Volodymyr Zelensky said his spy agency has information that 10,000 troops from North Korea are being readied to join Russian forces fighting in Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
“From our intelligence we’ve got information that North Korea sent tactical personnel and officers to Ukraine,” he said at Nato headquarters. “They are preparing on their land 10,000 soldiers, but they didn’t move them already to Ukraine or to Russia.”
A third nation wading into the hostilities would be “the first step to a world war”, Mr Zelensky said. Mr Zelensky is seeking to persuade EU officials and Nato members to back his “victory plan” to end Russia’s war as he attended two crucial meetings in Brussels.
On the frontline, Ukrainian forces repelled 36 of 45 ground attacks near the strategic city of Kurakhove over the past 24 hours and nine clashes were still going on, Ukraine’s General Staff of the Armed Forces said.
Russian forces claim to have taken control of the village of Maksymilianivka, less than 10km (6 miles) from Kurakhove in Donetsk.
Key Points
- Volodymyr Zelensky pushes for EU and Nato to back his ‘victory plan’
- Australia to send nearly 50 Abrams tanks to Ukraine
- In full: The five key points of Zelensky’s ‘Victory Plan’
- Ukrainian ‘Victory Plan’ requires unconditional invitation to Nato
- Kyiv denies Russia captured two villages
Russia claims it has captured a village in eastern Ukraine
04:18
Arpan Rai
Russian forces have taken control of the village of Maksymilianivka, less than 10 km (6 miles) from the key city of Kurakhove in Donetsk.
The Kurakhove sector, west of the Russian-held regional centre of Donetsk, is one of the focal points of Russia’s steady advance through the region. Russia has been pressing to reach the logistical hub of Pokrovsk, about 50 km to the north.
Ukrainian forces had repelled 36 of 45 battles near Kurakhove over 24 hours and nine clashes were still going on, Ukraine’s General Staff of the Armed Forces said.
Popular Ukrainian military blog DeepState showed control of Maksymilianivka to be contested. The report said 35 of 45 attempted Russian advances had been repelled in the Pokrovsk sector.
Nato seeks more details about Ukraine ‘victory plan’
04:00
Andy Gregory
Zelensky says 10,000 North Koreans could join Russia in Ukraine
03:54
Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky said his spy agency has information that 10,000 troops from North Korea are being prepared to join Russian forces fighting against his country
A third nation wading into the hostilities would turn the conflict into a “world war,” Mr Zelensky said.
“From our intelligence we’ve got information that North Korea sent tactical personnel and officers to Ukraine,” he told reporters at Nato headquarters. “They are preparing on their land 10,000 soldiers, but they didn’t move them already to Ukraine or to Russia.”
He did not go into detail about the claim that came a day after US deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell said that Washington and its allies are alarmed by North Korea’s military support for Russia’s war in Ukraine but couldn’t confirm Ukrainian claims that soldiers were sent to fight for Moscow.
Earlier, he warned that any North Korean involvement would be “the first step to a world war.”
Meet Ukraine’s ‘Witches of Bucha’ – the all-female unit shooting down Russian drones
03:00
Andy Gregory
When nightfall descends on a suburban area northwest of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, the Witches of Bucha come alive.
By day, the women work as doctors and teachers, but by night, they safeguard Ukraine from the Russian drones that surge above them.
The women - who go by the moniker of the Witches of Bucha - are volunteers in air defence units.
As increasing numbers of men are deployed to the frontlines, the volunteers have undergone training to wield machine guns and assault rifles to shoot down drones filled with explosives sent from Russia.
“My role is to listen for them,” Valentyna, a veterinarian, tells the BBC. “It’s nervous work. But we have to stay focused, to [listen out] for the slightest sound.”
Our women’s correspondent Maya Oppenheim reports:
Czech, Danish, Dutch PMs urge Ukraine allies to keep up ammunition drive
02:00
Reuters
Ukraine’s allies must keep supplying it with ammunition in 2025, the Czech, Danish and Dutch prime ministers said in a joint statement on Thursday, as they vowed during a meeting in Brussels to continue doing so themselves.
The Czech Republic has this year led an initiative to buy ammunition for Kyiv with funding from NATO allies, in order to make up for shortages on the frontlines in the war against invading Russian forces.
