Category: War in Ukraine

Russia has lost 724,050 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Nov. 19.

This number includes 1,610 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 9,382 tanks, 19,092 armored fighting vehicles, 29,548 vehicles and fuel tanks, 20,632 artillery systems, 1,252 multiple launch rocket systems, 999 air defense systems, 369 airplanes, 329 helicopters, 19,111 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

‘Battle-tested in Ukraine’ — How US drone makers turned Ukraine into a tagline to sell westThe biggest weapons makers in the world convened in Washington, D.C. for the 70th meeting of the Association of the United States Army in early October. It was the third year in a row where Ukraine remained at the center of the event’s enormous buzz. Synchronized press releases ensued.The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield announced the preparation of a new military aid package for Ukraine. The aid will include artillery, air defense, armored vehicles and other necessary equipment.

The United States will announce a new military aid package for Ukraine “in the coming days,” US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield announced at a UN Security Council briefing on the occasion of a thousand days of Russian aggression against Ukraine on November 18, UNN reports.

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“Let me be clear: when this war is over, a sovereign, independent, democratic Ukraine will control its internationally recognized territory and continue on its path to join Euro-Atlantic institutions like NATO,” the US ambassador said.

Until then, and at the direction of the President, the United States will continue to increase security assistance to Ukraine, including artillery, air defense, armored vehicles, and other necessary equipment and munitions. And in the coming days, we will announce additional security assistance to Ukraine

– Thomas-Greenfield emphasized.

Because, in her words, “in the end, support for Ukraine in Congress and beyond cannot and should not be a partisan issue.” “The struggle for democracy and human rights transcends petty politics and outlives any leader or term,” the US ambassador pointed out.

The Pentagon is preparing to transfer $7.1 billion in military aid to Ukraine by the end of Biden's termNov 15 2024, 02:10 AM • 15103 views

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) confirmed on Nov. 18 that a riot control agent known as CS has been used in Ukraine, as evidence mounts that Russia has scaled up its attacks using chemical weapons in recent months.

The United Nations watchdog OPCW's first confirmation about the tear gas usage comes as Russia has intensified its use of chemical agents since the beginning of the year to advance forward across Ukraine's front line.

Russian drones throw gas grenades into dugouts or trenches in an attempt to force Ukrainian soldiers out into the open field, making them easy prey for drone or artillery attacks.

The U.S. and the U.K. have confirmed Russia's deployment of chemical weapons against Ukrainian soldiers, slapping sanctions on Russia's troops of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense, their chief, Russian Defense Ministry scientific centers, and companies involved.

The Ukrainian military has reported that it recorded over 4,600 cases of Russia using gas attacks on the battlefield since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, including 323 incidents in November.

Russia’s use of unidentified gas surges on the front line, Ukraine lacks detectorsRussia is increasingly deploying unidentified gas in its latest chemical warfare tactic against Ukrainian troops, who are losing ground across the hotspots of the eastern front line. Ukraine is currently unable to identify the majority of the gas used on the battlefield, compared to previous months…The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

Without naming Russia nor directly confronting Moscow for violating the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW said that samples from both the grenade and the soil sample retrieved from a September incident at a specific trench "contained the riot control agent 2-Chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile, known as CS."

While often used to disperse riots and considered nonlethal, the OPCW says that tear gas, including CS, is "considered chemical weapons if used as a method of warfare."

The samples — which underwent separate testing in two OPCW-designated laboratories — were collected from a trench "located along the confrontation lines with the opposing troops" in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, according to the report.

The OPCW said in the Nov. 18 report that the watchdog's Director-General, Ambassador Fernando Arias, "expressed grave concern over the findings."

"All 193 OPCW Member States, including the Russian Federation and Ukraine, have committed never to develop, produce, acquire, stockpile, transfer or use chemical weapons," Arias said.

He stressed that the parties have declared that "any use of chemical weapons is totally unacceptable and would violate the legal norms and standards of the international community."

Earlier in May, OPCW said that Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of deploying chemical weapons, but "the information provided to the Organization so far by both sides, together with the information available to the Secretariat, is insufficiently substantiated."

