(Image by NEIVANMADE)

A quick housekeeping note: Rosie did great at her chemo treatment today. She’s got three more to go with two weeks in between them. Thank you all for the good thoughts, well wishes, prayers, and donations.

It is 8:00 PM EDT/3:00 AM local time in Ukraine and Russian Tu-95s are airborne, air raid alerts are up over all of northern Ukraine except for Volyn Oblast, and air raid alerts are starting to go up in the other oblasts. It is likely that another Russian missile attack is underway.

Russian Tu-95 planes have once again taken off from Olenya airfield and are currently on their way to bomb Ukraine

Another sleepless night ahead for us.

— Kate from Kharkiv (@BohuslavskaKate) September 3, 2024

The Russians had already run the butcher’s bill way up in Poltava this morning.

My deepest condolences to the families of those killed and injured in the russian missile attack on Poltava. This is a shocking tragedy for the whole Ukraine. The enemy hit an educational institution and a hospital. We already know about 47 dead and 206 wounded. Russia is taking…

— Olena Zelenska / Олена Зеленська (@ZelenskaUA) September 3, 2024

My deepest condolences to the families of those killed and injured in the russian missile attack on Poltava. This is a shocking tragedy for the whole Ukraine. The enemy hit an educational institution and a hospital. We already know about 47 dead and 206 wounded. Russia is taking away our most valuable thing – lives. We will never forget this. Eternal memory.

Russians have just killed over 40 people and wounded over 200 in Poltava hospital: https://t.co/ypyRFX2ZcA

— Sergej Sumlenny, LL.M (@sumlenny) September 3, 2024

The Kyiv Independent has the details:

Editor’s note: The story is being updated.

Russian forces launched two ballistic missiles against the city of Poltava on Sept. 3, killing at least 51 and injuring over 271 people, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

The Military Institute of Communications and a neighboring medical facility were hit in the attack. The building of the educational institution was partially destroyed, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“The time interval between the alarm and the arrival of the deadly missiles was so short that it caught people during an evacuation to the bomb shelter,” the Defense Ministry said.

Many people remain trapped under the rubble, while rescuers and medics continue to work at the scene. As of around 2 p.m. local time, the emergency services had rescued 25 people, 11 of whom were retrieved from the rubble, according to the ministry’s statement.

“We express our sincere condolences to the families of the victims. This tragedy is yet another evidence of the enemy’s cunning, which stops at no crime to try to intimidate Ukrainians,” the ministry said.

“We urge everyone to remain calm and trust only official sources of information. Any speculation on this tragedy is unacceptable,” the ministry added.

There were no ceremonies or other events near the military institute at the time of the Russian attack, Dmytro Lazutkin, Defense Ministry spokesperson, said on national television, refuting such unofficial claims.

According to the Defense Ministry, students were studying, and then followed to the shelter after an air raid alert went off, Lazutkin added.

Zelensky said he had instructed an operational investigation into the circumstances of the attack on Poltava. Ukraine’s Ground Forces is conducting an investigation to determine “whether enough was done to protect the lives and health of the soldiers at the facility,” the military said.

Poltava is a city of around 300,000, located in Poltava Oblast in central Ukraine. The city is situated around 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the border with Russia, and 230 kilometers (143 miles) from the eastern front.

The city and surrounding region are regular targets of Russian drone and missile attacks.

Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.

Russian Strikes Will Be Impossible If It Is Possible for Us to Destroy the Occupier’s Launchers Where They Are – Address by the President

3 September 2024 – 21:26

Dear Ukrainians!

First of all, about the tragedy in Poltava. Rescue efforts are still underway – the rubble is being cleared. All services are involved. As of now, the number of injured is 271 people. Everyone is being provided with the necessary assistance. I am grateful to all the rescuers, doctors, medical nurses and all the Poltava residents who have joined in to help, donated blood, and who provide support. We know that there are people under the rubble of the destroyed building. Everything is being done to save as many lives as possible. According to current information available, this Russian strike killed 51 people. My condolences to all the families and friends. Law enforcement agencies and the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine are investigating all the circumstances of this tragedy. The Russians carried out this strike with two ballistic missiles. The air raid alert was sounded. Everything else – every detail – must be established and verified during the investigation.

Today, I held a meeting of the Staff. We had a substantive discussion about the use of air defense and about the protection of our cities and communities. Steps have been identified to improve the effective use of the systems we already have. We are also working on obtaining additional defense for Ukraine. We are counting heavily on the Patriot that Romania is preparing to hand over; I will be grateful for this step of assistance from Romania. This is something that will truly support our people, our country, our entire region. And of course, we continue to work with all partners for stronger decisions in support of our defense – for long-range decisions that would be able to destroy a significant part of Russian ballistics even before launch. This is one of the key issues of this war in general. The issue of our long-range capabilities and the corresponding permissions from our partners, long-range shells and missiles that we could use. Russian strikes will be impossible if it is possible for us to destroy the occupier’s launchers where they are, along with Russian military airfields and logistics. Providing Ukraine with such permissions and such weapons is definitely the biggest step towards a real, just end to this war. Russia simply does not know how to wage war without terror – it is terrorist strikes and the ability to sow destruction that replace both tactics and strategy of war for Russian leaders.

