🔴 Live: Ukraine claims more territorial gains near war-torn Bakhmut

Issued on: 11/09/2023 – 09:19

2 min

8:50am: Ukraine claims more territorial gains in east and south

Ukraine says its troops have regained more territory on the eastern and southern fronts in its military counteroffensive against Russian forces.

Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said Kyiv’s forces had retaken close to 2 square km (0.77 square mile) of land in the past week around the shattered eastern city of Bakhmut, which was captured by Russian troops in May after months of gruelling fighting.

Maliar told Ukrainian television that Ukrainian forces captured part of the village of Opytne south of the city of Avdiivka and had “partial success” near the village of Novomaiorske in the eastern Donetsk region.

She also reported “some success” near Andriivka and Klishchiivka, a village on heights south of Bakhmut seen as critical to securing control of the city.

The claims could not be independently verified.

8:05am: Ukraine can ‘count on us’, says German minister on Kyiv visit

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has made a surprise visit to Kyiv, her fourth since the start of the war, promising unwavering support for Ukraine and praising its progress on the path towards EU membership.

“With enormous courage and determination, Ukraine is also defending the freedom of all of us,” Baerbock said in a statement released by the foreign ministry upon her arrival. And Ukraine can “count on us” in return, she added. 

“We will not let up in our efforts to support Ukraine in its defence against Russia’s aggression: economically, militarily, and in the humanitarian” sphere, Baerbock said.

3:35am: Russia says two Ukrainian drones downed over Belgorod

Russia says it destroyed two Ukrainian drones close to the border in the Belgorod region overnight.

The Ministry of Defence said the incident involved two unmanned aerial vehicles and took place around 1:20 am local time (2220 GMT Sunday).

“Air defence systems on duty destroyed two UAVs over the territory of Belgorod region,” the ministry posted on Telegram. No casualties were reported.

Key developments from Sunday, September 10:

Russia launched an air attack on Kyiv early on Sunday, with blasts ringing out across the Ukrainian capital and its region for almost two hours and drone debris falling on several of the city’s central districts.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities accused Russian forces of killing two aid workers, one Canadian and one Spanish, in eastern Ukraine, calling their deaths near the war-battered city of Bakhmut “a painful, irreparable loss”. 

Read yesterday’s blog to see how the day’s events unfolded.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)