Prepared by Sofia Oliynyk, Maryana Zaviyska, Anna Dovha
Photo: Zelenskiy Official telegram channel
Cities under attack.
At night on October 27, Russian invaders again attacked the energy infrastructure of Ukraine. In order to prevent a complete power outage in the central region, restrictions on electricity consumption are introduced in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Cherkasy and Zhytomyr regions.
Donetsk region. At night on October 26, the Russian military launched a missile attack on the settlement of Druzhkivka. As a result, the college building was destroyed and high-rise buildings were damaged. No casualties were reported. On the same day, due to the shelling of Bakhmut, one person was killed, the technical school building burned down, and private houses were damaged. On october 27, the Russian military shelled Kramatorsk. As a result, non-residential premises and a former enterprise were damaged. Also, during the day, 4 people were killed and 9 people were injured in the region as a result of the shelling.
Mykolaiv region. On October 26, the Shevchenska community was under the fire of Russian invaders. Infrastructure of the community was damaged as a result of artillery strikes. At night on October 28, the Russian military shelled the city of Mykolaiv. As a result of the missile attack, a three-story administrative building was destroyed and a bakery and multi-story building located nearby was damaged, one person was injured.
Kharkiv region. On October 26 and 27, the Russian invaders shelled the populated areas of the region located close to the demarcation line and the border with the Russian Federation.
Dnipropetrovsk region. On the morning of October 26, the Russian military launched a missile attack on the city of Dnipro. As a result, 2 people were killed and 4 people were injured. Also, the Nikopol district was under fire where a power line was damaged. On October 27, the Russian invaders continued shelling the Nikopol district. In Nikopol, high-story buildings and power lines were damaged.
Cities under occupation.
At the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, self-proclaimed Russian authorities have announced the start of random ‘checks’ of the telephones of the local residents. The goal is to check if locals are subscribed to Ukrainian information channels. The occupants explain that the inspection is carried out in compliance with Vladimir Putin’s order regarding the introduction of the so-called martial law.
In the temporarily occupied Melitopol, the Russian administration announced the start of the “car registration” process. Local journalists say that under the guise of ‘registration’ property will be seized from citizens and businesses. In the temporarily occupied Berdyansk, the occupiers shut down three factories that refused to run production facilities at full capacity. Statements issued by occupation authorities claim that the factories were ‘nationalized’ and a “temporary administration” was introduced to them. In fact, the enterprises were confiscated by the occupiers and handed over to the Russians, due to the management’s refusal to cooperate with the enemy. Meanwhile, according to the draft law submitted to the State Duma, entrepreneurs in the temporary occupied territories must ‘register’ their business with the Russian tax office by December 31, 2023 in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and by July 1 in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. Otherwise, Russians threaten to engage in their favorite business – looting.
Meanwhile, occupants and collaborators continue looting, namely taking out the equipment and medicines from the Kherson regional oncological dispensary. As stated, Russians are taking away a step emitter that was used to treat patients. Also, the Russian invaders deport the children of tortured and killed Ukrainian activists from Kherson region to Crimea.
Human rights.
In the liberated territories of the Donetsk region, Ukrainian law enforcement officers discovered 268 bodies of Ukrainians killed by the Russians. In general, as a result of the search, about a thousand bodies of fallen heroes and civilians have already been exhumed on the liberated territories.
During the meeting of the Permanent Council of the OSCE, Ukraine’s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, Yevgeny Tsymbalyuk, stated that Russia’s actions during the full-scale invasion fall under the definition of the international crime of genocide. ‘Deliberate attacks on critical civilian infrastructure of Ukraine, forced deportation and adoption of Ukrainian children, sexual violence, torture, indiscriminate shelling, etc. — all actions of Russia fall under the definition of this crime,’ he said.
This week Ukraine returned ten more Ukrainian soldiers from Russian captivity, as well as a body of the American voluntary fighter, said the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. Since February 24, Ukraine held 28 prisoners of war exchanges, returning back 978 Ukrainian persons, including 99 civilians, from Russian captivity, says Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.
Russian Children’s Ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova adopted a child from Mariupol who was illegally deported to Russia. In general, 350 children from Donetsk and Luhansk regions have already been illegally adopted and resettled in 16 regions of Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine issued the statement on the illegal adoption of Ukrainian children in the Russian Federation. MFA initiates a case before the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine against the Russian citizen Lvova-Belova, whose actions are seen as signs of a criminal offense. MFA called international community to strongly condemn the ongoing crimes committed by Russia and its officials against children in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories.
Foreign policy.
The Senate of Poland adopted a resolution recognizing the Russian regime as terrorist. AIn addition, the Polish government plans to provide assistance to Ukraine in post-war reconstruction of damaged infrastructure, including airports.
Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida stated that Japan will provide Ukraine with heating equipment and other means of protection against the cold, and will also share the experience of reconstruction using the debris left after the bombings. He also promised that Japan will share with Ukraine its experience in sorting and reusing debris.
