He and his team-mates were a few days into a warm-weather training camp as their club looked to boost their bid for promotion to the Ukrainian Premier League A day of intense training lay ahead but that morning there had been worrying reports of growing tensions back in Ukraine with Russian troops and tanks moving into the Donbas region on what Vladimir Putin ominously called a “peacekeeping mission” were terrifying updates from reporters and citizens alike: missile strikes and explosions in Kyiv Odesa and his parents’ home city of Kharkiv And life was never going to be the same again feel relieved to be sharing their story in a coffee house on the A38 in Worcestershire he went from being a professional footballer with his eyes on promotion to Ukraine’s top flight so grateful to the family who have offered them a home and a sanctuary in the UK as he and Alina come to terms with everything and they look to get their lives back on track the 28-year-old wants to be a footballer again — even if that means dropping down to the Southern League Premier Division Central Yan was one of those footballers who had done it the hard way he had been in the academy at three big clubs (Metalist Kharkiv Arsenal Kharkiv and Metalurh Donetsk) and then dropped down to amateur level only to be offered the chance to force his way back up again with FC Alians only founded in 2016 and turning professional upon promotion to the third tier three years later It took the name of Lypova Dolyna because the club’s president wanted his village to be recognised but Yan says: “We never went there The team played in the city of Sumy (in north east Ukraine about 30 miles from the Russian border and a 90-minute drive from Lypova Dolyna) “I started playing when it was an amateur team so I went all the way from amateur level to the Second League (third tier) to the First League (second tier) we had the objective to get to the Premier League We were third in the table at the start of the winter break We trained the whole winter to be ready when the season restarted.” “Yan was my student,” she says with a laugh as she interprets on his behalf Alina is from the south-eastern Donbas region which has suffered years of conflict with pro-Russian forces She and her family fled the region in 2014 when Russian forces began to annex the area everything was going better and better in Ukraine Alina didn’t wake up with a “feeling” on the morning of February 24 she was confronted with a sudden sense of chaos “So many missed calls and messages on my phone,” she says “I called my parents in Kharkiv,” Yan says “They were OK but they told me about all the explosions “We (he and his team-mates) were in Turkey and we were all very worried We wanted to talk to our families because that was the only way we could be sure everyone was OK.” Russian forces attacked Sumy the same morning Ukrainian soldiers and militia quickly mobilised to defend their city but the fighting and the air strikes continued for five weeks before the region’s governor claimed Sumy had defeated the Russian invaders stranded in Turkey with no prospect of getting home and joining friends and relatives in the war effort Alina managed to escape Sumy and get to her parents’ house in a village nearby “It felt safer there but we couldn’t leave there because the area was surrounded,” she says Things were very bad but one thing is that my father thinking we were going to have to try to escape.” Yan says he has “lost” people in the conflict “Some of my friends are soldiers,” he says “We know a lot of people there and you can’t call them or contact them You call them and the phone doesn’t connect We hope they’re OK but there’s no internet or the lines are down were reported to have been killed in a Russian airstrike on Sumy on March 8 Ukrainian authorities managed to open a “green corridor” to evacuate people from Sumy and several other cities football and promotion were the furthest things from their thoughts It was all about trying to find somewhere safe where his family could join him from Sumy and Kharkiv in the north east of Ukraine they could safely get from one side of their vast “Yan’s family left Kharkiv on March 2,” Alina says “It was very difficult because there were still explosions and fighting There was a risk that the car could be blown up because there were lots of Russian soldiers around It was his parents and his young brother… and their cat.” They got out of the city alive and began to make that perilous journey across Ukraine as she and her family tried to join the green corridor out of Sumy “The first time they opened a green corridor we couldn’t join because there were so many people — it was getting dark and there were explosions,” she says and there were two corridors: one for private cars and one for buses there was a special route from Sumy to Poltava We were very lucky because we were able to spend the night in a hotel We stayed upstairs at a nice old woman’s house He and Alina were able to keep each other informed of their movements and ever-changing itineraries grateful for the wonders of modern technology but every day was filled with anxiety over whether his family and Alina would join him The dream of a reunion in the Hungarian capital still felt distant so we didn’t know how I could get there,” Alina says “We had my parents’ car but they couldn’t drive me to Budapest I was lucky because there was an evacuation train to Lviv It went very quietly in the night with the lights switched off There was a rumour that this train was going to be bombed hence travelling under the cover of darkness “We were sitting on the train in complete darkness for maybe 15 hours trying to hear what was going on,” she says “It was probably the scariest part of the whole journey.” The relief of arriving in Lviv was tempered by the realisation that there were so many others trying to cross the border into Poland It was one of the largest refugee waves ever seen in Europe with around 1.8 million Ukrainians entering Poland in the first three weeks of the conflict Those who were only just arriving in Lviv were being urged to consider other routes “People were standing there for two or three days.” the last Ukrainian city before the border with Hungary they managed to get a train out of the country and seven nerve-racking days after leaving her parents’ home on the outskirts of Sumy “We got there at five in the morning and I was crying because I was so happy to be with Yan again,” she says “Yan and his mother were in a hotel in Budapest there were four of us in a double room with one bed but it was so nice just to have a shower again after this horrible trip Yan and Alina considered trying to stay in Budapest for a few weeks to try to work out their next step but the life of a refugee does not lend itself to that They couldn’t see a future for themselves in Hungary So they said an emotional farewell to Yan’s family and they kept on moving west: onwards “First we went to Vienna but there was nowhere for us to live,” Alina says We lived there for about one and a half months It was while we were in Austria that we learned there might be an opportunity to come to England We were very happy because Austria is a German-speaking country and although I studied some German in the past “We learned there was an opportunity to apply for a UK visa but before you can do this you have to find what they call a sponsor — someone who can provide you with a room or somewhere to stay There are different websites to help you find sponsors There was a really big number of British people who wanted to help Ukrainians.” The offer that appealed most was from the Hartley family who lived near Droitwich in Worcestershire — a short drive south of Birmingham in the English Midlands They sent pictures of a happy family and various pets and also they told us their daughter goes to school with a girl whose mother came to the UK from Ukraine 10 years ago,” Alina says “They offered for us to talk to the girl’s mother and — I couldn’t believe it — she used to live very close to where I used to live and she went to the same university as I did We talked on the phone with her and she told us It was the end of April when they learned that their UK visa application had been successful For the first time in two harrowing months they had a clear view in their minds of what a happy future might look like And now it was just a case of getting over 1,000 miles from Graz to Worcestershire — “trains Rail companies across Europe had allowed free travel for Ukrainian refugees on services where there were places available They plotted a route by rail that took them across a succession of international borders via Cologne They managed to take a selfie outside the Louvre in Paris but this was no time for sightseeing “We didn’t have a chance to look around anywhere and we were exhausted — especially Yan who was carrying the big bags,” Alina says we got the train from Paris to London to Birmingham to Worcester It was as if they had arrived in another world “It felt like being in a film,” Alina says we learn about different parts of life here — about the Queen the countryside and so on — so we had somehow felt connected to England since our childhood It didn’t happen to us in other countries we went through.” The Hartley family have been the perfect hosts They have helped Alina find a job as a liaison officer for the local council the realities of the war had been stark and visible from an early stage her mind had been on getting out of Ukraine and finding their way west to find some kind of safe haven He had spent almost three weeks in a kind of limbo existence in Turkey feeling utterly helpless as he spent long hours watching terrifying news reports from back home He arrived in Budapest still feeling dazed and confused the only clothes he had were the various kits and tracksuits he had taken to Turkey for the training camp football was almost the last thing on his mind He was a footballer who had become a refugee How on earth was he supposed to become a footballer again Some of his former Alians team-mates have been confronted with the same question over recent months Kostyantyn Yaroshenko and Konstantin Pikul have moved to Icelandic second-tier club Throttur Reykjavik Six of them got to Paris and started training with AS Poissy the regionalised fourth tier — later joined by their former coach at Alians Yuri Yaroshenko — as part of an initiative by the club’s owner Olivier Szewczuk it hasn’t really worked out as planned due to a lack of financial assistance their promotion bid was effectively aborted due to the war while Alians have withdrawn from the coming season citing “the impossibility of ensuring a safe training and competition process on the territory of the Sumy region which is subject to artillery shelling from the territory of the aggressor country every day” Mr Hartley began to make enquiries on Yan’s behalf, calling various clubs out of the blue and asking whether they might be interested in signing a 28-year-old defender who had been challenging for promotion to the Ukrainian Premier League He even set up a conversation with an agent wondering if that might be the best hope of finding a club “But nobody could really help because nobody here knows Yan,” Alina says “We were told no good team wants to sign a player they don’t know there are so many players and it’s very hard to find a club if they don’t know you and that’s why he started with semi-professional clubs.” He started out at Kidderminster Harriers of the sixth-tier National League North but training with their under-23s team didn’t feel like a springboard to anything so he started training at Redditch United in the Southern League Premier Division Central — four divisions down from League One the level which he believes is probably English football’s closest equivalent to the standard in the Ukrainian First League “He has played in some friendly games and he is having to get fit again because that was a very “Five months,” Yan says in English — and in that time he had to content himself with a couple of improvised solo training sessions on a basketball court in Austria “We invited Yan in and you could see straight away that he was talented but you could also tell that he hadn’t really kicked a ball for a long time,” Redditch manager Matt Clarke tells The Athletic “He has been with us just over two weeks and he has played in three games He has got better in every game and every training session.” hence the rather confused team sheet for Saturday’s friendly at Rugby Town ⚽ STARTING XIHere's how we lineup against @fcrugbytown A strong team as we look to carry on our preseason form Kick off to come soon…#UnitedForAll#PaintTheTownRed pic.twitter.com/Rk0oFoma5E — Redditch United (@RedditchUtd) July 16, 2022 Redditch were delighted to announce that one particular trialist had agreed to sign for them on a semi-professional basis subject to gaining international clearance: an unlikely coup for a club playing in English football’s seventh tier Yan has been playing for the club for nothing he was unsure if or when that would change but after his performance on Saturday Redditch offered to register him on a short-term semi-professional basis — “and we’re expecting him to take that,” Clarke says “We know where we are in the league pyramid and we know Yan was playing as a professional at a really good level in Ukraine He wants to do well for us to catch the eye of one of the professional clubs further up the pyramid “The difficulty Yan might have is that when clubs higher up the pyramid look at players from our level they tend to be looking for younger players It’s a question of whether clubs higher up will see an older player as a viable option.” The Southern League Premier Division Central might appear quite a fall from grace but he is ready to embrace the challenge of playing for Redditch and