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Anton Gerashchenko is an official advisor and a former deputy minister at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, ex-member of the Ukrainian parliament. Cooperation - @Tatiana_Pravda
Today, our F-16 pilots shot down around 10 aerial targets, - Zelenskyy.
Over the past week, the aggressor has launched nearly 140 missiles of various types, more than 900 guided aerial bombs, and over 600 attack drones.
Russian Telegram channels report a drone attack on Izhevsk Kupol Electromechanical Plant that produces air defense systems.
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One of the largest attacks in Ukraine this morning.
What is currently known of the aftermath:
▪️Kryvyi Rih: a hit on the infrastructure facility (a column of smoke rises up in the video). Residential buildings and two schools were damaged. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported.
▪️Zaporizhzhia: Russians launched three strikes. The infrastructure was under attack. No casualties.
▪️Rivne: a strike on the energy infrastructure. Water and electricity supplies were disconnected.
▪️Lviv region: garages and a car caught on fire as a result of falling missile debris. One dead and two injured.
▪️Dnipro: damaged apartment buildings, an educational institution, and a car. One person injured.
▪️ Prykarpattia: a critical infrastructure facility was hit. A residential building was damaged by debris.
▪️Poltava: windows of six apartment buildings were damaged in the Kremenchuk district and five cars caught fire. There are casualties.
📹: the aftermath of one of the hits
We all need some lighter content, too.
Our Defenders share what helps them keep their spirits up in the dugouts.
If you've been following for a while, you probably already know the answer.
📹: kuzma.zviahel/TikTok
This morning, Russian Gazprom stopped gas supplies to Austria.
Austria's close cooperation in gas imports, which had existed since 1968, first with the USSR and then with Russia, came to an abrupt halt within 3 days.
◾️ How and why did it happen?
On November 14, Austrian company OMV won an arbitration against Gazprom for $242 million (excluding interest and court costs). The lawsuit was filed because of irregular gas supplies and their complete cessation in September 2022, when the Kremlin hoped to freeze Europe.
Vienna realized that Gazprom would not pay and decided to immediately claim this amount through the existing contract. In other words, instead of transferring regular monthly payments for gas supplied to Gazprom, OMV planned to withhold them until the amount awarded by the court was reached.
◾️ On October 15, OMV received a letter from Gazprom Export (a subsidiary of Gazprom) stating that natural gas supplies under the existing contract would be stopped completely.
◾️ On November 16, Gazprom cut off gas supplies to Austria, its oldest and largest EU customer among those remaining.
However, Vienna turned out to be ready, diversifying gas supplies with the help of non-Russian sources.
Moreover, it actually pushed Moscow toward such a scenario.
◾️ Chancellor Karl Nehammer noted that what had happened was "what we have been preparing for since the beginning of the war in Ukraine" and assured that gas storage facilities were full and "no one will freeze this winter, no home will be cold."
"We will not be blackmailed by anyone, not even by the Russian president. We will not be brought to our knees by Putin's government, by Putin himself," he declared.
Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology Leonore Gewessler made a similar statement.
"The actions of Gazprom today prove once again that Russia is not a partner. But tomorrow also marks the end of a risk. If we no longer receive supplies from Russia, we can no longer be blackmailed," she wrote.
◾️ And most importantly.
By stopping gas supplies to Austria, Gazprom has thus violated the terms of the contract, valid until 2040.
And, by doing so, it gave Austria a formal pretext for an early and legally clean exit from the contract, thereby getting rid of their gas dependence on Russia.
And thus depriving the Kremlin of part of the gas revenues used for the war.
Putin has "outplayed" everyone once again.
📹: Kurier
According to the New York Times, Donald Trump might appoint Boris Epshteyn from his legal team a special envoy "to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine".
According to sources cited by the media, Trump "listened with apparent interest and did not dismiss the proposal, even though he did not commit to it."
Friends from the US, what do you think of this?
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/15/us/politics/boris-epshteyn-trump.html
Estonia will provide a new military aid package to Ukraine.
It will include naval uniforms, observation devices, scopes, various types of ammunition, and protective gear.
Thank you, Estonia!
Source: https://t.co/gnYk8CBCqb
FDP leader considers vote on supply of Taurus missiles for Ukraine possible – Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung
In an interview with the newspaper, the leader of the German Free Democratic Party, Christian Dürr, said that if "the situation in Ukraine is dramatic, then it is not primarily money that is needed. We have proposed that Taurus cruise missiles finally be delivered to Ukraine."
"I can well imagine, given the statements of the CDU/CSU and the Greens, that such a proposal could succeed," he said.
Source: https://www.noz.de/deutschland-welt/politik/artikel/fdp-fraktionschef-christian-duerr-offen-fuer-taurus-lieferung-47979895
Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya has arrived in Kyiv this morning for an unannounced visit.
