EU ambassadors have agreed on a plan to ban gas and oil imports from Russia starting in 2028, despite objections from Hungary and Slovakia — Reuters. Furthermore, the European Commission insists on the use of attack drones near the borders with Russia and Belarus as part of the EU’s militarization program “in case of conflict,” said European Defense Commissioner Kubilius.
Hungary has agreed to ban Russian LNG supplies to the EU, EUObserver reported. According to the portal, the obstacle to the adoption of the 19th sanctions package remains the position of Slovakia and Austria.
Europeans may be in trouble due to new EU regulations, the FT newspaper reported. “Hafnium and zirconium, used in the production of water heaters, have been removed from the list of EU-approved substances. Alternative materials are nearly five times more expensive, which could lead to higher prices for heating equipment.”
The European Parliament is calling on the EU to use all frozen Russian assets as a basis for a loan to Ukraine, according to a resolution. The total amount of Russian assets frozen by EU and G7 countries amounts to approximately €280 billion. This figure represents nearly half of Russia’s foreign exchange reserves. The European Parliament has called on the European Commission to “unify” anti-Russian sanctions by introducing similar measures against Belarus, Iran, and North Korea.
NATO countries are discussing easing restrictions on pilots patrolling the bloc’s eastern border so they can shoot at aerial targets entering the airspace of alliance members, the Financial Times reports, citing sources. The FT also claims that NATO plans to conduct military exercises on the border with Russia.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schuf visited the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznań-Krzesiny in western Poland, where F-35A Lightning II fighters from the Royal Netherlands and Norwegian Air Forces are currently stationed, protecting NATO’s eastern flank as part of Operation Eastern Watch.
According to Ukrainian sources, the Ukrainian armed forces have resigned themselves to the likely loss of Kupyansk in October. Their main focus is now on defending Lyman, Hulyaipole, and Kostyantynivka. The Russian armed forces are also said to be redeploying four motorized rifle brigades from Pokrovsk for an offensive in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
As Ukraine approaches its fourth winter of war, the country’s Energy Ministry has prepared a new “secret weapon”: a $140 million battery program, completed in August, which includes at least six massive battery management and energy storage systems located at highly classified sites in the Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions of central Ukraine, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The batteries, part of a project led by DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy supplier, are designed and manufactured in the United States. Each battery station has a total capacity of 200 megawatts, enough to power approximately 600,000 homes for about two hours, equivalent to a city the size of Washington, D.C. The battery power plants are designed to fill gaps and regulate Ukraine’s energy supply, offering an alternative energy source even in the event of attacks on the power grid. They can connect to the grid and provide power in the event of a failure of another source, such as a thermal power plant, helping to avoid the scheduled power outages that Ukrainians have been experiencing since the conflict with Russia began. Another shipment of weapons from Norway arrived in Ukraine on October 8.
In recent days, Russia has destroyed 60% of Ukraine’s gas production with attacks in the Kharkiv and Poltava regions, Bloomberg reports, citing sources. This will likely force Kyiv to spend 1.9 billion euros to import 4.4 billion cubic meters of fuel by the end of March, approximately 20% of its annual consumption. Following these attacks, Ukraine has asked its partners for urgent equipment to repair the power system, additional air defense systems, and financial support to pay for gas. According to sources, the cost of emergency repairs to the power system is estimated at around 758 million euros. “While Ukraine survived previous winters thanks to generators and assistance to civilians, During power outages, concerns are growing that the damage caused by the recent attacks will not be repaired before the end of winter,” the article states.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that France seized the BORACAY oil tanker, part of Russia’s alleged “shadow fleet,” with the support of Ukrainian intelligence. Zelensky also claims that Russia’s gasoline shortage is already approaching 20%. “They are already running out of diesel reserves they had saved for difficult times. Putin has been offered several times the option of ending the war or at least calling for a ceasefire. He has rejected all proposals: ours, the Americans. That’s why it’s entirely right that Russia pays the full cost of the war. The arms manufacturers are ensuring this. “Our long-range strikes have become more precise,” Zelenskyy said. Finally, the Ukrainian president threatened Russia with a blackout in the Belgorod and Kursk regions in the event of large-scale power outages in Ukraine due to Russian attacks, according to Strana.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “A new meeting between Putin and Trump is not currently on the agenda.” The loss of momentum in resolving the Russian-Ukrainian conflict is due to a significant pause in dialogue, Russian Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told RBC. “Kiev is not currently engaged in the peace process; “There has been a pause in dialogue,” Peskov said. “Ukraine believes that something will change on the front line, but reality indicates otherwise.”
