At 14:51, Russia plans to enlist fresh military recruits.
14:22 Germany to Host Ukraine Meeting with Biden at 14:22 Ramstein
Germany will be hosting a meeting of states supporting Ukraine during US President Joe Biden's visit to Germany. This will take place on October 12 at the US Air Force base in Ramstein, Germany. The announcement was made by government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit. Germany is planning to host the meeting of the Contact Group for the Defense of Ukraine with the USA. In this format, over 50 countries come together to coordinate support for Ukraine, as per Hebestreit. It remains uncertain whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be present in person.
13:56 Lithuania Plans to Acquire German Leopard 2 Tanks for New Division
Lithuania is planning to purchase Leopard 2 tanks for its newly forming army division. Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas indicates that a contract could be signed in November, following the decision of the National Security Council. Kasciunas does not specify the number of tanks or the variant, but he mentions that they originate from German production. Lithuania, a NATO and EU country, borders the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and Russia's ally Belarus. Lithuania considers the war in Ukraine as a direct threat to its national security, so it is heavily arming its army to form a new military division that will include a tank battalion. In the future, a mechanized brigade of the German army is expected to be permanently stationed in Lithuania.
13:20 Discord May be Completely Blocked in Russia
Communication platform Discord might be fully blocked in Russia in the coming days, according to Russian daily newspaper "Kommersant" and sources in the gaming industry. The Russian media oversight authority is considering this as a response to alleged violations of Russian law. No specific accusations have been mentioned in the newspaper report. Discord users in Russia have already faced some issues earlier this month. As many as 29 to 40 million people in Russia actively use the platform. The platform is popular among gamers, students, and cryptocurrency traders.
13:04 Biden Provided New Aid to Ukraine, but Restrictions on Long-Range Weapons Remain
US President Biden has promised another billion-dollar aid package to Ukraine. Despite Zelenskyy's request, the Western weapons supplied will not be permitted to hit targets deep inside Russia due to restrictions. Political scientist Thomas Jäger explains this decision.
12:36 US Citizen Arrested in Russia over "Mercenary Activities"
According to RIA Novosti, a US citizen has been charged with alleged "mercenary activities" in Russia. Stefan Hubbard, a 72-year-old US citizen from Michigan who has been residing in Ukraine since 2014, is being accused of fighting as a mercenary on the side of Ukraine during the armed conflict. RIA Novosti did not specify when or where the US citizen was arrested.
12:01 Kryvy Rih: Further Russian Attacks Cause Casualties
Reports from Ukraine indicate that Russian attacks continue, resulting in casualties. A missile hit a police station in Kryvy Rih this morning, causing the death of a woman and injuring at least five others. Rescue operations are still ongoing to find possible survivors. Residential buildings have also been damaged. The Dnipropetrovsk Regional Prosecutor's Office has published photographs of the missile hits in Kryvy Rih.
Ukrainian reports show that there was another missile attack on the city of Dnipro last night, which hit an industrial plant, resulting in injuries. The administration reports at least eight casualties due to Russian air strikes in the Kherson region.
11:27 Possible Russian Drone Incursion into NATO Airspace
There have been reports of a possible Russian drone entering NATO member Romania's airspace overnight. The defense ministry in Bucharest states that the drone might have crossed the Romanian airspace for a very short duration of less than three minutes in the border area. The drone was involved in an attack on the southern Ukrainian city of Izmail. Ukrainian authorities have reported that Izmail was the target of a drone attack early Friday morning, leading to three fatalities and a dozen injuries. Ukrainian air forces claim to have shot down 24 out of 32 Russian attack drones overnight.
10:20 Report: U.S. Intelligence Agencies Anticipate Severe Retaliation if Ukraine Launches Long-Range Missiles into Russian TerritoryAmerican intelligence agencies foresee substantial hazards in the event that Ukraine utilizes Western long-range missiles to strike deep within Russia's territory. Granting approval for this action from the West could lead to severe retaliation, as per an unpublished intelligence report published by the "New York Times". The agencies predict various potential Russian responses, ranging from arson and sabotage against European facilities to potentially lethal attacks on American and European military support points. Although Russia openly executing such attacks is not expected, covert intelligence operations are more likely. According to the "New York Times", U.S. intelligence agencies also believe that Ukraine does not possess an adequate number of long-range missiles to significantly alter the course of the conflict. The risk is often outweighed by the uncertainty of success with high stakes. The newspaper speculates that this assessment might contribute to the difficulty in making a decision for U.S. President Biden.
