Ukraine-Russia latest: Zelensky unveils five-point ‘Victory Plan’ as Putin’s forces launch mass drone attack
It comes after Putin’s forces fired 136 drones at Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities overnight on Wednesday
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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has unveiled the much-anticipated five-point “Victory Plan” which he says could bring an end to the war by the end of next year.
An invitation to join NATO and specific weapons support from western allies sits front-and-centre of Kyiv’s plan, which Zelensky discussed with the US, UK, France, Italy and Germany leaders in a whirlwind tour.
The plan’s third point calls for a non-nuclear deterrence mechanism with the power to destroy Russia’s military, Zelensky told the members of Ukrainian parliament on Wednesday morning.
Zelensky said there is a secret addendum to the third point, which he could not disclose.
Western support in defending Ukraine’s natural resources from Russian attacks, alongside post-war reconstruction pledges from western allies, made up the rest of the plan.
It comes after Russia fired scores of drones at Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions overnight on Wednesday. 51 of the 136 drones fired by Putin’s forces were shot down by Ukraine’s air forces over 14 regions.
Of the remaining drones, 60 were unaccounted for, 20 remained in Ukrainian skies, and three had an unknown fate.
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One killed and 16 injured in southern Mykolaiv region
A Russian missile attack on the southern city of Mykolaiv overnight on Oct. 15 killed a woman and injured 16 others, the region’s governor said.
Russian forces hit the city with a S-300 anti-aircraft missiles at around 2:30am, The Kyiv Independent reported.
Residential buildings, cars, an industrial facility, restaurant complex and shops were all damaged, according to governor Vitalii Kim.
The Mykolaiv region, which neighbours the Kherson region, has suffered regular Russian attacks. Three Shahed-type drones were downed in the region overnight on October 15, Kim said.
Iran denies sending ballistic missiles to Russia
Iran has denied providing ballistic missiles for Russia, condemning the sanctions by the EU and Britain on Tehran.
The EU agreed to impose sanctions on seven people and seven organisations on Monday, including Iran Air, Saha Airlines, Mahan Air and Iran’s deputy defence minister Seyed Hamzeh Ghalandari.
The UK added nine designations to its Iran sanctions regime.
A spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, said in a post on X on Tuesday: "Some European countries and the UK have unfortunately claimed without evidence that Iran has militarily intervened in this conflict which is totally refuted.”
Last month, the US said it had shared intelligence with allies that Russia had received ballistic missiles from Iran for its war in Ukraine.
Report: Jared Leto accused of ‘insulting’ Ukraine after likening Russia’s war to ‘problems’
Jared Leto is facing backlash from Ukraine after he praised Russia during a Thirty Seconds to Mars concert on 11 October.
The 52-year-old actor and musician made the comments during a gig in the Serbian capital in Belgrade as part of his band’s Seasons Tour, which he promoted by climbing the Empire State Building in November 2023.
Speaking to the crowd in Serbia, Leto asked them if there were many Russians in attendance, which was met with enthusiastic cheers.
Read the full report from Greg Evans:
Jared Leto accused of ‘insulting’ Ukraine after controversial Russia comments
The actor and musician made the comments during a concert in Serbia
Ukraine ‘stands firm’ in Russia’s Kursk region, says Zelensky
Kyiv’s forces are holding firm as Russian troops attempt to break through their lines in the Kursk region for a fifth straight day, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“For five days now, the Russians have been trying to break through our defence in the Kursk region. Our guys are standing firm and counterattacking,” the Ukrainian president said on X after holding a meeting with Ukraine’s top commander.
Ukraine pressed past Russia’s western region’s border on 6 August and rapidly secured control of 1,300 sq km (501.93 square miles), with over 100 settlements. The initial advance has stalled, and Moscow said it took back several settlements last week.
Ukrainian General Staff said on Facebook the Kursk operation was going on while Moscow’s troops continued hitting Russian territories with guided bombs.
Kremlim not sure if Putin is going to Brazil for G20
The Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said it is not clear if Russian president Vladimir Putin will be attending the G20 Summit in Brazil next month.
On being asked if a decision had been made on whether Mr Putin would attend the meeting of the world’s 20 leading economies, Mr Peskov said: “No. When a decision is made, we will let you know.”
Ukrainian officials said they have intelligence inputs indicating Mr Putin may attend the G20 summit in Brazil next month, and called on authorities there to carry out a warrant for his arrest if he showed up.
Brazil sent the Russian president a standard invitation for the 18 to 19 November meetings in Rio de Janeiro of the G20 group but has received no indication he planned to attend, according to two Brazilian government officials.
Russian forces claim Ukrainian settlement captured
Russia has claimed it captured a small village in southern Ukraine as it probes for weaknesses along the war’s roughly 1,000km (600 mile) front line.
Levadne is a tiny settlement in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, southwest of the Donetsk region where Russia has concentrated the bulk of its recent offensive operations.
Eastern areas of Ukraine are currently are the main focus of Moscow’s military effort before winter arrives.
In Moscow, the defence ministry said Russian troops took Levadne in the Zaporizhzhia region. Levadne was seized by the Russians early during the war but was recaptured by Ukrainian forces during a counteroffensive in the summer of 2023.
Russia was desperate to capture a tiny village in Ukraine before winter arrived
Ukraine says it needs more Western help to have a chance of holding back Russia’s invasion
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