Russia Zelensky presents "victory plan"
After weeks of discussion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will publicly present his so-called victory plan in parliament in Kiev this Wednesday. Selensky had recently presented the new strategy for ending the war to Western partners during visits to Washington, London, Paris, Rome and Berlin. This Thursday, he is also due to present the plan at the EU summit in Brussels.
16.10.2024, 13:44
SDA
The Ukrainian head of state hopes to force the aggressor Russia to make peace. As far as is known, an invitation to join the western military alliance NATO is part of the strategy.
Ukraine is also repeatedly demanding clearance for the use of far-reaching Western weapons against targets on Russian territory. This is intended to bring the war deeper into Russian society.
Stronger air defense is also on Zelensky's wish list, which he has repeatedly made public. Russian missiles and drones should also be shot down from Polish or Romanian territory. Kiev also expects greater Western investment in the Ukrainian arms industry.
Selensky has recently expressed the hope of ending the war on Ukrainian terms in 2025. Russia invaded the neighboring country in February 2022. It controls around a fifth of Ukraine's territory, including the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which was annexed in 2014.
Kiev prepares for third winter of war
Meanwhile, Ukraine is preparing for its third winter of war and further Russian attacks on its energy supply network. President Zelensky announced that he had met with representatives of various ministries and the country's energy suppliers to discuss measures to protect the infrastructure. "Every department and all institutions have clear tasks," said Zelensky in his evening video address.
"The discussion revolved around all levels of energy infrastructure protection, including technical aspects, as well as electronic warfare and air defense," Selensky reported on the Telegram platform.
"The air force will be involved," Selensky hinted at some of the protective measures discussed. "We have also decided to strengthen our air defense along the fronts and border." In addition, details of strengthening air defense were discussed, as well as possible defensive measures against kamikaze drones and various types of missiles used by the Russian side. Plans were also drawn up for the rapid repair of damage and the decentralization of energy suppliers.
Over the past two winters of war, the Russian military has repeatedly attacked and severely damaged Ukraine's energy infrastructure. With the loss of electricity and the associated water and heat supply at the coldest time of the year, the civilian population of Ukraine has been put under pressure. In the meantime, Ukraine has received massive foreign aid to rebuild its energy network and additional air defense systems to protect it.
Discussion about the age of mobilization
The USA is apparently putting pressure on Kiev to lower the age limit for mobilization from the previous 25 years. This was reported by presidential advisor Serhiy Leshchenko on Telegram. "US politicians from both parties are pressuring President Zelensky with the question of why Ukraine is not mobilizing 18 to 25-year-olds," wrote Leshchenko. The Americans argued that 19-year-olds were also drafted in the Vietnam War.
The American side was thus suggesting that Western weapons alone were not enough, so Kiev should also mobilize young people aged 18 and over. Selenskyj, however, is trying to maintain the current procedure. In Ukraine, men between the ages of 25 and 60 who are fit for military service are mobilized. Young men between the ages of 18 and 25 must register for military service and are not allowed to leave the country during this time. However, these age groups are considered weak.
Fighting continues in eastern Ukraine
On the fronts in eastern Ukraine, the warring parties once again engaged in heavy and costly fighting. The focal points were once again Torezk and Pokrovsk. In Torezk, half of which is already controlled by Russian units, the Ukrainian defenders were subjected to several Russian air strikes, as the General Staff in Kiev announced in its situation report.
A total of 14 Russian attacks were registered during the day near Pokrovsk. The Russian air force also attacked this section of the front and hit the Ukrainian positions with guided glide bombs.
In view of the threat of advancing Russian troops, the Ukrainian authorities ordered the evacuation of parts of the civilian population from the Kupjansk region. Families with children were ordered to leave the city, as military administrator Oleh Synjehubow announced on television. Kupyansk is located east of Kharkiv.
The Ukrainian air defense reported new flights of Russian drones in the evening. Several swarms were sighted near the cities of Sumy and Kharkiv. Later, drone flights were also reported from Mykolaiv and Kherson in the south. An alert was issued for a number of cities, including Kiev. The air defense in several regions was deployed, Ukrainian media reported without further details.
