live blog
Status: 09/21/2022 01:37 am
The Ukrainian President Zelenskyj is demonstratively calm about the announced Russian sham referendums. Ukraine reports significant Russian casualties in Donetsk region. All developments in the live blog.
1:37 a.m
Putin supporters warn of ‘full-fledged war’
Figures in Russia close to the Russian government have taken to social media to warn the West not to accept Russia’s territorial gains or risk a “full-fledged war.” The editor-in-chief of the Russian TV channel RT, Margarita Simonian, writes: “Today a referendum, tomorrow recognition as part of the Russian Federation, the day after tomorrow the attacks on Russian territory will turn into a full-fledged war between Ukraine and NATO and Russia, in which Russia is not more hands are tied.” Former Russian President and Putin supporter Dmitry Medvedev also said: “Trespassing into Russian territory is a crime that allows all forces of self-defense to be used.”
1:33 a.m
Selenskyj is demonstratively calm about sham referendums
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy reacted with demonstrative calm to the announcement of sham referendums on the annexation of occupied areas of his country to Russia. “Our position does not change due to noise or any announcements,” he said in his video address in the evening. “We are defending Ukraine, we are liberating our country and most importantly we are not showing any weakness.”
Zelenskyj thanked the unanimous condemnation of the Russian plans by many countries and organizations. “We have the full support of our partners,” he said in Kyiv. At the United Nations General Assembly today, he announced that he wanted to make Ukraine’s position clear and unambiguous. He will be connected to New York via video.
1:33 a.m
Ukraine reports heavy Russian casualties in Donetsk region
In the evening, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reports significant Russian losses in the Donetsk region near the towns of Bakhmut and Avdjivka. Russia shelled these cities and dozens of others in northeastern and southern Ukraine. The information could not be independently verified.
conflicting parties as a source
Information on the course of the war, shelling and casualties provided by official bodies of the Russian and Ukrainian conflict parties cannot be directly checked by an independent body in the current situation.