By: Bohdan Chomiak & Robert Homans
The Ukraine War Ebook, “The Ukrainian People vs. The Russian Horde”
The Ukraine War Ebook, sent to those who were kind enough to support us, includes all our emails that we sent during the first week of the war. The Ebook has been very well received. Since early July, when the Ebook was released, we have added many new email recipients. For new recipients, plus existing recipients who would like to receive the Ebook, we would be happy to send you a copy in return for your support for our efforts. If you would like to support us in any amount in any currency, and receive an Ebook as our gesture of gratitude, please click on the link HERE. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Western Reporting on the The Ukrainian Offensives, Then and Now
In previous emails I have mentioned that the reporting in the U.S. press about the current offensive in Orikhiv, that it is stagnant, is very similar to the reporting on last year’s offensive that liberated Kherson City. I have been reading Serhii Plokhy’s book, “The Russia Ukrainian War,” about the coverage of last year’s Kherson Offensive. Below are excerpts from Plokhy’s book that describes the coverage of both last year’s Kherson Offensive and the Kharkiv Offensive.
· “By mid-August (2022) it appeared that the counteroffensive announced by Ukrainian officials the previous month was still as far from realization as it had been back then. The Ukrainian advance pretty much stopped after a handful of villages were brought under control. The destruction of ammunition depots, along with artillery and missile strikes on bridges and Russian communication lines, had only limited impact on the Russian army group near Kherson and Nova Kakhovka, whose numbers had greatly increased.”
· “By mid-August Western intelligence had recorded mass redeployment of Russian troops from the Donbas, the takeover of which had been the declared goal of the new stage of Russia’s war on Ukraine, as well as from the Crimea, from where eight tactical battalion groups, altogether close to 8,000 men, were moved to the region. According to Oleksii Arestovych, Russia had accumulated up to thirty battalion tactical groups (BTG) on the right bank of the river.” NOTE: 1 BTG consists of around 800 men)
· “By mid-August the question was not how quickly the Ukrainian offensive would advance but whether the Russian battalions, many of them consisting of elite paratrooper detachments, would launch a counteroffensive of their own. Indeed, on August 20, Russian troops went onto the offensive, trying to make inroads toward Mykolaiv in the east and Kryvyi Rih in the north. The Russian tactical battalion formations that had moved into the area after the announcement of the Ukrainian plans for a counteroffensive advanced up to 35 kilometers (22 miles) deep into Ukrainian-held territory, capturing the town of Blahodatne, a mere 45 kilometers (30 miles) east of Mykolaiv.”
· “On September 2 the Russian defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, announced the earlier Russian capture of the village of Blahodatne and questioned the Ukrainian forces’ ability to conduct successful offensives. “Let me emphasize,” stated Shoigu, referring to the start of the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the south, “that this action was planned by Zelensky’s office with one single goal—to give their Western sponsors the illusion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ capacity to manage an assault.””
· “Ironically, that turned out to be the last victorious report of the Russian military. By the time they made it public, the Russian forces were already on the defensive. Unexpectedly for Moscow, a major new Ukrainian offensive had begun where the Russian commanders were least prepared for it—north of the Donbas, in the Kharkiv region. Unlike the southern counteroffensive publicized by Zelensky and his team, this one was prepared in complete secrecy and immediately began to produce results.”
· “The Ukrainian counteroffensive south of Kharkiv began on September 6, the day on which the IAEA released its report documenting the presence of Russian military equipment in the turbine halls of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. The news came not from the Ukrainian side, as with the southern advance, but from Russian military bloggers who decried the success of the Ukrainian surprise attack toward the city of Balakliia, located close to the Russo-Ukrainian front line southeast of Kharkiv. Satellite images confirmed the presence of Ukrainian forces on the outskirts of Balakliia. They also confirmed earlier reports that Russian troops were withdrawing and blowing up bridges in the wake of their retreat to stop or slow down the Ukrainian advance.”
· “Despite the suggestions of some observers, Ukrainian actions in the south never amounted to mere destruction: it was a well-planned and -executed theater offensive in its own right.”