getting a job just as he did in his early days as an amateur back home Under the UK government’s “Homes for Ukraine” scheme refugees from there are allowed to stay in the country for three years Yan and Alina don’t know how things will work out in the long run Nor do they know how things will be resolved back home The international news agenda might have moved on from the conflict but five months after the Russian invasion the fighting and the airstrikes continue in eastern Ukraine “I wish they would leave us alone,” Alina says They also wish for greater understanding of what is happening in Ukraine “I understand that not every Russian person is a monster It would not be reasonable to think that,” she says “But Yan and I both know a lot of people who live in Russia and they don’t believe us when we tell them what’s going on in our country so I don’t know who to believe’ — and they don’t believe us Alina tries to avoid the TV news these days She finds it too upsetting and doesn’t want to be confronted with constant reminders Last week brought a particularly brutal update: the news that Yan’s old school in Kharkiv has been bombed I think it’s only more recently that he realised our old life doesn’t exist anymore,” Alina says Yan has the opportunity to resume his football career (Top photos: Instagram; design: Sam Richardson) Before joining The Athletic as a senior writer in 2019, Oliver Kay spent 19 years working for The Times, the last ten of them as chief football correspondent. He is the author of the award-winning book Forever Young: The Story of Adrian Doherty, Football’s Lost Genius. Follow Oliver on Twitter @OliverKay Click here to see ISW’s interactive map of the Russian invasion of Ukraine This map is updated daily alongside the static maps present in this report Click here to see ISW's interactive map of Ukraine's offensive in Kursk Oblast Click here to see ISW’s 3D control of terrain topographic map of Ukraine Use of a computer (not a mobile device) is strongly recommended for using this data-heavy tool Click here to access ISW’s archive of interactive time-lapse maps of the Russian invasion of Ukraine These maps complement the static control-of-terrain map that ISW produces daily by showing a dynamic frontline ISW will update this time-lapse map archive monthly Note: The data cut-off for this product was 2pm ET on October 21 ISW will cover subsequent reports in the October 22 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment Moldova's October 20 European Union (EU) referendum passed by an extremely narrow margin in large part due to support from the Moldovan diaspora and current Moldovan President Maia Sandu will face Alexandr Stoianoglo in a second round of voting on November 3 Several Moldovan and European officials reported potential Russian interference in the election and the Kremlin and its affiliates in Moldova will likely continue their malign influence efforts in the leadup to the November 3 runoff The Moldovan Central Election Commission (CEC) completed the vote count on October 21 and reported that 50.46 percent (751,235) voted in favor of the EU referendum and that 49.54 percent (737,639) voted against — a difference of only 13,596 votes.[1] The CEC reported that Sandu took first place in the presidential election with 42.45 percent (656,354) and Stoianoglo took second with 25.98 percent (401,726) Sandu failed to gain the majority vote required to win in the first round and she and Stoianoglo will move to the second round Moldovan authorities counted votes from polling stations abroad last during which the number of votes in favor of the referendum and Sandu greatly increased Kremlin officials and Russian milbloggers claimed that Moldovan authorities falsified the results of the election and referendum and continued to promote long-standing Kremlin narratives targeting Moldova's path towards European integration claimed that Moldovan authorities falsified the election results and adjusted the referendum's voter turnout numbers.[8] One milblogger called for Russian authorities to create a network of "analytical and information centers" that will study how to influence processes in Moldova and promote Russia's state interests in Russia.[9] US Secretary of Defense Llyod Austin traveled to Kyiv on October 21 and announced a new $400 million military aid package for Ukraine.[10] The aid package includes additional HIMARS ammunition; 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition; 60mm and 120mm mortar systems and rounds; tube-launched wire-guided (TOW) missiles; Javelin anti-armor systems; M113 armored personnel carriers; satellite communication equipment; and small arms and ammunition.[11] Russia appears to be scrambling to reduce tensions with South Korea following credible reports of intensified North Korean cooperation with Russia including South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence warnings that a contingent of North Korean troops has deployed for training to Russia South Korea's Foreign Ministry summoned Russia's Ambassador to South Korea over reports of the deployment of North Korean military personnel to Russia.[12] The Russian Embassy in South Korea falsely framed the event as a voluntary meeting and notably claimed that any cooperation between Russia and North Korea "is not directed against the security interests" of Seoul.[13] Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed that Russia-North Korea cooperation "should not cause concern" to other states and that information about the alleged presence of North Korean troops in Russia may be "contradictory."[14] The Kremlin's apparent desire to assure South Korea that its cooperation with North Korea is not a threat to Seoul suggests that the Kremlin remains very concerned about the prospect of Seoul's potential pivot towards providing Ukraine with necessary military support and the implications of worsened relations with Seoul for Russian security interests in the Asia Pacific region Russia has previously attempted to court Seoul in order to mitigate the impacts of its growing reliance on North Korea Russian forces continue to systematically perpetrate war crimes including the continued executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) and use of chemical weapons Ukrainian officials reported on October 21 that Russian forces executed two unarmed Ukrainian POWs near Selydove Donetsk Oblast on October 18 by shooting them while restrained at point-blank range.[16] ISW assessed that Russian forces have recently increased systematic executions of Ukrainian POWs in violation of the Geneva Convention on POWs which forbids the inhumane treatment and execution of POWs.[17] A Russian milblogger also posted footage and openly claimed on October 20 that Russian forces are using chloropicrin (a pesticide and lung damaging agent) against Ukrainian forces.