According to Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s Defense Minister, a meeting with Western partners in defense produced “concrete” results.
Umerov was part of a delegation led by President Volodymyr Zelensky that visited counterparts in France, the U.K. Italy and Germany.
Umerov, via Telegram, said that “all four countries have confirmed that investment in Ukraine’s industrial and defense complex will increase.”
According to the announcement, the U.K. committed to providing additional long-range weaponry, artillery and robotic systems. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron discussed opening a drone training center in France.
Umerov stated that frozen Russian assets would be used to finance Ukraine’s defense needs.
Umerov stated that “we discussed specific steps for increasing the production of arms — both in Ukraine and by creating joint ventures with European partners.”
“This will allow the Defense Forces to manufacture weapons, equipment and ammunition within a fundamentally different format of cooperation.”
Kyiv aims to be a global leader within the defense sector. However, with its economy being drained from the war, it will need foreign investment and partnerships in order to achieve this goal.
According to government estimates Ukraine has the capability to produce around 20 billion dollars worth of weapons and other equipment, but the state budget only can fund around 6 billion.
Foreign companies are increasingly signing deals to produce weaponry in Ukraine. This includes 155 shells and loitering munitions.
Zelensky, in a recent interview, highlighted that Ukraine had increased its domestic ammunition production exponentially over the last two years and successfully tested a ballistic missile.
Zelensky stated that Ukraine produced 25 times as much artillery and mortar ammo in the first half of the year than it would have done for the entire year 2022.
Biden was to convene, on Oct. 12 in Germany, a meeting of leaders from the Ukraine Defense Contact Group where President Volodymyr Zelensky was to present his victory strategy. He rescheduled his visit to oversee the emergency response for Hurricane Milton.
Anna Belokur, Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur, explains the top stories from the week. From the postponement the Ramstein Summit to the two-month anniversary Ukraine’s surprise invasion into Kursk Oblast.
Zelensky, in a video message posted on Telegram, said that Russia has also launched over 40 missiles and more than 400 combat drones.
“The killings of prisoners of war are a gross violation and international crime of the Geneva Conventions.” Kostin wrote on X that a criminal case was opened for the violation of laws and customs in war, combined with premeditated killing.
“There were attempts from Russia to push our positions back.” “But we are holding the lines,” he said.
Deepstate reported that the shootings took place on October 10, citing sources from Ukraine’s First Tank Brigade.
The two MiG-31K aircraft landed in Belarus in October 9 and 10 a year after their last appearance.
The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces announced on October 13 that Russia has lost 668.930 troops since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.
The Air Force reported that Russia also attacked Ukraine using two Iskander M ballistic missiles and 2 Kh-59 cruise missiles. The missiles were aimed at Chernihiv oblast, Sumy oblast, Poltava oblast, and Odesa ablast.
Mediazona, an independent Russian media outlet, and BBC Russia confirmed through open-source research the names of 72 899 Russian soldiers killed since the start of Russia’s full scale invasion.
Mykhailo Podolyak, advisor to the Presidential Office, said on October 12 that President Volodymyr Zelensky will reveal his “victory plans” publicly to Ukrainians “in a matter of days”.
In his evening address on October 12, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine and France are working together to establish new joint production facilities for defense.
The Press Play Prague Film Festival awarded the Best Film Award to the Kyiv Independent’s investigative film “He Came Back” on October 12. It reveals sexual crimes committed by the Russians during their occupation of Kyiv, Kherson and other oblasts at the beginning of 2022.
The semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported on October 12 that Iran had delivered two satellites manufactured in Iran to Russia for a launch scheduled soon. This is the latest example of space cooperation between two nations that are both under U.S. sanction.
Dusan Bajatovic is the CEO of Srbijagas – a state-owned Serbian company – and Alexey Miller is the CEO of Gazprom – a Russian state-owned energy giant. They expect Russian gas supplies to reach about 400 million cubic metres this winter.
Ukrainian troops, in cooperation with the Intelligence Service (HUR), struck a depot that contained oil and petroleum products that were used by the Russian military in the vicinity of Rovenky.
Ukraine’s officials reported that Russia has carried out massive attacks in Ukraine’s southern, eastern and southern regions, killing at least three civilians.
The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces announced on October 12 that Russia has lost 667 630 troops since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.
Andrzej Duda, the Polish president, announced that the European integration and “open door” policy for new EU members will be a priority during Poland’s EU Presidency in early 2025.
A proposed reform to the European Peace Facility would make financial contributions optional, in order to bypass Hungary‘s objection to military aid to Ukraine. This has led to a backlog of 6.5 billion euros ($7 billion).
A senior U.S. government official said, “It is time to craft a new strategic approach in terms of the specific positions (of the allies).” Defense ministers of NATO member nations will meet in Brussels on October 17-18 to discuss this issue.
Mike Johnson, the U.S. House speaker, said on October 11 that he did not want to see any more funding for Ukraine.
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