Ukraine/Russland/NATO – der Sammler am 5. September 2022

Im andauernden russischen Angriffskrieg gegen die Ukraine sehen die britischen Nachrichtendienste die Eroberung der Provinz Donezk als aktuell vorrangiges – und symbolisch wichtiges – russisches Kriegsziel; diese Eroberung bis Mitte September sei aber unwahrscheinlich.  Der Sammler am 5. September 2022:

• Die Angaben der Ukraine zu ihrem Vorgehen im Süden des Landes bleiben spärlich – ob und wie eine mögliche Offensive Richtung Kherson derzeit aussieht, ist deshalb unklar. Der ukrainische Präsident Wolodymyr Selenskyj nahm in seiner regelmäßigen Videoansprache am (gestrigen) Sonntagabend darauf zwar kurz Bezug, aber auch ohne Einzelheiten zu nennen:

I would also like to mention the 42nd separate motorized infantry battalion – thanks to its heroic actions, two settlements in the south of our country were liberated.

• Das britische Intel Update:

Despite its effects to contain recent Ukrainian offensive action, Russia’s main effort in Ukraine almost certainly remain its Donbas offensive operation. Its principal axes of advance in the Donbas remain at Avdiivka near Donetsk City and, 60km to the north, around Bakhmut.
Although Russia has had the most success in this sector, its forces have still only been advancing around 1km per week towards Bakhmut.
The political goal of the Donbas operation almost certainly remains to secure the whole of Donetsk Oblast, which would enable the Kremlin to announce the ‘liberation’ of the Donbas. Russian forces have highly likely repeatedly missed deadlines to achieve this aim.
The Ukrainian authorities have claimed that Russian forces are now under orders to complete this mission by 15 September 2022.
The force is highly unlikely to achieve this, which will further complicate Russia’s plans to run referendums on the occupied areas joining the Russian Federation.

• Das Morgenbriefing des ukrainischen Generalstabs:

