Live blog: Russia-led alliance holds military drills in Belarus

Friday, September 1, 2023

More than 2,000 troops from a Russia-led security alliance opened military exercises in parts of Belarus near the borders of NATO countries.

The exercises of the Collective Security Treaty Organization include troops from Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. Armenia is also a member of the CSTO but did not send any of its forces; in January, Armenia said it would not host CSTO drills this year amid tense relations with Russia.

Belarus' defence ministry said the exercises, which are to last through Wednesday, are to prepare for joint operations, including responses to a nuclear accident.

The exercises are taking place in three western Belarus regions that border NATO members Poland and Lithuania. Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said the purpose of the military exercises was to destabilise the region.

Belarus hosts Russian forces and equipment that have been used in the war in Ukraine, although Belarusian forces have not taken part. Russia also says it has deployed tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

Ukraine's Joint Forces commander Gen. Serhii Naiev said Ukraine has strengthened its border with Belarus for the exercises.

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1857 GMT — Poland denies military helicopter breached Belarus airspace

Poland denied a military helicopter had breached Belarus's airspace, calling Minsk's claims "lies and provocations" at a time of escalating tensions between the neighbours.

"These are lies and provocations from the Belarusian side," said Jacek Goryszewski, spokesman for the operational command of Poland's armed forces.

"There was definitely no such violation. That is according to the pilot's dispatches and the radar system records," he said.

1723 GMT — Belarus: Polish military helicopter breached airspace

Belarus said a Polish aircraft had breached its airspace, the latest spat between the two neighbours whose relationship has deteriorated during Russia's offensive in Ukraine.

"A Polish military helicopter Mi-24 crossed the state border at an extremely low altitude, flew up to 1,200 metres (4,000 feet) into the territory of Belarus and then turned back," the Belarusian Border Service said on Telegram.

1706 GMT — Zelenskyy expected at UN this month: Albania's UN envoy

Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy is expected to attend the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations in New York this month and take part in a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine, Albania's UN Ambassador Ferit Hoxha told reporters.

Albania is president of the 15-member council for September. World leaders are due to begin gathering in New York from Sept. 18 for the high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly.

The Security Council meeting on Ukraine is due to be held on September 20.

1453 GMT — Ukraine has made 'notable progress' in offensive: White House

Ukraine's forces in recent days have made "notable progress" against Russian troops in their southern offensive, the White House said.

Asked about criticism that Kiev's southern campaign against occupying Russian forces has not advanced much in three months, White House national security spokesman John Kirby conceded that the fight has gone slower than Ukraine itself had hoped.

"That said, we have noted over the last 72 hours or so some notable progress by Ukrainian armed forces on that southern line," Kirby told reporters. "They have achieved some success against that second line of Russian defences," he said.

"We've all seen the criticism by anonymous officials out there, which frankly is not helpful" to Ukraine's battlefield effort, Kirby said.

1356 GMT — Russia says seized 'key heights' near Kupiansk in east Ukraine

Russia said it captured several strategic heights near Kupiansk, an eastern Ukrainian city where Moscow's troops stepped up pressure in August.

Ukraine launched a counteroffensive against Russian positions in the south in June but Russia responded by trying to take back territory in the northeast.

"In the direction of Kupiansk, units of the Western group of forces improved the tactical position by capturing enemy strongholds and key heights," the Russian defence ministry said.

It also claimed Ukrainian forces had sustained "significant" losses.

Kupiansk and territory nearby in the Kharkiv region were retaken by Kiev last September, but Moscow is pushing back.

1032 GMT — Putin, Erdogan to meet Monday amid grain deal hopes

Russian President Vladimir Putin will host his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday, the Kremlin said, amid hopes the two can restore a deal ensuring safe passage for grain shipments.

"Negotiations will indeed take place in Sochi on Monday," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

0907 GMT — Drone hits on Russian airfield conducted from inside Russia: Kiev

Ukraine's military intelligence chief has said that a recent drone attack on an airport in Russia that damaged several transport planes was carried out from within Russian territory.

The attack this week on Pskov airport — roughly 700 kilometres (more than 400 miles) from Ukraine — marked the latest strike to rock Russian territory since Kiev vowed to "return" the conflict to Russia in July.

"The drones used to attack the 'Kresty' air base in Pskov were launched from Russia," Kyrylo Budanov wrote on social media.

"Four Russian IL-76 military transport planes were hit as a result of the attack. Two were destroyed and two were seriously damaged," he added.

0919 GMT — Moscow: Russia's nuclear facilities are under Ukraine threats

Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom has said that Russia's nuclear energy infrastructure remains a target of Ukrainian strikes, Russian state news agency RIA reported.

0841 GMT — Ukraine lawmaker says two ships spotted leaving port in Odessa

Two ships have been spotted leaving port in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa, local lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko has said.

LSEG interactive map data showed two vessels, both more than 10 km (6 miles) from the shore on Friday, underway using their engines and heading southeast.

If they successfully leave Odessa's ports through the Black Sea, they would be the third and fourth vessels to do so since Moscow withdrew from the Black Sea grain deal in July.

0838 GMT — Russia tells UN: Ukraine's online peace meetings 'unacceptable'

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that he told United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that online meetings held on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's peace formula in August were "unacceptable".

He also said that Russia will not agree to adopt the G20 summit declaration if it does not reflect Russia's position on global crises, Russian state news agency RIA reported.

0650 GMT - Russian missile hits private enterprise in central Ukraine: Kiev

Russian forces struck a private enterprise with a long-range cruise missile overnight in the central Ukrainian region of Vinnytsia, Ukrainian authorities said.

The strike damaged property and caused an unspecified number of injuries, said Governor Serhiy Borzov.

"Unfortunately, there are victims, they are being provided with all necessary assistance," he wrote on Telegram.

Kiev's air force said it shot down one out of two incoming cruise missiles in the attack. The missile was downed over the central Kirovohrad region, the governor said on the Telegram messenger.

0525 GMT - Russia thwarts drone approaching Moscow, mayor confirms

Russian air defences destroyed a drone approaching Moscow, the city's mayor said, a day after a similar attack on the capital.

Air defences near the Lyubertsy district on the southeast outskirts of the capital "thwarted another attempt to fly a drone to Moscow," Sergei Sobyanin wrote on Telegram, without naming an attacker.

"There were no casualties or damage, according to initial reports. Emergency services are on the scene," he added.

Air traffic at Moscow's Domodedovo and Vnukovo airports was suspended, according to a Telegram post by the Russian daily newspaper Izvestia.

0501 GMT - Flight restrictions at Moscow's Vnukovo airport lifted - TASS

Moscow's Vnukovo airport resumed operations at 7.28 a.m. local time (04.28 GMT) after restrictions linked to an attempted drone attack, state news agency TASS reported on Friday citing the airport.

2133 GMT - Russia 'neutralises' unidentified object in Pskov region

Russian air defence units have "neutralised an unidentified object" in the western region of Pskov, the local governor said, the same region where a Ukrainian drone attack hit military transport aircraft earlier this week.

Governor Mikhail Vedernikov posted a video on Telegram showing fire being directed through the air.

He said there had been no damage on the ground.

For our live updates from Thursday (August 31), click here.