Pray for brothers and sisters in Ukraine

[Justin Adams]

Today, October 30, the ship Ikaria Angel with 40,000 tons of grain for Ethiopia could not leave the Ukrainian port due to Russia blocking of the grain corridor. This was reported by the Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov on Twitter.

"IKARIA ANGEL, loaded with 40,000 tons of grain under the UN World Food Program, was supposed to leave the Ukrainian port today. These products were intended for the people of Ethiopia, who are on the verge of starvation. But due to the blocking of the grain corridor by Russia, export is impossible," Kubrakov said.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Russia announced that it was suspending its participation in the implementation of the grain agreement allegedly because of the "terrorist attack" in the Sevastopol Bay on the morning of October 29.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that Russia's disruption of the grain export initiative, which could cause famine on several continents, proves that Russia has no place in the G20.

It was previously reported that on July 22, Ukraine, Turkey, Russia and the UN signed grain agreements designed to unblock Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea and start exporting food.

On August 5, the first caravan with Ukrainian grain left the sea ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk.

Ukraine, taking into account the average prices on the world food market, expected to receive at least USD 20 billion from this year's grain exports.

[Justin Adams]

British intelligence believes that Russia has flown fighter-interceptors capable of carrying Kinzhal [Dagger] missiles to Belarus to send a message to the West and portray Belarus as a country increasingly involved in the war.

This is stated in a recent intelligence review by the Ministry of Defense of Britain.

"Images showed that two MiG-31K interceptor aircraft were almost certainly parked at the Belarusian airfield at Machulyshchi on October 17, with a large container stored next to them in a protective earthen embankment. It is likely that the container is associated with an air-launched ballistic missile AS- 24 KILLJOY missile, a large-sized munition for which the MiG-31K variant is adapted for transportation," the review says.

It is noted that Russia has adopted Kinzhal into service since 2018, but they were not used in Belarus before.

"Russia has occasionally launched these weapons during the war in Ukraine, but its stockpiles are likely very limited. It continues to use advanced long-range munitions against targets of limited operational importance. With a range of more than 2,000 km, placing the Kinzhals in Belarus gives Russia a small additional advantage from the point of view of hitting additional targets in the territory of Ukraine. Most likely, it deployed missiles mainly in order to send a message to the West and present Belarus as the country increasingly involved in the war," believes British intelligence.

As reported by Ukrainian News Agency, today, October 31, the head of the Chernihiv Regional State Administration, Vyacheslav Chaus, announced the mass launch of missiles by Russia.

Later, information about damage to critical infrastructure facilities came from Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Cherkasy regions.

At the same time, on October 31, the air defense forces of Ukraine destroyed 44 missiles out of more than 50 launched by the occupiers from strategic aviation.

Putin called the massive shelling of Ukraine "an answer for Sevastopol."

[Justin Adams]

Really DUMB (ed)

The Russian Federation fired missiles at a terminal leased by the Chinese corporation in the Mykolaiv seaport.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleh Nikolenko announced this on Facebook on Thursday, November 3

Nikolenko said that Russia carried out a rocket attack on a terminal leased by a Chinese corporation in the Mykolaiv seaport, as a result of which 17,000 tons of sunflowerseed oil worth USD 26 million was destroyed. Another terminal owned by China is under threat of shelling.

"We are constantly drawing international attention to Russia's targeted destruction of agricultural terminals in Ukraine as part of the Kremlin's strategy to undermine global food security. Shelling at a Chinese terminal in the port of Mykolaiv once again confirms the importance of intensifying efforts by Beijing to end Russia's war against Ukraine," the Foreign Ministry spokesman wrote.

Nikolenko called on the Chinese side to demand that Moscow immediately stop attacks on Ukrainian critical infrastructure in order to protect, among other things, the property of Chinese enterprises.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on October 31, the Ministry of Interior Affairs of Moldova reported that a Russian missile shot down by Ukraine's air defense fell in the village of Naslavcea, Ocnita District.

On October 31, the head of the Chernihiv Regional State Administration Vyacheslav Chaus reported on the massive launch of missiles by Russia.

Later, information about damage to critical infrastructure facilities came from the Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia and Cherkasy Regions.

[Justin Adams]

Only 120 Iskander missiles are left in Russia, but the Kremlin plans to replenish its reserves with Iranian ballistic missiles Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar.

This is stated in the message of the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense with reference to the comment of the representative of the Defense Intelligence Vadym Skibitskyi to The Economist, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

By striking at Ukraine's civilian infrastructure, the terrorist country used about 80% of its modern missiles.

