(upd28) With the summit of the Presidents of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and the USA, Donald Trump, in Budapest “in the air,” and with the American President stating that he will make final decisions tomorrow, 23/10, on whether the meeting will take place or not, Russia continues to strike with particular intensity the energy infrastructure and oil and gas facilities in Ukraine, with explosions reported in recent hours in Kyiv, Odessa, Poltava, and other cities.
The message that Moscow is sending to both the West and Kyiv is clear: accept our terms now, give us the Donbass to stop the war; otherwise, Ukraine will lose more territory and will also endure a… dark and cold winter.
This ultimatum comes at a time when Russian forces are continuously advancing and managing to control an increasing number of territories, including the strategically important cities of Pokrovsk and Kupyansk.
While the Russians advance, news from the front is extremely bad for the Ukrainian Army, which is plagued by desertion and abandonment of their military units.
It is estimated that if the current pace of battlefield losses and desertion continues, by the end of 2025, Ukraine will have 100,000 fewer soldiers compared to today.
At the same time, European leaders, in a move of desperation and in coordination with Kyiv, are reportedly preparing a proposal for an immediate ceasefire along the current front line in order to… satisfy Trump, while simultaneously signaling that they will continue to exert suffocating pressure on Russia, even after the ceasefire.
Russia responds to both the USA and Europe that it does not agree to a short-term deal and that what it wants is a long-term, stable peace.
Under these circumstances and given the data, it is clear that the war in Ukraine has entered an extremely dangerous phase, where the next day promises nothing positive.
Strong explosions in Kyiv and Odessa – NATO officers’ shelter destroyed – Alarm across Ukraine
An alert was triggered earlier across Ukraine, which once again suffered a heavy air attack with missiles and drones from Russia.
Strong explosions were recorded in Kyiv, and according to Ukrainian authorities, 6 people were killed.
The attacks lasted almost the entire night of Tuesday and continued into the morning of Wednesday, as Kyiv was hit by at least four ballistic missiles.
Reports indicate that the Russians carried out attacks and destroyed a NATO officers’ shelter/headquarters in the Kyiv area, while it is also reported that Russian forces struck an engine production plant for UAVs near Zhulyany Airport and a training camp of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the city of Boryspil.
The first explosions were heard in Kyiv shortly after 1:00 AM today, followed by new blasts approximately half an hour later.
Emergency services rescued 10 people after a fire caused by drone debris on the sixth floor of a 16-story building, while the attacks also shattered windows at a medical facility, and debris was found in another building, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko on his Telegram channel.
In the Darnytskyi district of Kyiv, emergency services were mobilized after drone debris fell on a 17-story residential building, causing fires on five floors.
In the Desnianskyi district, 20 people were rescued after damage to the facade of a 10-story building and a fire in a gas pipeline.
Strong explosions were also recorded in Odessa, where, according to reports, there was a strike against military personnel from Romania, and a ferry boat with Western technology sank.
Attacks were also reported in Zaporizhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Cherkasy, and other cities.
Attacks in the eastern Poltava region of Ukraine caused damage to oil and gas facilities, while very strong attacks were also reported in Dnipro.
In Zaporizhia, it was reported that a building suffered damage, resulting in 13 injuries, and according to reports, the Russian military destroyed at least one missile defense system and carried out attacks on Zaporizhia Airport, which Ukrainians were using for drone launches.
Extensive blackouts
Due to the massive air attack by Russia on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, authorities reported extensive power outages.
According to the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, most regions of Ukraine experienced power outages.
Specifically, emergency power outages were reported in Kyiv, the Kyiv region, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Zhytomyr, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Poltava, and Sumy.
There were also areas without electricity in Zaporizhia, which was also a target of the attack. Restoration of power there is expected around 19:00 in the afternoon.
From messages on Telegram, it appears that the combined missile and drone attack hit the city of Kamenskoye in the Dnipropetrovsk region, where the Srednedneprovskaya Hydroelectric Power Station is located.
Authorities reported damage to the area’s infrastructure. However, it was not reported whether the attack was directed at the hydroelectric station.
According to MP Alexey Goncharenko, hydroelectric stations were one of the main targets of Russia’s nighttime attack.
Zelensky (Ukraine): Russia does not feel pressure to stop the war
The latest attacks prove that Russia “does not feel enough pressure to stop the war,” stated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding the recent massive Russian attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and facilities.