Kyiv's rising concerns over unidentified gas

While Russia's usage of chemical agents has slightly decreased since August, when 447 cases were recorded by the Ukrainian military within a month, Kyiv has been concerned about unidentified gas being deployed against its soldiers.

Lacking "hundreds" of complex detectors that cost $100,000 to $600,000 to identify the chemicals used by Russian troops, the Ukrainian military has struggled to name the new or mixed types of gas to find a solution on how to protect its personnel, Ukrainian Colonel Artem Vlasiuk told the Kyiv Independent in October.

Of the 323 recorded cases of Russia's chemical attacks in October, all except 15 incidents were "unidentified," according to Vlasiuk from the Support Forces' Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Protection Command, a branch of the army responsible for inspecting chemical warfare.

The officer said that Ukraine struggled to identify the new types of gas because it lacked sophisticated high-end detector technology to diagnose beyond the few prototypes in its library — which includes CS, CN, chloropicrin, and ammonia.

It is often very difficult to send specialists to the front line for evidence collection, as it would mean risking their lives by having them walk kilometers to reach the positions. And when soldiers come under gas attacks, gathering the remains of the grenades used is usually not the priority.

The concerns over the unidentified gas come as dozens of Ukrainian soldiers interviewed by the Kyiv Independent across the front over the summer acknowledged their lack of preparedness to face chemical warfare. Many said they were only given the poor quality Soviet-era gas masks and that they do not take it to positions because they are skeptical of its effectiveness.

Often, comparing the danger of chemical agents to KAB guided-aerial bombs, artillery, and precise FPV drones, the infantrymen interviewed often downplayed the threat of gas — arguing that they had more chance of being killed or wounded by conventional arms.

At least three Ukrainian soldiers died from Russia's gas attacks, and almost 2,100 soldiers sought medical care after such incidents, according to the Support Forces. Many more could have gone unrecorded.

‘Silent killer’: Russia boosts grinding Donbas advance with chemical warfareGasping for air from a trench in eastern Ukraine, an infantryman was ready for the worst when a suffocating white smoke spread into his position. A Russian drone had just dropped a gas grenade into the trench, an internationally banned practice in warfare used to suffocate Ukrainia…The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

Over the past day, the occupiers shelled 8 communities in Sumy region, causing 110 explosions. In Velykopysarivska community, two private houses were damaged as a result of attacks by FPV drones and artillery.

Enemy troops fired a series of shots at the border areas of Sumy region, including settlements. 48 attacks were recorded, resulting in 110 explosions. This was reported by the Sumy Regional Military Administration, UNN reports.

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Several communities in the region were shelled, including Khotyn, Yunakivka, Bilopil, Krasnopil, Velykopysarivsk, Shalyhyne, Esman and Seredyno-Budsk.

In the Velykopysarivska community, Russian troops attacked with FPV drones, carrying out 7 explosions. As a result of these attacks, two private houses were damaged. Grenade launchers (20 explosions) and artillery shelling (6 explosions) also took place on the territory of the community.

In the Khotyn community, 10 mines were dropped, and artillery shelling was recorded (4 explosions). In the Krasnopilska community, Russians carried out several attacks, including the dropping of unmanned aerial vehicles (9 explosions), an attack by FPV drones (7 explosions), grenade launcher attacks (3 explosions), mortar attacks (2 explosions) and artillery fire (2 explosions).

Mortar (7 explosions) and artillery shelling (10 explosions) took place in Bilopilska community. Yunakivska community also suffered artillery strikes that resulted in 2 explosions.

In Esmanska community, the enemy dropped explosives from a UAV (6 explosions), artillery shelling (1 explosion) and an attack by FPV drones (1 explosion). Seredyna-Budska community was attacked by FPV drones (2 explosions), and Shalyhyna community – mortar shelling and FPV drone attack (9 mines and 2 explosions).

Massive shelling is expected in Sumy region: Konotop mayor saysOct 15 2024, 07:27 PM • 47037 views

Amid rising fears of U.S. aid being cut off under a second Donald Trump presidency, Ukrainians are left wondering whether Europe can rise to the challenge and fill the gap.

Trump has promised to swiftly end Russia's war against Ukraine, speaking highly of Russian President Vladimir Putin and making unflattering comments about his Ukrainian counterpart.

