I was joined by my good friend and fellow journalist Chris Sampson of The Wire Tap, reporting from Kyiv, for a frank, unfiltered discussion about the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, Russia’s mounting battlefield losses, and the political decisions being made thousands of miles away in Washington.

After another brutal night of Russian ballistic missile and drone attacks on Dnipro & Ukraine, I share my firsthand experience of the strikes, including footage I captured of an attack on our energy infrastructure. With power and water supplies disrupted, the reality of Russia’s campaign against Ukrainian civilians is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

We discuss the recent Dnipro railway station massacre, the UN’s findings on Russian war crimes and crimes against humanity, and the uncomfortable balance journalists must strike between showing the world what is happening and protecting operational security.

But there is another side to this war that receives far less attention.

Russia has suffered staggering reported personnel losses over September and October, while Ukraine continues to innovate on the battlefield. We examine the growing pressure on Moscow’s manpower, its recruitment of foreign fighters, and the increasingly questionable claims coming from Russian military commanders.

With the US midterm elections upon us, Chris and I also turn our attention to Washington. What could a change in Congress mean for Ukraine? Is the Trump administration genuinely pursuing peace, or are its decisions providing Putin with the breathing space he desperately needs?

We also discuss Starlink restrictions, Russian propaganda, the dangers of political misinformation, and why replacing President Zelenskyy would do nothing to change the fundamental reason Ukrainians are fighting.

Ukrainians are not fighting for a president, they are fighting for their homes, their families, and their country’s survival.

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I dropped in live from Dnipro to join Dean Blundell and Ken Harbaugh, bringing an eyewitness account of what has been happening here over the past 24 hours.

The attacks began around 3 a.m. I witnessed and filmed successive ballistic missile strikes against our energy infrastructure, followed by jet-powered drones, some of that footage has had to be redacted for operational security reasons.

After nearly two weeks of repeated attacks, power cuts and water shortages, Dnipro is facing an increasingly difficult situation, and winter hasn’t even properly begun.

We discussed Russia’s escalating attacks on civilians, the recent Dnipro railway station massacre, Ukrainian battlefield successes, restrictions affecting Starlink and Starshield, and the consequences of Washington’s decisions for those of us living through this war.

With the US midterms underway, we also examined what a change in Congress could mean for military assistance, accountability and the future of American support for Ukraine.

My message remains unchanged, we do not lack evidence of Russian war crimes, we lack the political determination to turn that evidence into accountability.

Many thanks to Dean and Ken for inviting me onto the programme and continuing to give Ukraine a voice, please watch, share and restack. Independent reporting from Ukraine matters, particularly when the world’s attention is elsewhere.

There can be no lasting peace without justice. 🇺🇦

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October has been a month of extraordinary contrasts in Ukraine, on the battlefield Ukrainian forces have continued to demonstrate remarkable adaptability, increasing the effectiveness of their drones, while striking Russian military infrastructure and recovering territory Moscow would rather its population knew nothing about.

But so much pro-Russian contextualising and positive framing continues to be pushed across sections of the Western media, especially in the USA, that even after more than four years of war, Ukrainian battlefield successes are still routinely overshadowed by a single comment from Putin, a few hundred metres of Russian territorial gains, or the latest antics from Trump’s White House, which increasingly appears more interested in shielding the Kremlin than confronting its aggression and, in some cases, arguably assisting it.

The Dnipro massacre not even making the headlines in the US, according to a friend of mine there.

It is precisely these Ukrainian successes that have given the Kremlin every reason to deflect attention from Russia’s mounting difficulties, particularly the growing pressure around the Southern Land Corridor and Crimea, and certainly along the Lyman axis, where, in some sectors, years of hard-fought Russian territorial gains have evaporated, along with staggering numbers of Russian personnel, the country we were repeatedly told had an infinite supply of manpower.

Away from the frontline, Russia has continued its campaign against Ukraine’s civilian population, energy infrastructure and transport networks, limited currently on what it can do on the battlefield, while here in Dnipro, we have spent days without reliable electricity and water, while Russian missiles and drones continue to arrive relentlessly.

