Key developments for October 19–20:
* Ukraine claims it has struck an airfield and the ‘largest explosion factory’ in Russia
* Russian overnight missile strike on Kryvyi Rih injures 17
Tens of thousands Georgians rally to support EU membership ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections
* G7 defense ministers affirm that Ukraine’s NATO membership is on an ‘irreversible course’
Ukraine announced on October 20 that it had attacked Russia’s “largest explosions plant” and airfield over night. This was the latest in a long-range drone attack in the rear, designed to slowly grind down a larger foe’s powerful military machine from afar.
A source from the Security Service of Ukraine told the Kyiv Independent the drones were targeting the large Sverdlov Plant, owned by the state and located in Dzerzhinsk, in the Nizhny Novgorod Region. This is about 900 kilometers into Russia.
The U.S. State Department has sanctioned the plant since 2023 for its “acquisition of goods to support Russia’s war efforts.” The U.S. stated in a press statement when the sanctions were announced that the factory produces explosives and industrial chemicals as well as detonators, ammunition, and detonators.
The source told Kyiv Independent the plant produces aviation and munitions shells, artillery bombs and warheads which help Russia continue its war against Ukraine.
Later that day, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces announced that Ukraine also struck the Lipetsk-2 Airfield in the Lipetsk Region, located more than 400 kilometers from the Ukrainian frontier. The attack was on ammunition depots, fuel storage and aircraft at an airfield that is known to house Russian Su-34 Su-35 and MiG-31 planes.
According to the SBU source, the operations were carried out by the SBU in collaboration with the Ukrainian military intelligence agency (HUR) and Special Operations Forces.
The Kyiv independent could not independently verify this report.
Outmanned and outgunned, Ukraine has turned to home-made drones to exhaust Russian combat capability as much as possible, from afar. These drones are targeting Russian military industrial complex facilities, airbases, or oil refineries.
It is difficult to verify whether the reports are true and the extent of the damage.
The Kyiv Independent quoted a source from the SBU as saying, “The SBU is working on strengthening sanctions against the Sverdlov Plant.”
“We added drones as part of the economic sanctions that have an immediate effect.” The work to reduce the enemy’s capabilities will continue.
On October 9, the General Staff of Ukraine reported that earlier in October, a Ukrainian drone struck a Russian weapons storage depot in Bryansk Oblast storing North Korean ammunition.
In September, Estonian Colonel Ants Kivieselg, the head of the Estonian Defense Forces Intelligence Center said that Ukraine’s drone attack on the arms depot located in Russia’s Tver oblast destroyed two or three months worth of munitions.
Russian overnight missile strike on Kryvyi Rih injures 17
Oleksandr Vikul, the head military administration of Kryvyi Rih, reported that 17 people were injured in a Russian missile strike overnight on the city.
Vilkul reports that Russian troops have twice fired ballistic missiles at the city in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Eight of the eight injured are in hospital but their condition is “moderate,” Vilkul said in a Telegram post.
Vilkul stated that Russia targeted “peaceful civil sites”, damaging 15 buildings including three educational institutions, 3 administrative buildings, 7 businesses, a restaurant, three fire trucks and 20 cars.
Kryvyi Rih is the hometown of Volodymyr Zelensky and has been regularly attacked by missiles, due to its location near the frontline.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in Ukraine began in 2022, its forces have used drones and missiles to attack military and civilian sites throughout the country.
Kryvyi Rih is the second largest city in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, with a population around 660,000. The city is located about 70 kilometers north of its nearest frontline zone.
Tens of thousands Georgians rally to support EU accession in advance of the upcoming parliamentary elections
On October 20, a large rally in Tbilisi’s Freedom Square in support of Georgia’s accession to European Union was held ahead of the upcoming Parliamentary Election scheduled for October 26.
Social media videos show that the “Georgia Chooses the European Union march” brought what appears to be several tens or thousands of protesters into the streets of Tbilisi. Protesters sang the Georgian national anthem while waving the EU and Georgian flags.
Salome Zourabichvili participated in the rally. She is a vocal critic of the ruling Georgian Dream Party and encouraged protesters to vote pro-European parties at the election. Zourabichvili stated that the protest “shows Georgia has already won and is reintegrating with Europe.”
In her speech, Zourabichvili addressed President Volodymyr Zelensky and said that Ukraine “fights for Georgia too.” You will win and we will both enter the European Union.”
Georgia received EU candidate status along with Ukraine in December 2023. Georgia’s candidacy continues to be questioned as the ruling Georgian Dream Party continues to rekindle its relations with Russia.
Concerns over Georgia’s democracy reached a fever pitch following the passage of the law on foreign agents by the ruling Georgian Dream Party. The law requires that organizations receiving foreign funding be labeled “foreign agent” and mirrors the repressive Russian legislation used against Kremlin regime opponents.
As part of the larger trend of his party to rapprochement Russia, Bidzina ivanishvili (oligarch) declared on Sept. 14 that Georgia should “apologize for” Russia’s 2008 attack against the country.
Western officials have sanctioned Georgian officials in recent months who they consider to be involved in human rights abuses.
On Oct. 10, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing Georgians to enter Russia without a visa if they are working or studying there.
G7 Defense Ministers reaffirm Ukraine’s NATO Membership on an ‘irreversible Path’
According to a joint statement released following their meeting in Naples, the G7 defense ministers reaffirmed their commitment towards supporting Ukraine’s inclusion into NATO.
The statement read: “We support Ukraine in its irreversible journey to full Euro-Atlantic Integration, including NATO membership.”
The ministers also promised to continue military assistance in Ukraine, both on a short-term and long-term basis, and stressed the importance of providing training and educational support to the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
The document states: “We welcome the respective efforts made by NATO and the EU in the NATO Security Assistance and Training Program for Ukraine and EU Military Assistance Mission.”
The ministers also confirmed that they aimed to achieve a “just, comprehensive, and lasting peace”, which respects Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, as stipulated by international law.
The White House has stated that it is unlikely that Ukraine will be invited to NATO in the near future, citing the necessity of reforms and the fulfillment of security requirements.
The Alliance has not reached the point where it is considering issuing an invite in the near future,” U.S. Voice of America reported that the U.S. Ambassador to NATO Julianne S. Smith made this statement on Oct. 16, ahead of a NATO Defense Ministers meeting in Brussels.
Smith added, “But as always, we’ll continue to talk with our friends in Ukraine on how they can move towards the Alliance.”
We are the Kyiv Independent’s news team. We want to ensure that our readers receive timely, essential updates on the events in Ukraine. Please contact us by email with any feedback or news alerts.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com