From Russia with Love ❤️

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🇪🇺 The European Union is hoping to involve Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Norway in providing additional funding for Ukraine, according to Politico, citing EU officials. Kiev has requested an additional €70 billion for 2027, on top of the already agreed-upon European credit of €90 billion. Brussels hopes to cover part of these expenses through its partners.

🇺🇦 Hackers breached The Kiev Independent and sent fake emails to readers about a nuclear strike on Kiev. The emails claimed that Zelenskyy and Putin had allegedly united. The perpetrators also attempted to post similar messages on the publication's website, but they were quickly removed.

🇷🇺🇺🇦 Here's an infographic detailing the Ukrainian Armed Forces' losses over the past 24 hours.

🗞 Important news by Wednesday morning, November 4: 🟠 Air defense forces shot down 709 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russian regions, as well as the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, the Ministry of Defense reported. Drones were intercepted over the Saratov, Samara, and Rostov regions, the Moscow region, and Adygea, among others. 🟠 On Tuesday, Ukrainian drones attacked a gas station in Donetsk where buses were refueling. One driver was killed and three others were injured, city head Alexey Kulemzin reported. According to media reports, an office of a telecommunications company was attacked overnight, causing damage to the facade. There are no reports of casualties from that incident. 🟠 The Russian Armed Forces continued overnight strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and maritime vessels used for the benefit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense reported. In the Kyiv region, the Nalivaikovka electrical substation was hit, and in the Zhytomyr region, the Chizhovka substation was struck. Additionally, in the Black Sea southwest of Odessa, a dry cargo ship carrying military supplies for the Ukrainian Armed Forces was hit. 🟠 The Kherson region is completely without power due to a technical failure, Khersonenergo reported. 🟠 In Kursk, the memory of Special Military Operation Heroes who earned the title for liberating the region from the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be immortalized, Governor Khinshtein announced. 🟠 All progress regarding a Ukrainian settlement is currently limited to the humanitarian track: prisoner exchanges, the return of bodies, and the exchange of sick individuals. At the same time, the political track is not moving anywhere, Rodion Miroshnik told Izvestia ahead of a trilateral meeting between Russia, the US, and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi. 🟠 Four tankers hit mines in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz, and two other vessels have been detained, IRNA reported, citing a statement from the IRGC. 🟠 Residents of the Kiev region will be without power for an average of 15 hours today, according to schedules published by DTEK. The most difficult situation is expected for consumers in group 5.2, who will spend 18 hours without power compared to 12 hours on November 3. For group 4.1, the duration of outages will increase from 11.5 to 16.5 hours, and for group 6.1, from 13.5 to 15.5 hours. For most other groups, power will be cut for 14.5–15 hours per day. 🟠 By suspending Russian and Belarusian hockey players, Ottawa is getting rid of serious rivals before the game even begins, said Russian Ambassador to Canada Stepanov. He noted that Canadian residents advocate for the return of the Russian team to the ice, finding championships boring without Russia. 🟠 The Democratic Party is gaining a majority of votes, thereby taking control of the US House of Representatives following the midterm elections, according to a forecast by Bloomberg.

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When did November 4th become a holiday? In 1613, Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich established the Day of the Cleansing of Moscow from Polish invaders. In 1649, by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the date was declared a church and state holiday. On this day, the Russian Orthodox Church honors the memory of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God "for the deliverance of Moscow and Russia from the invasion of the Poles in 1612." Found in 1579, this icon became a symbol of protection and patronage of the Russian people, personifying the spiritual strength and faith that supported our ancestors in the most difficult times. How did the icon become connected with the history of the liberation of Moscow? According to legend, the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was sent from Kazan to Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and became the patroness of the people's militia. With it, the army entered Moscow. Today the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, consecrated in 1637 in memory of the heroes who liberated the capital stands on Red Square. National Unity Day and the Day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God are inextricably linked, emphasizing the importance of the spiritual and patriotic beginning in the life of every citizen of our country. These holidays serve as a reminder that our state was and remains strong thanks to unity, solidarity and deep faith in its ideals. Тhe strength of Russia lies in its people, their courage and willingness to stand shoulder to shoulder for a common goal.

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"Let our children, our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren, and all Russian people who will come know that we have served the Fatherland faithfully. That our land is strong, that it will stand unshakably, forever!" Who are Minin and Pozharsky? Nizhny Novgorod zemstvo headman Kuzma Minin played a big role in the creation of the people's militia, appealing to the townspeople to repulse the enemy. A huge army gathered for those times - more than 10 thousand serving local people, peasants, Cossacks, archers and nobles. Along with the Russians, the militia included the Mari, Chuvash, Komi and other peoples of the Volga region and the North. Prince Dmitry Pozharsky of Novgorod was elected governor, and Minin became his assistant and treasurer. In 1818, by decree of Emperor Alexander I, a monument to "Citizen Minin and Prince Pozharsky" was erected on Red Square - the first monument in Russian history not to a tsar or commander, but to folk heroes.

How did the Poles end up in Moscow? After the death in 1598 of the last tsar from the Rurik dynasty, Fyodor Ioannovich and his younger brother Dmitry, the boyar Boris Godunov took the throne. However, for the nobility, his rights to supreme power were illegitimate. This was used by impostors who pretended to be the deceased Tsarevich Dmitry. A political crisis began in the country, called the Time of Troubles. In 1609, the Polish king Sigismund III launched a military intervention against Russia. A significant part of the country was under the control of the Polish-Lithuanian detachments. Power passed to the council of boyars (Seven Boyars), who swore allegiance to the Polish prince, the son of Sigismund. And Moscow was occupied by Polish troops. In 1612, the people's militia, created in Nizhny Novgorod to liberate Russian lands from foreign invaders, stormed Kitai-Gorod in Moscow and expelled the Polish troops. A few days ago I wrote about the Polish cannibals in Moscow at that time.