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8:49 PM

Ukraine Business Roundup — Aid to Ukraine in an uncertain future

The following is the Nov. 12, 2024 edition of our Ukraine Business Roundup weekly newsletter. To get the biggest news in business and tech from Ukraine directly in your inbox, subscribe here. As Donald Trump prepares to reenter the White House, the biggest question hanging over Ukraine is what his

7:31 PM

Putin cuts payments for wounded in war against Ukraine.

The current maximum amount of compensation is 3 million rubles (nearly $29,000), but the severity of the injury is not considered for its allocation. The change approved by Putin classifies injuries into three categories.

6:35 PM

Trump to appoint Ukrainian peace envoy 'soon' to lead talks on ending war with Russia, Fox News reports.

"You're going to see a very senior special envoy, someone with a lot of credibility, who will be given a task to find a resolution, to get to a peace settlement," one of the sources said.

6:11 PM

Nearly 30 Russian airlines may go bankrupt in 2025, media reports.

About thirty Russian airlines, accounting for 26% of domestic passenger traffic, may go bankrupt in 2025, Russia's Izvestia newspaper reported on Nov. 13.

5:58 PM

Slovakia signs pilot contract for purchase of natural gas from Azerbaijan.

Slovensky plynarensky priemysel (SPP) may also consider a longer-term agreement, as it is also preparing to cut off Russian gas supplies through Ukraine.

Ukrainian FM meets Blinken in Brussels as new US administration looms

4:33 PM

(Updated: November 13, 2024 4:08 pm)

Ukrainian FM meets Blinken in Brussels as new US administration looms.

The topic of the discussions was not made public, but the officials meet as the U.S. administration pledges to ramp up support before President Joe Biden leaves the White House on Jan. 20, 2025.

3:32 PM

Military donations in Ukraine plummet as war pressure mounts, Bloomberg reports.

Prominent organizations such as Come Back Alive and the Serhiy Prytula Foundation, headed by the well-known Ukrainian TV personality of the same name, have seen contributions decrease by approximately one-fifth in 2024, Bloomberg reports.

3:09 PM

Biden invites Trump to White House to talk over transition.

"He (President Joe Biden) believes in the norms, he believes in our institution, he believes in the peaceful transfer of power," White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told journalists on Nov. 12.

2:43 PM

Moscow court issues arrest warrants for ICC judges involved in Russia-linked cases.

The case against Reine Alapini-Gansou was launched under the article of "illegal detention," Mediazona reported without providing additional details. She has also been placed on the wanted list, the court told the Interfax news agency.

1:56 PM

Blinken meets NATO's Rutte, pledges to 'shore up' Ukraine support before Trump transition.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also issued a stern warning regarding North Korea’s recent deployment of troops to support Russian forces, stating this "demands and will receive a firm response."

1:17 PM

Updated: 2 injured in Kharkiv after Russian drone hits apartment building.

The drone struck the building in the city's Saltivskyi district near a shopping center at around 11:30 a.m. Several cars, public transport infrastructure equipment, and facades of nearby buildings were damaged, but no fire was reported.

1:00 PM

Russian attacks against Ukraine injure 15 over past day.

Russia reportedly launched 90 Shahed and other drone types overnight, as well as two S-300 missiles, two Kh-101 missiles, and two Iskander-M/KN-23 missiles.

12:27 PM

Russian navy officer responsible for strikes on civilians killed in SBU operation, source says.

Valery Trankovsky was a "war criminal who has ordered cruise missile launches from the Black Sea against civilian sites in Ukraine," the SBU source said.

12:15 PM

Ukraine receives $1.35 billion US grant for humanitarian, social programs.

Ukraine has received a $1.35 billion grant from the U.S., which will be allocated to humanitarian and social programs, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on Nov. 13.

Civilian injured after Russia launches combined attack on Kyiv, region

8:00 AM

(Updated: November 13, 2024 11:59 am)

Civilian injured after Russia launches combined attack on Kyiv, region.

A 48-year-old man suffered head injuries in the Brovary district close to Kyiv as a result of fallen debris. A fire broke out in a warehouse, the regional military administration and the State Emergency Service said.

11:16 AM

Russian navy officer allegedly killed in car bombing in occupied Sevastopol.

The Telegram channel Baza identified the serviceman as 47-year-old Valery Trankovsky, a captain of the 1st rank in the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

10:51 AM

US has delivered 83% of munitions committed to Ukraine since April, Pentagon says.

