Photo : Reuters/BBC
Photo : Reuters/BBC
WAR ON THE GROUND
On 24 October, two Ukrainian journalists, Olena Hubanova and Yevhen Karmazin, working for the state-funded Freedom TV died in a Russian Lancet drone hit their car at a gas station in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine. Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman called it a war crime. Regional governor Vadym Filashkin confirmed that one of their colleagues got injured as well, leading Ukraine’s general prosecutor's office to open a war crimes investigation, sharing photos of the wrecked car and the press-marked flak jackets. Lancet drones are usually aimed at tanks and armored vehicles. This attack followed just a week after a Russian journalist was killed and another hurt in a Ukrainian drone strike in Zaporizhzhia.
On the same day, Ukraine’s military reported that its forces hit Russia’s Ryazan oil refinery, causing a fire at a key site for Russian military operations. They also claimed that Ukrainian drones targeted an ammunition depot in the Belgorod region, though these reports haven not been independently verified.
On 23 October, in a meeting with around two dozen European leaders in London, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the US to broaden its sanctions beyond just Rosneft and Lukoil to include the entire Russian oil sector, saying that President Trump’s recent sanctions were a "big step." He also asked for more long-range missile support to defend against Russian strikes but stopped short of directly asking for US Tomahawk missiles, emphasizing instead the need for unity among Western countries. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed that there’s more to be done to bolster Ukraine’s long-range strike capabilities and enhance security through what he called a "coalition of the willing." Zelenskyy made his appeal as Russia ramped up missile and drone attacks over the weekend, resulting in two fatalities and several injuries in Dnipropetrovsk, while strikes on Kyiv caused damage to buildings and injured at least eight residents.
THE MOSCOW VIEW
Claims by Russia
On 23 October, Kirill Dmitriev, Russia’s chief economic negotiator, travelled to the US for talks. This comes after Washington imposed sanctions on Russia’s biggest oil companies. Dmitriev told CNN that a meeting between Trump and Putin would probably happen “down the line.” He also pointed out that Russia, the US, and Ukraine might be getting close to a diplomatic resolution to end the conflict, adding that European countries were collaborating with Kyiv on a ceasefire plan based on current battle positions a development he described as a “big move” by President Zelenskyy. Dmitriev seems to think the new US sanctions would not really hurt Russia’s economy, since rising global oil prices would make up for any drop in exports.
THE WEST VIEW
Responses from Europe and the US
On 24 October, in a summit in London, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to urge European leaders to ramp up the supply of long-range missiles to Ukraine. He’ll also announce plans to speed up air defense missile production, aiming to deliver over 5,000 units, including around 140 lightweight multirole missiles expected this winter. The UK and France are already supplying Ukraine with Storm Shadow and Scalp missiles, while Ukraine itself is producing Flamingo and Neptune cruise missiles.
On 24 October, Lithuanian government reported that two Russian aircraft, a Sukhoi SU-30 fighter and an IL-78 tanker, briefly entered its airspace for 18 seconds, likely for aerial refueling training, before backing out after flying about 700 meters into Lithuanian territory. In response to this, NATO sent two Typhoon Eurofighters from its Baltic air patrol mission. Lithuania's foreign ministry summoned the Russian embassy's charge d'affaires to voice a strong protest, while Russia's defense ministry denied there was any incursion. This incident follows a similar occurrence in September when three Russian MiG-31 jets flew into Estonian airspace, which led to protests from both the UN and NATO.
On 23 October, during a Brussels summit, EU leaders decided to ask the European Commission to come up with “options for financial support” for Ukraine, but they didn't mention anything about Russian frozen assets. Commission president Ursula von der Leyen noted that leaders had reached a preliminary agreement on a reparation loan, though they still need to work out the specifics. Zelenskyy emphasized the need for swift action, warning that delays could hurt Ukraine's defense and slow down progress in Europe. He also promised that Ukraine would heavily invest in European arms. Additionally, Finland announced plans to purchase EUR 100 million worth of US weapons for Ukraine, as reported by the Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat.
On the same day, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte shared that he had talked about potentially supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine with US President Donald Trump, noting that the decision is still being weighed. He said: "On the Tomahawks, of course, the president and I discussed that…The issue remains under review by the president, and ultimately, it’s up to the US to decide."