Russia announces capturing another village at 12:27.
12:10 Munz: "Quality not the focus" for North Korean soldiers
International intelligence agencies and governments are grappling with the enigma of North Korean soldiers who could be fighting alongside Russia. ntv correspondent Rainer Munz casts doubt on the veracity of these claims - and elucidates what incentives Moscow might have if these reports are indeed true. He also discusses potential counteractions.
11:46 Ukraine downs dozens of drones
Night after night, Ukraine's air defense boasts of having downed 42 out of 60 Russian drones, according to their claims. These interceptions predominantly occurred over central, southern, and eastern Ukraine.
11:20 Power outage in Enerhodar, occupied power plant city
The power outage in the occupied city of Enerhodar near Southern Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, as reported by Russian sources, was attributed to drone attacks. The tragedy took the life of a man during the Ukrainian assault, as stated by the pro-Russian appointed governor of the occupied Zaporizhzhia region, Yevgeny Balitsky, through a Telegram post. Air defense operations continue. Since March 2022, Russian forces have occupied the Zaporizhzhia NPP, causing frequent power interruptions due to artillery strikes, necessitating regular cooling system restarts.
10:50 South Korea considers arming Ukraine
In response to the escalating military ties between North Korea and Russia, South Korea is contemplating direct weapons supply to Ukraine. Coordinated diplomatic, economic, and military responses for various scenarios of military cooperation between North Korea and Russia are being formulated in Seoul. If the situation intensifies, South Korea might employ lethal weapons. To date, Seoul has only provided Ukraine with non-lethal equipment such as mine-clearing devices.
10:20 Russian envoy predicts "end of Ukraine"
Moscow's ambassador to London, Andrei Kelin, accused Britain of fueling a "proxy war" against Russia. Concurrently, he forecasted the "collapse of Ukraine" in an interview with the BBC, saying that Russian forces are progressing further. The Ukrainian resistance is weakening, while Russian troops gradually gain territory daily, asserting, "The end of this phase will mark the end of Ukraine." In a dire situation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is struggling, while Russia currently occupies approximately 18% of Ukraine. In the interview, Kelin also refuted any involvement in the Salisbury Novichok attack in 2018, which resulted in a British woman's death.
09:52 ISW condemns murders and chemical weapon use: Russia persistently committing war crimesThe Russian military persists in committing war crimes, as indicated by the Institute for the Study of War. This horrific behavior includes ongoing executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war in violation of the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War and the utilization of chemical weapons, such as chloropicrin - a pesticide and lung-damaging agent. The Russian military has reportedly utilized such chemicals against Ukrainian forces, violating the Chemical Weapons Convention, to which Russia is a signatory.
09:26 North Korea denies South Korean allegations of sending soldiers to RussiaNorth Korea refutes reports of deploying its soldiers to Russia as "baseless slander." The accusations against it, claimed the North Korean representative during a United Nations General Assembly committee meeting in New York, are intended to "damage the honor of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and sabotage the stable diplomatic relations between two sovereign nations."
09:00 Putin attends summit: Friendship transcends business relationsPutin convenes a summit in Russian Kazan. The participation of more than just the BRICS countries underscores the influence of Russia, China, and others, as per ntv correspondent Rainer Munz's analysis. However, there is a marked distinction between this alliance and its Western counterpart in one crucial area.
08:48 Stark-Watzinger signs agreement in KyivFor beleaguered Federal Education Minister, Bettina Stark-Watzinger, this marks a welcomed diversion: She travels to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv for bilateral talks. Her mission aims to reaffirm "Germany's unwavering support for Ukraine," as previously announced. During her visit, she is scheduled to sign a new bilateral agreement on scientific and technological cooperation with her Ukrainian counterpart, Oxen Lissowyj. Owing to the passage of time, this agreement supersedes a previous one from Soviet times. Along with the minister, a high-level delegation of German scientists will accompany her. The new agreement aims to bolster Ukraine's innovative capacity. Stark-Watzinger has visited Kyiv twice since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
08:16 Russian Chemical Plant in Tambov Catches Fire due to Ukrainian Drone Strike A Ukrainian drone attack, as per Russian claims, leads to an explosion at a chemical plant situated in the southern Russian region of Tambov. The incident resulted in a brief fire, which was later reported by Governor Maxim Jegorov through Telegram. He suggested that there were no reported casualties. The Tambov Oblast is approximately 400 kilometers away from the Ukrainian border, with Tambov serving as its capital, positioned halfway between Moscow and Volgograd, a million-strong city.
07:49 Russian Kindergarten Greeted with Bachmut Ruins Model from Junarmija Early childhood education appears to commence at a young age in Russia. For several years, Russian children have been subjected to militarization, with the army's glorification. As reported by Meduza, a group of Russian kindergarten children visited a local military base this week, where they were inducted into the nationalist youth organization, Junarmija. To commemorate this occasion, a sergeant major presented them with a special gift - a homemade model of the ruined Ukrainian city of Bachmut. The model depicted the destruction of houses, a tank bearing the letter Z, and a Russian flag on a building. The model was named "The Liberation of the City of Bachmut," allowing the children to understand the workings of the Russian liberators.
07:18 Tragic Fatalities in Sumy due to Russian Drone Strike A Russian drone strike targeted the eastern Ukrainian border region of Sumy, resulting in the death of three individuals, including a child, as per the announcement made by Sumy's Governor, Ihor Kaltschenko, on Telegram. During the night, a residential building was hit.