[18] The US Department of State announced on May 1 that it had determined that Russian forces are using chloropicrin and riot control agents (RCAs) in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) to which Russia is a signatory.[19] Ukrainian officials have previously reported that Russian forces are increasingly equipping grenades with chloropicrin.[20] The apparent systematic perpetration of war crimes throughout the entire theater suggests that Russian forces continue to operate at a low level of discipline and that Russian field commanders are doing nothing to prevent their subordinates from engaging in such criminal behaviors There is no evidence that Russia is holding Russian personnel accountable for the violations of the laws of war that have been reported   We do not report in detail on Russian war crimes because these activities are well-covered in Western media and do not directly affect the military operations we are assessing and forecasting We will continue to evaluate and report on the effects of these criminal activities on the Ukrainian military and the Ukrainian population and specifically on combat in Ukrainian urban areas We utterly condemn Russian violations of the laws of armed conflict and the Geneva Conventions and crimes against humanity even though we do not describe them in these reports Ukrainian Operations in the Russian Federation Ukrainian forces recently advanced on the western side of the Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast amid continued fighting within and west of the salient Geolocated footage published on October 21 shows that Ukrainian forces advanced in western Novoivanovka (southeast of Korenevo).[21] Fighting reportedly continued southwest of Glushkovo (west of the Kursk Oblast salient) near Novyi Put and Veseloye; southeast of Korenevo near Nizhny Klin and Zeleny Shlyakh; northeast of Sudzha near Cherkasskoye Porechnoye; east of Sudzha near Kolmakov; and south of Sudzha near Plekhovo and Cherkasskaya Konopelka on October 20 and 21.[22] Russian milbloggers claimed that Ukrainian forces attempted to cross the international border near Volfino (southwest of Glushkovo) and that Ukrainian forces deployed additional reserves near the Kruglenkoye-Nikolskiy line (northwest of Sudzha and southeast of Korenevo,) where they launched an attack with two mechanized company tactical groups.[23] Elements of the Russian 106th Airborne (VDV) Division and 56th VDV Regiment (7th VDV Division) are operating near Lyubimovka and Zeleny Shlyakh; elements of the 56th VDV Regiment are also operating near Novyi Put; and elements of the Russian 155th Naval Infantry Brigade (Pacific Fleet Eastern Military District [EMD]) are operating in Kursk Oblast.[24] Medical elements of the Russian “Chernye Volki” ("Black Wolves”) evacuation detachment recently redeployed from the Bakhmut direction to the Kursk direction.[25] Elements of the Russian "Arbat,” "Pyatnashka,” "Sarmat,” and "Arkhangely” units (all part of the Dikaya Division of Donbas [Russian Volunteer Corps]) are reportedly operating in Kursk Oblast.[26]   Russian sources are trying to justify the slow rate of Russian advances in Kursk Oblast by falsely framing this direction as uniquely challenging A commander of the Chechen “Akhmat” Spetsnaz detachment claimed that fighting in Kursk Oblast is very intense and claimed that the Kursk direction is the most difficult frontline area of the entire theater.[27] The detachment commander claimed that Russian forces are fighting against 14 Ukrainian brigades and 'Western private military companies,” also likely in attempt to explain away the slower Russian pace in the area.[28] Russian microelectronics manufacturer “Kremniy El Group” - one of the largest manufacturers of microelectronics and chips in Russia - announced on October 21 that it has temporarily suspended its operations due to Ukrainian drone strikes on the plant’s production and administrative buildings overnight on October 18 and 19.[29] “Kremniy El Group" announced that the drone strikes damaged special power supply facilities and “Kremniy El Group” CEO Oleg Dantsev emphasized that the manufacturer is facing difficulties purchasing spare parts to repair the energy infrastructure.[30] The Ukrainian General Staff announced that Ukrainian forces struck a Russian Buk-M3 air defense system overnight on October 21 approximately 60 kilometers from the frontline.[31] The Ukrainian General Staff did not specify whether Ukrainian forces struck the Buk-M3 system in Russia or occupied Ukraine Russian Subordinate Main Effort #1 – Kharkiv Oblast (Russian objective: Push Ukrainian forces back from the international border with Belgorod Oblast and approach to within tube artillery range of Kharkiv City) Russian forces continued offensive operations northeast of Kharkiv City near Vovchansk and Lyptsi on October 20 and 21 but did not make any confirmed advances.[32]   Russian Subordinate Main Effort #2 – Luhansk Oblast (Russian objective: Capture the remainder of Luhansk Oblast and push westward into eastern Kharkiv Oblast and northern Donetsk Oblast) Russian forces advanced west of Kreminna amid continued offensive operations along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line on October 21 Geolocated footage published on October 21 shows Ukrainian forces repelling a Russian platoon-sized mechanized assault consisting of at least three armored vehicles during which Russian forces advanced east of Terny (west of Kreminna).[33] Russian forces continued offensive operations north of Kupyansk near Holubivka; east of Kupyansk near Petropavlivka; southeast of Kupyansk near Kruhlyakivka and Pishchane; west of Svatove near Vyshneve; southwest of Svatove near Yampolivka and in the direction of Novomykhailivka; northwest of Kreminna near Novosadove; west of Kreminna near Zarichne and Terny; and southwest of Kreminna near Serebryanske forest on October 20 to 21.[34] Elements of the Russian BARS-9 (Russian Combat Army Reserve) are reportedly operating in the Kupyansk-Svatove direction.[35] Russian Subordinate Main Effort #3 – Donetsk Oblast (Russian objective: Capture the entirety of Donetsk Oblast the claimed territory of Russia’s proxies in Donbas) Russian forces conducted limited offensive operations in the Siversk direction on October 21 but did not advance The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces unsuccessfully attacked east of Siversk near Verkhnokamyanske; southeast of Siversk near Ivano-Darivka; and south of Siversk near Pereizne.[36] Ukrainian Luhansk Group of Forces Spokesperson Major Anastasiya Bobovnikova stated that Russian forces continue to use various types of equipment ranging from tanks and infantry fighting vehicles to golf carts and motorcycles to conduct assaults in the Siversk direction.[37] Russian forces reportedly continued to advance south of Chasiv Yar on October 21 but there were no confirmed changes to the frontline in this area Several milbloggers claimed that Russian forces advanced up to one kilometer in depth south of the T0504 Bakhmut-Kostyantynivka highway towards Stupochky (south of Chasiv Yar) although ISW has not yet observed confirmation of this claim.