THE RUSSO-UKRAINE WAR BRIEF
For: 2024-09-24
Slava Ukraini! In early 2022 I began a Telegram channel aggregating news from a number of sources daily on the war in Ukraine. In June 2023 I began providing a daily draft for the Ukraine War Brief Podcast collecting news from over 70 sources daily, much of which formed the basis of the script. While the Podcast no longer exists I have continued to make this Brief available both on my own Substack and The People’s Media for those who wish to keep up with events on a daily basis.
All the latest news on the Russo-Ukraine War 6 days per week
ALONG THE CONTACT LINE
GSAFU Morning Report
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its Operational Information update at 22:00 on Sep 23 stated that day 944 of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation against Ukraine was about to begin.
During the past day, 125 combat engagements took place. Over the past 24 hours, the enemy carried out 4 missile strikes, 55 air strikes, 662 drone strikes and more than 3,800 artillery strikes across the positions of Ukrainian forces.
At the same time, Ukrainian soldiers continue to inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the occupying troops, exhausting the enemy along the entire front line and continue to disrupt the plans of Russian occupiers to advance deep into the territory of Ukraine.
Air Force Daily Report
On the night of September 24, 2024 (from 20.00 on 23.09 to 07.00 on 24.09), the radio engineering troops of the Air Force detected and escorted 85 enemy air attack vehicles:
- one "Iskander-M" ballistic missile from the Rostov region. - Russian Federation;
- two Kh-59/69 guided air missiles from the airspace of the Bryansk region. - Russian Federation;
- one missile (type to be determined) from the Kursk region. - Russian Federation;
- 81 shock BplA type "Shahed" from Kursk and Primorsko-Akhtarsk regions - Russian Federation.
The main direction of the attack is the north and center of Ukraine.
The air attack was repulsed by aviation, anti-aircraft missile forces, electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups of the Air Force and the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
As a result of anti-aircraft combat, 66 enemy attack UAVs were shot down in the Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Cherkasy, Vinnytsia, Kirovohrad, Poltava, Sumy, and Mykolaiv regions. Another 13 enemy drones were lost in several regions of Ukraine as a result of active countermeasures by the Defense Forces.
The Russian Border Incursion
Ukraine continues to advance in Kursk
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US based think tank, in its Sep 23 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment stated that Ukrainian forces recently advanced in Glushkovsky Raion west of Ukraine's salient in Kursk Oblast amid continued offensive operations in the area on September 23. Geolocated footage published on September 23 indicates that Ukrainian forces recently advanced to the southern outskirts of Veseloye (southwest of Glushkovo). Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces attacked near Novy Put and Medvezhye (south of Glushkovo).
A Ukrainian airborne brigade operating in Kursk Oblast posted footage and reported on September 23 that Ukrainian forces broke through another area along the Ukrainian-Russian border, but did not specify the location or time of the breakthrough. The Ukrainian brigade noted that this is the second successful penetration of the Russian border since the start of the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast. An open-source intelligence analyst on X (formerly Twitter) stated that the footage shows a previous Ukrainian breakthrough near Medvezhye from September 11 or 12. ISW cannot independently verify the reports of another Ukrainian breakthrough.
Ukrainian forces continued offensive operations in the Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast on September 23 but did not make any confirmed advances. Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces attacked southeast of Korenevo near Lyubimovka, Darino, and Nikolayevo-Darino; north of Sudzha near Malaya Loknya; and southeast of Sudzha near Plekhovo.
Russian forces continued offensive operations in the Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast on September 23 but did not make any confirmed advances. A Russian milblogger claimed that Russian forces advanced towards Plekhovo, but ISW has not observed confirmation of this claim. Elements of the Russian 810th Naval Infantry (Black Sea Fleet, Southern Military District [SMD]), 30th Motorized Rifle Regiment (72nd Motorized Rifle Division, 44th Army Corps, Leningrad Military District [LMD]), and 155th Naval Infantry Brigade (Pacific Fleet, Eastern Military District [EMD]) are reportedly operating in Kursk Oblast. Elements of the 51st Airborne (VDV) Regiment (106th VDV Division) are reportedly operating near Lyubimovka.
The Khortytsia operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the northeastern part of Ukraine. )
Kharkiv Sector: Over the last day Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 3 Russian attacks near Lyptsi and Tykhe.
Ukraine regains control of Vovchansk aggregate plant, military intelligence says
Ukrainian forces recaptured an aggregate plant in the town of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast,The Kyiv Independent reported on Sept. 24 citing Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR).
HUR Chief Kyrylo Budanov was briefed on the "successful completion of the operation" earlier in the day, the agency said in a statement, adding the "extremely difficult" attack was carried out by HUR special forces.
"The fighters of HUR carried out a systematic sweep of the plant's buildings, constantly engaging in contact battles with the enemy in densely built-up conditions. In some cases, Ukrainian special forces engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy,"
"Ukraine's Armed Forces took under control the territory of the aggregate plant after all 30 buildings were cleared (of Russian forces)."
