Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 09-25-2024

The invasion of Ukraine and the Hamas attack on Israel meant the US Transport Command had to learn how to navigate peacetime rules to get weapons and materiel support where it was needed.

In a Sept. 21 report in the Air and Space Forces military issues website, Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost, head of the US Transport Command (USTRANSCOM), the military’s top logistics officer spoke about the hard lessons her organization had to learn about projecting military support during peacetime.

USTRANSCOM is responsible for integrating global military and civilian logistic support to ten US combat commands, the military services in general, defense agencies and other government organizations. As such, it has been supporting the provision of US military and humanitarian aid to the war in Ukraine and the Middle East following the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas.

The P-800 Onyx missiles could significantly enhance the Houthis' ability to target commercial vessels and threaten US and European warships in the Red Sea.

Russia, with Iran’s mediation, is reportedly holding secret talks with Yemen's Houthi rebels about supplying P-800 Oniks (Yakhont) anti-ship cruise missiles, according to Reuters, citing Western and regional sources.

Negotiations have reportedly begun under former Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi, who died in May.

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

Israel's military says it is carrying out a new wave of "extensive" strikes in southern Lebanon and the Beqaa area.

Fifteen people have been killed in the attacks, Lebanon's health ministry says. Earlier, Israel said it had intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Hezbollah towards Tel Aviv - the first such rocket to target the country's biggest city. Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, says it is resisting Israeli "aggression" and acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Israel says it aims to remove the threat from Hezbollah and return displaced residents. The UK PM has told British nationals in Lebanon to "leave immediately". Citizens from other countries - including the US, Canada, France and Japan - have also been urged to leave - BBC

Highlights from speeches about Ukraine and Russia’s war against it by world leaders during the first day of the UN General Assembly in New York on Sept. 24.

World leaders speaking on the opening day of the 79th UN General Assembly in New York referenced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, among other pressing global issues.

Here is a selection of what was said.

Local resident Tatyana Rybakova was standing nearby, pointing at the place where her flat used to be on the eighth floor, now a gaping hole.

A Russian strike on Wednesday on the city of Kramatorsk in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region killed two and wounded at least 15.

“Two people have already died, reports Oleksandr Honcharenko, the head of the Kramatorsk city military administration,” The Kramatorsk City Council page reported on Telegram.

Trump told prospective Georgia voters the US is getting taken for a ride but European support to Ukraine outmatches the US by practically all metrics.

US Presidential candidate Donald Trump at a recent campaign stop said American taxpayer-funded support to Ukraine was close to an eye-watering $300 billion, and that Europe isn’t even close to paying its fair share.

The reality is that Trump’s figure – “revealed’ to prospective voters in Savannah Georgia – was wrong and overstated US support to Ukraine by at least a factor of four, and maybe more, a Kyiv Post fact check found.

The latest Russian attack on Wednesday morning succeeded, marking a departure from earlier failed attempts.

The 72nd Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) has reportedly begun retreating from its positions amid ongoing Russian efforts to encircle Vuhledar in the Donetsk region, according to a report by Forbes analyst David Axe.

Axe said that the Russian attack on Wednesday, Sept. 25, succeeded, unlike previous unsuccessful attempts.

The Turkish President said NATO shouldn’t rush Ukraine membership

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his country’s relations with Russia are “expanding” and that Ukraine’s NATO membership is not a matter “to be rushed,” NBC reported.

 “And when making our minds, when we are taking our decisions, we always take into consideration the stance of other NATO member states, we discuss those possible questions around the table and make the final decision accordingly,” Erdogan told NBC on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

A Trump Win Would Cause a Crisis for Kyiv—but Wouldn’t Guarantee Defeat

Having a strategy—a theory of victory—is essential to winning a war. In 2022, Russia’s initial plan to capture Kyiv and decapitate Ukraine’s leadership failed, and its current approach of grinding down Ukraine’s resistance through attritional war is just as unlikely to succeed.

Ukraine, meanwhile, adeptly deployed defensive tactics to expel Russian troops from the Kyiv and Kharkiv regions, as well as much of Kherson, in 2022. But Ukraine’s 2023 offensive lacked the troops, resources, and tactics necessary to score a decisive battlefield victory against Russia, and although this summer’s Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region has thrown Moscow’s forces into disarray, it will not lead Kyiv to victory.

The effectiveness of earlier measures have reportedly waned since the end of last year

The European Union and 12 partner countries have met in Brussels to discuss the effectiveness of Western sanctions on Russia and ways to strengthen the G7 price cap on Russian oil, the EU Commission said on Tuesday (24 September).

