Volodymyr Zelensky’s troops broke through Russian defenses in southern Ukraine and recaptured several villages along the Dnipro River on Monday, Ukrainian officials and Moscow’s leaders in the region said. This marks Kiev’s biggest advance south in the seven-month-long war in Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelensky said his troops have liberated more than 450 settlements in the northeastern region of Kharkiv alone since their counter-offensive operation began in September. Heavy fighting continued in several frontline areas, he added. “Fierce fighting continues in many areas of the front. But the prospect of these hostilities remains obvious – more and more occupiers are trying to escape,” Mr. Zelensky said. Columns of Ukrainian military vehicles were seen heading to reinforce the Lyman logistics hub, recaptured from Russia at the weekend, as Kyiv moved to strengthen its hold over the strategic city. Additionally, the US military is sending four more HIMARS missile launchers to Kyiv in the latest $625 million aid package. The military aid package will also have mine-resistant ammunition and vehicles, sources familiar with the matter said.
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Russia’s Federation Council ratifies the annexation of four Ukrainian regions
On Tuesday, the Russian parliament’s upper house approved the incorporation of four Ukrainian regions into Russia, as Moscow prepares to formally annex territory the size of Kyiv during its seven-month conflict. At a meeting on Tuesday, the Federation Council unanimously approved legislation to annex Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions, following a similar vote in the State Duma, Russia’s lower house, yesterday. The documents now return to the Kremlin for President Vladimir Putin’s final signature to complete the process of formally annexing the four regions, which account for about 18 percent of Ukraine’s internationally recognized territory. Russia announced the annexations after referendums were held in the occupied regions of Ukraine. Western governments and Kyiv said the votes violated international law and were coercive and unrepresentative. Eleanor Sly4 October 2022 08:4 1664868300
Lawyers overwhelmed by requests to help Russians avoid fighting in Ukraine
Russian lawyers say they are working hard to offer advice to those at risk of being sent to fight in Ukraine. Lawyers and civil society organizations say that since President Vladimir Putin announced on September 21 that 300,000 people would be mobilized to help Russia’s war effort, they have been inundated with requests for support. Hundreds of thousands of people have taken refuge in countries such as Kazakhstan, Georgia and Finland. Many more are still in Russia hiding from military recruiters, praying not to be called up or hoping for exemptions from service. “We are working around the clock,” said Sergey Krivenko, who runs a group of about 10 lawyers called Citizen. Army. Law. “People are distracted from their normal lives,” he said. “This is a mobilization without time limitation during a war. It can take months or years. The world may not come back… Leaving the army is almost impossible. The only way is death, injury, or imprisonment for disobeying orders.” Eleanor Sly4 October 2022 08:2 1664866800
Why did Russia invade Ukraine and what does Putin want?
Russia’s much-anticipated invasion of Ukraine continues to rage after Vladimir Putin announced his “special military operation” against the country in the early hours of February 24, the Russian leader declaring, unfoundedly, the need for “demilitarization and de-Nazification.” the neighboring state after eight years of fighting in Donbass. As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky leads by example from Kyiv, tirelessly rallying the international community for support and refusing to surrender even a square inch of ground, his people are putting up an impressive resistance, holding back Russia’s armed forces and preventing the detour that Mr. Putin appeared. to have assumed was secured. More recently, Ukraine launched a successful offensive in the east as part of an effort to retake the southern city of Kherson, the gateway to Crimea, which sent Russian troops fleeing, instilling new confidence in its supporters but revealing evidence of further mass graves at Izium, similar to those already found at Bucha. Read more from Thomas Kingsley and Joe Sommerlad here:
Why did Russia invade Ukraine and what does Putin want?
