A firefighter tries to extinguish a blaze in a demolished building after Russian strikes across Ukraine, October 30, 2025

EA on War and Politics 24: Ukraine, US Sanctions, and Why Putin Won’t Give Up His Conquest Dream

Thursday’s Coverage: Power Outages Amid Russia’s Massive Drone and Missile Attack

UPDATE 1637 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that security services destroyed an Oreshnik ballistic missile inside Russia during summer 2024.

Zelensky said the operation involved Ukraine’s State Security Service SBU, the military intelligence agency HUR, and branches of the Defense Forces.

SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk said the nuclear-capable missile was destroyed at the Kapustin Yar missile range in the Astrakhan region, a key site for testing Russia’s strategic weapons.

Zelensky noted that Russia can produce up to six such missiles per year and is reportedly seeking to deploy them in Belarus. “It has a range of up to 5,000 km (3,100 miles] and a 700-km (434-mile] dead zone. Our partners in Europe should pay attention to this.

Russia first used the experimental missile during a strike on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro last November.

UPDATE 1629 GMT:

Ukraine used domestically-produced Neptune cruise missiles to strike Russian energy facilities overnight.

The missiles targeted the Oryol Thermal Power Plant (TPP) and the Novobryansk electrical substation in the Oryol region in western Russia.

The Ukrainian Navy said the destruction of the sites “dealt a serious blow to the occupiers’ logistics. The Ukrainian military continues to demonstrate that no enemy rear is safe.

Oryol Governor Andrei Klychkov claimed the thermal plant was struck by debris from intercepted drones, “causing damage to power supply equipment. He said no fires or casualties were reported. Repairs are ongoing and power has been “almost completely restored.”

UPDATE 0839 GMT:

Russia has repeatly attacked Ukraine with a cruise missile whose secret development prompted the first Trump Administration to withdraw from a nuclear arms control pact with Moscow, says Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

Another official said Russia has fired the 9M729 missile at Ukraine 23 times since August.

As it left the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019, the Trump Administration said the 9M729 breached the limit of 500 km (310 miles). The Center for Strategic and International Studies says
the missile, which can carry a nuclear or conventional warhead, has a range of 2,500 km (1,550 miles).

A military officials said a 9M729 fired by Russia on October 5 flew more than 1,200 km (744 miles) to its impact point in Ukraine.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has called out the “outright terror” of Russia’s aerial attacks on energy infrastructure and other civilian sites.

In his nightly address to the nation, Zelensky said:

A few hours ago there was a strike on the Slovyansk Thermal Power Plant – a strike with Russian bombs. Sadly, two people were killed. My condolences. There are also wounded. This is outright terror. Normal people don’t wage war like this, and the world must respond appropriately to such Russian warfare.

Zelensky earlier noted that Russia launched more than 650 drones and 50 missiles in overnight attacks. Air defense units downed 592 drones and 31 missiles, but the remainder caused significant damage and killed and wounded civilians.

In the Zaporizhzhia region in southern Ukraine, two people were murdered and 15 wounded.

Multiple thermal power plants were struck across Ukraine, the third time they have been attacked in a month.

Zelensky summarized, “Russia continues its terrorist war against life itself, and it’s crucial that every such vile attack on civilians boomerangs back on Russia with concrete consequences – sanctions and real pressure.”

In his nightly address, Zelensky thanked partners who are providing support as Russia tries to break Ukraine’s will through the destruction of energy facilities and the power grid.

It is very important that we have specific agreements with Norway precisely in the field of energy – support for our gas purchases. We also have agreements with Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, and we are working with them on equipment for electricity generation. We are counting on the support of the European Commission as well.

On Friday, Ukraine’s Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk is meeting representatives of the G7 — France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan, the UK, and the US — in Canada.

She posted, “The central focus of the discussions is countering russia’s energy terror. We are working on practical steps to enhance Ukraine’s energy resilience — assistance with equipment, increasing natural gas imports, and strengthening air defense systems.”