Ukraine-Russia war – live: Musk ‘joins Trump’s Zelensky call’ as Putin hails ‘courageous’ US election win
Elon Musk promised to support Volodymyr Zelensky with his Starlink satellites
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Your support makes all the difference.Elon Musk reportedly jumped on Donald Trump’s first call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
The move potentially reveals how high Trump values the Tesla billionaire and foreshadows a possible role in his administration.
Axios reported that the president-elect told Zelensky he will support Ukraine, but didn’t go into details on a 25 minute phonecall.
Musk also weighed in to say he will continue supporting Ukraine through his Starlink satellites - that have become pivotal to Ukraine forces communications on the frontline.
Musk had previously mocked Zelensky on social media for his attempts to fundraise for his nation’s war effort.
It came as Russian president Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump on winning the US election and said Moscow was ready for dialogue with him.
In his first remarks since Mr Trump’s win, Mr Putin said the president-elect had acted “like a real man” during an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania in July.
Mr Trump’s win has caused concern in Ukraine, where the Russian forces have made swift advances of late, over fears that he would curtail US support for Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Russian drone strikes killed at least one person and injured 34 injured in Odesa and Kharkiv early this morning.
Mapped: Where has Russia made advances on the frontline in Ukraine?
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Pentagon responds to claims North Korean troops in Russia ‘gorging on pornography’
Europe cannot rely on Trump’s protection – it must take the lead on defence
A Trump presidency won’t necessarily be the gift for Putin that Moscow thinks it is...
Infant injured in Russian strike on Kharkiv
At least one civilian was killed and more than 30 people, including an infant, were injured after Russia launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Ukraine yesterday.
Russia launched 92 drones and five missiles at 12 Ukrainian regions, the Ukrainian air force said. Of these, 62 drones and four missiles were downed and 26 drones were “lost”, most likely meaning they had been thwarted electronically.
“All evening and night, terrorists attacked our cities and communities with missiles, drones, and guided aerial bombs, targeting the Odesa, Kharkiv, and Kyiv regions. In Kharkiv, as of now, more than 20 people have been reported injured, including an infant. Residential buildings and infrastructure were damaged,” Mr Zelensky said on X.
He issued a fresh appeal to Kyiv’s allies to help strengthen its air defences.
“Air defence, long-range capabilities, weapons packages, sanctions against the aggressor - this is the answer that is needed, not only in words, but also in actions,” Mr Zelensky said.
Trump’s desire to end war swiftly will see Ukraine lose territory, says ex-MI6 chief
Former MI6 chief Sir Alex Younger has said that Donald Trump’s desire for a swift end to the war in Ukraine will see Kyiv lose territory to Russia.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “He will attempt to engineer a rapid solution, but he’s been pulled in two directions. There will be a land swap. That is a terrible thing for the people who end up living under Russian rule.
“But fundamentally, it’s not the main argument. The main argument is whether Ukraine is a western or eastern country in future.”
Sir Alex added: “Trump’s advisers, on the one hand, are saying that Ukraine should be forced into neutrality, so basically back into the bosom of Putin. Others are talking about the need to do a land swap, but then reinforce its military and economic capabilities, and we need to make sure we are compounding that second argument.”
Zelensky meets Starmer to discuss his ‘victory plan'
Volodymyr Zelensky has hinted at seeking British help with long-range weapons as he met with prime minister Keir Starmer yesterday.
“During the meeting with UK prime minister @Keir_Starmer, we discussed the implementation of the Victory Plan and support for our defense industry. An important element of the Victory Plan is providing Ukraine with long-range weaponry and granting permission to use it against military targets on Russian territory,” he said on X.
The two leaders met in the Hungarian capital Budapest at a summit of the European Political Community.
Sir Keir has assured Mr Zelensky that the UK’s support for Ukraine in its war with Russia remains “iron-clad”.
Nato says North Korean involvement in Ukraine war is ‘dangerous expansion'
The deployment of North Korean troops is a “dangerous expansion” of the country’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine, Nato members said yesterday.
In a joint statement, the military alliance’s 32 member countries warned that “the deepening military cooperation” between Russia and North Korea “deeply impacts Euro-Atlantic security, with implications also for the Indo-Pacific”.
Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Ukraine also supported the Nato statement.
