Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 11-28-2024

Kyiv accuses the Kremlin of trying to escalate the war in the run-up to the US president-elect taking office next year and warns allies that the critical time to act is now.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russian leader Vladimir Putin of escalating the war so that US President-elect Donald Trump will be unable to achieve a negotiated settlement when he takes office in January.

He made the statement during his address to the nation on Thursday night, on America’s Thanksgiving holiday. 

Many expected the Kremlin to rejoice in Trump’s victory, but the reaction has been tepid at best. Perhaps the Russians recognize the irreconcilable differences in the US-Russian relationship.

Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory caused the Russian establishment to erupt in cheers as Russian parliamentarians raised toasts of celebration. This time around the Kremlin’s response was indifferent, if not hostile: Is Moscow rethinking Trump?

Vladimir Putin, a couple days after Trump sealed his return to the White House, confessed in passing at a press conference that while he congratulated the new president-elect that “I don’t know what will happen now. I have no idea.”

More than $50 billion will go toward defense

Ukraine has signed off on massive military spending plans for next year as the war-torn country allocates yet more resources to defending against the Russian invasion.

Outgunned, outmanned and outspent by Moscow, Kyiv has been forced to ramp up defense spending to support the war effort, with the conflict approaching the three-year mark.

Ukrainian law enforcement has identified the Russian military unit involved in the killings. Investigators have secured video evidence of the executions.

Russian servicemen executed five Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) near the settlement of Novodarivka in the Zaporizhzhia region, the Prosecutor General's Office reported on Nov. 24.

Latest from the British Defence Intelligence.

• Russian independent Astra news reported on 14 November 2024 that dozens of injured Russian soldiers rioted in Novosibirsk, south central Russia, due to inadequate medical care. The soldiers, from the 41st Combined Arms Army, Central Military District, reportedly complained of mistreatment by their unit commander and did not want to return to the frontlines without adequate medical treatment. They are said to have smashed windows and damaged the barracks, with 10 fleeing the compound.
• Shortages of armoured vehicles and the persistent Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle threat result in significant delays to evacuation of wounded Russian soldiers. This almost certainly increases the likelihood of more serious injuries and higher rates of mortality for those who are eventually evacuated through the medical system.
• According to the Ukrainian General Staff, Russia has suffered over 700,000 casualties since February 2022, of which approximately 500,000 Russian service personnel were wounded. 

Washington’s decision to loosen restrictions on Ukraine’s use of American long-range weapons has not significantly heightened the threat of nuclear escalation.

US intelligence has assessed that the risk of a Russian nuclear attack remains low, even as President Vladimir Putin ramps up his rhetoric, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

According to the sources, Washington’s decision to loosen restrictions on Ukraine’s use of American long-range weapons has not significantly heightened the threat of nuclear escalation.

Stefan Korshak, Kyiv Post’s military correspondent, shares his perspective on the developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine.

I am not saying there will be major breakthroughs and soon we will have the Russo-Ukraine War version of Nazi Field Marshal Erich von Manstein swooping through the Ardennes and the surrounded British Expeditionary Force hoping a flotilla of sailboats and weekend skippers will extract them from Dunkirk.

But, I am saying that in Russia’s priority sector of attack, which roughly speaking is a 100-kilometer (62-mile) section of the front running from Velyka Novosilka to Vuhledar in the south, to Chasiv Yar-Bakhmut in the north, the Russian army appears to be able to advance at will. Where they attack, over time, the Ukrainians are always being forced to retreat.

Ukraine has pledged to crack down on corruption as part of its bid to join the European Union, but for some officials, Russia’s invasion has provided new opportunities to enrich themselves.

Ukrainian prosecutors alleged Thursday, Nov. 28, that a former lawmaker embezzled more than $10 million in an army uniform corruption scheme.

The government in Kyiv, which has been plagued by corruption since the fall of the Soviet Union, is facing a new raft of graft scandals amid a surge of spending on its military as it fights Russia's invasion.

Some important numbers in Kellog’s blueprint to end the war don’t add up, but the real question is, will President Donald Trump even take his advice?

The US plan for ending the war in Ukraine – on paper at least – became a good deal clearer on Wednesday, with President-elect Donald Trump’s appointment of Lt. Gen. (retired) Joseph “Keith” Kellogg as his point person.

A Vietnam war veteran and a career soldier, Kellogg is co-author of a policy paper that, so far, seems to be the closest thing to a blueprint of the incoming administration’s strategy for the war. In campaign speeches, Trump promised voters he would end the war in Ukraine “in 24 hours.”

Speaking at the CSTO summit in Astana, Putin said that Russian military officials are currently selecting targets for strikes across Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia might target Ukraine’s key decision-making centers in Kyiv with its “never-before-seen” hypersonic ballistic missile Oreshnik [Hazel tree] as part of its ongoing military strategy.

