Partnership of Ukraine and Japan will become a global example of protecting life and creating new opportunities for nations – address of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

9 September 2023 – 15:33

Dear Ukrainians, I wish you good health!

We do not miss a single day for Ukraine.

Just had a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan and representatives of Japanese business. Devoted to our resilience. Recovery, and development. Energy, transport, demining, social sphere, the creation of new jobs in Ukraine – I presented specific areas where we can do more together. Telecom, information security, protection of our infrastructure, green energy, engineering, the agricultural sector are crucial. I am confident that our partnership – between Ukraine and Japan – will become a global example. An example of how to protect life and create new opportunities for nations. For free nations.

A very important security result today – we agreed to start preparing a bilateral document with Japan on security guarantees. We are already working with the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Now – with Japan.

In recent days, the Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk, visited Japan, for a summit of the G7 parliamentary heads. The summit resulted in a strong declaration. Important meetings took place. A clear support for Ukraine and strong signals that the entire Ukrainian territory must be cleared of Russian troops, and only this opens the way to achieve a just and reliable peace. I also want to mention the audience with His Majesty the Emperor of Japan – attended by speakers of the G7 parliaments, the speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, the President of the European Parliament. Very symbolic. And it speaks volumes about what we have achieved. All together. Everyone who fights for Ukraine, who works for Ukraine.

I also held a meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff today. Resilience is the key issue. First of all, our energy resilience. What needs to be done before winter, and what has already been done. Detailed reports from government officials, managers of energy companies. Of course, there was a military component. Our intelligence. We are fully aware that the Russian evil is also preparing for winter – preparing to inflict suffering. And now everyone in the public sector and in local authorities must do everything possible, and when necessary, even the impossible, to help Ukraine withstand the winter and maintain full functionality. Air defense, preparation of the energy sector, social system, appropriate support packages from partners – all officials and commanders have clear tasks. T Regional administration heads will report daily on preparedness, every evening – a report for the government, and the Office. The Minister of Internal Affairs has been instructed to maximize the preparation of the State Emergency Service sector – not only for the Emergency Service’s immediate work but also for clearly informing people about how protection will be provided.

And I want to thank our partners – we have another agreement, Ukraine will receive more “cheetahs” to protect our energy network. But we are mobilizing all our forces. To increase the supply of various air defense systems and physical protection of objects even further.

One more thing.

For many years, in our country, two professional communities have been celebrating their day simultaneously on the second Saturday of September. This is the Day of Physical Culture and Sports and the Day of Ukrainian Cinema. And there are too many such coincidences in our calendar. The Day of the Lawyer and the Day of the Artist. The Day of the Builder and the Day of Veterinary Medicine Workers. There are coincidences of professional days and days of remembrance. For example, next year, in May, the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Genocide of the Crimean Tatar People coincides with the Day of Science. Obviously, there are many unacceptable confusions in meaning. Some professional communities celebrate their day according to Soviet templates. Some incredibly important days of remembrance and days of Ukrainian achievements are not reflected in our official calendar at all. Some professional communities, whose work deserves both respect and attention, do not yet have their professional day – for example, the community of Ukrainian historians. In fact, I have instructed the government of Ukraine, relevant public institutions to review this entire system of state attention and update it fairly and logically.

And today I thank everyone who brings sports victories to Ukraine, who trains our athletes, who teaches children the correct sports strength and now – this is extremely important – adds Ukrainian sports infrastructure, relevant experience of our sports, experience of physical culture to the new system of rehabilitation, to the system recovery of Ukrainian men and women after injuries.

And today, on the Day of Ukrainian Cinema, I thank all the employees of our film industry for every combination of emotions that our people, adults and children, are now feeling while watching Ukrainian movies, Ukrainian TV series, and Ukrainian documentaries. A nation with its own strong and emotional cinema will also have its own confident destiny in this world, its own dreams and its own vision of life.

Glory to all who strengthen Ukraine! Thank you to everyone who fights for our country and who achieves the results Ukraine needs!

Glory to Ukraine!

The cost:

Vladyslav and Anna had planned for their wedding to take place at the end of February 2022. But when russia’s full-scale invasion began, Vladyslav went to the front lines. They moved their wedding date to August 7, 2023. However, Vladyslav was severely injured just a few days… pic.twitter.com/xUMytq2Lpa

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 9, 2023

Vladyslav and Anna had planned for their wedding to take place at the end of February 2022. But when russia’s full-scale invasion began, Vladyslav went to the front lines. They moved their wedding date to August 7, 2023. However, Vladyslav was severely injured just a few days before that. The doctors weren’t sure that he would survive. Miraculously Vladyslav regained consciousness just in time for their wedding – on the day before. Vladyslav and Anna decided not to gamble with fate a second time, and took their vows in a military hospital as soon as Vladyslav’s condition permitted.
Don’t postpone your happiness until some “perfect” future date. In war or in peace, the perfect moment is always now.

