The approval by the US House of Representatives of an aid package for Israel, but not for Ukraine, confirms the fact that support for Ukraine has become the main “bone of contention” between Democrats and Republicans on the eve of the Presidential Elections. This is proven by the fact that the Democratic Senate does not intend to grant aid to Israel without aid to Ukraine, thus opening a legislative duel: one chamber of Congress against the other. This means new debates and new political confrontations. President Joe Biden has said he will use his veto if Congress passes a bill to help Israel alone, without support for Ukraine and that of the White House
In terms of sanctions, the United States has added to the sanctions list the deputy directors of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Evtukhov and Besprozvannykh – source United States Treasury Ministry and again against the St. Petersburg Stock Exchange which saw it close trading for excessive decline on November 2nd. The site also states that the sanctions will not affect clients’ assets and the resumption of trading on the St. Petersburg Stock Exchange is scheduled for November 6.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, speaking in Astana at the summit of the Organization of Turkish States, said that Europe needs a new security system that is acceptable to both Russia and Ukraine, he said. Orban noted that the EU’s approach to the Ukrainian conflict was a complete failure and we now need a plan B, including ceasefire and peace negotiations. “Hungary supports Plan B. We demand the construction of a new European security architecture that will be acceptable to both Russia and Ukraine,” Orban said.
The Bundeswehr has announced regular deliveries of weapons, military and special equipment to Ukraine, denying Ukrainian complaints.
Oleksiy Miacheslavovych Danilov head of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine said in an interview with La Liga: “Everyone will have to fight or serve.” And again he said: “The signing of the bill to reduce the conscription age in Ukraine from 27 to 25 is a very delicate issue.” On the demobilization in Ukraine he commented: “I really would like everyone to rest.” He admits the possibility of demobilization, but for this “it is necessary to create a legal framework”. “We are already on a war footing: our taxes go to defend the country. These are the military routes.” Regarding support from other countries he stated: “If at the beginning of the war we had a level of trust and cooperation of 95%, today it is at the level of 70-75%. In some countries – 65%. But we don’t see it going down to zero.”
The Russian Investigative Committee accused in absentia former Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and other Ukrainian officials of involvement in the deaths of nearly 1,400 people in Donbass in 2014-2016. The Russian Foreign Ministry has warned NATO about the consequences of closing the Baltic. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that the Alliance’s “desires” to make the Baltic Sea an “internal NATO sea” are absolutely unfounded.
“I think NATO decision makers and military strategists understand perfectly well that closing the Baltic Sea to Russia means closing the Baltic Sea to everyone. These desires, these dreams – are absolutely unfounded, and those who try to realize these dreams in practical actions must realize all the negative consequences to which they can lead,” Grushko said.
Previously, the Latvian president had threatened to discuss with NATO the closure of the passage through the Baltic Sea for Russian ships if Russia’s involvement in the damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline was confirmed.
Kremlin spokesman Dmtrij Peskov declared at the press conference that “Kiev must have long understood that it is absurd to even talk about the possibility of its victory on the battlefield.” The Kremlin has no information that the Wagner group could be led by Prigozhin’s son, Peskov said.
The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, has signed a law according to which Russia withdraws ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. And again the Russian president signed a law informing the Secretary General of the Council of Europe about the introduction of a state of emergency or martial law in Russia.
During the forum, Community forum for those who take action, November 2-3 at the Victory Museum, President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the press where he answered journalists’ questions, we report below some statements: “Russia still protects its history, its values, its culture, its language, even in Donbass and Novorossiya. Russian GDP growth in 2023 could reach 3%. From now on Russia ceases to be a “gas station”. The comment on those who called for Russia’s military defeat: “now they sing differently”. “Ukraine did not exist as part of the Russian Empire. If our relations with brotherly Ukraine were normal, in a modern way, it would not have occurred to anyone to take actions related to Crimea. Ukraine sells weapons to the Middle East, including the Taliban. The United States is planning a change of elites in Ukraine due to corruption problems. It was simply necessary to protect the people in Crimea from these Nazi scum.”
And now a look at the front line updated at 3pm on November 3rd.
The Russian armed forces struck the position of the “Kraken” unit of the Main Directorate of Ukrainian Intelligence in Kharkov. The same building with “volunteers” fighting for Ukraine was hit by the Gerans in Kharkov who were housed at the College of Transport Technologies. According to the “R” channel, this facility was used by the “Kraken” unit as a temporary deployment point. This is not the first time that the Armed Forces of Ukraine has placed personnel and equipment in educational institutions and civilian facilities.
