Monday, October 30

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Ukrainian servicemen of Ukrainian Air Defense unit, 241st separate brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces take part in a training in the Kyiv region on Oct. 28, 2023. (Anatolii Stepanov / AFP via Getty Images)

Source: Ukraine's SBU behind drone strike on Russian oil refinery. The Oct. 29 drone attack on the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodarsk Krai was organized by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), Ukrainian online newspaper Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing a law enforcement source.

Update: 10 injured following anti-semitic riots at Makhachkala airport. At least 10 people are being treated for moderate to serious injuries following anti-semitic riots at the Makhachkala Airport in the Russian republic of Dagestan, the Ministry of Health of Dagestan reported on Oct. 30. Two people are in critical condition.

Russian parliament speaker threatens to confiscate European assets in Russia.

Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the Russian parliament's lower house, on Oct. 29 called for confiscating European assets in response to an EU proposal to use Russian assets for rebuilding Ukraine.

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

UK Defense Ministry: Russian universities instructed not to talk about negative trends in country. Russia's Education Ministry reportedly told universities not to openly discuss "negative political, economic and social trends" in Russia in the course of their academic activities, according to the latest update from the U.K. Defense Ministry.

Drone strikes reported on oil refinery in Russia. An explosive drone struck the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodarsk Krai on 3:24 a.m, Russian Telegram channel Baza reported, adding that a fire broke out at the facility following the strike.

Kherson Oblast attacked with 32 guided bombs, victims reported. Southern forces spokesperson Natalia Humeniuk said that the Ukraine-controlled western riverbank of Kherson Oblast was hit and there are casualties, though she didn't say how many.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: Russia reportedly loses 4,000 soldiers in Avdiivka, worst casualty rate in 2023

Russian losses in Avdiivka amount to approximately 4,000, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on Oct. 28 in a phone call with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense reported.

Photo: Vlada Liberova / Libkos via Getty Images

Human cost of war

Russian military attacks Kherson, injuring 1. Russian forces attacked from the left bank of the Dnipro River causing damage to central Kherson and injuring a 68-year-old man, Roman Mrochko, the head of the city's military administration, reported on Oct. 29.

Media: Oil reservoir fire kills 1, injures 2 in Russia. An oil reservoir fire killed one person and injured two more in the Usinsk district of Russia’s Komi Republic on Oct. 29, according to Russian state news agency TASS.

Russian attack on Kherson injures 2 civilians. Two civilians were wounded in Kherson by Russian artillery, the regional military administration reported on Oct. 29.

Governor: Man wounded by Russian attack on Kherson Oblast dies in hospital.

The 46-year-old man wounded by a Russian attack on Kherson Oblast earlier in the day has died in the hospital, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on Oct. 29.

General Staff: Russia has lost 299,080 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022.

Ukraine's General Staff reported on Oct. 29 that Russia has also lost 5,175 tanks, 9,758 armored fighting vehicles, 9,532 vehicles and fuel tanks, 7,188 artillery systems, 834 multiple launch rocket systems, 558 air defense systems, 320 airplanes, 324 helicopters, 5,399 drones, and 20 boats.

This Week in Ukraine Ep. 31 – Why murderers of EuroMaidan protestors still enjoy impunity

International response

Finnish PM: EU membership negotiations with Ukraine may begin in December.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo says that negotiations between the EU and Ukraine regarding membership of the union could begin as early as December, according to comments he made to Finnish multimedia company Yle.

US House Speaker Mike Johnson to support defense funding for Israel but not Ukraine. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson will support a standalone bill that includes defense funding for Israel but not for Ukraine, Johnson said in an interview with Fox News on Oct. 29.

Want to get the news faster? Follow our website: kyivindependent.com.

Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Oleg Sukhov, Asami Terajima, Lili Bivings, Igor Kossov, Teah Pelechaty, Dmytro Basmat, and Rachel Amran.

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