There were 157 combat engagements over the day, most of them in the Pokrovske and Kurakhove sectors. The enemy lost 373 servicemen, 2 tanks and 12 armored personnel carriers, conducted 42 air strikes and launched 689 drones.
Since the beginning of the day, 157 combat engagements have taken place. Ukrainian defenders continue to resolutely repel the enemy's attempts to advance deep into our territory, inflicting fire damage. Most of the fighting took place in the Pokrovske and Kurakhove sectors. This is stated in the report of the General Staff as of 22:00 on 15.11.2024, UNN reports.
The Russian invaders launched one missile (1 rocket) and 42 air strikes (69 drones) on the territory of Ukraine. In addition, 689 kamikaze drones were used and more than 3,800 attacks were made on the positions of our troops and populated areas,
– the statement said.
In the Kharkiv sector, the enemy tried to storm our positions near Vovchansk and Vysoka Yaruga. Seven attacks were repelled by the defense forces, and two firefights are ongoing.
The enemy's losses in the sector so far amounted to 68 troops killed and wounded, two vehicles, 13 UAVs and a unit of enemy special equipment were destroyed; two nuclear weapons and two units of special equipment were also damaged.
Kupyansk sector: the enemy conducted offensive actions near Kolisnykivka, Kopanky and Nadiya. Fourteen battles were completed, one is still ongoing.
In the Liman sector, Russian invaders stormed the positions of the Defense Forces 16 times near Novoyehorivka, Makiivka, Terny and Torske. Ukrainian defenders stopped all enemy attacks.
Northern sector: the enemy stormed our positions once near Verkhnekamianske.
In the Toretsk sector , with the support of bomber aircraft, the enemy carried out nine assault operations. The invaders stormed the positions of Ukrainian units near Toretsk, Diliyivka and Shcherbynivka. Eight of the aggressor's attacks were repelled, and the battle near Toretsk is ongoing.
Pokrovsk sector: Since the beginning of the day, the enemy attacked 35 times in the areas of Myroliubivka, Promenu, Lysivka, Petrivka and Pustynka. Ukrainian troops repelled 34 attacks, one combat engagement is still ongoing.
According to the available data, the enemy's losses for today amounted to 373 servicemen killed and wounded; 12 armored combat vehicles, two tanks, nine vehicles, two artillery systems, an ATGM and an electronic warfare system were destroyed by Ukrainian defenders; our troops also damaged an occupant vehicle.
In the Kurakhove sector, the invaders attacked 34 times near Berestky, Novoselydivka, Voznesenka, Novodmitrivka, Maksymilianivka, Dale and Antonivka. 14 attacks have already been repelled, and the fighting continues.
In the Vremivsk sector, fighting continues near Trudove, Rivne and Novodarivka, the situation is under control.
In the Prydniprovskyi sector, the Ukrainian Defense Forces stopped five attempts by the occupants to attack our positions.
In the Kursk region, our defenders repelled 21 enemy attacks, and three combat engagements are ongoing,
– the General Staff added.
There were no major changes in other areas.
Russians are amassing manpower and equipment in the Siversky sector – Luhansk OTU spokespersonNov 15 2024, 12:46 PM • 13844 views
The European Union is discussing possible sanctions against China over evidence that it first supplied Russia with weapons for use in a full-scale war against Ukraine.
Source: European Pravda citing German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ)
Details: Three FAZ sources said that EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell informed member states of intelligence reports on arms shipments from Russia to China.
At a briefing for journalists on Friday, the EU official said that the evidence is overwhelming and confirms the "provision of lethal weapons".
He did not specify what the evidence was. However, back in September, the media reported on Western intelligence that pointed to covert arms shipments to Russia from China. And Reuters reported that Russia has developed a weapons programme in China to develop and produce long-range attack drones.
The official stated that they now had to look at the whole toolkit, adding that the EU could expand the sanctions list to include a ban on doing business with Chinese companies, as well as restrictions on owning assets and entering the EU.
Another FAZ source said that the EU's reaction would depend on how China responds to the evidence presented to it.
