Russia demands an investigation into alleged executions of Russian soldiers. According to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, heavy fighting continues in the Donetsk region. The latest developments in the live blog.
12:40 a.m
Zelenskyj: Heavy fighting in Donetsk continues
Heavy fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops in Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine is continuing, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. There is “neither relaxation nor a pause for breath,” said Zelenskyj in his daily video speech in the evening. About 100 Russian attacks had been fended off the day before in the Donetsk region. The Ukrainian troops would be supported by border guard units from Kharkiv and Sumy. A National Guard brigade is fighting in Bakhmut. “We will not give in to the enemy in any of the front areas,” Zelenskyy said. “We react everywhere, we hold our positions.”
Despite the fierce fighting in the Donbass coal and steel region in eastern Ukraine, the course of the front has hardly changed at the moment, according to the military situation reports from both sides for Friday. In the nearly nine months since the Russian invasion on February 24, Russian forces have made little gains in terrain.
Dark green: Russian army advancing. Hatched: areas annexed by Russia.
Image: ISW/17.11.2022
12:34 a.m
Russia accuses Ukraine of war crimes
Russia has condemned the alleged execution of Russian soldiers by Ukrainian forces, reportedly seen in videos circulating on social media. The leadership in Moscow explained that the recordings were made in the Ukrainian region of Luhansk. Luhansk is one of the regions that Russia declared annexed in violation of international law. It is largely under Russian control.
“We call on international organizations to condemn this egregious crime and conduct a thorough investigation,” said Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia’s foreign ministry. The Human Rights Council of Russia said it had sent the videos to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Amnesty International and other international organizations. The head of the UN human rights delegation in Ukraine, Matilda Bogner, said on Tuesday that her mission had investigated the torture of prisoners on both sides of the conflict.
conflicting parties as a source
Information on the course of the war, shelling and casualties provided by official bodies of the Russian and Ukrainian conflict parties cannot be directly checked by an independent body in the current situation.
12:25 a.m
Klitschko: “Future as part of the European family”
Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko has once again stressed the importance of EU accession for his country. “We see our future as part of the European family,” said Klitschko in a video message to the Junge Union’s “Germany Day”. At the same time he declared: “This is not a war, this is a genocide.” Russia is trying to cut off water and electricity supplies to the Ukrainian population.
12:01 a.m
The live blog from Friday to read
Former Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk has been appointed Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine. Poland bans the Russian delegation from the OSCE summit in Lodz in early December. The developments from Friday to read.