He said that the target of Russian fire was Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
In this context, the Ukrainian President called for stronger sanctions against Russia, long-range capabilities, and “coordinated diplomacy among all our partners.”
“Another night proving that Russia does not feel enough pressure to stop the war…
Russian statements about diplomacy mean nothing as long as Russian leadership does not face serious problems.
And this can only be ensured through sanctions, long-range capabilities, and coordinated diplomacy among all our partners.
It is imperative for the European Union to adopt a strong sanctions package.
We also rely on strong sanctions measures from the USA and the G7, from all those who desire peace.
It is very important that the world does not remain silent now and that there is a united response to Russia’s malicious attacks,” stated Zelensky.
Peskov (Russia): Mutual desire of Trump – Putin for new meeting – Must be carefully prepared
The decision to hold the summit in Budapest was mutual for the Presidents of Russia and the USA, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, claimed Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
“This was a mutual desire,” Peskov replied when asked who had the idea for the meeting.
He said the Ukrainian crisis has been put on hold and the situation requires intervention by the leaders of Russia and the USA, but the intervention must be carefully prepared.
“Indeed, the pause that has been created requires intervention at the highest level.
But the intervention must be well-prepared,” noted Peskov, emphasizing that Russia has repeatedly presented its clear and unequivocal position regarding Ukraine.
According to Peskov, there is no new information regarding the preparation of the Putin – Trump meeting.
“There is no news at the moment,” Peskov claimed, commenting on Trump’s statements, adding: “No one wants to waste time unnecessarily, neither President Trump nor President Putin.
These are two presidents who are used to working efficiently and with high performance.
But efficiency always requires preparation.”
Trump (President of the USA): I am still considering meeting with Putin – Decision on 23/10
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he is still considering a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
“I don’t want to have a pointless meeting.
I don’t want to waste time.
We’ll see what happens,” he told journalists at the White House on Tuesday.
“We haven’t made a decision yet,” Trump emphasized.
The decision on whether the Russia-USA summit will take place in Hungary may be made in the coming days, he noted.
“You never know what will happen,” the American leader added, saying that the media will be informed “within the next two days about what we will do.”
“A lot of things are happening,” Trump pointed out.
It is recalled that on 16 October, Trump, after a phone call with Putin, stated that they had agreed to meet soon in Budapest.
However, after negotiations between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries, the White House stressed that there are no concrete plans for the immediate future.
According to Reuters, telephone conversations between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier this week did not lead to specific agreements.
One of the main reasons for the summit’s postponement was disagreement regarding a potential ceasefire in Ukraine.
The Washington Post reported that Washington insisted on an immediate cessation of hostilities along the existing front line, but Moscow rejected this proposal.
Ryabkov (Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia): No non-paper documents with the USA on Ukraine – Preparations continue
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov did not confirm that Moscow and Washington exchanged “non-paper” documents regarding Ukraine.
He said that preparations for the meeting of the Presidents of Russia and the USA, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, continue.
“We say that preparations for the summit continue,” Ryabkov stated, noting that there are no major obstacles to a Trump-Putin meeting, although he remarked that it is a difficult process.
Additionally, he claimed that opponents are trying to prevent Russia and the USA from reaching agreements and organizing a new meeting of the leaders.
“Of course, there are attempts to present the situation as having changed compared to some period – one, two, or three weeks ago.
I attribute this to a targeted effort by opponents of reaching agreements in order to reduce the chances of an agreement,” Ryabkov emphasized, referring to a multitude of various rumors and leaks attributed to “anonymous sources, mainly in media space controlled by Western media.”
Kirill Dmitriev (Russia): Preparations for the Putin – Trump meeting continue
The head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev, stated that preparations for the upcoming Russia-USA summit in Hungary continue despite media reports.
“The media are distorting comments about the near future in order to undermine the upcoming summit,” Dmitriev asserted.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also reacted to reports claiming that the meeting between the Russian and U.S. leaders in Budapest would be canceled.
He said that reports about the cancellation of the summit were false.
Lavrov emphasized that Western media often display bias and manipulate public opinion.
Regarding the discussion about a potential cancellation of the summit, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova described the situation as “true chaos from the side of the war party.”
Orban (Hungary): Preparations for the Putin – Trump Summit proceed normally
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated that Hungarian authorities continue preparing for the meeting of the Presidents of Russia and the USA, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, in Budapest, expressing hope that the summit will take place.
