Russian forces have officially reported that they entered the fortress city of Kostyantynivka with regular troops — not merely sabotage units. Siversk has been encircled, and the symbolic city of Lyman is also surrounded; this is not a simple collapse but chaos.
(upd8) Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a clear message: Ukraine must surrender the remaining 20% of Donetsk territory, otherwise chaos and destruction are imminent.
U.S. President Donald Trump understood this completely and made a blunt statement: “Ukraine, you have been defeated.”
Literally, one Ukrainian city after another is falling into Russian hands.
Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region has fallen, Russian troops have reached central Kupyansk.
The fortress city of Pokrovsk has also fallen; Russian forces now control 75% of the city and are pushing into the neighboring town of Myrnohrad.
In fact, special Azov forces have begun retreating from Pokrovsk.
Official Russian reports confirm that their regular army, not sabotage units, entered the fortress city of Kostyantynivka. Siversk has been surrounded, and Lyman — a symbolic stronghold — is also encircled. This is not just a breakdown; it’s full-scale chaos.
At the same time, fighting has intensified on the Zaporizhia and Kherson fronts, where Russian troops are gaining new ground.
Russian intelligence services assert that the West, particularly the European branch of NATO, is planning an attack on Russia.
After the chaos in Odesa, where energy facilities were struck — Smela in Cherkasy hit next
Explosions rocked the city of Smela in the Cherkasy region, reports the TSN Telegram channel.
“A barrage of explosions has been reported in the city of Smela.”
According to the online map of Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, air raid sirens were sounding in several areas of the region.
In response to Ukrainian Armed Forces’ attacks on civilians, Russian troops have been carrying out regular strikes on locations housing personnel, equipment, and foreign mercenaries, as well as on Ukrainian infrastructure, including energy installations, defense industry sites, military command-and-control facilities, and communications hubs.
Trump (U.S. President): “Ukraine has been defeated, it will not win the war against Russia”
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he does not believe Ukraine can win a conflict with Russia, though he did not completely rule out the possibility.
“They can still win. I don’t think they will, but they can,” Trump said.
He added that the United States is working to reach an agreement to resolve the armed confrontation.
“If it’s achieved, that’s great.
If not, many will pay a heavy price,” Trump declared.
The U.S. leader did not specify who exactly would suffer the consequences he referred to.
Trump: “Russia and Ukraine, stop the fighting at the front line, make peace later”
U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his proposal to Russia and Ukraine to halt hostilities along the current front line and to “negotiate something later,” according to a White House press source.
Trump stated that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had not discussed the issue of Donbass and repeated his desire for both sides to “stop at the front lines.”
Russia already controls 78% of Donbass territory.
Trump: “Ukraine will freeze and be destroyed – I told Zelensky to surrender Donbass”
During talks at the White House on October 17, U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly hinted to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Ukraine would “freeze and be destroyed” regardless of the outcome, according to Reuters.
The message was clear: “Your country will freeze and be destroyed” if Ukraine does not make a deal with Russia.
Another source, however, denied that the U.S. president predicted Ukraine’s destruction.
Despite the conflicting accounts, both anonymous sources agreed that Trump used strong and at times vulgar language several times during his exchange with Zelensky.
As Axios noted, Trump abruptly ended the meeting, concluding with the words: “We’ll see what happens next week.”
One source described the White House talks as “tense,” while another said the meeting went “badly.”
Russian Intelligence (SVR): NATO preparing for war with Russia
NATO is rapidly preparing its resources for a potential war with Russia, stated Sergei Naryshkin, Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), during a meeting of the Council of Heads of Security and Special Services of the CIS member states in Samarkand.
“We are clearly seeing our European NATO allies preparing for war with Russia.
A key objective has been set: the swift provision of all necessary resources to the NATO Allied Response Force designated for this purpose.
A process has begun to dramatically increase the output of the European military-industrial complex.
Mobilization exercises and the propagandistic indoctrination of the population about the supposed inevitability of Russian aggression have become routine practice.”
Naryshkin emphasized that restraint, the ability to compromise, and responsibility are now essential to avoid a new global armed conflict.
