Belarusian who fought for Ukraine extradited from Vietnam to Belarus
Vasil Verameichyk now faces the prospect of imprisonment, as the Kalinouski Regiment was recently declared a terrorist organization by the Supreme Court of Belarus.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
Articles
General Staff: Russia has lost 727,250 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
This number includes 1,510 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Ukraine war latest: Ukraine reportedly strikes Russia with Storm Shadow missiles for first time
Key developments on Nov. 20: * Ukraine strikes Russia with Storm Shadows for the first time, Bloomberg reports * Biden approves delivery of anti-personnel mines to Ukraine in light of Russian gains in east * Ukrainian drones allegedly strike Russian factories, weapons arsenal * North Korean troops in Russia to be led by secrecy-shrouded
Parliament adopts bill to strip individuals supporting Russia of state awards
Ukraine’s parliament adopted a law on Nov. 20 allowing the deprivation of state awards from individuals who spread Russian propaganda or commit other illegal actions against the Ukrainian state.
Latest strikes on Ukraine’s electricity substations threaten ‘power failure,' Greenpeace warns
Greenpeace has warned that Ukraine’s power grid faces a "heightened risk of catastrophic failure" after a mass missile and drone attack on Nov. 17 targeted electrical substations essential for nuclear power plants, the Guardian reported on Nov. 20.
Germany delivers new military aid to Ukraine, including howitzers, Gepards
Germany has handed over ammunition for infantry fighting vehicles Marder, 41,000 rounds 155 mm ammunition, several reconnaissance drones, including Vector, Hornet XR, Golden Eagle, VT-4 Rochen, Songbird, and others.
Russian officials threaten US over long-range strikes, allude to nuclear doctrine changes
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Nov. 19 that Moscow "will respond accordingly" to Washington's permission for Ukraine to strike Russian soil with U.S. weapons.
Russia strikes humanitarian aid distribution point in Kherson Oblast
The attack targeted a building where volunteers were distributing bread to residents, officials said. A projectile struck the roof, damaging windows, the facade, and the roof itself. No people were injured.
Carmaker forecasts 30% collapse in Russian car market by 2025
Sales of new cars and light commercial vehicles in Russia could decline by 21-30% in 2025 if high interest rates persist, Avtovaz CEO Maxim Sokolov said on Nov. 19, according to the state-owned TASS news agency.
Sweden investigating Chinese ship's possible role in Baltic Sea cable damage, FT reports
Data from maritime tracking group MarineTraffic shows the Yi Peng 3, traveling from Russia to Egypt, passed near the Swedish-Lithuanian and Finnish-German cables on Nov. 17 and Nov. 18, the dates the cables were damaged.
North Korean troops in Russia to be led by secrecy-shrouded general close to Kim Jong Un, WSJ reports
Kim Yong Bok, officially the Deputy Chief of the Army General Staff, is expected to oversee the integration of North Korean troops into Russian forces, gain combat experience, and establish a framework for future deployments, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Putin open to discussing Ukraine ceasefire with Trump, Reuters reports
For the first time, five current and former Russian officials outlined to Reuters the Kremlin’s potential terms for a Trump-brokered peace deal.
Ukrainian drones allegedly strike Russian factories, weapons arsenal
Belgorod Region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov confirmed that drone wreckage damaged the premises of an enterprise in the town of Alekseevka on Nov. 19. Media reports identified the facility as an EFKO plant, officially a sauce manufacturer.
No signs Russia is preparing to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Pentagon says
Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh dismissed Russia’s rhetoric surrounding its nuclear policy as a continuation of its behavior over the past two years.
General Staff: Russia has lost 725,740 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
This number includes 1,690 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Ukraine beats Albania 2:1, earns chance to advance to Nations League top tier
Ukraine now awaits a future draw that will pair it with the third-placed team from one of the tournament's top-tier groups for a chance at promotion.
Ukraine war latest: Ukraine reportedly uses ATACMS on Russian territory for first time; Zelensky presents resilience plan
Key developments on Nov. 19: * Ukraine used ATACMS on Russian territory for first time, according to Moscow, media * Russia claims to capture village near Kurakhove, Kyiv hasn't confirmed * Putin approves Russia's updated nuclear doctrine * Over 50,000 Ukrainian recruits have received training in UK * Denmark to provide over $137 million
'Ukraine deserves to make next year a year of peace' — Zelensky addresses European Parliament
"A thousand days of war is a tremendous challenge. Ukraine deserves to make next year a year of peace," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
'Putin is playing with our fears' — German FM on Russia's updated nuclear doctrine
Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks to intimidate the West by expanding the conditions for using nuclear weapons in Russia’s updated nuclear doctrine, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Nov. 19.
EU ready to step up support for Ukraine if US reduces aid, Polish FM says
"Strengthening Europe’s defense capabilities must go hand in hand with maintaining the United States’ commitment to enhancing our security," Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said.
Ukraine's parliament approves state budget for 2025
The state expects to get Hr 2 trillion ($48.2 billion) in revenues, while expenditures are planned at Hr 3.6 trillion ($86.8 billion).
Over 50,000 Ukrainian recruits have received training in UK
"Kosovo, Romania, and Estonia are the latest nations to join this global effort, standing united for freedom and resilience," the U.K. Defense Ministry said on X.
Ukraine used ATACMS on Russian territory for first time, according to Moscow, media
If confirmed, this would mark the first instance of Ukraine using U.S.-made long-range missiles on Russian territory since Washington eased the restrictions last week.
Russia's FSB reports detentions over Crimea car bombing
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) on Nov. 19 announced the detention of two residents of Russian-occupied Crimea in connection with a car bombing in Sevastopol on Nov. 13 that killed Russian Navy officer Valery Trankovsky.
Ukraine aims to produce 30,000 long-range drones, 3,000 missiles, Zelensky says
The president also set the task of creating 3,000 cruise missiles and drone-missile hybrids and finding an effective countermeasure to Russian Shahed-type drones.
Russian attack against Kharkiv injures 9
Russia launched an attack against the Kyivskyi district of Kharkiv on Nov. 19, injuring nine people, officials reported.
Long-range strikes can help push Russia toward peace, US official says
"The weapons President Biden authorized Ukraine to use will give it more capabilities to defend itself and, hopefully, make the Russian Federation understand that using force to seize Ukrainian territory will not succeed," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Brian A. Nichols said in an interview.
Duda accuses Scholz of sidelining Trump in Ukraine peace efforts
Polish President Andrzej Duda accused German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Nov. 18 of undermining U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s potential role in Ukraine peace negotiations to rebuild Germany’s ties with Russia.
Putin approves Russia's updated nuclear doctrine
The revised doctrine outlines scenarios that could justify a nuclear strike. It implies that this could include "aggression against the Russian Federation and its allies by a non-nuclear state with the support of a nuclear state" and large-scale non-nuclear attacks, such as those carried out with drones.
West marks 1,000 days of Russia’s full-scale war with solidarity with Ukraine
"In 2022, Russia thought its full-scale invasion would end in days. 1,000 days later, Ukraine bravely resists. On the battlefield. And against criminal attacks on civilian targets," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
Ukraine strikes Russian ammunition depot in Bryansk Oblast, military says
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian arsenal in Karachev in Bryansk Oblast overnight on Nov. 19, the military said.
Macron praises Biden's decision to ease limits on Ukraine's long-range strikes
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to strike targets in Russia with long-range American missiles, calling it "a good decision" on Nov. 18.
