Weber's assessment: thus far, Putin's endeavors within BRICS have not yielded significant success
13:57 Xi and Modi Arrival in Kazan
Chinese Head of State Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have touched down in the Russian city of Kazan. They're attending the BRICS summit, with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the host. Putin is hoping to utilize the group to escape the international isolation caused by the Ukraine conflict. As per Russian sources, UN Chief António Guterres and around twenty heads of state and government are expected, including Iran's President Massoud Peseschkian and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Putin plans to hold one-on-one chats with several of them amid the summit.
13:41 EU Parliament Approves 35-Billion Euro Aid Package for Ukraine
The European Parliament has given its thumbs up to a Ukraine aid package valued up to 35 billion euros. The legislators endorsed the loan with a substantial majority of 518 votes in favor, 56 against, and 61 abstentions. Disbursement is scheduled for next year, addressing Ukraine's most pressing financial challenges due to the Russian attack. Parliament President Roberta Metsola described it as a "harsh reprimand" against Russia, which should pay for the damage it has inflicted in Ukraine. The loan won't require repayment; instead, the interest and repayment will be sourced from the revenues from frozen Russian assets. Approximately 210 billion euros of Russian central bank assets are currently locked in EU Russia sanctions, estimated to bring in annual interest earnings of up to three billion euros.
13:20 European Court of Human Rights Slams Moscow's 'Foreign Agent' Law
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg has accused Russia of infringing upon human rights with its "foreign agent" law. The verdict labels the regulations as biased and not consistent with freedom of expression. Instead of safeguarding national security, as Moscow so claims, the law serves to threaten and penalize. Over a hundred non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including the outlawed Memorial organization, had filed the complaint.
13:01 Schulze: Putin Wants 'Anti-Western Bloc'
German Development Minister Svenja Schulze accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of aiming to portray the BRICS group as an "anti-Western" alliance before the summit in Kazan, Russia. Schulze suggested offering neutral members like Brazil, India, and South Africa "better opportunities for fair cooperation" as a counterresponse. She highlighted growing collaboration in infrastructure projects in Asia, Africa, and Latin America as an example. "Putin's outdated 'bloc-thinking,' aiming to present himself as the leader of an 'anti-Western' group in Kazan, is outdated in today's multi-polar world," explained Schulze. "This is also demonstrated by the fact that many BRICS delegates are also present at G7 meetings and work well with us."
12:27 Russia Declares Capture of Another Village
As reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense and state-run Russian news agency TASS, Russian forces have seized the village of Novosadove in eastern Ukraine. The village is in the Donetsk region, partially controlled by Russia since the Donbass conflict. Russian troops have gradually advanced and claimed capturing a series of often heavily wrecked villages for months.
12:10 Munz: Uncertainty Surrounding North Korean Soldiers in Russia
Rumors are circulating about North Korean soldiers potentially being involved in Russia's military actions, but the claims are yet to be confirmed. ntv correspondent Rainer Munz discusses the speculation and potential motives if the reports prove to be true. He also touches on possible counteractions.
11:46 Ukraine Fends Off Russian Attacks with Drone Defense
Despite nightly attacks, Ukrainian air defense shot down 42 out of 60 Russian drones overnight. The interceptions reportedly occurred over central, southern, and eastern Ukraine.
11:20 Power Outage in Occupied City Enerhodar Due to Drone Attacks
As per Russian sources, power has been cut off in the occupied power plant city of Enerhodar near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant due to drone attacks. There have been casualties, with one fatality reported in the Ukrainian attack, according to the governor appointed by Moscow for the Russian-controlled part of the Zaporizhzhia region, Yevgeny Balitsky. Air defense remains active. The nearby Zaporizhzhia NPP has been under Russian control since March 2022. The power plant has been forced to shut down its six blocks for safety reasons, but their vital cooling systems often get disrupted due to artillery fire.
10:50 South Korea Mulls Weapons Exports to Ukraine
In response to rumored military collaboration between North Korea and Russia, the South Korean government is contemplating direct weapon supplies to Ukraine. The South Korean presidential office notes its preparedness to deploy diplomatic, economic, and military measures in response to various North Korea-Russia military collusions, including the provision of lethal weapons to Ukraine if the situation escalates further. "We would consider the delivery of weapons for defensive purposes as part of our contingency plan, and if the situation becomes severe, we would also consider an offensive use," said a presidential official. So far, the only military aid supplied by South Korea to Ukraine has been non-lethal equipment like mine-clearing devices.
10:20 Russian Diplomat Claims "End of Ukraine" in BBC Interview Moscow's envoy to London, Andrei Kelin, accuses Britain of instigating a "proxy war" against Russia while also forecasting the "demise of Ukraine" in an interview with the BBC. He maintains that Russian forces are gaining ground, the Ukrainian resistance is diminishing, and the conclusion of this phase will signify "the end of Ukraine." Kelin also dismisses allegations that Russia was responsible for the 2018 Novichok poisonings in Salisbury, which led to a British woman's demise.
