War in Ukraine: September 28, 2022
A Ukrainian tank passes a former Russian checkpoint on Sept. 16 in the retaken city of Izyum. Evgeniy Maloletka—AP
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Day 217
Russian state media have announced the preliminary results of the so-called referendums being held in occupied parts of Ukraine. With about a fifth of votes counted, it is reported that an overwhelming majority have voted in favour of joining Russia: 97% in Kherson region; 98% in Zaporizhzhia; 98% in “Donetsk People’s Republic;” 98% in “Luhansk People’s Republic.”Ukraine and Western nations have called the process a sham, claiming the results had already been decided. Vladimir Putin is likely to announce the annexation of occupied regions of Ukraine into Russia within days, the UK's defence ministry says. The Russian president could make the announcement when he addresses the country's parliament on Friday, according to the ministry - BBC
OECD: Russia's war in Ukraine will cause $2.8 trillion in global economic losses. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has projected global economic growth to slow to just 2.2% in 2023, which is $2.8 trillion lower than the OECD forecast before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine - Kyiv Independent
A U.N. commission found evidence of rape and torture of children in Russian-occupied Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said he saw very clear evidence of war crimes first-hand when he visited Ukraine a couple weeks ago. "One of the places I visited was a city called Irpin," Blinken said. "And I saw residential buildings, building block after building block, totally bombed out. Wherever the Russian tide recedes, what's left in its wake is very clear evidence of atrocities and war crimes….We're doing everything we can to support those who are trying to compile the evidence. And to investigate. And ultimately, to prosecute those responsible," Blinken told CBS News.
Separately, Blinken said the U.S. has made it clear to Russia that the consequences of using nuclear weapons would be “horrific.” He did not share how the U.S. would respond if Russia used nuclear weapons against Ukraine, but said the administration has a plan
Required reading…
A Western Surge Could Counter Putin’s Mobilization
His resort to a draft is a sign of weakness and risks turning public opinion against the Ukraine war.
Throughout Russia last week, tens of thousands of men were called up for military training and service in the Kremlin’s war on Ukraine. They are part of a mobilization that could see as many as one million fightersthrown into the fray. This is Vladimir Putin’s surge.
Based on assessments of many military experts, the new fighters will receive rudimentary training, will be armed with Soviet-era equipment, and will be sorely lacking in morale. In months or weeks, they will be prime candidates for cannon fodder, a role primarily played so far by fighters mobilized from Russia’s poorest and most remote regions.
Most frontline casualties on Russia’s side thus far have been fighters dragooned into service from Russian-occupied Donbas, or volunteers recruited from among Russia’s poor and marginal. Many are from Asian and Siberian minorities or mercenaries from Russia’s private armies or criminals recruited from Russian prisons. They will now be replaced in part by a broad cross-section of fighters from European Russia and its more prosperous metropolitan areas, such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Rostov-on-Don.
Read Adrian Karatnycky’s Wall Street Journal OpEd here