Category: War in Ukraine

The Atesh partisan group sabotaged a key railway in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast, disabling electrical equipment and causing disruptions in Russia's military supply chain, the group claimed on Nov. 16.

An Atesh operative burned a relay cabinet near the Russian-occupied city of Tokmak, the partisans said, publishing purported footage of the sabotage without specifying the date.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.

According to the group, the sabotage occurred between two rail stations in occupied Tokmak.

"Russian forces are intensifying their offensive in the Zaporizhzhia direction. This makes sabotage operations a serious problem for them, complicating logistics and disrupting the regular supply of ammunition and fuel," the group said on Telegram.

"These interruptions gradually undermine the combat effectiveness of Russian troops, slow their offensive actions, and increase losses, ultimately reducing their chances of achieving their objectives," the group added.

In early October, Russian troops reportedly renewed their attack in the Zaporizhzhia sector. Kyiv warned of a potential Russian push in the southern region, just as Moscow's troops continue advancing in Ukraine's east.

Amid increased attacks in the region, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian military's Southern Command, told the news outlet Suspilne on Nov. 12 that the Russian army is deploying trained assault groups to frontline positions in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

The Atesh movement regularly commits sabotage attacks in both occupied areas of Ukraine and inside Russia itself.

On at least two different occasions, the saboteurs have previously claimed to attack rail lines insides Russia, targeting North Korean ammunition transporting throughout the country.

Russia producing thermobaric drones, capable of causing ‘terrifying’ civilian harm, AP reportsThermobaric warheads create a wave of high pressure and heat that is capable of penetrating thick walls, AP reported. The damage caused by thermobaric attack drones would cause damage that would be “simply terrifying” for civilian populations to endure, including collapsed lungs, crushed eyeballs, a…The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski has announced the possibility of locating the Ukrainian consulate in the building of the Russian consulate after its closure in Poznan. The decision is due to the growing number of Ukrainians in Poland and their consular needs.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said that after the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Poznan, this building could become a Ukrainian consulate if Kyiv submits a request. This was reported by RFM24, according to UNN.

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Sikorski noted that if Ukraine applied to use the building, which will be freed from the Russians, to open its own consulate in the city, Warsaw would be favorable to this.

He explained that due to the rapid increase in the number of Ukrainians in Poland, there are currently not enough institutions in the country to meet their needs.

The lease agreement for this property expires at the end of this month. Now we are talking about more than ten days. The current network of Ukrainian consulates, given the unprecedented growth in the number of Ukrainian citizens in Poland, does not meet consular needs,

– said the Polish Foreign Minister.

He also emphasized that consulates deal with various practical matters. In particular, legal documents, births of children or deaths of people, etc.

Sikorski added that the closure of the Russian consulate in Poznan is a symbolic step that emphasizes Warsaw's position on the need to counter any potential threats from Russia, and is a demonstration of solidarity with Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.

Recall

Radoslaw Sikorski announced an important meeting in the Weimar Triangle Plus format next week in Warsaw. Representatives of Ukraine, France, Germany and other European countries are invited to the talks.

STV GROUP has provided EUR 765 thousand to Ukraine for the purchase of RPG-7 anti-tank grenade launchers. The symbolic check was handed over on November 14 at the Embassy of Ukraine in the Czech Republic.

The Czech company STV GROUP has donated more than 700 thousand euros to Ukraine, which will be used to purchase anti-tank grenade launchers. This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, according to UNN.

On November 14, the Embassy of Ukraine in the Czech Republic hosted a symbolic check for RPG-7 anti-tank grenade launchers for the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the amount of EUR 765,000 (CZK 20 million) from STV GROUP,

– the statement said.

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It is noted that this was the result of an agreement between the Embassy and the leading Czech manufacturer of ammunition and military equipment STV GROUP.

The diplomatic mission emphasized that the RPG-7 is a weapon that has proven to be highly effective in combat conditions.

The transfer of this military aid is another example of solidarity and support from our Czech friends. I am convinced that these grenade launchers in the hands of our heroic military will play a significant role in the defense against the aggressor and protection of human lives,

– said Ambassador Vasyl Zvarych.

Rheinmetall to produce barrels for tanks and guns in the UK under new defense dealOct 23 2024, 01:38 AM • 19463 views

Russians in the occupied territories of the south are forcing local residents to join their army. The invaders put pressure on those detained for minor offenses and conscripts, promising not to send them to the front line.

In the temporarily occupied territories of the south, the invaders, in violation of international law, are agitating the local population to join their army. This is reported by the Center for National Resistance, according to UNN.

The occupiers offer to sign a contract for military service in the Russian army to all those detained for minor offenses, as well as to those who are called up for military service,

– the message says.

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It is noted that in order to implement the plan of this criminal “mobilization”, the Russians use methods of psychological pressure and threats to potential candidates. At the same time, the enemy promises not to send contractors from the temporarily occupied territories to the front line.