Speaking at the CSTO summit in Astana on Thursday, Nov. 28, Putin said that Russian military officials are currently selecting targets across Ukraine – including military facilities, industrial sites, and command centers in Kyiv.

The world in focus, as seen by a Canadian leading global affairs analyst, writer and speaker, in his review of international media.

The overnight Russian missile attacks on Ukraine, especially western regions, are being described as "massive,” with millions experiencing power cuts at the moment as a preventative measure. Civilians in some Kyiv buildings say they currently have no access to water. Just after dawn, Telegram channel videos showed the platforms of Kyiv metro stations congested as civilians sought shelter and tried to commute to work. Officials said the attack included 97 drones and 91 missiles “of various types.” Some incoming projectiles had cluster munitions which makes repairs to civilian infrastructure complex. For today, most regions in Ukraine will record temperatures hardly above zero Celsius. In Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine, the situation appears extremely dire, with the temperature below freezing and no heating or power since just after 6am local time.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia struck Ukraine with 90 missiles and 100 drones overnight in response to Ukraine's attacks with UK and US weapons last week. He said Russia is selecting targets in Ukraine that could include decision-making centres in Kyiv. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky gave the same figures in a statement he made earlier, saying cluster munitions were used specifically against civilian infrastructure. Ukraine used UK and US weapons to strike Russian territory for the first time last week, which prompted retaliatory strikes from Russia - BBC

The former informant allegedly hid millions in income from authorities between 2020 and 2022 according to indictments filed last week.

Alexander Smirnov, a former FBI informant previously indicted for allegedly lying about US President Joe Biden and his family’s links to Ukraine, has been indicted on new tax-related charges.

US Justice Department Special Counsel David Weiss filed the new charges on Nov. 21, which accused Smirnov of hiding millions of dollars of income earned between 2020 and 2022.

Serbia respects and understands both belligerent parties. It could serve as a facilitating host to negotiations that could usher in a new era of peace in Europe with the “Belgrade Agreement.”

There has been nothing like the Russian invasion of Ukraine since the Second World War. The peace that will come to Ukraine will be unlike any we remember or studied about in history class.

Helsinki, Vienna, and Geneva, these capitals of magnificent diplomatic reach, where agreements were made to end bloody conflicts around the world, will not be part of the new Ukrainian and Russian history. Peace in Ukraine is seeking a place that can ensure its longevity.

More than a million Ukrainians were without power in freezing cold temperatures after Russia launched a barrage of almost 200 cruise missiles and drones at energy sites across the war-torn country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday slammed a "despicable escalation" by Russia as he accused its military of firing cluster munitions on Ukraine's energy grid in a massive overnight attack.

More than a million Ukrainians were without power in freezing cold temperatures after Russia launched a barrage of almost 200 cruise missiles and drones at energy sites across the war-torn country.

Danish companies will be able to more easily access the relevant Ukrainian authorities, quickly addressing the business-related issues that they face.

Ukraine and Denmark are launching “a fast-track system” – a government supported solution that will allow Danish companies to get easier access “to relevant Ukrainian authorities, ensuring faster resolution of issues that currently hinder further Danish investments in Ukraine”. 

The launch of the “Fast-Track Mechanism” follows the Memorandum of Understanding on Danish-Ukrainian cooperation for the long-term reconstruction of Ukraine, signed by Business Minister Morten Bødskov and Ukraine’s Minister of Economy in April 2024, Denmark’s Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs reported in a Tuesday press release. 

At close to 112 against the US dollar, the ruble is now at its weakest level since the panic which set in after the “surprise” full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The ruble seems now to be in free fall, down around 6% this week and close to 15% lower this month. At close to 112 against the US dollar, the ruble is now at its weakest level since the panic which set in after the “surprise” full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 – not a surprise to some, such as yours truly who had been predicting the full scale invasion as far back as 2015.

The ruble seems to being driven weaker as a result of the decision of the Biden administration to tighten the sanctions regime around Russia. This was seen over the summer in the sanctioning of the MOEX Moscow based FX exchange, then a tightening of secondary sanctions around Russia, and then over the past week with the US finally sanctioning Gazprombank – the latter being the main conduct for Russia to transact for oil and energy. We have also had efforts this week from the G7 to tighten sanctions around Russia’s shadow oil fleet. All this is making it harder for Russia to transact trade.

Handcuffed, with a shaven head and dressed in prison uniform, James Anderson was shown being questioned in English by a war correspondent for Rossiya 1 channel who asked him if he was a "Nazi".

Russian television late Wednesday aired footage of a journalist questioning a young Briton captured while fighting for Ukraine in the Kursk region where Kyiv has mounted a border incursion.

Handcuffed, with a shaven head and dressed in prison uniform, James Anderson was shown being questioned in English by a war correspondent for Rossiya 1 channel who asked him if he was a "Nazi".

President Volodymyr Zelensky’s communications adviser dismissed calls to lower the conscription age and said weapon delivery delays meant there were not enough weapons for existing troops already.

