RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Putin offers estimate of Ukrainian losses

Russian President Vladimir Putin has provided an update on the casualties the Ukrainian military incurred since their operation commenced in early June. He further noted that Kiev had not achieved the anticipated results it had initially sought.

Putin said at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Tuesday: “There are losses, big losses. Since the start of this counteroffensive, the casualties [have reached] 71,500 people.” The president claimed that Kiev is seeking to achieve results “at any cost,” which makes it look like the Ukrainian leadership does not care about its own citizens’ lives.

He added that Kiev has also lost 543 tanks and nearly 18,000 armored vehicles of various types over the past three months. Putin concluded by saying that Ukraine has not been able to make any significant gains so far.

Last week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed that the US is intent on “waging a war to the last Ukrainian, sparing no expense.” He alleged that continued defense aid provided to Kiev by Washington indicates that. Peskov said at the time that American military supplies would not change the course of the conflict.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry’s estimates presented last week, Kiev had suffered “colossal” losses during its summer campaign, with more than 66,000 troops killed and over 7,600 heavy weapons destroyed.

Following talks with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, last Monday, Putin declared that the ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive “is not stalled; it is a failure.”

The US and several other Western backers had provided Ukraine with dozens of units of military hardware and artillery pieces ahead of its summer operation. However, according to US media reports, many of those tanks and armored vehicles have been destroyed or damaged while trying to cross extensive Russian minefields.

Likewise, Russia’s defense ministry has published multiple video clips purporting to show the destruction of Western-made tanks.

Last week, pro-Russian authorities in Zaporozhye Region claimed that Moscow’s forces had destroyed a second Challenger 2 main battle tank out of the 14 that the UK had provided to Kiev. Several days prior, London confirmed the loss of the first of these vehicles in Ukraine.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Crimean shipyard on fire after Ukraine missile attack - Russia-installed governor

The Sevastopol Shipyard on the Crimean Peninsula was on fire on Wednesday after Ukraine launched a missile attack on the port, injuring at least 24 people, the Russia-installed governor of the city said.

"All emergency services are working on the site, there is no danger to civilian objects in the city," Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-installed governor of Sevastopol, the largest city in Crimea and a major Black Sea port, said on the Telegram messaging app.

Razvozhayev said earlier, without providing details, that the fire was sparked in result of a Ukrainian missile attack on Sevastopol.

The strategic Sevastopol Shipyard on the Crimean Peninsula that Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, builds and repairs ships and submarines of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which has launched drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.

Razvozhayev posted a photo of big flames engulfing in the dark what seemed like port infrastructure. Russian Telegram channels posted videos and more photos of massive flames at a facility bordering water.

Reuters could not independently verify the report. There was no immediate comment from Kyiv.

Ukraine almost never publicly claims responsibility for attacks inside Russia or on Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine, but has been saying in recent months that destroying Russia's military infrastructure helps Kyiv's counteroffensive.

RT/Reuters

I have always been intrigued by this portion in the Bible and sometimes amused by how some Pastors interpret it. It is the portion which says “Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury”. Further down this verse, Jesus commended the poor widow who gave all she had into the treasury – a commendation that led to the famous ‘ widow ’s mite’.

It is probably easy to explain why many Pastors have decided to limit Jesus’ commendation to the percentage of the widow’s earnings that went into the coffers of the Church. It is convenient of course, not to say beneficial, for men of God to so limit. I choose to see it in a wider context. I see it as self-denial, as discipline, that is not just for the Church. This is possibly because of my background.

Students of Igbobi College in the 50s, 60s and possibly 70s would remember that the school had a Self-Denial Fund (S.D.F) which made it mandatory for boarding students to take an amount out of their weekly pocket money for the poor and needy. This self-denial, this awareness for the needs of the poor has since stayed with me as it has many Old Igbobians. So, whenever I read this portion of the Bible, I see Jesus not only endorsing self-denial but encouraging its compliance.

I am of the school of thought which believes that wealth, like many other endowments, is a gift from God to be held in trust by men. Any of these gifts, including power and positions, can be taken away at any time and not necessarily by death. Young people close to me know that I urge them to de-emphasize wealth as a measuring rod for success.

