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Powerful explosions in the Kyiv region thundered on the night of October 25-26.

Explosions in the Kyiv region — what are the consequences

On the evening of October 25, powerful explosions thundered in the Kyiv region after drones were recorded.

According to the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, air defense forces were operating in the airspace against enemy targets.

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Later, the chairman of the Kyiv Regional State Administration Ruslan Kravchenko reported details on the preliminary consequences of the UAV attack on the Kiev region.

— Due to falling debris from downed enemy targets, a fire broke out in a two-story garage attached to a hostel in one of the populated areas. The fire has now been localized, — he reported.

No information about casualties has been received. Rescuers are working at the scene.

Before this, the Ukrainian Air Force reported the activity of enemy UAVs in the region, which were in Poltava region and moving west.

Explosions in Irpen on October 26: what is known

Later, local Telegram channels began reporting that a Russian attack drone had hit a private home in Irpen, after which a fire broke out at the site of the strike.

Videos of the strike were also published online, where you can see the fire engulfing the building. It is noted that the events in the video are taking place in Irpen.

Irpen Mayor Alexander Markushin later confirmed that a fire started as a result of the falling debris of the downed UAV.

— As a result of the falling debris of the downed UAV, a non-residential building in Irpen caught fire. As of 01:00, there were no casualties. All services are on site, putting out the fire, clearing the rubble, — he wrote.

Explosions in Vyshgorod on October 26: what is known

Local Telegram channels write that explosions were also heard in Vyshgorod. Residents of the city say they heard an explosion.

Local communities report that the drone was shot down and started a fire.

However, there are no details or confirmations from the official authorities of the city or region about the shootdown, impact, or fire after the drone crash in Vyshgorod.

Kyiv Oblast on the map

Kyiv Oblast is located in the north of Ukraine. The total area is about 28,131 sq. km.

Photo: Google Maps

The full-scale war in Ukraine has been going on for 976 days.

You can monitor the situation in cities on the interactive map of military operations in Ukraine and on the air raid alarm map in Ukraine.

“Looking for a new master”: what lies behind Lukashenko's statements that contradict Putin Melania Golembyovskaya

Self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has once again made a controversial statement, saying that de jure Crimea is Ukrainian. There are many signals hidden behind such statements, both to the West and to another country that Lukashenko considers his “master”.

Political scientist Igor Reiterovich expressed this opinion to Channel 24, noting that Lukashenko is playing along with China. The self-proclaimed president of Belarus is posing as a tough political player, and therefore is trying to be “convenient” for many parties.

What is behind Lukashenko's statements

According to the political scientist, Lukashenko constantly makes such statements. For example, he threatened the Russians with war if they wanted to annex Belarus to Russia. The statement on Crimea is simply a continuation of all the previous statements that Lukashenko made publicly.

On the one hand, he acknowledged reality and understands that he will not “get any consequences” from Russia, because according to international documents this is true. On the other hand, Lukashenko is thus sending a signal to Western countries that he is “not completely on Putin's side and not completely involved in the war against Ukraine,” Reiterovich explained.

It is worth noting that Belarus is also responsible for the war against Ukraine, because the invasion of our country was from its territory. After the end of the war, she, like Russia, must bear punishment.

Note!Lukashenko, however, said that Russia did not attack Ukraine from Belarusian territory. According to him, before the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia conducted military exercises in Belarus, and when it began to withdraw, the troops were moving “along the Ukrainian border.” He does not rule out that “part of the troops” could have been “provoked” and they did turn toward Kyiv.

Such statements are a game in both directions. The self-proclaimed president is trying to pretend to be someone with whom one can negotiate. However, he is not very successful in this.

In addition, the political scientist said that such statements are due to the fact that so-called presidential elections will soon be held in Belarus. It is clear that there will be no fair elections in the country, but Lukashenko needs to form a certain image for the domestic user.

This image is called “either me or war.” To confirm this, he throws out information that is ambiguous from Russia's point of view. For everyone else, this is an understandable story, Reiterovich noted.

Moreover, Lukashenko questioned Vladimir Putin's attempts to involve North Korean troops in the war against Ukraine. In doing so, he played along with China, which opposed internationalization, expansion of the war, and escalation.

Lukashenko is trying to be a “servant of many masters” and look good to everyone. Although this image has not misled anyone for a long time, he continues to stubbornly follow it, because he believes that in this way he is engaged in “cool geopolitics,” the political scientist noted.

Reiterovich added that how the end of the war will affect Belarus will depend on its results. The end of the war will be a real challenge for Lukashenko.