And in Washington?

Well, we have watched a quite extraordinary political spectacle unfold, with restrictions on critical satellite communications, uncertainty surrounding Patriot interceptor deliveries, and an American administration seemingly more concerned with managing its relationship with Moscow than confronting what Russia is actually doing.

Then there’s Steve “Shitkoff”, portraying Vladimir Putin as some sort of “humanitarian”, while Russian forces continue killing Ukrainian civilians and destroying the infrastructure they depend upon. Trump went even further calling for a new Ukrainian President, you really couldn’t make this stuff up.

But trying to remain the positive optimist I am, with trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States proposed for November, I am asking another question, could Moscow’s renewed appetite for diplomacy a consequence of the hammering its oil refineries, military infrastructure and frontline forces have taken throughout September and October?

Zelenskyy went on to outline:

“We are ready to talk. If it’s a territorial issue, it must be addressed at a leadership level. Other issues fall within the remit of the technical groups. All this can therefore be discussed in November.”— President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Sunday, 25 October 2026, speaking to Alla Mazur on Ukraine’s TSN Week programme on 1+1.

It would certainly be remarkable timing and coincidence, particularly given reports that Washington has been pressuring Kyiv to halt its strikes on Russian oil refineries.

Personally, I don’t see these negotiations as a genuine opportunity for peace, but rather another attempt by the Kremlin to buy time, relieve pressure and secure concessions, my assessment shaped by years of experience and the realist I have become when it comes to dealing with Russia.

In my view, America is now far from being an honest mediator, while there is also little indication that Russia is genuinely seeking peace, yet, October did deliver something genuinely positive with hundreds of civilians rescued from Russian-occupied Oleshky in a rare humanitarian operation, proving that even during this dreadful war, meaningful cooperation can save lives.

Of course, Russia couldn’t resist turning the operation into a media PR spectacle, attempting to portray itself as some sort of humanitarian saviour, but in my view, the propaganda exercise rather backfired on the Kremlin, and I’ll explain in a bit.

It’s worth also pointing out to those who don’t follow the war as closely as myself, that Ukraine has been conducting humanitarian evacuations, prisoner exchanges and civilian rescue operations since 2014, often under extraordinary circumstances, this to me, raises doubts on how much of this operation was actually facilitated by the White House, and how much was the result of Ukrainian efforts already underway with assistance from The Vatican?

However, Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and his team deserve considerable recognition for what must have been an extraordinarily difficult operation, something I will examine in greater detail later in this article, but this humanitarian success is again, in danger of overshadowing the massacres in Dnipro and Chernihiv during the very same week the UN confirmed Russia’s Crimes Against Humanity, something I covered in my previous articles.

So, with the US midterm elections just days away, it’s not an understatement when I say the political consequences for Ukraine in November, could be considerable.

October in Numbers

These figures tell only part of October’s story, but the scale of Russia’s mounting losses is extraordinary, particularly when compared with previous months and now heading into November. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, estimated Russian personnel losses have risen sharply:

• July: 42,860 personnel

• September: 46,230 personnel

• October: Over 54,000 personnel, a new monthly record.

That amounts to more than 143,000 Russian personnel losses across those three months alone, including killed and wounded, not exclusively fatalities. I have to also point out these are Ukrainian military estimates rather than independently verified figures, although a separate investigation by BBC Russian and independent Russian outlet Mediazona has now identified 282,993 Russian military personnel killed by name since February 2022, using verifiable public records, obituaries and death notices, with the actual death toll believed to be considerably higher.

What these figures illustrate is the staggering human cost of Putin’s invasion, and a war that continues to evolve technologically, militarily and politically, with Ukraine increasingly finding ways to make Russia pay dearly for every attempted advance, with a particularly grim example emerging on 19 October 2026, when Ukraine’s 1st Azov Corps published footage of Russian assault routes in the Dobropillia direction, showing dozens of dead Russian soldiers along just one route.