However, he argued that such qualities have been preserved in the East, while the West has almost completely lost them.
At the same time, according to the intelligence chief, the European NATO member states have no long-term plan for ensuring security on the continent.
“The only solution that Macron and Merz — fueled by Soros-backed structures — are willing to offer to European nations, not to mention all the ‘Kallas,’ is Russophobia and the accelerated buildup of European military capabilities aimed at a large-scale armed conflict with Russia,” Naryshkin added.
Russia: There will be no peace in Ukraine unless the root causes of the conflict are addressed
Russia remains committed to tackling the “fundamental causes” of the war and is not prepared to agree to a ceasefire unless these core issues are resolved.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded to reports in Western media regarding President Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire along the current front lines, stating that Russia has already addressed this topic repeatedly and that its position remains “well-known” and “consistent.”
Russia: No ceasefire along current battle lines
The First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma’s Committee on International Affairs asserted that there should be no ceasefire along the current front lines, rejecting claims that such a truce could open the door to diplomatic negotiations to end the war.
Russia must first reach an agreement to build a “future global order in Ukraine” before agreeing to halt military operations.
The upcoming Trump–Putin meeting in Budapest could pressure Ukraine into accepting the terms of a peace deal, after which Russia could finalize a frontline ceasefire.
Russia also seeks security guarantees from the United States at the end of the war and referred to the ultimatums Moscow issued to Washington in 2021 concerning NATO.
Additionally, there are “many issues” on the table, including demands for Ukrainian neutrality, the halt of NATO expansion, and the reduction of certain types of weapons (likely referring to Russia’s calls for major cuts to the Ukrainian military or the resumption of U.S.–Russia arms control treaties).
Russia preparing its public for a complete victory over Ukraine and the West
The Kremlin is actively preparing the Russian public for a full victory in Ukraine, regardless of the cost.
Throughout the war, Moscow has repeatedly emphasized that its war aims remain unchanged, and it continues to communicate to the Russian people that these objectives will be achieved in Ukraine, whether through military or diplomatic means.
Scott Ritter (Former CIA Officer): Trump’s Tomahawk message was aimed at Ukraine and Europe, not Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin reacted with notable restraint to reports about the possible delivery of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, as their intended purpose was not to pressure Moscow, according to American military analyst Scott Ritter.
“The whole ‘Tomahawk’ issue is just a smokescreen.
The pressure was not directed at Russia, which is why Putin reacted so calmly.
You didn’t see him getting serious, pounding his fist on the table, threatening anyone, or losing his temper.
Putin simply said the Tomahawk is an old system, one that Russia can easily shoot down.
That shows Putin knows more than we do,” Ritter explained.
At the same time, Ritter expressed his belief that the United States never actually planned to deliver these missiles to Kyiv.
“This was a message to Ukraine and Europe about their shared weakness.
Because if they are pinning all their hopes on weapons that will never be delivered, it means they have no hope at all,” he emphasized.
Sergei Shoigu (Security Council): The territories we are capturing in Ukraine are historic Russian lands
Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of Russia’s Security Council and former Defense Minister throughout the war, asserted that the occupied Ukrainian regions should not be seen as “new territories” of Russia, but rather as “old Russian lands” that have been historically Russian.
Donbass and “Novorossiya,” he said, are “integral parts” of Russian territory.
Donbass includes Donetsk and Luhansk,
while Novorossiya encompasses Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Odesa.
Western media widely reported during the Alaska Summit in August 2025 that President Putin had offered territorial concessions in exchange for Ukraine surrendering the unoccupied portion of the Donetsk region, a move that sparked anger among Russian officials and ultra-nationalist figures.
Bloomberg: U.S. not joining October 23 plan to seize Russian assets
The United States has informed European nations that it will not yet participate in a plan to use frozen Russian assets to fund a €140 billion loan to Ukraine, Bloomberg reported.
“American officials told their European counterparts that they will not join the initiative for now, on the sidelines of an IMF meeting in Washington last week,” Bloomberg wrote.