Zelenskyi held a meeting with the president of Guinea-Bissau. He became the first African leader to visit Ukraine after the beginning of the Russian invasion. The counterparts discussed further support to Ukraine, especially in regard of compensation mechanisms, establishment of the special tribunal and Ukrainian Crimea. The leaders also discussed in detail Ukraine’s efforts to overcome the global food crisis, in particular the export of Ukrainian food from Black Sea ports. Along with food security challenges facing, the president of Guinea-Bissau mentioned that ECOWAS states have other common challenges, in particular, the Wagner PMC. In addition, partes discussed the possibility of organizing the Ukraine-Africa summit.
Energy security.
On October 26, the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu held the calls with Indian and Chinese Defense Ministers where he shared concerns about the allegedpossible use of ‘dirty bomb’ by Ukraine. On the same day the President of Russia Vladimir Putin repeated Russia’s unsubstantiated warning that Ukraine was preparing to explode a so-called dirty bomb. In addition, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia published photos of a ‘dirty bomb’ allegedly made by Ukraine. However, it turned out that the photos were made in 2010 and show smoke detectors of the Slovenian Radioactive Waste Agency.
The International Atomic Energy Agency will hold safeguards visits is to detect any possible undeclared nuclear activities and materials related to the development of ‘dirty bombs’, previously declared by Russia. ‘These two energy facilities, which appear in the statements of the occupiers, are under IAEA guarantees. The last inspection of the agency was a month ago, the inspectors did not find any prohibited activities,’ said Oleg Korikov, acting head of the State Atomic Energy Regulatory Commission. Also, Britain’s Deputy U.N. Ambassador James Kariuki said in this regards: ‘this is pure Russian misinformation of the kind we have seen many times before and it should stop.’
Ukraine regularly provides the International Atomic Energy Agency with full information on any operation with nuclear materials, Chief State Inspector for Nuclear and Radiation Safety Oleg Korikov reported. Thus, Ukraine fulfills its obligations in accordance with the Agreement on Nonproliferation Guarantees and the Additional Protocol to this agreement.
Russia notified the US about its annual nuclear ‘Grom’ exercise that includes launches of nuclear capable missiles on October 26. Russian strategic missile forces conducted training on the task of a massive nuclear strike ‘in response to an enemy nuclear strike’. The exercises are also taking place against the background of the Russian Federation’s statements about alleged preparations for the use of a ‘dirty bomb’ by Ukraine.
The German government believes that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is unusable after damage caused by sabotage in the North Sea, as both pipelines are not ready for gas transfer. In contrary, Russian president claims that the gas supply can be renewed via undamaged of part of the pipeline.
Food security.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to use the possible extension of the U.N.-brokered Black Sea grain deal as a way to gain leverage and dominate next month’s G20 summit in Indonesia, according to Reuters.
Sanctions.
According to the Wall Street Journal investigation, Russian oligarchs, who are under Western sanctions, have been able to siphon off hundreds of billions of dollars and hide Western investments through a network of offshore companies on the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea. Among the ones, who benefited from sanctions evasion — relatives of Andrei Skoch, a member of Russia’s parliament, Sergei Chemezov, a former KGB associate of Mr. Putin whose companies sell arms to the Russian military, and Dmitry Peskov, Mr. Putin’s spokesman, as well as Kremlin-backed VTB Bank, which is often involved in major government deals, says the article.
Mental health.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 650000 people have consulted psychologists and psychiatrists in the healthcare system of Ukraine, Minister of Health Viktor Lyashko said.
Recent polls.
Recent poll regarding mental health and attitude of Ukrainians regard mental healthcare show that a full-scale war with Russia is the main cause of stress and nervousness, mentioned by 72% respondents. Another 44% are worried about financial difficulties, 30% about the socio-political situation in the country, 25% about the state of their own health and unemployment, and 23% about labor issues and the high level of inflation in Ukraine. Among the aspects of the war that cause concern among Ukrainians are the safety of loved ones (63%); loss of source of income / job (42%); risk of property loss (37%); risk of dying during hostilities (37%); separation from relatives, family (32%).
Reading list.
- Abandoned Russian base holds secrets of retreat in Ukraine (reuters.com) – investigation report from the bunker abandoned by Russia during September liberation offensive held by Ukrainian forces. The report displays findings both from official documents, as well as personal diaries of the Russian soldiers based in Balaklita bunker.
Statistics.
- General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the total estimated losses of the Russian military as of 10 a.m., October 28, 2022: personnel – around 69700, tanks ‒ 2640, APV ‒ 5378, artillery systems – 1698, MLRS – 379, anti-aircraft warfare systems – 192, fixed-wing aircraft – 271, helicopters – 251, operational-tactical level UAV – 1401, cruise missiles – 351, boats and light speed boats – 16, soft-skinned vehicles and fuel tankers – 4088, special equipment – 151.
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