Ukraine war latest live: Russian soldiers machine-gunned civilians in Donetsk Oblast, prosecutor's office says
Hi, this is Chris York reporting from Kyiv on day 1,338 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Today's top story so far:
Russian soldiers shot and killed at least four civilians as they sheltered in basements in the Ukrainian village of Zvanivka, Donetsk Oblast, the oblast's prosecutor's office reported on Oct. 23.
The alleged incident occurred on Oct. 20 when Russian troops entered the village in an attempt to obtain information about Ukrainian positions.
The soldiers entered the basement where a husband, 62, and wife, 57, were hiding with their adult son.
After initially leaving because they did not obtain any information, one of the soldiers returned and opened fire on them, killing the husband and son, and severely injuring the wife.
The family's younger son, 30, had taken shelter in a neighbour's basement. When his mother went to look for him, she found him shot dead alongside the body of a 62-year-old woman.
Despite being shot in the jaw, she made her way to find help and report the potential war crime.
Ukraine confirms strike on Russia’s Ryazan oil refinery
Last updated 11:55 a.m. Kyiv time.
Ukraine has confirmed drone strikes on two strategic Russian targets overnight on Oct. 23, the Ryazan Oil Refinery and an ammunition depot near Valuyki, Belgorod Oblast.
The attack on the ammunition storage site near Valuyki destroyed the target, triggering secondary explosions and detonation of Russian munitions, according to Ukraine`s General Staff. The area has been frequently used by Russian forces as a logistics and weapons center near the Ukrainian border.
In Ryazan, explosions and a large fire were reported by local residents near the Ryazan Oil Refinery. Later that day, the General Staff of Ukraine confirmed that Defense Forces had successfully struck the facility.
"Explosions were observed in the target area, followed by a large-scale fire," the General Stuff said in a statement.
The Ryazan refinery has been repeatedly targeted by drones since early 2025, as Ukraine intensifies strikes on critical Russian energy infrastructure.
The facility plays a major role in supplying fuel to central Russia, and its disruption could have broader implications for the country’s logistics, military supply chains, and economic stability.
Tania Myronyshena
Trump finally sanctions Russia
Last updated 12:30 a.m. Kyiv time.
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on Russia's two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, in an effort to pressure Moscow into agreeing to a ceasefire, the U.S. Treasury announced on Oct. 22.
The measures are the first new sanctions U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed against Moscow since taking office in January.
"Now is the time to stop the killing and for an immediate ceasefire," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. "Given (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin's refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine."
The new penalties, meant to pressure Moscow to accept a ceasefire, come after planned diplomatic talks between the U.S. and Russia fell apart. Trump and Putin were previously set to meet in Budapest at an unspecified date, but the White House later announced the summit was canceled.
"It didn't feel like we were going to get to the place we have to get — so I canceled it, but we'll do it in the future," Trump said.
Trump, who met NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the White House the same day the new sanctions were announced, described the move as a "very big day in terms of what we’re doing.
"Those are against their two big oil companies, and we hope that they won't be on for long. We hope that the war will be settled. We just answered having to do with the various forms of missiles and everything else that we're looking at," Trump said.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn
Kyiv repatriates 1,000 bodies that Russia claims are fallen Ukrainian soldiers
Last updated 3:01 p.m. Kyiv time.
Ukraine said on Oct. 23 that it has received 1,000 bodies from Russia, which Moscow says are fallen Ukrainian soldiers.
"In the near future, investigators from law enforcement agencies and Interior Ministry experts will carry out all the necessary examinations to identify the repatriated bodies," Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (POW) said.
Russia has received 31 bodies from Ukraine, according to the Russian Telegram channel Astra.
The repatriation follows several such operations carried out in recent months.
Chris York
2 Ukrainian TV journalists killed in Russian drone strike on Kramatorsk
Last updated 13:12 p.m. Kyiv time.
Freedom TV journalist Olena Hramova and cameraman Yevhen Karmazin were killed in a Russian drone strike on Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, on Oct. 23, regional governor Vadym Filashkin reported.
The strike was carried out using a Russian Lancet kamikaze drone, which struck a car carrying the journalists, Filashkin said.
Hramova and Karmazin had reportedly been on assignment in the region when they were killed.
Explosions reported near military base in southern Russia
Last updated 2:48 a.m. Kyiv time.
Explosions were reported near a military base just outside the southern Russian city of Stavropol late on Oct. 22, and additional explosions rocked an ammunition plant in the central city of Kopeysk, local media reported.
In Stavropol, a woman was allegedly killed after sustaining shrapnel wounds from the reported explosion.
A baby stroller with an explosive device hidden inside was planted near the military site, unnamed sources told Russian media.
The explosion reportedly took place at a bus stop near Russia's 247th Guards Airborne Assault Regiment.
A suspect has been detained and taken to the nearby military base for questioning, Russian media reported.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn
At least 8 killed, 69 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day
At least three people have been killed and 69 others injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day, local authorities reported on Oct. 23.
Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 92 out of the 130 Shahed-type attack drones and other drones launched by Russia overnight, according to the Air Force. Twenty-five strikes were recorded at 11 locations.
Further drone activity was reported on the morning of Oct. 23 with an air raid alert issued in Kyiv.
In Kyiv and the surrounding oblast, six people were killed and 29 injured during a mass Russian missile and drone strike.
Overnight in Kyiv, a further seven people were injured when drones struck the Podil district of the capital.
In Kharkiv Oblast, a 40-year-old man was killed, and nine others injured when a Russian drone struck a kindergarten in Kharkiv.
Elsewhere in the oblast, one firefighter was killed and five others injured in Russian shelling of the village of Zelenyy Gai. A 66-year-old man was injured in the Vilkhiv community, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.
In Kherson Oblast, thirteen people were injured due to Russian strikes, according to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin.
In Sumy Oblast, three people were injured as the result of a Russian drone strike, local authorities reported.
In Donetsk Oblast, Russian attacks injured two civilians, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.
General Staff: Russia has lost 1,134,170 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
Russia has lost around 1,134,170 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Oct. 16.
The number includes 920 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.According to the report, Russia has also lost 11,282 tanks, 23,453 armored fighting vehicles, 65,228 vehicles and fuel tanks, 33,938 artillery systems, 1,525 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,230 air defense systems, 427 airplanes, 346 helicopters, 73,386 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.
Linda Hourani
