A quick housekeeping note: Rosie is still doing great. We went about 2/10ths of a mile farther this evening, her pace was much faster, and she was not dragging the last few tenths of a mile home. Thank you for all the good thoughts, well wishes, prayers, and donations to help cover her chemo.
As a result of Russia’s targeting Ukraine’s power generation and transmission system, which is a war crime, rolling blackouts have returned to Ukraine.
For the first time in months, rolling power outages and the growl of countless power generators emanating from Kyiv’s streets are back, following Russia’s massive missile and drone attack against Ukraine on Sunday.
Russia also targeted civilians and civilian infrastructure in Odesa early today. This is also a war crime.
Ukraine’s Zelensky said Russia launched a “barbaric” missile attack on Odesa, killing 8 people. “Innocent lives were lost & many people were injured—lives that could have been saved if we had the capability to destroy Russian launch systems, supply chains, arsenals, & war factories at their source.”
There are a lot if videos and still images of the aftermath of the strike bouncing around online and on social media, many from official Ukrainian sources. They are very graphic. I have seen them, you do not need to look for them or see them.
Russia also opened up on Sumy only hours after the previous genocidal strikes on civilians and civilian targets there.
Hours after a missile strike on a residential building in Sumy killed 10 civilians, including two children, and injured more than 50 people, russian forces launched another attack on the city, targeting infrastructure and plunging it into darkness.
President Zelenskyy did a battlefield circulation to Kupyansk and Pokrovsk today, which is where he delivered his address. Video below, English transcript after the jump.
The Strength of Our Entire Ukrainian Army Is the People Who Serve Faithfully and Steadfastly – Address by the President
18 November 2024 – 17:50
I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!
Today, I’m on the front line. Right now, in Kupyansk. Earlier, I was in Pokrovsk, visiting our brigades. I congratulated our men and women – our warriors – on Sergeant’s Day. Sergeants are the warriors without whom the effective work of officers and our units in general would be unimaginable. I am grateful to all sergeants who truly set an example for soldiers. The strength of our entire Ukrainian army is the people who serve – serve faithfully and steadfastly. Today, I had the honor of presenting state awards to the best of our warriors, those who have distinguished themselves in battle. I also received briefings from our commanders and updates on the security and social situation in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions. We are holding our positions! Thank you, warriors!
Volodymyr Zelenskyy Met with the Defenders of Kupyansk
18 November 2024 – 19:38
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the 14th separate mechanized brigade named after Prince Roman the Great to meet with the defenders of Kupyansk. He also held a meeting with Commander of the Starobilsk Operational-Tactical Group Serhiy Perets, Deputy Prime Minister for the Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Communities and Territories Development Oleksiy Kuleba, and Head of Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleh Syniehubov.
The Head of State received a briefing from Serhiy Perets on the operational situation in the area of responsibility of his group, including details about the recent repulsion of a Russian attempt to break through to Kupyansk and the capture of many of the attackers.
The parties also thoroughly discussed the brigades’ needs for drones and various sources of supplying them, including state resources and those of the brigades themselves. Special attention was given to enhancing the brigades’ capabilities in terms of drones and electronic warfare.
Additionally, the discussions covered the provision of heating and electricity to certain areas of the Kharkiv region, the evacuation of people, and the defense of the region against Russian guided aerial bombs.
The President spoke with the commander of the brigade, Yaroslav Sydorov, and the warriors of the 14th separate mechanized brigade named after Prince Roman the Great. He also honored the best sergeants from the Starobilsk Operational-Tactical Group with state awards, presenting defenders with the Orders “For Courage”, II-III class.
“I want to congratulate you on Sergeant’s Day and wish you health and victory. We thank your loved ones and families for supporting you. This is very important. Thank you to your parents for raising such worthy, brave, and strong Ukrainians. Please take care of yourselves,” the Head of State said.
