Zelensky said during his address on Thursday that Russia must be held accountable for deaths there, and in other cities where large numbers of bodies had been found.
“Bucha, Mariupol and now, unfortunately, Izium… Russia leaves death everywhere. And must be responsible for it. The world must hold Russia to real responsibility for this war. We will do everything for this,” he added.
Serhii Bolvinov, the chief police investigator for the Kharkiv region, earlier told Britain’s Sky News that there may be other mass burial sites in the Kharkiv area.
Talking specifically about the 440 graves, Bolvinov told Sky News exhumations so far showed the victims died from various causes.
“We know that some were killed (shot dead), some died because of artillery fire, so-called mine explosion traumas. Some died because of airstrikes. Also we have information that a lot of bodies have not been identified yet. So the reasons of death will be established during the investigations,” Sky News quoted Bolvinov as saying.
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Ukrainian officials have said some of the bodies pulled from a mass grave outside the recently recaptured city of Izium showed signs of torture.
Oleg Synegubov, the regional governor, said some of the more than 440 bodies buried in a forest near the north-eastern city also had their hands tied behind their backs.
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Ukrainian forces captured all of Kupyansk City on September 16, continuing offensive operations east of the Oskil River. Russian milbloggers initially reported that Ukrainian forces captured eastern Kupyansk before claiming that Russian forces repelled Ukrainian advances.[11] Geolocated footage confirms that Ukrainian forces established positions on the east bank of the Oskil River in Kupyansk, however.[12] Russian forces will likely struggle to hold positions in eastern Kharkiv Oblast and in northern Luhansk Oblast as Ukrainian forces establish more positions on the east bank of the Oskil River, the line at which Ukrainian forces had halted on September 11. ISW has previously assessed on September 13 that Russian forces are likely too weak to prevent further Ukrainian advances along the entire Oskil River if Ukrainian forces choose to resume offensive operations.[13] Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR) People’s Militia sources additionally claimed that Ukrainian forces struck Nyzhnia Duvanka (20km north of Svatove, Luhansk Oblast) with HIMARS.[14]
Ukrainian forces reportedly shelled targets in Valuyki, Belgorod Oblast, Russia, overnight on September 15-16. Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed that Ukrainian rounds struck a power substation in central Belgorod, and footage depicts damaged buildings and cars.[15] A Russian source claimed that Ukrainian forces fired over 20 rounds at Valuyki from positions 20km southwest of the city, which is within Ukrainian tube artillery range.[16] The attack appears to have struck a base of the Russian 3rd Motorized Rifle Division just north of Valuyki.[17] Russian sources posted images of a Tochka-U missile that reportedly struck Valuyki, but the images cannot be geolocated.[18]
Valuyki is situated on a critical Russian rail line to northern Luhansk Oblast. Ukrainian forces have cut Russian Ground Lines of Communication (GLOCs) through Kharkiv Oblast, likely forcing Russian forces to redirect logistics from the large bases and concentration points around Belgorod City through the Valuyki rail line. Sustained damage to this rail line would severely complicate Russian logistics supporting the Russian defense of Luhansk Oblast and eastern Kharkiv Oblast. A Russian source stated that the Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR) 206th Regiment is defending in Russia itself near Valuyki, indicating Russia is deploying proxy forces to screen Russian logistics – and additionally indicating the increasing Russian reliance on proxy forces for tasks even in Russia.[19] Gladkov and other sources stated that Ukrainian forces shelled additional Russian settlements on and near the Kharkiv-Belgorod Oblast border.[20]
Russian forces continued to defend against Ukrainian counteroffensive operations in northeastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces shelled Pristyn, northeast of Izyum on the west bank of the Oskil River, likely to prevent Ukrainian forces from establishing another bridgehead over the river.[21] The Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) People’s Milita stated that Russian forces continue to defend Lyman from Ukrainian ground attacks and shelling.[22] Geolocated images from September 15 confirm that Russian forces maintain positions in Lyman.[23] However, the Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces shelled Lyman, indicating that Ukrainian forces may have made some gains around the settlement.[24]
Ukrainian sources confirmed previous reports that Ukrainian forces struck Russian rear positions in Luhansk Oblast on September 15. The Ukrainian General Staff reported on September 16 that Ukrainian forces struck a Russian concentration area causing many casualties among Russian servicemen in Perevalsk, Luhansk Oblast, likely on September 15.[25] Geolocated images show the aftermath of a Ukrainian strike on a LNR base in Kadiivka, also likely from September 15.[26] ISW reported on Russian claims of a series of Ukrainian strikes in rear Luhansk Oblast, including Perevalsk and Kadiivka, on September 15.[27]
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Ukrainian military officials are continuing their operational silence regarding the progress of the southern counteroffensive, noting that fighting continued along the southern axis without reporting any territorial changes.[28] Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command reported that Russian forces continued counter-battery fire against Ukrainian positions and attempted to regroup frontline troops.[29] Ukrainian government and local sources reported mounting Russian casualties and the deployment of low-quality Russian units along the Kherson front. Local Russian media in the city of Ufa reported that members of the Shaymuratov volunteer battalion, operating around Mykolayiv, have not communicated with Ufa residents for over a week. The wife of one volunteer stated the Russian Ministry of Defense is not picking up her calls and that recruitment centers only state that the volunteers are abroad.[30]
Ukrainian forces struck Russia’s occupation headquarters in Kherson, likely using HIMARS, on September 16. Local social media reported that five Ukrainian rockets struck the Kherson Administrative Court building, which houses Russia’s occupation administration, and depicted heavy damage.[31] The Russian-appointed deputy head of the Kherson Occupation Administration stated the strike occurred during a meeting of Russian-appointed city and municipal heads.[32] Occupation authorities reported three deaths as of 1550 local time.[33] Kherson Oblast deputy occupation head Kirill Stremousov and several Russian milbloggers reported that Ukraine used HIMARS to conduct the strike.[34] Ukraine’s Kherson Oblast Military Administration Advisor Serhiy Khlan confirmed that Ukrainian forces struck Russian occupation authorities on September 16 and destroyed a Rosgvardia base in the city center on an unspecified date, warning civilians in occupied Kherson to stay away from Russian positions.[35] Ukraine’s ongoing interdiction campaign in the Kherson region continues to degrade Russia’s ability to administer occupied territory, in addition to disrupting Russian military logistics.
