Exhumation of bodies near Izyum and final de-occupation of Kupyansk: highlights of the day

Exhumation of bodies near Izyum

The exhumation of bodies at the mass grave site near Izyum, Kharkiv Oblast, has begun. The corpses, which were collected from the streets, were buried by the municipal service near the cemetery. In total, there are 445 crosses with numbers, but there may be several bodies in one grave. During the day, 17 soldiers and 23 civilians were exhumed.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that some of the bodies showed signs of torture, as well as those killed as a result of rocket attacks, including children.

LEARN MORE: Mass graves and ruins: Izyum after liberation from Russian occupation (PHOTOS)

Approval of freight transport facilitation agreement with EU

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved by his decree the agreement between Ukraine and the European Union on road freight transport. Ukraine signed the relevant agreement with the EU on June 29.

Therefore, Ukrainian carriers no longer need permits to enter the EU — this problem previously hampered Ukrainian export opportunities. Also, together with the abolition of duties and tariffs on Ukrainian goods, this agreement saves Ukrainian businesses tens of millions of dollars and opens new opportunities for Ukrainian products in European markets.

Incidents in the occupied territories

An explosion occurred in the building of the so-called Prosecutor General's Office in occupied Luhansk. According to the occupiers, an improvised explosive device detonated in the building, killing the self-proclaimed "Prosecutor General" Sergey Gorenko and his "deputy".

The occupiers also stated that "deputy mayor" Oleg Boyko and his wife Lyudmila were killed in the temporarily occupied Berdiansk on September 16. According to the occupying "authorities", the collaborators were killed near their garage. Boyko was responsible for housing and utility issues in the occupation administration.

In addition, there were explosions in the center of occupied Kherson. Russians reported a strike on the so-called administration of Kherson   Oblast, when a "meeting of heads of administrations and districts" was held there. The "head of the labor department" was reportedly wounded and her driver killed. Later, the Ukrainian military said they did not take responsibility for the explosions in Kherson.

Condition for resumption of Russian ammonia exports

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would support the idea of resuming exports of Russian ammonia through Ukraine only if the Kremlin returns Ukrainian prisoners of war. He proposed such an agreement to the UN.

Ammonia is the main ingredient in the production of nitrate fertilizers. And according to the research company ICIS, before the full-scale invasion, Russia provided 20% of its global maritime supply. So this decision should help reduce the global fertilizer shortage.

Liberation of Kupyansk

The military of the special intelligence unit "Kraken" reported that they managed to drive out the occupiers from the left-bank part of the city of Kupyansk, Kharkiv Oblast. Ukrainian servicemen successfully crossed the Oskil river and liberated the left-bank part of the city from the Russians. Now Kupyansk is completely de-occupied.

Chief of Staff of the "Kraken" special forces unit Kostyantyn Nemichev said that the captured Russian occupiers have already been engaged in work in Kupyansk: they are repainting the city's stele from the colors of the Russian flag to blue and yellow.

Situation at the frontline

In the evening, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that on September 16, Russian troops launched 9 missile and air strikes on the territory of Ukraine and attacked in the areas of Vesela Dolyna, Bakhmut, Zaitseve, Avdiyivka and Novomykhailivka. Units of the Defense Forces repelled the attacks of the occupiers, inflicting losses on them.

Aviation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine hit 4 clusters of manpower and military equipment of the enemy and 1 stronghold. In addition, Ukrainian air defense units destroyed Su-24, two cruise missiles and one UAV of the occupiers on different axes.

Attacks on Ukraine

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on September 16, Russian troops carried out 4 missile and 5 air strikes, and conducted 12 attacks from rocket artillery systems on the territory of Ukraine. As a result of these attacks, the infrastructure of more than 18 settlements was damaged.

Two men were killed as a result of shelling of Velyka Kostromka village in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Also, Russians again hit critical infrastructure of Kryvyi Rih with missiles: there are serious damages to hydraulic structures.

Derkach is wanted

MP Andriy Derkach is suspected of treason and illegal enrichment. He was also put on the wanted list. Investigators found that Derkach received at least $567,000 from Russian law enforcement and intelligence agencies for subversive activities against Ukraine in 2019-2022. In particular, he was supposed to discredit Ukraine in the international arena, worsen diplomatic relations with the United States and hinder Ukraine's integration into the European Union and NATO.

Losses of the occupiers

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ukrainian servicemen have killed 54,050 Russian servicemen since the beginning of the full-scale war, including 200 on September 15. Also, over the past day, the occupiers lost 6 tanks, 8 armored combat vehicles, 7 artillery systems, a helicopter, 28 units of vehicles and tankers, as well as other equipment.

The biggest Russian losses on September 15 were on the Bakhmut and Donetsk sectors of the front line.