The Impact of Shrinking Supplies, Imprisoned Creative, and Kyiv's Fresh Influence in Southern Ukraine: Latest Updates
Discover the latest from Ukraine this week: Kyiv's expanding influence in the south, EU's insufficient ammunition targets, a pardoned Russian convict, a visit by UK's foreign minister, and the imprisonment of a Russian artist Stay informed with these key developments
Ukraine announced this week that it has achieved a presence on the left bank of the Dnipro River, which is a significant development following the disappointment of its unsuccessful counteroffensive.
However, Kyiv has received discouraging news from Germany regarding the European efforts to supply ammunition, as it was admitted that the targets will not be met.
Here are the main developments from Ukraine this week.
Foothold in the south
Ukrainian forces have successfully established a presence on the left bank of the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine. On Friday, it was announced that the Ukrainian marines, along with other Defense Forces units, demonstrated remarkable bravery and expertise in gaining control of multiple strategic positions. They are currently launching attacks in the Kherson region and undertaking operations to disrupt enemy activities.
The development signifies a possible significant progress for Ukraine in terms of defense against Russian forces, as it involves crossing a natural barrier. Russia confirmed the existence of Ukrainian troops on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River on Wednesday. Vladimir Saldo, the appointed acting head of the Kherson region administration by Russia, announced this through a Telegram post, referring to the Russian military present in the region.
Ukrainian servicemen prepare to fire a mortar over the Dnipro River toward Russian positions on November 6.
Saldo reports that there are "small groups" of Ukrainian soldiers scattered along the railway bridge, situated in the eastern bank area, reaching all the way to Krynky, a village east of Kherson.
According to Saldo, Russia has created a dangerous situation for the Ukrainian troops who he believes are trapped in Krynky. CNN cannot verify Saldo's claims independently.
While Ukraine has previously conducted cross-river raids, this announcement suggests that Kyiv now has a consistent presence in the area. This presence could potentially serve as a launching point for further advancement towards Crimea, which is currently under Russian occupation.
EU ammunition targets fall short
Ukraine initiated an extensive counteroffensive across the eastern and southern front lines in the country earlier this summer. However, the progress made was only marginal, resulting in the recapture of relatively minor settlements.
Germany's defense minister, Boris Pistorius, cautioned that the European Union's objective of providing Ukraine with 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition is unlikely to materialize. He expressed his doubts ahead of an EU defense ministers meeting in Brussels, mentioning that EU member states are collaborating with the industry to boost production.
EU member states pledged to deliver 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition to Ukraine within 12 months, following an agreement in March. However, Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, recently cautioned that the bloc might not meet its targets for ammunition production to supply Kyiv by the year-end. Nonetheless, measures are being taken to enhance production capacity.
Both Ukraine and Russia are in urgent need of restocking their ammunition supplies due to the ongoing and relentless war in eastern and southern Ukraine. Recent intelligence from South Korea's National Intelligence Service reveals that North Korea has already exported over 1 million shells to Russia since the beginning of August. Additionally, the United States has been significantly increasing its ammunition production with the intention of providing support to Ukraine.
Ukrainian servicemen load a shell into a Msta-B howitzer to fire towards Russian positions.
Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images
Russian convict pardoned
Russian President Vladimir Putin has pardoned Sergey Khadzhikurbanov, a former Russian detective who was convicted for orchestrating the 2006 assassination of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya. Khadzhikurbanov's lawyer revealed to state media TASS that the pardon was granted after he was recruited to fight in Ukraine. Khadzhikurbanov had been sentenced to 20 years in prison for organizing the killing of Politkovskaya, a prominent columnist for the investigative newspaper Novaya Gazeta and a fierce critic of the Kremlin. Politkovskaya was tragically shot dead in Moscow on October 7, 2006, which happened to be Putin's birthday.
Khadzhikurbanov's attorney, Alexey Mikhalchik, informed TASS on Monday that his client entered into an agreement with the Russian Ministry of Defense and subsequently obtained a pardon from President Putin.
According to Mikhalchik, Khadzhikurbanov remained in service even after fulfilling his initial contract with the Russian military. Currently, he holds a high-ranking position in one of the combat units, having accepted a new contract.
Khadzhikurbanov, who used to be a police officer in Moscow, was convicted by a Moscow court in 2014 for his involvement in the murder of Politkovskaya. His initial prison sentence was scheduled to end in 2034 before Putin granted him a pardon.
Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, pictured in court in 2014, has received a presidential pardon after doing a stint fighting in Ukraine.
Pavel Golovkin/AP
UK foreign minister visits Kyiv
Upon his recent appointment as the United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary, David Cameron traveled to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, for a meeting with Zelensky.
The visit, which was unexpected, takes place amidst worries that the Israel-Gaza conflict will overshadow the ongoing war in Ukraine.
"I intended for this to be my inaugural visit, on a personal level. I deeply admire the resiliency and resolve of the Ukrainian people," Cameron conveyed to the Ukrainian president, as documented in a video shared on Zelensky's social media platforms.
Zelensky expressed gratitude to Cameron for his support, emphasizing that the global attention is not adequately directed towards the situation in Ukraine and the battlefield. He pointed out that the divided focus is hindering progress. As a previous UK prime minister, Cameron had embarked on his inaugural international visit following his surprise appointment.
"We will provide you with ongoing moral, diplomatic, economic, and most importantly, military support that is necessary, not only for this year and the next, but for as long as it takes," affirmed the UK foreign minister.
Russia jails artist
A Russian artist was sentenced to seven years in prison on Thursday for altering price tags in a supermarket with anti-war messages. The St. Petersburg courts' press service announced that Alexandra Skochilenko was convicted of spreading intentionally false information about the Russian Armed Forces.
Skochilenko, despite his plea of not guilty and the defense's request for acquittal, was sentenced by the court to seven years in prison. Additionally, a three-year prohibition on engaging in activities involving the use of "electronic or information and telecommunication networks" was imposed, as stated by the press service in a post on Telegram.
According to the prosecution, Skochilenko allegedly placed paper fragments in a chain supermarket in St. Petersburg in March of last year. These paper fragments were said to contain intentionally false information about the utilization of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation when attaching price tags to products.
According to Novaya Gazeta, the independent investigative newspaper, Skochilenko's health has been deteriorating since April 2022. She suffers from celiac disease, heart disease, gastrointestinal diseases, and bipolar disorder, for which she requires medications and a special diet.
