Today
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
11:34
ZELENSKY WANTS TO “PUT PRESSURE” ON THE FRONT.
Volodymyr Zelensky expressed “gratitude” to the members of the Ramstein Group – the NATO mission that coordinates Western military assistance to Ukraine – “for their tireless work and the strong joint decisions they have made.” The Ukrainian president, present at the alliance headquarters for the first time since the start of the war, wanted to outline his “vision” and “priority needs” regarding defense ahead of the upcoming winter.
Faced with a Russian aggressor who “still has sufficient resources,” the warlord recalls that it is “important to put pressure on the front.” “Do not give the enemy an opportunity to rest, recover or choose another tactic.” To achieve this, the Ukrainian president calls for “taking a step forward” and working to build Ukrainian defense.
11:23
A DEATH IN DONBASS
According to regional authorities, there was one casualty and seven injured in the Russian attacks on Donbass last night. One person was killed and two others were injured in Russian attacks in the village of Krasnohorivka in the Donetsk region. In Kherson, the Moscow army attacked “civilian areas with tanks, artillery, mortars, multiple rocket launchers, drones and other military equipment,” causing several damages and one injury, according to the region’s governor.
11:07
UPDATE ON THE SITUATION
It’s 11 a.m., a chance to look back at the highlights of the last 24 hours.
International
Posted today at 9:58 am.
09:51
Kiev calls for the use of Russian assets
Volodymyr Zelensky once again called for Russian property confiscated by the West to be used to finance aid to Ukraine. “Some voices are being raised that there is no money to help Ukraine rebuild. The answer comes very quickly: they have Russian assets,” he said during a press conference on the sidelines of his visit to NATO headquarters. “They destroyed us, we can use this money. Let’s find the key to having this Russian money and spending it on rebuilding Ukraine.”
Last September, Washington promised Ukraine $5.4 million in frozen Russian assets, provoking Moscow’s ire.
09:45
NATO aid is a “virtuous circle”
During a joint press conference, Jens Stoltenberg explained that NATO support to Ukraine will focus “on air defense, artillery and ammunition,” noting that the transatlantic alliance has increased its defense production. Subsequently, the NATO Secretary General described the support provided to Ukraine as a virtuous circle, stating that “air defense is essential for protecting Ukraine’s cities, economy and critical infrastructure,” which “will help Ukrainians produce normally , to act and to function”. “This will improve Kiev’s ability to self-finance and supply ammunition for the war.”
09:38
ZELENSKY PUSHES THE WESTERNS
During a press conference as he arrived at NATO headquarters in Brussels on his first visit since the Russian invasion of his country, the Ukrainian president called on Westerners to show Israelis that they are not “alone.” “I recommend that leaders go to Israel to support the people there, just the people. I am not talking about any institution, but only the people who have suffered terrorist attacks,” he explained to the press.
09:36
SELENSKI AT NATO HEADQUARTERS
Ukraine’s president confirms he is at NATO headquarters in Brussels to “strengthen” Kiev’s “resilience” as winter approaches as the country fears a new Russian bombing attack on its energy infrastructure.
Volodymyr Zelensky said he would meet NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, whose country has promised to supply F-16 aircraft, and that he would attend a so-called Ramstein meeting to discuss Western military aid Ukraine is coordinated.
08:45
SUMMIT MEETING
The NATO press service reported that the Ukrainian President and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will soon appear together in Brussels at the headquarters of the transatlantic alliance.
08:29
F-16 PLANES FOR UKRAINE
Brussels is making a U-turn. After promising in early September not to deliver F-16 aircraft to Ukraine, arguing that its fighter jets were too old to hand over to Kiev, the Belgian defense minister announced that the country would finally deliver “a few” F-16 fighter jets will be sent by 2025. At the microphone of the Belgian radio station RTLinfo, Ludivine Dedonder explained that these deliveries would “take place depending on the rise in power”. [leur] new F-35 capability”. In addition to sending fighter aircraft, Belgium will continue its pilot training efforts and offer to take care of the maintenance of the entire coalition F-16 fleet.
8:25
SELENSKI AT NATO HEADQUARTERS FOR THE FIRST TIME
Belgian media claim that Volodymyr Zelensky is in Brussels, where the meeting of NATO defense ministers is taking place. He will be accompanied by his minister Roustem Oumierov. The alliance said it was a surprise visit that had not been announced.
It is the first time that the Ukrainian president has visited NATO headquarters. A way to recall the need for support for Kiev at a time when Ukraine’s president fears the international community could turn away from Ukraine in the face of Hamas’ offensive against Israel.
08:12
WILL PUTIN LEAVE THE AREA?
According to an announcement from the presidential office of this Central Asian country, Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit Kyrgyzstan this Thursday. This will be his first trip outside Russia since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him in the spring over his role in the deportation of children to Ukraine.
08:09
SUMMIT MEETING
NATO defense ministers are meeting in Brussels this morning. Ukraine is obviously one of the main topics on the agenda, but the conflict in the Middle East is also likely to be on people’s minds. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will attend the meeting via video conference.
08:07
THE RUSSIAN ARMY IS NOT “OPTIMAL”
The Russian army is facing a “mental health crisis”, warns the British Ministry of Defense. The latest situation report from the British secret service states that around 100,000 soldiers suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder in December 2022. However, “elements” collected by intelligence suggest that Russian doctors are sending soldiers to the front who are not fit to fight. “Without taking into account the mental health and combat fitness of its soldiers, the combat effectiveness of the Russian army continues to be at a suboptimal level,” they conclude.
07:48
NEW “IMPORTANT” HELP FROM LONDON
Kiev will benefit from new support from London worth more than £100 million, or almost €115 million. This additional aid, which comes from the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU, managed by the United Kingdom), also includes demining systems, according to the British Defense Secretary’s announcement.
London wants to help Kiev “clear minefields,” “maintain its vehicles and consolidate its defenses to protect essential national infrastructure,” the press release said. “Ukraine is now the most heavily mined country in the world,” which represents the “main obstacle” to the counteroffensive, he argues.
07:46
ZELENSKY’S FEARS
On Tuesday evening, Volodymyr Zelensky also expressed concern that the international community is turning away from Ukraine in the face of the “tragedy” that has struck Israel following the Hamas attacks. “I don’t want to make a comparison. There is a terrible war in our country. Many people in Israel have lost their relatives. These tragedies are different, but both are immense,” he said. But he warned that “international attention risks shifting away from Ukraine, and that will have consequences.”
07:45
MOSCOW BEHIND HAMAS?
Ukraine’s president said he was “certain” about Moscow’s involvement in the Hamas offensive against Israel. In an interview with France 2, Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of “supporting, in one way or another, the operations carried out by Hamas.” “We are sure that Russia, in one way or another, supports the operations carried out by Hamas,” he said, adding that “Russia is really trying to carry out destabilizing actions all over the world.”
07:42
WELCOME
Hello and welcome to this live stream dedicated to news about the war in Ukraine. Current information on the conflict can be found here.