Summary
That’s it for today’s Ukraine live blog. Thank you for reading. Here’s a review of what happened:
A barrage of Russian missiles struck hydroelectric plants, as well as other critical energy and water infrastructure across Ukraine. Russia said it struck military and energy infrastructure targets, but Ukraine said its military facilities were not targeted.
Large parts of Kyiv were left without power or water. The Ukrainian capital’s mayor said 40 percent of residents do not have water, with 270,000 apartments without power as of Monday evening.
Twelve grain export ships left from Ukraine despite Russia’s decision to pull out of the Black Sea grain deal, Ukraine’s minister of infrastructure said. The UN also confirmed the first of 40 planned ship inspections was completed in Istanbul waters.
Moscow called ship movements through the Black Sea security corridor “unacceptable”. In a statement, the Russian defence ministry said it wants “commitments” from Ukraine not to use the Black Sea grain corridor for military purposes, adding “there can be no question of guaranteeing the security of any object” in the area until then.
The UN disputed Moscow’s claim that a civilian cargo ship carrying Ukrainian grain may have been involved in a drone strike against Russia. UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said no such ships were in the Black Sea’s designated “safe zone” corridor at the time Russia said the attack had taken place.
France is working towards allowing Ukrainian food exports to go through land routes rather than the Black Sea.
Russia dismisses reports that its agents hacked Liz Truss’s phone and gained access to sensitive information. The Kremlin responded to the report by saying there was little that could be taken seriously in the British media.
Norway put its military on a raised level of alert to enhance its response to the war in Ukraine, though prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre said no direct threat of invasion was detected from Russia.
Russia wants Ukraine's 'commitments' not to use Black Sea grain corridor for military purposes
Russia said it wants “commitments” from Ukraine not to use the Black Sea grain corridor for military purposes, the Russian defence ministry said on Monday
“Under the current conditions, there can be no question of guaranteeing the security of any object in the area until the Ukrainian side accepts additional obligations not to use this route for military purposes,” the ministry said on Telegram.
The ministry further requested the “assistance of an international organisation” in “obtaining guarantees” that Ukraine will not use the the corridor and ports designated for agricultural exports to conduct “military operations” against Russia.
The ministry further specified Moscow did not outright withdraw from the UN-brokered Black Sea grain initiative, but suspended its participation.
Forty percent of Kyiv residents are left without water, the Ukrainian capital’s mayor said Monday evening.
“As of this hour, 270,000 apartments in the capital are without electricity,” Kyiv mayor Vitaliy Klitschko announced via Telegram. “And 40 percent of the capital’s consumers are without water.”
That morning, he said, 80 percent of residents lacked water supply and 350,000 apartments did not have power.
Klitschko said specialists from water supply company Kyivvodokanal were “working to stabilise the operation of water stations as soon as possible.” While engineers plan to restore the electrical supply Monday night, outages are expected to continue.
Russian missiles struck critical energy and water infrastructure across Ukraine earlier today, leaving behind power outages and limited water supply in large parts of Kyiv.
Russia calls vessel movement in Black Sea corridor 'unacceptable'
Russia has said it is “unacceptable” for ships to resume passing through a Black Sea security corridor after Moscow suspended its participation in the UN-brokered Black Sea grain initiative, Reuters reports.
“The movement of ships along the security corridor is unacceptable, since the Ukrainian leadership and the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine use it to conduct military operations against the Russian Federation,” the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
Updated
UN dismisses Russia's claim about grain ship being involved in Black Sea attack
The UN on Monday rejected Moscow’s claim that a civilian cargo ship carrying Ukrainian grain may have been implicated in a drone strike against Russia, AFP reports.
Martin Griffiths, the head of the UN humanitarian agency, told the security council in New York that no such ships were in the maritime corridor “safe zone” in the Black Sea at the time Russia said the attack had taken place.
“No vessel reported an incident over the weekend,” Griffiths said.
“The corridor is just lines on a chart: when initiative vessels are not in the area, the corridor has no special status,” he added. “It provides neither cover nor protection for offensive or defensive military action.”
Moscow withdrew from the UN-brokered Black Sea grain initiative on Sunday after reporting its Black Sea fleet in Crimea had been targeted by a drone attack, accusations the Russian ambassador reiterated to the security council.
Russia’s defence ministry said one of the drones may have been launched “from aboard one of the civilian ships chartered by Kyiv or its western masters for the export of agricultural products from the seaports of Ukraine”.
Updated
Here are the latest pictures from Kyiv after Russian strikes further damaged energy infrastructure. The city faced additional blackouts, with large areas left without water.
Updated
The Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) has called for Iran to be excluded from the 2022 Fifa World Cup.
Its executive committee filed the request citing Iran’s history of human rights violations, and the alleged involvement of Iran in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russia has already been banned from the competition.
The World Cup begins on 20 November, and Iran’s first match is against England the following day.
If the country were to get banned from the competition, Ukraine could be called up as a replacement team after it initially failed to qualify.
