Bloomberg reported the information.The European Union plans to secure a political agreement on utilizing the frozen assets at next week's Brussels summit, with officials aiming to have a legal framework in place by the second quarter of next year. The urgency has intensified as Europe shoulders greater responsibility for Ukraine's military and economic survival, while several member states grapple with their own political instability and budget crises.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticized some allies for delays in funding a special procurement program that enables Ukraine to purchase American weapons with European-provided money. He said Kyiv was targeting $1 billion monthly to "fully realize its potential," though only about $2 billion has been contributed so far by six countries. Ukraine continues pressing for more air defenses and long-range strike capabilities as Russia relentlessly bombards its cities and energy infrastructure.Under the proposal being debated, Ukraine would receive roughly €140 billion in new loans backed by the frozen assets. Crucially, repayment would only occur if Russia compensates Ukraine for war damages—a condition the EU has maintained for unfreezing the funds. Brussels is also exploring ways to keep the assets blocked through majority voting rather than requiring unanimous consent.The plan includes providing guarantees to Euroclear, the Belgian clearing house holding the assets, to protect against potential Russian legal challenges. Moscow has threatened retaliation if the assets are seized, though EU officials stress their approach doesn't constitute outright seizure.Belgium has resisted the initiative, demanding ironclad legal assurances about the guarantees. Member states are also debating loan conditions, including whether funds should support military purchases, economic needs, or both, and what portion must be spent on European-sourced supplies.Officials estimate Ukraine may need over $200 billion through decade's end if the war continues. The EU wants to coordinate with other G-7 nations, which collectively froze approximately $300 billion in Russian central bank assets. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed Britain's readiness to participate following discussions with French and German leaders.G-7 finance ministers will address the matter this week alongside new sanctions targeting Russia's energy revenues. The group already provides Ukraine with profits generated by the immobilized assets.Meanwhile, EU leaders will attempt to finalize the bloc's latest sanctions package at next week's summit, including a 2027 ban on Russian liquefied natural gas and restrictions on third-country entities facilitating Moscow's energy trade. Slovakia and Austria have blocked the measures so far.

Hus, a platoon commander of the Sherhni Dovbusha (Dovbush's Hornets) Unmanned Systems Battalion, stated this on Espreso TV."The situation in the Pokrovsk direction remains difficult. The enemy is increasing pressure, trying to finally cut off logistics to the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad agglomeration from the east - from the direction of Rodynske, and also from the southwest - from the direction of Udachne and Kotlyne. The invading forces are continuing their pressure and have practically occupied these two settlements," the commander noted.According to him, the enemy is sending in even more small infantry groups, and there is very strong pressure on the suburbs of Pokrovsk, particularly on its outskirts, especially in the south."Also, more than one or two attempts at attacks with armored vehicles have been recorded - which has not happened for a long time. This is a rather rare phenomenon for the last year," the commander emphasized.Russian artillery shelling has damaged the areas of several settlements in the Sumy region, including Kucherivka, Starykove, and Shalyhyne.

After massive strikes on Ukraine, after the appearance of Russian drones and aircraft in NATO countries' airspace, Russia has moved to attempts at systematic destruction of Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Strikes on various Ukrainian cities are carried out almost daily; the most recent one was in the capital, targeting the city's thermal power plants. In addition, strikes were carried out on Ukrainian gas fields, which will also cause serious problems in winter."This is not the first time Putin has attempted to "freeze" Ukrainians—everyone remembers well the anxious and dark winter of the first year of the great war. But now these strikes have become much more systematic, and they are happening against the backdrop of proposals to end the war and begin peace negotiations."And Putin, as we can see, is openly ignoring these proposals. Why?Because, first, he believes the West has no tools to seriously pressure him; and second, he perceives any negotiations as a path to the enemy's capitulation. Therefore, Putin is convinced: if he has to agree to negotiations, they must be negotiations about Ukraine's capitulation and the creation of conditions for its further disappearance from the world's political map. Thus, he seeks to make Ukraine a territory unsuitable for normal life. Strikes on energy infrastructure, in the Russian president's view, should create a persistent feeling among Ukrainians that they have no choice but to surrender to Russia. And although history has never seen cases where bombing cities led to a total desire to capitulate, Putin doesn't take this into account—no matter what history and the experience of this war indicate to the contrary.But the motivation for attacks on energy infrastructure may be much broader than just demoralizing society. It's also a desire to destroy the Ukrainian economy—so that even if the war ends, Ukraine would have no serious prospects for recovery, becoming a clear example of what happens to countries that don't submit to Moscow's will. This could also be a demographic weapon: creating unbearable living conditions so that another portion of the population leaves. After all, the fewer Ukrainians remain in Ukraine, the greater Russia's chances of maintaining its role as a geopolitical magnet of the future, even with further decline of the Russian population. Let me remind you: demographic wars are nothing new to Moscow's imperial practice; there are examples both in imperial times and in the Soviet era. The Holodomor alone is worth mentioning! And now Putin seeks to organize an "energomor" (energy-induced famine - ed.).Talks and persuasion obviously won't help with this. Recent months—months of constant talks between Trump and Putin—have convincingly proven this, probably even to the American president himself, although many warned from the very beginning that all these negotiations were doomed to fail.But the destruction of energy infrastructure can be countered in another way—by weakening the military and energy potential of the Russian Federation itself. Ukrainian strikes on Russian military facilities and oil refineries can force the Russian president, if not to think about peace, then at least to be more cautious with his strikes. Russia has already lost a significant portion of its refining capacity, which creates problems for its economy and makes the war more expensive. And this is only thanks to drone attacks on Russian facilities. If Ukraine receives a sufficient number of long-range missiles, Russia could find itself without a large part of its economic potential.And this is the right approach. You don't negotiate peace with a dragon. Even if it's impossible to cut off its head, you can at least knock out its stinking teeth.SourceAbout the author. Vitaly Portnikov, journalist, laureate of the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine.The editorial board does not always share the opinions expressed by blog authors.

