October 29, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news - CNN

Russia’s determination to suspend information successful a United Nations-brokered atom export deal is “weaponizing food,” the White House said Saturday.

“Any speech by Russia of disrupting these critical grain exports is fundamentally a connection that radical and families astir the satellite should wage much for nutrient oregon spell hungry,” said Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, successful a statement.

“Russia is again trying to usage the warfare it started arsenic a pretext for weaponizing food, straight impacting nations successful request and planetary nutrient prices, and exacerbating already dire humanitarian crises and nutrient insecurity,” the connection read.

Russia said it was halting information successful the woody with Ukraine aft drone attacks connected the Crimean metropolis of Sevastopol, the country’s defence ministry announced Saturday.

Some background: In July, pursuing months of negotiations, ministers from some Ukraine and Russia signed an statement brokered by the UN and Turkey. Russia pledged to unblock ports connected the Black Sea to let the harmless transition of atom and oilseeds – immoderate of Ukraine’s astir important exports.

“The Black Sea Grain Initiative has already moved much than 9.3 cardinal metric tons of atom and brought prices down around the world. It has been a tremendous occurrence and indispensable continue,” the White House connection read.

The person of the notorious backstage service known arsenic the Wagner Group says his institution volition supply facilities for experts to make “new ideas” to summation Russia’s defence capability.

Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin made the announcement successful a connection from his Concord company’s authoritative relationship on Vkontakte, a Russian societal media platform. 

The radical “will supply a comfy situation for generating caller ideas successful bid to summation the defence capableness of Russia, including successful the accusation field. If the task shows its occurrence and relevance, we volition see the request to unfastened much branches,” the connection read. 

Prigozhin, a adjacent subordinate of Russian President Vladimir Putin dubbed the president’s “chef,” said his institution would supply escaped accommodation for inventors, designers and IT specialists, who volition beryllium liable for conducting experiments and coming up with startup ideas.  

Negotiations with Russia during its warfare connected Ukraine are a “waste of time,” a elder advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday.

The comments came aft Moscow suspended its participation successful a United Nations-brokered atom export deal. Russia tied its determination to drone strikes connected the Crimean metropolis of Sevastopol connected Saturday, which it blamed connected Kyiv.  

“Nuclear blackmail, vigor terror, atom blockade…Putin turned food, acold and prices to weapons against the world,” Mikhaylo Podolyak, a cardinal advisor to Zelensky, said successful a tweet.

“Putin’s Russia is waging a hybrid warfare against Europe, taking Africa and Middle East hostage. Proving erstwhile again: negotiations with RF [Russian Federation] — a discarded of time,” Podolyak continued.  

A Russian authoritative astatine the United Nations said Russia volition officially notify UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres connected Saturday astir Moscow’s determination to suspend its participation successful the Black Sea atom deal.  

“After effort of Ukranian drone onslaught against Russian subject ships ensuring harmless functioning of #graindeal which according to Russian MoD’s information was carried retired with UK enactment Russia suspends information successful the deal,” Dmitry Polyanskiy, lawman Russian envoy to the UN, said in a tweet.  

“UN SG @antonioguterres will beryllium soon officially notified,” helium added.  

Both Ukraine and Britain person denied Russian allegations. 

Ukraine’s overseas curate rallied different countries to request Russia “stop its hunger games” aft Moscow backed retired of a United Nations-brokered atom export woody Saturday.

Russia cited drone attacks connected the Crimean metropolis of Sevastopol arsenic crushed to indefinitely suspend the deal, blaming the attacks connected Kyiv.

“We person warned of Russia’s plans to ruin the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Now Moscow uses a mendacious pretext to artifact the atom corridor which ensures nutrient information for millions of people,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted. 

Ukraine’s Ministry of Infrastructure said six vessels containing 180,000 tons of cultivation products had near the country’s ports connected Friday, heading for Africa, Asia and Europe. This included the bulk bearer LINA, which contained 25,000 tons of maize for Egypt, the ministry said successful a statement.  

It added that 403 ships containing 9.1 cardinal tons of products for Asia, Europe and Africa had near Ukrainian ports since the woody was brokered successful July.

The United Nations said it is speaking with Russian authorities pursuing Russia’s announcement Saturday it would suspend participation from the UN-brokered atom export woody with Ukraine.

“We’ve seen the reports from the Russian Federation regarding the suspension of their information successful the Black Sea Grain Initiative pursuing an onslaught connected the Russian Black Sea Fleet. We are successful interaction with the Russian authorities connected this matter,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told CNN Saturday.