Japan continues to be a consistent partner for Ukraine in its struggle against Russia:
▪️Ukraine and Japan have signed a bilateral security agreement for 10 years. It covers assistance in the fields of security and defense, cooperation in humanitarian, technical, and financial sectors, joint efforts to implement the points of the Peace Formula, and sanctions against Russia.
▪️Japan has enacted sanctions against Russian companies and individuals, who participate and fund its illegal war in Ukraine. Tokyo’s robust sanctions regime also cracked down on evasion efforts by sanctioning entities from China, India, UAE, and other countries.
▪️Japanese government committed to provide $3.3 billion of income from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine under the financial package of G7. They have also promised to provide $4.5 billion of assistance by the end of 2024.
▪️The cooperation between Kyiv and Tokyo is crucial for the safe and secure demining of our country. Japan provides training, funding and equipment to Ukrainian emergency services.
Thankful to the people of Japan for unwaveringly standing with Ukraine! 🇺🇦 🇯🇵
The situation in Abkhazia is developing swiftly. The struggle between the current President Bzhania and the opposition demanding he relinquish power is intensifying. A lot of information appears that is hard to verify.
▪️Russian media report that Bzhania fled Sukhumi for his native village of Tamish, 40 km from the capital. According to Russian media, the two helicopters sent for Bzhania from Russia returned to Sochi without him.
▪️The opposition is occupying government buildings in the capital, Sukhumi. Local Telegram channels report that they have established a “Coordination Headquarters” to maintain key government services in the President’s absence. They are currently meeting with locals in the building of the Presidential administration, and called for citizens to gather in the main hall.
▪️Reportedly, the opposition has seized weapons from police armories. Military units are reinforcing security around weapons depots, while the special services are biding their time and do not back either the President or the opposition.
▪️Opposition leader Levan Mikaa has warned that the parliament may vote on Bzhania’s removal. A 2/3 majority is required for impeachment.
▪️Pictured in the video below is Bzhania arriving for a meeting with “local residents” in Tamish. He announced that he is ready to set a new election if the opposition leaves government buildings, Russian media report.
▪️According to Russian bloggers, both the opposition and current government have scrambled to secure support from Moscow overnight. Russian military presence remains on high alert but has so far avoided direct involvement.
▪️Ukrainian expert on Russian affairs Vadym Denysenko thinks that the current events might be connected to Putin's former aide Surkov. He stands to lose the most from the “investment agreement”, and has ties to the opposition. Surkov may use the situation to his advantage to return to the Kremlin in exchange for a swift resolution of the Abkhaz political crisis.
The situation remains highly unstable, with further developments expected throughout the afternoon.
Russian propagandists:
"I am deeply convinced that only that part of Ukraine that we will control physically will not be in NATO. So it's whether Russian territory up to the Atlantic, or there should be political regimes in other countries, which should be at least loyal."
❗️Russia sabotaged 6 European satellites, disrupting TV broadcasting and showing propaganda videos - Nieuwsuur
In recent months, Russia disrupted five Eutelsat satellites and one satellite managed by the Luxembourg company SES. As a result, in the spring of this year, the Dutch company KPN broadcasted interference for an hour instead of the BabyTV children's channel. At the same time, the Ukrainian FreedomTV was interrupted by Russian songs and footage of military actions in Ukraine. This happened three times.
Russia was likely targeting Ukrainian television, Dutch, French, Swedish, and Ukrainian government services told Nieuwsuur. The interruptions of BabyTV were likely collateral damage as the Ukrainian channel runs via the same television satellite as BabyTV, owned by the French company Eutelsat.
"We are actually already at war with Russia, but a lot of people don't understand that. As long as Russia is not stopped, it'll keep going one step further. Until one day, we say, 'Stop,'" Patrick Bolder, HCSS strategic advisor, said.
Source: https://nos.nl/nieuwsuur/collectie/13903/artikel/2544559-rusland-saboteert-zes-europese-satellieten-ook-nederlandse-tv-geraakt
The opposition has demanded that the president of Russian-occupied unrecognized Abkhazia resign. A representative of the opposition coordination headquarters said he has taken time to think about it.
Protesters continue to remain in the parliament building, and almost all law enforcers have left it. People say they are not going to leave until their demands are fulfilled.
Local authoriries say they are preparing a document on withdrawal of ratification of the agreement on investments with Russia;
◾️ Opposition organizations of Abkhazia have set up a coordination council to resolve the political crisis;
◾️ Protesters are preparing to defend themselves and erect barricades amid rumors of a possible attempt to take back the building.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz clarified that during a phone call with Putin, he condemned Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and called on Putin to end it and withdraw troops.
German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said Scholz also called on Russia to negotiate with Ukraine for a just and lasting peace and emphasized Germany's "steadfast determination" to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression for "as long as is necessary."
