Russia is turning the consequences of its own crime into a military advantage. The invaders have destroyed the Kakhovka Reservoir and are now using the exposed bottom as a staging ground for maneuvers and attacks, UNIAN reports. 

Russian soldiers are attempting to bypass Ukrainian positions in Zaporizhzhia by moving across its exposed bed, according to Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Defense Forces of the South.

Occupiers searching for flanking routes in their crime area

Voloshyn explains that the reservoir has effectively turned into a large meadow overgrown with lush vegetation.

“The Russians are trying to use this dense vegetation and the bottom of the former Kakhovka Reservoir to outflank our positions in the settlements of Plavni and Prymorske, to attack us from the west,” Voloshyn says.

He adds that personnel from Ukrainian Defense Intelligence units have carried out clearance operations near the islands of Velyki Kuchuhury, located within the former reservoir area. The Russian forces also attempted to infiltrate past Ukrainian positions in this sector.

“This zone is being monitored under special control,” the spokesperson emphasized.

Russia blew the dam, gained weeks, lost soldiers, but did not achieve a perfect result

Russia’s destruction of the Kherson dam temporarily improved its defensive posture in Kherson Oblast and delayed Ukrainian operations in the south, but it did not produce any lasting military superiority. That has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians. Some Russian troops also died during the operation. 

The destruction exposed sediments containing more than 90,000 tonnes of hazardous heavy metals, a toxic cocktail that had quietly accumulated on the reservoir floor since 1956.

However, Ukrainian forces continue to hold nearly 20% of Kherson Oblast, including the central city of Kherson. 

In Kharkiv and the surrounding oblast, construction crews are working in shifts, often without power or mobile connection, to build dozens of underground schools, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science. The initiative is part of the country’s push to restore offline education in safer conditions for children in frontline areas.

Ukraine builds underground schools in Kharkiv to protect children from airstrikes

A total of 38 underground schools are currently under construction across Kharkiv and Kharkiv Oblast. Seven more projects are underway with support from international partners, according to Education Minister Oksen Lisovyi. He said Kharkiv Oblast is leading Ukraine in the number of such school construction projects.

Lisovyi says he visited the region last week to inspect the pace of the work and identify community needs ahead of planning the 2026 budget. Authorities hope to complete several sites by the end of this year. In just two days, Lisovyi and his team reviewed 21 construction sites — five of which are already hosting full-time in-person classes.

The schools are being built as part of Ukraine’s nationwide “School Offline” policy, which aims to bring students back to classrooms despite the ongoing war. The effort has taken on special urgency in Kharkiv, where airstrikes remain frequent and deadly.

“They are doing everything they can to finish the schools and return children to safe classrooms as soon as possible,” Lisovyi said. “This commitment and perseverance is the main reason why work doesn’t stop, even under shelling.”

Underground classrooms as a national strategy

The Education Minister said the push for underground schools is not just a local effort but part of a broader state policy to restore in-person education throughout Ukraine.

“Even in frontline regions, children have the right to education and a normal school life,” Lisovyi said.

He added that the government plans to expand the program so that every child in Ukraine can study in person, near their peers, and in a secure environment.

A leaked 12-point peace proposal circulating in European capitals aims to pause Russia’s war in Ukraine within just 24 hours. RFE/RL reports that the draft, initiated by Finland and developed by over 20 pro-Ukraine countries, envisions freezing the front line, barring Ukraine from taking back occupied territories by military means, and establishing long-term negotiations on the future of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories.

Ceasefire first: freezing the war overnight

The plan is structured in two phases — ceasefire and negotiations. The first phase outlines that hostilities would stop “24 hours after the parties have accepted this plan,” RFE/RL reports. At the start of the proposed ceasefire, the line of contact would then be frozen, with no further military movements allowed. Kyiv and Moscow would commit to a mutual nonaggression pact, meaning Russia must stop attacks while Ukraine agrees not to retake occupied areas such as the regions of Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia by military means.

Ceasefire monitoring would begin immediately under US leadership using satellites, drones, and other technologies. A Trump-chaired “Board of Peace” is proposed to oversee the process, a concept reportedly borrowed from a recent plan for Gaza.

According to RFE/RL, confidence-building measures include the lifting of selected symbolic sanctions after the ceasefire holds for an agreed period. Russia could be readmitted to international organizations such as the International Olympic Committee or the Council of Europe, which expelled Moscow in 2022. The plan also proposes transferring control of the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to an unnamed third party, with negotiations on returning it to Ukraine.

