THE RUSSO-UKRAINE WAR BRIEF
For: 2024-10-08
Slava Ukraini! In early 2022 I began a Telegram channel aggregating news from a number of sources daily on the war in Ukraine. In June 2023 I began providing a daily draft for the Ukraine War Brief Podcast collecting news from over 70 sources daily, much of which formed the basis of the script. While the Podcast no longer exists I have continued to make this Brief available both on my own Substack and The People’s Media for those who wish to keep up with events on a daily basis.
All the latest news on the Russo-Ukraine War 6 days per week
ALONG THE CONTACT LINE
GSAFU Morning Report
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its Operational Information update at 22:00 on Oct 7 stated that day 958 of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation against Ukraine was about to begin.
During the past day, 120 combat engagements took place. Over the past 24 hours, the enemy carried out 3 missile strikes, 58 air strikes, 689 drone strikes and more than 3,500 artillery strikes across the positions of Ukrainian forces.
At the same time, Ukrainian soldiers continue to inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the occupying troops, exhausting the enemy along the entire front line and continue to disrupt the plans of Russian occupiers to advance deep into the territory of Ukraine.
Air Force Daily Report
On the night of October 8, 2024 (from 19:00 07/10 to 08:30 08/10) the enemy attacked Odesa with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles from the occupied Crimea, as well as 19 attack UAVs from Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Russian Federation.
As a result of the anti-aircraft battle, all enemy drones were eliminated in the Odesa, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Vinnytsia and Ternopil regions: 18 were shot down by aviation, anti-aircraft missile units, mobile fire groups and EW of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, another strike UAV returned to Russia!
The Russian Border Incursion
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US based think tank, in its Oct 7 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment assessed that Ukrainian forces reportedly continued assaults in Glushkovsky Raion west of the main Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast including south of Glushkovo near Veseloye on Oct 6 and 7 but did not make any confirmed advances. Elements of the Russian 83rd Airborne (VDV) Brigade and 56th VDV Regiment (7th VDV Division) reportedly continue operating in Glushkovsky Raion.
Ukrainian forces recently advanced within the main Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast amid continued operations in the area on Oct 7. Geolocated footage published on October 6 indicates that Ukrainian forces advanced south of Obukhovka (south of Korenevo). Ukrainian forces reportedly attacked south of Korenevo near Obukhovka; east of Korenevo near Kremyanoye; southeast of Korenevo near Lyubimovka and Plekhovo; and north of Sudzha near Kamyshevka on Oct 6 and 7.
Russian forces recently advanced within the main Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast amid continued fighting in the area on Oct 7. Geolocated footage published on October 7 indicates that Russian forces advanced within Lyubimovka (southeast of Korenevo). Russian sources also claimed that fighting reportedly continued south of Korenevo near Uspenivka and east of Korenevo near Kremyanoye.
The Khortytsia operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the northeastern part of Ukraine. )
Kharkiv Sector: Over the last day Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 5 Russian attacks near Starysya and Vovchansk. One battle is ongoing near Vovchansk, the situation is controlled.
Kupyansk Sector: Russian Forces carried out 25 offensive actions against Ukrainian defensive positions near Synkivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Hlushkivka, Kruhlyakivka, and Lozova. 10 engagements continue.
Lyman Sector: Russian Forces carried out 17 offensive actions against Ukrainian defensive positions near Hrekivka, Makiivka, Nevske, Novosadove, Torske and the Serebryanskyy Forest. 5 engagements continue.
Siversk Sector: There has been no significant change in the combat environment in the last 24 hours.
Kramatorsk Sector: Russian forces carried out 2 unsuccessful offensive actions near Chasiv Yar and Stupochky.
Toretsk Sector: Russian forces carried out 11 offensive actions with air support near Dyliivka, Toretsk, and Nelipivka. 2 engagements continue.
The Tavria operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the central-eastern and southeastern part of Ukraine.)
Pokrovsk Sector : The main efforts of the enemy continue to focus in this direction. Russian forces conducted 20 attacks against Ukrainian defences in the vicinity of Lysivka and Selydove. 3 engagements continue.
Kurakhove Sector: The situation is also tense in this sector. Russian forces, supported by aviation, made 25 assaults on Ukrainian positions near Tsukuryne, Novoselydivka, Hirnyk, Zhelanne Pershe, Hostre, Heorhiivka and Katerynivka. 4 engagements are ongoing.
Vremivka Sector: Russian forces made assaults against Ukrainian positions near Bohoyavlenka.
Orikhiv Sector: Russian forces made 2 unsuccessful attempts to advance against Ukrainian positions near Robotyne.
The Odesa operational-strategic group
(Responsible for Kherson, Qırım, (also known as Crimea) and the Black Sea.)
Prydniprovsk Sector: In this sector, over the last day, Russian forces made 7 unsuccessful attempts to force Ukrainian units from their positions on the left bank of the Dnipro.
