Russia claims to have gained more advantages in eastern Ukraine
On October 19, Russia announced that it had taken control of the village of Zoriane in eastern Ukraine, allowing its army to approach the industrial center of Kurakhove, TASS news agency reported. The city of Kurakhove is located west of the city of Donetsk, which is currently controlled by Russia.
Moscow has focused its attacks on Kurakhove, which was home to about 20,000 people before Russia launched its military campaign in Ukraine. Kurakhove is located south of the city of Pokrovsk, an important logistics hub and a target Moscow wants to control.
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Meanwhile, the Russian army has also increased attacks on the Zaporizhzhia province in southern Ukraine, according to AFP.
Meanwhile, the Ukraineska Pravda newspaper reported on October 19 that the Ukrainian Air Force said that Russian forces deployed more than 100 missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on the evening of October 18 and October 19, including 98 UAVs and 6 Kh-59 air-to-ground missiles. The Ukrainian military reported that 4 missiles and 42 Russian UAVs were intercepted in many areas of Ukraine, including the capital Kyiv, in addition to 46 UAVs disappearing from radar.
Explosions seen in the sky over Kyiv as Russia launches UAV attack on October 19
Russia has not commented on Ukraine's statement.
According to the British Ministry of Defense ’s daily intelligence report on October 19, the Russian military continued its offensive in Kharkiv province, with Moscow troops about 20 km south of the city of Kupiansk. The British side mentioned that the Russian attacks were likely to hinder Ukrainian military operations on the east bank of the Oskil River.
“Russia is likely to continue to gain ground in the area in the coming weeks. Russian forces have been working to regain control of Kupiansk since losing it in September 2022. The city lies on the Oskil River and is a rail hub supporting Ukrainian operations in the region,” the UK Ministry of Defence said.
Also on October 19, the Russian Defense Ministry said Ukraine had lost more than 270 soldiers in Kursk province. Moscow said its soldiers had repelled Ukrainian counterattacks in the Leonidovo area of Kursk. Russia claimed Ukraine had lost more than 24,000 soldiers and 167 tanks since launching its operation to invade Kursk in August. Ukraine has not commented on Russia's statement.
In a development related to the situation in Ukraine, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot visited Kyiv on October 19. Mr. Barrot called for actions to promote the peace plan of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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Opening of the G7 Defense Ministers' Conference
Defense ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) advanced economies began talks on October 19 in Naples, Italy, amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and growing pressure on Ukraine.
Regarding the situation in Ukraine, the ministers will discuss Kyiv's third winter of fighting, losses on the eastern front, and the prospect of reduced support from the United States, which has so far been the largest military donor to Ukraine, if former US President Donald Trump is elected. This is also the first G7 defense ministerial meeting.
Russia – Ukraine exchange 190 prisoners
Russia and Ukraine on October 18 returned 95 prisoners each, under an agreement brokered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Russian Defense Ministry said Russian prisoners of war were undergoing medical checks in Belarus. Video posted on Ukrainian President Zelensky's Telegram account showed men wrapped in Ukrainian flags getting off a bus to meet their relatives. Meanwhile, the Russian military also posted video showing smiling soldiers boarding a bus, Reuters reported.
Ukrainian prisoners meet relatives on October 18
Mr Zelensky said the freed Ukrainian prisoners had served on many fronts, including some who defended the port city of Mariupol in 2022.
Dmytro Lubinets, a member of the Ukrainian parliament for human rights, said this was the 58th prisoner exchange since the outbreak of hostilities, and that 3,767 Ukrainian prisoners had been returned. Meanwhile, the UAE Foreign Ministry said this was the ninth time the country had mediated the Ukraine conflict. Before the October 18 exchange, the two sides had exchanged 103 prisoners each in September.
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Mr. Putin named a suitable location for peace talks.
RT reported on October 18 that during the interview, a Saudi reporter asked Russian President Vladimir Putin about the Middle Eastern country's reconciliation efforts, and whether Moscow would participate in a peace summit if Riyadh held such an event later this year.
Mr Putin reiterated Russia’s stance that Saudi Arabia is a “friendly country”. He welcomed Riyadh’s leadership for its sincere efforts to bring peace.
“If such an event were held in Saudi Arabia, obviously the venue would be quite comfortable for us,” Putin said, but stressed that any final solution would have to be based on the draft from the 2022 Istanbul peace talks.
According to Mr Putin, the Ukrainian delegation initially accepted a draft treaty that would make Ukraine a neutral state and limit the size of its army, but then abruptly walked away from the negotiating table. Ukraine has not commented on this information.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said peace can only be achieved on Kyiv’s terms, including restoring Ukraine’s territory to its 1991 borders. Moscow has said Mr Zelensky’s “peace formula” is unacceptable and Kyiv must recognise the new “territorial realities”.
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