Victory Chronicles-DAY 859

A residential building in Kyiv’s Obolon district was damaged by rocket fragments, resulting in a fire and six people, including a child, suffering from acute stress reactions. The extent of the damage and possible casualties are being determined, and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine has been deployed to the scene. 

The mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, confirmed that the debris fell on the building and that a fire broke out on the eighth and ninth floors. As of now, none of the victims have asked for help, but medics are present at the scene. 

Two injured women are currently being treated on-site for acute stress reactions. Further details are yet to be provided.

According to the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, more than 14,000 Ukrainian citizens are being illegally detained by Russia. The process of returning these civilians is particularly difficult, especially concerning children, prisoners of war, and civilians. Unlike prisoners of war, there is no exchange process available for civilians, and there is a lack of direct means to influence the Russian Federation in this regard. Lubinets also mentioned that the recent release of civilians saw the involvement of the Vatican, which previously assisted in the return of children. 

On the evening of June 30, Russian invaders launched an attack on the village of Tsukuryno in the Donetsk Oblast of Ukraine. Six people, including a child, were wounded in the attack and 21 houses and cars were damaged. The Russian army dropped a bomb on the private sector of the village, and it is preliminarily believed that they used a FAB-500 shell. The victims of the attack were diagnosed with bruises and shrapnel wounds. In addition to the human casualties, 21 households and cars were also damaged. The Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor’s Office has opened a pre-trial investigation into the incident under Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which deals with the violation of the laws and customs of war.

The Security Service of Ukraine released unique footage of the liberation of Zmiinyi Island. “In June 2022, the SBU Special Forces “A” together with their combat sworn brothers from the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine and the Armed Forces of Ukraine conducted a unique and extremely important operation. It consisted of several stages and was of strategic importance, as the gradual ousting of the enemy from the Black Sea has since begun. The special operation to liberate Zmiine was an example of the boundless courage and professionalism of our fighters of the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine. We remember the Heroes of Ukraine who gave their lives in this battle,” the SBU said in a statement. 

Putin retains his objective of entirely destroying Ukrainian statehood and identity, and all his objectives for territorial conquest in Ukraine are a means to this end. Putin likely hopes that creeping Russian advances in Ukraine will convince the West that Ukrainian victory is unattainable and that concessions on Ukrainian territorial integrity and sovereignty are preferable to Ukrainian defeat. 

Putin is currently unwilling to accept anything short of full Ukrainian capitulation, however, as his remarks and demands consistently show, and he will see any negotiated ceasefire agreement as a mechanism for Russia to prepare for renewed offensive operations in the future to achieve his overall aims. A negotiated ceasefire that further establishes a precedent for violating Ukrainian territorial integrity and sovereignty beyond the precedent already established by the Minsk Accords following Russia’s seizure of Crimea and parts of Luhansk and Donetsk in 2014 will strengthen Russia’s position to pursue the full eradication of Ukrainian statehood at a later date. This ceasefire would provide Russia a respite in the war to reconstitute and expand its forces and to further mobilize its defense industrial base (DIB) for future aggression.

Putin and the Russian military command likely hope that a ceasefire will allow Russia to launch a future stage of the war with a military more capable of pursuing operationally significant advances. Putin is not yet interested in a ceasefire, however, as he appears to continue to assess that he can achieve his aims by force. He might become more open to a ceasefire if that condition changes, but a negotiated ceasefire on Putin’s terms would amount to Ukrainian and Western capitulation. Neither of these courses of action are consistent with the survival of an independent Ukrainian state or the Ukrainian people, nor are they compatible with NATO’s vital security interests.

Senior fighter Ilya Obolonik, with the call sign Bomboleila, died on October 26, 2023, in a battle with the occupiers near the village of Krynky in the Kherson Oblast. The defender was 24 years old.

Ilya was born and lived in Konotop, Sumy Oblast. He graduated from the local secondary school №11. He tried to find himself in different fields. He was fond of sports and tattoos.

During the full-scale Russian invasion, the man fought for his homeland in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Ilya served in the 60th separate mechanized brigade, where he was a grenade launcher. “He was an extremely courageous and brave warrior,” the community noted.

“Our student Ilya was killed – a bright, kind soul, a true patriot of Ukraine. It is impossible to realize that we will no longer see the always cheerful, smiling, friendly young man… The bright memory of you, Ilya, will be in our hearts forever. You are an example of true service to the Fatherland,” the Konotop Lyceum No. 11 wrote on its page.

Posthumously, Obolonik was awarded the Order for Courage III degree. The young defender was buried in his hometown. Ilya is survived by his parents, brother, other relatives, friends and fighters-in-arms.

*Ilya’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

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