(Image by NEIVANMADE)
Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.
To endure the winter and deliver a powerful rebuff to Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities is the focus of all efforts now – President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s address
13 October 2023 – 19:30
I wish you good health, dear Ukrainians!
Today is a working day in our city, Odesa.
The visit of Mark Rutte, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, and his team. Our negotiations. There is a decision regarding missiles for the ‘Patriots’ – the Netherlands is providing additional missiles. Today, we also discussed with Mark other joint steps for Ukraine’s defense.
Particular attention to the defense of Odesa, our entire South – from the Danube ports to the ports of Greater Odesa. We discussed the protection of our export corridors in the Black Sea. The world recognizes Ukraine’s global role as a guarantor of food security. It firmly supports the need to preserve and enhance our significance in this issue.
The social stability of many countries directly depends on Ukraine’s strength.
Today, we were in the port of Odesa. We received briefings from military and government officials about our unity with the world market and the protection of the Ukrainian Black Sea waters. I held a meeting regarding the situation in Odesa region with law enforcement leaders, regional authorities, and military leadership. The key focus is, of course, preparation for winter, safeguarding the energy sector, and rebuilding what was destroyed by Russian attacks. I am grateful to everyone who is working to ensure the safety of our people. The work of everyone in the government system and our diplomats is currently aimed at enduring the winter and delivering a powerful rebuff to Russian attacks on the city of Odesa, Odesa region, the cities of the region, and the entire Ukraine. More protection will be provided to our state.
Today, I had the honor of visiting our warriors who are recovering from injuries. Together with Mark, we spent time with them and talked to them. I presented state awards to the military and the doctors who are helping them.
I met with the cadets of the Military Academy in Odesa. A great conversation. Thank you, guys, for your attention and your questions. Boys and girls – you’re doing great.
Today, in Odesa, I addressed the participants of the meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force – a format of regional cooperation in northern Europe. The United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Norway. The meeting took place on the Swedish island of Gotland, which is a significant signal, a very symbolic place for leaders to discuss the security of Europe and the long-term reliable defense of our countries and people. Looking at the map, one can immediately understand why Russian state propagandists called for the capture of this island. Gotland is control over the entire region, and Russia is also trying to destabilize this region. When I addressed the Swedish Parliament in 2022, at the beginning of the full-scale war, I spoke precisely about how important it is to be strong for everyone in Europe, in all parts of the continent, in every such strategic point like Gotland, which determines common security. By the way, I’m grateful for the joint statement of the leaders of the Joint Expeditionary Force today. It’s a strong statement. Support of Ukraine, especially in our path to NATO and clear condemnation of Russian aggression. And the readiness to assist us as needed to win the war.
Thank you!
And a few more things.
Today, we signed a Protocol with Moldova regarding joint border control at the Kuchurhan – Novosavitskaya railway crossing point. This is another route for our exports, an additional transport corridor that will undoubtedly strengthen our entire region. Thank you, Moldova!
I also want to thank our warriors today – those who defend our skies. Especially in the southern part of the country. Our firing groups. The 13th Separate Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun Battalion, the 5th National Guard Brigade, and the 14th Radio Technical Brigade. Thank you, warriors!
Glory to all who is fighting for Ukraine! Thank you to everyone who is helping us! Thank you, Mark, for your visit and today’s negotiations, for all your support!
And thank you, Odesa! We will definitely rebuild everything that Russia has destroyed.
Glory to Ukraine!
President Zelenskyy also addressed the Joint Expeditionary Force Conference. Video below followed by the English transcript.
We need reliable geopolitical stability in Europe and in the whole Euro-Atlantic space – address of the President of Ukraine to the leaders of the countries of the Joint Expeditionary Force
13 October 2023 – 13:50
Dear Ulf, Mr. Prime Minister,
I can see Rishi, I see Mette, I’m sorry I can’t see everybody but I’m happy and I know that all of you and your nations with us. Thank you so much for all this time that you supported and support us.
Dear colleagues! I am glad to greet all of you! And I am glad that this format of cooperation – Joint Expeditionary Force – is effective and becoming stronger.
Now is the time for collective efforts.
It does not mean that capabilities of one nation are too weak. It means that the task we face is too big. We need reliable geopolitical stability in Europe and, more broadly, in the whole Euro-Atlantic space.
So, we need new collective forms of cooperation and strengthening of existing ones.