Fears that Ukraine's top Western ally could pull the plug on aid that is key to fending off Russia's full-scale invasion, now in its third year, swelled this past weekend when those close to the president-elect made a few jabs at Ukraine and its president.

Donald Trump Jr., the increasingly influential son of the president-elect, has publicly stated his opposition to Ukraine's right to use Western-provided weapons to hit targets inside Russia.

"The Military Industrial Complex seems to want to make sure they get World War III going before my father has a chance to create peace and save lives," Trump Jr. wrote on X on Nov. 17, commenting on reports that outgoing President Joe Biden had authorized the use of U.S.-made ATACMS against targets inside Russia.

As the decision came in the last months of Biden's term in office, it remains unclear whether Trump will uphold the policy after he returns to the White House.

And while Ukraine has a number of influential allies in Europe that would have the power to pick up where the U.S. might leave, doing so in the upcoming year would be a near-impossible task.

"Trump's victory could scarcely have come at a worse time," Nick Witney, a security expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told the Kyiv Independent.

"Most European governments are in economic or political difficulties, or both."

Wake-up call for Europe's defense industry

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 was a wake-up call for Europe.

Since then, Europe's defense industry has increased its ammunition production capacity by 50%. It aims to produce over 2 million shells per year by the end of 2025 — double its capacity in February 2022, according to the European Council of Foreign Relations.

Stefan Wolff, professor of international security at the University of Birmingham, said that "the EU defense industrial base has improved and will continue to improve, not least because it is now possible to allocate structural/cohesion funding to security projects within the EU."

"This will not benefit Ukraine directly, but it will likely mean more investment into defense capacity in general," he told the Kyiv Independent.

"This could then also benefit Ukraine but again not necessarily in the timeframe dictated by events in the U.S."

Trump wouldn’t want ‘major Russian victory,’ says ex-US ambassadorThe Kyiv Independent sat down with the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, John Herbst, to discuss the future of the U.S. policy towards Ukraine as it continues its defense against Russia’s aggression.The Kyiv IndependentDinara Khalilova

Fabian Hoffmann, a defense policy expert at the University of Oslo's Oslo Nuclear Project, agreed that "Europe has significantly ramped up production of some capabilities, such as 155mm artillery shells and other types of ammunition."

"In these areas, Europe could compensate relatively well, although the absence of U.S. assistance would, of course, still be felt," he told the Kyiv Independent.

But Hoffmann argued that, compared with the U.S., Europe does not have some crucial types of weapons needed by Ukraine.

He said that the "U.S. maintains a large reserve arsenal of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles that could be made available to Ukraine, whereas Europe lacks such reserves."

The U.S. also has about 2,000 AGM-158A JASSM cruise missiles and another 2,000+ AGM-158B JASSM-ER cruise missiles in its arsenal, while "European states do not have anywhere near that number of cruise missiles," he added.

Moreover, the U.S. is "the sole producer of interceptors for Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems," he said.

"If the U.S. were to withdraw as a supplier, Ukraine would face severe challenges in missile defense, particularly against ballistic missile threats," Hoffmann added.

Europe producing more weaponry, but it's not enough

Even with the increase in the production of those weapons Europe is capable of offering without U.S. oversight, the deliveries have not been large enough to meet Ukraine's needs, analysts say.

Pavel Havlicek, an expert on Russia and Ukraine at the Czech Republic's Association of International Affairs, argued that "over the past two and half years, the EU proved very slow, even somehow lenient, to expand military production, massively increase military spending and investments, or boost its military industry."

"If you ask me if the EU can overnight replace the role of the U.S., it is absolutely no — since the American backing is multilayered and strategic, including the air protection — Patriot (air defense systems), mid- and long-range missiles that operate on the U.S. tech, including with their precision or intelligence gathering, which is key with limited resources at the battlefield," he told the Kyiv Independent.

Lucian Kim, senior analyst for Ukraine at the International Crisis Group, also said that Europe would not be able to fill the gap because "Europe's militaries — Germany's in particular — are themselves under-armed, and Western allies lack both the stocks and production capacity to match the assistance Ukraine has been receiving from the U.S."

He cited problems with the Czech-led initiative to supply artillery shells to Ukraine.

The initiative, which was announced in early 2024, aims to deliver 1 million shells to Ukraine by the end of this year but it has faced delays.

