11:53 Protection from Rockets: Charkiw pupils learn under ground
Children in the city of Charkhw in eastern Ukraine, which has been under Russian fire almost daily since the beginning of the war, will reportedly be taught more intensively in underground schools according to city administration announcements. An underground school project has already been implemented. The construction of three more such facilities has begun. The children will be better protected from Russian air raids in this way.
11:22 Media: Ukraine to receive 32 outdated F-16s from Greece
Greece plans to retire 32 outdated F-16 fighter jets and transfer them to the USA. After modernization, these planes will be delivered to Ukraine, according to the "New Voice of Ukraine" portal, citing an Al Jazeera report. Ukraine already has 60 F-16 jets from Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands, but it needs at least 150 combat jets to launch rockets and missiles against Russia and repel air raids on a wide front. There have been devastating bombing raids, the latest on a children's hospital in Kiev with at least seven fatalities.
10:35 Ukraine reports 112 frontline engagements since yesterday
The Ukrainian army general staff recorded 112 engagements along the front line in the past 24 hours. Among them were reportedly four rocket attacks on Ukrainian unit positions and inhabited areas, as well as 71 air raids with 119 guided air bombs. In addition, Russia conducted over 4,300 artillery attacks, including 121 with multiple rocket launchers.
09:54 Russia and China begin joint naval exercise
Russia and China have begun a naval exercise in the South China Sea. The exercise is expected to last three days, according to Russian and Chinese state media. They will reportedly practice air and underwater defense during the drills. Live ammunition will be used. Just a few days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, both countries announced a strengthening of their partnership and described it as "boundless."
08:43 Ministry reports 42,000 missing Ukrainians
Approximately 42,000 people are currently missing in Ukraine, including soldiers and civilians. This figure was released by the Interior Ministry. The number was previously higher, at around 51,000, but the ministry reports that the remains of about 4,000 soldiers who went missing in battle have been found and identified. Around 3,000 missing persons have been found alive, many of whom were prisoners of war. Identifying the dead is difficult due to the Defense Ministry's refusal to take genetic samples from soldiers before sending them into the field.
08:15 Hungary lobbies for Russian participation in second Ukraine peace conference
Hungary is lobbying for Russian participation in the planned second Ukraine peace conference. There are efforts to hold another peace conference this year, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. "I believe that 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 conference took place in June at the request of Ukraine, with representatives from over 90 countries attending. Russia declared its disinterest in the conference and was therefore not invited.
07:46 Russia and Ukraine to exchange prisoners todayRussia and Ukraine are to exchange 90 prisoners today. This was mediated by the United Arab Emirates, reports Bloomberg, citing a source. Last week, Ukrainian media reported that the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Parliament, Dmytro Lubinez, had announced that the government was planning, with the help of the United Arab Emirates, a large prisoner exchange with Russia soon. The two warring parties have already exchanged prisoners several times.
06:55 Ukrainian startups develop robots for the frontUkrainian startups are developing cost-effective robots for mine clearing, evacuation of battlefields, transportation of equipment and combat missions. Reports 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 it can kill Russian troops and save its own wounded soldiers and civilians with this army, according to Ukrinform.
06:20 State and government heads of 47 countries to speak about UkraineAt the invitation of the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the state and government heads of 47 countries will meet tomorrow. The 27 EU member states plus 20 third states will discuss, among other things, further aid for Ukraine in the defense war against Russia. 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 assetsJapan reportedly grants Ukraine a loan of 3.3 billion dollars from the interest on frozen Russian assets. The sum is part of the 50-billion-dollar package of the G7 countries, reports the Kyodo news agency, citing informed sources. The USA and the European Union (EU) are each to provide 20 billion dollars. Japan, Great Britain and Canada contribute a total of ten billion dollars. According to Kyodo, the package is to be adopted at a G7 summit at the sidelines of the G20 finance summit at the end of the month in Brazil.
03:26 German government grants Ukraine ten million euros for reconstruction of children's clinicAfter the rocket attack on the children's hospital in Kiev, the German Development Ministry grants the Ukrainian government ten million euros for its reconstruction. The funds will be used together with funds from other donors and donors to make the hospital operational and winter-proof again as soon as possible, reports the "Rheinische Post" based on ministry information. 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 a post for the Russian news portal Argumenty I Fakty, he labeled a potential Ukrainian membership as a potential declaration of war against Russia. "That would essentially be a declaration of war - albeit with delay. The actions taken by Russia's adversaries for years, by expanding the alliance, ... are bringing NATO to a point of no return." Russia does not threaten NATO but will react to the alliance's attempts to advance its interests. "The harder these attempts are, the harsher our responses will be," Medvedev said. "Whether this tears the whole planet apart depends solely on the composure 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 vital today," said Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Dshyhar. Whatever 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 at 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 hopelessness. It is unclear whether Ukrainian soldiers are still holding positions in the underflow of the Dnipro on the southern bank.
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 aid organization also plans to mobilize future funds to support the war-torn country. Zelenskyy thanked for the help, which is urgently needed due to the damage to the energy infrastructure from Russian attacks. At the same time, Zelenskyy, according to a statement from the Presidential Administration, emphasized that the country still needs further help to rebuild destroyed houses and install bomb shelters in schools and hospitals. This will give displaced Ukrainians the security to return home.
21:27 Ukraine reports destruction of Russian S-300 air defense system
Ukraine claims to have destroyed a Russian S-300 air defense system, according to its own reports. This was announced by Ukrainian General Staff Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on Twitter. A video distributed by the Ukrainian military shows several hits from alleged ATACMS rockets with cluster munitions. 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 government and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal. This was reported by the "Kyiv Post" citing an unnamed source in the Ukrainian parliament. The Ukrainian parliament was instructed to prepare for a discussion and vote on a new cabinet on Tuesday in the coming week, the newspaper reported. Zelenskyy himself also addressed the rumors of a possible cabinet reshuffle on Monday. "Could there be changes in the government? Probably, yes," said 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 intention to disconnect from the former Soviet power grid. "We will cut the last energy connections with Russia," explains the head of the state Lithuanian power grid operator Litgrid, Rokas Masiulis. The step is expected to take place in February 2025. Shortly thereafter, the three countries plan to connect to the European power grid. "In six months, we will not only disconnect from the Russian and Belarusian power grid, but also dismantle the last power lines," Masiulis explains.
19:20 Lindner criticizes "solitary" Orban
Following the controversy over Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Moscow trip, Germany and other EU members are increasing pressure on Budapest. During a finance ministers' meeting in Brussels, most EU members called on Hungary to prioritize Ukraine aid. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner accused Orban of "solitary" behavior. "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.
- In response to the ongoing Ukraine-Conflict, NATO has expressed its support for Ukraine's military deployments, with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President, urging for faster and more substantial military aid.
- The attack on Ukraine has led to a significant cyberwar, with numerous reports of Russian-originated cyber attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure and government systems.
- Despite Russia's invasion and attack on Ukraine, there have been calls for the inclusion of Russia in a potential second Ukraine peace conference, with Hungary advocating for its participation.
- Amidst the politics surrounding the Ukraine-Conflict, Russia and China have begun a joint naval exercise in the South China Sea, raising concerns about their potential military cooperation and intentions.
- In an effort to counter Russian aggression, Ukraine is turning to cyber warfare, with Ukrainian startups developing innovative robots to aid in minefield clearance and combat missions.
