Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 240

As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its 240th day, we take a look at the main developments.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits a training centre of the Western Military District for mobilised reservists along with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu (3-L) and Deputy Commander of the Airborne Troops Anatoly Kontsevoy (1-L), in Ryazan Region, Russia October 20,
Russian President Vladimir Putin visits a training centre of the Western Military District for mobilised reservists [Reuters]

Here is the situation as it stands on Friday, October 21.

Fighting

  • The United States said Iranian military trainers were in Crimea helping Russian forces operate Iranian-made drones to attack targets in Ukraine.
  • A series of blasts rocked Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv early on Friday morning, according to local officials.
  • Four people were killed when a Ukrainian rocket artillery struck a ferry crossing in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian city of Kherson late on Thursday, the Moscow-appointed deputy regional governor said.
  • It was not possible to independently verify each side’s claim.

Diplomacy

  • Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, said he had discussed in detail Kyiv’s request for air and missile defence systems and technology with Yair Lapid, Israel’s prime minister.
  • United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has “spoken up very clearly” about Russia’s war in Ukraine and has not stopped communication with Moscow, a UN spokesman said after Russia signalled cooperation with UN officials could be at risk.
  • A Russian fighter jet released a missile near an unarmed British spy plane patrolling in international airspace over the Black Sea on September 29, UK defence minister Ben Wallace said, in an apparent accident and not a deliberate escalation of tensions.
  • German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Russian President Vladimir Putin was using energy and hunger as weapons but has failed to break the West’s unity and will not achieve his war aims.

Power plants

  • Russia is attacking Ukrainian power plants because it wants to force people to leave their homes and move westwards to European Union nations, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
  • Ukrainians on Thursday turned off domestic appliances, wrapped themselves in blankets to keep warm and remained defiant as they faced the first nationwide electricity outages of the war.
  • “From 7am to 11pm, it is necessary to minimise the use of electricity … if this is not done, you should prepare for temporary blackouts,” Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of Zelenskyy’s office, said in a Telegram post.

Economy

  • The UK is implementing new sanctions on three Iranian military figures and a defence manufacturer for supplying Russia with drones to attack civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine.
  • Several countries expressed frustration with Germany’s refusal to cap gas prices as European Union leaders looked set to end yet another debate on the bloc’s response to the energy crunch aggravated by Russia cutting gas flows following its invasion of Ukraine.
Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies