And President Trump Still Has the Audacity to Demand that Ukraine Stop Fighting

Every day Russian drones and missiles kill innocent, unarmed Ukrainian men, women and children.

At least 10 people were killed and 66 others injured across Ukraine over the past day, as hundreds of Russian drones struck targets across the full width of the country, regional authorities said on October 15.

Kirovohrad Oblast experienced the most massive attack the oblast has seen since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion overnight, as Russia killed three people and injured six others, said regional governor Andrii Raikovych. The casualties are the result of Russian attacks on Kropyvnytskyi, he added.

Russia struck critical infrastructure, transport enterprises, logistics facilities, and residential buildings with almost 360 drones across 26 locations, Raikovych said.

“It is obvious that Russia deliberately escalated the attacks, having received a relaxation of sanctions and seeing attempts to put pressure on Ukraine. Russia uses every such moment and must be responsible for what it does,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said, referring to the attack.

Ukraine's Air Force said Russia attacked Ukraine overnight from 06:00 p.m. with 580 Shahed-type and other drones, as well as with two Kh-59 guided aircraft missiles. The Air Force said it neutralized 536 of the Russian drones across 31 locations.

Zelensky said that Russia used a total of 850 Shahed-type drones during the day since 09:00 a.m. on Oct. 14.

“There were constant waves, and our sky was not clear of them for a single hour,” he said.

Russian attacks in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, killed three people and injured three more, authorities said. Regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha reported two people died in Novooleksandrivka and two others injured. A third person was injured in a Russian strike on a private house in Pavlohrad, Hanzha added. Zelensky raised the number of people killed in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast to three.

In western Volyn Oblast, wreckage of a Russian drone fell on the city of Lutsk, killing six people and injuring 12 others, regional governor Roman Romaniuk said. A large-scale fire broke out in the 'Eurogroup' warehouse as a result of the Russian attack, killing five people at the scene, and injuring a sixth person so heavily they succumbed in hospital, Romaniuk said.

In Rivne Oblast, a Russian drone crashed into the city during the day on Oct. 14, injuring eight people, including a child born in 2012, according to regional governor Oleksandr Koval. The oblast also experienced several attack waves overnight, but no people were injured, he said.

In Kyiv Oblast, Russian attacks over the past day injured four people across Bucha, Obukhiv, and Fastiv districts, the regional military administration said. In total, Russia struck across 26 locations in the oblast, damaging private houses, infrastructure, warehouses, and cars.

In eastern Donetsk Oblast, three people were killed and eight others injured in Russian attacks over the past day, according to regional governor Vadym Filashkin.

In Kharkiv Oblast, Russian attacks injured nine people, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said. The explosion of an unknown object in the village of Spodobivka also killed one man and injured a 15-year-old boy, the governor added. Russian attacks damaged private and commercial buildings, as well as parts of the power grid, Syniehubov said.

In southern Kherson Oblast, Russian attacks killed one person and injured five other people over the past day, regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. Many settlements in the oblast, including the city of Kherson, were under Russian artillery, drone, and air attacks throughout the day, he added.

In southeastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast, seven people were injured as Russia attacked over the past day, with almost 200 artillery strikes, 734 drones of varying types, and two missiles, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov .

A Russian attack on Ternopil Oblast injured five people, as a Russian drone struck a manufacturing enterprise in Chortkiv, according to regional governor Taras Pastukh  and Ukraine’s Interior Ministry.

In northeastern Sumy Oblast, Russian attacks did not lead to casualties or injuries but damaged a number of private houses and civil infrastructure, as the air raid alert lasted for more than 18 combined hours, the Sumy military administration said. 

Italy’s Meloni Shows ‘True Grit’ about Ukraine and Russian Aggression

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s address to parliament today before the European Union leaders’ summit offered a masterclass in moral clarity. By plainly declaring the false logic of some that “surrender is not peace; it is conquest,” Meloni directly called out political voices in Europe and Washington who dress up capitulation as “peace proposals.”

“If the aggressor can aim for the opponent’s surrender, why would they need to negotiate? Surrender is not peace; it is conquest. If Ukraine were to stop defending itself tomorrow... we would not have peace,” the Italian leader elaborated.

