Live blog: Russia executing defiant soldiers in new Ukraine assault — US

Thursday, October 26, 2023

Russia is executing soldiers who don't follow orders in its bloody new offensive in eastern Ukraine, while suffering "significant" losses of armour and personnel, the White House said.

"We have information that the Russian military has been actually executing soldiers who are refusing to follow orders," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told a briefing.

"We also have information that Russian commanders are threatening to execute entire units if they seek to retreat from Ukrainian artillery fire," he added. "It's reprehensible."

Kirby did not give further details when asked about the alleged executions or how the United States had obtained the information

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1801 GMT — US announces $150M in new military aid for Ukraine

The United States has announced a new $150 million military assistance package for Ukraine that includes artillery and small-arms ammunition as well as anti-tank weapons.

Washington is by far Kiev's biggest donor of security aid, committing $43.9 billion since Russia launched its offensive against Ukraine in February 2022.

The latest package "utilises assistance previously authorised for Ukraine during prior fiscal years," the Pentagon said in a statement.

The package also includes air defence missiles, night vision devices, demolitions munitions and cold weather gear.

1716 GMT — Russia rejects Kiev-backed peace talks in Malta

Russia has criticised Ukrainian-backed peace talks set to be held in Malta this weekend, warning any discussions without its participation would be counterproductive.

The talks, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hopes will drum up support for his own peace plan, come after similar gatherings in Jeddah and Copenhagen earlier this year.

"Obviously such gatherings have absolutely no perspective, they are simply counterproductive," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters.

She added the upcoming meeting had "nothing to do with the search for a peaceful resolution" and criticised Malta for hosting what she called a "blatantly anti-Russian event."

1639 GMT — Lithuanian president says no place for 'war fatigue'

In reference to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Lithuania's president has urged against "war fatigue" in support for Kiev against Moscow.

"We have to keep and be consistent. We have no right for war fatigue," said Gitanas Nauseda as he arrived for the European Council summit in Brussels.

"This is very important, especially now in this critical stage of the war, to stay united, not to split our foreign policy because, otherwise, it will be the policy of 27 members. We have no right to do that," he said, adding that Ukraine’s defeat would worsen the security situation across the EU.

1540 GMT — Russia says foiled fresh Ukraine plot against military

Russia's FSB security services had killed a man while foiling what it said was the latest of several Ukraine-inspired murder and sabotage plots against its soldiers.

The FSB said it had "neutralised" a suspect during an attempted arrest after discovering a plot to blow up an enlistment building in the city of Tver, the TASS news agency reported.

Officials said the man had been recruited by Ukraine's secret services and was a member of a "banned Ukrainian nationalist group".

1440 GMT — Germany arrests man for selling drone parts to Russia

Germany has arrested a businessman for allegedly selling components to Russia that are used in military gear, including drones currently deployed by Moscow's troops in Ukraine, prosecutors said.

The suspect from the central city of Kassel, who was not named, has been accused of exporting various electronic components, model aircraft engines and other goods to Russia in 2022 and 2023.

The goods were delivered to Saint Petersburg via an intermediary company in Hong Kong in a bid to dodge EU sanctions, prosecutors in Frankfurt said in a statement.

1403 GMT — Ukraine to evacuate children from towns near Kupyansk

Ukraine said it planned to evacuate hundreds of children from communities near the northeastern city of Kupyansk, as Russia steps up assaults in the area.

Kiev's forces recaptured Kupyansk and the surrounding areas of Kharkiv region in September 2022, but Moscow has since pushed back in a bid to move the frontline west ahead of the winter.

"The Kharkiv Regional Military Administration is planning to announce the forced evacuation of children from 10 settlements in Kharkiv region," Kiev's reintegration ministry said.

It said 275 children would be evacuated from 10 localities in and around Kupyansk, which lies less than eight kilometres from the frontline.

1321 GMT — Russian lawmakers back massive military spending increase

Russian lawmakers backed a record increase in military spending to fund Moscow's offensive on Ukraine, in a first reading of the bill Thursday.

Defence spending will account for almost a third of all outlays in 2024 — up 68 percent to $115 billion.

At more than six percent of the country's GDP, military spending will hit its highest share of the economy since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

1212 GMT — Hungary's Orban says is 'proud' of Putin meeting

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that he was "proud" of his contacts with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he met in China this month despite European Union efforts to isolate Moscow for waging a war against Ukraine.

