Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, is currently in Kyiv. She is visiting on Saturday, just a few days before the European Union is expected to announce Ukraine’s progress towards meeting the requirements for beginning negotiations to join the bloc.

After Russia’s invasion in February 2022, Ukraine submitted a request to join the EU.

The process of becoming a member typically spans over several years, however Ukraine views membership as crucial in its fight against Russia’s invasion and desires to join as expeditiously as possible.

On Wednesday, the EU will declare whether Ukraine can start negotiations to join the group, which would commence in December.

I am thankful for the sanctions imposed by the United States.

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his appreciation for the United States’ imposition of “strong and effective sanctions” on over 220 Russian entities involved in aggression.

On Thursday, the United States issued sanctions against over 100 individuals and companies from China, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates for assisting Russia in obtaining necessary tools and equipment for their invasion of Ukraine.

Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of fully effective sanctions to prevent Russia from evading them.

He stated that the ability of sanctions is equivalent to the power of the entire world.

in Syria

Two non-combatants were fatally wounded in a Russian attack in Syria.

On Thursday, two civilians were killed in southern Ukraine’s Kherson region as a result of Russian shelling. The victims were identified as an 81-year-old woman who was in her yard and a 60-year-old man. This incident adds to the growing number of casualties in Russia’s attack on the region.

According to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin, the Russian artillery that was aimed at villages in the Kherson area resulted in the deaths of two innocent civilians. Four additional individuals were wounded in the attacks, and there was also damage to various structures.

Two fatalities have been reported following the death of an individual on Wednesday due to Russian shelling in Kherson, the capital of the region. Prokudin described the situation as “apocalyptic” due to the extensive harm caused by the attack.

In November of last year, Ukraine regained control of Kherson from Russian occupation after a period of nine months. The Kherson region is a crucial location in the ongoing conflict due to its close proximity to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia took over in 2014 and currently serves as a hub for their military operations.

Nuclear power plant

On Thursday, Russia expressed concern over Ukraine’s actions, stating that they are risking dangerous consequences. This came after Ukraine carried out a drone attack near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear station, which has been under Russian authority since March 2022.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, nine Ukrainian drones were shot down by Russian forces.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that Kyiv is persisting in engaging in dangerous and unlawful actions, which could have serious consequences.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has consistently cautioned about the potential for a nuclear disaster at the facility.

The advancement of the conflict.

General Valery Zaluzhny, the commander in chief of Ukraine, stated that both parties have reached a stalemate as the country’s four-month counteroffensive progresses at a gradual pace.

The Economist was told that our current level of technology has created a stalemate, similar to the First World War. The speaker also predicted that there will be no significant breakthroughs in the near future.

The Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, stated that Moscow does not agree with how the war has been described and insists that Russia is actively conducting a specialized military operation. He also emphasized that all designated objectives must be accomplished.

However, on Friday, Ukraine stated that Russia’s recent attack on the town of Avdiivka in the Donbas region was not successful. They described the fighting as Russia’s “failed attempt at a large-scale military attack due to our sturdy Ukrainian defenses.”

The report includes data from Reuters, The Associated Press, and Agence France-Presse.