Ukraine Invasion: Part 45

[MagicFox]

Thanks to all: contributors, lurkers and those in-between

**
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It's just unbearable, still unbearable. How many more threads will we have?

@MissConductUS - I'll bow to your on-the-ground knowledge . I was just repeating what had been said on the long-running anti Trump thread.

FWIW I agree that the Democrats would do better if Biden stood aside, especially if he were to anoint his choice of successor. Dh disagrees with me as he thinks that Biden's achievements are underestimated.

I too would ultimately like to see Blinken in the running but I also think that the US is unfortunately not yet ready to have a Jewish President. Ds was/is a massive supporter of Bernie Sanders but as dh and I said to him, the US media had not even begun to attack him as he was never really a realistic candidate.

But given that we're not US citizens, our opinions are moot.

But it does matter to the world (hence us taking an interest). Heaven help us if Trump gets in again. Ukraine is just one area that is extremely vulnerable.

It really hurts to see how much loss, grief and suffering Russia has brought with this invasion, doesn't it. So unnecessary. So utterly unnecessary.

@prettybird, I haven't followed the anti-Trump thread, but most MN'ers have a rather superficial understanding of American politics and political history, and it's understandable that there's some wishful thinking going on whenever there's news that seems to favor Trump over Biden. In case it wasn't clear, I can't stand Trump in any way, shape or form and consider his first term to have been a disaster and the election denial that came after even worse.

The narrative that "Obama was behind in the polls at this point too" has been offered by Democrats who completely understand that the comparison is false. They provided it because panic in the party ranks does no good for anyone, while they seek a way to change things.

I think that if we elected an African-American president, we can undoubtedly elect a Jewish president. People thought that the Republicans would never nominate Mitt Romney because he's a Mormon. They were wrong. I think religious tolerance here is stronger than racial intolerance. Bernie Sanders never got much traction because his policy proposals were too radical, not because he's Jewish. I doubt most voters even know that he's Jewish. This is instructive:

Bernie Sanders would be the first Jewish president. - His religion isn't why he's struggling. Even though anti-Semitism is spiking, the long-term trends show wide acceptance of Jews in the United States — and in the White House.

Apologies if I've taken the thread off topic, but as you say, American politics has an impact on the rest of the world.

I do agree about Bernie and his policies - I just meant that, given that his policies were more radical, the attacks on him would be even more vituperative because they'd use his Jewishness against him.

And I agree about wishful thinking on occasion by the Democrats and by the rest of the world watching in horrified fascinati- o but there have also been interesting/concerned comments from Americans on those threads about how the GOP was taking over lower level elected posts that look innocuous on their own but over time could entrench Trump and his MAGA followers in power through controlling oversight, boundaries, schooling.... So it was reassuring to read that the Democrats had apparently stopped their progress there.

Bringing it back to Ukraine and Russia, it just illustrates how fragile democracy is and that even where there are supposed checks and balances, a leader with evil intent (like Putin) can rewrite the rules to his benefit internally, and not give a flying fuck about international law and things like the Geneva Convention

But it's also easy to only want to see the positive advances on the Ukrainian side, especially after things looked so hopeless immediately after the invasion and it looked like Ukraine might fall Putin obviously expected it too before the world had a chance to get its act together with support. I don't think in those early weeks we'd still be here on these threads over 18 months later.

The Baltic states, Finland and Poland also understand the risk: give Russia an inch, it will take a mile. Not perhaps immediately - but if the war is frozen, then all that Russia will do is regroup until it's ready to go again.... and again and again.

When I studied Russian (and Russia/the USSR) over 40 years ago, we discussed the peasant "desire" to be led and their attitude towards the tsar as the "little father", believing (against the evidence) that it was a paternalistic and caring rule. It's something that continues to be exploited but we in the West can't be complacent when you see how Trump has exploited base instincts and how people follow him and believe his lies.

Nor can the UK be complacent given our own political shenanigans

I do agree about Bernie and his policies - I just meant that, given that his policies were more radical, the attacks on him would be even more vituperative because they'd use his Jewishness against him.

