Ukraine fully controls Lyman’s eastern logistics hub, Kiev’s most significant battlefield gain in weeks. “As of 1230 (0930 GMT), Liman has been completely cleared,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a short video clip on his Telegram channel today. It comes as US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin welcomed Ukraine’s seizure of the city and said the capture of the former Russian stronghold made the war “harder” for Putin. Mr Austin told a news conference on Sunday that he was “very encouraged” after Saturday’s success by Ukrainian military forces. He noted that Lyman was positioned on supply lines that Russia has used to push its troops and materiel south and west as the Kremlin presses ahead with its more than seven-month-long invasion of Ukraine. “Without these routes, it will be more difficult. So it’s kind of a dilemma for the Russians going forward.” Ukrainian soldiers announced the arrest on Saturday in a video recorded outside the city council building in downtown Liman and posted on social media by Kirill Tymoshenko, deputy chief of staff to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Basic points

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Ukraine takes back territory in two more areas claimed by Russia in ‘fake referendums’, says Zelensky

Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukrainian troops had recaptured two settlements over the weekend in the Kherson region, which Russia claimed late last week in an illegal land grab. “This week, most of the reports are the list of settlements liberated from the enemy as part of our defense operation. The story of Lyman’s release in the Donetsk region has now become the most popular in the media. But the successes of our soldiers are not limited to Liman,” Zelensky said in his late-night speech on Sunday. He said that when the Ukrainian flag is returned to places where fake referendums were held, “no one remembers the Russian farce with some pieces of paper and some attachments.” “Except, of course, for the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine. Because everyone involved in any elements of aggression against our state will be held accountable for it,” Mr. Zelensky warned. Ukraine scored a major territorial gain on Sunday after it completely cleared the city of Liman of Russian forces and claimed control of the territory. Arpan Rai October 3, 2022 4:43 pm 1664750169

Thanks for tuning in with our coverage tonight. We’re pausing the live blog for now, but here’s the latest story from Ukraine:

The city of Key Donetsk has been liberated and is under full Ukrainian control, Zelensky says

The video appears to show Ukrainian soldiers raising the national flag at the entrance to the city Holly Bancroft2 October 2022 23:36 1664749944

US Defense Secretary: Putin may not be bluffing on nukes

The US defense secretary said Vladimir Putin may not be bluffing with his nuclear weapons threats. Lloyd Austin told CNN: “There are no checks on Mr. Putin. He made the irresponsible decision to invade Ukraine, he could have made another decision.” The White House is considering how it would respond to a possible nuclear attack on Ukraine by Putin, according to the New York Times. Holly Bancroft2 October 2022 23:32 1664748144

Petraeus: US would destroy Russian troops if Putin uses nuclear weapons

Former CIA Director David Petraeus has said the US will destroy Russian troops and equipment in Ukraine if Vladimir Putin uses nuclear weapons in the country. He told ABC News: “Just to give you a hypothetical, we would respond by leading a NATO – a collective – effort that would take every Russian conventional force that we can see and recognize on the battlefield in Ukraine and also in Crimea and to every ship in the Black Sea.” (AP) Holly Bancroft2 October 2022 23:02 1664745804

Zelensky: Success is not limited to recapturing Lyman

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Sunday that the success of the country’s troops was not limited to the recapture of Lyman. “The story of Liman’s release in the Donetsk region has now become the most popular in the media,” Zelensky said in his nightly speech. “But the successes of our soldiers are not limited to Liman,” he added without elaborating. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C), Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal (R) and Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk (L) pose with the document calling for fast-track NATO membership. (Ukraine PRESIDENTIAL PRESS) Holly Bancroft2 October 2022 22:23 1664743691

Zelenksy: The kidnapping of the general director of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is a terrorist act

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday that the kidnapping of the general manager of Ukraine’s Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was an act of Russian terrorism. “This is another case of clear Russian terrorism, for which the terrorist state must be punished more and more,” Zelensky said in his video speech overnight. A Russian patrol arrested Ihor Murashov on Friday, the state company in charge of the plant said on Saturday, and the International Atomic Energy Agency said Russia had confirmed the move. Holly Bancroft2 October 2022 21:48 1664741704

Russians leaving the army talk about three-day queues and bribes to cross the border

Russian men desperate to avoid fighting in Ukraine after Vladimir Putin ordered conscription have spoken of three-day queues at the border and bribing security officials with hundreds of pounds at makeshift “checkpoints”.

Russians leaving the army talk about three-day queues and bribes to cross the border

“We’re afraid of getting killed in a war we don’t want with Ukraine.” Joe Middleton2 October 2022 21:15 1664739004

Sanctioned Russian billionaire’s superyacht goes up for sale for nearly €30m

A 168-foot superyacht linked to sanctioned Russian billionaire Igor Keshaev is for sale for €29.5 million, reports said. The sale of the MySky superyacht, which comes with a gym and a helipad, was revealed in an advertisement emailed to Reuters by a US-based yacht broker to undisclosed recipients on September 14. It comes amid concerns from Western governments and activists that billionaires like Mr Kesaev have managed to work around a patchwork of international sanctions targeting their luxury assets such as yachts.

Sanctioned Russian billionaire’s superyacht goes up for sale for nearly €30m

The EU and UK imposed sanctions on Igor Kesaev in April Joe Middleton2 October 2022 20:30 1664736304

Ukraine presses counterattack after Russian setback

Russia attacked the Ukrainian president’s hometown with suicide drones on Sunday and Ukraine retaliated after seizing control of a strategic eastern city. Russia’s loss of Lyman, which it used as a transport and logistics hub, is a fresh blow to the Kremlin as it seeks to escalate the war by illegally annexing four regions of Ukraine. “The Ukrainian flag is already in Liman,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly speech. “Last week, there were more Ukrainian flags in Donbass. In a week there will be even more.”

Ukraine presses counterattack after Russian setback

Russia attacked Ukrainian president’s hometown with suicide drones on Sunday Ukraine launched its counterattack that embarrassed the Kremlin Joe Middleton2 October 2022 19:45 1664733604

Denmark, Norway and Germany to deliver 16 wheeled armored howitzers to Ukraine

German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht announced on Sunday the delivery of 16 Slovakian-produced wheeled armored artillery shells to Ukraine next year. The Zuzana systems will be produced in Slovakia and jointly financed with Denmark, Norway and Germany, the German minister told public broadcaster ARD after returning from her first trip to Ukraine since the start of the war there. The Zuzana howitzer is the flagship product of Slovakia’s defense industry and the only heavy weapon system produced in the country, dpa reported. According to the manufacturer, it can fire all types of NATO 155 mm caliber ammunition. The German ministry put the total value of the procurement at 92 million euros ($90 million), with the three countries financing it equally. Joe Middleton2 October 2022 19:00