Ukraine’s frontline today. President Zelenskyy visiting our heroes🇺🇦
«We are increasing the production of Ukrainian missiles. The first 100 this year have already been produced. Serial production of R-360 “Neptun” cruise missiles modified for hitting targets at longer distances has been successfully scaled up.» – Minister of Defence of Ukraine
UN calls for the protection of Russian civilians following reports of Biden’s authorization to launch ATACMS missiles against Russia, according to Representative of the Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric.It’s unbelievable how mixed up their
sense of cause and effect is. The world’s most influential organization calls to protect the aggressor’s side, effectively equating them with the victim. They imply that new defensive capabilities for Ukraine are a bad thing, instead of calling for the aggressor to stop the aggression.
Germany will supply Ukraine with 4,000 AI-powered attack drones, dubbed “minitaurs,” according to Bild. Resistant to Russian GPS jamming and electronic warfare, they boast a range four times greater than current kamikaze drones. Deliveries of hundreds monthly will begin in December.
“The German-Swedish air-launched Taurus missiles have a range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles), which is more than the ATACMS or Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles provided to Ukraine by the U.S., the U.K., and France.”
The German Greens’ candidate for chancellor, incumbent Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, told the ARD television channel on Nov. 17 that if elected, he would greenlight the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.
“The answer to this question is: yes!” said Habeck in response to a question about whether he would authorize the missiles’ delivery. The vice chancellor has served as the economy minister in a coalition government with Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats and, until recently, the FDP liberals.
Germany is heading toward snap elections on Feb. 23, 2025, after Scholz fired FDP’s Finance Minister Christian Lindner, leading to the coalition’s collapse.
German assistance to Ukraine, which has become a topic of the electoral campaign, is increasingly crucial amid fears that the U.S. might withdraw its support after Donald Trump’s recent election victory.
Berlin is Ukraine’s second-largest military donor under Scholz, but the chancellor has been adamant about not providing Taurus missiles, fearing it could draw his country into the war.
Habeck said in the interview that deciding on arms deliveries has been part of his job as the economy minister, adding that those “were some of the most difficult decisions (he) had to make.”
The German-Swedish air-launched Taurus missiles have a range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles), which is more than the ATACMS or Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles provided to Ukraine by the U.S., the U.K., and France.
Friedrich Merz, the chancellor candidate of the opposition center-right CDU/CSU alliance, also said he would allow the delivery of Taurus missiles but only after issuing an ultimatum to Russian President Vladimir Putin and lifting restrictions on already provided arms.
CDU/CSU is currently leading the polls with 33%, followed by the Russian-friendly, far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) with 18%, the Social Democrats at 16%, and the Greens with 11%.
Habeck is unlikely to become Chancellor, but he’s got the right idea.
The Baltic Sea:
/1. Immediately two communication cables were damaged in the Baltic Sea. First one between Finland and Germany. Second between Sweden and Lithuania.
/2. Finland-German cable is believed to have broken due to an external force such as anchoring or bottom trawling. The cable is almost 1,200 kilometers long and runs near the Nord Stream gas pipeline. It’s the only one between Finland and Central Europe. www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-…
/3. Sweden-Lithuania cable was cut on Sunday morning, at around 10:00. The systems immediately reported that. Internet connection to Lithuania runs through three cables, which means that the internet bandwidth was reduced by one-third due to the incident. www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-e…
/4. Earlier, US warned about increased Russian military activity around key undersea cables in Baltics and increasing risk of Russian ‘sabotage’ of key undersea cables. edition.cnn.com/2024/09/06/p…
Kursk: Russia Prepares Airfields for the Impact
The announcement permitting Ukraine to strike inside Russia with ATACMS came just yesterday, but evidence suggests Russia has been fortifying the Kursk military airbase since early October. Analysis from Frontelligence Insight🧵:
2/ Satellite imagery shows new aircraft revetments being built, expanding the airfield’s capacity for jets. Both the new and existing revetments are being reinforced with what appears to be concrete blocks for added protection.
