Russia-Ukraine war news: Russia says a Ukrainian drone struck a substation in Belaya, Kursk

Here are the latest news about the Russian-Ukrainian war and its rippling effects around the world.

The attack on the power station led to a fire. Firefighters rushed to the site In the Kursk region, western Russia. Governor Roman Starovoit wrote on a telegram. He added, “Electricity will return as soon as the situation becomes safe.”

Air defenses shot down several other drones targeting the city of Kursk. Governor and Ministry of Defense of Russia He saidHe also blamed Kiev. There were no initial reports of casualties. While Russia has reported a slight increase in attempted drone attacks, Ukrainian officials have confirmed that targets inside Russia are part of the conflict.

Wall Street Journal reporter Ivan Gershkovich remains ‘defiant’ six months after his arrest in Russia During a reporting trip, his mother He told CNN. “He’s smiling,” she said. “And I have to say, all things considered, he’s doing really well.” The American journalist’s colleagues and his employer denied the Russian espionage accusations against him, while Washington and international media demanded his release.

Russia is scheduled to increase its military spending by about 68 percent in 2024Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, citing a draft budget for next year published by the Finance Ministry. He said: “It is clear that such an increase is necessary because we are living in a state of hybrid war, and this requires high spending.”

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the final round of conscription for military service begins Sunday. the Draft It will be held across Russia, as well as in four regions in eastern and southeastern Ukraine that Moscow illegally annexed last year, although parts of the territory are not under Russian control. the advertisement He said that recruits for the fall campaign would not be sent to the battlefield in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with former Wagner conductor Andrei Troshev She assigned him to work on forming volunteer units for the Ukraine war, according to Russian news agencies mentioned Friday. Troshev was considered a potential contender for intervention after a short-lived rebellion by Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was killed in a plane crash in August. The Washington Post reported that Troshev, a former lieutenant colonel in the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, is one of the few public figures in the mercenary group who was not on the passenger list for that plane.

Poland said its planes did not cross the border into neighboring Belarus, He denied the accusations from Minsk That a Polish helicopter violated its airspace. Tensions escalated between Poland and Russia’s ally, Belarus, as Warsaw moved forces to reinforce the border.

France will strengthen its support for Ukraine through industrial partnerships This was stated by French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu after his visit to Kiev on Thursday. The minister led a delegation of French lawmakers and business executives from industries including drones, munitions and artificial intelligence. he He said France hoped to “propose innovative solutions to the Ukrainian army and to increasingly be in a position to make less transfers, but rather direct acquisitions, sometimes under French support, of the Ukrainian army.”