Victorious news of 602nd day of war: explosions in Russia, Ukrainian forces advance on frontline 

Ukraine's Security Service strikes with drones at Russian field camp in Kursk region

On the night of October 18, the Security Service of Ukraine targeted a Russian military camp near the Khalino airfield in the Kursk region of Russia with drones.

This was reported by Babel, RBC-Ukraine, and Ukrainska Pravda, citing their own sources in the Security Service of Ukraine.

It is noted that up to 3,000 Russian troops and about 80 pieces of military equipment were stationed near the village of Postoyalye Dvory, near the Khalino military airfield.

According to the sources, at least 18 hits by Security Service of Ukraine drones on the camp were recorded.

Shootings on Instytutska Street in 2014: court sentences five ex-Berkut members

On October 18, the Sviatoshynskyi District Court of Kyiv handed down a verdict against the ex-Berkut members in the case of the shootings on Instytutska Street on 20 February 2014. 

This was reported by Espreso correspondent Dmytro Didora from the courtroom.

The case involves five former members of a special company of the Kyiv regiment of special police, Berkut, including deputy commander Oleh Yanishevskyi, as well as policemen Pavlo Abroskin, Serhiy Zinchenko, Serhiy Tamtura and Oleksandr Marynchenko.

They were charged with the murder of 48 people and the wounding of at least 80 Ukrainians on Instytutska Street in Kyiv on 20 February 2014.

The court announced the verdicts today:

• Oleh Yanishevskyi, the deputy commander of the regiment, was sentenced to life imprisonment and deprived of the rank of 'lieutenant colonel of police'.
• Pavlo Abroskin, a special forces officer, was sentenced to 15 years with a three-year disqualification to hold office.
• Serhiy Zinchenko was also sentenced to 15 years with a three-year disqualification from holding office and stripped of his rank.
• Oleksandr Marynchenko was sentenced to 5 years in prison.
• Serhiy Tamtura was acquitted.

In December 2019, Yanishevsky, Abroskin and Zinchenko were transferred to Russia as part of a prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia, where they remain to this day. Their lawyer said he would appeal the verdict against his three clients.

Marinchenko has already served his sentence in a pre-trial detention center, where his stay is counted as a day for two. 

The Ministry of Defense has adopted three modifications of Leopard tanks for the Armed Forces of Ukraine

This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Defense.

In particular, we are talking about Leopard 2A6, Leopard 2A5 and Leopard 1A5.

It is noted that the relevant orders were signed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

"Ukraine received these tanks from its Western partners, and they have proven themselves in combat. By accepting these tanks into service, the ministry is declaring its long-term intention to have modern and high-tech weapons," the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The Leopard tanks of the 2A6, 2A5 and 1A5 modifications are designed to break through fortified enemy positions, destroy enemy firing points, equipment and manpower, and quickly organize defensive lines.

Ukrainian Armed Forces advance north of Kurdyumivka

Andriy Babichev, a soldier with the 93rd Brigade from the Bakhmut sector, said that Russia would have to withdraw from Kurdyumivka.

He said this on the Espreso TV channel.

"Infantry fighting continues in the Bakhmut sector. It is the infantry who are fighting between Klishchiyivka and Kurdyumivka. Heavy equipment is not used on either side. If the equipment gets into the sights of artillery, it is immediately destroyed. Defense forces have made good progress north of Kurdiumivka. The Ukrainian Armed Forces already control the two main roads leading to Kurdyumivka from the north and south. It is now much more difficult for Russian enemy to bring in ammunition and replenish personnel. The enemy will have to withdraw from Kurdyumivka," Babichev stressed.

The serviceman of the 93rd Brigade also added that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are advancing in the area between Andriivka and Klishchiyivka.

"We have already broken into the enemy's defenses, and the nearest road is just over 2 km away. But Russia is not going to withdraw. They are biting into every forest belt and digging holes for themselves. It is difficult to get them out of there with artillery. All hope is on our infantry, who are storming these forest belts," said Babichev.

Lutsk resident receives prestigious international award in mathematics

Kateryna Pozharska from Lutsk received the Joseph F. Traub Information-Based Complexity Young Researcher Award 2023.

This was reported on the website of the Faculty of Information Technology and Mathematics of Volyn National University.

The Joseph F. Traub Information-Based Complexity Young Researcher Award 2023 was presented to Kateryna Pozharska for her significant contribution to the theory of information complexity. It is worth noting that the award is given annually to only one young mathematician in the world who has not yet reached the age of 35.

The woman from Lutsk was awarded a thousand dollar prize and a plaque.

Kateryna Pozharska graduated from Volyn National University. She currently works as a researcher at the Department of Function Theory at the Institute of Mathematics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and is also a postdoctoral researcher in Chemnitz, Germany.

A powerful explosion occurred in Sevastopol

The explosion was reported at around 5:35 p.m. by the pro-Ukrainian Telegram channel Crimean Wind.

"A loud explosion was heard in all districts of Sevastopol. After that, the air raid siren was activated," the message reads.

According to another Telegram channel, the hit was in the area of Sakharna Holovka, where a military unit of the occupying Russian forces is located.