At 19:40, Russia is strengthening its nuclear weapons policy.
18:35 Zelensky to Discuss 'Winning Strategy' with Biden and Harris
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in Washington on Thursday. Zelensky intends to lay out his so-called 'Winning Strategy' before Biden, detailing a blueprint to put an end to the Ukraine war. Zelensky predicts that the course of the conflict will be decided around falltime. The Ukrainian administration believes that employing Western weaponry against objectives within Russian territory could significantly tip the balance in their favor. Yet, these weapons haven't been handed over by Ukraine's partner nations as of yet.
As per The Times from the UK, the strategy includes four key aspects:
- A demand for 'Trump-resistant' Western security assurances, like a NATO collective defense agreement
- Persistence of Ukraine's advance into the Russian region of Kursk, acting as a 'territorial negotiation tool'
- A call for advanced weapons
- International financial aid to facilitate Ukraine's economic recovery
18:12 Bundestag Greenlights 70 Million Euros for Decentralized Renovation of Ukraine's Power Supply
The Budget Committee of the Bundestag has approved aid worth 70 million euros for Ukraine's heating and power infrastructure. This will provide Ukrainian cities and municipalities with compact heating facilities, boiler systems, generators, and solar panels, as announced by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The objective is to help Ukrainians live in their homeland and withstand Russian assaults. Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Svenja Schulze referred to Russia's targeted attacks against civilian energy infrastructure, aiming to "wear down and displace the Ukrainians." She added, "We are committed to aiding Ukraine in restoring its power supply in a decentralized manner, which makes it more difficult for Russia to destroy it."
17:50 Zelensky Warns UN of Potential Nuclear Disaster
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of the risk of a nuclear disaster due to Russian attacks on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. He claimed that he had intelligence indicating that Russian President Vladimir Putin was planning attacks on additional Ukrainian nuclear power plants. "Such a day should never occur," Zelensky stated at the UN General Assembly in New York. Russia has persistently denied such accusations. "If, God forbid, Russia causes a nuclear disaster at one of our nuclear power plants, radiation would not adhere to national boundaries, and unfortunate consequences would be felt worldwide," Zelensky said. He also charged other nations with providing satellite data to Russia regarding these Ukrainian nuclear power plants. On Tuesday, Zelensky accused China of passing on images of Ukrainian nuclear power plants to Moscow.**
17:08 Video: Ukraine Disputes Russian Control Over Vuhledar's Outskirts
Since 2022, Ukrainian and Russian forces have been engaged in combat for the mining town of Vuhledar. The intensity of the conflict appears to be escalating, as demonstrated by footage of intense fighting on social media. However, the governor of Donetsk denies reports of Russian troops being present in the outskirts of the city.
16:31 Ukraine Seeks Funding from Allies for Three-Year Drone ProgramUkraine has devised a three-year plan for drone production, electronic warfare, and land robotic systems, says Defense Minister Rustem Ummerov. The blueprint was unveiled during Ummerov's recent visits to the USA, UK, France, and Germany, as well as the Ramstein conference earlier this month. "We examined how many we would require and how we would utilize them on a strategic, operational, and tactical level," the minister said. The plan also specifies the exact number of weapons Ukraine can manufacture and the necessary funds. "Several countries have already agreed to finance our drones and missiles," Ummerov added. According to him, Ukraine destroyed or harmed over 200 Russian military sites last year, with the aid of 'swarm drone' technology, including a Russian ammunition depot in Toropez. Kyiv has the capacity to manufacture over 3 million drones annually, yet needs foreign funding.**
15:49 President Lula Advocates for Brazilian-Chinese Peace Plan at the United NationsBrazilian President Lula da Silva is advocating for the peace plan jointly developed with China at the United Nations, despite Ukraine's rejection of the proposal as "destructive". While condemning the "invasion of Ukrainian territory", Lula emphasizes the significance of creating conditions for peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow. China and Brazil first presented their 6-point plan in May. Lula's foreign policy advisor Celso Amorim is reportedly scheduled to meet with representatives from 20 countries on Friday to garner further support. The allies of Ukraine will not participate in the meetings.**
The 6-point plan proposed by China and Brazil refers to the conflict as a "crisis" and urges a peace conference accepted by Russia and Ukraine, which would involve "fair deliberations" about all peace proposals. It does not touch upon Ukraine's territorial integrity or the withdrawal of Russian troops.