Story, photo @Liberov

Zaporizhzhia:

It's likely that soon, russian command will move more troops to Zaporizhia area due to defense difficulties. This doesn't indicate a russian forces collapse, but hints at command insecurity in their troops and recent reserves' ability to prevent Ukrainian army from progressing.

— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) September 9, 2023

You're right. Although it's vital to avoid jingoistic emotions, as either side can eventually encounter a problem of dwindling reserves. To help Ukraine, you can check my guide, which I've put together for supporters of Ukraine abroad:https://t.co/4PYpfHiSWw

— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) September 9, 2023

That would also require significant number of people and resources from Ukraine to allocate from somewhere else. Given that it's more or less mined and fortified from Kherson all way to Belhorod, they can relocate units in response and prevent sudden breach

— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) September 9, 2023

Commenter Prescott Cactus sent this along to me this morning regarding Zaporizhzhia. From the AP via The Los Angeles Times:

KYIV, Ukraine — The United Nations atomic watchdog warned of a potential threat to nuclear safety from a spike in fighting near Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine, whose forces continued pressing their counteroffensive Saturday.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said its experts deployed at the Russia-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant reported hearing numerous explosions over the last week, in a possible indication of increased military activity in the region. There was no damage to the plant.

“I remain deeply concerned about the possible dangers facing the plant at this time of heightened military tension in the region,” IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi warned in a statement issued late Friday.

He noted that the IAEA team was informed that staff at the nuclear power plant had been reduced temporarily to minimum levels because of concerns of more military activity in the area.

“Whatever happens in a conflict zone, wherever it may be, everybody would stand to lose from a nuclear accident, and I urge that all necessary precautions must be taken to avoid it happening,” Grossi said.

As Ukrainian forces pressed to expand their gains after recently capturing the village of Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region, the U.K. Defense Ministry noted in its latest report that Russia has brought in reinforcements to stymie the Ukrainian advances.

“It is highly likely that Russia has redeployed forces from other areas of the frontline to replace degraded units around Robotyne,” it said. “These redeployments are likely limiting Russia’s ability to carry out offensive operations of its own along other areas of the front line.”

More at the link!

Touch not the cat, but a glove!

Footage of a tank battle between a Leopard of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and two Russian tanks. Two Russian tanks retreated after one of them was hit. As said, during the start of operations on the Zaporizhzhia front. https://t.co/BMRCvSUKf4

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) September 9, 2023

Robotyne:

ROBOTYNE /2230 UTC 9 SEPT/ UKR forces in contact three kilometers south of Robotyne on T-04-08 HWY axis. Russian fire missions indicate UKR units maneuvering south and west of Novoprokopivka. [Note: plots of RU defensive lines approximate.] pic.twitter.com/WO02goi4nR

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) September 9, 2023

Bakhmut:

Russian 2S5 Giatsint-S 152 mm self-propelled gun destroyed on Bakhmut direction. https://t.co/KGGLrRsCsv pic.twitter.com/r4IxChfS0S

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) September 9, 2023

Simferopol, Russian Occupied Crimea:

It is reported that warehouses are on fire in the military base territory in Simferopol, Crimea.
Russian sources claim that the fire at the military base isl "an ordinary household fire." pic.twitter.com/q1Lb2lrGO0

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) September 9, 2023

The G20:

Ukraine has some suggestions for improving the G20 statement.

“Ukraine is grateful to the partners who tried to include strong wording in the text… This is how the main elements of the text could look to be closer to reality.”
via @OlegNikolenko_ @MFA_Ukraine https://t.co/C29BTIMUbA pic.twitter.com/f9ZM0yPfAw

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) September 9, 2023

Indian foreign minister says that the declaration language is a fair assessment of the "spectrum of views" inside the G20 on the war.

It is a blow to western countries that have spent much of the past year trying to convince major developing countries to condemn Moscow

— Henry Foy (@HenryJFoy) September 9, 2023

Some industrial-strength PR going on tonight from western G20 delegates:

“The option that we had is text or no text. And I think the right answer is text,” said one, referring to the compromise. “You keep the [G20] platform and the organisation alive.”https://t.co/AJ78hLK4Di

— Henry Foy (@HenryJFoy) September 9, 2023

So the Starlink Snowflake and his stenographer attempted to get their stories straight today. They didn’t exactly make things better.

And:

They’ve had three days and they still can’t get their story straight! Make an effort!

Someone in comments last night asked if the Starlink Snowflake might have accessed Ukraine’s Starlink traffic and, if he had, did he give it to Putin. From Ronan Farrow’s expose:

On the phone, Musk said that he was looking at his laptop and could see “the entire war unfolding” through a map of Starlink activity. “This was, like, three minutes before he said, ‘Well, I had this great conversation with Putin,’ ” the senior defense official told me. “And we were, like, ‘Oh, dear, this is not good.’ ”

We can definitely answer the first part of the question: Musk has admitted that he accessed Ukraine’s Starlink traffic, was watching it in real time, and knew where all of the Ukrainian elements were based on it. What we can’t answer is whether he gave Putin this information. I wouldn’t put it past the Starlink Snowflake. I also wouldn’t put it past the Russian GRU to have managed to hack into Starlink and accessed this data and/or managed to get a not for cover hired at the firm.

