Victory Chronicles-DAY 982

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine will not make any territorial concessions, regardless of the outcome of the US election or the level of support from the United States. Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine will not compromise on its territories, regardless of who becomes the next US president or any potential changes in US political support. He also clarified that Ukraine does not recognize its occupied territories as Russian, irrespective of anyone’s desires, who emerges as the winner in the United States, or how long Putin remains the leader of Russia.

According to a report by the Ukrainian nonprofit organization Truth Hounds, the Russian military has carried out at least 36 double strikes against Ukraine since February 2022. These attacks involve an initial strike followed by a delayed second strike, often targeting first responders and causing panic among the population. The report confirms that Russia is intentionally using this tactic to impede humanitarian aid efforts, and Russian propaganda portrays the killing of Ukrainian rescuers as justified. Double strikes have increased significantly in 2024, with 20 attacks occurring this year alone. Although Truth Hounds has confirmed 36 cases, there are indications of over 60 incidents with signs of double attacks. The report sheds light on Russia’s deliberate and extensive use of this illegal military tactic in Ukraine, drawing parallels to their previous use in Syria alongside the Assad government forces.

Russian military forces attacked a fire station in Odesa, Ukraine, on October 31, injuring two rescuers. The State Emergency Service in the Odesa region reported the incident. According to the statement, the fire station was targeted during an air raid, and the rescuers were wounded while they were heading for shelter. The injured rescuers are currently in the hospital, receiving medical treatment. The fire station also sustained damage, including damage to the fire trucks.

The Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine has announced that demonstration tests of new Ukrainian developments, including drone swarms and guided munitions, have been conducted. Seventeen manufacturer’s teams participated in these tests, with 7 presenting drone swarm technology and ten presenting guided munitions. The solutions presented varied in terms of readiness and approaches to problem-solving. The focus is on ensuring the quality of these products rather than just quantity. The defense industry aims to supply the army with innovative solutions that are effective and relevant for current and future military operations. Representatives from the Ministry of Defence and the General Staff were present during the tests and provided recommendations for improving the products.

Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to communicate that he is uninterested in a negotiated ceasefire and is committed to achieving his goal of destroying Ukrainian statehood. Bloomberg reported on October 30 that Serbian President Alexander Vucic spoke with Putin in early October 2024 for the first time in two and a half years. Vucic told Bloomberg that he brought up the subject of a ceasefire in Ukraine, to which Putin responded that Russia will fulfill all the goals of its “special miliary operation” in Ukraine, which ISW continues to assess are tantamount to the destruction of Ukrainian statehood and government.

Putin outright rejected any negotiated ceasefire during a press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on July 5, claiming that a ceasefire would allow Ukraine to regroup and rearm. A negotiated ceasefire on current lines and under current circumstances will only benefit Russia and will afford the Kremlin time to further radicalize and militarize Russian society against Ukraine and the Russian military time to rest and reconstitute, likely before conducting a future attack on Ukraine.

Defender Denys Zelenetskyi died on 4 October 2023 during an assault near the village of Mala Tokmachka, Zaporizhzhia region. The fighter was 31 years old. Denys was born and raised in the village of Yeliseyivka, Berdiansk district, Zaporizhzhia region. He graduated from the local school. Then he studied at the Mechanical Engineering College in Berdiansk. He majored in electric and gas welding. He did his military service in the army. Later, he performed military duty in the anti-terrorist operation zone in eastern Ukraine. Then he served in the border troops. His last job was at Sokrat PE, where he worked as an electric and gas welder. On the eve of the full-scale invasion, he returned to his native village. In Yeliseevka, he met the beginning of the great war. He spent several months under occupation. Then he went to Lviv, where he got a job. Later, he returned to Zaporizhzhia and joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served in the 80th separate airborne assault brigade. He was an assault pilot. For his service, the defender was posthumously awarded the Order ‘For Courage’, III class. ‘Denys was a sensitive, kind, cheerful person with a very difficult fate. He was an extremely sociable and hardworking guy, a great host,’ said fellow villager Valentyna Samovol. The defender was buried in the Alley of Glory at the Kushuhum Cemetery near Zaporizhzhia. Denys is survived by his uncle.

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

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