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☆ Ukraine and Russia say they want the war to end. But military and political experts say they're nowhere near peace talks
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Fighting remains intense in southern and eastern Ukraine, where Russian units are deeply entrenched, preventing Ukraine's forces from making significant advances. They note that neither Russia nor Ukraine seems to be at a point where a political resolution is palatable, however. 'Red lines' firmly drawnBoth Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly said they want the war to end — but on their terms. For its part, the Kremlin said in December that it saw no current basis for peace talks, and called Kyiv's peace plan an "absurd process" as it excluded Russia. One big stumbling block in any potential peace talks now is their respective positions on territorial integrity.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, It's, Sam Greene, Pierre Crom, Stephen Twitty, Vladimir Putin, Sam Cranny, Evans, Putin, there's, Zelenskyy, Mario Bikarski, Mitch McConnell, Chuck Schumer, Bill Clark Organizations: Anadolu, Getty, Economic, King's College London, CNBC, U.S, Army, U.S . European Command, Economic Forum, Royal United Services Institute, Kremlin, Kherson —, Anadolu Agency, CIS, Senators, Capitol, Cq, Inc Locations: Kharkiv, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Russia, Switzerland, Davos, Kyiv, Malta, China, Crimea, Avdiivka, Europe, Moscow, Russian, Estonia, Belarus, Turkey, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Ky

The fighting is reminiscent of a battle for another eastern city, Bakhmut, which fell to Russian forces last May after months of brutal urban combat. Since Moscow launched its renewed offensive around Avdiivka in October, Ukraine's top general and Western military experts have made downbeat assessments of Ukraine's ability to break Russian lines. Located just north of the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk in the industrial Donbas region, Avdiivka hosts deeply entrenched Ukrainian defences. Pushing Ukrainian forces out of Avdiivka would be seen as enlarging the amount of territory Russia controls and making Donetsk city safer. Seizing Avdiivka could boost Russian morale and deal a psychological blow to Ukrainian forces, which have made only incremental gains in a counteroffensive launched in June.

Persons: Nuzhnenko, Ukraine's, Russia's, Andrei Gurulyov, Semyon Pegov, Vladimir Putin, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Mykola Bielieskov, Bielieskov, Dan Peleschuk, Andrew Osborn, Mike Collett, White Organizations: Ukraine's National Guard Omega, Radio Free, Radio Liberty, REUTERS Acquire, Mechanized Brigade, Avdiivka, National Institute for Strategic Studies, Kyiv, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Avdiivka, Ukraine, Donetsk region, Radio Free Europe, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Russian, Moscow, Kyiv, Soviet, Donetsk, Luhansk, Russia

☆ For eastern Ukrainians, the ordeal of war is entering its second decade
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Max Hunder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

It is now close to the front line between Ukrainian and Russian forces, and many of its buildings are damaged or destroyed. Like most people from Chasiv Yar, Tkachov has moved further from the fighting though some remain. All of them have lived through nearly a decade of war, a reminder that for millions in eastern Ukraine the conflict has rumbled on since 2014, long before Russia's full-scale invasion in February last year grabbed the world's attention. BUILD-UPUkraine and its Western allies say Russia infiltrated eastern Ukraine with fighters and intelligence operatives to stage a coup in Donbas in 2014 which Moscow subsequently supported with regular troops. FULL-SCALE WARThe U.N. human rights office estimated that more than 14,000 military personnel and civilians were killed in eastern Ukraine from early April 2014 to the end of 2021.

