Eighth month of heroic resistance of Ukraine against Russian military invasion

Key updates on the war against Ukraine as of October 21, 2022

#RussiaIsATerroristState #ArmUkraineNow

DESTRUCTION AND LOSSES

📌 More than 1,246 children were affected by the Russian armed aggression in Ukraine. 429 children were killed, and another 817 were wounded.

📌According to the US State Department, since February 24, 260,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly removed from Ukraine to remote regions of Russia.

State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said that they are aware of numerous facts of how Russian invaders deliberately separate Ukrainian children from their parents and kidnap children from orphanages, and then give them up for adoption in Russia.

“Various sources, including the Russian government, indicate that the Russian authorities have evicted 260,000 children from [Ukraine] to Russia, often to remote areas of the Far East,” Patel said.

📌Since October 10, Russia has launched about 300 strikes on the energy system of Ukraine — Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko.

📌 Between October 7 and 18, Russia carried out about 190 massive strikes with missiles, kamikaze drones, and artillery. More than 70 people were killed, more than 240 were wounded, and more than 380 objects were damaged. These are more than 140 private and multi-residential buildings.

📌 On the morning of October 18, the Russian invaders again began a massive shelling of Ukrainian cities. It is known that in the morning in Zhytomyr a hit on a power facility was recorded, at present, there is no electricity and no water in the city. Energy facilities in Kyiv and Dnipro also suffered. Currently, the relevant services are working at the site of all hits. Details on the extent of damage and casualties are not yet available.

📌On September 17, 26 Shahed-136 kamikaze drones were destroyed in the south of Ukraine overnight.

📌As a result of morning strikes on October 17, 585 settlements were left without electricity. Where possible, units of the State Emergencies Service bring mobile power plants to supply electricity to the population — First Deputy Interior Minister of Ukraine Yevhenii Yenin.

📌KYIV REGION:

• On October 17, as a result of the shelling of a residential building in Kyiv, 16 families lost their apartments, the building is beyond restoration. 

During search and rescue operations, the bodies of 4 dead civilians were recovered. Among them was a young couple, a husband and wife, who were expecting a child. The woman was 6 months pregnant.

A total of 28 drones were launched at Kyiv; only five reached the capital, and all the rest were shot down.

📌 ZAPORIZHZHIA REGION:

• On the night of October 16, the invaders destroyed two schools in the Polohy district. Two rockets hit a school in the village of Vozdvyzhivka. Rocket strikes also destroyed an educational institution in the village of Dobropillia. 

• On October 19, Russians shelled Enerhodar throughout the night. The city was partial without electricity and water.
• As of October 20, Russians destroyed another school in the village of Komyshuvakha.

 📌DNIPROPETROVSK REGION:

• More than 40 Russian shells flew at Nikopol on October 16. A 47-year-old man was wounded. Several fires started as a result of the shelling. The firemen have already extinguished them. Almost 30 multi-story and private houses, an industrial enterprise, cars, several gas pipelines, and power lines were damaged in the city. More than 1,500 families were left without electricity. Energy companies are already working.

• The Russians shelled the Kryvyi Rih and Nikopol districts all night on October 19. The energy infrastructure in the Kryvyi Rih district suffered serious destruction.

The occupants shelled the Nikopol district with Grad and Uragan multiple rocket launchers, as well as heavy artillery. No one was hurt, but residential buildings were damaged.

📌MYKOLAIV REGION:

• On October 17, Russian invaders hit tanks with oil in Mykolaiv. As a result of the impact, two sunflower oil tanks, each containing about 7,500 tons of oil, were damaged.
• On the night of October 18, the Russian invaders fired at Mykolaiv with missiles. The attack took place in a two-story building. The body of a man was found under the rubble, and search and rescue operations continue. 
• The enemy attacked the Mykolaiv region with “Shahed-136” kamikaze drones at night from October 18 to 19. Air defence forces and the National Guard shot down 13 drones.

📌KHARKIV REGION:

• Russian troops attacked Kharkiv on the morning of October 21, with explosions ringing out in the city after an air-raid siren was sounded. 6 people had been injured. There is damage to industrial infrastructure in the Kyiv district in Kharkiv.

📌 KHERSON REGION:

• On October 19, The occupation authorities of the Kherson region announced that all of its “departments” were leaving Kherson and moving to the left bank of the region. Civilians are also being evacuated from the city. Volodymyr Saldo, a Gauleiter from Kherson, reported that entry to the Kherson region would be completely closed for a week.
• Russians transfer mobilized to the Kherson region and take out their doctors and teachers from the region. 2000 mobilized sent to the temporarily occupied territories. According to information available at the General Staff, the occupying “authorities” also ordered the evacuation of the so-called “banking institutions.” In addition, lists of Russian medical workers and teachers brought to the region have been prepared, and the work of humanitarian facilities in Kherson has been stopped.

📌On October 19, a Russian missile hit the Burshtynska TPP. A fire broke out on the spot. Now rescuers are working there.

📌National Police: The bodies of 152 civilians and 35 military personnel were exhumed in the de-occupied Lyman, Donetsk region. About 40 burials remain unexamined, which are difficult to access.

A preliminary review of exhumed bodies in Lyman showed that people died due to blast wounds. However, law enforcement officers are also aware of cases of death by violence. An examination is now underway.

📌The head of the Madagascar Foreign Ministry was fired for supporting a UN resolution condemning the annexation of four regions of Ukraine by Russia.

President Andry Rajoelina said Minister Richard Randriamandrato should have maintained traditional neutrality and abstained during the October 12 vote.

RUSSIAN AND BELARUSIAN CONTEXT 

⚠️ Russia was able to mobilize up to 200,000 people out of a declared 300,000, — Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar.

According to her, the recruitment of the 107th and the formation of the 24th regular and reserve regiments and battalions with a total number of about 146 thousand people continue in the Russian Federation.

⚠️Russians transferred S-300 air defence systems and a large number of military personnel from Syria to Ukraine, — The New York Times. According to sources, two battalions (between 1,200 and 1,600 troops) were withdrawn from Syria.

⚠️Russia has concentrated up to 45 battalion tactical groups to deter the offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kherson direction, said Brigadier General Oleksiy Gromov, Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

⚠️A Russian aircraft fired a missile near an unarmed British plane that was patrolling international airspace over the Black Sea on September 29, British Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace

⚠️The New York Times: The Russians have moved S-300 air defence systems and a large number of troops from Syria to Ukraine.

⚠️Russian forces are setting information conditions to conduct a false-flag attack on the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant to justify or cover their retreat in the Kherson region — Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

⚠️On October 19, Putin had a meeting of the Security Council of the Russian Federation and announced the introduction of martial law in the “LDPR” and the occupied Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. He added that the so-called “heads” of the regions will be given additional security powers.

⚠️The Russian army has many problems with the military leadership at different levels, and it affects both the effectiveness of Russian forces and their morale — British Intelligence.

⚠️About nine thousand Russian soldiers will be stationed in Belarus. The Russian soldiers started to arrive in Belarus. About nine thousand Russians are expected, reports Valeriy Revenko, Deputy Defense Minister of Belarus.

DEFENSE UPDATES

📌As of October 20, 544 settlements have already been liberated in the Kharkiv region. 32 remain under temporary occupation.

“This is a little less than 2%. We have a very large amount of work ahead of us to restore the functioning of state power in these territories,” said the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Syniehubov.

📌As of October 19, the Armed Forces of Ukraine has already destroyed 223 Shahed-136 kamikaze drones.

📌”Ukrainians are not afraid of anything, that is why I am not afraid of anything either. Because I’ve seen things like this before…”

These are the words of 9-year-old Askold, who liked to play on the playground in the Taras Shevchenko Park in the centre of Kyiv. Now there is the crater from the rocket attacks on September 10 in the site of his favourite swing.

📌 Estimated losses of the Russian Federation Army in Ukraine:

📌  Ukrainian forces shot down 85% of the Iranian drones that Russia used to attack Ukraine from the evening of October 16 to the morning of October 17 — Yurii Ihnat, a spokesperson of the Ukrainian Air Force.

“They are shot down by all available means. At night, these are means that have radar systems: we are talking about anti-aircraft missile systems and military aviation. The target is not as difficult as previously feared. And with the arrival of additional means of air defence equipment, the number of downed drones will only increase,” said Ihnat.

📌Ukraine has returned 108 women from Russian captivity. 37 of them are from the Azovstal plant, there are also officers, privates and sergeants. Some of them were captured before the full-scale invasion.

📌Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has lost 6,000 pieces of equipment and is using ammunition on a scale that it will not be able to compensate for because of the West’s sanctions — U.S. government report.

📌UN, Turkey, and Ukraine as the parties to the initiative expressed their readiness to extend the agreement. The parties are convinced that currently there are no doubts that the “grain corridor” operation will resume after November 22.