Background: The EU has previously discussed imposing sanctions on Chinese companies, but has so far refrained from doing so. Instead, the United States announced sanctions against China for the first time in October over its military support for Russia.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reports receiving a call from Scholz regarding his conversation with Putin. The German Chancellor condemned Russia's aggression and supported the position of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that the German Chancellor had called him and told him about his conversation with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, UNN reports.
"…I received a call from Chancellor Scholz, who reported on his conversation with Vladimir Putin. I was pleased to learn that the chancellor not only unequivocally condemned Russian aggression, but also reiterated Poland's position: nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine," Donald Tusk wrote in X.
This is Pandora's box: Zelensky on Scholz's call to Russian dictator PutinNov 15 2024, 05:16 PM • 14608 views
Recall
For the first time in almost two years, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had a telephone conversation with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin .
During a telephone conversation with Putin, Scholz urged him to end the war against Ukraine and start peace talks.
Conversations give Putin hope for easing international isolation: Foreign Ministry reacts to Scholz's conversation with Russian dictatorNov 15 2024, 06:24 PM • 11367 views
Scholz condemns war, urges Russia to negotiate with Ukraine in first call with Putin in nearly 2 years
Drone attack reported in Russia's Krasnodar region, explosions heard near military airfield
Russian troops plant flag at border in Chernihiv Oblast, Border Guard says no major offensive detected
Trump says Russia-Ukraine war 'gotta stop'
Ukrainian military fighting in Russia to receive additional financial rewards
Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke by phone on Nov. 15, their first direct call in nearly two years, according to a German government statement.
Earlier in the day, Bloomberg reported that Putin and Scholz were scheduled to speak, though it did not specify the time or topics of discussion. The call, unannounced by either Moscow or Berlin, lasted about an hour, Reuters reported.
The last phone call between Putin and Scholz occurred on Dec. 2, 2022. Scholz is the first head of government from a European Union country supporting Ukraine to resume direct contact with Putin.
During the conversation, Scholz condemned Russia's war against Ukraine, calling on Putin to end it and withdraw Russian troops from Ukrainian territory. He also urged Russia to negotiate with Ukraine to achieve a "just and lasting peace."
"Germany has unwavering determination to support Ukraine in its defensive struggle against Russian aggression for as long as necessary," the German government's statement read.
Zelensky warned later in the day that Scholz's call with Putin opens a "Pandora's box," potentially leading to "other conversations and other calls."
Scholz had informed Zelensky in advance of his intention to call Putin. Zelensky reportedly responded, "This will just make Putin feel that the isolation is decreasing," according to Suspilne, citing an undisclosed source in the Presidential Office.
In his evening address, Zelensky criticized any negotiations that could ease Russia's isolation without meaningful outcomes. "It is extremely important for Putin to loosen his isolation, Russia's isolation, and to conduct ordinary negotiations that will not result in anything — as he has been doing for decades," Zelensky said.
"This has allowed Russia to change nothing in its police, to do nothing in essence, and this is exactly what led to this war."
Zelensky also reiterated that there would be no "Minsk-3," referencing the Minsk agreements of 2014 and 2015, which proposed creating autonomous zones in Russian-occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts but excluded mention of occupied Crimea.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry also expressed concerns over the Scholz-Putin call, stating that such lengthy conversations have been a tool Putin has exploited for over 20 years, now providing him hope for easing his international isolation.
"Even if the German chancellor did not express any positions contradicting Ukraine’s stance, conversations with the Russian dictator do not add value in achieving a just peace," the ministry said in a statement.
Germany, Ukraine's main European backer, is facing internal political turmoil. The center-left coalition led by Scholz has weakened, while opposition leader Friedrich Merz is eyeing the chancellorship.
Both Scholz and Merz have pledged to maintain aid to Ukraine in line with current policies.
However, an expert told The Kyiv Independent that the Trump administration's stance "will have a much larger impact on Germany's policies than whether the next German chancellor is Friedrich Merz, Olaf Scholz, or any other likely candidate."
Drone attack reported in Russia's Krasnodar region, explosions heard near military airfield
Russia's Krasnodar region came under a "massive drone attack" overnight on Nov. 15, Governor Veniamin Kondratiev reported via his Telegram channel. One of the targeted districts hosts a military airfield.