Ukrainian military confirmed attack on the Feodosia oil depot overnight
The Ukrainian Armed Forces have officially confirmed attacking an oil terminal in Feodosia, Russian-occupied Crimea, overnight into 7 October. This confirmation comes amid reports of explosions and a fire at the facility. Euromaidan Press reports.
The Feodosia terminal is the largest in Crimea in terms of transshipment of oil products, which were used for the needs of the Russian army.
According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Army, “Last night, a successful strike was carried out on the enemy’s marine oil terminal in the temporarily occupied Feodosia, Crimea.” The consequences of the damage are still being investigated.
Russian Telegram channels reported earlier a drone attack on the oil depot. Local residents reported hearing “several powerful explosions around 4:30,” followed by a fire.
The Russian-installed authorities in Crimea confirmed an incident at the oil depot but referred to it as a “fire.” Oleg Kryuchkov, an advisor to the Kremlin-appointed head of the occupied peninsula, wrote, “There is a fire at the Feodosia oil depot. There are no casualties or injuries.”
The ASTRA Telegram channel identified the facility as JSC’s “Marine Oil Terminal,” noting that drones had previously attacked it in March 2024.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have shot down 21 drones overnight, including 12 over Crimea. However, ASTRA reported that the ministry’s morning report does not mention the ongoing fire at the Feodosia oil depot.
Over One Thousand Evacuated After Ukraine Hits Crimea’s ‘Largest’ Oil Depot
More than 1,000 people were evacuated in the annexed Crimean city of Feodosia after Ukrainian strikes sparked a large fire at a major oil terminal there the day before, The Moscow Times reported citing Russian-installed authorities.
On Monday, Ukraine’s military claimed its missile forces had carried out a successful strike on the Feodosia offshore oil terminal, which it called the largest on the Crimean peninsula. Russian-installed authorities said there were no casualties.
“An evacuation of 1,047 people to temporary accommodation centres was carried out to ensure the safety of the people living near the site of the emergency,” Feodosia’s Moscow-backed mayor Igor Tkachenko said.
The evacuees were placed in hotels and guest houses after registering and undergoing medical examinations, Tkachenko wrote on Telegram.
He added that firefighting efforts continued and urged residents to “remain calm and only trust official information.”
Pantsir-S short-range air defence systems have been deployed at the oil terminal since at least the fall of 2022, according to satellite images shared by the Russian-language edition of the RFE/RL news organisation.
TEMPORARILY OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
Russians steal 180,000 tonnes of Ukrainian grain
Over the past year, Russia has exported more than 180,000 tonnes of stolen Ukrainian grain through the port of temporarily occupied Mariupol. Ukrainska Pravda reported citing a statement from Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
"At the same time, Russia continues to use food as an element of aggression. This year, the enemy has smuggled more than 180,000 tonnes of stolen Ukrainian grain through the port of Mariupol alone."
In addition, Shmyhal said that Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories are being robbed to finance the war of aggression with the stolen money.
"Undoubtedly, Russian economic terror will be one of the areas of work of the special tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine," Shmyhal added.
THE HOME FRONT
Lithuanian solar company powers Odesa institutions with new project for Ukraine
Lithuanian solar energy company UAB Okata has completed a solar energy project in Ukraine, installing solar power plants with a total capacity of over 506 kWp, the Lithuanian company, which specializes in solar panels, Euromaidan Press reported citing the company.
Assuming an average household uses about 10 kWh daily, this system could theoretically power approximately 162 homes or potentially 1-2 large schools or several smaller schools.
The project aims to provide electricity to five public institutions in the Odesa Oblast, including a children’s rehabilitation centre and a central city hospital.
The initiative comes in response to the significant damage to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure caused by the Russian invasion that began in 2022. Russian missile attacks on energy infrastructure have led to constant power outages, especially in the winter, when the need for heating and energy is highest.
The newly installed solar power plants are expected to produce approximately 549,703 kWh annually, covering “about two-thirds of the electricity consumed in institutions.”
RUSSIAN WORLD
“The worst crisis in 30 years.” Coal mining begins to collapse in Russia
The coal industry, one of the largest commodity sectors of the Russian economy, including more than 30 single-industry towns and hundreds of thousands of employees, — is approaching a severe crisis. The Moscow Times reports.
Having lost Western markets, faced with a sharp drop in demand in “friendly” countries and multi-billion dollar losses, coal companies have begun to sharply reduce production.
According to Rosstat data, in July, coal production in Russia fell by 6.7% year on year, and its total volume — 31.5 million tons — was the lowest since the 2020 pandemic. Regarding the peaks shown in December 2022, coal companies lost about 12 million tons of monthly production, or 27%.
Deliveries to China in the first half of 2024 were down by 8% and their growth is not expected, the head of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation Sergey Tsivilev stated. The fact is that Beijing introduced duties on Russian coal, the minister explained. At the same time, other suppliers — Indonesia and Australia — did not fall under them, since they are part of the free trade area with China.
