Photo : CNN
Photo : CNN
War in Ukraine Day 1324
Ukraine and ISW confirms heavy troops loss for Russia in Donetsk region
WAR ON THE GROUND
On 08 October, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukrainian forces were dealing heavy losses to Russian troops during a counteroffensive in the eastern Donetsk region, which remains the primary focus of the conflict. Zelenskyy’s remarks, based on a report from his top commander, contrasted with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s speech to senior officers the day before, in which he claimed Russian forces maintained the strategic initiative across all frontline sectors. Zelenskyy highlighted a nearly hour-long conversation with General Oleksandr Syrskyi, focusing particularly on the ongoing counteroffensive in Dobropillia, a region near the key logistics hub of Pokrovsk, which Russia has been targeting.
On 08 October, Russian attacks in Ukraine's southern Kherson region resulted in the deaths of three people in the city and surrounding areas, according to the regional governor. In the northern Sumy region, near the Russian border, three more people were killed in separate drone strikes, as reported by the local governor. Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting or jamming 154 out of 183 Russian strike and decoy drones overnight. Meanwhile, in Russia's Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, a missile strike in the village of Maslova Pristan killed three.
On the same day, a Russian attack heavily damaged one of Ukraine's thermal power plants, leaving two workers injured, according to DTEK, Ukraine's largest electricity operator. While DTEK did not specify the plant’s location, Ukrainian authorities confirmed that Russia targeted energy infrastructure across several regions, including Chernihiv in the north, Kherson in the south, and Dnipropetrovsk in the southeast. In the northeastern town of Shostka, which has been severely affected by Russia’s assault on Ukraine’s power supply, local authorities have set up tents to provide warmth, hot drinks, phone charging stations, and psychological support, as reported by regional head Oleh Hryhorov. In response, Ukraine has launched long-range strikes against Russian energy and petroleum supplies, causing significant disruptions.
THE WEST VIEW
Responses from Europe and the US
On 08 October, the Institute for the Study of War reported that the Kremlin is running a “reflexive control” campaign of threats to deter the US from sending Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine. Senior Russian lawmaker Andrei Kartapolov warned that Russia is familiar with those missiles citing experience in Syria and can intercept them, adding that suppliers and users “will have problems” and that Moscow will find ways to retaliate. Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the: “powerful momentum” toward a Ukraine peace deal that followed the Putin–Trump meeting in Alaska has largely dissipated.
On 08 October, in an assessment, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that Russia was suffering significant casualties, especially from Ukrainian drone attacks, while making only limited tactical gains. Zelenskyy confirmed that his forces were holding firm in all directions, particularly around Kupiansk, a town in northeastern Ukraine that has been heavily bombarded by Russian forces for months. Zelenskyy also described the situation as "difficult" near Novopavlivka in the Zaporizhzhia region but noted that Ukraine's defensive actions there were yielding positive results.
On 08 October, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged Europe to strengthen its defenses in response to Russia's "hybrid warfare," which includes air incursions, cyber-attacks, and damage to undersea cables. In a speech to the European Parliament, von der Leyen emphasized that these actions were not random harassment but part of a deliberate and escalating campaign. She said: "Two incidents are coincidence, but three, five, 10 – this is a targeted grey zone campaign against Europe, and Europe must respond.”