Because we see what modern aggressions and terrorist attacks are. If an enemy of freedom has significant resources and boundless cynicism – like Russia, like Hamas, like other terrorists – then free nations need a really full-scale defense… Fast, as flexible as possible, not limited by outdated procedures and one that can be maintained – as long as is needed.
In our Euro-Atlantic space we have NATO. Mainly. But not all democratic nations are engaged into this form of defense.
That is why Ukraine, being on the road to NATO, is developing a system of security guarantees. And I thank those of you who joined us in this process. Geopolitical stability is the basic element for all other forms of stability. Can a nation alone guarantee geopolitical stability for itself? Definitely not. Can the main Alliance existing on our continent, NATO, do this? Yes, but only if its members know how to be allies.
Regional formats of cooperation give this very practice – knowledge of being allies. In one or another area. At one or another historical distance.
Knowledge of being allies is not gained easily. It does not come automatically.
It is not a consequence of a formal decision to join the Alliance. It is day-to-day cooperation.
These are also our coalitions – defense coalitions that help us to stand against Russia.
The capabilities of large alliances grow on the basis of meaningful local cooperation.
Currently we are working on creating new formats of cooperation and strengthening the existing ones in our region – the Black Sea region.
I visited Bucharest, and at the meeting with President Iohannis we agreed that the relations between our states, Ukraine and Romania, deserve the level of strategic partnership.
We are also working effectively in the Ukraine-Moldova-Romania triangle.
In particular, in logistical cooperation – for the export of food produced in Ukraine, which is critically important for the food security of the world. This also has potential for the energy industry of our countries – for energy independence from Russia. We have a common understanding of security challenges as well.
Ukraine has extremely important cooperation with Bulgaria and Türkiye.
We all have to remember that joint security and development of the economy, infrastructure in the Black Sea region are some of the keys to the geopolitical stability of entire Europe.
New security perspectives will also emerge due to changes in the South Caucasus region neighbouring the Black Sea. This will add potential to our joint security here, in our part of Europe. Especially when thanks to our defense from Russian aggression, new prospects will open for Georgia – to restore its territorial integrity.
All of us are now at a historical turning point. We have only two options.
Either terrorist Russia will succeed in breaking freedom. And then the zone of geopolitical instability, which exists in the east of Europe, will spread throughout the continent. Or thanks to many levels and formats of cooperation, in particular regional ones, thanks to our common protection of freedom – Russia will lose in this confrontation. After it has lost, and as a result, a historic chance for geopolitical stability along the entire line from Scandinavia through Minsk and Kyiv to the South Caucasus will be realized.
Did previous generations have such a chance? Honestly, they didn’t have. Because Russia has always kept the potential for destabilization. But now – we have it. And we have to use it. I am sure we will.
Dear leaders!
Now, before winter comes, we should all focus firstly on hybrid terrorist threats from Russia. We saw last year what the Kremlin was betting on, namely strikes on the energy infrastructure to destroy the basis of modern life. We predict that this winter Russia will try to repeat its terror tactics, only on a larger scale.
It is important now to be ready for any terrorist attacks, for any Russian actions. We must stand this battle. Air defense, namely the defence of our cities, our energy infrastructure and export corridors in the Black Sea, is the key to winning the winter battle for Ukraine. And I thank those of you who have helped all of us to protect our skies against Russian missiles, drones and against Russian jets. The Kremlin must begin to get used to its losses, and the loss of the second winter, the loss of its energy terror will definitely give strength to all of us – it will be easier to lead Russia with losses in the future.
But for this we still need to work together – much more! – at the global level, at the regional levels, and in bilateral, of course, format. So that after this winter, we will be able to record – on the basis of our cooperation, of our common efforts, our joint victory is gradually growing and, thanks to it, the establishment of geopolitical stability in the entire Great East of Europe is approaching – real, reliable one.
And it will be so.
Thank you for your support, invitation, thanks for everything!
Слава Україні!
Dutch PM Rutke visited Ukraine today and President Zelenskyy took him to visit Odesa:
Russia will try to crush Ukraine’s infrastructure this winter. The Netherlands is stepping up with additional Patriot missiles to bolster Ukraine’s defense. Dutch PM Mark Rutte is visiting Odesa seaport, hit in a recent missile attack 🇳🇱 🇺🇦💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/bYUDDtHLBZ
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) October 13, 2023
The Netherlands is also sending more Patriot batteries:
🇺🇦 is grateful to 🇳🇱
More Patriot missiles will help our defenders to protect people and energy infrastructure. https://t.co/MYipWqeJUL— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) October 13, 2023
Once there was a classroom full of students in Kherson. russia destroyed it.
