As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its 269th day, we take a look at the main events.
Here are the conditions for Saturday, November 19:
Fighting
- Hundreds of people were arrested or disappeared in the Kherson region of Ukraine while it was under Russian control, and many may have been tortured, researchers at Yale University have concluded in a report. Russia has denied that its troops committed any atrocities.
- The Russian Ministry of Defense has said that Ukraine killed more than 10 Russian prisoners. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine, which has promised to investigate any alleged abuses by its soldiers.
- Ukrainian forces have eliminated nearly 100 attacks in the eastern Donetsk region in the past 24 hours, without stopping the fighting, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
- The Ukrainian military said Russian forces fired artillery in the towns of Bakhmut, as well as near Soledar and Bilohorivka in the east. Russian fire also hit areas near Avdiivka and Zaporizhia region in southern Ukraine.
- Millions of Ukrainians in more than a dozen regions are experiencing power outages as temperatures drop.
- Russia’s Defense Ministry said it was only looking at military-related sites.
- After recapturing Ukraine’s Kherson region, Russia said it was strengthening its position in Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.
Diplomacy
- Zelenskyy rejected the idea of a “short-term alliance” with Russia, saying it would only aggravate the situation.
- Russia has said it hopes to exchange prisoners with the United States for the return of Russian gunman Viktor Bout, known as the “Merchant of Death”, in a swap that could include US basketball star Brittney Griner.
- Russia is open to high-level talks with the US, the top diplomat said on Friday, but the Kremlin rejected the idea of a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden as “out of the question” at this time.
- Former President of Moldova Igor Dodon, who is facing several charges, was released from prison and promised to participate in the protests against the current leader of the West in the former Soviet Union, which is located between Ukraine and EU member Romania.
Wealth
- The UN chief welcomed a four-month extension of an agreement aimed at reducing global food shortages by helping Ukraine export its agricultural goods from Black Sea ports, but said there was work to be done.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the idea of producing Turkish “gas” with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the phone.
- Russia’s energy exports to China have increased in price by 64 percent this year, and it is 10 percent when Moscow sends exports to “friendly” countries, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said.
