Russia-Ukraine updates: 'We can down most Russian missiles,' Zelenskyy says - DW (English)

As Russia continued to attack Ukraine's captious civilian infrastructure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pledged that his subject would up its aerial defence systems to antagonistic incoming Russian missiles.

Zelenskyy said, "Those treacherous blows connected critically important facilities are diagnostic tactics of terrorists." He added, "The satellite tin and indispensable halt this terror."

Even though Ukraine presently doesn't person the method quality to down each of the missiles and drones Russia sends incoming, it is lone a substance of clip earlier Ukraine "will execute that" with the assistance of partners, helium said.

The latest airstrikes person caused power outages successful galore parts of the country.

In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy noted that Saturday Ukrainian forces downed 20 Russian missiles and much than 10 Iranian-made drones. Earlier, the Ukrainian aerial unit confirmed that of 33 missiles fired astatine Ukraine by Russia that 18 were changeable down.

Here are the different main headlines from the warfare successful Ukraine connected October 23:

Russian, Western defense ministers sermon Ukraine in phone calls

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told his British counterpart Ben Wallace connected Sunday that Moscow was acrophobic Kyiv could beryllium readying to usage a "dirty bomb" successful Ukraine.

It's a assertion Moscow has made before, without providing evidence. A "dirty bomb" refers to a accepted explosive instrumentality that disperses radioactive material.

Wallace "refuted" claims by Moscow that Western countries were facilitating a planned escalation of the warfare successful Ukraine. "The defence caput refuted these claims and cautioned that specified allegations should not beryllium utilized arsenic a pretext for greater escalation," Britain's Ministry of Defence said successful a statement, noting Moscow had requested the conversation.

Shoigu besides repeated the "dirty bomb" assertion successful telephone calls earlier successful the time with the French and Turkish defence ministers. He besides aboriginal spoke with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

"The concern successful Ukraine, which has a dependable inclination towards further, uncontrolled escalation, was discussed," by Shoigu and France's Sebastien Lecornu, Russia's Defense Ministry said.

In a statement, Lecornu said France would not get drawn into immoderate signifier of escalation successful the Ukraine conflict, particularly regarding atomic options.

Ukraine has besides accused Russia of readying to deploy a "dirty bomb."

There person been increasing fears that Moscow whitethorn edifice to utilizing tactical atomic weapons successful Ukraine, wherever counteroffensives by Kyiv's troops have forced Russian units to spell connected the defensive.  

Moscow deploying mercenaries to support occupied territories: UK Defence Ministry

In its latest assessment, Britain's Ministry of Defence says Russia is readying to bring mercenaries to support its occupied territories arsenic it faces counteroffensives by Kyiv.

Wagner Group proprietor Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed online past week that his engineering teams were constructing an extended fortified
"Wagner Line" of defenses successful Russian-occupied Luhansk, the ministry said.

It added that a map Prigozhin had posted online "showed a conception of recently constructed anti-tank defenses and trench systems southeast of Kreminna successful Luhansk."

Russia has been utilizing the Wagner Group successful conflicts for respective years, including successful Syria and the Central African Republic.

In a caller video, the mercenary group's main appeared to beryllium recruiting Russian prisoners to combat successful Ukraine. 

Russia withdraws officers from Kherson — think tank

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) says Russia's subject enactment is pulling its officers retired of the confederate Ukrainian metropolis of Kherson ahead of an expected beforehand by Ukrainian forces.

The deliberation vessel said Russian officers were being moved crossed to the eastbound slope of the Dnieper River, portion recently mobilized, little experienced troops would beryllium near connected the occidental broadside to dilatory the Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Kherson is the superior of a portion of the aforesaid sanction that was illegally annexed by Russian President Vladimir Putin past month. The metropolis has been successful Moscow's hands since aboriginal successful the war. On Saturday, Russian-installed authorities determination told each residents to evacuate immediately.

Ukraine's subject said Sunday that Russian forces were present mostly connected the defensive, but were continuing to target energy infrastructure and motorboat attacks connected respective towns successful the eastbound Donbas.

The ISW deliberation vessel said Russia's strategy of targeting powerfulness plants successful caller days appeared to beryllium aimed astatine hurting Ukrainians' volition to combat and forcing Kyiv to walk further resources to support civilians and vigor infrastructure. 

Kherson beforehand lines successful flux

Russian forces successful Kherson urged civilians to "evacuate," with a post on Telegram noting that "Due to the tense concern astatine the front, the accrued information of monolithic shelling of the metropolis and the menace of violent attacks, each civilians indispensable instantly permission the city" and transverse to the eastbound broadside of the Dnieper River.

Russian forces are successful power eastbound of the Dnieper River.

After warnings of a Ukrainian antagonistic violative to recapture the city were announced, thousands of civilians near Kherson.

At Oleshky, which is the other slope of the slope of Dnieper, radical were seen arriving by a stream vessel loaded with boxes, bags and pets.

As powerfulness outages continue, Russian forces successful Ukraine's Kherson urged civilians to evacuate. Image: Dmitry Marmyshev/TASS/IMAGO

Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk wrote connected Telegram, "Kherson region! Just a small spot more. Hang successful there. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are astatine work."

G7 condemns Russia's takeover of Zaporizhzhia atomic plant

The leaders of the G7 nations condemned Russia's kidnapping of the Ukrainian officials liable for the Zaporizhzhia atomic powerfulness plant.

In a statement, they condemned the abduction of the plant's enactment and said that Russia indispensable instantly instrumentality afloat power of the works to Ukraine.

Russian forces took power of the atomic plant in the archetypal aftermath of the February 24 invasion. 

The urgent gathering of the G7 enactment came a time aft Moscow launched much than 80 missiles astatine Ukraine. The onslaught killed astatine slightest 19 radical and near 105 injured.

The G7 besides condemned Putin's atomic sabre rattling.

Former Motor Sich owner detained connected treason charges

Ukrainian forces detained Vyacheslav Boguslaev, the erstwhile proprietor of Motor Sich, a well-known shaper of craft engines successful Ukraine.

He has reportedly been charged with treason.

Several Ukrainian media outlets reported that after being detained, Boguslaev was whisked disconnected to Kyiv. 

Reports quoted information sources who said that Boguslaev, a erstwhile subordinate of parliament, was suspected of collaborating and assisting the Russian concern of 4 Ukrainian regions, including Zaporizhzhia.

Citing information sources, Ukrainian writer Iryna Romaliyska wrote successful a Facebook station that Boguslaev was known for his pro-Russian views and was successful interaction with Russian quality services. Boguslaev allegedly helped to supply Moscow with craft parts, she said.

Kyiv warns of a 'humanitarian catastrophe' aft Moscow's airstrikes

The Ukrainian authorities warned that Russia's escalating attacks connected Ukraine's vigor infrastructure could spark a large "humanitarian catastrophe."

Kyiv said at slightest 40% of Ukraine's vigor infrastructure has already been destroyed. The attacks person forced the state to brace for a acold winter with a constricted proviso of power.

Zelenskyy thanked vigor work providers and grid operators who were moving to rebuild captious sites contempt the risk.

His office said Saturday that Russia's airstrikes had damaged the Ukrenergo powerfulness company, leaving adjacent to 1.5 cardinal customers were near without electricity.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Zelenskyy, tweeted that "By striking Ukraine's captious infrastructure, the Kremlin wants to provoke caller refugees" to Europe. He added that the lone mode to forestall a humanitarian catastrophe is to "transfer aerial defence and further missiles fast."

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal besides warned that the intensified Russian attacks would "trigger a caller migration tsunami."

ns/ar (dpa, Reuters)