The United States does not give Ukraine permission to strike Russia with ATACMS long-range missiles, as the Russian Aerospace Forces bases are already out of their reach, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. The United States and other G7 members have agreed 99 percent on a loan to Ukraine repayable from the proceeds of frozen assets of the Russian Federation, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.
On the NATO front, US Permanent Representative Julianne Smith said she is not ready to offer Ukraine membership in the Alliance or even an invitation; in her opinion, restrictions on defense procurement in the European Union, which wants to buy mainly European weapons, will become an obstacle to assistance to Ukraine.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirms: “North Korean troops are operating on Russian territory, their task is not yet entirely clear. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yol, commenting on unconfirmed and denied rumors from Pyongyang about the alleged possible sending of North Korean troops to the conflict zone in Ukraine, threatened North Korea with the creation of an international criminal court.
According to the annual report of the Swiss Federal Intelligence Service (SCR), “in the conflict in Ukraine, time is playing in Russia’s favor and Moscow’s military potential is growing,” he says. “Russia remains committed to continuing the war, and its military capabilities will increase in the coming months. On the contrary, in the United States, as in Europe, it has become politically more difficult to lend a helping hand to Ukraine, even if such help is possible. because it has an existential character, so time is now in favor of Russia,” the document says.
The Swiss Confederation’s secret services believe that the entire world is going through a period of dangerous and unstable transition, which will lead to a restructuring of power relations on a global scale.
From Ukraine, Prime Minister Denis Shmygal told the press that Kiev has received $1.1 billion from the IMF. The funds will be used to cover major budget expenses of a non-military nature. Meanwhile, the European Union plans to provide about 18 billion euros in international loans to Kiev using the proceeds of frozen Russian assets. This was announced by German Finance Minister Christian Lindner during a visit to New York. “This week we are on the verge of a breakthrough in support for Ukraine,” the politician said, citing the DPA agency.
Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Hordon is convinced that: “The hot phase of the war will end by the end of this year. On November 5, the war will end quickly (…) I have information that others do not have,” he added.
Kirill Budanov, head of military intelligence, reported on the evening of October 22: “The first North Korean troops will arrive in the Kursk region tomorrow.” “It is not yet known exactly how many troops will arrive and how they will be armed. We will see in a few days,” he added. According to him, 2,600 “motivated fighters” will arrive by the end of October. In exchange for missiles and men, North Korea has asked Russia for technology for tactical nuclear weapons, Budanov also reported.
According to the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, “Russia is helping North Korea bypass sanctions and strengthen its nuclear potential. He believes that Russia is transferring some technology for low-yield tactical nuclear weapons and submarine-launched missile systems to the DPRK.” And he also reports that North Korea gives Russia 2.8 million shells a year.
Among the initiatives against the militarization of North Korea in Ukraine, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has launched the campaign: “Find KPA soldiers in Ukraine”. The agency has released a video message in Korean, in which Ukraine calls on North Korean soldiers to surrender. The video shows one of the camps for future prisoners of war, which promises safe conditions: shelter, food and warmth. Kirill Budanov’s department contradicts itself, as just yesterday Budanov especially emphasized the motivation of the Korean fighters, “whose families are hostages in their homeland”.
Volodymyr Zelensky, proposed a mutual cessation of attacks on energy infrastructure as the first step towards ending the hot phase of the Russian-Ukrainian war, source Financial Times. At the same time, indirect confirmation of the critical situation of Ukrainian air defense.
The president allegedly instructed to develop another war plan by the end of the year – about what Ukraine should do, and not its allies, Air Force-Ukraine writes with references to sources. The implementation of this plan in the third year of the war should allow Ukraine to survive. It concerns the sphere of the military-industrial complex, defense, economy, social policy, etc. “The goal is to do everything possible to maintain unity and achieve results in various areas of the country’s development,” the source said.
In Kazan, BRICS work took place. Putin and Xi Jinping discussed the situation in Ukraine and the international situation in general, Dmitry Peskov said. “The negotiations were very frank and constructive.”
