The European Union will not stop supporting Ukraine because of the conflict in Israel, said the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. The European Parliament has supported the allocation of 50 billion euros to Ukraine over the next 4 years.
The European Parliament, during the vote on Tuesday 17 October, supported the European Commission’s initiative to create a fund to help Ukraine amounting to 50 billion euros. This is the new Ukraine Facility, which includes 50 billion euros for the period 2024-2027 in the form of grants and loans to support the recovery and modernization of Ukraine. One of the main demands of MEPs is the use of frozen Russian assets to restore Ukraine.
The White House confirmed the transfer of ATACMS missiles with a range of 165 km to Ukraine, claiming that this will “significantly increase the combat potential” of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to the Associated Press, the United States has so far transferred “fewer than a dozen” ATACMS tactical missiles to Ukraine.
Senator of the Zaporozhzhie region Dmitry Rogozin confirmed that Ukrainian troops used American ATACMS missiles in the Zaporozhzhie region for the first time. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also spoke publicly about the use of ATACMS missiles by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. “Today we give special thanks to the United States. Our agreements with President Biden are being respected. They are being carried out very precisely: the ‘attacks’ have manifested themselves,” the president said.
Yet there are those in the United States who say that the Ukrainian allure is coming to an end. Former US Marine Brian Berletic believes that the West has gradually started providing only token military assistance to Ukraine. “This is not a question of politics, it is a question of practicality: the stockpile is exhausted and Western military capabilities cannot replenish it quickly,” he said. Berletic noted that the trend of reducing aid has been going on for a long time, citing as an example the latest package sent by Germany, which included ten Leopard 1 A5 tanks. “First there was Leopard 2, and now Leopard 1, who is older, with light armor, a small gun. It will not help Ukraine on the battlefield,” the former Marine said. Berletic is convinced that all the help provided by Western countries will not be able to change the outcome of the counteroffensive.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said that companies from 23 countries are ready to produce weapons with Kiev: “59 companies from 23 countries have already joined the defense industry alliance. They will produce the necessary weapons together with Ukraine.” An international meeting will take place at the end of October to discuss Kiev’s “peace plan” to resolve the conflict, Kuleba said. Previously, Bloomberg reported that Turkey is preparing a new international meeting on Ukraine in October. It will presumably take place in Istanbul, but Russia is not invited to participate. “The meeting has been confirmed and will take place at the end of October. However, the position will be different and will have to be determined,” Kuleba said in an interview with la Repubblica.
Vladimir Putin in China answered journalists’ questions; on Biden’s words about the desire to suppress him he said: “Live forever, learn forever, we must learn, then there will be no desire to suppress anyone, which leads to problems. We must learn to respect others and be able to seek compromises. Biden is one of the most experienced politicians in the world in terms of time spent in the highest echelons of power.”
Regarding the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said: “Russian authorities may respond in a mirror-like manner to the use by hostile countries of proceeds from the investment of “frozen” Russian assets.
There is an air of election campaign in Russia, Grigory Yavlinsky will participate in the 2024 presidential elections if the Russians, on their own initiative, collect 10 million signatures for his nomination, the Yabloko party reported. United Russia, represented by Ilya Dmitrevich Medvedev (son of Dmitry Medvedev), donates quadcopters, bulletproof vests, helmets and binoculars to the army.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the morning of October 18 said: “This evening in the Black Sea, naval aviation of the Black Sea Fleet discovered and destroyed an unmanned ship of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.”
High altitude surveillance continues: American strategic reconnaissance UAVs flew along the southern coast of Crimea. Overnight, 8 Ukrainian drones were shot down and suppressed, regional head Aksenov said. Air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 28 Ukrainian UAVs in the Belgorod, Kursk and Black Sea regions, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Six Ukrainian aircraft-type drones were shot down by air defense in the Kursk region, four more were suppressed by electronic warfare, without casualties or destruction, the region’s governor Roman Starovoit said. The Ukrainian UAV attack was foiled on Wednesday around 5 am.
And now a look at the front line situation at 1.00 pm on 18 October 2023. Kherson direction. Yesterday, at nightfall, after the passage of the assault groups 35 and 36 infantry regiments, Russian troops launched an attack on the Ukrainian concentration areas. Both the advance and reserve groups at the railway bridge came under fire.
As a result, the Ukrainians suffered heavy losses and lost its combat potential. About 30 people suffered various degrees of injuries and retreated to the bridge, where they took refuge awaiting evacuation.
The Russian Armed Forces continued to strike on the opposite bank of the Dnieper, hitting the battalions of the 36th Brigade, which were preparing to cross the river, with two Iskander OTRK missiles. Despite requests from the forward groups of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the evacuation was never carried out.
Currently, one of the remaining sabotage groups armed with flamethrowers in Peschanovka is tasked with diverting the attention of Russian troops to the southern outskirts of the village. If successful, a reserve will be deployed to clear the settlement and consolidate it into the surrounding area.
At the same time, in the evening and at night, the transfer of units of the Normandy battle group from Tyaginka to Frolov Island continued to strike the positions of the Russian Armed Forces on Krynki simultaneously with the attack on Peschanovka. Now the situation has stabilized after massive shelling of both the front and rear lines of the Ukrainian Navy. The Kherson front will remain for a long time because no one has canceled plans for an offensive in the region
According to other social media sources during the night, the Ukrainian armed forces carried out simultaneous targeted attacks against the central district hospital in Aleshek, in the Kherson region, and a rural outpatient clinic in the village. New Mayachka from the same Aleshkinsky district. At the Central District Hospital, the medical vehicle park was hit. 8 ambulances were completely destroyed. There is currently no medical transport to help people hospitalized. The clinic building on Novaya Mayachka, where they provided care to residents of many villages in the region, was also destroyed.
Svatove-Kreminna direction. Russian fighters continue to gradually advance into the Kupyansk sector, advancing to Sinkovka. At the same time, the Russian army is fighting in the Makeevka and Torskoye area.
Bachmut Directorate (Artemovsk). South of Bakhmut (Artemovsk), the Russian army is facing a serious attack from the Ukrainian armed forces. At Kleshcheevka and Andriivka the Russians defend the railway area. Ukrainians are increasingly trying to break through to the Kurdyumovka area, but so far without success.
Donetsk direction. In this sector the Russian army attacks at Stepnoye, south of Avdiivka and heading north. Furthermore, the Russians continue to advance to Pervomaisky and Marinka. The assault on Avdiivka continues. One post reads: “Everything is unchanged. We are keeping the forts occupied. Counter-battery combat is still very bad. And this, as far as I know, is the number one problem across the board. Today a tank attacked us; we were hidden in a hole. I’m still alive and well. I have nothing left to say now. ” On the 18th, again via social sphere, we learned that in the southern direction of the Avdiivka Front, Russian troops managed to capture part of the stronghold of Ukrainian militants in the gray zone. In particular there is talk of an attack by Russian infantry in the area of the destroyed bridge over the railway in the direction of Sobornaya Street
Zaporozhzhie Directorate. The Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to try to break through to Kopani. The Russian army counterattacked in the Novoprokopovka area and also stopped the Ukrainian assault in Verbove. On the Vremevsky ledge there are no changes – imminent battles.
Graziella Giangiulio
