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Stoltenberg named NATO's key mistake regarding the war in Ukraine Margarita Voloshina

Former NATO Secretary General Admits Big Mistake of the Alliance Regarding Ukraine/Collage 24 Channel, illustrative photoMore interesting audio newsListen00:0000:511.25×1.25xAudio synthesized using AI.More Audio NewsTurn off

The failure to provide Ukraine with significant military support made it easier for Russia to launch a full-scale invasion. This should be a lesson for all partners for the future.

This opinion was voiced by former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in an interview with Spiegel. In his opinion, partners must admit that they are investing in military force not to wage war, but to prevent it.

Former NATO Secretary General Admits Major Mistake of the Alliance

As Stoltenberg noted, this lesson must be learned, because otherwise, neither Russia nor anyone else will take the North Atlantic Alliance seriously. According to him, NATO saw that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin was becoming increasingly aggressive.

That is why, Stoltenberg notes, NATO members strengthened their defenses after the illegal annexation of Crimea. This is the first time since the end of the Cold War that they deployed combat troops on the eastern flank of the Alliance. Therefore, the former Secretary General assures that the allies did not turn a blind eye to the Russian threat.

Despite this, the former NATO Secretary General still believes that former German Chancellor Angela Merkel's strategy towards Russia is correct.

It was right to try to build better relations with Russia after the Cold War. Even after the annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of hostilities in Donbas, we continued to meet in the NATO-Russia Council. The last time was in January 2022, he said.

Earlier, he admitted that he regretted not providing Ukraine with enough weapons on time. He also said that he took his share of responsibility for this. According to him, before the full-scale invasion, NATO was “very afraid of the consequences” of military aid.

Hezbollah militants have launched at least three drone strikes on Israel, injuring more than 60 people.

This is reported by Israeli media.

Hezbollah drone strike on Israel

Reported , that two Hezbollah UAVs were shot down near Haifa, and a third struck in the Binyamin area.

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The Times of Israel, citing medical data, writes that the number of wounded in as a result of a drone attack in the area Binyamina has risen to 67 people.

At the same time, the number of critically wounded remains at four, five were seriously wounded and 14 were moderately wounded.

As the Jerusalem Post notes, the air target detection system failed to work before the attack, which is why the air raid sirens did not go off.

The drones themselves were launched from Lebanon, as JP reports, under the cover of a missile attack from Hezbollah.

Recall that on October 1, Iran launched a massive attack on Israel, firing approximately 180 ballistic missiles rockets. At that time, official Tehran declared that the shelling was revenge for the deaths of the leaders of the Hamas and Hezbollah groups, which Iran supports.

In parallel, Israel is striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, in particular in the city of Beirut, which is the capital of the country. In addition, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is also conducting a ground operation in southern Lebanon.

The US has deployed a THAAD air defense battery in Israel: why Ukraine desperately needs it Dmitry Usik

THAAD air defense launcher/US DoD~6 0~p _ngcontent-sc101 class=”news-annotation”>The US military has deployed a THAAD air defense battery in Israel. As the US writes, this should help strengthen Israel's air defenses after unprecedented attacks by Iran.

This was stated by Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder.

Deployment of THAAD air defense in Israel

Pat Ryder reported that, at the direction of President Joe Biden, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has authorized the deployment of a THAAD battery and associated US military personnel to Israel.

The THAAD battery will strengthen Israel's integrated air defense system. The move underscores the United States' strong commitment to defending Israel and protecting Americans in Israel from any further ballistic missile attacks from Iran, the Pentagon said.

It added that this is part of broader changes the U.S. military has made in recent months to bolster Israel's defense.

This is also not the first time the United States has deployed a THAAD battery to the region. Following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, Biden ordered its deployment to protect American troops and interests in the region.

Ukraine needs the THAAD air defense system

Deffence Express writes that the deployment of the THAAD system with its outstanding characteristics is extremely relevant for Ukraine as well.

Thus, at the end of 2023, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry presented a list of US weapons that our country needs to fight the Russian army at a closed meeting. Reuters journalists reported that the document, in particular, indicated the THAAD air defense system manufactured by Lockheed. Also there could be found F-18 “Hornet” fighters, three types of General Atomics drones, in particular the MQ-9B Sky Guardian.

It is noted that the main advantage of the THAAD complex is that it is capable of intercepting ballistic missiles at a range of up to 200 kilometers and at an altitude of 100 – 150 kilometers. The anti-missile of this complex has a launch weight of 900 kilograms, a body length of 6.1 meters and a flight speed of 8.2 Mach, the target is hit by direct kinetic damage, according to the hit-to-kill principle.

