Baltic, Scandinavian countries and Poland to increase support for Ukraine in upcoming months

The heads of government from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Poland, and Sweden pledged to intensify their support for Ukraine in the coming months during a summit in Harpsund on Nov. 27. In a joint statement, they reaffirmed their commitment to aiding Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s aggression, emphasizing the need for a "comprehensive, just, and lasting peace."

The leaders announced plans to bolster Ukraine’s defense capabilities, including increased investment in ammunition production and support for Ukraine's defense industry. Highlighting Russia as "the most significant and direct threat to our security in the long term," they called for expanded sanctions on Moscow and greater cooperation to counter conventional and hybrid threats. The declaration comes amid intensified Russian advances in Ukraine's east and reports of North Korean troops aiding Russia in Kursk Oblast.

Russia increases the number of forces on Kinburn Spit to prevent Ukrainian troops from crossing the Dnipro River

Colonel Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesperson for Ukraine's Southern Defense Forces, said Russian forces are concentrating troops on the Kinburn Spit in Mykolaiv Oblast to strengthen their defenses and prevent Ukrainian forces from crossing the Dnipro River. Speaking during a national broadcast, Voloshyn stated that Russian troops are fortifying positions, deploying defensive weaponry, and focusing on controlling the Dnipro’s mouth and its islands, areas where intense combat is ongoing.

In addition, Voloshyn noted that near the Antonivka Bridge in Kherson, Russian forces are practicing small-scale crossing maneuvers with infantry squads using boats from the Dnipro flotilla. While no large-scale water crossings have been observed, these exercises mirror their tactics in the steppe, aiming to replicate small assault actions in the riverine zones.

Russia rejects the possibility of freezing the frontline and insists on Ukraine's capitulation

Russia is signaling its intent to escalate the war in Ukraine, firmly rejecting any notion of freezing the frontline or negotiating a compromise, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, stated that Moscow is open to negotiations but insists that peace can only be achieved by addressing the "reasons" behind its invasion. This rhetoric underscores the Kremlin's continued demand for Ukraine's full capitulation, including relinquishing control of the four illegally annexed oblasts, even areas still under Ukrainian control.

The ISW also suggests that Russian commanders may be planning an offensive in the southeastern part of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Although this region lies outside the annexed territories, its capture would support Russia's broader objective of fully occupying Donetsk Oblast. This potential move indicates Moscow's ongoing ambitions to expand its territorial control despite growing military challenges.