One last Musk item before we move on. This long, detailed thread with screengrabs from the Capitol Hunters has all the details from discovery filings in various court cases Musk has been involved in that make it clear he’s a complete fraud. About everything.

Someone has to say it: Elon Musk has lied for 27 years about his credentials. He does not have a BS in Physics, or any technical field. Did not get into a PhD program. Dropped out in 1995 & was illegal. Later, investors quietly arranged a diploma – but not in science. 🧵1/ pic.twitter.com/ziuOMblwLJ

— capitolhunters (@capitolhunters) November 17, 2022

For those who prefer, here’s the link to the thread at the Thread Reader App.

That’s enough for tonight.

Your daily Patron!

There’s a new slideshow at Patron’s official TikTok. Those don’t embed here, so click through to give it a watch.

Open thread!

The world’s sanctions offensive must resume – address of President of Ukraine

8 September 2023 – 19:48

Dear Ukrainians, I wish you good health!

It’s been a very active day today, with a lot of international communication – Ukraine needs to be heard and understood worldwide. Shared emotions are always a great source of greater support.

Yalta European Strategy Summit – various meetings, interviews.

A meeting with the members of our sanctions group led by Andriy Yermak and Michael McFaul. A report on what has already been achieved in our work with partners for sanctions against Russia. Milestones for the near future. Currently, we see a prolonged sanctions pause from our partners. And Russia’s overly active attempts to circumvent the sanctions. It’s crucial to add solutions to the free world, which should defend itself. And have success in this!

And, even more so, it should avoid any attempts to use free world companies, technologies, and products to wage war against freedom.

Three priorities: further sanctions against Russia’s energy sector, real restrictions on the supply of chips and microelectronics in general to terrorists, and further blocking of the Russian financial sector. This world’s sanctions offensive must resume.

On the eve of the Sports Day, I met with the community of our athletes. Those who bring glory to the world for Ukraine deserve applause on the arenas for our flag.

Today, I also held an important preparatory meeting regarding an upcoming international event planned for this September. Details will follow shortly. We are preparing an important defense package for our soldiers.

And one more thing. Chevron badges. Guys, our brigades, which I recently visited in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions – your chevron badges are already here, in my office, on the boards. I am proud of every brigade, every soldier!

Glory to all who fight for our state! I thank each and every one who works for the Ukrainian strength! And to all who help our people overcome this time, overcome the consequences of Russian terror. We will definitely win!

Glory to Ukraine!

ATACMS!!!!

Some ATACMS rumours from ABC News: The Biden administration is likely to send ATACMS to Ukraine.

"They are coming," said one official who had access to security assistance plans. The official noted that, as always, such plans are subject to change until officially announced.

A… pic.twitter.com/cKMhsy2MRD

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) September 8, 2023

Some ATACMS rumours from ABC News: The Biden administration is likely to send ATACMS to Ukraine.

“They are coming,” said one official who had access to security assistance plans. The official noted that, as always, such plans are subject to change until officially announced.

A second official said the missiles are “on the table” and likely to be included in an upcoming security assistance package, adding that a final decision has not been made. It could be months before Ukraine receives the missiles, according to the official.

In other Musk is a dangerous asshole news, he also gave Isaacson private messages sent to him by Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation/Minister for Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov without first getting Fedorov’s permission. Or even telling him.

Ukraine’s Deputy PM Fedorov appeared shocked when @FT showed him the Washington Post article that included his text exchange with Elon Musk but said that since the exchange was a year old its publication would unlikely have operational repercussions. https://t.co/LqRs1VM20U

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) September 8, 2023

“It’s not very pretty,” Fedorov said in an interview in his office in Kyiv. “I’ve never shown or talked about our correspondence publicly.” https://t.co/pEBYVzmIWt

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) September 8, 2023

Elon Musk gave biographer top Ukrainian official’s private messages without permission https://t.co/uhTbhaIys6 https://t.co/TmPTt8X9e6

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) September 8, 2023

Ukrainska Pravda has the details:

American billionaire Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, SpaceX and the owner of Twitter (X), gave his biographer access to private messages from Mykhailo Fedorov, Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation and Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, without asking for permission.

Fedorov told the FT that he was not aware that Walter Isaacson had received and published the messages in the biography.

Quote: “It’s not very pretty. I’ve never shown or talked about our correspondence publicly,” Fedorov said.

In his book, Isaacson describes how Musk intervened to block Ukrainian military access to Starlink on Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory. The intervention prevented a secret attack by Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) on the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, occupied Crimea.