Negotiation phase: security zones, occupied land talks, and Russian narratives

Once the ceasefire is in place, the second phase would begin with an armistice and formal negotiations. These talks would determine a final line of contact, which would remain in effect until a long-term governance agreement for the occupied territories is reached. RFE/RL says that civilian multinational missions would monitor both sides of the security zone established along this line, where no military activity would be permitted.

Explore further

Reuters: Trump could unleash new sanctions on Russia’s economy, but waits to see if Europe dares move first

One of the points includes undisclosed security guarantees — an element the so-called Coalition of the Willing has been shaping since spring. Another proposed element calls for a high-level dialogue between Kyiv and Moscow “to increase mutual understanding and respect for diversity of language, culture, and religion.”

A particularly controversial point involves initiating talks on “permanent governance of the occupied territories.” Many EU capitals view this as incompatible with Ukraine’s territorial integrity and oppose the idea of legalizing Russian control over parts of Ukrainian land.

Explore further

Trump says he won’t meet Putin unless “we’re going to make a deal”

Frozen Russian assets and the question of compensation

The penultimate point in the draft addresses reconstruction. A new fund for Ukraine would be created, and frozen Russian assets could be used to finance rebuilding. As RFE/RL notes, over €200 billion (around $233 billion) are currently held in the West. These could be returned to Russia only after an agreement on war damage compensation is reached between Kyiv and Moscow.

EU official: “There won’t be peace — that’s Putin’s one-point-plan”

Despite the detailed proposal, RFE/RL quotes one European official admitting that the plan’s chances of success are “probably not much.” While some hope the United States might support elements of it, most diplomats doubt that the Kremlin will accept any of the core terms. 

“We can have a 12-point-plan, but there won’t be peace — that is Putin’s one-point-plan,” a European diplomat said.

Last night, Russia launched a massive overnight drone and missile barrage that targeted Ukraine’s power grid and civilian infrastructure.  While air defenses prevented a majority of the threats from reaching their targets, the attack caused damage — with fatalities, blackouts, and destroyed infrastructure in several regions. The attack killed at least two people, injured nearly 20 — including children.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the assault as a continuation of Russia’s "terror" war against civilian life and called for new sanctions against Russia.

Power grid hit as Russia unleashes air and missile barrage

The combined Russian attack began late on 29 October and continued into the morning of 30 October. Ukrainian monitoring channels tracked waves of Shahed explosive drones entering airspace starting at 17:04, with the first explosions reported in Chernihiv. Hours later, missiles were launched from various platforms, including air-, sea-, and land-based systems. Russian forces employed ballistic, cruise, and aeroballistic missiles, including Kinzhal and Kalibr types.

Air alerts were active across most of Ukraine overnight, and explosions were heard in multiple oblasts, including Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv, Khmelnytskyi, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Kyiv. The Zaporizhzhia attack lasted several hours, with drones preceding ballistic strikes.

Air Force reports 705 threats tracked, 623 neutralized

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that from 19:00 on 29 October, Russia launched a complex combined aerial attack involving 705 total air threats: 653 drones and 52 missiles of various types.

Intercepted or suppressed aerial threats included:

• 592 drones, including Shahed and Gerbera types;
• 7 Kalibr cruise missiles;
• 1 Iskander-K cruise missile;
• 21 Kh-101 cruise missiles;
• 2 Kh-59/69 guided aviation missiles.

Zelenskyy: Russia continues "terror war" against civilians

President Zelenskyy addressed the attack in a statement, confirming hits on residential areas in Zaporizhzhia, where dozens were injured and two people killed. The Russian attack critically injured a seven-year-old boy in Ladiyzhyn, Vinnytsia Oblast, the President reported.

“Russia continues its terrorist war against life,” Zelenskyy said, calling for increased pressure on Moscow, including sanctions targeting oil, gas, and finance sectors, and secondary sanctions against those who sponsor the war.

He added that Ukraine expects the United States, Europe, and G7 countries not to ignore Moscow’s intent to destroy everything.

Zaporizhzhia: Dormitory destroyed, two dead, 17 injured

Zaporizhzhia was among the most severely hit oblasts. Russian forces struck the city with both missiles and drones over several hours overnight, hitting five apartment buildings and several one-family homes, according to local authorities.

One Russian missile hit a dormitory, destroying multiple floors. Rescue teams recovered the body of a 62-year-old man identified by his sister.

"A woman recognized her brother’s house in a news report and began trying to reach him by phone. She later rushed to the scene, where, during the recovery of the body, she identified her brother," Suspilne wrote.

Later, the rescuers pulled another victim from the rubble.

According to the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Prosecutor’s Office, five apartment buildings and several private houses were damaged. In total, 17 people were injured, including six children.

Infrastructure facilities were also hit, and fires broke out in residential areas. A criminal investigation for war crimes has been launched.

