CDS Daily brief (09.09.22) | CDS comments on key events

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Humanitarian aspect:

As of the morning of September 9, 2022, more than 1,126 Ukrainian children are victims of full-scale armed aggression by the Russian Federation, Prosecutor General’s Office reports. The official number of children who have died and been wounded in the course of the Russian aggression increased to 383 children killed and more than 743 children injured, respectively. However, the data is not conclusive since data collection continues in the areas of active hostilities, temporarily occupied areas, and liberated territories.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, at night, the Russian shelled the Nikopol district. No victims were reported. Country houses and farm buildings are damaged.

In Kharkiv, a three-story administrative building in the Saltivskyi district burned down due to shelling, and there was a hit in the Kyivskyi district. In total, 3 people died in Kharkiv during the last day, and 7 more were injured.

On September 9, Russians heavily shelled the Shevchenkiv district of Kharkiv with anti-aircraft missiles. A kindergarten was damaged, and a gas station was on fire, the city’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov, reported. The preliminary number of injured civilians is 14 people. Among them are children aged 3, 11 and 15 years.

On September 8, 12 civilians were killed by enemy shelling in Donetsk Oblast: 8 – in Bakhmut, 2

– in Zaitseve, 1 – in New York and 1 – in Fedorivka. Another 23 people were injured. At night, the Russians shelled the Pokrovsk, Kramatorsk and Bakhmut districts of the Oblast. In Bakhmut, 20 private and 6 high-rise apartment buildings, 4 shops, a palace of culture and an administrative building were damaged. In addition, the market came under fire — 107 containers were damaged. The city has been without water and electricity for the fourth day — repairs are impossible due to active hostilities. In Slovyansk, warehouses and a college building were damaged. In Kostyantynivka – an enterprise and a house. Two houses were damaged in Rai- Olexandrivka.

During September 8 and the night of September 9, the enemy shelled the Mykolaiv and Bashtan districts of the Mykolayiv Oblast. No victims were reported. In the village of Shyroke, the Administration Center and the school were destroyed.

The enemy constantly shelled Sumy Oblast. Ukrainian Media reported

7 wounded as the result of the morning shelling of a hospital in Sumy Oblast. Without crossing the border of Ukraine, Russian enemy aircraft fired at a hospital. The premises have been destroyed, said the head of Sumy Military Administration, Dmytro Zhyvytskyi.

In Zaporizhzhya Oblast, on September 8, the Russians shelled the Polohy, Vasyliv and Zaporizhzhya districts of the Oblast. Twenty-eight objects of civil infrastructure were damaged.

Occupied territories

The Kharkiv Regional police returned to the liberated territories of the Oblast. Starting September 9, law enforcement officers began to record the facts of the occupiers’ crimes and are also ready to counteract possible provocations by enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups.

Filtration measures will be carried out in the liberated Balakliya. Their goal is to identify collaborators and Russian agents.

Operational situation

It is the 198th day of the strategic air-ground offensive operation of the Russian Armed Forces against Ukraine (in the official terminology of the Russian Federation – “operation to protect Donbas”). The enemy continues to concentrate its efforts on establishing full control over the territory of Donetsk Oblast, maintaining the captured parts of Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhya, and Mykolaiv Oblasts.

In the Bryansk region of Russia, units of the 106th airborne division (from Tula) of the Russian Airborne Forces and the 144th motorized rifle division (from Smolensk) of the 20th Army of the Western Military District continue to be deployed for the protection of the state border of the Russian Federation.

The enemy constantly conducts UAV aerial reconnaissance and continues attempts to improve the logistical support of its troops.

Over the past 24 hours, the enemy launched 45 air strikes and 5 missile strikes, in particular at Kharkiv, Kostyantynivka, Tsyrkuny, Radushne of Kharkiv Oblast, Senkivka in Chernihiv Oblast, Myropilske, Veliky Prykil and Prohody of Sumy Oblast. There are victims among the civilian population.

Military exercises have begun on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, during which it is planned to work out the issue of “liberation of captured territories”. There is still a threat of launching missile and air strikes on the territory of Ukraine from the Republic of Belarus.

