Ukraine Recap: Russia Acknowledges Afzalov as Aerospace Chief

(Bloomberg) -- Russia’s defense ministry website confirmed a new head of the nation’s aerospace forces, months after the previous chief, Sergei Surovikin, was removed from the post. Surovikin has been out of the public eye since the mutiny by Wagner mercenaries in June briefly threatened President Vladimir Putin’s rule. Viktor Afzalov, 55, was appointed as his successor last week, Russian state-run news agencies reported on Oct. 20, citing sources.

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Former Ukrainian lawmaker Oleg Tsarev was badly wounded in an assassination attempt near his house in Yalta, in annexed Crimea, according to Russian media. Tsarev, a leader of Kremlin-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine and a pro-Russian blogger, was seen by Moscow as a potential successor to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had Russian troops overthrown Ukraine’s government in their February 2022 invasion.

China isn’t expected to join a meeting in Malta this weekend where national security officials from more than 55 nations will discuss Ukraine’s drive to build support for its so-called 10-point peace formula. Beijing’s absence would be a blow to Zelenskiy. Ukraine’s president spoke Friday with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE.

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• Third round of peace-formula talks in Malta this weekend

Markets

Oil pared gains alongside equity markets as the fading risk premium from the Israel-Hamas war sent crude toward its first weekly decline since the conflict started.

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