[38] Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian forces operating in this area are between seven and eight kilometers from the outskirts of Kostyantynivka which is relatively consistent with ISW's assessment of control of terrain south of Chasiv Yar.[39] Elements of the Russian 331st and 217th Airborne (VDV) regiments (both of the 98th VDV Division) and the 3rd Combined Arms Army (formerly 2nd Luhansk People's Republic Army Corps [LNR AC]) are reportedly operating near Chasiv Yar.[40]   Russian forces continued offensive operations in the Toretsk direction on October 21 but did not make any confirmed advances A Russian milblogger claimed that Russian forces advanced along Druzhby Street in central Toretsk although ISW has not yet observed confirmation of this claim.[41] Russian milbloggers claimed that intense fighting is occurring street-to-street within Toretsk and that Russian forces are also fighting northeast of Toretsk near Druzhba and south of Toretsk near Nelipivka.[42] The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces conducted ground attacks near Toretsk itself and west of Toretsk in the direction of Shcherbynivka.[43] Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets noted that elements of the Russian 1st and 132nd motorized rifle brigades (all of the 51st Combined Arms Army [CAA] formerly 1st Donetsk People's Republic [DNR] AC) are operating in the Toretsk direction and reported that elements of the 132nd Motorized Rifle Brigade's 109th Motorized Rifle Regiment were responsible for the capture of Niu York (south of Toretsk) and advances into Nelipivka.[44]   Russian forces recently made confirmed advances southeast of Pokrovsk amid continued offensive operations in the Pokrovsk direction on October 21 Geolocated footage published on October 21 indicates that Russian forces have advanced to Lysychanska Street in northeastern Selydove (southeast of Pokrovsk).[45] A Russian milblogger claimed that Russian forces also advanced to Stepna Street in southeastern Selydove and westward along the E-50 highway north of Selydove although ISW has not yet observed confirmation of these claims.[46] Additional geolocated footage published on October 21 indicates that elements of the 110th Motorized Rifle Brigade (51st CAA) advanced to Zelena Street in central Zoryane (southeast of Selydove) consistent with several milblogger claims that Russian forces crossed the Vovcha River in Zoryane and advanced into the center of the settlement with the intent of attacking northwestward into Hirnyk.[47] Russian security forces told Kremlin newswire TASS on October 21 that Ukrainian forces have begun withdrawing from Hirnyk although ISW cannot confirm this claim.[48] Several Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian forces have established fire control over all roads leading into Selydove complicating Ukrainian logistics in the Pokrovsk direction.[49] Mashovets noted that while Russian forces are having some success southeast of Pokrovsk the Russian command has failed to properly prioritize Pokrovsk itself as the main operational effort leading to the tactical "fragmentation" of Russian objectives in this area into much more localized efforts such as the effort to surround Selydove.[50] Mashovets also confirmed that elements of the Russian 30th and 15th motorized rifle brigades (both of the 2nd Combined Arms Army [CAA] with support of the 74th Motorized Rifle Brigade (41st CAA and Krasnyi Yar (all southeast of Pokrovsk) which Russian sources initially claimed Russian forces seized between late September to mid-October.[51] The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces continued offensive operations east of Pokrovsk near Sukha Balka and Myrolyubivka; southeast of Pokrovsk near Promin and Sukhyi Yar; and south of Pokrovsk in the direction of Novotroiitske.[52] Mashovets noted that elements of the 2nd CAA are fighting near Selydove while elements of the 90th Tank Division (CMD) with support of elements of the 51st and 2nd CAAs are operating south of Selydove.[53] Elements of the "Maxim Krivonos" volunteer detachment allegedly formed by former members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces who defected to fight on the side of Russia are also reportedly fighting near Pokrovsk.[54]   Russian forces recently advanced southeast of Kurakhove during several mechanized assaults of varying echelons which the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) originally claimed in August 2024.[57] A Ukrainian brigade operating near Maksymilyanivka (east of Kurakhove) additionally posted recent footage of Ukrainian forces repelling a reinforced company-sized mechanized attack from Maksymilyanivka towards Kurakhove.[58] Geolocated footage published on October 20 shows that Russian forces advanced in the "dacha area east of Kurakhove suggesting that Russian forces have likely seized the entirety of Maksymilyanivka.[59] The Ukrainian General Staff reported continued offensive operations near Kurakhove itself; northeast of Kurakhove near Kurakhivka; east of Kurakhove near Maksymilyanivka; and southeast of Kurakhove near Antonivka and Kostyantynivka.[60] Mashovets reported that elements of the 51st CAA and 150th Motorized Rifle Division (8th CAA Southern Military District [SMD]) are operating east of Kurakhove.[61] Russian forces continued offensive operations southwest of Donetsk City near Vuhledar on October 21 but did not make any confirmed advances A Russian milblogger claimed that Russian forces advanced near Bohoyavlenka (northwest of Vuhledar) and in field areas northeast of Vuhledar although ISW has not yet observed confirmation of these claims.[62] The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces conducted ground attacks northeast of Vuhledar near Vodyane and northwest of Vuhledar towards Novoukraiinka.[63] Elements of the Russian 14th Guards Spetsnaz Brigade (Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces [GRU]) 29th CAA (Eastern Military District [EMD]) and drone operators of the 36th Motorized Rifle Brigade (29th CAA EMD) are reportedly operating in the western Donetsk Oblast area and near Vuhledar.[64]   Neither Russian nor Ukrainian sources reported fighting in the Donetsk-Zaporizhia Oblast border area on October 21 Russian Supporting Effort – Southern Axis (Russian objective: Maintain frontline positions and secure rear areas against Ukrainian strikes) Russian forces continued assaults near Robotyne and northeast of Robotyne near Mala Tokmachka on October 20 and 21 but there were no confirmed changes to the frontline.[65]   Russian forces continued attacks in east (left) bank Kherson Oblast on October 20 and 21 but did not make any confirmed advances.