“If Russia wants to negotiate, why then did it withdraw, even temporarily, from the agreement on grain exports from the Black Sea?”. Here is one of the questions posed by the spokesperson for the US State Department, Ned Price, during a press briefing organized on Monday, November 7. He believes that if Russia was serious about peace, it would stop hitting Ukraine relentlessly and killing civilians. “The Kremlin continues to escalate this war, rather than offering some kind of real signal that it is ready or open to negotiations,” he added.
- Ukraine would agree to negotiate with “Putin’s successor”
While the United States doubts Russia’s will to find a peace agreement, the adviser to the Ukrainian president, Mykhailo Podoliak, wrote on Twitter that kyiv was in “an open negotiating position”, but that before the Vladimir Putin’s stubbornness to continue hostilities, only a discussion “with the next leader of Russia” would be effective. A reasoning in the form of a call for a revolt of the Russian population.
- Russia denies the loss of hundreds of soldiers in the East
The Russian Defense Ministry on Monday denied reports from Russian bloggers that a Russian marine infantry unit had lost hundreds of men in an unsuccessful offensive in eastern Ukraine. Moscow reacted, stating that “thanks to the competent actions of unit commanders, the losses of fighters during this period do not exceed 1% of combat personnel and 7% of the wounded, a significant part of which has already returned to service”. As for the offensive, it would have advanced 5 kilometers “into the Ukrainian defensive positions”. This denial seems to show that the publication of testimonies concerning major losses within the Russian army is a sensitive subject.
In addition, Vladimir Putin declared that 80,000 people mobilized since September were now “in the zone of the special military operation”. Among them, 50,000 are incorporated into combat units. The rest of those mobilized, around 240,000 people, “are not yet taking part in the fighting”, added the Russian president. Not being ready, these men continued their training in military camps.
- The Ukrainian state takes control of some strategic companies
The Ukrainian authorities used a special mechanism, only usable in times of war, to take control of five companies of strategic importance. An order to seize shares has been issued to engine manufacturer Motor Sich PJSC, state oil producer Ukrnafta PJSC, truck manufacturer AvtoKrAZ, industrial company Zaporizhtransformator PJSC and oil refining company Ukrtatnafta.
On Monday afternoon, Ukraine’s Defense Minister said that “as of today these assets are managed on behalf of the state and in the interest of the entire security sector, to meet to the needs of the armed forces and the entire defense sector”. This mechanism is provided for in emergency legislation passed in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Oleg Danilov clarified that the government would return these companies after the lifting of martial law.
- kyiv without electricity for “at least another week”
As work continues to stabilize and increase electricity supplies to consumers in central Kyiv and northern Ukraine, the director of grid operator Ukrenergo said his engineers had to “work another week “, in order “to improve the situation of electricity supply in the central and northern regions of our country.” This, of course, if there are no new destructive strikes.
Meanwhile, in Kherson, southern Ukraine, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoliak said “Russian military and intelligence officers were robbing the houses of residents they are evicting.” Russia speaks of “evacuations” supposed to protect the population from an imminent and large-scale attack by the Ukrainian army.
- North Korea denies supplying arms to Russia
In response to the United States, which accuses North Korea of delivering shells to the Russian army, Pyongyang denied having provided any weapon since the start of the conflict. “We repeat once again that we have never entered into an arms contract with Russia and that we have no intention of doing so in the future,” wrote the state agency KCNA on Monday evening. According to her, Washington wants to damage the image of North Korea by launching these “unfounded” accusations.