Kyiv Oblast: some 60 drones downed, woman injured

Kyiv Oblast came under a mass drone attack, with air defenses shooting down around 60 Shahed drones, the oblast administration reported. No damage to critical infrastructure was reported, but a 35-year-old woman in Boryspil was hospitalized with severe injuries. 

Cherkasy Oblast: Farm fire, homes damaged, no injuries

In Cherkasy Oblast, drones and missiles targeted Zvenyhorod area, the oblast authorities said. Drone debris damaged a power line and several civilian homes, and caused a fire at a farm building. One animal was killed in the blaze. Authorities confirmed no civilian injuries.

According to regional officials, Ukrainian air defenses destroyed 12 drones and one missile over the oblast.

Dnipro: Power outage delays trains

Explosions were reported in Dnipro and surrounding areas. The local power grid suffered significant disruptions, forcing Ukrainian Railways to switch to backup locomotives. At least 11 passenger trains were delayed due to the outage, according to Suspilne.

Rivne Oblast: Infrastructure damaged, no casualties

Russian air attacks targeted infrastructure in Rivne Oblast. Local officials said civilian facilities sustained minor damage. There were no injuries.

Ukrainian Air Force monitoring channels reported possible launches of Kinzhal missiles toward Rivne, and drone activity was recorded in the southern parts of the oblast.

Lviv Oblast: Energy facilities and homes damaged

Lviv Oblast suffered hits to two energy infrastructure sites as part of the overnight attack. The regional military administration confirmed power outages and introduced hourly shutdown schedules. Several private buildings and a vehicle in the town of Khodoriv were also damaged.

Authorities said repairs were underway and heating season preparation was not interrupted due to backup systems.

Chernivtsi Oblast: Missile debris damages power line

In Chernivtsi Oblast, three Russian cruise missiles were detected in the airspace. One was shot down, and its debris damaged a power line in Novoselytsia community. No injuries were reported.

Odesa Oblast: Energy worker injured, 26,900 homes lose power

A strike on an energy facility in Odesa Oblast injured one energy worker, who received medical treatment. Damage was described as “significant” by DTEK energy company. About 26,900 households temporarily lost power, while critical infrastructure was restored using backup generators.

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast: 22 drones downed, missile hits Dnipro, fires in Synelnykove district

The oblast administration reported that air defenses shot down 22 Russian drones over Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

A Russian missile targeted an enterprise in Dnipro. Drone strikes hit Synelnykove district, causing fires and damaging infrastructure and private houses. In Nikopol district, Russian forces used FPV drones and artillery against several communities.

The authorities reported no casualties in the region.

Sumy, Kharkiv, and Donetsk oblasts: continued Russian attacks, civilian casualties reported

Russian forces continued shelling and bombing Sumy, Kharkiv, and Donetsk oblasts, according to local authorities.

• In Sumy Oblast, 40 attacks were recorded, including 20 strikes with guided aerial bombs. An FPV drone strike killed a 43-year-old man.
• In Kharkiv Oblast, authorities reported 172 combat engagements. The oblast also came under shelling, drone, bomb, and missile attacks. A 48-year-old man and a 46-year-old woman were injured.
• Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast killed two civilians and injured seven.

Ukraine’s HUR military intelligence agency destroyed two Russian radar stations and a Buk‑M3 surface‑to‑air missile launcher in occupied southern Ukraine. The operation, carried out on 23 and 24 October 2025, struck targets in Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Crimea. The drone footage shared by HUR shows that strikes were conducted using long-range drones equipped with FPV thermal cameras, allowing precise engagement of high-value systems at night.

Two Nebo-SVUs and a Buk destroyed

On 24 October, the HUR confirmed the elimination of three major Russian high-value air defense components. The operation was carried out by the HUR’s Department of Active Operations on 23 and 24 October, targeting two Nebo‑SVU radar stations and one Buk‑M3 launcher.

The destroyed systems were located in temporarily occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Kherson Oblast, and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, according to the report.

Conflicting identifications

Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi reported different system types, stating that the radars destroyed were Nioby‑SV rather than Nebo‑SVU. The Nioby‑SV is a three-coordinate radar operating in the meter band with a vertical active antenna. Introduced to Russian air defense units in 2016, it detects both aerodynamic and ballistic objects, identifies them, and determines the origin of active jamming. The system is capable of operating at distances from 5 to 500 kilometers, and detecting threats at altitudes up to 65 kilometers, with an elevation range from −10 to 35 degrees.

Whether the radar was Nebo‑SVU or Nioby‑SV, both models provide early-warning functions critical to Russian air defense and are considered high-priority targets.