During the operation, Ukrainian troops also reportedly took Russian captives.
Kupyansk Sector: Russian Forces carried out 7 unsuccessful offensive actions against Ukrainian defensive positions near Kucherivka, Kolisynivka, Hlushkivka and Stelmahivka.
Lyman Sector: Russian Forces carried out 19 offensive actions against Ukrainian defensive positions near Cherneshchyna, Druzhelyubivka, Makiivka, Nevske, Torske, Dronivka and Dibrova. 2 engagements are currently ongoing.
Siversk Sector: There has been no significant change in the combat environment in this sector. Russian forces made 1 assault against Ukrainian positions near Fedorivka.
Kramatorsk Sector: Russian forces carried out 4 offensive actions near Kalinina, Predtechyne, Klishchiivka and Bila Hora. The situation is under control.
Toretsk Sector: Russian forces carried out 15 offensive actions with air support near Dachne, Toretsk and Nelipivka. 6 engagements continue.
The Tavria operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the central-eastern and southeastern part of Ukraine.)
Pokrovsk Sector : The main efforts of the enemy were directed in the direction of Pokrovsk. Russian forces conducted 30 attacks against Ukrainian defences in this area over the last day in the vicinity of Zelene Pole, Vozdvyzhenko, Novotoretske, Myrolyubivka, Mykolaivka, Krasnyi Yar, Novohrodivka and Marynivka.
Kurakhove Sector: The enemy, supported by aviation, made 21 assaults on Ukrainian positions near Ukrainsk, Tsukuryne, Heorhiivka, Katerynivka and Konstantinivka. 3 engagements are ongoing.
Vremivka Sector: Russian forces made 8 assaults against Ukrainian positions near Pavlivka and Vuhledar. 3 engagements are ongoing.
Orikhiv Sector: Russian forces made 1 unsuccessful assault against Ukrainian positions near Novoandriivka.
The Odesa operational-strategic group
(Responsible for Kherson, Qırım, (also known as Crimea) and the Black Sea.)
Prydniprovsk Sector: In this sector, over the last day, the situation has not changed significantly. Russian forces made 2 unsuccessful attempts to force Ukrainian units from their positions on the left bank of the Dnipro.
TEMPORARILY OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
Nothing major to report.
THE HOME FRONT
Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 4, injure 39 over past day
Russian attacks against Ukraine killed four people and injured 39 over the past day, regional authorities said on Sept. 24. The Kyiv Independent reports.
Ukrainian forces downed 66 out of 81 Shahed-type drones launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Thirteen more drones were "lost" in a few regions, according to the statement.
Russian forces also launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile, two Kh-59/69 cruise missiles and one missile of a type yet to be determined.
A Russian overnight attack on the city of Zaporizhzhia killed one person and injured at least seven others, including a 15-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl, according to Governor Ivan Fedorov.
The strike targeted a critical infrastructure facility and a residential neighborhood. A house was destroyed and more than 70 apartment buildings were damaged, Fedorov said.
In Kharkiv Oblast, an attack on Kupiansk killed an 82-year-old woman, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.
Another woman, aged 59, suffered injuries after Russian forces attacked the village of Osynovo, the governor said.
One person was killed in the town of Kramatorsk and another in the village of Udachne in the Pokrovsk district, Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin said.
A total of 18 people suffered injuries in the region over the past day, he added.
In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces targeted 23 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson. Thirteen people were injured, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.
RUSSIAN WORLD
Bloomberg - Russia to Boost Military Spending to 40% of State Budget in 2025
Russia plans to boost defense spending to 13.2 trillion rubles ($142 billion) in 2025 from 10.4 trillion rubles projected for this year, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing draft budget proposals it had seen.
That increase would represent 6.2% of Russia’s projected GDP, a historically high figure as the war in Ukraine shows little sign of ending anytime soon. Likewise, defense and national security spending would account for 40% of total government expenditures in 2025, surpassing the combined allocations for education, healthcare, social policies and the national economy, according to Bloomberg.
At the same time, Bloomberg reported that 30% of the 2025 budget — 12.9 trillion rubles — is allocated for classified or unspecified items, an increase from 11.1 trillion rubles in 2024.
In 2026 and 2027, Russia plans to decrease defense spending slightly, to 5.6% and 5.1% of GDP, respectively. However, spending on national defense would still be higher than current levels, and several times higher than pre-war levels.
Despite the war-driven surge in spending, the 2025 budget is expected to have a deficit of 0.5% of GDP, down from 1.7% in 2024, thanks to projected tax hikes, a progressive wealth tax, and increased non-oil and gas revenues, according to Bloomberg.
The draft budget for 2025-2027 is set to be submitted to lawmakers on Monday. Last week, President Vladimir Putin listed defense spending and the integration of occupied Ukrainian territories among the government’s top priorities for the upcoming draft budget.
Analysts have said that even after the war in Ukraine ends, Russia would need to maintain higher-than-average levels of defense spending for several years to rebuild its armed forces, with some military experts estimating the country may need 8 years to rebuild its military fully.
