Military operations between Russia and Ukraine intensified on Saturday 19 September, with Moscow announcing that it had captured more than 5300 square kilometres and over 220 Ukrainian towns since the start of the year, while Kyiv said Russian forces had suffered 1520 killed or wounded over the previous 24 hours.
Moscow announces battlefield gains in September
The battlefield developments coincided with an exchange of long-range attacks targeting ships, ports and logistics facilities. Russia’s Defence Ministry said more than 670 square kilometres and 27 towns had come under the control of its forces during September alone. It added that Russian units were continuing operations to establish what it described as a security zone in the border areas of Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv regions.
In north-eastern Kharkiv, the ministry said the area of land under Ukrainian control had shrunk by about 152 square kilometres since 5 September. It said its forces had captured nine towns in the operations: Bereznyky, Ozerne, Dolhinkoye, Zarubinka, Chernyakov, Shiroky, Shevchenkovo, Olkhovatka and Malaya Volchaya, estimating Ukrainian losses at about 700 personnel.
In Zaporizhzhia region, Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces were advancing towards the city of Zaporizhzhia along a broad front, and had captured the towns of Chervona Krynytsia, Novopavlivka, Novoandriivka and Rozivka since the start of September. It added that fighting was continuing in the central areas of the city of Orikhiv.
The ministry identified other battle axes, saying the heaviest clashes were taking place along the routes leading to the Kramatorsk-Sloviansk conurbation, where Russian forces were attacking Ukrainian defensive positions near Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Druzhkivka. It also reported street fighting in central Dobropillia.
The ministry said its forces were conducting operations to seize Oskil, Krymky and Studenok, while clearing operations continued in residential neighbourhoods in Krasnyi Lyman and Sviatohirsk. It accused Kyiv of waging what it called an “aggressive media campaign”, backed by Western media outlets and military experts, to portray Ukrainian troop movements on the battlefields as major successes.
Hundreds of drones intercepted as ports targeted
Alongside the ground fighting, Russia’s Defence Ministry said air-defence systems had intercepted and shot down 344 Ukrainian drones overnight over several Russian regions. The ministry had announced the previous day that 328 Ukrainian drones had been shot down during daylight hours over Russian territory and maritime areas.
The ministry also said Russian forces had targeted a dry-cargo vessel overnight that it claimed was carrying military supplies inside the port of Chornomorsk, as well as two other vessels that it said were carrying supplies for Ukrainian forces and heading towards the port of Odesa. The strikes also targeted, according to the Russian account, a floating crossing over the Dniester River, which Moscow said was being used to transport military shipments from Romania to Ukraine.
Logistics facilities, ports and transport infrastructure sites were also targeted, including the “Kopylov Logistics Complex” in Kyiv region, which the ministry said was used to store and distribute military shipments arriving from European countries.
Kyiv reports Russian losses over 24 hours
Ukraine’s General Staff added that the tally included 442 warplanes, 356 helicopters, 2672 ground robotic systems, 524132 drones and 5111 cruise missiles. It also reported the destruction of 35 warships and two submarines, more than 150 thousand vehicles and fuel tanks, as well as 4703 units of special equipment.
Front lines largely static as long-range attacks intensify
Moscow and Kyiv have intensified their long-range air attacks in recent months, while the front lines have remained largely static. Ukraine has targeted Russian oil infrastructure and warehouses belonging to companies involved in e-commerce, in an attempt to increase the cost Moscow bears for continuing the war, while diplomatic efforts to end the fighting, which has continued for four and a half years, remain deadlocked.
