US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken landed on an official visit to Kiev on September 6. Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, had told the press a few hours earlier: “The events that will take place in the world will not stop. If anyone thinks that the Third World War has not started, then this is a big mistake. It has already started, a certain hybrid time has passed, and now it has entered an active phase. And if someone thinks that this showdown between Russia and Ukraine is a mistake, everything will be more complicated.”
The story of the Ukrainian defense minister ends. The Verkhovna Rada has appointed Rustem Umerov as the new defense minister of Ukraine: 338 deputies voted “for” the decision, “against” – 0, and only one person abstained from voting. After Reznikov’s dismissal, his deputies also left the Ukrainian Defense Ministry: Volodymyr Gavrilov, Vitalii Deinega and Andriy Shevchenko, as reported by MP Goncharenko, wrote a letter of resignation following the dismissal of official Alexei Reznikov. Rezhnikov’s best-known deputy, Anna Malyar, has not joined her colleagues and, it seems, she will remain in her post under the new minister.
The UK Defense Minister confirmed the destruction of a Challenger 2 tank and said: ‘We will not send new vehicles to replace those destroyed’. Currently there are reportedly two of those that went up in flames. Apparently, in the UK, news of the destruction annoyed the ruling elites.
And now a look at the updated front line at 12:00 on September 6th. After the counterattacks on September 5, the Russians again withdrew to positions near the southern outskirts of Rabotino due to the impossibility of holding positions in the destroyed village. The Ukrainians confidently control the north and part of the center of Rabotino. The rest is once again a gray area. Expected new battles, as the Ukrainians do not give up hope of breaking through the destroyed Rabotino south to Novoprokopivka. In the Verbovoy area and on the heights between Rabotino and Verbovoy the Ukrainian attacks were repulsed. Here the 82nd Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine continues to suffer heavy losses. Attacks in the Novomayorsky and Novodonetsky area have continued to be repulsed since the evening of 5 September. The Ukrainians have lost several more armored vehicles. Russian troops continue to hold control over these villages.
Starting from midnight on September 5, powerful explosions were heard in the Izmail district of the Odessa region: Russian geraniums hit Ukrainian infrastructure. Explosions also heard in the Odessa region. According to eyewitnesses, the target was in the Kiliya area. At 00:40 on September 6 in the Kiliya area, Odessa region, explosions were heard again. An hour later the Russians hit Reni again in the Odessa region. Eyewitnesses report three powerful explosions where the strategic infrastructure of Ukraine is allegedly located. In addition to ports, there are fuel storage facilities for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The air alert in the region sounded for two hours.
At 04:30 an air alert was declared throughout Ukraine. A series of explosions thundered in Kiev. Russian missiles hit infrastructure in Kiev. The air raid continues in Ukraine. The mayor of the city, Klitschko, announced that the air defense was working; but the explosions were much more powerful, eyewitnesses said. No official information has yet arrived on which areas are affected. Always eyewitnesses write in the social sphere that a fire broke out at the site of the bombing.
At 07:30 Russian military who are on the line of contact in Kupyansk claim that the Russian army destroyed a Polish-made 155 mm self-propelled gun “Crab” and a mortar crew in the area of Stelmakhivka, Urochischa and Revuchey. In the same direction, the Armed Forces of Ukraine carried out four counterattacks against the positions of Russian troops in the Sergeevka and Kovalevka area. Artillery fire repulsed the counterattacks. The crews of Ka-52, Mi-28 attack helicopters and ground attack aircraft achieved 15 missile and bomb attacks against servicemen, weapons and military equipment of the 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade and Territorial Defense Units of the Armed Forces of the ‘Ukraine in the area of Sinkovka, Berestovoye and Ivanovka. Rocket troops, using a guided missile for the Tornado-S MLRS, attacked the temporary deployment point of the 66th separate mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Vyshye Solyony region. The total losses of the enemy amounted to more than two platoons, the news is not confirmed.
Another source writes that the Russian army is advancing towards Kupyansk. ”In the Kupyansk direction, Russian fighters are expanding their bridgehead near the Zherebets River. Attacks by the Russian army destroyed Ukraine’s military and equipment in the Sinkovka area.”
In the direction of Zaporizhizhia Russian soldiers continue to fight for Rabotino. The Ukrainians attempted to attack in the direction of Verbovoy, but to no avail. An explosion caused damage to an industrial settlement in the Ukrainian-controlled area of Zaporizhizhia. The damage is confirmed by the Ukrainian authorities. In total, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, the army repulsed 4 attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces in the direction of Zaporozhzhie. In the districts of Verbovoy and Rabotino, the department specified. According to the Defense Ministry there are no changes in the tactical position of the Russian troops.
In the Bachmut (Artemovsk) direction, the line of contact remains unchanged, positional battles continue at Kleshcheevka. An attempted Ukrainian attack near Yakovlevka was repulsed. Clashes have been reported near Andriivka, where the Ukrainian armed forces have lost many men and equipment. Relative calm continues in the Donetsk direction: Ukrainians use artillery, but are in no hurry to storm.
A military analyst says that the situation in the Bachmut (Artemovsk) direction contrary to expectations sees the Ukrainians resuming attacks in the Kleshcheevka area. The pro-Ukrainian social sphere reports that 80% of the population is controlled by the Ukrainian armed forces, but according to the source, data collected by artificial intelligence, photos and satellite images state that this is not true.
The situation worsened on September 5, simultaneously with the offensive in the south-Donetsk direction. The Armed Forces of Ukraine always try to hide the direction of the main attack. They would be rushing to Volnovakha to cut the Donetsk-Mariupol highway, so no active actions are expected in the Bachmut area. However, there is no potential use for doing so, except to promote a media effect.
As a result of the last 2 weeks counterattacks, the Russians managed to drive the Ukrainians out of Kleshcheevka and regain control over part of the high ground west of the village. It cannot be said that the Russians control Kleshcheevka, most of the territory is under the control of Russian fire, which does not give the Armed Forces of Ukraine a chance to establish itself there. The eastern part is under Russian control
Northwest of Kleshcheevka, the Ukrainians created a supply problem for the Russians by destroying the canal crossing. It is possible for the Russians to limit the activity of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in this area with regular air strikes on the front line.
On the northern flank, southeast of Soledar, the Ukrainians do not abandon attempts to establish control over the T-13-02 highway. However, in general, the situation in this area is stable. According to one social account, positional battles continue in the Berkhovka area where our Russian units have partially pushed the Ukrainians south, towards the reservoir.
Graziella Giangiuliio