On the one hand, he wants the war to end as soon as possible, because he fears that Russia will use him again. The aggressor country can again use the territory of his country or pressure him to involve its army.

On the other hand, the end of the war can reorient the views of the Russian authorities on Belarus from the point of view of searching for some “new victories.” Such a victory could be the creation of a union state, when Belarus will simply be absorbed by Russia.

Lukashenko hopes that when the war ends, Russia will not be able to direct its expansionist attempts to Belarus. Therefore, Lukashenko is looking for a new “master”, which is certainly China, – the political scientist concluded.

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has updated the odds table for the third rounds of the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.

This season, In the main tournament of the Champions League our country is represented by Donetsk Shakhtar, and in the Europa League plays Kiev Dynamo.< /p>

Based on the results of our teams' performances in the third round, Ukraine retained its position and is in 21st place.

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How many points did Shakhtar and Dynamo earn in the 2024/25 season

In the third round, Shakhtar suffered a minimal loss to Arsenal in the Champions League, and Dynamo suffered a 0:1 defeat from Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.

Ukraine remains in 21st place in the ranking.

In the new 2024/25 season, Ukrainian teams have already earned 2.200 points in the table. In total, Ukraine has 23.000 points.

UEFA Coefficients Table

• 1. England — 94.303 points (7/7 clubs continue to play);
• 2. Italy — 82.856 points (8/8);
• 3. Spain — 77.275 points (7/7);
• 4. Germany — 75.160 points (8/8);
• 5. France — 62.236 points (6/7);
• 6. Netherlands — 57,400 points (5/6);
• 7. Portugal — 54,216 points (5/5);
• 8. Belgium — 47,200 points (5/5);
• 9. Czech Republic — 40,650 points (4/5);
• 10. Turkey — 38,300 points (4/5);
• … 20. Serbia — 23,675 points (2/5);
• 21. Ukraine — 23,000 points (2/5);
• 22. Hungary — 21,500 points (1/4).

After the third rounds in European competitions, Greece and Denmark have overtaken Switzerland and Sweden in the top 30 of the UEFA coefficient table, while Scotland has displaced Israel from 16th place.

Serbia, which is ahead of Ukraine, has the same indicators (23.675). At the same time, Hungary has overtaken Sweden and Slovakia and reduced the gap with Ukraine to 1.5 points.

In the fourth round of the Champions League, Shakhtar will meet with Swiss Young Boys Arsenal on November 6, and Dynamo Kyiv will play against Hungarian Ferencvaros on November 7.

NATO sees two ways to respond to the dispatch of DPRK soldiers to Russia, – Bloomberg Vladislav Kravtsov

NATO is limited in its response to the dispatch of soldiers from the DPRK to Russia. However, the Alliance has at least 2 options for helping Ukraine and the world.

Bloomberg journalists write about this, citing their own sources.

What NATO might respond to North Korean troops being sent to Russia

The article states that South Korea intends to share intelligence on North Korean military deployments in Russia during a meeting of the North Atlantic Council on Monday. The information will be presented to NATO officials, sources familiar with the situation said.

NATO's potential responses are limited, but could include increasing support for Ukraine and developing partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region, the sources said.

The interlocutors added that deploying thousands of North Koreans as combat units on the battlefield in Ukraine would mean escalating the conflict, which is already the largest in Europe since World War II. This could prompt Seoul to offer Kyiv direct support, including lethal weapons.

According to South Korean intelligence, North Korean troops are expected to be deployed to the front lines after about a month of training at military facilities in Vladivostok, Ussuriysk, Khabarovsk and Blagoveshchensk.

In addition, the Kremlin intends to provide these troops with weapons and combat uniforms, as well as fake IDs to disguise them as residents of Russia's eastern regions.

By the way, Bloomberg journalists also wrote that the DPRK plans to send even more of its soldiers to Russia in addition to the existing 1,500. After all, the general plan according to the agreement of both countries provides for the deployment of about ten thousand soldiers from North Korea in the aggressor country.

On Friday, October 25, the Croatian Ambassador was summoned to the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in connection with recent statements by Croatian Defense Minister Ivan Anusic.

In statements, the Croatian Defense Minister accused his country's President Zoran Milanovic of becoming like Serbia and Hungary, which support Russia and Putin, due to his unwillingness to help Ukraine.

Scandal between Croatia and Hungary over Ukraine

This is about the situation when Croatian President Zoran Milanovic refused to agree to the government's proposal to send Croatian troops to the NATO Support Mission in Ukraine (NSATU), which will train Ukrainian soldiers on German soil.

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Croatian Defense Minister Ivan Anusic expressed outrage at this decision by the head of state.

