• Washington Post: “Ukrainian 007s behind murders of Dugina and Tatarsky.”
• In the houses of Mykolaiv, where salt water comes out of the taps because of Putin’s bombs: the report.
• Meloni: “EU enlargement? No to priority lanes.”
• Washington Post: “Ukraine, Russia continue to negotiate in secret.”
• From the Avdiivka Front to the Dnipro: What is happening on the battlefield in Ukraine: the military point.
10:33 a.m. – Zuppi: The Pope’s mission in Ukraine continues
The Pope’s mission to Ukraine, which sees the Cardinal President of the CEI Matteo Zuppi as envoy, continues. The Archbishop of Bologna himself said this in his speech to the ANCI assembly. “Of course yes,” the cardinal replied to those who asked him whether the mission would continue, “we have to see how.” Fortunately, Pope Francis’ passion is healing and trying to do everything possible.” Zuppi emphasized, that “the war is not only where it actually breaks out, there is also the previous piece, and that is what we also have to do a lot to fix.” “The conflict in Ukraine and the Violence and the conflict in the Holy Land worry us,” “there is a lot to do.” “I often have the impression that we have the thread and are making little use of it,” concluded the cardinal.
10:32 a.m. – Lavrov meets the Hungarian Foreign Minister in Minsk
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto in Minsk, a Ria Novosti correspondent reports. Ministers met today and tomorrow at the international conference “Eurasian Security: Realities and Prospects in a Changing World” held in Minsk. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán became the first European leader to meet and shake hands with Vladimir Putin since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began. Peter Szijjarto will also meet Belarusian President Lukashenko, a close ally of Putin
10:18 a.m. – Kiev: A Russian missile submarine also in the Black Sea
Russia currently has five ships, including a missile submarine, in the Black Sea, the head of the South Ukrainian operational command’s joint press center, Natalya Humenyuk, told United News, Ukrinform reported. “We are dealing with a group of ships in a rather small composition: five units in the Black Sea. Among these five units there is a missile launcher, which is a submarine capable of carrying four Kalibr missiles,” Humeniuk said.
9:28 a.m. – Isw: Moscow is unlikely to recruit enough soldiers for new formations
“Russia will not be able to recruit sufficient personnel for its new formations.” This is what the Institute for War Research (ISW) wrote in its latest report on the war in Ukraine, commenting on the announcement by Vice President of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev , who stated yesterday that over 1,600 people enter into service contracts every day in the army and that 385,000 people have joined the Russian Armed Forces since January 1, 2023. Medvedev also announced that Moscow plans to create new military formations in 2024. But for ISW analysts, “it remains highly unlikely that Russia will be able to give these formations the maximum strength they require.”
9:24 a.m. – Kiev: Russian raids in Kherson kill 2 people, including a child
In the last 24 hours, two people (including a child) were killed and four others were injured in Russian attacks in Kherson Oblast. This was announced by regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin.
9.20am – Australia announces new military aid package
Australia has increased military aid to Kiev with a new package of 20 million Australian dollars (around 12 million euros) to 910 million Australian dollars (around 543 million euros): this was announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during his state visit to Washington. “Australia continues to steadfastly support Ukraine in defending itself against Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion,” Albanese said. The package includes demining equipment, portable X-ray machines, anti-drone systems and a 3D metal printer.
7:55 a.m. – “Imminent order for the compulsory evacuation of families with children from ten towns in the Kharkiv Oblast”
(Giusi Fasano, correspondent) “We are preparing an order for the forced evacuation of families with children from ten places.” The announcement was made by telegram from Oleg Siniegubov, head of the military administration of the Kupyansk district on the border with Russia. An area that, according to Kiev, has become too unstable and dangerous for the civilian population.
We are standing in front of the northeastern part of Kharkiv Oblast, the same area where the last major massacre of this war took place: the Iskander rocket that killed 59 people on October 5 in Hroza, in the middle of Kupiansk District. Along the border, Russian forces carry out heavy attacks every day in an attempt to recapture the area they had partially occupied for a few days at the beginning of the war (e.g. in Hroza itself). The places where compulsory evacuation is required are all in the Kupiansk District.
Ukrainska Pravda gives their names: these are the communities of Kupyanskaya, Kondrashevskaya and Kurilovskaya, and according to the Ukrainian authorities, 275 children live there. Everyone must leave the area accompanied by a parent or other relative or authorized guardian, the head of the military administration explained in the announcement, noting that the evacuation of other areas is also being considered.
