Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the European Union has already issued eleven sanctions packages, the most recent last June. The attacked country appears grateful, but also repeatedly points out that the measures taken so far are not sufficient or are often circumvented. Zelenskyj also once again insisted on sanctions against the Russian nuclear industry.
Baerbock honors Jewish murder victims in Kyiv
5:25 p.m.: Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock commemorated the victims of the mass murder of the Jewish population under German occupation in Kiev in 1941. On the sidelines of the EU foreign ministers’ meeting, the Green politician visited the Babyn Yar memorial on Monday. At the central memorial, a large seven-branched candlestick, she lit a candle and remained silent for a long time. She was given a detailed tour of the site by memorial director Rosa Tapanova, but did not comment.
In the narrow gorge of Babyn Yar on the former outskirts of Kiev, the National Socialists shot dead on 29/30. September 1941 more than 33,000 Jewish men, women and children. In total, more than 100,000 people were murdered at the site during the German occupation in the Second World War – in addition to Jews, Ukrainians, Roma and representatives of other ethnic groups.
German arms exports are heading for a record
3:50 p.m.: German arms exports are heading for a record this year, primarily because of the billion-dollar arms deliveries to Ukraine. In the first three quarters, the federal government has already approved exports worth 8.76 billion euros, more than in the entire previous year (8.36 billion euros). By the end of the year, the record value from 2021 will most likely be exceeded. At that time, the grand coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD approved arms exports worth 9.35 billion euros in its last year in government.
According to statistics published on Monday by the Federal Ministry of Economics, Ukraine accounted for more than a third of the export permits, amounting to 3.3 billion euros. This means that export permits to the country attacked by Russia in February 2022 have more than quadrupled compared to the same period last year.
Zelenskyj: Cooperation with EU important for victory against Russia
2:45 p.m.: After a meeting with the EU foreign ministers in Kiev, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky underlined how important he believes the support of the Europeans is. A victory for Ukraine in the war against Russia depends on cooperation with the EU. Help in the area of defense is particularly important. The West has been supporting Ukraine since the beginning of the war, including by supplying weapons, but these are becoming increasingly controversial in some countries.
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Russia expects increasing war weariness in the West
2:19 p.m.: According to the Kremlin, Russia is relying on increasing fatigue in the West in supporting the country in its war of aggression against Ukraine. “We have repeatedly said before that, according to our forecasts, fatigue will set in with this conflict, and fatigue from this completely absurd sponsorship of the Kiev regime is increasing in various countries, including in the United States,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday according to Russian state news agency Tass.
“This fatigue will lead to a fragmentation of the political leadership and a growth of contradictions,” Peskov said. At the same time, the Kremlin spokesman said that the current discussions about the budget in the USA and a stop to fresh financial aid for Ukraine were only temporary phenomena. “Of course America will continue its involvement in this conflict and will be essentially drawn straight into it.” The US is by far Ukraine’s biggest supporter.
Elon Musk provokes on X – Ukrainian Parliament reacts
2:08 p.m: An exchange of blows broke out between the Ukrainian parliament and US billionaire Elon Musk after Musk made fun of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. You can read exactly what it’s about here.
Report: Record drone strikes on Ukraine in September
1:32 p.m.: Ukraine was attacked by Russia in September with a record number of drone strikes. In total, Russian troops fired 503 Shahed-136 drones into Ukraine, reports the Ukrainian online media “Defense Express”. The previous record was 413 drone attacks in May.
The Ukrainian military shot down 396 of the 503 drones – almost eight out of ten, writes “Defense Express”. This information cannot be independently verified.
Ukrainians hope for further military aid from the USA
Ukrainian grain exports fall by around 25 percent
12:01 p.m.: Ukraine has exported significantly less grain since the summer than a year ago. In the current 2023/24 season, which began in July, 6.68 million tons of grain have been exported so far, 25.8 percent less than in the same period last year, the Ministry of Agriculture reports.
No explanation is given for this. Traders and agricultural associations had recently cited the blockade of the Ukrainian Black Sea ports and Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports on the Danube as the main reasons for the emerging development.
Ukraine is holding talks about the threat of a stop to US aid
9.55 a.m.: Ukraine is trying to secure continued American aid for the defensive war against Ukraine through talks with the two major US parties. Against the background of a possible shutdown in the United States, a very in-depth discussion (…) is being held with the Republicans and the Democrats, said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Monday on the sidelines of a meeting with the foreign ministers of the EU states in Kiev. So far there is no feeling that the US commitments no longer stand.
“The United States understands that there is much more at stake in Ukraine than just Ukraine,” Kuleba said. It’s about the stability and predictability of the world and that’s why he is convinced that we will be able to find the necessary solutions. He thinks that what happened in Congress over the weekend was just an incident.
On Saturday, Congress passed an interim budget until mid-November, thus averting a so-called shutdown. However, the agreement does not contain any further support for Ukraine, which is being attacked by Russia. Here you can read more about it.
The Ukrainians are probably making progress here
9.10 a.m.: Ukraine appears to have made further progress in its counteroffensive. This is reported by the Institute of the Study of War (ISW), citing geolocal recordings from September 30th and October 1st. Accordingly, Ukrainian forces continued their counteroffensive at Bakhmut and made confirmed minor advances, approximately east and northeast of Andriivka (10 km southwest of Bakhmut).
The Russian Defense Ministry denied the advances. Accordingly, Ukrainian attacks were repelled near Klishchiyivka (7 km southwest of Bakhmut), Andriivka and Kurdjumivka (13 km southwest of Bakhmut).
As ISW reports, Russian forces continued their offensive operations in the region, but achieved no confirmed successes. Ukrainian Eastern Group spokesman Ilya Yevlash said Russian forces had concentrated over 10,000 troops in Bakhmut. The information cannot be independently verified.
Experts: Wagner units are a possible threat to Ukraine
9.05 a.m.: Western military experts see a possible new threat to Ukraine in the revival of the Russian Wagner private army under the control of the power apparatus in Moscow. Wagner, as a united and large formation with military equipment under the control of the Russian National Guard or the Ministry of Defense, could become a danger to Kiev, according to an analysis published by the US Institute for War Studies (ISW). Previous assessments that the army was not a threat after the death of its chief Yevgeny Prigozhin need to be corrected.
The ISW experts referred to sources close to Wagner, according to which Prigozhin’s son Pavel could also take over leadership of the units. Accordingly, Pavel Prigozhin should negotiate with the National Guard, which is subordinate to the presidential administration and has its own combat technology. Nevertheless, weapons, ammunition and logistics would have to be provided by the Ministry of Defense, it said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the former Wagner official and co-founder of the army, Andrei Troschev, to the Kremlin last week and commissioned him to form volunteer units. Putin had also emphasized that the units should primarily be used in the war against Ukraine. Under Prigozhin, the army repeatedly conquered areas in the neighboring country, including the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.
London: Russian naval aviation is gaining in importance
9 clock: According to British assessments, Russian naval aviation is becoming increasingly important in the war against Ukraine. Russia is also using naval air power in an attempt to control the northwest of the Black Sea in the face of Ukrainian attacks on the Russian navy, the British Ministry of Defense said on Monday.
The main task is probably the early identification of drone boats with which Ukraine has repeatedly attacked Russian ships. For this purpose, the naval aviators primarily used amphibious aircraft of the Be-12 Chaika type (NATO code: Mail). Attacks would be carried out with Sukhoi Su-24 bombers, including one most recently on the strategically important Snake Island in the west of the Black Sea.
The British Ministry of Defense has been publishing daily information on the course of the war since the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine began in February 2022. Moscow accuses London of disinformation.
