Gazeta Wyborcza (english edition)
Map of the situation on the front
Sikorski on Ukraine in the European Union
Ukraine will become a member of the European Union at the beginning of the next decade – said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski in the podcast “The Rest Is Politics”. – Although Hungary is blocking progress on this issue, Ukraine already has the status of a candidate – added the politician in a conversation published this week.
According to Sikorski, the leader of Russia Vladimir Putin will not withstand another three years of war with Ukraine, which will be supported by the West. The funds obtained from frozen Russian assets are to help in this m.in.
Ukraine currently produces about half of drones and missiles at home. Putin did not achieve what he wanted; we thought he had a second army in the world, and he had been fighting in the Donbass for 10 years. I wouldn't call it a victory," the minister noted.
As he emphasized, Europe must have its own defensive capabilities, not rely on the US in every emergency. - We should be able to deal with some warlord in Libya or the Balkans - said Sikorski.
Poland’s relationship with Russia is 500 years old, we were a Russian colony. The Russians attacked us together with Nazi Germany in 1939 and imposed communism on 45 years – Sikorski recalled. – We will eat grass sooner than become a Russian colony again – he added.
At the attention of the leader that Sikorski speculated about Russia’s presence in NATO, the Polish politician emphasized: “I said that it would be in our interest for Russia to meet NATO criteria, which means democracy and repairing relations with neighboring countries.
“If Russia were to meet these conditions, it would be a different country,” Sikorski said. “People keep reminding me that we tried to normalize our relations with Russia at the time, but I thought it was worth a try.
When asked about his meetings with the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, said that, in his opinion, Lavrov was the real foreign minister until the annexation of Crimea, i.e. he had an influence on politics. From that moment on, he is just a “spokesman” of the Kremlin.
Source: PAP
U.S. Ambassador to NATO: We should learn from how Ukraine is waging war
The United States and NATO should learn from how Ukraine is waging war," Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, told Newsmax on Friday.
"The innovation I've seen, not only drones, but also missiles and other combat capabilities, (they show) that (Ukrainians) are not waiting for donations or tributes from the rest of us," said Whitaker, who recently ended visits to Ukraine and Romania. "They are operating as soon as possible to wage the war that has reached them when Russia has attacked their borders," he added.
Whitaker said the war in Ukraine had become a "laboratory of the struggle of the future," which in real time shows how modern wars will take place.
He stressed that the U.S. and NATO "must learn" from how Ukraine is waging war and "to be sure that we are ready to fight in such a war, because it is different from everything we have seen so far." He pointed out that the Ukrainian defense sector is growing at a rapid pace.
The ambassador also commented on the detection of a Russian spy ship that approached the end of last month at a distance of about 28 km from the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. "Our opponents are always testing our abilities and our mindfulness," he said. He added that "every time the U.S. is checked, their response is strong."
Source: PAP
One of the key conditions set by Russia in the issue of peace talks is the "denazification" and "debanderization" of Ukraine. So the more loudly the cry comes from Poland that "banderism" is spreading in Ukraine like a fire on the steppe, the more credible the Russian arguments sound - writes Mirosław Czech.
New data on Russian losses
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has provided new data on Russian losses in the last day. About a thousand Russian soldiers were to be killed or injured.
Estonian government: Belarusian balloons over Lithuania are a hybrid attack and a security problem for the whole EU
Smuggling balloons from Belarus over the territory of Lithuania, the EU country and NATO, are a hybrid attack, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said on Friday after a meeting with the head of the Lithuanian government, Inga Ruginiene in Tallinn.
In recent weeks, weather balloons, used to smuggle cigarettes without excise duty, released from the territory of Belarus have repeatedly forced Lithuanian services to close the country's largest airports in Vilnius and Kaunas.
"Estonia supports Lithuania without hesitation," Prime Minister Michal said. He emphasized that the countries of the region "best understand the nature of Russia and Belarus, as well as the need to constantly strengthen their ability to react in the air, at sea, on land and in cyberspace". - Therefore, the protection of the eastern flank should be an unequivocal priority for NATO and the EU - he added.
- Our response must be coordinated, united and decisive. Only by working together can we ensure the security of our region – the Prime Minister of Lithuania appealed.
“This is not just a problem for Lithuania – it is our common European security problem. And Russia and Belarus are violating it again and again, using new weapons," said Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, who attended Friday's meeting of the Baltic Council in Latvia's Riga.
Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys pointed out that “after we have already seen instrumentalized migration, we are now dealing with instrumentally directed smuggling.”
According to the Lithuanian organs, the Belarusian border zone from which balloons are released is strictly controlled and no object is released without the knowledge of the Belarusian services.
Source: PAP
The power - secular and church - convinces the Russians that the foundation of the power of the homeland is to be "spiritual values" that put away the abundance and achievements of civilization - writes Wacław Radziwinowicz.
"The recording comes from Riazan. Internet users say the local oil refinery has been hit - an object that has been attacked or attacked at least ten times since the start of the war. The governor of the circuit claimed that the fire "in one of the facilities" broke out because of "falling rubble." The refinery in Ryazan is one of the five largest in Russia. In 2024, it processed 13.1 million tonnes of oil - about 5% of the country's total refinery capacity," writes Nexta.
Orbán's government will sue the EU for deciding to phase out Russian gas in a phase-out, Euractiv reports. The Hungarian prime minister said Budapest would appeal the decision to the European Court of Justice, calling it "illegal" and contrary to European values. In addition to the legal route, Orbán also promised to seek "extra-legal ways" to influence Brussels, but did not give details.
In a Russian drone strike on Dnieper, one person was killed; several fires broke out
In the Russian drone strike on the Dnieper located in the central-eastern part of Ukraine, one person was killed. Several fires broke out in the city, the Ukrinform news agency reported on Saturday.