06:48 War Crime Charges against Russian Soldiers in Donetsk The Donetsk Prosecutor's Office claims that Russian soldiers executed two captured Ukrainian soldiers near Selydove in the Donetsk region. The incident occurred on October 18, when the Russian forces allegedly ambushed Ukrainian soldiers and captured them unarmed. Forced to lie on the ground, the unarmed soldiers were later shot at close range by the Russian troops. This act of war crime violates the Geneva Conventions and is being investigated under martial law by Ukrainian law enforcement agencies.
06:19 Kamala Harris Warns about Trump and Russia Democratic US presidential candidate Kamala Harris criticizes her rival, Donald Trump, for being open to manipulation by dictators and autocrats. She believes that if Trump wins the presidential election, Ukraine will be seized by Russia, leading to global catastrophic repercussions. She praises American bipartisan support to Ukraine and hopes it will continue, but remains concerned about Trump's relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
05:50 Damage to Distilleries in Tula from Ukrainian Drone Attacks Russian reports suggest that two distilleries in Tula, south of Moscow, were damaged by Ukrainian drone attacks. The governor of Tula, Dmitri Miliajew, reported no casualties, and rescue services were on the scene to assess the extent of the damage. A Ukrainian drone strike also caused damage to a heating plant and a building in the Bryansk region, as announced by its local governor. According to Russian reports, numerous drones were shot down by air defense forces, with no reported injuries.
05:01 Poland Seeks Access to Secret Sections of Zelensky's Victory Plan Poland's Deputy Foreign Minister, Wladyslaw Bartoszewski, has expressed the desire to inspect the secret sections of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's victory plan. According to the Polish Press Agency, Zelensky mentioned during the presentation that his victory plan would only be shared with essential partners for execution. Bartoszewski stated that Poland has not received full information about the plan and emphasized that its significant contribution, offering 320 tanks, justifies its right to access these classified files.
04:06 UK Provides £2.26 Billion Loan to Ukraine for Military Purposes The UK has offered a £2.26 billion loan (approximately $4.41 billion) to Ukraine, which will exclusively be allocated for military purposes. Defense Minister John Healey mentioned that the UK's contribution could help develop drones with extended ranges, surpassing the range of some long-range missiles. When questioned about the possibility of Ukraine using the money for purchasing British Storm Shadow missiles for deep-range attacks on Russia, Healey stated that Ukraine would consult with them on how to use the funds and prioritize their urgent weaponry needs. This loan is part of the larger planned support from G7 countries, leveraging profits from approximately $300 billion in frozen Russian state assets in the West.
Following rumors of North Korean troops potentially being deployed to Russia for use in Ukraine, the U.S. has labeled the situation as "risky." Ambassador Robert Wood of the U.N., speaking to the Security Council, stated, "If true, this is a significant cause for concern and a clear escalation of military ties" between North Korea and Russia. "We're discussing the potential repercussions of such a major shift with our international allies and partners," Wood furthered.
01:47 Navalny's Autobiography "Patriot" is Now AvailableIn the spirit of her late husband Alexei, Julia Navalnaya has released the autobiography "Patriot" of Russia's notable opposition figure. The book is available today, not in Russia, but in Russian and 19 other languages, such as German. The 48-year-old believes the book to be an inspiring testament to Navalny's courage as a Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin's harshest critic and his hope for a brighter future for Russia. Despite Navalny's demise, she managed to complete the over 500-page memoir, filling it with various family and political appearance snapshots.
00:46 Zelensky Encourages Ukrainian Soldiers in KurskUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky encourages his troops to remain steadfast in the captured bridgehead in the Russian region of Kursk. Contrary to widespread reports suggesting that Russian forces are pushing back Ukrainian advances, Zelensky asserts, "We're maintaining our ground, and I salute each soldier for their bravery." He has consulted with Chief Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi and Chief of the General Staff Anatoly Barhylevyych regarding the situation. "We mustn't forget that the Kursk operation serves a strategic purpose. The conflict must return to its initial territory. This is the case when a buffer zone is established on the enemy's territory," Zelensky highlighted in his nightly address.
23:36 Guterres to Meet PutinAs per the Kremlin, UN Secretary-General António Guterres will meet with President Vladimir Putin during his first visit to Russia since the Russian offensive in Ukraine. According to the announcement, the encounter between the two politicians will take place on Thursday, at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. The discussion between Guterres and Putin will cover both UN-related activities as well as "current global issues," such as the Middle East and Ukraine's crisis.
22:24 Zelensky: USA to Finance Drone Production in UkraineUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that the United States is planning to provide $800 million in aid for drone production in Ukraine. "Ukraine is grateful for this assistance. We need to ensure that Ukraine, despite the global political threats, can consistently protect its sovereignty," Zelensky stated in his nightly address.
21:51 Report: South Korea Contemplates Sending Intelligence Officers to UkraineAccording to South Korean media sources, Seoul is contemplating deploying intelligence officers to Ukraine following claims of North Korean soldiers being sent to Russia. Citations from intelligence sources suggest that the government and the military are considering dispatching an adequate contingent of personnel to Ukraine, which would include intelligence officers and military strategy experts. South Korean forces could then either interrogate or provide translation services to North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian troops, or offer Ukraine information on North Korea's military tactics.
The U.S. government is monitoring the situation closely, expressing concern about potential North Korean military operations in support of Russia, which could be a significant escalation of their alliance.
In view of the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, South Korea is evaluating various strategies, including direct supplies of weapons to Ukraine, in response to the ongoing conflict.