Diplomat Oleh Shamshur stated this on Espreso TV."This rush for a meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy may be because Trump now feels the wind in his sails after his success in Gaza and can now focus on the Ukrainian-Russian war. Perhaps he wants to discuss some fundamental issues with the President of Ukraine. Also, the Tomahawk issue will likely be continued, and we will see if it goes beyond statements aimed at scaring Putin," Shamshur emphasized.According to the diplomat, the topic of Trump's first impeachment in 2019 might also be raised and could become a subject for discussion."So, if the meeting really takes place, and considering it in the context of recent meetings and, in particular, phone calls between the presidents, it is quite possible that Trump wants to show: 'Yes, I am ready to establish a certain trusting relationship with you, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But to do so, you will need to do this and that.'""So, in my opinion, such a development should not be ruled out. After all, we have seen similar behavior from Trump in other situations—he is capable of acting in exactly this way," Shamshur concluded.On Friday, October 17, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with American leader Donald Trump in Washington.

Andrii Zakrevskyi, Deputy Director of the Association of Energy and Natural Resources of Ukraine, stated this on Espreso TV."This 'everything is getting worse' is already happening to them. And they have definitely not followed our path to overcoming the crisis. Let me remind you, our recipe was a market economy, 2% taxes, and complete deregulation. We overcame the crisis in four months, and then over the course of a year, we purchased so many fuel trucks that we could withstand even seven-day queues at the border with our partners. They took a different path: Iran, Venezuela, coupons, freebies, and so on, and that is a path to nowhere," he explained.Zakrevskyi shared his thoughts on what will happen next for the Russians."I have already figured out what will happen to them. I understand what is coming. They will simply start returning to the Soviet Union; they will start driving less. More and more cars will be stationary, people will carpool to get to work, and so on. Not because they want to, or because they don't have enough money, but because there is no gasoline, and they will have to conserve it. Someone will have a coupon this week, someone else the next. And they will simply slide back into the Soviet Union, into poverty and stools," the expert said.In his opinion, the Russian Federation will not come up with anything else."The volume of logistics in the Russian Federation will simply decrease; car numbers and sales have already fallen. This is already being discussed. They will simply start getting rid of them because it will make no sense to own them," Zakrevskyi concluded.

Vladyslav Selezniov, military expert, reserve colonel of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and spokesperson for the General Staff (2014-2017), reported the information."In my opinion, the most difficult situation is now in the Kupiansk area. And this is a factor we must certainly take into account. Despite certain victorious reports that the corresponding army corps is holding back enemy pressure, it is probably worth and necessary to look more closely at the enemy's movements, directly in Kupiansk itself. We talked about the fact that the unpreparedness of this settlement, due to the inaction of the city's military-civilian administration, as well as some not entirely rational decisions of the local military leadership, led to the enemy managing to first infiltrate part of its assault units, and then accumulate appropriate forces and means," he explained.Selezniov added that fighting is raging directly within the territory of Kupiansk and stressed that slowly, but surely, the Russian army continues to advance."And the seriousness of the situation lies in the fact that the Russian forces are not abandoning their efforts to fully occupy this settlement, because it is extremely important for them not only to take control of Kupiansk, but also Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi. Logistical support for the enemy is a priority option," the expert noted.He believes that this is being done so that in the perspective of the next few months, Russia will have the opportunity to form a powerful strike bridgehead, from where it will then attack in the direction of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk."And therefore, the enemy's current attempts to gain control over this settlement at any cost will eventually be transformed into certain territorial gains for the enemy. What their scale will be depends on our resistance, our opposition. And here the answer lies in whether we have enough resources to organize that same resistance at such a high level that the enemy suffers incredible losses but, in principle, makes no territorial gains," Selezniov concluded.

The findings come from an investigation by the Sistema project, which is part of the Current Time news organization.Elena Smirnova and Olga Shilyaeva, both residents of Ryazan, masterminded an operation that lured citizens from Cuba and Sri Lanka to Russia with enticing promises of a $2,000 monthly salary and a path to Russian citizenship. The women would front the costs for travel and accommodation, but with a deceptive catch: upon the recruit's signing a contract with the Russian army, Smirnova and Shilyaeva would seize their first substantial payment, claiming it as reimbursement for their expenses.The operation, which allegedly funneled over 3,000 foreigners into the Russian military, began to collapse as recruits raised alarms. Many complained they had been deceived, believing they were coming to Russia for construction jobs, only to be forced into military training centers and sent to the trenches. Others, unable to read Russian, signed contracts whose terms they did not understand, and some noticed additional funds disappearing from their bank accounts, suspecting the recruiters were skimming their pay.Following multiple police reports filed by Cuban nationals in April 2024, Smirnova was arrested for theft and placed in a pre-trial detention center. Facing the prospect of a long prison sentence, she reportedly "volunteered" to sign a military contract and go to the front. Shilyaeva soon followed a similar path. In a stunning twist of fate, both women are now said to be serving in a Storm V assault company, fighting in the very war they once profited from by deceiving others.