“The Ammunition Initiative must continue in 2025,” the leaders said. “Our countries are already finalizing further concrete projects for deliveries of 155 mm ammunition within the Initiative, as well as other calibres on a bilateral basis.”
They said it was crucial for Kyiv’s other allies to quickly make decisions about supplying funds for ammunition.
“Only early indication and allocation of funding will secure a stable and predictable flow of ammunition to continue in the early months of 2025 to make sure Ukraine is well stocked,” they said.
Last Thursday Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said the initiative to supply large-caliber ammunition to Ukraine would meet the target of delivering half a million shells by the end of the year.
Watch: Ukrainian men dragged out of nightclubs by army recruiters
01:00
Andy Gregory
Russia releases man whose daughter’s drawing opposed Ukraine war
Thursday 17 October 2024 23:59
Andy Gregory
Senior US official warns of North Korean nuclear threats and help for Russia
Thursday 17 October 2024 23:22
Andy Gregory
A glance at Ukraine's plan aimed at nudging Russia into talks to end the war
Thursday 17 October 2024 22:52
Andy Gregory
Zelensky unveils his ‘victory plan’ to end Putin’s invasion at Ukraine’s parliament
Thursday 17 October 2024 22:22
Andy Gregory
UK makes new commitment on European defence in deal with Estonia
Thursday 17 October 2024 21:52
Andy Gregory
The UK’s involvement in European air defence and long-range missile development is a sign of the “new determination to work more closely” with continental allies, defence secretary John Healey has said.
Thousands of UK troops will be put on stand-by to deploy to Estonia’s border with Russia under a new agreement Britain has signed with the Baltic nation in another sign of the commitment to European defence, Mr Healey said at a meeting of Nato counterparts.
Arriving at Nato headquarters in Brussels, Mr Healey said: “Today, we will make the commitment to reinforce Nato’s eastern flank with a new plan alongside Estonia for our forces there.
“And we will make a commitment, a UK commitment, to bolstering the future of Europe’s defences, leading a new initiative to net together the European air defence systems and to work together with other European allies to develop long-range missiles.
“This is part of the UK’s new determination to work more closely with other European allies on security for the future, and Europe’s security is guaranteed by this Nato alliance.”
Norway to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets ‘in near future’, Kyiv says
Thursday 17 October 2024 21:20
Andy Gregory
Norway will supply six F-16 jets to Ukraine “in the near future”, Ukrainian defence minister Rustem Umerov has said, following talks with his Norwegian counterpart Bjoern Arild Gram.
Video report: Ukrainian emergency workers search rubble after Russian airstrike on Zaporizhzhia
Thursday 17 October 2024 20:50
Andy Gregory
Full report: US imposes sanctions on Chinese companies accused of helping make Russian attack drones
Thursday 17 October 2024 20:20
Andy Gregory
Labour MP says broadband better in Ukraine than London
Thursday 17 October 2024 19:50
Andy Gregory
A Labour MP has claimed she has experienced better internet connection in wartorn Ukraine than she does in central London.
Warning that broadband speeds “could be much better”, Labour MP Cat Eccles told the Commons: “In fact, when I was recently in Ukraine I experienced far better internet connectivity than I do in central London and Stourbridge town centre.
“So our European neighbours are enjoying much faster broadband while we languish behind, and Stourbridge residents have been left at the mercy of these third party companies.”
Technology minister Sir Chris Bryant said the government aspires to European levels of broadband, adding that some “cowboy” broadband companies should be told they’re “drinking in the last chance saloon”.
Moldova says its citizens were trained in Russia to stage riots
Thursday 17 October 2024 19:20
Reuters
Moldovan police claim to have uncovered a programme in which hundreds of its citizens were brought to Russia to undergo training to stage riots and civil unrest, the latest in a slew of meddling allegations ahead of Sunday’s election.
The police said earlier this month that Russia-backed crime groups had bribed a swathe of voters and plotted to disrupt this weekend’s presidential election and referendum on the country’s European Union membership aspirations, going as far as a plan to seize state buildings .
Russia, which accuses the pro-Western government of fomenting “Russophobia”, has denied meddling in Moldova, which accelerated its push to leave Moscow’s orbit after Russia’s full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.
Moldovan police told a news conference that law enforcement agencies believed a group linked to fugitive pro-Kremlin businessman Ilan Shor had organised the training to stage unrest.
