Oct 24, 2026, 02:00 AM UTC

Hostilities between Russia and Ukraine have persisted despite statements from US President Donald Trump claiming both nations agreed to halt strikes on energy infrastructure. Russian shelling in Ukraine's Kherson region reportedly killed two people and injured 14 others, while Ukrainian drone attacks targeted Russia's Belgorod and Sochi regions, leaving seven wounded.

Diplomatic tensions increased after a Russian attack on a train near the Ukrainian-Polish border. European Union High Representative Kaja Kallas and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated the strike was aimed at intimidating European partners. In response to continuing hostilities, the EU formally extended its sanctions against Moscow. Meanwhile in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued an executive decree removing the country's prosecutor general from office.

Sources: CDM (Cafe del Montenegro)

Heavy fighting continues along the front line in eastern and southern Ukraine as both military leaderships issue conflicting reports on territorial control. Ukrainian forces are reportedly making progress along the right bank of the Oskil River, north of Kupiansk. Additionally, reports suggest Ukrainian commanders may soon confirm control over up to 200 square kilometres near Lyman.

In contrast, Russia’s Ministry of Defence stated that its troops captured multiple settlements leading toward Sumy and targeted ammunition depots in the Kyiv region. On the Zaporizhzhia front, Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov personally disputed assertions that Ukrainian forces had achieved tactical successes. The competing reports highlight the contested nature of the conflict as both armies push for momentum across multiple strategic sectors.

Sources: The Insider

At least five people were killed and 16 others injured following a series of Russian bombardments across Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region, according to local emergency services.

Russian forces carried out nearly 60 strikes targeting five districts using artillery and drones over a 24-hour period. The heaviest casualties occurred in the Kamianske district, where three people died and five sustained injuries. In the Pavlohrad district, two individuals were killed and seven others wounded, while additional civilian casualties were documented in Nikopol.

Emergency responders worked across affected communities to extinguish blazes and clear wreckage resulting from the attacks.

Sources: Ziarul de Gardă

Former Ukrainian minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called on the nation's parliament to establish a legal framework for future national elections once martial law is lifted. Fedorov, who was dismissed from his cabinet post by President Volodymyr Zelensky in July, argued that advance legislative preparation is essential to prevent political disruption when military hostilities eventually end.

Ukrainian law currently prohibits holding national elections while martial law remains enforced. Proponents of early legislative planning emphasize that organizing post-conflict voting presents severe logistical challenges. Any future election will require resolving complex voting procedures for millions of internally displaced citizens, refugees residing abroad, and active-duty military personnel.

Ukrainian authorities have not yet specified a timeline for lifting martial law or scheduling future elections.

Sources: Le Monde.

US President Donald Trump hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the White House for high-level bilateral talks covering Ukraine, the Middle East, and the Korean Peninsula. The meeting formed part of Xi’s three-day state visit to the United States, his first official visit in more than a decade.

Trump greeted Xi directly at the aircraft steps upon his arrival, a rare diplomatic gesture previously extended to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a summit in Alaska. The talks followed requests from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for Washington to urge Beijing to use its leverage over Moscow to encourage de-escalation in Ukraine. Analysts noted that Beijing could seek trade or economic concessions in exchange for altering its stance regarding Russia.

Sources: Liga net, NV, Radio Svoboda, Ukrainska Pravda