Monday, October 2

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Children perform in front of a monument to Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko on Defenders Day, a public holiday honoring veterans and fallen soldiers, in Lviv on Oct. 1, 2023. (Photo by Les Kasyanov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Zelensky: ‘Never again will Ukraine pay with its sovereignty for illusory promises of peace.’ “Our unity must enable us to go all the way to drive the occupier out of our land. And it will,” Zelensky said in a speech marking Defenders Day. “Courage, resilience, and unity are the things we must not lose in order not to lose Ukraine.”

Media: Drones strike Sochi, Smolensk. Ukrainian drones successfully struck a helicopter base in Sochi and an aircraft factory in Smolensk on Oct. 1, according to reports by Russian Telegram channels and Ukrainska Pravda.

Warehouses reportedly damaged in Russian-occupied Crimean city. Russian forces claimed that they shot down two short-range Ukrainian missiles over the peninsula, with the debris allegedly hitting the warehouses.

Borrell in Kyiv: EU support for Ukraine has reached 85 billion euros. This includes 25 billion euros in military aid and 60 billion euros in humanitarian aid, Borrell said during his visit to Kyiv.

Your contribution helps keep the Kyiv Independent going. Become a member today.

Yermak: No changes in US support for Ukraine. Although a stopgap funding bill to prevent a U.S. government shutdown was passed on Sept. 30 without any provisions for aid for Ukraine, President’s Office Head Andriy Yermak said on Oct 1 that it should not be construed as a change in U.S. support for Ukraine.

Sunak: No plans to send British troops to Ukraine. U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Oct. 1 that there were no current plans to send British troops to Ukraine, even in a limited capacity as trainers.

Governor: Russian missile attack hits civilian infrastructure in Kharkiv. According to Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov, three Russian S-300 missiles hit civilian infrastructure in the city, causing a fire.

Ukrainian men’s gymnastics team qualifies for Paris Olympics. The Ukrainian team beat out Brazil by 166 thousandths of a point to secure the final available spot in the Paris Olympics.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: Biden says American support for Ukraine ‘can’t be allowed to be interrupted’

U.S. President Joe Biden stressed the importance of providing continued aid to Ukraine after signing into law a Congress-passed funding package lacking such support. The bill avoided a U.S. government shutdown set to take effect at midnight on Oct. 1.

Photo: Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

This Week in Ukraine Ep. 27 — How Ukraine is destroying Russian military in Crimea

Human cost of war

Estonian volunteer killed in Lyman. Tanel Krieggul, call sign “Stinger,” fought with the International Legion, a unit for foreigners dedicated to Ukraine’s defense. His house was reportedly hit by a Russian kamikaze drone.

Russian shelling kills 1 in Kharkiv Oblast. A 63-old man was killed by a Russian artillery attack while riding his bicycle in the town of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast, regional authorities announced on Oct. 1.

Russia shells Sumy Oblast, injuring 1. MLRS (Mulitple Launch Rocket System) attacks in the settlement of Druzhba left one resident wounded.

Russia attacks Cherkasy Oblast with drones, injures 1. Russian troops launched a drone attack against Cherkasy Oblast overnight, injuring one person, Governor Ihor Taburets reported.

General Staff: Russia has lost 278,570 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022. This number includes 440 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

International response

Fico wins Slovak election on pro-Russian, populist platform. With almost 100% of the votes counted, the SMER (Direction) party led by former president Robert Fico gained a narrow victory in the Slovakian parliamentary elections on Sept. 30.

Large crowd gathers for opposition march in Warsaw ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections. The streets of Poland’s capital Warsaw were filled with demonstrators on Oct. 1 for an opposition rally ahead of country’s upcoming parliamentary election set to be held on Oct. 15.

Polish PM: Poland a better ally to Ukraine than Germany. At a gathering of Poland’s Law and Justice (PiS) party in Katowice ahead of the Oct. 15 parliamentary elections, Morawiecki addressed his remarks directly to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Want to get the news faster? Follow our website: kyivindependent.com.

Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Lili Bivings, Daria Shulzhenko, Nate Ostiller, Francis Farrell, Olga Rudenko, Natalia Datskevych, and Abbey Fenbert.

If you’re enjoying this newsletter, consider joining our membership program. Start supporting independent journalism today.