Persons: Tkachov, Alina Smutko, CHASIV, Chasiv Yar, Vladimir Putin, Viktor Yanukovych, Yanukovych, Max Hunder, Mike Collett, White Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Russian, Russia, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Kostiantynivka, Ukraine, Donetsk region, Donbas, CHASIV YAR, Chasiv, Russian, Russia, Moscow, Donetsk, Luhansk, Soviet Union, Ukrainian, CRIMEA, Kyiv, Crimea, Sloviansk, Soviet

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy calls for fortifications in key frontline areas
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Zelenskiy issued his appeal after touring Ukrainian positions in the northeast, one of several areas where Russian forces have been trying to make recent headway - and recapture areas taken back by Ukrainian troops a year ago. Russian occupying forces have built solid fortifications and minefields of their own in areas they have held since pouring over the border in February 2022. Military spokesperson Oleksandr Shtupun said Ukrainian forces had rebuffed Russian attacks on the coking plant. RUSSIAN DRIVE AROUND BAKHMUTRussian forces have also been pressing near contested villages surrounding the equally shattered town of Bakhmut, captured by Russian forces in May after months of fighting. Initial investigation showed Russian forces had dropped two bombs, in the second assault on the town throughout the day.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Rustem Umerov, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Zelenskiy, Lyman, Oleksandr Shtupun, Shtupun, Espreso, Avdiivka, Serhiy Hrabskyi, Hrabskyi, Ron Popeski, Oleksandr Kozhukhar, Alistair Bell, Stephen Coates Organizations: Defence, Ground Forces, Presidential Press, Military, Reuters, Russian, Russia's Defence Ministry, Wednesday, Radio, Thomson Locations: Kupiansk, Ukraine, Kharkiv region, Ukrainian, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Russia, Luhansk, Avdiivka, Russian, RUSSIAN, Bakhmut, Toretsk, Kostyantynivka

☆ I'm an American spending Thanksgiving as a combat nurse under fire on the frontline in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Rebekah Maciorowski, 28, traveled to Ukraine in March 2022 to volunteer as a combat nurse. She will spend Thanksgiving on the frontline and plans on staying in Ukraine until the war is won. Rebekah Maciorowski | @bekamaciorowskiThere is no standardized testing when it comes to supplies, which has been a huge problem for me. 53rd Mechanized BrigadeThere was an anonymous gentleman who wrote a check for $2,000 for tactical medical supplies. And because I'm not a 501(c) organization, he gave it to this other organization and wrote them a handwritten letter explaining these are for medical supplies for Rebekah Maciorowski.

Persons: Rebekah Maciorowski, —, didn't, there's, tourniquets, @bekamaciorowski, I've, they'll, I'd, she's, I'm, we're Organizations: Service, Ukrainian, Health, Marines, Rockets, 53rd Mechanized Brigade Locations: Ukraine, Denver , Colorado, Donbas, Donetsk, Luhansk Oblast, Guyana, Mexico, Ecuador

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy Slaps Sanctions on 108 People, 37 Russian Groups
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Maria Starkova and Elaine MonaghanLVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has sanctioned 37 Russian groups and 108 people including a former prime minister and a former education minister and said he aimed to fight wartime abductions of children from Ukraine and other "Russian terror". Zelenskiy did not associate specific individuals or groups with particular wrongdoings. The decrees showed a range of 10-year penalties against individuals and five-year penalties against non-profit groups including one named in English as the "Russian Children's Foundation." Some of the newly-sanctioned people, which included many with Russian citizenship, had previously been punished with separate or similar penalties. The sanctioned Russian groups included several whose names or websites indicate they work with children.

Persons: Maria Starkova, Elaine Monaghan, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Dmytro Tabachnyk, Mykola Azarov, Viktor Yanukovich, Azarov, Sergei Aksyonov, Leonid Pasechnik, Putin, Kvartal Lui, Maria Lvova, Vladimir Putin, Sofia Lvova, Alexander Lukashenko, Zelenskiy's, Franklin Paul Organizations: Reuters, Russian Children's Foundation, Russian, Kyiv, Criminal, Lvova, Yale University, State Department, National Security, Defence Council Locations: Elaine Monaghan LVIV, Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv, Russian, Crimea, Luhansk, Ukrainian, The Hague, Belarus, Putin, Washington

LVIV, Ukraine, Nov 19 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has sanctioned 37 Russian groups and 108 people including a former prime minister and a former education minister and said he aimed to fight wartime abductions of children from Ukraine and other "Russian terror". Zelenskiy did not associate specific individuals or groups with particular wrongdoings. The decrees showed a range of 10-year penalties against individuals and five-year penalties against non-profit groups including one named in English as the "Russian Children's Foundation." Some of the newly-sanctioned people, which included many with Russian citizenship, had previously been punished with separate or similar penalties. The sanctioned Russian groups included several whose names or websites indicate they work with children.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Dmytro Tabachnyk, Mykola Azarov, Viktor Yanukovich, Azarov, Sergei Aksyonov, Leonid Pasechnik, Putin, Kvartal Lui, Maria Lvova, Vladimir Putin, Sofia Lvova, Alexander Lukashenko, Zelenskiy's, Elaine Monaghan, Franklin Paul Organizations: Russian Children's Foundation, Russian, Kyiv, Criminal, Lvova, Yale University, State Department, National Security, Defence Council, Franklin Paul Our, Thomson Locations: LVIV, Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv, Russian, Crimea, Luhansk, Ukrainian, The Hague, Belarus, Putin, Washington

☆ Thousands of Ukrainian children taken to Belarus -Yale research
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Anthony Deutsch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

More than 2,000 children Yale identified were transported to the Dubrava children's centre in Belarus' Minsk region between September 2022 and May 2023, it said, while 392 children were taken to 12 other facilities. "Russia's federal government and Belarus' regime have been working together to coordinate and fund the movement of children from Russia-occupied Ukraine through Russia to Belarus." Transports to Belarus through Russia were "ultimately coordinated" between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko, it added. Lukashenko approved the use of state organizations to transport children from Ukraine to Belarus and finance their transportation, the Yale report said. Once in Belarus, children have been subjected to military training and re-education, it said.

Persons: Alexander Lukashenko, Pavel Bednyakov, Vladimir Putin, Russia's Putin, Maria Lvova, Lukashenko, David Ljunggren, Mike Collett, White, Alexandra Hudson, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Commonwealth of Independent States, CIS, Sputnik, Rights, Yale University, Humanitarian, Yale School of Public Health, State Department, Reuters, U.S . State Department, Ukraine, Yale, Transports, Criminal, Thomson Locations: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Russian, United States, Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Minsk, The Hague

☆ Haifa and Tel Aviv to play UEFA home games in Serbia behind closed doors
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Soccer Football - Euro 2028 & Euro 2032 Hosts Announcement - Nyon, Switzerland - October 10, 2023 The UEFA logo is pictured at the headquarters ahead of the announcement REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 16 (Reuters) - Israeli clubs Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv will play their next European home fixtures in Serbia behind closed doors, UEFA announced on Thursday. Haifa will face Rennes at Belgrade's Stadion Rajko Mitic in Europa League Group F on Nov. 30, while Tel Aviv's Conference League Group B home games against Zorya Luhansk and Gent on Nov. 25 and Dec. 14 will take place at TSC Arena in Backa Topola. Both Israeli clubs' resumed their campaigns last Thursday after a month's pause due to the Israel-Gaza conflict, with Haifa hosting Villarreal in Cyprus while Tel Aviv visited Ukrainian side Luhansk in Poland. Tel Aviv are second in their group with six points from three matches, while Haifa are bottom of their section with one point from three games. Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Denis Balibouse, Chiranjit, Ken Ferris Organizations: Soccer Football, UEFA, Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Rennes, Belgrade's, Rajko, Europa League, Tel Aviv's Conference League Group, Zorya Luhansk, TSC, Haifa, Villarreal, Thomson Locations: Nyon, Switzerland, Serbia, Haifa, Gent, Backa Topola, Israel, Gaza, Cyprus, Tel Aviv, Ukrainian, Luhansk, Poland . Tel Aviv, Bengaluru

