Ukraine is launching its long-awaited offensive in the south. Breakthroughs at the front and heavy fighting are reported. The ailing Russian Defense Minister Shoigu has announced that the push has failed. The international nuclear experts are on their way to Kyiv and Hungary is ordering more gas from Moscow. The 187th day of the war at a glance:

Southern offensive: Russians in retreat

The Ukrainian military has said it has launched a long-awaited counter-offensive on the southern front. The responsible military command called on the civilian population at noon to leave areas where fighting threatened. In the Kherson region, Ukrainian troops broke through the Russian front lines, Nataliya Humenyuk, the press secretary of the Southern Group of the Ukrainian Army, said. Units of the Donetsk separatists and supporting Russian marines are said to have been forced to withdraw.

Residents should get to safety

Russian media reported an appeal in Nowa Kachowka. Accordingly, the regional military administration called on all residents of the place to seek shelter in basements and air raid shelters. The city is said to be under massive fire from Ukrainian troops. Before the war, Nowa Kachowka had a good 45,000 inhabitants. The city is located about 65 kilometers east of the city of Cherson.

New attacks on the Kherson bridge

In the evening, the Ukrainian military reported the recapture of the village of Sukhyi Stavok. Russian social media accounts also confirm this. Numerous unconfirmed reports indicated that Russian troops were withdrawing from their positions. Attacks on the Antonivka Bridge in Kherson and the pontoon bridge built by the Russians were also reported.

Ministry of Defense in Moscow: “Failed pitifully”

According to the Russian account, the Ukrainian offensives in the south of the country were unsuccessful. The RIA news agency quoted the Defense Ministry in Moscow as saying that the Ukrainian soldiers had suffered significant losses during their advances in the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions. “The enemy’s attempted offensive failed miserably,” it said.

London: Shoigu loses respect

From the point of view of British intelligence, Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is increasingly in a position of weakness. It is likely that officers and soldiers no longer take the minister seriously because of an ineffective and unrealistic leadership style, according to a report published in London. Before being appointed minister, Shoigu spent most of his career in construction and other areas. He lacks military experience.

It is very likely that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Shoigu fired at least six generals because the advance was not fast enough for them, the statement said. The question is how many more layoffs there will be before Shoigu himself ends up on the Kremlin boss’s hit list.

Ukrainian collaborator shot dead

A Ukrainian deputy who defected to Russia was found murdered in occupied southern Ukraine. According to preliminary information, parliamentarian Oleksiy Kovalyov was shot dead in his house, the Russian criminal investigation authorities announced on the Telegram news channel. The girlfriend of the 33-year-old was also killed in the attack. According to Ukrainian sources, she died in hospital as a result of a knife wound. Ukraine had already accused Kovalyov of high treason in early June. He survived a bomb attack.

Zaporizhia inspectors on their way

According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are expected in Kyiv. They left Vienna, a spokesman for the ministry wrote on Facebook late in the afternoon. The US government welcomed the upcoming inspection of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. National Security Council communications director John Kirby appealed to Russia to allow inspectors safe and unhindered access. Kirby again advocated establishing a demilitarized zone around the power plant.

Russia has to flare off a lot of gas

According to the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol, Russia is likely to flare more gas in the coming months, as the country’s gas storage facilities are filling up more and more. Nevertheless, Russia will not win the energy battle, Birol said at an event in Norway. Russia has lost a lot of trust among customers worldwide. In the wake of the Ukraine war, Russia reduced its gas exports to the west.

Hungary is negotiating with Gazprom

In contrast to other EU countries, the Hungarian government is trying to increase gas supplies from Russia. “There is an offer to increase gas supplies,” said Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. “We will coordinate with Gazprom in the next few days.” The Russian energy giant Gazprom had already increased its deliveries to Hungary via the Turkstream pipeline in mid-August. Hungary is about 85 percent dependent on Russian gas.

The Czech Republic and Germany make the tank ring exchange perfect

During Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s visit to Prague, Germany and the Czech Republic sealed the planned arms exchange in favor of Ukraine. After a meeting with Fiala in Prague, Scholz said that he had now discussed the exchange of rings “very specifically” with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala. The Czech Republic has handed over Soviet-made T72 main battle tanks to the Ukraine and in return will receive 14 “Leopard” tanks and one “Buffalo” armored recovery vehicle from Germany.

Scholz advocates European air defense

Scholz announced in Prague that he wanted to build a new air defense system together with European neighbors. The Bundeswehr considers the purchase of the Israeli Arrow 3 system to be a likely option.

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