News about Ukraine: events, facts and developments on tafs uz.
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Ukrainian media reported that Russia has begun using a new drone shaped like the Lancet but with a gasoline engine instead of an electric one. Military expert Yuri Knutov told Gazeta.Ru that such an engine increases flight range, but makes the vehicle noisier and more visible in thermal radiation.
Javlon TursunovUS President's Special Envoy Steve Whitkoff said on October 21 at talks in Saint Petersburg that he hopes to discuss with Vladimir Putin further steps toward settling the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The visit continued a series of Russian-American contacts: on September 5, Whitkoff and Jared Kushner held talks with Putin in the Kremlin, and on October 20 the American delegation discussed conditions for ending the conflict with Zelensky and the Europeans in Oslo.
Sevara AzamovaUS Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with Vladimir Putin at the Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg. Protocol expert Alexey Kobelyuk interpreted the American's behavior as a sign that he perceives the Russian leader's entourage as allies in the negotiations. The talks covered the results of US consultations with Kyiv and the Europeans in Norway, as well as the release of American Stephen Hubbard.
Sevara AzamovaSt. Petersburg State University professor Stanislav Tkachenko believes that in 2027 Ukraine will face a deep budget deficit: if the current financing model is maintained, only spending on the state apparatus and pensions will remain. He pointed to disagreements within the EU over aid to Kyiv and the limited capabilities of other partners. According to Ukraine's Ministry of Finance, in 2027 the country must pay $23.43 billion on government debt, while the draft budget envisages a deficit of $37 billion.
Javlon TursunovUzbek political scientists Kamoliddin Rabbimov and Anvar Yoldoshev, speaking on the Geosiyosatkunuz program, discussed how long the EU can support Ukraine amid pressure from the US: the aid is linked to the threat of a 'domino effect,' and the EU plans to allocate 90 billion euros by the end of 2027.
Javlon TursunovGigaCenter's press service reported on Facebook about damage to one of Ukraine's largest data centers and malfunctions in the hosted equipment. Earlier, on October 19, the Datagrup data center in Kyiv was hit, and before that — Tenet in Odesa.
Javlon TursunovPolish prosecutors are investigating an alleged plot to set fire to the Flytronic plant in Gliwice, owned by WB Group and supplying FlyEye reconnaissance drones to Ukraine. The case has been handed to the Internal Security Agency. According to Vot Tak, a recruiter using the alias Joker offered $30,000 for the arson; the account has been linked to a Russian phone number from Saratov Oblast.
Javlon TursunovUS Vice President JD Vance said the question of SpaceX's military satellite service Starshield should be viewed in the context of the Trump administration's policy on Ukraine and Russia, not as a problem tied personally to Elon Musk. He also criticized European regulation targeting SpaceX.
Sevara AzamovaVladimir Putin, after a meeting with Steve Witkoff, gave an interview to state television: he confirmed readiness to restore contacts, stated that the goal is peace treaties rather than a short-term pause in fighting, and called the territories under dispute 'historically Russian.' He also said that 'everything can be agreed upon.' Meanwhile, on October 23, Taiwan closed schools, government offices and financial markets almost entirely due to the approach of Typhoon Champi, bringing strong winds and rain.
Sevara AzamovaPress secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow is grateful to Washington for its sincere efforts toward a Ukrainian settlement. He made this comment regarding Vladimir Putin's meeting with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg on October 21.
Javlon TursunovUkrainian defense officials said restrictions on Starlink and Starshield remain in place, contrary to Trump's claim that Musk removed them. The restrictions, introduced on October 14, disrupted drone operations. Ukraine signed a letter of intent with ICEYE and Nokia to develop its own satellite communications.
Sevara AzamovaKremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that talks involving Russia, the US and Ukraine are planned for the first half of November in Abu Dhabi. The exact date has not been determined. The key topic will be ensuring the security of the parties after a peace agreement; European participation is possible but depends on the position of European states.
Otabek YusupovState Duma deputy Yuri Afonin called two variants of a settlement in Ukraine, reported by the Financial Times, unacceptable for Russia: a freeze of hostilities along the current line of contact with a guarantee that Kyiv will not join NATO, and the cession of the remaining part of Donbas on the condition of Ukraine's membership in the alliance. He urged Europe to soberly assess the situation, noting that the US has become less consistent in warning Kyiv about Russian missile launches and has worsened Ukraine's access conditions to Starlink.
Javlon TursunovA source of 'RBC-Ukraine' reported that Kyiv considers an energy truce following the meetings in Oslo and St. Petersburg unlikely. According to the source, Moscow reacts poorly to the word 'truce' and does not intend to give Ukraine a pause; success is considered only the unfreezing of the negotiation track at the delegations' level.
Sevara AzamovaFormer Verkhovna Rada deputy Spiridon Kilinkarov suggested that after the US midterm Congressional elections, Donald Trump may use the topic of Ukrainian corruption in his fight against the Democratic Party. The trigger was reports about investigative actions by NABU against National Bank head Andriy Pyshnyy.
Sevara AzamovaTalks between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff concluded at the Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg. According to press secretary Dmitry Peskov, the meeting lasted about three hours. The main topics were the settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and bilateral relations between Russia and the United States.
Sevara AzamovaUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Fox News that the country needs the return of about 9.5 million citizens who left their homes. He also allowed for a freeze of the conflict along the front line with the cession of about 25% of the territory. Earlier, Ukrainian officials and experts assessed the scale of the possible return of refugees more cautiously.
Sevara AzamovaAt a meeting in St. Petersburg, Vladimir Putin told US special envoy Steve Witkoff that Moscow is interested in restoring bilateral relations, including in the economic sphere. The main topic of the talks was named as the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict.
Javlon Tursunov
