Ukrainian forces may retake the city of Kherson from Russian troops, the United States says, in what would be a major defeat for Russia in its military offensive against its neighbor as the fighting enters its 254th day.
About 4.5 million people are without power across the country, Zelenskyy says. (AA Archives)
Friday, November 4, 2022
Ukrainian president accuses Russia of ‘energy terrorism’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of engaging in “energy terrorism” after Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid left millions without power.
Around 4.5 million people were without power across the country, Zelenskyy said in his evening speech
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 450,000 apartments in the capital alone had no electricity on Friday.
Biden’s senior adviser meets with Zelenskyy in Kyiv
A top adviser to President Joe Biden met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv to reaffirm American support for the country in its war with Russia, the White House said.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Zelenskyy, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov and Presidential Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak “to underscore America’s unwavering support for Ukraine and its people as they defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity,” a spokeswoman said in a statement.
US announces new $400 million military aid package for Ukraine
The United States has announced a new $400 million military aid package for Ukraine as kyiv forces continue to push their counteroffensive across large swaths of Russian-held territory.
Latest tranche of military assistance includes funding to refurbish HAWK air defense missiles for future transfers to Ukraine, 45 refurbished T-72B tanks with updated optics, communications and armor packages , and 1,100 Phoenix Ghost drones, the Pentagon said in a statement Friday.
T-72B tanks are sent to Ukraine under a coordinated trilateral agreement with the Netherlands and the Czech Republic.
I am grateful to @POTUS and the people of 🇺🇸 for another $400 million military assistance package. For armored vehicles that will help us liberate Ukrainian land. We appreciate this continued support!
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 4, 2022
I am grateful to the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and the United States for their joint decision to supply 90 T-72 tanks to Ukraine. The first 26 repaired and modernized tanks will arrive next month. Thank you, my friends, for your unwavering solidarity with Ukraine.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) November 4, 2022
‘Over 5,000’ civilians evacuated from Kherson every day: Russian military
The Russian military said it was evacuating “more than 5,000 civilians” from the Moscow-controlled Kherson region in southern Ukraine every day.
“Military engineers transport up to 1,200 civilian vehicles – trucks and cars – as well as more than 5,000 civilians on the left bank of the Dnipro River every day,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday.
Ukraine has accused Russia of carrying out Soviet-style ‘deportations’ of its people
Conflicting reports on curfew in Kherson, Ukraine
A Russian-backed official in Ukraine’s Kherson region said a curfew had been imposed in the city, but then quickly backtracked and said no such limit was in place.
The region’s Russian-backed deputy governor Kirill Stremousov said in a video message on Friday that a 24-hour curfew had been imposed ahead of an expected Ukrainian offensive.
But an hour later he posted another video in which he said no limits had been imposed and reposted an edited version of his earlier video message without any reference to a curfew.
Britain ‘steadfast’ on support for Ukraine: shrewdly
Britain will remain committed to supporting Ukraine under new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly told AFP news agency on the sidelines of a G7 summit in Germany.
“I can absolutely reassure… the people of Ukraine that the prime minister is unwavering in his support for Ukraine and our help for Ukrainians,” Cleverly said in a short interview on Friday.
“We will help them get through this conflict for as long as it takes.”
Putin says 318,000 people reported for military service are being mobilized
President Vladimir Putin said 318,000 people had been recruited as part of the partial military mobilization in Russia, while 49,000 of them were already serving combat missions in Ukraine.
Speaking at a meeting with volunteers in Moscow at an event on Friday commemorating Unity Day – Russia’s national holiday celebrated on November 4 – Putin said the number is higher than the expected 300,000 because of many citizens volunteered for military service.
“We already have 318,000 (mobilized people). Because volunteers are coming,” Putin said.
EU’s Borrell urges Iran to end arms shipments to Russia
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has called on Iran to end its military support for Russia in the war against Ukraine.
“We insist that Iran stop supplying weapons to Russia. Iran denies this but the Ukrainians have provided evidence of these drones,” Borrell said Friday on the sidelines of the Group’s foreign ministers’ meeting. of the Seven in the city of Münster in western Germany.