Nato secretary general Mark Rutte said in late October that North Korean troops have been sent to Russia and that North Korean military units have been deployed to the Kursk region.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said “a more decisive response from Western countries to North Korea’s new role in the Russia-Ukraine war is needed” after meeting the Nato chief on Thursday.
Pentagon to allow US defence contractors to fix weapons in Ukraine
The Pentagon is now allowing a small number of private American defence contractors to work inside Ukraine, helping repair and maintain equipment, US officials said on Friday, expanding the US footprint inside the war-hit nation.
The contractors will be far away from the frontlines during Russia’s invasion and will not be taking part in combat, the officials said. The department is soliciting bids now, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal decisions.
Officials said the Pentagon is allowing the contractors to go because some equipment – including F-16 fighter jets and air defence systems – requires high-tech expertise to repair. Using the contractors will ensure the weapons are fixed quickly so Ukrainian forces can continue to use them in combat, they said.
Ukraine has been receiving billions of dollars worth of American weapons and equipment over the past two years, including a number of sophisticated systems.
The Pentagon is letting a small number of U.S. defense contractors fix weapons in Ukraine
U.S. officials say the Pentagon is easing restrictions to allow a small number of private American defense contactors to work inside Ukraine, helping repair and maintain equipment
Russian forces moving closer to Ukrainian frontline town, bloggers say
Russian forces are close to capturing a major town on the eastern front in Ukraine as part of their drive westward through the Donbas region, military bloggers said.
Bloggers on both sides reported that Russian forces had entered the village of Sontsivka and were advancing from the northwest on the city of Kurakhove.
Ukrainian authorities made no acknowledgement that the village had fallen into Russian hands, while noting that fighting on the eastern front was heaviest around Kurakhove and Pokrovsk, a major logistics centre to the northwest.
“The Kurakhove direction and the Pokrovsk direction are the most challenging right now,” president Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly video address. “The military command and brigade command are working on strengthening positions.”
Ukraine’s General Staff made no mention of the village, saying that Ukrainian forces had repelled 18 of 32 Russian attacks near Kurakhove and 19 assaults near Pokrovsk.
Five civilians injured in Krasnopillia strike
An airstrike on a Ukrainian village injured five civilians, according to the Sumy Regional Military Administration.
Authorities announced on Facebook as a result of the airstrike on Krasnopillia one apartment building, six private houses, a private store, two pharmacies, a secondary school and three private cars were damaged.
They added Russians carried out 57 strikes on the border area of the Sumy region and caused 129 explosions in total on Friday.
‘Explosions' as Ukrainian drone hits Russian oil refinery
Ukrainian drones attacked an oil refinery in the Russian city of Saratov, a military intelligence source confirmed to the Kyiv Independent.
The source said drones hit one of the plant’s oil refineries and fuel oil tanks, and cited local media reports of multiple explosions.
Earlier in the day, Saratov Oblast Governor Ruslan Busargin said that a Ukrainian drone targeted the city but claimed no damage was done.
Fury as Russia’s most popular news channel shows Melania Trump nude photos
Nude photos of Melania Trump have been shown on prime-time Russian television to announce Donald Trump’s election victory.
Shots from Melania’s photo shoot with GQ in 2000 were aired on 60 Minutes on the Russia-1 network on Thursday.
Russian Media Monitor posted the disparaging clip on Twitter which sees the hosts struggle to hold back laughter.
One propaganda monitor, commented on X, saying: “Trump thinks he’s besties with Putin and this is how Russian state media treats his wife.
“Putin is letting him know who is boss.”
Russian general ‘killed in drone strike as he rode motorbike’
A Russian general whose soldiers have been accused of torturing Russell Bentley, an American fighter to the death for the Kremlin, has died in Ukraine, according to reports.
Major General Pavel Klimenko, 47, headed the Fifth Separate Motor Rifle Brigade in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.
It is believed he was killed in a missile strike as he rode a motorbike.
According to U.S.-funded media outlet Radio Free Europe, he died on Thursday.
One of his sisters also confirmed the death to ASTRA, an independent Russia-Ukraine war reporting Telegram channel.
Bentley, 64, known as “the Donbas Cowboy”, supported pro-Moscow separatists and was living in the city of Donetsk. He was killed on the site of an abandoned mine and his body was blown up in an attempt to destroy the evidence.
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