Japanese foreign minister arrives in Kyiv
Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya arrived in Kyiv for an unannounced visit overnight on Nov. 16 in a show of Tokyo's support for the besieged country.
Ukraine
Ukraine's foreign budget support surpasses $100 billion since start of full-scale war
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has received over $100 billion in foreign-backed external financing to support Ukraine's state budget, the country's finance ministry announced on Nov. 15.
Democratic senators urge investigation into Musk's calls with Russia, Reuters reports
In a letter seen by Reuters on Nov. 15, two senior Democratic senators argued that Musk’s involvement in SpaceX programs should be reviewed for potential debarment and exclusion due to his communications with Russian officials.
4 Ukrainian children return home from Russian-occupied parts of Kherson Oblast
In a statement released on Nov. 15, governor Oleksandr Prokudin said the children who returned home from Russian-occupied parts of Kherson Oblast include four boys, aged between 1.7 and 17. According to the Ukrainian government’s database, Russia has illegally abducted over 19,500 children since February 2022.
Ukraine war latest: Scholz calls Putin, discusses war in Ukraine; Drone attack reported in Russia's Krasnodar region
Key developments on Nov. 15: * Scholz condemns war, urges Russia to negotiate with Ukraine in first call with Putin in nearly 2 years * Drone attack reported in Russia's Krasnodar region, explosions heard near military airfield * Russian troops plant flag at border in Chernihiv Oblast, Border Guard says no major offensive
Scholz's call with Putin risks opening a 'Pandora's Box,' Zelensky warns
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's call with Russian President Vladimir Putin opens a "Pandora's box," potentially leading to "other conversations and other calls," President Volodymyr Zelensky warned in his evening address on Nov. 15.
War will 'end faster' under Trump administration, Zelensky says
The war "will end faster" under the policies of Donald Trump’s administration, set to take office in January 2025, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a Nov. 15 interview with Suspilne.
What Putin hopes to achieve in Ukraine before Trump enters the White House
Donald Trump's entrance into the White House on Jan. 20 promises to offer a seismic shift in the U.S.'s approach to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and a potential "freezing" of the war. Trump has repeatedly pledged to end the war within "24 hours," sparking fears he might
Ukrainian military fighting in Russia to receive additional financial rewards
The update applies primarily to those currently involved in combat in Russia's Kursk Oblast.
Scholz condemns war, urges Russia to negotiate with Ukraine in first call with Putin in nearly 2 years
During the conversation, Scholz condemned Russia’s war against Ukraine, calling on Putin to end it and withdraw Russian troops from Ukrainian territory. He also urged Russia to negotiate with Ukraine to achieve a “just and lasting peace.”
Putin, Scholz to hold first direct phone call in two years, Bloomberg reports
Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are set to hold their first direct phone call in nearly two years on Nov. 15, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
SBU arrests Ukrainian officer allegedly working as a Russian mole in special forces
According to the report, the officer, the commander of a unit in Special Operations Forces, had been transmitting critical military intelligence to Russian troops.
Russian troops plant flag at border in Chernihiv Oblast, Border Guard says no major offensive detected
State Border Guard spokesperson Andrii Demchenko confirmed to the Kyiv Independent that a Russian sabotage group planted a Russian flag near the border in Ukraine's Chernihiv Oblast, but said that the event occurred in the grey zone and Russian troops did not launch a major offensive in the region.
Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 1, injure 19 over past day
Russian strikes across Ukraine killed at least one civilian and injured at least 19 others in the past day, regional authorities reported on Nov. 15.
Drone attack reported in Russia's Krasnodar region, explosions heard near military airfield
Russia's Krasnodar region came under a "massive drone attack" overnight on Nov. 15, Governor Veniamin Kondratiev reported via his Telegram channel. One of the targeted districts hosts a military airfield.
General Staff: Russia has lost 717,590 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
Russia has also reportedly lost 9,330 tanks, 18,968 armored fighting vehicles, 29,167 vehicles and fuel tanks, 20,492 artillery systems, 1,252 multiple launch rocket systems, 999 air defense systems, 369 airplanes, 329 helicopters, 18,886 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.
