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Ukraine facing widespread power cuts after generating capacity reduced to ‘zero’ by Russian strikes

By
IFP Media Wire
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Moscow, which has escalated attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure in recent months, launched hundreds of drones at energy facilities across the country from Friday into Saturday, which killed at least seven people, according to Ukrainian officials.

The Russian attacks have disrupted electricity, heat and water supplies in several Ukrainian cities, with state power firm Centerenergo warning generating capacity “is down to zero”.

Ukrenergo has announced repairs were carried out and energy sourcing diverted.

While the situation had somewhat stabilised, regions including Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Poltava, Chernigiv and Sumy could continue to experience regular power cuts, Ukraine’s energy minister said on Saturday night.

“The enemy inflicted a massive strike with ballistic missiles, which are extremely difficult to shoot down. It is hard to recall such a number of direct strikes on energy facilities since the beginning of the invasion,” Svitlana Grynchuk told local broadcaster United News.

Russian drones had targeted two nuclear power substations deep in western Ukraine, Kyiv’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha stated, calling on the UN’s nuclear watchdog to respond.

The substations powered the Khmelnytskyi and Rivne nuclear plants, about 120km and 95km (75 miles and 59 miles) respectively from Lutsk, he added.

“Russia is deliberately endangering nuclear safety in Europe. We call for an urgent meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors to respond to these unacceptable risks,” he wrote on Telegram late Saturday, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Sybiha also urged China and India – traditionally large buyers of Russian oil – to pressure Moscow to cease its attacks.

Experts say the strikes on energy infrastructure put Ukraine at risk of heating outages before winter. Russia has targeted the power and heating grid throughout its almost four-year invasion, destroying a large part of the key civilian infrastructure.

This weekend’s attack was the ninth massive attack on gas infrastructure since early October, Ukraine’s energy company Naftogaz announced.

Kyiv’s School of Economics estimated in a report that the attacks have shut down half of Ukraine’s natural gas production.

Ukraine’s top energy expert, Oleksandr Kharchenko, told a media briefing Wednesday that if Kyiv’s two power and heating plants went offline for more than three days when temperatures fall below minus 10C, the capital would face a “technological disaster”.

Ukraine has in turn stepped up strikes on Russian oil depots and refineries in recent months, seeking to cut off Moscow’s vital energy exports and trigger fuel shortages across the country.

Iran facing severe drought and water supply crisis, officials warn

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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According to recent climate data, rainfall from April to November has been significantly below average, placing the country in a state of “severe drought,” “water stress,” and “crisis in supply,” particularly affecting Tehran, Karaj, Tabriz, Mashhad and Arak.

Officials say that this year is the driest year recorded in Tehran in over 60 years.

The sharp decline in surface water levels has pushed consumption toward groundwater sources, although these reserves are not sustainable for long-term use.

The official noted that water storage in several reservoirs has dropped to critically low levels, with some dams reporting single-digit capacity.

Short-term forecasts indicate no significant rainfall over the next ten days across Iran and much of the Middle East. However, rainfall systems are expected to strengthen in the second half of December and potentially return to near-normal levels during winter.

Authorities emphasized that the water crisis is no longer a temporary challenge and requires long-term national planning in agriculture, urban development and industry.

MbS doubles down on terms for Israel ties before talks with Trump: Reuters

By
IFP Media Wire
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The establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia after decades of enmity could shake up the political and security landscape in the Middle East, potentially strengthening U.S. influence in the region.

Trump said last month he hoped Saudi Arabia would “very soon” join other Muslim countries that signed the 2020 Abraham Accords normalising ties with Israel.

But Riyadh has signalled to Washington through diplomatic channels that its position has not changed: it will sign up only if there is agreement on a roadmap to Palestinian statehood, two sources told Reuters.

The intention is to avoid diplomatic missteps and ensure alignment of the Saudi and U.S. positions before any public statements are made, they stated. One noted the aim was to avoid any confusion at or after the White House talks on November 18.

The Crown Prince, widely known as MbS, “is not likely to entertain any possible formalising of ties in the near future without at least a credible pathway to a Palestinian state,” said Jonathan Panikoff, former deputy U.S. national intelligence officer on the Middle East.

MbS is likely to try to use his influence with Trump to seek “more explicit and vocal buy-in for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state,” added Panikoff, who is now at the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington.

Next week’s visit is the Crown Prince’s first to Washington since the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, an MbS critic whose murder in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul caused global outrage. MbS denied direct involvement.

