WAR IN UKRAINE: October 17, 2022
Emergency workers in Kyiv responding to fire at a building attacked by Russian drones. Credit: Hromadske
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Day 236
For a second consecutive Monday, residents of Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities were terrorised by Russian aggression - this time by swarms of Iranian-made kamikaze drones. Odesa also came under attack, with air raid sirens blaring intermittently throughout the night and into the start of the work week. The strikes hit critical infrastructure in three regions, cutting off electricity in hundreds of villages across the country, according to Prime Minister Denys Shmygal. Several people have been killed, says the Ukrainian interior minister, reports BBC. In Mykolaiv, sunflower oil tanks were set on fire by the drones. Photos on Ukrainian social media also show ordinary citizens firing with rifles at the low-flying weapons.
Separately, Iran plans to send ballistic missiles, drones to Russia. The Washington Post reported, citing unnamed U.S. and allied security officials, that Iran is preparing the first shipment of Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar missiles for Russia.
Mains power was knocked out once again to the Zaporyzhzhia Nuclear Power Plant - Europe’s largest - forcing it to switch to onsite diesel generators. The power is crucial to keeping nuclear fuel cool.
Governor: Russian forces attack Sumy Oblast, casualties reported. Sumy Oblast Governor Dmytro Zhyvytskyi reported that Russian forces struck critical infrastructure facilities in Romenskyi District after 5 a.m. on Oct. 17. Zhyvytskyi said there are casualties, but did not provide exact numbers. He said further details will be reported later - Kyiv Independent
Israel reportedly fears damaging its relationship with Russia in Syria by providing its vaunted ‘Iron Dome’ air defense system - developed with U.S. support - to Ukraine, reports the Washington Post. Ukraine has been pleading for the technology to protect its skies from Russian aggression.
Steadfast Noon exercises have begun in Europe, during which the military is practicing the use of nuclear deterrent forces, according to the UK Defence Journal. The exercise involves 14 countries and up to 60 aircraft of various types, including fourth and fifth generation fighters, as well as reconnaissance aircraft and tanker aircraft. They will continue until October 30.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the war in Ukraine could increase by 70 million people in the world who are in acute food instability, the State Department's website says.
Required listening…
After a week of retaliatory attacks on civilian targets and energy infrastructure in Ukraine, global affairs analyst and Atlantic Council senior fellow Michael Bociurkiw says Russian President Vladimir Putin may be pushing the war to its most dangerous phase since 2014. Bociurkiw joins David Common to discuss the aftermath of the Crimean bridge bombing, how Ukrainians are coping with this new phase of fighting, and the role Canada and the West must play.
Listen to the full segment here