Category: World

There were 157 combat clashes on the line of contact since the beginning of the day on 15 November. The largest number of battles took place on the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove fronts, and the operation in Russia’s Kursk Oblast is ongoing.

Source: General Staff report as of 22:00 on 15 November

Quote: "The Russian invaders launched 1 missile strike and 42 airstrikes (69 guided aerial bombs) on the territory of Ukraine. In addition, 689 kamikaze drones were used and more than 3,800 attacks were carried out on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements."

Details: The Russians attempted to assault Ukrainian positions near Vovchansk and Vysoka Yaruha on the Kharkiv front. Seven attacks were repelled by the defence forces, and two combat clashes are ongoing.

The Russian forces conducted offensive actions near Kolisnykivka, Kopanky and Nadiia on the Kupiansk front. 14 battles are over, 1 is still ongoing.

The Russians assaulted the positions of the Ukrainian defence forces near Novoiehorivka, Makiivka, Terny and Torske 16 times on the Lyman front.

Russian troops attacked Ukrainian positions near Verkhnokamianske one time on the Siversk front.

The Russians, supported by bomber aircraft, carried out nine assault operations on the Toretsk front. They also attacked the positions of Ukrainian troops near Toretsk, Dyliivka and Shcherbynivka.

The Russians carried out 35 attacks in the vicinity of Myroliubivka, Promin, Lysivka, Petrivka and Pustynka on the Pokrovsk front since the beginning of the day. Ukrainian defenders repelled 34 attacks, 1 combat clash is still ongoing.

Russian forces carried out 34 attacks on the Kurakhove front near Berestky, Novoselydivka, Voznesenka, Novodmytrivka, Maksymilianivka, Dalne and Antonivka.

Hostilities continue near Trudove, Rivnopillia and Novodarivka on the Vremivka front, the situation is under control.

The Ukrainian defence forces stopped five Russians attempts to attack Ukraine's positions on the Prydniprovske front.

Ukrainian defenders repelled 21 attacks on Kursk Oblast, and three clashes are ongoing.

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Israel has attacked a top-secret nuclear weapons development center in Parchin, Iran. The strike destroyed sophisticated equipment for creating plastic explosives needed for nuclear devices.

Israel's attack on Iran in late October destroyed an active top-secret nuclear weapons research facility in Parchin, U.S. officials say. This was reported by Axios with reference to three American and two Israeli officials, UNN reports.

Details

Officials said that the facility in Parchyn was previously considered inactive.

As noted, the Israeli strike caused significant damage to Iran's efforts over the past year to resume nuclear weapons research.

One former Israeli official with knowledge of the strike said that sophisticated equipment used to develop the plastic explosives that surround the uranium in a nuclear device and are needed to detonate it was destroyed.

Israeli and U.S. officials have stated that the recent activities at the site were part of the Iranian government's efforts to conduct research that could be used to develop nuclear weapons, but could also be presented as civilian research.

They conducted scientific activities that could lay the foundation for the production of nuclear weapons. It was top secret. A small part of the Iranian government knew about it, but most of the Iranian government did not,

– said the American official.

Israeli air strike on humanitarian camp in Gaza: what is known about the consequencesNov 15 2024, 01:25 AM • 14346 views

A man who was hit by a Russian drone was taken to hospital in the city of Kherson.

Source: Kherson Oblast Military Administration

Quote: "A 60-year-old resident of Kherson who was hit by a Russian drone was taken to hospital.

The man sustained mine-blast trauma and shrapnel wounds to his chest, arm and leg as a result of the explosives dropped from the UAV."

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Florence authorities are stepping up the fight against excessive tourism due to the growing number of visitors. The city bans key boxes, loudspeakers for tour guides, and “atypical vehicles.

The Italian city of Florence has tightened its travel restrictions. Key boxes and loudspeakers of tour guides were banned. This was reported by CNN, according to UNN.

As the publication notes, Florence has long attracted visitors for its beautiful architecture and art.

However, Florence is taking a number of measures to reduce excessive tourism. Among the new restrictions will be key boxes used by short-term rental owners. It is worth noting that these boxes have recently been vandalized, and disappointed locals have been covering them with red Xs.

Restrictions will also be imposed on “atypical vehicles,” such as golf carts, which are becoming increasingly popular with tour guides to take visitors around the city in areas where car traffic is restricted.

The decree also bans the use of amplifiers and loudspeakers for tour guides.

The publication emphasized that Florence in Tuscany has long been popular among travelers. But, as in many other places in Italy and elsewhere, the number of tourists has increased dramatically in recent years, leading to a negative reaction from residents.

New measures to combat excessive tourism have been adopted by local authorities as the Italian government hosts a meeting of G7 tourism ministers in Florence.

Recall

The Italian authorities of Venice announced their intention to increase the number of days in 2025 when the entrance to the historic city center will be paid for by tourists.

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.

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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

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

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reacting on the call between the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the Kremlin ruler, stated that while this action may serve as a catalyst for future talks with Vladimir Putin, that there will be no Minsk-3 agreement, and that Ukraine needs real peace [Minsk agreements are international agreements signed by Ukraine, Russia, and the OSCE which sought to end the war in Donbas – ed.].

Source: Zelenskyy on Facebook

Quote: "On one of today's news. Chancellor Scholz informed me that he was going to call Putin. Olaf's call, I believe, opens Pandora's box. There may now be other talks or calls. Just a lot of words.

And this is exactly what Putin has always desired: it is critical for him to weaken his isolation, as well as Russia's isolation, and to engage in routine conversations that will yield no results. He'd been doing it this way for decades. This allowed Russia to avoid changing its strategy or doing anything at all, which is what led to this war.

We now understand all of these problems. We understand how to act. And we want to be clear: Minsk-3 will not happen; we need real peace."

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The disbursement of a €4.1 billion tranche of EU aid to Ukraine is pending approval by the EU Council. The European Commission hopes to make the payment by the end of 2023.

The timing of the disbursement of the €4.1 billion tranche of EU aid to Ukraine depends on the decision of the EU Council, but the European Commission hopes that the payment will be made this year, European Commission spokeswoman Ana Pisonero said at a briefing in Brussels on Friday, UNN reports.

Details

"Now it is in the hands of the (EU) Council to confirm that they agree with our assessment. Of course, the timing of the payment… is in the hands of the (EU) Council, as soon as the (EU) Council gives the green light, then of course the (European) Commission can obviously go ahead with the payment. The President (of the European Commission) Ursula von der Leyen herself has already said that we hope that this payment can still be made this year," Pisonero said.

The European Commission has approved the allocation of 4.1 billion euros to Ukraine – ShmyhalNov 14 2024, 03:56 PM • 18524 views