Recall

In the temporarily occupied territories, the invaders offer unemployed Ukrainians to assemble drones for their army through employment centers.

North Korea has provided Russia with 50 domestically produced self-propelled howitzers and 20 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), the Financial Times (FT) reported on Nov. 16, citing a Ukrainian intelligence assessment.

The additional support by Pyongyang come as 11,000 North Korean troopsare amassing in Russia's Kursk Oblast, training alongside Russian troops in its fight against Ukraine.

A Pentagon spokesperson said on Nov. 13 that some North Korean troops have already been deployed to fight along Russian forces.

According to FT, some of the delivered weapons have been moved to Kursk Oblast to assist in Russia's effort to regain control of the territory it lost to Ukrainian forces earlier this year. The weapons include North Korean-made 170mm M1989 self-propelled howitzers as well as updated 240mm MLRS systems.

The reliability of North Korean-made weapons has previously come into question, with reports by South Korea's intelligence agency that Pyongyang previously sent weapons made in the 1970s to Moscow.

With Russia's military stocks running low and domestic production capacity simultaneously hampered by Western sanctions, North Korea has been shaping up as Russia's leading weapons supplier, providing Moscow with extensive military packages

North Korea has previously provided Russia with as many as 4.8 million artillery shells, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik said in June.

Both Kyiv and Washington have previously said that Russia has been using North Korean-produced missiles to attack Ukraine. In March of this year, Ukrainian prosecutors reported that Russia had fired around 50 such missiles to attack six Ukrainian oblasts since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

Increased military support by Pyongyang started rolling into Russia after the signing of an agreement in June during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the North Korean capital. The agreement pledged to provide each other aid if either country is attacked, in addition to other military and humanitarian support.

On Nov. 12, North Korea formalized the mutual defense treaty with Russia, while Russian lawmakers unanimously approved the treaty last week, and President Vladimir Putin signed it into law the week prior.

As alliances between Russia and North Korea continue to deepen, South Korean relations with Ukraine also continue to grow.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said at a press conference on Nov. 7. that the country does not rule out providing arms to Ukraine. South Korea has previously provided Ukraine with humanitarian and non-lethal aid but refused to provide weapons, citing legislative restrictions.

Russia producing thermobaric drones, capable of causing ‘simply terrifying’ damage to civilians, AP reportsThermobaric warheads create a wave of high pressure and heat that is capable of penetrating thick walls, AP reported. The damage caused by thermobaric attack drones would cause damage that would be “simply terrifying” for civilian populations to endure, including collapsed lungs, crushed eyeballs, a…The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

At a Polish training center, Ukrainian Legion volunteers swore allegiance to Ukraine. The soldiers began intensive training under the guidance of Polish instructors.

On Saturday, November 16, the first group of volunteers of the Ukrainian Legion took the oath of allegiance to the Ukrainian people at one of the training centers of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, according to UNN.

Taking the oath is one of the most important and solemn events in a serviceman's life. For the Legion volunteers, this moment is special, as their decision to stand up for Ukraine is conscious and decisive. The unit is formed of highly motivated soldiers for whom defending their homeland from the aggressor is a matter of honor,

– emphasized Petro Gorkusha, a representative of the Legion command.

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It is noted that the soldiers have now begun an intensive training course, which includes firearms training (including elements of CQB – Close-quarters battle), tactical medicine, mine safety, topography and other necessary disciplines. The training is conducted by experienced Polish instructors.

Recall

The first group of volunteers of the Ukrainian Legion signed contracts in Lublin and began 35 days of basic training. The recruiting center received about 700 applications from Ukrainians from all over Europe.

Russia recently began producing thermobaric drones to be used alongside decoy drones in Ukraine, which are capable of causing severe damage to civilians, an investigation by the Associated Press (AP) revealed on Nov. 16.

While thermobaric warheads have reportedly been previously used by Russia in Ukraine on missiles, their use on attack drones would mark an escalation of the warhead's use.

Thermobaric warheads create a wave of high pressure and heat that is capable of penetrating thick walls, AP reported. The damage caused by thermobaric attack drones would cause damage that would be "simply terrifying" for civilian populations to endure, including collapsed lungs, crushed eyeballs, and brain damage, according to a source familiar with Russian drone production.

While controversial, thermobaric munitions are not prohibited under international law.

According to the AP investigation, the thermobaric weapons would be deployed alongside decoy drones meant to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses. Decoy drones have been regularly used in recent months as Russia has increased its drone attack on Ukrainian cities since the beginning of September.

The Ukrainian Air Force previously said that Russia launched at least 4,300 Shahed-type attack drones and similar UAVs imitating Shaheds against Ukraine between August and October 2024.

The Russian production of thermobaric drones, codenamed Operation False Target, is currently in production in Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone in the country's Tatarstan Republic.

Russia continues to use drones to overwhelm Ukrainian cities ahead of expected attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities ahead of the winter months. The use of thermobaric drones would likely be used primarily to penetrate thick walls and underground energy substation, ideal for targeting energy facilities.

