Prisoner exchange, Russian nuclear drills: highlights of the day

Prisoner swap

Ukraine conducted another exchange of prisoners, in which 10 Ukrainian servicemen were returned home. Among them, there is one officer and nine privates and sergeants.

Also, Ukraine received the body of an American volunteer, U.S. Army veteran Joshua Alan Jones, who fought for Ukraine and was killed in action.

Nuclear tests

Russia conducted training launches of ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads, Russian propagandist media reported. President Vladimir Putin watched the drills remotely. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the exercise was aimed at practicing a massive nuclear strike in response to an enemy atomic attack.

The Russian Federation reported that they checked the preparedness of military command and control bodies and the skills of the leadership and operational staff in organizing the management of troops.

Russian regime declared terrorist

The Senate of Poland unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing the Russian authorities as a terrorist regime. Senators condemned the Russian aggression and called on all countries that support peace, democracy and human rights to join the recognition of the Russian authorities as a terrorist regime.

"These crimes require an international response, not only in terms of humanitarian and military aid, but also legal assistance," said Senator Aleksander Pociej.

Future air defence reinforcements

Raytheon Technologies has already delivered two NASAMS air defense systems to the United States, which will soon be sent to Ukraine.

In early October, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that the first NASAMS would arrive by the end of the month. The Pentagon said on October 24 that the first systems would be shipped within the next few weeks.

Situation at the front

In the evening, the General Staff reported that over the past day, the units of the Defense Forces repelled the attacks of the occupiers in the areas of 11 settlements. The enemy continues to equip defensive borders on the left bank of the Dnipro River. The occupiers also restrict the right of free movement of civilians in the temporarily occupied territories, the General Staff claims.

Moreover, the Russian Federation continues to replenish combat losses. The General Staff reported about the recruitment of prisoners in penitentiary institutions of Bryansk city and Bryansk Oblast by representatives of Russian private military companies.

Shelling of Zaporizhzhya Oblast

In the early hours of October 26, Russian occupiers shelled Zaporizhzhya Oblast: the town of Orikhiv and the village of Preobrazhenka nearby came under fire. Russian troops used multiple rocket launchers with incendiary ammunition.

In Preobrazhenka, two people were killed and another person was wounded. The regional authorities stress that Orikhiv and nearby villages suffer from Russian shelling almost every day. Therefore, people are urged to evacuate to safe places.

Charges in "Rotterdam+" case

The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office prosecutor and National Anti-Corruption Bureau detectives have charged 15 people in relation to the "Rotterdam+" case. Among them are former and current officials of the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission and officials of private heat-generating companies involved in the implementation of the Rotterdam+ formula.

The case concerns officials involved in the application of the "Rotterdam+" formula in 2018-2019. As a result, electricity consumers overpaid more than UAH 20 billion ($541 million). At the same time, overall, in 2016-2019, the overpayment exceeded UAH 39 billion ($1 billion).