Key developments on Sept. 19:
- Russian attack on retirement home in Sumy kills at least 1, injures 14
- Russia redeploys 40,000 troops to Kursk Oblast as Kyiv's incursion continues, Zelensky says
- European Parliament backs Ukrainian strikes inside Russia, Taurus missiles delivery
- Russia mining dams in Belgorod Oblast, Ukraine's military claims
- Germany delivers over 20 Leopard 1 tanks, Gepard anti-aircraft guns, other aid to Ukraine
Russian forces attacked a retirement home in the city of Sumy with a guided aerial bomb on Sept. 19, killing one person and injuring at least 14 others, regional officials said.
A total of 221 elderly people lived in the retirement home, according to Kalchenko.
The attack partially destroyed two floors of the building, the Interior Ministry said. There are no people trapped under the rubble.
A total of 147 people have been evacuated.
"People are being moved to new prepared places. They need medical and psychological assistance," Governor Volodymyr Artiukh said on national television.
"It (the attack) happened in the afternoon. People were having lunch or resting and were shocked."
Russia has intensified its attacks on bordering Sumy Oblast, which the military considers to be a response to Kyiv's success in the Kursk operation that was launched in early August. Ukrainian authorities are planning to evacuate a total of 45,000 residents from the region.
Russia redeploys 40,000 troops to Kursk Oblast as Kyiv's incursion continues, Zelensky says
Moscow has moved about 40,000 Russian soldiers to embattled Kursk Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address on Sept. 19.
Ukraine launched its cross-border incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast in early August, claiming to have seized around 100 settlements and over 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles).
Zelensky's latest figure of Russian soldiers redeployed to Kursk Oblast is lower than the one announced in early September, where he put their number at 60,000.
"We have also replenished our exchange fund," Zelensky said.
"All of this is important and affects the general situation in the war."
Ukraine's president said that Ukrainian soldiers managed to scale down Russia's "assault potential" in Donetsk Oblast, but described the situation as "extremely difficult." Fierce fighting is ongoing in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove sectors.
Francis Farrell
European Parliament backs Ukrainian strikes inside Russia, Taurus missiles delivery
The European Parliament passed a resolution on Sept. 19 calling for EU member states to lift restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western-supplied weapons inside Russia and accelerate weapons deliveries, "including Taurus missiles."
While Kyiv has received long-range missiles from partners like the U.S., the U.K., and France, Ukrainian forces are restricted from using the weapons to hit deep inside Russian territory.
Germany has held back entirely on delivering long-range Taurus missiles, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz repeatedly citing a fear of escalation.
"Without lifting current restrictions, Ukraine cannot fully exercise its right to self-defense and remains exposed to attacks on its population and infrastructure," the European Parliament's resolution said.
The text also called for member states "to accelerate the delivery of weapons, air defense systems, and ammunition, including Taurus missiles."
The resolution additionally called for EU states to "maintain and extend the Council’s sanctions policy against Russia, Belarus, and non-EU countries and entities providing Russia with military and dual-use technologies."
The motion was passed with 425 votes in favor, 131 against, and 63 abstentions.
Kateryna Denisova
Russia mining dams in Belgorod Oblast, Ukraine's military claims
Russia is placing explosives at dams in its own Belgorod Oblast, possibly to stage provocations and accuse Ukraine of causing environmental damage, a spokesperson of Ukraine's Kharkiv group of forces said on Sept. 19.
Belgorod, lying only some 25 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, is one of the Russian cities most directly impacted by Moscow's war against Ukraine.
The city has come under numerous strikes, and ground clashes have taken place in Belgorod Oblast, most recently as part of Ukraine's cross-border incursions ongoing since early August.
Military spokesperson Vitalii Sarantsev said that Russia is not only fortifying the Belgorod area but also mining dams, a move that can serve various purposes in the future.
"If the situation changes dramatically, Russia may blow up the dams to slow the advance of Ukrainian forces," Sarantsev suggested.
"We can also assume that Russia is preparing provocations at the dams to blame Ukraine for environmental and humanitarian consequences." This can be used to mobilize the population and divert attention from internal problems, he added.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
Sarantsev did not mention any specific dams in the statement quoted by the Kharkiv group of forces. In Belgorod Oblast, there are 1,100 ponds and four artificial water reservoirs, including the Belgorod reservoir south of the city, covering an area of over 2,500 square kilometers (960 square miles).
Natalia Yermak
Germany delivers over 20 Leopard 1 tanks, Gepard anti-aircraft guns, other aid to Ukraine
Berlin has handed over 22 Leopard 1 A5 tanks, 61,000 155 mm rounds of ammunition, three Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns with spare parts, and other equipment in its latest delivery of military aid to Ukraine, the German government said on Sept. 19.
The tranche also included five Bandvagn 206 all-terrain vehicles, two air surveillance TRML-4D radars, and an all-terrain tracked carrier Warthog, as well as 112 vehicles from Bundeswehr and industry stocks.
Ukraine received 30 Vector drones, 20 Heidrun RQ-35 reconnaissance drones, 12 Songbird drones, six Hornet XR drones, and 20 naval drones.
Berlin further delivered three Beaver bridge-laying tanks with spare parts, a Dachs armored engineer vehicle with spare parts, and six Wisent 1 mine-clearing tanks.
The 22 Leopard 1 A5 tanks with spare parts were delivered under a joint initiative with Denmark.
Martin Fornusek
