At 16:12, Ukraine asserts a blaze in a Russian oil field.
Russia Claims Drone Strike on Oil Facility in Ukrainian Region of VoronezhAs per Russian reports, a drone assault hit an oil facility in the Ukrainian region of Voronezh. The Russian Defense Ministry reports that Ukrainian air defense was active but ineffective. The facility, holding 20 tanks, was targeted during a nighttime drone strike, leading to reports of a large fire. The mayor of Voronezh states that a Ukrainian drone struck an empty tank in an oil storage facility, igniting a small blaze that was subsequently extinguished. Russian emergency services report a fire engulfing an area of 2000 square meters in a warehouse in the Voronezh region.
16:00 Governor of Kherson: Elderly Woman Killed by Ukrainian DroneThe governor of the Kherson region divulges a civilian casualty. A 75-year-old woman was fatally wounded when Ukrainian forces attacked Kherson with a drone in the late afternoon.
15:49 Koening, Schaefer, and Kahl Praise Schneider and Kretschmer for Ukraine SupportAlthough the joint Ukraine appeal by Saxony Minister-President Michael Kretschmer and Brandenburg Minister-President Dietmar Woidke, as well as Thuringia CDU chairman Mario Voigt, largely receives criticism, praise is also conveyed by SPD politician Roland Koenig and CDU politician Thomas Schaefer. Koenig hails their joint appeal as "a clever and differentiated contribution" in an interview with the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung". Support also comes from CDU foreign policy expert Norbert Rottgen: "The proposal is responsible because it adheres to our basic principles: it acknowledges Ukraine's breach of international law, our firm anchorage in EU and NATO, and a solution only in accordance with the UN Charter." With the guest article, "a red line" has been marked. "If it is crossed, there will be no cooperation with the SPD." Rottgen understands the appeal as "a serious attempt to build a bridge for possible coalition negotiations while maintaining one's own principles." The fact that these three top politicians from CDU and SPD are doing this together sends "a strong signal". Read more here.
15:30 Eastern Politicians' Appeal for Diplomatic Efforts in Ukraine Conflict Sparks Backlash: "Values Being Bartered for Power Retention"
CDU leader Armin Laschet criticizes the call for increased diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine by leading eastern politicians. "Ukraine is fighting for its very existence. We must continue to support it in our own interest. Peace talks will only happen if both sides are ready," Laschet tells the "Süddeutsche Zeitung". SPD politician Heiko Maas, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Bundestag, also expresses his disapproval. "If the letter from the three designated minister-presidents was meant as a conciliatory gesture towards coalition negotiations with the SPD, I advise caution," he says, referring to the alliance of Roland Koenig and recent state elections. FDP MEP Michael Missoni says to the "Rheinische Post": "It feels like our nation's liberal values are being traded for a little bit of power and electioneering." The heads of Saxony and Brandenburg, Michael Kretschmer of the CDU and Dietmar Woidke of the SPD, as well as the Thuringian CDU chairman Mario Voigt, had called for a ceasefire in Ukraine and urged the federal government to engage Russia in negotiations in a guest article in the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung".
15:05 Post-Mortem Finds Likely Cause of Death in Alleged "Spy Whale"
Contrary to the suspicions of animal rights activists, the alleged "spy whale" in Norway was most likely not killed with gunfire. A post-mortem examination of the beluga whale revealed that the likely cause of death was a bacterial infection, possibly due to an injury in its mouth. The Norwegian Veterinary Institute and police forensics experts concluded that the superficial skin wounds on the marine mammal were not gunshot wounds, and no projectiles or metal fragments were found. The whale was initially spotted in Norway in 2019, wearing a harness with a camera and the inscription "Equipment of St. Petersburg," leading to speculation that it might be a Russian spy whale or a therapy whale. It was discovered deceased in a Norwegian bay in late August 2024, prompting two animal welfare organizations to suspect foul play and file a complaint.
14:33 Repeat Drone Attacks: Kyiv Reports DamageAs per the Ukrainian Air Force, Ukraine was attacked by Russian drones for the second night in a row, focusing on vital infrastructure. Of 19 drones, the Air Force claims to have shot down eight and incapacitated seven more using electronic interference. The whereabouts of the remaining four drones remain undisclosed. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reports that a residential building in the capital was damaged, and a fire was promptly extinguished. In the southern region of Kherson, the local governor reports that crucial infrastructure, supply facilities, and 35 private homes were damaged in several attacks during the day. One person was killed, and four others were injured.
14:04 Kremlin: "Kyiv continues to play with danger""Kyiv continues to play with danger, and we will inevitably bring this to the attention of the IAEA representatives," says Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov to Reuters. He is referring to the International Atomic Energy Organization, the UN's nuclear watchdog. Yesterday, Russian forces reported intercepting a Ukrainian drone near the Kursk nuclear power plant, and several news outlets reported a fire breaking out several miles away. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Heorhiy Tykhyi, previously denied Ukraine's involvement in firing weapons near the power plant.
13:46 France Sends 12 CAESAR Howitzers to UkraineThe French Defense Ministry announced it had signed a contract with Franco-German defense conglomerate KNDS for the delivery of twelve CAESAR howitzers, financed by Ukraine. Caesar stands for "Truck equipped with an artillery system." The self-propelled artillery system can hit targets up to 55 kilometers away. "Increasing our defense industry production capacity supports Ukraine," says French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu. France has previously supplied Ukraine with CAESAR howitzers.
13:11 Ukraine: Fire Destroys FSB Headquarters in NovosibirskOn October 3, an arson attack took place at the FSB (Russian internal security service) headquarters in Novosibirsk. A video allegedly from the Ukrainian military intelligence service shows a man setting the fire and getting caught in the flames himself. Russian media confirmed the fire.
12:34 Russia: Nuclear Power Plant Employee Killed by BombA senior official of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhzhia was killed in a car bomb attack. The Ukrainian security service published a video of a car explosion and claimed that the nuclear power plant's "head of security," Andriy Korotky, had been killed. Korotky was accused of being a "war criminal," having "voluntarily collaborated with Russian occupiers." He allegedly denounced pro-Ukrainian employees of the nuclear power plant. The Russia-aligned leadership of the nuclear power plant confirmed Korotky's death, calling the attack "terrorist" and blaming Kyiv.
11:29 Ukraine: At Least 177 Ukrainian POWs Have Died in Russian CaptivitySince the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at least 177 Ukrainian prisoners of war have died in Russian captivity, according to Victoria Tsymbaliuk of the Ukrainian coordination center for POWs at the Kyiv Independent. The actual number of deaths in Russian captivity may be higher due to a lack of international oversight. "Not all bodies are returned, and many are not even acknowledged as being in captivity by Russia," says Tsymbaliuk. Reports of Ukrainian POWs being tortured or killed in Russian captivity have surfaced. In September, the Prosecutor General's Office announced the launch of criminal investigations into the execution of 84 Ukrainian POWs.
11:00 Ukraine: Russians Attack Kirovohrad Region with DronesRussian forces have attacked the Kirovohrad region in central Ukraine with drones, according to the head of the regional military administration, Andriy Raykovych. A company administrative building in Holovaniwsk was damaged in the drone attack, injuring one person.
10:27 Insurer UNIQA Exits RussiaThe Austrian insurance giant UNIQA has completed the sale of its Russian subsidiary to Russian Renaissance Life. The purchase price was not disclosed. UNIQA had announced over a year ago it intended to sell its joint insurance subsidiary with Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) to Renaissance Life. "With the completion of this transaction, we are finally exiting the Russian market," says UNIQA board member Wolfgang Kindl.
09:55 Major Fires Rage in Two Russian Fuel DepotsFires have broken out in two Russian fuel depots overnight. In the Voronezh region, Governor Alexander Gusev blamed a Ukrainian drone strike for the fire. Parts of an intercepted combat drone fell into the depot and set an empty tank on fire, he wrote on Telegram. Videos of the suspected drone strike were shared on social media, but the extent of the fire could not be determined. In a village near Perm in the Urals, a fuel tank on an area of 10,000 square meters is also on fire. The Russian emergency services reported this. While Ukrainian drones are now capable of such distances, there is no mention of a drone strike by the emergency services. The village is about 1700 kilometers away from Ukraine. Read more here.
09:30 Julia Navalnaya Dismisses Talks with Putin as PointlessJulia Navalnaya suggests that discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin are unwarranted. "There's no need to converse with him (...). We need to confront him until justice eventually triumphs," says the exiled spouse of Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny during a meeting with the French Constitutional Council in Paris. "The West fails to grasp that Putin doesn't await someone to engage in dialogue with him. (...) That's completely insignificant to him," she added. It's crucial, "not to surrender and not to be cowed by this regime," Navalnaya stated. She was labeled as a "terrorist and extremist" by Russia in July. Shortly before that, a Russian court issued a warrant for her arrest on allegations of involvement in an extremist group. She was also placed on a wanted list for avoiding initial investigations.
08:58 Ukraine Discloses Russian Casualty FiguresThe Ukrainian General Staff has released new casualty statistics for Russian troops in Ukraine. They report that Russia has lost approximately 657,940 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022. In a 24-hour period, the reported losses are 1,230. According to a report from Kyiv, 15 tanks, 59 artillery systems, and 101 drones have also been destroyed. In total, Russia is said to have lost 8,908 tanks, 18,965 artillery systems, and 368 aircraft, 328 helicopters, 16,494 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine since the onset of the large-scale attack, according to Ukraine. External sources suggest lower loss figures - although these are minimum figures.
08:09 Ukraine Reports 82 Russian Attacks on Sumy RegionRussian forces have launched attacks on the Sumy region in northeastern Ukraine 82 times in the past 24 hours, as per the Telegram channel of the regional military administration. Eight individuals were injured in the attacks. The Russian forces are alleged to have used mortars, artillery, rocket launchers, guided bombs, and drones. According to the military administration, more than ten communities in Sumy were impacted, including Mykolajiw, Chotyn, Junakiwka, Myropillja, Bilopillja, Richkywka, Krasnopillja, Velyka Pysarivka, Nova Sloboda, Hluchiw, Shalyhyne, Esman, and Seredyna-Buda. The Sumy region shares a border with the Russian regions of Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod.
07:33 Ukraine Establishes First Recruitment Office in PolandThe Ukrainian military has established a recruitment office in Poland, as per the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. The "Ukrainian Legion" office in the Polish city of Lublin is the first overseas recruitment center for the Ukrainian military. The plan to form a "Ukrainian Legion" in Poland was part of a security agreement signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in July. Since the Russian invasion, Poland has taken in nearly one million people from Ukraine. Estimates by the Ukrainian government suggest that around 300,000 people of fighting age from Ukraine live in Poland. Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz told the portal "Wirtualna Polska" that Poland is not responsible for the recruitment of Ukrainian volunteers, but only for their military training. "The number of Ukrainians who have enlisted is insufficient," said Kosiniak-Kamysz. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, nearly 200 applications have been received so far.
06:52 ISW: Russian Capabilities Exhausted for Eastern Ukraine OffensiveThe Russian forces no longer possess the necessary personnel and material resources to sustain the intensified offensive initiatives indefinitely, according to the latest report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The Russian summer offensive had been meticulously prepared by the Russian military leadership for months in advance. However, the reserves and resources amassed for this purpose have likely been substantially depleted by the protracted battles of the past months, according to ISW. As previously assessed by Ukrainian officials and ISW, the ongoing Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine is likely to reach its zenith in the coming months, if not weeks.
06:12 Zelensky: "Strengthening the Front Line is Imperative"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commended the visit of the new NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to Kyiv just two days after his inauguration as "significant". "Now it's about translating this priority into actions," says Zelensky in his evening video address. Primarily, all commitments with Ukraine's partners regarding supporting its defense must be fully implemented, emphasizes Zelensky, referring to previously unfulfilled or unimplemented promises. "The front line must be strengthened," says Zelensky. Furthermore, he calls for authorization from partners to use long-range weapons against military targets on Russian territory. "Everyone in the alliance is aware of the necessity," says the President. Zelensky also names air defense as another priority.
