Saturday, November 4

Russia’s war against Ukraine

People wait at a bus stop in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, on Nov. 3 amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images)

Zelensky appoints new head of Special Operations Forces. President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Brigadier General Viktor Khorenko from his role as the commander of the Special Operations Forces (SOF), according to a presidential decree published online on Nov. 3.

Ukraine receives US-made assault breacher. The Ukrainian military has apparently received the M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) built on the framework of the Abrams tank. Several photos posted by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Nov. 3 to commemorate the Day of Missile Forces and Artillery and Engineering Troops revealed a vehicle resembling a hybrid of a tank and a heavy-duty harvesting machine. 

Zelensky approves EU-recommended amendments to law on national minorities. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the updated law on national minorities, he said in his evening address on Nov. 3. Changing the law was one of seven steps recommended by the European Commission in June 2022 for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.

National Bank: Fewer Ukrainians returning than previously estimated. Fewer Ukrainians who fled abroad at the start of the full-scale invasion have returned home than forecasts predicted, the National Bank said in its inflation report for October 2023, published on Nov. 2. There will be an estimated 200,000 more Ukrainians living outside the country at the end of 2023 than at the end of 2022.

Kuleba: Zelensky considering whether to hold elections on schedule. President Volodymyr Zelensky is considering holding elections as scheduled in the spring of 2024, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said during a briefing on Nov. 3. “We are not closing this page. The president of Ukraine is considering and weighing the different pros and cons,” Kuleba said.

Russian mass drone attack against Ukraine hits infrastructure, civilian sites overnight. Russia’s mass drone attack against Ukraine overnight on Nov. 3 struck infrastructure facilities in Lviv and Odesa oblasts, as well as civilian sites in the city of Kharkiv and Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, regional authorities reported.

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Kuleba meets Rheinmetall chief, says Ukraine will have more weapons. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met with Armin Papperger, CEO of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, in Berlin on Nov. 3, discussing ways to strengthen the alliance of German and Ukrainian defense industries.

Defense Ministry to shorten process of domestic weapons reaching the front. The Defense Ministry will implement changes to the testing process required for domestically produced weapons, allowing them to reach the front faster, the ministry announced on Nov. 3.

Media: Russian courts in Crimea have issued 472 verdicts for ‘discrediting’ Russian army since start of full-scale invasion. Russian-installed courts in occupied Crimea have issued 472 rulings on “discrediting” the Russian military since the start of the full-scale invasion, Krym.Realii, a project of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, reported on Nov. 3.

Military intelligence: Car belonging to CEO of Russian weapons manufacturer torched in Russia. A car belonging to the general-director of the Russian arms manufacturer GosNIImash was burned in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod, allegedly by “representatives of the resistance movement,” Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) said on Nov. 3.

Russian court sentences ex-Pussy Riot spokesman to 8.5 years in jail in absentia. Verzilov was convicted on charges of spreading “fake news” about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - a common accusation made by the Russian authorities against any reports that contradict the official propaganda version.

ISW: Russian forces continue offensive operations near Avdiivka. Russian troops have made confirmed gains on Avdiivka’s northern flank in Donetsk Oblast, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in their latest assessment.

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Ukraine war latest: Zelensky is considering holding presidential elections in March, FM says

President Volodymyr Zelensky is considering holding presidential elections as scheduled in the spring of 2024, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. “We are not closing this page. The president of Ukraine is considering and weighing the different pros and cons.”

Photo: Juan Medina - Pool/Getty Images

Venezuelan opposition leader: Ukraine will never convince Maduro, Ortega, or Museveni

Russia is infamous for its malign influence in Latin America – from pouring billions of dollars to help local dictators stay in power and spreading its propaganda to committing crimes against civilians through the hands of private military companies.

Photo: Rafael Briseño/Getty Images

This Week in Ukraine Ep. 32 – How Russia is losing superiority in the Black Sea

Human cost of war

Russia attacks Nikopol region 7 times in a day, 1 injured. Russian forces attacked the region around Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast seven times over the course of the day, Governor Serhii Lysak reported on Nov. 3. As a result, a 51-year-old man was injured and hospitalized.

Death toll of Russian attack on Nova Poshta depot rises to 8. A 29-year-old employee of a Nova Poshta postal depot in Kharkiv Oblast injured in Russia’s Oct. 21 missile strike against the facility died in the hospital on Nov. 3, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

Mediazona confirms identities of almost 36,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine. Through open-source research, the Russian independent media outlet Mediazona, together with BBC Russia, confirmed on Nov. 3 the names of 35,780 Russian soldiers who have been killed since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

International response

US announces new $425 million military aid package for Ukraine. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced a new aid package on Nov. 3 consisting of $300 million in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) and $125 million in drawdowns from DoD inventories.

General: Germany’s military support for Ukraine will continue at least until 2032. Germany has already earmarked funding for Ukraine in its budget planning until 2032, Bundeswehr Major General Christian Freuding said in a Nov. 3 interview with the German news outlet Stuttgarter Nachrichten.

US sanctions Russian national for helping wealthy Russians launder money. The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions on Yekaterina Zhdanova, a Russian citizen, for her role in helping the Russian elite launder their money and avoid sanctions, according to a press release on Nov. 3.

In other news

Media: Zelensky expected to visit Israel early next week. The arrangements for President Volodymyr Zelensky’s upcoming visit to Israel next week are in an advanced stage, the Times of Israel reported citing Channel 12 news reports.

Moldova’s security chief says Russia spent $55 million on destabilization campaign. Russia has spent over a billion Moldovan lei ($55.45 million) on a campaign to destabilize the country, according to Alexandru Musteata, the head of Moldova’s Information and Security Service on Nov. 3.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Oleg Sukhov, Dinara Khalilova, Nate Ostiller, Teah Pelechaty, Elsa Court, and Olena Goncharova.

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