Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 10-22-2024

Zelensky said Kostin should take “political responsibility” for the situation within his agency

Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin has announced his resignation after a probe by the country’s security services uncovered a large-scale corruption scheme that apparently provided military draft exemptions for government officials.

Mobilization in Ukraine is a hotly contested and controversial issue that has polarized society after a large-scale military recruitment drive earlier this year to bolster Ukraine’s struggling forces as they fight off Russia’s invasion.

It may or may not have been a red line, but the Pentagon’s premier ground warfare systems are laying down tracks and engaging targets inside Russian Federation territory.

Elements of an elite Ukrainian unit armed with US-made M1A1 Abrams tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles are in combat inside Russia’s Kursk region, news and official reports said Tuesday.

Ukraine’s 47th Mechanized Infantry Brigade over the weekend used the American armored vehicles to conduct local counterattacks in a northeastern sector of a salient held by Kyiv’s forces inside the Russian Federation, following a surprise offensive launched on Aug. 6.

A Chinese mercenary fighting for Russia claimed that eight Pyongyang officers were killed in action during their first day of deployment in Ukraine.

A Chinese mercenary fighting for the Russian military has claimed that eight North Koreans in Ukraine, officers, were killed in action during their first day of deployment.

The mercenary, who goes by the name “Dian Yuzhan” on social media (meaning “prison warden” in Chinese), made the claim during a live broadcast with another Chinese mercenary who has reportedly returned to China after fighting for Russia in Ukraine.

The world must act decisively to protect not only Ukraine's economic interests but also global food security and the principle of free maritime trade

The recent intensification of Russian attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure and vessels has led to a significant rise in war risk insurance premiums, posing a severe threat to the profitability of Ukrainian agricultural and metallurgical sectors. The sustained attacks, including those on ships participating in the UN's World Food Programme, have forced insurers to reevaluate the risks associated with shipping to and from Ukraine, driving up the cost of transporting essential goods like grain and metals.

Several months ago, Russia began a systematic campaign of strikes against Ukraine's port facilities. This strategy, aimed at crippling Ukraine's export capabilities, has already resulted in damage to nearly 300 port facilities, 177 vehicles, and 22 civilian ships, according to Ukraine's Minister of Development of Communities and Territories, Oleksiy Kuleba.

The Nizhny Novgorod airport was closed due to the threat of new strikes.

Ukrainian drones struck two alcohol distilleries in the Tula region, one in the Tambov region, and an industrial facility in the Voronezh region in an overnight attack Oct. 21-22, Russian officials and media reported.

Kyiv had not claimed credit for the attacks at the time of publication early Tuesday evening – however, the distilleries all produce ethanol, a solvent used in explosives.  

Kyiv Post's correspondent analyzes the outcome of Moldova’s European integration referendum and how Russia almost succeeded in derailing Chisinau's move toward a closer relationship with the West.

On Sunday, Oct. 20, the first round of presidential elections was held in Moldova. At the same time, the country voted in a referendum on possible European integration where citizens had to choose whether or not the country should amend its Constitution to align this post-Soviet country with European laws and ideals.

The vote was crucial for Moldova. This small country, sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania, has been suffering from Russian hybrid aggression for more than 30 years. As it did in Ukraine’s Donbas, Russia has created and supported the separatist Transnistria region of Moldova, controlling almost 10 percent of the country’s territory and more than 10 percent of the population, including its second-largest city, Tiraspol. Moldova, with a population of 3.5 million, lacks the strength to combat Russia’s “volunteers.”

A former American consultant convicted for being a “political mercenary” in Ukraine and elsewhere speaks out in an exclusive interview for Kyiv Post.

From the Editors:  With Americans choosing their next president in less than two weeks, Sam Patten’s action-packed memoir Dangerous Company: The Misadventures of a Foreign Agent makes for a timely read.

Convicted during Donald Trump’s last presidency of violating the Foreign Agent Registration Act over his work for a Ukrainian political party. Patten cooperated with the investigation of Russia’s role in the 2016 US presidential election and, unlike figures such as Paul Manafort, didn’t seek a pardon from Trump.

The informal alliance of states, which now has nine members, sees itself as an association of emerging markets. However, opinions differ on how much it can compete with the "global West".

This year's Brics summit is being hosted by Vladimir Putin in the Russian city of Kazan. The informal alliance of states which now has nine members sees itself as an association of emerging markets, although opinions differ both internally and in the European press on the extent to which it can compete with the "global West".