[66] Elements of the Russian BARS-33 Detachment (Russian Combat Army Reserve) and the 52nd Airborne (VDV) Artillery Brigade are reportedly operating in the Kherson direction.[67]   and Drone Campaign (Russian Objective: Target Ukrainian military and civilian infrastructure in the rear and on the frontline) Russian forces conducted a series of drone and missile strikes against Ukraine on the night of October 20 to 21 The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched one Iskander-M/North Korean KN-23 ballistic missile launched from occupied Crimea; one Kh-35 and one Kh-31P missile over the Black Sea; and 116 strike drones (including Shahed-136/131s) from Kursk Oblast Krasnodar Krai.[68] The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces downed 59 drones over Odesa and Poltava oblasts; that 45 drones were "lost,” possibly due to Ukrainian electronic warfare (EW) countermeasures; and that 10 drones remained in Ukrainian air space as of 0930 local time Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on October 20 that Russian forces launched 129 Iranian-made Shahed drones on the night of October 18 amounting to a total of 6,130 Shahed launches since the start of 2024.[69] Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Head Serhiy Lysak reported on October 21 that Russian forces conducted a missile strike against Kryvyi Rih and damaged civilian infrastructure including a cultural site.[70] Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian Iskander-M missiles struck a hotel housing foreign EW specialists in Kryvyi Rih Sumy Oblast and that Ukrainian forces destroyed four Shaheds over Sumy Oblast.[74] A Russian milblogger claimed that a Russian Shahed strike damaged an electrical substation near Anastasivka and Lypova Dolyna Sumy Oblast and other neighboring settlements in Romensky Raion and near Lypova Dolyna.[75] Ukraine's Northern Group of Forces reported on October 21 that Russian forces damaged three critical infrastructure objects in Anastasivka Sumy Oblast.[76] The Zaporizhia Oblast Military Administration reported on October 21 that Russian forces conducted a ballistic missile strike on a residential area in Zaporizhia City.[77] Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian missiles struck port areas and damaged oil infrastructure near Chornomorsk Odesa Oblast on October 20 to 21.[78] A Russian milblogger claimed that Russian forces struck a Ukrainian military drone production plant in Zaporizhia City which the milblogger alleged Ukrainian forces used to strike Crimea.[79] A Russian milblogger claimed on October 21 that Russian Shahed drones struck a Ukrainian air base and damaged one Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet near Ozerne  Kharkiv Oblast National Police Head Volodymyr Tymoshko reported on October 21 that Russian forces struck three raions in Kharkiv City with KAB-250 glide bombs Occupied Zaporizhia Oblast Governor Yevgeny Balitsky baselessly claimed on October 21 that Western countries may organize a false flag operation to destroy the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant and blame Russia for the destruction of the plant.[85] Russian Mobilization and Force Generation Efforts (Russian objective: Expand combat power without conducting general mobilization) Russian authorities continue to increase one-time payments in an effort to recruit volunteers for contract military service and avoid further mobilization Russian sources reported on October 21 that authorities in Moscow Oblast reportedly increased the one-time enlistment bonuses to contract soldiers to 2.3 million rubles (about $23,759) Russian occupation authorities continue to coerce occupied Ukrainian populations into signing contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) Luhansk Oblast Military Administration Head Artem Lysohor reported on October 21 that Russian occupation authorities are offering money and social packages to schoolchildren in Starobilsk Luhansk Oblast for signing contracts with the Russian MoD.[89] Teachers in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories emphasize signing of such contract as the most financially beneficial form of military service Ukraine’s Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) reported on October 21 that unspecified actors murdered the Chief of Staff of the Russian 52nd Aviation Squadron of Heavy Bombardment Regiment Russian Technological Adaptations (Russian objective: Introduce technological innovations to optimize systems for use in Ukraine) Ukrainian forces reportedly shot down a Russian “Orion” reconnaissance and strike drone over Kursk Oblast which could carry up to four air-to-surface missiles.[91] Ukrainian military officials reported that Russian “Orion” drones are dangerous because they can both conduct aerial reconnaissance and inflict strikes on ground targets.[92] Russian sources claimed that Russia will conduct tests of the Tallamho Design Bureau’s “T1-am” modernized drone direction finding system which can now operate via cellular signal.[93] Russian sources claimed that the use of cellular signal will allow Russia to place sensors at any distance and will make drone detection calculations more accurate Russian sources said that this transition to cellular signal will allow acoustic reconnaissance systems to detect drone flying along riverbeds which Russian forces can currently hear but not see The T1-am system reportedly can include up to 250 sensors which are deployed around facilities in the rear or along the international border Activities in Russian-occupied areas (Russian objective: Consolidate administrative control of annexed areas; forcibly integrate Ukrainian citizens into Russian sociocultural ISW is not reporting on activities in Russian-occupied areas today Significant activity in Belarus (Russian efforts to increase its military presence in Belarus and further integrate Belarus into Russian-favorable frameworks and Wagner Group activity in Belarus) Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced on October 21 that Belarus and Russia are discussing the construction of the Moscow-Brest expressway.[94] The Belarusian Ministry of Defense (MoD) reported that a Belarusian delegation participated in a forum for young officers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Beijing on October 21.