Russian President Vladimir Putin said he has no regrets about the invasion of Ukraine, now well into its eighth month, and that Moscow’s aim isn’t to “destroy” its neighbor. The controversial mobilization of some 300,000 reservists is almost complete, Putin told reporters in Kazakhstan.
(Bloomberg) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said he has no regrets about the invasion of Ukraine, now well into its eighth month, and that Moscow’s aim isn’t to “destroy” its neighbor.
The controversial mobilization of some 300,000 reservists is almost complete, Putin told reporters in Kazakhstan.
Putin also said a direct clash with NATO troops would be catastrophic and that no further mass strikes are planned “for now,” days after missiles hit cities across the country in retaliation for a strike on a key bridge in Crimea.
Russia’s leader said he doesn’t see a “need” for talks with US President Joe Biden at next month’s Group of 20 summit.
NATO allies must press ahead with support for Ukraine while taking Russia’s threats to use nuclear weapons seriously, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said.
The Kremlin vowed to repair a crucial bridge from the Russian mainland to Crimea by July 2023.
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Key Developments
- Musk Sends Ukraine a Broadside With Threat to Cut Starlink Funds
- Putin Says Has No Regrets About Ukraine Invasion After Reverses
- Germany Saw No Risk in Russian Gas, Declassified Report Reveals
- Putin Says All Infrastructure at Risk After Nord Stream Hit
- Russia, NATO Both Holding Nuclear Drills Despite Rising Tensions
On the Ground
Ukraine’s troops continue to push ahead in the Kherson region, where some 1,200 square kilometers including dozens of settlements have been liberated.
Heavy fighting continues in the Bakhmut and Avdiyivka regions of Donetsk, said Serhiy Cherevatiy, spokesman of the “East” command. Russia struck the city of Zaporizhzhia with three S-300 missiles early on Friday, damaging infrastructure, regional authorities said on Telegram.
Moscow’s troops are focusing on attempts to reach the administrative border of the Donetsk region and hold ground in occupied areas of the Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv regions, according to Ukraine’s General Staff.
(All times CET)
IAEA Says Back-Up Power to Nuclear Plant Is Restored (8:04 p.m.)
The International Atomic Energy Agency said in a tweet that backup power has been restored to the Russian-seized Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant in Ukraine.
Musk’s Starlink Isn’t Only Option for Ukraine, Pentagon Says (7:52 p.m.)
The Pentagon confirmed it’s talking with Elon Musk, who has threatened to stop funding Ukraine’s access to his Starlink satellite communications system, but pointedly added that the US is also looking into other options.
“We are engaged in talking with SpaceX,” the space exploration company owned by Musk, Defense Department spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters Friday.
At the same time, she said, the US, Ukraine and allies are also “assessing our options” with other communications companies.
Zelenskiy Aide Praises Musk’s Starlink Contribution (5:40 p.m.)
Mykhailo Podolyak, a top aide to Ukraine’s president, praised Elon Musk in a tweet, saying that “like it or not,” the billionaire has helped the nation “survive the most critical moments of war.”
His comments came hours after Musk threatened to cut off financial support for the Starlink satellite system that’s played a pivotal role in the war against Russia.
Musk said others should step in the cover the costs incurred by SpaceX.
Almost 40,000 Women Serve in Ukrainian Army, Official Says (5:37 p.m.)
Ukrainian troops include 40,000 women — more than 20% of the total, Serhii Nayev, commander of the United Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said on Friday, the nation’s Defenders Day holiday.
“More than 5,000 of them are on the front lines — in areas of active hostilities,” Nayev said.
According to him, among women serving in Ukraine are commanders of batteries, platoons, vehicles, leaders of unmanned aviation units, and snipers.
Ukraine Crop-Deal Talks May Hinge on Fertilizer, Extra Port (4:12 p.m.)
Russia and Ukraine are both seeking changes to their landmark grain-export deal as part of discussions to extend the initiative beyond the current deadline next month, according to the UN.
Russia wants to see a pipeline that transports its ammonia to Ukraine’s Odesa port reopened as part of the new terms, said Amir Abdulla, UN coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
Ukraine is seeking to extend the deal by more than year, and include Mykolaiv as a fourth exporting port, he said.
Read more: Ukraine Crop-Deal Talks May Hinge on Fertilizers and Extra Port
Putin Says No Plans to Expand Mobilization (3:10 p.m.)
Putin said he doesn’t expect to expand the mobilization of reservists beyond the 300,000 announced last month, with most of those having now been called up.
There’s no need for further such efforts in the “foreseeable future,” Putin told reporters in Kazakhstan.
The “partial mobilization” will be completed in a few weeks, with 222,000 reservists already mobilized, he said. About 16,000 of those are already fighting in Ukraine, he said.
Putin’s sudden order in September to call up the reservists — the first such move since World War II — triggered an exodus of more than 300,000 Russians from the country and widespread alarm among those who stayed.
Read more: Putin Says Has No Regrets About Ukraine Invasion After Reverses
Putin Says Goal Isn’t to ‘Destroy’ Ukraine (3 p.m.)
Putin said he doesn’t have any regrets about the invasion of Ukraine, which is approaching the eight-month mark.