NEWS WORLDWIDE
G7+ Ministerial Group calls for urgent support for Ukraine's energy sector
The G7+ Ministerial Group has called on the global community to urgently step up support for Ukraine's energy sector as winter draws near. The ministers said this in a statement published on the website of the U.S. Department of State.
"We, the G7+ Ministerial Group, met on the margins of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly to reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's brutal and unjust attacks on Ukraine and its energy infrastructure. We reaffirm our strong commitment to the territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and to focus on the key priorities needed to achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace based on international law, including the UN Charter and its principles," the statement reads.
The G7+ Ministerial Group strongly condemned Russia's continuous missile and drone strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure and cities across Ukraine, which have escalated since March 2024 and severely threaten Ukraine's energy security and the Ukrainian people's access to critical services including electricity, heat, and water during the cold winter months.
"Russia must end its war of aggression and pay for the damage it has caused," the statement said.
The group also recommitted to supporting Ukraine's immediate, medium, and long-term recovery and reconstruction in line with its path towards the EU and "to work to involve our private sectors and local governments in the sustainable economic and social recovery of Ukraine."
"We welcome and underscore the significance of Ukraine's commitment to business-enabling reforms that will establish a level playing field for investment in the energy sector. We stress the importance of the implementation of the National Energy and Climate Plan and the monitoring of this process. We will continue to support the efforts of the Ukrainian government and people in these endeavors," the ministers said.
We acknowledge the need for international assistance to protect energy infrastructure from attacks, including through the strengthening of Ukraine's air defense capabilities by the committed countries, and reaffirm our readiness to continue providing such assistance," the statement said.
The Ministerial Group also condemned Russia's seizure and continued control and militarization of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which threatens energy security. The ministers are convinced that rebuilding Ukraine's energy system in the short and long term is in the interest of enhancing global energy security and sustainability.
Zelenskyy: War with Russia is closer to end than many believe
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that the war with Russia is "closer to an end" than many believe and called on allies to further strengthen the Ukrainian army.
He said this in an interview with the ABC News channel during his visit to the USA, Ukrinform reports.
"The plan for victory is a strengthening of Ukraine. That's why we're asking our friends, our allies, to strengthen us. It's very important," Zelenskyy said. At the same time, he emphasized: "I think that we are closer to peace than we think. We are closer to the end of the war."
Also, Volodymyr Zelensky said that Putin is afraid of the Kursk operation, which is being carried out by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
"It's true. He is afraid very much," the Ukrainian president noted, explaining this by the fact that the Russians saw he can’t defend all his territory.
Wagner mercenary group secretly used JPMorgan and HSBC for payment a new report says
JPMorgan Chase and HSBC unwittingly processed payments for companies in Africa controlled by the deceased Russian warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin, as his sanctions-hit Wagner private army expanded across a continent where it has been accused of brutal human rights abuses. The Financial Times reports.
Leaked documents obtained by the Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS), a Washington-based think-tank, show that in 2017 a Sudanese company controlled by Prigozhin made purchases of industrial equipment from China that passed through large western banks.
Wagner, which the US Treasury has accused of “mass executions, rape, child abductions and other brutalities against innocents” in Africa, became infamous for providing mercenary services to repressive dictators and for fighting in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The leaked documents show how Prigozhin, whose plane crashed last year after attempting a mutiny against Russian President Vladimir Putin, was able to establish a transnational criminal empire in natural resources in part by secretly hijacking the payments systems of western financial institutions.
One invoice shows that in August 2017, Meroe Gold, a Sudanese mining company that was a front for Wagner, sent a payment from a local bank account via JPMorgan Chase as an intermediate bank in New York to a seller in China.
Another invoice from the same year shows that Meroe Gold sent payment for diesel generators and spare parts to a Chinese company via Hang Seng Bank, which is part of the HSBC Group.
There is no evidence that these banks were aware they were handling transactions commissioned by Wagner Group front entities, the report concludes.
C4ADS, which has released a report into the leaked documents, said the transactions demonstrated that Prigozhin and Wagner would not have been able to establish a foothold in Africa without benefiting from the legitimate financial system.
Wagner’s growth in countries such as Sudan and the Central African Republic was the function of “a nexus between licit and illicit systems”, said C4ADS.
MILITARY & TECH
Ukrainian Troops Undergo Training on LAV 6.0 ACSV Armored Vehicles
Soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are undergoing training on Canadian LAV 6.0 ACSV (Armored Combat Support Vehicle) armored personnel carriers, specifically in the armored ambulance version. Militarnyi reports.
“The personnel of the Canadian training operation UNIFIER are proud to be part of Canada’s initiative to provide 50 armored combat support vehicles to Ukraine,” the statement reads.
It is reported that the first ten ACSVs to be delivered to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the fall will be in the armored ambulance version.
In total, Ukraine is to receive 50 LAV 6.0 ACSV armored personnel carriers from Canada. They are manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada in London, Ontario. The vehicles are part of a $650 million Canadian military aid package announced last year.
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