According to Russia, a drone from Ukraine struck a site where nuclear waste is stored.
Russia accused Ukraine of damaging a nuclear waste storage warehouse in a drone attack on the Kursk nuclear power plant and claimed its air defenses shot down eight Ukrainian drones.
On Saturday, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that three drones carrying explosives were used to attack the power plant on Thursday night. The drones hit the administrative building and a storage facility for nuclear waste. The press office for the Kursk nuclear power plant confirmed the attack on Friday, but assured reporters that there was minimal damage and no injuries, and that operations were still ongoing.
The conflict in the eastern region of Ukraine, specifically in the city of Avdiivka, has persisted with high intensity.
The Ukrainian air force announced that they successfully eliminated three out of four Iskander cruise missiles in the Dnipropetrovsk region on Saturday night.
There were few recorded aerial assaults over the weekend after a series of intense battles near Avdiivka for the past few weeks. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov informed his American counterpart Lloyd Austin on Saturday that Russia suffered approximately 4,000 casualties in Avdiivka, according to the Defense Ministry in Kyiv.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also mentioned on Friday that Russia suffered significant losses in their attempt to seize Avdiivka. The city’s strategic location allows Ukrainian troops to have an advantage in artillery over Donetsk, and it could serve as a starting point for reclaiming the rest of the area.
The cost for Avdiivka is expensive.
Experts report that the ongoing conflicts in the area have been financially burdensome, particularly for Russian soldiers.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, the attempt to seize control of Avdiivka has had negative consequences for the Kremlin’s military. This action resulted in the loss of soldiers and valuable equipment, which could potentially weaken Russian offensive capabilities in the future. The assessment was released on Thursday.
According to the institute, satellite images indicate that the Russian military has lost a minimum of 109 military vehicles, mainly comprising of armored fighting vehicles and tanks, in the vicinity of Avdiivika from October 10 to 20.
According to a report from the British Defense Ministry, Russia has most likely deployed up to eight brigades in the ongoing conflict in Avdiivka as part of their invasion of Ukraine. This information was stated on Saturday in an intelligence report.
The ministry stated that Russian fighters have potentially experienced some of the highest rates of casualties this year as they increase their assaults on the strategically significant region.
According to the update, although Russian political figures desire to take control of more of Ukraine’s land, the Russian military is unable to carry out successful offensive operations at the operational level.
Attendees gathered for a group photo at the recent conference held by Ukraine in St Julian’s, Malta on October 28, 2023 to discuss their proposed plan for achieving peace with Russia.
Winter campaign
The White House reported that Russian forces are facing morale issues as they prepare for another winter campaign.
During a press conference on Thursday, John Kirby, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, stated that there is evidence of the Russian military carrying out executions of soldiers who refuse to comply with orders.
Kirby stated that there is evidence of Russian leaders threatening to punish entire units if they attempt to withdraw from Ukrainian artillery attacks. He condemned this action as “barbaric.”
Russian diplomats rejected the reports, labeling them as false on Friday.
The Russian Embassy in Washington stated through the RIA Novosti news agency that only someone with an extremely active imagination could have fabricated such unbelievable falsehoods.
On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy inspected the preparedness and availability of bomb shelters in Ukraine. In his daily address, he announced that a thorough examination of all the shelters in the country had been carried out.
He mentioned the existence of a website where individuals can access information about shelters nationwide and track the status of shelter-related projects.
Zelenskyy stated that many areas are placing a greater emphasis on matters related to shelter.
A coworker places a commemorative photo at the burial site of Oleksandr Hrianyk, a Ukrainian soldier who passed away in combat in May 2022 in Mariupol. His remains were recently discovered and identified, and he was cremated in Kyiv on October 28, 2023.
On Thursday night, Oleg Tsaryov, a Ukrainian businessman with pro-Russian views, was shot twice and suffered serious injuries in Russian-annexed Crimea where he resides. This information was confirmed by both his family and Russian authorities on Friday.
The highest investigative agency in Russia has initiated a criminal investigation into the assassination attempt on an individual, which is the most recent in a string of assaults on various well-known figures who support Moscow since the beginning of the war.
Vladimir Tsaryov, a former Ukrainian lawmaker with pro-Russian beliefs, was discovered injured and unresponsive in southern Ukraine. According to Vladimir Rogov, an official appointed by Russia, Tsaryov is currently receiving intensive medical care. Reuters has reported that sources in Moscow claim Tsaryov was being considered to lead a controlled government in Kyiv if Russia were to successfully occupy the city.
According to a source within the Ukrainian intelligence agency, the SBU (Security Service of Ukraine) carried out a targeted operation to shoot Tsaryov on Friday. No official statement has been released by Ukrainian intelligence at this time.
This report contains information from The Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse.
Source: voanews.com
