Zelensky touts ‘victory plan’ to lawmakers, rules out ceding Ukrainian land | Russia launched 136 drones – News18

Ukrainian air defenses successfully shot down 51 of 136 Shahed attack drones launched by Russian forces on October 16, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. The drones originate from Primorsko-Akhtarsk on the Sea of ​​Azov, as well as from the Russian regions of Kursk and Orlov. Ukrainian electronic warfare units have reportedly disabled more than 60 drones, redirecting two back into Russian airspace. In addition, Russian forces targeted Donetsk region with a S-300/400 missile and fired an Kh-59 cruise missile at Chernihiv region. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, expressed disappointment that Western allies had not opened a “second front” against Russia. On the same day, President Volodymyr Zelensky unveiled his “Victory Plan” aimed at ending Russia’s invasion, rejecting territorial concessions and advocating increased Western support, including NATO membership. Zelensky stressed the need for immediate action to prevent Russia from consolidating its position, insisting that Ukraine’s sovereignty should not be traded. He called for the lifting of restrictions on the use of long-range weapons and the deployment of a comprehensive non-nuclear strategic deterrent package in Ukraine. In response, the Kremlin dismissed Zelensky’s plan as an “ephemeral peace plan,” suggesting it was merely a facade for continued conflict. European Council President Charles Michel invited Zelensky to present his plan at the upcoming EU summit. Meanwhile, the US has announced that it will not deploy the THAAD missile defense system near Ukraine, citing the different contexts of the Russian-Ukrainian war and the conflict in the Middle East. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov expressed concern about the quality of ammunition used by Ukrainian forces, noting that up to 20 percent of ammunition fails in combat, prompting the development of new procedures for destroying and reusing defective items.