Why did Vladimir Putin invade Ukraine? Eleanor Sly4 October 2022 08:00 1664865600
See Volodymyr Zelensky’s tweet to Elon Musk
The president of Ukraine and the Tesla tycoon argued on the social networking site: Eleanor Sly4 October 2022 07:4 1664863856
Dead Russian soldiers include those recruited last week, Zelensky says
Volodymyr Zelensky said his forces find spoiled Russian soldiers sent to the front lines with no experience of war among the dead on the battlefield. “Among the dead conquerors we can already see those who were captured only a week or two ago. People were not trained for battle, they have no experience to fight in such a war,” he said in his night speech. The Russian administration, Mr. Zelensky said, “just needs some people – of all kinds – to replace the dead.” “And when these young men die, more people will be sent. This is how Russia fights. That’s how she will lose too,” he added. Arpan Rai October 4, 2022 07:10 1664863261
Russia Faces Challenges in Training and Developing Mobilized and Conscripted Troops – Ministry of Defense
Russia’s delayed recruitment cycle is a sign of growing pressure on Moscow to train its new recruits, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said today. “The recruiting cycle will begin on November 1, 2022, one month later than usual. The delayed start of the cycle is indicative of increasing pressures on Russia’s ability to train and equip large numbers of new military personnel,” the State Department said in its latest intelligence update. Vladimir Putin signed an order last week for the fall’s routine recruitment round, under which 120,000 conscripts will be trained. These conscripts are not legally allowed to deploy outside of Russia, the ministry said, adding that this is separate from those mobilized under the September 21, 2022 partial mobilization order. “The challenges of hosting, training, equipping and developing mobilized and enlisted personnel are significant. Deficiencies in Russian administrative and logistical systems will continue to undermine these efforts,” the ministry said. Arpan Rai October 4, 2022 07:01 am 1664861678
How Elon Musk’s Changed Comment on Ukraine Totally Backfired on Him
The response from the war-torn country was swift and hostile when Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk took to Twitter to brazenly poll his 107 million followers about his own proposals for a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. Mr Musk’s proposals to end the eight-month conflict that has raged since Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked invasion have been condemned by Ukrainian diplomats and politicians. The spectacular backfire earned Musk a presidential slap from Volodymyr Zelensky, who asked his 6.6 million followers on Twitter which version of Mr. Musk they preferred, “The one who supports Ukraine” or “The one who supports Russia.” Read the full story here:
How Elon Musk’s Changed Comment on Ukraine Totally Backfired on Him
SpaceX boss helped bring Starlink internet to war-torn country days after invasion Arpan Rai October 4, 2022 06:34 1664860970
Elon Musk and Volodymyr Zelensky protest war in Ukraine on Twitter
Volodymyr Zelensky condemned billionaire Elon Musk’s comments on the ongoing war in Ukraine on Monday after the Tesla chief called for UN-monitored elections in the newly annexed Ukrainian territories from Russia, angering Ukrainians. Zelensky responded with his own poll on Twitter, asking social media users to vote on which “Elon Musk they liked better: the one who supports Ukraine or the one who supports Russia”? Musk said: “I’m still very supportive of Ukraine, but I’m convinced that the massive escalation of the war will do a lot of damage to Ukraine and possibly the world.” He had waded into the war that has killed thousands and displaced millions on Monday night, tweeting proposals calling for Crimea to be formally given to Russia and water supplies restored to the annexed region while Ukraine remains neutral. The tweets sparked outrage among Ukrainians who denounced the billionaire in the comments. “If someone broke into your home, attacked your family, would you surrender half of it for ‘peace’?” Any “peace” that gives profits to the aggressors is not peace. It’s a stopgap before more aggression,” one user wrote.
Zelensky Responds to Elon Musk’s Twitter Poll for ‘Beach’ on Russia Ukraine Peace
The country’s leader asked his 6.6 million followers which version of the billionaire they liked best Arpan Rai October 4, 2022 06:22 1664859594
Anti-war Russian reporter who protested live on TV escapes house arrest
A Russian TV journalist who staged a live protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been placed on Moscow’s wanted list after apparently escaping house arrest. Marina Ovsyannikova made international headlines in March, just weeks after the start of the war in Ukraine, by appearing in front of studio cameras during an evening news show on the flagship Channel One with a placard reading “Stop the war” and “They are lying to you “. Read the full story here:
Anti-war Russian reporter who protested live on TV escapes house arrest
Marina Ovsyannikova has been detained since August Arpan Rai October 4, 2022 05:59 1664858895
Liberated Kharkiv prepares for the winter of war: “It will be very, very difficult”
Conventional weapons have…
