13:44 Ukraine Witnesses Nine Casualties in Sumy Following Two Russian Drone Attacks
In Sumy, the fatalities from a double drone strike by hostile forces have increased to nine, as per Ukrainian sources. The injured count is now at eleven. A hundred and thirteen patients were evacuated from the hit hospital. Earlier, a Russian attack claimed one life and damaged several floors of a clinic's roof, prompting the evacuation of both patients and staff. Emergency services and law enforcement arrived at the scene to assist. Subsequently, Russia launched another air attack. Ukrainian President Zelensky reacted when there were eight fatalities.
12:56 Blinken: Assessing Zelensky's Winning StrategyUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scrutinizing the Ukrainian "victory strategy" proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to US President Joe Biden during their White House meeting. Zelensky once again asked for Biden's approval to utilize Western weapons for long-range strikes against Russian military targets. Currently, Blinken, as reported by Voice of America, is examining the plan's details, and if necessary, will consider "extra measures" to support Ukraine's victory. Blinken advocates for a harsher stance in the Ukraine conflict within the White House, although the President has yet to implement it.**
12:25 London: Over 2000 Attacks on Healthcare Facilities in Ukraine since the War's StartThe UK Defense Ministry has documented 2013 attacks on Ukrainian healthcare facilities since Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022. Staff were targeted 235 times. Last July, the Russian army bombarded a children's hospital in Kyiv. The war's Russian attacks on the healthcare system, as reported by the ministry, have resulted in 176 deaths since its commencement.**
11:48 Ukraine Reports Four Dead after Police Headquarters AttackThe death toll from a Russian attack on the police headquarters in the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih has increased to four, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry confirmed. A police officer is still thought to be trapped under the debris, and rescue efforts continue. The Kryvyi Rih attack is the second on Ukrainian police within two days.**
10:58 Military Expert: Russian Counterattack in Kursk Gains MomentumAs per Australian military analyst Mick Ryan, the Russian counterattack in Kursk is continuing to gain ground. In August, Ukrainian troops crossed the border into the Russian Kursk region and seized territory. Following an initial shock, the Russians are now resisting. They are recovering terrain, albeit at a slower pace, Ryan noted. A Ukrainian incursion to the west of the Russian counterattack may have disrupted Russo-flank security and isolated hundreds of Russian troops, Ryan speculated, citing findings from the US Institute for the Study of War (ISW).**
10:30 Ukrainian Air Force: 69 Drone Attacks RepelledThe Ukrainian air force reports that the Russians deployed 73 combat drones and 4 rockets against Ukraine overnight on Saturday. Ukraine intercepted 69 drones and 2 rockets. The death toll from a Russian drone attack on a hospital in the Sumy Oblast has risen to seven.**
09:52 Total of US Visit: Zelenskyy Disrupts TrumpAfter a five-year hiatus, talks have resumed between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump had recently criticized US aid to Ukraine.**
09:39 ISW: A Few Successful Long-Range Attacks by Ukraine Could Significantly Change War's CourseAnalysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have pointed out that even a few successful long-range attacks by Ukraine could significantly alter the course of the war. "Russian authorities appear to be making considerable efforts to influence the Western debate over whether Ukraine should be authorized to conduct long-range attacks on Russian military facilities using Western weapons," notes the ISW, expressing concern over the potential for such attacks to apply strong operational pressure on the Russian offensive. The United States continues to refuse to grant Ukraine permission for high-reach attacks on Russian territory.**
09:18 Kyiv's General Staff: Over 1400 Russian Losses in Last 24 HoursAccording to the Ukrainian General Staff, Russian forces have suffered another 1470 casualties within the past 24 hours. In total, the army has now experienced 650,640 losses since the full-scale invasion began two and a half years ago. In the last 24 hours, the Russians have also lost 42 armored combat vehicles, 14 tanks, 62 drones, and 55 artillery systems.**
08:57 Ukraine: Russians Attack Clinic, Resulting in Six DeathsRussian forces attacked a hospital in Sumy, resulting in the deaths of six people, as reported by Ukrainian sources. The military administrators of the Sumy Oblast claimed that the attack was executed using Shahed drones, followed by another drone attack on a residential area and a third on the hospital. Emergency services were evacuating patients and staff when the attack occurred. The air force also reported that the Russians had dropped guided bombs on the Sumy Oblast.**
08:21 Goldschmidt Warns of Hazard to Baltic Sea from Russian CrudeIn response to Greenpeace's claims about Russian oil exports through the Baltic Sea, Schleswig-Holstein's environmental minister, Tobias Goldschmidt, cautions about potential hazards from tankers to the Baltic coast. "The Russian government is obviously breaching the oil embargo imposed on it due to its aggressive military action against Ukraine," stated the Green politician. This military action threatens already fragile seas. Various Western nations accuse Russia of using poorly seaworthy vessels to skirt EU sanctions due to their aggressive military action. "The risk of an oil spill is escalating," warns Goldschmidt. "And much of this oil would likely end up on our shores, from Fehmarn to Eckernförde."
