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Combat Operations
Ukraine
Russia
United States
NATO
United Nations
Foreign Reactions
News Reports

Combat Operations

• Russia, Ukraine Conduct Prisoner Swap, Exchange Of Bodies RFE/RL 18 Oct 2024 -- Russia and Ukraine swapped 190 prisoners of war on October 18 under an agreement completed with the help of the United Arab Emirates.
• Russia returns bodies of 501 soldiers; Western allies weigh Zelenskyy victory plan VOA 18 Oct 2024 -- Russia returned to Ukraine the bodies of 501 soldiers on Friday, Ukrainian authorities said. The move appeared to be the biggest repatriation of war dead since Russia invaded in February 2022.

Ukraine

• Men Dragged Off The Street As Ukraine Tries To Tackle Manpower Crisis At The Front RFE/RL 18 Oct 2024 -- The venues could hardly have been more conspicuous: a concert in the capital by the country's most popular rock group, a high-end resort, and a weekend wedding in downtown Lviv.
• Ukraine and the United Kingdom Hold the Third Round of Negotiations on a Bilateral Agreement on Transition to a Stronger and Deeper Partnership President of Ukraine 18 Oct 2024
• Ukraine and Hungary Discussed Cooperation Strengthening President of Ukraine 18 Oct 2024
• Andriy Yermak: Ukraine's Invitation to NATO Will Help to End the War and Prevent the Repetition of Russian Aggression President of Ukraine 18 Oct 2024
• We Are Developing Our Victory Plan in Communication with Our Partners; Additionally, Work is Underway to Prepare the Second Peace Summit - Address by the President President of Ukraine 18 Oct 2024

Russia

• Russia Pressures Central Asian Prisoners To Fight In Ukraine As 'Expendable Force' RFE/RL 18 Oct 2024 -- A 24-year-old migrant worker from Kyrgyzstan, Eleman enlisted in the military at a Russian prison in 2023 with the promise of parole, big money, and Russian citizenship in return for six months of combat in Ukraine.
• Russian Defence Ministry reports on repelling AFU attempt to invade Russian territory in Kursk region (18 October 2024) Russia MoD 18 Oct 2024 -- The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise an enemy group, which broke into the territory of Kursk region.
• Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov sends telegrams to formations and military units Russia MoD 18 Oct 2024 -- Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov sent the telegrams to formations and military units who showed courage and heroism during the liberation of Nevskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).
• Ukraine Loses Over 505 Soldiers in Kursk Area in Past Day - MoD Sputnik 18 Oct 2024 -- The Ukrainian armed forces lost more than 505 soldiers in the Kursk region over the past day, the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) said on Friday.
• Ukraine Loses Up to 5,080 Soldiers in Battles With Russia's Battlegroup Yug - MoD Sputnik 18 Oct 2024 -- Russia's Battlegroup Yug eliminated up to 5,080 Ukrainian servicemen over the past week, the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) said on Friday.

United States

• Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Holds a Press Conference DoD 18 Oct 2024
• Austin Reaffirms U.S., NATO's Long-Term Commitment to Ukraine DoD News 18 Oct 2024 -- Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III in Brussels, today, reaffirmed the U.S. and NATO's long-term commitment to a free and sovereign Ukraine while speaking at a press conference one day after a defense ministerial meeting that addressed Ukraine's ongoing conflict with Russia.
• Biden, Scholz Talk Ukraine As Russia Launches 'Massive' Air Attack RFE/RL 18 Oct 2024 -- U.S. President Joe Biden met with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin ahead of joint talks on Ukraine with the leaders of Germany, France, and Britain as Russia continued its daily strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, launching on October 18 "one of the most massive" drone attacks on the country.

NATO

United Nations

• Update 255 - IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine IAEA 18 Oct 2024 -- Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stationed at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) are reporting daily military activity in the vicinity, with some explosions occurring close to the facility. This ongoing situation underscores the persistent threat faced by the nuclear power plant, which remains at the heart of an active war zone, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated today.
• Ukraine: Humanitarian Coordinator highlights determination to 'survive and rebuild' UN News 18 Oct 2024 -- The UN's Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine has only been in post for three months but after talking to many civilians caught up in the fighting near the frontline - and in cities living under constant threat of deadly drone strikes - he told UN News on Friday that the "determination to survive and rebuild" is palpable everywhere.

Foreign Reactions

• Prime Ministers of Finland and Ukraine emphasise the international community's duty to support Ukraine in achieving a just peace Finnish Government 18 Oct 2024 -- Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met in Helsinki on Friday 18 October. The prime ministers discussed Ukraine's needs and Finland's support, Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration and the implementation of the Ukrainian Peace Formula.
• Norway increases medical assistance to Ukraine Government of Norway 18 Oct 2024 -- The Norwegian Government has decided to increase Norway's support of Ukraine's military medical services and rehabilitation centers.
• Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide visited Rivne nuclear power plant in Ukraine Government of Norway 18 Oct 2024 -- On Friday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide visited Rivne nuclear power plant in Ukraine to express Norwegian support for the work on nuclear safety and security.
• Foreign Minister Baiba Braže and French Minister Delegate for European Affairs Benjamin Haddad: we need to step up military aid to Ukraine Latvia MFA 18 Oct 2024 -- On 18 October 2024, in a meeting with the Minister Delegate for European Affairs of France, Benjamin Haddad, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, thanked France for its contribution to the security of the Baltic region.
• Landsbergis in Riga: "Zelenskyy's plan for Ukraine's victory is realistic and implementable" Lithuania MFA 18 Oct 2024 -- On 17 October in Riga, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Baiba Braže.
• Hungary Not Supporting Zelensky's Plan as It is 'Shortest Path' to World War - Official Sputnik 18 Oct 2024 -- Hungary does not support Volodymyr Zelensky's "victory plan" because it is the shortest path to World War III, the political director of the Hungarian prime minister's office, Balazs Orban, said.
• Germany Preparing Aid Package for Ukraine, Including Missiles, Thousands of Attack Drones Sputnik 18 Oct 2024 -- Germany has delivered eight Leopard 1 tanks, 20 infantry fighting vehicles, Iris-T SLM and Iris-T SLS air defense systems and other weapons to Ukraine; AIM-9L missiles and thousands of attack drones are being prepared for delivery, according to an updated list of weapons delivered to Ukraine on the German government website.
• IMF Approves $1.1 Billion In Aid To Bolster Ukraine's Budget RFE/RL 18 Oct 2024 -- The board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on October 18 approved a $1.1 billion payout for Ukraine to be used to provide budget support to the war-torn country.

News Reports

• North Korea sending troops to aid Russia in Ukraine war: South's spy agency Radio Free Asia 18 Oct 2024 -- South Korea's spy agency said Friday that North Korea had decided to send "large-scale" troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine, with 1,500 special forces already in Russia's Far East undergoing training.
• South Korea Accuses Pyongyang Of Sending Soldiers To Russia RFE/RL 18 Oct 2024 -- South Korea claims Pyongyang began moving special forces to Russia earlier this month, days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made a similar accusation that North Korea had sent soldiers and weapons to help support the Kremlin in its war against Ukraine.
• US 'concerned' by reports North Korea shipping soldiers to Russia VOA 18 Oct 2024 -- Growing evidence of an expanding military partnership between North Korea and Russia is sparking renewed concern in Washington, where officials see Moscow making a determined but desperate push to advance in its war against Ukraine.