Ukraine Creates Defence Industries Alliance
Putin declares a holiday to celebrate occupied areas
After the anti-climax of the UN General Assembly, it is left to Ukraine to push for alliances and support around the world.
In the meantime, we discover more companies are circumventing sanctions against Russia, with components of Russian drones around to have originated from US companies and also a German-Japanese manufacturer. It highlights the issues of using sanctions as a means to halt a war—it is never foolproof and is never guaranteed, so reliance on it was foolhardy.
As UN sanctions are lifted against Iran, Russia was quick to make a visit to the country to discuss military arms cooperation. I mean, the whole thing makes the UN look weak and useless. If the UN won’t adapt, then perhaps there needs to be a new entity created that will be able to prevent wars, but these things take time, and time is not what Ukrainians have.
Day 582 (28 September)
DMG Mori, a machine cutting company that is German-Japanese, has been reported to be working with Russian military companies who produce military hardware.
The American company Iridium still has an office in Moscow and the Russian military are still using their satellites communications system.
North Korea is reported to be negotiating a weapons deal with Russia as per the talks the leaders held recently. The US has stated that if this is the case they will respond, but have not said how.
During Zelenskyy’s visit to Canada, a Ukrainian veteran was introduced by parliament to honour him, but later it transpired through poor due diligence that the man have actually fought for the Nazis. This led to the speaker (in th eHouse of Commons) in the Canadian parliament resigning and Trudeau having to apologise for the error.
Ukraine has been criticised by some western countries for opting not to hold elections. Holding elections during war has many difficulties that other countries many not take into consideration, such as the cost, extending votes to refugees and how to set that up in other countries, besides the face any change in government would lead to delays in defensive tactics. Plus, this opens the door for more corruption and Russian propaganda. While not ideal for democracy, it is highly impractical to spend money on an election and such actions would lead to further corruption being planned.
Several countries have decided to boycott UEFA games that include Russia. Please include Northern Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, England, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland, who will not compete in football games with Russian teams.
Today, Kyiv was visited by NATO’s Stoltenberg, UK defence, Minister, grant, Shaps and French defence, Minister Sébastien, Lecornu. Many would consider these unannounced visits quite important and obviously there were some heavy discussions behind closed doors.
Shoigu, the Russian defence minister visited Iran as UN sanctions against the country begin to be lifted. Russia is looking to purchase weapons from Iran including Pavehm Ababil and Fattah cruise missiles.
Russia is building railway links in the occupied territories in Donetsk. This appears to be a replacement for the Crimean Kerch bridge, that has been damaged. Mariupol and Volnovakha would be connected to other regions along the line, that include Aslaove, and Kalchyk and link them to Russia coots of Rostov-on-Don and Taganrog.
Egypt is in talks with Russia to buy a million tonnes of grain. Such actions show the world which countries support Russia and can lead to countries being sanctioned by other countries. If the deal goes ahead, then Egypt will have picked a side.
Belarus claimed that a Polish helicopter violated its airspace, flying one and half km into the country. Poland denied the claim and said the accusation was false.
NATO has signed two. €4 billion worth of contracts to produce ammunition in order to replenish the stocks for members of the alliance who are supporting Ukraine.
Day 583 (29 September)
The IAEA has added newly elected members to the Board of Governors. These include Ukraine, Algeria, Armenia, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ecuador, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, The Netherlands, Paraguay, and Spain.
The IAEA has issued a resolution during the 67th session of the general conference, demanding that Ukraine be given back control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant for safety reasons. They also demanded that Russia withdraw and remove all military equipment and all personnel. We really wonder why it’s take so long to state the obvious, and Russia has no incentive to comply. This makes the IAEA look weak because they have no enforcement powers like the UN.
Sweden is to provide €25 million to help support the Ukrainian energy system. This has been in need of repair since the Russians had damaged and destroyed much of the energy infrastructure.
More on the F-16s, and English language training for the Ukrainian pilots will begin in the US as it is confirmed it will be part of the program to train the pilots.
About 30% of Ukraine is estimated to be contaminated with mines left by the Russians, and as a result, there is an effort to acquire more de- mining equipment as well as specialist to use them
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An estimated $37 billion is needed plus 10,000 minus to make Ukraine safe as announced in the Demine Ukraine forum that Ukraine has set up. Approximately 174,000 km² in Ukraine are affected by mines that have injured more than 700 citizens.
Russians will be permitted to compete under a neutral flag at the Paralympics has announced by the International Paralympic committee.
Romania has opted to move its air defence systems, closer to the border with Ukraine with the additional deployment of 4US F-16 jets in an extended no-fly zone. This is due to the possibility of further drone fragments being found on Romanian territory. While Russia was attacking Ukrainian ports on the Danube, the bordering cities of Galati and Tulcea, the radar systems picked up on un sanctioned airborne objects in the area.
Day 584 (30 September)
Russian conscription will now include the occupied territories in Ukraine, currently Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
Putin has designated the day a holiday to celebrate the occupied territories in Ukraine. He is calling it a reunification day, which indicates his plan to reform the Soviet Union.
Ukraine has, perhaps unwisely announced that they have infiltrated the Russian Spetsnaz (special forces) to obtain evidence of war crimes committed by Russia.
Slovakia has raised money from a crowdfunding campaign to buy a Bozena-5 defining vehicle. Other countries, including the Czech Republic have also contributed to helping finance purchase vehicles to do mine, Ukraine. Slovakia has so far been a staunch supporter of Ukraine, but the elections are imminent and Robert Fico, a former prime minister is looking to make a comeback, but is anti-Ukraine. He has said support for Ukraine would halt and under him, the country would not support NATO membership for Ukraine either.
A special operation called ‘Barynia’ has been carried out by Ukrainian intelligence. A Russian, the tenant was recruited. Suzanne managed to persuade 11 other Russian service personnel to voluntarily give themselves up to Ukraine.
Bayraktar, the Turkish drone manufacturer is to invest $100 million in three projects in Ukraine. This includes a plant and service centre with an office and will be built within 18 months.
The creation of the defence industries alliance was announced today by Zelenskyy, where 13 companies have already joined the alliance. In addition, there is a special defence fund in Ukraine, which can provide resources for the development of the production of military equipment.
Manufacturers of weapons and military equipment from all over the world who share Ukraine's intention to provide real protection from aggression can join it. (Zelenskyy)
Thank you once again E-L for your studious reporting and analysis of this dreadful war. It's a lot for my ninety year old brain to keep up with but only with your reporting can I keep up-to-date. It does seem to me that with Putin's reunification day he truly does want to reform and "restore" the former USSR.