Isaacson’s biography and related column in the Washington Post on Friday include a text message exchange in which Fedorov pleads with Musk to reconnect Starlink with Ukrainian forces.

Fedorov was shocked when the FT showed the WP article, but said that since the messages were a year old, their publication was unlikely to have any operational consequences.

After media reports in October last year about disruptions in the operation of Starlink in Ukraine, Musk agreed to restore the work of Ukrainian forces operating near Russian ones.

Fedorov said Musk himself told him he had turned off Starlink service on the front lines in southeastern Ukraine when Fedorov asked him to actually turn on communications in Crimea and to the borders of 1991.

Quote: “When he turned it on, he wrote that he had turned it back on,” Fedorov added.

Fedorov, who has repeatedly publicly thanked Musk for providing the Starlink service, repeated his gratitude.

Quote: “I think that if he hadn’t done it, it would have been a disaster, we just wouldn’t be able to fight like this if he hadn’t done it,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

Fedorov acknowledged long and frequent text conversations with Musk after Russia launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that after Musk posted a message on Twitter, which Fedorov perceived as pro-Russian, he wrote a text message to the billionaire.

Quote: “I explained to him that he was wrong, that we were, like, fighting for our independence there,” Fedorov added.

The newspaper notes that the temporary shutdown of Starlink took place at a crucial moment in Ukraine’s counteroffensive last autumn, after the full restoration of control over the territory occupied by Russia in Kharkiv Oblast and the recapture of lands on the Crimea front.

Updated: Later, Mykhailo Fedorov agreed to publish his correspondence with Musk in the businessman’s biography.

“I officially give my permission to publish my text message history with Elon Musk in a new book about him. To be honest, I’m looking forward to the book,” he wrote on his Twitter account.

More at the link!

Obligatory:

Ukrainska Pravda also brings us English language reporting/republishes Bild‘s German language reporting about the UN Secretary-General’s attempts to create sanctions’ work arounds for Russia in an attempt to get the grain deal reinstated.

The UN is currently conducting secret negotiations with the Russian Federation to reach a deal in which the key sanctions imposed after the beginning of its large-scale invasion of Ukraine will be lifted from Vladimir Putin’s terrorist regime in exchange for reviving the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

Source: This was reported by Bild, which has obtained a secret letter from UN Secretary-General António Guterres to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, dated 28 August.

Quote: “A secret letter from UN Secretary-General António Guterres shows how far the UN is ready to go to restore the grain deal with the warmonger Putin,” the newspaper writes.

The letter from Guterres, which Bild calls “explosive”, proposes “four specific cornerstones of the agreement between the UN Secretariat and the Russian Federation”, which should “lead to the continuation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative”.

“All four points are important, since their implementation would meet all the requirements of Vladimir Putin’s terrorist regime and reward his missile attacks on Ukrainian civilian targets,” Bild writes.

Guterres’ proposals are as follows:

A Russian state-owned bank is to be reconnected to SWIFT

To circumvent the sanctions, the UN Secretary-General proposes to use a specially founded subsidiary of a sanctioned Russian bank, RSHB Capital SA.

This will allow the Kremlin-controlled company to “take on the role of an interface and provide technical services for payment transactions without playing the role of a bank, so it does not need a banking licence under Luxembourg law.”

“Simply put: the head of the UN wants to activate a fake bank that will bypass EU sanctions against Russian banks,” writes Bild.

Moreover, the UN has EU support for these plans.

Bild contacted the European Commission, which is responsible for the implementation of sanctions, and an EC representative confirmed that “the EU has expressed to Russia, through the UN, its openness to seeking a more permanent, constructive solution through the designated subsidiary of the Russian Agricultural Bank, which allows SWIFT payments in accordance with EU sanctions on agricultural transactions.”

Financial services provider SWIFT also indirectly confirmed this in response to Bild’s enquiry: “We are aware of the high-level discussions currently taking place around the Black Sea Grain Initiative and are closely monitoring developments.”

“So the UN and the EU are working on a ‘legal’ way to bypass the sanctions with respect to SWIFT for the sanctioned Russian Agricultural Bank,” the newspaper writes.

The UN is willing to insure Russian ships against Ukrainian attacks

Within this point, Guterres is seriously proposing to Lavrov that Russian ships should be insured against Ukrainian attacks in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.

He writes: “A UN-funded insurance company for Russian exports of food and fertilisers would be working with Lloyd’s within 4-6 weeks.”

As well as “cargo insurance for Russian exports of food and fertilisers”, the UN head is also offering Casco and P&I insurance.

Casco insurance is comprehensive insurance against external factors affecting ships used for transportation, while P&I is comprehensive insurance of liability for losses caused to third parties.

Guterres promises the Russian foreign minister that “the United Nations will support insurance to emphasise the importance of Russian exports to global food security and increase the number of market participants with the ultimate goal of reducing insurance costs for Russian exporters.”