“Preparations for the peace summit continue.
The date has not yet been set.
When the time comes, we will organize it,” Orban said in a statement.
Szijjártó (Hungary Foreign Minister): It is not correct to talk about… postponing the Putin – Trump Summit
It is not correct to talk about transferring, postponing, or canceling the Russia-USA summit in Budapest, because the date had not initially been set, stated Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Economic Relations Péter Szijjártó.
“I hope that this summit will take place.
The date has not been announced yet, so I don’t understand what ‘postponement’ means if the date was never set,” Szijjártó said in an interview with CNN.
Szijjártó noted that on Wednesday, he will hold talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and expressed hope that after the meeting, he will have a “better picture” of the situation.
Additionally, he called on European countries to ensure the passage of Putin’s plane through their airspace to reach Hungary, otherwise, he said, it would indicate that they do not want peace.
“I hope that the EU countries along the possible flight route of President Putin to Hungary will allow him to fly, because if these two presidents – of Russia and the USA – meet, it is a hope for establishing peace.
And if any country does not allow the Russian President to fly, it means they do not want peace,” Szijjártó said, adding that Hungary will not arrest Putin to execute the international arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.
“Regarding the International Criminal Court, President Putin was in the USA this summer and was not arrested.
If he comes to Hungary, he will not be arrested either,” Szijjártó said in an interview with CNN.
Lavrov (Russian Foreign Minister): Russia does not agree to a short-term agreement, wants long-term stable peace
Russia does not need a short-term ceasefire that “leads nowhere,” but a “long-term stable peace,” stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, responding both to Donald Trump and the European plan for an immediate ceasefire along the current front line.
Lavrov responded to U.S. demands for an immediate end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, arguing that a ceasefire would not resolve the “fundamental causes” of the conflict — which Lavrov continues to identify as NATO expansion eastward and the alleged discrimination against Russian speakers in Ukraine.
Lavrov’s statements underscore the Kremlin’s determination to achieve its original goals in the war, despite American demands for an immediate end to the conflict.
Zakharova (Russia): “Information filth” to support Zelensky
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that the “information filth” circulating in the media about a potential meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his U.S. counterpart, Marco Rubio, may be intended to support Volodymyr Zelensky.
“One of my interpretations is that this whole story with the information disturbance — the leaks that are constantly confirmed, then denied — may be used to somehow support Zelensky again,” Zakharova said in an interview with Sputnik radio.
She emphasized that Zelensky returned from Washington “not with a shield, but on the shield,” and without the traditionally exaggerated enthusiasm.
She also pointed out that the Ukrainian President has nothing to show on the front and that the world now recognizes the “destroyed terrorist nature” of the situation.
“In this context, maybe this whole information campaign is necessary to support him…
To offer him at least some support, and that’s why the ‘war party’ needs this information filth… so he has something to ‘hold onto’ in Ukraine’s domestic political sphere,” added the Russian diplomat.
However, in Zakharova’s opinion, there is nothing left to “hold onto” domestically, as the internal situation in Kyiv has collapsed and confrontations have reached extreme intensity.
“These are not political disputes, but terrifying hatred and fear that people feel toward each other,” she said.
Zakharova emphasized that when there is official information about a potential Lavrov-Rubio meeting, Moscow will release it immediately.
Financial Times: Europe’s plan for immediate ceasefire includes peace council modeled on Gaza
The European and Ukrainian plan to end the conflict foresees the creation of a Council on Peace Issues, modeled on Gaza, under the presidency of U.S. President Donald Trump, the Financial Times (FT) reported, citing European officials.
“Ukraine and its European allies are preparing a peace agreement plan that will allow the USA to remain on the side of future negotiations with Russia, following ambiguous messages from the White House,” the report noted.
Ukraine and the Europeans insist that negotiations for a ceasefire should be conducted based on the current front line.
The plan was discussed by national security advisors of European countries ahead of the Alliance of the Willing meeting in London on 24 October.
Earlier reports indicated that Europe and Ukraine were working on a 12-point plan to end the conflict based on the current front line.
Robert Fico (Prime Minister of Slovakia): The EU must do everything for the Putin – Trump Summit
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico believes that the European Union must do everything to ensure the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump in Budapest takes place as soon as possible if the EU truly wants peace in Ukraine.