15:12 Intelligence Sources: China Aids Russia in Developing Long-Range DronesRussian efforts to create and manufacture long-range drones in China are reported, according to intelligence sources cited by Reuters. This would mark the first instance of drones intended for use in Ukraine being developed and produced in this manner, as stated by two intelligence officers to the news outlet, citing relevant documents. The Russian company IEMZ Kupol, a subsidiary of Almaz-Antey's defense conglomerate, is said to have developed and tested the Garpija-3 drone in China with the assistance of Chinese specialists. The G3 is estimated to have a range of approximately 2000 kilometers and is capable of carrying 50 kilograms of explosives. Based on intelligence reports, this is the first concrete evidence indicating that China has supplied complete drones manufactured in China since the start of the conflict. The location of production and any approval for mass production remain unknown. China has consistently denied supplying Russia with weapons for use in Ukraine.
14:29 Putin to Preside Over Russian Security Council Meeting on Nuclear Deterrence
Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to preside over a Russian Security Council meeting today to discuss nuclear deterrence, as the Kremlin has announced. These discussions come in light of Ukraine's requests for Western missiles with extended ranges to be used for attacks further into Russian territory. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov described the meeting as significant. "The President will deliver a speech. The remainder will be classified as top secret for obvious reasons," Peskov said.
13:54 Peskov Criticizes Zelensky's UN Security Council Address
The Kremlin has criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech at the UN Security Council. "The strategy of attempting to force Russia into peace is a catastrophic mistake," publicized Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov. He declared Russia as a defender of peace, but only if its own security is protected. In addition, according to Peskov, the objectives of the "military operation" in Ukraine must be achieved. Russia continues to avoid referring to its attack on the country as a war. Moscow demands that Ukraine renounce territory, abandon NATO membership plans, and undergo a so-called "denazification," which the Kremlin presumably interprets as the installation of a puppet government.
13:18 Modern Skynex Air Defense System Provides Training to Ukrainian Soldiers
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has released an image illustrating Ukrainian soldiers receiving training on the modern Skynex air defense system from Germany. Two systems are currently in use in Ukraine, under attack by Russia, with two more anticipated to arrive from Germany soon. Skynex is optimized for the defense of close-range objectives, such as drones. "We appreciate our partners for enhancing Ukraine's air defense capabilities. More air defense for Ukraine = more innocent lives saved," the Ministry of Defense wrote in the caption.
12:42 China's Support for Russia Extends Beyond Strategic Information Sharing
Ukrainian President Zelensky has accused China of sharing satellite data with Russia to spy on Ukrainian nuclear power plants. What extent of military support does China offer to Russia? According to ntv correspondent Rainer Munz, support is not confined to the dissemination of strategic information.
12:01 Politico: Ukraine Identifies Preferred Mediator for Peace Agreement
As per a Politico report, Ukraine has identified its preferred mediator to facilitate a peace agreement with Russia: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A senior Ukrainian official communicated this to the medium, stating that India is Kyiv's most promising aspirant for a peace deal it can live with. According to the official, Modi made it clear during summer discussions with Ukraine that while Kyiv would need to make concessions, no proposals for ending the conflict should involve surrendering territory to Russia. India maintains good relations with Moscow.
11:35 Casualties in Ukrainian Attack on Russian Region BelgorodFive individuals have sustained injuries in an attack on the western Russian city of Belgorod near the Ukrainian border, as reported by authorities. Four were transported to the hospital, as announced by the region's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, via Telegram. Several high-rises and 75 smaller residential buildings were damaged, along with a large number of vehicles, water, and gas pipelines. Independent observers suspect that the Ukrainian attack is a reaction to a Russian air raid on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.
10:59 Ukrainian Medic Utilizes Electric Unicycle on BattlefieldA video uploaded by United24media, and shared by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, depicts an army medic utilizing an electric unicycle in battlefield conditions. "Reengineering movement dynamics on the front lines," the clip is captioned. The medic explains that the electric unicycle is advantageous for quickly and quietly transporting supplies such as ammunition, water, radios, and batteries using both hands.
10:18 Challenging the SPD: BSW Demanded to Stop Delivering Weapons to UkraineFollowing the Brandenburg state election, SPD leader Lars Klingbeil is calling for transparency regarding the objectives of the Alliance for Progress and Social Justice (BSW) in ensuing exploratory talks. "Now that we're engaging in dialogues, just like in Thuringia and Saxony, we first need to determine: What is the BSW's primary demand? In which direction is this alliance headed?" he said in RBB's InfoRadio. Klingbeil argues that many individuals remain unclear about this focus. The objective should be analyzing the election outcomes and forming a stable government. Klingbeil also disparages the BSW's repeated demand to halt delivering weapons to Ukraine, claiming it is not an effort to establish peace but rather caving to Putin. He labels the BSW a populist party.