The Group of Seven countries (G7), in coordination with the EU, imposed a price cap in late 2022 that blocked access to Western shipping services and insurance if the oil was purchased at over $60 a barrel, aiming to reduce Moscow’s ability to finance its war in Ukraine.

The bill would ban citizens of countries that authorise “the change of sex by medical intervention” or allow individuals to change their gender on official identity documents.

Russia's parliament Wednesday voted to back a bill banning the adoption of Russian children in countries that allow gender reassignment, the latest in a series of ultra-conservative social measures.

Moscow has long portrayed itself as a bulwark against liberal values, but that trend has hugely accelerated since the Kremlin launched its Ukraine offensive, further rupturing ties with the West.

HUR special forces cleared the Vovchansk plant in the Kharkiv region, eliminating the Russian army. The operation was successfully completed, and the territory is under the control of the AFU.

Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported that its special forces liberated and cleared the Vovchansk Aggregate Plant in Kharkiv region of Russian troops.

“On Tuesday, Sept 24, at 14:40, the commander of HUR special unit, Timur, reported to the head of HUR, Kyrylo Budanov, about the successful completion of the operation,” the intelligence press service said.

Eurobond prices up on positive news

Bonds: Banks' demand for bonds up as new reserve requirements rolled out

Banks keep purchasing large volume of UAH bonds as the NBU is rolling out a new set of regulations to incentivize them to increase portfolios.Last week, the MoF borrowed UAH12.8bn and EUR23m. The larger part of new proceeds came from two and three-year bonds, about UAH5bn from each issue. See details in the auction review.Trading in the secondary market was insignificant for the second week in a row. Total volume rose by 21% to UAH5.7bn, significantly below the weekly average YTD. FX-bonds' share in trading declined to 23%.The total portfolio of domestic bonds held by the private sector hit a new historic high last week, UAH1.7tn. Banks increased portfolios the most, by UAH8bn to UAH764bn. Household portfolios recovered after having declined earlier this month due to redemptions. It also reached a new historical high, UAH69bn. Non-bank legal entities increased portfolios by UAH3bn to UAH174bn. Only foreign investors decreased portfolios.

Warsaw’s top diplomat in a UN speech laced into Russia’s leadership. Invading Ukraine, kidnapping and brain-washing Ukrainian children are all war crimes and will be prosecuted, he said.

Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski in a blistering Tuesday address to the UN Security Council in New York took down Russia’s national leadership for launching a war of aggression in Ukraine and committing thousands of war crimes, among them taking Ukrainian children away from their parents and training them to become loyal Russian citizens.

The immediate target of Sikorski’s highly undiplomatic, and at times eviscerating comments was Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya, who, Sikorski said, had lied and peddled falsehoods about Moscow’s actions in Ukraine.

Pavel was speaking ahead of a UN General Assembly in New York, mostly dominated by the Russia-Ukraine war.

Parts of Ukraine may need to remain under temporary Russian occupation due to the war, Czech President Petr Pavel has said.

Pavel was speaking ahead of a UN General Assembly in New York expected to be dominated by the Russia-Ukraine war.

The independent commission’s inquiry has identified widespread systematic torture against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war in both the occupied territories and the Russian Federation.

In its latest report to the UN Human Rights Council on Monday the independent international commission set up to investigate human rights violations in Ukraine has uncovered further evidence of widespread torture by Russian authorities directed against both Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war, with instances being reported in both Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine territories and within Russia itself.

The commission said that the extent of the geographic spread of torture and the appearance of the same methods and common patterns of abuse led them to conclude that the practice was systematic, and that the Russian perpetrators saw torture “as a common and acceptable practice with a sense of impunity.”

Zelensky said Tuesday that Russia can only be forced into a peace settlement and vowed not to negotiate on Moscow's terms to end the conflict.

The Kremlin said Wednesday that "forcing" Russia into peace would be a "fatal mistake," rejecting comments made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the United Nations.

Zelensky said Tuesday that Russia can only be forced into a peace settlement and vowed not to negotiate on Moscow's terms to end the conflict.

The French president reportedly warned the Iranian president in person against the latter’s support for Moscow at Tuesday’s UN General Assembly meeting.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday warned his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian after recent Western reports of Tehran supplying short-range missiles to Russia.

Macron “warned the Iranian president against the Islamic Republic’s continuation of support for Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine,” the Elysee said after the two leaders met at the UN General Assembly, as per an AFP report.

Kyiv Post spoke with Ukraine’s Business Ombudsman Roman Waschuk about the state does wrong while dealing with businesses and why creating another new agency for donor’s cash won’t do the magic trick.