European Union's chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, announced on Nov. 11 that the bloc had delivered 980,000 artillery shells to Ukraine out of the 1 million promised. He explained the shortfall, citing unexpected production capacity limits.

Samantha de Bendern, an associate fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House, agreed that the EU was unlikely to fill the gap if the U.S. pulled the plug on aid.

"While the EU and its member states have made strides in increasing military aid and production, the stark reality remains that Europe cannot yet fill the void left by the United States, either in terms of its own defense or that of Ukraine," she told the Kyiv Independent.

"As long as perceived national interests continue to diverge and political stability wavers, particularly in key countries like Germany and France, Europe will struggle to forge a unified and effective response to the war raging on its continent."

She also said that "Europe is now in a position in which it cannot defend the country that has sacrificed tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of lives to defend not only its own territory but Europe as a whole."

De Bendern said that European governments were under pressure from the electorate to spend money on health infrastructure and other public projects rather than Ukraine.

"The question for them is whether you spend money on Ukraine or build another hospital," she added.

Europe in crisis

Apart from technical limitations, there are political problems that obstruct a further increase in Europe's aid for Ukraine. These include political instability in Germany, where Chancellor Olaf Scholz' coalition has collapsed.

"Germany, Europe's largest military donor to Ukraine, has plunged into political chaos with the collapse of the Scholz-led coalition. France's Emmanuel Macron, a staunch defender of Ukraine in spite of his initial impulses to seek a dialog with (Vladimir) Putin, has lost much of his freedom of action since the parliamentary elections in June in which he lost his parliamentary majority," De Bendern said.

"Elsewhere in Europe, political parties on the far right or far left of the political spectrum with pro-Russian sympathies are rising," De Bendern added.

"Already-fragile EU unity, a stalled Franco-German motor, a Trojan Horse in the shape of (Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor) Orban holding the presidency," Witney said, listing the problems the EU is facing.

"(All) will come under further pressure as individual states delude themselves they can build 'special relationships' with Trump, and that supporting his agenda for Ukraine would be a good way to win favor."

When asked for a comment, a spokesperson for the European Commission referred the Kyiv Independent to a Nov. 18 statement by Borrell, who said that "we have to continue supporting Ukraine as much as we can and quicker, as quick as we can."

The U.S. and the EU currently provide 43% of military aid to Ukraine each, according to figures cited by de Bendern. In the EU, Germany is the biggest donor, with 12%.

"These figures speak for themselves: for the EU to replace the U.S., it would have to double the amount of military aid it gives to Ukraine," De Bendern said.

"The current political situation in Europe, as well as the real military capabilities of individual European countries, mean that Europe will not be able to step up in the short term."

But it all boils down to the presence of political will. If there is a will, Europe will be able to at least partially fill the gap in case of a U.S. withdrawal, according to analysts.

"There is so much more Europe can afford to do or could do creatively with some more money, including the frozen Russian assets," Sascha Bruchmann, a military analyst at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, told the Kyiv Independent.

"It is the lack of political will and geopolitical naïveté, not financial weakness, that holds Europe back."

What should be done to continue helping Ukraine?

Susan Stewart, an expert at the Eastern Europe and Eurasia Division of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said that, although the EU may not be able to undertake some projects as a bloc, some of its member states could create a coalition to boost support.

"There could be a sort of 'coalition of the willing' of those states that see their own security as severely threatened and/or have shown unwavering support for Ukraine," she said.

"A possible beginning of this coalition may be indicated by the meetings Donald Tusk is planning with the leaders of the UK, France, and the Baltic and Nordic states. And it will certainly not hurt that Poland will take over the presidency of the EU for six months in January 2025."

Stephen Hall, lecturer in Russian and post-Soviet politics at the University of Bath, argues that supporting Ukraine is vital for Europe's survival.

"Europe has to step up for its own safety as well," he told the Kyiv Independent.

Yet it's up to the countries that understand the risks to do so, no matter what U.S. policy come January will be.

A spokesperson for Rheinmetall, one of Germany's largest defense companies, said that it "is a strategic partner of Ukraine and intends to support the country in the long term."