Meloni’s speech was widely lauded by Ukrainian leadership and diplomats like Sergiy Kyslytsya, first deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, because it clearly articulated the core existential reality: forcing Ukraine into concessions under fire is not a peace plan – it is an invitation for further Russian imperial expansion. Her consistent stance highlights Italy’s role as one of the steady pillars of Euro-Atlantic unity despite domestic political pressure.

Meloni noted that Russian führer Vladimir Putin is actively escalating provocations and hybrid threats across Europe to divert Western focus away from Moscow’s struggles on the battlefield.

“Support for Kyiv is not an alternative to peace; it is what makes peace possible,” she stated.

Invoking the memory of Russian tanks in Prague and Budapest and the shadow of the Berlin Wall, Meloni reminded European lawmakers what happens when Soviet-style imperialism goes unchecked.

She pushed back against historical amnesia, reminding lawmakers of Europe’s past under Moscow’s sphere of influence: “I do not miss the days when Russian tanks were deployed in European countries... We would be discussing the occupation of a European country and the return of Soviet-style imperialism, which Europe experienced for half a century.”

Meloni underscored that Russia’s stalled momentum on the battlefield isn’t accidental – it is the direct result of Ukrainian bravery and Western military aid. That battlefield reality, she argued, is the only leverage capable of forcing Moscow to negotiate in good faith.

Her sharp critique extended beyond Europe, openly questioning recent Washington moves—such as agreements touching Russian energy products—as risky maneuvers that risk legitimizing Moscow and funding its war machine while civilian centers remain under fire.

It’s no surprise diplomats like Sergiy Kyslytsya lauded her speech. At a moment when “Ukraine fatigue” and backdoor dealmaking threaten unity, Meloni provided the exact framework the West needs: peace built on strength, not victim-blaming.

Meloni’s speech is a lesson for President Donald Trump.

Ukraine Elected to UN Human Rights Council w/ Overwhelming International Support

In a decisive diplomatic victory for Kyiv at the United Nations General Assembly, Ukraine has been elected to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2027-29 term, securing 162 votes out of 193 member states.

The strong margin reflects continued international backing for Kyiv on the world stage, even as the country faces relentless Russian aerial attacks, killing civilians and damaging energy infrastructure.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and UN Permanent Representative Andrii Melnyk emphasized that Ukraine will use its seat to advance full accountability for Russian war crimes. Key priorities for the upcoming term include documenting human rights abuses, protecting prisoners of war and unlawfully detained civilians, and advocating for the return of forcibly deported Ukrainian children.

Massive Wave Russian Missiles & Drones Spreads Death & Destruction across Ukraine 

Overnight into October 13, 2026, a massive wave of Russian missile and drone strikes swept across Ukraine, causing widespread destruction, infrastructure damage, and civilian casualties far beyond the front lines.

This destructive overnight barrage followed a particularly brutal week of aerial attacks, which included deadly guided bomb and missile strikes on frontline and regional cities like Zaporizhzhia and Kramatorsk.

Kyiv: Ballistic missiles and drones targeted the capital's left bank. The strikes killed two women and injured at least nine others, hitting a transport infrastructure facility in the Dniprovskyi district and a warehouse in the Desnianskyi district.  

Kharkiv: A heavy missile barrage struck the city, completely destroying part of a four-story residential building in the Kholodnohirskyi district. The attack killed four people and left at least 41 others wounded.  

Other Regions: The multi-region assault also hit civilian and logistical hubs elsewhere in the country. A drone strike set two houses ablaze near Lviv in western Ukraine, a woman was killed in Lozova, and infrastructure or residential damage was reported in Mykolaiv, Rivne, and other areas.  

‘Open Sesame’ – ‘Ceasefire Sesame’

Declarations about an energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia are getting weirder and weirder; they border on the juvenile parody of the famous magical phrase “Open Sesame” from “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.”

It’s often blurted out by kids trying to command doors to open or mock someone making an arbitrary or bossy command—much like declaring something into existence just by saying it.

On “Good Morning, America” this morning I caught this crawl along the bottom of the screen that made that ridiculous observation.

Reporters pressed President Donald Trump outside the White House on why neither Kyiv nor Moscow had actually confirmed or agreed to his announced energy strike freeze, as reported by outlets such as The Washington Examiner and The Kyiv Independent: Their exchange went this way:

Reporter: Asking why neither side confirmed the agreement.

Trump: “Well, they agreed. You know why? Because I said, ‘You agree.’ That's why. They agreed because I said they agree, and that thing has to get settled.”