A statement from the UAF reads:
The UAF Executive Committee decided, taking into account media information about systematic human rights violations in Iran, which may violate the principles and norms of the FIFA Statutes, taking into account the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 regarding the imposition of sanctions on Iran and the possible involvement of Iran in the military aggression of Russia against Ukraine, to make a request to the FIFA to consider excluding the Iranian national team from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Updated
Summary
It has just gone 7pm in Kyiv – here’s where thing stand.
A wave of Russian missiles struck hydroelectric plants and other critical energy and water infrastructure across Ukraine with explosions reported near the capital, and in at least 10 other regions this morning.
Russia says its troops struck military and energy infrastructure targets in “high precision strikes”, however Ukraine says its military facilities were not targeted, and it had shot down 44 out of 50 enemy rockets.
A Ukrainian energy company says it is running out of equipment to repair the damaged infrastructure. DTEK was able to buy some spare parts to fix the power lines but needs millions of dollars more to restore the network, its executive director said.
Putin is “exacting vengeance” for military failures through fresh strikes on Ukraine and the withdrawal from the Black Sea export deal, the UK’s foreign secretary says. James Cleverly urged Russia to reconsider participating in the grain deal, adding it would be unconscionable for people to suffer because of Putin’s setbacks on the battlefield.
France is working to allow Ukraine to export food supplies via land routes rather than by the Black Sea. After Russia withdrew from the crucial grain export deal over the weekend, France’s agriculture ministry said it was looking at transportation through Poland or Romania instead.
Meanwhile Turkey says it will continue its efforts to support the deal in an effort to “serve humanity”. The UN confirmed the first of 40 planned ship inspections had been completed in Istanbul waters on Monday, with a team of only UN and Turkish members, rather than the previous four-member teams including Russians and Ukrainians.
Russia dismisses reports that its agents hacked Liz Truss’s phone, and managed to gain access to sensitive information. When asked about the report, the Kremlin said there was little in British media that could be taken seriously:
Russia accuses Ukraine of undermining the Black Sea grain export deal following a drone attack on its fleet in Crimea. It argued the contract was now “hardly feasible” because the security of the shipment was unable to be guaranteed.
Norway put its military on a higher level of alert to sharpen its response to the war in Ukraine. The country will tighten its security from tomorrow weeks after it deployed its troops to guard offshore platforms and onshore facilities following the Nord Stream pipeline leak.
Russia announces its partial mobilisation, which had been used to send reinforcements into Ukraine, has ended. On 21 September, Putin announced a partial mobilisation – the first since the second world war – was a direct response to the dangers posed by the west.
Russia is 'exacting vengeance' for military failures with recent attacks, UK's foreign secretary says
Vladimir Putin is “exacting vengeance” for his military failures through fresh strikes on Ukraine and the withdrawal from the Black Sea export deal, the UK’s foreign secretary has said.
James Cleverly has urged Russia to reconsider participating in the grain deal, adding it would be unconscionable for people to suffer because of Putin’s setbacks on the battlefield.
None of Russia’s recent attacks served any military purpose, he added, describing Putin’s only aim as “spreading terror” across Ukraine.
“Putin will never break the spirit of the Ukrainian people,” the minister said.
Updated
A Ukrainian energy company has said it is running out of equipment to repair infrastructure damaged in Russian missile strikes.
DTEK was able to buy some spare parts to fix the power lines but needs millions of dollars more to restore the system after this morning’s attacks. One of its facilities sustained damage in the strike leading to severe power cuts across its network.
It executive director, Dmytro Sakharuk, said:
We have already used up the stockpiles of equipment which we had in our depots after the first two waves of attacks since 10 Oct.
Updated
Ukraine’s foreign ministry has criticised Russia’s decision to withdraw from the Black Sea grain export deal.
Spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said the move would lead to millions of people across Africa and Asia facing the threat of malnutrition, adding: “Don’t let Russia starve the world.”
Global prices for wheat have increased by 5% following Russia’s suspension of the grain deal. Millions in Africa and Asia will face malnutrition and hunger because of Moscow’s cruelty. Ukraine wants to continue grain exports to those in need. Don’t let Russia starve the world.
— Oleg Nikolenko (@OlegNikolenko_) October 31, 2022
Updated
Large parts of Kyiv without water and electricity after missile strikes
A barrage of Russian missile strikes has left large parts of Kyiv without water and electricity, after the rockets targeted critical civilian infrastructure earlier on Monday.
Footage released by Ukraine’s armed forces also showed its air defences intercepting Russian missiles with the country’s air command stating it shot down 44 out of 50 rockets fired by Russia.
The wave of strikes came after a sea drone attack on the Admiral Makarov, a flagship Russian Black Sea vessel, according to an examination of video footage.
Updated
Russian defence ministry: partial mobilisation is completed
Russia’s defence ministry has announced that the country’s partial mobilisation, which had been used to send reinforcements into Ukraine as part of what Russia terms a “special military operation”, has ended.
In a statement on behalf of the defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, the ministry said:
All activities related to conscription for military service by the military commissariats, together with the executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, of citizens in the reserve have been stopped.
Preparation and delivery of subpoenas are stopped.
Alert stations and headquarters, collection points for citizens of military commissariats, as well as buildings and structures allocated by decisions of the executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, used for partial mobilisation measures, are subject to release for functioning or use for their previous purpose.
Also, according to the instructions, all personnel of the military commissariats involved in ensuring partial mobilisation are ordered to return from 31 October of this year. to carry out their duties as usual.
In the future, the work of the military commissariats for recruiting the armed forces of the Russian Federation will be organised only by accepting volunteers and candidates for military service under the contract.
On 21 September, the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, announced a partial mobilisation in Russia as a significant escalation that placed the country’s people and economy on a wartime footing. In a highly anticipated televised address, Putin said Russia’s first mobilisation since the second world war was a direct response to the dangers posed by the west, which “wants to destroy our country”.
Shortly after Putin’s announcement, Shoigu said 300,000 Russians would be called up as part of the mobilisation, which would apply to “those with previous military experience”.
Updated
The prime minister of the Czech Republic has visited Ukraine, arriving in the capital shortly after it was struck by Russian missiles.
Petr Fiala shared a photo of himself and officials walking around Kyiv, and another shaking hands with the Ukrainian prime minister, Denys Shmyal.
“Ukrainians fight not only for their country, but for the whole of Europe. Our support must continue,” he tweeted.
Jsme v Kyjevě, který i dnes ráno čelil ruským raketovým útokům.
— Petr Fiala (@P_Fiala) October 31, 2022
Čeká nás řada jednání s ukrajinskými přáteli. Věřím, že přinesou konkrétní výsledky.
Ukrajinci bojují nejen za svoji zemi, ale za celou Evropu. Naše podpora musí vytrvat. pic.twitter.com/drCtOIE693
Srdečné přivítání s ukrajinským premiérem Denysem Šmyhalem. 🇨🇿🇺🇦
— Petr Fiala (@P_Fiala) October 31, 2022
Na mezivládním jednání mluvíme o hospodářské spolupráci, národní a mezinárodní podpoře a o poválečné obnově Ukrajiny. pic.twitter.com/eDA4PVCINB
Updated
The mayor of the Russian town of Labytnangi has shared photographs of local schoolchildren sewing clothing for soldiers fighting in Ukraine.
Marina Treskova said the pupils were sewing sets of clothes – including balaclavas and jumpers – for military personnel in “the special operation zone and training centres”.
Another update from the home front of the "special military operation":
— Francis Scarr (@francis_scarr) October 31, 2022
The mayor of Russia's Labytnangi declares proudly on social media that after lessons, local schoolchildren have been sewing sets of clothing for soldiers fighting in Ukrainehttps://t.co/7tBqegVf7X pic.twitter.com/CFQENIP3ng
Updated
Norway’s military will be put on a higher level of alert to sharpen its response to the war in Ukraine, its prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre has announced.
“This is the most severe situation in several decades. There are no indications that Russia is expanding its warfare to other countries, but the increased tensions make us more exposed to threats, intelligence operations, and influence campaigns,” he said.
The country will tighten its security from 1 November, weeks after it deployed its troops to guard offshore platforms and onshore facilities following the Nord Stream pipeline leak.
Amid the war, Norway has become the biggest exporter of natural gas to the European Union, accounting for about a quarter of the bloc’s imports.
Read more on the story here:
Updated
Russian troops struck military and energy infrastructure targets in “high precision strikes”, its defence ministry has said.
Ukraine announced a fresh wave of Russian missile attacks in major cities across the country, cutting off the water and power supply to residents.
“Russian armed forces continued strikes with high-precision long-range air and sea-based weapons against Ukraine’s military command and energy systems,” a statement from Russia’s defence ministry said. “The strike targets were achieved. All assigned objects have been hit.”
Ukraine said a number of missiles had been intercepted, but added Russia had targeted energy infrastructure and not its military facilities.
Updated
Russia accuses Ukraine of undermining Black Sea deal
Russia has accused Ukraine of undermining the Black Sea grain export deal following a drone attack on its fleet in Crimea.
It argued the contract was “hardly feasible” because the security of the shipment was unable to be guaranteed, but declined to comment under what circumstances it might rejoin.
The Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, said:
In conditions when Russia is talking about the impossibility of guaranteeing the safety of shipping in these areas, such a deal is hardly feasible, and takes on a different character.
Russia withdrew from the UN-brokered deal three months after it was signed, sparking worldwide criticism with Ukraine accusing it of “blackmailing the world with hunger”.
Updated
Russia has dismissed reports that its agents hacked Liz Truss’s phone, and managed to gain access to sensitive information.
It was claimed the breach was discovered when Truss, then the foreign secretary, was running for the Conservative leadership, but details were suppressed by the then-prime minister, Boris Johnson, and the cabinet secretary, Simon Case.
