🇷🇺Week of October 12

Drone attacks struck Moscow and the Moscow region, with a warehouse on fire, an object at an oil refinery damaged and fatalities reported. The number of people injured in the drone attack in Podmoskovye rose to 61.123

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that 15 drones were destroyed on approach to Moscow and that 69 drones heading toward the capital had been repelled. He also reported 2,730 drones flying toward the Moscow region between 10 and 17 October.456

Moscow airports suspended operations because of the drone attacks for the third time in a week, and more than 200 flights were cancelled. Restrictions were introduced at the airports during a new drone attack on Moscow.78

Donald Trump ordered that part of the so-called "Graham sanctions" against Russia not be applied, freezing what Russian outlets call the "hell sanctions." The move means Washington will for now not impose sanctions on buyers of Russian oil.1234

Russia's Foreign Ministry predicted "squealing and hooting" from the European Union over Trump's decision. The comment was carried by the pro-government outlet VFokuse Mail.5

Attributed claim: Members of the US Congress reacted with anger to Trump's decision, with criticism described as "another capitulation." The reaction was reported by the state outlet RT, citing RTVI.6

Crypto exchange Bitget has added Russia to its list of countries where use of the platform is prohibited, and has barred operations for users in Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus. The restriction covers residents of all three countries, who are no longer permitted to use the exchange's services.12345

Clients in Russia and Kazakhstan were given five days to close their positions and withdraw funds as Bitget moved to end servicing for customers in the region. The exchange's ban on operations applies to users across the three named countries.6789

Ukrainian strikes on Yandex data centers disrupted the work of Russian courts, opposition outlet Meduza reported. The attacks prompted scrutiny of the company's insurance arrangements for its data centers.12

Yandex responded to reports that its data centers were left uninsured after the drone attacks, business outlet Finansy Mail reported. The company's insurance policies cover risks including terrorist attacks, Interfax reported.34

Attributed claim: Opposition outlet Rosbalt reported on questions surrounding the insurance and what it described as fake compensation following the attacks. Pro-government outlet EADaily carried commentary from Klimenko calling the strikes on Yandex data centers a "superb lesson."25

Russian forces took control of the Volchansk-Budarki road in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. The ministry also said Russian troops took control of Varvarovka and Nikolayevka in the same region.123

Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, said a 2,000-strong Ukrainian force group in the Kharkiv region was destroyed. The encircled group was reported as fully eliminated.4567

The Russian Defense Ministry reported the capture of four settlements across three regions of Ukraine, an account that includes the two Kharkiv region villages.8

Gerasimov also announced the capture of Dobropolye, and Vladimir Putin held a meeting at a Russian military command post.910