09:57 Munz on New Putin Threat: Raw Material Export Ban "Won't Hurt the West Much"Russia threatens the U.S. with repercussions if it supports the deployment of long-range weapons against targets inside Russia. President Putin is considering the imposition of export limitations on strategic raw materials, including uranium, in retaliation against the West. ntv reporter Munz discusses the background and implications.
08:40 Ukrainian Navy Baffled by Russian Construction Near Crimea BridgeAn unknown Russian construction project nearby the Crimea Bridge is perplexing the Ukrainian Navy. The progress of the construction is underway, as reported by Ukrainian television, courtesy of Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk of "The Kyiv Independent". The intended purpose is not yet clear. "It could be a defensive installation, it could be another crossing, but it's still premature to draw conclusions," Pletenchuk said. He doubts that the Russians would complete it given the worsening weather conditions. "They're consistently attempting to place something new in the Kerch Strait to construct various hydrotechnical structures or barriers, but they end up on the shore after each storm." The bridge connects Russia to the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, which Russia annexed.
08:08 Ukrainian City on the Border with Romania Under Attack, Several KilledThe city of Ismajil in southern Ukraine was subjected to an attack. Three individuals were killed in a Russian drone strike this morning, according to the governor of the Odessa Oblast, Oleh Kiper. All the casualties were elderly, including a woman in her 90s. Eleven others, including a child, were injured. Kiper also reported damaged buildings and cars, as well as several fires. The city of Ismajil is situated on the border with Romania, with the northern mouth of the Danube River forming the border. Read more here.
07:40 To facilitate negotiations: Roth advises "significantly more" military aidSPD foreign policy expert Michael Roth is advocating for an increase in European military aid to Ukraine. "Especially the major European countries need to engage militarily significantly more to ensure that Ukraine remains a free and democratic country," Roth told the "Tagesspiegel". "Now it's time to finally mobilize all forces to position Ukraine optimally for potential negotiations." The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Bundestag argues: "If one wants to end the war as swiftly as possible, it's essential to equip Ukraine adequately." Military force and diplomacy are two sides of the same coin. "Russia will only be prepared for negotiations if Putin is convinced that a victory over Ukraine is impossible."
07:09 Baerbock: Without our support, hospitals and children would be vulnerableFederal Foreign Minister Baerbock defends the Western armaments supply to Ukraine and warns against the waning of support for Kyiv. "The notion that there'd be no fighting and no dying in Ukraine if there were no defensive weapons is as flawed as it is false," Baerbock said on Thursday at the UN General Debate in New York. "If Russia halts its attack, the war is over. If Ukraine stops defending itself, it's over for Ukraine." Russian President Putin has responded to a peace conference invitation in June with an airstrike on a children's hospital. As long as Putin is not open to diplomacy, ceasing support would mean "that the hospitals of Ukraine and their children would be vulnerable. It would mean more war crimes, possibly in other countries as well." Baerbock highlights that Russia has "consistently challenged the inviolability of the Baltic states and Poland's borders."
06:45 Slovenia: Shouldn't rule out Precision Weapons for KyivSlovenia's government cautions against hasty commitments regarding the use of long-range Western weapons on Russian territory, considering Germany's skepticism. "It's generally not wise to declare in advance that some topics are off-limits," Prime Minister Robert Golob said on the sidelines of the UN General Debate in New York. "It's a complex topic, but I believe that at this stage, all possibilities should be explored, and then the best-suited option for the current situation should be chosen," Golob replied when asked about the deployment of long-range cruise missiles. Up to now, particularly Germany and the U.S. have been reticent. Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently ruled out the delivery of long-range precision weapons to Ukraine in the future.