The Business Ombudsman Council was established in 2014 and aims to protect legal business rights before the state. Since then, it has saved companies in Ukraine more than half a billion dollars thanks to its investigations.

Roman Waschuk, appointed as the chairman a month before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in January 2022, spoke to Kyiv Post about post-soviet habits of tax inspectors, why Ukrainian entrepreneurs like the Polish tax system more than Ukraine’s and what can be done inside the country to win the hearts of businesses.

Duda added that the war in Ukraine needs to end, not just to ease the people’s suffering and hold Russia accountable but also to prevent these kinds of actions from becoming an example for others.

Russia’s war with Ukraine cannot be allowed to become another “frozen” conflict, Polish President Andrzej Duda said during his address to the 79th session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

Neither Ukraine nor Russia have gained a strategic advantage in the war since it erupted following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. This has prompted speculation that possible plans for a ceasefire or peace agreement could lock the conflict down along the current battle lines in Ukraine.

Speaking to a Security Council session on Tuesday on Ukraine, Zelensky brushed aside calls to negotiate a settlement with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Scene setter: Zelensky faces tough task before the UN General Assembly and in US in boosting support for Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky takes center stage at the United Nations on Wednesday as he seeks to sustain global support ahead of US elections that could bring a sharp shift from his top backer.

Zelensky, clad in his trademark military fatigues, a year ago made a dramatic first wartime appearance before the annual UN General Assembly as he urged international pressure on Russia over its invasion.

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The strikes included an anti-aircraft S-300 missile and three unidentified missiles aimed at the Kharkiv region, while four X-59/69 guided aviation missiles were fired at Odesa.

Russian forces launched several airstrikes targeting multiple regions of Ukraine early morning on Wednesday, Sept. 25, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.

The strikes included an anti-aircraft S-300 missile and three unidentified missiles aimed at the Kharkiv region, while four X-59/69 guided aviation missiles were fired at Odesa.

A former Russian inmate who went to war claims that most soldiers join for money, turning the war into a profitable business. He encountered no patriots, only “drug addicts and alcoholics.”

A former Russian prisoner who went to war claims that most soldiers are motivated by money, and war has become a profitable business, he tells the state project “I Want to Live.” [Хочу Жить!]

According to the former inmate, he did not meet a single patriot who said, “I went to war because I am a patriot of Russia.” Everyone goes to war for money, and for some, war has truly become a profitable business:

Lammy, in New York for the UN General Assembly, said he did not wish to give Russian President Vladimir Putin "any operational advantage."

British foreign minister David Lammy said Tuesday he was working to put Ukraine in the "strongest position" in its war with Russia ahead of the winter months.

Lammy refused to confirm if London would allow Ukraine to use British long-range precision weaponry to strike inside Russia, but said that Iran's supply of ballistic missiles to Moscow had been "a major escalation."

A Ukrainian aerial scout told Kyiv Post that drones designed for rapid infantry landings on the battlefield or even behind enemy lines could appear shortly.

Ukrainian forces have reportedly begun using heavy-duty Vampire drones to deliver robot dogs to positions, according to a video circulating on social media.

The video, which Kyiv Post could not independently verify, shows the drone lifting the robot to a small height, hovering briefly, and then landing the robot before flying away.

Addressing a special UN Security Council session, Zelensky also joined the United States in pressuring Iran and North Korea for alleged military support to Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday at the United Nations that Russia can only be forced into a peace settlement, as he vowed not to negotiate on Moscow's terms to end the war.

Addressing a special UN Security Council session attended by a representative of Russia, Zelensky also joined the United States in pressuring Iran and North Korea for alleged military support to Russia.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Russian forces have reached the outskirts of Vuhledar amid what appears to be an intensified offensive push near the settlement, but the capture of Vuhledar is unlikely to afford Russian forces any particular operational edge for further offensive operations in western Donetsk Oblast.
• Recent Ukrainian strikes against Russian rear ammunition depots demonstrate the extent to which Russian military logistics still benefit from Western-provided sanctuary that secures Russia’s rear.
• Russia continues to expand and leverage its bilateral relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in order to support its war effort in Ukraine.
• The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) has failed to appease the Russian ultranationalist milblogger community by downplaying the Russian military command’s responsibility for its insistence on misusing technical specialists in infantry-led frontal assaults in eastern Ukraine.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced west of the Kursk Oblast salient.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced within Vovchansk and in eastern Toretsk.
• Russian opposition outlet Meduza, citing its own conversations with various unspecified Russian officials close to the Russian Presidential Administration, an interlocutor in the federal government, and regional officials, reported on September 24 that mobilization is a very sensitive topic among Kremlin officials.