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2:38 AM

Polish Defense Minister: Polish army will be strongest land force in Europe.

Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak believes that Poland will amass a force of 300,000 soldiers, making it the largest land army in Europe, Polskie Radio reported on Sept. 23.

1:22 AM

Budanov responds to CNN reports about Ukrainian drone strikes in Sudan.

In a Sept. 23 conversation with Voice of America, Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov addressed CNN's report that Ukraine likely participated in drone strikes against a Wagner-backed Sudanese militia.

12:38 AM

Russian shelling in Donetsk Oblast kills 1, injures 1.

Russian forces shelled Donetsk Oblast on Sept. 23, killing an elderly woman and injuring one man, the Donetsk regional prosecutor's office reported to Suspilne news.

11:51 PM

Russian forces shell Sumy Oblast, killing 1.

The Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported on Sept. 23 that Russian forces shelled populated areas along the border of Sumy Oblast 21 times throughout the day, killing one person.

10:43 PM

Lavrov claims Moscow open to negotiations, not ceasefire.

Speaking at the U.N. on Sept. 23, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that Moscow was open to negotiations with Ukraine but not a ceasefire.

10:15 PM

Ukrainian forces down 2 Orlan-10 drones over Mykolaiv Oblast.

The Ukrainian military's Southern Command reported on Sept. 23 that two Russian Orlan-10 drones were shot down over Mykolaiv Oblast by Ukraine's air defense.

8:37 PM

Zelensky presents state awards to Polish volunteers.

President Volodymyr Zelensky presented state awards to two Polish volunteers during a stop in Lublin, Poland, on Sept. 23 for their efforts in supporting Ukraine's war effort.

7:55 PM

Shmyhal, Pritzker hold first meeting.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and the first U.S. Special Representative for Economic Recovery in Ukraine Penny Pritzker had their first online meeting on Sept. 23 to discuss energy, demining, housing restoration, critical infrastructure, and the economy.

7:48 PM

Reintegration Minister urges Ukrainians to leave Crimea until liberation.

Reintegration Minister Iryna Vereshchuk urged Ukrainians to leave Russian-occupied Crimea until it is liberated from Russian occupation.

6:59 PM

IAEA: Previously reported mines remain at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

The monitoring mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has observed previously reported anti-personnel mines at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Rafael Grossi, the agency's director general, said in a statement on Sept. 23.

6:00 PM

Media: UK has back channel for talks with Russia over global security.

U.K. officials have been holding diplomatic talks with key Russian representatives concerning global security during Russia’s war against Ukraine, a British newspaper iNews reported on Sept. 23, citing its diplomatic sources.

5:31 PM

Update: Russian attacks kill 1, injure 2 in Kherson Oblast.

Russian forces dropped an explosive from a drone on Mykolaivka village in Kherson Oblast, heavily injuring a 78-year-old man, the regional military administration reported on Sept. 23.

4:54 PM

Zelensky discusses Russia-backed groups with Sudan's leader during unplanned meeting.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had an “unplanned meeting” with Sudan’s Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, an army general and de-facto ruler of the African country, on Sept. 23.

4:08 PM

FT: US decided to provide Ukraine with ATACMS ahead of Zelensky’s visit.

U.S. President Joe Biden has decided to provide Ukraine with long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) before President Volodymyr Zelensky's recent visit to the U.S., the Financial Times reported on Sept. 23, citing sources familiar with the matter.

3:17 PM

UPDATE: 1 killed, 32 injured in Russian Sept. 22 strike on Kremenchuk.

The number of injured in the Russian Sept. 22 attack on Kremenchuk has grown to 32, Oleh Liednik, the head of the Kremenchuk District Military Administration, told Suspline media outlet on Sept. 23.

2:41 PM

Ex-Wagner group commander arrested in Norway for attempting to illegally cross back into Russia.

Andrey Medvedev, the former Wagner Group commander who made headlines in January 2023 for escaping to Norway in a bid to seek asylum, was arrested by Norwegian authorities near Kirkenes after trying to cross back into Russia.

1:31 PM

Military: Ukraine has achieved a breakthrough in Verbove.

