Latest news of Russia’s war in Ukraine on September 9

US Secretary of State Blinken says Ukrainian counteroffensive is “proving its effectiveness” by leaving Kyiv US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks to media before departing at the railway station in Kyiv, Ukraine on Thursday, Sept. 8. (Efrem Lukatsky / AP) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken left Kyiv after his unannounced visit on Thursday, in which he said the ongoing counteroffensive was “proving its effectiveness.” The top US diplomat also said “it would be hard to imagine” that Russia’s so-called leak operations, which have forcibly deported hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, would be possible without the leadership of Russian President Vladimir Putin. During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Blinken attributed the success of the counteroffensive to the “incredible bravery, to the resistance of the Ukrainians,” and said the United States was “very pleased that we were able to support their efforts.” “Fundamentally, what this boils down to, I think the reason for this success is that this is their homeland, not Russia’s. And it’s as basic as that,” the top US diplomat said as he sat across from Zelensky. Speaking to reporters before leaving the city by train, Blinken said he had received “extensive information about the counteroffensive.” “Again, it’s very early, but we’re seeing clear and real progress on the ground, particularly in the Kherson area, but also some interesting developments in Donbas, in the east, but again, it’s early,” he said. . Blinken said he spent about two hours with Zelensky and his team, calling it “a very productive and in many ways meaningful day.” In addition to meeting Zelensky and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, he visited the US embassy, ​​toured a children’s hospital and went to Irpin, where he saw firsthand the devastation caused by the Russian occupation of the suburb of Kyiv. The senior American diplomat told the press that “he was able to witness the horrible attacks on houses, on buildings, clearly belonging to civilians, where the bombing, the missiles, the bullets, everything is there. And in the best of cases, It’s indiscriminate. At worst, it’s intentional. And I was able to talk to people who are doing an extraordinary job of collecting evidence of war crimes and atrocities and also with those in charge of the city who are working to rebuild it,” he said. Ukrainian forces regained control of Irpin in late March, but the city was left in ruins. The damage was still visible when the top US diplomat toured a part of the city, guided by Deputy Mayor Dmytro Nehresha, according to the press accompanying Blinken. Blinken was told that 95% of the city was evacuated at one point, but a large majority – around 78% – have returned, and are taking in IDPs from Kherson.