Today I spoke with the Prime Minister of Canada. I informed him about the situation on the battlefield, about the consequences of Russian terror. We discussed what exactly can strengthen our positions. Air defense, defense packages, and equipment needs. It is very important that Justin is ready to convince our partners more actively to provide Ukraine with more long-range capabilities.

Also today, at the Staff meeting, there were important reports on drones – various types of drones used by our Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. Efficiency of use, priorities… There are experiences that should be shared. There are also mistakes that should be corrected. Our Ukrainian drones must be one hundred percent effective, because this literally means that Ukraine will be one hundred percent effective on the battlefield. And I thank all our people who gain this positive experience of using drones for Ukraine, who share this experience among the military. I thank everyone who produces and supplies drones. And I thank all those who really accurately destroy the occupier and destroy the Russian war potential right there on the enemy’s territory.

There was also a long report by Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi on the frontline and the operation in the Kursk region. The Pokrovsk direction – there is a decision that can strengthen our positions. Active actions in the Kursk region continue replenishing the exchange fund for our state.

And one more thing.

Autumn will be extremely important for Ukraine. And our state institutions must be set up in such a way that Ukraine will achieve all the results we need – for all of us. To do this, we need to strengthen some areas in the Government – and personnel decisions have been prepared. There will also be changes in the Office. I also expect that certain areas of our foreign and domestic policies will have a slightly different emphasis. First – we need more interaction between the central authorities and the communities. Especially now, when we are preparing for the winter season. Second – Ukraine has already achieved significant results in defense production. And this should be strengthened at all levels, in particular, to make it easier to attract partner investment in our strategic industries. Third – we need to significantly advance our work with NATO; this requires special interaction. Fourth – the European Union, real membership negotiations, preparation of the relevant parts of the future membership agreement. This is very clear both legal and political work. Personal responsibility for it will be imposed. And fifth – we need to integrate everything that Ukraine has achieved in its relations with partners – trust in Ukraine, strength of the Ukrainian spirit, relations with partners – with the tasks that our state faces in countering Russian propaganda and protecting Ukrainian cultural heritage. We need a new level of simultaneous information work, cultural and diplomatic. And a new level of relations with the global Ukrainian community. Now is the time to give new strength to Ukraine’s Governmental institutions, and I am grateful to everyone who will help.

Glory to Ukraine!

Today, the russian aggressor brutally attacked one of the Poltava’s educational institutions. The enemy launched two ballistic missiles.
As of now, 41 people died, and more than 180 were injured.

We express our sincere condolences to the families of the victims. This tragedy…

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 3, 2024

Today, the russian aggressor brutally attacked one of the Poltava’s educational institutions. The enemy launched two ballistic missiles.
As of now, 41 people died, and more than 180 were injured.

We express our sincere condolences to the families of the victims. This tragedy demonstrates the enemy’s insidiousness. They are ready to commit any crime to intimidate Ukrainians.

🤦‍♂️ Please stop. No more “thoughts and prayers”. Constantly saying that we stand with Ukraine while actually only standing there is ruining all of the good will and trust we‘d earned in the early days. https://t.co/XX2bA2BSfz

— Ben Hodges (@general_ben) September 3, 2024

LTG (ret) Hodges is the former Commanding General of US Army Europe. He took over from my former boss.

First day of school in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/BHb288uAT5

— Robert van der Noordaa (@g900ap) September 3, 2024

President Zelenskyy has also shaken up his government today.

New: I’ve spoken tonight with some of the Ukrainian officials who resigned and others who expect to be fired. Zelensky said in his address it’s time to “give new strength” to his govt.

Here’s what we know about Kyiv’s biggest “reboot” of the war: https://t.co/6J5JzmNj8R via @FT

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) September 3, 2024

Here are the details from The Financial Times:

The biggest shake-up of Ukraine’s wartime government got under way in Kyiv on Tuesday, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying a series of resignations among the country’s ministers was part of an effort to “give new strength” to Ukraine’s institutions.

The reshuffle comes at a crucial point in the 30-month-long war, with Kyiv trying to hold off Moscow’s escalating offensive in eastern Ukraine while simultaneously rushing to solidify its grip on some 1,000 sq km of territory it has seized inside Russia’s Kursk region.

