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The Kyiv Independent [unofficial]
Russia’s war against Ukraine
A crater next a residential building damaged following a Russian attack on Oct. 9, 2026 on Zaporizhzhia . (Daria Nazarova/AFP via Getty Images)
‘We were being arrested like terrorists‘— Ukrainian journalist says his detention in Austria was brutal. The acclaimed journalist was reportedly on an editorial assignment in Vienna with his colleague Yaroslav Bondarenko when he was detained by Austrian authorities.
US, Ukrainian, European officials discuss ending Russia’s war at Miami meeting.
The meeting coincided with U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that Russia would supply millions of tons of diesel to the United States and global markets following a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Record 20 Russian officers killed in Ukrainian strikes on headquarters in Donetsk, monitors say. According to Mediazona, 18 of the Russian officers died immediately in the missile strike, while two succumbed to their injuries.Russian airports closed amid alleged Ukrainian balloon and drone raid. Local Russian Telegram channels showed mysterious balloons in the skies near Moscow, and air defense activity.
Trump allows Russia to supply millions of tons of diesel to US, global markets.
“Russia will immediately supply over 300,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel to the American and Global Marketplace, another 500,000 Tons during the month of November, and 1,000,000 Tons immediately thereafter,” U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Major fire reported at oil terminal linked to Russia’s Novoshakhtinsk refinery after suspected drone strike. ASTRA also reported damage to a residential building in Rostov-on-Don’s Donskaya Sloboda complex, identifying its location through footage posted by residents. It remained unclear what struck the building amid reports of continued drone activity and Russian air defense operations.
Ukraine confirms strikes on Russian cruise missile fuel plant, missile facilities.
Ukraine’s military launched an attack on Russia’s Tver Oblast overnight on Oct. 9, reportedly targeting a Russian factory that manufactures fuel components for Kh-55 and Kh-101 cruise missiles, Russian Telegram media channels reported.
Second Russian Yandex data center damaged by drone attack in two days, company says. Several modules of the data center were completely knocked out of operation, Yandex said in a statement.
Russia forcibly removes 25 Ukrainian civilians, including children, from occupied Kharkiv Oblast, ombudsman says. “Russia calls this an ‘evacuation.’ But when people are taken away against their will, intimidated, and left with no choice, it is not a rescue. It is coercion,” Dmytro Lubinets said.
Read our exclusives
Food court flop? Kyiv’s historic market empties after million-dollar makeover
Bessarabskyi’s transformation is part of a wider trend. Across Europe, developers have sought to turn grocery markets into profitable food courts. But in wartime Ukraine, the reality of changing a historic market and piece of Kyiv’s heritage into a trendy food court proved more difficult than developers expected.
Photo: Danylo Antoniuk/The Kyiv Independent
Why have EU sanctions missed the company behind Russia’s tank industry?
Rostec itself is not under an EU asset freeze. It sits instead on a separate list, Annex XIX of Regulation 833/2014, whose ban on transactions extends to companies Rostec owns by more than 50%. Whether that ban covers the Concern, or any other Rostec subsidiary, depends on ownership percentages that nobody outside Russia can check.
Photo: Olesya Kurpyayeva/AFP via Getty Images
Exclusive: Putin puts a price on Trump’s Ukraine energy truce — Kyiv fears the cost
One European diplomat briefed on the matter told the Kyiv Independent that Russia could be seeking the release of frozen Russian funds as part of the deal.
Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Human costs of war
Russian attacks kill at least 41, injure 67 across Ukraine as glide bombs strike Zaporizhzhia. Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with 136 drones, including 93 jet-powered Shahed-type drones, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
Russian guided bombs hit Zaporizhzhia apartment building, killing 4, injuring 4. The attack came a day after Russian guided aerial bombs struck residential areas of Zaporizhzhia on Oct. 9, killing at least one person and injuring seven others, including a child, according to regional officials.
International response
EU represented by von der Leyen’s right-hand at Ukraine peace talks, sources say. Two EU officials confirmed that Bjoern Seibert would be representing the European Commission at those talks, alongside the National Security Advisers of the E3 countries: France, Germany, and the U.K.
Zelensky appoints former European integration minister Kachka as EU ambassador. During Kachka’s tenure overseeing EU integration, Ukraine opened its first two accession negotiation clusters — groups of policy areas in which candidates must meet EU requirements.
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In other news
US sanctions court that seeks to arrest Putin, prompts backlash.
In 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Putin and another Russian official, Maria Lvova-Belova, for “unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.”
Montenegro to expel founder of Russian war blog Rybar, citing security reasons.
“Today, employees of the Police Department, together with the National Security Agency and with the support of international partners, conducted a targeted and coordinated operation aimed at preventing, detecting, and neutralizing illegal activities on the territory of Montenegro,” Montenegro’s police said.
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