Bild contacted the British ship insurer Lloyd’s, but they replied: “No comment.”

Frozen funds must be given back to Russia

Under this point, Guterres is sending Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov an offer to help the Putin regime recover assets in the EU that have been frozen by the sanctions.

He writes: “The United Nations may continue to help unfreeze the frozen assets of Russian fertiliser companies in the European Union.”

Like a kind of guide to sanctions evasion, the UN head tells Russia’s chief propagandist that he should “provide a list of specific accounts or assets”, and that “Russian fertiliser companies should apply to the relevant national authorities of the EU for the appropriate exemptions”.

Guterres promises that “the United Nations will work with the relevant national authorities and EU bodies to address these requests”.

Permission for Russian ships to dock in countries such as Germany to be reinstated

Finally, in the last point, Guterres proposes to “ensure effective access for Russian ships carrying food and fertilisers to EU ports through fast-track port permits”.

The UN chief notes: “The United Nations stands ready to explore further options to facilitate access for Russian ships to EU ports for agricultural trade, including simplified procedures for issuing relevant permits, particularly before departure for Russian ports.”

To this end, UN Secretary-General Guterres has “held discussions with the European Commission and selected port authorities (Germany, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands)”.

Bild asked Germany’s Federal Foreign Office in Berlin whether it was working with the UN to facilitate Russian ships entering German ports.

Responding to a question from Bild, the EU Commission in Brussels ambiguously stated that EU sanctions provide for “targeted exemptions to allow Russian ships access to EU ports as required for the purchase, import or transport of agricultural products and food, including wheat and fertilisers”.

On 5 September, Bild asked the office of UN Secretary-General António Guterres about his outrageous letter to the Russian Foreign Minister.

There has been no response.

Bild says Russia’s leadership is now carefully studying the UN proposals and has not yet agreed to them, as the Kremlin considers them “too good to be true” and has doubts about the “technical feasibility” of the concessions offered.

Ukrainian government circles say that Guterres’ proposals are an “incredible insult” and a “reward for Russia’s aggressive behaviour” from the UN.

A senior government official stated that “under no circumstances” would the Ukrainian government resume the grain deal with Russia under these conditions, nor would it give up its “right under international law” to monitor Russian naval vessels and illegally built structures such as the Crimean Bridge in order to pursue the offensive.

Secretary-General Guterres, as well as the European Commission/EU have a lot of explaining to do. Hopefully this well timed leak to Bild, as well as its English and Ukrainian language republication will short circuit this absolutely terrible proposed deal.

Odradokamyanka, Kherson Oblast and Orihiv, Zaporizhzhia Oblast:

russians systematically terrorize the civilian population not only in large cities, but also in the villages and towns of Ukraine. In the last two days, they attacked the village of Odradokamyanka in Kherson region three times. Yesterday, as a result of artillery shelling and a… pic.twitter.com/r9yaai5ON7

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 8, 2023

russians systematically terrorize the civilian population not only in large cities, but also in the villages and towns of Ukraine. In the last two days, they attacked the village of Odradokamyanka in Kherson region three times. Yesterday, as a result of artillery shelling and a drone strike, three local residents were injured. Today, a russian guided aerial bomb killed three villagers. Four people were injured. The small town of Orihiv in Zaporizhzhia region has been shelled several times a day for the past year and a half. Today, the bodies of two local residents were found during the clearing of the rubble of a residential building. A woman was killed by a russian projectile in the village of Primorske, Zaporizhzhia region.

Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, and Kryvyi Rih:

Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih… These are the cities that suffered from russian terrorist attacks this morning.
A residential building in Sumy was destroyed, and another two dozen were damaged. Two people were pulled from the ruins.
Several apartment buildings and two… pic.twitter.com/0MRBRNftyf

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 8, 2023

Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih… These are the cities that suffered from russian terrorist attacks this morning.
A residential building in Sumy was destroyed, and another two dozen were damaged. Two people were pulled from the ruins.
Several apartment buildings and two educational institutions were damaged in Zaporizhzhia.
A police station in Kryvyi Rih was destroyed, and seven residential buildings were damaged. One officer was killed, and six others were injured. More than 40 locals were injured in total. Rescue efforts are still underway.

Kryvyi Rih:

Kryvy Rih today. Another direct missile strike on civilians. 72 injured, 1 killed. Classic Russian-style terrorism. Does anyone still want to agree to #Russia's demands, accept its conditions, negotiate, or lift sanctions? Perhaps someone wants to kneel before Russia? Or is it… pic.twitter.com/YaY1LsS8FC

— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) September 8, 2023

Kryvy Rih today. Another direct missile strike on civilians. 72 injured, 1 killed. Classic Russian-style terrorism. Does anyone still want to agree to #Russia’s demands, accept its conditions, negotiate, or lift sanctions? Perhaps someone wants to kneel before Russia? Or is it time to legally designate the terrorist state as a terrorist state and remove it from the #UN Security Council?

