Ukraine war latest: Ukraine liberates 160 square kilometers in 'counteroffensive operation' in Donetsk Oblast, Zelensky says
Key developments on Sept. 18:
- Ukraine liberates 160 square kilometers in 'counteroffensive operation' in Donetsk Oblast, Zelensky says
- Week after Russian aerial incursion, Poland and Ukraine agree to form joint drone task force
- 'Massive explosion' reported as Ukraine strikes Russian oil facilities in Bashkortostan, Volgograd Oblast
- 18 Russian officers killed in sabotage attack in Ukraine's south, Kyiv claims
- Kyiv repatriates 1,000 bodies that Russia claims are fallen Ukrainian soldiers
Ukrainian forces have liberated 160 square kilometers (60 square miles) of territory during an ongoing "counteroffensive operation" in eastern Donetsk Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sept. 18.
Ukrainian forces have spent the past month pushing Russian troops back after they advanced 15-20 kilometers (6 miles) toward the strategic Dobropillia–Kramatorsk highway, near the embattled city of Pokrovsk. Since late August, Ukrainian units have regained control of multiple villages in the area.
Seven settlements have been retaken in the Dobropillia and Pokrovsk sectors during the operation, Zelensky said, citing a report from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.
Ukrainian troops have also captured nearly 100 Russian soldiers, according to the president.
"Ukraine is rightfully defending its positions and its land," Zelensky said. "We are disrupting all of Russia’s plans — plans to destroy our state."
"Russian losses since the start of our counteroffensive just in the Pokrovsk direction, over the past few weeks, exceed 2,500. Of those, over 1,300 Russian soldiers have been killed, "Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine’s counteroffensive operations in Donetsk Oblast are ongoing.
Week after Russian aerial incursion, Poland and Ukraine agree to form joint drone task force
Ukraine and Poland have agreed to create a new joint task force for unmanned systems, Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Sept. 18, according to Interfax.
Shmyhal made the announcement at a press conference with Polish counterpart Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, who is visiting Kyiv together with Polish defense officials.
The delegation's visit comes after 21 Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace in an unprecedented incursion overnight on Sept. 10, marking the first time a NATO member downed Moscow's military assets over its territory.
The new Ukrainian-Polish group will serve as a platform for developing joint initiatives and focus on training programs, Shmyhal said.
"We will integrate the latest protection technologies and launch new projects aimed at strengthening the protection of our people and our critical infrastructure," the minister commented.
Kosiniak-Kamysz also confirmed that Ukraine's and Poland's defense ministries were planning to sign a cooperation agreement focused in part on enhancing drone operation capabilities, RMF 24 reported.
"The talks will focus on the development of joint industry initiatives. I think that Poles are eagerly awaiting this, after the enormous effort we have made to help the population," the Polish minister added.
Kosiniak-Kamysz also named improving the skills of Polish troops based on Ukraine's combat experience as another priority.
Poland's Defense Ministry said its delegation is visiting Kyiv to discuss defense cooperation, support for Ukraine, and address the security situation amid Russian aggression.
'Massive explosion' reported as Ukraine strikes Russian oil facilities in Bashkortostan, Volgograd Oblast
Ukrainian drones struck the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat petrochemical plant in Russia’s Bashkortostan Republic on Sept. 18, according to local authorities and the Kyiv Independent's source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
Separately, the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces also reported a strike against an oil refinery in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast overnight on Sept. 18.
Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat is one of Russia’s largest oil refining and petrochemical plants. It is based in the Bashkortostan Republic, some 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from the front line in Ukraine.
Long-range SBU drones struck an ELOU-AVT-4 crude oil processing unit at the center of the facility, triggering a "massive explosion," the SBU source said.
Footage shared by locals on Telegram channels shows a plume of black smoke rising above the facility.
According to Governor Radiy Khabirov, two drones targeted the facility, sparking a fire. No casualties were reported.
According to the Ukrainian military, Russia's Volograd oil refinery was also hit overnight, forcing the plant to halt operations.
The Volgograd refinery, about 450 kilometers (roughly 300 miles) from the front, plays a key role in supplying fuel to the Russian military, the Special Operations Forces said.
The plant is the largest producer of petroleum products in Russia’s Southern Federal District and processes 15.7 million metric tons of crude oil annually, accounting for 5.6% of the country’s total refining capacity.
Russian air defenses intercepted 43 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 23 over Rostov Oblast, 11 over Volgograd Oblast, five over Kursk Oblast, three over Crimea, and one over Belgorod Oblast, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed, without mentioning Bashkortostan.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
18 Russian officers killed in sabotage attack in Ukraine's south, Kyiv claims
Eighteen Russian staff officers of the 35th Combined Arms Army were killed in a sabotage attack in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast in late August, the Ukrainian project "I Want to Live" reported on Sept. 18.
According to the statement, unknown individuals set fire to dry grass near the army’s command post not far from the village of Voskresenka on Aug. 30. The fire reportedly quickly spread to buildings and dugouts at the site.
"Due to heavy smoke and the command post filling with carbon monoxide, the headquarters personnel were unable to escape," the statement read.
The Ukrainian state-run project published a list of Russian soldiers allegedly killed in the fire.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims. Russia rarely discloses its military losses publicly.
Ukrainian forces and pro-Ukrainian partisan groups have repeatedly targeted Russian soldiers and military infrastructure on occupied territories or inside Russia.
Earlier this week, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) claimed it had carried out explosions in Russia's Vladivostok as a "revenge operation" targeting troops accused of war crimes.
Kyiv repatriates 1,000 bodies that Russia claims are fallen Ukrainian soldiers
Ukraine said on Sept. 18 that it has received 1,000 bodies from Russia, which Moscow says are fallen Ukrainian soldiers.
"In the near future, investigators from law enforcement agencies and Interior Ministry experts will carry out all the necessary examinations to identify the repatriated bodies," Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (POW) said.
The repatriation follows several such operations carried out in recent months.
Agreements on the return of fallen soldiers and exchanges of POWs were one of the few tangible results of the Russian-Ukrainian peace talks in Istanbul between May and July.
The latest operation was carried out jointly by the Coordination Headquarters, the Armed Forces, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Interior Ministry, the Ombudsman's office, and other bodies, with the support of the Red Cross.
According to Ukraine, Russia has repeatedly attempted to hand over bodies of its own killed soldiers passed off as Ukrainians, attempting to hide the scale of its losses from the Russian public.
The largest exchange of fallen soldiers followed the second round of Istanbul peace talks on June 2. Ukraine received a total of 6,057 bodies of its fallen soldiers as part of the phased exchange.
Russia, according to Kremlin aide and negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, took back 78. Kyiv does not usually disclose the number of killed Russian soldiers it hands over to Russia.
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