Ukraine war latest: Ukraine hits largest oil terminal in Russian-occupied Crimea, Kyiv says
Key developments on Oct. 6:
- Ukraine hits largest oil terminal in Russian-occupied Crimea, General Staff confirms, sparks massive blaze
- 40,000 Russians without power in Belgorod after Ukrainian attack causes 'significant' damage to energy facilities
- Ukraine investigating execution of 322 POWs by Russia, prosecutors say
- Up to 5,000 Cubans fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, Reuters reports
Ukrainian drones struck Russian-occupied Crimea overnight on Oct. 6, hitting the Feodosia oil terminal, General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported.
The terminal, located about 250 kilometers (155 miles) from Ukraine-controlled territory, is the largest oil storage facility in Crimea. It can hold up to 250,000 tons of fuel, which supplies Russian forces.
Pro-Ukrainian Telegram channel Crimean Wind said the explosion sparked a fire visible from tens of kilometers away, while additional blasts were reported near the Saki and Kacha airfields.
According to the General Staff, the terminal serves as a multifunctional facility for transferring oil and petroleum products between rail, sea, and road transport.
Ukrainian forces also struck an ammunition depot belonging to a logistics battalion of Russia's 18th Combined Arms Army in Crimea, though the results of that strike are still being assessed.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed it had intercepted 251 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 40 over the occupied peninsula.
Separately, Ukraine also claimed to have struck Russia's state-owned Sverdlov Plant overnight on Oct. 6, one of the country's main producers of explosives and ammunition.
The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.
Chris York
40,000 Russians without power in Belgorod after Ukrainian attack causes 'significant' damage to energy facilities
A Ukrainian attack damaged energy facilities and disrupted power supplies in the Russian city of Belgorod, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Oct. 5.
The attack follows weeks of intensified Russian strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Nearly 40,000 Belgorod residents were left without electricity after the strike, which caused significant damage across seven municipalities, according to Gladkov.
"We listened to a report from energy officials on the nature of the damage caused by the nighttime shelling of Belgorod. We have significant damage," he said. "Scope of work will be significant."
Emergency crews were deployed to the affected areas, and hospitals in Belgorod have switched to backup power. Local authorities are coordinating school operations amid the outages, Gladkov said.
On the morning of Oct. 6, Gladkov reported that partial power outages continued in 24 settlements, affecting 5,400 residents. He did not indicate when full power restoration was expected.
"Restoration work is continuing, and we hope that it will be completed in the very near future," he said.
Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) released an alleged intercepted phone call, in which a Belgorod Oblast resident described widespread blackouts and internet outages following the attack.
"All of Shchebekino was without power," a woman can be heard saying. "The streets were all dark."
The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio.
Martin Fornusek
Ukraine investigating execution of 322 POWs by Russia, prosecutors say
Ukraine is investigating evidence that Russian forces executed at least 322 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs), the Prosecutor General's Office reported on Oct. 6 in response to a request from Ukrinform.
According to the statement, 263 Ukrainian soldiers were executed on the battlefield, while 59 others were killed in the 2022 Olenivka prison explosion in the occupied part of Donetsk Oblast.
Ukrainian POWs held in Russian captivity often face torture, abuse, and inhumane treatment, according to Ukrainian officials and human rights groups.
Many former POWs have reported beatings, starvation, and psychological pressure.
To date, 80 criminal proceedings have been opened, the Prosecutor General's Office said.
Nine Russian servicemen have been formally charged, while indictments against six of them have already been submitted to court. Two have been convicted, and two more cases remain under judicial review.
Kateryna Denisova
Up to 5,000 Cubans fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, Reuters reports
Up to 5,000 Cuban fighters are actively participating in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reported Oct. 5, citing an internal U.S. State Department cable seen by the outlet.
"After North Korea, Cuba is the largest contributor of foreign troops to Russia's aggression, with an estimated 1,000 to 5,000 Cubans fighting in Ukraine," the cable said.
The U.S. circulated an unclassified cable, sharing details about Cuba's support for Russia's war in Ukraine, as part of its campaign to counter a United Nations resolution calling for Washington to lift its embargo on the Caribbean nation, which has been in place since 1960.
The Oct. 2 unclassified cable, sent to dozens of U.S. missions, directs diplomats to urge foreign governments to oppose the resolution, which has passed the U.N. General Assembly every year since 1992.
The U.N. resolution holds symbolic value, only the U.S. Congress can ultimately lift the decades-long embargo.
According to Reuters, the U.S. State Department declined to provide additional details on the Cuban fighters, but said it was aware of reports that they were serving alongside Russian troops.
Note from the author:
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