The governor said that two municipalities in the region were targeted, with Russian air defense intercepting approximately 36 drones over the Krymsk and Krasnoarmeisk districts.
In Krymsk, debris from a drone fell on four residential properties, damaging the roof of one house and a car, according to Kondratiev. In the Krasnoarmeisk district, drone debris allegedly caused damage to the roof of a private house. No casualties were reported.
The Russian telegram channel Astra cited local sources suggesting the drones may have been targeting the Krymsk military airfield. This claim has not been confirmed by official sources, and the governor has not commented on it. The Ukrainian military has not commented on the attack.
Astra noted that earlier reports from local officials claimed 46 drones had been intercepted over the Krymsk area. Astra said that his statement was later removed without explanation.
The Russian Defense Ministry later said that its forces had intercepted 51 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 36 over the Krasnodar region, 10 over the Azov Sea, three over Russian-occupied Crimea, and another two over the Belgorod region.
Outmanned and outgunned on the battlefield, Ukraine has turned to homemade drones to try to exhaust Russian combat capabilities as much as possible from afar, targeting Russian military-industrial complex facilities, airbases, or oil refineries.
While Ukraine regularly claims attacks deep into Russia, it is difficult to verify the authenticity of the reports and the scale of the damage inflicted.
Russian troops plant flag at border in Chernihiv Oblast, Border Guard says no major offensive detected
State Border Guard spokesperson Andrii Demchenko confirmed to the Kyiv Independent that a Russian sabotage group planted a Russian flag near the border in Ukraine's Chernihiv Oblast, but said that the event occurred in the grey zone and Russian troops did not launch a major offensive in the region.
Demchenko's statement comes on Nov. 15 after Russian military bloggers posted videos purportedly showing Russian troops planting a flag on the bridge over the Sudost River near the border settlement of Hremiach and claimed they entered Hremiach and Muravi.
Demchenko denied that Russian forces entered the settlements and said that they did not cross the bridge.
"The territory where the (Russian) sabotage group operated from the border is actually cut off by rivers, and no one lives in the settlements located between the rivers and the border. In addition, due to the constant flooding of that territory, it is not possible to build proper fortifications there," Demchenko said in a comment.
"Ukraine's defense forces fully control this axis and are in the most advantageous positions to hold the defense."
Demchenko added that Ukraine has deployed additional forces in the area to fend off acts of sabotage from Russia.
"The threat from Russian sabotage and intelligence groups has not disappeared anywhere, in particular in Chernihiv Oblast. Although the activity of saboteurs has decreased significantly recently, the terrorist country has not given up on the use of sabotage groups, including for psychological influence."
The Russian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) wrote on Nov. 15 that it had confirmed the geolocation of two Russian soldiers seen in footage shared by Russian military bloggers planting a flag on the bridge over the Sudost River. RFE/RL suggested the two soldiers were part of a larger group.
Chernihiv Oblast is located on Ukraine's northern border with Russia and Belarus. It was partially occupied during Russia's initial offensive in February 2022, but the invading force retreated in April after the Kremlin failed to take Kyiv.
Since then, Russian forces have been regularly shelling regional settlements near the border and launching cross-border raids into the region.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said at a Mar-a-Lago event in Florida on Nov. 14 that his administration will focus on the Russia-Ukraine war.
"We're going to work very hard on Russia and Ukraine. It's gotta stop. Russia and Ukraine’s gotta stop," Trump said at an event in Florida on Nov. 14, according to CNN. "Whether they’re soldiers or they’re people sitting in towns, we’re going to work it."
Trump secured victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, adding further uncertainty for Ukraine regarding the future of Western military aid and its defense against the ongoing Russian full-scale invasion.
Reacting to the election result, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a Nov. 15 interview with Suspilne that the war "will end faster" under the policies of Trump's administration, set to take office in January 2025.
"A just peace is very important for us so that there is no feeling that we have lost the best for the sake of injustice imposed on you (Ukrainians). The war will end, but there is no exact date," Zelensky said.
"Certainly, with the policies of this team that will now lead the White House, the war will end faster. This is their approach, their promise to their society, and it is also very important to them."