India reduced coal imports from Russia by 55%, and Turkey — by 47%, according to CREA estimates. Total coal exports from Russia in January – July sprouted by 11.4%, up to 112.6 million tons. And since the coal miners exported about half of the production
As a result: according to Rosstat, more than half of the coal companies became unprofitable, and the retained financial result of the entire industry became negative. Total coal industry loss for January – July made 7.1 billion rubles. At the same time, losses of unprofitable companies increased by 3.4 times, while profit margins decreased by 72%.
The Russian government lays in the energy strategy a constant increase in coal production — from the current 438 million tons per year to 482 million tons in 2030 and 556 million — in 2050. But there is hardly any demand for this coal, Ivanov believes: China is developing its own production, Asian countries are striving to switch to «green » energy, and metallurgists around the world are introducing low-carbon technologies.
NEWS WORLDWIDE
France promises to deliver Mirage fighters to Ukraine early next year
French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu in an interview with French newspaper Sud Ouest. Lecornu said that the delivery of the fighter jets to Ukraine is scheduled for the first quarter of 2025.
Lecornu emphasized that these jets will undergo significant upgrades, including enhancements for ground-attack capabilities and electronic warfare resilience. These improvements are particularly relevant as Ukraine seeks to bolster its defenses against russian electronic warfare tactics.
The modernization, which is underway at the French Air Force’s main flight test center in Cazaux, is expected to enhance the aircraft’s navigation, radar, and communication systems, although the full scope of the upgrades remains classified.
"The aim is to equip them with air-to-ground combat capabilities. And strengthening their electronic warfare systems." he said
Lecornu added that training of Ukrainian pilots and mechanics is currently underway.
French President Emamanuel Macron initially made the announcement in June after meeting with Ukrainian president Voloydymor Zelenskyy and claimed the aircraft would be delivered by the end of 2024.
The exact number of the Mirage 2000-5 jets destined for Ukraine remains undisclosed. However, France’s inventory includes 27 single-seat Mirage 2000-5 and 7 two-seat Mirage 2000B aircraft, all of which have been decommissioned. Earlier this year, Sébastien Lecornu confirmed that France intends to transfer all retired military equipment to Ukraine, raising the possibility that a substantial portion of this fleet could be part of the upcoming delivery.
Russia's hybrid destabilising activities will not hinder EU's support for Ukraine – EU chief diplomat
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, amid increasing instances of Russia's destabilising activities, has stated that these actions will not affect its resolve to support Ukraine.
The EU has recorded an increase in a wide range of actions against the EU and its member states, including cyberattacks, information manipulation and interference campaigns, arson, vandalism, and sabotage, including against critical infrastructure, as well as the use of migration issues and other destructive actions.
The statement said that Russia had also continued to disrupt satellite communications, violate European airspace and carry out physical attacks on people in the EU.
"These malicious activities are part of a broad coordinated hybrid campaign directed by Russia as an attempt to divide our society, destabilise and weaken the EU and its Member States and our resilience as well as to undermine our support to Ukraine and its ability to defend itself.
This will not succeed: we will act united and determined to address these activities and hold perpetrators accountable. Our support to Ukraine will remain solid and unwavering for as long as it takes."
It is noted that with today's decision to establish a special system of restrictive measures in connection with Russia's destabilising activities, the EU is taking another decisive step.
"We will continue to strengthen our resilience, work closely with our partners, and make full use of the EU Hybrid Toolbox, including diplomatic and restrictive measures, as well as all available instruments, to prevent, deter and respond to Russia’s hybrid activities."
Vilnius seizes Russian military camo materials cargo, reroutes to Ukraine
Lithuanian customs officials have intercepted multiple shipments of military supplies of camouflage gear en route by rail from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad to Moscow, redirecting the cargo to Ukraine instead, Business Insider reported. The interceptions took place between 27 September and 2 October, according to an October 7 report by Lithuanian customs.
Customs officials said the supplies were likely volunteer donations meant for Russia's army. Customs officials inspecting carriages on Lithuania's southwestern border said that between September 27 and Wednesday, they found parcels of camouflage pants and nets in four separate shipments.
They said the trains were travelling from Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave bordering Lithuania and Poland, to Moscow.
MILITARY & TECH
Ukrainian forces destroy Russian 2S7 Pion heavy artillery with cluster munition
Ukrainian forces have successfully destroyed a Russian 2S7 Pion self-propelled artillery system using a cluster munition, according to a video shared by the Special Kherson Cat observer on their X account. The strike, which occurred during an ammunition resupply operation, resulted in the elimination of the gun, its crew, and a substantial amount of ammunition. Militarnyi reported. No location or date of the operation was disclosed.
The timing of the attack proved crucial, as it coincided with the arrival of a truck carrying ammunition, which detonated following the strike. Given the use of cluster munitions and the subsequent detonation of the ammunition, it is likely that the crew of the 2S7 was either completely eliminated or lost its combat capability.
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