Ukraine plans ‘powerful’ attacks on Russian front lines

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced plans for "powerful" attacks on Russian forces on the front lines.

"We are analysing the intentions of the occupiers and preparing counter-measures - tougher counter-measures than is now the case," he said in his nighttime address.

Russian forces tried to make further advances and shelled several towns in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, the site of the heaviest fighting, including Bakhmut, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in a Wednesday night statement.

On the southern front, it said Russian forces took up defensive positions and trained tank, mortar and artillery fire on Ukrainian positions and on the regional capital of Kherson, abandoned by Russian troops earlier in November.

Pentagon awards Raytheon $1.2 bln contract for Ukrainian NASAMS

The US Army awarded a $1.2 billion contract to Raytheon Technologies Co for six National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) for Ukraine on Wednesday, the Pentagon said.

The United States has approved sending Ukraine a total of eight NASAMS to help fend off Russian missile and drone attacks.

Ukraine received its first delivery of two NASAMS air defence systems in November. Others will be delivered in future months once they are built.

"NASAMS are just the latest in the diverse set of air-defence capabilities we are delivering to Ukraine," said Bill LaPlante, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.

These six NASAMS systems were part of the fifth Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) package which was announced on Aug. 24 and had a total value of $2.98 billion, according to an Army Statement. USAI funds allow the Biden administration to procure weapons from industry rather than taking weapons from existing US weapons stocks.