“The anti-corruption prosecutor’s office is currently conducting an investigation into several criminal cases related to the preparation of mass disturbance in the interests of the criminal community,” prosecutor Victor Furtuna said.
‘I think Trump heard me’: Zelensky says Ukraine must either join Nato or acquire nuclear weapons
Thursday 17 October 2024 18:50
Andy Gregory
Volodymr Zelensky has warned that Ukraine must either join Nato or acquire nuclear weapons – but has chosen the former option.
“We are not choosing nuclear weapons, we are choosing Nato, and I think that Donald Trump heard me,” The Guardian quoted him as saying.
Russians express concern over new move to ban content encouraging child-free lifestyle
Thursday 17 October 2024 18:20
Andy Gregory
Russian women are “being turned into vessels for bearing children”, a rights activist has warned, after Russia’s lower house of parliament unanimously passed a new bill aiming to outlaw content that is deemed to promote a child-free lifestyle.
“Women are being essentially turned into vessels for bearing children, not taking into account their circumstances, their motivations and whether they aspire to have a career or a family,” said Olga Suvorova, a rights activist who works with victims of domestic violence in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk.
“The message is clear: give birth, and that’s it,” she told Reuters, adding that she feared the bill could pave the way for further encroachments on women’s rights including the ability to get an abortion.
Hungary’s Orban says Zelensky’s plan is ‘more than frightening'
Thursday 17 October 2024 17:51
Andy Gregory
Hungarian premier Viktor Orban has criticised Volodymr Zelensky’s “victory plan” – which calls for Ukraine to be granted Nato membership – as “more than frightening”.
Mr Orban said he would urge major EU powers France and Germany to “begin negotiations with the Russians as soon as possible, in order to find a way out of this situation”.
UK sanctions on ‘shadow fleet’ shows Russia’s energy prowess irks Britain, Moscow claims
Thursday 17 October 2024 17:13
Reuters
Russia’s foreign ministry has claimed that new British sanctions on Russian oil and gas tankers showed Moscow’s status as “a reliable energy supplier” did not suit London, the state RIA news agency reported.
The UK announced it had imposed sanctions on 18 further Russian oil tankers and four liquefied natural gas vessels, the largest batch of sanctions to date against the country’s so-called “shadow fleet”.
RIA cited the foreign ministry as saying everything was being done to try to infringe Russia’s rights.
Ukraine aims to clear entire country of landmines by 2023
Thursday 17 October 2024 16:44
Andy Gregory
Prime minister Denys Shmyhal has announced that Ukraine’s National Mine Strategy will aim to clear his country – currently the most heavily mined on the planet – of landmines by 2033.
But he warned that Ukraine needs help, especially with training 10,000 deminers and building machines which can clear terrain around 100 times faster than people.
Ukraine’s ex-military chief endorses ‘victory plan’ in first speech since his dismissal
Thursday 17 October 2024 16:16
Andy Gregory
Ukraine’s former commander-in-chief, Valeri Zaluzhny, on Thursday expressed his support for Volodymyr Zelensky’s “victory plan,” despite the tensions between he and the president which led to his dismissal.
“Ukraine must clearly follow the plan,” Mr Zaluzhny said in his first public appearance since his appointment as ambassador to the UK.
He told an audience at London’s Chatham House think-tank: “But this list of steps primarily concerns those countries that should ultimately be interested in stopping the war.”
US sanctions two Chinese firms involved in making and shipping attack drones
Thursday 17 October 2024 15:45
Andy Gregory
The United States has sanctioned two Chinese companies and a Russian affiliate involved in making and shipping attack drones which the US alleges are used in Russia’s war effort.
The new measures are aimed at the Chinese company, Xiamen Limbach Aircraft Engine Co Ltd, that makes an engine that powers Russia's Garpiya series long-range unmanned aerial vehicles, the US Treasury Department said.
They also target China-based Redlepus Vector Industry Shenzhen Co Ltd for its role in the drones’ shipment and an affiliated Russian person and company.
Swiss minister welcomes China-Brazil peace plan for Ukraine
Thursday 17 October 2024 14:47
Andy Gregory
Switzerland’s foreign affairs minister has welcomed a peace plan for Ukraine led by China and Brazil, saying Bern was looking at it in a “favourable light”.
