UAF – Ukrainian Forces
RF – Russian Forces
Summary of the Events
UAF continue their slow advance towards Svatove in the north and Kherson in the south. RF continue their priority in taking Bakhmut by occupying Zaitseve to the south.
Sloboda Front (UAF)
Red line was RF line a week ago. Blue arrows are UAF offensives this last week
UAF spent most of the last week securing the territories they had liberated from Russian occupation. UAF liberated Kiselivka and reached the outskirts of Kovalivka, Karmazynivka, Novodyane pushing RF across the Zherebets River.
Siversky Donets Front (UAF)
Red line was the Russian line a week ago
UAF liberated Zolotarivka gaining ground closer to retaking Lysychansk. RF attempted to take Zolotarivka back, but were unsuccessful.
Bakhmut Front (RF)
RF made some progress on their push towards Bakhmut by taking the southern community of Zaitseve. Fighting continues over Soledar and Bakhmutske. RF unsuccessfully attempted to break through UAF lines at Yakovlivka, Ivanhrad, Opytne, and Odradivka.
Blue line was UAF defense line a week ago
Donetsk Front (RF)
RF greatly increased their forces to take Marinka, but UAF held their ground. Other unsuccessful attacks by RF against UAF were in the vicinity of Avdiivka, Nevelske, Pervomaiskyi, and Novomykhailivka.
Zaporizhia Front
No changes or attacks along this line.
Kherson Front (UAF)
Ukraine continues a cloud of secrecy, so we do not know the progress UAF have made in liberating the Kherson region. But we do know that RF have begun retreating from the region over the Dnipro River suggesting UAF are routing them. RF have mined the dam at Nova Kakhovka. It is believed that they will retreat from the western side of the Dnipro River and blow up the dam to cover their escape by not allowing UAF to follow. Russia has also begun evacuating civilians from Kherson as that city will certainly be under water.
Other News
A Russian military training base near Belgorod was attacked on Saturday, October 15, by citizens of a country within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The CIS is made up of countries once united under the Soviet Union. Russia did not reveal which CIS country the attackers came from, but Ukraine is not a member of the CIS. Eleven Russian recruits were killed in the attack.
Kyiv restored their power grid a week after Russia conducted a massive attack cutting off a third of the city from electricity. It showed how useless and temporary the impact was in bringing Ukraine down to its knees. Russia responded last Monday by launching dozens of kamikaze drones supplied by Iran against the center of Kyiv killing 8 people and injuring dozens of others. Drones, missiles, and air strikes were also conducted against energy sectors in Zaporizhia, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, and Vinnitsa regions knocking out 30% of Ukraine’s energy production. UAF were able to shoot down 85% of the drones before they attacked.
Dozens of Russian criminals who were released from prison and pardoned in exchange for serving in the RF against Ukraine, have already deserted their posts and a crime spree has erupted in Moscow.
Two high ranking members of the Russian government have defected to France and are providing critical information for Ukraine.
Russia’s stockpiles of missiles are running very low, but they are about to be replenished with missiles from Iran. Iranian specialists have also arrived in Crimea to train RF in the use of their drones. The EU and UK have imposed sanctions against Iran, but the US continues its drive to lower sanctions on Iran in hopes they will voluntarily shut down their nuclear weapons program.
Ukraine and Russia swapped 108 female soldiers last Monday in the first all-female prisoner exchange.
President Putin declared martial law on Wednesday in the occupied regions of Ukraine. Partisan attacks are increasing as RF are trying to withdraw from western Kherson region.
Russia launched another large missile, air strike, and drone attack on Saturday. This time they targeted mostly western cities mostly left unscathed in this war so far. The attacks were against the energy grid of Ukraine striking Odesa, Khmelnitsky, Rivne, and Volyn regions.
International Support
Last week Elon Musk had threatened to cut off Ukraine’s access to their Starlink satellite system as it was costing them too much. They had requested that the US Pentagon reimburse them their costs, but Musk’s bluff was called, and he relented and said he would continue to pay the expenses of allowing Ukraine to use his satellites. These satellites are crucial to Ukraine’s success against Russia as they have no other way to see behind Russia’s defense lines.
France became the latest European country to agree to supply Ukraine with an air defense system and to train 2000 Ukrainian soldiers within their country.
The World Bank raised funds from donors to provide Ukraine with $13 billion in assistance.