Dispatches from Ukraine. Day 964.
Regional.
Odesa region. On Oct. 14, Russian forces shelled the key port of Odesa in southern Ukraine, killing one person and injuring eight others, according to regional governor Oleg Kiper. The attack damaged critical infrastructure, including grain storage and cargo cranes, as well as cargo ships. Three days earlier, Russian forces launched a ballistic missile strike on Odesa, killing four civilians, among them a teenager, and injuring ten others.
Donetsk region. On Oct. 13, Russian strikes killed four and injured three civilians in the eastern oblast, or region, according to local authorities. Since the invasion began, Russian attacks have claimed at least 2,816 lives in the region. That’s in addition to as many as 20 thousand killed in the devastated city of Mariupol, which came under a bloody two-month siege at the start of the war.
Kherson region. On Oct. 14, a Russian drone strike on a civilian vehicle left two women dead and two others injured. The survivors were hospitalized with blast injuries and concussions.
National.
As of Oct. 14, Ukraine’s government has procured and deployed more than one million drones to the front lines, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced. That number does not include supplies contributed by volunteers and partners in the war effort, for which Zelenskyy also expressed his gratitude. Zelensky announced the upcoming public presentation of Ukraine’s victory plan, aimed at compelling Russia to reach a just resolution in the war. He cautioned about the risk of a prolonged conflict requiring potential shifts in military dynamics, citing recent reports that North Korea is contributing munitions, as well as personnel, to Russia’s fight. Zelenskyy added that Russia is continuing its deluge of attacks, deploying approximately 900 gliding bombs, more than 40 missiles, and 400 strike drones of various types against Ukraine in just the past week.
For the first time in 48 days, Russia did not launch any night time drone attacks on Ukrainian cities overnight into Oct. 14. This lull could be related to Ukraine’s strike on Oct. 9 on a drone depot in Krasnodar Krai, southern Russia, that reportedly housed around 400 Shahed drones. Russia escalated its drone assaults to unprecedented levels in September, when its forces launched a total of 1,339 Shahed-type drones on Ukraine, of which 1,107 were intercepted and another portion neutralized by electronic warfare systems.
In the early hours of Oct. 13, a Russian Tu-134 military transport aircraft was destroyed by a fire at an airbase near Orenburg, deep inside southern Russia, Ukrainian military intelligence reported without directly taking credit for the attack. The blaze engulfed the aircraft, primarily used for transporting senior military officials, on an airfield more than 800 miles east of the Ukrainian border. The incident complicates Russia’s military logistics and exposes vulnerabilities within its aging fleet of Soviet-era aircraft. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Nine Ukrainian soldiers were executed after surrendering to Russian troops in the Kursk region of Russia on Oct. 10, reported DeepState, an independent Ukrainian group tracking the war, citing sources within Ukraine’s 1st Tank Brigade. Among the victims were drone operators and associated specialists, caught off guard as they moved into what they believed was a relatively secure area. However, they quickly came under heavy enemy fire. Despite their efforts to resist, they ran out of ammunition and had no choice but to surrender. Ukraine has asked the United Nations to investigate the killings, as international law prohibits the execution of Prisoners of War.
World.
The World Bank’s Board of Directors has approved the establishment of a special financial trust fund for Ukraine, with an initial capitalization of at least $10 billion. The funding will primarily support the country’s budget needs, including salaries, social expenditures, and critical recovery requirements. The primary donors are the U.S. and several other countries, with potential future contributions from additional partners.
This announcement follows the European Union’s approval of a financial assistance package for Ukraine of 35 billion Euros ($38 billion), part of a larger $50 billion credit from the Group of Seven of the largest industrialized nations (G7), to be funded with revenues generated from frozen Russian sovereign assets.
Germany, along with NATO allies Belgium, Denmark and Norway, is preparing a significant military assistance package to Ukraine totaling $1.5 billion, to be delivered by the end of 2024. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced this initiative during discussions with President Zelenskyy in Berlin, emphasizing Germany’s role as the second-largest military aid provider to Ukraine. The package will enhance Ukraine’s air defense with systems such as IRIS-T and “Gepard” (Cheetah) anti-aircraft guns, in addition to artillery units, armored vehicles, combat drones, and ammunition. Scholz also noted that Germany’s 2025 budget will allocate 4 billion euros ($4.4 billion) in direct bilateral support to Ukraine.
The Canadian government will provide Ukraine with a concessional, low interest, loan of $300 million to support priority budget expenditures. The funds are expected to flow into Ukraine’s general budget shortly and will be accessed through an administrative account managed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Since the onset of the full-scale invasion, Canada’s direct budgetary support for Ukraine has exceeded $5 billion.
Ukraine has seen expenditures rise by more than $10 billion this year, its need for additional financing is critical. An anticipated IMF tranche of $1.1 billion and a subsequent disbursement of $4.6 billion from the Ukraine Facility are expected this month, but this leaves a funding gap that Ukraine must address, particularly as the backdrop of the upcoming U.S. presidential elections may complicate matters further.
Ukraine has received a staggering $341.4 billion in pledged aid since January 2022, with the U.S. making the largest contribution, of nearly $108 billion, predominantly in military assistance. The European Union is the largest financial donor, providing substantial economic support of $85.8 billion. Nearly 95% of the total aid pledged to Ukraine has been allocated to financial and military support, split about equally between the two categories.
By Danylo Nosov, Karina L. Tahiliani