Ukrainian forces are advancing on the city, which serves as a key logistical hub for Russian forces in the Kharkiv region. The US-based think tank the Institute for the Study of War said last night that Ukraine would likely recapture the city within 72 hours and that its loss would severely hamper Russian lines of communication on the ground. A photo posted on Twitter by Illia Ponomarenko, a defense reporter at the Kyiv Independent, shows soldiers holding a Ukrainian flag while standing in front of a large sign bearing the Russian name for Kupiansk. The Guardian was unable to independently verify the image. Updated at 12.26 BST Important events Show only key events Please enable JavaScript to use this feature
Ukraine’s military says rise in Russian casualties is due to information from Ukrainians in occupied territories
Losses of Russian personnel are increasing because Ukraine is being fed information about the location of Russian forces by Ukrainians who remain in the occupied territories, the Ukrainian military said. Recent figures from the Ukrainian authorities show that the number of Russian soldiers killed each day is rising from 150-200 to around 600. The figure for Thursday was 650, bringing the total since the start of the war to about 51,900. Oleksii Khromov, deputy chief of the general staff of the armed forces, was asked about the rise during a press briefing on Thursday, Pravda reported. “Conscious Ukrainians, no matter where they are, in the occupied Crimea or the occupied territories of the Kherson region, or in the Zaporizhzhia region, or in Donetsk, Luhansk and other regions, conscious citizens effectively help our armed forces,” he said. “It’s no secret that thanks to them we have some information about the location of the Russian occupation forces. “Thanks to them we are able to increase these numbers [of Russian losses].” The national airline of Moldova has announced the resumption of flights to Russia. In a statement on its website, Air Moldova said it would begin operating flights to Moscow from October 1. It said the decision was “the result of countless requests from citizens of the Republic of Moldova, who are in the Russian Federation and want to return to their homeland.” “Flight safety and comfort is the company’s priority, so Air Moldova will continue to make continuous efforts to meet the needs and requests of our passengers,” he said. Air Moldova suspended flights to Russia in February. Moldova, which shares a border with Ukraine, also closed its entire airspace immediately after the Russian invasion, but partially reopened it the following month. A Russian airstrike hit a hospital in the northeastern Sumy region on Friday, Ukrainian officials said. In a Telegram post, Dmytro Zhivytsky, head of the regional administration, said the attack occurred after 9 a.m. local time and that the building, in the Velyka Pysarivka district, had been destroyed. He added that people were injured. “The Russians continue to cynically fire at the urban infrastructure of the Sumy region,” he said. “Russian enemy aircraft, without crossing the border of Ukraine, fired at a hospital”. Velyka Pysarivka is a small settlement a few miles from Ukraine’s northwestern border with Russia. Updated at 13.13 BST Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki arrived in Kyiv for talks on energy and military security, according to Polish broadcaster Polsat News. A spokesman told the agency that the visit was intended as a “political message to the Kremlin” of Poland’s support for Ukraine. They added that the invasion was a violation of all possible international standards and that Poland considered the defense of Ukraine part of the defense of its own security. Updated at 12.38 BST
The photo appears to show Ukrainian soldiers outside Kupiansk
A photo shared on social media appears to show Ukrainian soldiers on the outskirts of the town of Kupiansk. Ukrainian forces are advancing on the city, which serves as a key logistical hub for Russian forces in the Kharkiv region. The US-based think tank the Institute for the Study of War said last night that Ukraine would likely recapture the city within 72 hours and that its loss would severely hamper Russian lines of communication on the ground. A photo posted on Twitter by Illia Ponomarenko, a defense reporter at the Kyiv Independent, shows soldiers holding a Ukrainian flag while standing in front of a large sign bearing the Russian name for Kupiansk. The Guardian was unable to independently verify the image. Updated at 12.26 BST
Putin not considering attending Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, spokesman says
