An administrator appointed by the Russian government for the Kharkiv region acknowledged that Kyiv had achieved “substantial gains” in its counteroffensive against Russian forces on Friday. During Friday’s nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukrainian troops had recovered more than thirty settlements in the region.
An administrator appointed by the Russian government for the Kharkiv region acknowledged that Kyiv had achieved “substantial gains” in its counteroffensive against Russian forces on Friday. #newgains #ukraine #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #KharkivRegion #counteroffensive pic.twitter.com/gKdxC4wITW
— Live News Now (@LiveNewsNow6) September 10, 2022
The Ukrainian flag has been returned to more settlements, and our people are being protected, Zelenskyy said. “The situation is quite serious now,” Vitaliy Hanchev, the Ukrainian administrator appointed by Russia, told state television earlier in the day. They already have a substantial victory for the Ukrainian armed forces because their defenses were breached.”
Despite Russian forces abandoning a disastrous assault on Kyiv in March, the Ukrainian breakthrough near Kharkiv is among the fastest advances reported by either side in months. According to western military analysts, the Ukrainian advance could result in thousands of Russian troops being cut off if the Ukrainians end up within striking distance of the central railway that sustains Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.
Ukrainian Forces were Just 15 Kilometers Away from Kupiansk
Ukraine’s forces are just fifteen kilometers away from Kupiansk, where Moscow has been using railway lines. Earlier this week, The video was posted earlier this week by Zelenskyy, showing Ukrainian soldiers announcing they had taken Balakliya, which lies along a stretch of front south of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
Ukrainian military officials announced they had advanced nearly fifty kilometers through that front after a surprise assault on the Russian side. According to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the Kherson project has been a success, according to a news conference with his Czech counterpart in Prague. It is very encouraging for them to see some progress in Kharkiv.
Nuclear Concerns
Shelling on the Ukrainian city of Enerhodar has destroyed the power infrastructure, posing a rising threat to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia power plant, the United Nations nuclear watchdog said. Off-site power supplies have already been cut, which could have resulted in a nuclear meltdown if the plant were fully operational. In addition, a lasting blackout has been caused at Enerhodar because of the shelling.
In response to these developments, Ukrainian officials have indicated that they may have to shut down the last operating reactor supplying Zaporizhzhia with electricity. Moreover, they may have to shut down the cooling systems for the plant’s nuclear fuel. Rafael Grossi, President of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in a statement that Zaporizhzhia’s operator is not confident that off-site power will be restored. He added that this had led it to consider shutting down the reactor that is still operational.
It would leave the entire nuclear plant completely reliant on emergency diesel generators for essential functions like atomic safety and security, preventing the operator from restarting the reactors unless reliable off-site power is restored. Unfortunately, there are no off-site power supplies at Enerhodar. Despite repairs, the infrastructure has been damaged again while it was repaired previously. It is an untenable situation that is becoming more precarious.
Ukraine and Russia have blamed shelling for the shelling near Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine, as well as a nuclear power plant with six reactors that is the biggest in Europe. Grossi said that the situation was completely unacceptable. It could not be tolerated. Hence, the immediate cessation of shelling in the entire area is urgently required to ensure the security and safety of nuclear workers and the successful restoration of power to Enerhodar.
Military Support
Ukraine and eighteen other European nations threatened by Russian aggression will receive $2.2 billion in long-term military aid from the U.S. and $675 million directly for munitions to combat Moscow’s attack on Kyiv. After meeting with Zelenskyy in Kyiv Thursday, United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the $2.2 billion would help strengthen the security of Ukrainians and eighteen of their neighbors, including many of our NATO allies and other regional security partners that are at risk of Russian aggression in the future.
Source: Web
Czech Finance Ministry reports that E.U. finance ministers Friday approved a $5 billion loan to help Ukraine fight Russia’s invasion while maintaining its schools, hospitals, and other state operations. An overall $9 billion package was announced in May, including the loan backed by E.U. guarantees. August marked the first sending of $1 billion. The Czech finance minister said upcoming meetings would determine how the remaining $3 billion is split into loans and grants while hosting European Union finance ministers Friday in Prague.
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