Orban spoke on arriving to a summit of the EU's 27 national leaders in Brussels. He drew criticism for his talks with Putin, which had been organised with great pomp.

"We would like to do everything to have peace. Therefore we keep open all the communication lines to the Russians, otherwise there will be no chance for peace. This is a strategy, we are proud of it," Orban told reporters.

0900 GMT — Slovakia announces halt of military aid to Ukraine

Slovakia's new Prime Minister Robert Fico said that his government was stopping military aid to Ukraine.

Fico told MPs that the country would "no longer supply weapons to Ukraine", repeating promises made during his election campaign, but would still supply humanitarian aid to its war-torn neighbour.

Fico is the chairman of the Smer party, which is part of the three-party coalition government that includes the Hlas party and Slovak National Party.

He is often dubbed a ''pro-Russian populist'' for criticising Zelenskyy. But for most, he is just protecting the interests of Slovakia and its people.

Fico also opposes Western sanctions on Moscow and wants the European Union to force peace talks.

0855 GMT — US, Japan, S Korea condemn N Korea

The US, Japan, and South Korea has strongly condemned North Korea’s allegedly providing military equipment and munitions to Russia for its war against Ukraine.

In a joint declaration by the US State Department, the three countries’ top diplomats said they have confirmed some weapons deliveries from North Korea to Russia.

"Such weapons deliveries, several of which we now confirm have been completed, will significantly increase the human toll of Russia’s war of aggression," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, along with Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin.

The top diplomats claimed that in return, North Korea is seeking military assistance from Russia to advance its own military capabilities. "We are deeply concerned about the potential for any transfer of nuclear- or ballistic missile-related technology to the DPRK,” it said, using the acronym for North Korea’s official name.

0917 GMT — Ukraine suspends new Black Sea grain corridor

Ukraine has suspended the use of its new Black Sea grain corridor due to what it sees as a threat from Russian warplanes, the Kiev-based Barva Invest consultancy said.

"We would like to inform you of a temporary suspension of vessel traffic to and from (the ports). The current ban is in force on October 26, but it is possible that it will be extended," the consultancy said on the Telegram messaging app.

The consultancy said a de facto suspension had already been in place for two days at the behest of the military which cited a threat from increased Russian military aviation activity in the area.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin said last week that he had ordered Russian warplanes with Kinzhal missiles to patrol the Black Sea.

0633 GMT — Ukraine may export 1M tonne grain via new Black Sea route

Ukrainian grain shipments through a new Black Sea export corridor may exceed one million metric tonnes in October, first deputy agriculture minister Taras Vysotskiy said.

Ukraine launched a "humanitarian corridor" for ships bound for African and Asian markets and to try to circumvent a de facto blockade after Russia abandoned a Türkiye-brokered deal this summer that had guaranteed Kiev's exports during the war.

A senior agricultural official said later that month it was considering using the route for grain shipments.

Ukrainian authorities have said a total of 1.5 million tonnes of various cargo were exported via the new route since it started operating in late August.

0034 GMT — EU leaders tackle Middle East war but aim to keep up Ukraine support

European Union leaders meet to grapple with the conflict between Israel and Hamas while also aiming to show continuing support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

The summit in Brussels will be the first in-person meeting of the EU's 27 national leaders since the deadly attack on Israel by the Palestinian group Hamas on October 7, which was followed by Israeli air bombardments and a full-fledged siege on Gaza.

While the EU's influence on the Israel-Palestine conflict is modest, officials fear that an escalation could have grave consequences for Europe, including a rise in tensions between communities and a large flow of refugees.

"Our meeting comes at a time of great global instability and insecurity, exacerbated most recently by developments in the Middle East," said Charles Michel, president of the European Council of EU leaders, in an invitation letter to the summit.

"These developments require our immediate attention, without distracting us from our continued support to Ukraine."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address the summit by video link and support for Kiev will have first place in the summit declaration.

1926 GMT — Biden urges new US House speaker to 'move swiftly' on Israel, Ukraine aid

President Joe Biden called for the newly elected Republican speaker of the US House of Representatives to act quickly on approving military aid for Israel and Ukraine.

"We need to move swiftly to address our national security needs and to avoid a shutdown in 22 days," Biden said in a statement on Wednesday congratulating Mike Johnson on his election after weeks of gridlock.

"Even though we have real disagreements about important issues, there should be mutual effort to find common ground wherever we can. This is a time for all of us to act responsibly."

For our live updates from Wednesday (October 25), click here.