When asked about the report, the Kremlin said there was little in British media that could be taken seriously:
Unfortunately, there is a shortage of material in the British media that can be perceived as serious. And we treat such publications as the yellow press.
Read more on the story here:
Updated
Summary of the day so far …
Russia launched a wave of cruise missiles at hydroelectric dams and other critical infrastructure across Ukraine on Monday morning, with explosions reported near the capital, Kyiv, and in at least 10 other cities and regions. Ukraine’s air command said it shot down 44 out of 50 enemy rockets. Video footage suggested that several missiles were intercepted in the skies around Kyiv soon after 8am local time. Air raid sirens went off nationally, with citizens told to seek shelter.
The governor of Kyiv, Oleksiy Kuleba, said “massive shelling in the region” had damaged electricity and energy infrastructure. He said residents should expert emergency power cuts. He added: “There is currently one victim. We are clarifying the information.”
The cruise missiles were fired from Russian Tu-90 and T-60 aircraft flying north of the Caspian Sea and the Rostov region. They hit targets in Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv oblasts, as well as in the areas of Mikolaiv, Lviv, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad and Chernivtsi. In a statement on Facebook, Herman Halushchenko, Ukraine’s energy minister, described Monday morning’s attacks as “barbaric” and said: “Electric substations, hydropower and heat generation facilities were hit by rockets.”
Fragments from a Russian rocket, shot down by Ukrainian air defence, landed in Naslavcea, Moldova, damaging some houses and buildings, according to Moldova’s interior ministry.
Twelve grain export ships have left from Ukraine today, despite Russia pulling out of the Turkey-UN brokered grain deal, according to Ukraine’s minister of infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov.
Turkey will continue its efforts to support the Black Sea grain export deal despite Russian hesitancy, president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Monday after Russia suspended its participation in the initiative at the weekend.
France is working towards allowing Ukraine to export food supplies via land routes rather than by the Black Sea through Poland or Romania, the French farming minister, Marc Fesneau, said on Monday.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy claimed his forces repelled a “fierce offensive” by Russian troops in the eastern Donetsk region. “Today they stopped the fierce offensive actions of the enemy,” Zelenskiy said in his Sunday night address. “The Russian attack was repelled.” The fiercest fighting in Donetsk region has been around the towns of Bakhmut and Avdiivka.
That is it from me, Martin Belam, for now. I will be back with you later on. Zaina Alibhai will be with you shortly.
Updated
Russian state-owned news agency RIA is reporting that the governor of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, has announced a wave of nationalisations of organisations and individuals associated with Ukrainian authorities. It quotes a message from Sergei Aksyonov on Telegram stating:
I gave instructions on the nationalisation of the property of a number of organisations and individuals associated with the Kyiv regime located on the territory of the Republic of Crimea. The corresponding decision will be signed by me tomorrow, we will send the documents to the state council of the republic.
RIA reports he said that the list of objects subject to nationalisation was drawn up by a special anti-terrorist commission, and it includes a shipyard and construction facilities.
Updated
Here is one of the images that we have received of smoke over the skyline of Kyiv this morning following Russian missile strikes this morning.
Isobel Koshiw reports that fragments from a Russian rocket, shot down by Ukrainian air defence, landed in Naslavcea, Moldova, damaging some houses, and buildings, according to Moldova’s interior ministry.
She notes that this is “the first spillover since the war began”.
Fragments from a Russian rocket, shot down by Ukrainian air defense, landed in Naslavcea, Moldova, damaging some houses, buildings, according to Moldova's interior ministry. The first spillover since the war began. https://t.co/u45x7pkj80
— Isobel Koshiw (@IKoshiw) October 31, 2022
Very early in the war there were some explosions in Moldova’s breakaway Transnistria region on the east of the country. Here is a reminder on the situation there.
Updated
Kyiv’s city state administration has issued this map online of the locations residents can find their nearest pumping station to stock up on water. The red markers indicates pumps which are “temporarily out of service due to lack of electricity”.
Wave of Russian missiles hit critical infrastructure in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities
Luke Harding, Dan Sabbagh and Isobel Koshiw are in Ukraine for the Guardian. Here is their latest report on this morning’s attacks:
Russia launched a wave of cruise missiles at hydro electric dams and other critical infrastructure across Ukraine on Monday morning, with explosions reported near the capital, Kyiv, and in at least 10 other cities and regions.
Ukraine’s air command said it shot down 44 out of 50 enemy rockets. Video footage suggested several missiles were intercepted in the skies around Kyiv soon after 8am local time. Air raid sirens went off nationally, with citizens told to seek shelter.
But others penetrated Ukraine’s defences. The governor of Kyiv, Oleksiy Kuleba, said “massive shelling in the region” had damaged electricity and energy infrastructure. He said residents should expect emergency power cuts. He added: “There is currently one victim. We are clarifying the information.”