President Putin is “not considering” attending Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, his spokesman said. Russian state media RIA Novosti quoted Dmitry Peskov as saying that the Kremlin “will wait for the announcement of the protocol of the ceremony” before deciding who will represent Russia. Updated at 11.50 BST Ukraine’s counter-offensive in Kharkiv has proved it can drive Russia out of its territory, a key adviser to President Zelensky’s government has said. Writing on Twitter, Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said: “What does the effective Ukrainian counterattack tell the world? “1. Ukraine has proven its ability to seize its territories. There will be no conflict freeze. “2. Ukraine has proven that it can effectively use modern Western weapons. “3. Russian troops must leave. It will hurt.” What does the effective Ukrainian counterattack tell the world? 1. 🇺🇦 proved its ability to take possession of its lands. There will be no crash freeze.2. 🇺🇦 proved that he can use modern western weapons effectively.3. 🇷🇺 The troops must come out. It will hurt. — Mykhailo Podolyak (@Podolyak_M) September 9, 2022 Updated at 11.32 BST
A total of 127 medical facilities were destroyed, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Health
A total of 127 medical facilities have been destroyed and 826 damaged since the start of the invasion, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Health. The ministry said it is working with global health organization Project Hope to restore access to health care across Ukraine. He added that 62 facilities damaged by Russian forces had already been restored. In a statement, Deputy Health Minister Bohdan Borukhovskyi said: “We are now consolidating efforts with our partners to restore first of all hospitals that have suffered minor damage and can be rebuilt as soon as possible. “At the same time, we are implementing many more projects in Kyiv Region and Sumy Region, where medical facilities are being built practically from scratch.” President Zelensky said efforts are ongoing to maintain agricultural exports through Ukrainian ports and maintain global food security. Exports of grain and other agricultural products were able to leave Ukraine after the deal agreed between Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the UN in July. Speaking in his late-night speech on Thursday, Zelenskiy spoke with Kenyan President-elect William Ruto about tackling food shortages. “We’re doing everything for it,” he said. “Just today, four ships with agricultural products for Asian countries left our ports. “In the [present]more than 65,000 tons of wheat [are entering] the port of Sudan for unloading. Yesterday, a bulker of wheat left for Kenya – more than 50,000 tonnes. Ships for Lebanon and Libya are now being loaded in Odessa. “At Pivdennyi port [a port near Odesa]a ship bound for India is waiting to be loaded. “Literally every working day of the grain export initiative refutes the Russian lies about it. Ukraine supplies agricultural products to consumers from different continents. And it is our offer that guarantees food security at a global level.” In a speech on Wednesday, President Putin said the deal should be revised, arguing that it was delivering goods to the European Union and Turkey, not to poor countries. Updated at 10.42 BST Footage allegedly taken in the town of Balakliia near Kharkiv shows residents welcoming soldiers after it was recaptured by Ukrainian forces. Balakliia is about 70 kilometers (43 miles) southeast of the city of Kharkiv, in the center of territory in which Ukraine has launched a major counteroffensive. A clip posted on twitter by Ukrainian journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk shows men and women coming out of a building to hug the soldiers as they arrive. Some of the people are seen crying. Another shows two women hugging and taking photos with soldiers gathered in a square. Ladies greet 🇺🇦 soldiers in liberated Balakliya after 6 months of 🇷🇺 occupation. “Guys, we have some pancakes, would you like some?” “A little later please, better hide, the shelling is still going strong.” I can watch endlessly pic.twitter.com/n6XVRI8YfX — Nataliya Gumenyuk (@ngumenyuk) September 8, 2022 Updated at 10.45 BST
Nine civilians were killed in the Donetsk region
Nine civilians have been killed and 23 wounded by Russian forces in the Donetsk region, according to Ukrainian officials. Posting on Telegram, Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of the Donetsk regional military command, said: “Russia is killing civilians! “On September 8, the Russians killed nine civilians in the Donetsk region: five in Bakhmut, two in Zaitsevo, one in New York and one in Fedorivka. Another 23 people were injured.” He added that it was not possible to ascertain how many people were killed in Mariupol and Volnova. “All Russians will be held accountable for their crimes on our land!” he said. Updated at 10.45 BST US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken left Ukraine after a surprise visit on Thursday. The trip,…
