Ukraine-Russia latest: Putin faced ‘bloodiest month’ of war in September as Zelensky pitches victory plan
Putin casualties reach more than 600,000 in Ukraine since the war began in 2022, says US
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September proved to be the bloodiest month of attrition with 36,000 casualties for Vladimir Putin since the Russian invasion began in 2022, latest US intelligence assessment shows.
Russia suffered more than 1,200 casualties a day at an average – totalling to at least 36,000 casualties, according to the US and British military analysts, the New York Times reported. Officials in the West have called September the costliest month for Moscow’s troops but did not give an exact number of Russian casualties.
Russia has not released an official number of casualties of its forces in Ukraine and treats the information as a state secret.
Away from the frontline, Volodymyr Zelensky is promoting his “victory plan” in a widespread Europe visit that he said “aims to create the right conditions for a just end to the war” against Russia.
Yesterday, he met with prime minister Keir Starmer, Nato secretary general Mark Rutte, French president Emmanuel Macron and Italian premier Giorgia Meloni.
He is now set to meet Pope Francis today for a half-hour audience and then he will meet German chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin.
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Russia says ‘Nuclear Five’ states to meet in New York
A group of five nuclear weapons states will hold a meeting in New York in the near future, Russian state news agency RIA quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Thursday.
The group brings together Russia, the United States, China, France and Britain, all of which are nuclear-armed states and permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.
Ryabkov did not announce a specific date or say what level of officials would attend.
Nearly 30 buildings destroyed in Russian strike
The press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine has said dozens of houses were partially destroyed in a Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia.
“One damaged private house caught fire. Firefighters put out the blaze and did everything necessary to prevent re-ignition. Twenty-nine houses were partially destroyed!
“A total of 45 rescuers and nine units of equipment were involved in tackling the aftermath of the attack,” the post reads.
Video: Zelensky thanks UK for support for Ukraine
After meeting Sir Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelensky said the pair outlined a path to victory against Russia.
He wrote on X: “During my meeting with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom @Keir_Starmer, I outlined the details of our Victory Plan.
“We have agreed to work on it together with our allies.
“The Victory Plan aims to create the right conditions for a just end to the war. I thank the United Kingdom for its continued defense support of our country, including with long-range weapons.”
Kremlin regrets being dragged into US Election
The Kremlin said on Thursday that it regretted that Russia was being dragged into the US election campaign, but that relations with Washington were so poor that it was unlikely to have any discernable impact on ties.
“One can only express regret,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“In general, it is unlikely that this can harm our bilateral relations, because it is difficult to imagine what could push them to a level lower than the one that currently exists.” he said.
PM spokesperson says stance on Storm Shadow missiles unchanged despite Zelensky meeting
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy discussed the support Ukraine would need in its war against Russia in the coming months during talks in London on Thursday, Starmer’s spokesperson said.
The spokesperson also reiterated Britain’s view that Ukraine has the right, in certain circumstances, to strike targets inside Russian territory, but said that Britain’s stance on the use of its long-range Storm Shadow missiles was unchanged.
“We obviously want to put Ukraine in the strongest position. But no war has ever been won by a single weapon. And on Storm Shadow specifically, there has been no change to the UK government’s position on the use of long-range missiles,” the spokesperson said.
17-year-old girl among seven injured in Russian strikes overnight
Russian overnight and early morning attacks on Ukraine hit civilian and critical infrastructure facilities, injuring at least seven people across the country.
A flurry of Russian guided bomb strikes early in the morning injured six people, including a 17-year-old girl, and damaged 29 buildings in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia.
Video shows aftermath after Russians shell Kherson post office
The head of the Kherson Regional Postal Administration Oleksandr Prokudin reported that their central Kherson post office was destroyed.
“At night, a post office in the centre of Kherson came under attack by Russian troops,” the statement on Facebook reads.
He said the strike smashed the windows, damaged the roof, walls and fence, as well as service vehicles. There were no casualties.
Six rescued from destroyed house in Kryvyi Rih
The head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration Serhiy Lysak, reported on a Russian strike on a home in Kryvyi Rih.
“The roof of the house in Kryvyi Rih was damaged. A stairwell was destroyed in one of the entrances. Six people were rescued from the damaged part of the house,” he wrote.
According to Oleksandr Vilkul, head of Kryvyi Rih’s Defense Council, an enemy UAV hit the roof of the five-story building.
“The rescue operation is underway, rescuers are making door-to-door visits. So far, there are no casualties, but the rescue operation is not over,” he wrote.
Two men accused of hammer attack on Navalny aide may be released on bail
Two men suspected of attacking Leonid Volkov, an exiled aide to late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, may be released on bail from detention in Poland, a court has ruled.
Volkov suffered injuries from hammer blows in the attack on March 12 outside his home in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital. Two men suspected of attacking him were arrested in Poland in April on a European Arrest Warrant issued by Lithuania.
“Each must pay 50,000 zlotys ($12,700) bail within a week... If they pay, they will be released, if they don’t pay, they won’t be released,” Piotr Jaszke, the lawyer of one of the suspects told Reuters.
Navalny, Russia’s most prominent opposition leader, died in February after collapsing at the Arctic penal colony where he was serving a long jail term.
Zelensky seeking greater military support as he visits Downing Street
The Ukrainian president and the Prime Minister embraced outside No 10 before a series of talks which will also involve Nato’s new secretary-general Mark Rutte.
The visit was Mr Zelensky’s second trip to Number 10 since Sir Keir came to power after he addressed an extraordinary meeting of the Cabinet in July.
Mr Zelensky has been presenting his “victory plan” to Western leaders as he lobbies for greater military assistance, such as permission to use equipment including UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to hit targets within Russia.
Welcoming Mr Zelensky in No 10’s Pillared Room, Sir Keir said it was “very important we’re able to show our continued commitment to support Ukraine” and it was a chance to “go through the plan, to talk in more detail”.
The pair then held private talks in the Small Dining Room before conversations involving their wider teams.
Defence Secretary John Healey, Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin and National Security Adviser Sir Tim Barrow were among the senior figures involved in the meeting with the Ukrainians.
The UK and US have so far stopped short of explicitly giving Kyiv permission to fire Western-supplied missiles at targets within Vladimir Putin’s country over concerns about further escalating the conflict, but Mr Zelensky has likened his position to having to fight with his hands tied.
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