I have to disagree with this bit. If you look at the polling in the article I linked, the vast majority of Americans consider religious affiliation irrelevant for political candidates. Sanders was widely criticized for his policies. There was no mention of his religion in any of the anti-Sanders messaging. Doing so would have caused a massive backlash against anyone who had done so, and quite rightly. A commitment to religious pluralism runs very deep in American culture.

great post @prettybird

@MissConductUS But that article was written in 2020, and my impression is that things have gotten a lot worse since then. Even then, I am not sure, but antisemitism feels like it has really come out of the woodwork in the last three-four years as various conspiracy theories (replacement theory etc) have become more mainstream or at least more accessible to the mainstream via social and other media.

While I am an outsider to the US, I did spend two years there, inter alia doing an LLM, albeit that was 30 years ago now. That means I studied American constitutional, corporations and antitrust law with the JDs (as well as various law and politics, law and economics electives), so I do have some understanding of American politics and political history. Indeed I see that my alma mata (Harvard) is somewhat in the news these days due to antisemitism issues.

Post Harvard I spent a year in New York, in the Jewish community, and while I may not have physically been back, what I am reading written by Jews across the spectrum suggests that they don't think the US is ready for a Jewish president, and if anything that things have gone significantly backward. I was never under the impression that Bernie Saunders was a serious candidate - most similar to the Greens here in Britain, who don't come under real scrutiny because nobody expects them to get more than a seat or two at most. Sometimes they might do slightly better in the polls when people are looking for an alternative to what is on offer, but nobody puts any effort into eg costing their proposals because what is the point.

I would love to be wrong, but that is what I am sensing from the people I know, and the people I read - albeit that my American contacts and reading these days is definitely skewed towards Jewish Americans, so it might just be about perception. But I would say that the perception today is that the "Nones" that the article you quote argues are more likely to vote for a Jewish president are today seen as being very much behind the scenes on prestigious American campuses that are making Jews there not feel safe. From what I am hearing, (and I am hearing from people on the ground) prestigious American campuses are feeling even less safe for Jews than British campuses, which is an extraordinary turn around.

Sorry everybody for the derail, but as you say, American politics is of critical relevance for Ukraine, and these wider issues will impact.

Apologies for the follow up - but just stumbled across this after I posted - https://www.timesofisrael.com/poll-most-us-jews-feel-rise-in-antisemitism-fear-israel-hamas-war-to-impact-safety/

From the article:
The survey also found that both Jews and Americans overall feel there is significant prejudice in the US against Jews, Muslims, Arabs, and Palestinians. Two-thirds of Jews said there is “a lot” of discrimination against Jews, and an additional 26% said there is some. Likewise, 78% of Americans overall said Jews face a lot or some discrimination.

@Naem, I'm sure that Jewish people in America do suffer discrimination, as all minorities do from time to time and in some places more than others. My comments to @prettybird were more about whether anti-Jewish bias or prejudice was a significant obstacle for a candidate for a major elective office.

The outburst of antisemitism at elite universities is a product of the fact that those institutions have become echo chambers for the far left politically, who teach that Israel is an evil, colonialist oppressor. I recall that the far left in the UK had a similar problem in the Labour Party under Corbyn, who had some lovely things to say about Hamas and similar groups. My daughter attends one of those elite schools and is sensible enough to ignore it all, but is intimidated by the group think culture to not speak up about it. My son went to a less elite college, and there have been no anti-Israel protests there at all.

There has always been an antisemitic fringe of white nationalists, neo nazis and the like in the US, just like every other Western country. The polling cited above is only three years old and tracks the trends going back decades. I can't think of a reason as to why those trends would have reversed in the last 36 months.

By the way, you're wrong about Sanders being a fringe candidate. He stood a very good chance of winning the nomination in 2016 if the Democrats hadn't changed the primary rules to effectively force a win for Clinton.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/14/16640082/donna-brazile-warren-bernie-sanders-democratic-primary-rigged

He also ran a very credible campaign in 2020. I don't recall his Jewish identity being used against him in any way, despite the still legendary lengths the Clinton campaign went to spoil his chances.

I'm sure that American Jews do feel like there is significant discrimination against them, particularly with the news recently. As a minority that has largely been very successful in American cultural and economic life, there is likely some resentment from others who also feel discriminated against. Asians are seen as another high achieving minority, and as your probably know recently sued Harvard for anti-Asian bias in their admissions practices and won in the Supreme Court.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Students_for_Fair_Admissions_v._Harvard

I'm not trying to say that Jews and other minority groups don't face discrimination in the US, they clearly have, and it continues to some extent today. I'm primarily of Irish heritage. In my grandparent's time, it wasn't unusual to see signs in pubs and shops here that said "No Dogs or Irish." It's much less of an issue now.

Random but if you want to hear Elon Musk discussing Ukraine I'm about to sit through this podcast: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lex-fridman-podcast/id1434243584?i=1000634296338

@MagicFox that’s definitely a case of taking one for the team 😉

Oh god. was it as awful as his attitude on Twitter is?

I'm still enduring! He talks like he's plugged into everything

Ill get the Kyiv roundup done while I have a few mins spare, but looking forward to your summary!

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Bloomberg: EU weighs https://kyivindependent.com/bloomberg-eu-weighs-alternative-ukraine-aid-plan-in-case-of-hungarys-veto/ alternative Ukraine aid plan in case of Hungary's veto.
The plan would involve national guarantees from member states to raise funding in the markets if Budapest blocks the review of the EU's long-term budget, which includes the Ukraine aid package, the people said.

⚡️ National Guard: Russia attacking Avdiivka from 3 directions https://kyivindependent.com/national-guard-russia-attacking-avdiivka-from-3-directions-using-large-amounts-of-infantry-drones/ using large amounts of infantry, drones.

⚡️Pentagon: Defense aid packages https://kyivindependent.com/pentagon-defense-aid-packages-for-ukraine-getting-smaller/ for Ukraine getting smaller.
The U.S. government is continuing to provide military aid to Ukraine but the packages are getting smaller, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh stated in a press conference on Nov. 9.

⚡️ Military intelligence: Ukraine hits 2 Russian light landing crafts in Crimea. https://kyivindependent.com/media-ukraine-hits-2-russian-landing-crafts-in-crimea/ https://twitter.com/TWMCLtd/status/1722912287105638907

Ukrainians step up efforts to cross Dnipro, tie up Russian forces in Kherson Oblast https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainians-step-up-efforts-to-cross-dnipro-tie-up-russian-forces-in-kherson/
Ukrainian forces have reportedly stepped up their attacks on Russian positions to try and secure a beachhead and bring heavy armor into the fight.

They aren’t quite there yet, but assaults on the eastern bank could mean Ukraine is getting closer to opening a new front in the south. Experts told the Kyiv Independent that if Ukraine can put together an armored strike force on the eastern bank, it could be devastating for Russian troops, but it's unclear how they can manage with Russia's advantage in the air.

⚡️Infrastructure Ministry: Black Sea corridor remains open https://kyivindependent.com/infrastructure-ministry-black-sea-corridor-remains-open-despite-russian-attacks/ despite Russian attacks.

⚡️ Blinken: Concern about growing military ties https://kyivindependent.com/blinken-concern-about-growing-military-ties-between-russia-north-korea/ between Russia, North Korea. Their military ties are increasingly a "two-way street," with North Korea providing Russia with military equipment to use in Ukraine and Russia offering military technology and assistance for North Korea's long-range attack capabilities, potentially including ballistic missiles and nuclear technology, according to Blinken.

⚡️ Deputy PM: 'Realistic to complete EU accession https://kyivindependent.com/deputy-pm-realistic-to-complete-eu-accession-in-2-years/ in 2 years.'

⚡️ Ukrainian parliament passes state budget for 2024. https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-parliament-passes-state-budget-for-2024/ When preparing the draft law for the second reading, budget revenues were increased by Hr 22 billion ($610 million) to the total amount of Hr 1.77 trillion ($49 billion). The expenditures were set at Hr 3.35 trillion ($93 billion).

How is Ukraine degrading Russian capabilities in occupied Crimea and the Black Sea?
https://thisweekinukraine.podbean.com/e/without-a-navy-ukraine-reshapes-power-dynamic-in-black-sea/

⚡️Border Guard Service: 1,700 trucks blocked https://kyivindependent.com/border-guards-about-1-700-trucks-blocked-due-to-strikes-on-polish-ukrainian-border/ due to strikes on Polish-Ukrainian border.

