The Russian army said on Tuesday that it had shot down 17 Ukrainian drones over the Black Sea and the Crimean peninsula, regularly targeted by this type of attack and hit on Saturday by missile fire. “The anti-aircraft defense destroyed nine drones and intercepted eight others,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, ensuring that it had repelled an attempted “terrorist attack”.
Debris fell on at least two locations near Sevastopol, the city’s governor, Mikhail Razvojaev, said on Telegram: on the roof of a house in Andriivka, causing a “small fire”, and in a courtyard in Orlovka, injuring a man.
Zelensky eliminates the idea of a presidential election
The Ukrainian president put an end to the debate among the country’s leaders on Monday, November 6, on the possible holding of the presidential election scheduled for March 2024. “This is not the time for elections,” Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday. Western allies are pressing Ukraine to organize democratic elections even though nearly 20% of its territory is occupied by Russia and millions of Ukrainians are refugees abroad.
“We must decide that this is the time for defense, for battle, on which the fate of the state and the people depends, and not for farce, which only Russia expects from Ukraine. I think that this is not the case. “It’s not time for elections,” said Volodymyr Zelensky. “We all understand that today, in times of war, when the challenges are numerous, it is absolutely irresponsible to introduce the subject of elections in society in a light and cheerful way,” he added.
Vladimir Putin to run for president
Vladimir Putin has decided to run in the presidential election next March, several sources told Reuters. This would keep him in power until at least 2030. A Kremlin spokesperson nevertheless clarified on Monday that “the president had not made any statement on this subject” and that “the campaign has not yet been officially announced”.
A senior army advisor died on his birthday
A close adviser to the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, Major Gennady Chastyakov, was killed Monday in the explosion of a grenade he had received as a birthday present, the Interior Minister announced. The major’s son would have “taken the ammunition in his hands and started to turn the pin”, according to the minister’s details on Telegram. “The soldier then took the grenade from the child and pulled the pin, causing a tragic explosion.” “The police found the soldier who had given the fatal gift. His office was searched and two other similar grenades were seized,” he added.
An important Russian ship destroyed
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Monday “the destruction” of the Askold, a major Russian ship, at the Kerch shipyard in annexed Ukrainian Crimea, two days after his army said it had carried out “successful” strikes in this area. “I thank everyone who contributed to the destruction of the Russian ship at the Kerch shipyard,” he said in his daily address posted on social media.
Arms contract for Verney-Carron
The Saint-Etienne arms manufacturer Verney-Carron announced on Monday the signing of a framework contract worth 36 million euros for the supply of small caliber war weapons to a Ukrainian company. This contract with the Ukrainian state company Ukrspecexport provides for the supply of 10,000 assault rifles (VCD 15), 2,000 precision rifles (VCD 10) and 400 grenade launchers (LP 40), according to a press release from the company recently purchased by Cybergun. A market equivalent to several years of turnover for Verney-Carron, which would allow this historic manufacturer of hunting weapons to convert into small caliber war weapons.
The Russians try to retake Robotyne
The Ukrainian army said on Monday that Russian forces were trying to retake Robotyne, a village in the South whose liberation at the end of August had given Ukraine a glimpse (in vain) of a breakthrough in its counter-offensive. In the east of the country, Moscow’s troops also “continue” to attack Avdiivka. De facto, the front has not seen any significant development for about a year and the recapture of the city of Kherson by the Ukrainian army, and the Ukrainian counter-offensive remains without convincing results.
Polish truckers block the border
The Ukrainian government said on Tuesday that it had still not received any official “requests” from Polish truck drivers who have been blocking three crossing points between Ukraine and Poland since Monday to protest against competition deemed “unfair”.
“To date, no official request from Polish carriers has been transmitted to any representative of the Ukrainian side,” assured the Ukrainian Ministry of Infrastructure in a statement.