UAF – Ukrainian Forces
RF – Russian Forces
Summary of the Events
RF have made some progress towards capturing the strategic city of Bakhmut in the Donbas region. UAF continue their push on all three fronts moving closer to Svatove in Luhansk region and Nova Kakhovka in Kherson region. Russian President Vladimir Putin suffered a personal attack as the bridge he financed over the Kerch Straight connecting Russia with Crimea was attacked by a car bomb shutting down two lanes.
Sloboda Front (UAF)
Red Line – RF Defense Lines as of 22:00 on Wednesday, October 5. Circle around main UAF target
UAF continue to clean up and liberate towns and villages on the east side of the Oskil River after RF retreated last week. Advances were made towards Svatove with the liberation of Stelmakhivka, Pershotravneve, Makiyivka.
Siversky Donets Front (UAF)
RF launched an assault on Vyimka and Terny but were repulsed. RF did gain some ground towards Terny though.
Bakhmut Front (RF)
Blue Line – UAF Defense Line as of 22:00 on Wednesday, October 5
Fighting continues in Soledar and Bakhmutske. RF have nearly reached the outskirts of Bakhmut. Several settlements to the south of the city were captured – Vesela Dolyna, Zaitseve, Odradivka, and Mykolaivka Druha.
Donetsk Front (RF)
RF launched assaults towards nine settlements along the Donetsk line but were repulsed on all attacks but did manage to take the first row of houses in Pervomaiskyi.
Zaporizhia Front
No change on this front.
Russia launched a massive missile strike on the regional capital of Zaporizhia on Thursday which is under Ukrainian control but now claimed by Russia who annexed the whole region last week. Several high-rise apartment buildings were struck killing eleven people and injuring 21 others, including a child. Then another ten missiles struck on Sunday. Casualties for that attack have not yet been reported.
Kherson Front (UAF)
Red Line – RF Defense Line as of 22:00 on Wednesday, October 5
UAF liberated Tryfonivka as they continue to push the defense line south. Although UAF have managed to push 20 kilometers liberating 155 square miles of land since their counter-offensive started last week, primarily from the north and along the east bank of the Inhulets River, they have not threatened the main RF defenses. RF attempted to break out in the south from Kherson toward Mykolaiv but were not successful. The Russian strategy of holding on to Kherson at all costs, may prove to be a disaster for them if Ukraine continues to take territory and encircle the city.
Other Regions
Odesa – Iranian-supplied suicide drones are now having the impact on the war for which Russia had hoped. They launched nine such drones on Odesa on Friday, of which all of them were shot down before they could commence their attacks.
Other News
Leaks in the Nord Stream Oil Pipeline, connecting Russia to Europe, have caused this vital energy source to Europe to be shut down. Two of the leaks are in Swedish waters. Swedish officials have reported that their investigations point to sabotage as the two leaks were a result of an explosion detonated on the outside of the pipes.
The number of Russians who have fled their country to avoid conscription into the armed forces is more than the number of Russian soldiers engaged against Ukraine. Over 200,000 men have fled Russia these last two weeks, with the most crossing into Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Kyrgyzstan. This is in addition to the 400,000 that had already fled since the invasion commenced in February. All in all, 11 million Russians have fled Russia since President Vladimir Putin came to power.
A car bomb destroyed a section of two lanes of the Kerch Bridge that connects the Russian mainland with the Crimean Peninsula over the Kerch Straight. The attack occurred on Putin’s 70th birthday and was a personal attack as he sponsored the building of the bridge with his own money.
The general leading the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a person never identified, has been replaced by General Sergey Sorovikin who has been head of the Southern Forces who have had much success against Ukraine capturing half of Zaporizhia including Melitopol, half of Kherson including Kherson itself, and Mariupol.
International Support
Rafael Grossi, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), traveled to Kyiv on Thursday, the day after Russia declared they were taking over the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), to discuss with the Ukrainian government how to move forward to ensure the safety of the plant. On Friday, Grossi announced that the IAEA does not recognize the transfer of control of the ZNPP to Russia.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest U.S. aircraft carrier in the fleet, has deployed to the North Atlantic with an undisclosed number of ships because of the heightened tensions in the region created by Russia. They will begin training exercises with other allies’ fleets.
Samantha Power, the administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, arrived in Kyiv on Thursday, to meet with journalists, farmers, young entrepreneurs, and energy workers. She also announced a $55 million investment to help Ukraine through the coming winter.
France has set up a €100 million fund for Ukraine to purchase French weapons.