Otherwise, there would be very little difference between them and those rich illiterates who boast of the number of containers they have at the wharf. It is a strange doctrine to them because we live in a society which puts so much premium on wealth however acquired. My mentors, and they are very few, are people who have refused to be defined by material acquisitions. They have put what they have – intellect, position, knowledge, power, influence and yes money – at the disposition of others. This is because an evolved mind belongs to a person who puts himself, and his God-given gifts, at the service of others. By contrast, those I hold in utter contempt, are those who flaunt wealth or material acquisitions. It is even worse if that wealth is ill-gotten as it often is.

Several decades ago, in 1979 I think, I interviewed B.C. Lee, the founder of the Samsung Group. He was at that time the richest man in South-East Asia with an art museum estimated in excess of a billion dollars at a time when a billion was worth every cent. South Korea on the other hand, was a very poor country at the time.

Accusations of child labour were rife. I couldn’t resist asking him if he ever felt embarrassed by his wealth whenever he saw the poor and the wretched on the streets. Today, over four decades later, it is the same question I would ask the Bishop who boasted to his congregation that God had blessed him so much that he could afford to change planes the way others change bicycles. Does his wealth ever embarrass him when he glides in luxury to his church in Ogun State? This man’s church has branches all over the world but its expansive headquarter is cited among the poor so he could not have escaped being confronted by poverty. Poverty is what he would breathe on ground before his planes taxi off into the rarefied air. And anywhere he goes to in the country, he would breathe poverty because over 70%.

of the populace now lives on less than a dollar per day.To flaunt wealth under any guise in such a country is unconscionable and ungodly.

Another General Overseer (G.O) once said his planes were necessary so he could reach his many parishioners around the world. He needed the planes, he said, to convert and nourish souls. He should be reminded that the Catholic Church has over a billion parishioners in remote areas of the world. It is also about the richest church in the world yet it does not own a single jet. Its wealth has been used over the years to impact the world – in research, education, science and health. It is instructive that during the period of persecution, a Roman Emperor once asked a Bishop to go and bring him all the treasures of the Church. The Bishop asked for just two days. On the third day, he presented the poor and the ragged and said ‘these, Your Eminence, are the treasures of the church’. Of course he was promptly executed. But his blood and that of many like him, have preserved and nourished the church into what it is today.

The religious leaders in Nigeria believe, and have led their congregants to believe that wealth is a sign of God’s favour and that poverty is a sin as if the rich are being compensated for being sinless. This salves their conscience as they put money and the wealthy on a pedestal. They obviously no longer believe that the poor are the treasures of the Church. Or that God in all scriptures, has a special affinity for the poor. They forget that money is a gift, for which the wealthy will account. I call it passing the money test. Unfortunately, many would fail the money test because they cannot ‘deny ’ themselves to bring hope and comfort to those in need.

I will leave readers with this true story. A military man returned triumphantly from the field of battle. On his way home on a bitterly cold and windy evening, he saw a destitute lying by the street exposed and shivering from the cold. This man in an act of compassion, used his sword to cut his flowing military cloak in two. He used one half to cover the shivering destitute and draped the other half round his own shoulders. That night, Jesus appeared to him in a dream wearing the cloak he had used to cover the destitute.

The military man had gone on to found the first monastery in France. He is a saint in the Catholic Church today. This is the kind of sacrifice, of self-denial that Jesus demands. It is the ‘widow’s mite’ that He commends. Just as Jesus sat and watched as people put money in the treasury, He is still watching today to gauge our level of self-denial towards the needy. Remember when I was hungry you gave me food? thirsty you gave me drink? The day of stewardship will surely come when we will all give account of the talents we have been bestowed.

The story of Lazarus and the Rich Man is also there for those who wish to learn.

Shekhinah Bass cut her teeth — and built her career — at one of the most competitive, powerful firms on Wall Street: Goldman Sachs. 

After 17 years at the firm, the mother of five is now Goldman Sachs’ head of talent strategy within the firm’s human capital management division.

The most important soft skill that distinguishes high performers at Goldman Sachs, and propels people to successful careers on Wall Street at large, she’s discovered, isn’t creative dealmaking or a confident attitude — it’s having a growth mindset. 

“They’re the ones who come to a job hungry to learn new skills, who are open to feedback and willing to act on it,” Bass, 39, tells CNBC Make It. “Those are the people that go far in their careers.”

Coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, a growth mindset is when you see your abilities, talent and knowledge as skills you can continue to grow and improve upon. The opposite is a fixed mindset, or the belief that your skills and talents can’t change over time. 

“The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset,” Dweck wrote in her 2006 book, “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.” “This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.”

In the workplace, Bass says, you can measure your growth mindset based on how you respond to feedback from your manager and co-workers. 

“Feedback can help you identify your blind spots, so you can shift or change how you’re showing up in certain work situations,” she explains. “With a growth mindset, you will see those blind spots as things that are within your control to improve.” 

To develop and practice a growth mindset at work, you’ll need to set challenging goals for yourself, be willing to take risks and seek out feedback and coaching from others. 

Next time you receive constructive criticism, consider one of the following responses, which show that you’re open to the feedback rather than “shutting it down,” says Bass:

• “I hear your feedback. Here are the things I’m going to do to try and improve upon that area for development:”
• “That’s not yet a strength of mine, but it’s something I am going to focus on.” 

Through extensive research, neuroscientists have found that a growth mindset is the most effective frame of thinking for achieving goals, gaining new skills, viewing your failures as learning opportunities and developing positive changes in your life. 

It’s also one of the most sought-after skills companies look for in the people they hire, Bass adds. 

“Are you open to improving on something, or are you the type of person to walk out of the room and say, ‘Whatever, nothing’s going to change’?” says Bass. “Being thoughtful and willing to try something new or different goes a long way.”

CNBC

Nigeria has been demoted from a frontier market to an unclassified market one year after an annual equity country classification review by FTSE Russell, a subsidiary of London Stock Exchange Group, placed Africa’s largest economy on its watch list of countries monitored for possible reclassification.

The downgrade takes effect from 18 September when Nigerian index constituents will be deleted at zero value from FTSE Frontier Index Series, including the FTSE Frontier 50 Index, FTSE IdealRatings Islamic Index Series, FTSE/JSE All Africa Index Series, FTSE Middle East & Africa Extended Index Series and FTSE/MV Exchange Index.

FTSE Russell equity indices are used by investors across the world as equity benchmarks, allowing them to track the performance of specific market segments.

The decision followed a ratification by the FTSE Russell Index Governance Board and was arrived at after no improvement was recorded in the ability of international institutional investors to repatriate capital at a foreign exchange rate that would be used in FTSE Russell equity indices, a statement said.

“FTSE Russell has received feedback from market participants that although Nigeria has adopted a floating foreign exchange (FX) rate for the Nigerian Naira in the Investors’ & Exporters’ (I&E) FX Window, which is now operating on a “Willing Buyer, Willing Seller” basis, the lack of liquidity in the I&E FX Window continues to adversely impact the ability of international institutional to replicate benchmark changes,” the document said.

However, Nigeria will be retained in the FTSE ASEA Pan Africa Index Series even though the execution of some corporate events has been suspended until further notice.

“FTSE Russell will continue monitoring Nigeria and once the foreign currency delays are cleared for a period of time, Nigeria will be assessed as a new market in accordance with the FTSE Equity Country Classification Process,” the statement added.

Nigeria is required to spend a period of time on the watch list before it is re-admitted as an eligible market for the FTSE Russell equity indices.

Nigeria was added to the Frontier Watch List from September 2022 for possible reclassification from frontier to unclassified market status after reports from index users and market participants from 2020 onwards showed heaps of unmet dollar demand from investors wanting to repatriate capital from Nigeria.

The overhang is currently estimated at around $10 billion.

PT

Central Bank of Nigeria issued a directive instructing commercial banks on Monday to refrain from utilizing their foreign exchange revaluation gains for dividends and operational expenditures.

The new directive was conveyed in a letter dated September 11, 2023, signed by the Director, Banking Division Department, Haruna Mustafa, and it is expected to be implemented immediately.

FX revaluation gains refer to the increase in the value of a bank’s assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currency when there is a change in the exchange rate between the foreign currency and the local currency.

CBN said it had assessed the consequences of the recent FX rate regime change on the banking system and identified its potential to substantially impact the Naira values of banks’ foreign currency (FCY) assets and liabilities.

The FX reforms negatively affected some businesses in the first quarter of 2023, but Nigerian banks were largely profitable.

