The State Duma has approved and ratified the federal law on the incorporation of the DNR, LNR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions into Russia, and the coordinating deputies for the new territories have been identified: Viktor Vodolatsky (LNR), Dmitry Sablin (DNR), Andrey Krasov (Zaporizhzhia region) and Gleb Khor (Kherson region). The Zaporizhzhya region will be included in the Russian Federation within its administrative borders, and the Kherson region with two districts of the Mykolayiv region. This was announced by Pavel Krasheninnikov, head of the State Duma’s State Building Committee. The borders of the regions will reportedly be those of 2014.
The Criminal and Civil Codes of the Russian Federation will come into force immediately in the territories of the annexed regions. Pavel Krasheninnikov, head of the State Construction Committee of the Duma, told Zvezda. The State Duma also called for providing free mobile phone services to those mobilised. The idea was put forward by Yaroslav Nilov, head of the Committee for Social Policy.
Russia therefore now has 89 regions, the Russians say, in order to have the entire Western world reject the annexation; according to State Duma President Vyacheslav Volodin: ‘The entry of the LDNR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions into the Russian Federation is the only way to save people’s lives from the Kiev regime’.
The words of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov were no less harsh: ‘The moment of truth has arrived. Russia is defending its territory from a real genocide’. And still ‘not between the lines’ the Russian foreign minister hinted that the series of laws on the annexation of new territories is not the last one. Analysts say that Odessa and Mikolaiev may be in Russia’s sights.
Across the ocean, retired colonel and former advisor to the US Secretary of Defence Douglas Macgregor suggested what will happen to NATO if the alliance maintains an anti-Russian course.
McGregor pointed out that most NATO members are not in favour of an open armed confrontation with Russia. At the same time, he has allowed or is allowing the alliance to disintegrate because of the desire for war with Moscow.
“I think Vladimir Putin will resolve the conflict in Ukraine on terms acceptable to Russia, which may not please NATO members. But apart from Poland, no one in NATO is interested in war with Russia. If we continue along this line, we will see NATO simply disintegrate and disappear,’ stressed the former Pentagon advisor.
Still on the wavelength that not everyone goes along with Ukrainian wishes: Switzerland does not support Zelenskyy’s idea of transferring frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, the Swiss Ministry told RIA Novosti.
And now we come to the situation at the front.
The Western Military District has changed its command. In place of Alexander Zhuravlyov comes General Roman Berdnikov. This was reported by RBC citing sources. Berdnikov previously commanded a group of Russian troops in Syria. Berdnikov graduated from the Kyiv Suvorov military school in 1991.
Near Slavyansk, the Russian Defence Ministry said that AFU losses in three days of fighting amounted to over 900 soldiers. Meanwhile, with tank units in the direction of Zolota Balka and Oleksandrivka, the Ukrainian armed forces managed to cut through the Russian defence. The Russian armed forces occupied the prepared defensive line and continued to defend themselves by firing at the Ukrainian armed forces.
In the direction of Kharkov now apparently Severodonetsk the situation at the front is terrible, say soldiers at the front. The Ukrainian armed forces are advancing towards Svatovo (LNR). It is temporarily impossible to stabilise the front. This was stated by war correspondents. These days particularly criticised by the higher echelons of the Russian army.
Direction of Kherson: between Zolota Balka and Dudchany a ‘grey zone’ has been declared, there are ongoing clashes, Ukrainian reinforcements are arriving but the Russian armed forces are holding the defence. In the area of Davydov Brod, the Ukrainians are amassing large forces to attempt a new counter-attack. During the night, the Russians lost four tanks and killed 11-14 Ukrainian soldiers. Due to heavy rain, the Russian air force was unable to bomb during the night.
At 11 a.m. on 3 October, for the battle for Kherson in the direction of Beryslav, Russian troops failed to mount a counter-offensive and regain lost positions near Zolota Balka. Aerial bombardment resumed in the morning today. If the Russians hold Zolota Balka, the Ukrainians are fortifying the areas taken.
On the Krivoy Rog sector of the front, units of the 128 OgshbR, together with 60 OpsbR and 17 SSU detachments, have been conducting an offensive in the Khreshchenivka -Shevchenkivka direction since 2 October. In the course of combat operations, with fire support from 67 ADN 406 OABR Ukrainian formations have consolidated along the Novovorontsovka – Novooleksandrivka highway.
Situation in the direction of Kupjans’k as of 12:00 on 3 October 2022. In the direction of Kupjans’k, the Ukrainian command continues to accumulate forces to penetrate deep into the defensive lines and blockade Svatove with the subsequent intention of linking up with the grouping of Ukrainian formations in Liman.
The 14th Brigade continues to deploy forces and vehicles across the Oskil River in the vicinity of Hryanykivka and Masyutivka. The 2nd Battalion of the compound, in small assault groups, tries to reach the poorly controlled terrain between Olshana and Petropavlivka.
G.G.
