Ukraine Now Needs to Develop the Internal Strengthening Plan, Which Will Also Guarantee Unity – President’s Address

24 October 2024 – 19:00

I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!

Today, our Crimea Platform, its parliamentary dimension, is in session. I am grateful to Ruslan Stefanchuk and everyone involved in organizing the event. With more than seventy participating delegations, the platform is well-represented. This year, the platform is taking place in Latvia. Today, I addressed the summit participants and called on them to support the Victory Plan. I know that the Plan’s points have been discussed thoroughly and in detail. It is crucial that we work with our partners not only at the highest political level for the Plan’s implementation but also across all political and societal levels. It is very important to stay united and communicate our motives, needs, and ability to steer this war towards a just end as clearly as possible to the world. I would also like to highlight that today, the Crimea Platform focused heavily on the points of our Peace Formula, particularly the point on territorial integrity and implementation of the UN Charter. Today, on United Nations Day, it is important that the world does not forget about the goals and principles of the UN Charter and the purpose of creating this organization. Even though some of its officials may prioritize temptations in Kazan over the content of the UN Charter, our world is built in such a way that the rights of nations and the norms of international law do, and will continue to, matter. I thank everyone who is helping Ukraine in this regard. I also participated in the meeting of the Presidium of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities today. I called for the same level of engagement with the Victory Plan at the community level as we have at the state level. Connections between regions, communities, and cities are crucial in ensuring that the societies of other countries understand what Ukraine is capable of and how we can bring peace closer. Together.

And one more thing.

Today, I held a Staff meeting. As always, there were many different issues discussed. I want to focus on a special assignment to the members of the Staff and other officials. Right now, Ukraine needs to develop an internal Strengthening Plan. A plan that, together with the Victory Plan, will provide Ukraine with the right solutions to all the challenges of this year and next year. The Victory Plan is aimed at our partners – at their certainty regarding Ukraine’s place in the security architecture, whether they are ready for Ukraine to win, and whether the partners want to see the post-war security system really reliable. The Victory Plan – if carried out by our partners – will provide all the answers. And it’s clear that there’s also an internal part to this work. Positions on the frontline and in the rear. What needs strengthening. The issue of justice in Ukraine, which is especially pressing. Our economy – our jobs, the development of industries that are critical for Ukraine. Protection against Russian disinformation. Social protection for people. Many areas require clear answers – what steps we are taking and who is responsible for implementing specific steps. This internal Strengthening Plan will also guarantee Ukraine’s unity. When you work for the state, you feel that you are with the state, alongside millions of others who want Ukraine to win. That’s how it should be.

Thank you to everyone who stands with Ukraine! Glory to all our people!

Glory to Ukraine!

Yemen:

“Russia provided targeting data for Yemen’s Houthi rebels as they attacked Western ships in the Red Sea with missiles and drones earlier this year, helping the Iran-backed group assault a major artery for global trade and further destabilizing the region.” https://t.co/qaDMRGk2RF

— Michael Weiss (@michaeldweiss) October 24, 2024

From The Wall Street Journal: (emphasis mine)

Russia provided targeting data for Yemen’s Houthi rebels as they attacked Western ships in the Red Sea with missiles and drones earlier this year, helping the Iranian-backed group assault a major artery for global trade and further destabilizing the region.

The Houthis, which began their attacks late last year over the Gaza war, eventually began using Russian satellite data as they expanded their strikes, said a person familiar with the matter and two European defense officials. The data was passed through members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who were embedded with the Houthis in Yemen, one of the people said.

The assistance, which hasn’t been previously reported, shows how far Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to go to undermine the U.S.-led Western economic and political order. Russia, in this case, supported the Iran-backed Houthis, which the U.S. designates as a terrorist group, as they carried out a series of attacks in one of the world’s most heavily traveled shipping routes.

More broadly, Russia has sought to stoke instability from the Middle East to Asia to create problems for the U.S., analysts say. The widening conflict in the Middle East, triggered by last year’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel, has absorbed resources and attention at a time when Washington has sought to focus on the threats from Russia and China.

“For Russia, any flare up anywhere is good news, because it takes the world’s attention further away from Ukraine and the U.S. needs to commit resources—Patriot systems or artillery shells—and with the Middle East in play, it’s clear where the U.S. will choose,” said Alexander Gabuev, director of Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, a think tank based in Berlin.

A spokesman for the Russian government didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. A Houthi spokesman declined to comment.

