The American-based Russian diplomat concludes his tenure and departs for Moscow.
11:16 PM Ukraine: Russian Forces Killing Captured Soldiers More Frequently - 93 Soldiers Executed
Reliable sources suggest that Russian invading troops have been executing Ukrainian prisoners of war in large numbers. As per the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform, Yuri Belousov, head of the war department of the Prosecutor General's Office, stated on national radio: "We currently have information about 93 of our soldiers who were executed on the battlefield," he said. Belousov emphasized that 80% of Ukrainian prisoners of war have been executed this year. The practice of killing them started in November 2023. "The behavior of Russian soldiers towards our prisoners of war has worsened," Belousov pointed out.
10:42 PM: Preliminary Report on Kyiv's Potential Concessions for NATO Membership
Ukraine continues to strive to regain the territories occupied by Russia in recent years. But how? Ukraine lacks sufficient troops, weapons, and support from the Western alliance. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy now claims that Kyiv is working with Washington and other countries "on significant decisions" for the meeting of the contact group in Ramstein on October 12. According to the "Financial Times", Ukraine's new strategy involves asking its allies for military and diplomatic support to bring Russia to the negotiation table. Western diplomats and even some Ukrainian officials believe that substantive security guarantees could form the basis for a peaceful solution. In this context, Russia would effectively, but not legally, retain control over some or all of the Ukrainian territory it currently occupies. There's speculation about the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO in this scenario.
10:01 PM Analysts: Russia Losing Three Times More Equipment, Ukraine Expects Tank Deliveries
Russia is reportedly losing three times as much equipment as Ukraine and is "gradually exhausting its inherited Soviet equipment stocks, while its production, like that of Ukraine, only offsets a minor portion of its losses," says Jakub Janowski, an analyst based in Prague who works for the Dutch open-source intelligence monitoring unit Oryx. Comparing mobilization potential, workforce, and production capacities, the situation currently favors the Russians, warned Konrad Muzyka, a Polish analyst and director of Rochan Consulting. Janowski believes that although Russia has more soldiers and more firepower, it could still face significant challenges if the West strengthens its support. Moreover, several promised military equipment deliveries are still pending. According to Oryx, Kyiv is still waiting for at least 280 tanks, 480 armored personnel carriers, 1200 troop transport vehicles, and 180 mobile artillery vehicles to be delivered.
10:00 PM Ukraine Claims Downing of Russian Bomber, Photos Show Debris
The Ukrainian military alleges to have shot down a Russian combat aircraft. The bomber reportedly went down on Saturday near the city of Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk province, according to the local military administration head. Pictures display the charred remains of an aircraft that crashed into a house, causing a fire.
You can review all previous updates here.
The ongoing Ukrainian conflict has seen a significant increase in reported executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian forces. According to Yuri Belousov, head of the war department of the Prosecutor General's Office, 93 Ukrainian soldiers have been executed this year, with 80% of the executions happening in 2023.