09:39 "Putin's Major Propaganda Victory" - Economist Slams MediaEconomist Rüdiger Bachmann slams the "normalization of Putin's cronies via media" as Putin's "largest propaganda success thus far." He queries why conversations can be had with Russo-fascists but not Germano-Russo-fascists, claiming both should be off-limits for democrats. Military analyst Gustav Gressel endorses this perspective by sharing the post.
08:55 United Kingdom's Clear Message to Russia in UN Security CouncilBritish Foreign Secretary David Lammy delivered a strong speech in the UN Security Council, directly addressing Putin: "Vladimir Putin, if you bomb Ukrainian hospitals, we know who you are. If you dispatch mercenaries to African lands, we know who you are. If you assassinate dissidents in European cities, we know who you are. Your invasion revolves around your interests solely. You aim to expand your mafia state into a mafia empire, built on corruption that drains both the Russian people and Ukraine."
08:28 Ukraine Reports Russian Attacks with Drones and RocketsUkraine's air force reveals they were attacked by Russia with 32 drones and eight rockets last night. Of these, 28 drones and four rockets were shot down. Preliminary reports do not show any casualties or damage.
07:48 ISW: Russian Troops Approach Vuhledar Outskirts - No Significant Tactical AdvantageAccording to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian troops have reached the outskirts of Vuhledar and are escalating their offensive nearby. The U.S. think tank does not perceive a significant strategic advantage for ongoing offensives in the western Donbass region if the town is seized. Capturing Vuhledar swiftly relies on whether Ukrainian troops withdraw or engage Russian troops in a prolonged conflict. Yesterday, Ukrainian channel Deepstate reported that the 72nd mechanized brigade is still defending the town. Even if Vuhledar is acquired, it won't immediately bring substantial tactical benefits to the Russian offensive, as the surrounding terrain is hard to traverse, and it lacks critical logistics routes, according to ISW.
07:06 "Intricate and Successful Operation" - Ukraine Reports Liberations in Kharkiv RegionThe Ukrainian military intelligence service reports the recapture of the Vovchansk power plant in the Kharkiv region, near the Russian border, as a result of "an intricate and successful operation." A statement and accompanying video reveal that the Ukrainian defense intelligence service systematically cleared the plant, engaging the enemy in close combat within the densely built structures. In certain instances, Ukrainian special forces engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. The power plant served as a "propaganda bastion," protected by professional Russian units.
06:31 Russian Parliamentarians Propose Law Against "Conscious Childlessness" PropagandaRussian legislators are considering a ban on "conscious childlessness" propaganda. Duma chairman Vyacheslav Volodin announced a potential bill intended to prohibit the propagation of conscious childlessness, termed "a ban on the ideology of childlessness." A "large and friendly family forms the foundation of a strong state," Volodin clarified further. Russia is grappling with an aging population and low birth rates, and the demographic trend is intensified by the military action in Ukraine.
06:05 Commander of the German-led Lithuania Brigade Assumes Duty in Eastern EuropeThe incoming commander of the Lithuanian Brigade, Brigade General Christoph Huber, has arrived in Lithuania for duty. He is now preparing for his role in the Panzergrenadier Brigade 45, the German Army states on X. The objective is to build a battle-ready brigade that significantly contributes to deterrence and the defense of the country and the alliance. In response to Russia's aggressive behavior, the German government had pledged to station a combat-ready unit permanently in Lithuania. A force of up to 5,000 soldiers is planned.
05:44 Lübeck Donates Used Fire Engines to UkraineLübeck has handed over several used fire engines for further use in Ukraine to Ukrainian aid organization representatives. The four fire engines and the ambulance - former emergency vehicles of the volunteer fire department - were given away towards the beginning of the week. "Ordinarily, they would be auctioned off. However, upon receiving a request from the Ukrainian aid organization, we refurbished them and can now donate them to Ukraine with a clean conscience, allowing them to be utilized there," says Henning Witten, head of technology at the Lübeck professional fire department.
