During the Ukrainian UAV attack on Crimea today, a Russian Su-30SM fighter involved in air defence operations crashed after it was hit by friendly fire. Russian VKS-affiliated channel Fighterbomber confirmed the reports, stating that the crew survived and is safe.

Ukrainian drones from the "Lasar" drone group of the National Guard hit and destroyed the Russian BM-30 Smerch launcher that targeted Peresadivka, Mykolaiv Oblast last night.

A reconnaissance drone monitored the launches of Smerch rockets, before relaying the coordinates of its relocated position to drone crews who subsequently struck it.

Coordinates: 46.325527, 32.735003 (~30 km from the frontline).

KAB glide-bomb to Sumy City.

Explosion in Sumy

Recently, the situation east of Kostyantynivka has become very mixed and complicated as Russian forces attempt to consolidate outside the city and begin entering the more built-up area.

As a result, I have decided to add a very large grey zone, where Russian and Ukrainian positions are mixed and layered, often operationally encircling each other. This map below shows areas where Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have been recorded, although this doesn't necessarily show consolidation. In the future, once the situation clears up and one side clearly regains the initiative, the map will be updated to show additional control zones. But for now, it will look something like this.

This has happened due to the large open areas here, with limited cover from treelines and individual, isolated buildings. Additionally, Ukraine's manpower shortages have forced them to resort to increased drone usage. Kostyantynivka provides practically endless hiding spots for drone operators, while Russia has Chasiv Yar and the surrounding forests and villages to use for this. Both Russian and Ukrainian soldiers are operating in small assault groups of usually 2-4 people, clearing each other out of their positions. A similar situation was observed (and still is to some extent) in the Dobropillya direction.

Meanwhile, extensive preparatory bombing and shelling continues on Kostyantynivka, primarily targeting its eastern districts, ahead of the Russian storming operation on the city.

In the Hulyaipole direction, Russian forces continued to advance over the last week, and have captured the rest of Poltavka.

After crossing the Yanchur River and securing a bridgehead on its western bank, Russian forces pushed further under heavy drone and artillery cover, expanding their zone of control to the northern outskirts of Poltavka. Other forces advanced south, linking up with the formations north of Malynivka.

Additionally, the Russians improved their positions north of Malynivka, capturing the rest of the forests there and beginning a push west of Poltavka. However, the arrival of Ukrainian reinforcements has slowed their advance, and counterattacks will likely begin in the near future.

+ ~4.55 km² in favour of Russia.

In the Pokrovske direction, Russian forces continued their offensive operations, and have made significant progress in three areas.

In the southwest, Russian forces broke through from Verbove to the village of Pryvillya. They moved downhill and southwest from the treelines on the tactical heights, establishing control over positions east of Pryvillya, before entering and capturing the village itself. Further east, they captured most of the rest of the tactical heights and began clearing more areas in the low-lying ground northwest of Novohryhorivka.

To the northwest, after capturing Oleksiivka, Russian forces continued pushing through the treelines southeast of the village, and levelled the frontline towards the southern bank of the Vovcha River. They also began advancing up the treelines west of Sosnivka, attempting to reach the intersection of the Vovcha and Vorona Rivers.

Further east, Russian forces were able to re-enter the village of Novoselivka. They established control over the northern part and are now engaged in fierce fighting for the southern streets.

+ ~39.69 km² in favour of Russia.

A short time ago, one Russian Iskander-M ballistic missile launched from near Bryansk City impacted the vicinity of Koryukivka, Chernihiv Oblast.

High-resolution satellite imagery published by Ukrainian outlet Radio Svoboda of the Feodosia Oil Depot in Crimea shows the extent of the damage from repeated Ukrainian UAV attacks.

As a result of the recent attacks on October 7 and October 13, 11 oil tanks were destroyed and 4 others sustained varying levels of damage.

2 Tu-95MS Russian strategic bombers have redeployed from Ukrainka Airbase, Amur Oblast, to Olenya Airbase, Murmansk Oblast, after being equipped with Kh-101 cruise missiles.

At least 1 Tu-95MS strategic bomber is redeploying from Ukrainka Airbase to Engels-2 Airbase, Saratov Oblast.

The movements, plus additional information, suggest that there increased possibility for a large-scale, combined missile and drone attack tonight, however nothing is certain at this moment.

I will continue to provide updates today and inform if anything changes.

UKTMO reports that a ship operating 116 Nautical Miles east of Aden, Yemen, has been hit by an unknown projectile, resulting in a fire.

Earlier, there were reports that a Cameroon-flagged tanker experienced an explosion, with the crew requesting to abandon the ship. Rescue operations are currently ongoing, and an investigation is underway.

A reconnaissance drone is operating off the coast of Odesa City. It has been in that general area for the past 2 hours.

The target of the Iskander missile earlier was also attacked by several MLRS rockets and Geran-2 drones. A reconnaissance drone was operating there, filming the strikes, so we will probably get a video of the strikes soon.