According to Skibitskyi's estimates, only 120 Iskanders remained in Russia.

Nevertheless, as its reserves are replenished by the Iranians, Russia will be able to double down on its attacks.

Thus, according to Skibitskyi, the Kremlin's plans to purchase Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar ballistic missiles from Iran and send them by air to the Crimea and the sea to Russian ports on the Caspian Sea became known to the military intelligence of Ukraine.

"We know that agreements have already been reached," a spokesman for the Defence Ministry's Defence Intelligence said.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the Armed Forces of Ukraine currently does not have such missile defense equipment that could shoot down ballistic missiles that Russia plans to receive from Iran.

Russia is facing a number of challenges that will prevent it from gaining air superiority in the coming months.

This follows from a statement by the Ministry of Defense of Britain.

It is noted that on November 3, Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi reported that Russia lost more than twice as many aircraft in Ukraine than in the Soviet-Afghan war. In Ukraine, according to him, the Russian Federation lost 278 aircraft, while in Afghanistan - 119.

"While we cannot independently verify these numbers, Russia's ongoing lack of air superiority is likely exacerbated by poor training, the loss of experienced crews and the increased risk of providing close air support in dense air defense areas. This is unlikely to change in the next few months," the summary states.

Losses of aircraft in Russia probably significantly exceed the Russian Federation's ability to produce new bodies, the summary says. And the time required to train competent pilots further reduces Russia's ability to restore combat aviation.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, according to the notification of the General Staff of the AFU, the losses of personnel of the Russian troops on November 2 increased by 730 people to 74,000 killed.

From February 24 to November 8, the enemy lost 277 aircraft, 258 helicopters and 1,442 operational-tactical UAVs.

According to the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain, losses of the Russian army in armored vehicles in Ukraine reached 40 units per day in mid-October.

British intelligence claims that the Russian Federation is increasingly resorting to high-risk helicopter missions to directly support troops in combat. Helicopters are used to support infantry at the front and are shot down by Ukrainian MANPADS.

[Vine Abider]

Does anybody else get the newsletter from Hillsdale college called Imprimus?  The latest one is a talk given there recently by Christopher Caldwell of the Claremont Institute, about the complexities of the Ukrainian war.  What he related is how much the US has had it's hands in trying to shape events with the Ukraine for quite some time, for instance, pushing it to go into NATO.  Without excusing Putin for what he's doing, he said we tend to look at the whole situation in a simplistic way of a corrupt autocratic bully vs. a virtuous democracy.

He went on to provide details of how Russia looks at this and how the last two US administrations haven't taken the full picture fully into account with their actions.  This so often seems to be the case with foreign policy & the execution thereof . . .

I'm not smart enough to know all the ins and outs of this situation, so I just pray, "Lord, stop those needing stopped and strengthen/encourage those who need strengthened and encouraged.  Have your way in this situation and in both Moscow and Kiev.  Come against evil men and their desires and save those who should be saved. Work it all out according to your wonderful plan to bring in your kingdom, the proper government on this planet!" 

[Justin Adams]

Britain will strengthen support for the Ukrainian army with additional arms supplies and military exercises. This was announced to Reuters by Defense Secretary Ben Wallace on Wednesday, November 9.

Britain will supply Ukraine with 12,000 extreme cold-weather sleeping kits and provide the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the best basic skills, because the Russian military does not do this, Wallace emphasized.

"Britain's Ministry of Defence said it would soon complete the delivery of 1,000 additional surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine's armed forces. The equipment includes launchers and missiles and is capable of shooting down air targets including Russian drones and cruise missiles,” it was said.

Wallace said that Ukraine's progress in the Kherson Region is evidence that it is so important to provide assistance to the country.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, in August, the UK committed itself to train ten thousand troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to conduct an infantry battle.

In 2023, the UK intends to provide military assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the amount of at least EUR 2.6 billion.

On November 9, the Netherlands announced its intention to send 50 to 100 troops to participate in the European Union mission to train the Ukrainian military.

[Justin Adams]

The Russian occupiers lost more than 700 people during the day.

This was announced by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"The pace is not falling. It is over 700 again," the morning report of the General Staff reads.

The enemy suffered the greatest losses in the direction of Bakhmut of the Donetsk Region.

Over the past day, the Armed Forces of Ukraine eliminated 710 occupiers.

In general, about 80,000 occupiers have been killed since the beginning of the war.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Ukrainian defenders have liberated 12 settlements in the Kherson Region, the offensive continues.

In the Kherson Region, the Russian army continues to loot the settlements from which it is retreating. Instead, the occupiers forcefully evict local residents from the still occupied territories.

On the right bank of the Dnieper in the Kherson Region, some units of the group of Russian troops continue to remain. The Armed Forces of Ukraine carefully monitor the actions of the enemy and do not rule out a deceptive maneuver on the part of the occupiers.

During the day, the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces struck 7 areas of concentration of the occupiers and the position of air defense equipment.

[Justin Adams]

The U.S. Department of Defense has recently published details of a new package of military assistance to Ukraine. Among other things, the Ukrainian military will receive four Avenger air defense systems. What is known about these air defense systems?

The Avenger Air Defense System is a self-propelled short-range anti-aircraft missile system. It was developed by American companies Boeing and General Electric. It has been produced since 1989.

The Avenger Air Defense System is a legendary HMMWV vehicle (Humvee), on which the AN/TWQ-1 complex is installed. It includes two containers of four FIM-92 Stinger missiles, a 12.7 mm machine gun and a radar station.

Avenger air target detection system is all-weather, it is capable of detecting targets under all visibility conditions thanks to the thermal imager. AN/TWQ-1 also has a control panel that allows you to control the complex remotely.

The Avenger is designed to hit targets at altitudes from 500 meters to 3.8 kilometers and at ranges up to 5.5 kilometers. According to open sources, the probability of hitting a target with an Avenger Air Defense System is estimated at 85%.

This anti-aircraft missile system is in service with the U.S. Ground Forces and Marine Corps, the Armed Forces of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and Chile. It was widely used during conflicts in the Middle East.

Recall, according to the U.S. Department of Defense, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will receive four Avenger air defense systems as part of a new USD 400 million military assistance package.

We also reported that on November 10, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles announced the transfer of two Hawk air defense systems to Ukraine. Earlier, the country announced its intention to supply four such complexes.

And at the end of October, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to Italy with a request to transfer the SAMP-T air defense system to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

[Justin Adams]

ESCALATION

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russian missiles hit Poland, and noted that this is a blow to collective security.

Zelenskyy said this in his traditional evening video address, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"Today, something happened that we have long warned about... Terror is not limited to our state borders. It has already spread to the territory of Moldova. And today, Russian missiles hit Poland, the territory of our friendly country. People died... Striking missiles on NATO territory... This is a Russian missile strike on collective security! This is a very significant escalation. We need to act," he said.

Zelenskyy expressed condolences to Poland from Ukrainians and stressed that the terrorist should be put in place.

According to Polish media, on Tuesday two Russian missiles fell near the village of Przewodow, located near the Ukrainian border.

Two people were killed in the incident.

Against the background of this, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki convened an urgent meeting of the Committee for National Security and Defense Affairs of the Council of Ministers.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on Tuesday, November 15, Russia carried out a massive rocket attack on the territory of Ukraine.

The target of the attack was the country's energy infrastructure.

[Justin Adams]

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insists that it was not a Ukrainian missile that fell in Poland. Zelenskyy said this at a meeting with the Ukrainian mass media, which was broadcast on the air of the national telethon, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"I don't even doubt the report given to me personally in the evening by the commander of the air forces... I don't doubt that it was not our missile or our missile strike... I believe that it is a Russian missile, according to the credibility of the report of the military," he said.

Zelenskyy noted that on November 15, there were about 100 Russian strikes on Ukraine, in particular on western Ukraine - about 25 strikes. At the same time, he emphasized that the Ukrainian air defense forces did a great job, shooting down 70% of the missiles.

"Out of 25 strikes, one strike coincides in time. We have a serious position. One strike in our territory and there is an answer - we have a record that the strike, which coincides in time with that case, exploded in the sky in our territory. We can’t rule out that somehow at speed, some debris flew away with the wind... The main diameter (funnel from the impact) is 20 meters, the depth is 5 meters, - can it be a debris or not?” he said.

Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine has the right to be admitted to the site of the fall of the missile or its debris in Poland and to participate in the investigation of the incident.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksii Danilov said that Ukraine is ready to hand over to Poland the evidence of the Russian trail in the incident with the fall of a rocket in the Polish village of Przewodow on the border with Ukraine.

He also noted that Ukraine is in favor of a joint study of the incident and is waiting for information based on which it is believed that it was a Ukrainian air defense missile.

On November 15, Russia launched a massive missile attack on important elements of Ukraine's critical infrastructure.

Polish President Andrzej Duda commented on the incident with the missile that happened on November 15, stressing that it was not an attack on Poland.