Speaking in the Croatian parliament, he said that, being from the eastern Croatia, he felt the Hungarian policy in the Croatian region of Baranja, in Osijek. He said that Hungary questions the territorial integrity of Croatia and wants to occupy Osijek.

He also said that he believed that Hungary was not participating in NATO because of its own policy of “Greater Hungary” and therefore did not support NATO and the EU.

Two days later, he also said that by not participating in the military support for Ukraine, Croatia could side with Serbia and Hungary, which publicly support Russia and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

— We want to side with Serbia, Hungary, which now publicly support Putin? Do we want to be part of that team and that part of the world, or still part of the world to which we now belong, the Western world, Western values, Western civilization and Western democracy?, — asked the minister.

He also recalled that NATO countries, and especially Ukraine, helped Croatia in the Patriotic War.

— When we started the conflict, the weapons that came in at that time and the support that came in were mainly from Ukraine, not from Russia, — Anusic said.

Ukraine Scandal: Hungary's Reaction

At a press conference on Friday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Hungary was seeking better relations with all of its neighbors, including Croatia.

— That's why it was surprising that the Croatian Defense Minister seemed to have chosen a new sport, and that it would be an insult to Hungarians. There was no precedent for this, so we ignored the minister's first comment, but I refused to ignore the second, — the Hungarian Foreign Minister stated.

Szijjarto “respectfully” asked the Croatian government “not to drag us into their obviously existing heated domestic political disputes with the president of the republic”. The Hungarian Foreign Minister also stated, adding that his country has nothing to do with the dispute between the Croatian government and the head of the Croatian state.

— Let them resolve this between themselves and, under the guise of this, not insult Hungary in the future. I believe that our bilateral relations do not justify dragging us into this dispute, — Szijjarto said.

According to a statement from the Hungarian ministry, Croatian Ambassador Mladen Andrljic was received by the Hungarian Deputy Secretary of State for Territorial Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The details of their conversation are unknown.

Russia is expanding a secret laboratory near Moscow: what Angela Figin could be developing there

Russians are building new laboratories on the territory of the former biological weapons center “Sergeev Posad-6”, located near Moscow. They will likely be used to study and process deadly pathogens.

“Sergeev Posad-6” is considered an object of special importance. Army General and former head of the Foreign Intelligence Service Nikolai Malomuzh told Channel 24 about this, noting that biological weapons elements are formed at such facilities.

What is known about the construction

Satellite images have recorded unusual activity at a closed military research center located among birch forests northeast of Moscow, literally a few months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, The Washington Post reports.

Satellite images collected over the past two years indicate that construction equipment is reconstructing an old Soviet-era laboratory and beginning construction of 10 new buildings.Several of them have the characteristics of biological laboratories designed to work with extremely dangerous pathogens.

Satellite images of “Sergiev Posad-6/Photo: The Washington Post

Four buildings have a large amount of air handling equipment associated with high-containment laboratories. There is also a building with tall exhaust pipes on the premises. Experts believe it is a small power plant.

Please note! During the Cold War, Sergeev Posad-6 was a major biological weapons research center, where experiments were conducted on viruses that cause smallpox, fevers, and the like. During the Soviet era, these labs worked to create viruses similar to Ebola.

In recent weeks, Russian officials have publicly confirmed that scientists will use the labs to study deadly germs like the Ebola virus in order to bolster the country's defenses against bioterrorism, as well as future pandemics.

The Russian Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

What will the Russians do in these labs

The former head of the foreign intelligence service believes that Russia has not stopped developing nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. The Russians call it the “triad of global war.” However, at first it was a triad of containment, and now – terror.

There was already information about biolabs in Russia, and now we have received confirmation of it, – noted Malomuzh.

Biological weapons can first be tested on animals, and then they can be used against certain categories of people, for example, prisoners. Russia can launch various epidemics, epizootics, from which people, animals or nature will suffer. These elements can be more dangerous than nuclear weapons.

Athletes who represent Kyiv and won gold at the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris received almost UAH 2.5 million from the capital's budget.

This was reported on the Kyiv City State Administration website.

Payments to Olympic medalists

The Kyiv authorities decided to increase payments not only to the Olympic and Paralympic champions. Kyiv athletes who won bronze, — received more than 1.2 million UAH.

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The payments for fifth-sixth place are — 186 thousand UAH.

— The Kyivans demonstrated high sportsmanship and the will to win — the Ukrainian flag was raised twice in their honor. At these Olympics, 140 athletes competed for the glory of our state in 26 sports. Among them, 42 Kyiv athletes fought for awards in 15 sports, — noted the mayor of the capital, Vitali Klitschko.