His remarks follow statements by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who also expressed concern on Thursday.
Bulgarian parliament approves sending military aid to Ukraine
The Bulgarian parliament has approved sending military aid to Ukraine.
The proposal of the Assembly of 240 members was approved Thursday by 175 votes against 49, with one deputy abstaining.
During the ballot, some MPs held signs saying “no to arms” and “peace”.
Russian President Putin has said civilians in the Kherson region, which Moscow has declared annexed, must be evacuated from the most dangerous conflict zones. TRT World’s Dasha Chernyshova has more Moscow pic.twitter.com/JbyYf4tugR
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) November 4, 2022
Ukraine has enough gas for winter, PM says
Ukraine has enough gas for this winter, given planned imports, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said, as the country prepares for more Russian strikes targeting its energy systems.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Friday, Shmyhal said Ukraine now had 14.5 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas in its underground storages.
“Considering the expected deliveries from abroad, this amount is enough for the heating season,” Shmyhal said, referring to the October-April period when Ukraine switches to centralized heating in homes.
Medvedev rebels against the “traitors” who fled the country
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has railed against the thousands of his compatriots who fled Russia after troops were sent to Ukraine, calling them “cowardly traitors”.
In a social media post Friday on Russian Unity Day – a holiday introduced by President Vladimir Putin in 2005 to celebrate a 1612 victory over invading Polish forces – the former leader said Russia was “stronger and cleaner” without them.
“Cowardly traitors and greedy defectors fled to distant lands – left their bones to rot in a foreign place,” Medvedev said on Telegram.
G7 calls on Russia to extend grain deal – US official
Group of Seven foreign ministers have urged Russia to extend a deal allowing the safe passage of grain shipments from Ukraine at a meeting in western Germany, a senior official said. official of the US State Department.
“Everyone agreed on the need to expand the Black Sea Grain Initiative,” the official said.
The ministers also agreed on the need for a coordination mechanism to help Ukraine repair, restore and defend its critical energy and water infrastructure, he added.
Turkey pledges to send grain and fertilizer to countries in need
Turkey has pledged to send grain and fertilizer to least developed and developing countries, especially in Africa.
Calling for strong action to ensure that grains and fertilizers are sent to underdeveloped countries at the upcoming G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey and Russia have reached to a consensus on the increased use of the grain corridor in the Black Sea. , especially for those in need in Africa.
Speaking at the EXPO of the Association of Independent Industrialists and Businessmen (MUSIAD), Erdogan said Russian Vladimir Putin had agreed to send free grain to countries in need.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said Russian bombings targeting energy infrastructure left millions in the dark. Our colleague Semir Sejfovic reports from Kyiv pic.twitter.com/djauQsAh4j
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) November 4, 2022
Zelenskyy: Russian strikes leave 4.5 million people without electricity
About 4.5 million people across Ukraine are affected by power outages caused by Russian strikes on energy infrastructure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
“Tonight, around 4.5 million consumers have been temporarily disconnected from energy consumption…the very fact that Russia is resorting to energy terrorism shows the weakness of our enemy. They cannot beat Ukraine on the battlefield, so they try to break our people that way,” Zelenskyy said.
Time to focus on extending grain deal – Erdogan
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres discussed by phone the developments in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and the Black Sea grain agreement signed in Istanbul.
“President Erdogan has said that the focus should now be on extending the duration of the Istanbul agreement,” said a statement from the Turkish presidency.
António Guterres thanked Erdogan for his efforts to ensure the resumption of the grain corridor.
Ukraine touts ‘irrefutable evidence’ of no dirty bomb
The UN atomic agency’s conclusion is “obvious” given the “irrefutable evidence” showing the absence of any dirty bombs, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said.
“The IAEA’s conclusion today is quite obvious,” Zelenskyy said.
We have given them complete freedom of action in the relevant facilities, and we have clear and irrefutable evidence that no one in Ukraine has created or is creating “dirty bombs”. »
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Source: TRTWorld and agencies