09:52 Ethical Concerns Over Russian War Tactics Raised by ISW The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) highlights that Russian forces consistently violate ethical norms, such as executing captive Ukrainian soldiers and employing chemical weapons. This includes the October 18 incident where two Ukrainian soldiers, tied up and blindfolded, were killed by Russian forces (as detailed in the 06:48 entry). ISW asserts that these actions contravene the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War. The institute also shares a blog post from a Russian military blogger, published on October 20, which suggests that Russian forces are using chloropicrin – a damaging lung compound – against Ukrainian forces. The U.S. State Department noted in May that Russian forces have employed chloropicrin and various irritants, breaking the Chemical Weapons Convention, to which Russia is a signatory.
09:26 North Korea Denies Allegations of Sending Troops to Russia North Korea disputes claims of dispatching troops to Russia for deployment in Ukraine as "unfounded speculations." A North Korean representative at a UN General Assembly committee meeting in New York argued that these accusations from South Korea were intended to tarnish the reputation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and to weaken the harmonious relationships between two independent nations.
09:00 Putin Invites Global Leaders to Kazan Summit Putin welcomes international leaders to the major summit in Russian Kazan. The broad participation, beyond the BRICS countries, demonstrates the influence of Russia, China, and their allies, notes ntv reporter Rainer Munz. While the alliance's structure differs from its Western counterpart in one aspect.
08:48 Bilateral Agreement on Science and Technology Signed by German and Ukrainian Education Ministers For Germany's embattled education minister, Bettina Stark-Watzinger, this is an opportune break from her controversies. Stark-Watzinger visits Kyiv for discussions. Her objective is to reaffirm "Germany's resolute solidarity with Ukraine," as declared earlier. During her stay, she will sign a revised bilateral agreement on scientific and technological cooperation with her Ukrainian counterpart, Oxen Lisowyj, repealing a previous agreement from the Soviet era. Accompanied by a high-powered delegation of scientists, Stark-Watzinger seeks to boost Ukraine's innovative capacity with the new project. This was her second trip to Kyiv since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
08:16 Explosion at Russian Chemical Facility in Tambov Following Ukrainian Drone Strike According to Russian sources, a Ukrainian drone attack incites an explosion at a chemical plant in the southern Russian region of Tambov, briefly igniting it. "Preliminary reports suggest no casualties," states Governor Maxim Jegorov on Telegram. The Tambov District is approximately 400 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, with the regional capital situated halfway between Moscow and the million-strong city of Volgograd.
07:49 Russian Preschool: Kindergarten Kids Visit Military Base and Receive Model of "Liberated" Bachmut Ruins Indoctrination of Russian children and armed forces glorification appear to start at an early age. As reported by the independent Russian media outlet "Meduza," a kindergarten group in the Rostov region was introduced to the nationalist youth organization Yunarmia this week at a local military base. To commemorate the occasion, a sergeant presented them with a special gift: a homemade replica of the ruined Ukrainian city of Bachmut, with debris, a Z-marked tank, and a Russian flag emblazoned on a building. The display was titled "The Liberation of the City of Bachmut," giving children a glimpse of "how Russian liberators operate."
07:18 Russian Drone Strike Results in Deaths of Three Civilians in Sumy According to Governor Ihor Kaltschenko, a Russian drone raid on the eastern Ukrainian border region of Sumy has led to three fatalities, including a child. A residential building sustained damage during the night, as reported on Telegram.
06:48 Prosecutor's Office of Donetsk: Two Ukrainian POWs Killed by Russian Soldiers This is not an uncommon occurrence: Russian soldiers, as per the Donetsk Region's Prosecutor's Office, have murdered two captured Ukrainian soldiers near Selydove in the Donetsk region. On October 18, the Kremlin's troops reportedly seized the two unarmed soldiers during an offensive on Ukrainian positions, forced them to lie face down, and subsequently executed them at point-blank range. The killing of prisoners of war violates the Geneva Conventions and constitutes a grave breach of international law. Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have launched an investigation under martial law. The Ukrainian ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, has reported this incident to the UN and the Red Cross.