05:35 Ukraine Showcases Defense Tech to Woo International InvestorsThe Ukrainian Defense Ministry is trying to draw in foreign investors for its defense sector. A clandestine weapons exhibition was put together for potential foreign investors at an undisclosed Ukrainian location, according to news agency Ukrinform. Deputy Minister Dmytro Klimenkov showcased a variety of Ukrainian weaponry, including an anti-tank missile system, an autonomous artillery system, remote-controlled explosive vehicles, and mine-clearing machines. "We've got some one-of-a-kind inventions that have seen combat and been fine-tuned by developers to a certain standard," he said. As per Ukrinform, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry has already sunk four billion dollars (3.6 billion euros) into the defense sector and is aiming to attract additional investments from foreign partners.
05:10 Moscow: Drone Strike Sparks Oil Depot BlazeIn the Voronezh border area, Russian air defense authorities reported shooting down a few Ukrainian drones during the night. One of these drones crashed onto an oil storage facility's grounds, igniting an empty fuel tank, as reported by Governor Alexander Gusev on Telegram. Initial reports indicate no injuries. These claims remain unverified. Voronezh has been a target of Ukrainian drone attacks in recent days.
02:51 Kyiv Reinforces Defense in Eastern RegionsGeneral Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, has ordered enhancements to defensive structures in eastern Donetsk. Russian forces are launching attacks in various sectors in eastern Ukraine. Syrskyi announced on social media that he's working with the 25th Sicheslav Airborne Brigade to bolster security at "one of the most crucial frontlines."
22:22 Conflict Hits Latvia's Tourism IndustryLatvian newspaper "Diena" reports that Ukraine's war is impacting tourism in Latvia. Tourism companies are adapting to the absence of Russian tourists, with no likelihood of their return in the near future. Furthermore, potential tourists from various countries view the Baltics as an unsafe region due to nearby military conflicts.
21:40 Switzerland Commits 1.5 Billion Euros to Ukraine's ReconstructionSwitzerland has pledged 1.5 billion Swiss francs (1.54 billion euros) for reconstruction projects in Ukraine over the next four years, revealed Swiss Ambassador Felix Baumann. A billion will be dedicated to Ukrainian self-governance, mine clearance, and humanitarian aid. The remaining amount will be allocated for reconstruction projects involving the Swiss private sector, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Development of Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure. "Our commitment is serious, and to demonstrate this, our representative will be stationed here to oversee project implementation," Baumann said during a meeting with Minister Oleksiy Kuleba. Kuleba emphasized housing for the more than 4.5 million internally displaced persons in Ukraine as a top priority for cooperation with Switzerland.
20:39 Ukraine Receives Patriot Air Defense System from RomaniaThe Ukrainian forces have received a Patriot air defense system from Romania, confirmed Romanian Defense Ministry spokesperson Constantin Spinu to Radio Free Europe. "I'm thankful to every nation that helps us with air defense. I'm particularly grateful to Romania for the Patriot systems. Together, we can increase our effectiveness - we can put an end to Russian aggression by jointly destroying Shahed drones and missiles," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address on Wednesday. After initial reservations, Bucharest decided in June to donate one of its Patriots. The Romanian government authorized the delivery of the system last month.
19:57 Forbes Identifies Gazprom as Russia's Most Unprofitable CompanyBusiness magazine Forbes reports that Russian state-owned company Public Joint Stock Company Gazprom suffered a record loss of 5.5 billion euros in 2023, the first such deficit since 1998. The Amur Gas and Chemicals Complex, a joint venture between Russian Sibur Holding and Chinese Sinopec, comes second in the 2023 Russian Forbes list of most unprofitable companies. Other leading loss-making Russian companies on the list include Ozon (408 million euros loss), United Aircraft Corporation (326 million euros loss), under the control of Rostec, and social network VK (326 million euros loss).
You can read all previous updates here.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that Ukrainian air defense was active but ineffective during a nighttime drone strike on an oil facility in the Russian region of Voronezh, leading to a large fire.
In addition, a civilian casualty was reported in the Kherson region of Ukraine, where a 75-year-old woman was fatally wounded when Ukrainian forces attacked with a drone in the late afternoon.