In connection with the Ukrainian troops’ offensive in some areas of the Kherson Oblast, units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are switching to the tactics of terrorist actions against local civilians. Thus, according to available information, in Velyka Oleksandrivka, the Russian occupiers use the local population as a “human shield”. The village is closed for entry and exit.

Units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces heroically hold their positions and prevent the enemy from advancing. They successfully repulsed the enemy’s offensive in the areas of Uda, Kostyantynivka, Virnopillya, Ploske, Mayorsk, Bezimenne, Kamianka, Dovgenke, Dibrivne, Hryhorivka, Soledar, Pervomaiske, Nevelske, Maryinka.

Ukrainian Defense Forces are conducting a successful counteroffensive in the Kharkiv direction. Thanks to the skillful and coordinated actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with the local population’s support, they advanced almost 50 km in 3 days. According to intelligence, some enemy units suffered significant losses. The Russian troops are trying to evacuate wounded personnel and damaged military equipment to the areas of Vilkhuvatka and Borodoyarske. Personnel of the occupying forces in civilian clothes resort to desertion and try to return to the territory of the Russian Federation; more than 15 such cases were recorded during the day.

Missile troops and artillery of the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to perform tasks of counter- battery combat, disruption of the enemy command and control system and logistical support, and destruction of enemy manpower and combat equipment.

During the past 24 hours, to support the actions of ground groupings, the Ukrainian Air Force carried out more than 32 strikes and destroyed four platoon strongholds, 21 areas of concentration of manpower and military equipment, 5 anti-aircraft missile systems, 6 UAVs and a Ka-52 helicopter.

During the past 24 hours, the enemy launched four rocket attacks at Kostyantynivka, Tsyrkuny, Bereznehuvate and Kharkiv, there were victims among the civilian population, and 15 air strikes on military and civilian objects in the areas of Temyrivka, Krasnohorivka, Volodymyrivka and Novomykhailivka.

The Russian military fired more than ten rounds of “Grad” and “Uragan” rocket launchers at Serebryanka, Platonivka, and Tavriyske.

As a result of the successful actions of the partisan movement in cooperation with the artillery of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, the enemy units have significant problems with logistical support in the temporarily captured territories of the Kherson region.

To counter the leakage of information about the movement of occupation units at the railway station in Sokologhirne, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have strengthened their filtering measures.

The morale and psychological state of the personnel of the invasion forces remain low.

Kharkiv direction

• Zolochiv-Balakleya section: approximate length of combat line – 147 km, number of BTGs of the RF Armed Forces – 10-12, the average width of the combat area of one BTG – 13.3 km;

• Deployed enemy BTGs: 26th, 153rd and 197th tank regiments, 245th motorized rifle regiment of the 47th tank division, 6th and 239th tank regiments, 228th motorized rifle regiment of the 90th tank division, 1st motorized rifle regiment, 1st tank regiment of the 2nd motorized rifle division, 25th and 138th separate motorized rifle brigades of the 6th Combined Arms Army, 27th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 1st Tank Army, 275th and 280th motorized rifle regiments, 11th tank regiment of the 18th motorized rifle division of the 11 Army Corps, 7th motorized rifle regiment of the 11th Army Corps, 80th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 14th Army Corps, 2nd and 45th separate SOF brigades of the Airborne Forces, 1st Army Corps of so-called DPR, PMCs.

The enemy continued firing from barrel and jet artillery in the areas of Udy, Sosnivka, Duvanka, Tsupivka, Prudyanka, Dementiivka, Velyki Prohody, Pytomnyk, Ruski Tyshki, Petrivka, Peremoha, Bayrak, Kostiantynivka, Svitlychne, Nove, Male Vesele, Cherkaski Tyshky, Staryi Saltiv.

The enemy troops tried to hold on to the Novy Burluk – Kupyansk line, which would have allowed them to concentrate reserves in the Artemivka – Shipuvate – Prosyanka – Chervona Khvyla areas.

In the occupied part of the Chuhuyiv district of the Kharkiv region, the enemy began active measures to mobilize the local population forcibly. Men of conscription age are detained and sent to Vovchansk, to the so-called “recruitment center”.

