On the 974th day of the war in Ukraine, the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has called for a "just peace" in Ukraine in front of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who presided over the closing session of a BRICS summit in Kazan. Just before their meeting (the first in over two years), the Russian president warned that it is "illusory" to imagine a Russian defeat on the battlefield.
Russian lawmakers unanimously voted this morning to ratify the strategic treaty with North Korea and to increase military spending by 30% in 2025.
Ukraine is preparing as if fighting North Korea on its territory is inevitable. The United States, South Korea, and Ukraine confirm that North Korea has deployed troops in Russia that could soon be fighting in Ukraine. China said they were "not aware."
South Korea states that "all options are on the table" regarding the possibility of Seoul supplying weapons to Kiev in response to the potential deployment of North Korean troops to support the Russian army in Ukraine, against which they "will not stand idly by." The principle of not supplying lethal equipment to countries in conflict could be overturned.
Kiev acknowledges Russian pressure as Russian forces claim to have captured the villages of Serebrianka and Mykolaivka in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. Ukrainian troops are facing difficulties in defending Selydove, southwest of Mykolaivka, and its capture would pave the way for a Russian advance on Pokrovsk.
Russian forces launched 50 Iranian Shahed kamikaze drones and 4 Kh-22 and Kh-59 missiles against Ukrainian territory last night.
1.2 Million Dollars Found in a Raid on Three Ukrainian Military Recruiters
Three Ukrainian officials from the military recruitment commission in the Golosivski district of Kiev have been arrested in an anti-corruption operation during which they were found in possession of 1.2 million dollars in cash.
The three detainees are suspected of being part of a scheme that evaded military service in exchange for money for men of military age, as explained in a statement from the Ukrainian State Investigation Office.
Three other individuals who did not work in that military commission have also been arrested for their involvement in the conspiracy. According to Ukrainian authorities, the detainees charged between 2,000 and 15,000 dollars to exempt beneficiaries from military service.
Russian MPs Vote to Increase Military Spending by 30% for 2025
Russian lawmakers approved in the first reading on Thursday the budget bill for 2025-2027, which includes a 30% increase in military spending for the next year.
In the State Duma, the lower house of Parliament, 314 deputies voted in favor of the three-year budget, 78 abstained, and one person voted against, according to official results.
The text, which will have at least a second reading on November 14, must be subsequently approved by the Federation Council (the upper house) before being signed into law by President Vladimir Putin.
Ukrainians Indignant at Guterres' "Harmful" Visit to Russia
Many Ukrainians, including the country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, are outraged by the attendance of UN Secretary-General AntónioGuterres at the BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan, as they believe it helps "normalize" the invasion and only harms the organization.
The head of state pointed out on Thursday that United Nations Day is celebrated today "around the world, not in Kazan", where warnings against an escalation of war coincide with the passage of North Korean soldiers near the Russian city on their way to the front line, where they will fight alongside Russia.
The Crimea Platform and the Peace Summit do more for a just peace and defending the UN Charter than "the UN Security Council or UN officials," Zelensky emphasized in a video speech to the Parliamentary Summit of the Crimea Platform in Latvia, without directly mentioning Guterres.
Brussels Says BRICS Summit Shows "Failure" and "Isolation" of Russia
The European Commission stated on Thursday that the declaration of the BRICS summit, which ended without a unanimous position on the war in Ukraine, "is further proof of Russia's international isolation" and demonstrates its "failure" in seeking support.
Paragraph 36 of the declaration, dedicated to Ukraine, makes reference to the national positions of the participating countries and "their commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, as well as to a peaceful agreement and diplomacy."
The Foreign Affairs spokesperson of the European Commission, Peter Stano, said today that "this reference to the national positions of the individual BRICS members in this declaration shows that Russia's attempts to obtain some support have failed again," reported Efe.
"It serves as further evidence and another example of Russia's international isolation regarding its illegal war against Ukrainians," continued the spokesperson during the institution's daily press briefing.
It is a statement similar to the one made yesterday by the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which in a note stated that "Moscow's attempts to impose the idea of an alleged alternative position of the so-called Global South on Russian aggression against Ukraine have failed again."
Guterres Calls for a "Just Peace" in Ukraine
The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, called on Thursday for a "just peace" in Ukraine before Russian President Vladimir Putin at the BRICS summit being held in the Russian city of Kazan.
Guterres also demanded an "immediate" cessation of hostilities in Gaza and Lebanon amid escalating tensions, particularly between Israel and the pro-Iranian Lebanese movement Hezbollah, as reported by Afp.
Russia: MPs Vote in Favor of a 30% Increase in Military Spending for 2025
Russian lawmakers approved in the first reading on Thursday the budget bill for 2025-2027, which includes a 30% increase in military spending for the next year, as the Kremlin continues its policy largely focused on military efforts, reported Afp.
In the Duma, the lower house of Parliament, 314 deputies voted in favor of the three-year budget, 78 abstained, and one person voted against, according to official results.
Poland to Spend 6.8 Billion Euros on Modernizing its F-16 Aircraft
Poland will invest around 6.8 billion euros in a program to modernize its 48 F-16 aircraft, which entered service in 2006, reported Efe.
The head of the Polish Armament Agency, Artur Kruptel, stated on Thursday to the Polish press that, following Washington's approval of this program, the majority of the systems of these aircraft will be immediately updated to extend their service life to 40 years.
The Polish F-16s, which form the backbone of the Polish Air Force, will be equipped with new radars, electronic warfare systems, cockpit control panels, and AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II air-to-air missile systems in their training version.
This upgrade will allow the Polish F-16s to use more modern weaponry, grant them the necessary NATO certification to participate in more demanding maneuvers, and enhance their capabilities to be considered advanced fourth-generation aircraft.
Putin Warns, Ahead of Meeting with Guterres, that It is "Illusory" to Imagine a Russian Defeat on the Battlefield
Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday that it is "illusory" to imagine a Russian defeat on the battlefield during the BRICS summit in Kazan, where the Russian president will discuss Ukraine with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.