Meanwhile, a blast in Russian-occupied territory in Luhansk, eastern Ukraine, killed a pro-Moscow official, with a Ukrainian intelligence agency taking credit for the assassination. The Black Sea frontUkrainian Defense Intelligence (GUR) claimed it hit two small Russian naval vessels in the Black Sea on Friday, its latest display of Ukraine’s ability to hit Russian targets in occupied Crimea. “Two Russian landing craft have been hit with Ukrainian sea drones near Chernomorske, Crimea,” Andriy Yusov, a representative of GUR, said in comments to CNN. Ukraine Defence Intelligence released grainy, grayscale video showing what it claims is the moment of its srikes on Russian navy vessels in the Black sea. Kyiv has also focused on breaking Russia’s dominance in Ukraine’s territorial Black Sea waters.

Persons: GUR, ” Andriy Yusov, Vlada, Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, Mikhail Filiponenko, Igor Kornet, Ursula von der Leyen, John Thys, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, Ursula von der, “ Organizations: CNN, Moscow, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence, CNN . Defence Intelligence, Ukraine Defence Intelligence, Ukrainian Ministry of Defense CNN, Liberian, Operational Command, UN, Police, Getty, Tavria, Forces, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, People’s Militia, Luhansk People’s, Defense Intelligence, Russian, European Union, EU, NATO Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Ukraine’s, Crimea, Luhansk, Ukrainian, “, Chernomorske, ”, Russian, Kyiv, Moscow, Odesa, Avdiivka, Donetsk, Luhansk People’s Republic, AFP, Europe

☆ Ukraine military says onslaught on Avdiivka in the east intensifies
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A police officer walks near a damaged residential building, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the town of Avdiivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, October 17, 2023. Russian forces have focused on the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk since their drive on Kyiv stalled in the first days of the invasion in February 2022. Oleksandr Borodin, press officer for Ukraine's third separate assault brigade, said Russian forces were launching major infantry attacks, while trying to keep equipment intact. Russian forces, he told Espreso, were unable to replenish supplies quickly and Ukrainian defensive positions were solid. Russia's Defence Ministry reported strikes on Ukrainian troops and equipment near Bakhmut.

Persons: Yevhen, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Oleksandr Borodin, Borodin, Espreso, Ron Popeski, Oleksandr Kozhukhar, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, Ukraine's, Staff, Russian, Russia's, Russia's Defence Ministry, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Avdiivka, Donetsk region, Donetsk, Luhansk, Ukrainian, Israel, Bakhmut, Kupiansk, Skadovsk, Russian, Kherson

☆ Russia will need to sacrifice air defense at its own borders to help cover gaps in Ukraine, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia could be forced to sacrifice air defenses at its borders, UK intelligence said. Losses in Ukraine mean that key air defense weapons will likely need to be redeployed, it said. AdvertisementAdvertisementRussia may need to sacrifice air defenses protecting its borders to help cover gaps in the front lines in Ukraine, the UK Ministry of Defence said in an intelligence update on Thursday. Last week, Russia lost three S-400 Triumf missile systems in the Luhansk region, weakening its air defenses there, the MOD said. The British ministry added that Russia's struggle to keep its air defenses in place is proof the war is overstretching its military.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, UK Ministry of Defence, MOD, BBC, Reuters, Institute for Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Luhansk, Crimea, Russian, Olenivka

☆ Ukraine says it used a car bomb to take out a Russian-backed politician in an occupied city
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine said it killed a Russian-backed lawmaker in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday. Mikhail Filiponenko, a deputy in Luhansk, died in a car bomb explosion, per Ukrainian intelligence. Mikhail Filiponenko, a member of the Russian-backed parliament in occupied Luhansk, and a former leader of its armed forces, died in a car bomb explosion on Wednesday, per the statement. Andriy Cherniak, a representative of Ukrainian intelligence, confirmed to Politico Europe that Ukraine was behind the bombing. Prior to that, Darya Dugina, a prominent war supporter and daughter of Aleksandr Dugin, commonly known as "Putin's brain," was assassinated by a car bomb outside Moscow in August 2022, Insider previously reported .