3/ The changes are clearly visible when compared to imagery of the same airfield spot from 2022. These newly built revetments offer limited protection, primarily against shrapnel and shockwaves, aiming to minimize damage from missile or drone strikes in the vicinity
4/ The presence of concrete blocks at the construction site indicates ongoing efforts to reinforce the revetments. It’s unclear whether the Russians plan to add roof coverage or focus solely on strengthening the walls.
5/ Since the permission to strike was leaked and publicly announced, it is likely to reduce the impact of strikes. While similar construction activities have been observed at only one other airfield so far, our team expects this trend to extend to additional airfields soon.
6/ With the risk of future ATACMS shipments from the U.S. being cut off, Ukraine must be very wise in target selection and timing. In areas with heavy air defense, multiple missile launches may be needed for a few successful strikes – something Ukraine cannot afford
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Russian drone struck an apartment building in Sumy region, killing at least one person, injuring god knows how many.
This happens every day across Ukraine for 1000 days
Editor’s note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Russia launched multiple missile attacks on the city of Sumy overnight on Nov. 18.
Regional authorities reported that a Russian ballistic missile hit a residential building in Sumy around 9:30 p.m. local time, killing 11 people. At least 89 people were injured in the overnight attacks, including 11 children.
Among those killed were a 9-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl, authorities said.
Later in the evening a second Russian missile struck energy infrastructure around 12:30 a.m. local time on Nov. 18, leaving parts of the city without power.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the initial attack on Telegram.
“A rocket attack on a nine-story building in Sumy. We know about the dead and wounded, including children. My condolences to the families and friends. The criminal must be punished for killing innocent people,” he said.
The rocket also hit the yard of the building, causing extensive damage and leaving surrounding homes without windows, the city’s acting mayor, Artem Kobzar, said.
Emergency services are continuing to assist the victims, as local media report the ongoing impact of the attack.
Shelling is a daily occurrence for the communities near Ukraine’s northeastern border with Russia, with residents in the region’s vulnerable border settlements experiencing multiple attacks per day.
The attack on Sumy follow alarge-scale attack on energy infrastructure across the country the night prior, leaving at least seven civilians dead and at least 19 injured across multiple regions.
Odesa:
Video of shot down Russian missile falling on residential area of Odesa today: Ten people have been reported killed and 47 injured. The fatalities included seven police officers, a medic, and two civilian residents, Kyiv Independent reports.
Editor’s note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Russian forces launched a ballistic missile attack against the port city of Odesa on Nov. 18, killing and injuring people.
Ten people have been reported killed, and 55 others injured, with 30 hospitalized. Three of the wounded remain in critical condition, according to Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper.
The fatalities included seven police officers, a medic, and two civilian residents.
Among the injured were at least 14 law enforcement officers and four children, two of them aged 7, 10, and two 11-year-olds. Local authorities declared Nov. 19 a day of mourning in Odesa, Kiper said.
“Russia treacherously aimed a missile at a residential building, an area of business activity,” Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said on Telegram shortly after the attack.
Later on, Ukraine’s Air Force clarified that Russia launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile around noon, which was downed by air defenses.
“Unfortunately, the downed missile fell into the residential sector of the city’s Prymorskyi district,” the statement read. Russia reportedly launched a reconnaissance Orlan drone at 11:45 a.m. local time, followed by the missile attack at 11:57 a.m.
A parking lot, a residential building, a university, and an administrative building were damaged in the attack, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“After calls and meetings with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, after false media gossip about ‘refraining’ from strikes, Russia shows what it is really interested in: only war,” Zelensky said.
The attack occurred shortly after Russia launched one of its largest mass strikes against Ukraine on Nov. 17 and deadly missile attacks against the city of Sumy overnight on Nov. 18.
Odesa, lying on the Black Sea coast in southern Ukraine, is home to some 1 million residents. The port city has been repeatedly targeted throughout the full-scale war.