The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco have already normalised ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords, and Trump has said he expects an expansion of the accords soon.

The agreement signed by the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco sidestepped the issue of Palestinian statehood.

The two sources stated that Riyadh had signalled to Washington that any move to recognise Israel must be part of a new framework, not just an extension of any deal.

With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu staunchly opposed to Palestinian statehood, Saudi Arabia sees no immediate prospect to satisfy Trump’s demand that it normalise ties with Israel, the sources told Reuters.

Saudi officials say progress on that front depends on concessions neither Washington nor Israel is currently prepared to make.

 

Iran FM says no basis for resuming talks with US

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Abbas Araghchi

His remarks came in an interview published by the Iranian government’s official information platform.

Araqchi stated that Tehran sees “no positive or constructive approach” from the US that could justify restarting diplomatic talks.

According to him, any future negotiations would require the US to demonstrate readiness for “equal and mutually beneficial discussions.”

He emphasized that Iran is not rejecting diplomacy in principle, but conditions are not in place.

“Whenever they are prepared for negotiations on an equal basis and for a beneficial agreement for both sides, talks could become possible, and Iran can consider them,” he said.
“However, the approach we see from the Americans does not indicate such readiness.”

Relations between the two countries remain strained amid ongoing disputes over sanctions, regional policies, and Iran’s nuclear activities.

The US withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement in 2018, reimposed sanctions, and launched strikes on Iran’s nuclear and civilian targets in June in collaboration with Israel.

Iran says underground missile, nuclear infrastructure remains intact after US-Israeli strikes

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Iran Missile

Brigadier General Gholamreza Jalali, head of Iran’s Passive Defense Organization, stated on Saturday that “almost all of Iran’s underground and mountain-based missile infrastructure remains intact,” noting that only minor surface-level damage occurred at some entrances.
He said these could be repaired without affecting operational readiness.

According to General Jalali, Iran has spent the past 20 years developing deeply buried missile bases and secure storage sites under mountains, based on “persistent threat assessments and priority given to aerospace and missile systems.”

He credited the late General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, former IRGC aerospace commander, for overseeing major advancements, including the simultaneous launch of multiple missiles from underground silos.

General Jalali also said Iran adopted similar fortification measures for its nuclear facilities, particularly Fordow and Isfahan, after evaluating threats such as US bunker-buster bombs.

He suggested that claims of extensive US destruction during the strikes in June were inaccurate but added that some details remain classified.

On cyber defense, General Jalali stated that while his organization provides planning and oversight, operational responsibility lies with individual agencies.
He noted previous vulnerabilities in banking software and said fuel station networks have since been redesigned to prevent nationwide disruptions.

General Jalali also raised concerns over foreign digital platforms and surveillance risks, saying data transmitted through external servers can be monitored and analyzed by adversaries.

He provided examples of security vulnerabilities found in imported surveillance cameras and stressed the need for national control over digital infrastructure.

Regarding civilian preparedness, General Jalali confirmed that Tehran has underground spaces, including metro stations, that could serve as public shelters, though upgrades in sanitation and security systems are still needed.

He said authorities refrained from publicly announcing shelter plans to avoid causing public anxiety.

Syrian president arrives in US for landmark visit

By
IFP Media Wire
-

Sharaa, whose rebel forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, is due to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.

It’s the first such visit by a Syrian president since the country’s independence in 1946, according to analysts.

The interim leader met Trump for the first time in Riyadh during the US president’s regional tour in May.

US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack stated earlier this month that Sharaa would “hopefully” sign an agreement to join the international US-led alliance against the Islamic State (IS) group.

The United States plans to establish a military base near Damascus “to coordinate humanitarian aid and observe developments between Syria and Israel”, a diplomatic source in Syria told AFP.

The State Department’s decision Friday to remove Sharaa from the blacklist was widely expected.

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said Sharaa’s government had been meeting US demands including on working to find missing Americans and on eliminating any remaining chemical weapons.

“These actions are being taken in recognition of the progress demonstrated by the Syrian leadership after the departure of Bashar al-Assad and more than 50 years of repression under the Assad regime,” Pigott continued.

The spokesman added that the US delisting would promote “regional security and stability as well as an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process.”

After his arrival in the United States, Sharaa shared a video on social media of him playing basketball with CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper and Kevin Lambert, the head of the international anti-IS operation in Iraq, alongside the caption “work hard, play harder”.

Sharaa’s Washington trip comes after his landmark visit to the United Nations in September — his first time on US soil — where the ex-jihadist became the first Syrian president in decades to address the UN General Assembly in New York.

