Live updates on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine: Russia plans to pull out of an international agreement that prohibits nuclear weapons testing.

Previous update on a drone strike in the western region of Ukraine targeting a nuclear facility.

According to AP, Russia deployed approximately eleven Shahed drones to attack Ukrainian targets. Debris from an intercepted drone caused damage to power lines in the western part of the country, resulting in hundreds of people losing electricity near a nuclear plant.

The Ukrainian air force reported successfully halting all launched drones.

For the fourth consecutive day, the military forces of the Kremlin targeted the Ukrainian area of Khmelnytskyi, resulting in 16 injuries, as reported by local officials.

The ministry of energy infrastructure in Ukraine reported that a drone crashed in Khmelnytskyi, causing damage to the administrative building and the laboratory of the local nuclear plant. Additionally, it resulted in power outage for over 1,800 customers.

The plant is located approximately 200km (120 miles) to the east of the Polish border.

There is concern in Ukraine about the possibility of Russia launching another attack on energy facilities in order to weaken the morale of the population this year.

Zelenskiy stated on Telegram that preparations are underway for potential terrorist attacks on energy infrastructure. This year, not only will we prioritize defense, but we will also take action in response.

Last winter, Russia carried out frequent long-distance attacks using strategic bombers and warships, considering energy infrastructure a valid objective. Despite attempts, Ukraine was mostly incapable of retaliating.

Despite lacking extensive long-range weapons, Ukraine has significantly boosted its ability to launch attacks by creating drones and acquiring advanced western weaponry, including Storm Shadow cruise missiles and ATACMS long-range ballistic missiles.

In the past month, Russian authorities have claimed that Ukraine is responsible for an attack on an electricity substation and other energy facilities. This resulted in power outages in western regions of Russia that share a border with Ukraine.

Ukraine initiated a fresh attack in the vicinity.

The Russian Ministry of Defense states that Russia has probably been aware of the potential for attacks in the region since it removed its troops from Kherson and the western bank of the river about a year ago.

According to Reuters, a bomb exploded in Ukraine on Wednesday morning, injuring 20 individuals.

According to the interior minister, Ukraine’s air force successfully eliminated all 11 Russian drones that were launched during the overnight attacks. The blasts and debris caused significant damage.

During the evening hours, the opposing forces attacked land near the Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant. The energy ministry reported on Telegram that the blast caused damage to windows in both administrative and laboratory buildings.

According to the report, the power lines were also affected and caused power outages in two nearby towns, Netishyn and Slavuta, near the nuclear power plant.

The conflict in Ukraine. Accusations have been made against Russia for increasing their use of “nuclear blackmail”.

The conflict in Ukraine. The Ukrainian government has accused Russia of increasing their use of “nuclear blackmail”.

Although it has not been officially enacted, the CTBT has effectively made nuclear testing socially unacceptable. Only North Korea has violated this norm by conducting a nuclear explosion test in the current century.

According to experts in arms control, a potential test conducted by either Russia or the US could potentially spark a fresh arms race during a time of high international pressure, as conflicts continue in Ukraine and the Middle East. They suggest that if one country were to conduct a test, it is likely that the other would respond in kind, potentially leading to similar actions from other nations such as China, India, and Pakistan.

Last month, CNN released satellite photographs revealing that Russia, the US, and China have constructed new structures at their respective nuclear testing sites within recent years.

successful test at the Nevada National Security Site

Last week, the Nevada National Security Site reported a successful test conducted by the US energy department.

A chemical explosion occurred at the nuclear testing site in Nevada with the purpose of enhancing the United States’ capability to detect low-yield nuclear explosions globally.

Before the vote on Wednesday, Russian lawmakers were addressed by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who stated that the explosion in Nevada was clearly a political message.

According to our president, we need to be vigilant. If the US initiates nuclear testing, we will have to retaliate in kind.

Currently, there appears to be a shortage on the Ukraine battlefront.

