Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 09-11-2024

Lawmakers are scheduled to debate national air defense law on Wednesday. Some say that if a Russian attack drone violates Romanian air space, the Air Force should be allowed to open fire.

Romanian Air Force F-16 fighters successfully intercepted an explosives-toting Russian drone violating NATO airspace during a recent Kremlin attack on Ukraine but the pilots weren’t allowed to shoot down the unmanned, robotic aircraft because it would have been illegal under the Romanian national law, news reports and official statements said.

The two Romanian fighter pilots caught up with the Russian Shahed drone – an Iranian-designed flying wing the size of a motorcycle and usually armed with a 30-75 kg warhead – after it flew into NATO air space over the Danube delta shortly after 2 a.m. on Sunday, according to a Romania Defense Ministry press release made public on Monday.

Is Russia really “winning” in the Donbas? Or is Russia headed for a Pyrrhic victory to win small towns in the Donbas but without any plan to win the war?

US President Joe Biden, asked in Washington whether he would let Ukraine use longer-range weapons for strikes on Russian targets, said: "We're working that out right now."

The US and British top diplomats vowed Wednesday to work together for Ukraine's victory as they discussed further easing rules on firing Western weapons into Russia, whose alleged acquisition of Iranian missiles has raised new fears.

In a rare joint trip, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken took the nine-hour train from Poland to Kyiv alongside Foreign Secretary David Lammy, whose two-month-old Labour government has vowed to keep up Britain's role as a key defender of Ukraine.

The three governments had announced they would take steps to cancel air services agreements with Iran and "work towards imposing sanctions on Iran Air".

Iran has vowed to respond to fresh sanctions imposed by Britain, France and Germany over what they said was its supply of short-range missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine.

"This action of the three European countries is the continuation of the hostile policy of the West and economic terrorism against the people of Iran, which will face the appropriate and proportionate action of the Islamic Republic of Iran," foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said in a statement late Tuesday.

Erdogan stated that the peninsula must be returned to Ukraine in accordance with international law and expressed hope for a peace based on Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Speaking via video link to participants of Kyiv’s Crimea Platform meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 11, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared that Crimea, illegally annexed and occupied by Russia, must return to Ukraine in accordance with international law, according to reports in Anadolu Ajansı and the Moscow Times.

“Our support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence remains unwavering. The return of Crimea to Ukraine is a requirement of international law,” Erdogan said.

In the wake of reports that the US may lift restrictions on using its weapons on Russian territory, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia’s offensive on Ukraine was itself a “response.”

The Kremlin on Wednesday, Sept. 11, said it would respond “appropriately” if the US lifts its restrictions on Ukraine using American-supplied missiles to strike targets inside Russia, after US President Joe Biden said he was “working that out.”

Asked what the Kremlin’s answer to the move would be, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “It will be appropriate,” adding that Russia’s offensive on Ukraine was itself a “response” to the West’s support for Kyiv.

A Ukrainian expert has cast doubt on claims that Russia’s new tethered military drone was developed by the Novgorod NPC Ushkuy plant and is actually a Chinese commercial import.

In August, as Ukraine’s forces advanced into Kursk, supported by electronic warfare (EW) assets that rendered Russia’s conventional reconnaissance and attack drones impotent, Moscow unveiled what it claimed was a new fiber-optic controlled drone that was impervious to jamming.

Videos posted on social media on Aug. 12 and 18 purported to show what were claimed to be attacks on Ukrainian BTR-4 reconnaissance vehicles near the village of Giri using fiber-optic controlled first-person view (FPV) drones.

The so-called ghost fleet of tankers with opaque ownership or without proper insurance has allowed the Kremlin to keep exporting despite the export embargo and oil price cap on its global sales.

The British government on Wednesday announced new sanctions on Russia's "shadow fleet" of tankers which Moscow uses to export oil, bypassing a Western embargo imposed after its invasion of Ukraine.

Experts say the so-called ghost fleet of tankers with opaque ownership or without proper insurance has allowed the Kremlin to keep exporting despite the embargo on exports and oil price cap on its global sales.

The fast-paced presidential debate shed new light on how a Trump or Harris White House might diverge in assisting Ukraine to repel Russia’s multi-year invasion.

In their first and perhaps only debate ahead of the US presidential election in November, the two candidates – Donald Trump, the former president, and Kamala Harris, the current vice president – squared off over Ukraine with Trump saying that had he been president the Russia’s Ukraine invasion would never have happened and Harris saying that Putin would already be in Kyiv and preparing to attack Poland had Trump been in office.

Trump

Ukrainian soldiers used FPV drones to destroy the Russian Solntsepyok “heavy flamethrower” as it was in the process of launching ammunition near Chasiv Yar.

Soldiers from the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, named after King Danylo, reportedly destroyed a Russian TOS 1-A Solntsepyok “heavy flamethrower” near Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region on Tuesday Sept. 10 as it was involved in active ammunition launches.

According to a Telegram report, the drone attack was carried out by the Brigade’s RAROG unmanned aerial systems battalion.

