Russian forces conducted a series of drone and missile strikes against Ukraine on the night of October 15 and 16.
U.S. contractors, not Ukrainian troops, would likely operate and maintain Tomahawk cruise missiles if they are supplied to Ukraine, - FT
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched 320 Shahed-type, Gerbera-type, and other drones, including 200 Shahed-type drones, from the directions of Kursk and Oryol cities; Shatalovo, Smolensk Oblast; Millerovo, Rostov Oblast; and Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Krai.[103] The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched two Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles from the airspace over Ryazan Oblast; 26 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles from Kursk and Voronezh Oblasts and occupied Crimea; two Iskander-K cruise missiles from Rostov Oblast and occupied Crimea, and seven Kh-59 cruise missiles from an unspecified location. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces downed 283 drones and five Kh-59 cruise missiles and that 18 missiles were “lost,” likely due to Ukrainian electronic warfare (EW) interference. The Ukrainian Air Force announced that 14 missiles and 37 drones struck 14 locations and that drone and missile debris fell in two locations. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces primarily targeted Poltava and Kharkiv oblasts. Ukrainian outlets reported that the Russian strikes damaged civilian infrastructure and a logistics warehouse in Chernihiv Oblast.[104] A Ukrainian official reported that Russian forces struck Kharkiv Oblast with Molniya drones. [105]
Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, reported on October 16 that Russian strikes left roughly 5,000 consumers in Poltava Oblast without power.[106] Ukrainian state electricity transmission operator Ukrenergo reported that Russian strikes left consumers in several oblasts without power and noted that Russian strikes have previously forced Ukrainian authorities to launch emergency shutdowns in Kyiv City and Oblast and Sumy, Kharkiv, Poltava, Zaporizhia, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, and Cherkasy oblasts.[107]
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Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces downed 283 drones and five Kh-59 cruise missiles and that 18 missiles were “lost,” likely due to Ukrainian electronic warfare (EW) interference
Russian forces are reportedly adapting their long-range drone and missile strike tactics targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure in an attempt to disrupt the Ukrainian power system on a large scale. Ukrainian outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported on October 16 that Russia relied on "carpet bombing" in Winter 2022-2023, striking various targets throughout Ukraine with a high quantity of drones and missiles, but is now using "piecemeal" tactics to target Ukrainian energy infrastructure oblast by oblast.[22] Ukrainska Pravda stated that Russian forces are targeting frontline and border areas, conducting localized strikes against Sumy and Chernihiv oblasts while also regularly but less intensely striking Kharkiv, Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts. Russia is reportedly trying to destroy both local energy generation capabilities and delivery and distribution systems by attacking substations. Ukrainska Pravda reported that Russian forces primarily used drones for these purposes in August and September 2025, launching 10 to 40 drones against one target in a single wave. Russian forces are reportedly now deploying a series of waves with several drones every hour and then subsequently conducting massive missile strikes. Ukrainska Pravda stated that Russia aims to create a blackout in Ukraine by creating a power deficit in eastern Ukraine, where consumption is typically higher and where Russian forces have destroyed almost all local generation capabilities, while gradually stopping the flow of electricity from west to east. One source told Ukrainska Pravda that the number of drones Russia is launching against each target is making defense difficult and that a single precise hit is enough to disable a power plant's power unit. A manager of a Ukrainian energy company reportedly stated that Russia also aims to disrupt Ukraine's gas sector such that Ukraine cannot reliably supply fuel to generate electricity and heat.