"This applies regardless of the outcome of the U.S. election," he told the Kyiv Independent. "Should the countries of Europe decide to increase their support for Ukraine in the future, Rheinmetall will do everything in its power to meet these increased demands as well."

Martin Fornusek and Chris York contributed to this story.

Trump to call Putin, seek quick deal to end Russia-Ukraine war, says VolkerDonald Trump won the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 6, after months of repeatedly claiming he could end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in a day. To do that, he will have to do what he claims he does best — negotiate a deal. Ambassador Kurt Volker is one personThe Kyiv IndependentChris York

Explosions were heard in Kyiv after missile launches by the Ukrainian Air Force, with one missile fired toward the city.

Explosions in Kyiv, reports UNN.

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Explosions have been heard in the capital. Earlier, the Air Force reported missile launches, after which they fired a missile in the direction of Kyiv.

"The direction is towards Kyiv!" the Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement.

A couple of minutes later, an explosion occurred, UNN notes.

Key developments on Nov. 18:

• Russian missile attack on Odesa hits residential area, kills 10, injures 55
• US aims to 'provoke further escalation' — Kremlin comments on long-range strikes
• Scholz's stance on Taurus unchanged despite US permission on long-range strikes
• Turkish president to propose freezing Ukraine front line, Bloomberg reports
• Zelensky visits key front-line town of Pokrovsk
• Russia uses cheap decoy drones to overload Ukraine's air defense, Ukrainian intelligence says

Russian forces launched a ballistic missile attack against the port city of Odesa on Nov. 18, killing at least 10 people and injuring 55.

The killed included seven police officers, a medic, and two civilian residents. Among the injured were at least 14 law enforcement officers and four children, two of them aged 7, 10, and two 11-year-olds.

The children are hospitalized and are in condition of moderate severity, Governor Oleh Kiper said. Thirty other people are hospitalized, of which three are in critical condition.

Local authorities declared Nov. 19 a day of mourning in Odesa, Kiper said.

"After calls and meetings with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, after false media gossip about 'refraining' from strikes, Russia shows what it is really interested in: only war," Zelensky said.

The attack occurred shortly after Russia launched one of its largest mass strikes against Ukraine on Nov. 17 and deadly missile attacks against the city of Sumy overnight on Nov. 18.

Odesa, lying on the Black Sea coast in southern Ukraine, is home to some 1 million residents. The port city has been repeatedly targeted throughout the full-scale war.

US aims to 'provoke further escalation' — Kremlin comments on long-range strikes

The outgoing U.S. administration intends to provoke an escalation of the war in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the media on Nov. 18 following reports that Washington eased restrictions on long-range strikes.

Peskov's words come as a Russian missile attack on Odesa hit a residential area, killing 10, and injuring 55 more.

Several media outlets reported on Nov. 17 that U.S. President Joe Biden permitted Ukraine to use its ATACMS missiles to strike against targets on Russian soil. According to some reports, this so far concerns only Russian and North Korean forces amassing in Russia's Kursk Oblast.

"You know, with the reports in Western media, it is obvious that the outgoing administration in Washington intends to take steps… to add fuel to the fire and continue to provoke further escalation of tensions," Peskov said in response to a question whether the Kremlin can confirm that Washington took the step, RIA Novosti reported.

The statement comes as Biden is set to leave office in January, with Donald Trump replacing him in the Oval Office. The Biden administration has pledged to deliver as much support to Ukraine as possible before Trump takes office.

Scholz's stance on Taurus unchanged despite US permission on long-range strikes

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is not planning to supply Ukraine with Taurus missiles despite the U.S. easing restrictions on long-range strikes, a government spokesperson told the AFP news agency on Nov. 18.

Scholz has "made his position clear" on the matter and will "not change his stance anymore," spokesperson Wolfgang Buchner said.

Ukraine has previously received U.S.-made ATACMS and Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles from the U.K. and France, with a range of 300 kilometers (190 miles) and 250 kilometers (150 miles), respectively.

In contrast, Scholz has been adamant about not supplying the Taurus cruise missiles, which boast a range of 500 kilometers (310 miles), fearing an escalation with Russia.

Berlin's policy may soon shift as Germany heads toward snap elections on Feb. 23, with the center-right opposition alliance CDU/CSU currently leading the polls and threatening to oust Scholz.