According to the lender, FX revaluation gains must serve as a counter-cyclical buffer to safeguard against potential adverse FX rate fluctuations.

The CBN emphasized that banks should utilize these revaluation gains to reinforce their capital reserves, thus enhancing the banking sector’s capacity to endure volatility and economic shocks.

The letter reads in part, “The Bank thus approved the following prudential guidance and directives for immediate implementation by banks:

“Treatment of FX Revaluation Gains: Banks are required to exercise utmost prudence and set aside the FCY revaluation gains as a counter-cyclical buffer to cushion any future adverse movements in the FX rate. In this regard, banks shall not utilize such FX revaluation gains to pay dividends or meet operating expenses.

“Single Obligor Limit (SOL): Banks that inadvertently breach the Single Obligor Limit (SOL) due to the FX policy will be granted forbearance upon application to the CBN. The forbearance shall apply only to existing facilities as of the effective date of this policy.

Such banks shall be exempted from the regulatory deductions on the excess above the SOL limit in their CAR computation.

“Net Open Position (NOP) Limit: Banks that exceed the NOP prudential limits due to the FX revaluation shall be granted forbearance for the breach upon application.

“Existing prudential regulations on capital adequacy, dividend payments, and FCY borrowing limits shall continue to apply. shall be exempted from the regulatory deductions on the excess above the SOL limit in their CAR computation.

“Net Open Position (NOP) Limit: Banks that exceed the NOP prudential limits due to the FX revaluation shall be granted forbearance for the breach upon application.

“Existing prudential regulations on capital adequacy, dividend payments, and FCY borrowing limits shall continue to apply.”

Punch

United Arab Emirates (UAE) has lifted its visa ban imposed on Nigerian travellers.

The decision was reached after President Bola Tinubu met with Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE president, in Abu Dhabi, on Monday.

Ajuri Ngelale, the presidential spokesperson, said in a statement that Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to “immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria without any further delay”.

“As negotiated between the two heads of state, this immediate restoration of flight activity, through these two airlines and between the two countries, does not involve any immediate payment by the Nigerian government,” the statement reads.

“In recognition of Tinubu’s economic development diplomacy drive and proposals today presented by Tinubu to his counterpart, an agreed framework has been established, which will involve several billions of U.S. dollars worth of new investments into the Nigerian economy across multiple sectors, including defense, agriculture and others, by the investment arms of the Government of the United Arab Emirates.”

Since 2021, UAE and Nigeria have been engaging in a diplomatic row over issues involving flight allocations and travel bans.

In December 2021, the UAE banned airlines from airlifting Nigerian passengers into the Emirates.

The UAE had claimed that the ban was due to the surge in Covid-19 cases.

Before the travel ban, UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) had approved a slot of three weekly flights from Nigeria to Sharjah Airport. The single flight was approved for Air Peace.

In retaliation to the UAE’s treatment of Air Peace, the federal government dropped the Emirates’ slots from 21 to one.

The move made the Dubai-based airline suspend all its flights to Nigeria.

In October 2022, the UAE imposed a visa ban on Nigerians after a diplomatic row.

The Cable

United Arab Emirates (UAE) did not make any comment on lifting the visa ban imposed on Nigerian travellers in its statement on the meeting its president, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, had with his Nigerian counterpart, President Bola Tinubu, on Monday.

Tinubu proceeded to Abu Dahbi, UAE capital, from India, where he attended the G-20 Summit.

In a statement on Monday, Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, announced that the meeting with the UAE authorities was fruitful.

According to Ngelale, disputes on the visa ban slammed on Nigerian travellers 10 months ago, suspension of Etihad and Emirates flights were resolved at the meeting.

“President Bola Tinubu and President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Monday in Abu Dhabi, have finalised a historic agreement, which has resulted in the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travellers.”

“Furthermore, by this historic agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay,” Ngelale said.

However, Emirates News Agency, the official news agency of the UAE, reported that during the meeting, which took place at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi, Nahyan renewed his congratulations to Tinubu on assuming the presidency, and wished him every success in leading Nigeria and its people to further progress and prosperity.

Below is the full statement issued by UAE:

 President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today met with Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who is on a working visit to the UAE.

During the meeting, which took place at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed renewed his congratulations to Tinubu on assuming the presidency earlier this year, and wished him every success in leading Nigeria and its people to further progress and prosperity.