“Russia can destroy another power station, but it cannot bomb away the ingenuity of Ukrainians who continue finding new ways to fight back.”— Shaun Pinner | Voices From The Front

There is, however, another side to this story.

What happens when Ukrainian military success collides with political interference? When critical battlefield technology can be restricted, desperately needed Patriot interceptors become entangled in American politics, and Washington continues talking diplomacy while Russian missiles rain down on Ukrainian cities?

And then there is the question that has followed me since Mariupol, through Russian captivity and now into another winter here in Dnipro, and that’s how many more Ukrainian civilians must die before the overwhelming evidence of Russian war crimes finally translates into genuine accountability?

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Coming just 24 hours after the devastating Russian drone strike on Dnipro’s railway station, we discussed the increasingly deliberate targeting of Ukraine’s civilian population, passenger trains and energy infrastructure, and what this means as winter approaches.

In this episode, we cover:

• 🇺🇦 Dnipro under attack: The deadly railway station strike, Russia’s escalating drone campaign and the reality of living under bombardment.

• ⚔️ The battlefield: Russia’s mounting losses, Ukrainian advances and why Putin is under increasing military pressure.

• 🇺🇸 Trump, Putin and Washington: The controversial Russian diesel deals, restrictions on Starlink and Starshield, and growing concerns over American policy towards Ukraine.

• 🕊️ Oleshky and humanitarian diplomacy: The proposed civilian evacuations, political PR and the danger of rehabilitating Putin’s image while Russian attacks continue.

• ⚖️ War crimes and accountability: The latest UN findings, Russia’s position on the UN Security Council and why statements of solidarity are no longer enough.

• 💪 Ukrainian resilience: The extraordinary determination of ordinary Ukrainians, particularly railway workers, who continue operating despite the constant threat of Russian attacks.

We also discuss whether meaningful peace negotiations are remotely possible while Putin continues pursuing his objectives, and what people outside Ukraine can do to make a genuine difference.

My thanks to Ken and Bobby for having me on and continuing to give Ukraine a voice.

Please watch, share and support independent reporting from Ukraine. 🇺🇦

There can be no lasting peace without justice.

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Get more from Shaun Pinner in the Substack app

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I’m sitting here in Dnipro, heading into another weekend without electricity or running water, after Russia spent much of the week relentlessly attacking our power stations and substations, as I’ve previously reported.

Yesterday, for good measure, fifteen people were also murdered at our railway station while simply waiting for a train, the desperate screams of “TATO!” (Father!) heard in the video footage are enough to haunt any sane person. A heart-breaking cry of anguish amid the devastation, one that is difficult to hear and even harder to forget.

It was a dark day for our city, the attacks didn’t stop there, the families of those killed were barely given a moment to grieve before the Russian drones came again.

Hour after hour, the jet-powered drones kept coming, huge explosions echoed across the city as our air defences did everything they could to intercept the incoming attacks, the lights flickering repeatedly, giving us a pretty good indication of what the Russians were targeting, then, after one almighty explosion, everything went dead.

An estimated 350,000 people were left without electricity.

All of this happened in the very same week that the United Nations concluded that Russia had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity through its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

Think about the extraordinary timing of all this, a massive middle finger to the United Nations, while the diplomatic theatre continued and Putin increasingly portrayed as some sort of humanitarian figure and saviour, despite the death and destruction his forces continue to inflict on Ukraine as we speak, obviously raising several uncomfortable questions.

Where is everybody?

Where is the international outrage, the accountability, and the political determination to stop this?

Because from where I sit, in the darkness of Dnipro, that silence is absolutely deafening.

What happened at Dnipro railway station?

Even as messages of solidarity and condemnation eventually poured in from world leaders and politicians, particularly figures such as French President Emmanuel Macron, I couldn’t help feeling that much of it came across like water off a duck’s back.