“It’s the opening of a door to dialogue. In that sense we can only welcome any initiative that wishes to open doors,” said Ignazio Cassis, after being asked about the plan at a conference on demining Ukraine.
He added that a revised version of the plan still had “some contradictions”, without elaborating.
Greece signs security pact with Ukraine at EU summit
Thursday 17 October 2024 14:28
Andy Gregory
Greece’s prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has signed a security agreement with Volodymyr Zelensky, following the European Union and 20 other EU member states in committing to support Ukraine’s security.
The pact was signed on the sidelines of the European Council meeting in Brussels, the premier’s office said in a statement.
“Greece is ready to continue meeting Ukraine’s most urgent defence needs. It will also provide additional resources to accelerate F-16 training for our pilots and technicians,” Mr Zelensky said on X.
The agreement is intended to complement other deals sealed between Ukraine and its allies as it continues its defence against Russia’s invasion, and paves the way for Greece’s active involvement in Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts, the statement said.
Zelensky warns North Korean involvement in conflict would be ‘first step to world war’
Thursday 17 October 2024 14:10
Andy Gregory
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that a third nation wading into Russia’s war could turn the conflict into a “world war”, as he revealed his country had intelligence that 10,000 troops from North Korea were being prepared to join Russian forces fighting against his country.
“We know about 10,000 soldiers of North Korea that they are preparing to send [to] fight against us,” Mr Zelensky said, calling any North Korean involvement “the first step to a world war.”
Russia warns Israel not to strike Iranian nuclear facilities
Thursday 17 October 2024 13:54
Andy Gregory
Russia is warning Israel to not even consider striking Iranian nuclear facilities, state news agency Tass has quoted deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying.
After Iran’s missile attack on Israel on 1 October, there has been speculation that Israel could strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, as it has long threatened to do.
“We have repeatedly warned and continue to warn, to caution [Israel] against even hypothetically considering the possibility of a strike on [Iranian] nuclear facilities and nuclear infrastructure,” Mr Ryabkov was quoted by Tass as saying.
“This would be a catastrophic development and a complete negation of all existing principles in the area of ensuring nuclear safety.”
Ukraine’s PM appeals for help from ‘entire civilised world’ in clearing landmines
Thursday 17 October 2024 13:40
Andy Gregory
Ukraine’s prime minister has appealed at a meeting in Switzerland for more help clearing landmines and unexploded bombs covering up to a quarter of the country, making it the most mined nation in the world.
Switzerland, which is providing financial support, is hosting the conference this week attended by officials from around 50 countries to drum up funds for demining Ukraine set to cost $34.6bn, according to a World Bank study.
Clearance is seen as a critical requisite for boosting agricultural production and for the return of millions of Ukrainians who have fled since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Already, 399 civilians have been killed by landmines and 915 injured, according to UN human rights monitors.
“The scale of this challenge is truly massive,” Ukraine’s premier Denys Shmyhal told the meeting in the city of Lausanne. “I call on the entire civilised world to increase support for Ukraine in the field of demining.”
Free world ‘must not tremble’ at Putin’s threats, Zelensky tells EU
Thursday 17 October 2024 13:21
Andy Gregory
Addressing European Union leaders at a summit in Brussels, Volodymyr Zelensky has called for more military aid for Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion as he sought to win support for his “victory plan”.
“An immediate invitation to Ukraine to join Nato would be decisive. Putin just must see that his geopolitical calculations are worthless,” Mr Zelensky told the leaders of the EU countries, most of which are also members of Nato.
“Putin must respect our strength, not have the free world tremble at his threats,” Mr Zelensky said.
North Korea planning to send 10,000 soldiers to fight in Ukraine, warns Zelensky
Thursday 17 October 2024 13:02
Andy Gregory
Ukrainian intelligence has information that North Korean officers have already been deployed in Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia, Volodymyr Zelensky has warned.
The Ukrainian president told reporters in Brussels that North Korea was preparing to send a total of 10,000 soldiers to fight against Ukraine.
Zelensky vows to fight on regardless of whether West supports ‘victory plan'
Thursday 17 October 2024 12:45
Andy Gregory
Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed that Ukraine will continue to fight against Russia’s invasion even if Kyiv’s Western allies do not agree to support his “victory plan”.
Mr Zelensky, who is on a visit to Brussels to pitch his plan to European leaders, said that Kyiv would also press on with preparations for a second peace summit.