However, the main problem with THAAD is that there are currently 42 launchers, or only 7 batteries, of which one battery is currently deployed in South Korea, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

In the village of Kryva, Tyachiv district, Zakarpattia region, women with children blocked the road to a border guard service vehicle, in which the squad was traveling to the place of service.

This was reported to Suspilne by the press secretary of the Mukachevo border detachment Lesya Fedorova.

Before this, a video was published on social networks in which women did not let a minibus with people in military uniform pass. In it, you can hear them threatening to smash the car. After the car started moving, the women rushed after it.

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Women attacked a border guard car in Zakarpattia

As Lesya Fedorova noted, the meaning of their demands remained unclear. Police officers were called to the scene.

— The situation was localized by conducting explanatory work and communicating the requirements of the legislation on border issues, — the press secretary informed.

The press secretary of the National Police of Zakarpattia Anna Dan said that the police went to the scene of the incident.

— They recorded the incident. An investigation is currently underway. No one threw stones — neither the service car nor the border guards were injured, — she reported.

By the way,

Kim Jong-un ordered artillery to be put on full combat alert, – media Anastasia Kolesnikova

Pyongyang ordered its forces at the border to prepare for large-scale battles/Collage 24 Channel

Tensions between Pyongyang and Seoul have become particularly acute. Kim Jong Un orders border units to prepare for full-scale combat.

According to media reports, Pyongyang has ordered an artillery corps stationed near the border with South Korea to prepare to fire.

DPRK prepares for full-scale combat

It is noted that the General Staff of the People's Army of North Korea on Saturday issued a directive ordering artillery combined forces near the border and units assigned to fire missions to prepare for full-scale combat.

A spokesman for the North Korean Ministry of National Defense said the directive contained an order to put eight artillery brigades on full combat alert by eight o'clock in the evening on 13 October.

Earlier, on October 11, the DPRK Foreign Ministry said that Seoul had sent drones with propaganda leaflets to its capital three times in a week. Pyongyang accused Seoul of violating the “sacred” sovereignty of North Korea and threatening its security.

Kim Jong-un was warned that North Korean forces will prepare “all means of attack” capable of destroying all threats south of the border, in particular the South Korean military. It is also noted that a response will be made without warning if South Korean drones are detected on North Korean territory again.

The South Korean Defense Ministry responded to the threats. There they assured that “North Korea will see the end of its regime” if it harms the South Koreans.

By the way, North Korean troops could have been involved in the war in Ukraine on the side of Russia, some of whom died near Donetsk in October 2024.

In the Black Sea off the coast of temporarily occupied Crimea in the Kerch region, there are floating booms, which the Russian Federation tried to use to protect the Kerch Bridge.

Radio Liberty reports this.

The Kerch Bridge protection was washed away into the sea

According to the publication, fragments of the boom barriers are drifting in the city area embankment.

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Sea currents washed some of the protective structures ashore.

This summer, the occupiers began placing barges on southern side of the Kerch Bridge, later additional barges and floating booms appeared.

In September, the spokesman for the Ukrainian Navy, Dmitry Pletenchuk confirmed that the Russians are building some kind of protective structure in the area of ​​the Kerch Bridge, noting that they are unlikely to have time to do this before the storm season begins.

He then said that periodically such structures end up on the shore after another storms.

German military went to competitions where there were soldiers from Russia: Bundeswehr took on the inspection Vladislav Kravtsov

The German Defense Ministry has launched an investigation into the military's trips to competitions with Russians/Collage 24 Kanal

German military personnel participated in competitions that were also attended by soldiers from Russia. Because of this, the German Defense Ministry is launching an investigation.

The Bild publication writes about this. There have already been several such competitions where Russian and German soldiers were present together.

How German and Russian military personnel ended up at competitions together

At the end of February 2024, the Military Sports Association Archery Competition was held in Bangladesh. At the awards ceremony, eight Russian soldiers posed directly next to seven Bundeswehr servicemen, including the head of the German delegation, Lieutenant Colonel Christian Lützkendorf.

The International Military Sports Association, or CISM, organizes these competitions. Not only did the organization not exclude Russia, but it regularly organizes events in which Russian military personnel can participate, even in uniform.

Lithuania strongly condemned the actions of the German Defense Ministry. Since 2022, Lithuania has been actively boycotting events involving Russian military personnel. A representative of the Hybrid Threat Department of the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense said that Russia's participation in these competitions looks like an attempt to gain international recognition despite the current sanctions.

It is incomprehensible that Germany and other countries in the third year of the war are still acting as if Russia's aggressive war against our eastern neighbors does not exist, the Lithuanian representative emphasized.

The representative of the Ministry of Defense said that when the joint photos became known, the Bundeswehr immediately responded and discussed the process with the responsible persons. It was also clearly stated that such photos are unacceptable.

However, according to the Bild investigation, Bundeswehr soldiers were photographed with Russian soldiers at two subsequent CISM events even after the “unacceptable” photos in February. Including the 79th CISM General Assembly in May in Tanzania and the CISM Basketball Championship in June in Serbia.

German soldiers posed next to Russian soldiers at the competition/Photo CISM

Although there were no sports competitions between German and Russian soldiers at either event, there were joint technical meetings and official dinners with German and Russian officers.

Representatives of German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius also responded that Boris's ministry had been checking since the summer whether Russian and Belarusian troops were participating in these events. And if so, then Germany's participation in these events will be cancelled in principle.

Russia launched an assault on the Kharkov front, but suffered a defeat.

About this in Telegram reports the commander of the National Guard Alexander Pivnenko.

— The enemy risked a daring assault on the Kharkov front, but it didn't work out. Spartan brigade soldiers are holding the line, — he wrote on social media.

Repulsing the assault of the Russian Federation in the Kharkov direction

How Alexander Pivnenko notes that the occupiers do not often use armored vehicles on this section of the front, but this time they went forward under the cover of infantry fighting vehicles.

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— The Spartan brigade's aerial reconnaissance aircraft instantly responded with precise strikes from FPV drones and airdrops, stopping the occupiers, — the commander noted.

During these 24 hours, the guards along the front line destroyed:

• 1 tank;
• 4 IFVs;
• 8 units of automotive equipment;
• 2 BC warehouses;
• 2 OTR UAVs.

Let us recall that in general during the day Armed Forces Ukraine liquidated 1300 Russian occupiers.

The area contained oil tanks: a large-scale fire broke out at workshops in Poland Irina Martsiyash

A large-scale fire in Poland's workshops/Collage by Channel 24 (Photo OSP Tomaszów Mazowiecki)

A major fire broke out in the Polish town of Cygany near the city of Tomaszów Mazowiecki. In particular, it occurred at a plant where, among other things, oils and brake fluids were produced.

This was reported by the publication RMF24. They spoke about the scale of the fire.

Fire in workshops in Poland

The publication reports that firefighters received information about the fire after 1 a.m.

The bottling plant burned down, and the warehouse and adjacent production plant are still burning. This was stated in the publication, citing data from firefighters.

1,000-liter oil tanks were stored in the area damaged by the fire. As a result of the fire, the containers were depressurized, and the leaking substances caught fire, the report says.

It was noted that more than 160 firefighters are working at the scene, there are no casualties. The plant where the fire broke out is located far from residential buildings, so there was no need to evacuate local residents, firefighters assured.

The publication writes that the plant where the fire broke out is engaged in the production and distribution of lubricants, radiator fluids, windshield washers and brake fluid, as well as other products.

According to rescuers, the fire did not spread to nearby forests. Only trees on the territory of the enterprise were burning.

Fire in Poland at the workshops/Photo OSP Tomaszów Mazowiecki

Today, October 13, is the second day of the Kiev Marathon Inviolability-2024.

Kyiv Marathon Inviolability-2024: what is known

Cheer for the participants of the Kyiv Marathon Inviolability-2024 you can in Natalka Park on Obolonskaya Embankment, on Trukhanov Island.

Distances are available for participants from three years old (300 m, 500 m, 1,000 m) and for adults (from miles to 42 km).

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There will also be a 100-meter distance for military personnel during rehabilitation.

Registration for the offline part, which will take place in Kyiv, is closed.

However, you can join the marathon online from any corner of Ukraine and the world, noted the organizer Victoria Veremienko on the air of Army FM.< /p>

You can register for participation today, choose a convenient time and run.

After that, the organizers will send you a participant medal.

Kyiv Marathon Project Nezalemnosti-2024 is a charity event. The organizers have already collected about 10 million UAH.

For example, 1 million was collected for the NextStep rehabilitation center.

1 million has already been collected for the 3rd Assault Brigade and the 24th Separate Motorized Brigade.

Part of the funds from each registration through the United24 platform will be spent on combat devices.

Funding for the Superhumans Center is also provided.