First day of the controversial referendums at the four currently occupied by Russia regions of Ukraine starts today. It was announced on Tuesday and will take as long as September 27th. “Today is the first day of voting in the referendum on the entry of the Donetsk People's Republic into Russia as a subject of the Russian Federation!” – Denys Pushylin, the head of the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic”. It will be held in a mixed format with outdoor polling stations and special groups guarded by special police knocking door to door, which provoke a big wave of disputes about pressure on people. The previously held “social survey” by the local authorities showed support of 80-94 % of the population. Neither Ukraine nor international society recognize it.
The city centre of Zaporizhia was shelled this night again, social infrastructure objects were hit. The State Emergency Service works on the ground, it is known about three injured people as of now. Oleksandr Starukh, the head of the Zaporizhia RMA.
The Zaporizhia Regional Centre for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine reports that the radiation background in the Zaporizhia region remains unchanged and does not pose a threat to the life and health of the population.
The Dnipro region was shelled at night, residential buildings and electricity lines were hit. There are 2 killed and another 9 civilians injured, over 2000 families left with no electricity. Valentyn Reznichenko, the Head of the Dnipro RMA.
The Kharkiv region was shelled at night, most of the shelling was in the recently liberated area of Kupiansk. There are 1 killed and 9 injured civilians over the past 24 hours. Oleh Synehubov, the head of the Kharkiv RMA.
There are 7 killed and 17 injured civilians over the past 24 hours in the Donetsk region. Pavlo Kyrylenko, the head of the Donetsk RMA.
The Operational Command “South” reported this morning about 5 shot down Russian kamikaze-drones among other Russian military equipment and manpower over the past 24 hours.
The Northern region of Sumy was shelled over the past 24 hours, there were damages of the residential buildings, a kindergarten and a house of culture, there were 4 civilians injured. All the shelled areas are on a border with Russia. Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, the head of the Sumy RMA.
Ukraine continues to work on the release of all its citizens held by the Russian side. A plan of measures for the rehabilitation of those who returned from captivity will be developed, as stated by the head of the Office of the President Andrii Yermak at a briefing dedicated to the exchange and return of defenders of Ukraine from Russian captivity.
President Volodymyr Zelensky does not connect the possible end of Putin's regime in Russia with the end of the war in Ukraine, President Zelensky said in an interview with the German newspaper Bild, the video of which was released by Zelensky to the question whether the war will end only when Putin's regime falls: "I do not associate it with the end of the war. Putin's regime will definitely end. When - it is decided, probably by the people of Russia, we have no influence on it. But who will come instead? The question is not in the people, the question is in the philosophy of their regime, in the philosophy of preserving their power, the philosophy of the attitude to Ukraine. If they don't change it, if they don't change their doctrine, then it doesn't matter who will be there in his place - a young person, an old person, etc.
