Ihor Smelyansky, head of Ukraine’s state-owned postal service, said that Ukrposhta would issue postal stamps featuring “what has remained” of the Crimean Bridge. Smelyansky said they have been preparing the stamp for a long time and plan to sell 7 million such stamps for Hr 18 ($0.48) each. An explosion took place around 6 a.m. on Oct. 8 at the bridge, which links the occupied peninsula with Russia.
Two people were killed in Zarichne, two more in Ocheretyne, and the rest in Bakhmut and Pavlivka, Donetsk Oblast Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said. According to him, 17 people were injured in Donetsk Oblast on Oct. 7. Also, the bodies of nine killed civilians were found in the recently-liberated Lyman, Sviatohirsk, and Yarova settlements in Donetsk Oblast on Oct. 7, Kyrylenko said.
Ukraine’s General Staff reported on Oct. 8 that Russia had also lost 2,472 tanks, 5,111 armored fighting vehicles, 1,459 artillery systems, 345 multiple launch rocket systems, 180 air defense systems, 266 airplanes, 234 helicopters, 1,079 drones, and 15 boats.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that “there are still no forecasts” for restoring the Crimean Bridge, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported. The fire has already been eliminated, Russian state news agency TASS reported. Russian media also reported that all trains from Russia to Crimea had been canceled due to the fire, and the sale of train tickets to the peninsula had been suspended. Ukrainian media reported an explosion at the Crimean Bridge, which links the Russian-occupied peninsula with Russia via the Kerch Strait, at around 6 a.m. on Oct. 8.
Ukrainska Pravda, an online newspaper, cited law enforcement sources. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) indirectly confirmed the report. "The bridge is burning beautifully at dawn. A nightingale is meeting the SBU in Crimea," the SBU quipped, paraphrasing Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko.
Vladimir Konstantinov, the head of Crimea's Russian-installed illegal "parliament", claimed that the damage was "insignificant", and the bridge would be repaired soon. The statement contradicts videos and photos on social media that show significant damage. Ukrainian media reported an explosion at the Crimea Bridge, which links the Russian-occupied peninsula with Russia via the Kerch Strait, at around 6 a.m. on Oct. 8.
The Ukrainian parliament has approved a resolution appealing to the U.N., the European Union, and the Council of Europe to create a special international tribunal to prosecute Russia for its crimes against Ukraine, according to lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak. If the international community puts pressure on the Russian leadership, "Russia will stop its armed aggression against Ukraine much sooner," reads the resolution.
Tehran "has never sent and will never send" any weapons to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine, Tashim News Agency reports, citing Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian. Over the last weeks, Russian troops have regularly used Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones to attack Ukrainian cities. According to Ukraine's Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat, Iran could have sold "several hundred" kamikaze drones to Russia.
The Verkhovna Rada has voted to appoint former head of state bank Oschadbank Andrii Pyshnyi as the new head of Ukraine's National Bank, according to lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak. The previous NBU head Kyrylo Shevchenko resigned on Oct. 4, citing "health reasons."
For eight months of 2022, IT exports have grown by 16% year over year, according to the monitoring service Opendatabot. The tech sector currently accounts for almost half of Ukraine's export of services and is one of the very few export fields in Ukraine that show positive dynamics.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has stopped to consult with ministers and doesn't inform them of his plans, Russian news outlet Meduza reports, citing unnamed sources close to Kremlin and the government. Putin is making all critical decisions himself after a brief discussion with the leadership of special services personnel and law enforcement agencies, according to Meduza.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize to the Ukrainian human rights organization Center for Civil Liberties, which has been identifying and documenting Russia's war crimes against civilians. It split the prize with human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski from Belarus and the Russian human rights organization Memorial.
Japan has introduced additional sanctions against Russia following its illegal annexation of four Ukrainian oblasts, public broadcaster NHK reported on Oct. 7. According to Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Seiji, Russia's actions infringe upon Ukraine's territorial integrity and constitute a violation of international law.
French President Emmanuel Macron said that the European Union would send Ukraine more military equipment to defend against Russia, including French Caesar howitzers, according to Reuters. On Oct. 1, Le Monde reported that France was preparing to deliver 6-12 Caesar howitzers to Ukraine.
