KYIEV, Oct 22 (The African Portal) – Ukraine says it successfully launched a large-scale missile and air strike on a chemical plant in Russia’s Bryansk region that it calls crucial to Moscow’s war industry.
Kyiv’s military said Storm Shadow missiles penetrated Russian air defenses, though the results were still being assessed.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy is visiting Sweden for talks about a defense export contract.
Orban says preparations for Trump-Putin meeting still underway
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says preparations for a planned meeting in Budapest between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are continuing, despite the summit being put on hold.
“[Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter] Szijjarto is in Washington. Preparations for the peace summit are continuing. The date is still uncertain. When the time comes, we will hold it,” Orban wrote on Facebook.
The meeting was paused after Moscow rejected an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, complicating negotiations.
Trump announced last week that he and Putin would meet soon in Hungary to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. On Tuesday, he said he did not want to have a “wasted meeting” but added that “we’ll be notifying you over the next two days” about further developments.
Orban, a longtime ally of Trump, has also maintained close ties with Moscow, a stance that has often put him at odds with the European Union over democratic and foreign policy issues.
Russian strikes kill six in Ukraine
Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine have killed six people, including two children, and caused power outages nationwide, Ukrainian officials say.
Debris from downed weapons ignited fires across half of Kyiv’s districts, according to the city’s military administration. Two people were killed in the capital, and four others, including two children, died in nearby areas, Ukraine’s emergency service said.
“Ukraine long ago agreed to the US proposal for a ceasefire, while Moscow is doing everything to keep the killing going,” presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak said on Telegram. “This means collective actions against Putin are currently insufficient, and we must all do more together to make him stop killing our people.”
Zelensky visits Sweden for joint defence export announcement
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is visiting Sweden for talks with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and a joint announcement on defence exports, the Swedish government said.
The meeting will take place in the city of Linkoping, home to defence contractor Saab, which produces the Gripen fighter jet, the GlobalEye surveillance aircraft, missile systems, and other military equipment.
“Following their meeting, Kristersson and Zelensky will hold a joint press conference to make an announcement in the area of defense export,” the government said in a statement. The press conference is scheduled for 3:00 pm (1300 GMT).
The two leaders are expected to announce a defense export deal after their talks.
“A strong and capable Ukraine is a key priority for Sweden, and we will continue to make sure Ukraine can fight back against Russia’s aggression,” Kristersson wrote on the social media platform X. “Looking forward to discussing how to further our cooperation — we have a lot to learn from each other.”
Sweden suspended plans last year to supply Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine after partner nations urged prioritizing the deployment of US-made F-16s, which Kyiv began operating in August. Ukrainian pilots have since trained in Sweden to help prepare for any future transfer of Gripen aircraft.
Credit: DW