⚡️ Journalist union president: At least 25 Ukrainian journalists remain in Russian captivity https://kyivindependent.com/journalist-union-president-at-least-25-ukrainian-journalists-in-russian-captivity/

⚡️ Zelensky: Ukraine evacuates 160 Ukrainians, 9 Moldovans https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-ukraine-evacuates-160-ukrainians-9-moldovans-from-gaza-over-past-day/ from Gaza over past day.

⚡️ Military intelligence: Russia seeks to sow panic https://kyivindependent.com/military-intelligence-russia-seeks-to-sow-panic-among-ukrainians-in-gaza/ among Ukrainians in Gaza.
Russia conducts information operations against Ukrainians in besieged Gaza, trying to sow panic for propaganda purposes, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) said on Nov. 10.
Ukrainians trapped in the Palestinian enclave are reportedly receiving phone calls from Russian callers, who try to falsely convince them that Ukraine has abandoned them and promise them evacuation by Russia instead.

⚡️Interior Ministry official: 11 Ukrainian military personnel killed in traffic accidents at military roadblocks https://kyivindependent.com/internal-affairs-official-11-ukrainian-servicemen-killed-in-traffic-accidents-at-military-roadblocks-since-feb-24-2022/ since Feb. 24, 2022.

⚡️ Ukraine designates prominent Georgian winemakers https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-designates-prominent-georgian-winemakers-as-international-sponsor-of-war/ as 'international sponsors of war.

⚡️ Russia sentences Ukrainian soldier https://kyivindependent.com/russia-sentences-ukrainian-soldier-to-19-years/ to 19 years in prison or allegedly killing a civilian.

⚡️Ukraine extends https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-extends-martial-law-mobilization-until-feb-14/ martial law, mobilization until Feb. 14.

Large personnel losses, much less equipment.

Ragnar Gudmundsson
WAR IN #UKRAINE - NOV 9
■ Strikes on both sides & engagements above average
■ 4th highest single-day troop losses
■ Equipment losses well above average as well ■ APVs pass the 10,000 mark

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-november-9-2023

Key Takeaways:

• The Russian military command will likely struggle to redeploy combat-effective reinforcements to respond to ongoing Ukrainian operations in eastern Kherson Oblast while conducting defensive operations in western Zaporizhia Oblast and sustaining other offensive efforts in eastern Ukraine.
• Russian forces have likely launched opportunistic localized offensive operations in the Bakhmut direction and intensified ground attacks near Bakhmut in recent days.
• Russian forces struck a civilian ship near Odesa City on November 8.
• Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual live "Direct Line" forum and annual press conference will occur in tandem on an unspecified date by the end of the year, potentially to set conditions to cancel the events as the Kremlin sees fit.
• Russia may seek to provide gas to Iran through Kazakhstan.
• Unspecified actors appear to be targeting Chechen Republic Head Ramzan Kadyrov as he continues to heap honors on his children.
• Russian forces continued offensive operations along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, near Bakhmut, in the Avdiivka direction, west and southwest of Donetsk City, in the Donetsk-Zaporizhia Oblast border area, and in western Zaporizhia Oblast and advanced near Kupyansk.
• Russian authorities appear to be increasingly reliant on private security companies to protect domestic energy infrastructure from Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian far rear areas.
• Occupation authorities reportedly continued efforts to militarize Ukrainian youth.

UNITED24 Media Telegram

☢️ Petro Kotin, the head of "Energoatom," has stated that the Russians are relocating male military personnel away from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) to the front lines.
To compensate for this reduction in male personnel, the Russians are bringing in female military personnel. This move is seen as an indication that the Russians are prioritizing male soldiers for front-line combat roles.

The US Ministry of Defense announced that they plan to hold the 17th meeting of the Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine (Ramstein format) in mid-November

For the first time, Ukraine has surpassed Russia in trade with Germany. In September, the trade turnover between Germany and Ukraine, amounting to 840 million euros, exceeded the turnover with the Russian Federation, which reached 810 million euros. This shift in trade dynamics is significant and reflects Ukraine's growing economic ties with Germany.

