Ukraine claims record Russian casualties while facing heavy air attacks

Ukraine claims that Russian casualties reached 49,040 in October, setting a new monthly record, according to Al Jazeera. The figure reported by the Ukrainian General Staff includes dead and incapacitated troops up to October 28. It approaches the goal set by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in January to inflict at least 50,000 enemy casualties each month. [1]

At the same time, Russian air strikes have caused severe civilian casualties and power outages across Ukraine. CBS News reported that a Russian drone strike on two passenger trains at a station in the central Dnipropetrovsk region killed at least 14 people and injured 14 others. The Hindu put the initial death toll at at least 13. According to rte.ie, more than 200,000 people in the Dnipropetrovsk region were left without electricity following the attacks. [2][4][6]

Additional Russian strikes hit northern and central regions of Ukraine. According to Euronews and CBS News, a strike on Chernihiv killed two 15-year-old girls and left 25 people injured. Euronews cited local officials saying the attack involved a Banderol weapon, while CBS News reported that a Russian cruise missile was used. CBS News also reported that three civilians died in a drone attack on an apartment building in Kremenchuk. [3][4]

In response to the air operations, Russia reported that its air defense forces shot down over 1,000 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple Russian regions, according to rte.ie. Meanwhile, Euronews and CBS News reported that a localized ceasefire in southern Ukraine has allowed demining operations to begin to clear humanitarian routes. [2][3][4]