The Times reports the first contents of Volodymyr Zelensky’s “victory plan”: Western security guarantees for Ukraine are “similar to the mutual defense pact when joining NATO”; International financial assistance for economic recovery; Providing modern weapons from the West; Continuation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces operation in the Kursk region; Zelensky will require Biden to provide such security guarantees that he cannot be influenced by Trump in the future if he wins the election. This is done to prevent Ukraine from being forced into an unfavorable peace deal.
Despite Zelensky’s “victory plan,” Kiev and the West may have different views on victory, The Times continues.
The leaders of the United States, India, Japan and Australia have expressed deep concern about the war in Ukraine and called for a just peace. A joint statement following a meeting between US President Biden and the prime ministers of Australia, India and Japan speaks of the need to achieve a just and lasting peace that is consistent with international law and the principles of the UN Charter: “War has a negative impact on global food and energy security, especially for developing countries”
From Ukraine, rumors are coming as to why Zelensky reset the security top brass last week: “the resignations in the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine are associated with the dissatisfaction of the country’s leadership with the assessment of the situation in the Kursk region in early August and the forecast of the Russian command’s reaction to the invasion of Russian territory. It is believed that the GUR reports led to an underestimation of the enemy and, above all, instilled optimism among Ukraine’s allies.” This is what Turkish newspapers write, citing Ukrainian sources.
Kiev expressed concern that next year Russia will produce as many or more weapons than Europe does: “In Russia, for example, there are 30 key factories that produce this or that weapon and equipment, and they increase this production, bypassing sanctions. And in Europe, in the European Union, I think, there are about 42 factories,” Zelensky said. He also stressed that this year Russia has produced fewer weapons than Europe. But Kiev has received less than Moscow.
“That is why we need quick decisions – now, not later. Because later it will be more difficult for Russia to have more, in 2025. We are looking at North Korea, Iran, which are also producing and supplying weapons to Russia.”
Speaking about the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, on September 24, Radosław Sikorski, Polish Foreign Minister: “The war in Ukraine will end only when Putin decides that the invasion was a mistake and that he will not achieve his goals at an acceptable price”.
Echoing these words are those of the German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius: “Support for Ukraine is expensive, but defeat will cost much more”. Die Zeit.
And now a look at the front line updated at 16:00 on September 24.
In the Kursk region, Ukrainian activity continues south of the settlement of Veseloe. The Ukrainian Armed Forces do not stop sending NATO armored vehicles in an attempt to hold the territory but they are systematically destroyed. In the Korenevsky and Sudzhansky districts, the Ukrainians suffered losses due to the massive use of heavy aerial bombs by the Russian Armed Forces near the settlement. Tolsty Lug and Kamyshevka. Despite the intensity of the fighting, the line of contact of the combat has not undergone significant changes.
In the direction of Kupyansk, the movement of Russian troops from the Pishchane wedge to Kruhlyakivka is important. In the future, this will allow the Russians to reach the line along the Oskol River, and also form a semi-encirclement of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Russian side of the river.
In the direction of Pokrovsk, the Russian army, moving west from Ukrainsk, reached the northern outskirts of Tsukuryne. In the south, fighting is taking place near Hirnyk, the Russian Armed Forces also fought in the nearby Zhelanne Druhe, closing the “pincers” towards Krasnogorivka.
Ukrainian Armed Forces in Vuhledar are threatened with encirclement. The only road from the city to Blahodatne is under Russian fire. Russian units advanced into the city reported. In the afternoon, Russian social media sources claimed: “Russian armed forces have broken through the flank of the city. The Russian army entered the eastern outskirts of the city. There was no powerful attack; small assault groups penetrated the city. Ukrainian channels write that at the moment the Russian army has not yet gained a foothold, but the situation is complex.”
On the Zaporozhzhie front, a significant element of the situation was the use of new aerial bombs by the Russian armed forces with UMPC and UPMB against targets in the regional capital.
Mutual attacks across the Dnieper River continue in the direction of Kherson. On the Russian-controlled bank in Kakhovka, two people were wounded and one was killed.
In the Belgorod region, as a result of an attack by the Ukrainian armed forces, three civilians were killed in the village of Arkhangelskoye, Shebekinsk urban district, and four were wounded. Cheremoshnoye, Belgorod district, was shelled; in Shebekino, a kamikaze drone attacked a parked car. In the evening, in the Belgorod region, near the village of Yasnye Zori, a drone hit a moving car. In the municipal district of Grayvoronsky, a drone attacked a combine harvester working in a field. In the village of Vyazovoe, Krasnoyaruzhsky district, as a result of an FPV drone attack, windows were torn out and the facade of a social building was cut off. In the city of Shebekino, a drone attacked an apartment building.
In the DPR, the Ukrainian Armed Forces used cluster artillery munitions in Donetsk, one injured. In Horlivka, a man was injured by an artillery strike of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Graziella Giangiulio
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