Zelensky noted that he and Trump had a "constructive interaction," during which Ukraine presented its vision for peace. "He (Trump) heard the basis on which we stand. I did not hear anything contrary to our position," Zelensky said.
When asked whether Trump had demanded Kyiv negotiate with Moscow, Zelensky emphasized Ukraine's independence.
"During this war, both our people and I personally, in negotiations with the U.S. — with Trump, Biden, and European leaders — have shown that the rhetoric of 'Sit down and listen' does not work with us," he said.
Trump, during a campaign event on Oct. 14, claimed to have "gotten along very well with (Vladimir) Putin" during his first term (2017–2021) and suggested that Putin had expressed ambitions to control Ukraine.
"It (Ukraine) was the apple of his eye; he used to talk about it. But I said, 'You're not going in,' and he wasn't going in," Trump said.
Following his electoral victory, Trump allegedly warned Putin in a phone call not to escalate the war, though the Kremlin later denied that such a call had occurred.
U.S.-Russia relations have soured since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, rendering Putin a persona non grata in much of the Western world.
Ukrainian military fighting in Russia to receive additional financial rewards
Ukrainian soldiers will receive additional financial rewards for completing combat missions in Russia, Taras Melnychuk, the Ukrainian government’s representative in parliament, announced on Nov. 15.
The update applies primarily to those currently involved in combat in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Kyiv launched the surprise offensive into Kursk in August, and while Russian forces have recaptured about half of the territory initially lost, fighting continues.
The Cabinet of Ministers has amended two resolutions regarding payments to military personnel, extending the regulations to include troops serving on Russian territory, according to Melnychuk.
Ukrainian military personnel operating in Russia during martial law will receive an additional monthly payment of 100,000 hryvnias ($2,400), proportional to the time spent on combat missions there. They will also receive a lump sum payment of 70,000 hryvnias ($1,700) for every 30 days of combat, cumulatively calculated.
Soldiers and officers from the State Emergency Service, National Anti-Corruption Bureau's Special Operations Department, and police officers performing missions in Russia will also receive the 100,000 hryvnias ($2,400) bonus.
Additional payments of 100,000 hryvnias ($2,400) will be made to soldiers wounded while on duty in Russia. In the event of death during a combat mission in Russia, the soldier's relatives will receive a one-time payment of 15 million hryvnias ($363,000).
Ukrainian forces are currently holding off nearly 50,000 Russian troops in the Kursk area, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in mid-November.
The Kursk incursion was designed to preempt a Russian plan to invade Sumy Oblast in order to create a "buffer zone" in Ukraine's north and draw Russian forces away from the steadily advancing front in Donetsk Oblast, the Ukrainian military reported.
According to Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, Russian forces have lost 7,905 soldiers killed, 12,220 wounded, and 717 captured over the three months of the Kursk offensive.
Energoatom called Russia's threats to stop the IAEA mission at ZNPP an act of nuclear terrorism. The reason was Grossi's statement about the experts' stay at the plant “until the war is frozen”.
Energoatom JSC called Russia's threats to stop the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant an act of nuclear terrorism. This is stated in a statement by the national nuclear power generating company Energoatom, UNN reports.
Details
It is noted that the reason for the threats from Russia was the rhetoric of IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, who said that experts would remain at the station "until the war is frozen.
Instead, the Kremlin emphasized that the mission's presence at ZNPP is possible only with their permission.
Energoatom emphasized that the IAEA mission to ZNPP is the result of agreements between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, which provides for constant monitoring of Ukrainian nuclear facilities to prevent potential incidents.
Ukraine's initiative to engage international experts is an important step towards improving the safety of Ukrainian NPPs in times of war, Energoatom added.
Threats to stop the work of the IAEA mission at ZNPP confirm that the Kremlin has no intention of complying with any international law. The seizure of ZNPP, deployment of military and equipment there, shelling of critical infrastructure and manipulation of energy security are direct evidence of Russia's nuclear terrorism,
– the statement said.
Energoatom added that maintaining the IAEA's work at ZNPP is not only a matter of Ukraine's security, but also of the world's. The international community must ensure continuous monitoring and bring Russia to justice.