For the second consecutive week, the MoF borrowed Hr.20 billion ($488 million) in the week. There were no material changes in interest rates. Bond Market Insight for Sept. 11.

The MoF rejected nearly one-third of the demand to keep the cut-off rate for 12-month bills at 14.65%.

The Ministry rejected just two bids that required an increase to 14.75%.

A German court said that suspects from Armenia, Ukraine and Russia were likely employed by a foreign intelligence agency intent on kidnapping or even assassinating the targeted individual.

Three spies arrested in June in Frankfurt am Main have been suspected of spying on a former Ukrainian intelligence officer, according to a ruling by Germany’s Federal Court of Justice (BGH).

German news outlet Zeit, citing the ruling, said the suspects were citizens of Armenia, Ukraine and Russia tasked with collecting information on an individual from Ukraine in Germany on behalf of an unspecified foreign secret service. The court said the collected information was “highly likely” intended to prepare further intelligence operations in Germany.

During reconnaissance within the region, partisans discovered engineering equipment including excavators being used to prepare Russian fortifications and trenches.

The Atesh resistance movement conducted reconnaissance on the construction of a new defensive line by Russian troops near the village of Vyshneve in the Zaporizhzhia region.

The visit comes as President Volodymyr Zelensky ramps up his requests to the West to provide weapons with more firepower and fewer restrictions.

The US and British top diplomats began a visit Wednesday, Sept. 11, to Ukraine, where they will discuss further easing rules on firing Western weapons into Russia, whose alleged acquisition of Iranian missiles has raised new fears.

In a rare joint trip, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken took the nine-hour train from Poland to Kyiv alongside Foreign Secretary David Lammy, whose two-month-old Labour government has vowed to keep up Britain's role as a key defender of Ukraine.

It’s in the West’s best interest to help Ukraine not simply to not lose the war with Russia but to help it win it as soon as possible.

Article 51 of the United Nations Charter stipulates that: “Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations …”.

As a member of the United Nations under an armed attack, Ukraine is entitled to that inherent right of self-defense and all other UN member states, respecting both the letter and the spirit of the United Nations Charter, should not only refrain from impairing that right, but actually help Ukraine uphold it.

Russian milbloggers citing Russia’s General Staff reported that Moscow had launched a large-scale counteroffensive against Ukrainian held territory on Tuesday Sept. 10.

The Rybar Telegram channel, which allegedly has close ties to Russia’s Army General Staff, reported late on Sept. 10 the start of Moscow’s counteroffensive in the Korenevsky district in the Kursk Oblast and reported clashes in several settlements including Gordeevka and Vnezapnoe on the western edge of the area occupied by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).

A second pro-Kremlin milblogger, Dva Mayora reported that Russia had deployed elite units from the 51st Parachute Regiment and the 155th Marine Brigade in support of the offensive. It is claimed that Russian troops were advancing near the villages of Byakhovo, Snagost and Apanasovka and posted video that allegedly showed footage of the capture of nine Ukrainians near Snagost. He claimed that fighting was ongoing in the town of Viktorovka.

Vice President Kamala Harris put in a strong performance in the presidential debate. She accused Donald Trump of being ready to sacrifice Ukraine to his “adored” Putin.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump gave voters the clearest image yet of how their administrations will shape US foreign policy if they win the White House in November – and voters took notice. Millions of viewers tuned in from around the world to watch the duo spar in Pennsylvania, an important swing state, on Tuesday night for what may be the only debate between the two candidates. Harris immediately set the stage before the discussion began by walking over to Trump, who stands almost 20 centimeters (8 inches) taller than her, at the lectern and offering him a firm handshake – the first time the two have ever met in person.

Neither candidate laid out specific policy objectives for standing alongside Ukraine or other allies, instead offering starkly different perspectives on America’s role as the defender of democracy at home and abroad. But one candidate impressed voters.

In Russia’s Belgorod region, a locomotive and train cars derailed due to “illegal interference.” No injuries were reported, but passenger trains were rerouted.

In the Novooskolsky district of Russia’s Belgorod region, a locomotive and several freight train cars derailed, according to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, who posted on Telegram Wednesday, Sept. 11.

Gladkov said that the incident occurred due to “illegal interference with railway operations,” although no further details were provided. He also noted that there were no injuries and passenger trains had been diverted around the site of the incident.

The world in focus, as seen by a Canadian leading global affairs analyst, writer and speaker, in his review of international media.

