Russia Announces Kherson Retreat On Television

Russia ships military supplies to temporarily occupied Mariupol

Day 259 (9 November)

• The Russians made an unusual live television broadcast, ordering the army to retreat from Kherson, claiming that the other side (Ukraine) were possibly using weapons that were prohibited. This could be a false flag, and a ruse to perhaps convince the West to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine, or there could be the dam incident that the Ukrainian intelligence had indicated as a possibility. Nothing that Russia does publicly should be trusted, and it is possible that the Ukrainian troops did push them to retreat.

  

  

  Either way, it is too soon to claim victory in Kherson as there are no doubt proxies and pro-Russians in the region still.

  

  

• Sean Penn visited Kyiv for the third time and met with Zelenskyy and brought with him his Oscar. He left it in Ukraine as a symbol, and told Zelenskyy to bring it back to the US when Ukraine has won the war. Sean Penn had been banned from entering Russia earlier this year as he is on a list of people that Russia considers hostile and who spread disinformation.

  

• Zelenskyy takes nothing for granted and spoke with the Dutch Prime Minster to discuss cooperation of the protection of the skies and investing in Ukraine to rebuild the country.

• Ships from Russia entered the port of Mariupol that contained military supplies. This is an indication of Russia finding alternative ways to transport supplies into Ukraine by using the occupied ports.

  

• The Russian Security Council Secretary, Nikolai Patrushev arrived in Iran on 8 November 2022 to discuss the supply of missiles to Russia. It looks more likely that Iran has been assisting Russia during the invasion.

  

• The NATO Summit next year will be held in Vilnius, Lithuania on 11-12 July 2023. It is highly likely that the war in Ukraine will still be a issue to be discussed.

• Due to the power outages in Ukraine, neighbouring Eastern European countries are getting ready for additional Ukrainian refugees. Reception centres are building up stocks of food for the potential wave of refugees having to leave Ukraine.

• Germany has sent 30 Dingo armoured vehicles and missiles for the Iris-T surface to air missile systems. It has taken several months for Germany to supply weapons and finally they are making good on their promises having been criticised by their own citizens for failing to help Ukraine sooner.

• In Kharkiv, a the recently liberated town of Balakliya, a Judge has told the media that the Russians detained him three times and also threatened to kill him with mock executions. How many people didn’t live to tell their story, and it is possible that if the town had not been liberated that there would have been further deaths of those who supported Ukraine.