A new Russian missile attack took place in Ukraine on the night of October 16, according to the Ukrainian armed forces. For several days, Avdiïvka, in the east of the country, has been surrounded by the Russian army, with fighting getting bogged down despite recent declarations by Vladimir Putin.
For his part, the head of Russian diplomacy is going to China, ahead of an expected visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin for the third New Silk Roads forum.
Russian missile attack in Ukraine
On the night of October 16, the Russian army attacked Ukraine in several places on the territory. Ballistic weapons, aerial missiles and attack drones were allegedly used according to the Ukrainian armed forces. As a result of combat operations, two Kh-59 guided aerial missiles and 11 Shahed-136/131 drones were destroyed by the Air Force.
“In total, the use of one Iskander M ballistic missile, five Kh-59 guided aerial missiles and 12 Shahed-136/131 type attack drones was recorded. The northern and eastern regions of Ukraine were attacked with aerial missiles”, indicates the message on Telegram.
In Poland, victory for the centrist and pro-European opposition
The centrist pro-European opposition won the parliamentary majority on Sunday in Poland, defeating the ruling nationalist populists and the far right together, according to exit polls, in legislative elections deemed crucial for the country’s European future and its relations with Kiev.
If these results are confirmed, these elections should put an end to the eight years of government of Jaroslaw Kaczynski’s Law and Justice party (PiS). The three opposition parties, the Civic Coalition (KO), the Christian Democrats of the Third Way and the Left, together won 248 seats in the parliament of 460 deputies, against 212 seats for the PiS and the Confederation (far right ) united.
kyiv and its Western allies were eagerly awaiting these elections, after the recent election in Slovakia of a government hostile to aid to Ukraine. Poland is one of kyiv’s main supporters and has welcomed a million Ukrainian refugees onto its soil, but weariness is growing among Poles. The PiS government fell out with Ukraine by imposing an embargo on imports of its grain, arguing the need to protect Polish farmers.
Sergei Lavrov in China
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi received his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Monday, ahead of an expected visit to China by Russian President Vladimir Putin for the third Belt and Road Forum. Beijing and Moscow share a common desire to counter what they present as American hegemony and have become notoriously close since the Russian intervention in Ukraine, which China refuses to condemn.
Beijing welcomes representatives from some 130 countries from Tuesday to Wednesday for the 10th anniversary of the New Silk Roads, whose official name is “The Belt and Road”. This is an ambitious project launched under the leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who came to power in 2012. It aims to improve trade links between Asia, Europe, Africa and even beyond by the construction of ports, railways, airports or industrial parks.
More than 50 Russian attacks repelled by Ukraine
The Ukrainian army repelled more than 50 Russian attacks on the fronts of Kupiansk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Marinka, Shakhtarsk and Zaporizhia in the last 24 hours according to Ukrainian media Ukayinska Pravda quoting a message from the general staff on Facebook on October 16.
“About 70 combat engagements took place over the past 24 hours. In addition, the Russian Federation launched another missile and air strike on Ukraine, using Kh-59 guided missiles, Iskander ballistic missiles -M and Shahed-136/131 attack drones,” it reads.
For several days, Avdiïvka, in eastern Ukraine, has been surrounded by the Russian army, with fighting which seems to be getting bogged down. Vladimir Putin nevertheless affirmed this Sunday, October 15 on Russian television that Russian troops “are improving their position in almost all of this space, a fairly large space.” “This concerns the areas of Koupiansk, Zaporizhia and Avdiivka,” added the master of the Kremlin, welcoming this strategy of “active defense” carried out by his army.