· “The successful attack on the Kerch Bridge in early October 2022 added to the enormous logistical problems that Russia already had experienced supplying its military formations on the right bank of the Dnieper River, in and around the city of Kherson. As the Ukrainian armed forces continued their HIMARS attacks on the Russian pontoon bridges across the Dnieper, pressure increased on the Russian military to cut their losses and withdraw from the right bank of the river. On October 18, ten days after the Ukrainian attack on the Crimean bridge, General Sergei Surovikin, the newly appointed commander of Russian operations in Ukraine, announced imminent “difficult decisions” with regard to the Russian troops in and around Kherson. In the following days, the Russians moved their military and civilian administrations to the left bank of the Dnieper River, and began the removal of armaments, military equipment, and cultural artifacts, including paintings from local museums, rare-book-library collections, and even the remains of Grigorii Potemkin, the favorite of Catherine II, and first Russian governor general of the region, who had been buried in Kherson. They also announced the evacuation of civilians and used the civilian population as cover against Ukrainian artillery attacks as they moved their troops and equipment across the Dnieper crossings.”
Much of the negative reporting about last year’s Kherson Offensive has been repeated in this year’s Orikhiv Offensive. It is almost as if the U.S. press is recycling the articles about last year’s Kherson Offensive and changing the names of the towns to describe the current Orikhiv Offensive. Two other observations:
· Gen. Surovikin’s ability to safely withdraw 20,000 Russian troops across the Dnieper River is among the most brilliant military maneuvers of the war, on either side. He kept 20,000 Russians from surrendering, and it contributed to Suovikin’s ability dig the defense lines, now referred to as the “Surovikin Line,” that have become so vexing for Ukrainians trying to get to Tokmak. For this, Surovikin lost his job.
· Western reporters completely missed the impact of Ukraine’s ability to hit Russian logistics on Surovikin’s decision to withdraw from the Right Bank of the Dnieper. They are either making the same mistake today, or at least they’re not considering the possibility of this situation repeating itself around Orikhiv.
“What’s Going on With the Russian Economy?”/Ukrainska Pravda
This article draws largely on a Report on the Russian economy prepared by the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE). According to the report the Russian economy continues to grow. The report recommends the following additional actions:
· Lower the price cap on Russian oil, from $60/bbl where it is today.
· Impose restrictions on Russian tanker purchases.
· Demand Russian tankers carry Western environmental risk insurance as a condition for passing through Western territorial waters, thus eliminating the Black Sea/Bosporus and Baltic Sea as transit routes.
· Ban all Russian fuel exports to the EU (according to the article, Russia still exports $8 billion worth of fuel to the EU.
· Ban the export of Russian diamonds that, according to KSE, brings in approximately $4+ billion/year.
· Disconnecting more banks from the SWIFT system.
· Putting Russia on the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) blacklist.
News From the Battlefield – Back to the Dnipro
According to the “Latest Denys,” Ukraine continues to expand its foothold on the Left Bank of the Dnipro. As we have predicted in a recent email, this may presage a new Ukrainian offensive, perhaps early in 2024 after the F-16s start to arrive, capable of attacking Russian aircraft launching gliding bombs.
Through its riverine force, Ukraine has also seemed to have attained complete control over the Dnipro, a matter of great interest to this Former Naval Person. Recently, someone asked me about the origin of the term “Former Naval Person.” It is how Churchill signed his cables to Pres. Roosevelt during WW-II. Unlike Pres. Roosevelt Churchill never served in the Royal Navy in a line capacity. However, he was on 2 separate occasions the First Lord of the Admiralty, the equivalent of Chief of Naval Operations in the U.S.
Denys included a couple of interesting items:
· At 6:07 into his video, he shows an aerial photo of Russia building trench lines, including anti-tank “dragon’s teeth,” near Avdiivka. Judging from the populated area at the top of the photo, and a multi-lane highway running across the middle of the photo, this defense line could be located between Avdiivka and Donetsk City. The 2 cities are around 12 km. apart. Is Russia expecting a Ukrainian counteroffensive toward Donetsk City?
· At 6:30 into the video Denys shows the impact of an ATACMS strike that destroyed 3 S-400 antiaircraft systems in Luhansk Oblast. This could well presage something more. A few weeks ago Ukraine destroyed S-400 systems in western Crimea, leading directly to the attack against the Black Sea Fleet Headquarters In Sevastopol, and Russia’s decision to move their ships out of Sevastopol Harbor.