“It is captious that each parties refrain from immoderate enactment that would imperil the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which is simply a captious humanitarian effort that is intelligibly having a affirmative interaction connected entree to nutrient for millions of radical astir the world,” Dujarric added.

Ukraine has historically been known arsenic one of the globe’s breadbaskets. The World Food Programme estimated that tens of cardinal radical moved into a signifier of acute hunger arsenic a effect of the Ukraine war, and Western officials person accused Russia of utilizing nutrient arsenic a limb during its invasion.

A Turkish-flagged cargo vessel carries Ukrainian grain enters the Gulf of Izmit, Turkey connected August 8.

Yoruk Isik/Reuters/File

The Russian overseas ministry said it is suspending its information successful the United Nations-brokered atom woody with Ukraine for an “indefinite play of time,” tying the determination to a drone attack successful Crimea connected Saturday.

“In transportation with the actions, which cannot beryllium qualified different than arsenic a violent attack, of the Ukrainian equipped forces, led by British specialists, directed, among different things, against Russian ships that guarantee the functioning of the specified humanitarian corridor, the Russian broadside cannot warrant the information of humanitarian dry-cargo ships participating successful the ‘Black Sea Initiative,’ and suspends its implementation from contiguous for an indefinite play of time,” a connection from the overseas ministry read.

Both Ukraine and Britain person rejected Russian allegations, with the United Kingdom saying Russia is “peddling mendacious claims of an epic scale.”

The Russian overseas ministry connection added that “corresponding instructions were fixed to Russian representatives astatine the Joint Coordination Center successful Istanbul, which controls the proscription of Ukrainian grain.”

Although Russia blamed Saturday’s onslaught connected Sevastopol for suspending its information successful the deal, Moscow has repeatedly threatened to propulsion retired of the agreement successful caller weeks. 

The woody was acceptable to expire adjacent month.

A apical Ukrainian authoritative accused Russia of inventing “fictitious violent attacks” connected its ain facilities Saturday and blamed Moscow of “blackmail” successful suspending a cardinal atom deal.  

“Nuclear blackmail, vigor blackmail, nutrient blackmail,” Andriy Yermak, the caput of the Ukrainian president’s office, said in a Telegram post.

His comments came aft Russia accused Ukraine, with the assistance of the United Kingdom, of carrying retired drone attacks connected the Crimean larboard metropolis of Sevastopol connected Saturday. Britain denied Russia’s accusation that the UK was involved, calling it “peddling mendacious claims of an epic scale.”

Following the attacks, Moscow suspended its information successful the atom export deal with Ukraine.

The Ukrainian authoritative added that Russia has dispersed “fictions astir the ‘dirty bomb,’ which the full satellite laughs at,” referring to Russia’s accusations that Ukraine was readying connected utilizing the weapon, which combines accepted explosives similar dynamite and radioactive worldly similar uranium. The allegation was dismissed by Kyiv and its Western allies arsenic a false-flag cognition that Moscow could usage arsenic a pretext to escalate the war.

The authoritative said that Russian leaders “cannot recognize that infantile ultimatums volition not execute anything. And that their clip is coming to an end.”

Workers offload bags of grains that were sent from Ukraine astatine the World Food Program warehouse successful Adama town, Ethiopia, September 8.

Tiksa Negeri/Reuters

Russia volition suspend its information successful the United Nations-brokered atom export woody with Ukraine aft drone attacks connected the Crimean metropolis of Sevastopol, the country’s defence ministry announced Saturday.

Moscow blames Kyiv for the attacks. CNN cannot independently verify Russia’s study and Ukraine has yet to admit the incident.

“Taking into relationship the enactment of coercion committed by the Kyiv authorities with the information of British experts connected October 29 this twelvemonth against the ships of the Black Sea Fleet and civilian vessels progressive successful the information of the ‘grain corridor,’ the Russian broadside suspends its information successful the implementation of the agreements connected the export of cultivation products from the Ukrainian ports,” the Russian defence ministry said successful a statement.  

The United Kingdom has denied Moscow’s claim that Britain helped Ukraine program the Crimean drone attacks, saying Russia is “peddling mendacious claims of an epic scale.”

Some background: In July, pursuing months of negotiations, ministers from some Ukraine and Russia signed an agreement brokered by the UN and Turkey. Russia pledged to unblock ports connected the Black Sea to let the harmless transition of atom and oilseeds – immoderate of Ukraine’s astir important exports.

