United 24 Media:
πΉ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on October 12 that Russian bot activity on social media had declined following Ukrainian drone strikes on Yandex data centers.
π πΎ Russia seeks new grain export routes amid Black Sea port disruptions
Russian grain exporters are exploring the possibility of shipping produce via China due to operational issues at ports in the Azov-Black Sea basin.
According to Ksenia Bolomatova, Executive Director of the Russian Grain Association, Ukrainian drone strikes and restrictions at southern ports have forced Russia to seek alternative routes, particularly via the Far East and the Caspian Sea.
Russian analysts had previously estimated that the countryβs export potential could drop from 59 million to 39 million tons, leaving another 20 million tons of grain at risk of remaining unsold.
An oversupply has already caused grain prices in southern Russia to fall by nearly half, while stockpiles could rise to 34.8 million tons by the end of the year.
πΈ President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the Ukrainian negotiating delegation that had returned from the United States.
βUkraine is ready for concrete decisions and de-escalation steps to bring the end of this war closer.
Ukraine has supported an energy ceasefire. Our position is absolutely clear: Ukraine is ready to guarantee an energy ceasefire, as announced by the US President, and Russia must take corresponding steps.
As of now, there is no indication that Russia is fulfilling the conditions outlined by the US President.
Unfortunately, our energy infrastructure was struck yesterday, and attacks are continuing today. Air raid alerts have been sounding across Ukraine all day. Russian Shahed drones are being deployed, and aerial bomb strikes are ongoing.
If these strikes are Russiaβs response to the US Presidentβs statement, it means Russia has squandered yet another opportunity to bring peace closer.
A great deal depends on Americaβs stance if de-escalation is to succeed. Pressure on Russia is required.
We continue to engage with the American side at all levels. We have defined the next steps and the diplomatic framework,β Zelenskyy said.
πͺπΊ EU countries have agreed to open the second and third negotiation clusters on Ukraineβs accession to the European Union, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Thomas Byrne, said.
πΉ βLast night, we did not attack any energy facilities within Russian territory because President Trump had said there would be an energy truce between Ukraine and Russia. We refrained from attacking, even while Russia struck our gas stations, energy infrastructure, and other facilities. I believe this was Putinβs response to President Trump,β President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Fox News.
βAnd the signals coming from Russia were very clear: they know nothing about an energy truce.
It is a pity, because they always find reasons not to stop this war. That is precisely why I believe more pressure needs to be put on Russia,β Zelenskyy added.
πΈ China steps up border controls with Russia amid plague fears β The Telegraph
Authorities in northeastern China are intensifying sanitary controls at the border, holding emergency meetings, issuing warnings, and stepping up surveillance at ports and customs checkpoints to monitor travelers and cargo.
Notices have been issued in Manzhouli and Hulunbuir advising people who have recently arrived from Russia to monitor themselves for potential symptoms of the disease.
βοΈAn section to a residential building collapsed in Kharkiv following Russian shelling. People may be trapped under the rubble, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.
πΉ NATO has unveiled a plan to repel a potential Russian attack, dubbed the βTheory of Victory.β
The concept outlines three stages designed to defeat an adversary. It was presented by General Christopher Cavoli, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), at the Warsaw Security Forum.
The first stage, βBlock,β aims to halt the initial attack and prevent the adversary from gaining momentum.
If the offensive continues, NATO would move to the second stage, βBlunt,β which aims to strip advancing forces of their ability to push further forward.
The third stage, βBreak,β involves destroying not only advancing units but also the military infrastructure supporting their operations. NATO plans to disrupt supply lines, disable command systems, and undermine the attacking forcesβ combat effectiveness.
Cavoli said NATO had been developing the plan for several years but decided to present it publicly for the first time in light of recent events.
Some have blamed the surge in global diesel prices on Ukrainian strikes against Russian refineries. But market data shows that a major driver of the price increase lies thousands of kilometers awayβin the Persian Gulf, where the war with Iran has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and sharply reduced fuel exports. [photo]
πΈ After more than two years in Russian captivity, Oleksandr Vedernikov became the first serviceman to remove his photo from the βTree of Hopeβ in Kostopil.
Upon returning home, the 57-year-old defender visited the symbolic tree and personally took down his photograph. Around 150 photos of community residents who are missing in action or held in Russian captivity remain on the tree.
Vedernikov volunteered to defend Ukraine despite health issues. On February 26, 2022, he joined the local Territorial Defense forces and was later deployed to the Donetsk sector.
Contact with him was lost in April 2024 after he failed to return to his position following a battle. He spent more than two years in Russian captivity and was released on August 18, 2026. [Photo]
πΉ Ukrainian assault troops are using TM-62 mines to blow up multi-story buildings in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, occupied by Russian infantry.
πΈ Denmark to turn IKEA stores into shelters in the event of a Russian attack β Yle
Denmark is preparing for a potential military threat from Russia by enlisting the help of private companies, including furniture giant IKEA.
For example, a hypermarket in Copenhagen could be quickly converted into a shelter or temporary hospital. In an emergency, the restaurant would serve food, generators would provide electricity, and patient beds would be assembled in the warehouse.
More than 200 companies in Denmark have joined a network designed to assist authorities during various emergencies. In addition to retail chains, the network includes construction companies and telecommunications operators.
βοΈRussia attacked commercial vessels near Bulgariaβs territorial waters, injuring citizens of Ukraine and Azerbaijan, says Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
According to Sybiha, the strike once again demonstrates Moscowβs βdeliberate disregardβ for civilian lives and the safety of navigation in the Black Sea.
He called on partners to increase pressure on Russia and βtake decisive measuresβ to hold it accountable and protect freedom of navigation.
βThe Black Sea is a vital artery for global food security. Russia is attacking it to weaponize hunger and hold the world hostage. This requires a response through decisive action,β Sybiha emphasized.
πΉ Rescuers have extinguished a fire in an educational institution building following a Russian attack on central Rivne, the Regional Military Administration reported.
Fourteen people have been reported injured, one of them in serious condition.
βοΈUkraine has not attacked Russian oil refineries or energy infrastructure in general for the two days since Trump called for a halt to strikes on the energy sector, Zelenskyy said.
However, Russia did not heed the American presidentβs call. During this time, Russian forces have attacked both Ukraineβs energy facilities and critical infrastructure, sending a clear signal that they do not intend to refrain from striking Ukraine. Nineteen regions of the country came under attack during these two days alone.
βOur position remains unchanged: Ukraine is ready for reciprocal de-escalation measures, but effective pressure on Russia is required to achieve de-escalation. Wars end when the aggressor realizes they no longer have the ability to prolong the conflict,β the Ukrainian leader stated.
πΈ Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev indirectly accused Russia of attacks on merchant vessels in the Black Sea.
Another attack occurred last night. At approximately 01:30, the vessel Chelsea 3, located near the Bulgarian town of Byala, issued a distress signal. It was later revealed that the ship had been attacked by three drones.
The Chelsea 3 sails under the Maltese flag but is registered in Odesa and is Ukrainian-owned.
All 15 crew members, including seven Ukrainian citizens and eight Azerbaijani citizens, were evacuated to the port of Varna. Five of them are receiving medical attention.
βThe latest attack on a merchant vessel in the immediate vicinity of Bulgariaβs territorial waters is absolutely unacceptable.
Our permanent representatives to NATO and the EU have been informed.
Bulgaria continues to seek support for an investigation into these attacks to determine the country of origin of the drones.
We are also requesting assistance to enhance air and maritime surveillance and improve our response capabilities.
We do not have clear and conclusive evidence to attribute responsibility to either side. However, logic suggests that the outcome benefits the Russian Federation. Therefore, I will summon the Russian ambassador for a meeting today,β Radev stated.
πΉ Serbia has accredited a Russian diplomat who was expelled from Bulgaria in 2021 amid a spy scandal, according to media reports.
Oleksandr Krasiy received accreditation in Serbia in 2026 as an assistant military attachΓ©.
Radio Libertyβs investigation found that leaked data from Russian databases links Krasiy to Russian military intelligence. Security experts have criticized Serbian institutions for failing to respond to such appointments.
Investigative journalists also note that since the start of Russiaβs full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Serbia has accepted Russian diplomats who were previously expelled or placed on sanctions lists by EU countries.