At first, Financial Times journalist Christopher Miller reported the information."President Trump plans to welcome President Zelenskyy in Washington on Friday (October 17 - ed.), three people familiar with the plans tell me," the message says.Ukrainian MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak stated that his sources also confirm the expectation of such a meeting.Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.S., Olha Stefanishyna, confirmed to Suspilne that Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit the U.S. and meet with Donald Trump.At the same time, the head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak, reported that the Ukrainian delegation has departed for the U.S. However, the head of the President's Office does not specify that Volodymyr Zelenskyy is participating in the visit."Washington bound — full throttle! Led by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, together with NSDC Secretary Rustem Umerov, we’re heading for high-level talks to strengthen Ukraine’s defense, secure our energy resilience, and intensify sanctions pressure on the aggressor." the message states.According to Yermak, the ultimate goal remains unchanged: a sustainable and just peace for Ukraine by forcing the Russian Federation to end the war.On October 11, the head of the Ukrainian state, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during a telephone conversation with Donald Trump, discussed the possibilities of strengthening air defense in Ukraine.On October 12, Zelenskyy spoke again with Trump by phone. The conversation was again about the protection of energy facilities from Russian air attacks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated this in his online address to the participants of the 71st annual session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, which brought together delegations from nearly 50 countries.Zelenskyy emphasized that Russia has failed to achieve its goal of capturing Donbas, despite repeated attempts and claims of a swift completion of this task."This is not the first time Russia has failed to carry out Putin's order to capture Donbas. They constantly postpone this senseless goal," noted the President of Ukraine.He stressed that Russian forces had promised their allies, including the United States, to complete the offensive by October or November, but instead, Ukrainian troops began to advance.These successes, according to Zelenskyy, were made possible by significant progress in the Ukrainian defense industry and a reduction in the weapons deficit. "Over 40% of the weapons at the front are now manufactured in Ukraine. We are actively working on the development of our industry so that it can supply more," he stated.At the same time, Zelenskyy highlighted the importance of continued military support from NATO countries, as each aid package strengthens Ukraine's position on the front."Every package of military support from your countries is still important. And I ask you to continue supporting us so that we can continue to force the Russians to defend themselves," Zelenskyy added, stressing that the deterioration of Russia's position on the front creates internal pressure on Putin, which could compel him to engage in serious negotiations.During his address on October 13, Volodymyr Zelenskyy also called on NATO allies to urgently increase the supply of modern air defense systems and missiles to protect cities and energy infrastructure from a new wave of Russian attacks ahead of winter.

He made this statement during a press conference with the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, in Kyiv on October 13, Interfax-Ukraine reports.Sybiha noted that six countries have already made financial contributions to the program, while seven more have expressed their intention to join.“Today we have six countries that have contributed specific amounts to fund the PURL initiative and continue the program. We can also speak of the intention of seven more countries to participate with concrete contributions,” the diplomat emphasized.According to him, $2 billion has already been raised for the first package under the initiative, and the program is currently being implemented.What is known about PURL initiativeNetherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Germany fund Ukraine’s defense via NATO’s PURL mechanism for weapons and ammunition procurement.Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden announces that his country will take part in the PURL initiative to purchase weapons from the United States for transfer to Ukraine.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that in October Ukraine will receive additional funding under the PURL initiative. The total support will rise to over $3 billion.On September 18, the first batch of military equipment arrived in Ukraine under the PURL program for sending American weapons to Kyiv at the expense of European countries.As of the end of September, six NATO countries had financed four defense aid packages to Ukraine worth over $2 billion under the PURL initiative. Two more packages are currently being negotiated with the U.S.

The reason is that rail transport can carry cargo in much larger volumes than road transport. This is precisely why many military cargoes in Ukraine are transported by rail."According to OSINT researchers, in September 2025, the Russian forces attacked at least 36 energy infrastructure facilities, including traction substations. This complicates the operation of electric locomotives and threatens to halt railway traffic in certain regions."In my opinion, this may indicate an attempt to implement a comprehensive approach against the morale and logistics of the military, to create panic among the civilian population, and to increase pressure on the country's political leadership.It is worth noting that the invading Russian forces have fundamentally changed their strategy of striking the Ukrainian railway—now the enemy is purposefully attacking individual trains, and not just strategic facilities. I will remind you that on the night of September 17, 2025, Russia launched massive strikes on Ukraine's railway infrastructure. Drone strikes on a substation and power lines led to train delays in the Dnipro and Odesa directions. On the night of October 2, the Russians struck the railway track in the Bucha district, and in Odesa, a large-scale fire broke out after an attack on a depot. In addition, the railway in Konotop was damaged. Trains were stopped at a safe distance from the affected area.On October 4, the Russian occupying army attacked the railway station in the Shostka community in the Sumy region with drones. The strike hit a passenger train, killing one person and injuring others.On October 7, in Poltava, a locomotive depot and a power supply division responsible for the railway's electricity were hit. In addition, the invaders struck near the railway station on the Nosivka-Nizhyn line, located in the Chernihiv region.And on October 9, the Russians attacked the railway in the Sumy region. At that time, changes in routes were reported, affecting regional, suburban, and long-distance trains.The CEO of Ukrzaliznytsia, Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, reported that Russian forces launch 6-7 Shahed kamikaze drones every night, targeting locomotives.Currently, the enemy continues to strike the Ukrainian railway with the aim of cutting off connections to the frontline territories, particularly the Sumy and Chernihiv regions.The enemy aims to block the main routes and is also trying to block reserve routes. The Russian troops have clearly thought out their actions, and their operation is comprehensive, setting several tasks at once, and it is of a combined nature.The enemy's algorithm of actions and calculations involves intensifying the shelling of residential areas in large cities, primarily the million-plus cities of Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Odesa, which causes panic among local residents and a desire to leave the city.Simultaneously, the enemy strikes the railway infrastructure, which is done with two goals at once:to make the evacuation of civilians impossible;to block the transportation of cargo for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which is intended to worsen their supply."Due to the impossibility of rail transport, the evacuation of refugees and the supply of the Armed Forces will move to the highways, where the two opposing flows (east and west) will collide and inevitably cause traffic jams, which will again worsen military supplies."In turn, according to the enemy's calculations, due to the impossibility of evacuation, refugees will remain in the cities, which will lead to growing chaos in them, and a decline in the morale of residents and the military.The Russians expect that this situation will immediately worsen the situation on the front line by reducing the volume of supplies to the Armed Forces.According to military analyst Vladyslav Selezniov, the Russian enemy understands that success on the battlefield depends on the availability of resources. "Accordingly, the enemy is trying to slow down the movement of military echelons as much as possible, including those that supply our Defense Forces in various sectors of the front," he noted.Thus, the Russians' targets are railway stations, bridges over rivers, railway tunnels, as well as power stations that provide traction power to our electrical network, which, in turn, powers the electric locomotives.In turn, according to the invaders' plan, the civilian population, due to the impossibility of carrying out evacuation measures and the shelling of civilian infrastructure, will exert additional pressure on the country's leadership to bring them to the negotiating table on terms favorable to the Russian Federation.I will remind you that following the strikes on the railway infrastructure, the occupying country switched to attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.According to the Ministry of Energy, on the morning of October 13, emergency power outages were forcedly applied in Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia (for industrial consumers), and Kirovohrad (partially) regions.Also, in the Chernihiv region, the local regional power company applied hourly outages.Specially for EspresoAbout the author. Dmytro Sniehyriov, military expert, co-chairman of the CI Prava Sprava.The editorial board does not always share the opinions expressed by the authors of the blogs.