“If the EU really wants a quick peace in Ukraine, which I do not believe, it must do everything to ensure the Trump-Putin meeting in Budapest happens without obstacles and as soon as possible.
The Trump-Putin summit in Budapest should happen as quickly as possible, without obstacles and with full support from the EU — this is my official position,” Fico wrote on his Facebook page.
According to him, “the meeting of the Presidents of the USA and Russia in Budapest has not yet been agreed upon, and there is already clear evidence of attempts to prevent it at all costs.
It is sad to see.”
“I have always said that the EU has become a war council, and that a significant part of its member states supports the war in Ukraine with the naive belief that it can weaken and defeat Russia,” emphasized Fico.
Alexandros Merkouris (British analyst): ‘Civil war’ in the Trump administration over meeting with Putin
The lack of a unified position regarding negotiations with Moscow among members of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is hindering his meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, claims British geopolitical analyst Alexandros Merkouris.
“This ongoing disagreement among advisors, taking place in Washington, currently seems to push Trump toward the camp of the peacemakers, who have more realistic views of the situation,” Merkouris said.
According to the expert, Trump understands that the situation in Ukraine is problematic and does not tend to invest in loss-making ventures.
“These Ukrainians have no weapons.
Europe has almost no weapons or money.
Therefore, there is no benefit that Trump could try to exploit for his advantage to exit this loss-making project as soon as possible,” Merkouris explained.
Soskin (Ukrainian analyst): Europeans are trying to portray Zelensky as a peacemaker
European leaders are making significant efforts to present Volodymyr Zelensky as a peacemaker and to prevent a possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, said Oleg Soskin, former advisor to former Ukrainian Prime Minister Leonid Kuchma.
“They told Zelensky, ‘Come to Moscow, talk and discuss everything necessary,’ but he refused.
Trump repeated it to him at the White House, but he refused again, and now the Europeans are pulling him by the ears so as not to lose this valuable ally.
They need to buy time before Zelensky refuses again,” he explained.
According to the expert, despite the optimistic statements of the EU, Ukraine has long been in deep crisis and urgently needs a pause so that European partners can assist Kyiv.
“Ukraine is already bankrupt.
It cannot function on its own, and its military requires money.
What strong position is this?
Are you trying to deceive the world?” Soskin asked.
Joint statement of the Europeans
Several European leaders and Vladimir Zelensky signed a collective call on 21/10 to stop hostilities in Ukraine along the current front line.
Signatories included British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
It is recalled that U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his proposal to Russia and Ukraine to stop along the current front line and “agree on something later.”
The Kremlin noted that the possibility of freezing the conflict in Ukraine has been repeatedly raised with different parameters during Russia-USA contacts.
As stated by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, Moscow’s position on this issue is consistent and unchanged.
The Kremlin spokesman also noted that European countries are currently encouraging the Kyiv regime to continue the war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly emphasized that for the long-term resolution of the Ukrainian crisis, its primary causes must be eliminated.
IL Fatto Quotidiano: Trump refused military aid to Zelensky
U.S. President Donald Trump refused to provide military aid to Volodymyr Zelensky in order to maintain the possibility of dialogue with Russia, stated sociology professor and head of the International Security Research Center at Luiss University in Rome, Alessandro Orsini, in an interview with IL Fatto Quotidiano.
“Trump always criticizes Biden for active U.S. involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, so now he would probably be ready to watch Zelensky fall rather than send soldiers to the front line,” explained Orsini.
According to him, Trump fully understands that the situation on the front is not in Ukraine’s favor, and that is why he is gradually distancing himself from Zelensky, which is causing panic in Kyiv.
“Ukraine is doomed, which is why Trump asks Putin for a ceasefire, while Zelensky crawls on his knees, begging him (Trump) to do everything possible to stop the Russians,” emphasized Orsini.
Rogov (Russian official): Zelensky’s order for fake Ukrainian “victories”
Vladimir Zelensky issued an order to “fabricate lies” about alleged victories of the Ukrainian Armed Forces along the front line, in order to boost optimism in Ukrainian society and convince Western countries of his ability to maintain control over the situation, reported RIA Novosti, citing Vladimir Rogov, Chairman of the Russian Public Chamber Committee on Sovereignty and Co-Chair of the Coordinating Council for the Integration of New Territories.