The woody is acceptable to expire adjacent month, and Moscow officials person formed uncertainty connected whether they volition widen their participation.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Monday that determination was a “lot of work” to bash earlier the statement could beryllium renewed. Putin has weighed in, too, saying Moscow would unopen the export corridors if they are utilized to transportation retired “terrorist attacks.”

Despite that, Ukraine’s infrastructure curate voiced optimism astir the woody earlier this month, saying “there is nary uncertainty that the atom corridor volition proceed operating aft Nov. 22,” erstwhile it is acceptable to expire.

The World Food Programme estimated that tens of cardinal radical moved into a signifier of acute hunger arsenic a effect of the Ukraine war, and Western officials person accused Russia of utilizing nutrient arsenic a limb during its invasion.

Russia and Ukraine swapped prisoners of warfare Saturday, exchanging a full of 102 detainees, some Moscow and Kyiv confirmed. 

On Ukraine’s side, a full of 52 prisoners returned location arsenic portion of the swap, the caput of the Ukrainian President’s office, Andriy Yermak, said successful a tweet.  

Officers, medics and sergeants were among those released, according to Yermak, including work members from the country’s National Guard, Navy and Armed Forces.

Fifty Russian soldiers were returned from the “territory controlled by Kyiv, who were successful mortal information successful captivity,” the Russian defence ministry said successful a statement. 

“The released servicemen volition beryllium delivered to Moscow for attraction and rehabilitation by craft of the Russian Aerospace Forces,” the connection added.  

The United Kingdom said Russia is “peddling mendacious claims of an epic scale” Saturday, successful effect to Moscow’s assertion that Britain helped Ukraine program drone attacks connected a Crimean larboard city.

“To detract from their disastrous handling of the amerciable penetration of Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Defense is resorting to peddling mendacious claims of an epic scale,” the UK’s Ministry of Defence said successful a tweet. 

The Russian defence ministry earlier claimed attacks connected the metropolis of Sevastopol were conducted nether the guidance of British navy specialists. The ministry did not supply grounds for its claim. 

CNN cannot independently corroborate oregon verify Russia’s assertion of drone attacks connected the city. There has besides been nary acknowledgment of the incidental from Ukraine’s side.

Russia besides accused representatives of the UK’s navy of being progressive successful explosions astatine the Nord Stream state pipelines past month. The ministry did not supply grounds for its claims.   

The Russian overseas ministry said Saturday that it would rise what it called the “terrorist attacks” connected Sevastopol, arsenic good arsenic the Nord Stream state pipelines, astatine the United Nations Security Council. 

A state presumption worker successful Kyiv during a powerfulness outage connected Friday successful Kyiv.

Paula Bronstein/Getty Images

As winter edges ever closer in Ukraine, Alla Melnychuk and her neighbors are racing against clip to prevention what small they person left.

Their flat gathering in Irpin was deed during immoderate of the heaviest fighting in March. Most of the windows are inactive shattered, the extortion is gone and the sewer shafts person burned down, meaning there’s nary h2o proviso and nary sewage outlet. Heavy rains successful September caused adjacent much damage, but Melnychuk is determined to propulsion up with the repairs.

“We are late, we are dilatory rebuilding, we person bought wood and we are installing the roof, but I americium not adjacent considering the enactment that we won’t decorativeness it earlier winter,” she said.

As the upwind becomes colder, millions of Ukrainians similar Melnychuk are trying to hole for what they cognize volition beryllium an highly hard winter, rushing to repair their homes and unafraid capable substance to enactment warm.

Those problems person been compounded successful caller weeks by Russia’s barrage of attacks on Ukraine’s powerfulness and heating infrastructure.

The Ukrainian vigor bureau said that it had to instrumentality “severe” and “unprecedented” exigency powerfulness cuts successful Kyiv to debar a “complete blackout” arsenic the superior faces a powerfulness shortage of 30%. It has urged residents to usage energy “sparingly,” particularly successful the greeting and astatine night, portion businesses person been asked to crook disconnected the lights extracurricular offices, restaurants and buying centers.

The blackouts are unpredictable, which means radical indispensable beryllium acceptable astatine each times. Computers and phones get charged whenever there’s a chance. Some elevators successful the city’s galore high-rise residential buildings are equipped with exigency proviso boxes.

Driving astir the metropolis has go much unsafe during the blackouts; roadworthy postulation accidents are up 25%, according to police. Shops unopen down erstwhile they suffer powerfulness and immoderate restaurants person begun to advertise “blackout” menus of nutrient and beverages they tin service during cuts.

To assistance radical vigor their homes, the Ukrainian authorities has launched a caller online firewood store that makes it easier for radical to find section suppliers.

Earlier this week, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk advised Ukrainian refugees not to instrumentality home this wintertime due to the fact that the country’s fragile powerfulness grid is astatine hazard of becoming wholly overwhelmed.

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Ukraine has a cardinal road successful the Luhansk portion nether “fire control,” according to a section subject administrator, meaning it is bombarding the roadworthy with artillery to the constituent wherever it cannot beryllium traversed.

Serhiy Hayday, caput of Luhansk portion subject administration, told CNN Saturday that Russia could not usage the important way linking the important towns of Svatove and Kreminna.

Hayday posted connected societal media precocious Friday that the roadworthy was “practically nether Ukrainian control.”

The towns are large goals for the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempting to propulsion eastbound into Luhansk, which is predominantly nether Russian occupation.

CNN cannot independently verify the Ukrainian assertion to the road moving betwixt the towns, but holding the roadworthy would contradict Russia the quality to entree Luhansk from the north.

In a abstracted station Saturday morning, Hayday said Ukraine has conducted airstrikes connected Russian positions and aerial defence systems.

“Missile and artillery units struck force positions wherever batteries of self-propelled artillery systems and different important subject targets were located,” Hayday said.

Some background: Local officials reported earlier this week that Ukraine’s beforehand successful the eastbound portion has been slowed by the weather, “thousands” of mobilized reservists and fierce Russian resistance.

Luhansk is 1 of 4 Ukrainian regions Russian President Vladimir Putin declared annexed past month.

Russian aerial defence systems repelled drone attacks connected the Crimean metropolis of Sevastopol connected Saturday, shooting down each the drones involved, the Russian-backed politician of the metropolis said.

“Today, starting astatine 4.30 am, for respective hours, assorted aerial defence systems successful Sevastopol repelled drone attacks. All unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were changeable down,” Sevastopol Mayor Mikhail Razvozhayev said.

CNN cannot independently corroborate oregon verify Razvozhayev’s claim. There has besides been nary acknowledgment of the incidental from Ukraine’s side. 

In a station to societal media aboriginal Saturday, Razvozhayev said “no facilities successful the metropolis were hit.”

“The concern is calm and nether control. All operational teams are connected standby,” helium said.

He urged the city’s residents to not marque nationalist what they saw and not station immoderate videos showing Russian defence systems repelling the attacks, claiming specified accusation could beryllium utilized by Ukraine to recognize the city’s defenses. 

On Saturday, state-run quality bureau TASS reported ferries and boats were temporarily blocked from accessing the bay.

Traffic is seen connected a acheronian thoroughfare successful cardinal Kyiv, Ukraine connected October 27.

Genya Savilov/AFP/Getty Images

It volition instrumentality the Ukrainian superior astatine slightest 2 to 3 weeks to repair its powerfulness strategy damaged by Russian attacks, Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said connected Friday arsenic exigency powerfulness cuts person been implemented successful the city.

“If determination are nary exigency accidents, ‘Ukrenergo’ (electricity company) specialists anticipation to destruct the shortage caused by the attacks of Russian barbarians connected captious infrastructure facilities wrong 2-3 weeks,” helium said on his authoritative Telegram channel.

Power proviso is chopped temporarily crossed each districts of Kyiv “due to a important shortage of energy - from 20 to 50% - today,” Klitschko added.

He called connected residents and businesses to trim energy depletion to debar perchance worse blackouts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during his evening video connection connected October 28.

Office of President of Ukraine

While Russia touts the hundreds of thousands of reservists that person bolstered its forces successful caller weeks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that the caller troops are ill-prepared for battle.

“Today the force reports astir the alleged completion of their mobilization, astir the alleged unnecessity of caller waves of deployment of Russian citizens to the front,” Zelensky said successful his nightly address. “We consciousness rather the other astatine the frontline. Russia is trying to summation unit connected our positions utilizing the mobilized, but they are truthful poorly trained and equipped, truthful crudely utilized by the command, that it suggests that soon Russia whitethorn request a caller question of sending radical to war.” 

He added that Ukraine is preparing for Russian enactment to look for much opportunities to prolong the conflict.

For context: Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported successful a gathering with Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday that the telephone for mobilization has been completed and the people extremity of 300,000 mobilized citizens has been fulfilled.

The mobilization bid got disconnected to a rocky start and proved arguable successful Russia, sparking protests and concerns from rights groups that taste minorities were disproportionately targeted for deployment.