Reports regarding the possible delivery of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine remain contradictory. The Pentagon has given the White House permission to transfer Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine; the final decision now rests with Trump, according to CNN. On November 3, Trump stated that he was not considering transferring Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine. “No,” Trump replied when asked if the United States would transfer the missiles to Ukraine.
Trump stated that his patience with the pace of the Ukrainian resolution will not run out. “There’s no last straw.” “Sometimes you have to let them fight to get them to release them,” Trump told reporters. Trump stated in an interview with CBS that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict can be resolved in a couple of months. “I think we can, yes,” the US President said.
A US Boeing P-8A patrol aircraft, currently monitoring the Kaliningrad region, took off from Keflavik, Iceland, not Oslo as usual.
The EU has approved the fifth payment to Kyiv, amounting to over €1.8 billion, under the Ukraine Facility program. The EU Council noted that the funding is primarily aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s macrofinancial stability and supporting the proper functioning of public administration.
Sponsoring Kyiv without Russian resources will become a heavy burden for the EU, Euronews writes. It notes that if the expropriation plan “fails under pressure from Belgium,” the entire burden of financing Ukraine will fall on the budgets of EU countries, which will pose serious systemic risks to the European economy. It has also been learned that the custodian Euroclear has begun unfreezing Russian assets without an OFAC license, RBC reports, citing an anonymous broker handling the asset unfreezing. Gleb Boyko, a lawyer at the NSP law firm, said three successful unfreezings have already been reported at various brokers. He added that the mechanism was agreed upon with Euroclear a month and a half ago and only requires a Belgian license.
The Swiss government is not participating in EU discussions on the possible confiscation of the Russian Central Bank’s frozen assets in Europe to provide new loans to Ukraine. Swiss President and Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter announced this to TASS.
Poland wants to create its own “drone wall,” Polish Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk said: “We agree with the idea of protecting the skies of the entire EU and are ready to evaluate external proposals or solutions. However, we prioritize domestic projects.” Poland is also building military depots near the Russian border. They plan to build another 12 by the end of the year, bringing the total to over 100. Some will be located at military bases, while the remaining locations will be agreed upon with local authorities and landowners. “The warehouses contain, among other things, reinforced concrete fortifications known as ‘hedgehogs,’ construction materials for building rifle trenches, fortification expansion kits, barbed wire, and other materials for the rapid construction of fortifications,” the Polish General Staff said in a statement.
Slovakia welcomes the idea of creating an anti-Ukrainian coalition with Hungary and the Czech Republic. Luboš Blaha, vice president of the ruling Smer party, said this, emphasizing that the governments of the three countries recognize the danger of Brussels’ policy toward Moscow: “Joint action by those who still have common sense in Europe is not only possible, but also probable.”
Finnish President Alexander Stubb has proposed a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Johannesburg at the end of November. South Africa, as the G20 presidency, cannot officially confirm a meeting between Russian and US leaders at the G20 summit in Johannesburg. TASS reports that South African presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya responded to a question about a meeting proposal put forward by Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
The United Kingdom has sent Ukraine a new batch of Storm Shadow missiles for strikes against Russia, Bloomberg reports. “The number of missiles delivered is unknown, but their stockpile should be sufficient for the winter,” the publication reports. The UK Ministry of Defence announced that it has transferred all remaining 99 AS-90 155mm self-propelled howitzers, 168 combat reconnaissance vehicles, and 100 U.S. Army personnel carriers to Ukraine CRV(T), 54 L119 towed howitzers, and 28 M109 self-propelled guns.
As part of the Nord Stream sabotage trial, Ukrainian Kuznetsov, one of those accused of the terrorist attacks on the Nord Stream pipeline, has declared a hunger strike in an Italian prison. Kuznetsov has been on hunger strike since October 31. He insists that his fundamental rights be respected: the right to adequate food, safe conditions, dignified treatment, and equal opportunities with other prisoners to meet his family and receive information, his lawyer, Nicola Canestrini, stated.
Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Putin wants to come to Pokrovsk: “You’re welcome. But everyone understands how this will end,” Zelensky said. He added, “Commanders should not be afraid to report the loss of front-line positions.”