Kramatorsk direction

• Balakleya – Siversk section: approximate length of the combat line – 184 km, the number of BTGs of the RF Armed Forces – 17-20, the average width of the combat area of one BTG – 9.6 km;
• 252nd and 752nd motorized rifle regiments of the 3rd motorized rifle division, 1st, 13th and 12th tank regiments, 423rd motorized rifle regiment of the 4th tank division, 201st military base, 15th, 21st, 30th separate motorized rifle brigades of the 2nd Combined Arms Army, 35th, 55th and 74th separate motorized rifle brigades of the 41st Combined Arms Army, 3rd and 14th separate SOF brigades, 2nd and 4th separate motorized rifle brigades of the 2nd Army Corps, 7th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 1st Army Corps, PMCs.

The enemy is concentrating its primary efforts in the Siversk direction. The enemy troops shelled the positions of Ukrainian units with barrel and rocket artillery and tank weapons near Dolyna, Krasnopillia, Sloviansk, Mykillske, Virnopillia, Nova Dmytrivka, Bohorodychne, Novomykolaivka, Serebryanka, Siversk, Verkhnyokamyanske, Ivano-Daryivka, Spirne, Rozdolivka, Hryhorivka, Pryshyb, and Pereizne.

Donetsk direction

• Siversk – Maryinka section: approximate length of the combat line – 235 km, the number of BTGs of the RF Armed Forces – 13-15, the average width of the combat area of one BTG – 17 km;
• Deployed BTGs: 68th and 163rd tank regiments, 102nd and 103rd motorized rifle regiments of the 150 motorized rifle division, 80th tank regiment of the 90th tank division, 35th, 55th and 74th separate motorized rifle brigades of the 41st Combined Arms Army, 31st separate airborne assault brigade, 61st separate marines brigade of the Joint Strategic Command “Northern Fleet”, 336th separate marines brigade, 24th separate SOF brigade, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 15th, and 100th separate motorized rifle brigades, 9th and 11th separate motorized rifle regiment of the 1st Army Corps of the so-called DNR, 6th motorized rifle regiment of the 2nd Army Corps of the so-called LNR, PMCs.

The enemy’s main efforts were focused on the conduct of hostilities in the Bakhmut operational direction. The enemy troops shelled the positions of the Ukraine Defense Forces near Yakovlivka, Soledar, Bakhmutske, Bakhmut, Vesela Dolyna, Zaytseve, New York, Vesele, Kamianka, Avdiivka, Pervomaiske, Vodyane, and Opytne.

Zaporizhzhya direction

• Maryinka – Vasylivka section: approximate length of the line of combat – 200 km, the number of BTGs of the RF Armed Forces – 17, the average width of the combat area of one BTG – 11.7 km;
• Deployed BTGs: 36th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 29th Combined Arms Army, 38th and 64th separate motorized rifle brigades, 69th separate cover brigade of the 35th Combined Arms Army, 5th separate tank brigade, 37 separate motorized rifle brigade of the 36th Combined Arms Army, 135th, 429th, 503rd and 693rd motorized rifle regiments of the 19th motorized rifle division of the 58th Combined Arms Army, 70th, 71st and 291st motorized rifle regiments of the 42nd motorized rifle division of the 58th Combined Arms Army, 136th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 58 Combined Arms Army, 46th and 49th machine gun artillery regiments of the 18th machine gun artillery division of the 68th Army Corps, 39th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 68th Army Corps, 83th separate airborne assault brigade, 40th and 155th separate marines brigades, 22nd separate SOF brigade, 1st Army Corps of the so-called DPR, and 2nd Army Corps of the so-called LPR, PMCs.

The enemy did not carry out active offensive actions. They shelled the positions of Ukrainian troops with tanks, mortars, barrel and rocket artillery in the areas near Maryinka, Paraskoviivka, Novomykhailivka, Velyka Novosilka, Novoukrainka, Prechystivka, Mykilske, Krasnohorivka, Vuhledar, Novomayorske, Yehorivka, Novopole, Vremivka, Poltavka, Zaliznychne, Chervone, Orikhiv, and Novoandriivka.