Operational update of General Staff of the UAF regarding the russian invasion as of 06:00, on September 5, 2022
The one hundred ninety-fourth (194) day of the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people to a russian military invasion continues.
The enemy continues to focus its efforts on establishing full control over the territory of Donetsk oblast, maintaining the captured districts of Kherson, part of Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhya, and Mykolaiv oblasts, as well as creating favourable conditions for resuming the offensive, searching for weak points in our defence, trying to improve the tactical position in certain directions .
There is still a threat of massive air and missile strikes on military and critical infrastructure facilities throughout Ukraine. In the waters of the Black Sea, the carriers of the cruise missiles „Kalibr“ are in readiness for the use of missile weapons.
Over the past 24 hours, the enemy has launched 25 missile and more than 22 air strikes against military and civilian targets in Ukraine. In particular, civil infrastructure was affected in the areas of Kharkiv, Dmytrivka, Kostyantynivka, Zelenopillya, Zaitseve, Kodema, Soledar, Mykolaiv, Voznesensk, Ochakiv, Sukhy Stavok and Bezimenne.
In the Volyn and Polissya directions, the situation remains without significant changes. The threat of missile and air strikes from the airspace and territory of the republic of belarus remains.
In other directions, the enemy fired at military and civilian infrastructure from tanks, combat vehicles, mortars, barrel and jet artillery, namely:
in the Siversky direction, the enemy shelled civilian and military infrastructure in more than 10 settlements. Hasychivka, Yanzhulivka, Mykolaivka, Mykhalchyna Sloboda of Chernihiv oblast and Novovasylivka, Nova Huta, Seredyna-Buda, Bachivsk, Yastrubyne and Smolyne of Sumy oblast were most affected by fire;
in the Kharkiv direction, the enemy inflicted damage in the areas of Dementiivka, Nove, Odnorobivka, Borshcheva, Sosnivka, Udy, Ruski Tyshky, Pytomnyk, Ruska Lozova, Slobozhanske, Momotove, Petrivka, Bayrak, Husarivka, Chepil and Mospanove settlements. The UAV was used to adjust the artillery fire;
in the Slovyansk direction, the settlements of Krasnopillya, Dibrivne, Virnopillya and Bohorodychne were shelled by the occupiers. The enemy launched an airstrike on the settlement of Dmytrivka;
in the Kramatorsk direction, the enemy fired in the areas of Piskunivka, Donetsk, Kryva Luka, Siversk and Spirne;
in the direction of Bakhmut, the enemy shelled the areas of the settlements of Bilohorivka, Vesele, Zaytseve, Kodema, Mayorsk, Bakhmutske, Soledar, Bakhmut and Mykolaivka. In addition, it launched an airstrike near Kostyantynivka, Zelenopillya, Zaytseve, Kodema, and Soledar;
in the Avdiivka direction, the settlements of Krasnohorivka, Maryinka, Avdiivka and Vodyane were shelled by mortars and barrel artillery;
in the Novopavlivskyi direction, the enemy did not conduct active offensive operations, but at the same time shelled the areas of Novomykhailivka, Paraskoviivka, Kermenchyk and Vremivka settlements;
in the Zaporizhzhya direction, the enemy shelled the regions of Novopole and Novosilka;
in the South Buh region, the enemy is conducting defensive operations, shelling the areas of Myrne, Stepova Dolyna, Oleksandrivka, Tavriyske, Partyzanske, Olhyne, Kiselivka, Kobzartsi, Bila Krynytsia, Andriivka, Novovoskresenske, Myronivka, Lyubimivka, Petrivka. The areas of Bereznehuvate, Bezymenne, Velike Artakove, Sukhyi Stavok, and Bila Krynytsia were hit by enemy airstrikes. To adjust the fire, the occupiers used unmanned aerial vehicles.
After intensive shelling by the Defense Forces of areas where the enemy is concentrated in the Kherson region, russian invaders imposed a ban on the movement of local residents. In particular, people are prohibited from crossing the Dnipro River both by bridges and by watercraft. In case of violation of the ban, the occupiers threaten to open fire on the damage.
Forced mobilization continues in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. In Donetsk, the Russian invaders found a „new source“ of replenishment of losses in manpower. So, recently, representatives of the Russian occupation army began to arrive at local hospitals in the city and forcefully „discharge“ patients. Men of military age with various diseases or injuries, including those wounded during hostilities who are undergoing treatment, fall under such an extract.
Once again, servicemen of the 2nd Army Corps note the discrimination of their status in comparison with the russian military. The personnel of the units of the said army corps do not receive certain declared allowances, unlike the russian military in other military units. In addition, there is no quality medical care. All this significantly affects the deterioration of the moral and psychological state of the personnel.
The Defence Forces of Ukraine continue to conduct a defensive operation, maintain the defined boundaries and prevent the enemy from advancing on the territory of Ukraine.
Units of our troops successfully repelled the enemy’s offensive in the areas of the settlements of Bakhmutske, Vesela Dolyna, Zaitseve, Kodema and Soledar in the Bakhmut direction, as well as in the areas of the settlements of Pervomaiske, Vodyane and Nevelske in the Avdiivka direction.
The Air Force Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine continues to repulse missile and air strikes and air attacks of the enemy, effectively covering critical objects of Ukraine.
During the day, in order to support the actions of the kand groups, the aviation of the Defense Forces carried out more than 30 strikes aimed at hitting personnel, combat and special equipment, as well as military facilities.
Missile troops and artillery of land troops continue to perform tasks of counter-battery combat, disruption of the command system, logistical support, destruction of air defense means, fire means and enemy manpower. Over the past 24 hours, missile strikes and fire damage have been carried out at command points of various levels, warehouses with strategic level ammunition, areas of concentration of military equipment and personnel, areas of concentration and firing positions of artillery units, as well as other important targets.
As a result of effective fire damage in areas of enemy concentration near the settlements of Semenivka and Kupyansk of Kharkiv oblast, the russian occupiers suffered losses. One of the field warehouses with ammunition, enemy manpower, and military equipment was destroyed. Losses are being verified.

• Das Briefing des russischen Verteidigungsministeriums (mit anhaltenden Vorwürfen gegen die Ukraine im Hinblick auf das Atomkraftwerk Saporischja):

Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine (September 5, 2022)
The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) continued their attempts to consolidate at several areas of Nikolayev-Krivoy Rog direction.
Russian Aerospace Forces, missile troops and artillery launch high-precision attacks at the units and reserve forces of Ukrainian troops.
The enemy has lost a total of 11 tanks, 7 infantry combat vehicles and 8 armoured vehicles of other types, 9 pick-ups with large-calibre machine guns and over 220 servicemen at the abovementioned direction.
High-precision armament has neutralised provisional bases of 57th Mechanised Infantry Brigade near Bereznegovatoye and Murakhovka (Nikolayev region).
Russian Aerospace Forces have shot down 1 Mi-8 helicopter of Ukrainian Air Force near Kochubeyevka (Kherson region).
2 depots for missiles, artillery armament and munitions of the AFU have been destroyed near Voznesensk and Ochakov (Nikolayev region) that storaged over 1,500 rocket-propelled projectiles for multiple rocket-launching systems (MRLS), including over 200 projectiles for U.S.-manufactured HIMARS multiple rocket launchers.
Operational-tactical and army aviation, missile troops and artillery continue launching attacks at the military facilities in Ukraine.
High-precision attack launched by Russian Aerospace Forces at a provisional base of Kraken nationalist group deployed near Kharkov has resulted in the elimination of over 30 nationalists and 10 motor vehicles.
Concentrated fire attacks launched at the combat positions of 81st Air Assault Brigade near Krasnopolye (Donetsk People’s Republic) has resulted in the elimination of up to 20 and wounding of over 50 AFU servicemen.
6 AFU command posts have been neutralised near Dachnoye, Velikaya Danilovka (Kharkov region), Slavyansk, Artyomovsk (Donetsk People’s Republic), Poltavka (Zaporozhye region), Zelenodolsk (Dnepropetrovsk region), as well as 48 artillery units and 152 Ukrainian manpower and military equipment concentration areas.
5 depots for missiles, artillery armament and munitions have been destroyed near Andreyevka, Sady (Kharkov region), Dobrovolye, Zelyonoye Pole (Donetsk People’s Republic) and Nikolayevka (Kherson region).
1 launching ramp of U.S.-manufactured HIMARS multiple rocket-launching system has been destroyed near Timchenki (Kharkov region).
Russian air defence means have shot down 5 unmanned aerial vehicles near Bolshiye Prokhody (Kharkov region), Novotroitskoye, Yegorovka, Novy Svet and Zelyonoye Pole (Donetsk People’s Republic), including 1 Bayraktar-TB2.
4 U.S.-manufactured HARM anti-radar missiles have been shot down near Chernobayevka and Novaya Kakhovka (Kherson region).
34 projectiles launched by HIMARS, Uragan and Olkha MRLS have been intercepted in air near Kazatskoye and Chernobayevka (Kherson region).
In total, 287 airplanes and 152 helicopters, 1,877 unmanned aerial vehicles, 372 air defence missile systems, 4,822 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 825 combat vehicles equipped with MRLS, 3,368 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 5,340 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
Despite the presence of IAEA representatives at Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, Kiev regime continues provocations aimed at posing a threat to create a technological disaster.
On September 4, Ukrainian troops used an attack unmanned aerial vehicle towards the nuclear power plant. By virtue of Russian electronic countermeasures means, the Ukrainian drone lost control and fell down one kilometre far from the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant.
2 artillery attacks launched at Energodar have been recorder over the night. A total of 6 artillery projectiles have been launched from the circumferences of Marganets and Nikopol (Dnepropetrovsk region). AFU units have been neutralised by Russian artillery’s counter-attack.
The radiation environment at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant remains normal.

• Das Abendbriefing des ukrainischen Generalstabs:

The operational update regarding the #russian_invasion on 18.00, on September 5, 2022
The one hundred ninety-fourth (194) day of the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people to a russian military invasion continues.
The enemy continues to focus its efforts on establishing full control over the territory of the Donetsk oblast, maintaining the temporarily captured districts of the Kherson oblast, part of the Kharkiv oblast, Zaporozhye oblast, and Mykolaiv oblast.
There is still a threat of massive air and missile strikes on military and civilian infrastructure throughout the territory of Ukraine.
In the waters of the Black Sea, the carriers of the enemy’s Kalibr sea-based cruise missiles are still in readiness for use.
During the current day, the enemy carried out more than 40 attacks from MLRS and more than 25 airstrikes aimed at hitting military and civilian objects on the territory of Ukraine.
The enemy carried out airstrikes on the Zalyman areas of the Kharkiv oblast; Dmytrivka, Bogorodichne, Zaytseve, Kodema, Soledar, Yakovlivka, Krasnohorivka of the Donetsk oblast and Dorozhnyanka of the Zaporizhya oblast.
The situation in the Volyn and Poliske directions has not changed significantly.
In the Siverskyi direction, border areas of settlements of Chernihiv and Sumy oblasts were shelled.
In other directions, the enemy, using available means of fire damage, continued shelling military and civilian infrastructure, namely:
in the Kharkiv direction, the enemy shelled the areas of the settlements of Udy, Odnorobivka, Sosnivka, Dementiivka, Nove, Pytomnyk, Borshchova, Ruska Lozova, Ruski Tyshky, Petrivka, Momotove, Bayrak, Slobozhanske, Husarivka, Mospanove, and Chepil;
in the Slovyansk direction – Krasnopillya, Virnopillya, Dibrivne and Bohorodychne;
in the Kramatorsk direction – Donetske, Piskunivka, Kryva Luka, Siversk and Spirne;
in the Bakhmut direction – Mykolaivka, Vesele, Bilohorivka, Soledar, Bakhmutske, Bakhmut, Kodema, Zaitseve and Mayorsk;
in the Avdiyivka direction – Oleksandrivka, Avdiyivka, Vodyane, Krasnohorivka and Maryinka;
in the Novopavlivskyi direction – Vilne Pole, Vremivka, Novomykhailivka and Kermenchyk;
in the Zaporizhyea direction – Zelene Pole, Novosilka, Novopil, Hulyaipole, Chervone, Kamyanske.
In the South Buh direction, the enemy is concentrating on the defense of previously occupied lines and positions, continued shelling in the areas of Kvitneve, Shevchenkove, Lyubomirivka, Novohrihorivka, Posad Pokrovske, Ukrainka, Prybuzke, Lymany, Lupareve, Myrne, Oleksandrivka and Tavriyske settlements.
According to available information, the command of the military units of the 1st army corps of the russian occupying forces is taking measures to forcibly transfer the personnel of conscript service to a contract, which makes it impossible for them to be released from military service within three years. In addition, one-time payments for signing such contracts do not apply to this category, which significantly reduces the morale and psychological state of personnel.
The enemy continues to commit illegal actions in the Kherson oblast. Thus, the russian occupiers turned off the Kakhovskaya HPP, which caused the blackout of part of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhya oblasts.
The defense forces continue to conduct a defensive operation, maintain the defined boundaries and prevent the invaders from advancing deep into the territory of Ukraine.
Our defenders successfully repelled enemy offensive attempts in the areas of the settlements of Bilohorivka, Hryhorivka, Pokrovske, Bakhmutske, Lozove, Spartak, Soledar, Zaitseve and Semihirya, and in the Kramatorsk direction they had tactical success and knocked the enemy out of the positions he had previously occupied.
The Air Force Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine repels enemy missile and air strikes, effectively covers critical objects on the territory of Ukraine.
During the current day, in order to support the actions of the lsnd groups, the aviation of the Defense Forces carried out more than 15 strikes aimed at destroying the manpower, combat and special equipment, as well as other military objects of the enemy.
Missile troops and artillery of the Defense Forces continue fire support for the actions of land groups of troops.
According to updated data, enemy losses have been confirmed. As a result of a successful fire attack in the area of ​​Kupyansk settlement of Kharkiv region, the occupiers lost more than 100 servicemen killed and wounded, two combat vehicles were destroyed. In the city of Kherson, more than 30 servicemen and 3 enemy tanks were hit; and an anti-aircraft missile complex and six enemy trucks were destroyed in the area of ​​the Antoniv bridge and crossing.
The successful actions of the Defense Forces led to the disabling of crossings in the Kherson area and once again nullified the aggressor’s attempts to resume the transfer of troops across the Dnipro River.

