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Russia carries out ‘highest number of strikes’ since first week of war: UK Foreign Office
The barrage of missiles that hit Ukraine on Tuesday is likely the largest number of strikes carried out by Russia in a single day since the first week of its invasion, the UK Ministry of Defense said. The report, released Thursday morning, read: Munitions were launched from air, sea and land platforms. Although a large percentage of missiles were successfully intercepted, Ukraine is facing a significant reduction in available power from its national grid. This will have an impact on citizens’ access to communications, heating and water supplies. “Continued strikes on this scale rely deeply on Russia’s stockpile of conventional cruise missiles, as the degradation of Ukraine’s national infrastructure has become a key element of Russia’s strategic approach to the campaign.”
Biden disputes Zelenskiy claims missile in Poland not of Ukrainian origin
US President Joe Biden disputed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s comment that the missiles that fell on Poland on Tuesday were not of Ukrainian origin. “That’s not the evidence,” Biden told reporters at the White House on his way back from a trip to Asia on Thursday, according to a Reuters report.
CIA chief meets Polish president
Polish President Andrzej Duda met with US Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns in Warsaw on Wednesday afternoon, the head of Poland’s national security office said. Jacek Siewiera said the conversation was “about the general security situation” and “the context of recent events emerged”. In the evening, President Andrzej Duda spoke with the head of the CIA, William Burns, who is in Warsaw after his visits to Ankara and Kyiv. The discussion was about the general security situation, the context of recent events appeared. Lots of work on the PL-US line today.” In the evening, President @AndrzejDuda spoke with CIA chief William Burns, who is in Warsaw after his visits to Ankara and Kyiv. The discussion was about the general security situation, the context of recent events appeared. Lots of work on the PL-US line today. pic.twitter.com/QuBCWRtksD — Jacek Siewiera (@JacekSiewiera) November 16, 2022
Putin is trying to ‘freeze Ukraine into submission’, US envoy says
The barrage of more than 90 missiles that rained down on Ukraine was “a deliberate tactic” and an attempt by Russian President Vladimir Putin to freeze Kyiv into submission, the US ambassador to the UN said. Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council in remarks released Thursday: This tragedy would never have happened but for Russia’s wanton invasion of Ukraine and its recent missile attacks against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure.” He seems to have decided that if he cannot take Ukraine by force, he will try to freeze the country into submission,” he said. When I met with President @ZelenskyyUa, his message was simple: he seeks a just peace based on the UN Charter. The same cannot be said for Russia. If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends. — Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (@USAmbUN) November 16, 2022 UN Undersecretary for Civil Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo reiterated that attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international law, noting that “heavy fighting” continues in eastern Donetsk and Luhansk. He told council members: There is no end to the war … as long as it continues, the dangers of a potentially catastrophic spillover remain very real.” Poland’s UN ambassador Krzysztof Szczerski told the council “these innocent people would not have been killed if Russia had not gone to war against Ukraine”. And Britain’s UN ambassador Barbara Woodward said: “We should be clear that this is a tragedy that undoubtedly stems from Russia’s illegal and unjustified invasion. And it is an inhumane attack on civilians throughout Ukraine.” “It is and remains a war of choice, a pure act of unprovoked aggression and an attempt to grab territory. This war must be ended and not extended, and Russia started it, Russia must end it.”
Explosions were reported in Crimea
Explosions occur in the occupied city of Dzhankoy in Crimea. According to Ukrainian media reports, a Russian airport was hit. Ukrinform said the explosions were heard late Wednesday night, citing local Telegram channels. ⚡️ Media: Explosions were heard in Russian-occupied Jankoi. Explosions were heard in Russian-held Dzhankoi, Crimea, late at night on November 16, Ukrinform reports citing local Telegram channels. No official reports have yet been released on the origin of the explosions. — The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) November 17, 2022
Summary and welcome
Hello and welcome back to the Guardian’s live coverage of the war in Ukraine. I’m Samantha Lock and I’ll be bringing you all the latest developments as they unfold over the next few hours. The barrage of more than 90 missiles that rained down on Ukraine was “a deliberate tactic” and an attempt by Russian President Vladimir Putin to freeze Kyiv into submission, the US ambassador to the UN said. Polish President Andrzej Duda met with US Central Intelligence Director William Burns in Warsaw on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the general security situation following the blast on the Polish border. For any updates or comments you’d like to share, please feel free to reach out via email or Twitter. If you’ve just joined us, here’s all the latest:
A missile that crashed in southeastern Poland, killing two, was likely a stray fired by Ukraine’s air defenses rather than a Russian strike, Poland and NATO said. The Polish president, Andrzej Duda, said there was no evidence to suggest the missile was a deliberate attack or was launched by Russia, but it was likely launched as part of Ukraine’s air defenses and “unfortunately fell on Polish territory”. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed that initial analysis suggested the incident was “likely caused by a Ukrainian air defense missile launched in defense of Ukrainian territory” against Russian cruise missile attacks. “Let me be clear: this is not Ukraine’s fault,” he added. “Russia bears ultimate responsibility as it continues its illegal war against Ukraine.” Meanwhile, NATO allies met in Brussels to discuss their responses to the incident. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he was convinced the missile was not Ukrainian. Speaking to reporters, Zelensky said he had received reports from the command of Ukraine’s armed forces and air force and “can only trust them.” US President Joe Biden disputed Zelensky’s comment that the missiles that fell on Poland were not of Ukrainian origin. “That’s not the evidence,” Biden told reporters at the White House on his way back from a trip to Asia on Thursday. Ukraine is seeking “direct access” to the blast site in eastern Poland, a senior Ukrainian defense official said. Oleksiy Danilov said Ukraine wanted a “joint study” of Tuesday’s incident with its partners. Duda said both Poland and the US would have to agree before Ukraine could participate in the investigation. The Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday it had not targeted anywhere within 35 kilometers (22 miles) of the Ukraine-Poland border. The ministry said the statements about “Russian missiles” falling in Przewodów were “a deliberate provocation aimed at escalating the situation”. Duda met with US Central Intelligence Agency director William Burns in Warsaw on Wednesday afternoon, the head of Poland’s national security office said. Jacek Siewiera said the conversation was “about the general security situation” and “the context of recent events emerged”. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “brutal and relentless” war for destabilizing the global economy, while calling on NATO allies to await the results of “a full investigation into the circumstances behind the missiles that they fell yesterday in Poland. “. The British prime minister and his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau, spoke to Zelensky and said in a reading afterwards that “whatever the outcome of this investigation [into the explosion in Poland]Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is clearly responsible for the ongoing violence.” A vital deal allowing the export of Russian and Ukrainian wheat and fertilizer through the Black Sea is expected to go ahead, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The deal was set to expire on Saturday, but Erdogan said he was confident the deal would be renewed for a year, bringing relief to some of the world’s poorest countries. A draft statement by G20 leaders said “most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine” and called for Russia’s “complete and unconditional withdrawal” from its neighbor’s territory. The reference to the war is a rejection of Russia’s claim that it is engaged in a “special military operation”. But he also said “there were other views and different assessments of the situation and the sanctions,” reflecting divisions among G20 states over Russia. Ukrainian investigators have discovered an alleged “torture chamber” in the city of Kherson where dozens of men were allegedly held, electrocuted, beaten and some of them killed. Police said Russian soldiers seized the juvenile detention center around mid-March and turned it into a prison for men who refused to cooperate with them or were accused of party activity.
