Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 10-29-2024

Five police cars in Megion also set aflame, source says

Five police cars and a mayor’s office in western Siberia were on fire Monday, Oct. 28, after a Ukrainian military intelligence operation, a source working in intelligence told Kyiv Post Tuesday.

Kyiv Post’s source said the local administration building, which includes the mayor’s office, were set aflame in Megion, a city in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, in western Siberia. 

The EU regulator has allowed Ukraine to increase electricity supply from EU countries, as Ukraine braces for a hard winter

ENTSO-E, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, increased the volumes of electricity Ukraine and Moldova can import from the neighboring EU countries, ENTSO-E and Ukraine’s state-owned electricity transmission system operator Ukrenergo press releases write.

Ukraine will now be able to import a maximum volume of 2,100 megawatts (MW) of electricity – an increase of 400 MW from the previous value.

The war is becoming “internationalized,” Zelensky said

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday he had discussed the deployment of North Korean troops to aid Russia with South Korea’s president, Yoon Suk Yeol, and agreed to strengthen security cooperation.

The call between the leaders came as concern among Ukraine’s allies is mounting over the apparent transfer of thousands of North Korean soldiers to Russia to bolster Moscow’s invasion efforts.

Russia’s not doing nearly as well as it claims, Ukraine war expert Denys Davydov tells Kyiv Post's Jason Smart.

This has been busy week on the battlefield and off it.

Biggest news first, let the record reflect that it appears fighting intensity is at an effective all-war high, or more accurately, the numbers of engagements and casualties currently being reported are pretty much on par with May, which in turn was on par with the first week or so of the war.

If you believe the Ukrainians and their drone videos, the Russian casualties are approaching horrific – but they’re not stopped.

The Baltic nation, sharing a 275 km border with Russia, remains one of the EU’s most vocal critics of Moscow and strongest backers of Ukraine.

Lithuania's Social Democratic Party, which won Sunday's parliamentary elections with 52 seats, has pledged significant increases in defence spending to address potential Russian threats.

Party leader Vilija Blinkevičiūtė announced plans to allocate at least 3.5% of GDP to defense, marking a robust stance on national security.

Choe flew into the far eastern Russian city of Vladivostok, TASS state news agency reported, citing a diplomatic source, who said that "tomorrow she will be in Moscow".

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui arrived in Russia Tuesday for an official visit after South Korea and the United States claimed Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to train in Russia.

Choe flew into the far eastern Russian city of Vladivostok, TASS state news agency reported, citing a diplomatic source, who said that "tomorrow she will be in Moscow".

Kyiv Post sources reveal that Russian conscripted troops are refusing orders to advance in Zaporizhzhia.

Russian servicemembers are refusing to advance in the Zaporizhzhia region, agents of the Ukrainian partisan movement Atesh reported on Monday, Oct. 28.

According to the post, agents from the 1440th Motorized Rifle Regiment stated that certain squads are refusing to go on the offensive in the Zaporizhzhia region. It was reported that the refusers have been arrested by the Russian military police.

Ukrainian intelligence sources confirmed the drone attack on the Special Forces University in Chechnya, suggesting Dagestanis who are in conflict with Kadyrov’s forces were behind it.

Unknown drones attacked the Russian Special Forces University in Gudermes, Chechnya, around 6:30 a.m. of Tuesday, Oct. 29. The incident was reported by the Kremlin's envoy in Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov. The attack, which was the first recorded drone attack on Chechen territory, resulted in a minor fire.

“As a result of the drone strike, the roof of an empty building on the grounds of the Russian Special Forces University caught fire. There were no casualties or injuries. The fire has been extinguished,” Kadyrov wrote on his Telegram channel.

Belarus police have reportedly been warning former political prisoners not to plan events aimed at changing the government ahead of the country’s presidential election in January.

According to Euroradio.fm, former detainees convicted under “political” charges have been asked to provide written commitments refraining from any activities aimed at “a forceful change of the constitutional order, seizure, or retention of power using unconstitutional methods.”

The summons target individuals who have previously served or are still serving sentences under politically motivated restrictions.

The entire “civilized world” has looked on as Ukraine bleeds out on the battlefield.

It’s been almost three years now since Ukraine began its heroic and single-handed defense of the prosperous and hedonistic West from an invasion at the hands of 21st century barbarians. The entire “civilized world” has looked on as Ukraine bleeds out on the battlefield while these barbarians intend to humiliate and destroy this very same West.

Meanwhile, US administration officials and other Western politicians have held discussion after discussion over these three years to try to clarify just what their goal is in the Russo-Ukrainian war – a Victory for Ukraine or simply a No Defeat?