Russian Casualties- In the latest report from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, reproduced below, Russian casualties in the most recent 24 hours was 550 lost. This down from recent losses of 800/day to a high of 1,380/day. This may indicate a reduction in the Russian offensive around Avdiivka. Separately, the White House reported that a substantial share of Russian casualties consists of Russian soldiers being executed by special “blocking units” for refusing to fight. There has been reports of mutinies in the Russian ranks.
Continues below -
10/27/2023 Sitrep
Abbreviations:
RMA = Regional Military Administration SBU = Security Service of Ukraine
RASHISTS = russian Facists/all russian invaders
INTERNATIONAL
Friday, October 27
8:08 AM: The US has struck two Iranian targets in Syria in response to attacks on US bases.
8:48 AM: The US House of Representatives wants to consider aid to Ukraine and Israel separately.
● This was announced by the newly appointed Speaker of the Chamber, Mike Johnson.
● Johnson said that the US would not leave Ukraine, and that a Russian victory in Ukraine would embolden not only Russia, but also China regarding Taiwan.
9:43 AM: Hungary and Slovakia opposed allocation of €50 billion to Ukraine, — Reuters.
● The prime minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, justified his decision by the high level of corruption in Ukraine.
● Amendments to the EU budget require support from all 27 EU member states.
9:54 AM: The Parliament of Latvia adopted in the first reading a draft law, which provides for the possibility of transferring confiscated cars with Russian registration to Ukraine.
● This is reported on the website of the parliament.
● It is planned that the draft law will enter into force on November 15, but for this it still needs to be adopted in the second reading.
11:13 AM: Orban said that Ukraine cannot win on the battlefield, - Reuters.
● "_All military experts are already talking about this, but only the politicians in Europe do not dare to admit it_", - said the Prime Minister of Hungary.
Thursday, October 26
12:06 PM: The number of victims among Ukrainians in Israel has increased to 21, - MFA.
● "_In total, we now have confirmed information about 21 dead Ukrainians, as well as 1 missing person_", - the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleg Nikolenko.
● According to him, 3 Ukrainians died in the Gaza Strip (two children and an adult), as well as 6 wounded, including 3 children.
1:57 PM: The G7 countries will announce restrictions on the import of Russian diamonds by the end of October, after which the European Union will finalize a proposal for the 12th package of sanctions against the Russian Federation, — Reuters.
1:57 PM: Hungary refuses to consider Sweden's bid to join NATO, Associated Press.
1:57 PM: Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Peter Sijarto arrived in Minsk. There he will take part in a conference on "Eurasian security", - the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary.
1:57 PM: Finland says Chinese ship's anchor likely damaged underwater gas pipeline in Baltic Sea, WSJ.
5:25 PM: A man was detained in Germany who sent €2 million worth of drone engines to the Russian Federation, Merkur.
● According to the report, in 2022-2023, the suspect exported various electronic components, models of aircraft engines and other goods to the Russian Federation using indirect deliveries.
● Among the components supplied were models of aircraft engines used in the Russian Orlan-10 drone.
6:15 PM: In January, Ukraine should receive new missiles with a range of 300 km and a warhead weight of 100 kg.
● This was reported by the Voice of America journalist with reference to a high-ranking source in the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
● "_There are plans to help with the conversion of BUK_", - adds Gongadze.
6:23 PM: EU leaders plan to discuss the use of frozen Russian assets at a two-day summit, Bloomberg.
● "_The Russian assets under sanctions, frozen in Belgium, brought almost 3 billion euros in profit_", - writes the publication.
● According to the publication, the EU plans to introduce a tax on windfall income received from the frozen assets of the Russian Federation. Then they want to use this profit to restore Ukraine.
6:34 PM: Denmark handed Ukraine a new package of military aid worth 3.7 billion Danish kroner, according to the website of the country's Ministry of Defense.
● The new package includes artillery, tanks, BMP, drones, small arms and armored engineering and evacuation equipment.
● The package also provides support for NATO's comprehensive assistance and joint EU purchases of artillery ammunition.
7:14 PM: Today, the USA will announce the allocation of a new tranche of weapons and equipment to Ukraine.
● This was announced by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
7:27 PM: The US will give Ukraine a package of military aid worth $150 million, the Pentagon said.
● The package includes:
o ammunition for NASAMS air defense systems;
o AIM-9M air defense missiles;
o anti-aircraft missiles Stinger;
o additional ammunition for HIMARS;
o 155 mm and 105 mm caliber artillery shells;
o TOW missiles and Javelin systems;
o more than 2 million cartridges for small arms;
o night vision devices;
o active armor plates for Abrams tanks and others.