“It is intolerable that Russia continues to reject all proposals to this end, choosing instead to pursue escalation and target civilians.”— Emmanuel Macron, President of France, 29 October 2026

We’ve heard these statements after practically every major Russian atrocity, the bombing of the Mariupol theatre, the massacre in Bucha, the strike on Kyiv’s children’s cancer hospital, and now the murder of civilians waiting for a train in Dnipro. The expressions of outrage becoming almost as predictable as the atrocities themselves, condemnation, solidarity, promises of accountability, and then what?

Another attack, another death toll, another round of statements.

I don’t question the sincerity of everyone expressing solidarity, but solidarity without meaningful action is no longer enough, we’ve been hearing these words for years while the killing continues, so at what point does international outrage translate into consequences for those responsible?

I swear, if I hear the word “resilient” one more time, I’m going to club somebody.

I’ve spent months warning about Russia’s increasingly deliberate attacks on Ukraine’s railway network, reporting on my own journeys as Russian drones circled overhead while I travelled by train in and out of the country.

Just twelve hours before yesterday’s massacre, I’d arrived from Kyiv on that very same platform, with the warnings I have repeatedly raised no longer simply a matter of reporting on an escalating threat, they’d become a horrifying reality on a platform I’d stood only hours earlier.

Shortly before 11:00 am on Thursday, 29 October, a Russian jet-powered attack drone struck a platform where the Dnipro–Zaporizhzhia passenger service was standing, and according to Ukraine’s Air Force, four jet-powered drones were directed towards Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, three were intercepted, but all it takes is one to get through.

The consequences were obviously catastrophic.

Emergency services rushed to the station, evacuating the casualties to hospitals across Dnipro. Doctors have since described treating devastating shrapnel wounds, traumatic injuries and severe blood loss, with one casualty requiring the amputation of both legs.

Ukrainian Railways confirmed that an elevated threat warning had been issued approximately ten minutes before the attack, while staff had checked carriages and the train crew had evacuated, but some passengers remained near the platform. An investigation is now examining the circumstances, as legitimate questions about warning times, evacuation procedures and the growing danger posed by high-speed Russian drones on rail infrastructure are raised, but there is one fundamental point that must not disappear into those discussions.

Russia launched the weapon, Russia also bears the responsibility for the consequences, and for its obligations under the laws of war. Civilians were ultimately killed while waiting for a train, I call that murder, and I see no reason to dress it up in softer language.

This was not an isolated incident

Ukraine’s railways are increasingly operating under the threat of Russian drones capable of reaching targets far beyond the immediate frontline.

There is also an important military consideration here, hitting a moving train is considerably more difficult than striking a stationary target. Successfully tracking and engaging moving railway carriages suggests a level of precision that raises serious questions about Russia’s targeting capabilities.

This could involve first-person-view (FPV) technology, live video feeds or other forms of operator-guided targeting, allowing a drone to be directed towards a specific moving target rather than relying entirely on pre-programmed coordinates.

If confirmed, such capabilities would be particularly significant when examining target identification, deliberate selection and intent. An operator able to observe and select a passenger train presents a very different evidential picture from a weapon striking predetermined coordinates, although neither method alone establishes criminal intent.

How far Russia can reliably extend this capability remains debatable, particularly given the technical limitations of communications, guidance and operating range, nevertheless, the reported targeting of moving passenger trains raises deeply troubling questions that warrant investigation.

In September alone, Ukrainian Railways reported evacuating passengers from more than 5,800 services because of drone threats, that is an extraordinary figure, and a clear indication of how seriously this escalating threat is being taken, and I’ve repeatedly reported on attacks against locomotives, passenger services, stations and critical railway infrastructure, adding to my frustration.

The massacre in Dnipro demonstrates just how deadly this campaign has become, and while our city was counting its dead, Russian attacks continued elsewhere across Ukraine.

The extraordinary hypocrisy of humanitarian diplomacy

What makes this particularly difficult to stomach is the political theatre unfolding around us.

We have watched Russia participate in discussions over humanitarian arrangements around Russian-occupied Oleshky, with international attention focused on diplomatic gestures and the supposed progress being made.

