Tuesday, October 17

Russia’s war against Ukraine

A portrait of a fallen soldier is seen in front of Ukrainian flags at the makeshift memorial at Independent Square. Thousands of flags have been planted there. Each flag is a tribute to a fallen soldier who fought for Ukraine. (Photo by Hesther Ng/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Zelensky, Pritzker meet in Kyiv, discuss recovery of Ukraine’s energy system. “Your visit is a signal of strong support. It is important for us to see that the United States is ready to help Ukraine get through the winter period and protect critical infrastructure facilities,” Zelensky told U.S. Special Representative for Economic Recovery in Ukraine Penny Pritzker at the meeting.

OSCE chief visits Kyiv, meets Foreign Minister Kuleba. Bujar Osmani, the chairman-in-office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Foreign Minister of North Macedonia, arrived in Kyiv on Oct. 16 for meetings with Ukrainian top officials.

Russia admits most of its drones come from China. “Today, (our) drones are mostly all from the People’s Republic of China,” Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said at the meeting of the State Duma’s Budget and Taxes Committee.

Energy Ministry: Foreign companies storing 24 billion cubic meters of gas in Ukraine. Foreign traders are storing 2.4 billion cubic meters of gas in Ukraine’s underground gas storage facilities (UGS), Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said on Oct. 16.

Russia dops 9 aerial bombs on Kherson Oblast’s Beryslav district. Five Russian Sukhoi attack planes carried out an attack against four settlements in Kherson Oblast’s Beryslav district on Oct. 16, dropping nine guided aerial bombs, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

Media: Oil tanker hits mine in Black Sea, sustains minor damage. The vessel Ali Najafov sustained only minor damage, and the crew was unharmed, sources told Reuters.

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Qatar to return 3 Ukrainian children deported to Russia. Three Ukrainian children who were illegally deported to Russia are in the process of being released to Qatari diplomats in Russia, who will then facilitate their return to Ukraine, an unnamed Qatari official told Reuters on Oct. 16.

Russian foreign minister to visit North Korea this week. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will pay an official visit to North Korea amid Western concerns about extended military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.

SBU: 57 collaborators involved in the torture of Ukrainians in Kherson Oblast identified. An investigation revealed the identities of 57 Ukrainians who collaborated with Russian forces to detain and torture local civilians in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) reported on Oct. 16.

UK Defense Ministry: Russian mercenary group Redut recruiting former Wagner militants. The process is likely supervised and financed by the Russian military intelligence agency (GRU), the U.K. Defense Ministry reported on Oct. 16.

Elections in Poland, Slovakia

Poland’s Third Way bloc rules out coalition talks with Law and Justice party. With most of the votes counted, conservative-populist PiS is expected to win the highest number of votes after the Oct. 15 elections but not enough to form a new government on its own.

Slovakia’s pro-Russian SMER party to lead foreign affairs, defense in new government. Leaders of the left-populist SMER, social-democratic HLAS, and the ultranationalist Slovak National Party have agreed on how to divide ministerial seats in the new government, Aktuality reported on Oct. 16.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: Russia admits most of its drones come from China

The majority of drones Russia currently has are imported from China, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Oct. 16 in a rare acknowledgment:

“Today, (our) drones are mostly all from the People’s Republic of China.”

Photo: Ercin Erturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Ex-Estonian president: If NATO ambiguous about conditions for Ukraine, Russia won’t know what to prevent

Former Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid has been among the most vocal supporters of Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, just four months after her term came to an end.

Photo: Taavi Prints

Explaining Ukraine

Who are the Crimean Tatars?

One of the most overlooked parts of Ukraine is its diversity. The Crimean Tatars – a national minority native to Crimea and recognized as an indigenous people of Ukraine – are a perfect example.

Photo: Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

International response

Media: Israel refuses Zelensky’s visit, says ‘time not right.’ The president was, however, told that the visit might be possible at a later date, the news outlet said. Zelensky reportedly wanted to make the trip alongside U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken, who arrived on Oct. 16 to assure Tel Aviv of Washington’s support in the ongoing Israel-Hamas War.

Euractiv: EU budget discussions delay release of $21 billion Ukraine war fund. Talks to enhance the European Peace Facility (EPF), the EU’s funding mechanism for sustaining European military supplies to Ukraine, are unlikely to conclude before EU leaders convene in December to evaluate the bloc’s entire budget.

German minister: US financial aid ‘indispensable’ for Ukraine. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said it’s essential the U.S. continues to provide Ukraine with financial support alongside European commitment, calling the U.S. aid “indispensable,” the German broadcaster ARD reported on Oct. 16.

In other news

Previously reported as missing, Navalny’s attorney announces his departure from Russia. An attorney representing Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, Alexander Fedulov, whom Navalny associates reported being unable to contact on Monday afternoon, has said on Instagram that he has left Russia.

Russian theologian, known church critic Andrei Kuraev leaves Russia for Czechia. Andrei Kuraev wrote on his Telegram channel that his “Moscow world was destroyed” as it is becoming increasingly difficult to “write, speak, and lecture” in Russia, while in Europe, his public events and lectures are still possible.

Putin calls Netanyahu for the first time since Hamas attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War, the Times of Israel reported on Oct. 16, citing Netanyahu’s office.

Media: Ukrainians evacuated from Israel paid hundreds of euros for their own tickets. One of the Ukrainians evacuated from Israel on flights organized by Ukraine’s Embassy said she had to pay 415 euros ($437) for her ticket, RF/ERL’s Ukrainian service reported on Oct. 16.

Ukraine implicates 20 Russian FSB officers in crackdown on EuroMaidan Revolution. The suspects include Viktor Zolotov, the former head of the Security Service of the President of the Russian Federation and the current commander of the Russian National Guard. Three former senior officials of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) were also charged.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Lili Bivings, Nate Ostiller, Dinara Khalilova, Oleg Sukhov, Martin Fornusek, Olena Goncharova, and Abbey Fenbert.

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