[95] Note: ISW does not receive any classified material from any source and Western reporting and social media as well as commercially available satellite imagery and other geospatial data as the basis for these reports References to all sources used are provided in the endnotes of each update   [1] https://pv.cec dot md/cec-template-referendum-results.html [2] https://newsmaker dot md/ro/dimensiunea-fraudei-este-fara-precedent-maia-sandu-dupa-afisarea-primelor-rezultatele/; https://x.com/sandumaiamd/status/1848130004028125266 [3] https://enemo dot org/storage/uploads/QS8aYy9j1jaipfrf4AmVQE8DmWlRxGgDCb3AACtx.pdf [4] 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https://www.reddit.com/r/tjournal_refugees/comments/1g87oji/%D1%89%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B4%D0%BD%D0%B5_%D0%B7%D1%96%D0%B7%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BD%D1%8F_%D0%B2%D1%96%D0%B4_%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D1%96%D0%B2/; https://t.me/dshrg2/2431 [19] https://www.state.gov/imposing-new-measures-on-russia-for-its-full-scale-war-and-use-of-chemical-weapons-against-ukraine-2/; https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-may-2-2024 [20] https://isw.pub/UkrWar031124 ; https://isw.pub/UkrWar013024 ; https://isw.pub/UkrWar032524 [21] https://t.me/brygada47/1031; https://t.me/creamy_caprice/7199; https://t.me/WarArchive_ua/21460 [22] https://t.me/mod_russia/44760; https://t.me/rybar/64598; https://t.me/NgP_raZVedka/19208; https://t.me/rusich_army/17844 https://t.me/rusich_army/17844; https://t.me/rusich_army/17851; https://t.me/DnevnikDesantnika/17717 [23] https://t.me/dva_majors/55547; https://t.me/rybar/64608; https://t.me/rybar/64598; https://t.me/wargonzo/22726; https://t.me/basurin_e/14979 ; https://t.me/shot_shot/73072 [24] https://t.me/Sladkov_plus/11629; https://t.me/Sladkov_plus/11621; https://t.me/dva_majors/55562 ; https://t.me/boris_rozhin/141535; https://t.me/rusich_army/17851; https://t.me/RVvoenkor/79065 [29] https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-october-19-2024; https://t.me/istories_media/7894 ; https://group-kremny dot ru/news/osnovnaya-zadacha-vozobnovlenie-proizvodstva/ ; https://www.platan dot ru/brands/kremn.shtml ; https://t.me/kiber_boroshno/10385; https://t.me/kiber_boroshno/10404; https://www.rbc dot ru/politics/21/10/2024/671642879a79479fe92836c6; https://group-kremny dot ru/news/osnovnaya-zadacha-vozobnovlenie-proizvodstva/ [31] qdpudHoGYGMN8CitwKg5JfknJFzKsxjGfEjjHejpEl [32]https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid02gV9P6PQmmQMhNaLy95evcsAN7ic5ArDH8RsQeoQA9maq3rHJaktTCRvsDibg6Pqql ; https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0wJX8RAgNhSUU2LW4iP9ZctwwAgbZLGrjhb1H5Y2iYkQsAjsHxNHTs1csXfTqgXYFl ; https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid09Vz3hGka7MdJWezBzarGHKJhsW7ceXNMstwmY3rfAjyZB2PJEAEmLhvF3s12KSD8l ; https://t.me/otukharkiv/2201 [33] https://t.me/OMIBr_60/558; https://t.me/creamy_caprice/7195 [34] https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid02gV9P6PQmmQMhNaLy95evcsAN7ic5ArDH8RsQeoQA9maq3rHJaktTCRvsDibg6Pqql; https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0wJX8RAgNhSUU2LW4iP9ZctwwAgbZLGrjhb1H5Y2iYkQsAjsHxNHTs1csXfTqgXYFl; https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid09Vz3hGka7MdJWezBzarGHKJhsW7ceXNMstwmY3rfAjyZB2PJEAEmLhvF3s12KSD8l; https://t.me/rusich_army/17844 [36] https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid02gV9P6PQmmQMhNaLy95evcsAN7ic5ArDH8RsQeoQA9maq3rHJaktTCRvsDibg6Pqql; https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0wJX8RAgNhSUU2LW4iP9ZctwwAgbZLGrjhb1H5Y2iYkQsAjsHxNHTs1csXfTqgXYFl [37] https://armyinform dot com.ua/2024/10/21/shturmy-odynakiv-ta-proryvy-na-golf-karah-de-i-chomu-vorog-transformuye-svoyu-taktyku/ ; https://suspilne dot media/donbas/862481-rosijska-armia-zmensila-kilkist-atak-na-troh-napramkah-na-doneccini-so-ce-oznacae/ ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDXWlQ2K0dM [38] https://t.me/dva_majors/55547; https://t.me/rybar/64608; https://t.me/DnevnikDesantnika/17674; https://t.me/DnevnikDesantnika/17697; https://t.me/RVvoenkor/79066 [39] https://t.me/RVvoenkor/79066; https://t.me/DnevnikDesantnika/17697; https://t.me/DnevnikDesantnika/17674 [40] https://t.me/voin_dv/11431; https://t.me/dva_majors/55535; https://t.me/boris_rozhin/141517 [42] https://t.me/dva_majors/55547; https://t.me/rybar/64608; https://t.me/DnevnikDesantnika/17672; https://t.me/RVvoenkor/79106 [43] https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0wJX8RAgNhSUU2LW4iP9ZctwwAgbZLGrjhb1H5Y2iYkQsAjsHxNHTs1csXfTqgXYFl; https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid09Vz3hGka7MdJWezBzarGHKJhsW7ceXNMstwmY3rfAjyZB2PJEAEmLhvF3s12KSD8l [45] https://t.me/ghost_of_khortytsia/179; https://t.me/creamy_caprice/7194 [47] https://t.me/nm_dnr/12847; https://t.me/creamy_caprice/7192; https://t.me/RVvoenkor/79092; https://t.me/z_arhiv/28729 [49] https://t.me/tass_agency/280604; https://t.me/dva_majors/55547; https://t.me/rybar/64608; https://t.me/DnevnikDesantnika/17698 [50] https://t.me/zvizdecmanhustu/2281; https://t.me/zvizdecmanhustu/2278 [52] https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid02gV9P6PQmmQMhNaLy95evcsAN7ic5ArDH8RsQeoQA9maq3rHJaktTCRvsDibg6Pqql; https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0wJX8RAgNhSUU2LW4iP9ZctwwAgbZLGrjhb1H5Y2iYkQsAjsHxNHTs1csXfTqgXYFl [54] https://t.me/RVvoenkor/79113; https://ria dot ru/20240823/ukraina-1967939158.html; https://t.me/freeukrainianrepublic [55] https://t.me/WarArchive_ua/21448; https://t.me/odshbr79/399; https://t.me/ButusovPlus/14441 [56] https://t.me/opforukraine/42; https://t.me/creamy_caprice/7196 [57] https://x.com/Ukraine_Twi/status/1848312679338836469; https://x.com/klinger66/status/1848323740620173518; https://t.me/mod_russia/42775; https://t.me/WarArchive_ua/21448; https://t [dot] me/odshbr79/399 [58] https://armyinform dot com.ua/2024/10/21/yak-zhe-vono-goryt-desantnyky-pokazaly-chergovu-nevdalu-sprobu-proryvu-okupantiv/; https://www.facebook.com/oaembr46/videos/2787752321388663/ ; https://suspilne dot media/862161-zelenskij-sklikav-zasidanna-rnbo-cerez-falsivi-invalidnosti-obstril-harkova-971-den-vijni-onlajn/?anchor=live_1729506350&utm_source=copylink&utm_medium=ps ; https://t.me/ua_dshv/4100 [59] https://smotrim dot ru/article/4185561?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=vesti; https://t.me/creamy_caprice/7181; https://t.me/mod_russia/44602 [60] https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid02gV9P6PQmmQMhNaLy95evcsAN7ic5ArDH8RsQeoQA9maq3rHJaktTCRvsDibg6Pqql; https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0wJX8RAgNhSUU2LW4iP9ZctwwAgbZLGrjhb1H5Y2iYkQsAjsHxNHTs1csXfTqgXYFl [63] https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0wJX8RAgNhSUU2LW4iP9ZctwwAgbZLGrjhb1H5Y2iYkQsAjsHxNHTs1csXfTqgXYFl [64] https://t.me/voin_dv/11425; https://t.me/voin_dv/11428; https://t.me/voin_dv/11427 [65] https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid02gV9P6PQmmQMhNaLy95evcsAN7ic5ArDH8RsQeoQA9maq3rHJaktTCRvsDibg6Pqql; https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0wJX8RAgNhSUU2LW4iP9ZctwwAgbZLGrjhb1H5Y2iYkQsAjsHxNHTs1csXfTqgXYFl; https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid09Vz3hGka7MdJWezBzarGHKJhsW7ceXNMstwmY3rfAjyZB2PJEAEmLhvF3s12KSD8l [66] https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid02gV9P6PQmmQMhNaLy95evcsAN7ic5ArDH8RsQeoQA9maq3rHJaktTCRvsDibg6Pqql; https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0wJX8RAgNhSUU2LW4iP9ZctwwAgbZLGrjhb1H5Y2iYkQsAjsHxNHTs1csXfTqgXYFl; https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid09Vz3hGka7MdJWezBzarGHKJhsW7ceXNMstwmY3rfAjyZB2PJEAEmLhvF3s12KSD8l [67] https://t.me/dva_majors/55555; https://meduza dot io/feature/2024/10/21/vlasti-rf-otpravlyayut-na-voynu-urozhentsev-drugih-gosudarstv-v-hersonskoy-oblasti-voyuyut-vyhodtsy-s-kuby-fotografii [69] https://armyinform dot com.ua/2024/10/20/prezydent-vijna-prodovzhytsya-yakshho-ne-zupynyty-soyuz-rosiyi-ta-pivnichnoyi-koreyi/; https://www.president dot gov.ua/news/za-cej-tizhden-u-nas-ye-pidtrimka-vid-partneriv-za-planom-pe-93949 [70] https://t.me/dnipropetrovskaODA/16837; https://armyinform dot com.ua/2024/10/21/kryvyj-rig-znovu-pid-udarom-rosijski-rakety-poshkodyly-obyekt-kultury/ ; https://armyinform dot com.ua/2024/10/21/raketna-ataka-na-kryvyj-rig-poraneno-dytynu-ta-troye-doroslyh/; https://t.me/dnipropetrovskaODA/16830; https://t.me/dnipropetrovskaODA/16836 ; https://suspilne dot media/dnipro/862383-vijska-rf-znovu-zavdali-raketnogo-udaru-po-krivomu-rogu/ [71] https://t.me/boris_rozhin/141524 ;https://t.me/boris_rozhin/141529 ;https://t.me/rusich_army/17857 [73] https://armyinform dot com.ua/2024/10/21/pozhezhi-ta-rujnuvannya-raketna-ataka-po-pryportovij-infrastrukturi-odeshhyny/; https://t.me/odeskaODA/7178 [74] https://suspilne dot media/sumy/862211-rf-atakuvala-energeticnij-obekt-v-romenskomu-rajoni-na-sumsini/ ; https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0264g5AwpcZgxmQVNNGtTh9jitWSiQpsxonkyb81FE789bB34HWYULgGnqfVjiD83Sl&id=100068589042866 [76] https://www.facebook.com/kommander.nord/posts/pfbid0zbrd6EyXCnLRg12ErkpiMggvWU3SbmSfqruSuVP2jVosY1SE9oPvstoc75CbRaS6l?locale=ru_RU ; https://t.me/tass_agency/280626 [78] https://t.me/dva_majors/55525 ; https://t.me/basurin_e/14994 ; https://t.me/basurin_e/14980 ; https://t.me/rusich_army/17852 ; https://t.me/boris_rozhin/141529 [81] https://www.npu dot gov.ua/news/stanom-na-0300-u-kharkovi-12-liudei-postrazhdaly-cherez-rosiiski-obstrily-politseiski-zadokumentuvaly-naslidky-vorozhoi-ataky?v=6715a26fe43ee; https://armyinform dot com.ua/2024/10/21/pravoohoronczi-pokazaly-moment-udaru-po-harkovu-zrosla-kilkist-postrazhdalyh/ [83] https://t.me/synegubov/11674 ; https://t.me/synegubov/11670 [84] https://www.npu dot gov.ua/news/stanom-na-0300-u-kharkovi-12-liudei-postrazhdaly-cherez-rosiiski-obstrily-politseiski-zadokumentuvaly-naslidky-vorozhoi-ataky?v=6715a26fe43ee; https://armyinform dot com.ua/2024/10/21/pravoohoronczi-pokazaly-moment-udaru-po-harkovu-zrosla-kilkist-postrazhdalyh/ [86] https://news-balashiha dot ru/incident/2024/10/21/111260.html; https://t.me/voenkorKotenok/59664 [89] https://t.me/luhanskaVTSA/22123 ; https://suspilne dot media/donbas/862259-proponuut-grosi-ta-socpaket-starsoklasnikiv-u-starobilskomu-rajoni-agituut-pidpisati-kontrakt-z-armieu-rf/   [91] https://armyinform dot com.ua/2024/10/20/desantnyky-zbyly-na-kurshhyni-bpla-z-4-raketamy/; https://t.me/ua_dshv/4099 [92] https://armyinform dot com.ua/2024/10/20/desantnyky-zbyly-na-kurshhyni-bpla-z-4-raketamy/; https://t.me/ua_dshv/4099 [93] https://t.me/motopatriot/28577; https://t.me/northernwarriors/536; https://t.me/bes_pilot/1090 [94] https://t.me/belta_telegramm/274003; https://belta dot by/president/view/belarus-i-rossija-obsuzhdajut-stroitelstvo-skorostnoj-magistrali-moskva-brest-669690-2024/ Valentyna Nazarenko, head of the Romny District Military Administration, shared the details on Facebook "The night in the Romny district was difficult as the enemy attacked with drones Explosions were heard in three communities of the district," Nazarenko said three residential buildings and three outbuildings were damaged A total of 26 windows were shattered and five roofs were partially destroyed enemy strikes damaged the roof of one house and shattered windows in two others no injuries were reported among local residents Earlier reports said that Ukraine's air defense forces successfully shot down seven Russian Shahed drones over the Sumy region during the night While citing and using any materials on the Internet links to the website ukrinform.net not lower than the first paragraph are mandatory citing the translated materials of foreign media outlets is possible only if there is a link to the website ukrinform.net and the website of a foreign media outlet Materials marked as "Advertisement" or with a disclaimer reading "The material has been posted in accordance with Part 3 of Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Advertising" No 1996 and the Law of Ukraine "On the Media" No 2023 and on the basis of an agreement/invoice Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421 Kadeem Harris admits he faces a “worrying time” amid the escalating Ukraine-Russia crisis after swapping Yorkshire for Kharkiv The former Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday winger joined Ukrainian club Metalist Kharkiv in September describing the move as a “no-brainer” when told of their ambitious three-year plan But the 28-year-old’s switch has proved anything but straightforward with Russian troops entering eastern Ukraine this week amid fears that president Vladimir Putin could launch a full-scale invasion “Over here there seems to be no worry,” Harris said “It’s just something that’s been ongoing for years That’s what I get from the players here “But for myself and my family it is definitely something to think about No-one wants their son or partner in the middle of a crisis or a war But I keep having to reassure them from my end “They keep trying to reassure me and I keep trying to reassure my family Harris is currently at Metalist’s Turkish training camp with the Ukrainian domestic season on a winter break The squad is due back in Kharkiv – Ukraine’s second largest city and less than 30 miles from the Russian border – in just a few days’ time and Harris says the club are monitoring the situation carefully He told WalesOnline: “If anything was to happen there are measures in place for me and for other players where we will be on the first flight home or in safety “I have time to see if anything does happen while I’m in Turkey there’s been nothing and hopefully that continues “We have another few days out here and hopefully the situation will become clearer before I go to Ukraine and we will take it from there.” Londoner Harris made most of his 217 appearances in English football for Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday Metalist regularly played in European competition a decade ago but the club were declared insolvent in 2016 and reformed three years later They now top the second tier of Ukrainian football and hold a 20-point advantage over third-placed Alians Lypova Dolyna with 12 games left Metalist are almost certain to be back in the Ukrainian Premier League next season and Harris said: “It’s a big club with big ambition “The club want to get back to the stage they were at all those years ago when it was a recognised club in Europe “They told me about the three-year plan for the club when I signed and playing in Europe was in it