Author: dmitriy.vasyura@gmail.com

Russia has recruited hundreds of mercenaries from Yemen to fight in its war against Ukraine, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Nov. 24.

The recruits told the FT they had been promised lucrative jobs, "high salaries," and even Russian citizenship. However, after arriving in Russia with the help of a Houthi-linked company, they were “forcibly inducted into the Russian army and sent to the front lines in Ukraine,” according to the report.

The FT described the operation as a “shadowy trafficking operation,” underscoring the deepening ties between the Kremlin and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militants.

Since the start of its full-scale invasion, Moscow has relied on various methods to enlist migrants and foreign nationals to offset its heavy battlefield losses while avoiding full-scale mobilization.

Reports indicate that Russia has recruited individuals from Nepal, Somalia, India, Cuba, and other nations.

North Korea has also sent an estimated 10,000 troops to Russia, many of whom are stationed in the western Kursk Oblast and engaged in combat, a Pentagon spokesperson said during a Nov. 12 briefing.

In October, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) revealed that Yemen’s Houthi militants have been using Russian satellite data to target ships in the Red Sea with drones and missiles. The targeting information was reportedly provided through Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, enabling the Houthis to expand their strikes.

This collaboration demonstrates how far Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to go to destabilize the Western political and economic order, the WSJ reported. Analysts suggest that Moscow aims to foment unrest from the Middle East to Asia to distract the United States.

According to the FT, U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking confirmed that Russia is “actively pursuing contacts” with the Houthis, including discussions involving weapons transfers. While Lenderking declined to elaborate, he noted that Russian personnel in Sana’a are facilitating this dialogue.

“The kinds of weapons being discussed are very alarming and would enable the Houthis to better target ships in the Red Sea and potentially beyond,” Lenderking told the FT.

A series of acts of sabotage involving explosive devices against security forces have been reported in Ukraine. In Kyiv, a military officer was killed by a disguised explosive, and police officers narrowly escaped a grenade attack while responding to a call.

A wave of sabotage attacks against the military and law enforcement officers using explosives and grenades is being recorded in Ukraine. This was reported to UNN by its own sources.

Details

According to sources of UNN, one of the incidents involved a serviceman in the Dniprovskyi district of Kyiv, when the guard was walking around the area and noticed a package lying near a car. When the serviceman bent down to pick it up, an explosive device was remotely detonated. The soldier died. Sources note that a camera was attached to a tree near the scene and broadcasting.

An explosion occurs in Kyiv due to the detonation of an unknown object: one person is killedNov 22 2024, 03:01 PM • 19634 views

Another case occurred in the Pechersk district, when the police received a report from a woman about violence by her husband. The woman claimed that she had locked herself in the bathroom.

Upon arriving at the scene, law enforcement officers called a woman who said the door to the apartment was unlocked and told them to enter. After opening the door and stepping into the apartment, the police heard the grenade's pin go off and managed to close the door. The police officers were not injured.

Recall

Police detained the man who opened fire in a Kyiv hotel on November 27. The shooting, which was preceded by a fight, killed a 27-year-old man and wounded two people.

Over the past week, Russia has launched over 800 KAB-guided aerial bombs, nearly 460 attack drones, and more than 20 missiles, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov. 24.

“The air raid siren has sounded almost daily across Ukraine this week. Only last night, our air defense forces managed to shoot down about 50 attack drones,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram, sharing a video showing Russian attacks across the country.

On the morning of Nov. 21, Russia unveiled a new intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), dubbed "Oreshnik," in an attack targeting the city of Dnipro in eastern Ukraine.

“Ukraine is not a testing ground for weapons. Ukraine is a sovereign, independent state. Yet Russia persists in its attempts to destroy our people, spread fear and panic, and weaken us,” Zelensky said.

He also reiterated the urgent need for bolstered air defenses. “Ukraine needs more air defense systems, and we are working on this with our partners. It is crucial to strengthen the protection of our sky,” he said.

On Nov. 22, Zelensky instructed Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to engage with international allies to acquire advanced air defense capabilities.

The IRBM attack followed Ukraine’s reported first successful strike on a military target within Russian territory using U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles.

Unlike cruise missiles, IRBMs are guided only in the initial phase of launch, making them less precise. However, their exceptional speed — often exceeding 3,200 kilometers per hour as they near their targets — makes them a formidable threat.

‘Don’t overreact’ — Oreshnik missile isn’t as new as Russia claims, experts sayRussian President Vladimir Putin on Nov. 21 announced his country had launched a new type of missile in an attack on Ukraine, a demonstration of military might meant to deter Kyiv’s allies from further support against his full-scale invasion. “There are currently no ways of countering this weapon.…The Kyiv IndependentChris York

The Guardian reports on Trump's possible talks on Ukraine on Russia's terms if it breaks military ties with China. The newspaper emphasizes the importance of American support for Ukraine's sovereignty.

US President-elect Donald Trump may negotiate with Ukraine on the terms of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin if Russia breaks off military relations with China. This was reported by The Guardian , UNN and UNN.

Details

According to the newspaper, Trump talks about “peace through strength,” “victory,” and “America first,” which could mean guaranteeing air defense for Ukraine so that nuclear facilities are protected from Russian bombs, thus stopping a potential nuclear disaster.

Does “force” mean forcing Ukraine to give up its sovereignty? In Moscow, no one is in a hurry to reach an agreement. Putin feels that he is winning on the battlefield. The economy is starting to sweat – food prices are rising by 9% every month; interest rates are over 20% – but it's not a crisis yet. Russia's Soviet-era weapons will run out by the end of 2025; so Putin can start negotiations early next year but keep fighting until the end, escalating attacks on civilians whenever the talks don't go his way. How will trump conduct these negotiations in a Putin style? russia has always demanded a demilitarized Ukraine under the de facto political control of the kremlin. There are people in Trump's circle who may agree to this, especially if Russia breaks off its military relations with China,” the newspaper notes.

The publication emphasizes that even sacrificing contacts with Iran could be a bad deal for Putin. However, he may see in Trump and his entourage a version of his own kleptocracy.

“What can Ukraine offer? In the leaked notes from Zelenskiy's meeting with Trump before the election, the Ukrainian president emphasized the huge reserves of critical minerals that Americans lack, such as titanium, which is used for everything. But is this enough to inspire Trump? Whether the fighting stops this year or not, Ukraine's sovereignty depends on its being armed to the teeth. At least for the next two years, this will be difficult without American artillery and logistics,” the publication adds.

Although Trump has stated that he will bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table, in reality he will have to negotiate with the Europeans and the UK.

Recall

In the last months of his administration, US President Joe Biden has sought to strengthen Ukraine's position in the war against Russia, as indicated by a number of decisions, including authorizing strikes on Russian territory. This is due to the fact that President-elect Donald Trump has promised to quickly end the war after coming to the White House.