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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 18 OctOber 2023
Ukraine claims a major strike on Russian airfields and thanks U.S.

By ILLIA NOVIKOV of Moscow's ambition of se-
Associated Press curing control of the entire
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Donetsk region, is Moscow's
Ukraine on Tuesday most significant offensive
claimed to have carried operation in Ukraine since
out one of the most de- the start of the year, the
structive attacks on Russian U.K. defense ministry said
air assets since the begin- Tuesday.
ning of the war, with Ukrai- The Kremlin's push to
nian President Volodymyr claim Avdiivka comes af-
Zelenskyy saying the assault ter months of fending off
used longer-range ballis- Ukraine's counteroffensive,
tic missiles donated by the which Kyiv launched some
United States. 16 months after Russia's full-
Zelenskyy's announcement scale invasion.
came hours after a U.S. The Russian forces de-
official revealed that the ployed to Avdiivka are
longer-range ballistic mis- likely making slow progress
siles sought for months by and sustaining high casu-
Kyiv and promised by Presi- alties in what is proving a
dent Joe Biden had been costly effort, the U.K. de-
delivered quietly and are in fense ministry said on X, the
battlefield use. social media platform for-
Ukraine's Special Opera- A Ukrainian soldier in his position in Avdiivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Aug. 18, 2023. merly known as Twitter.
tions Forces claimed it de- Associated Press The pace of Russia's attack
stroyed nine Russian heli- ATACMS, making good on While some versions of the port. It wasn't immediately on the heavily fortified tar-
copters at two airfields in a promise made by Biden missiles can go as far as possible to verify the two get has reportedly slowed
Russia-occupied regions in last month. about 180 miles (about 300 sides' battlefield claims. in recent days since its
a nighttime attack on tar- Zelenskyy offered "special kilometers), the ones sent The airfields, in the Luhansk launch last week, a Wash-
gets in eastern and south- thanks" to the United States to Ukraine have a shorter and Berdyansk regions, are ington-based think tank
ern Ukraine. for sending the ATACMS. range and carry cluster located behind the front said. Russian officials made
It also hit military equip- "Our agreements with munitions, which, when line. The Russian military ap- no immediate comment
ment, an air-defense sys- President Biden are being fired, open in the air, releas- parently thought that they on developments around
tem, ammunition ware- implemented," Zelenskyy ing hundreds of bomblets were at a safe distance Avdiivka.
houses and runways, a said in his usual evening ad- rather than a single war- from Ukrainian attacks. Citing the Ukrainian Gener-
statement said. Dozens of dress to the nation, saying head. According to a U.S. Meanwhile, Russia is throw- al Staff, the Institute for the
Russian military personnel the ATACMS "have proven official, the ones delivered ing more units into its ef- Study of War said Ukrainian
were injured in the attack themselves." to Ukraine have a maxi- fort to take a key eastern forces pushed back 22 Rus-
codenamed Operation The weapons develop- mum range of a bit more Ukraine city, Western ana- sian attacks on Monday,
Dragonfly, it said. ment piles pressure on the than 100 miles (roughly 160 lysts say, after apparent down from 30 reported
Several U.S. officials said Kremlin as both sides look kilometers). setbacks that have slowed assaults the previous day.
that Washington provided for battlefield advantages The Ukrainian statement its dayslong onslaught. Kyiv officials said Russia
Ukraine with a small num- ahead of winter and what didn't say how the targets The attempt to storm Avdi- mounted up to 60 attacks
ber of the Army Tactical is shaping up as a protract- were hit. Russian authorities ivka, a heavily defended per day in the middle of last
Missile System, known as ed war of attrition. didn't comment on the re- city that stands in the way week.q

Legal challenge to dethrone South

Africa’s Zulu king heads to court

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME largest ethnic group in South told the court that Rama-
Associated Press Africa with an estimated 12 phosa's decision to recog-
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — million Zulu-speaking peo- nize Misuzulu and grant him
The battle for the throne of ple, predominantly in the the relevant certificate was
South Africa's ethnic Zulu KwaZulu-Natal region. They rushed. Previous attempts
nation has reached the are acknowledged for re- to stop the coronation of
courts as a faction of the sisting British colonialism in the king were unsuccessful
royal family seeks to de- the early 1800s and the Zulu last year. Misuzulu ascend-
throne the king after less king is arguably the most in- ed to the throne last year
than a year. fluential traditional leader after the 2021 death of his
The North Gauteng High in South Africa. Prince Si- father, King Goodwill Zwe- South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa, left, shakes hand
Court in the capital Pretoria makade wants the court to lithini, who ruled for over 50 with King Misuzulu kaZwelithini as he hands over a certificate
is hearing legal arguments overturn President Cyril Ra- years, making him the lon- of recognition at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South
this week in the royal suc- maphosa's recognition of gest reigning Zulu monarch. Africa, on Oct. 29, 2022. Associated Press
cession battle between King Misuzulu as the rightful Addressing the court on
King Misuzulu kaZwelithini heir. Tuesday, Ramaphosa's the heir to the throne fol- previous court judgments
and his half-brother, Prince He is disputing the tradi- lawyer, Marumo Moerane, lowed consultations with which dismissed earlier le-
Simakade Zulu, who be- tional and legal processes argued that the president's the Zulu royal family, which gal challenges disputing
lieves he is entitled to be followed to appoint Misu- issuance of the certificate confirmed him as the king. Misuzulu's ascension to the
king. The Zulu nation is the zulu, and his lawyers have recognizing Misuzulu as Ramaphosa also relied on throne, he said.q