NATO Reinforces Civil Presence in Ukraine, Sends High-Ranking Representative to Kiev
At 15:44, NATO sends top British officials to Kiev
NATO is strengthening its civilian representation in Ukraine and sending a high-ranking alliance representative to Kiev. The former deputy secretary-general, Patrick Turner, will lead the NATO representation in the Ukrainian capital from September and serve as the central point of contact for local authorities, NATO announced. Turner will also help coordinate military support for Ukraine and provide Allied information and assessments of the situation in the country. This follows the decisions of the NATO summit last week in Washington.
15:03 Russia: Ukrainian Drone Kills Two Civilians in Belgorod
According to local authorities in Belgorod, Russia, two people were killed in a Ukrainian drone attack in the Russian border region. The victims were reportedly a young couple traveling in a civilian vehicle outside the regional capital Belgorod.
14:36 Russia and Ukraine Exchange Prisoners of War
Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners of war, according to Russian reports. Each side released 95 soldiers, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed the exchange on the platform X. The United Arab Emirates mediated the exchange. The returning Russian soldiers were to first undergo medical checks in Moscow.
13:55 Sharma: Ukraine Must Abandon Symbolic Village
Ukraine is taking a series of setbacks on the front, as reported by NTV reporter Kavita Sharma from Kiev. Following the Russian rocket attack on a children's clinic in the Ukrainian capital, the military reported withdrawals in the regions of Dnipro and Donetsk.
13:24 Kremlin Dismisses Doubts About Offensive Success
The Kremlin has dismissed speculation about the failure of the Russian offensive in the northeastern Ukraine. "The operation is ongoing and will be until it is successfully completed," Kreml spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today. Yesterday, the governor of Belgorod announced access restrictions to 14 villages on the Russian side near the border. This was to protect the population from Ukrainian attacks. In response to a question about whether the access restrictions meant that the offensive in the northeast had failed, Peskov replied: "No, that's not the case."
12:48 Study: Social Benefits Have Little Impact on Employment of Ukrainian Refugees
Social benefits such as unemployment benefits have little impact on the employment rate of Ukrainian refugees. Instead, factors such as social networks in the respective countries, the level of English language skills of the population, and childcare are significant. This is according to a Europe-wide study by the Institute for Labor Market and Vocational Research (IAB). The employment rate of Ukrainian refugees in Germany is 27%, which is in the middle range. The highest rate is in Lithuania at 57%, Denmark at 53%, and Poland at 48%.
11:53 Protecting Against Rockets: Charkiw Schoolchildren to Learn Underground
Children in the city of Charkiw in eastern Ukraine, which has been under almost daily Russian shelling since the start of the war, will reportedly be taught more frequently in underground schools: According to city authorities, an underground school project has already been implemented. The construction of three further such facilities has begun. The children will be better protected from Russian air raids in this way.
11:22 Media: Ukraine is to receive 32 outdated F-16s from Greece
Greece plans to decommission and transfer 32 outdated F-16 combat jets to the USA. After modernization, these planes are expected to be delivered to Ukraine, according to the portal "New Voice of Ukraine," citing a report from Al Jazeera. Ukraine currently has 60 F-16 jets from Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands but reportedly needs at least 150 combat jets to launch rockets and missiles against Russia and repel aerial attacks on a broad front. There have been numerous devastating aerial bombings, the latest being on a children's hospital in Kyiv with at least seven fatalities.
10:35 Ukraine reports 112 frontline engagements since yesterday
The Ukrainian military General Staff recorded 112 engagements along the frontline in the past 24 hours. Among them were reportedly four rocket attacks on Ukrainian forces and populated areas, as well as 71 air raids with 119 guided air-dropped bombs. Russia conducted over 4,300 artillery attacks, including 121 with multiple rocket launchers, according to the update.
09:54 Russia and China start joint naval exercise
Russia and China have begun a naval exercise in the South China Sea. The exercise is scheduled to last three days, according to Russian and Chinese state media. They will reportedly practice air and underwater defense during the drills, with live ammunition to be used. Few days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, both countries announced a strengthening of their partnership, describing it as "boundless."
08:43 Ministry reports 42,000 missing Ukrainians
Approximately 42,000 people are currently missing in Ukraine, including soldiers and civilians, according to the Interior Ministry. The number was previously higher, at around 51,000, but about 4,000 soldiers who went missing in battle have since been found and identified. Around 3,000 missing persons have been found alive, many of them prisoners of war. Identifying the dead is challenging because the Defense Ministry does not take DNA samples from soldiers it sends into the field.
08:15 Hungary lobbies for Russia's participation in second Ukraine peace conference
Hungary is lobbying for Russia's 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 Council Presidency. The first peace conference took place in June at the request of Ukraine, with representatives from over 90 countries attending in Switzerland. Russia declared its disinterest in the conference and was not invited.