Babel reports."Steve had no idea about Russia, had no idea about Putin too much, didn't know too much about politics, wasn't that interested. He was really good at real estate, but he had that quality that I was looking for, and I didn't see it around in too many ways," Trump said.He added that because of this, he expected the meeting between Witkoff and Putin to last 15–20 minutes, but it went on for five hours.“I said: 'What the hell were you talking about for 5 hours?' And he said it was just a lot of interesting things,” concluded the American president.The first meeting between Witkoff and Putin took place in St. Petersburg on April 11. It lasted about 4.5 hours.

ContentsWhat is the Innovation Challenge.Who won the Innovation Challenge.When will Ukraine be able to shoot down UAVs with new NATO equipment.What are guided bombs and how big a threat do they pose.What is the Innovation ChallengeInnovation Challenge is a hackathon and innovation contest launched by NATO’s Joint Transformation Command and alliance member states. This year, its goal is to develop solutions against Russian KABs, whereas in 2024, for example, the contest focused on automated minefield clearance and increasing UAV resilience against electronic warfare.“During the contest, it was immediately emphasized that the solution should be simple and straightforward, requiring minimal training and integration. It was also clarified that the solution could be at the 'advanced concept' stage or an adaptation of existing, available technologies. Importantly, the solution must be low-cost in terms of resources and easily scalable,” explained Defense Express.The competition proposal had to present a solution addressing at least one of the following tasks: detection; suppression using electronic warfare (including countering satellite navigation); destruction of the bomb itself; neutralizing the delivery platform to prevent it from reaching launch conditions; or protection of potential target sites.For the first time, NATO allowed Ukrainian developers and scientists to participate in the hackathon, which was aimed at addressing threats common to both Ukraine and alliance members.“Russian guided bombs are one of the biggest threats to Ukrainian forces on the front line and to Ukrainian cities. It is important that this topic is the focus of NATO’s latest hackathon. This shows that we share the same security context with the alliance,” said Deputy Defense Minister Valeriy Churkin.The Ukrainian defense ministry reported that, for the first time, Ukrainian representatives were allowed to participate in the Innovation Challenge, whereas previously only NATO member states took part in the hackathon.Submissions were accepted in February–March and evaluated according to a dozen judging criteria, including relevance, innovation, ease of use, integration and compatibility, portability, scalability, and more. In total, the hackathon received proposals from 40 teams, with 13 advancing to the final after the selection process.Who won the Innovation ChallengeThe Ukrainian team received a special prize at the hackathon for electronic warfare countermeasures.The winner of the Innovation Challenge was the French company Alta Ares. The judges rated its solution highest for using artificial intelligence to detect, identify, and predict the flight paths of glide bombs. Alta Ares adapted an existing system, originally developed for reconnaissance missions in Ukraine, to the new task.“The system uses artificial intelligence algorithms to process video and acoustic data. It provides two key functions — alerting forces in the predicted impact zone so they can activate EW systems and take cover, which should protect them from a bomb that can no longer guarantee the necessary strike accuracy. In addition, the system enables predicting possible directions of a Russian attack for preventive actions,” Defense Express explained.Second place went to Tytan Technology. The German startup proposed its anti-aircraft drone to intercept KABs. Its trials began in Ukraine in 2024 and it was adapted for shooting down UAVs. The Tytan drone, dubbed a Shahed interceptor, uses a gaming console, and its low cost is driven by extensive use of 3D printing. Tytan has a 20 km range and can reach 300 km/h. The drone uses "machine vision" and has a takeoff weight of 5 kg, including a 1 kg warhead. The Germans adapted Tytan to counter guided bombs.Also among the top three was another French entrant — Atreyd. The startup’s idea is to counter guided bombss with an autonomous swarm of kamikaze drones: forming a wall of drones to intercept guided aerial bombs in flight using an ultrasonic detection and guidance system.Neutralizing Glide Bombs: An Innovation Challenge to support UkraineOn March 27, 2025, at @NATO_JFTC (Bydgoszcz, Poland), #NATO gathered military experts, innovators, and Ukrainian reps to tackle a major threat: glide bombs, a scourge on Ukraine’s frontlines.Led by @NATO_ACT,… pic.twitter.com/M1X7esNELJ— NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation SACT (@NATO_SACT) March 31, 2025 When will Ukraine be able to shoot down UAVs with new NATO equipmentIn the summer, specialist outlets reported tests of new countermeasures against guided aerial bombs. The final solution was developed with the participation of the three hackathon winners — Alta Ares, Atreyd, and Tytan. Each of these startups contributed components to the final multilayer air‑defense system, which will help counter not only guided bombs but, for example, Shahed‑type drones as well.Several solutions have already been implemented, while work is underway to improve other interception systems. NATO’s press service noted that the trials demonstrated the usefulness of a multilayered approach to protection. Areas for improvement were identified, and the participating companies pledged to upgrade their systems within a short timeframe.The systems that will allow interception and destruction of Russian guided glide bombs are planned to be fully deployed by the end of 2025.“The ability to counter KABs will save more Ukrainian military lives and also increase the effectiveness of defensive fortifications. Accordingly, solutions to this problem are needed already ‘yesterday,’” wrote Defense Express.What are guided bombs and how big a threat do they poseA guided aerial bomb (KAB) is a type of aircraft munition. It is fitted with aerodynamic surfaces and a guidance system to improve accuracy. After KABs were developed, older aerial bombs began to be called unguided or "dumb" bombs. Guided aerial bombs are classified as precision weapons.Aircraft drop bombs from the plane; they separate from their mounts either by a small ejection force or under gravity. The higher and faster the aircraft releases a KAB, the farther the bomb will travel.An important point — Russian aircraft do not have to enter the engagement zone of Ukrainian air defenses to drop guided aerial bombs. They fly up to the line of contact and release the bombs from 40–50 km away. Because the bomb carrier does not enter the engagement envelope of some air‑defense systems, it is considered a difficult target.“Countering enemy aviation assets remains one of the main tasks. The ideas proposed by the teams hold promise for solving this problem. We will cooperate, test, and trial the selected technologies,” the Defense Ministry website quoted Valeriy Churkin as saying.