8:10 PM: Volodymyr Zelenskyi addressed the participants of the meeting of the European Council at the level of the leaders of the EU states.
● _"Ukraine practically implemented the seven recommendations of the European Commission: both solutions that were simpler and solutions that were difficult for politicians._
● _And we count on your unity in response to the decision to start negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union. […] Either our whole Europe with you will win - together with Ukraine, together with Moldova, and in the future together with Georgia and Belarus - or the past will win," - said the President of Ukraine.
8:31 PM: Volodymyr Zelensky's rating in the US is higher than that of Biden or Trump, Newsweek
● According to the survey, 50% of Americans have a positive attitude towards Zelensky. At the same time, only 42% have a positive attitude towards both Biden and Trump.
● The Ukrainian president also has a lower percentage of people who view him unfavorably (24%), compared to 55% for Biden and 54% for Trump.
10:40 PM: The Israeli army says that 224 people are being held hostage by Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
10:40 PM: A Qatari court has ordered the execution of eight Indians, the Indian Foreign Ministry said. Qatar arrested them on suspicion of spying for Israel.
10:40 PM: Israel enlists Pegasus creator to track Gaza hostages, Bloomberg
● Pegasus is a hacking program, or spyware, developed and sold under license to governments around the world by the Israeli company NSO Group.
10:55 PM: Visa has banned banks in countries bordering Russia from opening accounts for Russians. And she promised a fine of one million dollars for each open card.
● It is forbidden to issue cards to holders of Russian passports who are not residents of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, etc.
11:16 PM: An entrepreneur was arrested in Germany who could sell drone engines to Russia for almost 2 million euros.
● In the summer of this year, the investigators of the customs criminal investigation confiscated a total of 120 such engines from the company, warning of their transfer to the Russian Federation.
11:51 PM: Finland has already built a part of the fence on the border with the Russian Federation.
● The Finnish Border Guard has announced that it has put into operation a test section of the fence about three kilometers long at Peltola in Imatra, South Karelia.
NATIONAL
Friday, October 27
7:05 AM: Situation update of General Staff of UAF regarding russian invasion as of 6 a.m.
● During the day of October 26, there were almost 70x combat engagements. The enemy launched a total of 1x missile and 18x air strikes, 35x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements.
● Air strikes hit Arkhanhelske, Maryinka, Novomykhailivka, Staromaiorske (Donetsk oblast), Odradokamyanka, Mykolaivka, Olhivka, Tyahynka, and Ivanivka (Kherson oblast).
● More than 80x settlements in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts came under artillery fire.
● During the day of October 26, Ukrainian Air Force launched 1x air strike on a concentration of troops and 1x air strike on the anti-aircraft missile system of the adversary.
● The Ukrainian missile troops hit 3x concentrations of troops, weapons, and military equipment, and 2x artillery systems of the russian invaders.
Front Line Map as of 11:42 PM October 26,2023
A Khortytsia operational-strategic group
Kupyansk axis: the enemy conducted unsuccessful assault operations in the vicinities of settlements of Synkivka and Ivanivka (Kharkiv oblast).
Lyman axis: the enemy did not conduct any offensive (assault) operations, and continues to regroup its troops.
Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian soldiers repelled 5x adversary attacks in the vicinities of Bohdanivka and Khromove (Donetsk oblast). The enemy also tried to regain lost ground near Klishchiivka and Andriivka, where the Ukrainian defenders repelled 10x attacks. In turn, the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue assault operations south of Bakhmut (Donetsk oblast), inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the enemy, and consolidate their new positions.
B Tavria operational-strategic group
Avdiivka axis: the enemy keeps trying to encircle Avdiivka, actively using its aircraft, but the Ukrainian soldiers are standing their ground, inflicting major losses on the occupiers. The enemy’s offensive actions were unsuccessful in the vicinities of Stepove, Avdiivka, Tonenke, and Sjeverne (Donetsk oblast), where the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled more than 20x enemy attacks.
Maryinka axis: the invaders conducted unsuccessful assault operations in the vicinities of Maryinka and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). The Ukrainian soldiers repelled 18x adversary attacks there.
Shakhtarske and Zaporizhzhia axes: the enemy is maintaining its military presence and regrouping its forces.