“Everyone will receive accommodation,” he said, “they will receive support and comprehensive accompaniment from international humanitarian organizations, and if they travel outside the region, they will receive one-time payments.” If desired, evacuation to the western regions of Ukraine will be organized. “ Pravda.
3:41 a.m. – Zelensky: “The target of the Russian drones was the Khmelnytsky nuclear power plant”
«Khmelnytskyy region, city of Slavuta. All the damage caused by the Russian drone attack last night was recorded there. The Shahed drones were shot down, but many houses were damaged. The target of these drones was most likely the Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant,” Ukrainian President Zelensky wrote on his Telgram channel. “The explosion wave blew out windows, especially on the site of the nuclear power plant. It is currently known that two dozen residents were injured. Everyone received the help they needed. This attack on the nuclear power plant is another reminder to all our partners of how important it is to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense and how dangerous it is when Russia can circumvent global sanctions.”
3:22 a.m. – Meloni: “EU expansion? No to priority tracks”
“Italy is fully behind the issue of EU enlargement, which I prefer to call reunification.” No preferential routes can be created, and I say this in the context of the debate on the accession of Ukraine and Moldova. We must not make the mistake of leaving the Western Balkan countries behind, they are a strategic region for Italy and in which we have always played a leading role,” said Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during answers to the Chamber with a view to the European Council.
02.45 a.m. – Russian strategic forces exercises with a nuclear submarine
The Kremlin announced that it had conducted strategic deterrence exercises that also involved the country’s nuclear forces. This was reported by the Russian news agency Ria Novosti, according to which the exercises were carried out by Defense Minister Shoigu and Chief of Staff Gerasimov under the supervision of Putin.
The maneuvers, which also involved a nuclear submarine, used an intercontinental ballistic missile “Yars” launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome and a ballistic missile “Sineva” fired from a nuclear submarine stationed in the Barents Sea. The Minister of Defense reported that during the training, tasks were developed in the event that a massive nuclear attack had to be carried out in response to an enemy nuclear attack.
In addition, the training level of military command and control bodies, leadership skills and operational personnel in the organization of subordinate troops were checked as part of the exercises. The Kremlin emphasized that all planned tasks had been fully completed. As the Ministry of Defense emphasized, the event was planned to test the reliability of strategic nuclear weapons. The forces of the Aerospace Forces, the Southern Military District, the Strategic Missile Forces and the Northern and Black Sea Fleets took part in the maneuvers.
01.42 a.m. – From the Avdiivka Front to the Dnipro: What is happening on the battlefield in Ukraine?
(by Andrea Marinelli and Guido Olimpio) Period of very hard fighting almost overlooked by the media, which now focuses on the conflict in the Middle East. Avdiivka Front (East). The Russian army continuously carries out attacks, relying on other units: there are elite units and attack groups made up of former prisoners. According to the Kremlin’s intentions, the maneuver would be a way to contain the Ukrainian counteroffensive on the southern front – but the losses would be enormous.
1:21 a.m. – The Russian Parliament agrees to stop ratification of the nuclear test treaty
The Russian parliament has completed the adoption of a law that would withdraw Moscow’s ratification of the global treaty banning nuclear weapons tests. The Federation Council, Russia’s upper house, approved the law with 156 votes, after the lower house, the Duma, also unanimously approved it. This was reported by the Tass agency. Now the signature goes to Vladimir Putin. The Russian president had urged lawmakers to make the change to “reflect” the position of the US, which signed but never ratified the Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
12:52 a.m. – Washington Post: “Ukraine and Russia continue to negotiate in secret”
Far from the public eye and the bloody front, Ukraine and Russia continue to hold talks and negotiate on some important humanitarian issues: the exchange of prisoners of war and the return of the bodies of fallen soldiers; the passage of ships from Ukrainian Black Sea ports and, more recently, the return of Ukrainian children from Russia.
This was revealed by the Washington Post from Kiev, noting that exchanges between the two warring countries in some cases take place through intermediaries such as Turkey, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, the Vatican and the International Committee of the Red Cross . But most of the talks are also taking place directly in “uncomfortable and tough and unpleasant face-to-face meetings on the Ukrainian-Russian border and in Istanbul,” as some Ukrainian officials involved in the negotiations said, which neither side wants to lead the American newspaper audience.