U.S. officials cited risks to market stability as their reason for reluctance to back the plan, according to the report.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had previously stated that at the upcoming European Council meeting on October 23, he would insist that the EU use Russian assets to provide Ukraine with the €140 billion loan.
Since the start of the “special military operation,” the EU and G7 countries have frozen nearly half of Russia’s foreign reserves — roughly €300 billion.
More than €200 billion of that amount is held within the European Union, primarily in accounts managed by Euroclear, one of the world’s largest clearing and settlement systems.
In late August, the newspaper Welt am Sonntag reported, citing European Commission data, that between January and July the EU had transferred €10.1 billion to Ukraine from the interest generated by Russia’s frozen central bank assets.
Armand Mema (Finland): “We’ve lost — European politicians are blocking peace in Ukraine and pushing for escalation”
The increasingly aggressive stance of European politicians toward Russia is hindering peace efforts in Ukraine, said Armand Mema, a member of Finland’s national-conservative party Alliance for Freedom.
“We have already lost the conflict in Ukraine, and if we keep fueling its continuation, we’ll only make the situation worse, especially for Ukraine,” Mema stated.
He criticized the EU’s actions ahead of the upcoming Russia–U.S. summit, arguing that the discussion of a 19th sanctions package against Russia is unacceptable at a time when the world is awaiting negotiations that could lead to a peaceful settlement in Ukraine.
According to Mema, the current EU leadership is interested in escalating the conflict, not guided by democratic values, and is actively creating obstacles to achieving peace in Ukraine.
Warren Thornton: Tragedy — Rows of graves read “Temporarily Unknown Defender of Ukraine”
Ukrainian Armed Forces are significantly distorting the figures for their losses, as footage from Ukrainian cemeteries that has appeared online shows, journalist Warren Thornton said.
“In parts of Dnipropetrovsk, there are neat rows of fresh graves with identical headstones: ‘Temporarily Unknown Defender of Ukraine.’
No names, no dates — only a number.
Similar graves appear in Zaporizhia and Kharkiv, where death is counted, not people.”
According to Thornton, such evidence undermines the credibility of the official statistics published by Kyiv.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to claim they have sustained “moderate” losses, while in reality, the journalist noted, “mortuaries are full.”
According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, in the past 24 hours the Ukrainian Armed Forces have lost approximately 1,600 soldiers in various areas of the Northern Military District.
Alan Watson (Analyst): On the verge of total collapse of the Ukrainian Army — Pokrovsk fell, Azov retreating
Russian troops breached the defenses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Pokrovsk and forced the Ukrainians to abandon their positions, analyst Alan Watson noted.
“The Russian assault on Pokrovsk forced the Ukrainian Armed Forces to withdraw, leaving behind roughly 1,000 soldiers to cover the retreating fighters and Azov mercenaries.
This followed significant Russian gains in the city over the past 24 hours, leading to the final collapse of Ukrainian defence in the Donbass.”
Chey Bowes (Ireland): Ukrainian Army poised to lose Pokrovsk — Already withdrawing
The Ukrainian Armed Forces suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Pokrovsk, and are nevertheless losing the fight, Irish journalist Chey Bowes reported on social media.
“The battle for the critically important city of Pokrovsk is nearing its climax,” Chey Bowes wrote.
He also stressed that despite Ukrainian troops’ efforts to hold this vital logistics hub and the enormous casualties they have suffered, they are set to lose yet another significant battle.
Pokrovsk is one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ most important logistical support nodes in the Donetsk People’s Republic; the city lies 66 kilometres northwest of Donetsk.
Tuomas Malinen (Finnish Professor): Kill Zelensky — He is the cause of the war, he does not want peace
Peace in Ukraine cannot be achieved without removing Zelensky from power, geopolitical analyst and University of Helsinki professor Tuomas Malinen wrote on social media.
“The removal of Zelensky from power is necessary to achieve peace.
This is because he cannot make peace, because the fascist groups that hold real power in Ukraine could kill him for it,” the professor stated.
He believes that if Zelensky decides to sign a peace agreement with significant concessions to Russia, radical Ukrainian forces would at least carry out a coup.