In the Middle East, the Russian assistance underscores a tectonic shift in its strategy. Putin has strengthened ties with Iran, while turning a cold shoulder to his longstanding relationship with Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel has engaged in a growing conflict with Iran and the militias it backs in the region, such as Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. Putin has criticized the U.S. and Israel over the Gaza conflict. On Thursday, he said the region was on the brink of a full-scale war.

The attacks caused major disruptions to global trade, as shippers diverted vessels for a period south around the Cape of Good Hope, a longer and more expensive voyage. Almost 1-in-10 barrels of oil shipped every day worldwide transit through Bab al-Mandab, the strait that separates the Red Sea from the Indian Ocean. The tanker traffic through that route was 77% lower in August 2024 compared with October 2023, according to Windward, a maritime-intelligence company.

The U.S. vowed to protect the international shipping lanes, and in December of last year launched a multinational naval coalition to escort ships traveling through the strait. By April, the U.S. had spent some $1 billion on munitions to knock out Houthi drones and missiles and protect shipping in the Red Sea. The U.S. has since gone further and earlier this month sent B-2 Spirit bombers to strike Houthi arsenals.

The U.S. has been concerned that Russia could escalate the situation further by providing the Houthis with Russian antiship or antiair missiles that could threaten the U.S. military’s efforts to protect ships in the region, but there is so far no evidence that Russia has done so.

Earlier this month, Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who had recently been released from a U.S. prison in a prisoner swap with Moscow was trying to broker the sale of about $10 million worth of automatic small arms to the Houthis, The Wall Street Journal has reported. It was unclear whether the sale had been initiated or blessed by the Kremlin.

Since the Houthis started attacking vessels connected to Israel and its allies almost a year ago, most vessels undertaking the dangerous crossing near their territories have started switching off their radio signals, complicating efforts to track them. Once a vessel goes dark, its live movements can only be continuously accessed through high-quality satellite imaging. Commercially available satellite services tend to suffer gaps in coverage and delays in transmission.

Tankers carrying Russian oil cargoes exported, including by Kremlin-connected Rosneft, have been attacked by the Houthis on several occasions. But these shipments are carried out through a so-called “ghost fleet” owned by shell companies to evade sanctions whose Russian connection is only known by a close circle of Russian oil officials and market players.

North Korean Special Forces fighting for Russia against Ukraine. Russia using Iranian and North Korean weapons. Russia helping the Houthis use force to close down global shipping.

Could be a world war waged by Russia?

Many Western officials, media, and even high-level government politicians, such as United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin himself, are trying their best to push the narrative toward “oh, Putin is in big trouble if he has to count on North Korea’s support.”

Soon 12,000… https://t.co/D6w95cA5DO pic.twitter.com/qy4YxVJalf

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) October 24, 2024

Many Western officials, media, and even high-level government politicians, such as United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin himself, are trying their best to push the narrative toward “oh, Putin is in big trouble if he has to count on North Korea’s support.”

Soon 12,000 North Korean soldiers will begin slaughtering Ukrainians in our own homes. While for Ukraine, even in our deepest dreams we cannot imagine that anyone who calls themselves “Ukrainian partners” would send their soldiers to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainian soldiers to help is defend our lives from North Koreans.

The problem is that Russia’s allies help Russia solve its problems when they arise. No questions asked. No red lines. And not in the amount of a couple of teaspoons.

-Russia need attack drones? Iran is happy to provide thousands and help build a factory on Russian territory to produce thousands more.
-Russia does not have enough artillery ammunition in huge quantities? North Korea alone has already supplied 8 million artillery shells.
-Ballistic missiles? No questions asked, no long public discussions. Russia asks – Russia gets.
-Russia needs additional soldiers on the front in the tens of thousands? North Korea will send its units to fight shoulder to shoulder with the Russians. With no fear, with no redlines.

At the same time, Ukraine’s allies and partners, instead of helping Ukraine solve its problems, are trying to joke about how desperate Putin is.

Every time Ukraine asks for support in solving problem it encounters, it ends up in public discussions that drag on for years, and in the best case scenario, Ukraine will receive a few percent of what it needs to solve the problem.

One of the most striking examples is the problem of Russian aviation. For two years, many hundreds of Russian aircraft were located within range of Western missiles such as ATACMS, for two years no one lifted a finger to help solve the biggest Ukrainian problem that we cannot solve on our own. Over the past two years, the great part of Russian aviation could have been destroyed in hours, with good preparation. But it seems that Austin and Sullivan are even glad that Russia has finally redeployed its aircrafts further from the front line and now they have a great excuse why they will not do anything to help.

Dictators help each other with everything they can. Without questions. Without public discussions that last for years. Without red lines. While for Ukraine, there are only endless red lines, endless restrictions and endless fear.

