Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 20:39 Lavrov said that Russia is ready for negotiations on Ukraine, but will not consider any proposals for a ceasefire. He also called Zelensky’s Peace Formula “absolutely unrealizable,” and, according to him, “everyone knows this.” The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry claims that no one in the West wants to “seriously show an understanding of the crisis” in Ukraine, and “since they want to resolve the issue on the battlefield, it means it will be on the battlefield.”
18:47 IAEA inspectors, during the next inspection of the territory of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, did not notice heavy weapons, but confirmed that the previously reported mines remained in place, said the agency’s general director Rafael Grossi. In addition, the IAEA is concerned about the issue of staffing at the plant, since since the beginning of a full-scale war, a significant number of personnel have left the Zaporozhye NPP, including licensed operators from the main control panels.
17:29 The Russians shelled Kherson: one person was killed, one was wounded, OVA reported. The Russian army also attacked Nikolaevka from a drone - one person was seriously wounded. Over the past 24 hours, one person was killed and three were injured as a result of Russian shelling in the region.
16:13 Former head of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin received the position of “senator from the Zaporozhye region,” Russian media report.
15:52 Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories Irina Vereshchuk called on Ukrainians to leave Crimea if possible and wait out the deoccupation of the peninsula in controlled territory or in third countries.
15:31 The Biden administration decided to transfer ATACMS missiles to Ukraine even before Zelensky’s visit to Washington, the Financial Times writes, citing sources. They decided not to make this decision public so that the Russian army would have less time to change its supply chains, which could become a potential target for missiles. The publication clarifies that we are talking about missiles with cluster warheads, since the United States no longer plans to use them in its operations.
14:45 Zelensky said that at Shannon airport he held an unscheduled meeting with the head of the Sovereign Council of Sudan, Abdel Fattah al-Burgan. Among other things, we discussed common security challenges - the activities of illegal armed groups financed by Russia.
14:26 The United States has appointed a special representative who will monitor the expenditure of funds allocated to Ukraine. Pentagon Inspector General Robert Storch will begin work on October 18. He will work with the U.S. State Department and USAID to oversee the spending of some $113 billion in aid sent to Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion began, the U.S. government said.
13:03 Great Britain and Russia conducted secret negotiations on Ukraine for a year and a half, reports the British publication I News, citing sources. According to them, during the negotiations the security of Great Britain and the entire international community was discussed against the backdrop of Russia's war in Ukraine, as well as topics such as grain shortages and nuclear safety. At the same time, British officials claim that the topic of peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow was not raised: “We do not conclude peace agreements on behalf of anyone, but it is important to keep this channel of communication open.”
11:42 Radio Liberty showed the first satellite images of the consequences of a missile attack on the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol. Images from the American company Planet Labs before (September 21) and after (September 22) the missile strike show that the headquarters building was seriously damaged. Smoke and destruction are visible even from space.
10:19 Strikes on the Crimean Bridge will continue regularly, Budanov said in an interview with The War Zone: “The question is not whether we will attack or not. We do this regularly, so we will finish. It’s only a matter of time. To the question, what Putin will do in response, Budanov replied: “What will Putin do? He'll be upset again. What can he do?"
09:26 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of September 23:
- personnel - about 275,460 (+510) people,
- tanks - 4655 (+11),
- armored combat vehicles - 8912 (+21),
- artillery systems - 6210 (+33),
- MLRS - 789 (+4),
- air defense systems - 530 (+2),
- aircraft - 315 (+0),
- helicopters - 316 (+0),
- UAV of operational-tactical level - 4867 (+8),
- cruise missiles - 1518 (+1),
- ships/boats - 20 (+0),
- submarines - 1 (+0),
- automotive equipment and tank trucks - 8716 (+26),
- special equipment - 912 (+0).
09:20 Crimean public pages report new explosions in Sevastopol. “Governor” Mikhail Razvozhaev announced “air defense work”; rocket debris allegedly fell in the area of the pier in Sukharnaya Balka. The Crimean Wind telegram channel notes that there is a naval arsenal in the adit there, and strong smoke is visible.
Marine passenger transport has been suspended in Sevastopol Bay.
08:44 At night, the Russians attacked the Odessa region with Onyx supersonic anti-ship missiles, said Natalya Gumenyuk, speaker of the Southern Defense Forces. Two missiles hit a recreational area in an open area; there were no critical damages or injuries.
08:38 Air defense at night destroyed 14 of 15 attack UAVs of the Shahed-136/131 type , with which Russia attacked Ukraine from the south-eastern direction (Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Russian Federation). The direction of the strike is Zaporozhye and Dnepropetrovsk regions, the Air Force command reported.
08:19 Over the past 24 hours, more than 30 military clashes took place at the front, the General Staff reported in its morning report. In the Bakhmut direction, the Defense Forces repelled enemy attacks in the Minkovka, Orekhovo-Vasilievka, Grigoryevka, Andreevka areas of the Donetsk region. At the same time, the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to attack south of Bakhmut.
In the Avdeevsky direction, Ukrainian forces repelled enemy attacks in the Avdeevka and Severny districts, in the Maryinsky direction - in the Marinka and Krasnohorivka areas of the Donetsk region, in the Zaporozhye direction - in the Rabotino and Verbovoy districts of the Zaporozhye region. In the Melitopol direction, the Defense Forces continue their offensive.
07:51 At night, in the sky over the Dnepropetrovsk region, air defense forces shot down 12 enemy Shahed UAVs, said the head of the OVA Sergei Lysak. The debris damaged a critical infrastructure facility in the Dnieper, two gas stations and a traffic light were damaged in the Novoaleksandrovsk community of the Dnieper region, but no people were injured.
In addition, the enemy dropped ammunition from a drone on Marganets, Nikopol district, and hit the Krasnogrigoryevsk community with heavy artillery. Ten private houses, outbuildings and a gas pipeline were damaged.
07:28 The Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that the defeat of the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol was a special operation called the Crab Trap . It was the work of the MTR that made it possible to “timely and accurately” hit the Black Sea Fleet headquarters during a meeting of the leadership. The data was transmitted to the Air Force for the strike. “The details of the conduct will become known when it is possible, and the result will be dozens of dead and wounded occupiers, including the senior management of the fleet,” the message says.
04:51 Ukraine is “looking forward” to American Abrams tanks, but will use them very carefully - only for well-prepared breakthrough operations, Budanov said in an interview with The War Zone. “Because if they are used on the front line and simply in combined arms combat, they will not live long. They need to be used in those breakthrough operations, but very well prepared,” explained the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate.
02:49 As a result of the Ukrainian attack on the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol on September 22, at least nine people were killed and 16 were injured, including Russian generals, Budanov said in a commentary to the Voice of America. He clarified that the commander of the group, Colonel General Alexander Romanchuk, and the chief of staff, Lieutenant General Oleg Tsekov, were seriously wounded. The number of injured “ordinary military personnel” who are not headquarters employees is still being determined. “These are military personnel who are on duty, security, and so on - they are not included in the list that I voiced to you,” added the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate.
01:17 Canada will purchase a new batch of missiles for air defense systems for Ukraine, Zelensky said following a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Trudeau added that Canada will help Ukraine repair and maintain Western-made tanks, and will also transfer 35 drones, light armored vehicles and ammunition.