Ukrainian military officials stated that Ukrainian forces continued their interdiction campaign on September 16, targeting Russian ground lines of communication (GLOCs) across the Inhulets and Dnipro Rivers and notably disrupting Russian food and water supplies.[36] GUR reported that Ukrainian strikes have cut off Russian troops in Kherson from their food and water supplies, and that an unspecified Russian Air Assault unit based in Kakhovka (in Russian rear areas on the left bank of the river) cannot supply its frontline units.[37] The Ukrainian General Staff claimed that Ukrainian strikes are severely degrading Russian morale.[38] Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command reported that Ukrainian missile and artillery units struck Russian concentrations in Beryslav, Darivka, and Stara Zburyvka, as well as a pontoon crossing in the Kozatske Raion.[39]
Ukrainian and Russian sources indicated three areas of kinetic activity on September 16: northwest of Kherson City, near the Ukrainian bridgehead over the Inhulets River, and south of the Kherson-Dnipropetrovsk Oblast border west of Vysokopillya. Milbloggers and DNR officials claimed that Russian VDV (airborne) forces repelled a Ukrainian attack near Pravdyne (northwest of Kherson City) on September 16.[40] However, Ukraine’s General Staff reported Russian forces shelled Ukrainian positions in Pravdyne, indicating Ukrainian forces have likely at minimum entered the town.[41] Geolocated footage depicted a DNR military correspondent in Oleksandrivka (directly west of Kherson) on September 16, confirming that Russian forces retain control of the town despite recent Ukrainian assaults.[42] Imagery released by pro-Russian telegram channels confirmed that Russian forces repelled an assault by Ukrainian naval infantry in the Andriivka area (near the Ukrainian bridgehead over the Inhulets River) on September 16.[43] Russian milbloggers reported that Ukrainian forces continue to deploy troops and equipment to the Andriivka and Bilohirka areas but that rising water levels in the Inhulets River due to Russian strikes on dams in Kryvyi Rih have blocked half of the Ukrainian crossing points.[44] Ukraine’s General Staff reported Russian forces shelled Novopetrivka (south of Kryvyi Rih) on September 16, suggesting that Ukrainian forces occupy the town despite previous Russian claims to have repelled Ukrainian attacks on the town.[45]
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Russian forces conducted limited ground attacks across the Eastern Axis and continued routine fire along the line of contact on September 16.[46] The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian ground assaults directly on Bakhmut and south of that city, against Avdiivka, and southwest of Donetsk City.[47] Ukrainian Donetsk Oblast Head Pavlo Kyrylenko stated that Russian forces used S-300 anti-air systems in a ground-attack role to strike Selydove, likely to cut Ukrainian logistics lines between southern Donetsk Oblast and central Ukraine.[48] Russian forces have previously used air defense systems to strike ground targets in southern Ukraine and Kharkiv Oblast but have not previously done so extensively in the east, indicating further Russian deficiencies in precision fire munitions. Geolocated footage shows Russian forces striking Ukrainian positions east of Spirne on an unspecified date.[49]
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The German government is taking control of three Russian-owned oil refineries in Germany – part of a series of interventions as it secures energy supplies ahead of a European ban on Russian crude imports.
The move is designed to ensure the continued operation of subsidiaries of the Russian oil giant Rosneft in Germany to secure the production and supply of gasoline, heating oil and other products. The most important is the PCK refinery in Schwedt along with two other refineries in the south.
Both Rosneft Deutschland and RN Refining & Marketing will come under the administration of the Federal Network Agency – an independent federal authority based in Bonn, according to the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
The refineries provide around 12 per cent of the country’s crude oil processing capacity, making Rosneft Deutschland one of the largest oil-processing companies in Germany, the economy ministry said in a statement.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said securing production at the PCK refinery was a “far-reaching energy policy decision to protect our country.” Russia, he said, was no longer a reliable partner. The German subsidiaries of Rosneft imported hundreds of millions of euros worth of crude oil from Russia to Germany every month.
Russian state oil company Rosneft has accused the German government of a “forced expropriation” of its German subsidiaries. In a statement Friday evening in Moscow, the company spoke of an “illegal” seizure of its assets and announced that it would take legal action against Berlin’s action to protect its assets.
At the same time, Rosneft made it clear that the federal government’s decision meant that it was no longer able to “guarantee the industrial and environmental safety of the plant.” However, the company was also prepared to negotiate a possible new contract – on condition that there was a guarantee for the payment of oil deliveries, for the investments and for the rights of the company’s employees.
Europe’s oil embargo against Russia because of its war against Ukraine will take effect on Jan. 1. In the meantime, the PCK refinery can still obtain Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline.
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