BRICS is an anti-American and anti-European gang-up that cannot shoot straight, the author writes.

This week, Vladimir Putin strutted his stuff as host of a summit held by BRICS, a bloc of nations with Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and another few nations as members. BRICS was launched 2009 to be a geopolitical rival to the G7 bloc of advanced economies and has attempted to counter Western influence.

It promotes peace, security, development, and cooperation, but that’s a sham; note that this year’s host is a war criminal who invaded a neighboring country and conducted terrorist operations around the world. Even so, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres showed up to the gathering and took a photo with the Russian dictator. “Putin is an indicted war criminal, and the UN secretary-general went to see him. This is unacceptable,” said former US Ambassador William Taylor. Also unacceptable is Russia’s membership in the United Nations and its Security Council.

Latest from the British Defence Intelligence.

• Russian Forces have made gains into the heavily contested town of Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine. They have highly likely crossed the canal in southern Chasiv Yar and approached the town's boundaries. In the central part of the canal district, it is likely Russian Forces have made limited advances west of the canal into the eastern part of Chasiv Yar. However, it is highly likely that the central and northern parts of the canal district remain fiercely contested, with Russian Forces unable to consolidate in these areas.
• From mid-July 2024 until recently, Russian Forces had been unable to cross the canal due to extensive defensive measures taken by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The early warning long-range radar station, intended to enhance situational awareness of the battlespace via air surveillance, was taken out by Ukrainian forces using an FPV drone.

Ukrainian forces have successfully destroyed a Harmon-M radar station (Accordion) in the Kramatorsk sector of the Donetsk region, using an FPV drone, according to a report from the Khortytsia operational-strategic group on Telegram.

The radar station, which was delivered to Russia’s Central Military District motorized rifle units in March 2024, was designed to monitor the airspace, detecting and tracking aerial targets such as manned aircraft and drones.

Both candidates have called for enhancements to the US defense industrial base with Harris calling for collective defense with allies but Trump proposing the US goes it alone.

As the public prepares itself in the final days ahead of the 2024 US presidential election, there will be numerous items that voters will need to consider before they make their choice. The economy, education policy, abortion rights, border security, and other domestic issues will be on the minds of millions of Americans.

National security will be another hot priority item. Over the past two years, the US has provided hundreds of billions in defense assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. US aid to these countries has caught the attention of millions of those Americans who are curious about how their tax dollars are being spent. They also want to know how the country will enhance its national security in the coming years.

Pro-Western opposition parties have refused to recognise the results of Saturday's vote, which they claim was falsified in favour of the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Georgia's central election commission said it will partially recount ballots Tuesday after opposition parties denounced the weekend parliamentary election as "stolen".

Defying the EU's concerns over the vote, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban -- current holder of the bloc's rotating presidency and the Kremlin's closest EU associate -- arrived in Tbilisi on Monday and hailed the vote as democratic.

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

Israel has passed two laws banning the UN's Palestinian refugee agency (Unrwa) from operating in Israel, and in occupied areas under its control, by large majorities. A number of countries, including the US, the UK and Germany, have expressed serious concern about the move. Ahead of the vote, the US State Department said the agency played a "critical" role in distributing humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip. Almost all of the enclave's population of more than two million people is dependent on aid and services from Unrwa. Israel accuses Unrwa of being all but complicit with Hamas, saying that some of the agency's members were involved in the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel. - BBC

Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group says it has chosen Naim Kassem to replace its slain leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in September in an Israeli airstrike. Kassem had been deputy to Hassan Nasrallah for over three decades, who was killed in September in an Israeli airstrike. He has served as the militant group’s acting leader since Nasrallah’s death. Hezbollah vowed to continue with Nasrallah’s policies “until victory is achieved.” - Euronews

The Ukrainian former employee of Apple said the tech giant hired a team of security contractors to help bring her grandmother from Kharkiv in an unpublicized operation in 2023.

Kate Reznykova, a Ukrainian-born engineer formerly employed by Apple, said the company “hired security contractors” in 2023 to bring her grandmother to safety from Kharkiv to Poland.

Reznykova recalled the incident on social media to which she attached a screenshot of an email, reportedly from Apple CEO Tim Cook. She said in the comments that the operation was “very internal” and not released to the press.

Former premier Boyko Borisov's GERB party won about 25 per cent of the vote, according to projections published by polling institutes, with 80 per cent of votes counted.

The conservative party of former premier Boyko Borisov came first in Bulgaria's seventh general election in less than four years on Sunday, according to early results, but analysts warned that the lack of a majority meant lingering uncertainty.

Borisov's GERB party won about 25 percent of the vote, according to projections published by polling institutes with 80 percent of votes counted.

