On October 15, Valerii Klochok discussed the latest events in Ukraine and abroad. Drone attacks continue, with an oil refinery in Russia’s Volgograd again targeted and Ukrainian forces striking fuel facilities in Feodosia, as well as military sites in Crimea and occupied parts of Donbas. Russian drones also attacked the Kamianske power plant, prompting emergency power cuts in several regions.
Mandatory evacuation zones for families with children have been expanded in Kharkiv region, while attacks on Ukrainian Railways infrastructure persist, totaling around 300 strikes since August. 221 railway workers have been injured.
The Russian economy, according to both Donald Trump and the IMF, is nearing collapse. Trump commented that Russian losses are massive and questioned why the war has dragged on for nearly four years. He also praised Ukraine’s resistance and threatened that Hamas would be disarmed if they do not lay down arms.
A Ukrainian delegation led by Yulia Svyrydenko is in the US, discussing cooperation on sanctions against Russia and the creation of an investment fund focused on critical minerals and infrastructure. At the same time, NATO countries are expected to announce additional financial support for Ukraine’s weapons procurement.
The UK has supplied Ukraine with 85,000 drones worth £600 million, with total aid expected to exceed £4.5 billion. The EU has allocated roughly $2 billion through the PORL initiative.
Germany is actively debating a return to mandatory military conscription due to the Russian threat. The government plans to increase armed forces reserves to 200,000. The Chancellor supports reinstating the draft, though there’s still no consensus on the implementation model.
In international relations, Trump is scheduled to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the APEC summit in South Korea at the end of October. Trump hinted at possibly ending cooperation with China in certain sectors, causing a sharp decline in US markets. Meanwhile, Chinese exports grew by 8.3% in September despite US tariffs.
The IMF has again downgraded Russia’s economic growth forecast: Russian GDP will grow only 0.6% this year and is set to decline next quarter.
Odesa will soon have a new military administration, with Serhiy Lyssak from Dnipropetrovsk OVA to be appointed as head, following the removal of the city’s previous mayor’s citizenship over passport issues.
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