On Thursday, Washington led a vote by the Security Council to remove UN sanctions against him.

Formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda, Sharaa’s group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was delisted as a terrorist group by Washington as recently as July.

Since taking power, Syria’s new leaders have sought to break from their violent past and present a moderate image more tolerable to ordinary Syrians and foreign powers.

Sharaa is expected to seek funds for Syria, which faces significant challenges in rebuilding after 13 years of war.

In October, the World Bank put a “conservative best estimate” of the cost of rebuilding Syria at $216 billion.

 

EU economies will suffer without tapping Russia’s funds: Brussels

By
IFP Media Wire
-

The paper was circulated to EU capitals following last month’s failure to reach consensus on the so-called “reparations loan” of around €140 billion ($160 billion), the FT reported on Friday.

Without tapping Moscow’s immobilized central bank reserves, the EU would need to either authorize joint borrowing or issue direct grants – both of which would “directly affect” national budgets and increase public debt, the Commission warned. It remains unclear whether the option of not bankrolling Kiev was even considered.

The potential cost to EU economies is substantial, as servicing a collective loan of that size could result in up to €5.6 billion in annual interest payments. The Commission cautioned that borrowing at such a scale could also raise general EU borrowing costs and undermine other financial instruments.

Kiev expects its Western backers to cover a nearly $50 billion deficit next year, with its 2026 draft budget projecting some $114 billion in spending and only $68 billion in revenue – nearly all of which is earmarked for military purposes. Most non-military government expenses, including salaries, pensions, healthcare, and education, will rely entirely on foreign aid.

Belgium continues to oppose the use of Russian assets as loan collateral, citing serious financial and reputational risks. The frozen funds, totaling around $300 billion globally, with roughly $200 billion held at Belgium’s Euroclear, are technically not confiscated and could be reclaimed by Moscow if EU sanctions are not continually renewed. The EU has already stretched legal definitions by classifying the interest generated on these frozen funds as windfall profits not belonging to Moscow, and using them to arm Kiev.

The new plan hinges on the assumption that Moscow will eventually repay the loan as part of a future peace settlement – an outcome Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has described as improbable. On Friday, EU Commission officials once again failed to convince Belgium to back the asset seizure.

Moscow has repeatedly said it would regard any use of its frozen assets as theft, and could retaliate by seizing €200 billion ($172 billion) in Western assets held in Russia by foreign governments and companies.

 

Gaza death toll surges past 69,000

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Gaza War

The latest killings on Saturday came as Hamas also announced retrieving the remains of an Israeli soldier from a tunnel near Rafah in southern Gaza.

The Ministry of Health in the coastal enclave announced that the total number of people killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, had risen to 69,169, after more of the dead were identified and more bodies were recovered from the rubble.

It also added that Israeli soldiers have killed more than 240 Palestinians since the ceasefire accord came into effect on October 10.

Despite some progress in delivering food to Palestinians in the besieged territory – ravaged by Israeli bombardment and racked by hunger – remains in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, the United Nations has said.

The UN and its partners have been able to get 37,000 metric tonnes of aid, mostly food, into Gaza since the October 10 ceasefire, but much more is needed, UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters on Friday.

“Despite significant progress on the humanitarian scale-up, people’s urgent needs are still immense, with impediments not being lifted quickly enough since the ceasefire,” Haq noted, citing reports from the UN’s humanitarian service, OCHA.

Haq was critical that entry of humanitarian supplies into Gaza continues to be limited to only two crossings – the Al-Karara (also known as Kissufim) and Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossings.

There is no direct access to Northern Gaza from the occupied territories or to Southern Gaza from Egypt, while NGO staff are being denied access, he continued.

Earlier this week, the UN stressed it had distributed food parcels to one million people in Gaza since the ceasefire, but warned it was still in a race to save lives.

The UN’s World Food Programme stressed all crossing points into the Gaza Strip should be opened to flood the famine-hit territory with aid, adding that no reason was given for why the Northern crossings with Israel remained closed.

Palestinians across Gaza continue to face shortages of food, water, medicine and other critical supplies as a result of Israeli restrictions.

Many families also lack adequate shelter as their homes and neighbourhoods have been completely destroyed in Israel’s two-year military bombardment.

 

Israeli attacks kill 3 in Lebanon

By
IFP Media Wire
-

Two brothers have been killed in an Israeli air raid on a vehicle between the southeastern Lebanese towns of Ain Ata and Shebaa.