Russia’s actions are “right and timely,” Putin said in a press conference in Astana, Kazakhstan, replying “No” when asked if he had any regrets.
The Russian leader said no further mass strikes on Ukraine are needed “for now” and that its aim isn’t to “destroy” its neighbor.
Moscow this week unleashed a barrage of missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, including many far from the front lines, after an explosion that severely damaged the key bridge link with Crimea that it blamed on Ukraine.
Ukraine Reopens Kyiv-Kramatorsk Rail Connection (2 p.m.)
Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said Ukraine’s rail service from Kyiv to Kramatorsk, a major city in the Donetsk region, was being restarted as a result of a “significantly improved” security situation.
Ukrainian Troops Liberated 29 settlements in Kherson Region and repel attack in the East: officials
Ukrainian Defense Minister Sees Progress in Weapon Deliveries (1:22 p.m.)
“Talks on weapons deliveries continue and there is progress,” Ukraine Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said in comments on TV.
Ukraine will get the German IRIS-T complex soon and its troops are training on the system, he said. Several Nasams air defense systems will be delivered this month and training is already under way.
“Russia has around 300 Iranian drones and seeks to receive more,” while Kyiv’s troops are learning how to shoot down the drones, Resnikov said.
NATO Nuclear Exercise to Run Through Oct.
30 (1:11 p.m.)
Air forces from across NATO will practice nuclear deterrence capabilities with dozens of aircraft over north-western Europe from Monday, the alliance said on Friday.
The annual drills are a “routine, recurring training activity and it is not linked to any current world events,” NATO said.
“Steadfast Noon” involves 14 countries and up to 60 aircraft of various types.
Training flights will take place over Belgium, which is hosting the exercise, as well as over the North Sea and the United Kingdom.
Defense Ministry Says 1,235 Russian Missiles Fired at Ukraine (12:22 p.m.)
Russia has fired 776 Iskander-type, ground-launched missiles, 228 Kalibr sea-launched missiles, and 231 air-launched cruise missiles since the invasion started in February, Ukraine’s defense minister said on Twitter.
Officials in Kyiv had called repeatedly for more help from Western allies to shore up their missile defence.
Lithuania Gets US Battalion Deployment Through 2025 (12:03 p.m.)
A US battalion will remain in Lithuania through 2025 after approval of a rotational force plan in Washington, Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said after talks with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
The US has been rotating a full combat battalion and reinforcement units in Lithuania since 2019.
Additional US troops have been deployed there this year in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Erdogan Agrees With Putin to Set Up Gas Hub in Turkey (11 a.m.)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed with his Russian counterpart to establish an international gas distribution hub in Turkey.
Erdogan said the Thrace region, Turkey’s door to Europe, is the most suitable place for it and the work will start without delay.
Putin introduced the idea of turning Turkey into a “gas hub” on Tuesday at the Russian Energy Week forum in Moscow.
Moscow plans to transfer to the Black sea volumes lost from the suspension of service on, and blast damage to, the Nord Stream pipeline in the Baltic Sea.
UN Atomic Chief ‘Moving Closer’ to Zaporizhzhia Security Zone (10:42 a.m.)
Rafael Mariano Grossi, chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said he’s “moving closer to the establishment of a protection zone” for the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant as he left Ukraine.
Grossi held talks this week with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
“The plants situation is untenable and we need immediate action to protect it,” Grossi said in a Twitter post.
Russia Orders Crimea Bridge Repaired by July (10:40 a.m.)
Work to restore a flagship Russian bridge to Crimea damaged by an explosion must be completed by July 1, according to a government document signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
The 19-kilometer (12-mile) span across the Kerch Strait is the only road and rail link from Russia to the Black Sea peninsula Putin annexed in 2014.
Moscow blamed Ukrainian military intelligence for the Oct. 8 blast on the bridge, which has has been critical for the Kremlin to resupply its forces in Crimea and Ukraine’s southern Kherson region.
Ukraine Expected to Get 5B Euros From EU in Three Tranches (10:07 a.m.)
The European Union is set to release 2 billion euros ($1.95 billion) in funds to Ukraine within days, with further tranches of €2.5 billion euros and €500 million in the second half of November and December respectively, according to the people familiar with the matter.
The funds are part of a €9 billion financial assistance package that the bloc first announced in the spring.
The payments have been mostly delayed due to haggling between member countries over the terms of the package.
Musk Warns He Cannot Help Fund Starlink in Ukraine Indefinitely (9:37 a.m.)
Elon Musk warned SpaceX cannot indefinitely help carry the cost of high-speed broadband internet for Ukraine.
His comments came days after a furor over his comments suggesting Kyiv cede territory in exchange for peace with Russia.
SpaceX “is not asking to recoup past expenses” on Starlink services in Ukraine, Musk said on Twitter, but it also cannot sustain the financial support or send thousands more terminals to Ukraine.
The Starlink terminals in Ukraine are using data as much as 100 times the amount of typical households, Musk added.
A week ago he tweeted that Starlink in Ukraine had cost SpaceX $80 million, which would likely surpass $100 million by the end of the year.
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