Ukraine Briefly

October 20, 2023

Ukraine, Briefly

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This week, new satellite images showed that Russian ships connected to military transport networks have been collecting cargoes from North Korea and delivering them to a Russian military port over the past two months, the Washington Post reported. US intelligence assessments and White House officials suggested that North Korea is helping Russia’s war effort by transporting weaponry and munitions. These images provide evidence that the operation is more regular and extensive than previously believed, potentially impacting the trajectory of the war in Ukraine. North Korea is known to produce munitions that Russia requires for its war effort, such as Grad rockets and howitzer artillery rounds.

Also this week:

• Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for bilateral talks in Beijing, where they emphasized the deepening of “political mutual trust” and strategic coordination between their countries, Al Jazeera reported. Both leaders highlighted their close working relationship and friendship, having met 42 times in the past decade. The meeting took place on the sidelines of a forum marking the 10th anniversary of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a significant infrastructure development project. While China has attempted to position itself as a mediator in the Ukraine war, it has not condemned Russia’s invasion, and analysts say that Moscow is becoming the junior partner in the China-Russia relationship.

• Ukraine is experiencing a modest economic recovery despite the challenges of the ongoing war with Russia, according to the New York Times. The economy is expected to grow by approximately 3.5 percent this year, supported by an increase in domestic spending and foreign financial aid. Although significant economic challenges remain, such as the costly rebuilding of devastated cities and labor shortages due to the conflict, there is a sense of resilience and relative stability in Ukraine, the newspaper wrote. For example, people have transitioned from a “savings mode” to being more willing to spend, propelling growth opportunities for businesses. Investor and consumer confidence is growing, it added.

• Qatar successfully reunited four Ukrainian children with their families after the children were taken by Russian authorities following the invasion of Ukraine last year, Euronews wrote. The operation is seen as a “breakthrough” and a “gesture of goodwill” on Russia’s part. Ukraine has accused Russia of deporting “tens of thousands” of Ukrainian children from the occupied territories, which led the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for President Putin. Russia denies the allegations.

• Russia’s lower house of parliament gave preliminary approval to a bill revoking the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) as part of Moscow’s desire to mirror the United States’ stance on the treaty, the Associated Press wrote. The CTBT, adopted in 1996, prohibits all nuclear test explosions worldwide. However, the treaty has not taken effect in its entirety and a number of countries have not ratified it, including the US and China. There are concerns that Russia’s decision to rescind its ratification could lead to a resumption of nuclear tests.

This story originally appeared in the October 20, 2023 newsletter, Down in the Valleys.