His Highness expressed his hope that the two leaders will work together to reinforce ties between the UAE and Nigeria for the benefit of both countries.

The UAE President and Nigerian President explored opportunities for further bilateral collaboration in areas that serve both countries’ sustainable economic growth, including the economic, development, energy, and climate action fields.

The two sides also exchanged views on a number of regional and international developments of interest.

The meeting discussed the upcoming COP28 climate conference set to take place in the UAE later this year, with both parties stressing the vital importance of encouraging and enabling international cooperation to tackle global issues, including climate change.

His Highness underscored the UAE’s ongoing commitment to fostering ties with countries that share the same aspirations for stability, sustainable growth, and development and prosperity for their people. He further emphasised the particular importance the UAE attaches to its relationship with Nigeria, within the framework of its strategic vision for relations with the African continent.

The President of Nigeria expressed his pleasure to be visiting the UAE and affirmed his country’s keenness to further enhance bilateral cooperation to support sustainable development and progress in both countries.

The meeting was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Advisor for Special Affairs at the Ministry of Presidential Court; Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President; Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy; and Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

The meeting was also attended by the delegation accompanying the Nigerian President, which included a number of ministers and high-ranking officials.

Daily Trust

Nigeria has recorded a 55 percent drop in malaria deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, said it fell from 2.1 per 1,000 population to 0.9 per 1,000 population. 

Speaking in Abuja yesterday during the launch of the 2022 Nigeria Malaria Report, she said Nigeria accounted for around 27 percent of the global burden of malaria cases, adding that malaria incidence in the country had also fallen by 26 percent since 2000. 

She said it fell from 413 per 1,000 to 302 per 1,000 in 2021.

She said: “Drivers of this continuing disease burden include the size of Nigeria’s population, making scaling up intervention challenging; suboptimal surveillance systems, which pick up less than 40% of the country’s malaria data; inadequate funding to ensure universal interventions across all states; and health seeking behaviour, where people use the private sector, with limited regulation, preferentially.”

She said the report on malaria in Nigeria 2022 was an excellent model from which to use data to prioritize health interventions. 

“Using data, we can prioritize and target interventions, optimize allocation of resources and facilitate the monitoring of performance at federal and state levels. This report is a result of the collaboration between the Nigeria Malaria Elimination Programme, the WHO Regional Office for Africa, and the Global Malaria Programme,” she said.

She noted that the report provided critical information on the status of malaria in each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

She said the report was unique in providing data at the state level to guide a truly subnational response to malaria, providing an overview of the malaria situation across all states, focusing on population demographics, malaria interventions, climate and disease burden.

Moeti said Nigeria also made progress on HIV between 2015 and 2021, meeting two of the 95-95-95 goals.

She said tuberculosis intervention coverage was improving, with increasing case detection over the same period. 

The Coordinating Minister of Health, Muhammad Pate, said  the ministry was working towards retraining about 120,000 health workers to improve healthcare delivery in the country.

He said the ministry was also working on reducing the burden and deaths from diseases.

Daily Trust

Akintola Williams, the trailblazing figure who became Nigeria’s inaugural indigenous chartered accountant, has passed away at the remarkable age of 104. His legacy is firmly etched into Nigeria’s financial landscape, having played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s accounting profession and fostering the growth of its financial sector.

Williams, born in 1919, embarked on a path that saw him excel in the realm of accounting. He pursued his accounting studies at the prestigious University of London and achieved the status of a chartered accountant in 1947. Upon returning to his homeland, Nigeria, he went on to establish the renowned Akintola Williams & Co., which evolved into the respected firm Deloitte & Touche, in 1952.

Beyond his professional achievements, Williams was an ardent advocate for the advancement of the accounting profession in Nigeria. He played a pivotal role as a founding member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), even serving as its president from 1963 to 1965. Additionally, he contributed his expertise as a member of the National Board of Accountants and Auditors.

Throughout his illustrious career, Williams earned a plethora of awards and distinctions, underscoring his exceptional contributions to his country. These accolades included the esteemed Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) and the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM). Moreover, he was honored as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

In his passing, Williams leaves behind a legacy that continues to resonate in Nigeria’s financial and accounting sectors, serving as an enduring source of inspiration for generations to come.