06:19 Harris: Trump's Presidency Could Lead to Ukraine's DemiseDemocratic U.S. presidential candidate Kamala Harris argues that her Republican opponent Donald Trump is easy to manipulate by "dictators and autocrats." She asserts that this has happened in the past and that Trump can be swayed by favors and flattery from such leaders. If he wins the November election, she warns, Ukraine will succumb to Russia, resulting in catastrophic consequences globally. Harris commends the bipartisan cooperation in Congress to support Ukraine and believes it will continue, but she's unsettled by Trump's close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
05:50 Russian Governor: Distilleries in Tula Damaged by DronesAs per Russian reports, two distilleries in Tula, a Russian region south of Moscow, have been damaged by Ukrainian drone attacks. The governor of Tula, Dmitri Miliajew, reported no casualties. Emergency service personnel are on site, and the situation is under control. The extent of the damage to the distilleries in Yefremov and Luschkowski is unclear. Ukrainian drone attacks also adversely affected a heating plant and a building in the Russian region of Bryansk, bordering Ukraine. The governor confirmed that Russian air defense units intercepted at least six Ukrainian drones, with no casualties reported.
05:01 Poland Demands Access to Secret Annexes of Zelensky's Winning StrategyPoland's Deputy Foreign Minister, Wladyslaw Bartoszewski, calls for inspection of the secret annexes of Zelensky's victory plan, presented last week. According to the Polish news agency PAP, Poland was not included among the countries granted full access to the plan. Bartoszewski remarks, "When Germany offered helmets to the Ukrainians, we contributed 320 tanks. Our contribution was substantial, so we should have access to these files."
04:06 Britain Lends Ukraine 2.26 Billion Pounds for Military PurposesU.K. Defense Minister John Healey announces that Britain is providing Ukraine with a 2.26 billion pound loan for military purposes. Healey adds that the loan can be used to develop drones with a greater range than some long-range missiles. When asked if Ukraine could also use the funds to buy British Storm-Shadow missiles for deep strikes into Russia, Healey replies, "They are actively focusing on enhancing the range of their drones. They will consult with us on how they allocate the funds and the weapons they need immediately."
02:47 Alleged North Korean Soldiers in Ukraine War: US Wants to Consult with AlliesThe U.S. expresses concern over alleged North Korean soldier deployments in Russia for use in Ukraine. U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Robert Wood, describes the situation as "grave." He says, "If verified, this is an alarming development and a clear escalation of military relations between North Korea and Russia." Wood adds that the U.S. is consulting with its allies and partners about the potential repercussions of such a serious move.
01:47 Navalny's Memoir "Patriot" Debuts TodayNavalny's widow, Julia Navalnaya, views Navalny's memoir "Patriot" as a legacy of her husband, Russia's prominent opposition figure for years. The book, available in 20 languages, including Russian and German, is a testament to Navalny's courage against Russia's Kremlin leader, Vladimir Putin, and his vision of a better future for Russia. She completed the 500-page work encompassing many family photographs and political moments after Navalny's death.
00:46 Zelensky Urges Ukrainian Soldiers to Stand Firm in KurskUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky encourages Ukrainian soldiers to hold their ground in the captured bridgehead in the Russian region of Kursk. Despite Russian troops pushing back Ukrainians, Zelensky says, "We are maintaining our position, and I thank every soldier for their bravery." He has conferred with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and Chief of General Staff Anatoly Barhylevyych about the situation. Zelensky emphasizes, "The Kursk operation serves a significant strategic purpose. The war must return to its originating territory when a buffer zone is developed on the aggressor's land."
23:36 Guterres to Meet Putin Amidst Russia's Offensive in UkraineUN Secretary-General António Guterres will meet President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Russia since Russia's large-scale offensive against Ukraine began. The meeting will occur on Thursday, alongside the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. The Kremlin notes that the conversation will cover "UN activities" and "current issues on the international agenda," including "the Middle East crisis and the situation in Ukraine."
10:24 Zelensky: USA Allocates $800M for Ukrainian Drone ProductionUkraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky declares that the United States is set to provide $800 million in assistance to bolster the manufacturing of Ukrainian drones. Zelensky expresses his gratitude for this aid in his nightly address, stating, "Ukraine values this support, no matter the political challenges worldwide, we must always be capable of safeguarding our sovereignty."
23:19 Newsflash: South Korea Ponders Sending Spies to Ukraine
South Korean media whispers that Seoul is pondering the deployment of intelligence operatives to Ukraine following allegations of North Korea dispatching troops to Russia. A report, based on intel sources, suggests that the government and military are contemplating the deployment of a suitable number of personnel, including intelligence agents and specialists in enemy strategic methods. South Korean agents could then interrogate or offer translation services for North Korean soldiers in the event they're captured by Ukrainian troops, according to the report. Furthermore, they could provide Kiev with intel on North Korea's combat tactics.
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The Ukrainian conflict continues to impact international relations, with the European Union providing a significant aid package to Ukraine, valued at up to 35 billion euros. The Ukrainian Parliament approved this loan with a substantial majority due to the financial challenges caused by the Russian attack. On the other hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin is hosting the BRICS summit in Kazan, aiming to utilize the group to escape the international isolation caused by the Ukraine conflict.