The cruise missiles were fired from Russian Tu-90 and T-60 aircraft flying north of the Caspian Sea and the Rostov region. They hit targets in the Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv oblasts, as well as in the areas of Mikolaiv, Lviv, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad and Chernivtsi.
Hyrdoelectric power stations were among the targets hit by Russia this morning, according to Herman Halushchenko, Ukraine’s energy minister. In a statement on Facebook, Halushchenko described it as “another barbaric attack”, adding that “electric substations, hydropower and heat generation facilities were hit by rockets”.
As a result, scheduled partial blackouts and emergency blackouts have been introduced in Kyiv, Cherkasy, Zaporizhzhia, Cherkasy, Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, and Poltava regions, he said.
Updated
Turkey will continue its efforts to support the Black Sea grain export deal despite Russian hesitancy, president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Monday after Russia suspended its participation in the initiative at the weekend.
“Even if Russia behaves hesitantly because it didn’t receive the same benefits, we will continue decisively our efforts to serve humanity,” Reuters reports Erdogan said in a speech.
Separately, a UN spokesperson said the first of 40 planned ship inspections on Monday had been completed in Istanbul waters with a team of only UN and Turkish members, rather than the previous four-member teams including Russians and Ukrainians before Moscow’s suspension.
Updated
Ihor Terekhov, mayor of Kharkiv, has made this report to residents via Telegram, informing them:
After the morning arrivals, the situation in Kharkiv is rather complicated. The blow fell on a critical infrastructure facility, as a result of which the subway and ground electric transport were de-energised. At the moment, we have managed to launch the Kholodnogorsko-Zavodskaya line, and we have replaced trolleybuses and trams with buses.
There are also problems with water supply, but power engineers and our public utilities are doing everything possible to resume water supply to the homes of Kharkiv residents as soon as possible. All services are working to restore the normal life support of Kharkiv. Together we will stand and win.
Kyiv governor: one known victim of attack on Kyiv so far
Here is an image we’ve been sent from Kyiv this morning, showing people sheltering in a Metro station.
Oleksiy Kuleba, governor of Kyiv, issued this update shortly after 10am in Kyiv (8am GMT) saying:
Residents of Kyiv region! Due to massive shelling in the region, there is damage to the energy infrastructure. Part of the Kyiv region remains without electricity. Energy experts are already working on eliminating the consequences. Emergency power cuts are also introduced in the region. Prepare for long-term power outages. There is currently one victim, we are clarifying the information. There is also the destruction of private buildings. I urge everyone to whom blackouts do not apply to use electricity sparingly.
Updated
Twelve grain export ships have left from Ukraine today, despite Russia pulling out of the Turkey-UN brokered grain deal, according to Ukraine’s minister of infrastructure.
Oleksandr Kubrakov has tweeted to say:
Today 12 ships left Ukrainian ports. UN and Turkish delegations provide ten inspection teams to inspect 40 ships aiming to fulfil the Black Sea grain initiative. This inspection plan has been accepted by the Ukrainian delegation. The Russian delegation has been informed.
Maksym Kozytskyi, governor of Lviv, has given details of a rolling electricity cuts programme that is being introduced in the city. He has posted to Telegram to say:
Starting today, an hourly electricity blackout schedule will be introduced in Lviv oblast and throughout Ukraine. Lvivoblenergo specialists divided consumers of the region into 3 groups. All details are on the Lvivoblenergo website. Also, due to the attacks on critical infrastructure objects, which the terrorist state resorted to today, emergency power cuts are being introduced in Ukraine. I will report on the situation in Lviv oblast later.
Updated
France is working towards allowing Ukraine to export food supplies via land routes rather than by the Black Sea through Poland or Romania, the French farming minister said on Monday, after Russia withdrew from a crucial export deal amid its war with Ukraine.
“We are looking to see whether, if it cannot pass through the Black Sea, if it can instead pass through overland routes, in particular by looking at land routes through Romania and Poland,” Reuters reports agriculture minister Marc Fesneau told RMC Radio.
“We will continue to work towards a system which does not put us in the hands and the goodwill, or in this case the bad will, of Vladimir Putin,” said Fesneau.
Updated
Vitali Klitschko, mayor of Kyiv, has given an update on the power situation in the nation’s capital following a series of attacks from Russia this morning. He posted to Telegram to tell residents:
Power engineers are working to restore electricity supply after damage to an energy facility that powers about 350,000 apartments in Kyiv. Specialists, together with other emergency services and authorities are doing everything possible to stabilise the situation as soon as possible.
The US ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget A Brink, has confirmed that her and her staff are sheltering, tweeting:
Like millions of Ukrainians, our team is once again taking shelter as Russia continues its callous and barbaric missile strikes on the people of Ukraine in an effort to leave the country cold and dark as we approach winter.
Some Ukrainian authorities have maintained a grim sense of humour during the war, and this morning Vitaliy Kim, governor of Mykolaiv, has posted a small unverified video clip that appears to show a Russian missile executing a mid-air U-turn, with the message “One (only) of the missiles of the Russian Federation has critical and logical thinking. After weighing all the arguments and deciding not to commit a war crime, the rocket decided to return to its ‘home harbour’.”