"Since the supplemental, we've drawn down nearly $3.7 billion in equipment from (Department of Defense) stocks across 12 PDA (presidential drawdown authority) drawdowns that were announced between late April through mid-October," Pentagon spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder said.

Trump picks Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy to lead new government efficiency body

10:21 AM

Trump appoints Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy to lead new 'Department of Government Efficiency.'

While Musk has repeatedly echoed pro-Russian talking points on Ukraine, including proposals to cede territory to Moscow, Ramaswamy was among the most vocal opponents of military aid for Kyiv.

10:00 AM

US says North Korean troops join combat alongside Russia.

"Today I can confirm that over 10,000 (North Korean) soldiers have been sent to eastern Russia, and most of them have moved to the far western Kursk Oblast, where they have begun engaging in combat operations with Russian forces," spokesperson Vedant Patel said.

8:32 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 714,380 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,770 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

6:18 AM

Kyiv urges Estonian film festival to cancel Russian 'Deaf Lovers' film screening.

Ukraine's State Film Agency has urged the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (POFF) to remove the Russian film "Deaf Lovers" from its main programming, protesting the film's depiction of relations between Russians and Ukrainians, the agency announced on Nov. 12.

Trump stuns officials after naming Fox News host Pete Hegseth as defense secretary

4:59 AM

United States

Trump names Fox News host and veteran Pete Hegseth as incoming US Defense Secretary.

President-elect Donald Trump has named Fox News host and veteran Pete Hegseth as the incoming U.S. Defense Secretary, Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Nov. 12. If confirmed by Congress, Hegseth will replace current Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin following Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025. "Pete

1:31 AM

UK may deploy forces to Ukraine if future US aid declines, former UK PM Boris Johnson warns.

Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that the U.K. may need to send troops to Ukraine if U.S. support or military funding is reduced, GB News reported on Nov. 12.

11:28 PM

Lavrov to lead Russian delegation to G20 summit instead of Putin in light of his possible arrest in Brazil.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in March 2023 issued a warrant for Putin's arrest due to his role in the deportation of Ukrainian children. Brazil is a party to the ICC's Rome Statute and, therefore, is required to detain Putin if he enters the country.

Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drone strikes oil depot in Russia; Ukrainian volunteers in Poland sign contracts with Armed Forces

10:59 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drone strikes oil depot in Russia; Ukrainian volunteers in Poland sign contracts with Armed Forces

Key developments on Nov. 12: * Ukrainian drone strikes oil depot in Russia's Belgorod Oblast, local official claims * Russia deploys assault groups to Zaporizhzhia Oblast, military says * Ukraine's 2025 budget includes $1.3 billion for weapons production, minister says * Ukrainian volunteers in Poland sign contracts with Armed Forces * British PM Starmer

10:30 PM

Russia's Arctic LNG 2 project has cut gas production to almost zero, Bloomberg reports.

The fields supplying the plant pumped an average of 0.4 million cubic meters of gas per day in the first ten days of November, Bloomberg reported, citing a person with knowledge of industry data.

10:06 PM

Trump confirms he chose Waltz as national security advisor.

Waltz is a Congressman from Florida and a retired Army Green Beret.

Russia preparing a 50,000-people-strong offensive in latest attempt to push Ukrainian army out of Kursk Oblast

9:27 PM

War analysis

Russia preparing a 50,000-people-strong offensive in latest attempt to push Ukrainian army out of Kursk Oblast

Over the past week, Russia had been gathering forces in what appears to be preparations for a decisive push in the country's Kursk Oblast. "The situation is changing every day. Not long ago, we were on the offensive, and now we are on the defensive," a 35-year-old artilleryman with the

9:17 PM

Moldova protests to Moscow over election interference, downing of Russian drones.

The Moldovan Foreign Ministry protested to the Russian ambassador against "Russia's illegal interference in the elections and referendum in Moldova to distort their results, undermine and delegitimize the democratic process in Moldova."

8:13 PM

Russia deploys assault groups to Zaporizhzhia Oblast, military says.

According to Voloshyn, Russia is preparing to intensify its offensive toward the town of Orikhiv in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

7:08 PM

Ukraine's 2025 budget includes $13 billion for weapons production, minister says.

Some Hr 54.55 billion ($1.3 billion) will be directly allocated for the development and implementation of new technologies, and the expansion of defense production capacity, according to Strategic Industries Minister Herman Smetanin.