“Already 7.7 million tons of agrarian product have been exported since the start of the initiative, which helped to stabilize food prices and combat the global hunger threat.”

📌 The EU Council has approved sanctions against Iran for supplying Russia with drones for strikes against Ukraine.

📌 Ukraine and Switzerland signed a Memorandum of Partnership in the field of digital transformation, – President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said.

PUBLIC AND INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT OF UKRAINE

📌 Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic Jana Černochová announced a new military aid package for Ukraine

“We keep our word and continue to support Ukraine with military supplies. At the meeting of the Government, I continue to submit for approval the military equipment that we can provide. Two weeks ago by almost 400 and today by 22 million crowns,” she wrote and apologized that she could not be more specific.

📌  The European Commissioner in Kyiv announced a program to support Ukrainians in the winter, the press service of the European Commission reports. It was specified that the EU will help allocate 62.3 million euros for the preparation of temporary accommodation centres and provide them with everything necessary

📌EU ambassadors approved sanctions against Iran due to Russia’s use of its drones for attacks on Ukraine, Interfax-Ukraine reports citing a European diplomat.

📌 The courageous people of Ukraine received the award “For Freedom of Thought” named after Academician Sakharov from the European Parliament.

📌Germany handed over another batch of military aid to Ukraine. Armoured engineer vehicles, 35 load-handling trucks, and 4,000 sleeping bags were provided.

📌 European partners allocated a tranche of €2 billion to Ukraine. According to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, the funds will be used to cover expenses in the social and humanitarian spheres.

📌Athens will transfer Soviet BMP-1s to Ukraine as a result of receiving the German BMP Marder – Euractiv. The agreement was agreed on 16 September. In total, within its framework, Greece will send 40 BMP-1s to Ukraine.

📌Ukraine received a military aid package from Italy. This package will strengthen the country’s defence capability. While the details of the assistance are not disclosed.

📌Canada has imposed sanctions against Russian propagandists and the TV channel “Zvezda” — a statement from the government. 34 individuals and one legal entity were included in the sanctions list. The list includes Russian actors, Putin’s assistant Medinsky and others.

📌 The European Union is increasing military assistance to Ukraine to €3.1 billion and launching the EU military training mission for the Ukrainian military. 

📌EU foreign ministers have approved the decision to set up a military training mission for Ukraine, which should train up to 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers. The mission is due to start work in mid-November.

📌 France will supply Ukraine with Crotale air-defence systems, says French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecorne. They will be especially useful in the fight against drones and air bombing.

📌 About 2,000 servicemen from Ukraine will soon be trained in France – Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu.

“French President Emmanuel Macron has approved a training plan that will allow the deployment of up to 2,000 Ukrainian troops in the country. They will be assigned to our units for several weeks,” Lecornu said.

📌 Another outcome of the Ramstein 6 meeting is a $725 million US security aid package. These weapons and ammunition will support fighters on the ground and in the sky, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said

📌 The Netherlands has joined the INTERFLEX initiative to train Ukrainian military personnel in the UK, said the head of the Dutch Ministry of Defense, Kaisa Ollongren

“The main aspects of the military support of the Netherlands: the supply of weapons systems, the training of the Ukrainian military, and the provision of food.“

📌  Germany has provided Ukraine with 16 Biber tank bridge builders, the German government said.

📌 Saudi Arabia will allocate $400 million for humanitarian aid to Ukrainians — the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

📌 Norway intends to spend up to NOK 210 million of the money that is being donated to the British-led «International Fund for Ukraine» in order to purchase artillery ammunition for Ukraine.

📌 The United States will supply Ukraine with several NASAMS units as early as this month — Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov.

📌 He also added that Germany would provide Ukraine with the IRIS-T air defence system in October; our fighters are already completing their training.

📌 US congressmen intend to adopt a law on assistance to Ukraine up to $50 billion by January, this amount “should be enough for the whole next year”.

📌 IKEA will allocate €1.7 million to support humanitarian projects in Ukraine. It includes, in particular, the installation of modular houses within the Re: Ukraine Housing initiative by the Balbek Bureau, assistance to centres for internally displaced persons in different cities of Ukraine and the Red Cross.

📌 Britain immediately after the EU imposed sanctions against Iran for the supply of kamikaze drones to Russia.

📌 The United States, along with the EU and the UK, will impose new sanctions on Iranian individuals and entities supporting the war with Russia – State Department spokesman Ned Price.