Victory Chronicles-DAY 1329

Russia’s air defenses shot down one of their own aircraft over occupied Crimea while attempting to repel a Ukrainian drone attack overnight on Oct. 17, according to the Ukrainian Navy.

“They were repelling Ukrainian attacks so actively that they ended up shooting down their own plane over Crimea,” said Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk on the Apostrof TV channel “The Fight Continues.”

Pletenchuk did not specify the aircraft model, but Russian military bloggers and social media channels reported that it was a Su-30SM Flanker-C fighter jet.

Ukraine’s General Staff later confirmed that naval intelligence intercepted Russian radio communications indicating that two engines caught fire and the crew ejected from the aircraft. The Su-30SM was reportedly operating in the western-northern part of occupied Crimea when it was downed.

European Commission mulls additional 25 billion euros in frozen Russian assets for Ukraine ‘reparation loan’. The European Commission is exploring a plan to expand its proposed “reparation loan” for Ukraine by using an additional 25 billion euros ($29 billion) in frozen Russian private assets across EU countries, according to Politico, cited by European Pravda.

The idea would supplement the 140 billion euros ($163 billion) that are already frozen in the Euroclear financial repository in Belgium, which the EU is preparing to use to generate funds for Ukraine’s recovery and defense.

A document reportedly circulated by the Commission to EU member statecapitals ahead of a Oct. 17 meeting of ambassadors suggests examining “whether the reparation loan initiative could be extended to other frozen assets within the EU.”

Russian court sentences 15 Ukrainian POWs to up to 21 years in high-security prison. The Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, has sentenced 15 Ukrainian prisoners of war to prison terms ranging from 15 to 21 years in a strict-regime penal colony.

Russian authorities allegedly falsely accused the soldiers of “participation in a terrorist organization,” “violent seizure of power,” and “training for terrorist purposes.” However, the charges against each defendant were based solely on their service in the Ukrainian Aidar battalion.No specific war crime  accusations were levied.

Ukrainian defense forces destroy Russian Smerch multiple rocket launcher in Kherson Oblast. Ukrainian troops from the Lasar’s Group unit have destroyed a Russian BM-30 Smerch (Tornado) multiple launch rocket system in the southern region of Kherson, striking it from nearly 50 kilometers (31 miles) behind the front line.

The Southern Defense Forces released a video showing the precise strike and subsequent detonation of the Russian system’s ammunition.

Key Takeaways

1. US President Donald Trump and Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone on Oct. 16.
2. Russian presidential aide Yuriy Ushakov attempted to obfuscate Russia’s deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in his statement on the Oct. 16 Trump-Putin call.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Ukraine’s European partners announced new military assistance for Ukraine at the Oct. 15 Ukraine Defense Contact Group (the Ramstein Format) meeting.
7. Russian forces advanced near Velykomykhailivka and in eastern Zaporizhia Oblast.

• FT: Putin’s history rant in Alaska prompted Trump to raise his voice and cancel lunch
• European Parliament outlines pathway for Ukraine’s EU accession despite occupied territories issue
• Hungary promises to ‘welcome Putin with respect’ despite ICC arrest warrant
• Zelenskyy ready to meet Putin anywhere except Russia and Belarus
• JD Vance says Russia and Ukraine not yet ready for peace deal, Kremlin overestimates its gains