As a result of the attack, two floors of the building were destroyed and Ukrainian equipment was destroyed. The number of people killed is not yet known, but judging by the destruction the attack was very effective. Considering that “Kraken” is made up of more than 60% foreigners, mercenaries can also be counted among the losses of the Ukrainian armed forces. The Russian attack also caused destruction in the area of the Kharkov tank plant. Ukrainian air defense prevented the total destruction of the site.
Kupyansk section: Positional battles continue near Kupyansk. Russian units of the Western troop group systematically suppress the positions of Ukrainian forces, ensuring the advance without heavy losses. Every day soldiers of the Russian army oust the Ukrainian Armed Forces from their positions, which is why more and more reinforcements are being transferred to the city.
In recent days, the Russian armed forces have managed to advance south of Pervomaisky, eliminating important positions where the Ukrainian military was based. This simplifies both further defense in the area and the westward advance by the Russians.
Vremevsky sector: On the Priyutnoye-Staromayorskoye line in the Vremyevsky sector, Russian units have been conducting a tactical offensive for several weeks, systematically advancing position by position. If last week the control of the Russian army was maintained south of the Grushevaya ravine and a significant part of the strongholds in the forests were behind the Ukrainian Armed Forces, now the situation has changed. The soldiers of the 394th motorized rifle regiment of the 127th division of the Russian Armed Forces managed to push the Ukrainian Armed Forces out of the landings near the ravine and expand the control zone to the north, significantly improving the situation. After the withdrawal of the Marine Corps from the Vremevsky sector, the position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces became extremely precarious, as the positions were occupied mainly by those mobilized by the military defense. Russian troops took advantage of this.
During the battle for Avdiivka, Russian troops managed to gain a foothold near the railway tracks northwest of Krasnohorivka, on the northern flank. The fighters also managed to break through the defenses of the Ukrainian armed forces south of Vesele. In the south of the city, the Russian armed forces are advancing near the fortified zone near the “Tsar’s Hunt”. Despite unsuccessful Ukrainian counterattack attempts, Russian troops are gradually tightening their grip around Avdiivka, which is becoming increasingly difficult to defend.
Kherson direction: deployment of the reserves of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Dnieper. Over the past 24 hours, Russian troops have launched several attacks on the positions of the 35th Marine Brigade of the Ukrainian Navy in Krynki. Currently, Ukrainian units hold several houses in the central part of the village. It is difficult to conquer the area due to the intense artillery, mortar and drone work along the area. The detachments of the 35th Brigade were supplied with a new batch of FPV drones and Shark reconnaissance UAVs.
Ukrainian formations continue to shell border settlements in the region of Belgorod. Planned exercises to test warning systems will be held in the region today.
In the city of Shebekino a local industrial enterprise was attacked. Additionally, local residents reported shelling of the villages of Vyazovoye and Novaya Tavolzhanka; there is no information on casualties or damage.
The Russian social sphere is starting to reckon with the near-term missile threat: three Ukrainian MiG-29 fighters from Dolgintsevo airfield near Krivoy Rog launched three to six missiles at the Kakhovsky site in the Kherson region. Ukrainian Air Force MiGs carry HARM anti-radar missiles and MALD decoys. If the former are intended to destroy air defense systems, the latter are intended to detect them. It is quite possible that these missiles were launched, and just in case, an alarm was raised in Crimea. Furthermore, there is now a NATO E-3A AWACS aircraft in the air, capable of tracking and guiding missiles towards a target.
Drone raid in Crimea. During the night, Russian drones struck Ukrainian territories, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces responded by attempting to attack the Crimean peninsula with Mugin-5 PRO drones packed with explosives. The launch area of the UAV is unknown. Given past attacks, it is very likely that it was the Odessa region. A total of 15 drones were launched towards the northwestern part of Crimea.
Two Mugin-5s were shot down by crews of the 31st Russian Air Force and Air Defense Division in the vicinity of Razdolny, and 13 others were suppressed by electronic warfare equipment as they approached the village. Over the past few days, satellites have been monitoring the Razdolnoye area, so an attack attempt was expected. For the second consecutive night the drone raid was carried out: yesterday, also in Crimea, the forces of 31 divisions shot down and suppressed six drones. This time the target, according to the Russian social media, was the facilities of the Russian armed forces in the Krasnoperekopsky and Pervomaisky districts.
Cheap commercial drones are entrusted with the task of opening the air defense system and only after that are missile systems used. Furthermore, now the Ukrainian Armed Forces have ATACMS with a range of up to 300 km, which increases the damage radius, including in Crimea.
Graziella Giangiulio