Of course, genuine humanitarian assistance is welcome, nobody should oppose food reaching hungry families, medicine reaching the sick or civilians being evacuated safely to destinations they freely choose, with “freely choose” being the operative words here, particularly when dealing with a Russian state that has already forcibly transferred Ukrainian civilians from occupied territories.

Personally, I don’t think you can credibly present yourself as a humanitarian actor while your military continues killing civilians, attacking passenger trains and destroying the infrastructure people depend upon to survive, but that is exactly what’s happening, while the US Trump administration also try to curb the effects on hitting Russian Oil refineries that fund Putin’s war.

In my latest article, I said, “I find the political efforts to soften Vladimir Putin’s image particularly offensive”

Unfortunately, that again, is what appears to be happening.

The United Nations has already documented the wider crimes

Just three days before the massacre, on 26 October, the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine published findings concerning Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The Commission concluded that Russian authorities had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity through attacks deliberately depriving civilians of electricity and essential services.

Now consider where I’m sitting, no electricity, no running water, another weekend approaching, with no certainty about when either will return.

Russia has spent the week attacking the energy infrastructure around Dnipro, and this is what those UN findings mean in practice.

Families unable to cook properly, elderly people struggling without heating or lifts. Hospitals and emergency services dependent on backup systems & parents worrying about how they will keep their children warm.

And while we endure those conditions, Russia continues attacking civilian transport.

The UN findings concerning energy infrastructure are not themselves a legal determination about Thursday’s railway strike, that attack must be independently investigated, but the wider evidence of deliberate civilian suffering is increasingly difficult to ignore, especially when you have experienced it, and still live with it over 4 years on.

That said, this is a shorter article than I would normally publish, but as I finish writing, it is now 16:23 here in Dnipro, and the daylight is rapidly disappearing. We are conserving what little power we have left, because quite frankly, we have no idea when the electricity or running water will return.

Even as I write these final words, Russia continues its attacks on our power infrastructure, demonstrating a staggering disregard for civilian life, and just days after the United Nations documented crimes against humanity arising from precisely this campaign.

And let us not forget, Russia remains a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, the very body entrusted with maintaining international peace and security, the hypocrisy of that position, while its military continues attacking the infrastructure millions of civilians depend upon, is extraordinary.

So, I will leave it there for today, we have batteries to conserve, a family to look after and another uncertain night ahead, but that is the reality of life in Ukraine currently, far removed from the diplomatic theatre and humanitarian headlines you’re seeing in the news.

Stay safe, everyone. 🇺🇦

Remember, there can be no lasting peace without justice.

Author’s Notes

This month, Voices from the Front passed 4,000 subscribers, it’s also a Substack Bestseller, and regularly ranked in the Top 50 for World Politics/ News.

Across all platforms, this community has grown to more than 250,000 people in such a short time, incredible numbers, with my purpose not changing.

My aim remains honest, independent reporting from Ukraine, my home, and grounded in what I see and experience here rather than simply repeating headlines and soundbites from a studio. I also remain committed to keeping the vast majority of my reporting “free to read”, for as long as I can anyway. The people who choose to support this work through a paid subscription help make this possible for everybody, and I genuinely value every one of you for that.

Many of you have followed my journey since Mariupol, through Russian captivity, a death sentence, coming home, returning to Ukraine and now this new chapter of reporting and writing.

Your support allows me to stay here, keep reporting from the ground, and continue pursuing accountability for what Russia did, including helping fund our landmark legal cases against the Russian Federation before the European Court of Human Rights and the UK High Court.

So if you just read, please also share, comment, subscribe, there is much more to come as we are only just getting started.

