08:15 Hungary courts peace summit with Russia
Hungary is calling for Russia's participation in the planned second peace conference regarding Ukraine. There are efforts to hold a second peace summit this year, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. This is welcome news, he added. "I believe if we want to hope for the success of a future peace conference, we must ensure that both sides are represented." Hungary currently holds the EU presidency. The first peace summit took place in the middle of June at the request of Ukraine, with representatives from over 90 countries attending in Switzerland. Russia expressed its disinterest early on and was therefore not invited.
07:46 Russia and Ukraine to exchange prisoners today Russia and Ukraine are to exchange 90 prisoners today. This was facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, according to Bloomberg, citing a source. Last week, Ukrainian media reported that the Parliament's Human Rights Ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinez, had announced that the government was planning, with the help of the United Arab Emirates, for a large prisoner exchange with Russia soon. The two warring parties have already exchanged prisoners on multiple occasions.
06:55 Ukrainian startups develop robots for the front
Ukrainian startups are developing affordable robots for mine clearance, evacuation of battlefields, transportation of equipment, and combat support. This was reported by the Ukrainian agency Ukrinform. An "ecosystem of laboratories in hundreds of secret workshops" is using innovations to create a robot army. The Ukraine hopes that this army will be able to kill Russian troops and save its own wounded soldiers and civilians, according to Ukrinform.
06:20 State and government heads of 47 countries to speak about Ukraine
At the invitation of the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, state and government heads of 47 countries will meet tomorrow. The 27 EU member states plus 20 third countries will discuss further aid for Ukraine in its defense war against Russia. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is also registered. There will be several round tables on security policy and defense, but other topics will also be discussed. Ukraine is represented at the conference.
04:37 Japan grants Ukraine a loan from frozen Russian assets
Japan is reportedly granting Ukraine a loan of 3.3 billion dollars from frozen Russian assets. The sum is part of the 50 billion dollar package from the G7 countries, according to the Kyodo news agency, citing informed sources. The United States and the European Union are each supposed to contribute 20 billion dollars. Japan, Great Britain, and Canada together contribute ten billion dollars. The package is expected to be adopted at a G7 summit on the sidelines of the G20 finance summit at the end of the month in Brazil.
03:26 German government grants Kiev ten million euros for hospital rebuilding
Following the rocket attack on the children's hospital in Kiev, the German Development Ministry is granting the Ukrainian government ten million euros for the hospital's rebuilding. The funds will be used together with contributions from other donors and sponsors to make the hospital operational and winter-proof again as soon as possible, according to the "Rheinische Post" citing ministry statements. This includes repairs and maintenance work on facades, in treatment rooms, and the power and heating supply.
02:10 Medvedev warns NATO of "a point of no return"
At the NATO summit's promise to offer Ukraine membership, former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev renewed his threats against the alliance. In an article for the Russian news portal Argumenty I Fakty, he referred to a potential Ukrainian membership as a potential declaration of war against Russia. "That would essentially be a declaration of war - albeit with a delay. The actions taken by Russia's adversaries for years against us, by expanding the alliance, ... are bringing NATO to a point of no return." Russia does not threaten NATO but will respond to the alliance's attempts to advance its interests. "The harder these attempts are, the harsher our responses will be," Medvedev said. "Whether it tears the whole planet apart depends solely on the wisdom of the (NATO) side."
01:00 Ukrainian soldiers use "expired" ammunition
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry, according to its own statements, has returned a "considerable amount" of old ammunition to the military that should have been disposed of before the first Russian attack on Ukrainian territory in 2014. The ammunition is already being used on the battlefield. "We are looking for internal reserves to supply Ukrainian soldiers with ammunition. We know that every shot, every rocket, and every grenade on the battlefield is life-saving," said Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Dshyhar. Everything that can be repaired and reused is given a second life.
23:37 Ukrainian troops give up positions in the southeast
Ukrainian troops, according to unofficial reports, have had to give up positions in the southeast of the country in Krynky in the Cherson region and Uroschajne in the Donezk region under Russian pressure. "In both settlements, it no longer made sense to hold the positions," Ukrainian media quote sources in the General Staff. The fighting for the settlement of Krynky on the southern bank of the Dnipro River in the Cherson region was criticized from the start due to its futility. It is unclear whether Ukrainian soldiers are still holding positions on the southern bank of the Dnipro River. Read more here.
