At 17:10, NATO Chief Rutte journeys to Germany for a meeting with Pistorius
16:45 Russia Allegedly Drops Glide Bombs on Ukrainian Forces in Kursk Region
Russia claims to have attacked a gathering of Ukrainian troops near Kursk's border with its western region, using glide bombs launched from a Su-34 fighter jet. The strike targeted "a key position and a concentration of Ukrainian forces," as stated by the defense ministry. However, information about the attack's consequences is scarce, and these claims cannot be independently substantiated. The Ukrainian side has yet to respond.
16:20 Rumors Surface about German Troops Competing with Russian Personnel
The German Ministry of Defense is examining claims that German soldiers may have participated in a competition featuring Russian military personnel. The "Bild" newspaper reported this, citing the International Military Sports Council (CISM). According to the report, archery competitions organized by CISM took place in Bangladesh at the end of February 2024. A photo was published showing Russian soldiers standing beside the head of the German delegation, Lieutenant Colonel Christian Lützkendorf. Lithuania has condemned Germany's actions, as they have been avoiding competitions involving Russia since 2022. A representative from the Lithuanian defense ministry's hybrid threats department suspects that Russia aims to acquire international recognition through such participation, despite ongoing sanctions. Upon discovering these photos on Friday, the German Ministry of Defense addressed the issue with the responsible authorities. "The participating German soldiers were informed, and it was emphasized that such photos are unacceptable," a ministry spokesperson told the newspaper.
15:39 Ukraine Accuses Russia of Killing POWs
Ukrainian human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets has demanded an investigation into allegations that Russian soldiers have murdered Ukrainian prisoners of war. He brought up this "additional act of brutality committed by the Russians" in letters to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, as reported on the Telegram news service. According to the Ukrainian website "DeepState," which is close to the Ukrainian defense ministry, Russian troops killed nine Ukrainian drone operators and contractors who had already surrendered in the Russian region of Kursk on Thursday. In early October, the Ukrainian prosecutor general's office declared that Russian troops had slain 16 captured Ukrainian soldiers in the partially occupied Ukrainian region of Donetsk. As of yet, Russia has not responded.
15:13 UK Intelligence: Russia Fears Conducting Military Exercises in Black Sea
The UK's Ministry of Defence announced, based on intelligence findings, that Russia likely overstated the number of vessels involved in its strategic large-scale exercise OKEAN-24 in September. The exercise aimed to display the fleet's capabilities during the ongoing conflict. It was reported that Russia had fears of conducting exercises in the Black Sea. This was Russia's first naval exercise in two years, as they had previously held annual exercises involving all their forces annually. However, the last two were "likely cancelled due to the war in Ukraine," according to the statement. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Russia has lost 28 warships and one submarine since the start of its invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian defenders have been diminishing Russia's fleet in the Black and Azov seas using homemade marine drones and weapons. Notably, the Ukrainian military successfully sank the guided missile cruiser "Moskva," the flagship of the Russian Federation's Black Sea Fleet, in April 2022.
14:38 Report: Russia Abuses Disabled Children for War Manufacturing
A joint operation by Ukrainian defense forces and Russian partisan groups has exposed a supposedly "cruel and inhumane practice." According to the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform, Russia is allegedly forcing weak, mentally disabled children and adults to manufacture weapons for its war against Ukraine. The agency cites the platform Resolute Support, which reported the discovery of shocking videos on a Russian volunteer group's Telegram channel, showcasing mentally disabled children and adults being exploited for free labor to create components for the Kremlin's war machine. Further investigation has reportedly established a direct connection between the organization Craftsmen, which employs these exploited laborers, the non-governmental organization Boomerang for Good, which provides workers to Craftsmen, and the office of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
14:24 Kremlin: Putin is Open to Dialogue with Scholz
Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to express his willingness to communicate with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. While speaking to Russian news agency Interfax, Peskov stated, "We have repeatedly stated that we are open to dialogue." However, there have yet to be proposals for a telephone call from the German side. Peskov was responding to a statement made by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Friday, in which she claimed that Putin had lost all interest in speaking to the Chancellor on the phone.