WARNING!! WARNING!! GRAPHIC IMAGERY!! WARNING!! WARNING!!

– Attention! Missile attack threat!
Probably not the video you'd choose on a Friday night, but these first moments after the attack on Kryvyi Rih show how united Ukraine stands in the face of barbarian attacks. pic.twitter.com/sLV3jM3fbw

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) September 8, 2023

ALL CLEAR!!

Klischiivka:

Klishchiivka, the southern gate of Bakhmut. The face of war – burned to the bone.

📹 WarArchive pic.twitter.com/zo6Of70vmR

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 8, 2023

Robotyne:

The crew of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle from the 47th Mechanized Brigade that took part in the liberation of Robotyne.

📷Dmytro Smolenko pic.twitter.com/QZNI9lDlDI

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 8, 2023

The captured Russian T-90M "Breakthrough" somewhere near Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia region.
This is the third known case during war.https://t.co/Ait3U5TUa1 pic.twitter.com/K0WHeCJ9vG

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) September 8, 2023

Odesa:

Impressive work of air defense: Gepard downs Shahed near Odesa on Sep 7. Yesterday 25 drones out of 33 met their end, today 16 out of 20. This marks the fifth straight night of drone attacks along the Danube’s critical infrastructure. pic.twitter.com/v67TssFlrU

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) September 8, 2023

Tatarigami brings this reality check for those who are impatient regarding Ukraine’s ongoing offensive:

To clarify any confusion, this discussion specifically focuses on weather conditions. The key elements that determine the outcome are the availability of ammunition, reserves, and the scale of continued supplies from the West.

— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) September 8, 2023

The now independent Ukrainian journalist Illia Ponomarenko brings us this interesting story:

A TALE OF A DUMB DECISION

Once upon a time, on a frosty Russian winter’s night in February 2021, two lifetime buddies, Russian oligarch Yuriy Kovalchuk and Vladimir V. Putin were sitting together by the fire in a concealment room, sipping ̶v̶o̶d̶k̶a̶ ̶ tea from gold-studded…

— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) September 8, 2023

A TALE OF A DUMB DECISION

Once upon a time, on a frosty Russian winter’s night in February 2021, two lifetime buddies, Russian oligarch Yuriy Kovalchuk and Vladimir V. Putin were sitting together by the fire in a concealment room, sipping ̶v̶o̶d̶k̶a̶ ̶ tea from gold-studded glasses.

Putin was openly pissed off and not too eager to talk so much tonight.

Just a couple of hours before, an officer on duty brought him a daily report folder saying that the Ukrainian leadership was coming down hard on Viktor Medvedchuk. Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council ruled to terminate Medvedchuk’s TV network and impose sanctions on his billions-worth assets.

For years before, Medvedchuk had been consuming tons and tons of Kremlin money to advance Russian ‘soft power’ via his political party and media, and he surely believed no one would ever want to check if the money was properly spent.

He had been talking sweet: Ukraine was only waiting to get back to Mother Russia’s embrace, and nothing but its American-installed regime was standing in the way.

Putin is not usually a man to openly express his rage.

But that latest Ukrainian jump on his biggest asset was a very red line.

Putin was sitting in his chair, trembling with anger and sipping his tea.

Kovalchuk preferred to sit quietly, rubbing his nose once in a while and listening to firewood crackling.

He was waiting for a moment his vis-a-vis was cooked up for a serious conversation.

Putin was deathly afraid of the coronavirus, so he switched to full-scale paranoia and had been spending nearly two years almost completely isolated from the outer world.

But there was a man who was so close to Putin that he had almost unlimited access to the dictator’s ear — and it was Yuriy Kovalchuk.

Kovalchuk was about 70, a billionaire (of course, heh), and he looked like a Soviet Politburo apparatchik from HBO’s Chernobyl.

An ethnic Ukrainian born and raised in Leningrad, Kovalchuk was a Russian propaganda media mogul. Also, a sworn anti-Western conspiracy theorist, anti-liberalist, and Russian chauvinist.

After a long wait, Kovalchuk made the first step.

“I see you’re not in a very good mood, my friend,” he said.

Putin made a wry face.

“You know what’s the matter,” he uttered from behind his favorite luxurious Louis XIV-style writing desk made handicraft under a strictly confidential order in Italy.

Kovalchuk gladly carried on pushing forward.

“Can’t say we never discussed this issue before, Vladimir. And now here we go again.”
Putin’s ire only got stronger.
“I’m sick. I’m sick of this sorry excuse of a country. I’ve had enough. Poroshenko was a sneaky fat bastard, but this circus jester Zelensky is having some nerve. Who does he think he is, they are now jumping on Medvedchuk. Do you imagine how much money we’ve poured into him since 2014?”

