Ukrainian troops in the liberated village of Klishchiivka in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, September 17, 2023

Wednesday’s Coverage: Did Kyiv Kill Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Commander?

Map: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1658 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has also seen the French and British Defense Ministers, Sebastien Lecornu and Grant Shapps, in separate meetings in Kyiv on Thursday.

Zelenskiy discussed the possibility of joint weapons production and the bolstering of air defenses in the talks with Lecornu. He hailed the French supply of anti-aircraft missile systems, Caesar self-propelled artillery units, and SCALP cruise missiles.

Shapps also discussed air defenses with Zelenskiy, who said:

On behalf of the whole nation, I thank you for everything you are doing for us. We are grateful for your help – military, financial, humanitarian. We greatly appreciate that we can rely on you.

UPDATE 1327 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has posted of his meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Kyiv on Thursday.

At a joint press conference, Zelenskiy referred to Russia’s firing of 44 Iran-made attack drones overnight:

And so it is almost every night. In the conditions of such intense attacks against Ukrainians, against our cities, ports – which are important for global food security – we need a corresponding increase in pressure on Russia and a corresponding increase in our air shield.

Stoltenberg noted that Ukrainian forces were “gradually gaining ground” in their counter-offensive against Russia’s invasion.

Every meter that Ukrainian forces regain is a meter that Russia loses.

And there is a stark contrast: Ukrainians are fighting for their families, their future, their freedom. Moscow is fighting for imperial delusions.

UPDATE 1100 GMT:

The Kremlin is raising defense spending by almost 70% in 2024, according to a Finance Ministry document.

Spending will increase to almost 10.8 trillion rubles ($111 billion). That is about 6% of GDP – more than the Kremlin devotes to social policy, and about three times more than education, environmental protection and health care spending combined.

The Ministry said goals included “strengthening the country’s defense capacity” and “integrating” — fully absorbing — the four Ukrainian regions that Vladimir Putin “annexed” in September 2022: Luhansk and Donetsk in the east and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south.

UPDATE 0751 GMT:

The US has sanctioned five more entities and two individuals for aiding the development and production of Iran’s “kamikaze” drones, used by Russia in its attacks on Ukraine.

Those blacklisted are based in Iran, Turkey, China, and the UAE. They are accused of helping procure components for the Shahed drones.

UPDATE 0643 GMT:

The world’s largest crypto exchange Binance says it is leaving Russia, selling its operations to a newly-created “community exchange”.

“Over the next several months, Binance will sunset all exchange services and business lines in Russia,” the company said in a statement.

Binance issued the announcement after reports of an investigation by the US Justice Department over violations of sanctions on Russia.

“Binance has entered into an agreement to sell the entirety of its Russia business,” the company said, named Commex — launched on Tuesday — as the buyer.

UPDATE 0620 GMT:

The Ukrainian military says it downed 34 of 44 Iran-made attack drones launched by Russia overnight.

Spokeswoman Nataliya Gumenyuk said that Russia “does not stop the pressure and searching for new tactics: namely, with the use of mass attacks”.

Tonight, several groups of strike UAVs were launched….Air defense worked along almost the entire southern direction — in Odesa, Mykolaiv regions. Also, much higher north – the enemy aimed its attacks on central Ukraine.

The consequences of the attack are being clarified now, because it was indeed a massive one.

Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper said there were no casualties: “Our air defense forces did an excellent job.”

UPDATE 0556 GMT:

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has filled three of the six deputy posts vacated after his appointment in early September.

Yurri Dzhygyr will be responsible for finance, Nataliia Kalmykova for social development, and Kateryna Chernogorenko for digital development.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has pointed to “progress” on the eastern as well as the southern front of the 3 1/2-month counter-offensive against the Russian invasion.

Most of the territory liberated by Ukrainian forces since June has been in the Zaporizhzhia region in the south. However, the counter-offensive has also made gradual progress to the north and south of the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region. Last week, it liberated the villages of Andriivka and Klischiivka.

See also Ukraine War, Day 572: Counter-Offensive in East Liberates 2nd Village in 4 Days

Zelenskiy said after a meeting with commanders on Wednesday, “We have progress on the Donetsk axis.”

He added, “There are other plans that are being implemented.”

The Ukrainian military said it is continuing to hold off “determined attacks” by Russian forces, both near Bakhmut and also further north near Kupyansk, Lyman, Maryinka, and Avdiivka.

Spokespeerson Ilia Yevlash said on national TV, “We continue to repel intense enemy attacks near Klishchiivka and Andriivka. The enemy is still storming these positions with the hope of recapturing lost positions, but without success.”