Ukrainian infantry have advanced further, and now only have a single field left to capture before they reach the administrative boundaries of Verbove. Verbove runs fairly long west to east, so it will quite literally be a long battle for Ukraine once they can enter the western edge of the town. But it will provide them with something they have yet to have in any meaningful amount; cover. It's also possible that a few days after Ukrainian infantry have reached Verbove that we might finally see an armored push. If Ukraine is confident that they have cleared out some avenues for armored vehicles to travel through, they may attempt to blitz Verbove. Immediately behind Verbove are additional major defensive lines which Ukraine would need to clear, but if Ukraine can rapidly capture Verbove, Russia will not have many redundant defensive lines left at all.
A top Ukrainian general has proclaimed that the recapture of Andriivka and Klishchiivka means that they have breached Russia's defensive lines around Bakhmut. While true in a technical sense, I don't think that this will lead to a rapid push through Russian territory as implied. The density of Russian troops in the area still remains quite high, even with some of them being sent to reinforce the Zaporizhzhia front. Russia is trying to push back into Klishchiivka and Andriivka as well, despite being firmly driven from both at this point.
There have been some reports of Ukraine pushing back against, and possibly into, Novoselivske. If Ukraine can recapture the village, they will have reversed Russia's most significant advance in their series of offensives towards Kupyansk. The advance along the Oskil towards Kupyansk itself is still a major concern for Ukraine, but Russia would have a much more challenging time launching a supportive flanking attack if they lose Novoselivske
All deputies of the Ukrainian Minister of Defense have been sacked, including the top one, Hanna Maliar. This is not atypical when someone new takes over, but is picking up extra attention due to the very public walkbacks Maliar has done in recent days regarding the status of Klishchiivka and Andriivka.
Pictures of the Rostov-on-Don, the submarine struck by missiles at Sevastopol, have emerged. The pictures have shown far more damage than what was clear from satellite imagery. A majority of the hull has suffered major breaches from outward explosions, meaning that virtually the entire interior is wrecked. The submarine is clearly quite beyond economically being worthwhile to salvage. Russia's pride might encourage them to attempt to repair it, but it will be effectively an entirely new vessel at that point.
There was, to put it mildly, a lot of international news today. For starters, Zelenskyy has landed in the United States. Among the first stops he made was to a hospital where injured Ukrainian troops are being treated. He is expected later to meet with Biden, Congress, and address the United Nations. Notably, Brazil's president is also expected to meet with Zelenskyy. This comes shortly after Brazil has very publicly waffled on whether or not they would arrest Putin at the 2024 G20 summit, to be held in Brazil.
In a massive escalation of the trade war between Ukraine and several EU member states, Ukraine has stated their intentions to sue Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary in the World Trade Organization. Both Poland and Slovakia have elections in the coming weeks, and Slovakia previously stated that their restrictions would lapse by 2024. However, prior to Ukraine's declaration, Hungary and Poland escalated by adding a wide range of products to their own bans, such as Ukrainian meats. After Ukraine announced their intention to sue them in the WTO, the trio of states terminated their talks with the EU and Ukraine to reach a compromise. Romania is also teetering on caving to domestic pressures, as the government is now publicly mulling a thirty day extension to their restrictions.
Bulgaria hasn't suggested yet that they will reimpose trade restrictions on Ukraine, but they also have other concerns as a military drone was found in the resort town of Tyulenovo. They directly linked it to the war, but declined to specify if they believed if it was a Russian or Ukrainian drone. Bulgarian authorities also declined to clarify if the drone had fallen out of the sky into Bulgarian territory, or if it had merely washed ashore.
Ukrainian and Georgian relations, gest described as "complicated" just got much more so. Georgian politics are tense at the moment, and due to their recent history, that means that Ukraine is tied in. Georgia's government has accused the supporters of jailed former president Saakashvili of aiming for a revolutionary coup in October or December, based around when the EU is expected to make announcements regarding Georgia's bid to become a recognized candidate. Saakashvili used to be the former governor of Ukraine's Odesa oblast, and Ukraine has taken point on applying pressure on Georgia to try to lessen his jail sentence and allow him to seek medical treatment. Georgia has stated that their former interior minister, Giorgi Lortkipanidze, is allegedly behind the coup plot and is allegedly a deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence. Ukraine denied that Lortkipanidze works for them in that capacity (Georgian media in March 2022 already said he worked for Ukrainian intelligence), and more broadly denied any involvement in the alleged coup plot. Georgia is also in the process of possibly impeaching their current president, who has taken a much more conciliatory stance with Ukraine and the west, and a much firmer stance against Russia.
Picking up some of the slack from the United States, particularly as it is barrelling towards a possible fiscal cliff, Germany announced a substantial military aid package for Ukraine, worth well over $400 million USD. Notably, equipment used for clearing out minefields is included in the package. Germany is also looking ahead to the upcoming winter, with generators and winter clothing also being included. Beyond that, additional armored vehicles, artillery, and munitions make up the bulk of the rest of the package.