The situation on Wednesday, November 29, 2023. (644 Day)
Marianna Budanova, the wife of Ukraine’s intelligence head Kyrylo Budanov, was poisoned, requiring hospital treatment, as confirmed by a Ukrainian military intelligence official. She reportedly fell ill after consuming food contaminated with ‘heavy metals’.
On Tuesday, Russian shells struck homes, resulting in four fatalities and at least five injuries, according to Ukrainian officials. In the southern town of Nikopol, a five-storey building was hit, as reported by Serhiy Lysak, the governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Following a storm that claimed at least 14 lives and left over 2 million people without electricity in Russia and Ukraine, including occupied Crimea, tornadoes were predicted for the Black Sea region. What measures are being taken by international bodies to stop the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The Institute for the Study of War noted that the storm compelled Russia to return all naval vessels and missile carriers to their bases. There was concern about the increased threat of drifting mines in the Black Sea due to the storm dispersing minefields.
Additionally, reports indicated damage to railways in coastal areas, potentially impacting the Russian military’s logistics in occupied Crimea and southern Ukraine. While the storm affected the “tempo of military operations along the frontline in Ukraine,” it did not bring them to a halt.
In an intelligence update, the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) revealed that Russia had made small advances on the northern axis of a pincer movement, attempting to surround Avdiivka. Despite Avdiivka becoming a bulge in the Ukrainian frontline, Ukraine maintained control of a corridor approximately 7km wide, enabling the continued supply to the town.
The leader of the Democratic majority in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer, announced that legislation, including aid for Israel and Ukraine, would be considered next week. Schumer emphasized the necessity of an aid bill, even in the absence of agreement with Republicans who insist on linked funding for US border security.
Foreign ministers from Ukraine, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania declared their boycott of a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in North Macedonia. This decision was made due to the participation of the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov.
NATO’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, urged alliance members to “stay the course” in supporting Ukraine against Russia’s invasion. Stoltenberg emphasized the obligation to provide Ukraine with necessary weapons during a gathering of foreign ministers from NATO countries in Brussels.
The European Union (EU) agreed to significantly increase spending on training Ukrainian soldiers, investing close to an additional €200m (£173m), according to AFP reports.
Germany’s chancellor, Olaf Scholz, emphasized the “existential importance” of military and financial support for Ukraine in a speech to parliament. He stated that support would continue for as long as necessary, underscoring the severe consequences for Europe if Putin were to win the war.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