The Guardian

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukrainians blame Zelensky for corruption – poll

The vast majority of Ukrainians believe that President Vladimir Zelensky is at fault for widespread corruption in the country’s government and military, a new study has revealed.

The poll, released on Monday, found that 78% of Ukrainian adults see Zelensky as “directly responsible” for Kiev’s corruption problem. It was conducted by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Charitable Foundation and the Kiev International Institute of Sociology.

Prior to the launch of Russia’s military offensive in February 2022, Ukraine consistently ranked among the world’s most corrupt nations, but it was touted as a bastion of freedom and democracy as the US and its NATO allies rallied public support for massive aid to Kiev. However, Ukrainian corruption remains a concern and could hinder the country’s bid to join the European Union, an unidentified Western diplomat told Politico on Monday.

Ukraine is a “very corrupt country,” the diplomat said, adding that Zelensky’s plan to use the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to prosecute graft cases could “send the wrong message.” Upon landing in Kiev for a surprise visit on Monday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbockreportedly said Ukraine needed to step up its efforts to fight corruption.

The Ukrainian poll was conducted from July 3 to July 17 in face-to-face interviews with thousands of citizens across the country. There were no major differences in findings based on region or socioeconomic factors. Respondents aged 60 and older took a harsher view, with 81% saying Zelensky was responsible for government corruption. The rate was 70% in the youngest segment, ages 17 to 29. Overall, only 18% of Ukrainian adults disagreed with the statement that Zelensky bears responsibility.

Documents obtained by the International Association of Investigative Journalists in 2021 showed that Zelensky and his business partners set up offshore companies to purchase lavish properties in central London. Zelensky transferred his stake in one of the companies to an aide just before he was elected president in 2019. Supporters of former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko accused Zelensky and his associates of using their offshore accounts to evade taxes.

Zelensky has purged officials in his government for alleged corruption, including an embezzlement scheme involving humanitarian aid. Just this month, he sacked Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov, who came under fire earlier this year over purchases of military rations at inflated prices. However, the new defense chief, Rustem Umerov, is reportedly under investigation for alleged crimes in his previous job.

** Russian forces repel five Ukrainian attacks in Donetsk area

Russian forces repelled five Ukrainian attacks in the Donetsk area over the past day, causing the enemy to suffer about 200 casualties, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a daily bulletin of the special military operation.

Here are the details of this and other combat actions that happened over the past day, according to the bulletin.

Donetsk area

The five attacks by Ukrainian assault teams were repulsed near Kurdyumovka, Avdeyevka and Krasnogorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

"In the Donetsk area, units of the battlegroup South, in cooperation with aircraft and artillery, repelled five attacks by Ukrainian assault teams near Kurdyumovka, Avdeyevka and Krasnogorovka in the DPR," the ministry said.

South Donetsk area

Ukraine lost up to 160 troops in the south Donetsk area over the past day.

"Units of the battlegroup East in the south Donetsk area repelled three attacks by assault teams from the Ukrainian 38th Marines Brigade and the 128th Territorial Defense Brigade in the areas of the settlements of Novomayorskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Priyutnoye in the Zaporozhye Region. In addition, air strikes and artillery fire hit a convoy of armored vehicles of the Ukrainian 72nd Mechanized Brigade near the settlement of Vodyanoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The enemy also lost 2 armored fighting vehicles, 4 motor vehicles and 3 Msta-B howitzers.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine could get long-range missiles armed with US cluster bombs - officials

The Biden administration is close to approving the shipment of longer-range missiles packed with cluster bombs to Ukraine, giving Kyiv the ability to cause significant damage deeper within Russian-occupied territory, according to four U.S. officials.

After seeing the success of cluster munitions delivered in 155 mm artillery rounds in recent months, the U.S. is considering shipping either or both Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) that can fly up to 190 miles (306 km), or Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) missiles with a 45-mile range packed with cluster bombs, three U.S. officials said.

If approved, either option would be available for rapid shipment to Kyiv.

Ukraine is currently equipped with 155 mm artillery with a maximum range of 18 miles carrying up to 48 bomblets. The ATACMS under consideration would propel around 300 or more bomblets. The GMLRS rocket system, a version of which Ukraine has had in its arsenal for months, would be able to disperse up to 404 cluster munitions.