Kherson direction

• Vasylivka–Nova Zburyivka and Stanislav section: approximate length of the battle line – 252 km, the number of BTGs of the RF Armed Forces – 27, the average width of the combat area of one BTG – 9.3 km;
• Deployed BTGs: 114th, 143rd and 394th motorized rifle regiments, 218th tank regiment of the 127th motorized rifle division of the 5th Combined Arms Army, 57th and 60th separate motorized rifle brigades of the 5th Combined Arms Army, 135th, 503rd and 693rd motorized rifle regiments of the 19th motorized rifle division, 70th, 71st and 291st motorized rifle regiments of the 42nd motorized rifle division, 51st and 137th parachute airborne regiments of the 106th parachute airborne division, 7th military base of the 49th Combined Arms Army, 16th and 346th separate SOF brigades.

The operational situation is unchanged.

Kherson-Berislav bridgehead

• Velyka Lepetikha – Oleksandrivka section: approximate length of the battle line – 250 km, the number of BTGs of the RF Armed Forces – 22, the average width of the combat area of one BTG – 11.8 km;

• Deployed BTGs: 108th Air assault regiment, 171st separate airborne assault brigade of the 7th Air assault division, 4th military base of the 58th Combined Arms Army, 429th motorized rifle regiment of the 19th motorized rifle division, 33rd and 255th motorized rifle regiments of the 20th motorized rifle division, 34th and 205th separate motorized rifle brigades of the 49th Combined Arms Army, 224th, 237th and 239th Air assault regiments of the 76th Air assault division, 217th and 331 Air assault regiments of the 98th Air assault division, 126th separate coastal defense brigade, 127th separate ranger brigade, 11th separate airborne assault brigade, 10th separate SOF brigade, PMC.

The enemy fired at Ukrainian troops with mortars, barrel artillery and MLRS in the areas of Arkhangelske, Novovoznesensk, Myrolyubivka, Novovoskresenske, Biloghirka, Novohryhorivka, Shevchenkove, Lyubomirivka, Ternovi Pody, Stepova Dolyna, Myrne, Olhyne, Oleksandrivka, Tavriyske, Bila Krynytsia, Pervomaiske , Lyubimivka, Zeleny Hai, Petrivka, Pravdyne, and Ivanivka.

Azov-Black Sea Maritime Operational Area:

The forces of the Russian Black Sea Fleet continue to project force on the coast and the continental part of Ukraine and control the northwestern part of the Black Sea. The ultimate goal is to deprive Ukraine of access to the sea and connect unrecognized Transnistria with the Russian Federation by land through the coast of the Black and Azov seas.

Along the southern coast of Crimea, there are two enemy missile carriers, a frigate and a small missile ship. Up to 16 enemy Kalibr missiles are ready for a salvo. Additionally, more than ten other enemy warships and vessels of the auxiliary fleet of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla are at sea, providing reconnaissance and blockade of navigation in the Azov-Black Sea waters.

Three Russian patrol ships and boats are on combat duty in the waters of the Sea of Azov on the approaches to the Mariupol and Berdyansk seaports.

Most large amphibious ships are in the ports of Novorossiysk and Sevastopol for replenishment and scheduled maintenance. There are no signs of preparation for an amphibious assault on the southern coast of Ukraine.

One enemy project 636.3 submarine is on high alert in Sevastopol; three submarines are in Novorossiysk.

Enemy aviation continues to fly from Crimean airfields Belbek and Gvardiyske over the northwestern part of the Black Sea. Over the past day, 10 Su-27, Su-30 and Su-24 aircraft from Belbek and Saki airfields were involved.

On the evening of September 8, another sea mine was washed up by the sea to the Odesa beach. The mine was defused by a unit of the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Over the past two

months, more than 10 cases of washed-up sea mines onto the coast of Odesa and Mykolaiv Oblasts were recorded.

The humanitarian corridor for grain export from the Ukrainian ports of Odesa continues to function. During his speech at the Eastern Economic Forum on September 7, Russian President Putin threatened to stop the free movement of ships because most grain cargo goes to European countries. According to him, only 2 out of 87 ships were loaded under the UN World Food Program, which provides assistance to the “most needy countries”.

This statement does not correspond to reality and is yet another manipulation. As of September 8, 54 ships with 1.04 million tons of grain were sent to Asian countries, 32 ships with 0.85 million tons to Europe, and 16 ships with 0.47 million tons of agricultural products to Africa.