❗️Ukraine successfully returned three more children and their parents from the occupied territories, as reported by the Kherson Regional Military Administration. This marks a total of 146 children from the Kherson region who have been reunited with their families since the beginning of 2023.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

🇦🇪The United Arab Emirates has agreed to limit re-exports of dual-use goods used for military purposes to Russia, Bloomberg reports https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-11-09/eu-says-uae-to-curb-key-exports-to-russia-used-in-war-in-ukraine
Sources say the European Commission informed EU ambassadors of the UAE's intention this week. Turkey is also considering a similar step. The newspaper adds that such decisions can be considered a victory for Ukraine's allies who are trying to block the flow of technology to Russia.

🇩🇪 Scholz believes (https://www.n-tv.de/politik/11-32-Ukraine-Russland-schuert-Panik-unter-Ukrainern-in-Gaza--article23143824.html) that the war in Ukraine can last for a very long time, but this is not a reason for pessimism, as the war has been going on longer than Putin imagined.
NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg also said that we need to prepare for a long road.

Ukrainian Armed Forces receive second batch of sapper dogs from the EU
The bomb-sniffing dogs were trained for several months by retired police dog handlers from EU countries, and their training took place in Finland, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
Additionally, as part of this project, the Armed Forces of Ukraine received several special drones that will help detect mines and other explosive devices.

🇺🇳 For the first time in the history of the UN, Russia was not elected to the International Court of Justice, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
He congratulated Australia, Mexico, South Africa, Romania, and the United States on winning the elections to the International Court of Justice in the Security Council and General Assembly.

Orban opposes negotiations with Ukraine on EU membership [yawn]

Still here, sadly. Thanks all for the updates.

Another excellent interview with Fiona Hill. She's so good on Putin and on sounding the warning to the UK and the EU in particular

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/hardtalk/id494517111?i=1000634358876

Sadly many more I reckon :(

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

The EU believes it is unlikely to deliver all of the pledged 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine by the March 2024 target, Bloomberg reported on Nov. 10, citing undisclosed sources. https://kyivindependent.com/bloomberg-eu-unlikely-to-deliver-1-million-artillery-shells-to-ukraine-by-march-2024/

⚡️Yellen: 'Significant consequences' for Chinese firms aiding https://kyivindependent.com/yellen-significant-consequences-for-chinese-firms-aiding-russias-war/ Russia's war.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urged the Chinese government to crack down on businesses sending military aid to Russia and threatened "significant consequences" for companies that continue to evade sanctions, Reuters reported Nov. 10.

⚡️ Bloomberg: EU says UAE agreed to restrict exports of goods with potential military purpose https://kyivindependent.com/bloomberg-2/ to Russia. [I think it's been one of the bigger routes of dual-use stuff into Russia]

⚡️Lithuania delivers https://kyivindependent.com/lithuania-delivers-nasams-launchers-to-ukraine/ NASAMS launchers to Ukraine.

The overnight strike on Crimea on Nov. 10 resulted in the sinking of two Russian high-speed landing crafts, Ukraine's military intelligence confirmed. https://kyivindependent.com/military-intelligence-strike-on-crimea-sank-russian-landing-crafts/

⚡️Canada announces https://kyivindependent.com/canada-announces-new-sanctions-targeting-russian-propaganda/ new sanctions targeting Russian propagandists.

⚡️ Orban: 'EU must not start membership talks https://kyivindependent.com/orban-eu-must-not-start-membership-talks-with-ukraine/ with Ukraine.’ [I never thought a country would be more recalcitrant within the EU than Britain]

Ukraine will consider attacking Russia's oil and gas infrastructure in retaliation for strikes against Ukraine's electric system during winter, Energy Minister German Galushchenko told Politico in an interview Nov. 10. https://kyivindependent.com/energy-minister-ukraine-may-target-russian-oil-in-response-to-attacks-on-energy-grid/

⚡️IMF: Ukrainian economy shows signs https://kyivindependent.com/imf-ukrainian-economy-shows-signs-of-stronger-than-expected-recovery/ of 'stronger-than-expected' recovery.

⚡️Governor: Over 230 children evacuated https://kyivindependent.com/governor-over-230-children-evacuated-from-front-line-areas-of-kharkiv-oblast/ from Kupiansk district in Kharkiv oblast.

