Ukraine Daily Summary - Monday, October 10

Explosions reported in Kyiv -- 'Missile terror' in Zaporizhzhia shows Ukraine needs more air defense systems -- Putin again tries to drag Belarus into open war against Ukraine -- Transit via Crimean Bridge 'seriously degraded' -- and more

Ukraine Daily

Monday, October 10

Russia’s war against Ukraine

KI-Inline_10-10-22

Russian attacks left 14 dead and 70 injured in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Oct. 09, 2022. (Photo by Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Explosions reported in Kyiv. At least four explosions were heard around the city center early in the morning on Oct. 10. Smoke was reported to be seen rising from one spot in the city center. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed on Telegram that there had been multiple explosions and that emergency services were on site. According to preliminary information, people were killed and injured in the attacks.

Several explosions from incoming missiles reported in Dnipro. Local Telegram channels report that smoke was rising at one site in the city early in the morning on Oct. 10. Explosions in cities all across Ukraine were also reported.

Governor: Russia attacks Zaporizhzhia again overnight. Zaporizhzhia Oblast Governor Oleksandr Starukh wrote on Telegram overnight on Oct. 10 that Russian forces had once again struck the city of Zaporizhzhia, saying there had been “around 10 strikes.” The governor later reported that part of an apartment building had been completely destroyed.

Russia has intensified attacks on Zaporizhzhia after claiming to have annexed Zaporizhzhia Oblast, along with three other partially occupied Ukrainian regions. Russia launched 12 airstrikes on Zaporizhzhia overnight on Oct. 9, killing 14 people and injuring 70, including 14 children. On Oct. 6, Russian forces also struck the city with missiles, killing 19 people.

Kuleba: ‘Missile terror’ in Zaporizhzhia shows Ukraine needs more air defense systems. After Russia had launched multiple airstrikes on Zaporizhzhia overnight, killing 12 and wounding at least 49 civilians, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Ukraine “urgently needs more modern air and missile defense systems to save innocent lives.”

Mayor: Enerhodar in Zaporizhzhia Oblast left without electricity, gas for 3 days. For three days, residents of Enerhodar have been living without electricity and gas, according to the city mayor, Dmytro Orlov. “Yesterday in the evening, some locals used open fires next to their houses to cook food or (boil water),” Orlov said. Constant shelling prevents utility service workers from restoring electricity and gas supply, he said, warning locals to stay cautious when collecting firewood in the areas where there can be landmines.

IAEA: Power restored to Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Engineers restored external power to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on Oct. 9, a day after the facility lost connection to its last remaining operating power line due to shelling that forced the plant to switch on its emergency generators, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement.

Governor names 7 villages liberated by Ukraine’s military in Luhansk Oblast. Ukraine’s Armed Forces liberated Novoliubivka, Nevske, Hrekivka, Novoiehorivka, Nadiia, Andriivka, and Stelmakhivka villages, according to Luhansk Oblast Governor Serhiy Haidai. “Right now, Ukraine fully controls these seven settlements,” he said.

Ukrainian intelligence: Putin again tries to drag Belarus into open war against Ukraine. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin frequently meets with Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko and tries to convince him to fully join Russia in its war against Ukraine, said Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of Ukraine’s military intelligence. According to Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, six Belarusian battalions (about 6,000 men) are stationed near the border with Ukraine.

Media: Putin blames Ukrainian special services for Crimean Bridge explosion. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin called the explosion a “terrorist attack aimed at destroying Russia’s critically important infrastructure,” as quoted by TASS, a Russian state news agency. The explosion took place on Oct. 8 at the Crimean Bridge, which connects occupied Crimea with Russia via the Kerch Strait.

Putin to hold security council meeting after calling Crimean Bridge blast ’terrorism.’ Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti that the meeting would take place on Oct. 10.

UK intelligence: Transit via Crimean Bridge ‘seriously degraded.’ The U.K. Defense Ministry said on Oct. 9 that two of the four roadway lanes collapsed in several places. The Ministry added that extent of the damage on the bridge’s rail crossing is unclear, but “any serious disruption to its capacity will highly likely have a significant impact on Russia’s already strained ability to sustain its forces in southern Ukraine.”

Ukraine war latest: Putin accuses ‘Ukrainian intelligence’ of damaging Crimean Bridge. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of blowing up the Crimean Bridge, a day after the attack. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s counteroffensive continued on multiple fronts over the weekend.

Photo: AFP via Getty Images

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The human cost of Russia’s war

Officials: 5 killed by Russian strike on civilian convoy in Kherson Oblast. A Russian plane fired at a civilian convoy in Darivka, Kherson Oblast, killing at least five people and wounding five more, Andrii Kovany, spokesman of the Kherson Oblast police department, told Suspilne. People were just sitting in their cars near the Darivskyi Bridge, waiting for a ferry, according to ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.

Russian forces strike Sumy Oblast 70 times, 1 woman killed. Russian forces struck several communities in Sumy Oblast on Oct. 9 with various weapons, damaging the building of an agricultural company in one village, Sumy Oblast Governor Dmytro Zhyvytskyi reported. One woman was killed in the Myropil community as a result of the attacks, Zhyvytskyi said.

Official: Russian drone kills civilian in Sumy Oblast. A Russian drone killed a civilian next to a grocery store in Myropillia, Sumy Oblast, according to Deputy Head of the President’s Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko. “Terrorists, monsters, and killers – this is what the world should think about Russians,” Tymoshenko said on Oct. 9.

General Staff: Russia has lost 62,500 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24. Ukraine’s General Staff reported on Oct. 9 that Russia had also lost 2,486 tanks, 5,133 armored fighting vehicles, 3,890 vehicles and fuel tanks, 1,477 artillery systems, 348 multiple launch rocket systems, 180 air defense systems, 266 airplanes, 235 helicopters, 1,086 drones, and 15 boats.

International response

Scholz, Biden say Russia’s nuclear threats ‘irresponsible.’ U.S. President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned Russia’s illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory during a phone call on Oct. 9, according to the White House. The German government said in its statement that the leaders criticized the Kremlin’s latest nuclear threats and agreed that a nuclear strike would have dire consequences for Russia.

EU leaders condemn Oct. 9 Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia. Estonian President Alar Karis said it is not just a war, but “a crime against humanity, the organizer of which will be punished.“ Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde stressed that Russia’s “blatant disregard” for civilian lives puts the issue of accountability front and center. Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry called for providing further support to Ukraine to enable it to defend itself as Russia continues its terror. At least 13 people were killed, and 89 people, including 11 children, were injured in the attack on Oct. 9.

Milliyet: Turkey seeks to broker talks between Russia and 4 Western countries. According to Turkish pro-government newspaper Milliyet, Istanbul requested the U.S., France, Germany, and the U.K. to hold negotiations with Russia, and “influential figures” in Washington have already reacted positively to the plan, according to the newspaper. No official comments were made regarding the issue.

Slovak Minister: Another batch of Zuzana 2 self-propelled howitzers delivered to Ukraine. Slovakian Defense Minister Jaro Nad said that Bratislava had delivered two Zuzana 2 howitzers, and more will be coming soon. “To mark (Vladimir Putin’s) 70th birthday, we delivered yet another gift,” Nad wrote on Twitter.

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