Russia shoots down 85 drones and announces its advance in eastern Ukraine

SadaNews - RIA Novosti reported from the Russian Ministry of Defense that air defense forces shot down 85 Ukrainian drones overnight, alongside reports confirming advances by the Russian army within Ukrainian territory.

The Russian army achieved "steady progress" in Ukraine during October, focusing its attacks on the eastern Donetsk region, according to an analysis by AFP based on data from the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War.

In the war that has been ongoing for nearly 4 years, the Donetsk region has witnessed the most intense battles. The city of Bakhmut, located in this region and considered an important logistical center for Ukrainian forces, is expected to fall in the coming days, according to Russian military reports.

According to the analysis of data from the Institute for the Study of War, which works with the Critical Threats Project, Russia controlled 461 square kilometers in Ukraine during October, slightly higher than the 447 square kilometers of territory it controlled in September.

This figure is close to the monthly average that Moscow achieved in 2025, peaking in July when it seized 634 square kilometers.

Russia currently occupies 81% of the Donetsk region, which it has declared annexed, and seeks to secure full control over it.

Russia has called for the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from there, as well as from the Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, as a condition in peace talks, which Kyiv has stated is unacceptable.

In total, the Russian army controls 19.2% of Ukrainian territory. About 7% of this, including the Crimean Peninsula and parts of Donbas, was under Moscow's control before the war began in February 2022.

Ukrainian Denial

In contrast, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected Russia's claims that its forces are making progress in several parts of the front in eastern Ukraine.

Zelensky stated that Russian forces "have not accomplished any success" in the strategically important city of Bakhmut, which has been besieged "in recent days".

While acknowledging that the situation for Ukrainian forces is "difficult", the Ukrainian president asserted that his troops still hold the upper hand in the nearby town of Dobropillya.

He also added that the situation in the cities of Lyman, Kramatorsk, and Kostiantynivka remains unchanged.

Authorities in Russia's Krasnodar region reported last Sunday that an oil tanker and facilities at the Tuapse port on the Black Sea were damaged and caught fire overnight due to a Ukrainian drone attack.

The regional administration stated via Telegram that debris from drones fell on the oil tanker in the Tuapse port, causing damage to the upper structure of the tanker and leading to a fire onboard, and the crew was evacuated.

On another note, local authorities in the Russian Republic of Bashkortostan announced today, Tuesday, that an explosion occurred at the Sterlitamak petrochemical plant, causing a partial collapse of a water treatment facility.

The administration of Sterlitamak, located in the Ural Mountains, reported via Telegram that there have been no reports of injuries so far, and the cause of the explosion is not yet clear.

Source: Agencies