Recent Russian drone technological adaptations are likely facilitating Russia's strike campaign against Ukraine's energy sector. Russian sources recently published footage of a Russian strike in Chernihiv Oblast with an MS variant of the Shahed drone, which reportedly includes a thermal imaging camera and video stream and has a range of up to 200 kilometers.[23] Russia is also reportedly using thermobaric warheads on its Shahed drones, allowing Russian strikes to destroy facilities even in hardened shelters like the ones Ukraine is installing to protect energy facilities.[24] Russian strikes targeting power infrastructure in frontline areas, particularly Sumy and Chernihiv oblasts, may aim to achieve some battlefield effects by forcing Ukrainian forces operating in the area to rely on generators, creating vulnerabilities to further Russian strikes. Generators require large and reliable supplies of fuel, and Russia's widespread campaign to strike Ukrainian ground lines of communication (GLOCs) could inhibit Ukraine's ability to rely on generators at scale near the line of contact.[25]
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Trump: I did actually say to Putin, would you mind if I gave a couple thousand tomahawks to Ukraine? He did not like the idea.
TACO
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone on October 16. Trump stated that the two leaders had a "very productive" call and that the two largely discussed potential bilateral economic prospects to pursue after a resolution to the war in Ukraine.[1] Trump stated that the two agreed that there will be a high-level advisor meeting at an unspecified date next week (between October 19 and 25) and an unspecified location with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the US delegation. Trump stated that he and Putin will then meet in Budapest to discuss a resolution to the war. Trump noted that he will discuss the contents of his October 16 phone call with Putin with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during Zelensky’s visit to Washington on October 17. Trump told reporters on October 16 that he will be meeting with Putin in "two weeks or so" and that Rubio will be meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov "pretty soon."[2] Trump suggested that he, Zelensky, and Putin may coordinate "separate but equal" meetings.[3] Trump stated that Putin "really did not like the idea" of the United States sending "a couple thousand Tomahawks" to Ukraine when Trump raised the question.[4]
Russian Presidential Aide Yuriy Ushakov attempted to obfuscate Russia's deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in his statement on the October 16 Trump-Putin call. Ushakov claimed that the Trump-Putin call discussed how Ukrainian forces are allegedly using "terrorist methods" to strike civilian and energy infrastructure in Russia since Russia maintains the strategic initiative on the battlefield.[5] Ushakov claimed that the Ukrainian strikes are "forcing" Russia to respond "accordingly." Ukraine’s recent long-range strike campaign is targeting Russia's energy sector in order to degrade Russia’s capacity to fund its war against Ukraine and to fuel its fighting forces[6] Russian forces, in contrast, have been deliberately targeting Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure, including by conducting first-person view (FPV) drone strikes systematically targeting civilians in Kherson Oblast since late 2023, long predating Ukraine’s recent long-range strike campaign against Russian energy[7] Open-source investigative outlet Tochnyi reported on September 28 that Russian drone strikes have resulted in 2,877 Ukrainian civilian casualties in Kherson City alone since 2023.[8]
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- US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone on October 16.
- Russian Presidential Aide Yuriy Ushakov attempted to obfuscate Russia's deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in his statement on the October 16 Trump-Putin call.
- Russia is intentionally muddying the information space with false flag claims and information operations in an attempt to generate cover for overt and covert attacks against Europe in the past several years, including the recent Russian drone incursions into NATO airspace.
- Russian forces are reportedly using North Korean forces operating in Russia in ways that will allow North Korean forces to take battlefield lessons learned back to North Korea.
- Russian forces are reportedly adapting their long-range drone and missile strike tactics targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure in an attempt to disrupt the Ukrainian power system on a large scale.
- Ukraine’s European partners announced new military assistance for Ukraine at the October 15 Ukraine Defense Contact Group (the Ramstein Format) meeting.
- Russian forces advanced near Velykomykhailivka and in eastern Zaporizhia Oblast.
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General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Operational information as of 22:00 on October 16, 2025 regarding the Russian invasion
The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the advance of the occupying forces.
A total of 146 combat engagements have taken place so far. Today, the terrorist state launched one missile and 63 air strikes, used 37 missiles, and dropped 125 guided bombs. In addition, the invaders used 2,372 kamikaze drones and carried out 3,301 shelling attacks on the positions of our troops and populated areas.
