French diplomacy condemned Moscow’s attack with “the utmost determination.” On Thursday, October 5, a Russian attack in Groza killed 51 people, including a child, on the sidelines of the funeral of a Ukrainian soldier. The victims of the attack also included the wife and son of the Ukrainian soldier killed in battle, whose funeral was being celebrated, a spokesman for the regional prosecutor’s office was quoted as saying by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned an “inhumane terrorist attack” against this small village in eastern Ukraine. “By targeting Ukrainian civilians, Russia is once again committing atrocities that constitute war crimes,” the French government added in a press release. Follow our live stream.
Eight Ukrainian drones shot down. Moscow said it shot down eight Ukrainian drones in western Russia on Thursday evening, without citing possible damage or injuries. At around 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, “air defense systems in use destroyed five Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the Belgorod region bordering Ukraine,” the Russian Defense Ministry said early Friday. Earlier in the night, he had counted two other vehicles shot down in the same area. An eighth plane suffered the same fate in the Kursk region, also on the border with Ukraine.
An increase in European military aid. European leaders gathered around Volodymyr Zelensky in southern Spain sent a signal on Thursday for an increase in military aid to Ukraine, amid fears that American support could decline due to the political crisis in Washington. The Ukrainian president said the same day that he had received “clear agreements” from the Europeans to receive more anti-aircraft and artillery systems.
News in the investigation into Prigozhin’s death. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that “grenade parts” were found in the bodies of victims of Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plane crash in August. “There were no external impacts on the aircraft,” he added.