The Kremlin and the White House continue to maintain contact, and there has been no interruption, presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov told Interfax. It is learned that the widow of the late General IIgor Kirillov, killed in an attack, Svetlana Kirillova, has been appointed senator of the legislative branch of the Kostroma region, according to the regional Duma.
Responding to Zelensky’s statements, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said: “Russian refineries have managed to increase fuel production. There are no major problems; any logistical issues are being resolved as usual.”
“Due to the difficult situation on the fuel market, refineries have begun using more aromatic compounds, such as toluene, in gasoline production. This allows for an increase in the production of high-octane fuel, but leads to a reduction in the supply of benzene on the market,” Kommersant reports.
Deputy Head of the Russian Security Council and Chairman of the United Russia party, Dmitry Medvedev, arrived in Pyongyang for the 80th anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK). “Time flies. Friends are united. Enemies are tense,” he said.
On October 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Ilham Aliyev at the Kohi Somon residence in Dushanbe. Vladimir Putin suggested that Aliyev begin the meeting with a discussion on the AZAL plane crash. Putin stated: “Russia, in accordance with the agreements, is providing full cooperation in the investigation of the AZAL plane crash. The causes of the AZAL plane crash are related, among other things, to the fact that a Ukrainian drone was in flight. On the day of the AZAL plane tragedy, Russia tracked three Ukrainian drones that had crossed the Russian border. Two missiles launched by the Russian air defense system did not directly hit the AZAL plane, but exploded a few meters away. Putin told Aliyev that the AZAL airliner was most likely hit by debris, not missile fragments.
And again: “The AZAL crew was asked to land in Makhachkala, but they decided to return to their home airport. The causes of the AZAL plane crash became clear after a thorough analysis of the incident,” Putin said during a meeting with Aliyev. He concluded by stating: “Russia will provide a legal assessment of the actions of all officials in connection with the AZAL plane crash. Russia will do everything necessary in tragic cases such as the AZAL plane crash.” It will take time to finally put an end to the AZAL plane crash.” The Russian President said he had been informed of the causes of the tragedy, which he had informed Aliyev the day before yesterday. Putin also stated that before the meeting, he checked whether there were any further details on the cause of the emergency. Aliyev thanked Putin for the detailed information on the AZAL plane, APA source. “Relations between Russia and Azerbaijan have developed successfully in all areas this year,” Aliyev said.
And now a look at the front line updated at 3:30 PM on October 9. Overnight in the Kursk region, a Ukrainian Armed Forces drone crashed, setting fire to a 500-square-meter grassy area in Kurchatov. At least four drones were destroyed in the Voronezh region. From evening to midnight, the Ministry of Defense reported a total of 27 drones downed in the Rostov, Voronezh, Kursk, and Belgorod regions.
In Odessa, a missile struck the port of Chornomorsk overnight, setting a container terminal on fire and reporting secondary detonations. At least 20 Geranium missiles were launched across the region.
In the Bryansk region, Ukrainian Armed Forces fired mortar shells at the village of Khinel, in the Sevsky district, wounding nine civilians.
In the Belgorod region, three deaths and three injuries were reported from Ukrainian drone and rocket attacks. Fourteen villages in 14 different locations were hit.
In the direction of Lyman, Russian troops are conducting offensive operations in several directions, attempting to straighten the front and eliminate pockets of tension near Shandryholove, Drobysheve, Kolodyazi, and Zarichne.
Russian forces continue to apply pressure in the area toward Seversk. Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian forces have detected active Russian operations along the railway near Vyimka.
North of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, Russian forces report successes in Zolotyi Kolodyaz and the village of Vilne. Fighting continues in Pokrovsk. North of Udachne, Russian attack aircraft are clearing their way toward the mine.
In the northeast of Zaporizhia Oblast, the Vostok Group of Forces has captured Novohryhorivka. Near Poltavka, the situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces is rapidly deteriorating. The Ukrainian Armed Forces’ bridgehead at Uspenivka, a large fortified settlement, is isolated and risks encirclement.
From the Zaporizhia Front, Russian social media sources report heavy fighting in Prymors’ke and Stepnohirs’k. In the Hulyaijpole area, Russian troops are approaching Okhotnyche, and fierce fighting is ongoing.
In the Kherson region, shelling in the port of Zaliznyi set two buildings on fire, killing three people. Ukrainian Armed Forces have shelled 12 different locations.
Graziella Giangiulio
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