With Ukraine's push against Russian forces showing signs of progress, the administration is keen to boost the Ukrainian military at a vital moment, two of the sources said.

The White House declined to comment on the Reuters report.

The decision to send ATACMS or GMLRS, or both, is not final and could still fall through, the four sources said. The Biden administration has for months struggled with a decision on ATACMS, fearing their shipment would be perceived as an overly aggressive move against Russia.

ATACMS are designed for "deep attack of enemy second-echelon forces," a U.S. Army website says, and could be used to attack command and control centers, air defenses and logistics sites well behind the front line.

Kyiv has repeatedly asked the Biden administration for ATACMS to help attack and disrupt supply lines, air bases, and rail networks in Russian occupied territory.

Last week Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he and Secretary of State Antony Blinken had discussed the U.S. providing the long-range missiles and he hoped for a positive decision.

"Now is the time," one of the U.S. officials said as Ukraine's forces are attempting to pierce Russian lines just south of the city of Orikhiv in an attempt to divide Russian forces and put its main supply lines under threat. ATACMS or GMLRS with this capability would not only boost Ukrainian morale but deliver a needed tactical punch to the fight, the official said.

The U.S. plan is to include the grenade-packed weapons in an upcoming draw from U.S. stockpiles of munitions, according to the four U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the plan.

At present Ukraine has only one U.S.-furnished cluster munitions, the 155 mm rounds that were announced in July.

The new weapons would augment Ukraine's current 45-mile range GMLRS rounds, a version that blasts out more than 100,000 sharp tungsten fragments, but not bomblets.

Made by Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), ATACMS come in several versions some of which can fly four times GMLRS' range, and their use could reset battlefield calculus.

The Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which allows the administration to take from U.S. stocks and ship to Ukraine has proven to be the fastest way - days or weeks - to get armaments to Ukraine.

In the interim period - ahead of the ATACMS arrival - necessary software upgrades could be performed on launchers including the M270 and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) which Kyiv has been using on the battlefield, two of the officials said.

But because no final decision had been made, it was unclear if the weapons would be included in the next PDA. The weapons could come in a PDA as soon as this week, around a Sept. 19 meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

President Joe Biden may ultimately decide against, or delay a decision on the transfer.

Cluster munitions are prohibited by more than 100 countries. Russia, Ukraine and the United States have not signed onto the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which bans production, stockpiling, use and transfer of the weapons.

They typically release large numbers of smaller bomblets that can kill indiscriminately over a wide area. Those that fail to explode pose a danger for decades after a conflict ends.

Washington has committed more than $40 billion in military assistance to Kyiv since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022.

** Ukraine collects Russian bodies on 'road of death' in retaken southeast

Wearing face masks, the Ukrainian soldiers poked sticks into the undergrowth along a deserted country road, searching for the bodies of Russian soldiers they hoped to exchange for their own comrades, living and dead.

They called it the "road of death" after the number of Russian soldiers killed there when Ukrainian forces retook the southeastern village of Blahodatne at the start of their counteroffensive in June.

Three months on, the frontline had shifted south and it was finally safe enough for the three-man team of Ukrainian soldiers to start their operation in this liberated part of Donetsk region.

"We're going to search," said Volodymyr, a 50-year-old marine, as artillery fire boomed in the distance. "Search with our eyes. And using smell."

The route was dotted with gutted vehicles and shattered buildings. At one point, they used a rope to tug a body to make sure it had not been booby-trapped by retreating Russian forces.

"Here's what we do. We gather up their bodies. We arrange exchanges for our prisoners who are alive. And for bodies. Our boys," Vasylii, a 53-year-old volunteer, said. "You know, so that a mother can go and visit the cemetery."

Russia and Ukraine have conducted regular exchanges of prisoners of war, as well as the bodies of dead soldiers, since the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

The group recovered nine bodies in their day-long search on Friday. Each was loaded onto the back of a truck and taken for forensic examination.

Volodymyr said Russian forces had been forced to retreat rapidly from Blahodatne and that the only other route out had been unusable because it was heavily mined.

"There was probably an exchange of fire. But they retreated very quickly," he said.

"They left the wounded and killed on the way and escaped to Urozhaine. But they didn't stay in Urozhaine for long either. There was intense fighting for Urozhaine," he said, referring to a nearby village that was later retaken.