13:58 Gynecologist: Sexual Violence Against Women in Occupied Territories by Russians Occurs in Two Waves
Gynecologist Natalia Lelyukh helps Ukrainian women who have experienced sexual violence by Russians in occupied territories. According to her findings, this is not about sexual desire, but about power. Women between the ages of 5 and 74 have been affected. "Sexual violence in the occupied oblasts typically occurs in two waves," Lelyukh told 'New Voice of Ukraine'. "The first wave," she said, "occurs during territorial conquests when the invaders want to show their dominance." According to the doctor, several women survive these attacks. The second wave occurs when Russian troops withdraw from previously occupied territories, resulting in a devastating and traumatic end for the women. "It's incredible that so many people have the capacity to do this, not just one madman, but many individuals."
13:31 Biden Has no Plans to Meet with Allies at Ramstein During Germany Visit
Joe Biden's postponed visit to Germany will be made up for this coming Friday, as reported by Reuters from government sources. A more refined working visit has been arranged in place of the original plan. The previously scheduled gathering of western leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, at Ramstein to support Ukraine, will not be rescheduled due to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's upcoming tour of Europe.
12:49 Russia claims victory in capturing another village near Pokrovsk
Russian forces have reportedly seized another village in eastern Ukraine. Moscow's defense ministry announced that troops have taken control of Mychailiwka. Bound by a major highway south-east of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, Mychailiwka serves as a key logistics hub for Ukraine. The town of Pokrovsk has been under Ukrainian defense for months against continuous massive Russian attacks.
12:20 Zelenskyy calls for swift military aid - 900 bombs detected
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeals for prompt aid in the ongoing conflict as he visits Germany and other EU countries. He conveys on "X", "Time must not be wasted – a clear message should be sent." Zelenskyy emphasizes the availability of ample air defense systems, long-range capabilities, and timely defense aid for Ukrainian troops from EU partners. In the past week, the Russians had dropped approximatley 900 guided bombs over Ukraine.
11:58 Iran opposes EU's forthcoming ballistic missile sanctions
Iran rejects the impending EU sanctions on ballistic missile supply to Russia, stating that "Iran does not supply ballistic missiles to Russia." Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated this to news agency Insa, declaring the planned EU sanctions as unjustified and a pretext to exert more pressure on Iran. The EU is planning to impose new sanctions the following day, including on companies and individuals related to Iran's ballistic missile programs and weapon deliveries to Russia.
11:47 Ukraine suspects Russia of executing nine POWs
Ukraine's Human Rights Commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, has petitioned the UN over the alleged execution of nine Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian forces. He notes social media reports of such unfortunate events in the Kursk area. According to international Geneva Convention rules, prisoners of war must be treated humanely, with protection from violence, intimidation, insults, and public curiosity, and are to be released immediately once hostilities cease.
10:52 Documentary unmasks Russian sexual violence
The documentary film "He came back" captured the Czech film prize in Prague, exposing sexual violations committed by Russian forces during their occupation of Kyiv and Kherson in 2022. The film showcases the experiences of two survivors and their eventual identification of their rapists and commanders. The film crew employed a reconstruction in the occupied Donetsk region to verify one incident, uncovering 292 cases of Russian soldiers committing such crimes, with experts estimating this to be a small fraction of the whole scale.
10:22 Zelensky to share Ukraine's victory strategy
President Zelensky will publicly present Ukraine's "Victory Plan" to its population in a few days, as indicated by an advisor to the Presidential Office, Mykhailo Podolyak. The plan contains five elements, combining military and diplomatic components, such as NATO membership invitations for Ukraine. The plan aims to strengthen Ukraine's negotiating stance and pressurize Russia for a fair peace agreement, according to Kyiv.
09:37 Russia's precision rises thanks to illegal Starlink terminals
Saint-Petersburg-based documents suggest that Russian forces have significantly improved their precision and agility through illegal usage of Starlink terminals. These terminals allow for enhanced coordination of attacks, more operational drones, and accurate targeting of Ukrainian troops using precision artillery fire, thanks to live drone views and secure communication between soldiers. The illegal market for these terminals apparently bolsters their delivery to the Russian front.