Andriy Yermak, the head of the President's Office, stated this on his social media.Yermak wrote that the delegation, "led by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, together with NSDC Secretary Rustem Umerov," is heading to Washington.It was previously announced that the delegation also includes Yermak himself and the Commissioner for Sanctions Policy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk."On the agenda are specific goals voiced by President Zelenskyy: defense – strengthening our air defense and strike capabilities; energy – strengthening resilience before winter; sanctions – new pressure on the aggressor. The ultimate goal is unchanged: a sustainable and just peace for Ukraine by forcing Russia to end the war," Andriy Yermak detailed.

Yurii Fedorenko, commander of Ukraine's 429th Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment Achilles, stated this on Espreso TV."It's difficult for me to speak specifically about the Zaporizhzhia region because the unit I command is performing tasks in the Donetsk region, as well as within the Kharkiv region. But in communicating with my brothers-in-arms, the situation is generally the same along the entire line of combat. The enemy has currently reduced the use of armored vehicles, as the vast majority of them are destroyed by the Ukrainian Defense Forces and our strike drones before even reaching the front line. Therefore, the enemy only takes audacious actions when there are unfavorable weather conditions, for example, thick fog. Then they use armored vehicles. Otherwise, they mainly move on highly maneuverable vehicles — these are two-wheeled motorcycles, buggies, and also move on foot," he said.Yurii Fedorenko also noted that the Russian army significantly outnumbers them in terms of personnel. This resource is the cheapest for Russia."The enemy doesn't care about the losses they incur, and I will try to explain why. In Russia, there is currently no forced mobilization. They are bribing their citizens with 'petrodollars' to fight against Ukraine. Consequently, no social tension is observed, and it is not expected to be observed again in the near future. It is a conscious choice of Russians to fight against Ukrainians for money. And in order for them to be unable to bribe their population, and again, to correct the situation on the front line, we must talk about the possibility of launching fire strikes deep into Russia, on legitimate military targets, this is fundamentally important," emphasized the commander.

Commander of the 429th Drone Systems Regiment Achilles Yurii Fedorenko reported the information on Hromadske Radio.“At the moment, Russia’s task is to prevent Ukrainian forces from blocking them and to try to build up forces in the city. Ukraine’s Defense Forces are preventing the Russians from achieving these objectives,” the commander said.He explained that Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups continue to infiltrate the city, either disguised as civilians or wearing Ukrainian uniforms. These groups are usually small, and Ukrainian defenders manage to detect and destroy them.According to Fedorenko, work continues to block Russian troops on the northwestern outskirts of Kupiansk, though it is not yet complete, which allows small Russian groups to keep slipping into the city.“It won’t be long before we fully block the Russians. Constant operations are underway to clear the settlement, destroy sabotage and reconnaissance groups, and capture Russian invaders,” Fedorenko emphasized.He added that recently, Ukrainian forces have captured a significant number of Russian soldiers in Kupiansk. Overall, he believes “the pendulum has swung toward the Ukrainian Defense Forces,” though the situation in the city remains tense.Fedorenko also noted that the changing weather with the arrival of autumn will bring certain advantages for Ukrainian forces. For instance, as the leaves fall, areas Russian troops currently use for cover will become more visible to Ukrainian reconnaissance and easier to target — leading to higher Russian losses.However, autumn also poses challenges. Foggy weather allows Russian forces to move and regroup, but, as Fedorenko pointed out, after years of full-scale war, Ukraine’s Defense Forces have learned how to counter such movements.