A big stage for Putin

Reports that an Il-76 cargo plane, thought to be carrying military materiel destined for Sudanese rebels, was shot down in North Darfur, Sudan, claims the Russian embassy is said to be investigating.

A cargo plane Il-76, that reportedly included Russian crew members, was shot down over the North Darfur province in Sudan, where clashes between government forces and the paramilitary group "Rapid Support Forces" (RSF) are ongoing, the Russian embassy in Sudan reported on the evening of Monday, Oct. 21.

“The embassy is in contact with Sudanese authorities and is taking all necessary measures to clarify the circumstances of this incident. The situation is complicated by the fact that the crash site is located in the conflict-ridden Darfur region,” the statement said.

Additionally, South Korea is set to review its longstanding ban on exporting lethal aid to a country at war which means it could supply defensive arms to Ukraine.

South Korea is considering dispatching military and intelligence specialists to Ukraine following reports of North Korean military involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war, according to Yonhap, citing government sources.

South Korean intelligence had earlier reported that North Korea has already sent approximately 1,500 special forces soldiers to Russia to fight alongside Russian forces. Intelligence reports suggest this could be the vanguard of up to 12,000 troops Pyongyang will send to Russia.

Social media footage on Saturday showed a stealth multirole fighter with two external Kh-59M2 air-to-surface cruise missiles causing widespread speculation among military issues commentators.

A video posted on Telegram on Oct. 19 by the pro-Russian milblogger FighterBomber, who is said to have a close relationship with Moscow’s aerospace forces, showed a Sukhoi Su-57 (NATO: Felon) allegedly flying close to the front line carrying two KH-59M2 cruise missiles on the outside.

The Su-57, like other stealth aircraft, is designed to carry its weapons internally to minimize the fighter’s radar cross section (RCS) and launch stealthy missiles or glide bombs. Carrying missiles on external weapons pylons compromises the aircraft’s reduced radar reflectivity and, therefore, its ability to operate in a high-threat environment.

The votes of Pennsylvania’s 122,000 Ukrainian Americans may be crucial to who wins the political battle between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump for the United States Presidency.

If the latest Presidential election polls in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania – where Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump are separated by less than 1 percent – are to be believed, the next President of the United States could be decided by some 100,000 to 150,000 voters.

For campaign watchers, this sets up an intriguing numerical coincidence. Namely, there are upwards of 122,000 people who claim Ukrainian ancestry living in Pennsylvania, some three-quarters of whom would be of voting age.

Sumy lies across the border from Kursk in Russia, where Ukrainian troops launched a major offensive in August and have been holding swathes of territory.

Russian bombardments left three people dead overnight in the eastern Ukrainian region of Sumy where Moscow has stepped up aerial attacks in recent months, officials said Tuesday.

Sumy lies across the border from Kursk in Russia, where Ukrainian troops launched a major offensive in August and have been holding swathes of territory.

The world in focus, as seen by a Canadian leading global affairs analyst, writer and speaker, in his review of international media.

Israel said late Monday it planned to carry out more strikes in Lebanon against a Hezbollah-run financial institution that it targeted the night before and which it says uses customers’ deposits to finance attacks against Israel. At least 15 branches of Al-Qard Al-Hasan were hit late Sunday in the southern neighborhoods of Beirut, across southern Lebanon and in the eastern Bekaa Valley, where Hezbollah has a strong presence. One strike flattened a nine-story building in Beirut with a branch inside it. The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings ahead of the strikes, and there were no reports of casualties. Associated Press journalists witnessed strikes late Monday in the coastal region of Ouzai, near Beirut’s airport, and Lebanon’s Health Ministry said an airstrike near Beirut’s largest public hospital killed four, including a child, and wounded 24. It was the first strike on the Lebanese capital in 10 days. - AP

South Korea has summoned the Russian ambassador, seeking the "immediate withdrawal" of North Korean troops which it says are being trained to fight in Ukraine. About 1,500 North Korean soldiers, including those from the special forces, have already arrived in Russia, according to Seoul's spy agency. In a meeting with the ambassador Georgiy Zinoviev, South Korea's vice-foreign minister Kim Hong-kyun denounced the move and warned that Seoul will "respond with all measures available". Mr Zinoviev said he would relay the concerns, but stressed that the cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang is "within the framework of international law". South Korea has long accused the North of supplying weapons to Russia for use in the war against Ukraine, but it says the current situation has gone beyond the transfer of military materials. Some South Korean media reports have suggested as many as12,000 North Korean soldiers are expected to be deployed. - BBC

