It is important for every community to do everything possible now to avoid casualties due to bad weather – address by the President of Ukraine

27 November 2023 – 22:14

Dear Ukrainians!

A few results of the day.

First. Since this morning I have been receiving reports on the situation in our regions affected by the bad weather. Almost 1,500 settlements in 17 regions were cut off from electricity. Power engineers are working everywhere to restore electricity supply. As soon as it is possible, electricity will be restored in every city and village. At the moment, hundreds of people and hundreds of vehicles of the State Emergency Service alone are working around the clock. The National Police and the National Guard are also helping. Public utilities are involved as well. I am grateful to everyone in the regional and local authorities who promptly joined in to help people and gives results. In every community, it is important to do everything possible to avoid casualties due to bad weather. Unfortunately, as of now, there are casualties. The highest number is in Odesa region – five people died. My condolences to the families and friends. At least 19 people were injured. Everyone has been provided with the necessary assistance. Operational headquarters at both the national and regional levels will continue to work until the situation is normalized. The epicenter of the cyclone is now moving to the northern regions – we are ready to help everywhere. There were also reports on helping drivers on blocked roads. I am grateful to the volunteers who support people in the communities. It is very important to take care of those who live alone, to help the elderly. Today I would like to recognize the entire staff of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the National Guard and the National Police. They provide assistance around the clock. In particular, the emergency workers of the Odesa region. These days, Captain Serhiy Lisin, head of the guard of the 45th state fire and rescue unit, Master Sergeant Ruslan Buhayev, driver of the 7th state fire and rescue unit, Master Sergeant Petro Kalaman, electrician driver of the rescue department of the 20th state fire and rescue unit have particularly proven themselves. And also the national guardsmen: Soldier Serhiy Dimov, Captain Serhiy Melnyk and Colonel Volodymyr Lytvyniuk. I thank you and all your colleagues for helping people!

I also had important international conversations today. In particular, with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. We discussed the situation in the Middle East, current events and prospects. We also spoke about the development of our bilateral relations and joint work for the full implementation of the Peace Formula. Saudi Arabia has been very helpful in this area, and I am grateful for that. I also spoke with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. Of course, we talked about the European Union’s preparation of a decision to open accession negotiations with Ukraine – we are doing everything our country has to do. We also talked about the continuation of the EU’s support for our country next year. Also today, I addressed the participants of the session of the International Maritime Organization, one of the most respectable institutions in the world that deals with security – maritime security. I informed them about Ukraine’s successes in the Black Sea – what Ukrainians have done to restore normal sea routes in the Black Sea. I thanked for the support of our efforts and called for bringing Russia to a just and well-deserved accountability for its aggression and terror, for violating all the fundamental freedoms and rules that underpin the international order.

Today I also held a preparatory meeting on various international events planned for the coming weeks and until the end of the year. We clearly see the Ukrainian perspective and what is needed to achieve our goals. Every day we work with our partners to provide new defense support packages for our warriors. I signed another decree on awarding our soldiers and officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with state awards – 115 servicemen. In total, 64,258 servicemen from all the Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine have received state awards since February 24 and up to now. Massive bravery, massive resilience, massive determination to ensure that Ukraine gains the upper hand in this war. I thank everyone who is fighting for Ukraine and Ukrainians! I thank all the commanders who care about the lives of soldiers! I thank everyone who is focused on making our country stronger – our entire country. You cannot win this battle alone – we can only do it together, everyone who cares about one another and Ukraine.

Glory to Ukraine!

⚡️"Don't tell me that you can't afford to mobilize your industry and will so that Ukraine wins."

Retired British general Sir Richard Barrons addressed European officials and opinion leaders at a forum in Lucerne, Switzerland.

“You imagine an economy of 15 trillion euros a… pic.twitter.com/gmwCO2k2hE

— BLYSKAVKA (@blyskavka_ua) November 26, 2023

⚡️”Don’t tell me that you can’t afford to mobilize your industry and will so that Ukraine wins.”

Retired British general Sir Richard Barrons addressed European officials and opinion leaders at a forum in Lucerne, Switzerland.

