09.23.22 | Civilians
Daily Chronicle of Russian Invasion
On September 20, the occupational authorities in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions have adopted laws on conducting pseudo-referendums from September 23 to 27. These “referendums” are supposed to become a legal background for the annexation of captured territories to Russia.
Russian State Duma reported its readiness to urgently take all the necessary solutions for the admission of new territories in the Russian Federation after pseudo-referenda.
Although both Ukrainian and foreign governments assured such pseudo-referendums will not have any legitimacy, Russia might use those as an argument for the escalation.
In his postponed address, Putin has announced a partial mobilization in Russia, AP reports.
Despite the lack of legitimacy of the pseudo-referendums and postponed Putin’s address, it is obvious that Russia is doing everything to stop the momentum of the Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Ukrainian Defence Intelligence emphasizes that the momentum depends on the tempo of the military aid delivery. Advisor to the Head of the President’s Office of Ukraine urged the world to provide tanks and ATACMS missile systems to enable Ukrainian military for liberation of Ukrainian territory.
We ask all of you to spread the word and help the AFU to maintain momentum and liberate occupied territories as soon as possible.
#RussianWarCrimes #StopRussianAggression #russiaisateroriststate
Civilian Statistics as of 09.23
Confirmed victims among civilians: 5,916 dead (379 of which were children), and 8,616 injured (663 of which were children) as of 09.19.2022 — Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights;
Victims among the children: 391 dead and 771 injured — Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine;
6,657,918 individual refugees from Ukraine recorded across Europe (11,150,639 border crossings from Ukraine; 4,767,914 border crossings to Ukraine) as of 08.17.2022 — UNHCR;
6,645,000 IDP Population; 5,545,000 Returnees Population (as of 07.23.2022) — IOM;
2,500 educational institutions damaged, 289 of which were fully destroyed — Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine;
906 medical facilities damaged, 123 of which fully destroyed (as of 08.18.2022) — Viktor Liashko, Minister of Health of Ukraine;
More than 3,5 million people, or 8% of the country's population, were become homeless (as of 07.31.2022) — Center for countering disinformation at the National Security and Defenсe Council of Ukraine; About 120,000 private homes and more than 20,000 high-rise buildings damaged or destroyed (as of 06.30.2022) — Oleksii Chernyshov, Minister of Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine;
464 cultural heritage sites destroyed (as of 08.11.2022) — Ministry of Culture and Information Policy;
184,414 explosive objects and 1,047 kg of explosives neutralized since the beginning of Russia's large-scale military invasion — Ministry of State Emergency Service.
Russian democracy: Residents of Mariupol are forced to vote in a pseudo referendum by armed Russian soldiers
This is reported by Petro Andriushchenko, advisor to the mayor of Mariupol.
"The main means of coercion for voting is door-to-door campaigning. The commission consists of two people with a ballot box and two machine gunners. They knock on the doors of apartments/houses, force neighbors to drag people to the commission. Coercion, coercion, and coercion. Basically, they offer people to say "yes" or "no" directly into the barrel of a machine gun," Andriushchenko wrote.
According to him, polling stations in the city are located in shops and cafes.
The mayor's adviser noted that at the same time there was no one at the polling stations. "As for the election-specific conditions for will expression, such as booths, there are none. You put a mark under the watchful eye of people with automatic rifles. This is Russian democracy," he said.
Source: Advisor to the Mayor of Mariupol
In Luhansk and Donetsk regions, members of "voting commissions" go around apartments and offer to vote in a pseudo-referendum
This is reported by Serhii Garmash, a journalist from Donetsk, reported this on Facebook.
"People from Donetsk inform me that the so-called commissions are already visiting apartments and offer people to vote right on the doorstep, in their presence. People do not have the opportunity to refuse to vote or vote negatively, as everything is recorded by the members of the ‘commissions’. They are asking what to do," Garmash said.
He offered the residents of the temporarily captured territories, for security reasons, simply not to open the doors.
"If they already know you’re home, then there is no need to close the door in the face of the commission, as some did, making me worry for them now. Just politely take the ballot, write "Glory to the USSR!" or "Putin- god" on it and give it to the ‘commission’. That way the ballot will be spoiled, and you will not be included in the list of enemies of Russia," Garmash advised.