Dictators unite themselves against democracies. Democracies are willing to sacrifice entire countries to dictators, just so they can stay out of it themselves. Even if only for a short time.

This is what Special Kherson Cat is referring to:

NEWS: The intelligence community and Pentagon have recommended against changing U.S. policy to allow Ukraine to strike military targets deep inside Russia with US-made long range missiles — citing greater cost than benefit.

A US official tells FOX the IC and DoD analysis showed…

— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) October 23, 2024

NEWS: The intelligence community and Pentagon have recommended against changing U.S. policy to allow Ukraine to strike military targets deep inside Russia with US-made long range missiles — citing greater cost than benefit.

A US official tells FOX the IC and DoD analysis showed a change in policy would not have a strategic impact or change the course of the war, in part because there are few targets inside of ATACMS 300-km range.

In August, the IC assessed that Russia had relocated more than 90% of its aircraft outside of ATACMS range – so it was a “misconception that it would be a solution to the glide bombs, etc.”
The recommendation is also due in part to limited shot volumes.
Ukraine doesn’t have enough ATACMS, and DoD has advised the US would not be able to further draw down from stocks without hurting US military readiness.

President Biden hasn’t ruled out a change in the future, and the U.S. has not said ‘no’ to Ukraine — but the reason Biden has not been inclined to change U.S. policy is because there would be little benefit – and potentially some cost.

“It would be irresponsible if we didn’t take into account what Russia would do,” the official said.

The official noted that Russia is a “nuclear power capable of doing very bad things both to Ukraine, and to the US” – referencing warehouses being blown up, and revelations made by the German spy chief last week that Russia was behind an attempted act of sabotage involving a parcel bomb on a plane this summer, which could have pushed Berlin and Moscow closer to direct war.
(That story here: https://telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/10/15/russia-suspected-parcel-bomb-german-plane-leipzig-disaster/)

The official reiterated, however, that concerns about escalation are not the only factor driving Biden’s thinking. If a change in policy was made, the IC assessed that Russia would reposition its assets further.

Currently the US position is shared by Germany, which has not greenlit TAURUS missiles, as well as the UK, which has not greenlit Storm Shadows.
France, however, has authorized SCALPs.

FOX is told the Biden administration is considering more sanctions in response to North Korean troops coming to Russia. The US is currently in talks with allies and partners about the best course forward, the official said.

“Ukraine does not have enough ATACMS, and […] the US would not be able to draw down additional stocks without hurting military readiness.”

Ukraine has already received hundreds of ATACMS, which could have been used to good effect on targets in Russia if Biden would allow it.… https://t.co/oRTkMnuGe4 pic.twitter.com/Oq6N8GgjuQ

— Colby Badhwar 🇨🇦🇬🇧 (@ColbyBadhwar) October 23, 2024

“Ukraine does not have enough ATACMS, and […] the US would not be able to draw down additional stocks without hurting military readiness.”

Ukraine has already received hundreds of ATACMS, which could have been used to good effect on targets in Russia if Biden would allow it.

As for readiness, if the “expired” inventory was absolutely essential to US OPLANs, then they would have SLEP’d all those missiles, but they didn’t. That suggests that DoD made a determination that they aren’t essential.

Georgia:

This cannot be swept under the rug.

The Georgian Dream is panicked. When they lose power they must be held to account.

Corruption. Georgia deserves better https://t.co/sBkZDfLsmz

— Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇮🇱 (@AdamKinzinger) October 24, 2024

Here’s the whole thread:

BREAKING: The houses of @EtoBuziashvili and @SGelava, researchers at the Atlantic Council’s @DFRLab, are being searched. The Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance has entered Eto’s apartment, and devices at Sopo’s home are being seized. The “investigation” is underway under three articles, just two days before Georgia’s parliamentary elections.

“They arrived around 8 o’clock in the morning. They did not inform me that they were from the financial police; instead, they claimed to be from the gas inspection service and said there was a leak issue. About six people rushed in and immediately began searching. They took my phone and did not allow me to contact a lawyer. They were particularly interested in documentation and technology, this was their motive. The search lasted for about two hours.” @EtoBuziashvili told @FormulaGe 

“They came in the morning and informed me that financial investigations were underway involving the company I have a contract with. I work for the Atlantic Council, where I investigate government and pro-Russian interference in Georgia, as well as information operations and disinformation. They provided no further details before beginning their search, during which they seized my laptop and phone. They also took my husband’s laptop—he is a politician. At this point, we have no additional information. We have been summoned for questioning” @SGelava told @FormulaGe

formulanews.ge/News/118897

“I have been summoned for questioning. The only thing they mentioned being interested in is my organization, @AtlanticCouncil, an American non-governmental organization. We are conducting an in-depth investigation into Russian intelligence operations”— Eto added. 