⚡️Russian media: Massive fire breaks out https://kyivindependent.com/russian-media-massive-fire-breaks-out-at-kotovsk-gunpowder-plant/ at Kotovsk gunpowder plant.

⚡️ Air Force: Russian missile launched at Kyiv downed by Patriot. https://kyivindependent.com/air-force-russian-missile-launched-at-kyiv-downed-by-patriot/

⚡️No more abortions https://kyivindependent.com/no-more-abortions-at-private-clinics-in-occupied-crimea-russian-proxies-say/ at private clinics in occupied Crimea, Russian proxies say. [can't have women aborting potential future Russians without the govt knowing and recording you]

A car belonging to a Russian policeman was blown up in occupied Mariupol, said Petro Andriushchenko, an adviser to the city’s exiled mayor, on Nov. 10. https://kyivindependent.com/official-car-bombing-targets-russian-policemen-in-occupied-mariupol/

Belarus ranks the lowest in Europe for rule of law in this year’s World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index.https://kyivindependent.com/belarus-weekly-belarus-ranks-lowest-in-europe-for-rule-of-law/

⚡️ Over 30,000 Ukrainian recruits receive training https://kyivindependent.com/uk-trained-30-000-ukrainian-recruits-on-its-soil/ in UK.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has led to 44% of Ukrainians experiencing being in their country's combat zone, according to a survey published by the Ukrainian polling NGO Reiting on Nov. 10 https://kyivindependent.com/poll-44-of-ukrainians-have-war-zone-experience/

⚡️ Finnish police say that anchor from Hong Kong shipping most likely cause of Baltic pipeline damage https://kyivindependent.com/finnish-police-say-that-anchor-from-hong-kong-shipping-most-likely-cause-of-baltic-pipeline-damage/ [Not Russian sabotage]

⚡️ Air Force: Ukraine downs 19 of 31 attack drones https://kyivindependent.com/air-force-ukraine-downs-19-of-31-attack-drones-launch-overnight/ launched overnight.

⚡️SBU: Spy sentenced to 15 years https://kyivindependent.com/sbu-collaborator-sentenced-to-15-years-in-prison-for-helping-russian-troops-navigate-route-to-kyiv/ in prison for helping Russian troops navigate route to Kyiv.

⚡️ Ambassador: None injured (https://kyivindependent.com/ambassador-no-injured-among-ukrainians-evacuated-from-gaza/) among Ukrainians evacuated from Gaza.

A French court has rejected an appeal from Ukraine's government to extradite Ukrainian oligarch Kostyantyn Zhevago due to procedural concerns, Reuters reported on Nov. 10, citing a court verdict the news agency had obtained. https://kyivindependent.com/media-french-court-rejects-ukraines-appeal-to-extradite-oligarch/

Dear fuck, the losses. 1100 dead, roughly 150 pieces of hardware, plus the two boats.

Ragnar Gudmundsson

WAR IN #UKRAINE - NOV 11
■ Strikes on both sides & engagements at a high level
■ Record high 7-day troop losses, 3rd highest daily losses
■ Equipment losses well above average, incl. 2 boats
■ KIU: +37 officers (5.3 per day in last 4 batches)

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

UAE and Türkiye consider measures to restrict re-exports of dual-use goods from the EU to Russia — Bloomberg.
According to Bloomberg, between January and July 2023, more than 20,000 firms exported dual-use goods to Russia worth about €7 billion. The vast majority of those companies were located in China and Hong Kong, followed by Türkiye, the UAE — accounting for 6% and 4% of the trades respectively — Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore and Vietnam.

The White House has confirmed a meeting between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in San Francisco on November 15. The discussions will cover the situation in Ukraine, Taiwan, and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
According to Politico, Biden is expected to urge Xi to leverage his influence with Tehran to prevent Iran and its proxies from escalating tensions in the Middle East.

In the Ryazan region, Russia, sabotage on the railway, a freight train derailed

Ukraine has received French 5th generation Akeron MP anti-tank missile systems, which can hit targets at a distance of up to 5 kilometres, — State Border Guard Service, with reference to French MP of the French National Assembly, Lionel Royer-Perreaut.