Inching towards a world war because of the lack of deterrence from Washington’s ‘de-escalation’ policy

According to recent statements from President Zelensky and his military intelligence chief, North Korea is preparing to deploy more than 10,000 troops to serve alongside the Russian military in Eastern Ukraine. This claim follows earlier reports citing an unnamed Western source that this contingent had already arrived in Russia and that 18 North Korean personnel had allegedly deserted before being deployed to Ukraine.

This development comes after months of North Korea providing direct material support to the Russian war effort, with current estimates suggesting that over one million shells have been delivered since August 2023.

Seoul's spy agency said Friday that Pyongyang sent a "large-scale" troop deployment to help its ally, claiming that 1,500 special forces were already training in Russia's Far East.

North Korea has not sent troops to Russia to help Moscow fight Ukraine, one of its United Nations representatives said Monday, dismissing Seoul's claims as "groundless rumor".

Seoul's spy agency said Friday that Pyongyang sent a "large-scale" troop deployment to help its ally, claiming that 1,500 special forces were already training in Russia's Far East and ready to head soon for the frontlines of the Ukraine war.

The BRICS meeting is seen as a key moment for Russia to reinforce alliances amid Western efforts to isolate Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine.

Presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Miguel Diaz-Canel of Cuba, and Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia will not be attending the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, according to Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov.

The summit, which will run from Tuesday, Oct. 22 to Thursday, Oct. 24, brings together leaders from key emerging economies, but several leaders have withdrawn due to ‘unforeseen circumstances.’

Moscow’s ambassador to London, Andrei Kelin, accused the UK of contributing to the war by supplying weapons, which he said were being used “to kill Russian soldiers and civilians.”

Moscow’s ambassador to London, Andrei Kelin, has accused the UK of waging a “proxy war” against Russia, while predicting the “end of Ukraine” as Russian forces continue their advances.

In an interview with the BBC, Kelin claimed Ukraine’s resistance is weakening, with Russian troops gaining ground daily.

Money seems to be the main motivator for potential soldiers. At the end of July  , Vladimir Putin doubled the one-time payment from the federal budget for new signees.

Executive Summary

‍From March 2022 to September 2024, there were at least 363 438 advertisements of the contract service posted in one of the key Russian social media VK. With mobilisation being a sensitive issue, the state focuses on recruiting "volunteers" through contracts, a practice often referred to as “covert mobilisation.” 

Ukraine has never reached so far in the IMF Program Reviews, but the цar-torn country needs successful results now more than ever.

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the Fifth Review of the extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for Ukraine – Ukraine’s authorities can now withdraw another tranche of $1.1 billion (SDR 834.9 million) to Ukraine, IMF press release reported on Friday, 18. 

The cash will be channeled for budget support. 

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Moldova's October 20 European Union (EU) referendum passed by an extremely narrow margin in large part due to support from the Moldovan diaspora, and current Moldovan President Maia Sandu will face Alexandr Stoianoglo in a second round of voting on November 3. Several Moldovan and European officials reported potential Russian interference in the election, and the Kremlin and its affiliates in Moldova will likely continue their malign influence efforts in the leadup to the November 3 runoff.
• Kremlin officials and Russian milbloggers claimed that Moldovan authorities falsified the results of the election and referendum and continued to promote long-standing Kremlin narratives targeting Moldova's path towards European integration.
• US Secretary of Defense Llyod Austin travelled to Kyiv on October 21 and announced a new $400 million military aid package for Ukraine.
• Russia appears to be scrambling to reduce tensions with South Korea following credible reports of intensified North Korean cooperation with Russia, including South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence warnings that a contingent of North Korean troops has deployed for training to Russia.
• Russian forces continue to systematically perpetrate war crimes, including the continued executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) and use of chemical weapons.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the western part of the Kursk Oblast salient.
• Russian forces advanced west of Kreminna, southeast of Pokrovsk, and southeast of Kurakhove.
• Russian forces recently conducted several mechanized attacks of various echelons in the Kurakhove direction.
• Russian occupation authorities continue to coerce occupied Ukrainian populations into signing contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD).