Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 10-12-2024

Pro-Russian and pro-Kyiv social media is abuzz with as yet unverified reports that a Ukrainian F-16 shot down a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber on Saturday.

A number of pro-Kremlin milbloggers picked up on claims made early on Saturday that a Russian Sukhoi Su-34 (NATO: Fullback) fighter-bomber had been shot-down about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the front line over Ukraine.

It was reported that a Ukrainian F-16 had engaged the Russian aircraft as it was in the process of dropping “Korrektiruyemaya Aviatsionnaya Bomba (KAB)” aerial glide bombs. The reports were soon picked up on Ukrainian military social media channels including PS01 and @front_ukrainian who suggested that the Russian crew failed to survive.

A report on Friday by Ukraine’s Center for National Resistance says Russian forces plan to produce Iranian designed Shahed attack drones in disused factories in the occupied territories.

Kyiv’s Center for National Resistance (CNR) reported on Oct. 11 that Moscow has tasked the Kremlin appointed authorities in Ukraine’s occupied territories to investigate the use of seized factories and enterprises for the production of Shahed/Geran kamikaze drones.

According to the CNR as well as covertly producing the drones the assembly work would be carried out by students from vocational schools. The basis of the Russian plan is that producing the unmanned aerial vehicles in eastern Ukraine would reduce the logistic effort because the time for delivery to launch sites would be shortened.

In Ukraine’s relentless campaign to bomb Russia’s oil and military infrastructure, a fuel and lubricants depot was struck in the town of Rovenky yet again.

Ukraine’s forces hit a fuel and lubricants depot near the town of Rovenky in the Russian-occupied area of Luhansk region, in the early morning hours of Oct. 12, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces.

“Last night, a strike was conducted on a fuel and lubricants storage facility near the town of Rovenky on the temporarily occupied territory in Luhansk region,” the General Staff said.

Ukraine’s defense forces approved more than 170 domestically designed and manufactured unmanned aerial and ground vehicles in 2024, many of which are already making themselves felt on the battlefield.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense reported that it has certified more than 140 new unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and 33 unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) for military use in the first nine months of the year. This compares with the figures for 2023 when around 60 UAVs and nine UGVs were approved.

The figures highlight the strategic importance with which drones are increasingly viewed that is being matched by the intensification of the research and development efforts that are being applied for unmanned systems.

Vladimir Putin, whose country is hosting a summit of the BRICS nations in Kazan on October 22-24 , invited Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to come to Russia on an official visit.

Russia's Vladimir Putin held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday (11 October) in Turkmenistan, where the two leaders hailed their countries growing economic ties and similar views on world affairs, an entente viewed with concern by the United States.

At odds with Washington and the European Union over Russia's war in Ukraine, something he casts as part of a wider existential struggle against an arrogant and self-interested West - Putin is keen to deepen ties with what he calls the Global East and Global South.

What European media are saying about the Trump-Musk election alliance.

Speaking at an election campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Donald Trump brought a prominent supporter on stage: entrepreneur Elon Musk (Tesla, SpaceX, X) told the crowd that the Republican must win "to preserve democracy in America". Trump hinted several times that Musk could be given a high-ranking post related to economic affairs if he becomes president. Europe's press reacts.

Oligarchic fusion of money and power

The world in focus, as seen by a Canadian leading global affairs analyst, writer and speaker, in his review of international media.

An Israeli airstrike has killed two Lebanese soldiers and wounded three others, hours after the Israeli military fired on the headquarters of a UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon for the second time in as many days. The two incidents on Friday prompted further concern over Israel’s escalating campaign, amid waves of heavy airstrikes across Lebanon. Lebanon’s army has not been involved in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, and it withdrew its forces from the border between the countries when Israel launched its invasion last month. The Lebanese army said its soldiers died in an Israeli airstrike near a military checkpoint in the southern Bint Jbeil province. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that it had been targeting Hezbollah positions and was “unaware of any Lebanese army facilities found in the area of the strike” - Guardian

A US-made munition was used in a strike on central Beirut that killed 22 people and wounded 117, according to an analysis of shrapnel found by the Guardian at the scene of the attack. The strike on Thursday night hit an apartment complex in the densely populated neighbourhood of Basta, levelling the apartment building and destroying cars and the interiors of nearby residences. It was the deadliest strike on Lebanon’s capital city since fighting between Hezbollah and Israel started a year ago. - Guardian

Chechen leader Kadyrov is becoming increasingly emboldened in his personal political disputes.