The Russians attacked Dnipro and the Nicopolska and Sylnykov regions in the Dnepropetrovsk region, Władysław Hajwanenko said on Telegram. A 65-year-old man was killed in the attacks.
“All night the enemy was driving drones to the Dnieper. Several fires have broken out in the city [...] Nikopol was attacked by drones and fired from artillery and Grad rocket launchers. The towns of Marganec, Czervohyhorivka and Myrowe were affected," the post said.
On Friday night and night, the Ukrainian air defense forces shot down 16 drones in the Dnepropetrovsk region, the Air Defense Command said. On Friday, Ukrinform recalled, Russian forces carried out artillery shelling and attacks using guided aerial bombs and drones throughout the Dnepropetrovsk region, causing damage.
Source: PAP
The Russians attacked the Chernihiv region of Ukraine with drones, the State Rescue Service said. At night, an unmanned aircraft hit an outbuilding in one of the villages of the Koryukiwskie region. As a result of the attack, a fire broke out, which the rescuers quickly extinguished.
The death toll from the Russian attack on Kiev has risen to seven
"This morning it was revealed that an elderly woman who was injured in the November 14 shelling died in hospital," local military administration chief Timur Tkachenko said in a statement.
Swedish government: Colombia buys 17 Gripen fighter jets
Colombia has placed an order for 17 Jas Gripen E/F warplanes, the Swedish government said on Saturday. The agreement was signed by Saab in the Colombian city of Cali in the presence of the Swedish foreign trade minister.
As revealed, the value of the contract is 3.1 billion euros, and the supply of 15 single-seater Gripen E fighters and two two-seater F fighters are expected to be completed in 2026-32. The government of Colombia and Saab have also reached an agreement on investment in cybersecurity, health care and sustainable energy sources and water purification.
Swedish media are reminding that tensions related to American attacks on boats off the coast of the country and Venezuela are currently taking place in the Colombian area. The backdrop of these interventions is the U.S. fight against the drug business. According to Swedish Foreign Minister Benjamin Dousa, the agreement with Colombia has all the permits required by the controlling arms exports of the Inspectorate of Strategic Products (ISP). – They give a full picture of the geopolitical situation – Dousa assured.
The latest model of Jas Gripen E fighters also wants to acquire Ukraine. In October, in the city of Linkopeing in the Saab plant, a preliminary agreement allowing the purchase of 100-150 aircraft in the future was signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
Source: PAP
North Korea is halving the delivery of missiles to Russia because its own supplies are running out, Ukrainian intelligence reports. North Korean artillery supplies allowed Russia to keep the pace of shelling in 2024, but this year that support has dropped significantly.
Estonia has allocated 3.5 million euros to provide Starlink connectivity for Ukraine. Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur stressed that Starlink has "significant influence on the battlefield" and is particularly important in the face of the growing number of Ukrainian drones that require a stable internet connection.
Russians kill widow of first victim of Chernobyl nuclear nuclear power plant disaster
Natalia Chodemczuk, 73, was the seventh victim of yesterday's attack on Kiev. Her apartment on the seventh floor was at the center of the attack. About 45% of her body was burned and doctors failed to save her. Natalia's husband, Walery Chodemczuk, was the first person to die in the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. He worked as the operator of the main circulation pumps in reactor block 2," describes Nexta.
Serbia has secured a three-month suspension of U.S. sanctions against NIS
Serbia has secured a three-month suspension of sanctions against the Serbian Petroleum Industry (NIS), Reuters reported on Saturday. NIS was put on the U.S. sanctions list in January, as most of the shares are held by Russian entities.
Serbia's Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanović said on Tuesday that the Russians are ready to hand over control of the company to a third party and have contacted the U.S. Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) on the matter.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vuchic announced on Saturday a request for relief from sanctions, arguing that the "solving of management" issues has been "started."
The United States has included NIS in the list of companies subject to sanctions to prevent the financing of the war in Ukraine with money from Russian energy companies. The restrictions came into effect, after being postponed several times, in early October.
Since 2008, the majority shareholders in NIS have been Gazprom and Gazprom Nieft, the oil company of Gazprom, which owns about 96 percent of its shares. Gazprom Nieft held a 50 percent stake in NIS, the Republic of Serbia 29.87 percent and Gazprom 6.15 percent. The remaining shares belonged to citizens, current and former employees and other minority shareholders.
Although the ownership structure of NIS has been changed several times recently, the company still remains in the hands of Russian companies. Gazprom withdrew from NIS in September, and its shares were taken over by another company managed by it: Intelligence from St. Petersburg, according to data from the Belgrade Stock Exchange.
NIS is the only company in Serbia to search for, extract and process oil and natural gas. It is also one of the most profitable companies in the country, generating revenues of 3.3 billion euros, accounting for 4.5 percent. Serbia's GDP, and a net profit of 375 million euros, according to data from 2023. The company annually pays about 2 billion euros in taxes and fees to the state budget.
NIS currently controls 80 percent of the domestic fuel market and 50 percent of retail sales through a network of 334 gas stations operating under the NIS and Gazprom banners.
Source: PAP
"In the Chernihov region, an important energy infrastructure facility was damaged as a result of the Russian shelling, and much of the circuit was deprived of electricity. Chernihivoblenerho reported it on Telegram. The company appealed to residents to remain calm, not to disclose information and take precautions," Belsat writes.
The pig accidentally rescued Russian soldiers by climbing into a mine.
Ukrainian drone strikes are forcing a refinery in Saratov to halt pre-processing, Reuters reports. The November 11 attack sparked explosions and a large fire at the plant that could remain out of use by the end of the month.