Rohit Kachroo, global security editor at ITV News, reported earlier that he had heard eight explosions in Kyiv, and has posted a short video clip showing smoke rising over the city.
Filmed by ITV News this morning looking north from the centre of Kyiv: https://t.co/e21ZFk4UmL pic.twitter.com/PJPFxBiz8s
— Rohit Kachroo (@RohitKachrooITV) October 31, 2022
Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, has posted this about today’s attacks:
Another batch of Russian missiles hits Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. Instead of fighting on the battlefield, Russia fights civilians. Don’t justify these attacks by calling them a ‘response’. Russia does this because it still has the missiles and the will to kill Ukrainians.
Another batch of Russian missiles hits Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. Instead of fighting on the battlefield, Russia fights civilians. Don’t justify these attacks by calling them a ‘response’. Russia does this because it still has the missiles and the will to kill Ukrainians.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) October 31, 2022
Updated
Andriy Sadovyi, Lviv’s mayor, has praised Ukraine’s air defence this morning, saying: “Air defence forces that shoot down missiles in such foggy weather are, without exaggeration, Titans”.
Oleksiy Kuleba, governor of Kyiv region, has meanwhile used to Telegram to say that the air alert continues and to urge people to stay in shelters. He posted: “There is a possibility of repeated shelling. Do not photograph the place of arrivals or the work of the air defence. Remember your own safety.”
Updated
Lawmakers and officials in Ukraine have been confirming the strikes on Kyiv this morning. Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko posted:
Monday starts with Russia missile attacks across the country. Kyiv has been under fire for the last hour. Blackouts again. And no water in parts of the city. Putin’s crimes against civilians continue.
Monday starts with #russia missile attacks across the country. #Kyiv has been under fire for the last hour. Blackouts again. And no water in parts of the city. #putin’s crimes against civilians continue
— Lesia Vasylenko (@lesiavasylenko) October 31, 2022
Foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko tweeted:
Morning starts with air defence sirens all across Ukraine. Russian missiles hit energy infrastructure in Kyiv and other cities, causing electricity and water outages. Russia is not interested in peace talks, nor in global food security. Putin’s only goal is death and destruction.
Morning starts with air defense sirens all across Ukraine. Russian missiles hit energy infrastructure in Kyiv and other cities, causing electricity and water outages. Russia is not interested in peace talks, nor in global food security. Putin’s only goal is death and destruction.
— Oleg Nikolenko (@OlegNikolenko_) October 31, 2022
Isobel Koshiw, who has been reporting from Ukraine for the Guardian, posts to Twitter from Kyiv:
Explosions so far seem to have been outside Kyiv city centre. Electricity, water out in some parts of Kyiv. Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv and Cherkasy hit too. Ukraine’s emergency services issued an alert urging people to obey the sirens, seek shelter, as they expect more attacks today.
Earlier, she reported hearing four explosions in Kyiv in quick succession.
Explosions so far seem to have been outside Kyiv city centre. Electricity, water out in some parts of Kyiv. Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv and Cherkasy hit too.
— Isobel Koshiw (@IKoshiw) October 31, 2022
Ukraine’s emergency services issued an alert urging people to obey the sirens, seek shelter, as they expect more attacks today https://t.co/OmZRpLEsku
This is Martin Belam taking over the live blog in London. You can reach me at martin.belam@theguardian.com, and I will be with you for the next few hours.
Updated
Explosions have also been reported in Kharkiv this morning.
The city’s mayor Igor Terekhov said Russia “hit a critical infrastructure facility in the city.”
⚡️Explosions reported in Kharkiv, air raid sirens are on across country.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 31, 2022
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said Russia "hit a critical infrastructure facility in the city."
Cherkasy Oblast Administration also reported that a critical infrastructure site in the region was hit.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken spoke with China’s foreign minister Wang Yi on a call on Sunday and discussed Russia’s war against Ukraine and the threats it poses to global security and economic stability.
Blinken also discussed with his Chinese counterpart on the need to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage US-China relations, the US department of state said in a statement.
In my call with PRC Foreign Minister Wang Yi, we spoke about our efforts to responsibly manage the competition between our two countries, Russia’s war against Ukraine, and support for Haiti.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) October 31, 2022
Missiles hit Kyiv, damaging critical infrastructure, says mayor
Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has been hit by a series of missiles this morning, according to officials.
The city’s mayor Vitali Klitschko said critical infrastructure facilities were struck.
As a result of strikes on critical infrastructure facilities, part of the capital was cut off. There is no water supply in some areas. All services are working. More details – later.”
Regional military head Oleksiy Kuleba said the “missile attack continues” while Ukraine’s air defence worked to deter the attacks.
At least five explosions were heard in the Ukrainian capital between 8am (6am GMT) and 8.20am, according to AFP journalists.
