October 23 2024

On October 22, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced that new sanctions are being crafted to restrict Russia's access to military goods. The new sanctions will target intermediaries in third countries supplying critical equipment and components to Russia's military. The details of the package will be published next week and will include additional sanctions against the Russian energy sector and banks.


North Korean troops are expected to arrive in Kursk Oblast on October 23 to support Russian military efforts against Ukraine, according to Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence. Budanov mentioned the potential deployment of 2,600 soldiers initially, with reports suggesting around 10,000 could be involved in the war. North Korea has denied sending troops, calling the claims "groundless rumors."


President Zelenskyy announced on October 22 that two North Korean brigades, each consisting of about 6,000 troops, are set to be deployed in Ukraine, which he described as a serious challenge. He stated that if North Korea can participate in the conflict, it indicates that global pressure on both Russia and North Korea needs to be increased.

Zelenskyy reported on October 22 that North Korean officers and technical staff have been spotted in occupied territories, likely to prepare for a larger deployment.


North Korea has sent military pilots to Russia to learn how to fly Russian combat aircraft, possibly for use in the war against Ukraine. South Korean officials reported that North Korean pilots arrived in Vladivostok in September, followed by ground troops in early October. Sources suggest they may also be training on new aircraft that Russia plans to supply to North Korea. This could be the first combat involvement of North Korean pilots since the Vietnam War. Despite having over 900 aircraft, North Korean pilots are under trained, flying only 15-25 hours annually due to fuel shortages. It is possible that these pilots are being trained in Russia to make up for the lack of flight hours they receive in their own country.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed that North Korean troops have arrived in Russia, although it's unclear what their specific role is, while Ukraine reports that two North Korean brigades are preparing for deployment.

Reuters reports that North Korea is isolating the families of troops sent to Russia to control them and prevent the spread of information about their deployment.

North Korea is sending troops to Russia to gain combat experience in the Ukraine war, which also serves as a test for potential future conflicts with South Korea, according to Andrii Kovalenko from the Center for Countering Disinformation.

According to the Economist, North Korea is providing missiles and soldiers to Russia in exchange for technology to further develop North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. Kyrylo Budanov specified that North Korea was getting technology to develop low-yield tactical nuclear weapons and technology relating to launching missiles from underwater.


On October 22, Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed Ukraine during their meeting at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, which runs from October 22-24 and includes 36 world leaders from countries such as Brazil, India, and South Africa. The two leaders talked for about an hour, covering Russia's war in Ukraine, the BRICS agenda, and their bilateral relations. While China claims to have a "neutral" stance on the conflict, it is deepening its relationship with Russia.


Ukrainian soldiers from the 110th Mechanized Brigade killed Russian troops near Pokrovske who had been previously captured and exchanged in a prisoner swap. They were sent back to the front as punishment for surrendering and were sent on a failed assault on the Ukrainian position.


Footage was published of a Russian Strela-10 air defense system being destroyed by FPV drones.

A Russian Buk M2 was destroyed somewhere in the south. A Video shows the air defense system exploding catastrophically.


The third group of Ukrainian pilots has finished their training in the UK. The graduation ceremony took place at the Royal Air Force base in Cranwell, with Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK, in attendance. He thanked the British government and said that the pilots would be heading into battle soon.


A 13-year-old girl died during an air raid alarm at her school in Odesa after suddenly falling ill while moving to a shelter; despite immediate first aid and attempts at resuscitation, she could not be saved. Her death is classified as a natural currently, but an investigation into her death is underway.


The G7 countries plan to keep Russian assets frozen even after the war in Ukraine ends, with those assets remaining immobilized until Russia compensates Ukraine for damages caused by its invasion. They are expected to issue an official statement on this later this month.


Since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine's population has dropped by 10 million, or about a quarter, due to a large number of refugees leaving, declining birth rates, and war casualties. The birth rate now averages just one child per woman, according to the UN.


The ratio of artillery shots between Ukraine and Russian forces is now about 1 to 2, a significant improvement from the 1 to 8 ratio reported earlier this year. This shift is attributed to Ukraine's successful targeting of Russian ammunition depots and the superior range and accuracy of Western artillery systems.


