Russo-Ukrainian war, day 1685: Ukraine fires its first FP-7 ballistic missile
Russia burned 628,000 new school textbooks in a Kharkiv warehouse at the peak of back-to-school season.
On day 1685 of the Russo-Ukrainian War, Ukraine successfully launched its first FP-7 ballistic missile during combat operations. The missile's developer anticipates the next iteration will fulfill the requirements Ukraine has been seeking since 2022. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the mission on October 1st without specifying the target, stating that the production phase is imminent.
The Ukrainian military has been devising strategies to replace their diminishing MiG-29 fighter jets. The latest casualty was Capt. Marat Mambetov, a 25-year-old pilot who ejected from a Russian missile attack during a strike mission but did not survive. Russian strikes have claimed over 51% of Ukraine's oil refining capacity.
Ukraine's production and procurement of long-range strike drones have tripled this year, and the Defense Ministry plans to augment these efforts further. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone manufacturer has established its own private air defense unit, utilizing weapon sales to cover expenses. This unit has claimed the downing of more than 50 Shahed drones.
Ukraine is exploring the possibility of targeting Russian satellites with Starlink, a satellite internet service provided by SpaceX. The Ukrainian leadership believes this approach would circumvent potential restrictions on using Elon Musk's technology. Additionally, Ukraine is developing a countermeasure to Russia's jet-powered Shahed drones, a new missile called Nika, which is currently undergoing testing.
In a humanitarian effort, Ukraine successfully delivered four tons of aid to the occupied town of Oleshky, significantly increasing the supply of food and medicine to civilians in a besieged area. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry demined 1,347 hectares of liberated land in September, contributing to the country's efforts to address its status as the world's most mined nation, with over 132,000 square kilometers affected by mines.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