“Zelensky and his inner circle instructed the Ukrainian propaganda machine to fabricate lies about alleged victories of Ukrainian Armed Forces fighters along the front line, using any pretext and excuse, in order to convince Western countries of their ability to maintain control in the country and continue resisting the Russian army’s offensive,” stated Rogov.
According to Rogov, Zelensky’s regime also aims, through these fake news stories, to boost optimism in Ukrainian society and present itself as victorious to a Western audience.
“Essentially, Zelensky’s regime is creating a false image,” Rogov said.
Ukraine running out of soldiers
The Ukrainian channel “Резидент”, which is closely linked to the Ukrainian presidential administration, reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces (ВСУ) are rapidly losing personnel.
Official figures indicate that the number of soldiers who have abandoned their units or deserted has reached approximately 300,000, while unofficial estimates exceed 500,000.
Each month, up to 20,000 soldiers disappear from their units, and this trend is accelerating.
Forced conscription, even according to official figures, does not cover the gap created by the “five-hundreders” (i.e., the wounded and dead).
“The increase in soldiers abandoning their units is directly related to the catastrophic situation at the front.
Losses on the front line reach up to 30,000 personnel per month, while logistical support and unit reconnaissance are practically non-functional.
Commanders are forced to send untrained conscripts into battle without the necessary artillery and technical infrastructure support.
Officers serving near Pokrovsk and Kupiansk describe the situation as a ‘disappearance of units’ — when only ten soldiers return from a battalion after an attack.
For military psychologists, it is evident: the moral and physical exhaustion of soldiers has reached the stage of mass refusal to participate in combat.”
At this desertion rate, by the end of 2025, the Ukrainian Armed Forces will lose approximately another 100,000 soldiers just from the “five-hundreders.”
This will lead to irreparable reductions in combat capability and loss of control over significant parts of the front line, which is particularly critical as the Russian Armed Forces intensify pressure on multiple fronts simultaneously.
The Atlantic: Key Trump – Bannon communication on Ukraine and Zelensky
On the eve of the February confrontation with Vladimir Zelensky at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump consulted his former political advisor Steve Bannon, according to the book Retribution: Donald Trump and the Campaign that Changed America by Jonathan Karl.
The ABC News Washington bureau chief stated that before meeting Zelensky, Trump was presented with a proposed agreement with Ukraine for joint development of mineral deposits on its territory, but he considered it insufficiently beneficial for the USA.
After this, he personally called Bannon in the presence of his associates to ask his opinion.
Bannon spent about 30 minutes explaining why he disliked the agreement and why he did not trust the Ukrainian leader.
The former Trump advisor called Zelensky a “punk” and predicted that Kyiv would try to secure U.S. security guarantees.
“You cannot trust him.
You cannot trust any of the Europeans.
These guys are really slippery,” Bannon reportedly said according to Karl.
The book notes that this discussion may have set the tone for the Trump-Zelensky meeting, which ended in a confrontation in front of journalists and cameras.
On 28 February, Zelensky arrived at the White House to meet Trump.
During the conversation, tensions arose, with Trump pointing out Zelensky’s disrespect toward the USA, and Vice President JD Vance noting that Zelensky had forgotten to thank Washington for its support of Kyiv.
The press conference following the meeting was canceled, and the signing of the U.S.-Ukraine mineral agreement did not take place.
Trump stated on Truth Social that Zelensky showed disrespectful behavior and did not demonstrate willingness for a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian conflict.
Frontline developments in the last 24 hours
During the last 24 hours, Russian forces destroyed targets in the Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Chernihiv, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy regions, and in the DPR.
The Russian army attacked a military training field in Honcharivske with three Iskander-M missiles and approximately 10 Geran-2 drones, while striking the industrial zone and an aircraft repair workshop in Kharkiv.
The Russian army also struck energy and communication facilities in Smila, Cherkasy region, while Geran drones hit targets near Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk region.
The Russian offensive operation continues in the Seversk, Pokrovsk, Kupyansk, Huliaipole, and Kharkiv directions.
Russian forces captured Tikhoye.
Russian forces advanced toward Seversk and in the direction of Orekhovo.
Ukrainian losses amounted to approximately 1,460 soldiers in the last 24 hours.
Russian forces also captured new positions in Stepnogorsk and Prymorskoye, claiming that battles continue in the southern sectors of Prymorskoye.
Russian forces took control of Tikhoye and advanced to the northern suburbs of Synelnykove.
Approximately 60–65% of Volchansk is under Russian army control.
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