A similar situation in Lunansk was reported by Srhii Haidai, the Head of the Regional Military Administration.
“The ‘voting’ began at ‘organized places in the residential areas’. Simply put, they fill out some pieces of paper in kitchens in apartments and yards. It looks extremely strange. No signs of privacy," Haidai noted.
According to him, the occupiers forbade civilians to leave the cities not to lose "votes".
He added that he received information from people in the occupation that the so-called "commissions" are accompanied by people with weapons.
If the doors to the apartments are not opened, they threaten to break them. When a person ticks "NO" in the "ballot", they are recorded in the "notebook".
Sources: Serhii Garmash, Donetsk journalist; Head of Luhansk Regional Military Administration
Occupiers offer money for passport data of Ukrainian citizens in Zaporizhzhia
In the temporarily captured territory of the Zaporizhzhia region, local residents are promised cash rewards and household appliances for providing passport data and obtaining Russian citizenship. The work on the preparation and holding of the so-called "referenda" on the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine was intensified.
This is mentioned in the General Staff report as of September 23.
In the settlements of the Kherson region, representatives of the Russian occupation authorities, under the pretext of humanitarian aid distribution, are trying to obtain personal data from local residents. The formation of the so-called "election commissions" continues.
The occupation authorities forbade the local population to leave Starobilsk, Luhansk region between September 23 and 27.
"According to available information, the occupiers are creating armed groups to go around houses and force people to participate in the so-called ‘referendum’. Preparations are being made for the filming of propagandistic mass media stories about the so-called "active participation of local residents in voting," the report reads.
Source: General Staff
The Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People called on all residents of the temporarily occupied Crimea to protest against Russian mobilization
Such address of the Mejlis presidium was posted by the head of the Mejlis, Refat Chubarov.
The address emphasizes that the forceful mobilization, organized by Russian occupational administration is a gross violation of Article 51 of the Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949
"The Occupying Power may not compel protected persons to employ forcible means to ensure the security of the installations where they are performing compulsory labour."
In addition, the appeal states that the criminal nature of the mobilization actions of the Russian authorities in Crimea is exacerbated by the fact that all residents of Crimea who permanently lived on the peninsula as of February 27, 2014, despite their forced change of passports, still remain citizens of Ukraine.
Source: Head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People
Fake referenda are aimed to prolong Russia's illegal invasion — British Ambassador
Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine Melinda Simmons stressed that the results of the pseudo-referendums, which the occupiers are starting today, September 23, are designed to continue Russia's illegal invasion. She wrote about this on Twitter.
Source: UK Ambassador to Ukraine
Residents of the occupied Snihurivka held a rally against the "referendum"
On September 23, residents of the occupied Snigurivka in the Mykolaiv Region held a rally against the pseudo-referendum for the region's accession to the Russian Federation, organized by Kremlin puppets.
This is reported to the Sniguriv city council.
According to the residents of Snigurivka, they never wanted to join the Russian Federation and will never want to.
"We call on residents of Sniрurivka and nearby villages, not to attend the "referendum" and not to participate in the illegal “voting”. Glory to Ukraine!" the rally participants said.
Sources: Snihurivka City Council; Ukrainska Pravda
427 dead have already been exhumed at the mass burial site in Izyum
This was stated by the first Deputy Chief of the Main Investigative Department of the National Police Serhiy Panteleev, the press service of the National Police reports.
According to him, the police focused their efforts on working out, collecting and recording war crimes in the territory of the Kharkiv region.
"Among the exhumed bodies from the mass burial site in Izyum - 202 women, 189 men, and five children. 11 bodies are so mutilated that it is currently impossible to determine their gender. Also, 21 bodies of our servicemen were found in a mass grave in the same city. Most of the bodies discovered during the visual inspection have signs of violent death," Panteleev said.
Source: National Police
“Struck by the large number of executions”: UN experts found evidence of Russian war crimes in Ukraine
This was reported by AP on Friday, September 23.
"...the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, mandated by the Human Rights Council earlier this year, have so far focused on four regions - Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy," AP reports.
In presenting their findings, the UN experts cited the testimony of former prisoners about beatings, electrocutions, and forced undressing in Russian detention centers.
They also expressed serious concern about the executions in the four regions.
He told members of the UN Human Rights Council that his team had received and was documenting “obviously significantly larger numbers of incidences that amount to war crimes on the part of the Russian Federation.”