The Kyiv City State Administration added that payments were increased in 2024. Athletes' coaches will also receive cash bonuses.

In total, the Ukrainian team won 12 awards at the 2024 Olympics, in particular, one gold medal was won by Kyiv residents Olga Kharlan and Yulia Bakastova in the team sabre fencing competition. Also, bronze was won by: Kharlan in individual fencing competitions and Irina Gerashchenko in the high jump.

At the 2024 Paralympics, Ukrainians received a total of 82 medals, of which 22 were gold. You can see the list of all Ukrainian champions and prize winners here.

How the DPRK military will affect the situation at the front: Svitan gave his forecast Petro Sineokiy

The first units of the North Korean military are already being transferred to the Kursk region. Now we need to carefully monitor the situation.

Military expert, pilot instructor and retired Ukrainian Armed Forces Colonel Roman Svitan told Channel 24 about this, noting that Russia has now thrown about 50 thousand of its troops into battle in the Kursk region. There is already a mixed bag there. And a small number of DPRK troops will not change anything.

Will DPRK troops influence the front

As Svitan noted, Russia is still conducting a counter-terrorist operation in the Kursk region. In order to launch a real army operation, they need about 50 thousand more personnel. North Korea cannot solve such a problem now.

Until the Russians decide to stop the offensive on the eastern front, remove the group and transfer it to Kursk, we will not stop. If they really do this, we will complete the task. The operation in Kursk will help stop Russia's offensive in the East, – said Svitan.

There have already been various strange reports about all sorts of “super special forces” that will come from North Korea. It is worth remembering one important truth here. Any inexperienced unit will be worse than newcomers who have already fought.

They have not fought for several decades. The North Korean army has not been fired upon. They will not perform a single serious combat mission. Until they get involved, until they serve several rotations at the front. This will take at least six months. Now the Russians can use them to build fortifications, – noted Svitan.

Recall that President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the first troops from North Korea will be used in the combat zone as early as October 27-28. This shows that Russia wants to continue the war.

Russian losses of manpower at the front in October will be some of the largest — about 40 thousand soldiers both wounded and killed.

This was stated by the Deputy Commander of the Estonian Military Intelligence Center, Lieutenant Colonel Janek Kesselmann.

Estonian intelligence on the fighting in Ukraine for the week

According to Janek Kesselmann, the occupation forces continue their offensive along the entire front line, attacking an average of 178 times a day. Last weekend, up to 210 attacks per day were counted. The Russians are still concentrated around the villages of Selidovo and Kurakhovo in the Pokrovsky district of the Donetsk region.

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Kesselmann noted that recently the Russians have resorted to tactics where they prefer not to enter the villages, since this requires more complex planning and preparation.

— It is obvious that they (the Russian command, — Ed.) have nothing to give their soldiers. Therefore, they surround the village with fire strikes from closed positions. “Very cynical and ugly,” Kesselmann said.

Russian troops have also advanced in the Chasovy Yar area, crossing the Donets River. There is also progress in the Liman direction, where Russia is trying to gain control over the eastern bank of the Zherebets River.

The occupation forces are ensuring their advance through massive bombing, including cluster bombs, attack drones, and artillery fire from closed positions.

Russian commanders are also resorting to bloody attacks, cynically wasting their personnel.

— Casualties in Russia are quite high, and this month looks set to be some of the heaviest. We estimate that the enemy will lose around 40,000 soldiers, both wounded and killed, over the course of the month,” Kesselmann said.

The CPI explained where exactly Russia plans to use the military with the DPRK Polina Buyanova

Russian command may use military from North Korea in the Kursk region. According to forecasts, this may happen before the end of this month.

This was reported by the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council, Andrey Kovalenko. Earlier, the GUR confirmed that the first units of the DPRK military, which had undergone training at Russian eastern training grounds, had already arrived in the combat zone.

DPRK troops may be used in the Kursk region

According to intelligence estimates, the number of North Korean troops transferred to the territory of the aggressor country today is about 12 thousand people.

The first DPRK troops may be used in the Kursk region by the end of this month, Kovalenko wrote.

However, according to him, this is not the only direction where Russia plans to use North Korean soldiers. They are also planned to be involved in battles in the directions of Martynovka, as well as Novoivanovka – Malaya Loknya.

By the way, the European Union previously stated that sending DPRK troops to the front once again demonstrates how Russia is spreading instability and escalation in the region and around the world. It is noted that this step is a “unilateral hostile act” by the DPRK with serious consequences for European and global peace and security.