“You imagine an economy of 15 trillion euros a year. Give me 75 billion euros a year for 2-3 years, and I will make sure that the Ukrainian army wins. It’s not about whether it’s affordable. It’s about choice, about competence “, – he said.

👉
@Flash_news_ua

Here’s General Sir Richard Barrons’ full address:

Here’s a longer take on Orban from Illia Ponomarenko:

Hate to break it to all those newly-minted Ukraine experts like this guy Viktor Orban, but there IS, and there always HAS BEEN a "battlefield solution" for Russia's war in Ukraine.

Moreover, it's possible and affordable for the Free World, and them motherkissers know this…

— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) November 27, 2023

Hate to break it to all those newly-minted Ukraine experts like this guy Viktor Orban, but there IS, and there always HAS BEEN a “battlefield solution” for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Moreover, it’s possible and affordable for the Free World, and them motherkissers know this perfectly well.

That’s why they can’t stop whining about a “ceasefire”, a “compromise,” “concessions for peace,” or a “realistic approach” — or, what’s even more cynical, they try to pretend they act in good faith and have some high moral ground to lecture those stupid little Ukrainians on how they need to surrender to Russian occupation to “save lives.”

Especially now that the Free World is being tempted to go the easiest way of having a raw deal with the devil.

They know that, and they keep pushing those weak spots.

Over the last 20 months, Ukraine has repeatedly demonstrated that a “military solution” is a thing — when it has the instruments necessary.

It did so as it derailed and defeated Russia’s blitzkrieg in North Ukraine in March 2022, particularly at Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy, and inflicted devastation the Soviet/Russian military hadn’t seen in decades.

It did so later on by having the Russian military drastically exhausted in the Battle of Donbas between April and August 2022 and stabilizing the front line.

I did so in September 2022 by successfully accomplishing an offensive operation in Kharkiv Oblast, which ultimately set the Battle of Kharkiv as a Ukrainian victory, liberated most of the oblast, and brushed off Russia’s key supply line and the north axis of its effort to encircle Donbas.

Remember all those stupid posters “Kherson is Russia forever”?

Yeah, you were right to forget — because on November 11, 2022, we were jumping around in joy and popping up champagne to celebrate the Ukrainian military retaking the only regional capital Russia had managed to capture since February 24.

Ukraine has repeatedly proved the “military solution” possible by having mastered dozens of Western-provided weapons & hardware items, from advanced tank killers to artillery pieces, radars, armored vehicles, air defense, cruise missiles, rocket systems, etc — and moreover, setting a range of milestones in the practice of modern warfare and military history.

Ukraine did so by still holding on, staying an organized firm nation, and fighting despite everything for over 600 days against the world’s leading nuclear power with the 3rd largest military spending.

This recitation can go on and on. The history of the last 20 months is the story of Ukraine achieving so much with so little it has.

No one’s talking about the Ukrainan military putting the flag over the ruins of the Kremlin.

What needs to be done is inflicting Russia’s military in Ukraine a kind of defeat that would greatly undermine Russia’s ability to go on with this war — militarily, socially, economically, politically, and logistically — and make the Kremlin seek negotiations, with Ukraine speaking from a position of strength.

Moreover, a “battlefield solution”, i.e. derailing Russia’s ability to wage large-scale wars for years to come is effectively the ONLY way to ensure peace and prevent yet another, an even more bloodletting European war within a short period of time.

Vladimir Putin doesn’t give a flying fuck about all the “tragedy” of the war he unleashed or about all the “loss of life” on his hands.

He only needs “negotiations” and “a ceasefire that Ukraine doesn’t want” to let his military get a respite from hostilities, regroup, rearm, reinforce — and launch a new attack on Ukraine.

After the initial defeat of his ‘special military operation’ and numerous mortifying setbacks in Ukraine, it’s very personal to him and his bruised ego.

He wants and needs Ukraine in ashes coughing its own blood.

In February 2022, he took the biggest gamble of his life and he very suddenly lost.

Now he’s a hostage of the mess of his own making, and he will not stop until he’s stopped. He’s in power in the Kremlin and alive as long as the war goes on and he’s not yet the one who led Russia to a humiliating strategic defeat to its former colony.

And surprise-surprise, Ukraine doesn’t want to die to make things easier for somebody. At all.

So any sort of speculations on “putting this war to an end via concessions”, “a diplomatic solution”, etc is nothing but escapist sweet talk ignoring the grim reality, to say the least.

Those not happy about the state of things are more than welcome to send their complaints and grievances to Vladimir V. Putin in the Kremlin, Moscow, Russia.

There’s nothing that stands in the way of Ukraine willingly getting this giant problem effectively solved militarily — nothing but the lack of the Free World’s leadership, resolve, the ability to finally get out of its comfort zone and stop being obsessed with excessive risk management and the paralyzing fear of historical decisions.

Since February 24, 2022, we’ve made a grand way forward together. It’s been way too long and history-making to just drop it and give up in the middle of it.

Chronically half-hearted decisions, painful procrastination, keeping heads deep in the sand, looking for easy solutions, and pleasing domestic extremists openly advocating the aggressor are just taking us nowhere.

Yes, the West can give Ukraine everything it needs to save itself and ensure sustainable peace instead of a hoax that will inevitably end up with many crying “WE TOLD YOU!”

That’s why the enemies of the Free World can’t stop talking it out of this.

Kyiv:

Княгиня Ольга у бронежилеті й обстріляний вагон Укрзалізниці на Михайлівській площі – реалії 2023-ого #Київ pic.twitter.com/9K64r1cxJj

— Красень Київ (@adrozd83) November 27, 2023

Princess Olga in a bulletproof vest and a Ukrzaliznytsia car under fire on Mykhailivska Square – the realities of 2023 #Київ

Greetings from Kyiv! ❄️⛄️ Prepared for the snowstorm, the city is efficiently handling these icy flurries pic.twitter.com/zCvqPtSoel

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) November 27, 2023

Odesa:

The Kyiv-Odesa highway is blocked with snowdrifts 160 km from Odesa. Meanwhile, massive waves up to 9 meters high are pounding Ukraine's Black Sea coasts from Odesa to Crimea. pic.twitter.com/bmB5x427Vr

— Euan MacDonald (@Euan_MacDonald) November 27, 2023

Avdiivka Front:

Bird eye view on one of the columns/accumulations of destroyed Russian vehicles near Vodyane, Avdiivka front. https://t.co/tiUlGWucil pic.twitter.com/REvDO9SGug

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) November 27, 2023

Destroyed Russian vehicles as far as the eye can see in the Avdiivka sector.

This is north of Vodyane. The Russian thrust supposed to head north, but the attack was blunted. I will add a map later.

Source: https://t.co/FJZLXhYCpi#Ukraine #Donetsk #Avdiivka pic.twitter.com/FcqABTttsg

— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) November 27, 2023

As mentioned in my previous post, here is the exact point where the destroyed Russian columns are located. Coordinates:

48° 6'46.13"N, 37°40'57.80"E#Ukraine #Donetsk #Avdiivka pic.twitter.com/bh983nB4Gj

— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) November 27, 2023

Russian occupied Horlivka, Donetsk Oblast:

Something is burning in Russian-occupied Horlivka

Source: https://t.co/lBsBwO0ZvH#Ukraine #Horlivka pic.twitter.com/QVS3tCbkfB

— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) November 27, 2023

Elsewhere in Russian occupied Donetsk Oblast:

/2. Presumably ammunition is detonating after a strike in Donetsk pic.twitter.com/ytBhEinzqb

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) November 27, 2023

Russian occupied Crimea:

First tweet from the thread, the rest from the Thread Reader App:

1/ This post covers the recent developments in the defenses near the Kerch Bridge. Thanks to daily imagery from Planet and taking advantage of Sentinel-1 SAR, we have a bird's eye view of the defenses to defend the bridge from USV attacks. pic.twitter.com/y2em9u2g3V

— Brian (@BrianE6B) November 27, 2023

2/ A post from Mash, pictures of the barrages with spikes surfaced online. They were scheduled to be placed near the Kerch–Yenikale Canal under the Kerch Bridge to prevent USV attacks by Ukraine, which in the past has been successful in rendering the bridge unusable for months.

3/ Upon further investigation using Planet 3M imagery, these booms have started to be placed near the canal, defending the bridge from other attacks in 3 separate lengths, allowing easy removal if ships pass through the path.