8:43 AM: At night, air defense forces destroyed 5 "shaheeds", - the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
● A total of 6 "Shahed" type attack UAVs were used in the direction of the southern regions of Ukraine and one "Iskander-M" ballistic missile from the Voronezh region in the direction of the Kharkiv region.
9:06 AM: On October 27 at 11:00 Kyiv time, the 23rd National Unity Radio Dictator - "Roads of Ukraine" will begin.
● According to the organizers, the goal is to unite people around Ukraine all over the world.
● Oleksiy Hnatkovskyi, the performer of the role of Ivan Dovbush in the film "Dovbush", will be read live by the radio announcer.
10:45 AM: The Russians launch a small number of Shaheds to identify weak points in Ukraine's air defenses.
● This was announced by the spokesman of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yuriy Ignat.
● "_This allows the enemy to draw conclusions about the forces and means located in this or that region and take this information into account when planning the next attacks. That is, they have such an intelligence function_", he said.
Thursday, October 26
2:30 PM: The National Bank of Ukraine has reduced the discount rate to 16%, the head of the National Bank, Andriy Pishnyi, reports.
● Despite the decrease in the accounting rate, the rates for operations with banks remained unchanged.
● The National Bank of Ukraine also improved its forecast for Ukraine's GDP growth in 2023 from 2.9% to 4.9%.
3:06 PM: The National Bank predicts about $45 billion in loans and grants for Ukraine this year.
● "_These revenues remain the main source of covering the high deficit of the state budget, which will expand to almost 29% of GDP this year_," NBU Chairman Pyshnyy notes.
5:49 PM: German Defense Minister Pistorius and Ukrainian Defense Minister Umerov discussed further military assistance.
● This is written by the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Federal Republic of Germany.
5:56 PM: Volodymyr Zelenskyi signed the law on the lifetime status of politically significant persons and on strengthening their financial monitoring.
● This is stated in the card of the corresponding draft law.
● Adoption of this law is a condition for Ukraine's accession to the EU and financial assistance from the IMF.
6:46 PM: The information about the suspension of the temporary "grain corridor" due to a possible threat from the Russian Federation is not true, — the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine.
● "_All available routes established by the Armed Forces Navy are valid and used by civilian vessels_," the message reads.
6:50 PM: Such mailings are one of the methods of conducting IPSO, the SBU responded.
● "_Each such IPSO is in the SBU's field of vision. And the special service has well-developed response and neutralization algorithms for any of them. We recommend citizens to ignore such messages and not to click on links from dubious contacts_," the comment reads.
7:42 PM: Since the beginning of October, DSST demining teams have discovered and defused more than 12,000 explosive devices.
● These statistics were provided by the Military Media Center.
7:52 PM: Summary of the General Staff as of 18:00 on October 26:
● During the day _45 combat clashes took place_. The enemy carried out 14 airstrikes and fired 12 rocket salvo missiles at the positions of our troops and populated areas.
● The enemy continues the _regrouping of troops_ in the Zaporizhzhia, Shakhtarsky, and Lymansky directions.
● Aviation of the Defense Forces launched an attack on the area of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment, and one more - on the enemy's anti-aircraft missile complex.
● Units of the missile forces hit the area of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment and _the enemy's artillery_.
9:59 PM: Valery Zaluzhnyi met with the Commander-in-Chief of NATO's Joint Forces in Europe, General Christopher Cavoli, and the Chief of the British Defense Staff, Admiral Tony Radakin.
● "_We focused on the actual needs of the Armed Forces in shells, drones and military equipment. We separately discussed the key issues of strengthening our air defense and covering critical infrastructure objects in the autumn-winter period," he said.
10:16 PM: The US Ambassador to Ukraine confirmed the beginning of training of Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 in Arizona.
MORDOR - ruZZia
Friday, October 27
6:45 AM: The Russian Federation is intensifying propaganda among children under occupation, - National Resistance Center.
● According to the CNS, the Kremlin instructed to increase the number of local children's and youth institutions, including military-patriotic ones, by the end of 2023. The occupiers appointed the "Defender of the Fatherland" foundation to be responsible for the militarization of Ukrainian children.
● "As part of increasing the pace of brainwashing, the Russians are planning to hold compulsory attendance of 'class meetings', 'your hero', 'thank you, brothers'. As part of the propaganda activities, schoolchildren will meet with 'veterans'," the CNS reports.