Kovalchuk was just peacefully waiting for this rant out with his fingertips spliced together.

“You know my position, Vladimir,” he said as Putin exhaled.

“We’ve been way too patient and gracious with that bunch of Jews and Nazis showing off under Uncle Sam’s protection in Kiev. I’ve told you many times, that they’re proceeding with their master plan of undermining us, and the situation only gets worse for us with every week. They’re feeding on our aspirations for peace and justice.”

“That fucking comedian,” Putin murmured.

“Do you remember how it was during a joint press briefing in Paris two years ago? That cocaine junkie was openly chuckling at me when I was talking about the implementation of Minsk. In the public! And they keep messing with my balls over this and make a moron out of me.”

Kovalchuk rolled up his eyes and dropped a sigh of annoyance.

“For 20 fucking years Ukraine has been one giant thorn in my ass,” Putin carried on with his rampage.

“God knows I tried, I tried to be nice and patient. I’ve been extending a hand of friendship, literally fostered this sorry-ass piece of land, and tolerated their stupid country-bumpkin broken version of the Russian language. They keep licking American boots. And now they openly spit in my face and dare to mess with my trusted man’s shit?”

Kovalchuk rubbed his nose again.

“Do you remember how good things were as recently as ten years ago?” he said.

“We had our secret services under every stone in this so-called “Ukraine”. We had them in our iron fist. Even their defense minister was our guy, for Christ’s sake, haha! We had Yanukovych in our pocket, that stupid jail thug for life, a joke of a man who had no guts to do his job to complete and extirpate that shit hole at the Maidan.”

“This is all just a never-ending scam,” Putin moaned.

“All this time, they all have been playing tricks and laughing at me. Me! I am the ruler of the biggest country on this fucking planet. I have more nukes, more women, and more money than any of those sorry-ass low-life losers can dream of. And that ridiculous piece of land created by Vladimir Lenin from what belongs to us…”

Putin’s face got unusually distorted as if the gust of rage and resentment got his facial muscles paralyzed.

Kovalchuk knew his vis-a-vis very well — a rather undetermined, loose man on the throne prone to the influence of those whispering in his ear.

And this paralysis of hatred on his face was saying Putin was humiliated enough to be bent on doing a rare thing throughout his 20-year rule — assuming responsibility and making a decision.

So Kovalchuk continued with his subtle play.

“So, how long do you think they will go on leading by a string with this Minsk agreement thing?” he says.

“I told you, this Ukrainian question should have been given the final solution as far back as 2014, right after Crimea and Donbas. But we were not determined enough, and we gave America more than enough time to prepare for a new onset. They are a strong adversary, and they keep challenging our empire in this centuries-old grand game.”

“Anglo-Saxons are corrupting our rule, and they are drawing nearer. We have little to no control of Little Russia, and let me remind you of a fact that we just barely saved that cockroach Lukashenko from 400,000 Belarusians whom Americans organized for protests.”

Putin scratched the top of his lovely Louis XIV-style desk.

“Western immodesty has gone beyond the pale,” he murmured.

“In no fucking way they will get Belarus from me. I’d rather give half of Siberia to Xi than let Belarusians elect a president they want.”

Kovalchuk sniffled and made a dramatic gesture.

“Vladimir, we know each other for god knows how many decades,” he gave a dramatic sigh.

“And you know I’ve always been by your side and I’d never give you a bad call. And with due respect, this is something that I’ve been hearing from you for years. Ukraine won’t just roll over, and it keeps throwing spades full of shit into your face, the West pries into things that are none of its business.

“Are you going to finally do anything about it?”

Putin shuddered from the pin against his bruised ego.

“What do you mean, you’re telling me I’m sitting idle and whining day and night?” he raised his lackluster eyes.

“No,” Kovalchuk shook his head.

“I want to know when the Tsar of all Russias sets things to rights and puts the annoying flea invented in the Austrian General Staff to its place, along with its overseas masters.”

“What would Peter the Great… or Alexander the Third do?…” Putin dreamily tipped back with the thoughts of his great predecessors.

“They would begin with no more lovey-dovey attitude towards the wicked West,” Kovalchuk snapped up immediately.

“Did George Bush the Junior appreciate your generous move with the shutdown of our base in Cuba in 2002? Did they acknowledge our God-given right as a superpower to a sphere of influence from Tallinn to Berlin, which was fought out by our fathers led by Stalin?”

Putin was already in for a bit of excitement on his withered face.

“What we got in return for our generosity and open-mindedness are those Nazi subhumans dancing around in cities once established by Russian emperors,” Kovalchuk was declaring his speech full of inspiration.

“Our Bolshoi Theater is as old as their sorry-ass American declaration of independence. We were a great power in the age when bisons and butt-naked Indians were roaming what’s now their New York City.”

Putin’s eyes were shining bright.

“…so, as your friend and as a Russian patriot,” Kovalchuk was almost ready to jump on Putin’s desk and use it as a grandstand.

