Russia’s Defense Ministry downplays claims made in an open letter apparently by members of the Russian Pacific Fleet’s 155th Marine Brigade that they were sent on an ‘incomprehensible offensive’ against Ukrainian forces near Donetsk .
The letter has been published on Gray Zone’s Telegram channela Russian military blog.
“As a result of the ‘carefully’ planned offensive by the ‘great generals’, we lost around 300 people in 4 days, killed, wounded and missing,” the letter reads. He adds that brigade commanders “call people fodder” and only care about their own careers.
Russian officials tacitly acknowledged the source of the letter but said it exaggerated the losses.
“For more than 10 days, units of the 155th Marine Brigade Pacific Fleet have been conducting effective offensive operations toward Uludar,” the Department of Defense said in a statement. units, the losses of the Marines over this period do not exceed 1% of the combat strength and 7% of the wounded, a significant part of which has already returned to service.”
Latest developments:
►Russia is strengthening its lines in all areas of occupation, likely in an effort to block any rapid Ukrainian advance in case troops break through Russian lines, the UK Ministry of Defense said in its latest assessment.
►Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press show a rapid expansion of a cemetery in southern Ukraine in the months following the capture of the port city of Mariupol by Russian forces. It is still not known how many people were buried there.
►Two civilians were seriously injured by the explosion of mines in the Kharkiv region, north-eastern Ukraine, where Ukraine has regained territory, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
►Russian-installed authorities in the partially occupied Kherson region said they had taken steps to evacuate residents ahead of planned Ukrainian advances.
Russia paid $141 million and 3 captured weapons for Iranian drones, report says
Russia acquired more than 160 Iranian drones in August in exchange for the current equivalent of $141 million in cash and three captured missiles – two of them American – destined for Ukraine, British Sky News reported.
If accurate, the report would provide further evidence of Iran selling drones during the war to Russia, which both countries have denied. Unmanned aerial vehicles were a major factor in Moscow’s assault on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and other civilian targets.
The unnamed security source quoted in the article said that Tehran and Moscow recently agreed on another delivery of drones worth around $200 million. The source added that Iran may try to copy technology from captured weapons for future use.
Zelenskky tells climate forum that Russia destroyed 5 million acres of Ukrainian forest
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told attendees of the COP27 climate conference on Tuesday that Russia’s invasion has resulted in the destruction of 5 million acres of forest in his country while dramatically increasing fossil fuel prices in the world. world.
“This has forced dozens of countries to resume coal-fired power generation to bring down energy prices for their people,” he said in a video address.
Zelenskyy said Russia’s “senseless and illegal war” prevents other countries from working together to tackle climate change, adding that military aggression like the one Ukraine is facing forces nations to stand together. focus on immediate protection at risk of longer-term threats.
“There can be no effective climate policy without peace on Earth,” he said.
India calls for peace but won’t stop buying Russian oil
While acknowledging the global impacts of the war in Ukraine, a conflict that Russia is largely funding through oil sales, India’s foreign minister said on Tuesday that his country benefits from buying that oil at favorable and had no intention of stopping.
S. Jaishankar urged the Kremlin to find a diplomatic solution to the war, but made it clear that India would not follow the path of Western countries that have reduced or halted Russian energy purchases to pressure Moscow to withdraws its forces from Ukraine.
Speaking in Moscow, where he was meeting his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, Jaishankar stressed that India is the world’s third largest consumer of oil and gas, adding: “Our fundamental obligation is to ensure that Indian consumers have the better access to the most advantageous products on international markets. And in that regard, quite honestly, the Indo-Russian relationship has worked to our advantage. So if it works to my advantage, I would like it to continue.
Zelenskyy makes rare speech for peace talks, on tough terms
Ukraine’s leader on Tuesday made a rare but contingency-laden pitch for peace talks with Russia, imploring the world to help “force Russia into real peace talks.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has once again accused Russia of failing to establish talks, saying his country’s repeated peace proposals have “always received insane Russian responses with new terrorist attacks, bombings or blackmail”. .
Zelenskyy’s demands for talks would likely result in a resounding no from the Kremlin – the return of all Russian-occupied lands to Ukrainian control, respect for the UN Charter, compensation for all war damage, punishment of every war criminal and a guarantee that Russia will not invade Ukraine again.
“These are completely understandable conditions,” Zelenskyy said.
Russia has repeatedly asserted its willingness to negotiate, but has rejected Ukraine’s terms.
US ambassador to UN visits Kyiv, pledges ‘unwavering’ support
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN, met with Zelenskyy and a group of farmers and grain processors in Kyiv, promising to push for an extension of a crucial transportation deal with the Russia which is due to expire next week. A Russian official said the Kremlin has yet to decide whether to renew the deal.
“This site has taken on added importance because Russian forces have attacked so many other Ukrainian grain facilities,” Thomas-Greenfield said in Kyiv, calling Ukraine “the breadbasket of the world.”
She also visited families of war victims, urging the world to hold Russia accountable for “atrocities”.
“The people of Ukraine have inspired the world with their extraordinary courage as they fight for their freedom and territorial integrity,” she said. “During my meeting with the President, I made it clear that the United States’ commitment to Ukraine is unwavering.”
North Korea denies selling arms to Russia
North Korea has denied claims that it is shipping artillery shells and ammunition to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby recently accused North Korea of secretly supplying a “significant amount” of ammunition to Russia. And secret nation factories produce uniforms for Russian soldiers, sources in North Korea say Radio Libre Asia.
Last week, Russia sent North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a train of 30 thoroughbred horses, opening the border with its neighbor for the first time in two and a half years.
Contributor: The Associated Press
