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11:35 AM

DeSantis opposes Ukraine's NATO accession.

Ron DeSantis, a leading Republican candidate in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, said in a Sept. 23 podcast he believes that it's not in NATO's best interests to admit Ukraine as a member.

10:29 AM

Man hospitalized with shrapnel injuries after Russian shelling in Nikopol.

Russian forces shelled Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast overnight on Sept. 24, injuring a 25-year-old man and damaging a supermarket and a kindergarten, according to Serhiy Lysak, head of the regional military administration.

10:17 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 275,850 troops in Ukraine.

The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Sept. 24 that Russia had lost 275,850 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24 last year.

7:32 AM

ISW: Winter will not end the Ukrainian counteroffensive.

The coming winter will not necessarily stop the advance of Ukrainian counteroffensive troops, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote in its Sept. 23 report.

6:23 AM

Pope tells countries not to 'play games' with Ukraine on military aid.

The pope spoke to reporters about his "frustrations" with the war and the arms industry aboard the papal plane while returning to the Vatican from a visit to France.

5:39 AM

Azerbaijani minister accuses Armenia of provocations in UN speech.

Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov accused Armenia of revanchism and military provocations in an address to the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 23.

4:32 AM

National Resistance Center: Russian strongholds in Kursk Oblast deserted.

Russian military strongholds in Kursk Oblast are largely abandoned and only imitating defensive positions, the National Resistance Center reported on Sept. 23.

3:48 AM

Hungarian official: New sanctions against Russia 'cause more harm to Europe'.

Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijarto told the Russian state news agency TASS on Sept. 22 that new sanctions against Russia "are not necessary."

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.

MORE NEWS

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

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Zelensky criticizes pro-Kremlin sentiment in Slovakia

by Martin Fornusek July 8, 2023 12:18 AM 2 min read

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová during Zelensky's state visit to Bratislava, Slovakia on July 7, 2023. (President's Office)

This audio is created with AI assistance

President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 7 lashed out at the pro-Kremlin views of some of Slovakia's residents, saying that a pro-Russian position is a "pro-terrorist" one.

"What are pro-Russian views?... They are aggressors, they came to someone else's land, and they attacked us and killed, raped, and tortured people. How can one adhere to such views?" Zelensky said at a press conference in Bratislava. "What is a pro-Russian position? It's a pro-terrorist position, and it's wrong."

Zelensky also emphasized that a pro-Ukrainian position means a pro-European position.

According to a poll from September 2022, more than half of the Slovaks would prefer Russia's victory in its war against Ukraine. Another survey from last year showed that 45% of the population believes that NATO is to blame for the invasion.

Slovak officials and experts have repeatedly warned against the influence of Russian disinformation in the country.

In spite of these sentiments, Bratislava has steadily supported Ukraine through humanitarian assistance and military supplies, including Soviet-made MiG-29 fighter jets.

During the press conference, Zelensky thanked Slovakia for its support and solidarity. In turn, his Slovak counterpart Zuzana Čaputová said that Ukraine's future is in NATO.

Zelensky arrived in Slovakia earlier on July 7. This is part of a series of state visits ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius on July 11-12 where Ukraine hopes to receive a "clear signal" on its potential membership in the alliance.

Zelensky has already visited the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Turkey as part of his foreign tour.

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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