EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell believes that the conflict in Ukraine would have ended in 15 days without Western support for Kiev. “Many people want the war to end as soon as possible,” he said in an interview with Spanish daily 20 Minutos. “If we stop supporting Ukraine, in 15 days the war will end and [Russian President Vladimir Putin] will achieve his goals.” “But do we want it for the Ukrainians and for our security, Borrell added?”
Hungary on October 8 blocked a 35 billion euro European loan to Ukraine until the US elections, Euronews reports. The elections are scheduled for November 5. Budapest also does not support the transition to a three-year freeze on Russian assets in the European Union instead of the current six-month extension.
The Netherlands has decided to send 24 F-16 fighters to Ukraine. All deliveries will be made by 2025 and the first batch arrived at the end of last week.
The Ukrainian Legion in Poland has finally been launched, but according to the Minister of National Defense of the Republic Vladislav Kosinyak-Kamysh it has 300 members, while for his deputy Zalewski the men who make up the legion are 196 Ukrainians “from all over Europe who have expressed the desire to join the “Ukrainian Legion”.
The “salt” baron of Russia and Ukraine Levchenko/Burkin sues Zelensky, demanding to remove him from the sanctions list. Yet another bad impression for the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Kirill Budanov, who was reminded by journalists in his umpteenth statement that Russia has run out of missiles, that in December 2022 he had said that Russia had “two or three launches” of missiles left.
Israel has already transferred an early warning system for air strikes to Ukraine, and also explained why it has not yet started working “it is a matter for the Ukrainian side,” said the Israeli ambassador to Kiev Mikhail Brodsky. Basically, there is no one in Ukraine who knows how to operate this equipment. Finally, it is learned that Ukraine does not intend to extend the transit agreement with Russia once it is terminated – Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal -, the entered agreement expires in 2025.
In Russia, the hunt for corrupt officials continues: eight generals from various departments, including the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Investigative Committee and the Federal Penitentiary Service, have lost their posts, source RIA Novosti.
Among them, in particular: General of Justice Igor Ivanov, head of the main department of the Investigative Committee for the Stavropol Territory; General Alexander Molchanov, Deputy Director of the Department of Operational Management of the Ministry of Emergency Situations; General of the Internal Service Sergei Poletykin, head of the Moscow Region Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
In addition, the head of the Investigative Committee for Buryatia, Vyacheslav Sukhorukov, and the head of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Rostov Region, Sergei Filippov, were fired.
The SVR returns to the issue of Nord Stream: “We have reliable information about the direct involvement of the United States and Great Britain in the weakening of Nord Stream,” said Sergei Naryshkin. “According to available data, professional saboteurs from the Anglo-Saxon secret services were used to weaken Nord Stream, the US administration considered it justified to blow up the pipelines to ensure the separation of Europe and, above all, Germany from Russia.”
Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov returns to Russia after completing his mission.
And now a look at the front line as of 16:00 on October 8.
In Odessa, another ammunition transport was hit – the Palau-flagged bulk carrier Optima. A 9M723 rocket flew into it. On the night of October 8, new raids on the port with Geranium drones.
In the direction of Kursk, Russian forces began fighting for Lyubimovka, advancing on the western flank of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ penetration into the defense territory. In the Sudzhansky district, the “Northern” group of troops of the Russian Armed Forces reports progress with battles in the village. Plekhovo and in the adjacent forests. In the Glushkovsky district, counter-battery combat and fighting in forest areas near the state border are underway.
In the direction of Kharkiv reported the return of Russian control over the territory of the PJSC «Volchansky Agregatny Zavod» plant, which was previously occupied for a short time by the elite special forces of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, thus exposing itself to heavy FAB strikes with UMPC.
In the direction of Kupyansk, Russian troops are expanding the ledge in Pishchane. Attacks by Russian forces continue in the area of Hlushkivka, Kolisnykivka, dachas and Kruhlyakivka, located along the Oskil River.
From Chasiv Yar, the advance of Russian forces is reported with heavy fighting in the Zhovtnevyy microdistrict.
In Toretsk, fierce fighting is going on, Russian units are managing to advance to the west.
In the direction of Pokrovsk, the complete liberation of Hrodivka has been confirmed. Russian troops attack in the Novoselydivka area, carry out air strikes on Hirnyk and consolidate their success after the liberation of Zhelanne Pershe in the south. Russian forces are developing their success west from Tsukuryne and south near Novoselydivka. Russian forces captured Zoriane– Kurachove direction. Russian troops also advanced southward, towards Zoryane.
20 km west of Vuhledar, the Russian army occupied the village Zolota Nyva, the forest belts are the next stop of the Russian forces.
In the Belgorod region, on the Nikolskoye – Murom road, a car was attacked by a drone. During the night, sixteen Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed by air defense systems on duty. Fourteen UAVs were destroyed on the territory of the Belgorod region and two on the Black Sea. In the Grayvoronsky municipal district, in the village of Novostroevka-Pervaya, a drone hit an agricultural machine. In the village of Dunaika, an FPV drone exploded in the courtyard of a private house. An FPV drone again attacked the village of Novostroevka-Pervaya, Grayvoronsky municipal district. In the Volokonovsky district, in the village of Tishanka, two drones hit a social facility. In the village of Vyazovoe, Krasnoyaruzhsky district, a drone also attacked a social facility. In the village of Petrovka, Belgorod district, an apartment was completely burned as a result of a drone attack. Over Belgorod, the air defense system shot down 3 drones. A car was damaged by shrapnel. The city of Shebekino was hit twice by fire from the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
In the DPR Horlivka, inflicted due to the use of cannons by the Ukrainian side.
Graziella Giangiulio
Follow our updates on Geopolitical Gleanings - Spigolature geopolitiche: https://t.me/agc_NW and on our blog The Gleanings of AGCNEWS - Le Spigolature di AGCNEWS: https://spigolatureagcnews.blogspot.com/
