UN debate on Iranian drones in Ukraine – the nightly update without photos Threatening “disaster”: Is Russia blowing up the power plant at Kherson?

In view of the massive destruction wrought by combat drones used by Russia in Ukraine, the United States is calling for a UN investigation into allegations that the weapons are of Iranian origin. “The UN must investigate any violation of UN Security Council resolutions, and we must not allow Russia or others to prevent or threaten the UN from fulfilling its stated obligations,” US Representative Jeffrey DeLaurentis said. a Security Council meeting in Washington on Friday New York. York.

Britain, France and Germany had previously sent similar requests by letter to the United Nations. In a video message distributed in Kiev that evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Iran of supporting Russian terror against his country’s infrastructure and energy systems by supplying weapons.

Moscow and Tehran deny that they are Iranian drones. However, Russian military experts in the state media also believe that these are Iranian-made drones that Russia uses in Ukraine under the name Geran – in English: geranium. Russia and Iran have been working together militarily for a long time.

Russian UN ambassador Vasily Nebensya described the US demands at the Security Council meeting as an “outrageous situation”. He again denied allegations of the use of Iranian drones in the war against Ukraine and reiterated a warning against a corresponding UN investigation. If that were to happen, Russia would have to reconsider its cooperation with the UN. Russia has not yet officially stated where the drones, which have only recently been deployed, came from after the military demanded them long before the war in Ukraine. Saturday is the 241st day of the war.

Selenskyj hopes for help with reconstruction

President Zelenskyy recently complained that Russia had destroyed 40 percent of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. In his video message, he expressed hopes for further help from the West – including at the Ukraine reconstruction conference scheduled in Germany next week. Especially apartments, energy systems and social facilities should be restored. Zelenskyi reported that Russian drone and missile attacks on the country’s civilian infrastructure continued.

At a German-Ukrainian business forum in Berlin on Monday, top representatives from both countries want to discuss the reconstruction of Ukraine. The conference will be opened by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal.

Zelenskyy: Russia hinders grain exports from Ukraine

In his video message, Zelenskyi also criticized the growing problems with grain exports across the Black Sea, which were agreed with Russia in July. There is an artificial traffic jam of 150 ships because Russia is deliberately blocking their passage. “The enemy is doing everything it can to slow down our food exports,” the president said. He accused Russia of wanting to create a food crisis and social tensions in the world.

In July, Russia, brokered by the UN and Turkey, agreed to export grain, but always threatened to cancel the four-month agreement. Moscow has long complained that part of the summer agreement is not being implemented. In the agreement, Russia agreed to end the blockade of Ukrainian seaports for grain exports, but in return demanded relief for its own fertilizer and food exports. Russia and Ukraine are both major grain exporters, earning billions from exports.

According to Selenskyj, three million tons of food are currently not reaching their destination because of the delays. The amount is enough to feed ten million people for a year. According to Zelenskyj, Russia wants to ensure that hundreds of thousands of people flee hunger and seek asylum in Turkey or the EU, for example.

As a result of the Russian war of aggression that started in late February, tons of grain were blocked in Ukraine’s Black Sea ports for months. Since July, three Ukrainian seaports have reopened for food exports. The ships are guided through a corridor in the Black Sea. Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin criticized the deal as a “scam” because promises to ease sanctions against Russia had not been fulfilled.

US Secretary: Diplomacy Only If Russian Aggression Is Stopped

The US, meanwhile, sees no way to negotiate with Russia as long as the country continues its war of aggression against Ukraine. “As far as diplomacy to end the war is concerned, it depends entirely on whether Russia will be interested in stopping the aggression it has started,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Washington on Friday. However, there is currently no evidence of that, Blinken said, referring to the partial mobilization in Russia ordered by President Putin. At the same time, Blinken made it clear that the US continued to maintain diplomatic channels of communication with Russia. “If we have something important to tell the Russians, we will.”

Mützenich: G20 summit could be forum for peace efforts

However, SPD faction leader Rolf Mützenich hopes that the G20 summit in Bali on 15./16. November could be a forum “to gauge diplomatic initiatives” that could one day lead to an end to the war in Ukraine. “There will certainly not be a ceasefire overnight. Sometimes they develop initially only in individual regions,” Mützenich told the editorial network Germany. “But we must not miss any opportunity that would allow for a local ceasefire, the exchange of prisoners of war and the care of the civilian population.” Kremlin chief Putin has so far left open whether he will travel to the top. His Secretary of State Sergey Lavrov had said that if the United States made an offer for talks from US President Joe Biden, Moscow would look into it.

What will be important on Saturday

Ukraine continues its offensive to liberate Russian-occupied areas, despite missile and drone strikes. According to President Zelenskyy, Ukrainian armed forces are making progress in the east and south of the country. The situation is particularly tense in the southern region of Kherson, where progress is being made from a Ukrainian point of view. Russia had admitted that the situation for its troops there was difficult. (sda/dpa)