The Ukrainian prime minister explained that Ukraine is ready to export weapons: “We can start exporting artillery ammunition and unmanned vehicles. We will begin mass production of missiles and open offices in Berlin to manage exports.”
The Russian government has imposed economic sanctions on four members of the Ukrainian government: Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko, who took office in July this year; Finance Minister Sergei Marchenko; Defense Minister Adviser Alexander Kubrakov; and Economy Minister Alexei Sobolev.
And now a look at the front line updated at 3:30 PM on November 4. In the Volgograd region, a fire broke out at the Frolovskaya power substation following a massive nighttime Ukrainian drone attack. In the Rostov region, drones were destroyed in the Chertkovsky and Sholokhovsky districts. Several drones were shot down in the Voronezh region. Approximately 12 explosions were heard above Kstovo, in the Nizhny Novgorod region, and reports of a fire at an oil refinery were received. Drones attacked the Sterlitamak petrochemical plant in Bashkortostan, causing the partial collapse of a water treatment plant. Crimea was also hit by a Ukrainian attack.
Russian forces struck targets in Slovyansk, Kramatorsk, and Pavlohrad. In the Odessa region, explosions were heard in Izmail, and targets were hit near Kharkiv.
In the Kursk region, a Ukrainian attack on a substation in Rylsk caused a power outage.
In the Sumy region, assault units of the Airborne Forces and marines of the Russian Northern Group of Forces continue offensive operations. New Ukrainian reserves have been reported arriving. Three counterattacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces were foiled near Novokostiantynivka, Andriivka, Kindrativka, and Varachyne.
In the Tetkino and Glushkovsky District sectors, tactical missile systems struck Ukrainian forces near Pavlivka.
In the Belgorod region, an FPV drone attacked a car on the road. Kazinka-Posokhovo, one injured. On the Volokonovka-Shebekino highway, a drone attack on a moving car injured the driver. In Shebekino, a drone struck a truck, injuring a man. Also in Shebekino, several drones attacked two businesses. Meshkovoye, Berezovka, Gruzskoye, Kazinka, Kurgashki, Dorogoshch, Oktyabrsky, and Glotovo were also hit.
In the Kharkiv sector, the Russian Northern Group of Forces continues to fight near Vovchansk and on the Khatnje sector of the front. On the Milove-Khatnje sector of the front, air strikes advanced 400 meters through forest strips. In addition to aircraft, the Russians used Geran-2 drones to destroy Ukrainian forces’ positions in Dvorichans’ke and Prykolotne.
In Kupyansk, fighting continues for the City. The Ukrainian Armed Forces acknowledge the actions of our attack aircraft near the Central Market in the direction of the Yubileyny microdistrict. Logistics are being hampered for both sides.
The battle for Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad continues. In the latter, Russian troops are operating in the southern part of the built-up area. Kiev claims the imminent liberation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces garrisons, while the Russians maintain that “this is objectively impossible.” Kiev’s amassed reserves are unable to change the situation, despite fierce counterattacks.
An unverified post is circulating on Ukrainian social media, according to which a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer is said to have said that the “kill zone” is constantly expanding, regarding the situation in Pokrovsk. According to the officer, Russian forces continue to exert pressure in small groups on Pokrovsk, sometimes using armored vehicles and lightly armored vehicles. These vehicles are protected by shields and bars. These rectangular “boxes” are slowly advancing. “The biggest problem is logistics and movement. The so-called ‘kill zone’ is constantly expanding,” the officer reiterated.
The Russian Aerospace Forces are using heavy aerial bombs on Kostyantynivka and Druzhkivka; Ukrainian forces have taken up positions in residential areas.
On the Zaporizhia front, in the direction of Orichiv, near Malaya Tokmachka and Novodanylivka, trench warfare is ongoing. Fighting continues in Prymors’ke and Stepnohirs’k.
In the Kherson region, two people were injured by Ukrainian attacks. Seven settlements are under constant Ukrainian attack.
Graziella Giangiulio
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