Footage of shooting down one of the missiles in the skies of Kyiv Oblast.
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) October 31, 2022
📹https://t.co/XiPxGGhH8u pic.twitter.com/0vI1gLdrlT
Updated
Russian troops using rifles of 'barely usable condition': UK MoD
The several thousand newly mobilised reservists Russia has deployed to the frontline are often poorly equipped with rifles in “barely usable condition”, the UK Ministry of Defence has said in its latest intelligence report.
Russia has deployed several thousand newly mobilised reservists to the frontline in Ukraine since mid-October. In many cases they are poorly equipped.
In September, Russian officers were concerned that some recently mobilised reservists were arriving in Ukraine without weapons.
Open source images suggest that those rifles which have been issued to mobilised reservists are typically AKMs, a weapon first introduced in 1959. Many are likely in barely usable condition following poor storage.
AKM fires 7.62mm ammunition while Russia’s regular combat units are mostly armed with 5.45mm AK-74M or AK-12 rifles.
The integration of reservists with contract soldiers and combat veterans in Ukraine will mean Russian logisticians will have to push two types of small arms ammunition to front line positions, rather than one.
This will likely further complicate Russia’s already strained logistics systems.”
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 31 October 2022
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) October 31, 2022
Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/2ZQnn5d7fS
🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/EqeG41LZiK
Updated
Explosions heard in Kyiv
Several explosions have been heard in Kyiv this morning, according to Ukrainian officials and local media reports.
Senior presidential adviser Anton Gerashchenko said at least three explosions sounded across the city while 40 Russian cruise missiles were fired on Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent tweeted: “Around 7-8 explosions were heard in Kyiv and Kyiv region early on Monday. The cause of the explosions is currently unknown.”
Another explosion, a loud crumpf. Looks as if #Kyiv under attack again
— Luke Harding (@lukeharding1968) October 31, 2022
⚡️Several explosions heard in Kyiv.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 31, 2022
Around 7-8 explosions were heard in Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast early on Oct. 31. The cause of the explosions is currently unknown.
⚡️40 Russian cruise missiles on Ukraine this morning.
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) October 31, 2022
Updated
The international community has condemned Russia’s decision to suspend the UN-brokered Black Sea grain initiative.
US president Joe Biden described the move as “purely outrageous” while US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said Russia was weaponising food.
The European Union called on Russia to reverse its decision. “Russia’s decision to suspend participation in the Black Sea deal puts at risk the main export route of much-needed grain and fertilisers to address the global food crisis caused by its war against Ukraine,” said the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell.
Russia’s decision to suspend participation in the Black Sea deal puts at risks the main export route of much needed grain and fertilisers to address the global food crisis caused by its war against Ukraine.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) October 30, 2022
The EU urges Russia to revert its decision.
The UN secretary general, António Guterres, said he was deeply concerned by Russia’s suspension of the deal for an “indefinite term” and had delayed his departure to attend the Arab League summit in Algiers for a day to try to revive it. Russia requested a meeting on Monday of the UN’s security council to discuss the issue.
Updated
Black Sea grain deal to continue despite Russia's withdrawal
The United Nations, Turkey and Ukraine have said they will press ahead to implement a Black Sea grain deal with a transit plan in place for 16 ships on Monday, despite Russia suspending its participation in the pact.
The UN, Nato, the EU and the US have all urged Russia to reverse its decision to pull out of the deal.
In a statement, the Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) in Istanbul, where Russian, Ukrainian and Turkish and UN personnel are working, said the three delegations had also agreed for inspections to be provided on Monday to 40 outbound vessels.
In the wake of the Sevastopol attack the Kremlin said it was pulling out of the UN-brokered grain deal that allows civilian ships to export grain and fertiliser from Black Sea ports. Russia claimed it could not “guarantee safety of civilian ships” travelling under the pact after the attack on its Black Sea fleet.
Zelenskiy, however, said Moscow was looking for a pretext to end the initiative. It had been “deliberately aggravating” the food crisis since September, he said in a video address.
Updated
Air raid alerts sound across Ukraine
Air raid alerts have sounded across Ukraine this morning.
A map shared by the armed forces of Ukraine showed large swathes of Ukrainian territory under alert, including the Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia and Odesa regions.
Guardian reporter Luke Harding also confirmed that air raid sirens were going off in the capital just after 7am on Monday.
Air raid sirens going off in #Kyiv
— Luke Harding (@lukeharding1968) October 31, 2022
As Ukraine reports Russian forces are preparing to withdraw their units from the southern Kherson region, Moscow-installed officials are reporting that the situation “remains unchanged”.
The region’s Moscow-appointed governor Kirill Stremousov released an update over the Telegram messaging app late on Sunday. It read:
The city of Kherson continues to live its own life.
Everyone who wants to leave the right-bank part of the Kherson region can freely move along organised crossings.
The situation on the line of contact remains unchanged.”
Ukrainian forces “continue to accumulate their forces to carry out a counteroffensive on Kherson,” Stremousov added.