- In the North Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, the enemy carried out two attacks on the positions of our defenders. In addition, it carried out seven air strikes, dropped 19 guided bombs, and carried out 182 shelling attacks, including 20 from multiple launch rocket systems.
- Today, the enemy attacked 14 times in the South Slobozhanskyi direction near Vovchansk, Vovchanski Khutory, Kamianka, and in the direction of Kolodiazne, Bologivka, and Kutkivka. Two combat clashes are still ongoing.
- The aggressor attempted to advance on our positions in the Kupiansk direction in the areas of the settlements of Petropavlivka, Pishchane, Boguslavka, and in the direction of Kurylivka and Borova 11 times.
- In the Lyman direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled ten Russian attacks today. The enemy advanced in the areas of the settlements of Derylove, Ridkodub, Torske, Kolodyazi, Zarichne, and in the directions of the settlements of Druzhlyubivka and Lyman. Three combat clashes are still ongoing.
- Ukrainian soldiers repelled three enemy attacks in the Sloviansk direction. Occupying forces attempted to advance in the areas of the settlements of Serebryanka and Yampil. One battle is still ongoing.
- The enemy did not conduct any offensive operations in the Kramatorsk direction.
- In the Kostyantynivka direction, our troops repelled 16 enemy attacks today in the areas of the settlements of Shcherbinivka, Pleshchiivka, Rusyn Yar, and in the direction of Kostyantynivka, Stepanivka, and Sofiivka.
- In the Pokrovsk direction, the aggressor attacked our positions 42 times during the day in the areas of the settlements of Shakhov, Nikanorivka, Volodymyrivka, Dorozhne, Chervonyi Lyman, Novoekonomichne, Rodynske, Pokrovsk, Zvirove, Kotlyne, Lysivka, Udachne, Filia, and in the direction of Myrnohrad, Novopavlivka, Bilytske, and Balagan. Two attacks are still ongoing.
According to preliminary estimates, today in the Pokrovsk direction, the occupiers lost 153 people — killed and wounded. Our soldiers destroyed two tanks, one artillery system, 21 unmanned aerial vehicles, two UAV control points, four vehicles, and one piece of special equipment. They also hit three vehicles, one piece of special equipment, three artillery systems, three UAV control points, and 12 shelters for enemy personnel.
- In the Oleksandrivka direction, our defenders have already repelled 20 enemy attacks near the settlements of Zelenyi Hai, Novokhatsk, Sichneve, Sosnivka, Verbove, Novomykolaivka, Ivanivka, Oleksandrograd, and Novohryhorivka. Two more combat clashes are still ongoing.
- In the Huliaipole direction, the enemy attacked the positions of our defenders five times in the areas of the settlements of Poltavka and Malynivka. Four combat clashes are still ongoing. The settlement of Zaliznychne was subjected to an air strike.
- In the Orikhiv direction, the enemy carried out one unsuccessful offensive action in the Steppove area.
- In the Dnipro direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled three attacks by the occupiers. Kozatske was subjected to an air strike.
Today, we should note the soldiers of the 40th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade, who are effectively destroying the enemy, inflicting significant losses in manpower and equipment.
- The X post recirculates a February 2024 clip from Erik Prince's "Off Leash" podcast, where he explicitly endorses US "colonialism" by urging America to "put the imperial hat back on" and govern nations in Africa and Latin America unable to self-govern, framing it as a migration and security fix.
- Prince, founder of the scandal-plagued Blackwater (rebranded Academi after the 2007 Nisour Square massacre killing 17 Iraqi civilians), has repeatedly pitched privatized US military ventures, including a 2018 UN proposal to outsource Afghanistan stabilization to contractors for $10 billion annually.
- Posted amid 2025 US political tensions, including government shutdown threats, the clip draws sharp backlash in replies for ignoring domestic failures while evoking historical imperialism's resource extraction, with users linking Prince's views to Trump-era influences given his advisory role in 2016-2020.