Zelensky warns Ukraine must prepare for third winter of war
Thursday 17 October 2024 12:40
Andy Gregory
Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that a third winter of war has the potential to be devastating for Ukraine’s citizens.
“Winter is coming, so we have to prepare,” he said in an appearance with European Council president Charles Michel, warning that Ukraine urgently needs more help with air defence.
During “months without without military support,” Ukraine’s own “production of drones and ... systems of electronic warfare helped a lot,” Mr Zelensky said, adding: “We need money for this, and partly the money from Russian assets.”
Solid and constructive conversation needed on Ukraine’s Nato membership, Norway says
Thursday 17 October 2024 12:31
Andy Gregory
Norwegian foreign minister Espen Barth Eide has said that a solid and constructive conversation is needed on Nato’s invitation to Ukraine to join the military alliance.
Speaking during a visit to Kyiv, he said that Norway welcomed President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s victory plan as it would help develop conversation between Ukraine and its Western allies.
Russian politicians back ban on ‘child-free propaganda'
Thursday 17 October 2024 12:16
Andy Gregory
Laws that would outlaw “propaganda” discouraging Russians from having children were overwhelmingly approved on Thursday in the first of three readings in the lower house of parliament.
The legislation would ban materials on the internet, in the media and in advertising that are deemed to portray a child-free lifestyle as attractive, and subject the authors to fines.
Vladimir Putin, who portrays Russia as a bastion of “traditional values” locked in an existential struggle with a decadent West, has encouraged women to have at least three children to secure the demographic future of the country – but data last month revealed Russia’s birth rate had fallen to its lowest in around 25 years.
Deputy Duma speaker Anna Kuznetsova said earlier this month that the law was part of Russia’s “national security strategy”, and it is being championed by Vyacheslav Volodin, a powerful Putin ally who is chair of the lower house.
Mr Volodin has accused what authorities have described as the “child-free movement” of devaluing the institution of family with an ideology that encourages a “conscious refusal to have children”. He has said, however, that the law is not about criminalising women who decide not to become mothers.
UK imposes sanctions on Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ of oil tankers in bid to ‘starve Putin’s war machine’
Thursday 17 October 2024 11:44
Andy Gregory
The UK has imposed sanctions on 18 further Russian oil tankers and four liquified natural gas vessels, marking the largest batch of sanctions to date against Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet”, the government said.
The 18 oil tankers will be barred from UK ports and unable to access British maritime services, bringing the total number of sanctioned Russian oil tankers to 43, while the UK is also sanctioning Russian gas company Rusgazdobycha JSC.
“The UK’s relentless action against the shadow fleet is putting grit into the system and starving Putin’s war machine of crucial revenues,” the government said, adding the targeted oil tankers have transported an estimated £4.9bn last year.
The Department for Transport is also working with maritime authorities to demand that Russian vessels with suspected dubious insurance provide details of their insurance status as they pass through the Channel.
“Any actor that facilitates and supports Russia’s malign activities could be exposing themselves to sanctions,” the government said.
Full report: Australia gives 49 ageing Abrams tanks to Ukraine
Thursday 17 October 2024 11:28
Andy Gregory
Australia will give 49 of its aging M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine months after Kyiv requested the redundant fleet, defence minister Richard Marles has said.
The Australian government is giving Ukraine most of its American-made M1A1 tanks, which are valued at around £126m, Mr Marles said. They will be replaced in Australia by a fleet of 75 next-generation M1A2 tanks.
In February, Marles had said that giving Ukraine the tanks as they were phased out was not on his government’s agenda. But on Thursday he said he did not regard the donation as a U-turn on his government’s previous position.
“We talk with the Ukrainian government consistently around how best we can support them,” Mr Marles told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
‘Victory plan’ depends on the will of Ukraine’s allies, warns Zelensky
Thursday 17 October 2024 11:02
Andy Gregory
Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that support from Ukraine’s Western allies is key to his “victory plan” to end the country’s war with Russia, as he laid out details of the plan to European Union leaders.
The plan aims “to strengthen Ukraine” and pave the way for a diplomatic solution to end the conflict on Europe’s eastern flank, Mr Zelensky told reporters ahead of the EU summit.
“I think that this plan doesn’t depend on Russian will, only on the will of our partners,” he said.
