Key developments on Sept. 5:
- Russian advance near Pokrovsk stalled in recent days, Syrskyi says
- Russia pulls 60,000 troops to counter Kursk incursion, Zelensky claims
- Officials say 55 killed, 328 injured in Poltava as rescue operations conclude
- Romanian president signs decree on donating Patriot to Ukraine
- Belarus confirms downing drone during Russian attack on Ukraine
Ukrainian soldiers have managed to halt the advance of Russian troops in the Pokrovsk sector in Donetsk Oblast, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with CNN aired on Sept. 5.
The eastern front near Pokrovsk has been the scene of fierce fighting for several months and a focal point of Russia's offensive in Donetsk Oblast. The city is an important logistical hub for Ukrainian forces.
"Over the last six days, the enemy hasn’t advanced a single meter in the Pokrovsk direction. In other words, our strategy is working," Syrskyi said.
The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claim.
Russian troops have advanced in recent days in some other directions in Donetsk Oblast, according to the crowd-sourced monitoring website DeepState.
According to Syrskyi, Russia is concentrating its most well-trained units in the Pokrovsk area, but the scale of shelling and the intensity of Moscow's offensive have decreased.
"We've taken away their ability to maneuver and to deploy their reinforcements from other directions… And this weakening has definitely been felt in other areas," the general said.
Elsa Court
Russia pulls 60,000 troops to counter Kursk incursion, Zelensky claims
Russia has pulled over 60,000 troops to Kursk Oblast to face Ukraine's ongoing incursion as of early September, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with NBC News published on Sept. 3.
"The idea and one of the goals of the Kursk Oblast (operation) was diverting Russian troops... to their territory," Zelensky said. "Today, I can say that they pulled over 60,000 troops there."
This is a considerable growth from a figure previously presented by Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, who said in late August that Russia had diverted 30,000 troops to the area.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
Ukraine launched its cross-border incursion almost a month ago, allegedly seizing around a hundred Russian settlements and almost 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of territory. The pace of advance seems to have slowed down in comparison to the operation's early days.
"As of today, we are holding exactly the part (of the territory) we planned," Zelensky said. Ukrainian soldiers have also taken over 600 Russian captives, he added.
Asami Terajima
Officials say 55 killed, 328 injured in Poltava as rescue operations conclude
Search and rescue operations at the site of a Russian missile attack on the city of Poltava concluded on Sept. 5, Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported.
The attack killed 55 people and injured 328 others, according to the report. The bodies of the deceased victims are being identified, the State Emergency Service said.
Russia launched two ballistic missiles against the city on Sept. 3, hitting the Military Communications Institute and a neighboring medical facility. The educational institution building was partially destroyed.
There were no ceremonies or other events near the military institute at the time of the Russian attack, Dmytro Lazutkin, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry, said on national television.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with NBC News that the missiles flew only 3 minutes before hitting the buildings, giving people little time to hide in the shelter.
"We believe that many were injured or killed when they were running to the bomb shelter. So they reacted quickly but did not manage to save themselves," Zelensky said.
Martin Fornusek
Romanian president signs decree on donating Patriot to Ukraine
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Sept. 5 signed a decree regarding the transfer of a Patriot air defense system to Ukraine, giving final approval to the donation.
The Romanian government is now expected to issue an order for the system's delivery.
"Thank you for the Patriot," Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said in response to the news.
The move came days after former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged foreign partners not to delay and provide Kyiv with the promised Patriots.
The highly advanced Patriot systems have played a crucial role in protecting the Ukrainian sky. They are capable of downing even the most advanced ballistic missiles, such as Kinzhals.
Ukraine has received at least three Patriot systems from Germany and one from the U.S. Other countries, like the Netherlands and Spain, delivered individual launchers or missiles.
Isaac C. Flanagan
Belarus confirms downing drone during Russian attack on Ukraine
Belarus' military confirmed the downing of a drone early on Sept. 5, shortly after the monitoring group Belarusian Hajun reported that Belarus had downed two Russian attack drones.
According to Belarusian Hajun, the drones were downed near the city of Homel, located around 35 kilometers (22 miles) from the border with Ukraine's Chernihiv Oblast.
The air alert was active in Chernihiv Oblast from 11 p.m. on Sept. 4 to 10 a.m. on Sept. 5 due to the threat of Russian drones.
Belarus recorded an airspace violation of its state border, "presumably by unmanned aerial vehicles," Sergei Frolov, Belarus' chief of the General Staff and first deputy commander of the Air Force, said in a statement.
"Due to the timely actions of the anti-aircraft defense forces, all violators were destroyed," Frolov claimed, adding that the authorities are conducting an investigation.
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko claimed on Aug. 9 that several Ukrainian drones were downed over Belarus, calling the incident "a Ukrainian provocation."
Belarusian Hajun said the claim was false and that no Ukrainian drones had been detected.
According to Belarusian Hajun, there have been multiple cases of Russian Shahed-type drones flying off course to Belarus over the past weeks.
Chris York