22:07 New aid for Ukraine
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi announced a new aid package of $100 million (around €93 million) during a visit to Ukraine. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will support the preparation for winter and continue to support the Ukrainian government in helping displaced or otherwise war-affected Ukrainians, Grandi said during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kiev. The agency also plans to mobilize future funds to support the war-torn country. Zelenskyy thanked the aid, stressing that it was urgently needed due to the damage to the energy infrastructure caused by Russian attacks. At the same time, Zelenskyy, according to a statement from the Presidential Administration, emphasized that the country still needed more help to rebuild destroyed houses and install bomb shelters in schools and hospitals. This would give displaced Ukrainians the security to return home.
21:27 Ukraine reports destruction of Russian S-300 air defense system
Ukraine reports destruction of Russian S-300 air defense system in occupied Oblast Donetsk. The Ukrainian General Staff Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported on Twitter. A video spread by the Ukrainian military shows several hits of alleged ATACMS rockets with cluster munition. According to Syrskyi, several launch pads and a radar station of the system were destroyed.
20:49 Report: Ukrainian government may be reshuffling
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reportedly on the verge of reshuffling his cabinet and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal. This is reported by the "Kyiv Post" with reference to an unnamed source in the Ukrainian parliament. The Ukrainian parliament has reportedly been instructed to prepare for a discussion and vote on a new cabinet on Tuesday in the coming week. Zelenskyy himself also spoke about the rumors of a possible cabinet reshuffle on Monday. "Could there be changes in the government? Probably, yes", so the Ukrainian President. "We are in a process."
20:02 Baltic States disconnecting from Russian power grid
The Baltic States have reportedly informed Russia and its ally Belarus of their exit from the power grid of the former Soviet Union. "We will cut the last energy connections with Russia", explains the CEO of the state-owned Lithuanian power grid operator Litgrid, Rokas Masiulis. The step is supposed to take effect in February 2025. Shortly thereafter, the three countries are to connect to the European power grid. "In six months, we will not only disconnect from the Russian and Belarusian power grids, but also dismantle the last power lines", explains Masiulis.
19:20 Lindner criticizes Orbán's "solo actions"
Following the controversy over Viktor Orbán's Moscow trip, Germany and other EU members are increasing pressure on Budapest. At a finance ministers' meeting in Brussels, most EU members called on Hungary to continue prioritizing Ukraine aid. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner criticized Orbán for "solo actions". "Hungary should know that the peace and freedom order of Europe as a whole is being defended in Ukraine", said Lindner in the public debate. The priority of this under Hungary's EU presidency must also remain until the end of the year. Hungary's Finance Minister Mihaly Varga had previously presented seven priorities from the fight against illegal migration to competitiveness, but Ukraine was not mentioned.
18:47 NATO and Volodymyr Zelensky discuss cyberwarfare threatIn a recent meeting, Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President, discussed the threat of cyberwarfare with NATO leaders. The discussion highlighted the necessity of strengthening cyberdefenses in response to Russian cyberattacks on Ukraine.
17:15 EU considers military deployment to Ukraine-Conflict zone Following Russia's continued aggression in the Ukraine-Conflict zone, there are discussions within the European Union about potential military deployments. Hungary, however, remains against such a move, citing the need for diplomacy.
16:50 Russia accusations of using military deployments as a threat Critics accuse Russia of using its military deployments as a threat to escalate the Ukraine-Conflict. These accusations have led to calls for increased diplomatic efforts to ensure peace and stability in the region.
16:20 Volodymyr Zelensky's appeal to NATO for membership In his address to NATO, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed for membership to the alliance, citing Russia's aggression as a justification. This request has been met with mixed reactions, with some members supporting Ukraine's bid and others expressing concern.
15:40 Russia's denial of involvement in 'Attack on Ukraine' Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Russia continues to deny involvement in the 'Attack on Ukraine'. This denial has strained relations with Western countries, which have imposed sanctions on Russia in response to its actions.
