Ukraine Daily Summary - Sunday, October 8

Russian strike on funeral: Devastated village copes with aftermath of Russian strike on funeral -- Russia launches over 700 strikes on Kupiansk-Lyman axis in one day -- Ukraine, Japan start negotiations on bilateral security guarantees agreement -- Russia deploying 'all available' reserves north of Bakhmut -- and more

Sunday, October 8

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Freshly dug graves in the cemetery in the village of Hroza, Kharkiv Oblast, on October 7, 2023, two days after a Russian strike killed at least 50 people at a shop and cafe in an eastern Ukrainian village. (Photo by Sergey Book / AFP via Getty Images)

Military: Russia launches over 700 strikes on Kupiansk-Lyman axis in one day. Over the past day, Ukrainian forces have recorded 774 Russian strikes on the Kupiansk-Lyman direction of the front line in Kharkiv and Luhansk oblasts, Eastern Force Grouping spokesperson Illia Yevlash said.

Zelensky, world leaders condemn Hamas attack on Israel. President Volodymyr Zelensky and other world leaders have condemned Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault on Israel.

Russia claims missile attacks on Crimea. A missile attack hit Russian-occupied Crimea at around 18:00, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Oct. 7. The ministry later reported a second attack at 10 p.m. local time.

Envoy: Russia to withdraw from nuclear test ban treaty. Russia plans to reverse the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), Mikhail Ulyanov, the country’s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, said.

Russian media: Illegitimate United Russia party representative killed in car bomb in Kherson Oblast. Vladimir Malov, a member of Russia’s ruling United Russia party, was killed in a car bomb explosion in the city of Nova Kakhovka in Kherson Oblast, Russian state-run media RIA Novosti claimed.

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Ukraine, Japan start negotiations on bilateral security guarantees agreement. Ukraine and Japan have started the first round of negotiations on a bilateral agreement on security guarantees, Ukraine’s Presidential Office said.

Russia deploying ‘all available’ reserves north of Bakhmut. “The enemy continues to deploy counter-assault units in this direction to prevent us from advancing in our offensive,” said Ilya Yevlash, head of press services for Ukraine’s forces on the eastern front.

National Guard’s dogs awarded for ‘dedicated service.’ The National Guard of Ukraine’s 5th Separate Slobozhanska Brigade awarded their service dogs for helping protect the country amid war, the Interior Ministry said.

Shmyhal: More than 200 Ukrainian companies began developing drones. More than 200 Ukrainian companies began developing drones, growing domestic production by a hundredfold in a year, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.

Ukraine to provide housing for 2,400 veterans. “One of the main needs that veterans have now is housing. This year, 2,400 families will be provided with housing,” Veterans’ Affairs Minister Yuliia Laputina said.

Read our exclusives

‘Every family affected’: Devastated village copes with aftermath of Russian strike on funeral

A soldier on vacation who lives just across the street from the cafe was the first to witness the fire, screams, and bodies.

Photo: Alexander Khrebet

Learn more

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Human cost of war

Governor: 4 wounded in Russia’s overnight missile strike on Odesa Oblast. Four people were wounded in Russia’s overnight missile strike on southern Odesa Oblast, regional governor Oleh Kiper reported.

Zelensky: 1 Ukrainian possibly killed in Israel, search for 2 others underway. Information about the possible death of one Ukrainian citizen in Israel is “being verified,” and the search for two other citizens is underway, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram.

Governor: Russian strike on Kharkiv Oblast injures 2 people. Russian forces struck the village of Peresichne in Kharkiv Oblast with a rocket on Oct. 7, injuring a 66-year-old man and a 64-year-old woman, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

Governor: Russian cluster bomb attack kills 1, wounds 2 in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Russian forces launched a cluster bomb attack on southeastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast, killing a woman and wounding two people, regional governor Yurii Malashko reported.

General Staff: Russia has lost 281,700 troops in Ukraine. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Oct. 7 that Russia had lost 271,440 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24 last year.

International response

Biden may seek $100 billion aid package for Ukraine. The White House hopes that a “one-and-done” funding package will bypass the deadlock with congressional Republicans and free up enough aid for Ukraine to last until the 2024 presidential election.

In other news

Ukraine awards Global Teacher Prize to 5 educators. The prize recognizes outstanding educators in five separate categories, and has been granted to teachers in Ukraine since 2017. The winners receive a grant of one million hryvnias to devote to educational initiatives.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Asami Terajima, Toma Istomina, Lili Bivings, Nate Ostiller, Teah Pelechaty, Oleksiy Sorokin, Elsa Court, Oleksiy Sorokin, Dmytro Basmat, and Abbey Fenbert.

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