Author: dmitriy.vasyura@gmail.com

The car bombing that killed Russian Navy officer Valery Trankovsky in occupied Sevastopol on Nov. 13 was an operation carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), a source in the agency told the Kyiv Independent.

The statement came shortly after Russian authorities in occupied Crimea reported on a military service member dying following the blast.

Trankovsky was chief of staff of the 41st Missile Boat Brigade and a "war criminal who has ordered cruise missile launches from the Black Sea against civilian sites in Ukraine," the source said.

The officer was allegedly responsible for the Kalibr missile strike against the city of Vinnytsia in July 2022 that killed 29 people and injured over 200 more. He also oversaw strikes against Odesa and other cities, leaving many civilians dead, the source said.

According to Russian Telegram channels, Trankovsky held the rank of captain of 1st class.

Russian media outlet Mash claims that Trankovsky had been under surveillance for roughly a week and that an improvised explosive device (IED) was placed under the driver's side of his car and allegedly detonated remotely.

Several Russian officers involved in the war against Ukraine have been found killed in Russia or Russian-occupied territories throughout the full-scale war. Most recently, Major Dmitry Pervukha was killed in the center of Russian-occupied Luhansk after his car exploded on Oct. 18.

Pervukha was allegedly involved in war crimes against Ukraine. He served in the 273rd Intelligence Center of the Russian Armed Forces.

Russia preparing a 50,000-people-strong offensive in latest attempt to push Ukrainian army out of Kursk OblastOver the past week, Russia had been gathering forces in what appears to be preparations for a decisive push in the country’s Kursk Oblast. “The situation is changing every day. Not long ago, we were on the offensive, and now we are on the defensive,” a 35-year-old artilleryman with theThe Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

A Russian drone hits a multi-story building in the Saltivsky district of Kharkiv. The number of victims of the attack increased to four.

In Kharkiv, as a result of a Russian drone attack on an apartment building, the number of victims has increased to four, Mayor Igor Terekhov said on Telegram, UNN reports .

The number of victims increased to four

– said Terekhov.

Previously

The mayor reportedthat an enemy UAV hit an apartment building in the Saltiv district of Kharkiv. There was no fire. It was immediately known about 2 victims.

North Korea has dispatched 10,000 troops to Russia, with most of them deployed in the western Kursk Oblast and taking part in combat, a Pentagon spokesperson said during a press briefing on Nov. 12.

Washington is echoing earlier warnings from Kyiv that Pyongyang's troops have been deployed in the warzone in an unprecedented escalation of Russia's war against Ukraine.

"Today I can confirm that over 10,000 (North Korean) soldiers have been sent to eastern Russia, and most of them have moved to the far western Kursk Oblast, where they have begun engaging in combat operations with Russian forces," spokesperson Vedant Patel said.

"Russian forces have trained the (North Korean) soldiers in artillery, in UAV and basic infantry operations, including trench clearing, which are critical skills for front-line operations."

According to Patel, the effectiveness of North Korean soldiers will "in large part be dictated by how well the Russians can integrate them into their military."

Russia is mustering a force of 50,000 soldiers, including North Korean troops, to launch a counter-offensive against a Ukrainian salient in Russia's Kursk Oblast, the New York Times reported on Nov. 10.

The new force comes as Russia saw its heaviest losses last month, and the North Korean troops could be replacing injured and killed Russian soldiers, according to some experts.

Clashes between the Ukrainian and North Korean soldiers are currently underway, Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on Nov. 5. North Korean troops have already suffered casualties, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Nov. 7, without specifying the number.

Russia preparing a 50,000-people-strong offensive in latest attempt to push Ukrainian army out of Kursk OblastOver the past week, Russia had been gathering forces in what appears to be preparations for a decisive push in the country’s Kursk Oblast. “The situation is changing every day. Not long ago, we were on the offensive, and now we are on the defensive,” a 35-year-old artilleryman with theThe Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

The President of Ukraine commented on the massive Russian attack. Zelensky thanked partners for their help with air defense and electronic warfare systems.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to Russia's massive attack by emphasizing the importance of timely deliveries of anti-missile and defense systems, UNN reports .

Details

“This morning there was another combined Russian attack on our cities, and there was an effective response from our air defense. We shot down Russian missiles, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles that attacked Kyiv, as well as drones. In total, about 90 attack drones attacked Ukraine,” the President said on social media.

Russian Federation massively attacked Ukraine with 96 missiles and drones: two X-101s, two ballistic missiles and 37 drones were shot downNov 13 2024, 08:15 AM • 2109 views

“And it is important that our forces have the means to defend the country from Russian terror. I am grateful to each of the partners who help. Delivering anti-missiles for our air defense system on time, fulfilling agreements on defense systems, on the production and supply of electronic warfare means, without exaggeration, being a savior of people. Each such manifestation of the effectiveness of our air defense means saved lives and protected infrastructure. And the more results our soldiers achieve, the closer the end of the war will be. This is how peace is achieved through strength,” Zelensky commented on the night attack.