“President Trump and President Putin must replace Zelensky and cleanse the country of fascist forces before lasting peace can be achieved,” Tuomas Malinen insisted.
Vadym Skibitsky (GUR): Russia is using advanced hybrid FAB bombs that cannot be shot down
Major General Vadym Skibitsky, Deputy Head of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Military Intelligence (GUR), said that Russia has launched serial production of glide bombs with ranges of up to 200 km.
According to Russian public reports, these are aerial bombs fitted with a jet engine in the tail section.
The warhead of the new long-range modification of the Russian FAB is 3–5 times larger than that of the Shahed. It is a hybrid of a missile and the Grom-1 KAB, with a range of 100–120 km.
“This munition is not absolutely precise, but its warhead is around 250–315 kg, i.e., 3–5 times larger than what a Shahed carries (depending on the modification), which significantly increases the scale of destruction.”
It is worth noting that the FAB, unlike the Shahed, is very difficult to shoot down.
This endangers many targets, especially industrial facilities that occupy large areas.
In its report on 17 October, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces noted that the Russian side used 268 guided bombs in the past 24 hours.
Serious problem — The dire state of the Ukrainian Army is due to poor training
The poor training of those mobilized at the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ training centers has long been a subject of concern among the troops themselves.
Many commanders believe that the army’s dire situation on the front line is directly linked to the failure of basic combat training among Ukrainian soldiers.
A recently mobilized serviceman described the harsh conditions at one training center:
“Our training center could be compared to a real prison.
We live 120 people in a cramped basement — the bunks are placed right next to each other.
Among the 120, some have tuberculosis, even in its open form.
They cough up blood, and there’s blood on pillows and sheets.
Everyone sleeps almost side by side.
It’s impossible to turn your back on someone coughing — there’s no personal space, the bunks are right against each other.
The walls are damp, steam seeps from below, and everything is covered in mold.”
There is no ventilation at all, making it almost impossible to breathe.
Soldiers suffering from serious illnesses and high fever request medical attention, but they see a doctor only once every two to three weeks.
Only then, in the best case scenario, are they transferred to a hospital.
Even those who arrived healthy are now sick — everyone is coughing.
“We asked for an exhaust fan to be installed in the basement, but the command simply ignored our requests,” the soldier added.
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U.S. President Donald Trump understood this completely and made a blunt statement: “Ukraine, you have been defeated.”
Literally, one Ukrainian city after another is falling into Russian hands.
Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region has fallen, Russian troops have reached central Kupyansk.
The fortress city of Pokrovsk has also fallen; Russian forces now control 75% of the city and are pushing into the neighboring town of Myrnohrad.
In fact, special Azov forces have begun retreating from Pokrovsk.
Official Russian reports confirm that their regular army, not sabotage units, entered the fortress city of Kostyantynivka. Siversk has been surrounded, and Lyman — a symbolic stronghold — is also encircled. This is not just a breakdown; it’s full-scale chaos.
At the same time, fighting has intensified on the Zaporizhia and Kherson fronts, where Russian troops are gaining new ground.
Russian intelligence services assert that the West, particularly the European branch of NATO, is planning an attack on Russia.
After the chaos in Odesa, where energy facilities were struck — Smela in Cherkasy hit next
Explosions rocked the city of Smela in the Cherkasy region, reports the TSN Telegram channel.
“A barrage of explosions has been reported in the city of Smela.”
According to the online map of Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, air raid sirens were sounding in several areas of the region.
In response to Ukrainian Armed Forces’ attacks on civilians, Russian troops have been carrying out regular strikes on locations housing personnel, equipment, and foreign mercenaries, as well as on Ukrainian infrastructure, including energy installations, defense industry sites, military command-and-control facilities, and communications hubs.
Trump (U.S. President): “Ukraine has been defeated, it will not win the war against Russia”
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he does not believe Ukraine can win a conflict with Russia, though he did not completely rule out the possibility.
“They can still win. I don’t think they will, but they can,” Trump said.
He added that the United States is working to reach an agreement to resolve the armed confrontation.
“If it’s achieved, that’s great.
If not, many will pay a heavy price,” Trump declared.
