Russia has launched a counteroffensive against Ukrainians on its territory

The Russian army announced on Thursday that it had recaptured ten localities in the Kursk region, where ugrave; Ukrainian forces had advanced over more than 1,000 km2 at the beginning of August, a counter-offensive which is taking place at the time when the Secretary of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Poland to discuss ways to help Ukraine.

Mr. Blinken arrived in Warsaw after a visit to kyiv, where he promised to “urgently” examine Ukraine's military requests, which include authorization to strike deep into Russian territory with Western missiles. The Ukrainian government has repeatedly denounced the slowness of the Americans and Europeans on the subject.

In Moscow, the Defense Ministry announced that Russian forces had “liberated 10 localities in two days” during “offensive operations” in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops had seized around a hundred localities in a surprise attack in early August.

These are the first military successes claimed by the Russian army in this area.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed at the same time that a Russian counteroffensive was underway in this border region, while assuring that this response was “in line with the Ukrainian plan”, without providing further details.

The front had been generally frozen in the Kursk region since the first Ukrainian advances. kyiv had launched this offensive in particular to try to force the Russian army to turn away from its assault in eastern Ukraine, so far without success.

Most of the fighting continues to take place in Donbass, where Russian soldiers have the advantage and are moving ever closer to the strategic city of Pokrovsk.

It was in this eastern region that three people were killed on Thursday in a Russian strike on vehicles of the International Committee of the Red Cross, according to Volodymyr Zelensky. The ICRC confirmed the death of three of its employees, while two others were injured.

The Ukrainian president also said that a Russian missile had hit a cargo ship carrying wheat bound for Egypt in the Black Sea on Thursday evening.

– Kiev criticizes “delays” –

In Warsaw, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Polish leaders after a night train journey from Ukraine, where he had met with Mr Zelensky and other officials on Wednesday alongside his British counterpart David Lammy.

These trips come at a time when Ukraine is demanding the ability to strike Russia in depth with the long-range missiles it has been supplied with by the West.

In a sign of his impatience, Mr Zelensky on Thursday criticised the West's “delay” on the issue. These delays have “led to Russia moving these military targets deeper”, he stressed.

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But, so far, the Americans have not authorised kyiv to fire freely on targets in Russia, for fear of an escalation with Moscow.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (l) and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorsky at a press conference in Warsaw, September 12, 2024 © POOL – Mark Schiefelbein

“We will adapt if necessary, particularly with regard to the means at Ukraine's disposal to defend itself effectively against Russian aggression,” Mr. Blinken evaded on Thursday in the Polish capital.

The day before in Kiev, he had promised to examine Ukrainian requests “urgently.”

“The victim of an aggression has the right to defend himself,” pleaded Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.

President Joe Biden, who has been wary of taking steps that could trigger a direct conflict between Russia and the nuclear-armed United States, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are scheduled to hold talks on Friday.

Russia, which has been accused of recently receiving ballistic missiles from Iran, has promised an “appropriate” response if it is given the green light to strike deep into its territory.

“We have no doubt that the decision to lift restrictions on the use of long-range weapons to attack Russian territory was taken a long time ago,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.

– No water, no gas in Pokrovsk –

Mr. Blinken is also due to discuss in Warsaw Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga's call on Wednesday for neighboring countries to shoot down Russian missiles and drones when they fly over Ukraine's western regions.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken upon his arrival at Warsaw airport, September 12, 2024 in Poland © POOL – Mark Schiefelbein

On the front in eastern Ukraine, the situation continues to deteriorate in Pokrovsk, an important logistics hub under threat of an assault by Russian troops, who are less than ten kilometers away there.

Running water has been cut off due to the fighting, the city hall of this city, which had a population of nearly 53,000 before the war, announced on Thursday. Regional governor Vadim Filachkin reported the destruction of the gas supply system.

“With each passing day, there are fewer and fewer shops (open) in Pokrovsk and living conditions are becoming more and more difficult,” Filachkin stressed.

“The situation is difficult and will not improve in the near future,” the city hall added, once again urging residents of the city to evacuate.

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