Persons: Mikhail Filiponenko, —, Andriy Cherniak, Filiponenko, Valery Gerasimov, Darya, Aleksandr Dugin Organizations: Politico, Service, Center, Reuters, Washington Post, General Staff Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Luhansk, Ukrainian, Politico Europe, Moscow, Donetsk

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s intelligence agency took credit for a car bombing Wednesday that killed a member of the Russia-backed authority in the illegally annexed Luhansk region. He had survived a car bombing on Feb. 21, 2022, three days before Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It said that the killing was a warning that “traitors to Ukraine and collaborators with terrorist Russia in temporarily occupied territories … will receive just retribution! Russia-backed insurgents declared a separatist Luhansk People’s Republic in 2014 and fought Ukrainian forces relying on Moscow’s military and political support. The previous government was a staunch supporter of Ukraine, sending it arms worth 671 million euros ($717 million).

Persons: Mikhail Filiponenko, Filiponenko, Robert Fico, Fico, ___ Karel Janicek, Yuras Organizations: Local, Main Intelligence, Ministry of Defense, European Union Locations: KYIV, Ukraine, Russia, Luhansk, Luhansk People’s Republic, Donetsk, Bahatyr, Kharkiv, Kupiansk, Kherson, Beryslav, Prague, Tallinn, Estonia, russia, ukraine

☆ Ukraine's successful ATACMS strike shows Russia's willingness to 'take it on the chin' when Kyiv gets new weapons
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The US was widely expected to transfer ATACMS missiles to Ukraine sometime this fall. But the Russians still appeared surprised when Ukraine fired ATACMS at air bases in October. Repeated failures to anticipate the arrival of new weapons has cost Russia heavily during the war. This has put the burden of air support on Russian attack helicopters. Maxar Technologies via Getty ImagesTo Kofman and other observers, those helicopter bases were "one of the most obvious targets" for Ukrainian ATACMS strikes.

Persons: —, choppers, Michael Kofman, Kofman, Serhii Mykhalchuk, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, Ukrainian, Associated Press, Carnegie Endowment, Maxar, Getty, Kyiv, Israel Defense Forces, IDF, Defense, Foreign Policy, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Russian, Russia's Far, Crimea, Ukrainian, Berdyansk, Luhansk, revetments, Swedish, Yom Kippur, Forbes

☆ Ukraine says it killed Kremlin-backed politician in car bombing in occupied Luhansk
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Christian Edwards | Gul Tuysuz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Kyiv CNN —Ukraine said it was responsible for the assassination of a Russia-backed official with a car bomb in the occupied eastern city of Luhansk on Wednesday. Both Ukrainian and Russian authorities reported Filiponenko had been killed in a car bombing early Wednesday morning. Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence posted Filiponenko’s address and warned others: “All addresses of traitors and places of their service to terrorist Russia in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine are known! Defense Intelligence of Ukraine states that all war criminals and collaborators will receive a fair retribution!”There have been several assassination attempts against Russian-backed officials in occupied Ukraine. Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, in the south of Ukraine, have been occupied by Russian forces since shortly after the full-scale invasion began in 2022.

Persons: Mikhail Filiponenko, Filiponenko, Russia ”, ”, Russian Liberal Democratic Party Filiponenko Mikhail Yuryevich, ” Filiponenko, “ Filiponenko, Stanislav Krasilnikov, LPR, Igor Kornet, Zaporizhzhia, Vladimir Putin’s Organizations: CNN —, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, Russia’s, Russian Liberal Democratic Party, Defense Intelligence, Russian, CNN Locations: CNN — Ukraine, Russia, Luhansk, Luhansk People’s Republic, Russian, Kherson, Ukraine, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Moscow, Vladimir Putin’s United Russia