In recent months, Iran and China have continue to supply components for Russian attack drones.

Reuters reported on Sept. 25 citing European intelligence sources that Russia has secretly established a development and production program in China for attack drones to be used in the war in Ukraine. While Iran has continuously produced Shahed-type drones for Russia's use in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war.

The EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell reportedly informed European nations of "convincing" evidence of Chinese production "of lethal aid" to Russia, ahead of an upcoming meeting of EU foreign ministers on Nov. 18, the German media outlet Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) reported, citing three EU officials.

China has positioned itself as neutral in the Russia-Ukraine war but has simultaneously deepened economic ties with Moscow and backed the country against Western sanctions.

Beijing has also emerged as one of Russia's leading sources of dual-use goods that feed the Russian defense industry.

EU has ‘convincing’ evidence of reported Chinese attack drone production for Russia, media reports“We have had reports from intelligence sources on the existence of a factory inside China producing drones which are shipped to Russia,” a senior EU official told Politico on Nov. 15.The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

Russian troops launched about 15 attacks on Nikopol district using Grad rocket launchers, artillery and drones. A 75-year-old woman was injured, and residential buildings and critical infrastructure were damaged.

In Nikopol district of Dnipropetrovs'k region, a woman was injured in the shelling on November 16, and houses, a transport company, power lines and a gas pipeline were damaged. This was reported by the head of the Dnipropetrovs'k RMA Serhiy Lysak, UNN reports.

Shelling from Grad rocket launchers and artillery. Attacks by drones. During the day, Nikopol district was under enemy attack almost fifteen times. The aggressor targeted Nikopol, Marhanetska and Myrivska communities,

– the statement said.

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It is noted that a 75-year-old woman was injured. She was provided with medical care. She will be treated on an outpatient basis.

Lysak also said that a transport company, a five-story building, 10 private houses and 10 outbuildings, 3 garages, solar panels, a greenhouse, a power line and a gas pipeline were damaged.

Russian troops carried out 464 strikes in Zaporizhzhia region – RMANov 16 2024, 05:41 AM • 32926 views

A day after videos showed Russian troops planting a Russian flag in a grey zone near the border in Ukraine's Chernihiv Oblast, Ukraine's State Border Guard Service released a video showing a drone destroying the flag on Nov. 16.

"Intelligence indicated that the Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group left the area even before the elimination of the established flags, not daring to take further action," the service wrote in a statement accompanying the video.

"This is another unsuccessful attempt by the enemy to impose its 'victories,' and nothing more than a psychological trick that has no military meaning," the statement continued.

Russian military bloggers a day earlier posted videos appearing to show 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.

A spokesperson for the Border Service denied that Russian forces entered the settlements and said that they did not cross the bridge.

The spokesperson, Andrii Demchenko, added that no major defensive was detected and Ukraine has deployed additional forces in the area to fend off acts of sabotage from Russia.

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.

Ukraine destroys $10 million Russian Buk air-defense system, Interior Ministry saysA drone unit in the National Guard’s 27th Pechersk Brigade destroyed a Russian anti-aircraft missile BUK-M1 system worth $10 million, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported on Nov 16.The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

According to Ukrainian intelligence, North Korea is seeking access to Russian nuclear and missile technologies in exchange for military support from Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Pyongyang is seeking to exchange its participation in the aggression against Ukraine for access to Russian technologies in missile, nuclear and other military programs. This was emphasized by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga, referring to Ukrainian intelligence data, UNN reports.

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Today, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga welcomed his Japanese counterpart Iwai Takeshi to Kyiv and held talks with him on a wide range of issues of Ukrainian-Japanese cooperation, as well as global security challenges.

The heads of Ukrainian and Japanese diplomacy discussed the security situation in Ukraine and the world, including the actual entry of North Korea into the Russian war. According to Andriy Sybiga, this is evidence that the future of not only the European but also the global security architecture is being decided in Ukraine.

"Russia's deepening military-technical cooperation with North Korea and Iran poses a direct threat not only to Europe, but also to Southeast Asia and the Middle East. It is not only Russia that receives drones, missiles, and soldiers. Moscow is strengthening Tehran and Pyongyang in return," he emphasized.

DPRK ratifies mutual defense treaty with RussiaNov 12 2024, 01:52 AM • 21805 views

The minister also said that according to Ukrainian intelligence, Pyongyang is seeking to exchange its participation in the aggression against Ukraine for access to Russian technology in missile, nuclear and other military programs.

"This is extremely threatening. All this cannot but worry our partners. That is why we have to counter such global threats together," the Foreign Minister said.

In this context, Andriy Sybiga emphasized that only strong and systematic support for Ukraine can stop Russia and bring a comprehensive, just and sustainable peace. According to him, Russia's defeat in Ukraine will stop other aggressors from pursuing their aggressive plans.

North Korean soldiers completely change the political scenario and the meaning of war – YermakOct 27 2024, 11:39 AM • 20633 views