Chechen Republic Head Ramzan Kadyrov declared a "blood feud" against Russian legislators, suggesting that Kadyrov is becoming increasingly emboldened in his personal political disputes.

Kadyrov declared a blood feud on Oct.10 against Republic of Dagestan Senator Suleiman Kerminov and State Duma Deputies Bekkhan Barakhoyev and Rizvan Kurbanov, claiming that they "seized" Russia's largest online retailer Wildberries from the company's co-founder Vladislav Bakalchuk and were plotting to assassinate Kadyrov.

Putin’s fixation with keeping the Arab and Islamic World onside as his full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaches its third anniversary means he now needs Kadyrov more than the other way around.

In late August, Russian President Vladimir Putin paid an unannounced visit to Chechnya – marking his first trip there since 2011. It is no coincidence that he headed to Russia’s “Wild West” mere weeks after the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) made a bold incursion into Kursk.

Hesitant to conduct another nationwide enlistment drive that would risk further alienating the already downtrodden Russian masses, Putin instead zeroed in on Chechnya for additional cannon fodder. By soliciting its head, Ramzan Kadyrov, Putin sees it possible to field a seemingly endless supply of pliant, bloodthirsty combatants with no regard for rules of engagement or basic human decency.

Ukraine’s breakthrough projects in electronic service delivery, such as "Diya", "Kyiv Digital", "Rezerv+", are a testament to the cities and mayors spearheading their development.

Ukraine is rated fifth in the UN Online Service Index and Kyiv is among the world’s top 15 cities based on the level of electronic service development.

Based on Digital Transformation Ministry reports and open information on key projects, Kyiv Post has identified those Ukrainian cities and mayors that have made significant progress in using technology to develop digital connected places for their local populations.

Latest from the British Defence Intelligence.

• The Avdiivka-Pokrovsk sector in eastern Ukraine likely remains the Russian main effort and has seen a high level of Russian operations over the past week. It is highly likely that Russia is continuing to set conditions for an attack on Pokrovsk. Russian forces have partially encircled the outlying town of Selydove and will highly likely attempt to seize the town in the coming weeks.
• In the same sector, Russia has made gains into the centre of the town of Toretsk. However, progress has been slow and Russian positions in the town are vulnerable to Ukrainian counter-attacks.
• Following the seizure of Vuhledar at the beginning of October 2024.Russian forces have only made minor advances beyond the town, which lies on the intersection between the two key fronts of Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk.
• In Zaporizhzhia, there are some indications of an attempted re-invigoration of Russian offensive operations in the eastern part of the sector with Russian forces reportedly taking the village of Kamianske, on the main Zaporizhzhia-Melitopol road. This area has remained relatively static for over a year, but it remains to be seen whether Russian forces will be able to sustain further offensive operations in this area.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from ISW:

What are Ukrainian refugees today may be Estonian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Polish, and Finnish refugees tomorrow. Europe is now addressing the symptom, not the cause.

In 2022, Europe experienced its biggest migration crisis since World War 2. By May 2023, nearly 8.2 million Ukrainian refugees were recorded across Europe. As of Sept. 24, 2024, 6.15 million remain displaced. The costs and challenges are massive and increasingly more countries are debating how to cut the inflow of refugees.

Norway is one notable example because it is one of the wealthiest countries in Europe and one of the few that has benefited economically from the war. Still, it has for domestic reasons decided to reduce its support to Ukrainian citizens seeking protection from the war.

Riding the crest of modern warfare's rapid evolution, drone attacks on both sides of the Russo-Ukrainian war's front lines may determine the final outcome.

Russia said on Saturday it had downed 47 Ukrainian drones while Kyiv reported neutralized 24 drones fired by Moscow.