In the Novopavlivka direction, Russian forces continued their assault operations south of Novopavlivka and have expanded their bridgehead on the northern bank of the Vovcha River.

After establishing control over Filiya and beginning attacks east of the settlement, Russian forces began making quicker progress towards encircling the remaining Ukrainian formations stationed to the south near Dachne. They advanced uphill from the eastern approaches to Filiya, moving along two treelines to the trench strongpoints west of the highway. These strongpoints were then captured, threatening the encirclement of the Ukrainian forces to the south.

+ ~3.08 km² in favour of Russia.

On the western flank of Pokrovsk, Ukrainian forces counterattacked, re-establishing control over the Pokrovsk Coal Mine.

Following the Russian assault groups entering and establishing themselves in the eastern buildings of the mine complex, Ukrainian forces began counterattacking. They first covered the Russian positions with FPV drones, preventing accumulation of infantry, and struck any reinforcements arriving from the south. Assault groups then moved in from the western part of the mine and cleared the positions from the surviving Russian soldiers. A grey zone has now formed up to the anti-tank ditch north of Udachne.

+ ~0.83 km² in favour of Ukraine.

In the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces intensified their assault operations in and around Pokrovsk and have made additional progress in three different areas.

In the southeast, Russian forces consolidated along the railway line north of Chunyshyne and entered the village of Novopavlivka. They advanced east down the main street, capturing most of the village and pushing the Ukrainians to the northeastern houses.

In southern Pokrovsk, Russian forces were able to consolidate in the high-rise buildings of the Shakhtarskyi District and began infiltrating north of the E-50 highway, into the Prospecta, Sobachivka,and Hospital Districts. Assault operations also continued in the high-rise buildings of the Pivdennyi and Soniachnyi Districts, as well as towards Yuvileynyy Park.

Further northwest, Russian forces captured the rest of the industrial zone in western Pokrovsk, and re-established control over positions in the Durniak and Pervomaika Districts. Deep infiltrations are now taking place from here, with Russian soldiers and DRGs crossing the railway line into the northwestern factory districts, and into the city centre towards the railway station. Assault operations also continued towards the Prospecta District from the east and deeper into the Market District.

+ ~4.15 km² in favour of Russia.

In the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces continued to attack the approaches to Myrnohrad, and have made progress in two different areas.

In the north, Russian forces advanced from Novoekonomichne to the Kapitalna Mine. They were able to capture the mine along with the positions to the north and begin pushing towards northeastern Myrnohrad. The Russians then secured the forested areas east of the tributary of the Kazenyi Torets River and entered the industrial zone on the edge of the city. Additionally, they were able to advance west of this tributary, pushing from the area of the terkyons to the treelines directly north of Myrnohrad, forcing the Ukrainians to withdraw to the railway line.

In the south, Russian forces improved their positions in Kozatske, capturing the central part of the village, and entering its southern houses. This partially secures the southern flank of the formations that managed to enter the first houses of Myrnohrad.

+ ~6.30 km² in favour of Russia.

On the northeastern flank of Kostyantynivka, Russian forces continued to advance towards Markove and have expanded their bridgehead on the western bank of the Siverskyi Donets Canal.

Russian forces advanced from their positions in the treelines and trench fortifications east of the canal, establishing control over new trenches and dugouts in and around the windbreak that runs parallel with the canal. The grey zone has also expanded to the adjacent treelines leading towards Markove and Novomarkove.

+ ~0.29 km² in favour of Russia.

In the Lyman direction, Russian forces continued their offensive operations towards Lyman and have made progress in three different areas.

In the southeast, Russian forces cleared the grey zone in southern and central Yampil, refocusing their efforts on the southwestern part of the village where both sides are attacking each other's positions.

To the west, Russian forces broke through Ukrainian positions south of the railway line and linked up with formations in northwestern Yampil. They were able to clear a large part of the Yampil forest, allowing for further assault operations to take place to the southwest in the direction of the Lyman - Siversk Highway. The Russians also advanced along the railway line towards eastern Lyman, capturing more positions in the forests there and to the south of the tracks.

Additionally, Russian forces cleared the rest of the salient that formed south of Zarichne by attacking from the northeast and southeast. They then pushed further west along multiple attack vectors in conjunction with the attacks along the railway line.

In the north, Russian forces continued to slowly advance along the forested gulley west of Zarichne. They captured new positions towards the western half of the gulley and are repelling additional Ukrainian counterattacks there. Russian forces are also attempting to improve their positions in the treelines northwest of Zarichne, while the Ukrainians have shifted their focus away from the agricultural buildings on the northwestern outskirts of Zarichne, to the area of Slovyanska Street.

+ ~10.25 km² in favour of Russia.

A short time ago, a Russian Grom-E1 rocket-powered glide-bomb launched from a Su-34 in southwestern Donetsk Oblast impacted the Lozova area of Kharkiv Oblast. The flight length was 120 - 140 km.