Photo : Social media/Reuters/Abc News
Photo : Social media/Reuters/Abc News
By Advik S Mohan and Neha Tresa George
WAR ON THE GROUND
On 21 September, The Kyiv Independent reported on Ukraine Armed Forces (UAF) strike on two Russian arms depots by missiles. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the attacksw and informed the Tikhoretsk weapons depot in Krasnodar Krai city had been attacked. The General Staff stated the Tikhoretsk weapons depot was one of the three largest ammunition depots in Russia and a key storage facility in the Russian military logistics system. The UAF also informed a Russian Podlet radar system which aided air defence of the arsenal and an echelon that delivered at least 2,000 tons of ammunition were destroyed. Andrii Kovalenko, the head of the Centre for Countering Disinformation run by the Government of Ukraine stated a depot which contained artillery shells, ammunition for Smerch rocket launchers, and North Korea-made K23 missiles had been destroyed. Kovalenko also published videos showing the aftermath of the strike. Veniamin Kondratyev, the Governor of Krasnodar Krai stated earlier a drone strike in the Tikhoretsk district had caused detonations of “explosive objects.” Kondratyev also informed that at least 1,200 residents had been evacuated. No casualties were reported from the missile strike in Tikhoretsk. The General Staff of Ukraine also informed the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) that it had launched a missile strike on the 23rd arsenal of the Main Artillery Directorate of the Ministry of National Defence of the Russian Federation in the Tver Oblast of Russia. According to the local government in Tver, an unspecified number of drones were shot down. However, the government did not give any more details. A SBU source informed that a missile strike was launched on the Shaykovka military airfield in Kaluga Oblast where TU-22M strategic aircraft used to attack Ukraine were stored.
On 21 September, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine reported that the Government of Ukraine was continuing with talks with Ukraine’s Western partners over the requirement for full long-range capabilities. Zelenskyy stated Ukraine would convince its allies it required all the weapons that could protect itself from Russia, including long-range missiles and drones. According to Zelenskyy, the overall situation for the security of Ukraine would be better if the country had enough missiles and permissions that its partners could provide. He also informed of successful missile strikes conducted by the Armed Forces of Ukraine against Russia, such as an attack by the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) on an arsenal of Russian troops, and the Special Operations Centre “A” of the SSU. Zelenskyy stated the determination of Ukraine’s partners needed to match the courage of Ukrainians; in order for the next week to be a decisive one in terms of stopping the aggression of Russia.
On 22 September, The Moscow Times reported on the Russian attack in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. The strike targeted a two-storeyed residential building and led to the injury of 21 people. Igor Terekhov, Kharkiv city’s mayor, condemned Russia for attacking the region even with the absence of military in the region. Following this attack, Zelenskyy urged the western countries to grant permission for the usage of long-range weapons inside Russia. He called for a reinforcement to secure Ukrainian lives.
THE MOSCOW VIEW
Claims from Russia
On 21 September, RT reported the attack of the Russian military on the cargo carrier that was delivering arms and munitions to Kyiv. According to the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, Russian warplanes, drones, missiles and artillery forces targeted two Ukrainian ammo depots and “struck a dry-cargo carrier with missiles and ammunition, supplied by the western countries. However, the exact location and the intensity of the attack were unknown. The ministry added that the Russian military had used high-precision weapons and drones to attack Ukraine’s energy infrastructure concerned with its defence capacities. It said: “The objectives of the strike have been achieved. All designated targets have been hit,” Meanwhile, Ukraine has not commented on these attacks.
On 22 September, Politico reported on the six Russian fighter jets flying over the Baltic Sea. According to the Latvian sea, the planes were wandering without a flight plan with their transponders turned off. German Eurofighters were sent to intercept and warn them. However, the ministry did not claim the violation of its air space. The German Air Force had earlier reported on another five Russian jets flying over the Baltic Sea.
On 22 September, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation stated that it would not attend a peace summit being organized by the Government of Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine had earlier stated he wanted Russia to attend the summit. A spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova stated the peace summit was a fraud being propagated by Ukraine and its allies like the US. According to Zakharova, the peace summit aimed to push the ‘Zelenskyy formula’ as the basis for a settlement to the conflict, and force the Government of the Russian Federation to participate in it. Zakharova referred to the Ukrainian government and the West as ‘terrorists’ who needed war. Zakharova stated the Russian government wanted a diplomatic solution to the conflict. However, she also informed that serious proposals needed to be discussed based on the conditions listed earlier by Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia. Putin had earlier stated that the Russian government would start negotiations once Ukraine withdrew troops from the Donbas, Kherson, and Zaporozhe Oblasts. According to Putin, Ukraine needed to commit itself to neutrality, demilitarization, and denazification as well.
THE WEST VIEW
Responses from the US and Europe
On 20 September, NATO reported on the exercise held with Ukraine. During 10-20 September, Ukraine took part in NATO’s annual Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) Technical Interoperability Exercise (TIE) in the Netherlands, for the first time. It had over 450 participants from the 19 NATO allies and three partner countries. The exercise aimed to examine the ability of commercially available counter-drone systems to operate smoothly. 60 counter-drone systems and technologies such as sensors, drone-on-drone systems, jammers and cyber interceptors were tested live. Ukraine’s participation resulted from the NATO-Ukraine Innovation Cooperation Roadmap put forward by the Allied and Ukrainian leaders at the Washington Summit in 2024. This exercise would enhance Ukraine’s defence capabilities such as drone autonomy and interoperability.
On 20 September, Politico reported on the US delivery of the Joint Standoff Weapon, a medium-range missile to Ukraine as part of its expected military package of USD 375 million. The weapon used by the US Air Force, Navy and some allies could strike targets over 70 miles away, thus giving an upgrade to the US-delivered weapons to Ukraine. According to the US officials, the package was yet to be announced and would include artillery munitions, rockets and air defence missiles. However, the State Department officials and the Defence Department of the US did not officially comment on the new military package. It would mark the largest package signed by the US as part of its military aid to Ukraine.
References
“We Will Continue to Talk with Partners about the Need for Full Long-Range Capabilities for Ukraine- Address by the President,” President of Ukraine, 21 September 2024
“Zelensky-led ‘peace summit’ a fraud-Moscow,” RT, 22 September 2024
Abbey Fenbert and Dinara Khalilova, “UPDATED; Ukraine confirms overnight strikes on Russian arms depots,” The Kyiv Independent, 21 September 2024