09:16 Poland to welcome US missile base
Polish government has confirmed that a US air defense missile base will become operational in the country's north near Puck on the Baltic coast in the coming weeks. The base aims to intercept not only Iranian missiles threatening the USA but also Russian ones targeted at Poland.
08:51 Ukraine reports Russian night attacks involving 68 drones
Ukrainian air force reports 68 drone attacks and four missile strikes in a telegram statement, hitting the Poltava and Odessa regions with two ballistic missiles of the Iskander type. Two guided missiles targeted the Chernihiv and Sumy regions, while air defense units downed 31 drones and likely neutralized 36 others. One drone remained unaccounted for in the morning.
08:17 Ukraine: Opponents suffer over 1k casualties yesterdayAccording to Ukraine's General Staff, their adversaries experienced over 1,300 casualties in the last 24 hours. This brings the combined tally of injuries and fatalities since the war's commencement in February 2022 to approximately 669,000. Additionally, nine enemy tanks, 49 armored vehicles, 29 artillery systems, and two air defense systems were annihilated. Furthermore, 45 Russian drones were brought down.
07:48 Russia asserts 13 Ukrainian drones downedRussia maintains that it has destroyed 13 Ukrainian drones over the course of three border districts during the night. The air defense systems put an end to six drones over the Russian territories of Belgorod and Kursk, and one drone over the Bryansk district, as reported by Russia's defense ministry via Telegram.
07:16 DeepState reports Ukrainian victory in DonetskDeepState, a group of military analysts, claims that Ukrainian forces experienced victory in the Donetsk Oblast during the night. Close to Novohrodivka, Ukrainian troops retook their lost positions from the Russians. Meanwhile, DeepState also reports Russian progress near the settlement of Veseloye.
06:30 Lithuanians vote - all major parties pledge aid to UkraineToday, Lithuanians are casting their ballots for a new parliament, with predictions pointing towards a shift in government. The Social Democrats are expected to take over from the current conservative Homeland Union as the leading party, and the "Morning Star of Nemunas," a populist group, may join parliament for the first time. All significant parties in the 2.8 million-strong Baltic nation are committed to continuing support for Ukraine and strengthening defenses against Russia.
04:39 Inquiry into death toll: Russia deploys older soldiers to the frontAs revealed by Russian opposition media project Mediazona and BBC Russia, the soldiers Russia sends to fight in Ukraine are getting older. Researchers analyzed the data of nearly 73,000 soldiers who have died since Russia's invasion of the neighboring country. In the initial six months of the war, most of the casualties were among those aged 21-23. However, the implementation of partial mobilization, use of prisoners, and recruitment of volunteers have altered the age distribution, with the volunteers particularly notable, and the majority of deaths occurring among those aged 48-50.
01:05 Zelensky plans to boost weapons production in Ukraine with Western investmentUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky aims to significantly expand weapons production using Western investment. "Our factories have the potential to produce vastly more drones, rockets, and military hardware than our country's financial means permit," he says in his evening address via video. Western countries can provide financial backing, as many partners may be unable to aid Ukraine sufficiently due to their own lack of weaponry. During his visit to Paris, a new Ukrainian-French model was discussed, which will now be further developed at the level of defense ministers.
23:31 Zelensky: Ukraine holds its ground in KurskIn response to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian forces are maintaining their positions in the Russian border area of Kursk. "Regarding the Kursk operation, Russia has tried to dislodge our positions, but we are defending our assigned lines," Zelensky says in his evening video address. The Russian Ministry of Defense earlier claimed that its forces had recaptured two Russian villages in Kursk. In August, around a thousand Ukrainian soldiers entered Kursk in one of the largest incursions on Russian territory during the war, which started in February 2022, crossing the border with tanks and armored vehicles.
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15:39 Response Required from Germany Regarding Alleged Military Competition
Given the reports of German soldiers participating in a competition featuring Russian military personnel, the German government should provide a statement clarifying their involvement and stance on such events involving Russia.
16:45 Increased Scrutiny Needed on Military Actions and Cross-Border Incidents
Considering the ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, international bodies should pay close attention to allegations of military activities near borders and ensure that all actions adhere to international laws and treaties.