• Nachdem es im Laufe des Tages Meldungen gegeben hatte, das Atomkraftwerk Saporischja sei durch die Kämpfe nun vollständig vom Stromnetz getrennt, meldete sich am Abend die Internationale Atomenergieagentur zu Wort – mit etwas beruhigender klingenden Informationen:

Ukraine informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that a back-up power line between the country’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and a nearby thermal power station was deliberately disconnected today in order to extinguish a fire, but the line itself was not damaged. The ZNPP continues to receive the electricity it needs for safety from its sole operating reactor.
After the ZNPP’s connection to its last remaining operational 750 kilovolt (kV) line was lost late on Friday, the 330 kV reserve line had been used to deliver electricity from the ZNPP to the grid. Ukraine informed IAEA that this back-up line will be re-connected once the fire has been extinguished.
One of the ZNPP’s six reactors continues to produce the electricity the plant requires for cooling and other nuclear safety functions. The reactor will be connected to the grid when the 330 kV line is switched on again.
Also today, four IAEA experts left the ZNPP as planned after several days of essential nuclear safety, security and safeguards work. Two others are staying to maintain a continuing IAEA presence at the site, enabling the Agency to observe the situation there and provide independent assessments.
The six experts arrived at the ZNPP on 1 September as part of a team led by Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi that crossed the frontline to establish the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhya (ISAMZ) at the plant in southern Ukraine. The ZNPP is held by Russian forces since early March, but its Ukrainian staff are continuing to operate the plant.
The IAEA experts on the ground have been assessing the physical damage at the ZNPP, determining the functionality of the main and back-up nuclear safety and security systems and evaluating the staff’s working conditions as well as the plant’s current emergency response capacities, among other important activities. Over the past few days, safeguards inspectors have also performed urgent safeguards activities on the site.
The plant’s Ukrainian staff told the IAEA experts today that they plan to repair the 750 kV line that went down on Friday but that it would take several days to do so.
A secure off-site power supply from the grid and back-up power supply systems are essential for ensuring nuclear safety. This requirement is among the seven indispensable nuclear safety and security pillars that the Director General outlined at the beginning of the conflict.
Over the past month, there have been numerous shelling incidents at or near the ZNPP, causing damage at the facility and raising widespread concern about the risk of a severe nuclear accident potentially jeopardizing human health and the environment. Shelling at the ZNPP on 1 September damaged an oil tank containing turbine lubrication oil, and there was renewed shelling today.
Director General Grossi will on Tuesday issue a report about the nuclear safety, security and safeguards situation in Ukraine – including the findings from the mission to the ZNPP – and later the same day brief the United Nations Security Council about the mission to the plant.