Investigative commissions visited 27 cities and towns, interviewed more than 150 victims and witnesses, and met with advocacy groups and government officials, Mose said.
"Based on the evidence gathered by the commission, it has concluded that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine," he said.
Mose also said that the commission documented the commission of crimes of sexual or gender-based violence by Russian servicemen, the victims were from 4 to 82 years old.
He noted that in the future, the commission plans to gradually expand its investigation to include testimony about internment camps for the detention and deportation of people, forced resettlement of people, and allegations of accelerated adoption of children in the Russian Federation.
Source: Associated Press
The UN commission confirmed the executions by the Russian military in Bucha
The UN's independent international commission investigating violations in Ukraine confirmed that there were cases of executions and ill-treatment by the Russian military in Bucha, Kyiv region.
According to the Ukrinform correspondent, this was announced by Eric Mose, the head of the Commission, during a press conference in Geneva on Friday after the presentation of a report to the UN Human Rights Council.
"Bucha was one of the places where we found cases of executions and harsh treatment before the execution," he said.
Mose also said that the Commission intends to investigate reports of mass burials in Izyum, Kharkiv Oblast, which was liberated from the Russian invaders.
Source: Chair of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine quoted by Ukrinform, government-owned media
Drone attacks on Odesa: there is a dead and wounded
Four houses were damaged by kamikaze drone strikes launched from the Black Sea.
This was announced by the mayor of Odesa, Henadiy Trukhanov.
"The enemy struck Odesa again. This time - from kamikaze drones. There is a dead civilian and damage to the housing stock - we are talking, in particular, about four houses," Trukhanov said.
According to him, communal services are currently helping residents whose homes were damaged by the actions of the Russian invaders.
The head of Odesa RMA, Maksym Marchenko, clarified that as a result of the drone attack, one resident of Odesa was killed, and another was injured.
Source: Odesa City Mayor; Head of Odesa Regional Military Administration, quoted by Ukrinform, government-owned media
A school in Mariupol caught fire due to the detonation of a projectile, children were injured
This was announced by Petro Andriushchenko, advisor to the mayor of Mariupol, and published a photo of the fire in the school building.
"Mariupol... (fire) in school No. 45 due to the detonation of a projectile. It happened when the children climbed in there. The children are injured, their condition is unknown. Russia continues to kill our children. This is the "quality" of demining because they (occupiers - ed.) don't care about the safety of the people of Mariupol. They do not consider them to be people," Andriushchenko wrote.
Source: Mariupol City Council
Shelling in Kharkiv region: 7-year-old children are among the injured due to the massive shelling of Kupiansk
Yesterday, the enemy continued to terrorize the civilian population of Kharkiv region, shelling settlements adjacent to the contact line and the border with the Russian Federation. The enemy tried again to destroy the dam of the Pechenizky reservoir.
This was reported by the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Suniehubov.
Yesterday, September 22, the Russian occupation army massively shelled the city of Kupiansk and the Kupiansk district. In Kupiansk, 3 people were injured, including 2 children - a boy and a girl, 7 years old.
4 people were injured in the Kupian district. A 51-year-old man died in the Kharkiv district.
2 people – a 67-year-old woman and a 52-year-old man – were blown up by a landmine in the Chuhuiv district. Both were hospitalized with injuries.
Source: Head of Kharkiv Regional Military Administration
Two explosions rang out in Melitopol, one in a high-rise building
The mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, said this on the air of the national news telethon.
"There were 2 explosions in Melitopol. The first at night in an apartment of a 9-story building: one person died, one was injured. The second explosion occurred in the morning near the location of the occupiers. Their losses are being determined," he said.
Today, the Russians started a pre-referendum in the temporarily captured territories and, according to Fedorov, brought a crowd of "extras" to Melitopol from Crimea to create a picture.
"With the help of "extras" they will film stories. For example, they filmed a survey, but for some reason, all those interviewed spoke with an accent," the mayor added.
In his opinion, the city does not have the necessary number of people or support for the referendum.
Source: Melitopol City Mayor
Shelling of the Nikopol district: 2 people died, 18 houses were damaged
On the morning of September 23, the Russian occupying forces covered Nikopol and Manganets with “Grads” and heavy artillery — the enemy fired almost 30 shells.