CDU/CSU's chancellor candidate, Friedrich Merz, said he would allow the delivery of Taurus missiles, but only if necessary after issuing an ultimatum to Russian President Vladimir Putin and lifting restrictions on arms that had already been provided.

Similarly, Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck, who is running for the chancellery for the Greens, said he would greenlight the delivery of the missiles if elected in February.

‘It’s personal’ — Why Germany still refuses to send Taurus missiles to UkraineWhile Washington and London are facing pressure to allow Ukraine to strike targets deep inside Russia using the Western-made missiles already in the country, Berlin declines to even provide such missiles. “Germany has made a clear decision about what we will do and what we will not do. This decisio…The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova

Turkish president to propose freezing Ukraine front line, Bloomberg reports

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will propose his peace plan for Ukraine during the G20 talks commencing on Nov. 18, Bloomberg reported, citing undisclosed sources.

Erdogan's proposal would include Ukraine foregoing joining NATO for at least 10 years, freezing the current front line, providing Ukraine with weapons, and deploying international troops to a demilitarized buffer zone in the Donbas, Bloomberg reported.

The Turkish leader's proposal comes as NATO countries prepare for a Donald Trump presidency, which many fear will lead to the U.S. pressuring Ukraine to end the war quickly, even at the cost of territorial concessions.

The G20 countries are set to convene in Brazil without the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Brazil is a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Putin last year for the abduction of Ukrainian children. ‌‌

Zelensky will also not be present, despite numerous appeals to receive an invitation.‌‌ Zelensky said on Nov. 16 that Ukraine must do everything possible to end the war through diplomatic means in 2025.‌‌

Zelensky's words followed Scholz’s phone conversation with Putin, during which he condemned Russia's war against Ukraine and called to withdraw Russian troops from Ukrainian territory. He also urged Russia to negotiate with Ukraine to achieve a "just and lasting peace."

The call sparked anger in Ukraine, with Zelensky saying it could open a "Pandora's Box" for further engagement with the Russian leader. In the wake of Trump's election, Kyiv has urged its partners to adopt a "peace through strength" approach to pressure Russia toward a just peace.

Zelensky visits key front-line town of Pokrovsk

President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, currently lying some 6-7 kilometers from the front line, his Telegram channel reported on Nov. 18.

Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub for Ukrainian forces in the east, has come into artillery and drone range of Russian forces moving relentlessly forward in Donetsk Oblast. With Moscow's troops drawing near, losing the town would be a serious blow to other parts of Ukraine's defense as well.

"A tense sector. It is only thanks to the strength of the soldiers that the east (of Ukraine) is not completely occupied by Russia. The enemy receives a response every day," Zelensky said.

The head of state also visited the base of the 25th Airborne Brigade and handed out awards to soldiers.

During his trip, Zelensky was accompanied by Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin, who called Pokrovsk "one of the hottest spots" of the front line.

Zelensky has previously visited the most critical sectors of the front line during the full-scale war, including now Russian-occupied Bakhmut or Avdiivka.

His visit aims to boost the morale among Ukrainian troops, who are increasingly on the back foot in the face of a Russian advance. The inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in January adds further uncertainty regarding the future of Ukrainian defense capabilities.

Burning horizon: As Russia makes gains near Pokrovsk, civilians remain frozen in inactionSELYDOVE, Donetsk Oblast – “Kostia! Kostia?” Despite their volume, the volunteer’s calls dissipate in the strong winds coursing through the central streets of Selydove. This is the most dangerous part of any evacuation operation in a front-line city: making visual contact with civilians who have a…The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell

Russia uses cheap decoy drones to overload Ukraine's air defense, Ukrainian intelligence says

Russian forces use cheap decoy drones with foreign components to overload Ukraine's air defense system, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported on Nov. 18.

Russia has recently increased the number of large-scale drone attacks against Ukrainian cities, depleting Ukraine's air defense systems and targeting critical infrastructure.

According to HUR, Russian manufacturers use components from the U.S., China, the Netherlands, and Switzerland to produce the Gerbera drone, a cheaper and less deadly equivalent of Iran's Shahed, at a plant in Yelabuga, in the Republic of Tatarstan, central Russia.