Since Feb. 24, Ukraine's Armed Forces have captured at least 440 Russian main battle tanks and 650 other armored vehicles, which make up "over half of Ukraine's currently fielded tank fleet," the U.K. Defense Ministry reported on Oct. 7.
Ukraine’s General Staff reported on Oct. 7 that Russia had also lost 2,466 tanks, 5,093 armored fighting vehicles, 3,862 vehicles and fuel tanks, 1,455 artillery systems, 344 multiple launch rocket systems, 177 air defense systems, 266 airplanes, 233 helicopters, 1,067 drones, and 15 boats.
In the past 24 hours, Russian forces have killed two civilians and wounded seven in Donetsk Oblast, not including Mariupol and Volnovakha, reported the oblast governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko. Russia also shelled Kharkiv Oblast, injuring eight people, said the oblast governor, Oleh Syniehubov.
Ukraine took down 24 out of the 46 Shahed-136 kamikaze drones that Russia sent to Ukraine between Sept. 29 - Oct. 6, according to Ukraine's government.
Ukraine's fundraising platform United24 and Metinvest Group used the last pre-war batch of steel produced at the Azovstal plant in Mariupol to create bracelets and raise money to support the army. One bracelet costs about $40. The collected money will be spent on drones for the Armed Forces.
The USAID has announced a $55 million investment in Ukraine's heating infrastructure to help the country prepare for winter amid Russia's war. According to Samantha Power, the organization's head, up to seven million Ukrainians in 19 regions will directly benefit from the assistance.
Russian military intelligence attempted to enlist members of the Azov Regiment, the defenders of the Azovstal plant in Mariupol, according to Bohdan Krotevych, the regiment's chief executive officer. It happened after they were released from captivity. The Russians told them they'd fight "against the U.S. and the West," but Azov soldiers refused, said Krotevych.
The EU has approved the eighth package of sanctions against Russia for its war in Ukraine; it includes import bans worth €7 billion and lays the foundation to introduce the price restrictions on Russian oil, the European Commission stated on Oct. 6.
The number of draft-age Russian citizens eligible for mobilization who have left Russia is twice as high as the number currently conscripted, according to the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksii Danilov.
A recent poll shows 73% of U.S. citizens agreed for their country to continue to support Ukraine, despite Russia's threats to use nuclear weapons, Reuters reported.
The EU countries willing to deliver Leopard II tanks to Ukraine will be reimbursed from the European Peace Facility, said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, according to France 24. Metsola has also called for Ukraine's "accelerated" entry into the EU. "We have a country that has shown us its intention, and overwhelming willingness to join, and surpassing expectations and meeting goals that other countries would have taken months or years," she said.
Ukrainian forces are "making gains along the east bank of the Inhulets River and west bank of the Dnipro River," threatening Russian groups around Nova Kakhovka, according to the U.K. Defense Ministry. Withdrawal of Russian combat forces across the Dnipro River "makes defense of the rest of Kherson Oblast more tenable; but the political imperative will be to remain and defend," reads the report.
In the past 24 hours, Russian forces have killed four and wounded three civilians in Donetsk Oblast, not including Mariupol and Volnovakha, reported the oblast governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko. Overnight, Russia also shelled Kharkiv Oblast, injuring three men, said Oleh Syniehubov, the oblast governor.
Ukraine’s General Staff reported on Oct. 6 that Russia had also lost 2,449 tanks, 5,064 armored fighting vehicles, 3,854 vehicles and fuel tanks, 1,424 artillery systems, 344 multiple launch rocket systems, 177 air defense systems, 266 airplanes, 232 helicopters, 1,047 drones, and 15 boats.
"The example of perseverance and resilience of the Ukrainian people is inspiring," the Ukrainian Football Association stated on Oct. 5. "This initiative is aimed to contribute to the country's postwar recovery thanks to the power of soccer."
Rory Mason, a 23-year-old Irish national, died in combat while taking part in the counteroffensive in Kharkiv Oblast, reports BBC.
Russia has been conducting covert mobilization since May, when its forces had failed to achieve the tasks set for the invasion, including capturing Kyiv, according to Vadym Skibitsky, a deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence.
Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said on Oct. 5 that Ukraine increased its export of agricultural products by land and naval routes in September to 6.9 million metric tons. Compared to August, the export volume has increased by 41%, he added.
