Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited soldiers on the front line on Thursday, where he celebrated the success of a counteroffensive in the east against Russian troops, whose number was estimated by Russian President Vladimir Putin to be "over 700,000."
"I met our soldiers participating in the counteroffensive in Dobropillia," Zelensky announced on social media, stating that the Ukrainian army had "liberated 160 km²" in that area. The Russian army had managed to breach Ukrainian defenses towards this city in August, which had a population of 28,000 before the war.
Additionally, the Ukrainian army attacked the Russian border region of Belgorod in the last 24 hours with over a hundred drones, as reported today by the governor, Viacheslav Gladkov. Ukrainian drones have targeted several refineries and energy facilities in recent weeks, further reducing Russia's generation capacity for the front.
Ukraine War Strains and Wears Out the UN as a Lightning Rod for Conflicts
The Ukraine war, now in its three and a half years, has become one of the main challenges for the UN as a lightning rod for conflicts, exposing global disunity and wearing out emerging and developing countries, which remain distant or silent, reports Efe.
In the early stages following the Russian invasion that triggered the war in February 2022, votes in the UN General Assembly, while not binding but symbolically significant, showed overwhelming support for Ukraine. However, this support has waned since 2023, amid growing diplomatic divisions and increased focus on the Middle East.
This wear and tear has also been marked by a shift in the U.S. stance, as this past February, the United States made a U-turn and aligned with Russia in a Security Council vote on condemning the Russian invasion, while simultaneously initiating direct talks with Moscow to push for a ceasefire, which has proven to be much more challenging than Donald Trump believed.
Belgium Calls for Sharing Risks of Aid to Ukraine with Frozen Russian Assets
Belgian Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem called on Friday for any initiative to use frozen Russian assets to increase economic support to Ukraine to be backed by a scheme where risks are shared among EU states and G7 partners to preserve "financial stability," reports Efe.
"Our long-standing position is that we need to look at financial stability and it is important that (...) we find a way and a framework in which these risks are shared among the different member states and the G7," he explained upon arriving at the informal meeting of EU Economy and Finance Ministers in Copenhagen.
The minister's statement followed the announcement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that Brussels aims to provide Ukraine with a "repair loan" using the "cash balances" associated with frozen Russian assets, without touching the assets themselves.
Russia Claims Control of Another Village in Eastern Ukraine
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Friday that its forces have taken control of Muravka, a village located in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, as reported by the state news agency TASS.
British Intelligence Chief Says No Evidence Putin Wants to Negotiate Peace in Ukraine
There is "absolutely no evidence" that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to negotiate peace in Ukraine, stated the head of the UK's foreign intelligence agency in a speech on Friday, reports AP.
Sir Richard Moore, head of the Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6, indicated that Putin "is deceiving us."
"He seeks to impose his imperial will by all means at his disposal. But he cannot succeed," Moore asserted. "Frankly, Putin has bitten off more than he can chew. He thought he would achieve an easy victory. But he, and many others, underestimated the Ukrainians."
Spain Supports "Creative Analysis" to Aid Ukraine with Frozen Russian Assets
Spanish Minister of Economy, Trade, and Business, Carlos Cuerpo, stated on Friday that Spain supports the European Commission exploring creative solutions to use frozen Russian assets for increasing financial aid to Ukraine, reports Efe.
Speaking upon arrival at the informal meeting of EU Economy Ministers in Copenhagen, the minister noted that Spain has advocated "from the beginning" for all efforts to be made to find ways to enhance and increase funding for Ukraine.
"This also involves creatively analyzing how to move forward in utilizing and benefiting from these frozen assets within a legal framework that ensures judicial security, and this is what the Commission is doing," he said.
Putin Signs Decree Dismissing Kremlin Advisor Critical of War
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree last night dismissing one of his closest aides, Dmitry Kozak, deputy head of the Presidential Administration, reports Efe.
The corresponding decree published on the Russian State legal information portal states, "Release Dmitry Kozak from the position of deputy head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation."
After several weeks of speculation, the Kremlin confirmed the voluntary resignation of Kozak, the first senior Russian official to step down in opposition to the war in Ukraine.
Ukraine Neutralizes 71 Russian Drones, 15 Impact in Six Different Locations
Russia launched 86 Shahed, Gerbera, and imitation attack drones against Ukrainian territory overnight, which Russian forces use to confuse enemy defenses, as reported by the Ukrainian Air Force in its briefing on Friday, according to Efe.
The briefing stated that over fifty of the drones were Shahed, with 71 drones neutralized by Ukrainian defenses across various regions in the north, east, and center of Ukraine.
Another 15 attack drones were not intercepted and hit six unspecified locations, as reported by the Air Force.
First Weapons Purchased from the US with European Funds Arrive in Ukraine
The first batch of military equipment purchased from the US with European funds has arrived in Ukraine, with other shipments of American weaponry acquired with contributions from some of Kiev's partners on the way, as stated by a NATO source to Ukrainian public radio and television, Suspilne, reports Efe.
According to Suspilne, participants in this initiative to provide Ukraine with American arms have financed four packages of military aid.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky explained this week that Ukraine was preparing two orders of weaponry worth $500 million each.
Remnants of a Missile Found in Eastern Poland
Suspected missile fragments, believed to have been used to shoot down a drone, have been found in the eastern Lublin region, as reported by the Polish military police, over a week after Poland, supported by NATO aircraft, shot down Russian drones in its airspace, according to Reuters.
The Lublin military police branch is expected to conduct forensic inspections of the object on Thursday, authorities stated.
Last week, Poland reported that its airspace was violated by Russian drones during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, while Russia was attacking Ukraine, where a war has been ongoing since February 2022. Russia claimed it was not targeting Poland.
Ukraine reported attacking a new refinery in Russia on Thursday, about 1,400 km from the front, in the Bashkortostan region, causing a fire, as reported by Afp.
These types of attacks on the Russian oil and gas sector have increased in recent months, a strategy that has significantly raised fuel prices at Russian gas stations.