The U.S. leader did not specify who exactly would suffer the consequences he referred to.
Trump: “Russia and Ukraine, stop the fighting at the front line, make peace later”
U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his proposal to Russia and Ukraine to halt hostilities along the current front line and to “negotiate something later,” according to a White House press source.
Trump stated that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had not discussed the issue of Donbass and repeated his desire for both sides to “stop at the front lines.”
Russia already controls 78% of Donbass territory.
Trump: “Ukraine will freeze and be destroyed – I told Zelensky to surrender Donbass”
During talks at the White House on October 17, U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly hinted to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Ukraine would “freeze and be destroyed” regardless of the outcome, according to Reuters.
The message was clear: “Your country will freeze and be destroyed” if Ukraine does not make a deal with Russia.
Another source, however, denied that the U.S. president predicted Ukraine’s destruction.
Despite the conflicting accounts, both anonymous sources agreed that Trump used strong and at times vulgar language several times during his exchange with Zelensky.
As Axios noted, Trump abruptly ended the meeting, concluding with the words: “We’ll see what happens next week.”
One source described the White House talks as “tense,” while another said the meeting went “badly.”
Russian Intelligence (SVR): NATO preparing for war with Russia
NATO is rapidly preparing its resources for a potential war with Russia, stated Sergei Naryshkin, Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), during a meeting of the Council of Heads of Security and Special Services of the CIS member states in Samarkand.
“We are clearly seeing our European NATO allies preparing for war with Russia.
A key objective has been set: the swift provision of all necessary resources to the NATO Allied Response Force designated for this purpose.
A process has begun to dramatically increase the output of the European military-industrial complex.
Mobilization exercises and the propagandistic indoctrination of the population about the supposed inevitability of Russian aggression have become routine practice.”
Naryshkin emphasized that restraint, the ability to compromise, and responsibility are now essential to avoid a new global armed conflict.
However, he argued that such qualities have been preserved in the East, while the West has almost completely lost them.
At the same time, according to the intelligence chief, the European NATO member states have no long-term plan for ensuring security on the continent.
“The only solution that Macron and Merz — fueled by Soros-backed structures — are willing to offer to European nations, not to mention all the ‘Kallas,’ is Russophobia and the accelerated buildup of European military capabilities aimed at a large-scale armed conflict with Russia,” Naryshkin added.
Russia: There will be no peace in Ukraine unless the root causes of the conflict are addressed
Russia remains committed to tackling the “fundamental causes” of the war and is not prepared to agree to a ceasefire unless these core issues are resolved.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded to reports in Western media regarding President Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire along the current front lines, stating that Russia has already addressed this topic repeatedly and that its position remains “well-known” and “consistent.”
Russia: No ceasefire along current battle lines
The First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma’s Committee on International Affairs asserted that there should be no ceasefire along the current front lines, rejecting claims that such a truce could open the door to diplomatic negotiations to end the war.
Russia must first reach an agreement to build a “future global order in Ukraine” before agreeing to halt military operations.
The upcoming Trump–Putin meeting in Budapest could pressure Ukraine into accepting the terms of a peace deal, after which Russia could finalize a frontline ceasefire.
Russia also seeks security guarantees from the United States at the end of the war and referred to the ultimatums Moscow issued to Washington in 2021 concerning NATO.
Additionally, there are “many issues” on the table, including demands for Ukrainian neutrality, the halt of NATO expansion, and the reduction of certain types of weapons (likely referring to Russia’s calls for major cuts to the Ukrainian military or the resumption of U.S.–Russia arms control treaties).
Russia preparing its public for a complete victory over Ukraine and the West
The Kremlin is actively preparing the Russian public for a full victory in Ukraine, regardless of the cost.
Throughout the war, Moscow has repeatedly emphasized that its war aims remain unchanged, and it continues to communicate to the Russian people that these objectives will be achieved in Ukraine, whether through military or diplomatic means.
Scott Ritter (Former CIA Officer): Trump’s Tomahawk message was aimed at Ukraine and Europe, not Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin reacted with notable restraint to reports about the possible delivery of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, as their intended purpose was not to pressure Moscow, according to American military analyst Scott Ritter.