Trump says Russia-Ukraine war 'gotta stop'
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at a Mar-a-Lago event in Florida on Nov. 14 that his administration will focus on the Russia-Ukraine war.
France-trained brigade of Ukrainian soldiers prepares for deployment, Associated Press reports
A French military task force named "Champagne" is concluding its mission of training a newly formed brigade of several thousand Ukrainian troops. The brigade will include infantry battalions, engineers, artillery units, and other specialists.
London-based Russian anti-war chef found dead in Serbia, AFP reports
A renowned Russian chef known for his strong criticism of Russia's war against Ukraine was found dead during a visit to Serbia's capital.
Russia threatens to expel UN monitors from Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
IAEA experts may only remain at the occupied nuclear facility "as long as our country considers their stay there to be justified," Russia's Foreign Ministry warned.
Russian mass missile, drone strike on Odesa kills 1, injures at least 10
One woman was killed and at least 10 others were injured, including a 9-year-old boy, authorities said. The attack destroyed an apartment building in the city center.
'We are exhausted' — how Ukrainians cope with nightly Russian drone attacks
Marharyta Koldanova was standing at a bus stop in a residential area in Kyiv when a sudden loud noise went off, prompting her to take out a tourniquet from her bag and prepare to quickly apply it in case she got injured by an aerial attack. "I was overwhelmed with
EU pushing Biden for last-minute measures to support Ukraine, Bloomberg reports
Some EU officials are urging the U.S. to provide more weapons and artillery to Ukraine, as well as permissions to carry out long-range strikes on Russia, sources told Bloomberg.
Ukraine's 'internal resilience plan' to be presented next week, Zelensky says
The government's latest plan will focus on internal solutions and is not an alternative to a victory plan oriented toward Kyiv's partners.
Ukraine war latest: Ukraine repels Russian attempt to enter Kupiansk, military says
Key developments on Nov. 14: * Ukraine repels Russian attempt to enter Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast, military says * Defense Ministry pledges to draft bill on demobilization by Dec. 18, official says * European officials opening up to 'land-for-security' deal in Ukraine, WP reports * Trump's nominee for UN envoy dodges question on earlier
Construction of 2 new power units underway at South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant
Ukraine relies on nuclear power for more than half of its energy production, which is increasingly in demand amid Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
European Commission approves $4.3 billion for Ukraine under Ukraine Facility program
"As we're approaching the 1000th day of Russia's atrocious war, we will help keep the Ukrainian state running while the country fights for survival. We are in it for the long haul," Ursula Von der Leyen said.
Defense Ministry pledges to draft bill on demobilization by Dec. 18, official says
It is not yet clear what conditions the Defense Ministry will propose for discharging military personnel from service, secretary of the parliamentary defense committee Roman Kostenko said.
Ukraine needs ‘fast and focused’ help with energy security, ERBD Ukraine head says
Arvid Tuerkner’s first winter in charge of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in Ukraine comes with a daunting task: swiftly mobilize investment into energy companies crippled by two years of Russian attacks. Russia began targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in late 2022 and has since then pounded
Ukraine's sovereign bonds surge after Trump victory as investors expect peace talks, FT reports
Ukraine’s sovereign bonds rose in price after Donald Trump’s win in the U.S. presidential elections as investors expect a quicker end to the war, the Financial Times reported on Nov. 14.
Russian soldiers murdered civilian in Donetsk Oblast village, prosecutors say
Pictures shared on the prosecutor's office's Telegram channel show a woman in a pink jacket walking on the outskirts of the village, with a subsequent picture showing her lying on the ground with her face in the mud.
Trump's nominee for UN envoy dodges question on earlier support for Ukraine's NATO accession
When asked about the matter again by CNN after Trump tapped her for the U.N. job, Stefanik's office said the Congresswoman's views fully align with those of the president-elect, without going into details.
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