The Gerbera drone can carry a combat payload similar to that of a kamikaze drone and conduct reconnaissance missions, particularly to detect air defense positions and record hits from other attack drones.

The Gerbera is ten times cheaper than the Shahed or Geran drones due to the use of simple materials, such as plywood and foam. Yet, the drone contains a set of components from foreign manufacturers that "are common for Russian weapons," according to HUR.

Russia’s Iranian Shahed drone strikes on Kyiv, other Ukrainian cities surgeAs Russia launched another swarm of killer drones to attack Kyiv on one day in early November, one of them came dangerously close to Petro, a 55-year-old resident of a high-rise apartment building in downtown Kyiv. “I saw this motherf*cker just maybe 200 meters above my head, very low.The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

Examination of the downed drones showed that Russia manufactures Gerberas based on a Chinese prototype using foreign components imported from China.

The Gerbera drones were developed by the Chinese model aircraft manufacturer Skywalker Technology Co., Ltd., which also produces fuselages and organizes the supply of kits to Russia.

The Gerbera's jamming-resistant antenna (CRPA) contains chips from Analog Devices and Texas Instruments, both made in the U.S., and NXP Semiconductors, made in the Netherlands. The flight controller also uses components manufactured by Texas Instruments, Atmel (USA), STMicroelectronics, U-Blox (Switzerland), NXP Semiconductors (Netherlands), and XLSEMI (China).

The DLE60 engine is manufactured by the Chinese company Mile Hao Xiang Technology Co, Ltd. In the summer of 2024, the U.S. sanctioned this company for supplying Russia.

Supplies are made through third-party companies, according to HUR.

"At this point, the biggest advantage that Russia may have in such attacks is sheer numbers of drones," Samuel Bendett, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security think tank, told the Kyiv Independent.

Bendett mentioned the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Russia's Republic of Tatarstan, where a Shahed-type drones plant is located. In May, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, citing a contract leaked by the Prana Network hacker group, that the factory already produces 4,500 Shaheds and aims to increase this number to 6,000.

"It appears that Russian efforts in Alabuga have ensured that the Russian military has thousands such UAVs at its disposal along with other simpler, smaller variance identified recently that fly alongside these official Geran (Russian name for Shahed-type) UAVs," Bendett said.

On Nov. 17, Russian forces launched one of the heaviest aerial strikes against the country throughout the full-scale war, primarily targeting the energy grid. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 102 of the 120 missiles and 42 of the 90 drones launched by Russia overnight.

Ukraine hits ammunition depots with domestic weapons in an attempt to disrupt Russia’s logisticsOver the past several months, the war had gradually moved deep inside Russian territory. In September, Ukraine targeted depots in the Russian towns of Tikhoretsk and Toropets with drones, setting ablaze over 30,000 tons of ammunition, which allegedly included ballistic missiles. The warehouse in T…The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister spoke at a UN Security Council meeting on the territorial integrity of Ukraine. He presented evidence of the DPRK's use of missiles and called for increased support for Ukraine to force russia to withdraw its troops.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said that no compromises on the territorial integrity of Ukraine are possible and stressed that the fastest way to end the war is to support Ukraine so that it forces russia to withdraw its troops. Sibiga said this during a meeting of the UN Security Council, reports UNN.

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It must be recognized that no compromises on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of either Ukraine or any other country are possible. The fastest way to end the war is to support Ukraine so that it can force russia to withdraw its troops. It is also necessary to remove artificial restrictions on the use of weapons. This will only speed up a just peace. Stronger sanctions will deprive russia of the means to wage war. russia is also planning to invest several billion in its military machine. We have to cut off the flow of petrodollars. Zelenskyy's plan is the only realistic approach for peace

– said Sibiga.

According to him, russia loses as many soldiers in Ukraine in 10 days as the USSR lost in Afghanistan during all the years of the war.

russia does not value human life. As a result, the price will be too high and may lead to a more global war. We witnessed this in 2014. Back then, there was an argument among peacekeepers that russia only wanted Crimea and would not go further. However, this did not work. Such a weak response did not deter russia, but only encouraged russia to further violations. russia started a war in Donbas. Ukraine signed the Minsk agreements and held more than 200 rounds of negotiations with russia. In fact, 20 ceasefire agreements were signed, but 8 years later, russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Between February 23, 2023, and October 2024, the Ukrainian Defense Forces recorded 4,600 cases of russian use of chemical munitions. Today's OPCW report is a reminder that russia has violated the red lines repeatedly. For russia, this is also a war for natural resources. It will try to steal Ukraine's rich deposits of uranium, titanium and other resources. We must stop it, prevent the aggressor from seizing these important resources so that they do not fall into the hands of russia, North Korea and Iran

– Sibiga added.