The creation of this platform, intended for engagement with “Russian democratic forces in exile,” has proven to be a masterstroke in support of Ukraine. After all, nothing exposes the weaknesses of the so-called “Russian democratic forces in exile” more than urging them to unite and form a joint representation for dialogue.As a result, the platform has intensified already significant quarrels, particularly between the Navalny supporters (FBK) and the Anti-War Committee of Russia (including Khodorkovsky, Kasparov, Gudkov, and others). One of the main points of contention was the “Berlin Declaration,” which members of the Anti-War Committee signed, but Navalny’s supporters refused.Perhaps the most amusing episode involved Yulia Latynina, who appeared indecisive about whether to side with the smart or the beautiful — signing the declaration initially, only to later retract her support.It is worth noting that the Anti-War Committee’s stance is more pro-Ukrainian, making the “Berlin Declaration” an appropriate filter for access to the PACE platform. Navalny supporters are now fuming over this, yet they remain unwilling to sign — after all, “submitting to Khodorkovsky” is out of the question for them.Oh well... let them be.SourceAbout the author. Oleksiy Panych, philosopher, member of the Ukrainian Center of the International PEN Club, blogger.The editorial team does not always share the opinions expressed by blog authors.

Analytical community Resurgam shared their analysis of the visit's objectives.First, such visits serve to coordinate the positions of Kyiv and Brussels ahead of the summit. Second, they are designed to exert media and political pressure on individual EU governments that may deviate from the collective vision supported by the European Commission and the majority of member states.Resurgam recalls that similar visits took place in December 2023, shortly before the approval of the €50 billion Ukraine Facility, and before several of the most controversial EU sanctions packages against Russia.Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas’s visit to Kyiv began with a statement underscoring Europe’s commitment to Ukraine:“Ukrainians inspire the world with their courage. Their resilience demands our full support.”Resurgam believes that this visit serves the dual purpose outlined above, while also aiming to pave the way for a new long-term financial mechanism to support Ukraine.The main initiativeAt the heart of the current discussions is the proposal to use frozen Russian assets to provide Ukraine with a reparations-based loan worth over €130 billion. Under the plan, Ukraine would be required to repay this loan only if the Kremlin pays reparations to Ukraine; otherwise, repayment would not be required.Out of approximately €210 billion in frozen Russian assets held in Europe, the majority is stored in the Belgian depository Euroclear, with €175 billion already converted into cash following the expiration of the depository term.Resurgam explains that these funds could finance Ukraine’s long-term defense and recovery needs without adding debt to its national budget, since, in effect, the Kremlin would be forced to bear the financial cost of its own aggression.Strategic and political significanceIf implemented, the initiative would mark a major shift in Europe’s strategy toward Moscow, demonstrating greater readiness to assume political and financial risks. It would also significantly increase pressure on the Kremlin by directly tying Russia’s frozen assets to Ukraine’s reconstruction and defense.The European Commission (EC) hopes to secure a preliminary agreement on this mechanism during the October 23–24 summit, ensuring that the first tranche of funds could become available by late 2025 or early 2026.Resurgam notes that the United Kingdom, Germany, and France have already expressed principled support for the initiative, signaling growing consensus among Europe’s leading powers.Key obstaclesDespite the progress, several obstacles remain:Belgium does not oppose the plan outright but insists that the financial risks must be shared equally among all EU member states.Reactions from third countries represent another challenge. Some states that use the European banking system — particularly Arab nations — have previously threatened to withdraw their capital due to concerns that the precedent could endanger their own assets. Resurgam believes the Kremlin is actively exploiting these fears to undermine confidence in the euro and to pressure the European Central Bank (ECB) and the EU Council.Legal actions initiated by Russia pose additional difficulties. Moscow has already filed numerous lawsuits against Euroclear and Clearstream, seeking to block any use of frozen assets. Resurgam notes that Russian authorities are enlisting major legal firms to wage this campaign, hoping to delay or complicate EU decisions.Austria supports the idea of using frozen assets but opposes their allocation for military assistance, citing the country’s policy of neutrality.To address legal and financial risks, European lawyers are developing mechanisms to implement de facto confiscation without formal seizure. One proposed solution involves replacing the seized cash with state-backed guarantees or bonds, which would only be redeemed once Russia pays reparations.Resurgam concludes that if the initiative succeeds, Ukraine would secure a stable long-term source of financing while Europe would reinforce its credibility in confronting Moscow. Moreover, such a move would prevent the possibility of frozen assets being unfrozen or returned to Russia in the future, as they would effectively become debt obligations linked to reparations.

Reuters reported the information.North Korea has pledged to develop submarines capable of launching ballistic missiles and has test-fired them from submerged platforms, though it’s unclear if it has mastered such launches. It is also working on nuclear-powered submarines.Ahn told the parliament’s Defense Committee that it appeared true that North Korea was receiving “various technologies” for its submarine development. However, he said it was too early to conclude that Pyongyang had test-launched a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).“North Korea and Russia have dramatically upgraded military cooperation in the past two years, with Pyongyang deploying more than 10,000 troops to fight in the war against Ukraine in return for economic and military technology assistance, according to South Korean intelligence assessments,” the outlet concluded.

In a post on his social media page, the former Russian president warned that the transfer of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine could “end badly for everyone” and “first and foremost for Trump himself.”“It has been said a hundred times in a way that even the star-spangled uncle can understand that it is impossible to distinguish between nuclear and conventional Tomahawks in flight. They will be launched... by the U.S. itself. Read: Trump. How should Russia respond? Exactly,” Medvedev wrote.Medvedev concluded by expressing hope that Trump’s words were “another empty threat,” blaming them on “prolonged negotiations.”On Monday, October 6, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he has "sort of made a decision" regarding the supply of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. Putin's press secretary Peskov called this a "serious round of escalation."

