12:47am: Russia Reinforces Troops in Kharkiv to Capture Kupiansk
In a new escalation of the conflict, Russia is reinforcing its troops in the Kharkiv region to capture Kupiansk. According to a Russian army spokesman, the forces are moving reserves of assault battalions into the area to replace the heavy losses suffered recently. The Russian forces are trying to capture the village of Synkiwka in the Kharkiv oblast in the hope of paving the way for a blockade of nearby Kupiansk. The village is an important logistical hub and was recaptured by the Ukrainians in the fall of 2022. Since the summer, Moscow has concentrated a large force on the Kupiansk-Lyman axis in north-eastern Ukraine, and heavy fighting has been taking place there ever since.
12:24am: London Refuses to Deliver Cars to Kiev
The Mayor of London has refused to deliver cars recently handed in by citizens for scrapping to Kiev. The mayor there, Vitali Klitschko, had asked for the pick-ups and four-wheel drive vehicles, which London residents could hand in for a payment of 2,000 pounds if they did not comply with the capital's environmental regulations. However, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has rejected the request, which has caused criticism in the UK.
11:55pm: EU Moves Towards Ukraine's Accession Talks
The EU is paving the way for accession talks with Ukraine. Russia sees this as the invaded country's way into NATO, and Thomas Jäger, a political scientist, agrees. The Kremlin is accordingly shocked. Meanwhile, Hungary's Prime Minister Orban is already announcing the next blackmail.
11:18pm: Ukraine's Defeat Without US and NATO Aid Could Be By Summer 2024
Alarmed by the blocked funding for Ukraine in the US Congress, Western intelligence agencies are now calculating how long Ukraine could withstand the Russian invasion without US and NATO aid. According to a CNN report, a senior US military official estimates it could be "months," with the worst-case scenario being "a significant setback or even defeat" by the summer of 2024. The broadcaster quotes another official as saying there is no guarantee of success with US help, but without it, Ukraine's defeat is certain.
(Enrichment Data Integrated: The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is ongoing, with Russia continuing to reinforce its troops in the Kharkiv region to capture Kupiansk. The EU is moving towards accession talks with Ukraine, sparking Russian opposition. Meanwhile, Western intelligence agencies estimate that Ukraine could withstand the Russian invasion for "months" without US and NATO aid, but there is no guarantee of success.)