Russia to withdraw units from Kherson region: Ukraine military
Ukraine’s general staff of the armed forces claims Russia intends to withdraw its heavy artillery from Kherson with the intention of possibly transferring units to other frontline areas.
The latest Ukrainian military report, released late on Sunday night, reads:
According to available information, the enemy is taking preparatory measures to withdraw artillery units from the right-bank part of the Kherson region, with their subsequent possible transfer to other directions.”
⚡️ General Staff: Russia to withdraw heavy artillery from Kherson.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 30, 2022
Russian forces plan to remove its artillery from the Dnipro River's right bank in Kherson Oblast, which includes the city of Kherson, the General Staff reported on Oct. 30.
An updated report released early on Monday morning added:
Preparations for the evacuation of individual units and military equipment of the enemy from the right-bank part of the Kherson region are underway.”
Summary and welcome
Hello and welcome back to the Guardian’s live coverage of the war in Ukraine. I’m Samantha Lock and I’ll be bringing you all the latest developments as they unfold over the next few hours.
The United Nations, Turkey and Ukraine will press ahead to implement a Black Sea grain deal despite Russia suspending its participation in the pact.
In a statement, the Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) in Istanbul, where Russian, Ukrainian and Turkish and UN personnel are working, said the three delegations had a transit plan in place for 16 ships on Monday and agreed for inspections to be provided to 40 outbound vessels.
Ukraine’s general staff of the armed forces claims Russia intends to withdraw its heavy artillery from Kherson.
Russian forces plan to remove its artillery from the Dnipro River’s right bank in the southern Kherson region and possible transfer it to other front-line areas according to the latest Ukrainian military report.
If you have an update or any feedback to share, please feel free to get in touch via email or Twitter.
If you have just joined us, here are all the latest developments:
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy claimed his forces repelled a “fierce offensive” by Russian troops in the eastern Donetsk region. “Today they stopped the fierce offensive actions of the enemy,” Zelenskiy said in his Sunday night address. “The Russian attack was repelled.” The fiercest fighting in Donetsk region has been around the towns of Bakhmut and Avdiivka.
Russia’s Black Sea flagship vessel, the Admiral Makarov, was damaged and possibly disabled during an audacious Ukrainian drone attack over the weekend on the Crimean port of Sevastopol, according to an examination of video footage. Open-source investigators said the frigate was one of three Russian ships to have been hit on Saturday. A swarm of drones struck Russia’s navy at 4.20am. Aides to Zelenskiy hinted the country was behind the well-orchestrated raid, though his government has not claimed responsibility.
In the wake of the Sevastopol attack the Kremlin said it was pulling out of a UN-brokered grain deal that allows civilian ships to export grain and fertiliser from Black Sea ports. Russia claimed it could not “guarantee safety of civilian ships” travelling under the pact after the attack on its Black Sea fleet. Zelenskiy, however, said Moscow was looking for a pretext to end the initiative. It had been “deliberately aggravating” the food crisis since September, he said in a video address.
The international community condemned Russia’s decision to suspend the UN-brokered Black Sea grain initiative. US president Joe Biden described the move as “purely outrageous” while US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said Russia was weaponising food. The European Union called on Russia to reverse its decision. “Russia’s decision to suspend participation in the Black Sea deal puts at risk the main export route of much-needed grain and fertilisers to address the global food crisis caused by its war against Ukraine,” EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said.
The UN secretary general, António Guterres, said he was “deeply concerned” by Russia’s suspension of the deal and delayed his departure to attend the Arab League summit in Algiers for a day to try to revive it. Russia requested a meeting on Monday of the UN’s security council to discuss the issue. Guterres was engaged in “intense contacts” to get the agreement back and spoke to the EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell.
The United Nations, Turkey and Ukraine said they will press ahead to implement a Black Sea grain deal with a transit plan in place for 16 ships on Monday, despite Russia suspending its participation in the pact. The UN, Nato, the EU and the US have all urged Russia to reverse its decision to pull out of the deal. In a statement, the Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) in Istanbul, where Russian, Ukrainian and Turkish and UN personnel are working, said the three delegations had also agreed for inspections to be provided on Monday to 40 outbound vessels.
Kyiv’s infrastructure ministry said on Sunday that 218 vessels were now “effectively blocked” in its ports – 22 loaded and stuck at ports, 95 loaded and departed from ports, and 101 awaiting inspections.
Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, expressed “hope” that Joe Biden will recall the 1962 Cuban missile crisis when dealing with the war in Ukraine. In an interview for a Russian state television documentary on Sunday, Lavrov said there were “similarities” between the ongoing war in Ukraine and the 1962 confrontation. “I hope that in today’s situation, President Joe Biden will have more opportunities to understand who gives orders and how,” Lavrov said. “The difference is that in the distant 1962, Khrushchev and Kennedy found the strength to show responsibility and wisdom, and now we do not see such readiness on the part of Washington and its satellites,” he added.