04:45 Pistorius Sets Deadline for German Military Modernization by 2029Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stresses the urgency of swiftly equipping the German military. By 2029, one should anticipate Russia to have completed its military rebuild and possibly be capable of launching a military strike against NATO territories, the SPD politician explains under the context of the Russian attack on Ukraine. "That's why it's crucial to adapt to this threat scenario as quickly as possible," Pistorius concludes during a visit to the 36th Combat Helicopter Regiment "Kurhessen" of the German Army in Fritzlar, northern Hesse.
03:13 Russia relies heavily on gas revenues for significant military spending Despite sanctions from the West, Russia is anticipating high earnings from oil and gas in its budget planning for 2025. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin mentioned during a government meeting in Moscow that state revenues should rise by 12% to 40.3 trillion rubles (around 390 billion euros). The energy sector's share in revenues is expected to reach nearly three-quarters. Reports suggest that the upcoming budget also prioritizes the conflict against Ukraine and massive military production. A budget allocation of 13.2 trillion rubles for the military is planned, as reported by Bloomberg from Moscow. Around 40% of all expenditures are dedicated to defense and internal security, surpassing the spending on education, health, social services, and the economy combined.
02:10 Duma simplifies recruitment process for suspected criminals The Russian parliament has passed legislation that enables the military to enlist suspected criminals for the offensive in Ukraine. As per the draft approved by the State Duma, individuals under investigation, who have not yet been convicted, can volunteer for the army. If they are decorated or injured in combat, the charges against them will be nullified. The law is awaiting approval in the upper house and President Vladimir Putin's signature.
01:05 Baerbock proposes guidelines for peace agreement German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock outlined principles for possible negotiations to put an end to the Russian attack on Ukraine. "Peace means maintaining the existence of Ukraine as a free and independent nation. It means security assurances," Baerbock stated during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York. She further emphasized, "Whenever we discuss peace, we mean a fair and lasting peace." Baerbock clarified, "For Ukraine, the cessation of fighting should not mean a new round of preparation in Russia." This applies to both Ukraine and Moldova or Poland. Peace must be fair and lasting.
00:21 Blinken accuses China and Iran of enabling Russia's aggression US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged a stronger response from the United Nations against Russia's allies in the Ukraine war. "The fastest solution is to halt those facilitating Putin's aggression," Blinken stated during a high-level meeting of the UN Security Council, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. He also called for a just peace that aligns with the UN Charter's principles. Specifically, Blinken pointed out North Korea and Iran's support for Russia.
23:45 China urges for peace negotiations in Ukraine Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the UN Security Council to work harder to promote peace negotiations in Ukraine. "The top priority is to adhere to three principles: not expanding the battlefield, not escalating conflicts, and not provoking any party involved," Wang stated during a high-level meeting of the council, attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Wang emphasized China's neutrality. "China hasn't caused the crisis in Ukraine, and we are not involved in it," he confirmed. The West accuses Beijing of supporting Russia's war against Ukraine, among other things, by providing weapons components.
23:09 Zelenskyy questions negotiations with Russia Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed considerable skepticism about discussing peace with Russia to terminate the ongoing conflict against his nation. Russia is committing a global crime, Zelenskyy argued, looking at Russian President Vladimir Putin during a UN Security Council meeting in New York. "Thus, this conflict cannot just vanish. This conflict cannot be pacified through talks," Zelenskyy argued. He added, "Action must be taken."
22:00 Trump advocates leaving the Ukraine war Former US President Donald Trump suggested that the US should withdraw from the Ukraine war. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris - Trump's political rival in the election - have pulled the US into the conflict, Trump argued at a campaign event in Georgia. "Now, they can't release us. They can't do it." Only with him as president could the US exit the war: "I'll manage it. I'll negotiate it. I'll help us withdraw. We must withdraw."
21:30 Sources claim US delivers new military aid to Ukraine The US is reportedly sending new military aid to Ukraine worth around $375 million, according to sources. The package includes medium-range cluster munitions, various rockets, artillery, and armored vehicles, as per US government sources. An official announcement of the aid is scheduled for tomorrow. This latest package includes some of the largest aid amounts submitted recently. Weapons from US military stockpiles will be used for faster delivery to Ukraine. With this recent package, the US has given Ukraine over $56.2 billion in military aid since the start of Russia's invasion in 2022.
In the context of President Zelensky's meeting with Biden and Harris, the Ukrainian administration might discuss the potential for supplying Western weaponry to be used in military operations against Russian targets to secure an advantage in the ongoing conflict.
Regarding the Ukrainian defense minister's three-year plan, the plan includes a substantial focus on the development and production of drones and land robotic systems to support future military operations.