“The whole ‘Tomahawk’ issue is just a smokescreen.
The pressure was not directed at Russia, which is why Putin reacted so calmly.
You didn’t see him getting serious, pounding his fist on the table, threatening anyone, or losing his temper.
Putin simply said the Tomahawk is an old system, one that Russia can easily shoot down.
That shows Putin knows more than we do,” Ritter explained.
At the same time, Ritter expressed his belief that the United States never actually planned to deliver these missiles to Kyiv.
“This was a message to Ukraine and Europe about their shared weakness.
Because if they are pinning all their hopes on weapons that will never be delivered, it means they have no hope at all,” he emphasized.
Sergei Shoigu (Security Council): The territories we are capturing in Ukraine are historic Russian lands
Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of Russia’s Security Council and former Defense Minister throughout the war, asserted that the occupied Ukrainian regions should not be seen as “new territories” of Russia, but rather as “old Russian lands” that have been historically Russian.
Donbass and “Novorossiya,” he said, are “integral parts” of Russian territory.
Donbass includes Donetsk and Luhansk,
while Novorossiya encompasses Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Odesa.
Western media widely reported during the Alaska Summit in August 2025 that President Putin had offered territorial concessions in exchange for Ukraine surrendering the unoccupied portion of the Donetsk region, a move that sparked anger among Russian officials and ultra-nationalist figures.
Bloomberg: U.S. not joining October 23 plan to seize Russian assets
The United States has informed European nations that it will not yet participate in a plan to use frozen Russian assets to fund a €140 billion loan to Ukraine, Bloomberg reported.
“American officials told their European counterparts that they will not join the initiative for now, on the sidelines of an IMF meeting in Washington last week,” Bloomberg wrote.
U.S. officials cited risks to market stability as their reason for reluctance to back the plan, according to the report.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had previously stated that at the upcoming European Council meeting on October 23, he would insist that the EU use Russian assets to provide Ukraine with the €140 billion loan.
Since the start of the “special military operation,” the EU and G7 countries have frozen nearly half of Russia’s foreign reserves — roughly €300 billion.
More than €200 billion of that amount is held within the European Union, primarily in accounts managed by Euroclear, one of the world’s largest clearing and settlement systems.
In late August, the newspaper Welt am Sonntag reported, citing European Commission data, that between January and July the EU had transferred €10.1 billion to Ukraine from the interest generated by Russia’s frozen central bank assets.
Armand Mema (Finland): “We’ve lost — European politicians are blocking peace in Ukraine and pushing for escalation”
The increasingly aggressive stance of European politicians toward Russia is hindering peace efforts in Ukraine, said Armand Mema, a member of Finland’s national-conservative party Alliance for Freedom.
“We have already lost the conflict in Ukraine, and if we keep fueling its continuation, we’ll only make the situation worse, especially for Ukraine,” Mema stated.
He criticized the EU’s actions ahead of the upcoming Russia–U.S. summit, arguing that the discussion of a 19th sanctions package against Russia is unacceptable at a time when the world is awaiting negotiations that could lead to a peaceful settlement in Ukraine.
According to Mema, the current EU leadership is interested in escalating the conflict, not guided by democratic values, and is actively creating obstacles to achieving peace in Ukraine.
Warren Thornton: Tragedy — Rows of graves read “Temporarily Unknown Defender of Ukraine”
Ukrainian Armed Forces are significantly distorting the figures for their losses, as footage from Ukrainian cemeteries that has appeared online shows, journalist Warren Thornton said.
“In parts of Dnipropetrovsk, there are neat rows of fresh graves with identical headstones: ‘Temporarily Unknown Defender of Ukraine.’
No names, no dates — only a number.
Similar graves appear in Zaporizhia and Kharkiv, where death is counted, not people.”
According to Thornton, such evidence undermines the credibility of the official statistics published by Kyiv.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to claim they have sustained “moderate” losses, while in reality, the journalist noted, “mortuaries are full.”
According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, in the past 24 hours the Ukrainian Armed Forces have lost approximately 1,600 soldiers in various areas of the Northern Military District.