Video report: Counter-terrorism police investigating UK warehouse fire over possible links to Russia
Thursday 17 October 2024 10:42
Andy Gregory
Russia claims capture of Donetsk village
Thursday 17 October 2024 10:28
Andy Gregory
Russia has claimed that its forces have taken control of the village of Maksymilianivka in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, Russian state-run news agency RIA reported.
It comes a day after Ukraine rejected Russian claims to have captured the villages of Krasnyi Yar and Nevske, insisting that its forces had repelled Russian attacks in both locations.
Zelensky seeks to convince EU and Nato over ‘victory plan’ in Brussels
Thursday 17 October 2024 09:45
Andy Gregory
Volodymyr Zelensky is seeking to persuade EU officials and Nato members to back his “victory plan” to end Russia’s war as he attends two crucial meetings in Brussels.
The Ukrainian president will address a summit of EU leaders on Thursday before making his case to Nato defence ministers, at a meeting which marks the first time the Western military alliance has met since the Ukrainian president unveiled the five-point plan.
Mr Zelensky outlined the five-point plan to Ukraine's parliament on Wednesday without disclosing confidential elements that have been presented in private to key allies, including the United States.
Reaction was muted at Nato, however, where secretary-general Mark Rutte said only that he and the allies “take note” of it. He did not discuss when Ukraine might join the world’s biggest military alliance – one of five key points of the plan – beyond insisting that it would eventually become a member.
“The plan has many aspects and many political and military issues we really need to hammer out with the Ukrainians to understand what is behind it, to see what we can do, what we cannot do,” Mr Rutte said at Nato headquarters in Brussels.
Nato must stand with Ukraine ‘for as long as it takes’, says UK defence secretary
Thursday 17 October 2024 09:40
Andy Gregory
Nato must boost its support of Ukraine in the months ahead to pressure Russia and to ensure Ukraine can prevail in the war, the UK’s defence secretary John Healey has said.
Speaking ahead of the Nato meeting in Brussels, Mr Healey told reporters: “We must do everything we can to step up our support for Ukraine in the weeks and months ahead, to put more pressure on Russia to ensure that Ukraine can prevail, because the defence of Europe starts in Ukraine.
“We owe them that duty to stand with them as long as it takes,” he said.
Latvia says it supports Zelensky’s victory plan
Thursday 17 October 2024 09:17
Andy Gregory
Latvia supports Volodymyr Zelensky’s “Victory Plan”, the country’s defence minister Andris Spruds has said.
Speaking to reporters ahead of today’s Nato meeting, Mr Spruds added that air policing by the Western military alliance over the Baltic states to the defence mission must be upgraded.
Nato will support Ukraine until it can negotiate from position of strength, says alliance’s chief
Thursday 17 October 2024 09:09
Andy Gregory
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky should be able to start talks with Russia from a position of strength, Nato chief Mark Rutte has said.
“We are in this, if necessary, for the long haul,” said Mr Rutte. “Obviously we want to be in a place where Ukraine, from a position of strength, is able to start talks with Russia, but till that moment comes, he can count on continuing support.”
Mr Rutte, formerly prime minister of the Netherlands, assumed the role of Nato chief at the start of this month, taking the reins from Norwegian politician Jens Stoltenberg, who had held the position since 2014.
Lithuanian president warns now is ‘worst moment’ to open peace negotiations with Russia
Thursday 17 October 2024 08:50
Andy Gregory
Lithuanian president Gitanas Nauseda has warned that now is the “worst moment” to start negotiations between Ukraine and Russia because Moscow currently feels it has the upper hand.
“Right now he thinks he is prevailing and pushing Ukraine into the corner. This is the worst moment to start negotiations because he feels Russia is the stronger side,” Mr Nauseda told reporters.
The Baltic nation has been a staunch ally of Ukraine since the 2022 invasion by Russia, fearing it could be a future target.
Estonia hopes to see action from Nato on Ukraine’s membership, minister says
Thursday 17 October 2024 08:37
Andy Gregory
Estonia hopes to see action and next steps toward Ukraine’s Nato membership, its defence minister Hanno Pevkur has said.
“Estonia has always said that the only real security guarantee for Ukraine is Nato membership,” Mr Pevkur tol reporters ahead of a meeting with counterparts from Nato countries in Brussels.