07:52 Ukrainians Repel Heavy Attacks in PokrovskUkrainian and Russian forces are still engaged in heavy combat in eastern Ukraine. The area surrounding Pokrovsk, which has been under Russian siege for months, witnessed intense clashes yesterday. As reported by the General Staff in Kyiv, 19 Russian assaults on Ukrainian defensive lines were repelled during the day. "Ukrainian defenders are maintaining their positions," it stated. Russian forces are attempting to encircle the city from various directions and secure their advance against Ukrainian counterattacks. Severe fighting also took place in the region around Kurachove. According to Ukrainian reports, around 17 Russian attacks were repelled during the day. The authenticity of these reports cannot be independently verified.
07:41 Zelensky Views US Visit as ConstructiveUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not receive approval for extensive use of Western weapons during his visit to the US. Nevertheless, he considers the trip successful. "Every conversation transpired as it should have," he said in a video address on the X platform. The Ukrainian peace plan was introduced in America. "Now our teams must work on implementing each step and every decision." In Washington, Zelensky met with US President Joe Biden and his Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, to advocate for continued support for Ukraine's defense against Russia. He also met with the Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, in New York. Trump reiterated his assertion that if he wins the election, the conflict will conclude rapidly.
06:56 Qatar Engages in Dialogue over Detained ChildrenNine children rescued from Russia's war are among the numerous thousand Ukrainian children reportedly abducted, as per Ukrainian sources. (See entry from 02:18) Many of them have lost one or both parents in the war and have been handed over to their grandparents, according to Dmytro Lubinez, the Human Rights Ombudsman. Authorities in Qatar are in talks for the return of additional children. They have been provided with a list of 751 children for whom the necessary paperwork is already complete, Lubinez noted. According to Ukrainian authorities, about 20,000 children have been illegally taken to Russia since the war's onset, with only a few hundred returned home so far.
06:27 Blinken Accuses China of Aiding Russian Arms IndustryUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken voices concerns to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi about China's support for Russia's arms manufacturing sector. "If Beijing claims to advocate for peace and an end to the conflict, but simultaneously enables its companies to assist Putin in continuing his aggression, these two ideas don't align," Blinken stated at a press conference. Wang asserted that China's stance on the Ukraine conflict has consistently emphasized the importance of peace through negotiation, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry in a statement.
05:31 Ukrainian Militants Eliminate Russian Soldiers on Jet Ski with DroneUkrainian forces appear to have killed two Russian soldiers on a jet ski using a drone, according to pro-Ukrainian portal Defense Express. The Russians were traversing the Dnipro River when the drone, equipped with an explosive, collided with the jet ski, as shown in a video shared by activist Serhiy Sternenko.
04:10 Mediazona: Over 71,000 Russian Soldiers Killed in UkraineIndependent Russian news portal Mediazona reports that over 71,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine. Since mid-September, almost 2,000 more soldiers have died in the conflict. Mediazona acknowledges that the actual numbers are likely significantly higher, as their verified information is sourced from public sources such as obituaries, online posts from family members, regional media reports, and announcements from local authorities.
02:18 Nine Abducted Children Return to UkraineNine children, who were taken to Russia during the conflict, have returned to their homeland. They returned to Ukraine on Friday with the assistance of Qatar, which acted as a mediator, according to Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmitro Lubinez. The children, aged between 13 and 17, and a 20-year-old man, were reunited with their families as part of an action plan facilitated by Qatar. The return could not be independently verified initially. The children were separated from their parents or guardians by occupiers and originated from areas like Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, or Luhansk, Lubinez explained further.