🇨🇿The Czech Ministry of Defense has released a classified list of equipment that was transferred to Ukraine. These are generally Soviet armaments.
Between February 2022 and October 2023, Ukraine received four Mi-24 Hind helicopters, 62 tanks, 13 self-propelled howitzers, 131 infantry fighting vehicles, and 128 mortars, as well as ammunition for them and handguns. The total cost of the provided military equipment — €241,5 million.
Some of the Czech equipment was taken from warehouses, and the rest was provided by armament companies.

Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhnyi reported that during a month of active assaults on Avdiivka, Ukrainian defenders successfully neutralized approximately 10,000 invaders, destroyed 7 Su-25 aircraft, and a significant amount of other military equipment.

The Chaklun unmanned reconnaissance complex empowers our soldiers to penetrate deep into the enemy's rear, locate headquarters, equipment accumulations, and personnel, and guide our artillery towards them.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Annalena Baerbock: Ukraine has gained significant experience in cyber defense, which NATO countries should adopt. Earlier, the head of the Department of Cyber and Information Security of the Security Service of Ukraine, Ilya Vitiuk, said that Ukraine has become a shield in cyberspace for the entire democratic world and is effectively countering Russian hackers.
“At this moment, our Ukrainian friends probably have more experience in cyber defense than all of us put together," said the head of the German Foreign Ministry. She recalled that on the day of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian hackers attacked the ViaSat communications network. As a result, renewable energy providers temporarily lost contact with more than 3,000 wind farms across Germany.

Ukraine has secured the second position in the ranking of countries with the highest level of charity, according to the latest data from the World Giving Index.
Five years ago, Ukraine held the 81st position, and in 2021, it has risen to the 20th place. [Russia by this chart is 102. Not quite sure how accurate it is, mind you]

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

In Kolomna, the Design Bureau of Machine Building, which produces, among other things, Kinzhal and Iskander missiles, was on fire. Meanwhile, in Kotovsk, an explosion and fire occurred in a shop at a gunpowder plant.

In temporarily occupied Berdiansk, a Russian commander shot dead a Russian soldier in front of his comrades.
According to soldiers, the murdered man was "an ordinary, decent man", and the reason for the shooting, as the commander said, was an alleged insult. The commander shot the soldier five times: one in the head and four in the chest.

Freight train derails in Russia - Russian media
Reportedly, the derailment of 19 cars occurred in the Razyan region "due to the interference of unauthorized persons"
According to Suspilne's sources, the "interference of unauthorized persons" took place as part of the GUR operation.
The goal is to complicate the military logistics of Russian troops in the area

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-november-10-2023

Key Takeaways:
**

• Ukraine’s Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) stated that Ukrainian surface attack drones sank two Russian Black Sea Fleet (BSF) small landing ships in occupied Crimea on November 10.
• Russian milbloggers continue to overreact to the Russian failure to push Ukrainian forces from positions in east (left) bank Kherson Oblast.
• Russian forces are launching significantly smaller and less frequent drone strikes against Ukraine in the past month than in previous months ahead of an anticipated large-scale winter strike campaign.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin again visited the Southern Military District (SMD) headquarters in Rostov-on-Don on November 10, possibly in an effort to portray himself as an involved wartime leader ahead of the upcoming presidential elections in March 2024.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin will reportedly hold his annual live “Direct Line” forum and annual press conference in tandem on December 14, and the event will likely serve to promote his presidential campaign.
• Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmitry Lubinets announced on November 10 that Bohdan Yermokhin, a 17-year-old Ukrainian whom Russian authorities forcibly deported from occupied Mariupol to Russia and attempted to conscript, will return to Ukraine.
• The United Kingdom-led Operation Interflex has achieved its goal of training 30,000 Ukrainian soldiers between June 2022 and December 2023.
• Russian forces conducted offensive operations on November 10 along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, near Bakhmut, near Avdiivka, west and southwest of Donetsk City, in western Donetsk Oblast, in the Donetsk-Zaporizhia Oblast border area, and in western Zaporizhia Oblast and advanced in some areas.
• Russian forces continue to struggle with low morale and poor discipline.
• Ukrainian Telegram channel Mariupol Resistance and Ukrainian Mariupol City Advisor Petro Andryushchenko reported on November 10 that Ukrainian partisans detonated a police car in occupied Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast.