Ukraine Invasion - Part 62

[MagicFox]

Thanks as always to everybody consistently posting and keeping us all up to date 🇺🇦

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Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Trilateral peace talks with Russia, US negotiators to begin in November, Zelensky says.
The peace discussions will begin at the technical level with negotiation teams, Zelensky said. If those efforts prove productive, then meetings between Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, and Donald Trump will be held.

⚡️Starshield operations restored to speeds of more than 400 km/h, Ukraine's Defense Ministry says.
"We record a speed of more than 400 kilometers per hour, the connection is stable," the ministry said.

⚡️ Russia, Ukraine agree to Oleshky ceasefire mediated by Melania Trump, White House says.
The move comes amid increased attention to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the city, which over the past weeks has gained international attention, including from Pope Leo XIV.

⚡️ Ukrainian media identifies Russian officers responsible for blockade, starvation of occupied Oleshky.
Ukrainian media outlet Slidstvo .info established the presence of the 217th Guards Airborne Regiment, together with its commander, Georgy Yanchev.

⚡️Kremlin-seized German company Metro AG transfers 1 billion rubles to Russian military without approval.
Metro AG responded, saying it did not approve the donations. On Sept. 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree placing the Russian subsidiary of Metro AG under the Kremlin's control.

⚡️ Moldova expels Russian diplomat after Russian Geran drone falls near family homes.
'Russia's war keeps putting Moldovan lives at risk,' President Maia Sandu said, calling it Russia's 'latest dangerous act.'

⚡️ Ukraine to end automatic 100% mobilization exemptions for critical industries, Prime Minister says.
Companies will still be able to request higher exemption quotas if needed to maintain operations, while the government plans to introduce a new system allowing full exemptions for businesses that help recruit employees for military service.

⚡️Ukraine strikes factory in Russia's Tolyatti, airfield in Krasnodar Krai, General Staff says.

⚡️Ukraine's Sine Engineering launches joint defense tech initiative with Finland.
The initiative will focus on resilient communications, navigation, and onboard autonomy, as Sine Engineering specializes in producing satellite-independent navigation software, enabling drones to fly without relying on GPS.

⚡️Zelensky 'maybe not such a big humanitarian as Putin,' he quips as Ukraine's relations with Trump unravel.

⚡️Rubio reveals theory on Russia's war against Ukraine ahead of next US peace push.
"People keep talking about it's a war in Ukraine. ... It's about one region of the country," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. [what a fucking idiot. Didn't he notice Russia trying to invade Kyiv?]

⚡️Mass blackouts reported across occupied Crimea.
According to satellite imagery from NASA FIRMS, the Taman substation in Russia's Krasnodar Krai — a key energy node supplying electricity to Crimea —was damaged in an overnight attack.

Inside Austria's network of Ukrainian fugitives, Russian elites, and political connections
The detention of two Ukrainian journalists in Austria earlier this month while reporting on an investigation has highlighted deeper systemic concerns.
Austria has increasingly come under scrutiny for providing refuge to individuals wanted in connection with corruption cases in Ukraine, as well as Russian officials and oligarchs, while several senior Austrian officials have maintained close ties to Russia.

Exclusive: Ukraine fears Trump could grant Russia long-sought relief for fertilizer industry
U.S. President Donald Trump may be considering further sanctions relief for Russia following his recent diesel deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, several Ukrainian and U.S. officials familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent.

The trouble with loving Russia: Evan Gershkovich’s memoir seeks sentimentality in a lost country
By the end of his pre-trial detention at Moscow’s infamous Lefortovo Prison, American journalist Evan Gershkovich had developed a curious rapport with the FSB investigator tasked with proving he was a spy.

Inside the legal design of America's Russia sanctions U-turn
"What stands out is the license design, which does far more for Moscow than for the Americans it was meant to help," writes Ieva Miyares, an independent consultant on illicit finance, anti-corruption, and governance, in this op-ed.

⚡️Russian attacks kill 4, injure 78 across Ukraine over past day, as drone strikes Kyiv residential building in the morning.
Overnight, Russian forces launched 126 drones, 61 of which were jet-powered, while Ukraine’s air defense managed to suppress 101 drones, including 50 jet-powered drones, the Air Force said.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦
@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social

⚡ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — OCT 24, 2026
■ 10th-highest casualties of the war and the highest 7-day average to date, despite below-average combat engagements
■ Prisoner exchange: 270 Ukrainians came home on Oct 23, nine of them civilians, the largest exchange since March; 9,996 returned in total
■ 64 artillery units hit, the most since Oct 8
■ Overnight 🇷🇺 attacks: 126 strike drones, the fewest since Oct 13; decent drone interception rate; only 19 locations hit or affected by debris
■ 🇷🇺 drones used at the front and 🇷🇺 drone losses above average; eight 🇺🇦 air and artillery strikes reported, the most since Oct 8
■ Key 🇺🇦 targets: the Togliattikauchuk plant, Proton-Electrotex in Oryol and an aircraft at Yeysk airfield

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

Russia has announced a ceasefire in the Oleshky area two days earlier than the date previously announced by the White House.
The “silence regime” will take effect at 4 a.m. on October 27, according to Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. He said Russian troops would conduct demining operations and ensure the safe passage of a humanitarian convoy delivering essential supplies.
Earlier, the White House had announced a temporary ceasefire scheduled to begin on October 29.

🗣️ U.S. First Lady Melania Trump has secured a local truce between Russia and Ukraine in occupied Oleshky to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and prepare for the evacuation of civilians through a designated safe corridor.
The truce is scheduled to take effect on October 29.
According to the report, the U.S. first lady and her representative worked directly with Russian and Ukrainian leaders to establish the terms of the local truce.
She said an impartial American media organization would accompany and document the activities of Russian and Ukrainian teams on the ground throughout the process.

❗️The ceasefire will apply not only to the besieged town of Oleshky but also to parts of the Kherson region and neighboring regions through which humanitarian corridors will pass, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets says.
Once the ceasefire takes effect, plans include clearing roads to the town of landmines, delivering food, drinking water and medicine to residents, and supplying the local hospital with everything it needs.
The next stage involves opening an evacuation route for everyone wishing to leave Oleshky. According to Lubinets, Ukraine proposed several new initiatives that Russia has supported.
Representatives from Ukraine, the United States and Russia will monitor the implementation of these agreements.

Russia is targeting Ukraine’s digital infrastructure as systematically as its energy sector. In September alone, about 10 data centers in Kyiv were damaged, Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi said.
“Cyberattacks are also intensifying. The enemy is increasingly using artificial intelligence, with government information systems and Ukrainian businesses among its primary targets.
Key digital agencies are already capable of repelling AI-driven attacks. I expect the same level of readiness from every state agency and institution."

In 2025, on the Kupiansk front, Russian troops began using old gas pipelines to slip deep behind Ukrainian lines. Built from thick steel and buried mostly underground, these pipes once carried gas between Russia and Ukraine, and they’re extremely hard to destroy. Khartiia Corps was sent in to shut down the infiltration route, and soldiers quickly realized how much these pipes could offer in the age of drone warfare: logistics, evacuation, rotation. What began as a counter-infiltration mission grew into something much bigger. This is Operation Veles, where soldiers now live, move, and fight across kilometers of underground tunnels. Step inside this underground world with us.
Watch full on YouTube:

“We are exploring the possibility of holding a friendly match against the U.S. national team. It is too early to assess the outcome of the talks, but I can say that the situation currently looks quite positive,” said Maxim Mitrofanov, general secretary of the Russian Football Union (RFU).

☁️ Rare wave-like clouds spotted over Kharkiv
Kharkiv residents shared photos of an unusual sky on Threads, showing the city covered by dark clouds resembling ocean waves.
According to the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, these are a rare type of cloud known as Asperitas (undulatus asperatus). They typically form due to atmospheric waves and changes in wind direction at different altitudes.
Despite their menacing appearance, these clouds pose no inherent danger and usually dissipate without producing precipitation.

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Ukraine received just 24 Patriot interceptors from the US in 90 days despite needing 350 monthly, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Highlighting acute deficits ahead of winter, he noted Russian forces fired over 20 ballistic missiles in a single day.

All four major Moscow airports suspended flights on Friday as air raid alerts sent passengers to shelters at Sheremetyevo.
Aviation authorities grounded arrivals and departures after at least 11 Ukrainian drones approached the Russian capital.

Belarus continues to host relay stations guiding Russian attack drones into western Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service said.
While no troop buildup was recorded along the northern border, the relays amplify signals for Shahed and Gerbera strikes.

Ukraine is ready to freeze the front line to end the war quickly, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Clarifying Russia holds 19.3% of Ukrainian land, he vowed Kyiv will never legally recognize occupied regions as Russian.

Donald Trump suggested the US could launch fresh strikes on Iran, telling a Florida rally Washington “may do another little Epic Fury.”
His warning comes amid fuel spikes that Kyiv stressed stem from Middle East conflict.

Russian tycoon Konstantin Malofeyev urged Vladimir Putin to launch a nuclear strike on western Ukraine after a 72-hour warning.
Speaking to Piers Morgan, the Tsargrad owner criticized Putin for withholding nukes while calling Russians “good people.”

US envoy Steve Witkoff faced fierce backlash after calling Vladimir Putin a “humanitarian” during talks in Saint Petersburg.
European press and US lawmakers slammed the praise, warning Trump’s mediation appeases Moscow as Russia escalates attacks.

Russia’s Hot War on NATO: Airport Sabotage, Cruise Missiles & European Silence
Chuck Pfarrer exposes Russia’s escalating “hot war” against NATO and the technique European governments use to control public reaction: “Outrage Management.”

Elon Musk claimed Ukraine’s elites have grown rich from the billions flowing into the country, while “the latter’s children are conscripted to die in trenches.”
He also alleged, without providing evidence, that Kyiv launders US aid to fund political campaigns in America.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

[An] attack completely destroyed at least one production workshop of the Russian defense industry enterprise JSC "Proton" in Oryol, OSINT analysts report.
The footage shows that one of the enterprise's main buildings sustained critical damage: the upper floors, roof, and facade completely collapsed due to the strike.
Restoring the operation of the technological lines in this workshop is currently impossible.

⚡️Ukraine is negotiating with neighboring Slovakia and Poland to relocate customs control for grain trucks there due to the threat of Russian drone attacks on them, the Financial Times reports, citing sources.
Kyiv seeks to protect Ukrainian grain trucks during long waits at the border, as Russia deliberately attacks border infrastructure to disrupt logistics.
To this end, Ukraine has already introduced joint control with Moldova and is negotiating with Poland. The European Commission supports this idea.
The need is critical: due to shelling near border crossings, huge queues form — on October 21 alone, over 1,200 trucks were stuck in a traffic jam in Volyn. As a result, in September Ukraine exported only 2.4 million tons of agricultural products — 46% of actual capacity.

Germany plans to purchase thousands of long-range missiles from European defense companies. Among them is the Ukrainian Bars cruise missile, Bloomberg reports.
According to sources familiar with the negotiations, Germany is in talks with Ukraine on the joint production and purchase of Bars missiles. The manufacturer of this missile is not publicly disclosed.
Additionally, representatives of Germany's Ministry of Defense are negotiating with the American defense startup Covenant for a contract to purchase thousands of ground-launched Anthem cruise missiles. Among other manufacturers that could receive German contracts is the Dutch company Destinus SA, which produces Ruta cruise missiles.
Currently, the German Armed Forces use only Taurus cruise missiles, which are launched from aircraft and have a relatively short flight range — about 500 km.
▪️The Bars is a medium-range cruise missile-drone developed by private Ukrainian companies in 2024–2025. Its range is 700–800 km. On November 13, 2025, the General Staff reported that the missile was used to strike targets in Russia and occupied Crimea.

❗️Overnight, the Russians attacked Ukraine with 126 drones of various types. Air defense neutralized 101 of them, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.
However, Russian drones struck 14 locations, with debris falling in five others.
In Kyiv, two people were injured in the attack. The strike damaged a building.

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-october-23-2026/

Key Takeaways

1. Ukrainian officials are widely reporting continued in-motion speed restrictions on SpaceX’s low-earth orbit satellite communication technology (Starlink and Starshield) on October 23, but the situation remains unclear.
2. Russia and Ukraine have reportedly agreed to a limited ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky, Kherson Oblast. [I hope this is true🙏]
3. Russian President Vladimir Putin articulated his long-standing commitment to wider territorial aims in Ukraine far beyond Donetsk Oblast by invoking mythologized and false Russian “historical claims”.
4. The Kremlin appears to be increasingly adopting a more cautious monetary policy amid continued inflationary pressures, which may pose risks to wage growth and Russia’s defense industrial base (DIB).
5. A likely Russian drone struck a cargo ship off the coast of Romania, and drone debris fell in Moldova on October 23.
6. Ukraine and Russia conducted civilian prisoner and prisoner of war (POW) exchanges on October 23.
7. Ukrainian forces recently advanced west of Kostyantynivka.
8. Russian forces launched 176 drones against Ukraine overnight. Ukraine continued its long-range strike campaign against Russian military assets overnight on October 22 to 23 and on October 23.

The Economist ran this two days ago, examining Trump's recent turn toward Russia and the Starlink debacle.

The America-Ukraine link grows even spottier - The Starlink cut-offs were a test, and worse may follow

As I posted previously, it's mostly because Trump is panicking over the midterms and his low poll numbers, with Marco Rubio doing damage control. I think that after the midterms, Trump will be too distracted by the congressional investigation and Hegseth's impeachment to carry on with Russia, but we'll see.

@MissConductUS, this latest turn of events is disappointing, so thanks for the ray of hope. However, the Elon is a wildcard.

Elon Musk claimed Ukraine’s elites have grown rich from the billions flowing into the country, while “the latter’s children are conscripted to die in trenches.” He also alleged, without providing evidence, that Kyiv launders US aid to fund political campaigns in America.

This is worrying. My impression is that despite being a genius, he’s quite susceptible to suggestions. Personally, I see this tendency amongst many people with autism. In his case, this is literally life threatening for the Ukrainians if this belief leads him to slow or stop Starlink.

Not to mention, the absolute irony of him criticising Ukrainian elites getting wealthy off American tax payers… Non alios suo modulo metiri.

I am reasonably certain that he is not a genius, except at pinching other people's ideas and convincing the world that he originated them.

Elon Musk is a despicable excuse of a human that I wouldn't trust further than I can throw him.

with the wind against you, on a bad day, uphill.

Yes I've also noticed that Musk seems rather susceptible to suggestion.

Taking his model (no matter how warped) and running with it... The decisions in the US to channel funding to (as Musk imagines) the Ukrainian elite, derive solely from Putin's invasion of Ukraine. The channelling of that money into US political campaigns (as Musk imagines it) is therefore also a direct consequence of Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

So perhaps someone should "suggest" to Musk that this alleged political funding would be cut off at the knees if Putin decided to cease invading Ukraine.

Go on, Elon: ask Vlad to take his ball home.

He also alleged, without providing evidence, that Kyiv launders US aid to fund political campaigns in America.

That would be the same Elon Musk who relies heavily on government contracts to prop up his stock prices and who has spent half a billion dollars trying to buy this election?

Yes, that Elon Musk.

The Elon Musk that tried to instigate civil war in the UK via social media? mm yes, that EM.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Update: Starshield operations restored to normal speed, Zelensky confirms as Elon Musk claims Ukraine violated Starlink terms.
Elon Musk said that Ukraine's military violated the terms of service for Starlink, adding that the "loophole" has now been closed.

⚡️European Parliament Vice President ends hunger strike following Oleshky ceasefire announcement.
European Parliament Vice President Pina Picierno announced the hunger strike on Oct. 20, demanding an immediate humanitarian truce in the occupied town.

⚡️Sanctioned Russian energy giant secretly funded US gas project, NYT reports.
The gas project was part of an energy deal discussed by U.S. peace envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner during their September visit to the Kremlin, sources told the New York Times.

⚡️Ukrainian forces reportedly strike Russian targets 2,500 kilometers from border.
Ukraine struck several targets, including a petrochemical plant and a warehouse in Siberia around 2,500 kilometers away from the border on Oct. 24, monitoring channels reported.

⚡️Massive Ukrainian drone attack hits shopping center in Russia's Belgorod Oblast, locals say.
MegaGRINN is the largest shopping complex in Belgorod, covering over 163,000 square meters and housing more than 200 shops. The center was closed and empty of visitors during the reported overnight attack.

⚡️Ukraine sanctions Russian arms suppliers as Moscow ramps up attacks.
Included in the first sanctions list are 51 Russian citizens and 44 businesses producing and supplying raw materials, equipment, and tools used in long-range weapons like Iskander, Kalibr, Kh-101, and Kinzhal missiles.

⚡️Trump wants ‘business with both’ Ukraine, Russia after war ends.
“Certainly, we’ll do business with Ukraine and with Russia after this war ends, I would think,” U.S. President Donald Trump.

⚡️Deadly Russian drone strike targets apartment in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, killing 3, injuring 12.
One of the injured victims is an 11-year-old girl. Five wounded individuals are being treated in the hospital, with two in serious condition and undergoing surgery.

⚡️Almost 283,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine identified by media investigation.
Since Mediazona last updated the figures in early October, the names of 6,880 Russian soldiers were added to the list of those killed.

⚡️Russian attacks kill 8, injure 51 across Ukraine over past day as drone strikes residential building in Vinnytsia.
Alongside attacks on Vinnytsia, Russia launched 153 Shahed-type drones at Ukraine overnight on Oct. 25, including 92 jet-powered drones, as well as low-cost Banderol cruise missiles, the Ukrainian Air Force said.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦
@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social
⚡ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — OCT 25, 2026
■ Starlink and Starshield are working again at the speeds they had before the restrictions
■ Casualties and combat engagements below average; equipment losses about average
■ Overnight 🇷🇺 attacks: 153 strike drones; drone interception rate could be better; 24 locations hit or affected by debris
■ 🇷🇺 drones used at the front slightly above average; total drone losses pass 580,000; three 🇺🇦 air and artillery strikes reported; at least 300 drones launched into 🇷🇺 and occupied 🇺🇦

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

Russia’s military-industrial complex is shifting production to China to avoid shortages of chips and machine tools, according to C4ADS.
Russian companies under sanctions that supply the defense sector are relocating production to China, establishing local subsidiaries and seeking Chinese partners, a report by the American research center C4ADS reveals.
For example, microelectronics manufacturer Element began assembling chips in China as early as 2024. In 2026, the company also acquired power electronics designs from a Chinese defense firm for more than 100 million rubles.
Another manufacturer, StankoMashStroy, planned to produce high-precision machine tools in China. Its customers include factories that manufacture Russian ballistic missiles and air defense systems. Although the company has not confirmed that production has begun, its owner has registered a separate entity in China.
According to C4ADS, this cooperation allows Russia to tap into Chinese manufacturing capacity and technology, while giving China access to Russian engineering designs and expertise in weapons development.
Experts expect military and technological cooperation between the two countries to expand through 2027 unless the United States and Europe increase pressure.

Poland has announced its intention to host U.S. and French nuclear weapons on its territory.
In an interview with WNP, Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said Warsaw aims to join the “Nuclear Sharing” program while also participating in France’s nuclear deterrence initiative.

[more info]
Germany is in talks to purchase thousands of European-made missiles, including Ukraine’s Bars cruise missile-drone, as the country finds itself at the back of the queue for American Tomahawk cruise missiles, Bloomberg reports.
Negotiations with the Ukrainian manufacturer of the Bars, whose name has not been disclosed, cover both the procurement of the weapons and the potential establishment of joint production. No official purchase agreements have been announced yet.
Additionally, Germany’s Ministry of Defence is negotiating a contract worth more than €1 billion with American defense startup Covenant to acquire thousands of ground-launched Anthem cruise missiles, which can carry a powerful warhead.
Other potential recipients of German long-range strike weapon contracts include Dutch firm Destinus SA, which produces Ruta cruise missiles, and German-British defense startup Hypersonica, which is developing the ultra-high-speed HS1 missile.
According to sources cited by Bloomberg, the rationale behind purchasing thousands of new, low-cost missiles is to overwhelm enemy air defenses with a high volume of targets, saturating air defense systems and increasing the likelihood of successful strikes.
The Bundeswehr’s current arsenal includes only Taurus cruise missiles, which are air-launched and have a relatively limited range of approximately 500 kilometers. They are manufactured by MBDA Missile Systems Services SAS and Saab AB.
Meanwhile, Germany’s plans to procure powerful BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles and ground-based Typhon launch systems, manufactured by American company Raytheon, are facing delays that could stretch to five years.
This year, Covenant opened a plant in Leipzig, in the eastern German state of Saxony. The first cruise missiles are expected to roll off the assembly line in early 2027.
By the end of next year, the company plans to produce 1,000 missiles at the facility using an independent European supply chain. By 2028, Covenant aims to reach full production capacity of 5,000 missiles per year.
The company has declined to disclose the Anthem’s specific technical and tactical specifications. However, sources familiar with the weapon’s development have indicated that its range exceeds 2,000 kilometers.

At just nine years old, Myron Netrebka from the Ukrainian city of Dnipro became the world chess champion in the boys' under-9 category, scoring 9.5 out of 11 points. He finished ahead of Uzbekistan's Saifuddin Erkinboev, securing Ukraine's only medal at the tournament. Earlier this year, Myron also won the European Rapid Chess Championship.

🕯🪖 Journalist and combat medic with the Hospitallers, Olena Sharhovska, known by the call sign “Jane,” has died.
Sharhovska began providing medical aid to the military in 2015, joining the Mykola Pyrohov First Volunteer Mobile Hospital before later becoming part of the Hospitallers.
She evacuated wounded soldiers from some of the hottest sectors of the front, including areas near Bakhmut and Toretsk, as well as the Kharkiv direction.
In September 2022, Sharhovska joined the International Legion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In August 2024, she was discharged from military service for health reasons.
She also advocated for women’s rights in the military, was a member of the Women Veteran Movement, and helped organize the “Invisible Battalion” movement. She worked as an editor for Ukraїner, Osvitoria and Novynarnia.

