Kremlin says war must continue
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported that 613 Ukrainian drones targeted the Russian capital overnight between October 28 and October 29, though he stated that air defense systems shot down more than 100 of those drones while they were en route. The attack occurred while the Russia-Africa Summit convened at the Grand Kremlin Palace, where representatives from 48 African countries gathered on October 28 and 29. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called the decision to launch such a massive drone attack strange because a global-scale event was taking place in Moscow. He stated that the situation continues and the war must continue so that Russia is protected from threats. Russian authorities reported no casualties or damage from the drone barrage.
Diplomatic negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. face uncertainty. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on October 28 that the start of planned trilateral negotiations would depend on the situation on the battlefield. These talks follow visits from U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, which resulted in an agreement in principle to hold meetings. The Kremlin declined to participate after accusing Kyiv of carrying out airstrikes on September 20. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on October 28 that he expects the negotiations to occur in mid-November, though Washington has yet to confirm a date. AP reported that sources familiar with the matter interpret the refusal as a way to avoid investigating Elon Musk and Starlink.
Ukrainian strikes hit Russian drone port
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian military facility near Navlya in Bryansk Oblast, approximately 70 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, on October 29. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that the strike hit a drone port used to launch long-range Geran-type drones. This attack also damaged fuel and lubricant storage facilities. This operation marks the second strike on the Navlya facility, as Ukrainian forces previously hit launch and storage sites there on August 3. Ukrainian media and open-source intelligence groups report that the building of these new drone ports reflects Moscow’s investment in long-range attack drones for use against Ukraine or countries on NATO’s eastern flank.
| Drone Facility Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Navlya, Bryansk Oblast |
| Distance to Ukraine | 70 kilometers |
| Primary Target | Geran-type drone port |
| Damage Reported | Fuel and lubricant storage |
| Previous Strike | August 3 |
The Ukrainian military campaign has impacted Russian resources, as the navy lost over 100 vessels in the Azov sea during the summer. These strikes also contributed to economic shifts, though Izvestia reported that free fuel sales resumed in 15 Russian regions in October. On the ground, a Russian FPV drone killed Jesse Adams, the founder of the Canadian organization RainCoast Dog Rescue Society, while he was evacuating animals from front-line Kramatorsk. While Russian forces suffered 1,560 casualties over the past day, the money spent on the war could have funded 1,000 new schools and 200 hospitals, or provided 1 million rubles to every child born since the start of the invasion.