📸: Oleksandr Spivakovskiy pic.twitter.com/9cBoqAJEcE
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) October 13, 2023
As I noted yesterday, Avdiivka appears to be where the Russians have decided to throw a lot of resources at the Ukrainians. And by resources I mean a lot of bodies that are getting ground up.
Some observations:
1) I don't think this is a diversion or fixing action
2) I think Russia also wants to make gains before the mud season
3) This seems to be a multi-battalion operation. This indicates Russia thinks it has enough forces to prevent a further Ukrainian breakthrough https://t.co/QO8sL4l8U4— Rob Lee (@RALee85) October 12, 2023
Here’s the rest of the thread Rob Lee is quote tweeting:
Footage from Ukraine’s 53rd Mechanized Brigade of ATGM (some look like Javelins) and FPV strikes on Russian armor in the Avdiivka area from yesterday. 3/https://t.co/sRNoUQQveghttps://t.co/zo76ubssbohttps://t.co/iA1064R3kz pic.twitter.com/HETWSqvmo8
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) October 11, 2023
More footage from Ukraine’s 53rd Mechanized Brigade from yesterday. 5/https://t.co/sRNoUQQveghttps://t.co/FKsYLCjW2u pic.twitter.com/a6YYrvhMlg
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) October 11, 2023
More footage from Ukraine’s 53rd Mechanized Brigade. 7/https://t.co/erQjaLAnp6https://t.co/uqdDeMquml pic.twitter.com/c1Ufvby8w1
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) October 11, 2023
Video of Russian Mi-28 attack helicopters launching ATGMs on the Avdiivka front with a Mi-8. One Russian source claims they're Mi-28NM launching LMUR, though it doesn't look like they have the rotor mast mounted radar. 9/https://t.co/YF8ruvrRrxhttps://t.co/YrNtQg6IQL pic.twitter.com/bVLkljwoJ3
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) October 12, 2023
Another video from Ukraine's 53rd Mechanized Brigade showing a Russian tank hitting a mine. 11/https://t.co/N7upEw7J9A pic.twitter.com/dDPDVytpcV
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) October 12, 2023
More footage from the Avdiivka front, including from 2 days ago. The first from Ukraine’s 129th Territorial Defense Brigade shows the aftermath of the same T-80BVM tank loss from earlier in my thread. 13/https://t.co/w6lvx0ZW6rhttps://t.co/zo76ubt00Whttps://t.co/Hy3cbVdwWj pic.twitter.com/ZEvyoKKxRs
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) October 12, 2023
Avdiivka.
A destroyed Russian vehicle burns out. pic.twitter.com/OkHPyJAz1M— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) October 13, 2023
Two more Russian BMPs destroyed on the Avdiivka front. https://t.co/4Bn5bgLDDa pic.twitter.com/oXF06bYdHt
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) October 13, 2023
From Kyiv in 3 days to a "deficit in body bags in Donetsk": Russian volunteer urgently needs help with purchasing corpse bags for soldiers currently assaulting in Avdiivka. They also need food, but this must only come in closed packages, because "you don't know if someone's going… pic.twitter.com/w6x00g69y5
— Dmitri (@wartranslated) October 13, 2023
From Kyiv in 3 days to a “deficit in body bags in Donetsk”: Russian volunteer urgently needs help with purchasing corpse bags for soldiers currently assaulting in Avdiivka. They also need food, but this must only come in closed packages, because “you don’t know if someone’s going to add something to it”.
Also yesterday. Russian columns in the battle of Avdiivka under heavy Ukrainian artillery shelling. pic.twitter.com/DqEM2N4xf5
— Dmitri (@wartranslated) October 13, 2023
What appears to be a fairly reasonable explanation of the Avdiivka situation from the Russian source. Essentially, the northern wing of the encirclement achieved some goals quickly, but in the south, they bogged down, and Ukrainians reacted accordingly. The quick attempt to… pic.twitter.com/TVW6ltdgqu
— Dmitri (@wartranslated) October 13, 2023
What appears to be a fairly reasonable explanation of the Avdiivka situation from the Russian source. Essentially, the northern wing of the encirclement achieved some goals quickly, but in the south, they bogged down, and Ukrainians reacted accordingly. The quick attempt to encircle Avdiivka failed and sides switched to the more familiar “battles for forester’s huts”.
