Ukraine never wanted to seize Kursk nuclear Power Plant -Zelensky

Ukrainian forces had no intention of seizing Russia's Kursk nuclear power plant during their incursion into Kursk Oblast in early August, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an Oct. 30 interview with Nordic media.

Since the start of Ukraine's operations in the region, Moscow has repeatedly accused Kyiv of planning attacks on the plant, accusations which Ukraine has consistently denied.

"Russia believes it is very strong, but if we had wanted to take over their nuclear power plant, we could have. However, we never intended to, because doing so would make us no different from Russia," Zelensky stated. "We are not occupying their critical infrastructure, as they did with the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant."

Located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Ukrainian-held positions in Kursk Oblast, the plant’s proximity has raised tensions, according to the DeepState monitoring site.

Zelensky clarified that Ukraine's objective in Kursk was to establish a buffer zone to enhance the security of the Ukrainian border.

Ukraine launched the cross-border operation on Aug. 6, initially capturing around 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles). However, pressure has been mounting as Russia pulls reinforcements into the area, with approximately 50,000 soldiers transferred to Kursk Oblast, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported on Oct. 10.

Reports from NATO and the Pentagon indicate that North Korean troops may soon join Russian forces in the area. Ukrainian military personnel have observed North Korean troops in the region but have not engaged them in combat.

Russian drone attack damages kindergarten and high-rise building in Kyiv

On the night of October 29-30, Russian drones struck Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district, damaging a kindergarten and a high-rise residential building. A total of 48 people were evacuated from the affected building. Nine individuals, including an 11-year-old girl, were injured in the attack. The kindergarten building sustained damage to doors and windows. Rescue teams and law enforcement officers are currently at the scene, working to assess the full extent of casualties and damage.

Zelenskyy criticizes weak response of foreign partners to North Korean troops in Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed concern over the global response to Russia’s use of North Korean troops in combat against Ukraine, which he believes lacks adequate urgency.

Speaking at a press conference in Iceland, Zelenskyy stated, "I believe that the voices of the United States, NATO, Western partners, the Global South, and China are not being heard clearly enough regarding the presence of North Korean troops on Russian territory." He warned that this development is “extremely dangerous” and signals a new phase in the war, drawing a parallel to the early days of Crimea’s occupation, when the West’s muted response emboldened Russia to continue its aggression.

According to Zelenskyy, this silence allowed Putin to shift his focus to Donbas, ultimately leading to its occupation.

Russians attacked Zaporizhia Oblast 337 times in one day

Russian forces launched 337 attacks on Zaporizhzhia Oblast over the past 24 hours, targeting ten settlements, according to Ivan Fedorov, the Head of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration.

Fedorov reported that 25 airstrikes hit Orikhiv, Novoandriivka, Bilohiria, and Novodarivka, while 194 UAVs of various types attacked multiple settlements, including Bilenke, Lobkove, Huliaipole, and Robotyne. Additionally, Preobrazhenka and Novodanylivka faced seven strikes from multiple-launch rocket systems.

Lobkove, Huliaipole, and several other settlements were also targeted by 111 artillery strikes. Seven incidents of damage to residential buildings and infrastructure were reported, though no civilian injuries were recorded.

Ukraine and Russia are holding preliminary talks to stop strikes on each other's energy infrastructure

Ukraine is reportedly seeking to resume Qatari-mediated talks, which were nearing an agreement in August before being interrupted by Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk. Sources, including senior Ukrainian officials, indicate early discussions are now underway to potentially revive the negotiations.

“There is very early talk of potentially restarting something,” a diplomat informed about the talks said, adding, “Right now, there are discussions around energy facilities.”

If an agreement is reached, it would represent a major step toward de-escalating the conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently suggested that an arrangement to protect energy infrastructure could signal Russia's openness to broader peace negotiations. A senior Ukrainian official noted that both countries have reduced attacks on each other’s energy facilities in recent weeks as part of an agreement between their intelligence services.