Operational losses of the enemy from 24.02 to 09.09

Personnel – almost 51,900 people (+650);

Tanks – 2,122 (+10);

Armored combat vehicles – 4,575 (+18);

Artillery systems – 1,237 (+11);

Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 306 (+1); Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 159 (0); Vehicles and fuel tanks – 3,399 (+55); Aircraft – 239 (0);

Helicopters – 211 (+1);

UAV operational and tactical level – 888 (+4); Intercepted cruise missiles – 214 (0);

Boats / ships – 15 (0).

Ukraine, general news

In the second quarter of 2022, Ukraine’s GDP fell by 37.2% compared to last year, according to the Bloomberg agency. The current drop in GDP is the largest in the previous ten years.

Ukraine will demand reparations due to the war in the amount of at least $300 billion from Russia, Minister of Justice Denys Malyuska told the publication of the Funke media group, DW writes.

International diplomatic aspect

“We are far from the end of this destructive process”, said the Russian Permanent Representative to the UN that called an extraordinary meeting of the Security Council. He believes that Western weaponry is not playing a decisive role on the battlefield, “regardless of what the Ukrainian vassals are saying”. Vassily Nebenzia accused the US of “pumping” Ukraine with weaponry, which is used against civilian objects, and the EU of violating their “Common Position” rules, which ban

the licensing of arms exports if it creates a violation of international humanitarian law. He dared to accuse UAF of targeting civilians, including “the carnage in Olenivka.” However, he didn’t mention that Ukraine uses its right to self-defence against Russia’s unjust, unprovoked, illegal war of aggression. Neither he accepted responsibility for numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Russian Armed Forces. He also provided no evidence of an absurdist claim that it was a Ukrainian HIMARS system that targeted 50 Ukrainian POWs in Olenivka nor explained why Russia still hasn’t allowed a UN investigation team to arrive at the crime scene.

“The Russian Federation has not provided access to prisoners of war held on its territory or in territory under its occupation,” stated the head of the UN’s human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine. “This is all the more worrying since we have documented that prisoners of war in the power of the Russian Federation and held by the Russian Federation’s armed forces or by affiliated armed groups have suffered torture and ill-treatment,” said Matilda Bogner.

The UK Permanent Representative stated that Ukraine has every right to defend itself, legally and morally. It is fighting not just for its existence but in defence of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations itself. The US diplomat clarified that the meeting was just an attempt to distract from the one a day before on the forced displacement of Ukrainians amid reports of torture associated with Russia’s “abhorrent” use of filtration camps. Richard M. Mills, JR. stressed that the US “will not stop our support to Ukraine just because Russia is frustrated that its attempt at regime change has not gone to plan.”

The Ukrainian diplomat blamed Russia for paralyzing the main UN body, “It is solely the presence of Russia in the permanent seat of the Soviet Union that has immobilized the Security Council in relation to ensuring the peace and security of Ukraine”. Sergiy Kyslytsya stressed that Ukrainians are defending themselves, Europe, the world and the UN Charter, and they will keep on fighting until the last inch of the sovereign territory of Ukraine, including Crimea, is liberated. He explained the logic behind defence support to Ukraine, saying that the evil of Putin as that of Hitler before him requires a global response. This was the case during the Second World war. This is the case right now, and Ukraine and its allies are doing their best to ensure such a response.

The US Treasury announced sanctions against Iranian companies involved in selling drones to Russia for the war in Ukraine. Currently, there are no indications that new sanctions will be imposed on North Korea, which is providing Russia with legacy munitions. Pyongyang also expressed its interest in sending some 10,000 workers to reconstruct cities and towns of Eastern Ukraine after the Russian Armed Forces levelled them.

In the meantime, the Government of Ukraine, the European Commission, and the World Bank, in cooperation with partners, estimate that the current cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine amounts to $349 billion, which is expected to grow. The Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) assessed that over the next 36 months, US$105 billion is needed to address urgent needs such as restoring education and healthcare systems and infrastructure, preparing
for the upcoming winter through the restoration of heating and energy to homes, support to agriculture, and repair of vital transport routes. The EU finance ministers in Prague agreed to speed up the next part of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine of €5 billion. “The new loan in the amount of five billion euros will go to the normal operation of the state and ensure the operation of critical infrastructure in the country, such as offices, schools or hospitals,” said Minister of Finance of the Czech Republic Zbyněk Stanjura.

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