late, but:
ISW Key Takeaways
Russian officials are preparing for further covert mobilization efforts even as the fall conscription cycle is underway, likely further diminishing the development of quality mobilized and conscripted servicemen.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that it does not recognize the illegal Russian seizure of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) or the illegal annexation of other occupied Ukrainian territory, a sharp escalation in IAEA rhetoric.
Social media footage circulated on November 18 shows a Russian soldier opening fire on Ukrainians as other Russian soldiers were surrendering.
Russian forces reinforced rear areas in Luhansk Oblast and attempted to regain lost positions as Ukrainian troops continued counteroffensive operations along the Svatove-Kreminna line.
Russian forces continued limited ground assaults near Bakhmut and Avdiivka and in western Donetsk Oblast.
Russian occupation officials and military leadership are seemingly increasingly concerned about subsequent Ukrainian counteroffensive operations in southern Ukraine.
Russia continues to face exceedingly low morale and poor discipline among its forces against the backdrop of ongoing domestic backlash to partial mobilization.
Russian occupation officials and forces continued to intensify filtration measures in Russian-occupied territories.
Very worth reading: www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/case-against-negotiations-russia
+++
⚡️Russia’s proxies in occupied Crimea claim fortification works started on peninsula.
⚡️Erdogan talks (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/erdogan-talks-to-putin-about-grain-deal-negotiations-with-ukraine) to Putin about ‘grain deal,’ negotiations with Ukraine.
The two leaders also discussed Putin’s proposal to create a natural gas hub in Turkey, Anadolu agency reported.
⚡️ First passenger train arrives (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/first-passenger-train-arrives-in-kherson-from-kyiv-since-the-start-of-invasion) in liberated Kherson from Kyiv, carrying 200 passengers.
⚡️Politico: EU freezes 68 billion euros in Russian assets.
(kyivindependent.com/news-feed/politico-eu-freezes-68-billion-euros-in-russian-assets)
According to an internal European Commission document obtained by the media outlet Politico, most of the assets are in Belgium, which accounts for 50 billion euros out of the total figure.
⚡️Sweden confirms (kyivindependent.com/) sabotage at Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines.
The explosions that damaged Russia's Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines were the results of “gross sabotage,” Swedish Security Service reported on Nov. 18.
⚡️PM Shmyhal: Russian strikes disabled (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/pm-shmyhal-russian-strikes-disabled-nearly-half-of-ukraines-energy-system) nearly half of Ukraine’s energy system.
According to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine needs support from European partners in the energy sector, such as the supply of additional equipment, and extra financial aid.
⚡️State Emergency Service: Nearly 30% of Ukrainian territory is mined (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/state-emergency-service-nearly-30-of-ukrainian-territory-is-mined).
"The area and volumes of mining in the territory of Ukraine have increased ten times compared to the pre-war period," said Serhii Kruk, who heads Ukraine's State Emergency Service.
⚡️General Staff: Russian troops relocate some units from Kherson to Luhansk Oblast.
⚡️Zelensky, Erdogan discuss Ukraine grain deal extension.
⚡️Ukroboronprom: Ukraine to produce weapons jointly with at least 6 NATO countries.
Poland, the Czech Republic, France, Denmark, and other NATO countries will produce and develop heavy weapons and other military equipment jointly with Ukraine, Ukraine’s main defense company Ukroboronprom said on Nov. 18.
⚡️PM: Ukraine has received over $23 billion in financial aid since Feb. 24.
⚡️Polish PM: If we do not support Ukraine, war will come to us.
⚡️ Ombudsman: Even children were kept (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/ombudsman-even-children-were-kept-in-torture-chambers-in-kherson-oblast) in torture chambers in Kherson Oblast.
Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights, said on Nov. 18 that new facts of torture allegedly inflicted by Russian troops on Kherson Oblast residents during the occupation were discovered, including a torture chamber with a separate cell where teenagers were kept.
“We are now determining their ages,” he said, adding that witnesses say some of the boys looked about 14 years old.
⚡️ ISW: Kremlin prepares for another round of mobilization while fall conscription cycle is underway.
⚡️ General Staff: About 500 wounded Russian soldiers were brought to hospitals in Horlivka.