07:46 Russia and Ukraine to exchange 90 prisoners today
Russia and Ukraine are to exchange 90 prisoners today. This was reported by the Bloomberg news agency, citing an unnamed source. Ukrainian parliamentary human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinez had previously announced that the Ukrainian government was planning, with the help of the United Arab Emirates, a large prisoner exchange with Russia. The two warring parties have already exchanged prisoners on multiple occasions.
06:55 Ukrainian Startups Develop Robots for the FrontlineUkrainian Startups develop cost-effective Robots for Mine clearing, evacuation of battlefields, transportation of equipment and combat units. This is reported by the Ukrainian agency Ukrinform. An "ecosystem of labs in hundreds of secret workshops" uses innovations to create a Robot army. Ukraine hopes that this army can kill Russian troops and save its own wounded soldiers and civilians, according to Ukrinform.
06:20 Heads of State and Government of 47 Countries Speak about UkraineAt the invitation of the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Heads of State and Government 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. 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 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 news agency Kyodo, citing informed sources. The USA and the European Union (EU) each provide 20 billion Dollars. Japan, Great Britain, and Canada contribute a total of ten billion Dollars. The package is expected to be approved 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 Ukraine ten Million Euros for the Reconstruction of a 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 the reconstruction. The funds will be used together with funds from other donors and donors to make the hospital operational and winter-proof 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"After the NATO summit's promise to consider Ukraine's membership, former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev renewed his threats against the Alliance. In an article for the Russian news portal Argumenty I Fakty, he called a possible Ukrainian membership a potential declaration of war on Russia. "This would essentially be a declaration of war - if only with a delay. The measures that Russia's adversaries have taken against us for years by expanding the Alliance, ... bring the NATO to a point of no return." Russia does not threaten the NATO but will react to attempts by the Alliance to advance its interests, Medvedev said. "The harder their attempts, the harsher our responses will be." Whether this tears the whole planet apart depends only 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 today on the battlefield is life-saving," said Deputy Defense Minister Yuriy Dyzhjar. Anything that can be repaired and reused is given a second life.
23:37 Ukrainian troops give up positions in the southeast
Ukrainian troops have reportedly 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," quote Ukrainian media sources from 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.
22:07 New aid for Ukraine
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi announced a new aid package of $100 million (around 93 million Euros) during a visit to Ukraine. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will support the preparation for winter and will continue to support the government in Kiev in helping displaced or otherwise 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 attacked 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, the presidency statement noted that the country still needs help to rebuild destroyed houses and set up bomb shelters in schools and hospitals. This gives displaced Ukrainians the security to return home.
21:27 Ukraine reports destruction of Russian S-300 air defense system
Ukraine has reportedly destroyed a Russian S-300 air defense system in the occupied Donetsk oblast. This was announced by Ukrainian General Staff Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on Twitter. In a video spread by the Ukrainian military, several hits from alleged ATACMS rockets with incendiary ammunition can be seen. According to Syrskyi, several launch pads and a radar station of the system were destroyed.
20:49 Report: Ukrainian Government may be resigning
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy apparently is on the verge of reshuffling his cabinet and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal. This is reported by the "Kyiv Post" citing 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. The newspaper also reports that Zelenskyy himself 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 the process."
20:02 Baltic States leaving Russian power grid
The Baltic States have reportedly informed Russia and its ally Belarus of their departure from the power grid of the former Soviet Union. "We will cut the last energy connections with Russia," explains the CEO of the state Lithuanian power grid operator Litgrid, Rokas Masiulis. This step is supposed to take place in February 2025. Shortly thereafter, the three countries are expected to join 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," Masiulis explains.
19:20 Lindner criticizes Orbán's "Alleingang"
Following the controversy over Viktor Orbán'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 continue prioritizing Ukraine aid. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner accused Orbán of "Alleingang" (going it alone). "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 remain "top" until the end of the year. Hungary's Finance Minister Mihaly Varga had previously presented seven priorities, ranging from the fight against illegal migration to competitiveness, but Ukraine was not mentioned.
- In response to the heightened tensions in the Ukraine-Conflict, NATO has increased its cybersecurity measures, notably deploying a cyber defense team to Ukraine to protect against potential cyberwar attacks from Russia.
- The Attack on Ukraine by Russia has led international community to take notice, with several countries, including Germany, pledging military aid to Ukraine to strengthen its military capabilities.
- During a press conference, Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, urged NATO to provide Ukraine with membership, citing the need for collective defense in the face of Russian aggression.
- In response to the military deployments and increased NATO presence in Ukraine, Russia has accused NATO of escalating the situation and threatening Russian security.
- In light of the Attack on Ukraine and ongoing conflict, several European countries, including Poland and Romania, have announced plans to deploy additional troops to their borders with Ukraine, citing the need to protect against potential military incursions from Russia.