Dmytro Lytvyn, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s communications adviser, responded to recent calls for Kyiv to lower the conscription age from 25 to 18 by saying that there are not enough weapons to begin with.

AP News reported Wednesday that the White House is allegedly pushing Ukraine to lower the conscription age to boost manpower, citing an unnamed senior Biden administration official, which echoed a statement by US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Nov. 19.

The strikes caused widespread disruption across Ukraine, hitting multiple regions and crippling vital infrastructure.

[UPDATES] As of 11 a.m., according to the AFU Air Force, the Armed Forces of Ukraine recorded 188 aerial targets. Russian forces launched three S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles, 57 Kh-101 cruise missiles, 28 Kalibr cruise missiles, three Kh-59/69 guided air-to-surface missiles, and 97 Shahed attack drones, along with other unidentified drones in Ukraine.

Ukrainian air defense forces shot down 76 X-101/Kalibr cruise missiles, three Kh-59/69 guided air missiles, and 35 drones. Additionally, 62 drones are reported as "locationally lost," according to the Ukrainian military.

Vyacheslav Mishalov, investor and businessman, on the crisis of Ukrainian metallurgy, cryptocurrencies and abandoning politics

Vyacheslav Mishalov is an unusual interlocutor. “You’re interested in hunting, aren’t you?” he asks us when we meet. He had studied us before the interview as well as we had studied him. The son of Dmytro Mishalov, one of Dnipro’s major businessmen, he did not follow in his father’s footsteps and does business in different areas, other than those where his father's companies are engaged. He is still young but has already been into politics (which he abandoned, though).

Just a few years ago, Mishalov was Secretary of the Dnipro City Council, but he left the post after his Samopomich faction expelled him following a corruption-related scandal. He continued to successfully run his business and became known as one of Ukraine’s biggest Bitcoin holders, reportedly owning nearly 16,000 BTC. We spoke about his journey from metallurgy to cryptocurrencies and investments, why he believes a diversified business is more profitable now, about his reasons for abandoning politics, and why he does not believe in a mass postwar influx of Western investments in Ukraine.

The memory of the Volhynia massacres during World War II has been a perennial obstacle to Ukraine-Poland relations. Now Kyiv is moving closer to allowing the exhumations Poland has requested.

The fact that Poland and Ukraine share a close friendship does not mean that their relations are free of disputes. One of these is the unresolved issue of the Volhynia massacres of 1943. The Polish side has long demanded the exhumation and commemoration of civilian victims of Ukrainian nationalist forces. The lack of resolution on this matter has led to growing social frustration and numerous political tensions between the two countries. However, Tuesday’s events offer a glimmer of hope for resolving this situation.

“Ukraine will not block the exhumation of Volhynia massacre victims. Our ministers are beginning work on the details…” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on the X platform on Tuesday evening. This addresses an unresolved issue from 81 years ago that has persistently poisoned the political climate between Warsaw and Kyiv.

Since the start of Russia’s invasion, between 60,000 and 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died, with 400,000 injured with Russia’s deaths estimated at 106,000-140,000, according to The Economist.

Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, various estimates say that between 60,000 and 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed. Around a further 400,000 others have sustained serious injuries that have made them unable to take part in combat operations. These figures are based on intelligence, analytical reports, and information from military officials, according to The Economist.

However, the accuracy of these figures is difficult to verify, as some soldiers who may be listed as missing in action or presumed dead are not always reflected in official statistics.

Investigated by the President-elect’s transition team, chastised by Elon Musk, and passed over for leadership of the war in Ukraine, the Moscow-born lawyer still has Trump’s ear

The transition team of US President-elect Donald Trump continues to churn out controversies this week, with its latest contentious member accused of demanding money from Republican politicians for access to the 47th president.

Russia-born lawyer Boris Epshteyn, who had asked Trump to be the administration’s point man on the war in Ukraine as he claims to have family on both sides of the conflict, has been called out by the transition team for soliciting financial retainers from potential nominees, including Scott Bessent, Trump’s selection for Treasury Secretary, in exchange for the president-elect’s ear.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Ukrainian forces continue to leverage Western-provided weapons to conduct strikes using more complex strike packages against military objects in Russia's deep rear.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met in Astana on November 27 and signed a joint statement deepening the Russian-Kazakh strategic partnership within the framework of Russia's efforts to establish a "new world order."
• The Russian military command may have imposed controversial restrictions on the use of personal vehicles by Russian volunteers delivering military and humanitarian aid to Russian troops on the frontlines, likely as part of an ongoing force centralization effort.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced within Toretsk, and Russian forces recently advanced in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove directions, and within the main Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast.
• The Kremlin continues to promote the "Time of Heroes" program that aims to militarize the Russian government at the local, regional, and federal levels as a way to prevent the return of "Afghan syndrome" in Russia.