06:01 Trump Arranges Meeting with ZelenskyFormer American President Donald Trump plans to interact with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this coming Friday in New York. The encounter is scheduled to occur at the Trump Tower in Manhattan, as per Trump's announcement. According to reports, Zelensky has extended his stay in the US specifically for this meet-up. Prior to his journey to the US, Zelensky expressed his desire to engage with Trump, President Joe Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris to present his "victory strategy" to put an end to the conflict in Ukraine. Learn more here.
04:25 Harris Assures Zelensky of Support and Cautions against Trump's VictoryUS Presidential candidate Harris guarantees her backing to Ukrainian President Zelensky and advises against the triumph of an unnamed individual in the upcoming elections. "My commitment towards the people of Ukraine remains unshakable. (...) I will persist in supporting Ukraine and function to ensure their victory in this war and a life of safety and prosperity for them," Harris asserts during Zelensky's visit to Washington. She cautions that a conclusion to the war can't be reached prematurely without Ukraine's involvement. However, some in the US desire to take such action. Their agenda involves compelling Ukraine to relinquish significant parts of its territory, accept neutrality, and renounce security guarantees from other nations. These propositions mirror those of Kremlin leader Putin, and they encapsulate plans for surrender.
02:08 Ukrainian Settlement Suffers Attacks West of KhersonRussian forces bombarded the settlement of Tomyna Balka west of the Ukrainian-controlled city of Kherson on Thursday, as reported by the region's governor, Prokrudin. A woman was tragically killed, and another individual sustained injuries, according to Telegram updates.
00:55 United Kingdom to Provide More Artillery Systems to UkraineThe United Kingdom will provide an additional assortment of self-propelled artillery systems, AS90s, to the Ukrainian defense forces. Ten of these systems have already been delivered, with six more scheduled to be delivered in the upcoming weeks, as announced by the British Ministry of Defense.
23:33 United Nations Lacks Funds to Assist Ukrainians through WinterThe United Nations acknowledges a shortage of financial resources to aid people in Ukraine during the winter months. "The funding level for organizations like ours is far from sufficient for this period of the year," states Karolina Lindholm Billing, the Ukraine coordinator for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Currently, the UNHCR only has 47% of the funds required to support the millions of Ukrainians who have been displaced or affected by the war in their country. At this time last year, the UNHCR had 70% of the necessary funds.
22:13 Biden Vows to Amplify Aid to UkrainePresident Joe Biden assures to amplify US support to Ukraine during his remaining time in office. This will bolster the negotiating position of the government in Kyiv, Biden asserts before meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington. Biden's term ends in January. His potential successors include Vice President Kamala Harris or Republican Donald Trump, who is anticipated to significantly reduce the US's involvement with Ukraine.
21:34 Ukraine Warns of Escalating Attacks in Zaporizhzhia RegionAs per Ukrainian intelligence reports, Russian troops are expected to intensify their assaults in the Zaporizhzhia region soon. "There's a discernible trend towards escalation in the combat zone sector in the Zaporizhzhia region," said a spokesperson for the troops stationed in the south of Ukraine on national television. "In the past 24 hours, there were five [Russian] attacks, and we anticipate that this number could increase, as our intelligence suggests that the enemy is gathering attack groups near the [settlement] Pryiutne." Moreover, the spokesperson mentioned that the Russian side has received light armored vehicles. "This indicates they are preparing for offensive operations."
21:00 Biden Meets Zelenskyj: Ukraine Will PrevailAt the outset of their meeting in Washington, US President Joe Biden guarantees continued US support to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "Russia will not triumph, Ukraine will," Biden underlines as he welcomes his Ukrainian counterpart to the Oval Office at the White House: "And we will stand by you every step of the way." Learn more here.
You can read about all previous developmentshere*.
The European Union has expressed its support for Ukraine, with multiple EU countries providing military aid and diplomatic backing. Germany, as a member of the EU, is hosting a meeting of the Contact Group for the Defense of Ukraine along with the USA at the US Air Force base in Ramstein. This gathering aims to coordinate support for Ukraine and involve over 50 countries.
