Photo : Victoria Butenko/CNN
Photo : Victoria Butenko/CNN
By Padmashree Anandhan and Advik S Mohan
WAR ON THE GROUND
On 03 November, the attacks on Kyiv continued. The same was confirmed by Serhiy Popko, head of the Kyiv military administration. According to Popko, the military reported on using air defences to repel the attack and as per preliminary report, all the drones were destroyed. As a result of the debris, residential buildings and offices were damaged.
On 02 November, General Alexander Syrsky, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine had informed Ukrainian forces faced a powerful Russian offensive. According to Syrsky, the offensive was one of the most powerful launched by Russia, since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Additionally, he stated that Ukrainian units had a constant demand for the replenishment of resources. Syrsky’s complaint added to constant complaints by Ukrainian officials that delays in shipment of Western arms and restrictions on weapons usage contributed to recent losses suffered by Ukraine.
On 02 November, Business Recorder reported on the Kyiv being targeted with a heavy drone attack. The Ukrainian Air Force stated it shot down 39 out of 71 drones fired from Russia, which targeted Kyiv Oblast around the capital, alongside Sumy, Kirovograd, and Poltava Oblasts. The Kyiv Regional Military Administration informed six districts of Kyiv witnessed falling debris from drones shot down. The Administration further informed that fallen debris damaged cars and flat blocks, and started several fires in buildings. The missile strikes also injured a policeman and another woman in Kyiv Oblast. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine stated the terrorist attacks by Russia showed the pressure on Russia and its accomplices was not enough.
On 02 November, an article in Deutsche Welle News informed Russian drone attacks caused widespread damage across the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Serhiy Popko, the Head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration informed falling drone debris caused damage to the entrance and windows of at least five buildings in the districts of Holosiivskyi and Shevchenkivskyi, including a hostel. According to the Administration, buildings, roads, and power lines were damaged by the drone strikes. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Air Force informed Russia had launched 96 attack drones and one X-59/69 missile at Ukraine.
On 02 November, Ukraine’s top military official indicated increase in Ukraine’s production of mortar shells. However he indicated the shortage in global explosives. He said: “The main problem we have now are powders and explosives. However much explosive comes into Ukraine, that’s how many shells we will have.”
THE MOSCOW VIEW
Claims by Russia
On 02 November, during joint talks with Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister, Choe Son Hui, North Korea’s Foreign Minister said that it will support Russia until victory. She said that North Korea had no doubt in Russian leadership and will “Achieve a great victory in their sacred struggle to protect the sovereign rights and security interests.” On the same day, Lavrov confirmed on establishing “close contacts” Russia and North Korea militaries.
On 02 November, Dmitry Medvedev, the former President of Russia statement on Western countries had the false assumption Russia would never use nuclear weapons. Medvedev stated Western leaders made a miscalculation, that Russia would never cross the red line of using nuclear weapons. According to Medvedev, this failed to take into account the willingness of Russia to defend its existence using all means at its disposal. Additionally, Medvedev stated that current Western leaders like Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, and Olaf Scholz, the Chancellor of Germany lacked the acumen and subtlety of mind present amongst their predecessors.
On 02 November, RT reported on a Russian missile strike on a police building in the city of Kharkov in Ukraine left at least one individual dead. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine informed a Russian S-400 missile targeted an unspecified facility which housed police officers. The Ministry further informed that a 43-year-old police officer was killed, and 30 police officers, a first responder, and nine civilians were wounded in the attack. Oleg Sinegub, the Governor of Kharkov Oblast stated that 20 apartment blocks and individual houses were damaged by the S-300 missile attack. According to Boris Rozhin, a Russian military blogger, the police headquarters in Kharkov was targeted. The Government of the Russian Federation made no remark on the recent strikes.
References
“Kyiv comes under heavy Russian drone attack,” Business Recorder, 02 November 2024
“Russian drone strikes cause destruction in Kyiv,” Deutsche Welle News, 02 November 2024
“West underestimating Moscow on nukes- Medvedev,” RT, 02 November 2024
“Ukraine facing ‘most powerful’ Russian offensive- top general,” RT, 02 November 2024
“Russian missile destroys ‘police building’- Ukrainian officials,” RT, 02 November 2024
“Ukraine war briefing: North Korea says it will back Russia until it achieves victory,” The Guardian, 02 November 2024
“Ukraine war briefing: Military holding off one of Russia’s fiercest offensives since invasion began, says Syrskyi,” The Guardian, 02 November 2024