Recall

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga demonstrates a fragment of a North Korean KN-23 missile that russia fired at Ukraine at a special meeting of the UN Security Council.

At the UN Security Council meeting, Ukraine's Foreign Minister showed a fragment of the North Korean missile that russia used to hit Kyiv regionNov 18 2024, 11:18 PM • 2310 views

Sibiga, commenting on the strikes on Odesa and Sumy, said that these attacks are russia's response to all those who recently called and visited russian dictator putin to ask for peace, emphasizing that he wants war, not peace.

Sibiga on russia's latest strikes: “this is russia's response to all those who have recently called and visited putin to ask for peace”Nov 18 2024, 11:10 PM • 2614 views

UNESCO has condemned Russia's overnight strikes on Odesa's historic center overnight on Nov. 15, which damaged numerous architectural monuments, according to a statement on its official website.

As a result of the Russian attack overnight on Nov. 15, a 35-year-old was killed. The strike also injured 10 people, with eight of them hospitalized with injuries of varying severity.

"UNESCO condemns these strikes, which contravene international law, and expresses its support for the victims, the population, and the local authorities," reads the statement published on Nov. 18.

The historical center of the southern city of Odesa was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in January 2023.

"Once again, UNESCO is calling for an end to all attacks on cultural property protected under widely ratified international standard-setting instruments."

A UNESCO mission led by Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi, head of the UNESCO Office in Ukraine, arrived on Nov. 16 to inspect the recently damaged cultural heritage sites. The organization has not yet provided the results of the assessments.

Since the beginning of the all-out war, Russia has destroyed over 1,000 cultural heritage sites in Ukraine, including those under the protection of UNESCO, according to the Culture Ministry.

In July 2023, the Russian missile strike damaged more than 20 architectural monuments in the historical center of Odesa and heavily damaged the Transfiguration Cathedral.

On Oct. 28, the Russian bomb hit an iconic 13-story building situated in the very heart of Kharkiv, known as Derzhprom, or the State Industry House. Derzhprom was added to UNESCO's preliminary list in 2017 and was placed under provisional enhanced UNESCO protection after Russia's full-scale invasion.

As of Oct. 21, UNESCO confirmed the damage to 457 sites, including 143 religious sites, 231 buildings of historical or artistic interest, 32 museums, 33 monuments, 17 libraries, and one archive.

Russia seeks to obliviate Ukrainian heritage by demolishing UNESCO-protected sitesSince the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has destroyed over 1,000 cultural heritage sites in Ukraine, including those under the protection of UNESCO, according to the Culture Ministry. Moscow destroys cultural monuments not only with missile or drone strikes. Several historical monume…The Kyiv IndependentIrynka Hromotska

On November 19, stabilization blackouts will be introduced in Kyiv and three regions due to damage to the energy infrastructure. The outages will last from 6:00 to 23:00 according to a special queue schedule.

On November 19, stabilization blackouts will be introduced in Kyiv, Kyiv, Dnipro and Donetsk regions due to the effects of enemy strikes that damaged the energy infrastructure. This was reported by DTEK, UNN reports.

Details

According to Ukrenergo's decision, the outages will last from 06:00 to 23:00.

According to the schedule, blackouts in these regions will be carried out according to the following scheme:

06:00-07:00 – one queue

07:00-09:00 – two queues

09:00-14:00 – one queue

14:00-18:00 – two queues

18:00-23:00 – one queue

Residents are asked to follow the latest changes through specialized chatbots available for each region.

Power engineers continue to work to eliminate the consequences of the attacks to restore power supply and minimize inconvenience to the public.

Ukrenergo revealed the schedule of power outages for November 19: when and how many lines will be cut offNov 18 2024, 05:30 PM • 17023 views