“Autumn will be extremely important for Ukraine. And our state institutions must be set up in such a way that Ukraine will achieve all the results we need — for all of us,” Zelenskyy said in his evening address on Tuesday. “To do this, we need to strengthen some areas in the government — and personnel decisions have been prepared.”

He said more changes were likely to happen within his office and that “certain areas of our foreign and domestic policies will have a slightly different emphasis”.

Some of the ministers who submitted resignations are likely to remain in government but take on new roles or expanded portfolios, several of the officials who quit told the FT.

Many personnel changes have been made to Ukraine’s government since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, including the replacement of the defence minister, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and the heads of its foreign and domestic intelligence services and national security office.

But David Arakhamia, the head of Zelenskyy’s ruling Servant of the People group in parliament, wrote on Telegram that more than half of Ukraine’s current cabinet would be moved or replaced in the coming days, making these the most sweeping changes to government since Russia’s invasion.

“As promised, a major reboot of the government can be expected this week,” he announced on the social media platform on Tuesday evening local time.

He said that Wednesday would be “the day of lay-offs, and the day after . . . the day of appointments.”

Kyiv has been seeking to turn the tide of war in its favour with its audacious incursion into Russia last month and to strengthen its position ahead of any possible peace negotiations, after several difficult months in which it lost the initiative on the battlefield and suffered rolling nationwide blackouts because of Russian air strikes on its energy infrastructure.

Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, was among those who submitted resignations on Tuesday evening, she confirmed to the Financial Times.

Stefanishyna, who was appointed in 2020, has led Ukraine’s drive to join the EU. She said she hopes she will receive an expanded mandate in the reshuffle. “But you know, thing[s] could change along the way, as always in politics. Especially in [Ukraine],” she said.

Iryna Vereshchuk, deputy prime minister for the reintegration of temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, followed with her own resignation shortly after.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ruslan Stefanchuk, speaker of Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, said he had received resignation letters from Oleksandr Kamyshin, the minister of strategic industries, from justice minister Denys Malyuska and from Ruslan Strilets, minister of environmental protection and natural resources, as well as from Vitaliy Koval, head of the state property fund.

Stefanchuk shared photos of the officials’ letters on Facebook, writing that their requests would be considered by lawmakers at one of the next parliamentary sessions.

More at the link!

There also appears to be a major shakeup at Ukrenergo.

After I penned this 🧵, the Ukrenergo scandal escalated even further. Two independent members of the supervisory body of Ukrenergo resigned and issued a sharply worded statement calling Kudrytskyi’s removal “politically motivated” without valid grounds. /1
biz.nv.ua/ukr/markets/ch…

https://biz.nv.ua/ukr/markets/chleni-naglyadovoji-radi-ukrenergo-podali-u-vidstavku-50447980.html

In their resignation statement, Daniel Dobeny and Peder Andersen write: “We believe that the decision to prematurely dismiss the head of Ukrenergo is politically motivated and, based on the results of the presented report, there are no valid grounds for it”. /2 

The statement continues: “From the first days of our work in the Supervisory Board of Ukrenergo, we felt political pressure and observed constant attempts to bypass the competition to appoint people whose professional qualities were doubtful.” /3 

“Today, in conditions where the corporate management of the company according to OECD standards is called into question, we do not see the possibility of continuing our work in the Supervisory Board of Ukrenergo.” /4 

“Violating the principles of corporate governance and making a decision to dismiss its manager without proof of improper management is unacceptable and may affect Ukrenergo’s further cooperation with ENTSO-E member operators.” /5

УкренергоЗАЯВА ГОЛОВИ НАГЛЯДОВОЇ РАДИ НЕК УКРЕНЕРГО ДАНІЄЛЯ ДОББЕНІ та ЧЛЕНА НАГЛЯДОВОЇ РАДИ ПЕДЕРА АНДРЕАСЕНА Вчора, 2 вересня, Наглядова рада провела позачергове засідання з ініціативи голови Правління Воло…https://t.me/Ukrenergo/3236

Yaroslav Zheleznyak, MP from Holos, wrote on Telegram that this is only the beginning of the scandal: “This means that the entire Supervisory Board is collapsing. There must be a majority of independent members. And this means huge problems with foreign loans and donors.” /6 

Earlier Zheleznyak said that he suspected the real reasons for the dismissal of Kudrytskyi to be “the animalistic desire to control all financial flows” connected with Ukrenergo. Unfortunately, I tend to agree with the opposition MP. /end

https://english.nv.ua/nation/mp-zheleznyak-slams-dismissal-of-ukrenergo-chief-kudrytskyi-50447891.html

Pokrovsk:

The situation around Pokrovsk is still unstable, but Russian advances are slowing down. Since it’s far from over, the Russians will likely focus on expanding their flanks before trying to launch an assault on Pokrovsk itself

— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) September 3, 2024

Sumy Oblast:

Tonight, russia also struck Sumy University with aerial glide bomb pic.twitter.com/c1zUSb21f4

— Kate from Kharkiv (@BohuslavskaKate) September 3, 2024

⚡️Russian forces strike university building in Sumy.