On Wednesday, the UK and Germany signed the Trinity House Agreement, which aims to improve their defense cooperation and increase military support for Ukraine. This agreement includes plans for joint projects like a new large-caliber gun manufacturing facility in the UK, production of Boxer armored vehicles, and partnerships in drone manufacturing. They also committed to jointly supplying Ukraine with modern missile systems for German-donated Sea King helicopters.


On October 23, 2024, Turkish company Baykar signed a cooperation agreement with Ukraine at the Saha Expo defense fair. The specifics of the agreement were not revealed.


On October 23, 2024, NATO provided military ambulances to Ukrainian border guards and the National Guard. Ukrainians were trained to operate and maintain these ambulances. The assistance package also includes three years of maintenance and a two-year subscription for the Starlink satellite communication systems mounted on the ambulances.


Roman Hladkyi has been dismissed as Chief of Staff of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Command following a controversy surrounding his appointment in the summer of 2024. He has been replaced by Colonel Oleksii Halabuda, the former commander of the 28th Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The decision came after an inspection by the Security Service of Ukraine, which concluded that Hladkyi could no longer fulfill his role effectively. Hladkyi will now serve as a reserve officer in a reserve battalion. Specific details about the results of the inspection were not disclosed. The dismissal is possibly linked to allegations of treason, espionage, and corruption that had been the initial rationale for the inspection to be done in the first place.

A terrorist attack at the Turkish Aerospace Industries plant near Ankara has left four people dead and 14 injured, according to President Erdoğan. The attack involved three terrorists, two of whom were killed. They targeted a facility that produces military equipment.


Ukraine will receive three Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets from France in early 2025. These jets will be armed with Mica missiles, AASM Hammer bombs, Scalp cruise missiles, 30 mm cannons, and electronic warfare systems. The French Air Force currently operates 26 of these aircraft.


Russia targeted an energy facility in Ukraine's Sumy region leaving over 21,000 people without power. Energy workers managed to repair some of the damage, but more than 8,000 residents were still without electricity by noon on October 23. Across the entirety of Ukraine, 543 settlements are currently without power due to the war and maintenance/repair issues.


Ukraine has received about $1.1 billion from the IMF to help cover important non-military expenses. This funding comes from a larger $15.6 billion program called the Extended Fund Facility. Ukraine recently underwent its fifth review by the IMF and met the standards and expectations required to make this tranche of money available to Ukraine.


The Australian Department of Defence is finalizing plans to select a domestic company to produce 155-mm ammunition. Currently, Australia imports all of its 155mm artillery ammo from Rheinmetall’s facilities in Africa. There are three companies under consideration. Two of the companies have been named, NIOA-Rheinmetall and the Australian branch of Thales.


The UN Secretary General's office is refraining from commenting on North Korea sending troops to Russia, saying it’s the UN Security Council’s sanctions committee’s responsibility to decide if this violates international law.


Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister warned that the EU might delay a $4.3 billion payment from the EU's Ukraine Facility until next year unless Ukraine completes specific anti-corruption reforms by the end of October. The reforms revolve around plea agreements in corruption cases and were supposed to be finalized earlier this year. The first reading was completed on October 9, after that, it will possibly be revised, given a second reading, and if passed by parliament, be sent to the president’s office for signing. This tranche of money was expected to be delivered beginning in November.


France has asked India to stop exporting spare parts for Russian Su-30 jets through Kazakhstan. Russia is repairing these jets in Kazakhstan or having Kazakh repair crews come to Russia to do maintenance in direct violation of sanctions.


The U.S. will provide a $20 billion loan to Ukraine. The loan will be repaid using money from frozen Russian assets. Additionally, the EU has also approved a €35 billion loan for Ukraine, which will also be repaid using proceeds from Russian assets.


Russia has redeployed soldiers from its Strategic Missile Forces to serve as infantry in Ukraine due to personnel shortages. These men are normally tasked with nuclear launch operations. Activist Vladimir Grubnik reported that the 1st Composite Regiment is now acting as a regular rifle regiment in the Kursk area. It was previously active in the occupied Kharkiv region. These units are primarily made up of support staff rather and not nuclear specialists. They operate in separate battalions and are equipped with small arms, light armored vehicles, and civilian-supplied radios.



Quote of the Day:

“Humans will never be in charge of this world, as long as hedgehogs do as they please.”

― Nancy B. Brewer