Russian drone strikes in Odessa

A woman was killed in a massive Russian drone strike on the port city of Odessa, according to Ukrainian authorities. The overnight attack also injured at least eight people, including a 9-year-old boy, Odessa military governor Oleh Kiper wrote on Telegram. “Residential buildings, a church and vehicles were damaged.” Affected, fires broke out in many places. In addition, a district heating pipe was hit. A thermal power plant failed.

Russia has long systematically launched drones and missiles at civilian targets in neighboring countries. Russian attackers are particularly targeting energy and heating supplies, which could have serious consequences for people as winter approaches. About half of Ukraine's electricity capacity was taken out of service due to the Russian attack.

As temperatures have dropped in recent weeks, the number of drone strikes has increased. According to ABC, the number of attacks increased by 44% in the week after Donald Trump won the US presidential election. Trump announced that he would broker a quick peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Ukraine and its European backers fear that the United States, its most important ally, may soon stop aid to Kiev and Russia will effectively become the target of an aggression launched by Kremlin President Vladimir Putin in February. The winner of the war. A unilateral peace settlement in 2022 at the expense of Ukraine.

Zelensky announces ten-point plan for internal security

Ukrainian President Zelensky hopes to present a plan next week aimed at ensuring the internal security of the country under attack. Zelensky said in an evening video address that civil society and business representatives would develop a doctrine that would bring stability to the country. Among other things, it involves energy supply and weapons production. He did not provide any further details.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is worried about the country's energy supplies.Image: trapezoid

Recently, Zelensky has promoted a so-called “victory plan” mainly targeting foreign countries. Among other things, it provides for the shipment of more armaments and the release of long-range weapons already being shipped for attacks on Russian territory. Zelensky believes a just peace in Ukraine can only be achieved through strength

In his video message, he also commented on the situation on the front lines, but only vaguely. Zelensky praised the efficiency of Ukrainian defenders in the Kupyansk region. Earlier reports stated that Russian armored vehicles had entered the strategically important town of Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine. The Kyiv General Staff later announced that the attack had been repelled. This information cannot be independently verified.

Russian troops occupied Kupyansk from February to September 2022, before Ukrainians retook the city. The Russians were now closing in on Kupyansk again. The Ukrainian defenders were under tremendous pressure throughout the front line.

Ukrainian soldiers complete military training in France

Meanwhile, French Defense Minister Sebastien Le Cornou announced after a visit to a training ground that the training of some 2,300 Ukrainian soldiers in France's new brigade is coming to an end. For weeks, Ukrainians have been training in an undisclosed area in eastern France using weapons and vehicles provided by France to help them fend off Russian attacks. According to French sources, the vast majority of them have recently joined the army. They train individually and collectively in three infantry battalions. The soldiers are expected to return to Ukraine in the coming weeks.

As the French army said, at the request of Ukraine, the training will be carried out in conditions as similar as possible to those on the front line. Soldiers were subjected to stress, simulated combat noise and flying drones. The trenches have also been tweaked. In addition to the soldiers trained in France, members of the 4,500-strong brigade in Ukraine will also receive training from the Ukrainian army.

Minister admits looting by Russian soldiers

Russian soldiers are said to be systematically looting in Ukraine.Image: trapezoid

Roman Starovoit, the former governor of the Kursk region on the Russian border, admitted that soldiers sent by Moscow to defend the region carried out looting there. The politician, who later became the country's transport minister, said during a meeting with residents of the Glushkovo region, which borders Ukraine directly, that “there is a fact of robbery both by civilians and by the military.”

The admission was met with applause from the audience, according to a video excerpt on the Telegram local news portal. Residents in the area have repeatedly complained about break-ins at the homes they left behind.

Ukrainian forces captured parts of the Kursk region in a sudden counteroffensive over the summer. According to media reports, the Russian armed forces, now backed by North Korean soldiers, are once again trying to drive these troops out of the country. Russia's state news agency TASS accused the Ukrainians of looting towns they conquered, citing the town of Glushkovo as an example. This was never under the control of the Ukrainians.

Moscow has typically cracked down on reports of crimes committed by Russian soldiers in its war against Ukraine, repressing or punishing them. Dozens of war opponents have been jailed for allegedly smearing the Russian military. The fact that Russian soldiers were carrying out looting in their own country was therefore a rare admission by Moscow's leadership. (Leo/Syrian Development Authority/Department of Political Affairs)

In Austria, a young man was convicted of paying tribute to Hitler and singing a racist version of the hit song “L'Amour toujours” in Bad Ischl last summer. A similar case on the island of Sylt during Pentecost caused a public sensation.