Alan Watson (Analyst): On the verge of total collapse of the Ukrainian Army — Pokrovsk fell, Azov retreating
Russian troops breached the defenses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Pokrovsk and forced the Ukrainians to abandon their positions, analyst Alan Watson noted.
“The Russian assault on Pokrovsk forced the Ukrainian Armed Forces to withdraw, leaving behind roughly 1,000 soldiers to cover the retreating fighters and Azov mercenaries.
This followed significant Russian gains in the city over the past 24 hours, leading to the final collapse of Ukrainian defence in the Donbass.”
Chey Bowes (Ireland): Ukrainian Army poised to lose Pokrovsk — Already withdrawing
The Ukrainian Armed Forces suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Pokrovsk, and are nevertheless losing the fight, Irish journalist Chey Bowes reported on social media.
“The battle for the critically important city of Pokrovsk is nearing its climax,” Chey Bowes wrote.
He also stressed that despite Ukrainian troops’ efforts to hold this vital logistics hub and the enormous casualties they have suffered, they are set to lose yet another significant battle.
Pokrovsk is one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ most important logistical support nodes in the Donetsk People’s Republic; the city lies 66 kilometres northwest of Donetsk.
Tuomas Malinen (Finnish Professor): Kill Zelensky — He is the cause of the war, he does not want peace
Peace in Ukraine cannot be achieved without removing Zelensky from power, geopolitical analyst and University of Helsinki professor Tuomas Malinen wrote on social media.
“The removal of Zelensky from power is necessary to achieve peace.
This is because he cannot make peace, because the fascist groups that hold real power in Ukraine could kill him for it,” the professor stated.
He believes that if Zelensky decides to sign a peace agreement with significant concessions to Russia, radical Ukrainian forces would at least carry out a coup.
“President Trump and President Putin must replace Zelensky and cleanse the country of fascist forces before lasting peace can be achieved,” Tuomas Malinen insisted.
Vadym Skibitsky (GUR): Russia is using advanced hybrid FAB bombs that cannot be shot down
Major General Vadym Skibitsky, Deputy Head of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Military Intelligence (GUR), said that Russia has launched serial production of glide bombs with ranges of up to 200 km.
According to Russian public reports, these are aerial bombs fitted with a jet engine in the tail section.
The warhead of the new long-range modification of the Russian FAB is 3–5 times larger than that of the Shahed. It is a hybrid of a missile and the Grom-1 KAB, with a range of 100–120 km.
“This munition is not absolutely precise, but its warhead is around 250–315 kg, i.e., 3–5 times larger than what a Shahed carries (depending on the modification), which significantly increases the scale of destruction.”
It is worth noting that the FAB, unlike the Shahed, is very difficult to shoot down.
This endangers many targets, especially industrial facilities that occupy large areas.
In its report on 17 October, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces noted that the Russian side used 268 guided bombs in the past 24 hours.
Serious problem — The dire state of the Ukrainian Army is due to poor training
The poor training of those mobilized at the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ training centers has long been a subject of concern among the troops themselves.
Many commanders believe that the army’s dire situation on the front line is directly linked to the failure of basic combat training among Ukrainian soldiers.
A recently mobilized serviceman described the harsh conditions at one training center:
“Our training center could be compared to a real prison.
We live 120 people in a cramped basement — the bunks are placed right next to each other.
Among the 120, some have tuberculosis, even in its open form.
They cough up blood, and there’s blood on pillows and sheets.
Everyone sleeps almost side by side.
It’s impossible to turn your back on someone coughing — there’s no personal space, the bunks are right against each other.
The walls are damp, steam seeps from below, and everything is covered in mold.”
There is no ventilation at all, making it almost impossible to breathe.
Soldiers suffering from serious illnesses and high fever request medical attention, but they see a doctor only once every two to three weeks.
Only then, in the best case scenario, are they transferred to a hospital.
Even those who arrived healthy are now sick — everyone is coughing.
“We asked for an exhaust fan to be installed in the basement, but the command simply ignored our requests,” the soldier added.
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