Saturday, October 5

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Oleksandr and Mykolay, local residents who chose not to evacuate, boil water on a bonfire outside a bombed residential building amid ongoing artillery shelling and missile strikes on Oct. 4, 2024 in Myrnohrad, Ukraine. Russian invading forces, approximately two kilometers from Myrnohrad, are advancing and pushing Ukrainian defenses toward the front-line city. (Pierre Crom/Getty Images)

Kursk operation ‘motivates those who give us weapons’ — Zelensky visits troops in Sumy Oblast. During the visit, President Volodymyr Zelensky also met with the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief to discuss protecting infrastructure, Ukraine’s energy sector, and air defenses.

Russian forces less than 7 km away from Pokrovsk, authorities say. Russian forces are less than 7 kilometers from the outskirts of the town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast as of Oct. 4, said Serhii Dobriak, the head of Pokrovsk’s military administration.

Ukraine may be forced to retreat from Pokrovsk by end of 2024, Estonian intelligence suggests. Over the past week, the average number of Russian attacks on the frontline has been 167 per day, with 50% of them targeting the Donetsk direction of the front line, according to Estonian military intelligence.

Car with pro-Russian collaborator explodes in city near occupied Zaporizhzhia plant, intelligence says. Andrii Korotkyi was a collaborator involved in the organization and execution of war crimes and repression of Ukrainians under Russian occupation, the agency said.

Your contribution helps keep the Kyiv Independent going. Become a member today.

Oil depots on fire in Russia’s Voronezh Oblast, Perm Krai. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, air defense downed six Ukrainian drones over Voronezh Oblast, six over Belgorod Oblast, one over Rostov Oblast and one over the Azov Sea.

Ukraine has neutralized over 533,000 explosive devices since February, 2022. Pyrotechnic teams from Ukraine’s State Emergency Service have detected and disposed of over 533,200 pieces of explosive ordnance since Russia’s full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022.

Russian drone debris found in Danube Delta, Romanian Defense Ministry confirms. Romanian border police on Oct. 4 discovered debris from a Russian drone in the Litcov canal area, located in Romania’s Danube Delta region. The investigated area is located in a rural zone, and no infrastructure was damaged, according to police.

Shooting down Russian targets over Ukraine by NATO countries will ‘involve’ US in war, Pentagon says. “The president (Joe Biden) has made a commitment that the United States is not putting boots on the ground into Ukraine, but we are supporting Ukraine in their efforts to take back their sovereign territory,” Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: Oil depots on fire in 2 Russian regions

Fires broke out at two oil depots in Russia’s Voronezh Oblast and Perm Krai overnight on Oct. 4, local authorities reported. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, its air defense downed six Ukrainian drones over Voronezh Oblast, and six over Belgorod Oblast.

Image: Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry

Russian drone attacks against Ukraine reach record levels

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, 1,339 Shahed-type kamikaze drones targeted the country in September, 1,107 of which were shot down, with some others being jammed by electronic warfare and flying into Russian or Belarusian airspace. Around 45 were unaccounted for.

Photo: Gregor Fischer/Getty Images

As Russia makes gains near Pokrovsk, civilians remain frozen in inaction

A key urban milestone in Moscow’s offensive towards the key strategic city of Pokrovsk, Selydove saw Russian forces close the distance to its outskirts in a matter of a couple of weeks over August.

As of early October, this mining city with a population of about 21,000 before the full-scale invasion looks now to become the latest in a series of “fortress” cities in Donetsk Oblast.

Photo: Francis Farrell/The Kyiv Independent

Ukraine hits ammunition depots with domestic weapons in an attempt to disrupt Russia’s logistics

Over the past several months, the war had gradually moved deep inside Russian territory. In September, Ukraine targeted depots in the Russian towns of Tikhoretsk and Toropets with drones, setting ablaze over 30,000 tons of ammunition, which allegedly included ballistic missiles.

Photo: Olexander Scherba / Telegram

Human cost of war

Russia lost more elite soldiers in 1 year near Vuhledar than in 10 years of Chechen War, BBC reports. The elite 155th and 40th marine brigades of the Russian Armed Forces, also known as the Black Berets, were involved in the storming of the city, supported by armored vehicles.

Russia has summarily executed at least 93 Ukrainian POWs on battlefield, top prosecutor says. Yurii Belousov, the head of the department focused on war-related crimes, explained that 80% of these cases were recorded in 2024, but the trend appeared already late last year.

At least 177 Ukrainian POWs have died in Russian captivity, Kyiv says. Most Ukrainian soldiers who were released had never been visited by the Red Cross representatives while in Russian captivity, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said in July.

International response

Poland ready to start training volunteers for Ukrainian Legion. Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that Poland was prepared to begin the training of Ukrainian volunteers in September, but a shortage of volunteers delayed the start.

France to send another 12 Caesar howitzers to Ukraine, minister says. French-German defense company KNDS signed a deal on Oct. 3 for the supply of 12 Caesar howitzers financed by Ukraine, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said.

EU readies to sanction Iran over missile shipments to Russia, Bloomberg reports. According to Bloomberg, the EU’s sanctions would target “about a dozen individuals and entities,” which includes firms involved in the engineering, metals, and aviation sectors.

‘Switzerland has not changed its position’ on peace in Ukraine — ambassador clarifies stance on China-Brazil initiative. Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva touted his peace plan jointly developed with China in New York, despite the proposal already being dismissed as “destructive” by Ukraine.

In other news

2 Ukrainian regional officials alleged of corruption, nearly $6 million found. “Law enforcement officers found money in the apartment in almost every corner — in wardrobes, drawers, niches,” the State Bureau of Investigation said.

This newsletter is open for sponsorship. Boost your brand’s visibility by reaching thousands of engaged subscribers. Contact [email protected] for more details.

Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Oleksiy Sorokin, Kateryna Denisova, Martin Fornusek, Kateryna Hodunova, and Olena Goncharova.

If you’re enjoying this newsletter, consider joining our membership program. Start supporting independent journalism today.