Russo-Ukrainian war, day 1320: weekend of escalation: Russia kills nine civilians as Czech election threatens EU unity

Exclusives

Babiš wins Czech election vowing to abandon Ukraine. Can he deliver?. The constraints are real for the billionaire populist. The outcome isn't certain.

Putin’s $330mn spy plane spotted in Ukraine’s kill zone. Moscow risked one of its few remaining A-50U early-warning aircraft at a southern base—lose it and Ukraine's drones reach Crimea undetected.

Georgia’s pro-Russian rulers claim landslide in local elections as opposition leaders warn of vote rigging. Lelo’s Tazo Datunashvili and For Georgia’s Giorgi Sharashidze cited systemic violations and tampered equipment.

Russia turns old tanks into “new” T-90Ms—and it’s almost out of old ones. How many tanks Russia can produce every year—and how—is a major mystery. We've got some new clues. Old T-90As are becoming 'new' T-90Ms.

Military

Power outages hit Belgorod after strikes damage Russian energy infrastructure - Strike reported by local official follows increasing pattern of Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy and oil infrastructure. Russia hits Kramatorsk with fiber-optic drone immune to Ukrainian jamming - The strike marks the first reported use of a fiber-optic-guided drone in Kramatorsk, underscoring Russia's expanding use of advanced FPV systems designed to evade Ukrainian electronic warfare. Frontline report: Ukraine hunts Russian reinforcements near Pokrovsk with coordinated HIMARS, drone, and air strikes - Ukrainian strike forces achieved first confirmed FPV drone kill of flying Russian helicopter. Patriot air defenses struggle to track Russia's modified missiles – Ukrainian Air Force - Air Force spokesperson says Ukraine's air defenses are struggling to counter Russian ballistic missiles, as attacks from multiple directions make it harder for Patriot systems to track and intercept incoming threats. Frontline report: Russia deployed North Korean artillery to win the range game—Ukrainian drones turned it into a scrapyard - Ukraine's drone regiment obliterated four Koksans the moment they rolled into range near Donetsk's Lyman.

Intelligence and Technology

As Russia targets energy grid, Ukraine builds robot that fights fires from safe distance for crews - The Tengu-5 is designed to enable operations at military sites and energy facilities, where toxic fumes, explosion risks, or ongoing combat make human presence hazardous. China provided satellite data used in Russian missile attacks, Ukraine's intelligence says - Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service officer said the cooperation allowed Russian forces to refine targeting for recent missile assaults inside Ukraine.

International

Putin mocks the West's silence as Russia bombards Ukraine with Western-made components – Zelenskyy - A massive overnight Russian bombardment damaged energy facilities, infrastructure, and homes across several regions, leaving at least five people dead. EU finds legal opening to intercept 16 stateless Russian "shadow fleet" tankers - As Brussels sets to blacklist 120 more ships in its 19th sanctions round against Russia, 16 of these tankers operate without any recognized national flag, allowing EU states to intercept them under Article 110 of the UN. Ukraine's minister: "Russia will escalate escalating without decisive response" from Europe - Serhii Kyslytsia told The Guardian that Europe needs to treat Russia's actions as an existential threat and recognize that Moscow is already waging war against the continent. Norway deploys F-35 jets to Poland ready to intercept Russian drones - Norwegian Defense Minister said that the F-35 presence should serve as a preventive measure to deter further Kremlin provocations along NATO's eastern border.

Humanitarian and Social Impact

Russian drones hunt civilian cars in Kharkiv Oblast, kill two - Separate strikes within two hours target vehicles on roads in heavily contested Kupiansk district. Another death in Kherson: Russian artillery kills 77-year-old as daily terror continues - Prosecutors open war crime investigation as daily bombardment from Russian forces continues across liberated city. Russian "air terror" kills family of four in western Lviv Oblast while Poland scrambles jets amid massive attack near its border - On the night of 5 October, western regions faced the heaviest strikes despite being typically considered safer than frontline areas of Ukraine closer to Russia. Read our previous daily review here.