6:59 AM: "There are significant losses in the Russian Federation, commanders are executing soldiers": The US assessed the situation around Avdiivka.
● John Kirby noted that the Russian offensive is being carried out in several directions, in particular in the Avdiyivka, Lyman and Kupyansk areas, and was not a surprise, since the US observed the concentration of Russian forces in this direction.
● At the same time, Biden's adviser emphasized that the Armed Forces of Ukraine, thanks to American help in particular, "were able to hold their own and are holding their defense."
8:08 AM: The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported on the alleged downing of a Ukrainian drone over the Kursk region.
Thursday, October 26
12:38 PM State Border Service of Ukraine: Guerrillas of the Kursk region destroyed the Russian R-330Zh "Zhitel" automated jamming station.
● Damage was inflicted by two kamikaze drones and mortar fire.
1:16 PM: Russia and North Korea are working out an aid package that will get North Korea in exchange for Russian-supplied munitions for war against Ukraine, British intelligence says.
● It is noted that North Korean ammunition has already been delivered to military warehouses in the west of the Russian Federation, despite the denial of this information.
● "_If North Korea maintains the recent scale and pace of military shipments, it may become one of the most important foreign suppliers of weapons to the Russian Federation, along with Iran and Belarus_," the intelligence said.
4:47 PM: A delegation of Hamas arrived on a visit to Moscow, — rosZMI.
6:33 AM: Planes, helicopters, and drones: Russia is building up its military, preparing for a long war.
● In particular, the Kazan Aviation Plant, which belongs to the structure of the Rostec state corporation, builds and repairs strategic bombers, for example, Tu-22m3 and Tu-160, from which Russia launches missiles over Ukraine.
● The new hangar here began to be built back in 2018, but construction was accelerated in 2022, and this year it was almost finished. According to military experts, strategic bombers can be repaired and modernized in this workshop.
11:37 AM: Oleg Tsarev was hospitalized with a stab wound, rosZMI reports.
● The appointed Russian "authority" of the Zaporizhzhia region writes that Tsarev was shot. According to preliminary data, Tsarev's condition is very serious.
REGIONS
KYIV
Thursday, October 26
1:39 PM: On the initiative of the mayor of Kyiv, Vitaliy Klychka, the community of the capital allocated another 1 billion for the armed forces, - Magyar
● "_A significant thing happened. UAH 1 billion from the budget of the Kyiv community has just been directed at the initiative of the mayor Vitaliy Klychko to the needs of the Marine Corps of the Ukrainian Armed Forces._
CHERNIHIV
Thursday, October 26
12:59 PM: Searches in v. at. of the Mayor of Chernihiv, Oleksandra Lomako, are being held together with the Security Service of Ukraine, said Tetyana Sapyan, adviser on communication of the SBU. According to her, the legality of Lomako's stay abroad is being checked.
● "_The business trip was arranged, according to the data I have, to Germany on May 7, 2023. Currently, law enforcement officers are investigating the circumstances under which he could also end up in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Poland. There is information that his "vacation" lasted approximately from May 7 to 21_", Sapyan said.
SUMY
Thursday, October 26
12:48 PM: The Sumy City Council is carrying out searches related to the purchase of winter clothing for voluntary formations, reported Oleg Chaichenko, head of the legal department of the city council.
● According to him, the searches began at 8:00 a.m., in particular, in the office of the acting of the mayor Yulia Pavlyk, in the accounting department and the department of competitive bidding.
● Local officials and entrepreneurs are suspected of misappropriating budget funds when purchasing uniforms.
3:21 PM: A 16-year-old boy died as a result of Russian shelling in the Sumy region, — the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
● Around 1:00 p.m., enemy artillery "covered" the boy right on the porch of his own house.
KHARKIV
Friday, October 27
9:26 AM: Border guards shot down a drone in Kharkiv Oblast, — DPSU.
10:20 AM: The SBU detained a Russian informant who corrected Russian missile strikes on Sloviansk and Lyman
● During trips to the area, he tried to identify and record the locations of checkpoints, fortifications, and strongholds of Ukrainian troops.
● The perpetrator faces up to 8 years in prison.
Thursday, October 26
5:40 PM: The number of Russian troops in the Lyman-Kupian direction is about 100,000.
