Prepared by Sofia Oliynyk, Maryana Zaviyska, Anna Dovha
Photo: Zelenskiy Official telegram channel
Cities under attack.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reported that since October 10, 30% of Ukraine’s power stations have been damaged, causing massive blackouts across the country. As a result of the attack on the energy sector of Ukraine on October 17, hundreds of settlements were cut off from electricity. Therefore, the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal called on Ukrainians to use electricity sparingly in order to stabilize the energy system.
Kyiv region. As a result of the Monday drone attack on Kyiv, 5 people were killed including a pregnant woman. The next day on October 18, the Russian military shelled the critical infrastructure facility of the city. Currently, the provision of electricity and water supply services is partially limited in many houses close to the place of the attack.
Kharkiv region. On October 17, the Russian invaders shelled the settlements located close to the border with Russia. As a result, 3 people were injured. On the morning of October 18, the Russian military launched 8 missile attacks from Belgorod on the city of Kharkiv.
Mykolaiv region. At night on October 17, as a result of the attack, the Russian invaders damaged oil containers of one of Ukraine’s leading exporters of sunflower oil. 17% of the global export of these products passed through this terminal in the city of Mykolaiv. Also, oil was leaking into the street next to the enterprise. On the same day, Russian invaders fired at villages located on the demarcation line. In addition, the agricultural enterprise of Bashtansk district was damaged due to the Russian shelling. At night on October 18, the Russian military launched missile attacks on Mykolaiv. As a result, a 2-story building was damaged where one person was killed. Also, in the central part of the city, multi-story residential buildings, a square, and nearby shopping pavilions were damaged. The Russian invaders shelled Bashtansk district of the region. As a result of the shelling, 4 private houses, a house of culture and a children’s playground were damaged.
Dnipropetrovsk region. On October 17, the Russian invaders launched a missile attack on the region. As a result, one missile hit the energy facility of the region. Also, private houses were damaged in the region. At night on October 18, the Russian military shelled Nikopol district. Due to the shelling, agricultural enterprises, power lines and a communication tower were damaged. 1000 families were left without electricity. In the morning, the Russian occupied attacked the energy facility of Dnipro. As a result, some areas of the Dnipro were cut off from electricity.
Foreign policy.
Ukraine recognized the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria as occupied by the Russian Federation and condemned the genocide of the Chechen people. The Parliament of Estonia adopted a Statement in which it condemned the annexation of the territories of Ukraine and declared Russia a terrorist regime.
Ukraine condemned Iran’s provision of weapons for waging a war of aggression in Ukraine and the killing of Ukrainian citizens, and called for an immediate end to the supply of any weapons to Russia. ‘Providing weapons to wage a war of aggression in Ukraine and kill Ukrainian citizens makes Iran complicit in the crime of aggression, war crimes and terrorist acts of Russia against Ukraine,’ is reported in the statement of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. At the same time, several European Union foreign ministers called for sanctions against Iran over the transfer of Iranian drones to Russia, Reuters reported. Meanwhile, Josep Borrell said that the European Union is looking for concrete evidence of any Iranian involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Human rights.
The UN Commission has found an array of war crimes, violations of human rights and international humanitarian law have been committed in Ukraine and reported it to the UN General Assembly. The Commission visited 27 towns and settlements and has interviewed 191 victims and witnesses. The UN Commission documented summary executions, unlawful confinement, torture, ill-treatment, unlawfully deportation, rape and other sexual violence committed in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kyiv, and Kharkiv regions occupied by Russian armed forces in February.
In the de-occupied territories of the Kharkiv region, Ukrainian law enforcement officers have already exhumed more than 600 bodies of dead civilians, Minister of Internal Affairs Denys Monastyrskyi reported.
Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross did not arrive at the border with the temporarily occupied territory, where the Ukrainian delegation was waiting for them. Before that, Ukraine appealed to the ICRC and announced its readiness to provide the trip.
On October 17, another prisoners of war exchange took place. 108 Ukrainian women were released from Russian captivity. Among those released were women illegally imprisoned even before the full-scale invasion.
Energy security.
Japan has announced its readiness to help with the restoration of critical infrastructure facilities of Ukraine damaged or destroyed by hostilities, in particular, by providing the necessary equipment and facilities.
After the Russian attacks on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine, the Minister of Energy of Ukraine Herman Halushchenko called for the protection of the sky above his energy facilities in Ukraine.
Economic security.
On October 17, the International Monetary Fund’s Ukraine mission began its work in Vienna. During the working meetings, the current state of Ukraine’s economy, macro forecasts, parameters of the state budget for 2023 and sources of covering its deficit will be considered.
Culture.
Ukraine asked UNESCO about the termination by international institutions of any cooperation with the museums of the Russian Federation. Also, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine has already appealed to UNESCO to record these attempts to evacuate Crimean museums.
Recent polls.
The Sociological Group ‘Rating’ conducted a survey among Ukrainian citizens as a part of the ‘Ukraine during the war’ project. The results show that 85% of those who were forced to leave the places of permanent residence express their intention to return home. Only 6% of respondents said they will not return home.
Statistics.
- General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the total estimated losses of the Russian military as of 10 a.m., October 19, 2022: personnel – around 66280, tanks ‒ 2554, APV ‒ 5235, artillery systems – 1637, MLRS – 372, anti-aircraft warfare systems – 189, fixed-wing aircraft – 269, helicopters – 242, operational-tactical level UAV – 1286, cruise missiles –323, boats and light speed boats – 16, soft-skinned vehicles and fuel tankers – 3999, special equipment – 146.
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