00:31 Lukashenko: "An Assault on Belarus Equates to World War III"The Belarusian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, implies that NATO has intentions to invade his nation, and he warns of using nuclear weapons in response. Speaking to the state news agency Belta in Minsk, Lukashenko declares that a strike on Belarus is equivalent to World War III. Both Belarus and its ally Russia would retaliate with nuclear weapons in such a situation. Lukashenko expresses gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the recent modification in Russia's nuclear policy. He alleges that NATO has definite plans to attack Belarus, claiming that American and Polish troops are stationed along the border, specifically on the Polish side, with the Polish leadership excitedly anticipating an attack. Belarus lacks nuclear weapons of its own, but since late 2023, strategic nuclear weapons from Russia have been placed on its territory.
23:10 Ex-US Commanders Hodges and Others Press Biden for Aggressive Actions against RussiaA collection of former military authorities and analysts have written an open letter to US President Joe Biden, encouraging him to implement vigorous measures to secure victory in the Ukrainian conflict and counter potential threats from China. Among the signatories are former commander of US forces in Europe, Ben Hodges, and former NATO deputy commander, German Army Major General Gert-Johannes Hagemann. They advocate for actions against Russia and China, such as lifting constraints on the utilization of Western weapons to bombard military and logistical targets on Russian soil. They also urge the delivery of 300 Abrams tanks and 1,000 armored vehicles to Ukraine, along with a comprehensive weapons and technology embargo against Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Belarus, and Azerbaijan. Moreover, they propose expanding NATO past transatlantic borders to incorporate Japan, Australia, South Korea, the Philippines, and other democratic nations stating their intent to join, such as Argentina.
22:15 Russian Intelligence Examines International Reporters Over KurskThe Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) is investigating three more international journalists for their reports from the occupied Ukrainian territories in the Russian border region of Kursk. The accusations against Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) News' Kathryn Diss and Fletcher Yeung, and Romanian journalist Mircea Barbu include crossing the Russian border illegally, as reported by RIA Novosti. Even though it seems none of them are currently in Russia, the journalists could face up to five years in jail if found guilty. Several international media outlets, including Germany's Deutsche Welle, CNN, and Italy's Rai, have reported from the occupied areas in Kursk.
21:35 White House Calls GOP Reprimands of Zelensky Visit as a "Political Stunt"The White House has denounced Republican accusations that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky interfered illegally in the US election by touring an ammunition factory. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dismissed the claim as a "political stunt" and urged the Republicans to abandon the issue. She affirmed that the Ukrainian delegation had requested the visit, which was coordinated by the Department of Defense. Zelensky visited a production site in Pennsylvania during his US trip, where critical artillery shells needed by Ukraine were manufactured. Several Democrats, including Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, were also present at the event. As a result of the visit, Republican lawmakers initiated an investigation, and the Speaker of the House demanded that Zelensky "dismiss" the Ukrainian ambassador to the US in a letter.
21:09 China, Brazil and Others Denounce Russian Nuclear Threat WarningChina, Brazil, and other countries have denounced the use or threat of nuclear weapons against Ukraine. A joint statement read, "We urge the abandonment of using or threatening weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons." Twelve nations voiced their "deep concern" over the risk of "escalation" in Ukraine, insisting that "civilian infrastructure, including peaceful nuclear facilities and other energy installations, should not be the target of military operations." The statement came in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent threats to employ nuclear weapons. Putin indicated that Russia could utilize nuclear weapons in the event of severe air attacks on its territory and that any attack backed by a nuclear power would be recognized as "joint" aggression. Zelensky also accused Russia of planning to assault Ukrainian nuclear reactors.
You can read about the previous developments here*.
In the context of the discussion about US aid to Ukraine, the European Union could express its support for Ukraine's victory strategy, advocating for a stronger response to Russia's aggression.
After detailing the attacks on Ukrainian healthcare facilities, the European Union could call upon Russia to respect international laws and humanitarian norms, condemning the targeting of healthcare institutions and personnel.