4/ After acquiring a SkySat satellite image, the booms bear similarity to the ones being placed at the Sebastopol port; one can even note the barrages that are connected to them via a cable to ensure the booms stay in place and allow easy control to change their positions.

5/ A timelapse of the region using Sentinel-1 SAR due to cloud cover in many Planet 3M images was used to show the defenses’ progression accurately. A custom script allows easy delineation of the bridge and the boom barrier.  

6/ Nevertheless, I have also added a Planet 3M time lapse of the region for the October to November timeframe, which shows how the barrier is removed to allow easy passage of ships. The barrages play a vital role in this matter. 

7/ In the recent storms that ravaged the regions of Crimea, the booms have either been washed away due to rough seas or have been removed to prevent any damage to the booms. The storm has filled the water with silt, making it harder to know the status of the placed defenses.

8/ Thus, I can confidently say that these booms were present to defend the bridge from USV attacks from Ukraine. Only time can tell what the results from this Russian “innovation” will yield when the next attack against the bridge comes. 

@HamWa07 @VelvetBlade @Tatarigami_UA @jekubi @exit266 @MT_Anderson @Dmojavensis @VeritasViper @Schizointel @CovertShores @scil_int 

Ryazan, Russia:

Drone attack/air defence activity reported in Ryazan. 470km from Ukraine border. pic.twitter.com/Byely1iNwf

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) November 27, 2023

Sochi, Russia:

The storm over the Black Sea flooded parts of Sochi, Russia.

Source: https://t.co/mdrZxCXk3f#Russia #Sochi #BlackSea pic.twitter.com/ybklF2qymN

— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) November 27, 2023

The Black Sea storm caused some considerable damage along the Russian coast, including at some rail tracks. This is near Adler (Sochi).

Source: https://t.co/AJPChu4gUN#Russia #Sochi pic.twitter.com/WxvivfzA7B

— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) November 27, 2023

Turkey:

Turkey’s exports to Russia of goods vital for Moscow’s war machine in Ukraine have soared this year https://t.co/pr1wOEyFbU pic.twitter.com/InEMmwTwjz

— Financial Times (@FT) November 27, 2023

From The Financial Times:

Turkey’s exports to Russia of goods vital for Moscow’s war machine have soared this year, heightening concerns among the US and its allies that the country is acting as a conduit for sensitive items from their own manufacturers.

The growing trade, and the corresponding rise in imports to Turkey of 45 civilian materials used by Russia’s military, has undermined US and European attempts to curb Moscow’s ability to equip its armed forces, fuelling tensions between Ankara and its Nato partners.

In a sign of how it has become a priority in Washington to rein in this trade, Brian Nelson, US Treasury under-secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, will visit Istanbul and Ankara this week, where he is set to discuss “efforts to prevent, disrupt and investigate trade and financial activity that benefit the Russian effort in its war against Ukraine”.

It will be Nelson’s second trip to Turkey this year and comes amid indications that some dual-use parts — identified by the US and its allies as being of particular value to the war — are being transported directly to Russia even when they have been labelled as going to another country.

Efforts to cut off this ghost trade to Russia have been complicated as the items have both commercial and military applications.

In the first nine months of 2023, Turkey reported $158mn of exports of 45 goods the US lists as “high-priority” to Russia and five former Soviet countries suspected of acting as intermediaries for Moscow. That was three times the level recorded over the same period in 2022, when the war in Ukraine began.

The average figure for 2015-21 was $28mn, according to a Financial Times analysis of data from customs database Trade Data Monitor.

The 45 categories of goods, which include items such as microchips, communications equipment and parts such as telescopic sights, are subject to US, EU, Japanese and UK export controls aimed at preventing them from entering Russia. But these can be circumvented by companies using middlemen structures to disguise their ultimate destinations.

Turkey’s imports of high-priority goods from G7 countries are up more than 60 per cent so far this year compared with the same periods between 2015 and 2021 to nearly $500mn.

The trade flourishes by exploiting regulatory gaps between US export controls and EU enforcement, according to Emily Kilcrease, director of the Energy, Economics and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security think-tank.

