Victory Chronicles-DAY 965

Russia is reportedly forming a “Buriat battalion” made up of North Korean soldiers, with 18 soldiers already fleeing their positions along the Russian-Ukrainian border. The reasons for their defection are unknown, and Russian security forces are now searching for them while keeping this information hidden from their top leadership. Earlier reports mentioned the formation of this special battalion within the Russian army, with an estimated strength of up to 3,000 people. This battalion is believed to be involved in combat operations near the settlements of Sudzha and Kursk. The recruitment of North Korean soldiers by Russia raises questions about the motivations behind this alliance and the potential implications for the region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that North Korea has de facto entered the war, according to intelligence reports received on October 14. During a meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff, the President discussed a report provided by Ukraine’s intelligence services on Russia’s intentions for the autumn-winter period. The report included detailed information on North Korea’s actual involvement in the war. Zelenskyy also mentioned that Russia has relations with other countries investing in the continuation of the war. 

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ukrainian forces have successfully neutralized 1,210 invaders and 44 armored vehicles in their ongoing conflict with Russia. In the past day alone, they eliminated 13 tanks, 44 armored personnel carriers, and 9 artillery systems. The overall combat losses for the Russians from February 24th, 2022, to October 15th, 2024, are estimated to be around 671,400 personnel, 8,988 tanks, 17,939 armored combat vehicles, 19,430 artillery systems, 1,231 MLRS units, 978 air defense systems, 369 aircraft, 329 helicopters, 17,019 operational and tactical level UAVs, 2,620 cruise missiles, 28 ships/boats, 1 submarine, 26,654 motor vehicles and tankers, and 3,441 special equipment units. 

On the night of October 14-15, the Russian military launched a missile attack on the city of Mykolaiv in Ukraine. The attack resulted in one person being killed and 23 others injured. Infrastructure was damaged, including a restaurant complex, commercial facilities, residential buildings, and cars. Fires broke out due to the attack, and firefighting operations are underway. Vitalii Kim, the Head of Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, reported that the enemy used S-300 missiles in the attack. Kim also stated that the Ukrainian air defense successfully destroyed three Shahid drones in the region that night. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported that two fires measuring 30 and 400 square meters were extinguished.

National Guardsmen of the 13th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine ‘Charter’ stopped a convoy of enemy vehicles, blowing up a Russian tank and enemy troops. The “birds” of the “Charter” brigade destroyed, among other things, enemy equipment, dugouts, and even hiding places for enemy drone operators.

Russian forces struck civilian vessels docked at Ukrainian ports for the fourth time since October 5, part of an apparent Russian strike campaign targeting port areas to undermine Ukraine’s grain corridor, spoil international support for Ukraine, and push Ukraine into premature negotiations. Odesa Oblast officials reported that Russian forces struck the port of Odesa with a ballistic missile during the day on October 14, hitting the civilian vessels NS Moon flying the Belize flag and the Optima dry cargo vessel flying the Palau flag, as well as port infrastructure and a grain warehouse. 

The officials stated that Russian strikes on October 7 already damaged the Optima. Ukrainian sources reported that Russian forces most recently struck civilian vessels docked at the port of Odesa overnight on October 5 to 6 and on October 7 and 9. Russian ultranationalist milbloggers responded to the October 9 strike with rhetoric supporting existing Kremlin narratives aimed at undermining confidence in the grain corridor as well as attempting to justify the strike.

Milbloggers explicitly called for further Russian strikes against Ukrainian grain infrastructure, civilian vessels at Ukrainian ports, and other targets that would further degrade Ukraine’s economic potential. ISW recently assessed that Russian strikes against civilian vessels and other grain corridor infrastructure are almost certainly intended to undermine Western confidence in Ukraine’s ability to enforce and defend the corridor, influence ongoing Western discussions about long-term support for Ukraine, and impede Ukraine’s ability to survive economically during the war.

Junior Sergeant Mykola Varchyn, with the call sign Moryak, died on May 18, 2024, in the village of Zhovta Krucha, Zaporizhzhia region. The warrior was 30 years old.

Mykola was born in the village of Lyubytiv, Volyn region. In civilian life, he worked as a third-class track fitter at the Kivertsiivka track distance of the Lviv Railway. His colleagues say that he fulfilled his task and came to the rescue if necessary. He quickly gained respect not only among his peers but also from older, more experienced employees. He planned to marry his girlfriend.

On the third day of the full-scale invasion, February 26, 2022, the man was in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served as a mortar gunner with the 3rd Mechanized Battalion and commanded a mortar crew.

“Persistent, disciplined, accurate, with a great sense of humor – Mykola was very responsible for his work and at the same time managed to make a witty joke, creating a good working atmosphere,” said Vitaliy Yakobchuk, Mykola Varchyn’s mentor and friend, track foreman of the Kivertsiivka distance. Even though Mykola was over 20 years younger than Vitaliy, the men quickly found a common language and became friends. The fighter is survived by his parents and brother.

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

• Borrell: We will extend EU mission to train Ukrainian military for next two years
• Russians advance in Donetsk Oblast’s Toretsk, all city’s districts destroyed
• British Intelligence calls downing of Russia’s own Okhotnik UAV a costly and shameful failure
• Zelenskyy: Russians try to break through Ukrainian defence in Kursk Oblast for five days
• NATO official: Ukraine has absolute right to hit targets in Russia from which it attacked