At least one person has been injured after a Russian airstrike damaged a university building, regional authorities said on Sept. 3.

Following the attack, several more explosions have been reported in Sumy.…

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) September 3, 2024

⚡️Russian forces strike university building in Sumy.

At least one person has been injured after a Russian airstrike damaged a university building, regional authorities said on Sept. 3.

Following the attack, several more explosions have been reported in Sumy.

https://kyivindependent.com/russian-forces-strike-university-building-in-sumy/

The Kyiv Independent has the details:

At least one person has been injured after a Russian airstrike damaged a university building in the north-eastern city of Sumy, regional authorities said on Sept. 3.

Sumy Oblast Military Administration said that Russian forces likely used a KAB guided bomb during this attack.

“All necessary services are present and working at the scene,” they wrote on Telegram.

Several more explosions have been reported in Sumy, following the attack on the university building, according to Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne.

No further details are available at this time.

Residents in Sumy Oblast are subjected to daily attacks on the region.

On September 1, Russian forces struck a center for social and psychological rehabilitation of children and an orphanage in Sumy. 18 civilians were injured, including six children.

Sumy Oblast borders Russia’s Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts.

Approximately 21,000 residents have been evacuated from Sumy Oblast thus far, including 5,000 children.

Kahrkiv:

The first responder that was caught in the double tap attack has died.

Today, paramedic Yevhen passed away in the hospital. He was severely injured while rushing to help victims of Russian attack on Kharkiv, and got under double-tap strike by Iskander missile. The whole community is devastated. RIP brave soul 💔 pic.twitter.com/niv3LzULCt

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) September 3, 2024

🕯Yevhen Yurko, 21, an ambulance paramedic and 5-year medical student who came under a double tap shelling by the Russian army on September 1, 2024, died today in hospital. His condition was serious.#Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov @mayorterekhov said that doctors did everything…

— Denys from Kharkiv (@GlushkoDenys) September 3, 2024

🕯Yevhen Yurko, 21, an ambulance paramedic and 5-year medical student who came under a double tap shelling by the Russian army on September 1, 2024, died today in hospital. His condition was serious.

#Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov
@mayorterekhov
said that doctors did everything they could. He also expressed his condolences to all the guy’s family and friends.

“I believe that our enemy will be responsible for this interrupted life, as well as for thousands of lives of other innocent Ukrainians,” the mayor added.

Last night, a russian glide bomb shattered yet another family’s home in Kharkiv. https://t.co/AZzVo83Ivd pic.twitter.com/lERu3rNeCX

— Iryna Voichuk (@IrynaVoichuk) September 3, 2024

Kharkiv bids farewell to 14-Year-Old Sofia Glynyana, a Displaced Person from Kupynsk.
Sofia was tragically killed in a russian attack on August 30, when she was brutally decapitated by shrapnel while sitting on the bench near children’s playing.

She was a 9th-grade student at… pic.twitter.com/fBjqpPksHQ

— Kate from Kharkiv (@BohuslavskaKate) September 3, 2024

Kharkiv bids farewell to 14-Year-Old Sofia Glynyana, a Displaced Person from Kupynsk.
Sofia was tragically killed in a russian attack on August 30, when she was brutally decapitated by shrapnel while sitting on the bench near children’s playing.

She was a 9th-grade student at Kupyansk Lyceum No. 1 and dreamed of becoming a psychologist.

Sofia’s father is currently missing in action on the Donetsk front.

Makarove, Kharkiv Oblast:

Today, around 3:05 PM, the russians launched an airstrike on the village of Makarove in the Zolochiv community of Kharkiv region.

A 37-year-old woman was killed. A 59-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman were injured. Residential buildings and outbuildings were damaged.

Russia… pic.twitter.com/BdLsN0cNHY

— Kate from Kharkiv (@BohuslavskaKate) September 3, 2024

Today, around 3:05 PM, the russians launched an airstrike on the village of Makarove in the Zolochiv community of Kharkiv region.

A 37-year-old woman was killed. A 59-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman were injured. Residential buildings and outbuildings were damaged.

Russia kills people In Kharkiv every single day

That’s enough for tonight.

Your daily Patron!

There are no new Patron tweets or videos today. Here is some adjacent material.

☺️ pic.twitter.com/wahA9FVfQZ

— UkrARMY cats & dogs (@UAarmy_animals) August 31, 2024

Open thread!