Marco Rubio's stance on Russia's war in Ukraine — what we know

6:22 PM

United States

Marco Rubio's stance on Russia's war in Ukraine — what we know

Republican Senator Marco Rubio is likely to be the next U.S. secretary of state, according to reports on Nov. 12 that mark the latest insight into how President-elect Donald Trump's White House will approach Russia's war in Ukraine. Trump, leader of the Republican party who was elected president on

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7:48 AM

Republican senator, Trump ally rejects idea of negotiating with Putin.

"As much as I would like to believe we can negotiate with a tyrant, I suspect we may be deceiving ourselves," Sen. Mike Rounds said. Rounds also said he wished the U.S. had sent more weapons to Kyiv.

7:13 AM

'Whoever enters parliament enters Russia,' Georgian president says.

"I am sure that the parties will not enter the parliament ... Today, whoever enters the parliament will enter Russia," Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said on Nov. 22.

5:50 AM

Crimean Tatar editor goes missing in occupied Crimea.

Ediye Muslimova, the editor-in-chief of a Crimean Tatar children's magazine, disappeared in Russian-occupied Crimea on Nov. 21. Local sources say she was forced into a vehicle by three men and is being detained by the Russian FSB.

4:54 AM

NASAMS air defense systems delivered to Ukraine, Canadian defense minister says.

"Canada's support for Ukraine is steadfast and we will continue to step up and build on our contributions to Ukraine in their fight against Russia's invasion," Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair said on Nov. 22.

3:58 AM

Trump may name former intelligence director Richard Grenell as Ukraine peace envoy, Reuters reports.

Grenell has previously suggested a peace plan in Ukraine involving the creation of "autonomous zones" and has opposed Ukraine's membership in NATO.

2:29 AM

Lukashenko threatens internet blackout during 2025 elections to prevent protests.

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has stated that he may completely shut down the internet during the 2025 presidential elections if protests similar to those in 2020 arise, state-run news outlet Belta reported on Nov. 22.

12:14 AM

Ukraine begins talks with partners about advanced air defense systems, following Russia's IRBM strike.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has directed Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to engage with partners on acquiring advanced air defense systems, according to Zelensky’s statement on Nov. 22.

11:22 PM

Hungary criticizes US sanctions on Gazprombank as 'threat to energy security', Bloomberg reports.

Hungary criticized U.S. sanctions on Gazprombank, stating that they pose a threat to the energy security of Central European countries, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a statement on Nov. 22.

10:13 PM

War analysis

What is Russia's Oreshnik missile, and what happens next?

9:59 PM

Russian military shoot 5 Ukrainian POWs near Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast.

The Security Service of Ukraine has launched an investigation into the killing of Ukrainian soldiers near Vuhledar, from which Ukrainian forces withdrew on Oct. 2.

9:23 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Russia likely used ballistic missile from 'Kedr' complex to strike Dnipro, intelligence says

9:02 PM

Russia plans to launch mass production of Oreshnik missile, Putin says.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia will continue to test the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, including in combat conditions.

8:43 PM

Orange Revolution

'It was my first revolution' — Ukrainians look back on the Orange Revolution 20 years later

8:02 PM

Ukraine to receive $4.8 billion from World Bank.

Ukraine and the World Bank signed a loan agreement worth $4.8 billion, which Kyiv will use for priority budget expenditures, the Finance Ministry said in a statement.

7:59 PM

Video

Muslim who fled Russia on his new life in Ukraine.

Ali Charinskiy is an activist and professional martial artist from the Republic of Dagestan who advocated for the rights of Muslims. The Kyiv Independent spent a day with Charinskiy in his new home, a southern Ukrainian city of Odesa.

7:48 PM

Russia has deployed nearly 60,000 troops to Kursk Oblast, media reports.

Nearly 60,000 Russian army personnel are currently stationed in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Suspilne reported on Nov. 22, citing its undisclosed source in the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces.

6:27 PM

Nearly 580,000 Russian troops fighting against Ukraine, military intelligence says.

The number includes soldiers serving in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Vadym Skibitskyi, the deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR), said.

6:16 PM

Russia likely used ballistic missile from 'Kedr' complex to strike Dnipro, intelligence says.

The ballistic missile launched by Russia on Nov. 21 against the city of Dnipro was likely part of the "Kedr" missile complex tested in recent years, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) said.

6:14 PM

Opinion