The investigation has been launched into group money laundering, fraud, and tax evasion.

Ana Ghakhokidze, lawyer for Eto Buziashvili, informed RFE/RL that only a general search warrant has been issued.

Who the accused is in this case remains unknown.

„ატლანტიკური საბჭოს“ თანამშრომლების სახლებში ჩხრეკა „ფულის გათეთრებასა“ და “თაღლითობაზე“ გამოძიების ფარგლებში ჩატარდა„ატლანტიკური საბჭოს“ თანამშრომლების, სოფო გელავასა და ეთო ბუზიაშვილის სახლებში ჩხრეკა ჩატარდა გამოძიების ფარგლებში, რომელიც ფულის ჯგუფურად გათეთრებისა და ჯგუფური თაღლითობის მუხლებით მიმდინარეობს. ამერ…https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/%E1%83%90%E1%83%A2%E1%83%9A%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%A2%E1%83%98%E1%83%99%E1%83%A3%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98-%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%91%E1%83%AD%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%9B%E1%83%9D%E1%83%AB%E1%83%98%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%90/33171490.html

The Ministry of Finance’s investigative service says today’s searches are linked to the so-called “call centers” case. They add that investigative activities were conducted at three alleged “call center” locations, and the specified locations were searched based on a judge’s order.

For those who don’t have info about so called call Center case:civil.ge/archives/622901
Many things obviously do not make sense in how this is unfolding, I will keep reporting on these developments below.

The Ministry of Finance’s investigative service statement:is.ge/ka-ge/%E1%83%A…

I express my full solidarity with Georgia’s leading disinformation experts, @EtoBuziashvili and @SGelava.

The regime understands the importance of their research. Kremlin propagandists did too,

Eto was just named among 20 women combating disinformation and information threats by @NATO.antimaidan.ru/news/19296

Еще одним соавтором расследования о «кремлевской сетке ботов», подготовленном DFRLab, стала Этери Бузиашвилиhttps://antimaidan.ru/news/19296

@EtoBuziashvili @SGelavax.com/ikelly731/stat…x.com/ikelly731/stat…

@EtoBuziashvili @SGelavax.com/formulage/stat…x.com/formulage/stat…

@EtoBuziashvili @SGelava On Wednesday, Buziashvili published a report titled: “Russia is directly and indirectly meddling in Georgia’s upcoming election.” The next morning police showed up at her door.

Georgian Financial Police Raid Homes of Russia Disinformation Researchershttps://www.occrp.org/en/news/georgian-financial-police-raid-homes-of-russia-disinformation-researchers

The Kurahove direction:

Every 🇺🇦 drone will find a russian target to destroy.
Ukrainian warriors repelled another massive russian assault in the Kurakhove direction.

📹: 46th Airmobile Brigade pic.twitter.com/aVI2NNTjAM

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) October 24, 2024

Kharkiv:

Russia struck Kharkiv suburbs with glide bombs, there is power outages as the result of the attack‼️

— Kate from Kharkiv (@BohuslavskaKate) October 24, 2024

The Kupiansk direction, Kharkiv Oblast:

The key Borova-Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi-Kupiansk route in Kharkiv region is under Russian fire control, threatening logistics and escalating the battle in this critical area. #Kupiansk, once liberated, now faces renewed #RussianAggression as Ukrainian forces fight to hold the line. pic.twitter.com/xMFXDvfcm0

— Iuliia Mendel (@IuliiaMendel) October 24, 2024

Pokrovsk:

This coffee shop is one of the few places where one can still get a glimpse of normal life.

Anna, who works in this shop, shares that the biggest motivation to stay here, despite the constant danger, is Ukrainian Defenders, who come there to drink coffee or eat hot dogs.

📹: DW pic.twitter.com/h9rjPVNlfj

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) October 23, 2024

That’s enough for tonight.

Your daily Patron!

First, some adjacent material

Meet Zhoryk, a robot dog serving as a sapper-engineer-recon on the frontlines. Used by @khartiiabrygada for close-up scouting, it excels where drones fall short. Technology reshaping warfare – and Zhoryk even completed a 1-mile run at the Kyiv Marathon 🦾 pic.twitter.com/iTVXliA6cC

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) October 24, 2024

Second, I can’t remember if I posted this one, so just in case:

@patron__dsns

🙂‍↔️🙂‍↔️🙂‍↔️ #песпатрон #джекрассел

♬ cute sound – brett

Open thread!