In public declarations, Trump doubled down on asserting that the ceasefire is in effect simply because he commanded it and expects compliance.

On the ground, neither side has formally agreed to a signed or operational ceasefire agreement. As noted earlier, Russian forces continued targeting energy infrastructure in Ukraine, and drones and missiles continued killing innocent Ukrainian civilians right after the announcement, and Kyiv confirmed no formal deal was inked.

President Trump’s absurd pro-Russian declarations are only meant to help Putin and Russia, certainly not Ukraine and Ukrainians. The only way to have peace in Ukraine is by subduing Moscow and pushing their cutthroats back to Russia, regardless of how many Russian sad sacks have been killed, fighting for something that is not theirs. 

 Energy Ceasefire and Trump’s Wishful Thinking (or Lies)

The issue of “energy ceasefire” has been a blame game among President Donald Trump, Russian führer Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

This has been written about for the past few days, oftentimes in contradictory directions.

What happened was that on Truth Social, Donald Trump abruptly announced that an “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine was in effect immediately, claiming both sides had agreed to stop targeting each other’s energy infrastructure to help stabilize global diesel and oil prices. In addition to regularly bombing civilian sites in Ukraine, Russian cutthroats also targeted the country’s energy infrastructure in order to create undue hardship for the people ahead of winter. Ukraine, in retaliation, hit Russia’s energy plants around the country.

However, there is no actual agreed-upon ceasefire.

President Zelenskyy noted that Trump’s post was “news to me.” Zelenskyy clarified that while Ukraine remains willing to support a mutual, guaranteed de-escalation (stopping strikes on Russian refineries if Moscow stops attacking Ukrainian power grids), Kyiv was never part of a signed deal.

Almost immediately following Trump’s post, Russian forces struck a power plant in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, and other energy infrastructure, causing widespread blackouts.

The Kremlin (via Dmitry Peskov) declined to confirm Trump’s claim, merely stating “contacts continue” and officially rejecting a broader 60-day truce proposal.

Trump, probably at wits’ end because he has failed to convince Russia to stop its war against Ukraine, has been pressuring Ukraine to halt drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, arguing that these strikes drive up global energy costs. Furthermore, rhetoric from Washington has leaned toward reducing sanctions enforcement or making concessions to bring Moscow to the table.

Zelenskyy publicly criticized steps that offer Moscow economic relief or weaken sanctions, calling such moves a major mistake that provides Putin with billions in revenue to continue funding the war effort. Zelenskyy emphasized that real peace requires increased pressure on Moscow, not concessions.

European partners, including Germany and the wider EU, have reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining strict sanctions against Moscow regardless of shifts coming out of Washington, continuing their backing of Ukraine’s sovereign defense.

Over the weekend, political pressure mounted against Kyiv, with Trump obnoxiously insisting that Ukraine needs “new leadership” or elections. He did not make that same demand of Russians.

Zelenskyy firmly stated that leadership is up to the Ukrainian people to decide. He noted he would be open to holding elections, but only under conditions of a legitimate, total, and guaranteed 60-day ceasefire—a condition Putin immediately rejected.

The bottom line is that there is no genuine energy ceasefire. It is a unilateral public claim contradicted by ongoing Russian missile strikes against Ukrainian energy and civilian targets. While pressure mounts around global energy markets and sanctions enforcement, Ukraine continues to defend its sovereign right to target Russian war capability while demanding real, enforceable guarantees rather than uncoordinated, false declarations.

Listen to Putin: Russia Does Not Want to End the War; It Seeks Ukraine’s Captivity

I’ve been pointing out this since at least the latest iteration of Russia’s war against Ukraine that everything that Moscow says about wanting to end the war that it started is a lie. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It’s meant to cover its real tracks and deflect attention away from its proclaimed goal: the restoration of imperial mother Russia and the resubjugation of Ukraine and the other former captive nations. It’s also meant to pacify its naive advocates in the west like President Donald Trump.

The latest imperial declaration came from Russian fuhrer Vladimir Putin who rejected any prospect of peace talks with Ukraine during his phone call with President Trump before Moscow killed at least 20 Ukrainians in strikes early Saturday, October 10, according to the New York Post.

The Russian dictator said he would continue fighting with Kyiv until he has achieved “all his objectives,” during a Friday call with Trump that lasted an hour and a half.