This was reported by sources from Babel, RBC-Ukraine, and Hromadske.During the attack, the following facilities were hit:Feodosia Sea Oil Terminal — drones hit at least five tanks, causing a large-scale fire on the oil base territory.Kafa substation in Feodosia, which is part of the energy bridge between Russia and Crimea. As a result of the attack, power transformers, a distribution unit, the control room, and rooms with automatic protection systems were damaged.Simferopol substation — a series of powerful explosions occurred in this area.In September, Ukrainian unmanned aerial systems struck 66,500 Russian targets, while 18,159 Russian servicemen were killed or wounded.

The Russian-Ukrainian war has been going on for more than three and a half years. Putin cannot defeat Ukraine. If he could, he would have been in Kyiv long ago. But the absurdity of Russia’s continued war lies in the fact that the Russian dictator is not willing to lose to Ukraine, and therefore continues his uncompromising confrontation.The question remains unanswered. After all, we remember well what happens to criminals who lose their power when they are subsequently accused of war crimes.Moreover, in the event of his resignation, the all-powerful Putin understands that the political and economic elites of Russia will lay all the responsibility on him for the war in Ukraine, for the collapse of the Russian economy, and for the demographic catastrophe from which Russia will never recover. That is why he is stalling: he knows that the Kremlin insiders who now formally show him loyalty and political support would tear him to pieces if he fell.By begging for weapons from Russia’s political partners — China, North Korea, and Iran — the aggressor Putin plays the role of a militarist beggar who is unable to give up his aggression, yet at the same time lacks the capacity to sustain it on his own. The new axis of evil is consolidating its efforts, and for China, it is important that its vassal Putin acts within the geopolitical boundaries defined for Russia.Putin’s maniacal obsession with destroying Ukraine’s statehood has already led to the accession of new countries — Sweden and Finland — to the NATO bloc. Yet, while striving to conquer foreign lands, the Kremlin continues to turn a blind eye to the fact that Russia today faces a critical demographic deficit. Likewise, it ignores the fact that on China’s new 2025 map, numerous Russian territories are marked as part of the People’s Republic of China. And Russia remains silent about this Chinese map, which openly asserts claims to its territory.When analyzing Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Chinese factor in this conflict is often overlooked. It is also frequently ignored that twice, following the end of the Olympic Games — in 2014 and 2022 — Chinese leader Xi Jinping gave his approval for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. And if the People’s Republic of China were not assisting Russia, there might have been a chance for the Russian-Ukrainian war to end by late 2025 with Moscow’s defeat and the withdrawal of its troops from all Ukrainian territories. However, Beijing’s position on Ukraine consistently remains pro-Russian, and Xi Jinping himself is still convinced that the Russian Federation must prevail.As is well known, Putin is deeply afraid of sharing Muammar Gaddafi’s fate. It is already clear that he will cling to power until the very end, believing that by doing so he can postpone the fate of the Libyan dictator. Gaddafi, at one time, refused offers from several Arab countries to grant him political asylum — a decision that ultimately ended tragically for him.Now, judging by many developments in and around the Kremlin, it is becoming evident that the Russian dictator is beginning to lose control over the country whose power he usurped more than 25 years ago. And while the generals remain, for now, loyal to Putin, it cannot be ruled out that younger colonels may refuse to share with him the consequences of defeat in this war — and may finally decide to act preemptively.For most Russian elites, Putin has long ceased to be a symbol of stability and a guarantor of their material well-being. He has now become a problem for the political establishment, the military, and security forces. After all, someone will have to answer for all the crimes committed by Russia’s terrorist forces in Ukraine. Only those who, in one way or another, manage to remove the despot from power will have a chance to receive clemency - but they will still have to fight for that right.Putin’s recent behavior indicates that he intuitively understands the danger looming over him. Instead of continuing his rule in the Russian Federation, events could suddenly accelerate against him. This could happen when members of his closest circle - the so-called inner circle - finally decide that self-preservation comes first and that his remaining in the highest office in Russia poses a grave threat to them.In this case, the course of events closely resembles the situation with Nicolae Ceaușescu. When Romanian society erupted in protests, the tyrant’s accomplices decided to suppress the popular uprising by eliminating Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu. Clearly, such a scenario would be unacceptable to the usurper, and it is unlikely that he is prepared to see it through to the end.No matter what Russian propagandists broadcast on Putin’s TV screens, the top Kremlin officials are already beginning to realize that the regime’s agony is approaching, and they are no longer able to avert it. Yet, in order to delay taking responsibility for all their crimes as long as possible, they will continue their losing, bloody game, hoping - like their idol Hitler once did - for some miracle. But no such miracle is foreseen for them, and none will come.In such a critical situation for Russia, as it moves ever closer to collapse, Xi Jinping could, if he wished to prevent the ultimate downfall of Putin and his criminal cabal, put an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. But whether he will choose to do so is another question. The People’s Republic of China has already suffered significant economic losses from the Russian-Ukrainian war, and any expectation that Moscow could change the existing world order is entirely unfounded.Theoretically, many possible forms of Chinese assistance to Putin can be considered. One realistic option might be the very one Muammar Gaddafi failed to take advantage of — voluntarily relinquishing power and leaving his country.Beijing could, of course — after coordinating this with the United States and the European Union — offer political asylum in China to Putin and some members of his inner circle, setting aside a separate, closed territory for this purpose and settling all the Putinists together in one location.Most likely, such a closed territory should not be organized in Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong — those places might not be very safe for political refugees from the Russian Federation. However, it would be possible to allocate a closed site in an autonomous region in northern China — Inner Mongolia — and settle there Putin, Shoigu, Lavrov, Matviyenko, Patrushev, Naryshkin, Medvedev, Sobyanin, Gerasimov, Kudrin. And also Kiriyenko, Peskov, Volodin, Surkov, Bortnikov, Zolotov, Ivanov, Yuryev, Menshchikov, Minaev.And the main propagandists of the ideological front — Simonyan, Solovyov, Skabeeva, Popov, Sheynin and Kiselyov — will convince those exiles on domestic television that things aren’t so bad, since they could have been hanged, and here in China they feel completely safe.A bifurcation point is approaching. Analyzing the scattered information coming from Moscow, one can assume that Putin could lose his power even before the new year of 2026. Many facts indicate that a coup is being prepared in the Kremlin. Whether it will succeed, however, is another matter.However, if Xi Jinping does not want Putin to share the fate of Muammar Gaddafi or Nicolae Ceaușescu, he should offer him political asylum.In Beijing, it is often repeated that the Russian-Ukrainian war needs to be brought to an end. And the best option would be to take the Russian dictator to China. Otherwise, Putin will continue the war, believing that he has no other way out.The Chinese factor in Russia’s war in Ukraine is very powerful. Beijing should take the first step toward peace, because any attempt to preserve the regime of its long-time political vassal, Putin, is bound to fail.SourceAbout the author. Viktor Kaspruk, journalistThe editorial team does not always share the opinions expressed by blog authors.