☆ CAS registers Russian appeal against Olympic membership suspension
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach gestures as he speaks during a news conference, ahead of the 141st IOC Session, in Mumbai, India, October 13, 2023. REUTERS/Niharika Kulkarni/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 6 (Reuters) - The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has registered an appeal filed by the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) against the decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to suspend its membership, the independent judicial body said on Monday. The challenge arose over the IOC's suspension of the ROC following the ROC decision to include as its members some regional sports organisations which are under the authority of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine. "The CAS arbitration proceedings have commenced. The Russian Olympic Committee was banned with immediate effect on Oct. 12 for recognising regional organisations from four territories annexed from Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee said.

Persons: Thomas Bach, Niharika Kulkarni, Vladamir Putin, Putin, Trevor Stynes, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Olympic Committee, 141st IOC, REUTERS, Sport, Russian Olympic Committee, International Olympic Committee, National Olympic Committee, IOC, Olympic, Sports, Russian Olympic, Sporting Power, Swiss, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India, ROC, Ukraine, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Russia, Perm

☆ Ukraine likely destroyed 3 of Russia's prized S-400 missile systems worth $1.5 billion, weakening its air defenses, says UK intel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine has destroyed several Russian long-range air defense systems in the last week, the UK MoD said. Unconfirmed reports said that Ukraine used US-provided ATACMS to strike at the Russian systems. AdvertisementAdvertisementUkraine has likely destroyed at least four Russian long-range air defense systems in the last week, weakening Russia's air defenses, the UK Department of Defense said in an intelligence update on Thursday. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdditional Russian air defense losses have been reported in Crimea by Ukrainian sources. The S-400 was built to rival the $1 billion US-made Patriot air defense system but at a lower price.

Persons: —, Russia's Organizations: MoD, Air Defence, Service, UK Department of Defense, Integrated Air Defence System, Russian Telegram, Tactical Missile Systems, Forbes, NATO Locations: Ukraine, Luhansk, Russia, Crimea, France, Turkey

Kyiv, Ukraine CNN —For many Ukrainians, a recent somber assessment of the battlefield by Ukraine’s military chief was not a surprise. On Saturday, Igor Zhovka, deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, slammed Zaluzhny for his comments. The situation may be better now but the truth of where the war stands “must be accepted, whatever it is,” he told CNN. But now even as the war moves into what Zaluzhny described as “positional warfare,” Shevchuk is convinced it will remain on everyone’s minds. Kyiv resident Natalia Kovalchuk believes everyone in Ukraine will have to join the war effort in the long run.

Persons: Ukrainian Armed Forces Valery Zaluzhny, Zaluzhny, Igor Zhovka, “, ” Zhovka, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, Ursula von der, Vitalii Shevchuk, CNN Vitalii, ” Shevchuk, Shevchuk, Alexander Ermochenko, Zaluzhny’s candor, ” Lyuba Shipovich, Zelensky, Maxym, Iryna Avramets, ” Iryna, “ Zelensky, Oksana Yarosh, don’t, Natalia Kovalchuk, CNN Natalia Kovalchuk, ” CNN’s Gul Tuysuz Organizations: Ukraine CNN, Ukrainian Armed Forces, Economist, ”, European, CNN, Russian, Reuters, Dignitas, Getty, Kyiv, Spain Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Russia, ” Ukraine, Hostomel, Ukraine’s Crimean, Donetsk, Luhansk, Russian, Moscow, Saltovka, Kharkiv, Crimea

☆ Russian forces want to capture big coking plant in key town, mayor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Nov 3 (Reuters) - Russian forces, focused for weeks on seizing the key eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka, are now intent on capturing its vast coking plant, the town's mayor said on Friday. Mayor Vitaliy Barabash, speaking on national television, said audio transmission intercepts had revealed that Moscow was now seeking to secure the town's giant coking plant. Ukrainian military analysts say a sustained assault on Avdiivka had more political that military significance and could be little more than a propaganda prize for Moscow. The General Staff report also reported that Ukrainian forces had repelled seven attacks near Kupiansk, a town in the northeast first seized by Russia but recaptured by Ukrainian forces in a fast-moving offensive late last year. Russian accounts of the fighting said Moscow's forces beat back Ukrainian attempts to advance near Kupiansk and struck Ukrainian forces in a series of towns south and west of Donetsk.

