Live: Ukrainian army steps up pressure in Donbass

Published on: 09/20/2022 – 11:39 The Ukrainian army continued to consolidate its positions in the recently reconquered territories of the north-east of the country and resumed its advance east of the Oskil river, from where it could launch a new offensive towards the part of Donbass under Russian control. Follow the latest developments live. 10:24 a.m .: British Prime Minister reiterates financial support for Ukraine British Prime Minister Liz Truss pledged to maintain, and even increase, United Kingdom military support to Ukraine in 2023, during her first trip abroad as head of government, to the UN General Assembly. In a press release, she indicated that her country intended to equal or even exceed 2.3 billion pounds sterling (2.6 billion euros) of military aid pledged this year. “The victories of Ukraine in recent weeks are a source of inspiration,” she said, after Ukrainian forces recaptured territories occupied by Russian forces in a counter-offensive. “My message to Ukrainians is: the UK will continue to stand right behind you every step of the way. Your security is our security.” 9:59 am: Russia and Ukraine ready to “exchange 200 prisoners”, says Erdogan Russia and Ukraine at war have agreed to proceed with “the exchange of 200 prisoners”, affirmed last night Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on American PBS television. During an interview, the Turkish head of state said that “200 prisoners will soon be exchanged following an agreement between the parties”, believing that he is a “significant” step forward in this conflict. He did not give any other details on this agreement, nor on the people concerned, civilians or soldiers. For Recep Tayyip Erdogan – who met Russian President Vladimir Putin last week in Samarkand (Uzbekistan) -, the Kremlin “wants to end this war as soon as possible”. 8:12 a.m.: On the ground with Ukrainian soldiers in the Kharkiv region While the kyiv counter-offensive took Russian troops by surprise, the extent of its success surprised Ukrainian soldiers just as much. Our journalist went to meet several of them in the Kharkiv region. Reportage. 02:22 The Ukrainian counter-offensive took Russian troops by surprise and the extent of its success surprised Ukrainian soldiers. © France 24 12:34 a.m .: the Ukrainian army increases the pressure in the Donbass The Ukrainian army continued, on Monday, to consolidate its positions in the territories of the north-east of the country recently reconquered and resumed its advance in the east of the Oskil River, from where it could launch a new offensive in the direction of the part of Donbass under Russian control. In a sign of growing nervousness, the pro-Russian leaders of the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk have called for the rapid holding of referendums on the attachment of their self-proclaimed republics to Russia. “The occupiers are very clearly panicking”, commented the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, in his daily televised address.>> To read also: General Oleksandr Syrsky, new Ukrainian war heroSerhiy Gaïdaï, the Ukrainian governor of the Luhansk region – totally controlled by the Russian army at present – ​​indicated for his part that the Ukrainian army had recaptured the town of Kreminna and the village of Bilohorivka, close to the strategic town of Lysytchansk, captured in July by Russian forces after heavy fighting. “The Luhansk region is on the other side,” he said. on Telegram, in reference to the city of Sievierodonetsk, twin of Lysytchansk, on the other bank of the Donets river. “De-occupation is not far away.” With AFP and Reuters