Wednesday, September 21. Russia’s War On Ukraine: Daily News And Information

Dispatches from Ukraine. Wednesday, September 21. Day 210.

As Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues and the war rages on, reliable sources of information are critical. Forbes gathers information and provides updates on the situation.

By Polina Rasskazova

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s speech today announced the beginning of partial mobilization of the public for military service and threatened the use of nuclear weapons. According to Putin, Russia plans to call up 300,000 reservists to join its military forces in attacking Ukrainian territories. “In Washington, London, and Brussels, they are directly pushing Kyiv to transfer military operations to our territory…nuclear blackmail was also launched,” Putin declared in his pre recorded speech. He also mentioned that the West has given Ukraine the go-ahead to attack the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, threatening the use of weapons of mass destruction against Russia. At the end of the speech, Putin threatened the world with the possible use of nuclear weapons by Russian forces to defend its territories.

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an interview with the German publication, Bild, Russia’s partial mobilization shows that the Russian military has problems with the effectiveness of its officers and other military personnel. “We already know that they mobilized cadets, guys who couldn’t fight,” said Zelenskyy. “These cadets have fallen. They couldn’t even finish their training. All these people can’t fight. They came to us and died.”

The Ukrainian President added that Putin sees that his troops are running away from Ukrainian territories, but “he doesn’t care how many Russians die, he wants to drown Ukraine in blood, but also in the blood of his own soldiers.” Regarding Putin’s indirect threat to use nuclear weapons, Zelenskyy said: “I don’t believe that he will use these weapons. I don’t think the world will allow him to use these weapons.” At the same time, he doesn’t completely rule out the possibility.

“Tomorrow, Putin can say — as well as Ukraine, we want part of Poland, otherwise we will use atomic weapons. We cannot make these compromises,” Zelenskyy said.

Five Russian missiles hit three districts of Zaporizhzhia. “Infrastructure objects and private sector houses were affected,” said Oleksandr Starukh, the head of Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration. “Two shells hit a field on the outskirts of the city. It is known (there were) three victims. One of them was treated with a diagnosis of contusion, his condition is stable.”

Dnipropetrovsk Region.

At night, Russian forces attacked residential quarters of the Nikopol and Kryvoriz’kyi districts with barrel artillery. The city of Nikopol was shelled twice with 30 Russian projectiles. A 56-year-old man was injured. “In the city, more than 20 high-rise buildings and private houses, cars, gas furnaces, and power lines were damaged,” said Valentyn Reznichenko, the Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration. “Enemy shells also damaged a local bakery, a kindergarten, a library, and several shops.”

In the Kryvoriz’kyi district, the Zelenodolsk community came under shelling late in the evening. There were no deaths or injuries. “Several private houses were damaged in Velika Kostromka,” said Reznichenko. “350 families were left without electricity. Energy workers are already repairing the lines.”

Kharkiv Region.

Five people, including a 13-year-old boy, were wounded during a Russian attack on Kupyansk. Other victims include men aged 36, 47, and 63, and an 83-year-old woman. Also, around 2 a.m., the Russian military launched rocket attacks on the Kholodnohirsky District of Kharkiv. “Two apartment buildings were damaged, one person was injured, and 10 people were blocked in apartments due to the destruction of the stairwell,” said Oleg Synegubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration. “An industrial building was also partially destroyed by rocket hits.”

As of September 21, according to statistics provided by the office of Zelenskyy, a total of 4,890 private houses and 2,959 high-rise buildings have been destroyed in Kharkiv due to Russian aggression against Ukraine.