Russia claims advancing toward Krasnoarmeysk, Ukraine says expelling Russian offensives

Russia on Wednesday said its armed forces continued to advance toward the direction of Krasnoarmeysk (known as Pokrovsk in Ukraine) and Ukraine claimed beating back dozens of Russian offensives.

In a report released on Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that Russian troops are advancing on multiple fronts in Krasnoarmeysk, Donetsk region, including the western part of the city, the area northwest of the city center, the eastern blocks, and the western industrial zone. Russian forces repelled nine Ukrainian attacks within a single day.

Meanwhile, in Kupiansk, Kharkiv region, Russian forces attacked encircled Ukrainian units and repelled attacks by Ukrainian assault teams, it said.

Earlier, the ministry reported that Russian forces had gained full control of the eastern districts of Kupiansk and also seized more settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces reported on the same day that as of 08:00 local time, 217 combat engagements occurred along the front lines over the past day.

Ukrainian forces repelled dozens of Russian offensives in areas including Pokrovsk, and destroyed Russian armored vehicles, multiple rocket launchers, and air defense systems.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces struck the infrastructure belonging to the Stavrolen company in Budyonnovsk, Stavropol Krai, Russia.

This factory is a core supplier for Russian military equipment, producing components for various weapons and drones. Multiple explosions and fires were recorded in the targeted area, with the specific impact of the strike still being verified, it said.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian media cited statements by First Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya during an interview, saying that since multiple rounds of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine this year failed to yield substantive progress, relevant dialog had been suspended and no new negotiations will take place before the end of the year.

On the same day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova responded that Ukraine's decision to halt negotiations demonstrated its lack of willingness to achieve peace.

Additionally, Ukraine had violated the latest agreement reached between the two sides regarding the exchange of prisoners of war. Of the 1,200 individuals agreed to be exchanged, less than 30 percent have actually been swapped, she said.

France's finance minister Roland Lescure stated at the Eurozone finance ministers' meeting in Brussels on Wednesday that European Union (EU) member states had reached a consensus on how to expedite the implementation of the European Commission's proposal to provide Ukraine with a 140-billion-euro loan using frozen Russian assets.

However, the European Commission still needs to resolve some complex technical details.

The EU will continue discussions on Thursday regarding the pathways and mechanisms of providing financial support to Ukraine.

Russia claims advancing toward Krasnoarmeysk, Ukraine says expelling Russian offensives

Nicaragua's co-foreign minister Valdrack Jaentschke has warned that militarism must never be allowed to rise again, as Japan's recent moves to lift its arms export ban and revise the pacifist Constitution continue to draw international concern.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trials, where Japan's Class-A war criminals from World War II were brought to justice.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Valdrack Jaentschke voiced his concern that today's world order is being undermined by interventionism and other challenges.

"It is necessary for us to remember that after the end of World War II, countries worked hard to build a new international order based on international law. However, regrettably, more than 80 years later, we are seeing that this once explored and attempted order is being challenged by interventionism, a confrontational mindset, and tendencies like 'might makes right.' These are precisely the conditions that gave rise to fascism and militarism in the past, which ultimately led to the tragedy of World War II," he said.

He said the international community has a responsibility to pursue a new international order -- one fundamentally grounded in peace.

"Looking back at the history more than eight decades ago and comparing it with today's reality, it is our responsibility to recognize that the world should, and must, build a new international order that is more just, fairer, rooted in international law, based on a logic of mutual benefit and shared success, and fundamentally grounded in peace," said the minister.

"Today, as we revisit the Tokyo Trials, it is meant to remind the world that such a tragedy must never be repeated -- and that we must do everything in our power to prevent it from happening again. We must stop that dark world -- born from militarism, interventionism, and fascism -- from ever returning," he said.

Nicaraguan FM warns of militarism revival