“With some of the third-party countries like Turkey, we’re really at a weaker enforcement position than we’d ultimately like to be,” said Kilcrease, a former deputy assistant US trade representative. “We really have to lean on those countries to take enforcement actions in their own jurisdictions, to get at the specific entities that are facilitating the trans-shipment.”

Turkey, along with the United Arab Emirates, often serves as an intermediary destination for Russian entities seeking to exploit multistage import routes to get around controls, said a European sanctions official. It was particularly used to procure European goods, the official added.

Official data from Turkey showed a surge in declarations of exports of high-priority goods to ex-Soviet nations Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, but those countries’ statistical agencies have not recorded a matching rise in imports.

These large discrepancies suggest that items reported by Turkey as destined for intermediaries were instead being transported directly to Russia, analysts said. Kazakhstan recorded high-priority goods imports from Turkey of $6.1mn in the year to September, but Turkey’s data shows exports of those goods to Kazakhstan amounted to $66mn over the same period.

“It’s obvious these goods are going to Russia,” said Elina Ribakova, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics think-tank and vice-president for foreign policy at the Kyiv School of Economics.

More at the link.

For you drone enthusiasts:

Ukrainian drone operators vs. russian armored vehicles and manpower.

📹: 93rd Mechanized Brigade pic.twitter.com/hfBEhVbI1m

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) November 27, 2023

And for you HIMARS fans:

The effective counter-battery fight.

🇺🇦HIMARS destroyed russian 152-mm 2S3 "Akatsiya" self-propelled howitzer.

📹: Operational Command South pic.twitter.com/CR8TFBRCUZ

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) November 27, 2023

Obligatory:

Just a quick update on the Israel-Hamas truce before we finish up for the night. For a second day in a row Hamas had held up their transfer of hostages. The sticking point this time is that they’re still not returning mothers with their children.

The IDF already says Hamas violated agreement by releasing Hila Rotem without her mother on day two. Whether this is resolved soon remains to be seen. Israel, Hamas and the US, with Qatar mediating, are currently negotiating.

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) November 27, 2023

Sources confirm to CNN that Israel and Hamas are close to resolving issues on the fourth release of hostages. There is a new list that includes additional mothers, signaling day four is on track as Israel-Hamas are discussing a *two day* extension.

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) November 27, 2023

They also did not release the Thai hostages that they agreed to release:

💥11 Israelis. Despite assurances, the six Thai hostages appear not to have been released. pic.twitter.com/cjKFt7GcYJ

— Noga Tarnopolsky נגה טרנופולסקי نوغا ترنوبولسكي (@NTarnopolsky) November 27, 2023

Hamas is also playing games with the transfer of the hostages to ICRC control:

Once again, Hamas has released hostages to the Red Cross in a more urban area of Gaza and done nothing to stop people from jumping on the Red Cross vehicles.

Hamas could easily clear the roads for the convoy but they choose not to. pic.twitter.com/ixUEeMWnzB

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) November 27, 2023

All of this is Sinwar trying to demonstrate dominance.

Israel and Hamas have, apparently, reached an agreement for a two day extension of the truce.

An Israeli official confirms an agreement has been reached on extending the pause in fighting in Gaza by 2 days in return for the release of 10 additional hostages every day

— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) November 27, 2023

The issue will be, as I indicated last night, is that Hamas does not know the whereabouts of 40 or more of the women and children hostages. So they’ve either found another twenty, or they’re playing games. We’ll know sometime on Wednesday which one it is.

For those who think Bibi is done or is going to somehow go away easily, Bibi has other ideas:

… and "the Americans didn't want us to go underground. They didn't want us to go into Shifa Hospital and we did it too. I know Biden for 49 years & I know how to talk to US public opinion."
He's not done and 1200 citizens murdered hasn't changed him. pic.twitter.com/Rwfi2BSoy2

— Noga Tarnopolsky נגה טרנופולסקי نوغا ترنوبولسكي (@NTarnopolsky) November 27, 2023

That’s enough for tonight.

Your daily Patron!

A new video from Patron’s official TikTok!

@patron__dsns

:(

♬ where is my mind piano version. – i love you too much <3

If one of our Ukrainian readers would be so kind as to put the translation of the text in the video into a comment, I would greatly appreciate it.

Open thread!