Russian shelling kills 3 civilians in Donetsk Oblast, 3 others injured

On Sunday, October 13, Russian attacks claimed the lives of three civilians and injured three others in Donetsk Oblast, according to the regional Prosecutor's Office.

A 78-year-old man was killed in Chasiv Yar during an artillery strike, while a 66-year-old woman suffered shrapnel wounds. Later, a 55-year-old resident was killed when Russian forces hit a residential area with a Smerch rocket system.

In Vyshneve, a 75-year-old man also died from artillery shelling. Two others were injured—a 55-year-old in Lyman, likely by a Smerch rocket, and a 69-year-old in Pokrovsk, who sustained a chest wound from shrapnel.

Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting at the level of leaders will not take place anytime soon

A meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (Ramstein format) at the leaders' level is not expected in the near future, according to ZDF.

US President Joe Biden’s postponed visit to Germany will now occur on October 17, though it has been shortened to a single day on October 18. While Biden’s visit raised expectations of a Ramstein meeting, no such gathering will take place soon.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was expected to announce a new aid package for Ukraine on October 12 during a Ramstein meeting, instead disclosed it during a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to journalist Elmar Theveßen, further decisions in the Ramstein format might be delayed until after the US presidential election.

Russia has used around 900 glide bombs against Ukraine this week - Zeleskiy

President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on October 13 that Russia had used around 900 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine within the past week. These precision-guided munitions, launched from aircraft inside Russian territory, are cheaper than missiles but still highly effective, staying out of Ukrainian air defense range.

In addition to the bombs, Russia also fired over 40 missiles and deployed 400 combat drones of various types.

In a video address on Telegram, Zelensky emphasized the need for international support, urging partners to deliver more air defense systems swiftly:

"No nation should go through such trials alone. Our partners have the opportunity to provide the necessary quantity and quality of air defense systems... We must not waste time – we must give the necessary signal of determination."the