● This was announced by the head of the public relations service of the Land Forces Command, Lt. Col. Volodymyr Fityo.
● He noted that the number of enemy troops did not change after drawing up reserves to restore destroyed units.
DONETSK
Friday, October 27
9:20 AM: During the day, the Armed Forces repulsed 20 enemy attacks in the Avdiyivka area of the Donetsk region.
● This was reported by the spokesman of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Andriy Kovalev
● He also added that the Ukrainian military is storming the positions of Russian troops south of Bakhmut.
11:03 AM: 6 shellings were registered in Donetsk region during the day, — National Police.
● Russian troops attacked the civilian population with aviation and artillery. 3 settlements came under fire: Avdiivka, Predtechine and Orlivka.
● One person was injured, 7 houses were damaged.
Thursday, October 26
2:11 PM: In the Avdiivka area, the number of shootings has decreased due to weather conditions, but the situation is still difficult.
● This was announced by the head of the Avdiiv MBA, Vitaliy Barabash.
● "_The enemy hits the city both during the day and at night. It uses barrel, rocket artillery, mortars, aerial bombardments_," Barabash said.
11:41 PM social Networks: Explosions are heard in the Kramatorsk district of the Donetsk region.
ZAPORIZHIA
Thursday, October 26
6:41 PM Social Networks: Explosions are heard in temporarily occupied Berdyansk.
10:17 PM Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the temporarily occupied Tokmak of the Zaporizhia region.
DNIPRO
Friday, October 27
7:40 AM Dnipro RMA: Russians attacked the Nikopol district of Dnipropetrovsk region four times, firing two dozen shells from heavy artillery.
● _"A private house, a car and a power line were damaged. Rescuers are clarifying the consequences of the strikes. People are unharmed."
KHERSON
Friday, October 27
7:46 AM Kherson RMA: Over the past day, the Russians have carried out 114 shelling of the Kherson region. 500 shells were fired in the city of Kherson.
● They hit the residential quarters of the settlements of the region; a medical institution, a cultural center, an educational institution and a post office in the Berislav district. 1 person died, 2 more were injured, said the head of Kherson OVA Oleksandr Prokudin.
9:49 AM Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
10:38 AM Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in Kherson.
10:52 AM Kherson RMA: Russian troops hit a residential building in Zelenivka. A person died.
● A 36-year-old man was also injured in the shelling in the center of Kherson.
Thursday, October 26
12:32 PM Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
7:55 PM Kherson Municipal Military Administration: Several explosions rang out in the Dnipro district of Kherson.
KIROVOHRAD
Thursday, October 26
9:28 PM: The SBU and NABU exposed the Kropyvnytskyi judge who asked for a bribe to "remove" the culprit of a fatal road accident from prison
● The official wanted to receive 10,500 dollars from the accused in a traffic accident that led to the death of a person.
● For this amount, the judge promised to give the defendant a punishment unrelated to the actual term of imprisonment.
● The perpetrator faces up to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property.
ZAKARPATTIA
Thursday, October 26
12:21 PM: SBU and BEB exposed a scheme of illegal production and sale of fuel, in which Medvedchuk's best man from Transcarpathia was involved
● Kum Medvedchuk, together with the participants of the scheme, purchased oil from Ukrainian suppliers of raw materials and processed it at his own plant. Finished products were sold to gas station chains without permits and tax payments.
● During the search of the underground refinery, more than 600 tons of fuel and equipment for its production were found for a total amount of almost UAH 150 million.
RIVNO
Thursday, October 26
2:22 PM: The Rivne Regional Military Committee was informed of another suspicion of illegal enrichment of more than UAH 46 million.
● It is known that he is building a hotel in the format of a "cottage town" with an area of almost 500 square meters. He also owns three apartments, two garages, two cars, a house and a dacha.
● "_Some real estate is documented in the name of a retired aunt, an official and a trusted person_", the Prosecutor General's Office informs.
Attacks on Civilians and Civilian Infrastructure from 12:00 October 26 to 12:00 October 27 2023
Comparing Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to Russian invasion of Ukraine using Wikipedia and Ukraine Ministry of Defense Daily Bulletins. Soviet and Russian military losses not including captured equipment.
SOURCES
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/
https://espreso.tv/
https://t.me/uawarinfographics
https://deepstatemap.live/en#11/47.9070/37.6927
https://www.kmu.gov.ua/en/