Day 1342 War in Ukraine

Young child in Kharkiv hears explosions during feeding. Mother is completely used used to the sound, so she doesn’t react.

Russians and Ukrainians hitting their targets, Russians hit civilians, Ukrainians hit economic targets, especially including oil refineries.

Zelenskyy talks about special tribunals for Russia.

Schoolchildren in Georgia are tired of online learning and want in-person classes again.

Just a single line of people with their hands clasped to each other blocks Rustaveli Avenue, but that‘s enough to say “We blocked it again!”

Protester creates snowball effect, she walks slowly and others join her.

“UN commission finds Russia's systematic drone attacks in Ukraine are CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY” Conclusion reached by Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine to the UN General Assembly.

Czech Republic supplying Ukraine with cogeneration units to power homes, hospitals, etc.

Unidentified drone flew over US base in Estonia, got shot down.

Trump has no idea how to review foreign troops.

Site to control FPV drones located and eliminated.

Russians bomb factory that produced gas stoves.

Russian floating crane collapses.

Ukraine’s energy system is more distributed and resilient, but Russia’s using more drones!

Russian 10-car train derailed.

After dam breach near Belgorod, Russian military vehicles sin into the nud.

Many Russian energy sites blown up.

https://balloon-juice.com/2025/10/28/war-for-ukraine-day-1342-the-cost/

 

Day 1339 War in Ukraine

 

Tsk, tsk, tsk! A Royal Guard laughing ***while on duty!*** Ah, well, it’s probably a mitigating circumstance that Zelenskyy’s job before he became President of Ukraine was that of being a comedian.

Targets Russia aimed at in Kyiv were “energy infrastructure and residential area in NE Kyiv.”

Outdoor markets operate normally in Kyiv during missile and drone attack. Four out of nine ballistic missiles were shot down.

As penalties for blocking Rustaveli Avenue are steep, crowds only block it for short time periods per day, but they count each blockage as a win.

“Imprisoned Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli was honored with the World Press Freedom Hero Award.”

End of the year, Italy will deliver another aid package to Ukraine.

Trump’s getting impatient with Putin. That’ll last until Putin’s next phone call.

Russian spokesperson claims Russia didn’t bomb a kindergarten (drones are usually equipped with front-facing cameras, so they clearly know what they’re hitting). And newsperson/propagandist Solovyov makes bloodthirsty remarks about wiping out entire Ukrainian cities.

Russian envoy praises Trump and insists that any settlement “must address Moscow’s interests.” He also discounts the impact of any sanctions.

Russians still haven’t figured out how to protect anti-aircraft systems from drones.

Russia hits a coal mine. All workers were safely evacuated.

Russia hits a wind turbine.

Izium finishes constructing an underground school. Prior to this, students studied online as the city gets shelled a lot. Kharkiv opens up an underground school that seats 100 at a time.

Drone safari in Kherson has taken 2877 civilian lives.

https://balloon-juice.com/2025/10/25/war-for-ukraine-day-1339-the-russian-butchers-bill-for-last-nights-this-mornings-attacks/

Day 1338 War in Ukraine

Yana Suvorova was kidnapped and imprisoned on false charges two years ago, with 12 years remaining in her “sentence.” She’s only 21 at this point. Please remember her when you advocate giving up Ukrainian land in the hopes that it will somehow lead to peace.

“The [Ukrainian] president agreed with Starmer's observation that the Russian dictator shows no intention of ending the war”

Europe understands that oil is Russia’s weak point. They need to really hammer that point. They’re also ready to use frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine.

First Lady Zelenska unveils monument to Queen Ellisiv (1025-?) of Kyiv.

In Georgia, 80 protesters arrested for blocking Rustaveli Avenue. musician Vakho Babunashvili performed for the protesters. Georgia has nearly 200 political prisoners.

Eventually, Russia would like to see Georgia’s two break-away provinces made independent.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says Putin’s running low on everything.

Britain will produce 2k “Octopus” interceptor drones per month.

Ukrainian soldier hit in back by drone which did not explode (whew!).

Russian glide bombs destroyed a car repair shop in Kharkiv, along with deaths and other damage.

