SIG Sauer presented an updated version of the M7 assault rifle at the AUSA 2025 exhibition in Washington. The new weapon became lighter due to the lightening of the moving parts of the bolt group and the reduction in barrel thickness.
The Ukrainian Defense Forces confirmed the damage to the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery and the Orenburg gas processing plant on the night of October 19. A fuel and lubricants base in temporarily occupied Berdyansk was also hit.
Forecaster Natalka Didenko predicts a cold snap in Ukraine after temperatures rise to +10+14 degrees. On October 20, rains are expected throughout the country, except for the western regions, with temperatures of +6+9 degrees.
The Russian authorities are canceling benefits for the IT industry, increasing insurance premiums and reinstating VAT on registered software. This decision caused a negative reaction from businesses, collapsing the industry index MOEXIT and forecasting a drop in company profits.
Over the past week, the aggressor used more than 3270 attack drones, 1370 guided aerial bombs, and almost 50 missiles against Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasizes that Russia is hindering the peace process, and it can only be stopped by pressure.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire. Negotiations took place in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
On the night of October 19, Russian troops attacked Ukraine with 62 attack UAVs, about 40 of which were "Shaheds". Defense forces shot down/suppressed enemy drones in the north and east of the country, but 19 UAVs hit 7 locations.
The plant is located in the Samara region: there is no information about casualties.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó criticized Poland's decision not to extradite a Ukrainian suspected of sabotaging Nord Stream pipelines to Germany. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski responded that this was self-defense against an aggressor.
Japan's three largest banks, MUFG Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. , and Mizuho Bank, will jointly issue a stablecoin. It will initially be denominated in Japanese Yen, with plans for a US dollar version.
Explosions were heard in Chuhuiv, Kharkiv Oblast, and almost all districts were left without power. Mayor Halyna Minayeva reported more than 10 strikes by enemy drones.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy intends to propose to his American counterpart Donald Trump to store US liquefied natural gas in Ukrainian gas storage facilities. This will allow America to be present on the European energy market.
Law enforcement officers in Gdynia detained a 42-year-old man who set fire to cars with Ukrainian license plates, causing damages of 262,000 zlotys. The court arrested him for three months, and he faces up to 5 years in prison.
Cyberpolice urge people not to hand over cards and to ignore suspicious offers to avoid criminal liability and loss of banking services.
Based on SBU materials, three Russian agents were sentenced to long prison terms. They adjusted enemy fire in the north and east of the country, transmitting data about the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Ukrainian prisoners were sentenced to imprisonment for terms ranging from 15 to 21 years on charges of "terrorism" and "violent seizure of power. "
The Ukrainian suspected of sabotaging Russian gas pipelines will not be handed over to German law enforcement.
On October 17, an active cyclone from the northwest will bring rains to most regions of Ukraine, with the exception of the southeastern regions. On Saturday, October 18, a drop in temperature is expected in the west and rains in Kyiv.
Olya Polyakova announced her application for participation in the national selection for "Eurovision 2026" and sent a letter about the need to update certain selection rules. She published the letter she sent to "Suspilne" regarding a fair, modern, and European selection.
Kirill Dmitriev approached Elon Musk with a proposal to build a tunnel across the Bering Strait. The project, costing less than 8 billion US dollars and with a implementation period of less than 8 years, could become a symbol of cooperation.
The maximum capacity for electricity imports increased to 2. 1 GW in October. Ukrenergo's high-voltage grid is ready to transmit winter volumes, but Russian shelling creates difficulties.
Spot gold price rose 0. 8% to $4359.31 per ounce, reaching a record high of $4378.69. Gold futures rose 1.6% to $4372.10.
In the Odesa region, on the morning of October 17, a 63-year-old truck driver ran over two servicemen near a mobile checkpoint. Two soldiers, aged 34 and 36, died as a result of the accident.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian delegation were surprised by US President Donald Trump's conversation with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin about a meeting in Hungary. Zelenskyy learned about it after arriving at Andrews Air Force Base in the US.
The cause of the legendary musician's death was not immediately released.
The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the Russian occupiers, who are making minor advances at the cost of huge losses. In September, the occupiers' losses amounted to almost 29,000 servicemen and a significant amount of equipment.
A resident of Dnipro provided Russian special services with information about Ukrainian Armed Forces military aviation and expressed pro-Russian views. The court sentenced him to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko met with the heads of the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, and the EBRD in Washington. The reparational loan mechanism, the state of Ukrainian energy, and support for Ukraine were discussed.
Serhiy Lysak, former head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration, was introduced as the head of the newly created Odesa City Military Administration. The Cabinet of Ministers will allocate UAH 100 million for security and preparation of Odesa's critical infrastructure for the cold season.
On October 16, emergency power outages were again applied in some regions of Ukraine due to the consequences of Russian strikes. Power limitation schedules for industrial consumers were applied throughout Ukraine.