The Chancellor has spoken on the phone with President Zelenskyy beforehand and will do so again after talking to Putin.
Earlier, the German chancellor assured that the EU would not make any decisions regarding Ukraine without Kyiv's knowledge.
⚡️German media report that Olaf Scholz plans to speak with Putin on the phone today, for the first time in about two years.
Some German media say the phone call already took place. They give different estimates how long it lasted - from eight minutes to an hour.
The goal of the Russian criminals is to terrorize civilians.
They target energy infrastructure to ensure that our children and elderly freeze in the winter.
They kill women, the elderly, children, and entire families with their missiles and bombs.
Failing to provide Ukraine with more weapons, greater support, real security guarantees is equal to denying Ukraine the ability to protect its people and allowing the Russian army to turn Ukrainian cities into another Bucha. If this happens, truth will vanish from social networks and the media. Instead, you’ll see reports about a “restored Mariupol” and people “thanking Putin for liberation.” But behind those narratives would lie hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians dead, millions forced to flee, and tens of thousands raped, tortured, tormented and silenced forever.
I firmly believe we won’t let this happen.
📷: approximate movement of Russian drones and missiles over Ukraine last night.
⚡️Russia launched about 120 missiles and 90 drones on Ukraine today - President Zelenskyy.
There is damaged infrastructure. Some areas are without electricity.
F-16 aircraft were also involved into repelling the Russian attack this morning.
A British BAE Systems artillery company will open a £25m artillery factory in Sheffield as part of efforts to support Ukrainian forces in the battle against Russia, The Telegraph reported.
Thank you, UK! 🇬🇧🇺🇦
The company said the facility will start making M777 towed howitzers next year, creating 50 skilled jobs locally.
The M777, which must be towed into position, is reportedly favoured by Ukrainian Defenders because it is reliable and can be moved around quickly. The guns are made of a titanium-aluminium alloy and so weigh only 4.5 tonnes, which is lightweight for artillery.
Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/11/15/bae-open-new-howitzer-factory-sheffield-strengthen-ukraine/#:~:text=BAE%20Systems%20will%20open%20a,creating%2050%20skilled%20jobs%20locally
There are things I don't want to comment on.
In a few days, it will be 1,000 days of the full-scale war and Ukrainian resistance.
We are living through so much grief and unbearable circumstances.
Our true friends and allies are with us. Thank you! We see you and appreciate you.🇺🇦
"Russia expects to liberate Kursk region by January 20, Trump's inauguration".
If I had read this headline in the Russian media several years ago, I would have been very surprised.
In recent months and years, Russia is increasingly concentrated on Africa.
This week, the Russian MFA hosted an official reception for African diplomats in Moscow.
Following the event, reports emerged in state media that Russia “forgave” about $20 billion of African countries’ debt.
But Russia gives with one hand, and takes with the other. In return for their forgiveness and assistance, Moscow is recruiting African soldiers, like the one in the video below, to send them into its infamous "meat assaults" in Ukraine.
The African governments who cooperate with Russia are playing a dangerous game. Because wherever Russia is, there are wars and disasters.
The most important talks on the war in Ukraine to be held next week, Polish foreign minister says - RMF24
At a briefing in Katowice, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Radosław Sikorski, announced that on November 19, he will host a meeting in the Weimar Triangle Plus format that will take place in Warsaw.
In addition to the heads of the foreign ministries of France, Germany, and Ukraine, Sikorski expects representatives of other European countries to be in the meeting. The new European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, has also been invited.
Source: https://www.rmf24.pl/regiony/warszawa/news-sikorski-najwazniejsze-rozmowy-o-wojnie-w-ukrainie-odbeda-si,nId,7856929
As I already mentioned, "Mosfilm" — (Hollywood, Russian-style) — sent 1950s-era armored vehicles, which had been stored at the film studio's warehouse, to the war.
The video features examples of this equipment from the movie "Strict Masculine Life" (1977).
Be sure to watch until the end!
P.S. My team prepared this video. How cool are they?
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave an interview to Ukrainian Radio.
Main points:
◾️ Negotiations with Russia are possible only if Ukraine is not alone and has a strong position;
◾️ US President-elect Donald Trump's entourage has talked about various "peace plans," but Zelenskyy will only discuss this with Trump himself after his inauguration, as this issue is one of "the presidential level";
◾️ Ukraine has developed four types of missiles - they are now being tested;
◾️ Russia is slowly advancing at the front but suffering huge losses. Among the reasons is the very slow filling of Ukrainian brigades with trained people and weapons;
◾️ Ukraine must do everything to end the war next year through diplomatic means;
◾️ The Russians are amassing forces to strike Ukraine's energy sector, but the state is ready for this. Zelenskyy said, without elaborating, that Ukraine is now in a "good position" concerning many air defense systems.