Over the past day, Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks near Bilohorivka, Zelenopilla, Klishchiivka, Pervomaiske, Vodiane, and Novomykhailivka in Donetsk Oblast, the General staff said.
⚡️ Independent Russian media: Number of inmates shrinks sharply (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/russian-media-number-of-inmates-shrinks-sharply-as-prisoners-are-recruited-to-fight-in-ukraine) as prisoners are recruited to fight in Ukraine.
The number of Russian inmates went down by 23,000 in just two months, likely due to the Kremlin-backed private military company Wagner Group's recruitment campaign.
⚡️ Lithuanians crowdfund (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/lithuanians-crowdfund-for-2-maritime-drones-for-ukraine) for 2 maritime drones for Ukraine, set out to raise money for another one.
The campaign gained popularity due to the names Lithuanians have been giving the drones – they involve wordplay to sound like Russian swearwords.
⚡️ US to provide up to $20 million for ‘Grain from Ukraine’ initiative.
⚡️ UK to provide Ukraine with $59 million defense aid package.
U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said at a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Nov. 19 that the package will include 125 anti-aircraft guns and technology to counter Iranian drones, including radars and anti-drone electronic warfare capability.
⚡️ Russia strikes humanitarian distribution point in Kherson Oblast.
Deputy Head of the President’s Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko reported on Nov. 19 that Russian forces fired at a humanitarian distribution point giving out bread in Bilozerka, Kherson Oblast, injuring five people.
⚡️ DTEK chief: Ukrainians should consider leaving country during winter to save energy.
Maksym Tymchenko, the CEO of Ukraine’s largest private energy company DTEK, said Ukrainians should consider finding an alternative place to stay for the winter if possible amid ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, reported BBC.
~Andrzej Duda's office said that the fall of the missile did not cause tension between Poland and Ukraine.
They explained that it was important for them to determine whether the country was attacked or not. The explosion on the border is not considered an attack, but rather an accident.~
In Melitopol children are threatened to be expelled from school for refusing to thank Russian soldiers
As of 17.11, the Ministry of Defense has formed a reserve for the army in the form of over 200 thousand bulletproof vests and over 100 thousand helmets, - Defense Minister of Ukraine Reznikov.
In response to demands to stop occupation of Zaporizhzhya NPP: Kremlin says it will continue dialogue with IAEA
Ukraine expects to receive EUR 3 billion from this year's EU macrofinance early next year, - Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal.
The Bank of Canada announced the issue of bonds to support Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and his delegation will not be allowed to attend the OSCE meeting to be held on December 1-2 in Lodz, Poland.
Hawk air defense systems will soon be on combat duty, - the speaker of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yurii Ihnat.
Hollywood film studio Warner Bros. has banned broadcasting of its films to Russian TV channels belonging to the "National Media Group"
✍️Ukrainians are collecting (petition.president.gov.ua/petition/169564) signatures for a petition on the website of the President of Ukraine to exchange the monument to Catherine in Odesa for a raccoon kidnapped by Russian occupiers from Kherson zoo.
Iran to help Russia build drones for war with Ukraine - The Washington Post
Moscow has secretly agreed with Tehran to start producing hundreds of armed UAVs on Russian soil, according to new intelligence reports.
The newest Russian Su-35 fighter jet was shot down near Bakhmut with the help of NASAMS
The first "invincibility points" - specially equipped tents where you can warm up, get hot drinks and food, charge your phone and use the Internet - have been launched in Kherson.
Note: over the last days:
The Bank of Canada announced the issue of bonds to support Ukraine.
Finland has announced the largest package of military aid to Ukraine since the beginning of the war in the amount of 55.6 million euros, - the decision of the President of the country.
The Swedish Parliament approved the provision of military aid to Ukraine for a record $287 million, - the press service of the Parliament.
Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest has created an investment fund to support Ukraine and allocated $500 million. (as previously noted)
🇮🇱 Under pressure from the US administration, Israel recently agreed to finance the purchase of millions of dollars worth of "strategic materials" for Ukraine - Haaretz (as previously noted)
The US is considering a 37 BILLION package of support (as previously noted)
I can't see much wavering in governmental support for Ukraine overall!