Zelensky and Biden discuss long-range weapons
Thursday 17 October 2024 08:02
Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky said he discussed long-range weapons, the delivery of aid packages and the implementation of his “victory plan” during a phone call with US president Joe Biden.
“We talked about long-range weapons, about the Ramstein meeting in a few weeks. We also talked about how our teams will work on the points of the victory plan,” Mr Zelensky said.
Russia launches 56 drones at Ukraine overnight
Thursday 17 October 2024 08:00
Arpan Rai
The Ukrainian military said it shot down 22 out of 56 Russian drones during an overnight attack.
The air force said it lost track of 27 drones that likely fell into Ukrainian territory following active electronic warfare measures and two drones went to Belarus.
It recorded five hits to infrastructure in the regions near the frontline during the attack.
Zelensky's five-point 'victory plan' to end war by 2025
Thursday 17 October 2024 07:13
Arpan Rai
The five key points of the “victory plan” unveiled yesterday by Volodymyr Zelensky all involve calls to action for Ukraine’s international allies, in one form or the other.
Zelensky has made clear that he believes this to be what is needed if he is to meet his goal of ending the war “no later than” 2025, the Institute for the Study of War has said.
Simplified, the fire points of the plan are as follows:
1. An immediate invitation to join Nato
2. Continued Western support and aid including equipping Ukrainian brigades
3. Supporting Ukraine’s ability to use Western-provided weapons to strike military targets in Russia and increasing intelligence sharing with Ukraine
4. Western and Ukrainian non-nuclear strategic deterrence against Russia
5. Western investment in Ukraine’s strategic economic growth; and a promise that Ukrainian forces will “replace” certain Western military contingents currently stationed in Europe after the war’s conclusion
Ukraine wants NATO invite before Biden steps down
Thursday 17 October 2024 07:00
Alex Croft
Ukraine is requesting an invitation to join NATO before Joe Biden leaves the White House, a senior Ukrainian diplomat said.
It would be a fitting way to end the 81-year-old’s presidency, Ukraine argues, and would be a strong “political signal”.
Speaking in an interview at the Ukrainian mission to NATO, the western military alliance’s Kyiv ambassador, Nataliia Galibarenko, said: “We sincerely believe that it can be part of the legacy of [the] current American administration.”
The US presidential election next month could have a significant impact on its approach towards support for Ukraine’s war against Russia, with Donald Trump so far unclear on how he would handle the conflict.
Russia says Ukraine’s possible accession to NATO is a justification for the brutal war they have waged since Putin’s forces invaded in February 2022.
But Galibarenko says an invitation would provide a “final verdict” for Russia, and that they would no longer be able to “raise the stakes using this topic”.
18 North Korean soldiers desert Ukraine war – report
Thursday 17 October 2024 06:49
Arpan Rai
Around 18 North Korean soldiers have already left their positions in Russia’s Kursk and Bryansk, according to a Ukrainian news outlet.
North Korea has sent around 10,000 soldiers to Russia to aid Vladimir Putin’s invasion, a Western diplomat has said.
Of these, over a dozen soldiers have deserted from around 7 km (4 miles) from the border with Ukraine, reported Suspilne.
It is not immediately clear what caused the North Korean troops to voluntarily exit the conflict but the Russian military is looking for the now missing soldiers, the report added.
The information is being concealed by Russian commanders from being leaked to their higher-ups, the sources said.
Ukraine demands sanctions over North Korean involvement in war
Thursday 17 October 2024 06:40
Arpan Rai
Ukraine has asked its allies to impose new sanctions on Pyongyang after it said North Korea had become a de facto participant in the war in Ukraine.
“These are workers for Russian factories to replace Russians killed in the war. And personnel for the Russian army. In fact, this is the participation of a second state in the war against Ukraine on the side of Russia,” Mr Zelensky said.
Mr Zelensky said his spy services had confirmed North Korea’s supply of both weapons and people to Russia, echoing similar comments in recent days.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha reiterated the call and said Kyiv’s allies should respond firmly, including by imposing new sanctions and further isolating Pyongyang. “This is a huge threat of further escalation. We are approaching a new phase, new realities of war,” he said at a news conference in the Black Sea city of Odesa.
The Kremlin denies the allegation of North Korea sending personnel as “fake news”.