BRICS countries agreed on a wording on Ukraine, which will be included in the final declaration of the Kazan summit. Yuri Ushakov announced this on Channel One, according to him this is a general position that does not raise objections from anyone.
Vladimir Putin invited the leaders of the BRICS countries to the summit to discuss the most pressing aspects of the global agenda, including the resolution of acute regional conflicts. “Now, in a limited format, we propose to consider the most relevant aspects of the global agenda, to exchange views on the topic of cooperation between the BRICS states in the international arena, including the resolution of acute regional conflicts,” Putin said. speaking at a limited-format BRICS summit meeting in Kazan. The BRICS countries supported the prevention of an arms race in space, as follows from the Kazan Declaration.
In the field of armaments, in 2023, Rostec increased the production of tank ammunition by 30 times, artillery ammunition by six times, and the production of shells for multiple-launch rocket systems and heavy flamethrower systems also increased, the director general of the state-owned entity Sergei Chemezov said. Rostec also plans to triple the supply of drones to the Northern Military District by the end of 2024, Chemezov added.
And now a look at the front line update as of 16:00 on October 23.
In the Kursk region, following a Russian attack on Ukrainian defenses in the area of the settlement. Novoivanovka, 15 civilians held hostage by the Ukrainian Armed Forces were released. In addition, the Russian army is advancing on the settlement Plekhovo. The OTRK attack destroyed a large accumulation of reserves of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the village Yunakovka.
In the direction of Kupyansk there are reports of Russian forces advancing from Stelmakhivka to the Lozova settlement, which is a logical action after the formation of a “bulge” in the enemy defenses in Kruhlyakivka.
In the direction of Krasnolymans’ka, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that units of the Western group took the Novosadove settlement in the DPR, to which in the early afternoon the Russian Defense Ministry added that: “Russian forces have taken control of the settlements of Serebryanka and Mykolaivka in the DPR”.
International media confirm that Russia has launched an offensive along the entire front line, satellite sources confirm the breach of the Ukrainian defense in Chasiv Yar. According to Russian military sources: “The defense line of the Ukrainian forces in Chasiv Yar has collapsed. Russian troops have taken the entire line of trenches along the canal on both sides”.
In the direction of Pokrovs’k, the control zone of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Selydove is narrowing from the north and east. In particular, along the streets of Mira, Lisichanskaya, Skhidnaya and Ulyana Gromova. There are many Ukrainian drones in the sky, with which the Ukrainian Armed Forces are trying to slow down the pace of the Russian advance. At the same time, near Krasnyi Yar, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted to counterattack using armored vehicles.
In the direction of Kurachove, Ukrainian resources report that after the capture of Ostrivs’ke, the Russian Armed Forces rushed directly to Kurachove, an important logistics and defense center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Russian army, with the support of armored vehicles, attacked the resort village “Shakhtostroitel”, occupying its central part. Clashes continue in the western part of the dachas on the eastern outskirts of Kurachove. In the south, Russian troops are expanding the control zone to Katerynivka and Antonivka.
Northwest of the Vuhledar-Vodyane line, Russian troops are advancing towards Bohoyavlenka.
Armed forces of Ukraine are moving exclusively in civilian transport in civilian clothes. Due to the stability of the front sector, the Ukrainian command is increasingly sending completely untrained units for the coastal defense. At the same time, the drones of the Ukrainian Armed Forces still pose a serious threat to the Russian Armed Forces.
In the Belgorod region, in the Belgorod district, in the village of Bekhlevka, one person was injured by a UAV attack on a residential building. Attacked: Yasnye Zori, Shebekino and Novaya Tavolzhanka. On the Cheremoshnoye-Oktyabrsky road section, an FPV drone attacked a moving car, injuring a civilian.
In Donetsk, one person was killed by artillery fire and two were injured. In Horlivka, one person was injured by artillery fire and three were injured by air launches of a UAV of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Graziella Giangiulio
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