Full interview: https://youtu.be/xof2A_on92w?si=1GirwTf142o_8FDg
Based on open data, the BBC Russian Service, together with the Mediazona media outlet, has managed to establish the names of 78,329 Russian occupiers killed during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
❗️This is not an accurate number of Russian losses. It is the minimal amount that was verified by independent sources and that is shown by Russia itself - and Russia does everything it can to hide the amount of Russians killed in the war. Ukrainian and foreign intelligence services estimate the number of killed to be several times larger, and that's not counting the injured Russian soldiers.
However, even the official Russian statistics starts getting very large, and the number of losses Russia recognizes weekly continues to increase.
The rate of increase in the confirmed death toll is now the highest for the entire duration of the war. The figures for September, October, and November exceed last year's figures by one and a half times, and the figures for 2022 more than double.
According to the BBC, the increase in casualties may be the result of the assaults of Vuhledar and Pokrovsk, as well as the gradual confirmation of Russian losses in the Kursk region of Russia.
The greatest number of losses are among volunteers. Since September of this year, the losses of volunteers began to exceed those of other categories of war participants, including prisoners (20% of all identified deaths) and mobilized (13%).
Newly-minted contract soldiers differ significantly from professional military personnel: before being sent to the front, they undergo only minimal training, which lasts in different cases from three to ten days. Even Z-propagandists have begun to point out that many volunteers now die or go missing within 12-18 days of signing a contract.
"Contract signed on 12.09.2024. Sent to the SMO zone on 20.09.2024. Recognized as missing in action on 24.09.2024. Total: 12 days since the contract was signed," Russian Z-blogger Anastasia Kashevarova describes one of the typical cases.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/russian/articles/cjr4zy2nye5o
Reports have appeared that China might have supplied weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine for the first time - FAZ.
The evidence is "convincing" and proves the "supply of lethal support," a senior EU diplomat said on Friday.
What else needs to happen for Ukraine to get all support and aid possible?
The "axis of evil" is becoming stronger every day. They are working in coordinated unity.
What about the coalition of Ukraine's allies? The realization of the danger will come and the awareness of the need for unity will dawn. And we can only hope it won't be too late. For the sake of all of us.
The EU is now at an early stage of considering sanctions. The issue will be discussed at the EU foreign ministers meeting on Monday.
At the end of September, Reuters had exclusively reported that a subsidiary of the state-owned Russian arms company Almaz-Antey called Kupol had developed and tested a new long-range combat drone in China and wanted to set up mass production there for use of these drones in the war against Ukraine. This was done with the involvement of Chinese experts.
It is unclear at the moment whether China's authorities were involved in this in any way.
https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/wegen-waffen-fuer-russland-eu-erwaegt-sanktionen-gegen-china-110113352.html
"There will be no Minsk-3; what we need is real peace." - President Zelenskyy.
"Regarding one of today's news stories. Chancellor Scholz told me that he is going to call Putin. Olaf's call, in my opinion, is Pandora's box. Now there may be other conversations, other calls. Just a lot of words.
And this is exactly what Putin has wanted for a long time: it is crucial for him to weaken his isolation. Russia's isolation. And to engage in negotiations, ordinary negotiations, that will lead to nothing. As he has been doing for decades. This allowed Russia to change nothing in its policy, to do nothing substantial, and ultimately it led to this war.
We understand all these challenges now. We know how to act. And we want to warn everyone: there will be no Minsk-3; what we need is real peace,"the President said.
It seems that when talking about the war in Ukraine, most people focus on the very difficult situation in Ukraine and "forget" about Russia.
In fact, the situation in Ukraine is indeed difficult, but it is difficult for both sides.
With the help and a lot of effort of Russian propaganda, a semblance of stability and success of Putin's regime is created. But it is only a semblance.
Right now, Russia is:
◾️ a mafia-like, corrupt state;
◾️ killing not only Ukrainians: hundreds of thousands of Russians have been killed and wounded.
◾️ problems with mobilization and North Koreans entering the fight for Russia;
◾️ huge emigration, repressions of population;
◾️ international isolation and sanctions;
◾️ attempts to close the information space;
◾️ inflation and future collapse of the economy if the war continues;
◾️ poisoning of the population with propaganda and degradation;
◾️ demographic problems;
◾️ technological stagnation.
Russian propaganda (and those serving its interests) are eager to show Russia in the strongest possible position before the negotiations. But in reality, Russia is weakened, dependent and has not achieved its goals since February 2022.
Let's keep clarity and common sense and support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Russian propagandists start with discussing strikes on European gas terminals and end with a dream about a nuclear strike on Europe.
"A beautiful rising sea wave washing that sinfulness away," Russian propagandist Solovyev says dreamily.
True face of Russia.
"One of the Koreans fired a grenade launcher at the feet and killed several of their soldiers." - a captured Russian soldier shares his impressions of the level of training of North Korean soldiers.
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