Ukraine war latest: Russia’s increased weapons production may lead to new attacks

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Key updates on Nov. 26:

Shmyhal: Russia sold $1 billion worth of Ukrainian grain on world markets
Polish truckers to start round-the-clock blockade of border crossing on Nov. 27
Media: Ukraine retaliated against Russia’s mass attack with drones
ISW: Russian forces advancing in Avdiivka
Ukrainian forces defend positions on east bank of Dnipro River
Commander: War can spread to more of the country if Russia’s tech grows

The improvements in Russian technology and increased weapons production may expand the war beyond the east and south of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Serhii Naiev, responsible for Ukraine’s northern border defense, told ABC News on Nov. 26.

“We are getting ready for that,” he said. “We’re building defenses, putting mines, and training our forces.”

Ukraine attempts to curtail the possible new attacks by calling for disruption of supplies for Russia’s electromagnetic warfare, according to The Guardian.

A Ukrainian dossier reportedly was passed to countries that have sanctioned Russia identifying key firms involved in the development of Russia’s military equipment and called for the creation of the “unified database of components” for the technology.

Joint Forces Commander Serhii Naiev speaks during a military training exercise in Kyiv Oblast on Sept. 27, 2023. (Genya Savilov /AFP via Getty Images)

`Ukraine allegedly launches retaliatory drone strike, following attack on Kyiv`

Ukraine attacked Russian military targets with about 35 drones overnight on Nov. 26 in response to Russia’s mass drone attack against Ukraine a day earlier, Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing a military intelligence source.

Ukraine’s drones were aimed at targets in Moscow and its region, as well as in Tula and Smolensk. Russian officials claimed 24 Ukrainian drones were shot down over Russia.

The alleged attack came after Russia struck Ukraine with 75 drones, mainly targeting Kyiv. Ukrainian air defense reported bringing down 74 of them.

The local authorities said that at least five people were injured, and several residential and non-residential buildings were damaged in Kyiv as a result of the Russian attack.

`Russia sold $1 billion worth of Ukrainian grain, PM says`

Russia has stolen and exported $1 billion worth of Ukrainian grain on world markets, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at a grain summit in Kyiv.

The announcement came as Ukraine hosted the second international summit, “Grain from Ukraine,” in Kyiv on the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor, a man-made famine in 1932–1933 in Ukraine.

The summit was attended by leaders of Lithuania, Latvia, and Switzerland.

“Through centuries, Russia has been changing names but not its nature or methods,” Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, during her visit.

“Almost a century after the Holodomor, Russia again attempts to use food as a weapon, this time by devastating (Ukraine’s) civilian ports, grain storages and blockading of the Black Sea.”

Lithuania will contribute 2 million euros to the “Grain from Ukraine” humanitarian initiative, she added.

This year, Ukraine expects to harvest 79 million tons of grain, with about 25% of grain production consumed domestically, while the rest is earmarked for export.

`Power outages across Ukraine`

Severe weather conditions have caused power outages across 386 settlements in 10 Ukrainian regions, including Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kirovohrad oblasts, the State Emergency Service reported on Nov. 26, citing the state grid operator Ukrenergo.

The emergency service deployed multiple missions to restore the power supply in the impacted settlements.

“Overall, across the entire territory of Ukraine, nearly 500 people, as well as 131 units of firefighting and other specialized equipment, are currently working under the State Emergency Service to eliminate the consequences of the bad weather and assist the population,” the State Emergency Service reported.

The outages followed reports of adverse weather in Odesa Oblast, which caused power loss in 131 towns and villages, according to the regional branch of the private energy company DTEK.

The worsening weather in Ukraine coincides with Russia’s renewed attempts to destroy Ukraine’s energy system.

`Polish border crossing blockade`

Polish haulers will begin the “round-the-clock blockade” of the fourth border crossing with Ukraine, Medyka, on Nov. 27, according to State Border Guard spokesperson Andrii Demchenko.

The move by the Polish haulers signals an extension of the blockade as the traffic at Medyka crossing was blocked from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. Kyiv time previously.

Polish truckers began blocking border crossing points in early November to protest EU transport rules for Ukrainian trucks, causing lines on both sides of the border. As of Nov. 26, around 2,100 vehicles were stuck, unable to get into Ukraine as a result of the blockade.

As conditions have continued to worsen for the truckers, two Ukrainian truckers have already died while waiting at the border, both reportedly of natural causes.

Latvia offered to “provide assistance in seeking solutions” to unblock the Polish border with Ukraine, during a Nov. 25 phone call between Latvia’s Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins and Poland’s EU Affairs Secretary Szymon Szynkowski.

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