The Russian Federation continues to destroy “highly dangerous military targets”—this time, a farm in the Sumy region was struck.
A woman was killed and four other people were injured. Animals were also killed and wounded, according to the regional military administration.

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Ukraine and Russia agreed on a synchronized ceasefire timetable starting Oct. 27 for a humanitarian mission in occupied Oleshky.
Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets confirmed the silence regime takes effect at 3:00 AM Kyiv time to facilitate aid and evacuations.

Trilateral talks between the US, Ukraine, and Russia could take place in Abu Dhabi or Switzerland in coming weeks.
A US official said the working-level consultations aim to lay the groundwork for an eventual leader-level peace summit.

North Korea is advancing missiles and mass-producing drones with Russian tech in exchange for troops and shells.
Combat data from Ukraine helped Pyongyang sharpen guidance, prompting South Korea to test a hypersonic missile in response.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Donald Trump’s decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports as “very wise.”
Rubio argued the waiver boosts global energy supply and stabilizes fuel prices hit by ongoing conflicts.

Elon Musk claimed Ukraine violated Starlink terms by using commercial terminals for drone strikes, saying a loophole was closed.
Ukrainian defense experts rejected the claim, citing existing velocity limits.

Russian forces struck Kharkiv’s last operating Epicentr hypermarket on Saturday, obliterating the venue in a huge fire.
A secondary strike directly targeted first responders battling the flames, wounding three rescuers.

A Russian drone struck a cattle farm in Sumy region on Saturday, killing a 31-year-old worker and injuring four others.
A concurrent drone attack on Nikopol district in Dnipropetrovsk region wounded four civilians, including a 14-year-old boy.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

Drones attacked a chemical-metallurgical enterprise in Russia's Perm Krai, monitoring channels report.
The target was a facility of the company "Avisma." It produces titanium, titanium alloys, and metallic magnesium. The plant's titanium alloys are used in the production of military aircraft, aviation engines, and rocket and space technology. It is Russia's largest titanium producer.

Overnight, the Russians attacked Ukraine with 153 UAVs of various types. Air defense neutralized 119 of them, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.
However, Russian drones struck 14 locations, with debris falling in nine others.
In Kharkiv, four people were injured in the evening Russian attack, including three rescuers.
In Zaporizhzhia, a shopping center was hit. No casualties were reported.

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-october-24-2026/

Key Takeaways

1. Ukrainian officials are confirming the resumption of unrestricted access to SpaceX’s low-earth orbit satellite communication technology (Starlink and Starshield) without disruptions in Ukraine on October 24.
2. Ukraine’s intermediate-range strike campaign against energy infrastructure in Russia and occupied Ukraine overnight on October 23 to 24 caused power outages across occupied Ukrainian oblasts including occupied Crimea.
3. Ukraine agreed to observe a limited ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky, Kherson Oblast beginning on October 27, indicating a convergence between Russia and Ukraine on the ceasefire start date, but the geographical extent and other terms of the ceasefire remain unclear.
4. Russian forces recently advanced southeast of Dobropillya.
5. Ukrainian forces continued their long-range strike campaign against Russian military, energy, and industrial infrastructure on the night of October 23 to 24. Russian forces launched 126 drones against Ukraine overnight.

This is an amazingly strong public rebuke of Trump’s recent actions regarding Russia and Ukraine by a very prominent U.S. Senator, Mitch McConnell.

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/coddling-putin-wont-bring-peace-to-ukraine-2464d660?st=pBvwQy&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

I’m practically speechless after reading it. And it’s completely correct.

Stun a stoat!

Sideways.

Regardless of the midterm election results, Mr. Putin is America’s enemy. He is aligned with China, Iran and North Korea to divide the U.S. from our allies and undermine our global influence.

Well. He’s not minding his words there. Interesting timing. Presumably he’s concerned that American voters are not impressed with Trump’s foreign policy and will make their sentiments known in the midterms.

I can’t read the comments, is there consensus?

You should be able to read the comments. Do you see a black bar below the story that says “Show Conversation”? If so, tap that.

I would say there’s consensus, including a lot of people criticizing McConnell for enabling Trump previously.

Senator McConnell is spot on. He cut through all the crap.