Biden announces $425m in military aid for Ukraine
Thursday 17 October 2024 06:10
Arpan Rai
Joe Biden spoke to Volodymyr Zelensky about efforts to surge security assistance to Ukraine and announced a new $425m (£327m) military aid package, the White House said.
The security package includes air defence capability, air-to-ground munitions, armoured vehicles and critical munitions, the White House said in a statement.
Mr Zelensky, writing on Telegram, expressed gratitude to Mr Biden, both parties of Congress and the American people for the new package and said he spoke to Mr Biden about Kyiv’s five-point “victory plan,” which he presented to parliament yesterday.
“I proposed considering the possibility of joint weapons production,” he said. “We also discussed the importance of additional training for Ukrainian soldiers.”
Ukraine, he said, thanked the United States “for its readiness to help Ukraine strengthen its positions to compel Russia towards honest diplomacy.”
US explains reason behind use of THAAD defence system in Israel, not Ukraine
Thursday 17 October 2024 06:03
Alex Croft
The US will not use the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile battery in Ukraine, despite using it in Israel, because the situation is “different”.
Washington authorised the use of THAAD - an advanced surface-to-air interceptor - in Israel to boost its defence capabilities after Iran’s attack.
But Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said the US would not deploy the same system in Romania or Poland to help protect Ukraine’s west, which comes under regular attack from Russian missiles.
“Different capabilities, different wars, different regions. The commitments also to Israel and Ukraine are different,” Singh said according to The Kyiv Independent.
It comes after president Volodymyr Zelensky said NATO countries could help shoot down Russian missiles over Ukraine, but that they were “not yet ready” to do this.
Zelensky said on October 3: “What works in the skies of the Middle East and helps Israel’s defence can work just as well in the skies of our part of Europe – in Ukraine – helping to save lives.”
In pics: Life goes on for Ukraine’s senior citizens left behind in Donetsk siege
Thursday 17 October 2024 05:50
Arpan Rai
Explained: Ukraine’s defence as set out in Zelensky’s victory plan
Thursday 17 October 2024 05:33
Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky’s five-point victory plan includes defence as one of the top points for the war-hit nation.
The Ukrainian leader has called for a focus on strengthening Ukraine’s capability to reclaim territory and “to bring the war back to the Russian territory.”
The plan includes the continuation of military operations inside Russia with the aim of strengthening Ukraine’s ability to repel Russian forces from occupied territories in Ukraine.
It also involves enhancing air defence and jointly intercepting Russian missiles and drones with neighbouring countries along the international border.
Ukraine wants to expand the use of Ukrainian drones and missiles, and lift restrictions on using Western-supplied weapons for long-range strikes against military infrastructure inside Russia.
Ukraine also seeks greater access to a broader range of intelligence from allies and real-time satellite data. This section of the plan has confidential elements accessible only to allies with the “relevant assistance potential,” Mr Zelensky said.
He said Ukraine has been providing its partners “with a clear justification of what its goals are, how they intend to achieve them, and how much this will reduce Russia’s ability to continue the war.”
How Zelensky's victory plan imagines Ukraine rebuilding after war
Thursday 17 October 2024 05:01
Arpan Rai
The fifth section of Volodymyr Zelensky’s victory plan is geared toward the post-war period.
While presenting his plan to the Ukrainian parliament, Mr Zelensky said Kyiv will have a big army of experienced military personnel after the war.
“These are our soldiers – warriors who will possess real experience in modern warfare, successful use of Western weaponry, and extensive interaction with Nato forces,” he said.
“This Ukrainian experience should be used to strengthen the alliance’s defence and ensure security in Europe. It’s a worthy mission for our heroes.”
He also mentioned that, with partners’ approval, Ukrainian units could replace certain US military contingents stationed in Europe.
Zelensky’s ‘victory plan’ is pushing NATO and Russia towards direct conflict, Russia says
Thursday 17 October 2024 05:01
Alex Croft
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s “victory plan” is making a direct conflict between NATO and Russia more likely, the Russian foreign ministry has said.
The plan would be a disaster for the Ukrainian people, spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, after Zelensky presented the five-point plan to the Ukrainian parliament.
Zelensky called on western allies to take urgent and significant steps in bolstering support for Ukraine, claiming the war could be over next year if his plan is followed.
The Kremlin accused Kyiv of needing to “sober up” in response, adding that it was too early to comment on the details of the