Supporting our defenders is more than a duty; it is our responsibility and contribution to the future, - Oleksii Omelianenko.

Electronic warfare (EW) systems with immersion cooling, temperature control, and high power, Swiss Easy Pulse devices for indirect heart massage, modern Starlink units, powerful generators, and high-tech backpacks — this valuable aid was provided to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine by the “Nadiya” Youth Initiative Charitable Fund and Oleksii Omelianenko.

“Supporting our defenders is more than a duty; it is our responsibility and contribution to the future. Each piece of equipment we provide gives our military an essential advantage on the battlefield, enhancing their safety and chances of survival. Every reconnaissance drone, every Starlink, every EW system saves the life of our defenders. My team and I are continuing to work so that the Defense Forces receive the most advanced equipment,” said Oleksii Omelianenko.

Ukrainian air defense successfully intercepted the drones; however, debris fell in the Solomianskyi and Sviatoshynskyi districts.

In the early hours of Tuesday, Oct 29, Russian forces carried out coordinated attacks on Ukrainian cities Kyiv and Kharkiv, employing both drones and missiles.

In Kyiv, dozens of Shahed-type drones were launched, according to the head of the city’s military administration, Serhii Popko.

Europe's press speculates on the consequences of the election, also for the country's relations with Europe.

The Georgian parliament has declared the national-conservative ruling party Georgian Dream the winner of the country's parliamentary elections, claiming it secured 54 percent of the vote. The pro-European opposition, however, is contesting the results and has accused the electoral commission of manipulation. Europe's press speculates on the consequences of the election, also for the country's relations with Europe.

Playing on fears of Russia

A year ago Putin accused Ukraine of trying to acquire nuclear weapons, it didn’t then, but it has now become a topic of conversation and even an ambition for some Ukrainians.

In recent days, Ukrainians have been caught up in heated debate about nuclear physics and its laws. On social media, the possibility of creating an atomic bomb in makeshift conditions and whether nuclear waste from power plants can be used is being openly discussed.

A reminder: the 1994 “Budapest Memorandum,” under which Ukraine transferred all nuclear weapons to Russia in exchange for “assurances” of the inviolability of its borders and the protection of its sovereignty “guaranteed by the US, UK, and Russia.

Russian strikes on a residential quarter of Ukraine's second city of Kharkiv killed at least four people on Tuesday, the mayor said.

"At 2:51 am, Kharkiv came under aerial attack", Igor Terekhov said on Telegram, adding that "two houses were destroyed and about 20 houses sustained varying degrees of damage".

Ukrainian paratroopers have fended off a large-scale Russian attack, killing 25 soldiers and wounding 23 in the Kurakhove sector.

Ukrainian paratroopers successfully repelled a massive assault by Russian forces in the Kurakhove sector, destroying 12 armored vehicles, including tanks, according to a report from the Khortytsia operational-strategic group on Telegram.

The report read that Russian troops attempted to overwhelm Ukrainian defenses with sheer numbers. The assault force consisted of 13 armored vehicles carrying infantry, four tanks, a Terminator tank support combat vehicle, and four motorcycles.

An intercepted call revealed that North Korean troops are being moved to the front in civilian trucks, one of which was stopped by military police because it didn’t have the right documents.

Russians are transporting North Korean soldiers to the front in trucks with civilian license plates, a Russian officer told a colleague in a newly intercepted conversation, published by the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) on Sunday, Oct. 27.

In the call, officers of the 810th Separate Marine Brigade of Russian forces are trying to figure out who owns the truck which has civilian plates, was loaded with North Korean soldiers, and for which the driver lacked the documents necessary for a combat assignment.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced that South Korean intelligence officials shared evidence with NATO officials on October 28 that North Korean units are operating in Kursk Oblast.
• Ukrainian forces conducted another series of drone strikes against Russian distilleries on the night of October 27 to 28, reportedly to reduce Russian aviation capabilities.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin briefly acknowledged Russia's labor shortages on October 28, but highlighted Russia's low unemployment rates in an attempt to reframe this challenge in a beneficial light and claim that the Russian economy is able to sustain a long war in Ukraine.
• The Moldovan Constitutional Court stated it that it will review the results of the October 20 European Union (EU) referendum on October 31, and the third runner up in the first round of the presidential election announced that he would not endorse a candidate in the runoff.
• Georgian civil society, opposition, and international election observers continue to reject the results of the 2024 Georgian parliament elections amid a large-scale demonstration in Tbilisi on October 28.
• Russian forces recently marginally advanced near Kupyansk, southeast of Pokrovsk, and southwest of Donetsk City.