Recall
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the IAEA mission at Zaporizhzhya NPP may be suspended due to statements by Rafael Grossi.
According to reports, Liverpool are ‘convinced’ Trent Alexander-Arnold will pen a contract extension amid interest from La Liga giants Real Madrid.
Liverpoolhave made a superb start to the 2024/25 campaign under new head coach Arne Slot.
The Dutch head coach has won 15 of his 17 games across all competitions as the Reds top the Premier League and Champions League.
However, it is not all good news for Liverpool. Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, and Virgil van Dijk have entered the final year of their contracts and it remains to be seen whether they will pen an extension.
Alexander-Arnold had been considered the most likely of the three players to leave as Real Madrid are interested in him.
This is after Liverpool ‘offered’ him a record contract. The report also reveals when they expect him to sign.
‘TBR Football understands Liverpool are determined to tie down Trent Alexander-Arnold and talks have been continuing with his camp in recent weeks.
‘We previously revealed that Real Madrid are interested in Alexander-Arnold and now some of Europe’s biggest clubs have joined them in the race for his signature.
‘But, Liverpool sources have confirmed to us that they are highly confident that the 26-year-old will put pen to paper before Christmas on his new deal.
‘Liverpool have offered him the largest contract they have ever made to a homegrown player, indeed it would put him on par with Mo Salah and make him the highest-paid English player in the Premier League.’
Alexander-Arnold has reacted angrily to being substituted on a couple of occasions this season, but the report claims he’s a ‘fan of Slot’s style’ after ‘telling Liverpool he wanted to wait’.
‘TBR Football further understands that Alexander-Arnold told Liverpool that he wanted to wait until the opening months of the season to experience life under Arne Slot before deciding on his future.
‘Now, it’s understood that Alexander-Arnold is a fan of Slot’s style and has been impressed with how he has quickly taken control of the squad.
‘Real Madrid are continuing to monitor the situation and we can also reveal that European powerhouses Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have also made enquiries and are ready to make offers – if indeed Alexander-Arnold decides his future lies away from Anfield.’
At a weigh-in ceremony before a fight in Texas, 58-year-old Mike Tyson punched 27-year-old boxer-blogger Jake Paul in the face. Paul reacted to the incident by jokingly calling Tyson an “evil little elf.
Heavyweight boxing legend Mike Tyson slapped boxing blogger Jake Paul at a tense weigh-in ceremony before a controversial heavyweight fight on Friday in Texas, UNN reports citing BBC Sport.
Details
Rookie boxer Paul, 27, will face 58-year-old Tyson at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
After both men made up their minds, Paul crawled across the floor before climbing up to Tyson's eye line for the traditional final battle of the eyes.
Tyson had refused to respond to Paul's incitement for most of the week, but he punched his opponent in the face, forcing security and teammates to rush to separate the fighters.
"This conversation is over," Tyson said and walked off stage. Paul, meanwhile, smiled before sitting down and seemingly meditating.
"I didn't even feel it. He's evil. He's an evil little elf," Paul said of the slap.
"Mike Tyson, I thought that was a nice slap, buddy, but tomorrow you're going to get knocked out," he said.
Addendum
Tyson, a two-time world champion, last competed in a professional ring in 2005.
Bluesky social network recorded more than 1 million new registrations in 24 hours, reaching 16 million users. The platform was ranked first in the US App Store, ahead of ChatGPT and Threads.
Social network Bluesky said on Thursday evening that more than 1 million people had registered on the platform in 24 hours, making it one of the busiest days for the company, UNN reports citing TechCrunch.
Details
As indicated, this growth also means that the social network has passed the 16 million mark in total.
The platform's announcement came a few hours after Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri said that Threads had more than 15 million registered users in November. He added that the Meta-owned platform has seen 1 million users sign up per day over the past three months.
Bluesky also encountered some problems on Thursday, as service was cut off for some users because one of the company's Internet service providers had cable issues that were superimposed on other malfunctions, according to a Bluesky developer.
AddendumAddendum
The decentralized social network has experienced a steady influx of users over the past few months due to various events, such as the ban of X in Brazil, moderation issues on Threads, and the recent US election results. X's owner Elon Musk was a well-known supporter of US President-elect Donald Trump, and the social network (formerly known as Twitter), as the publication points out, "often promoted pro-Trump views in users' algorithmic feeds". After the US presidential election results, more than a million new people registered on the platform in a week, Bluesky reported on Tuesday.
At the time of writing, a surge in Bluesky registrations over the past 24 hours has also propelled the app to the top of the free apps chart in the US App Store, followed by ChatGPT and Threads.
Bluesky is still much smaller than Threads, which has over 275 million active users, and X. However, the platform's CEO Jay Graeber said earlier this week that Bluesky has higher engagement than X.
Bluesky wins as users flee X-Mask after US election: what's going onNov 12 2024, 11:38 AM • 92249 views
Law enforcers do not allow students to enter Tbilisi State University, where an overnight strike against the election results was planned. Protesters remain in the courtyard, chanting anti-Russian slogans.
Dozens of police officers have been mobilized in the courtyard of the first building of the Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. Interior Ministry officials are not allowing students protesting against the results of the parliamentary elections in Georgia to enter the building, UNN reports with reference to Novosti Georgia.
Details
Students were going to go on a night strike, but police cordons were set up at the main entrance to the university. One of the activists told journalists that force was used against them when they tried to push them back.
Other students note that all entrances are closed earlier than usual today. The first building can be left only through the tunnel leading to the neighboring second building. Police have been mobilized in other TSU buildings on Chavchavadze Avenue.
Master's students who have lectures in the evening say that they are also not allowed in the building.
The situation on the ground remains tense. Protesters say they will spend the night in the university yard. From time to time, they chant "Russians, Russians", "Let us in", "No to the Russian regime" at the security forces.
In solidarity with them, participants of the march organized by the Daitov platform came to the university. Tonight they gathered on Republic Square to protest the election results.
Students of Iliyauni University are also planning to go to TSU. They are currently gathering near their main building, about a kilometer from the epicenter of the events. Traffic on Chavchavadze Avenue is paralyzed.
Student protests began the day before at Batumi's Shota Rustaveli State University. The protesters claim that the election results were falsified and that the university administration is involved in the policies of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
In addition to TSU, solidarity with BSU students was expressed at Ilia State University, Tbilisi State Medical University, and the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA).
Protests against the results of parliamentary elections continue in GeorgiaNov 10 2024, 05:34 PM • 22097 views
The war "will end faster" under the policies of Donald Trump’s administration, set to take office in January 2025, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a Nov. 15 interview with Suspilne.
Trump's victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election has introduced new uncertainty for Ukraine regarding future Western military aid as it continues to defend against Russia’s full-scale invasion.
"A just peace is very important for us so that there is no feeling that we have lost the best for the sake of injustice imposed on you (Ukrainians). The war will end, but there is no exact date," Zelensky said.
"Certainly, with the policies of this team that will now lead the White House, the war will end faster. This is their approach, their promise to their society, and it is also very important to them."
Zelensky noted that he and Trump had a "constructive interaction," during which Ukraine presented its vision for peace. "He (Trump) heard the basis on which we stand. I did not hear anything contrary to our position," Zelensky said.
When asked whether Trump had demanded Kyiv negotiate with Moscow, Zelensky emphasized Ukraine's independence.
"During this war, both our people and I personally, in negotiations with the U.S. — with Trump, Biden, and European leaders — have shown that the rhetoric of 'Sit down and listen' does not work with us," he said.
Trump, during a campaign event on Oct. 14, claimed to have "gotten along very well with (Vladimir) Putin" during his first term (2017–2021) and suggested that Putin had expressed ambitions to control Ukraine.
"It (Ukraine) was the apple of his eye; he used to talk about it. But I said, 'You're not going in,' and he wasn't going in," Trump said.
Following his electoral victory, Trump allegedly warned Putin in a phone call not to escalate the war, though the Kremlin later denied that such a call had occurred.
U.S.-Russia relations have soured since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, rendering Putin a persona non grata in much of the Western world.
The Kyiv IndependentJakub Janda