The Ukrainian air force said many missiles were fired from the Russian border region of Belgorod, without specifying the number or the type.

It is good that Unilever is making the right move, even if 'two years too late.'

From the Editors:  B4Ukraine is a global coalition of civil society organizations "driven by a common goal: to block access to the economic resources behind Russian aggression." It aims "to restore the peace and security of Ukraine by asking responsible businesses to respect human rights in word and in deed and #ExitRussia to #StopFundingTheWar in Ukraine.  Here is its latest statement responding to Unilever leaving Russia

B4Ukraine welcomes the decision of Unilever, a British fast-moving consumer goods player (FMCG), to sell its business operations in Russia and Belarus to Arnest Group, Russia’s largest aerosol manufacturer. Unilever’s exit sends a clear message to the rest of the FMCGs remaining in the Russian market, including the Cadbury parent company Mondelez International, PepsiCo, P&G, Nestle, and Mars.

Despite the stubborn two-year defense of Vuhledar, Ukrainian troops left the city on the night of Oct. 2. Kyiv Post – with access to frontline sources – examines why.

Now largely destroyed and evacuated, the city of Vuhledar, located in Ukraine’s southeastern  Donetsk region, once had a population of around 14,000. Having been torn apart amidst the ravages of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, Vuhledar was under threat of encirclement before the night of Oct. 1-2, when Ukrainian troops finally withdrew.

Most of the city’s working-age population had been employed at the Yuzhnodonbasska No. 1 and No. 3 coal mines. Like most cities centered around a single large enterprise, Vuhledar’s development struggled following the collapse of the USSR and the decline of the coal industry. However, decentralization helped it to overcome many infrastructure-related problems.

After a frenzied week that saw the Ukrainian president visit Europe's major capitals, he summed up what was discussed both on the military and humanitarian fronts.

Read the President’s full address below:

I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!

A combination of factors has Donald Trump’s support growing. As a relatively fresh face, Kamala Harris’ best approach might be to remain vague about how she would be president.

With 24 days to go until the United States chooses a new president, the race looks as close as it could be. In a nation of 336 million people, the election once again looks set to be decided by a few thousand voters in a handful of places. In these final weeks of the seemingly interminable campaign, my focus groups with voters in seven crucial swing states will tell us what is on Americans’ minds as they decided who will replace Joe Biden in the White House.

Our tour begins in Phoenix, Arizona, where Biden won in 2020 but Trump now has a narrow lead, according to the latest polling. Two major factors help account for this. One is security on the border the state shares with Mexico – more than 8 million migrants have crossed illegally since Biden took office, around four times the number under Trump.

According to Ukrainian partisans, the Russians are setting up mobile gas stations that constantly change locations due to the fear of being targeted.

The Atesh guerrilla movement reported that the destruction of the Feodosia oil depot in occupied Crimea has caused a severe fuel shortage for the Russian Armed Forces.

“After the destruction of the oil depot in Feodosia, the Russians are facing logistical hell,” Atesh said in a Telegram statement.

Joint funding from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and International Finance Corporation (IFC) promises a significant increase in the telecoms group’s market share.

The newly merged Datagroup-Volia-lifecell signed a deal with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and International Finance Corporation (IFC) to receive $435 million in long-term loan funding ($217.5 million per organization), EBRD reported on Oct.10.

It will support “a landmark project” to enhance protection against cybersecurity threats, introduce more competitive products and services, and implement best practice standards at a critical time.

A report that pro-Russian bots were trying to sway the US presidential elections, with disinformation on X against Kamala Harris and Zelensky has come to the social media platform’s attention.

X was “alert” to any platform manipulation attempts, the Elon Musk-owned site told AFP Friday, following a report that hundreds of apparent pro-Russian bot accounts were amplifying US election misinformation.

In a study shared exclusively with AFP earlier this week, the Washington-based American Sunlight Project (ASP) said it found nearly 1,200 accounts on X that pushed pro-Kremlin propaganda, content favoring Republican nominee Donald Trump, and misinformation about Democratic contender Kamala Harris.