Victory Chronicles-DAY 933

In the Donetsk region of Ukraine, three workers from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were killed, and two others were injured in a Russian attack on the morning of September 12. 

The attack took place in Viroliubivka, in the Kostiantynivka community, where one of the shells hit a local enterprise, destroying a truck carrying humanitarian aid and a car. The victims were ICRC staff members who were in the truck at the time of the attack. The head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration called on the ICRC to publicly condemn Russia’s actions, which violate the Geneva Conventions and expressed frustration at the lack of response from international organizations. Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, strongly condemned the Russian shelling and emphasized that humanitarian workers should never be targeted. He stated that Russia will be held accountable for violating international humanitarian law.

During the ongoing full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine, 523 sports facilities in Ukraine have been destroyed or damaged. The Ministry of Youth and Sports spokesperson, Serhiy Bykov, revealed this during a roundtable discussion. The latest facility to suffer damage is the Kharkiv Sports Palace, which was hit by six missiles. Bykov emphasized that focusing on building large infrastructure facilities is wrong while the war continues. The priority should be allocating funds for security and defense, as weapons are needed for protection. Bykov estimated that over $300 million is required to restore the sports infrastructure, although he noted that the damage assessment can vary depending on different factors.

A total of 49 Ukrainians, including 23 women, have been returned from Russian captivity. This includes fighters from various branches of the Ukrainian military as well as civilians. Among those released is Lenia Umerova, who was taken hostage when she went to care for her sick father. Some Azovstal defenders and military medic Viktor Ivchuk, a Hero of Ukraine, were also freed. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the return of these individuals, stating that their release is a result of the ongoing efforts to bring Ukrainian captives home. The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War and the Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets negotiated and secured the release. This is seen as a positive development in the ongoing Russia’s war on Ukraine. 

The Third Assault Brigade has released footage showcasing a new type of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) against Russian forces in the Kharkiv region. This drone is equipped with a spraying mechanism that releases an incendiary mixture, which is highly effective in destroying enemy positions, ammunition depots, and any vegetation occupied by the enemy. The video includes footage of the 1st Mechanized, 2nd Assault, and Unmanned Systems Battalions’ fighters using the UAV and demonstrates the outcomes of its destructive capabilities. This new UAV presents a significant advancement in the field of drones and provides the Ukrainian military with a powerful tool to combat Russian forces in the ongoing war.

Russian forces continued counterattacking throughout the Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast on September 12 but made only marginal gains, likely due to continued Ukrainian offensive operations and defensive counterattacks in the area. 

Geolocated footage published on September 12 indicates that Russian forces made marginal advances west of Vishnevka (southwest of Korenevo) and in northern Krasnooktyabrskoye (southwest of Korenevo). The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed that Russian forces have recaptured 10 settlements south and southwest of Korenevo since starting counterattacks on the night of September 10 to 11, including Apanasovka, Byakhovo, Vishnevka, Viktorovka, Vnezapnoye, Gordeevka, Krasnooktyabrskoye, Obukhovka, Snagost, and 10-y Oktyabr. 

All of these settlements are within the existing claimed limit of Russian advances, and ISW has yet to observe visual confirmation that Russian forces have recaptured any of these settlements except parts of Snagost and Krasnooktyabrskoye. Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian forces continued advancing southeast of Korenevo and northeast of Snagost (southwest of Korenevo), although ISW has not observed visual confirmation of these claims. Ukrainian forces continued counterattacking in areas where Russian forces have launched counterattacks and launched additional attacks outside of the salient, making gains in Glushkovsky Raion (west of Korenevsky Raion). Geolocated footage published September 12 indicates that Ukrainian infantry have advanced across the border and into southwestern Tetkino (about 40km southwest of the current Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast).

Additional geolocated footage published on September 12 shows Ukrainian armored vehicles and infantry bypassing Russian dragon’s teeth anti-tank obstacles on the Russian-Ukrainian border southwest of Novy Put (southwest of Glushkovo) unopposed, indicating that Ukrainian forces have advanced in the area and that Russian forces were not prepared to leverage the obstacles to repel cross-border Ukrainian assaults. Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces continued assaults near Novy Put, Medvezhye (southeast of Glushkovo), Snagost, Olgovka (east of Korenevo), and Fanaseyevka (southeast of Sudzha).

Junior Sergeant Roman Botnar, with the call sign Smile, died on March 20, 2024, in a battle near the village of Synkivka, Kharkiv region. The fighter was 28 years old.

Roman was born and lived in Zelenodolsk, Dnipro region. He graduated from the Zelenodolsk Professional Lyceum and mastered the specialty of plasterer, painter, tiler and tiler. He worked as a mechanic at DTEK. He was fond of motorcycles and extreme sports.

The man joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine on November 17, 2023. He served in the 54th separate mechanized brigade named after Hetman Ivan Mazepa. He was the commander of a machine gun squad of a machine gun platoon of an infantry battalion.

“He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, father and godfather. He always smiled, loved his family and life. He was purposeful, caring, and helped everyone,” said Yulia, the wife of the deceased.

The fighter was buried in his hometown. Roman is survived by his parents, brother, grandmother, wife, daughter, and son.

*Roman’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

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