As he had done the day before, Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on social networks on the evening of Sunday October 6, 2024 to underline the importance of the operation currently being carried out by Ukrainian troops on the other side of the Russian border, whose aim is to force Moscow to stop the fighting.
“Today we have been carrying out military operations in the Kursk region for two months”he explains. « […] The Ukrainians have shown that we can take the war to Russia. With sufficient support from our partners, we will be able to exert the necessary pressure on Russia, making it understand that this war will bring it nothing”.
According to Zelensky, the incursion into Russian territory also aims to collect financial and human resources to “obtain the release of Ukrainian prisoners”.
And the interested party concludes. “We will continue to exert even more pressure on Russia, because only force will allow us to bring peace closer”.
The Netherlands pledges $440 million
Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans made a surprise visit to kyiv on Sunday October 6, 2024 and affirmed that the Netherlands intends to invest 400 million euros ($440 million) in the development of advanced drones with the Ukraine, and would also deliver more F-16s in the coming months.
“The war is of course escalating day by day, and Ukraine is setting up new brigades, all of which need support, all of which need military equipment.”Brekelmans said.
The drone action plan must “combining Ukrainian innovation and Dutch knowledge to improve technology used on the battlefield”he added.
Russian losses
The Ukrainian General Staff has published its regular assessment of the losses suffered by Russian troops since the invasion of the country on February 24, 2022.
According to kyiv, 660,470 Moscow soldiers were rendered unable to fight, by being killed, wounded or taken prisoner, an increase of 1,250 soldiers in the space of twenty-four hours.
Kremlin forces also reportedly lost 26,006 tankers and supply vehicles (+101). The count also shows the destruction of 19,092 artillery pieces (+55), 17,679 armored vehicles (+21) or even 16,578 drones (+49), 8,919 assault tanks (+3) and 2 613 cruise missiles.
The regular publication of these figures, which could not be verified, is part of the Ukrainian communications strategy intended to undermine the morale of Moscow’s troops.
Verdict for the American mercenary
Russian justice must rule on Monday on the fate of a 72-year-old American, accused of having been a “mercenary” in the service of Ukraine, detained in secret for more than two years and tried behind closed doors.
The court must deliver its verdict as Washington accuses Moscow of specifically targeting American nationals in Russia in order to then exchange them for Russians detained in the West.
This American, identified by media as Stefan or Stephen Hubbard, was taken prisoner on April 2, 2022, according to Russia, but it was not until September 27, 2024 that Moscow made public the fact that he was detained, on the first day of his trial.
This man, aged 72 according to the court, appeared aged, walking slowly and dragging his feet during a hearing on Thursday, during which the court ordered that the rest of the discussions take place behind closed doors, which had been accepted by the defense.
This hearing lasted less than three hours, before the court announced its verdict for Monday.
Accused of « mercenariat » on behalf of Ukraine, Mr. Hubbard faces a sentence of between 7 and 15 years in prison. The prosecution did not indicate what its indictment was.
Russian news agencies claim that he admitted the facts.
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