Just north of Avdiivka:
A Russian assault repelled at Krasnohorivka (north of Avdiivka)
(vid by DeepState): https://t.co/top0GyaHJC pic.twitter.com/Qv0qgbXAny— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) October 13, 2023
Avdiivka in 3 days: Girkin's friend and a fascist Yuriy Yevich is appealing to his readers with medical skills to take leave and come to Donetsk/Horlivka due to a critical lack of medics in local hospitals.https://t.co/xhyFnWUoMe pic.twitter.com/IFgf2Z668m
— Dmitri (@wartranslated) October 13, 2023
Between Horlivka & Yasynuvata:
/2. The gun is MT-12, not Msta. Plus two MT-LB were destroyed at the location https://t.co/i6MW5ght8O
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) October 13, 2023
Here’s the full text of the first tweet in the thread:
New details about the strike on bridge between Horlivka and Yasynuvata. The new video shows destroyed Russian T-80 and 2A65 “Msta-B” 152.4mm howitzer, in Addition to the previously known 3-STS Akhmat. So the strike was made when a Russian military column moved through this area.
https://t.me/russianocontext/866
Kopani, Zaporizhzhia Oblast:
Assault on Russian positions near Kopani, Zaporizhzhia front
By the 2nd Assault Battalion of the 128th Brigade of Ukraine https://t.co/i1SxnLrRJp pic.twitter.com/8iU29ulENP— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) October 13, 2023
Russian occupied Sevastapol, Crimea:
Sea babies reportedly took on two Russian warships 'Buyan' and 'Pavel Derzhavin' in Sevastopol Bay. That's what you get when you spend all your money on superyachts for your oligarchs. pic.twitter.com/v1hOEQO6Hs
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) October 13, 2023
For you drone enthusiasts:
Mastery in every detail.
FPV drone destroy an enemy tank.📹: @SOF_UKR pic.twitter.com/kS1UHtZ4wk
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) October 13, 2023
/2. If you look close enough you can see an approaching FPV drone before the explosion pic.twitter.com/8rKAf2wQK0
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) October 13, 2023
We have an F-16 update!
Ukrainian pilots are expected to begin training to fly the F-16 fighter jet at an Air National Guard base in Tuscon, Arizona, next week, according to four U.S. officials. The pilots will first learn the basics of operating the F-16 in simulators – Politicohttps://t.co/lijLaM8xN0 pic.twitter.com/Up2akZ5tsV
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) October 13, 2023
From Politico:
Ukrainian pilots are expected to begin training to fly the F-16 fighter jet at an Air National Guard base in Tuscon, Ariz., next week, according to four U.S. officials.
A small number of pilots, who arrived in the United States last month to participate in an English language course at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, have passed their first test for English proficiency and are headed to Morris Air National Guard Base in Arizona, according to one of the officials, who like the others were granted anonymity to speak ahead of an announcement. There, they will train with the 162nd Wing, the main F-16 training hub for the Air Force, two of the officials said.
The pilots will first learn the basics of operating the F-16 in the classroom and in simulators before moving on to flying the actual jets, as is typical for any Air Force pilot training program. However, the course may be accelerated due to the urgent need to get them back to the battlefield, the first official said.
The group of Ukrainian pilots has been participating in an English language program at the Defense Language Institute English Language Center at Lackland, said Air Force spokesperson Rose Riley.
“Testing will determine their next courses and when the pilots would be able to commence F-16 training. Training location options are still being considered at this time,” Riley said.
The news comes as the U.S. announced on Wednesday that it will head up a coalition of countries training Ukrainian pilots and crew to operate and maintain the F-16s, alongside the Netherlands and Denmark. So far, 11 countries have signed up to help with the training, while the Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium will donate aircraft.
During a press conference in Brussels earlier this week, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the F-16s would arrive on the battlefield next spring at the earliest.
More at the link!
That’s enough for today.
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Open thread!
War for Ukraine Day 597: President Zelenskyy Takes Dutch PM Rutke To Visit OdesaPost + Comments (44)