“I say now is the time. We have a window of opportunity to put this anti-Russian project “Ukraine” to an end and reinstate ourselves as a superpower and you as the one making history.”

Putin suddenly shivered.

“You mean…ehm… war?”

Kovalchuk actorly spreads his hands.

“Who said war? I haven’t said a word about that. What I’m saying is that we need prompt action to oust that Nazi clown Zelensky and his clique. We’re the world’s second-strongest military power. It’ll be enough to just lift a finger and make that joke of an American puppet crumble so we can dine in Kyiv.”

Putin leaned back and closed his eyes.

“But what about the West?”

“About who? The West?” Kovalchuk laughed.

“That bunch of perverts is as pathetic, divided, and corrupt as never before in history. They’d sell their mothers out for our monies. Do I need to remind you how many of those Schröders we guaranteed rich retirements to? And they’ll piss themselves and back off from our business in Ukraine the second we bark at them really loud.”

“Or are we talking about that old nut job Biden who has little idea of where he is and what’s happening around him?”

“Well, his not much older than you and I…” Putin gave a faint cough.

“And it’s not that we’re as dumb as Americans who had no idea what kind of mess they were getting into in Iraq,” Kovalchuck rubbed his nose again.

Putin was twisting about in his chair.

“Ukraine wants us, and you know it. We’ll hang all the Nazis on streetlights in no time, and the rest will be throwing flowers at our tanks. Piece of cake, a matter of days. And, let me remind you, a lot of respected friends of ours will be more than glad to divvy Ukraine up between their companies and make loads of money from government contracts.”

Putin was getting increasingly excited and started biting nails.

“I’m thinking more about 2024,” he said after a short pause.

“What’s about 2024?” Kovalchuk raised his eyebrows.

“Presidential elections. I will have to get re-elected for my fifth term.”

“And? I still don’t get why we need to fool around with that flying circus of elections and ask the peasants if they want you re-elected. You told me many times this country needs no one but the Tsar. Why.”

“Because,” Putin was already having a thousand thoughts in his head.

“I need to know the mob supports and loves me. Leave this question to me, Yuriy.”

“Whatever gets you your kicks, Vladimir,” Kovalchuk waved his words off.

“Remember how well it worked with Crimea? Give the mob Kyiv and Lviv, paint the map our color, and this country is going to kiss your ass into oblivion at polling stations. You don’t even have to rig a single ballot.”

Putin was intently staring into the dark.

“Yuriy, this conversation is not leaving this room,” he said.

Kovalchuk had already prepared himself to deal with the final strike.

“I just want you to think about this: You’re not getting any younger,” he said. “You’re turning 70 soon…”

“You can bite me if you think I’m too old to hold power, Yuriy,” Putin lashed back immediately as if he was facing a terrible insult.

“…and as your lifetime friend, I want you now to think about your legacy. Do you want to be remembered as just an owner of a dozen palaces and yachts and several hundred billion dollars you took to your grave? Do you want people to remember you as the one pushed around by that fraud Navalny? A coward who missed a chance and let Americans boss himself?”

Putin twitched again.

“Or do you want to be the greatest ruler of Russia since Joseph Stalin who took back what’s ours and showed everyone who’s the boss? History belongs to the strong and powerful, Vladimir. How much have we invested in our military reform and rearmament? A trillion roubles?”

“So have a talk with Shoigu — make him finally stop blabbing and begin earning his marshal stars. And also bringing you and us all to our triumph we’ve been aspiring to for twenty years.”

“I’m going to think about this,” Putin murmured again.

“Yeah, you think about this, Vladimir. Now it’s the time…”

That’s a long tweet!

Also, obligatory:

For you Russian equipment goes kablooey enthusiasts:

Something that can be watched over and over is russian tanks exploding.

🎥 65th Mechanized Brigade pic.twitter.com/kyYrPoLxnl

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 8, 2023

/2. Also, as Madyar says, he intends to promote this technology in order to eventually cover the entire front line.

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) September 8, 2023

Destruction of Russian 2S4 Tyulpan 240 mm self-propelled heavy mortar. https://t.co/ZGOvbMBv49 pic.twitter.com/pbAc9Q3Wnz

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) September 8, 2023

Bryansk, Russia:

Third drone strike on Kremnii El plant in Bryansk. It’s Russia's key microelectronics manufacturer for the army. Kremlin poured millions of dollars into it. pic.twitter.com/yvVlcx7I2w

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) September 8, 2023

That is more than enough for tonight!

Your daily Patron!

Another terrorist attack in Sumy this morning 😞
My colleagues rescued the dog from the rubble because every life is essential for us. But not for our enemy. That's what this war is about fighting for life against those for whom it means nothing.

Video: @SESU_UA pic.twitter.com/fa4gtqPd71

— Patron (@PatronDsns) September 8, 2023

Open thread!