“Artillery shells exploding in a residential neighborhood" of Kherson.

Train attacked in Lviv, but drone missed and only caused minor damage.

“Russians started evicting people from apartments in occupied Mariupol…”

Russian air defense systems destroyed in Crimea.

Another refinery hit.

https://balloon-juice.com/2025/10/24/war-for-ukraine-day-1338-a-brief-friday-night-update/

 

Day 1335 War in Ukraine

“Georgia now refines Russian oil.“  Russia gets around Ukrainian “sanctions.” Russia sends Georgia a ship with 100k tons of crude oil.
Zelenskyy says the current lines of contact should not be the borders, but the beginning points for negotiations. In the meantime, Ukraine needs to strengthen its negotiating position.
Georgian protesters always fly the NATO flag.
Protesters continue to hold Rustaveli Avenue despite “mass arrests, threats, and disappointments.”
A woman was detained near Rustaveli Avenue on suspicion she was a protester. She said she had been at a concert and was wearing a medical mask because she had no teeth. Authorities checked her mouth to make sure. Only then was she let go.  
Hungarian and Romanian oil refineries burst into flames. They had been refining Russian oil. 
Trump-Putin meeting in Budapest put off indefinitely.
Netherlands has suspended intelligence operation with the US. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if European countries were keeping secrets from the US out of concern that the US was passing secrets to Russia. 
Light Russian planes destroyed on the ground before they can be used to hunt Ukrainian drones.
Range of Russian drones is getting better.
Chernihiv’s energy infrastructure is gone. Many attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Russians make big attack on Zaporizhzhia front.
“While Moscow denies forcibly removing children, one of Putin’s own officials has publicly confirmed that’s exactly what Russia is doing.”
Bryansk Chemical Plant hit by combination of drones and Storm Shadow missiles.
https://balloon-juice.com/2025/10/21/war-for-ukraine-day-1335-president-zelenskyys-statement-on-peace-for-ukraine/
 

Day 1333 War in Ukraine

 “Gazprom's Orenburg gas processing plant stopped receiving raw gas from Kazakhstan following tonight’s drone attack.”
More details on the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting. Trump was very upset that Zelenskyy wasn’t prepared to surrender. “During Friday’s meeting, Trump appeared to have adopted many of Putin’s talking points verbatim, even when they contradicted his own recent statements…” Putin’s “influence operation” was incredibly successful. 
Fortunately, US usefulness to Ukraine is pretty low at this point, so a cut-off would be bad, but not disastrous.
Zelenskyy is interviewed by Meet The Press’s Kristin Welker. He asserts Ukraine is wining. 
Over a dozen arrests of Georgian protesters who blocked Rustaveli Avenue. “Still more people showed up.” 
Young woman arrested by 30 policemen for wearing a scarf around her head. 70-year-old woman gets stopped by 20 policemen to check for a mask or scarf.
Georgia’s European Orbit and the Human Rights Center puts out a report on Georgia’s State Terror and Human Rights abuses. 
“Munich Airport shut down twice overnight due to ‘suspicious activity in the air’",
Major gasoline shortages all over Russia.
Two Ukrainians rescued from Russian captivity.
Russia attacks coal mine while 192 miners were underground.  
Russian oil refinery 900km from front lines attacked.
Western Siberia, drivers have to get to the gas station hours before it opens to get fuel.
https://balloon-juice.com/2025/10/19/war-for-ukraine-day-1333-cascading-effects-from-the-trump-putin-phone-call/

 

Day 1332 War in Ukraine

Very sensible. Ukraine is surrounding its power plants with very thick walls so as to make them survivable against drone attacks.

268 guide aerial bombs against Ukraine.

Is Putin willing to surrender “Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, in exchange for full control of Donetsk?” Seems pretty doubtful as that would mean surrendering the land bridge to Crimea. This is why reporters need to check with more than one source.

Six months ago, Russia started looking into a tunnel between Russia and Alaska. No idea when the US was informed.

Rustaveli Avenue blocked yet again. Stakes are getting higher as government is applying big penalties, but if protesters keep blocking it, the government will look impotent.

Ex-Prime Minister of Georgia caught with $7 million in various items.