Joe Biden is poised to lift a ban on British Storm Shadow missiles being fired into Russia by Ukraine. The president is considering changing policy after it emerged Iran is now arming Russia with ballistic missiles, which could be used in Ukraine within weeks. Antony Blinken, Mr Biden’s secretary of state, is due in Ukraine today with David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, to discuss lifting restrictions with Volodymyr Zelensky. Mr Biden and Sir Keir Starmer would then discuss changing the policy in a White House summit on Friday, Mr Blinken said, adding that the president was “not ruling it out”. The delivery of new Iranian arms to Russia is thought to have prompted fresh discussions between the US and UK over the use of Storm Shadows. “Russia has now received shipments of these ballistic missiles and will likely use them within weeks in Ukraine against Ukrainians,” Mr Blinken said on a visit to London on Tuesday. British government sources close to policy believe a change in position on long-range missiles is possible this week but not guaranteed, with discussions remaining live at a senior level - The Telegraph

Kamala Harris commanded the first debate against Donald J. Trump, flashing her prosecutorial skills to leverage every chance to get under the former president’s skin in a 90-minute clash of visions and style. They disagreed fiercely on abortion and the economy, immigration and the war in Ukraine. But throughout the night, Mr. Trump found himself in a defensive crouch, relitigating his record rather than picking apart hers. The contrast was apparent even on mute. She smiled. He glowered. He spoke more, but she dictated the terms of the evening. Ms. Harris dominated the proceedings from nearly the start. She laid bait. He took it. It began with her needling Mr. Trump that his bored supporters had been leaving his rallies. It continued with her comment that he had inherited riches from his father. And on it went as she invoked his Republican critics, including those who served in his administration. On the back foot, Mr. Trump repeatedly spun down rhetorical cul-de-sacs. At one point, Ms. Harris invited viewers to watch a Trump rally for a more unfiltered view of the former president. “You will not hear him talk about your needs,” she said. - NYT

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina, and Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil arrived in Kyiv for a major diplomatic summit.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina and Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil arrived in Kyiv today, Sept. 11, to participate in the Crimean Platform summit.

They will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other international leaders during the visit.

US Secretary of State Blinken has taken the train to Kyiv with Foreign Secretary David Lammy, whose two-month-old Labour government has vowed to keep up Britain’s role as a key defender of Ukraine.

The US and British top diplomats headed together into Ukraine on Wednesday to discuss further easing rules on firing Western weapons into Russia, whose alleged acquisition of Iranian missiles has raised new fears.

In a rare joint trip, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was taking the train to Kyiv with Foreign Secretary David Lammy, whose two-month-old Labour government has vowed to keep up Britain's role as a key defender of Ukraine.

A staff-level agreement on the fifth review of the four-year Extended Fund Facility Agreement, subject to approval by the IMF executive board, would clear the way for Ukraine to access the money.

The International Monetary Fund late Tuesday said it has reached an agreement with Ukraine on an aid program review that could open the door to $1.1 billion for the war-battered country.

A staff-level agreement on the fifth review of the four-year Extended Fund Facility Agreement, subject to approval by the IMF executive board, would clear the way for Ukraine to access the money, according to the IMF.

Russian sources, including the notorious “Fighterbomber” milblogger say Armenia has provided Ukraine with multiple air defense systems as part of a significant military aid package.

Yerevan allegedly signed a contract with the European Commission on Aug. 28, worth €210 million ($232 million) to supply Soviet era 152mm artillery and tank ammunition and air defense systems to Kyiv. According to mainstream and social media sources, Armenia was in fact in the process of transferring almost all of its air defense assets to Ukraine via Georgia’s ports.

Following a visit to Armenia by French President Emmanuel Macron in February and with another slated for this month, Yerevan will allegedly receive modern French weapons including the Mistral man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) armored vehicles, Caesar self-propelled howitzers and radar systems in return for making the transfers to Kyiv.

The 3rd Separate Assault Brigade in the Kharkiv region successfully targeted Russian T-72 and T-80 tanks, damaging their turrets, as Ukraine rebuffed a Russian attack.

Troops from Ukraine’s 92nd Separate Assault Brigade repelled a Russian assault in the Kharkiv region, destroying Russian armored vehicles, including a T-72 tank.

“The assault failed! The enemy’s attempts to storm the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade’s positions in the Kharkiv region came to nothing,” read the caption of a video shared on Telegram.

According to Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine's weapons production tripled last year and has doubled again in the first eight months of 2024.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal reported a significant ramp-up in Ukraine's weapons production on Tuesday, Sept. 6, as the government focuses on innovation and closer ties with the European arms manufacturing market.

According to Shmyhal, Ukraine's weapons production tripled last year and has doubled in the first eight months of 2024.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed on September 10 that Iran has sent short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) to Russia amid growing international condemnation of Tehran's support for Russia's war in Ukraine.
• Russia and the People's Republic of China (PRC) continue to pursue various avenues of military-technical cooperation.
• Ukrainian forces conducted a large series of drone strikes in Russia on the night of September 9 to 10.
• US President Joe Biden stated on September 10 that the presidential administration is working on lifting restrictions on Ukraine's ability to use US-provided weapons to strike military objects within Russia.
• The Kremlin is reportedly allocating roughly 59 billion rubles (about $648 million) to strengthen its technical ability to restrict internet traffic on its sovereign internet.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast amid continued Ukrainian offensive operations in the area on September 10.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Kreminna, Siversk, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Donetsk City.
• The German-based Kiel Institute for the World Economy published a report on September 9 warning that Russia has significantly increased its defense industrial base (DIB) capabilities since 2022 and that depleting weapons and equipment stockpiles may not significantly impact future Russian DIB production.