Victorious news on 576th day of war: Ukrainian army targets Russian Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol, EU allocates €1.5bn to Ukraine

€1.5 billion from the EU

On September 22, Ukraine received the eighth tranche of macro-financial assistance from the European Union in the amount of €1.5 billion. 

"Ukraine today received the eighth tranche of €1.5bln macro-financial assistance from European Union. In total, the EU's budget support to Ukraine in 2023 is already €13.5 billion," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said in a statement. 

He added that the total support for Ukraine has reached about €70 billion since the beginning of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. "We are grateful to EU President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Executive Vice-President for Economic Affairs Valdis Dombrovskis or steadfast solidarity with us," he said.

Ukrainian Armed Forces target headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol

On September 22, powerful explosions were heard in the temporarily occupied Crimea: the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed that they targeted the Russian Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol. The Russian propaganda agency TASS reported that the debris from the strike on the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet was "scattered for hundreds of meters". A "large number" of ambulances were heading to the scene. 

"Law enforcement officials are asking local residents to leave the central streets of Sevastopol after a missile attack on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters, our correspondent reports," the propagandists said. The Russian Defense Ministry said that air defense allegedly shot down five missiles and one serviceman was killed.

Ukrainian Forces to receive remote controlled ShaBlya module

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has commissioned the first ShaBlya (Saber) remote-controlled combat module. The combat module is used to conduct reconnaissance to identify targets on the battlefield and defeat enemy manpower, fight lightly armored vehicles, and enemy firing positions. They also clarified that three samples of ShaBlya modules have been approved for operation at once. "We are pleased that the Ukrainian ShaBlya is highly appreciated not only by our soldiers and the Ministry of Defence, but also by such great friends of Ukraine as former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson," commented the leader of the development team.

US returns cultural property stolen by Russia to Ukraine

During a ceremony in Washington, D.C., President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy received back the cultural property stolen by Russian troops from the temporarily occupied territories. The certificate of transfer of these Ukrainian artifacts, which were confiscated by US law enforcement agencies, was signed by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and Ambassador of Ukraine to the US Oksana Markarova in the presence of the President of Ukraine. "The Russian side is constantly trying to steal Ukrainian history, national identity and cultural artifacts. We will not allow them to do so," Markarova said. She also recalled an incident that took place in June 2022, when the US Customs and Border Protection seized an ancient object. After investigation, it turned out to be a 17th-century European iron axe with a hammer on the back, which was illegally exported from Ukraine to the United States.

Ukraine to receive ATACMS missiles

During the talks, US President Joe Biden assured Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukraine would receive a small number of ATACMS missiles. Journalists say they received information from three US officials and a Congress representative. At the same time, it has not yet been disclosed when the ATACMS missiles will be delivered to Ukraine or when it will be announced publicly.

"President Joe Biden has told his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, that the United States will provide a small number of long-range missiles to aid the war with Russia," the statement said.