This was announced by the head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration Valentyn Reznichenko.
"Tragic beginning of the day with shelling and casualties... In the morning, they hit Nikopol and Marhanets with ‘Grads’ and heavy artillery. Almost 30 shells were directed at peaceful cities. Two people died in Marganets, a man and a woman. According to preliminary information, nine more were injured. Rescuers took three of them out from under the rubble..." he wrote.
According to Valentyn Reznichenko, a house was set on fire in the city. Firefighters have already extinguished the flames. Russian shells damaged 8 houses and destroyed one. An enemy attack left 2,200 families without electricity.
According to preliminary information, 10 houses were damaged in Nikopol.
Source: Head of Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration
The occupiers launched a missile attack on Toretsk: 19 people were rescued from the rubble
Tonight, rescuers of the State Emergency Service rescued 19 people, including two children, from under the rubble of a nine-story building destroyed by the Russians in Toretsk.
This was announced on Friday, September 23, by the head of the Donetsk RMA, Pavlo Kyrylenko.
It is noted that the Russians hit a residential building with a rocket last night. The floor slabs from the 9th to the 7th floors collapsed from the impact in one of the entrances.
"Significant human casualties were avoided due to the fact that the vast majority of the building's residents evacuated: 10 of the 53 apartments remained occupied. Therefore, the consequences of such a heavy blow can be considered light: only one person was injured," Kyrylenko said.
He emphasized the need to evacuate the city.
"Those who have not yet left the territory of Donetsk region, especially from the zone of active hostilities, are putting their lives in mortal danger every day. We provide everyone with an opportunity to evacuate, and absolutely free of charge," he said.
Source: Head of Donetsk Regional Military Administration
Water supply and electricity grids in Mykolaiv were damaged due to shelling
On the night of September 23, explosions rang out in Mykolaiv and the region. An office building of an industrial infrastructure facility was damaged in the regional center. Private houses, water supply, and electricity supply grid were also damaged.
This was announced by the head of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration, Vitaliy Kim.
In the Mykolaiv district on September 22, as a result of the shelling of the village, A Ukrainian woman from the Halytsynivska community experienced a fire in her apartment building. The coastal strip of the Kutsurubska community was fired at from the "Smerch" MLRSs.
Bereznehuvate community remains under constant fire in Bashtansky district. During the past day, there were enemy attacks on the outskirts of the Novoukrainka and Murakhivka villages. Vysunsk village was shelled as well. As a result, infrastructure facilities, private houses, three trade facilities, and a gas pipeline were damaged, followed by ignition.
Shelling of populated areas of Shyrokivska community continues. There were attacks on the Shyroke village. A residential building, non-residential outbuildings, and agricultural machinery were damaged.
Source: Head of Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration
Russian army attacked the infrastructure of Zaporizhzhia at night
Anatoly Kurtev, secretary of the Zaporizhia City Council, reports this.
"Enemy missiles hit the city's civilian infrastructure. As a result of the airstrikes, the object of civil infrastructure was destroyed, as well as multi-story buildings, in which the windows were blown out, and private houses, in which the roofs were destroyed. The services are already dealing with the elimination of the consequences of the arrivals. At this time, it is also known about three victims who suffered minor injuries. Now they are receiving medical care in hospitals," the message reads.
Source: Secretary of the Zaporizhia City Council
Ten Russian soldiers will stand trial for brutal treatment of civilians in Bucha
Ten servicemen of the Russian Federation will be tried for brutal treatment of the civilian population during the temporary seizure of the Kyiv region.
This was reported by the Prosecutor General's Office.
The investigation established that during the capture of Bucha in March, the Russian military held hostage civilians who did not participate in hostilities and did not have weapons. They did not provide the detainees with food and water.
The accused deprived people of the opportunity to move freely, put them on their knees, blindfolded them with sticky tape and rags, and tied their hands with plastic cuffs. The victims were threatened with death and purposefully shot in their direction.
"Civilians were injured by Russians in order to obtain information about the location of servicemen of the Armed Forces and territorial defence. In a separate case, a civilian was injured for no reason whatsoever. People were beaten with fists on the body, as well as with the butt of a weapon on the legs, toes, and chest," the message reads.
In addition, the Russians robbed the local population, taking personal belongings and household appliances.
Source: General Prosecutor’s Office
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