Austria joins the rest of the EU in aid to Ukraine.

Ukraine’s intelligence chief feels Ukraine must switch from a “resource-based economy to high value-added sectors and develop a modern defense industry.”

Russia suffering severe manpower losses. Putin doesn’t appear to have a back-up plan. Putin needs to make sure Trump doesn’t understand what a jam Russia is in.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt does her best North Korean propagandist impression, telling us that Trump doesn’t sleep and works around the clock to perform wonderful deeds.

“In Kharkiv Oblast, a russian FPV drone struck a civilian car, killing a 35-year-old man and injuring three others.”

Russia bombs residential area of a town.

Ukrainian Church mostly destroyed.

After a four-week disruption, work begins on repairing the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Ukraine has branched out from hitting oil refineries and is now hitting power substations.

So many air raids in Belgorod, Russia, that an employee estimates she spends 70% of her time sheltering instead of working.

https://balloon-juice.com/2025/10/18/war-for-ukraine-day-1332-a-brief-saturday-night-update/

 

Day 1331 War in Ukraine

After an amazingly effective influence operation by Putin, Trump is convinced that Putin is the good guy and Zelenskyy is the bad guy. Interestingly, Trump commands both sides to “Go home to your families in peace.” Erm, Ukrainians ARE home! “The Russians occupying parts of Ukraine are most definitely NOT home!” The ties worn by VP Vance and SecDef Hegseth do NOT send friendly signals to Zelenskyy! Blogger thinks Tomahawk cruise missiles would be more valuable as a public signal of support for Ukraine than as actual weapons. That’s an opportunity lost.

Does Putin wish to “end the war”? Duh! Of course he does! He just wants it to end in complete victory for Russia!

Russia prepares a massive drone attack.

Zelenskyy agrees that he and Putin hate each other.

First Lady Zelenska makes two hospital visits.

Georgia directs even more legal penalties for blocking Rustaveli Avenue, which as been successfully blocked for 324 days straight.ore protesters arrested for October 4th action.

6 year old child witnesses arrest of mother.

France stops assassination attempt by Russia on Russian dissident.

"Zelenskyy held a meeting with representatives of the defense company Raytheon, which produces Patriot systems."

Tch, tch, tch! Bad OpSec! Russian sends message to wife, giving away their position to Ukrainian bomber pilots.

Russian “human safaris” in Kherson have taken 2,877 Ukrainian lives since 2023.

More gasoline shortages and burning oil depots fo Russia in occupied Crimea.

Russians lose an Su-30SM jet. Many possible causes.

Bakhmut still a dead husk of what was once a thriving town two years later.

A Ukrainian civilian rescues a tracked ground drone.

Two Russian military facilities produced lots of industrial goods for Russian military get bombed.

https://balloon-juice.com/2025/10/17/war-for-ukraine-day-1331-moscow-on-the-potomac/

 

Day 1329 War in Ukrane

UN humanitarian convoy was attacked. US refuses to say it was attacked by Russia.

Two 16-year-old Ukrainian boys tortured to death.

Two speeches by Zelenskyy, one by First Lady Zelenska.

Finnish Foreign Minister attended street protest. Head of Georgian government today refused to meet with her as she “participation in an illegal rally and making false statements.”

Georgia plays games with UNM Chair Tina Bokuchava, delaying her flight so that she’d be late for an event.

Germany pledges €2 billion to Ukraine. It must also build up its Eastern border against Russia.

Trump demonstrates, yet again, that he doesn’t understand what the Russia-Ukraine war is about. Trump says Ukraine would like to take the offensive. “I’ll make a determination on that.” As the blogger says “this is not up to Trump.”

Sting anti-Shahed drones have taken down 900 Shaheds!

Ukraine knows what Russia is up to in Belarus, but won’t (at least publicly) say what it is.

Not much left of Russian armored column at Pokrovsk.

Russia has new social engineering contractor.

Russia arming light aircraft to intercept drones.

Ukrainian drone flies 1,400km in broad daylight to successfully hit oil refinery.

https://balloon-juice.com/2025/10/15/war-for-ukraine-day-1329-another-early-morning-drone-swarm/