Internet observers are still closely monitoring Avdiivka, located in the Donesk region, where Russia has been engaging in a violent and expensive Bakhmut-style operation; and Kherson, where it is rumored that Ukrainian soldiers are consistently conducting raids on the eastern side of the Dnipro river, which is currently held by Russia.

I have a new report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Here are a few of the main points highlighted by ISW:

On October 24, Ukrainian troops launched a counterattack in eastern and southern Ukraine. They made progress to the south of Bakhmut and in the western Zaporizhia region.

On October 24, Russian troops launched a military attack in the vicinity of Avdiivka and successfully gained ground in the northeast area.

Sources from Russia reported that Ukrainian troops are holding positions in Krynky, which is located 30km east of Kherson City and 2km from the Dnipro river. These forces have also been carrying out small-scale attacks on the east bank of the Dnipro river.

During a speech at the Crimean Platform summit on October 24th, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy emphasized the decrease in Russian influence over the Black Sea and Ukraine’s temporary grain routes.

Ukraine.

The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has pledged to continue using military force against the Russian-controlled Crimea.

Zelenskiy stated at a gathering of the Crimea Platform, a diplomatic effort he initiated in 2021, that we have not yet achieved complete fire control over Crimea and the adjacent waters, but we are determined to do so.

This is a matter of time.

In other developments:

• According to Ukrainian officials, Russian forces continued to heavily bombard the city of Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday. The officials allege that Russia was forced to change tactics and use air attacks instead of ground advances due to significant casualties.

• According to Oleh Synehub, the governor of Kharkiv region, a village near Kupiansk was hit by artillery fire resulting in the death of two civilians. It has been reported that Russian forces have been carrying out attacks in the northern part of the Kupiansk region, which was previously taken over by Russia during the invasion but later reclaimed by Ukraine in the previous year.

• According to reports from Reuters, Russian forces have declared successful air and artillery attacks near Bakhmut, a town in the north-east that they took control of in May following several months of fighting. However, the accuracy of these reports cannot be confirmed independently by either side.

• Australia has announced that it will provide military aid to Ukraine, including a 3D metal printer and anti-drone systems, worth A$20m ($12.8m). Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that Australia is committed to helping Ukraine protect itself from Russia’s unlawful and unethical invasion. This brings Australia’s total aid to Ukraine to approximately A$910m ($582m) since the Russian invasion. It is reported that the Australian Prime Minister will address the conflict in Ukraine during his visit to the US, where he will meet with President Joe Biden.

• On Tuesday, Moldova took action to prevent its citizens from accessing over 20 Russian media websites, stating that they had been used to spread information against the country. The Intelligence and Security Service of Moldova released a decree online listing 22 Russian news outlets to be blocked, including well-known ones such as Russia Today, NTV, Ren TV, VGTRK (a state media company), and others. The Russian foreign ministry responded by calling the move a “hostile act” aimed at limiting Moldovans’ access to alternative sources of news. This action follows Moldova’s decision in June 2022 to restrict the broadcast of Russian news, analysis, and military-related content in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

• The approval of Joe Biden’s appeal for aid to Ukraine is still uncertain, as Republicans in the US House of Representatives face difficulties in selecting a speaker.

• The country of Ukraine and German arms company Rheinmetall AG have partnered to create a joint defense venture. This venture will be responsible for maintaining and repairing western weapons that have been provided to assist Kyiv in their battle against Russia’s complete invasion. Officials have confirmed this partnership.

• The prime minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, stated that Ukraine is anticipating an extra €1.4 billion from Germany to strengthen their air defense and support them during a second winter of conflict with Russia.

• The European Commission announced that the EU is making progress in achieving its objective of reducing its dependence on Russian fossil fuels by the end of the decade.

• According to the governor of Kherson, two individuals were killed and several others were wounded due to a Russian attack.

• Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, held a meeting with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran. According to Russia’s foreign ministry, the two countries were strengthening their bilateral relations in a “trustful” environment, as stated on Tuesday morning.

Source: theguardian.com