Sunday, October 27

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Employees of Ukrainian Postal Service (Ukrposhta) clean up debris after Russian missile attack on October 26, 2024 in Dnipro, Ukraine. According to regional military administration as a result of the night missile attack, five people were killed, including a child. More than 20 people were injured. (Denys Poliakov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

‘Ukraine forced to fight against North Korea in Europe,’ Zelensky says. During his evening address on Oct. 26, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that North Korean troops may appear fighting alongside Russian forces on the front line in the coming days.

Government says ‘strategically important’ employees will be able to extend military exemption status. Meanwhile, an audit of the exemption process is ongoing until Nov. 15 to assess which businesses qualify for critical enterprise status, reflecting the government’s effort to balance the country’s defense needs with economic stability.

Zelensky signs law allowing foreigners to serve as officers in International Legion. President Volodymyr Zelensky formally signed a bill on Oct. 25 allowing foreign volunteers fighting in Ukraine’s International Legion to serve as officers.

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Ukraine, India discuss strengthening defense industry cooperation. Ukraine’s Strategic Industries Minister Herman Smetanin met with India’s Ambassador to Ukraine Ravi Shankar on Oct. 26 to discuss strengthening defense industry cooperation between Kyiv and New Delhi, the Strategic Industries Ministry announced.

Media: US-sanctioned Gazprombank may buy Auchan chains in Russia. Gazprombank, one of Russia’s largest banks that is also under heavy U.S. sanctions, is reportedly poised to acquire the Russian operations of the Auchan retail chain, according to sources cited by Le Monde on Oct. 25.

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Ukraine hopes Washington will support Kyiv’s NATO bid after elections

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine needs to receive an invitation to NATO without conditions to cede territory, denying earlier reports that Kyiv might be invited to the alliance without the occupied parts of the country.

Photo: Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images

Final pre-election push to boost ‘heartland’ US support for Ukraine proves difficult

Since last November, the German Marshall Fund, a Washington-based research group that promotes democracy, has visited eight “heartland” U.S. states in a public diplomacy initiative dubbed “Whistlestops for Ukraine.”

Photo: Owen Racer/The Kyiv Independent

Human cost of war

Russian missile attack in Dnipro targets key hospital, kills 5, injures 21, including children. The casualties from the Russian missile attack that hit residential buildings and the Mechnikov hospital in the central-eastern city of Dnipro late on Oct. 25, have risen to five killed and 21 injured, according to Ukrainian authorities.

The little-known obstacle to Ukraine’s mobilization effort

In other news

Georgia’s ruling party secures majority with nearly all precincts counted, as opposition parties refuse to recognize results. Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party captured 53% of the vote in the Oct. 26 parliamentary election, with 70% of precincts counted, according to the country’s central electoral commission.

Moscow funneled $39 million into Moldova ahead of presidential election in attempt to influence results, Moldovan authorities say. Moscow funneled a total of $39 million in a scheme led by a pro-Russian oligarch aimed at influencing election results by paying ordinary citizens to vote against closer ties with the West, the country’s national police chief said on Oct. 24.

Ukrainian-Canadian filmmakers pull out from film festival after being featured alongside ‘Russians at War.’ Ukrainian-Canadian filmmakers pulled their pro-Ukrainian film “Intercepted” from screening at the Windsor International Film Festival (WIFF) in protest after learning that it would be featured in a lineup alongside the controversial “Russians at War” documentary, the Canadian media outlet Windsor Star reported on Oct. 26.

Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh wins Europe’s women’s Athlete of the Year award. “It’s a completely special moment for me especially for the challenging time for Ukraine,” Mahuchikh said while accepting her award. “But, you know, I am happy to be here… for all my people in Ukraine, and I hope that it brings some happiness during this time.”

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