that the shutdown of the last active unit out of a total of six reactors at Zaporizhia was completed on Monday morning.

The move came after repeated failures of the external power supply used to cool reactor cores and nuclear waste.

Repairs to the power lines are in progress.

But there is still a risk of a nuclear accident if there are new war-related damages, emphasized Grossi.

Because even when it is switched off, the atomic material still has to be cooled.

News on the Ukraine war: Russia continues to shell Kharkiv

+++ 2:56 p.m .:

In the embattled Kharkiv, the power and water supply failed again, as Mayor Ihor Terekhov explained on Telegram on Monday afternoon.

The reason is heavy shelling by Russian troops.

Already on Sunday evening (September 11th) the situation in the metropolis came to a head.

“The situation from last night repeated itself.

Due to the shelling, critical infrastructure was disabled, which led to the loss of electricity and water supplies in Kharkiv," Terekhov said.

However, rescue workers and utility workers are already working to "remedy the aftermath of the shelling."

+++

According to President Volodymyr Selenskyj, the Ukrainian army has recaptured the strategically important city of Izyum in the east of the country from Russian troops.

The army had "liberated hundreds of our towns and villages", most recently the cities of Izyum, Balaklija and Kupyansk, Zelenskyj said in a video speech on Sunday evening.

The authorities had previously reported a power outage in large parts of eastern Ukraine, and Kyiv blamed Russian attacks on infrastructure for the blackouts.

Turning point in the Ukraine war?

Selenskyj becomes clear: "Circumstances have changed"

Update from Sunday, September 11, 7:50 a.m.:

According to several media reports, Ukraine's counter-offensive is making good progress.

The Task Force South reported on Saturday (September 10) that several areas occupied by Russian troops had been recaptured.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also addressed this in his video address on Saturday: “In the past few days, the Russian army has shown us its best side – its backside.”

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy emphasizes that he now sees it as completely impossible to negotiate with Russia about the end of the war.

This is what the President of Ukraine said during the annual Yalta European Strategy (YES) conference.

This took place from September 9th to 11th in Kyiv and around 70 politicians, diplomats, businessmen, activists and experts from around 20 countries took part.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also made a surprise trip to Kyiv on Saturday.

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/kas with dpa/afp)