Persons: Vitaliy Barabash, Barabash, Avdiivka, Natalia Homeniuk, Homeniuk, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ron Popeski, Michael Perry Organizations: Russian, Ukraine's, Staff, Moscow, The, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Donetsk, Luhansk, Russian, Bakhmut, Moscow, Kupiansk, Russia, Kharkiv, Odesa, Kherson, Lviv, Ukraine's, Poland, Ukraine

☆ Ukrainian troops battle exhaustion as war drags into second winter
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Max Hunder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

"Non-stop fighting, assaults, evacuations, and you know, I managed it," he told a Reuters reporter visiting his position on Thursday. FALTERING OFFENSIVEIstoryk serves in a rifles battalion of the 67th Mechanised Brigade in the Serebryanskyi forest in the Luhansk region. More dramatic advances are still possible; last year Russian forces swiftly retreated from positions in Kherson region in early November. "We're exhausted, they're exhausted. Additional reporting by Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey; Writing by Mike Collett-White Editing by Gareth JonesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Alina Smutko, Valery Zaluzhnyi, Zaluzhnyi, Istoryk, Oleksandr Popov, Michael Kofman, Velyka Novosilka, Popov, Ivan Lyubysh, Mike Collett, Gareth Jones Organizations: 67th Mechanised Brigade, Armed Forces, REUTERS, Russian, Reuters, Carnegie Endowment, International, Artillery, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Kreminna, Luhansk region, West, KREMINNA, pinewood, Russia, Kyiv's, Kyiv, Luhansk, Russia's Belgorod, Azov, Kherson region, Bakhmut, Orikhiv, Velyka, Lyman, North Korea, Zakhid

☆ Russian Forces Want to Capture Big Coking Plant in Key Town, Mayor Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

(Reuters) - Russian forces, focused for weeks on seizing the key eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka, are now intent on capturing its vast coking plant, the town's mayor said on Friday. Mayor Vitaliy Barabash, speaking on national television, said audio transmission intercepts had revealed that Moscow was now seeking to secure the town's giant coking plant. Ukrainian military analysts say a sustained assault on Avdiivka had more political that military significance and could be little more than a propaganda prize for Moscow. The General Staff report also reported that Ukrainian forces had repelled seven attacks near Kupiansk, a town in the northeast first seized by Russia but recaptured by Ukrainian forces in a fast-moving offensive late last year. Russian accounts of the fighting said Moscow's forces beat back Ukrainian attempts to advance near Kupiansk and struck Ukrainian forces in a series of towns south and west of Donetsk.

Persons: Vitaliy Barabash, Barabash, Avdiivka, Natalia Homeniuk, Homeniuk, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ron Popeski, Michael Perry Organizations: Reuters, Russian, Ukraine's, Staff, Moscow, The Locations: Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Donetsk, Luhansk, Russian, Bakhmut, Moscow, Kupiansk, Russia, Kharkiv, Odesa, Kherson, Lviv, Ukraine's, Poland, Ukraine

☆ IOC's ban on Russia cannot be compared with Israel situation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Karolos Grohmann | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach gestures while speaking during the second day of the 141st IOC session in Mumbai, India, October 16, 2023. REUTERS/Niharika Kulkarni/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Russia's attempt to compare the country's Olympic Committee suspension with the situation of Israeli athletes following the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas was out of place, the International Olympic Committee said on Friday. The IOC did not ban the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) until last month after it recognised regional organisations from four territories annexed from Ukraine. The IOC said on Oct. 12 the ROC would be banned with immediate effect after it recognised Olympic Councils from the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. "Once again we see an example of the bias and failure of the International Olympic Committee, which time after time proves its political bias."