Ukraine’s Air Forces reported the information.Chernihiv regionThe State Emergency Service reported that Russian troops launched a drone strike on the town of Semenivka, Novhorod-Siverskyi district, killing one person.“A Russian drone hit a store, causing a fire. All relevant emergency services are working on site,” the service said.Odesa regionOdesa Regional Military Administration head Oleh Kiper said that Russia attacked civilian infrastructure in the region overnight.“Despite active air defense work and the shooting down of Russian drones, there were hits on civilian facilities. A large fire broke out over an area of more than 5,000 sq. m., affecting several warehouse buildings storing fabrics, clothing, and packaging materials. Preliminary reports indicate one person was injured,” Kiper wrote.He added that work to eliminate the consequences of the attack is ongoing.Strike on SumyAround 10:40 p.m., a residential area in the city of Sumy was hit.“A non-residential building was damaged. About 100 windows were blown out in two nearby multi-story buildings. No injuries were reported. One woman experienced an acute stress reaction. People are receiving necessary assistance. Relevant services are working on site,” said Serhiy Kryvosheyenko, head of the Sumy City Military Administration.In the morning, the State Emergency Service reported that rescuers had extinguished the fire at the site of the Russian attack.

Ukraine’s General Staff reported the information.On October 12, the Russian forces carried out 91 airstrikes on the positions of Ukrainian units and settlements, dropping 215 guided bombs. In addition, it conducted 5,436 shelling attacks, including 83 with multiple launch rocket systems, and used 5,256 kamikaze drones for strikes.1 settlement in Dnipropetrovsk region; 3 settlements in Donetsk region; 2 settlements in Zaporizhzhia region; 1 settlement in Kherson region.Frontline updateIn the Sumy and Kursk directions, four battles took place over the past day. In the Kharkiv direction, there were 23 battles near Vovchansk, Novovasylivka, Kamianka, Zapadnyi, Kutkivka, and in the direction of Boholohivkai and Kolodiazne.In the Kupiansk direction, six Russian attacks took place over the past day. Ukrainian forces repelled the attacks near Kupiansk, Pishchane, Stepova Novoselivka, and Petropavlivka.In the Lyman direction, Russian troops attacked nine times, trying to advance near the settlements of Novomykhailivka, Drobysheve, Myrne, Zelenyi Hai, and Shandryholove.In the Sloviansk direction, over the past day, Russian forces carried out three attacks on the positions of the Ukrainian defenders near the settlements of Yampil, Serebrianka, and Vyimka.In the Kramatorsk direction, two combat clashes were recorded - the invading Russian forces attempted to advance in the direction of Stupochky.In the Kostiantynivka direction, Russian troops carried out 13 attacks near the settlements of Shcherbynivka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Pleshchiivka, Rusyn Yar, and Poltavka.In the Pokrovsk direction, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled 46 assaults near the settlements of Volodymyrivka, Shakhove, Nikanorivka, Novookonomichne, Rodynske, Myroliubivka, Promin, Lysivka, Pokrovsk, Udachne, Novoserhiivka, Kotliarivka, Horikhove, and Dachne.In the Oleksandrivka direction, Ukrainian forces repelled 24 attacks on Ukrainian positions near Ivanivka, Oleksandrohrad, Sosnivka, Sichneve, Vorone, Stepove, Verbove, Oleksiivka, and Novohryhorivka.In the Orikhiv direction, Russian troops carried out four assaults in the Stepove area and in the direction of Stepnohirsk and Prymorsk.In the Huliaipole and Prydniprovskyi directions, Russian troops did not conduct any offensive operations.Along the border with Belarus, no signs of enemy offensive groupings have been detected.

CNN reported the information.During the walk through the Knesset in Jerusalem, a reporter asked Donald Trump whether the war was “officially over.”“Yes,” Trump responded, reiterating his stance and previous comments that the ceasefire deal he helped broker marks a definitive end to the conflict.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not share this view, stating last night that the military campaign in Gaza is not over, and several points from Trump’s 20‑point peace plan remain unresolved.“Yet at least in his mind, Trump is clear that he believes there should be no more fighting,” the outlet added.On October 10, at 12 p.m., the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas came into effect.On Monday, October 13, the Hamas group began releasing Israeli hostages under the terms of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.