Kherson:
#Kherson Today, Russian drones:
destroyed 2 ambulances in an Oncological hospital
hit a gas station
Russian artillery struck:
a puppet theater,
killed a man, 46
Yesterday,
4 killed, 10 injured.
19 settlements hit in the Kherson region
My 🎥 report for the last 24 hours from my neighborhood
During today’s massive Russian missile attack on Ukraine, Russians attempted to destroy the Kremenchuk Reservoir dam on the Dnipro river. The dam severely is damaged.
Marines from the 37th Marine Brigade, backed by an American Oshkosh M-ATV’s heavy machine gun, storm enemy positions near Kurakhove. The Oshkosh blasts a dugout holding Russian troops as the marines conduct a sweep, with the vehicle delivering the final strike near Hihant, Donetsk region.
For the amateur vexillologists in this thread (I assume none of us are professionals) an interesting image. The opening frame of Z’s speech shows him standing in front of the town/region of Kupyansk sign with three flags behind him. The one on the right I assume you recognize. The one on the left appears to be the flag of Kupyansk Raion (region.) It’s the one in the center that’s interesting, as it is the flag of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (known by its initials in Ukrainian, UPA.) The UPA was the military wing of the OUN, Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, and was engaged in violent resistance to (variously) Nazi German, Polish and Soviet russian occupation during and after WWII, in some cases until the mid-1950’s. But it was primarily a Western Ukrainian organization, engaged in little or no activity in the Kharkiv area, so while those flags are common, maybe ubiquitous in Halychyna or Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts, seeing it near Kharkiv is somewhat surprising. In recent years, that flag has become relatively dissociated from OUN/UPA and is viewed as a generically nationalistic marker.
@Gin & Tonic: Red and black, or red and dark green? I noticed the two unfamiliar flags but assumed most of the esteemed readers here would know whom they represented. Thanks for your expertise.
While I am glad that Ukraine now has ability to properly use the weapons US has sent, it is a shame that it took so many deaths before that could happen.
Now! the UN is crying about civilian deaths in Russia; what about the years of death, destruction and injuries in Ukraine?
Adam L Silverman
It was a very long day. I’m going to get cleaned up and rack out.
Everyone is most welcome.
Gin & Tonic
For the amateur vexillologists in this thread (I assume none of us are professionals) an interesting image. The opening frame of Z’s speech shows him standing in front of the town/region of Kupyansk sign with three flags behind him. The one on the right I assume you recognize. The one on the left appears to be the flag of Kupyansk Raion (region.) It’s the one in the center that’s interesting, as it is the flag of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (known by its initials in Ukrainian, UPA.) The UPA was the military wing of the OUN, Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, and was engaged in violent resistance to (variously) Nazi German, Polish and Soviet russian occupation during and after WWII, in some cases until the mid-1950’s. But it was primarily a Western Ukrainian organization, engaged in little or no activity in the Kharkiv area, so while those flags are common, maybe ubiquitous in Halychyna or Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts, seeing it near Kharkiv is somewhat surprising. In recent years, that flag has become relatively dissociated from OUN/UPA and is viewed as a generically nationalistic marker.
Jay
Thank you, Adam.
YY_Sima Qian
@Gin & Tonic: Thanks for the explanation!
KatKapCC
@Gin & Tonic: Very interesting, thank you!
wombat probability cloud
@Gin & Tonic: Red and black, or red and dark green? I noticed the two unfamiliar flags but assumed most of the esteemed readers here would know whom they represented. Thanks for your expertise.
Gin & Tonic
@wombat probability cloud: Red and black.
AlaskaReader
Thanks Adam
karen gail
While I am glad that Ukraine now has ability to properly use the weapons US has sent, it is a shame that it took so many deaths before that could happen.
Now! the UN is crying about civilian deaths in Russia; what about the years of death, destruction and injuries in Ukraine?