In a separate attack on Saturday, an Israeli drone struck a car near Salah Ghandour Hospital in the southern town of Bint Jbeil, injuring seven people, Lebanon’s Ministry of Health Affairs reported. Two missiles struck the vehicle in the densely populated area.

Another Israeli drone attack, the third strike of the day, later hit a car in the Baraachit area, NNA reported. A photo shared by the agency showed smoke rising over blazing wreckage on a road following the attack, which the ministry says killed one and injured four, according to NNA.

Israel’s military claimed the attacks were aimed at Hezbollah targets, without providing evidence.

Despite the November 2024 truce, Israel has continued near-daily attacks on its northern neighbour while maintaining forces in areas around the south.

Hezbollah maintains that it remains committed to the truce but insists it will not disarm while Israel occupies Lebanese territory and continues its attacks.

The European Union condemned recent Israeli strikes in a strong statement on Saturday and called for immediate adherence to the ceasefire.

“The EU calls on Israel to cease all actions that violate resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement reached a year ago in November 2024,” EU foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni stated.

He urged Hezbollah and other Lebanese groups to “refrain from any measures or responses that could further inflame the situation”.

The Lebanese army accused Israel of trying to “undermine Lebanon’s stability” and obstruct the full deployment of Lebanese forces in accordance with the ceasefire.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the recent spate of attacks, describing them as a “flagrant breach” of international law, while Iran denounced them as “savage” and urged the global community to intervene.

On Thursday, at least one person was killed and nine injured in a series of Israeli attacks across southern Lebanon.

The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, announced that Israel’s attacks threaten civilians and undermine efforts by the Lebanese military to assert control over “unauthorised weapons and infrastructure” in southern Lebanon, a likely reference to Hezbollah.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, warned last week that Israel could intensify operations in Lebanon.

Defence Minister Israel Katz echoed the threat, saying, “Maximum enforcement will continue and even intensify – we will not allow any threat to the residents of the north.”

Aoun has condemned Israel for ramping up its attacks after he signalled willingness to discuss de-escalation. The Lebanese government, under heavy pressure from the United States, has ordered the army to draft a plan to disarm Hezbollah – a move the group condemned as “hasty” and dangerous.

Last week, Aoun instructed the armed forces to confront any further Israeli incursion in the country’s south after Israeli forces crossed their shared border and killed a municipal worker during an overnight raid.

Since the ceasefire, Israel has maintained troops in five areas in southern Lebanon and carried out regular attacks, which it claims target Hezbollah positions.

The situation remains volatile nearly a year after Israel assassinated Hezbollah’s longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah in September 2024, decimating much of the group’s senior leadership.

Under the ceasefire terms, Lebanon’s army is tasked with disarming Hezbollah in the south by the end of the year before expanding operations nationwide. Hezbollah insists Israel is exploiting this process to tighten its grip on Lebanese territory and refuses to disarm as long as Israel continues its attacks and occupation of Lebanese territory.

 

Ukraine hits desertion record amid war with Russia: BBC

By
IFP Media Wire
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Russia Ukraine War

This was the largest single monthly number of desertion reports in the past four years of the Ukraine conflict, the broadcaster said, citing the latest data from the Prosecutor General’s Office.

According to former Ukrainian MP Igor Lutsenko, who now serves in the military, the actual number could be even higher.

On Facebook on Friday, he wrote “21,602 in October… This is a record. This is a very bad record,” adding, “This is just official data. In reality, many AWOL or desertion cases are not registered.”

Ukrainian forces on the front lines are under “enormous strain, because a double, triple load falls on every soldier who hasn’t fled,” Lutsenko continued.

“We have huge holes in our defense at the front because of this.”

Kiev has ramped up its forced draft campaign in recent months to compensate for its army’s thinning ranks, as Russian forces have pushed their advance.

There have been twice as many complaints about forced conscription since early June as there were during the first five months of the year, Ukrainian parliamentary human rights commissioner Dmitry Lubinets told Ukrainskaya Pravda on Wednesday.

Emerging eyewitness videos have regularly shown Ukrainian press gangs ambushing and chasing military-age men on the streets and wrestling them into vans, often brawling with the would-be conscripts and bystanders. The practice, now colloquially known as ‘busification,’ has sparked growing discontent across Ukraine.

Last month, Nikita Poturaev, the head of the Ukrainian parliamentary Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, claimed that such videos were either fake or made using AI.

Earlier in October, Ukrainian conscription authorities urged citizens to stop filming and sharing videos of press gangs violently detaining prospective recruits.

 

 

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