Ukraine's forces on the southern Zaporizhzhia front have breached Russian lines in Verbove, General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, the commander of Ukraine's military fighting in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, said in an interview with CNN on Sept. 23.

12:39 PM

Duda: Grain dispute will not disrupt good relations between Poland, Ukraine.

The disagreement over grain exports should not upend Polish-Ukrainian relations, Polish President Andrzej Duda said on Sept. 22.

12:00 PM

Nagorno-Karabakh

Dozens arrested as protests in Yerevan continue.

In the aftermath of the capitulation of ethnic Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, a number of protesters were detained in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, on Sept. 22, RF/ERL’s Armenian service reported.

9:59 AM

Twelve Shahed drones downed over Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, no injuries reported.

Twelve Shahed-type drones used by Russian forces were shot down overnight on Sept. 22 by Ukrainian air defenses, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak reported on his official Telegram channel.

9:20 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 275,460 troops in Ukraine.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 4,655 tanks, 8,912 armored fighting vehicles, 8,716 vehicles and fuel tanks, 6,210 artillery systems, 789 multiple launch rocket systems, 530 air defense systems, 315 airplanes, 316 helicopters, 4,867 drones, and 20 warships or boats.

6:37 AM

Calgary Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov speaks out against Russian invasion.

During an interview with YouTube blogger Yuri Dud published on Sept. 21, Russian hockey player Nikita Zadorov openly criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Nikita is originally from Moscow and currently plays as defencemen for the Calgary Flames.

3:38 AM

UPDATE: 9 people killed, 16 injured in Ukrainian attack against Russia's Black Sea Fleet headquarters.

At least 9 people were killed and 16 were injured as a result of Ukraine's attack against the Russian Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol on Sept. 22, Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, told news outlet Voice of America. Russian generals are among the casualties.

3:10 AM

Russia attacks Sumy Oblast 17 times in one day.

Russian forces shelled ten communities in Sumy Oblast, firing 17 times over the course of the day, causing 75 explosions, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported on Sept. 22.

1:54 AM

Reuters: Russian hackers target war crimes probes in Ukraine.

Russian spies are using hackers to target computer systems at law enforcement agencies in Ukraine as means to identify and obtain evidence related to alleged Russian war crimes, Ukraine's cyber defense chief, Yurii Shchyhol, told Reuters on Sept. 22.

MORE NEWS

Ukraine strikes Russian military base of drone operators

General: Ukraine had only 1,500 soldiers in south when Russia launched full-scale invasion

Uncertain Triumph: Ukraine picks apart Russia's best air defenses in Crimea

UK Defense Ministry: Thousands of Russian airborne troops redeployed to Robotyne as infantry

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Ukrainian pilots successfully test Swedish Gripen jets

by Martin Fornusek September 14, 2023 3:25 PM 1 min read

The Swedish Air Force's JAS-39C Gripen during the International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford on July 21, 2019, in Fairford, U.K. (Photo credit: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)

This audio is created with AI assistance

Ukrainian pilots have successfully tested Swedish Gripen fighter jets as Stockholm is considering sending the planes to Ukraine, Swedish Radio reported on Sept. 14, citing the country's Defense Minister Pål Jonson.

According to the report, Ukraine's pilots have undergone orientation training which includes flights in the aircraft, simulators, and instructions for ground personnel.

Jonson said that the results of the training should help the Swedish government decide on the possibility of sending Gripens to Ukraine.

Kyiv has been seeking to obtain modern Western fighter jets to bolster its Air Force in the fight against Russian aggression.

The Swedish leadership has been previously reluctant to pledge its Gripen fighters, arguing that it has to consider its own defense needs as Sweden is not yet a NATO member.

Recently, Stockholm appears to have softened its stance. The Swedish Radio reported on Sept. 12 that the government has ordered the military to investigate the possibility of transferring Gripens to bolster Ukraine.

Gripens are not the only Western jets that Ukraine seeks to acquire. Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands have already pledged to transfer some of their F-16 planes and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Kyiv is also interested in French-made Rafale jets.

Martin Fornusek

News Editor

Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He also volunteers as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.

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