Persons: Thomas Bach, Niharika Kulkarni, Sergei Lavrov, Lavrov, Karolos Grohmann, Gabrielle Tetrault, Farber, Ed Osmond Organizations: Olympic Committee, 141st IOC, REUTERS, Rights, International Olympic, Russian, IOC, Olympics, Olympic, Winter Games, Russian Olympic Committee, National Olympic Committee of, International Olympic Committee, Paris Olympics, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India, Israel, Ukraine, Russian, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, United States, Paris

☆ Russia fumes at the West's charm offensive in its backyard, saying it's 'luring' its friends away
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

One top official in Moscow was fuming as he claimed the West was "luring" its "neighbours, friends, and allies" away from Russia. Moscow's disdainThe French leader's comments are likely to have enraged Moscow, which is already watching Western efforts to court Central Asia with suspicion and disdain. "Look at how Western powers are wooing Central Asia," Lavrov told the BelTA news agency, in comments published by Russia's Foreign Ministry. "They have created numerous formats such as 'Central Asia plus' involving the United States, the EU, and Japan ... On top of the Central Asia plus EU format, the Germans have created their own format. China's roleThere's certainly a tussle for influence that's taking place in Central Asia, with China also "courting" the region to a certain extent.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Kassym, Sergei Lavrov, Lavrov, Ilham Aliyev, Serdar Berdimuhamedow, Emomali Rahmon, Alexander Lukashenko, Mark Galeotti, Galeotti, we've, Ed Jones, There's, Joe Biden, Jim Watson, Alexander Titov, Russia's, Xi Jinping, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Organizations: Getty, Ukraine, Kazakh, CNBC, Russian, Central, Russia's Foreign Ministry, EU, Commonwealth of Independent States, Central Asia's, West, General, Afp, Georgia —, Queen's University of Belfast, U.S, Analysts, of, Forum, International Cooperation, Xinhua News Agency Locations: 13,2023, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Moscow, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Soviet, Astana, France, Uzbekistan, United States, Japan, Turkmenistan, Russian, London, Europe, China, Central, Ukraine, Central Asian, Tajikistan, New York City, Belarus, Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, North Korea, Nicaragua, Syria, South Caucasus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Moldova, Afghanistan, Beijing, People's, of Turkmenistan

☆ How Ukraine's counteroffensive has struggled so far
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

But in mid-October, some Russian military bloggers reported that Ukrainian forces had formed a small bridgehead on the eastern bank. Shortly after, Ukrainian soldiers breached the first line of defences south of the town of Velyka Novosilka in the first known breakthrough of the counteroffensive. Military analysts and authorities in Kyiv said Ukraine had badly damaged a large landing ship and an attack submarine. Just over a week later, a Ukrainian missile attack hit Russia's Black Sea naval headquarters in Sevastopol. In mid-October, Ukrainian forces used U.S.-supplied long-range ATACMS missiles for the first time, damaging airfields near Luhansk in Ukraine's east and in Berdiansk on the Sea of Azov, both under Russian control.

Persons: Alina Smutko, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, General Valery Zaluzhnyi, Wagner, Mike Collett Organizations: 67th Mechanised Brigade, Armed Forces, REUTERS, Reuters, Military, White, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Kreminna, Luhansk region, Kyiv, KHERSON, Dnipro, Russia, Velyka, Neskuchne, Orikhiv, Azov, Crimea, AVDIIVKA, Avdiivka, Russian, Ukrainian, Donetsk, Bakhmut, BAKHMUT, Moscow, Kharkiv, Kherson, KUPIANSK, Russia's Belgorod, Kupiansk, Crimean, Sevastopol, East, Luhansk, Ukraine's, Berdiansk

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