War in Ukraine
Chinese state-owned oil companies have suspended seaborne purchases of Russian oil following US sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil. This comes as India also reduces its imports of Russian oil due to the same sanctions.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy held a series of meetings with European leaders during the EU Summit in Brussels.
The Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, the largest specialized cardiac surgery clinic in Ukraine, was damaged as a result of a missile attack on the Okhmatdyt children's hospital. More than 1,000 operations and 20,000 consultations were performed here annually.
On October 22, 2025, in Stavropol, near the checkpoint of military unit No. 54801, at least three servicemen of the 247th Caucasian Cossack Airborne Regiment of the Russian Armed Forces were eliminated. The operation was carried out by the HUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine with the support of the Caucasian Liberation Movement.
President Zelenskyy appealed to European leaders to make a decision on frozen Russian assets as soon as possible. He emphasized that the proposed mechanism is legal and fair, and the funds can be used to purchase weapons and strengthen Ukraine's defense.
Russian propagandists claim that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are forcing civilians to clear roads in Pokrovsk. The Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council refutes these statements, calling them lies aimed at demonizing the Ukrainian military and diverting attention from the crimes of the occupiers.
The National Bank of Ukraine expects an increase in the number of Ukrainians abroad by 200,000 people, some of whom are men aged 18-22. This will not create critical risks for the economy and will not significantly affect the labor market.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed to European partners to change the order of obtaining Patriot systems. Kyiv is ready to return or replace them when it is Ukraine's turn, if it receives them now.
President Zelenskyy stated that Russia has killed 135 media workers since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, calling it a deliberate strategy. Today in Kramatorsk, journalist Olena Hubanova and cameraman Yevhen Karmazin were killed, and another journalist was wounded.
The FAVBET group of companies paid UAH 6. 4 billion in taxes and fees for the first nine months of 2025, which is 25% more than for the same period in 2024. The company remains the largest taxpayer in the industry, despite market challenges and the growth of the illegal segment.
The National Bank of Ukraine revised its economic growth forecast for 2025, lowering it to 1. 9% from 2.1%. This is due to the energy deficit caused by Russian shelling and damage to the gas production system.
On October 23, 2025, Hungary marks the 69th anniversary of the suppression of the revolution by Soviet troops. The Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Hero of Ukraine Robert Brovdi, addressed the people of his "historical homeland" with a speech about the past and present.
The National Bank of Ukraine has improved its forecast for international reserves for 2026 to $52. 2 billion and for 2027 to $59.2 billion. This is due to assumptions about sufficient international financing, including a reparations loan from Russian assets.
After a month-long outage, the IAEA confirmed the restoration of external power supply to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. One of the lines remains under repair, and the agency continues to work on its restoration.
The National Bank improved its inflation forecast for the current year to 9. 2%, while lowering Ukraine's GDP forecast for 2025 to 1.9%. Consumer inflation slowed to 11.9% in September, but it will be constrained by business costs and rising administratively regulated prices.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the damage to a strategic object of the Russian occupiers - the Ryazan oil refinery, as well as an enemy ammunition depot in the Belgorod region.
Yurii Ihnat, head of the communications department of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stated that the production and transfer of Gripen fighters is a complex and lengthy process. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson believes that the delivery of the aircraft could begin within three years.
The upcoming Trump-Xi meeting in South Korea next week could resolve many issues. Trump stated that he would discuss Russia's war against Ukraine with Xi.
Electronic Arts has restricted access to its games for users in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia regions and Crimea. The reason given is sanctions and embargoes, although the cities of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia are controlled by Ukraine.
On October 20, Russian troops shot civilians in basements in the Donetsk region. A married couple, their youngest son, and a neighbor with her son were killed.
Ukraine has returned 1,000 bodies, which, according to the Russian Federation, belong to Ukrainian servicemen. Law enforcement agencies will conduct examinations and identification of the repatriated bodies.
The Cabinet of Ministers has once again extended the terms of the official investigation into the temporarily suspended head of the State Aviation Service of Ukraine, Oleksandr Bilchuk.
Through the "Army+" mobile application, servicemen have submitted 1 million electronic reports. The most popular ones are for annual leave (27.1%) and health recovery (22%).
Autumn is becoming a popular time for holidays in Ukraine and abroad due to lower prices and mild weather. The Carpathians, Lviv region, and Zakarpattia remain leaders in domestic tourism, while Turkey and Egypt are among the foreign destinations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the EU for adopting the 19th package of sanctions against Russia, which covered the oil and gas sector, the shadow fleet, and the defense-industrial complex.
Soldiers of the 34th Marine Brigade refuted information about the Russian capture of the Ostriv microdistrict in Kherson, publishing a video with Ukrainian defenders. Kherson and the right bank of the Dnipro remain under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever doubts the legal basis for using Russian assets for Ukraine and demands guarantees from all EU member states. He warns of risks for Belgium and threatens to block the decision without proper risk sharing.
The Official Journal of the EU has published the content of the 19th sanctions package, adopted on October 23. The restrictions apply to 116 vessels of the "shadow fleet" and 44 legal entities from various countries, including Russia, Hong Kong, China, India, and Thailand.
Journalist Olena Hubanova and cameraman Yevhen Karmazin died in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region. Their death was caused by an attack by an enemy Lancet UAV.
Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson stated that payment for 100-150 Jas Gripen fighter jets for Ukraine is possible using frozen Russian assets. The cost of 100 Jas Gripen E model aircraft is estimated at $8.5 billion.