The Ukrainian military announced significant progress in securing beachheads on the eastern side of the Dnieper River, as they successfully pushed Russian forces several kilometers away from the river bank. Military spokesperson Natalya Humenyuk stated in a televised interview that despite ongoing artillery fire from the enemy, Ukrainian forces are steadily advancing and have work yet to do.

Ukrainian forces have been engaged in multiple attempts to establish positions on the Russian-controlled side of the Dnieper River, reporting successes earlier this month. According to Ukrainian defense analyst Roman Svitan, Ukrainian forces have established positions at three or four locations on the eastern bank. These positions mainly consist of small reconnaissance companies deploying raid attacks on a rotational basis.

The Ukrainian General Staff reported intense fighting near the cities of Bakhmut and Avdiyivka in the Donetsk region, with a total of 71 clashes recorded in the previous 24 hours. Russian artillery fire targeted approximately 150 settlements, causing significant damage to private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure. Despite mounting evidence, Russia continues to deny allegations of targeting civilians in the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Estimating that tens of thousands of Russian troops are resisting the Ukrainian advance, Humenyuk acknowledged the challenging nature of the operation. However, Ukrainian forces remain determined to secure their positions along the Dnieper River and continue their offensive.

In other news, Russian President Vladimir Putin will participate in a virtual meeting of G20 leaders on November 22 after choosing to skip the recent in-person summit in India. The virtual meeting aims to build upon the outcomes of the previous summit, which was chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A group of Russians gathered in Novosibirsk on November 19 to protest against a local government initiative that seeks to ban protests in most city locations. Critics believe the move aims to limit protests ahead of the 2024 Russian presidential election.

Additionally, a judge in St. Petersburg recommended for promotion after convicting artist Aleksandra Skochilenko of distributing false information about the armed forces. Skochilenko, who has been imprisoned for 20 months, received significant international attention, with over 100 Russian doctors recently calling for her release due to concerns about her health.

Furthermore, Bohdan Yermokhin, a 17-year-old Ukrainian orphan who was taken to Russia during the invasion and given Russian citizenship, has reportedly left Russia and is currently in Belarus with his legal guardian, his older sister.

Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi has been released on bail after spending over a year in jail for his support of antigovernment protests sparked by the death of Masha Amini. Salehi's release followed a decision by Iran's Supreme Court to find flaws in his original sentence.

Iranian politician Gholam Ali Hadad Adel warned against Iran becoming involved in the war in the Gaza Strip, cautioning that it would lead to a conflict with the United States, with Israel benefitting from such a situation.

Lastly, dozens of third-country nationals are stranded at the border between Finland and Russia after Finnish authorities blocked frontier crossings in response to alleged retaliation by Russia for Finland's decision to join NATO.

In conclusion, Ukrainian forces continue to make progress in securing beachheads along the Dnieper River, pushing back Russian forces several kilometers from the river bank. Despite ongoing artillery fire and resistance from the enemy, Ukrainian forces remain determined to establish their positions and continue their offensive.