“Putin made it clear that Moscow will continue hostilities until it achieves all stated goals,” Russian foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told state media.

Putin also tries to convince Trump that Ukraine had “no prospects whatsoever” and that Russia has the outcome of the war “entirely in their hands.

In other words, Ushakov and Putin have convinced Trump that Ukraine doesn’t have the cards and numbers to subdue Russia and end the war. Fortunately, current events show an opposite reality.

The statements from top Russian leadership consistently demonstrate that the Kremlin’s strategic goal is not a negotiated compromise, but the total political and territorial subjugation of Ukraine and enslavement of Ukrainians.

Here are 12 key quotes by Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Medvedev, Sergey Lavrov, and Dmitry Peskov that outline this maximalist doctrine:

Vladimir Putin (President of Russia)

1. On rejecting peace talks and pushing for full objectives:

"Russia remains determined to achieve all its objectives in Ukraine through military action... peace talks are out of the question as long as Kyiv refuses to recognize geopolitical realities."

— Reaffirmed in Kremlin readouts and calls with international leaders regarding peace proposals.

2. Denying Ukrainian statehood and sovereignty:

"Ukrainians and Russians are one people... Ukraine never had a tradition of genuine statehood. Modern Ukraine was entirely created by Russia, or more precisely, by Communist Russia."

— Address to the Nation, February 21, 2022

3. Demanding full territorial surrender and capitulation as preconditions:

"Ukrainian troops must be completely withdrawn from the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions... As soon as Kyiv declares it is ready for such a decision, an order to cease fire will immediately follow."

— Speech to Russian Foreign Ministry officials, June 14, 2024

4. Framing the war as a historic re-conquest of Russian lands:

"Peter the Great waged the Great Northern War for 21 years... He was not taking anything away; he was returning and strengthening. It has also fallen to us to return and strengthen."

— Meeting with young entrepreneurs in Moscow, June 9, 2022

Dmitry Medvedev (Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia)

1. On the total erasure of the Ukrainian state:

"Ukraine is definitely Russia... The concept that 'Ukraine is not Russia' needs to disappear forever. Ukraine must come back home."

— Speech at the World Youth Festival in Sochi, March 4, 2024

2. Viewing peace talks merely as a vehicle for complete capitulation:

"The point of holding negotiations is not compromise, but to ensure a swift and complete Russian victory and the full capitulation of the regime in Kyiv."

— Public statement following regional peace summits, June 2025

3. Declaring Russia's existential refusal to allow an independent Ukraine:

"The existence of an independent state on historical Russian territories will now be a permanent pretext for the resumption of combat operations... No matter who is at the helm of the illegal political entity called Ukraine, its existence will always be fatal for Ukrainians."

— Telegram Post, January 17, 2024

4. Rejecting any permanent peace short of full absorption:

"Will Russia stop? No. We will push further until the current band of Ukrainian nationalists is fully eliminated and the territory is entirely absorbed into Russia."

— Telegram Channel Statement, July 2024

Sergey Lavrov (Minister of Foreign Affairs)

1. Demanding regime change in Kyiv:

"We are determined to help the people of Eastern Europe liberate themselves from the burden of this absolutely unacceptable regime in Kyiv."

— Speech at the Arab League summit in Cairo, July 24, 2022

2. Refusing Western and Ukrainian peace frameworks:

"There can be no talk of negotiations based on Zelenskyy's 'peace formula' or any initiative that attempts to restore Ukraine’s 1991 borders. That reality is gone forever."

— Press Conference at the United Nations, September 2023

Dmitry Peskov (Press Secretary for the Kremlin)

1. Dismissing freeze or ceasefire options:

"For Russia, the main thing is to achieve our goals. A simple freeze of the conflict is unacceptable to us. We must achieve what was announced at the outset."

— Kremlin press briefings on ceasefires, May 2024

2. Asserting that military victory is the only path forward:

"The Special Military Operation will continue until all set targets are achieved, because there are currently no grounds for peaceful agreements."

— Statement to news agencies, Moscow, October 2024.

By discounting Kyiv’s legitimate and justified goal of liberating all of Ukraine from Russian occupation, Trump and his administration have joined, on the eve of the elections, Putin and Russia in defeating and enslaving Ukraine. Ukrainian American voters won’t forgive that.