Thank you

Shaun

After watching Russia repeatedly attack Dnipro’s power station on the left bank throughout this week, it has been something of an emotional rollercoaster, anger, joy, optimism, disappointment, caution and, inevitably, more anger, all this as the United Nations delivered another damning assessment of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, concluding that its systematic attacks on civilian energy infrastructure constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, or “Shitkoff”, as I’ve taken to calling him, was busy praising Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian” following the release of Stephen Hubbard, an American who was falsely accused of being a mercenary and imprisoned by Russia. Stephen and I were held in Russian captivity, and I know only too well the brutality of that system, including the beatings and torture inflicted on prisoners, yet somehow, Putin was being congratulated for releasing a man his own regime had imprisoned in the first place.

Then came Oleshky, finally gaining international political attention after months of pressure to address the desperate humanitarian situation there. What should have been a straightforward mission to get food, medicine and assistance to trapped civilians has instead descended into political arguments, competing claims of credit and diplomatic point-scoring. The First Lady’s team has presented the operation as a remarkable personal achievement, with Melania Trump declaring:

“It was abundantly clear that without my intervention, the possibility to bring humanitarian aid into the city and to evacuate the elderly would be impossible.”

That is quite a statement, particularly when the humanitarian catastrophe was created by Russia’s invasion and occupation in the first place, and in the same week, your stepson is outed gallivanting around with Umar Kremlev, a Russian figure sanctioned by Ukraine, including over alleged involvement in activities connected to the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children, optics that are hardly reassuring to put it mildly.

From where I stand, there is a growing danger that a desperately needed humanitarian operation is being turned into a political and commercial public-relations exercise, potentially helping to whitewash the documented crimes of the very state responsible for creating the crisis, and amid all this, the diplomatic fallout has somehow even drawn in the Vatican.

You really couldn’t make this up.

For those of us living here, this is hardly breaking news, but the legal implications are significant, particularly as Russia continues its campaign against Ukraine’s electricity and heating infrastructure with another bitter winter approaching. Only last week, I filmed a Russian attack on Dnipro’s power infrastructure, watching another assault on facilities essential to civilian life. Ukrainian security restrictions prevent me from publishing that footage, but the timing was extraordinary. In the very same week, the words “Putin” and “humanitarian” were being used in the same sentence, following announcements surrounding the limited ceasefire and humanitarian arrangements around Russian-occupied Oleshky —(My article for London Loves Business)

In the findings published on 26 October by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, investigators concluded that Russia’s attacks were not simply collateral damage from military operations, but formed part of a deliberate state policy to deprive Ukrainian civilians of essential services and inflict suffering on the population. The scale of this campaign is so staggering, according to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, between October 2025 and March 2026, Russia carried out at least 423 attacks on electricity generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure, alongside 74 strikes on heating infrastructure, including combined heat and power plants.

Millions of Ukrainians experienced disruptions to electricity, heating, water and gas, with temperatures falling as low as minus 21°C, with families sitting in freezing apartments, elderly residents unable to access essential medical equipment, hospitals struggling to maintain services and children whose education has been repeatedly disrupted. The Commission’s latest investigation included testimony from 255 people across nine Ukrainian regions, documenting the devastating consequences of Russia’s campaign.

Commission chairman Erik Møse warned: “As the cold season approaches, the attacks have intensified once again, raising serious concerns about the threats to civilians’ lives and health.”

And the suffering extends far beyond attacks on energy infrastructure. In September 2026 alone, the United Nations verified 328 civilians killed and 2,105 injured, an 85% increase in total civilian casualties compared with September 2025, verified minimum figures, meaning the true human cost may be considerably higher.

One 53-year-old Kyiv resident, describing the terrifying conditions during prolonged winter outages, told UN investigators: “The scariest thing was to fall asleep and not to wake up.”

That testimony should give pause to anyone attempting to portray Russia’s actions as anything approaching humanitarian, especially since the report determined Russian commanders knew the facilities being targeted were indispensable to the civilian population, particularly during freezing winter conditions. This wasn’t simply an attack on electricity, it was an attack on the conditions necessary for civilian survival.

These findings are alongside the growing body of evidence already being examined by international prosecutors, the implications becoming even more serious for Russia’s political and military leadership, The International Criminal Court already issuing six arrest warrants relating to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The evidence is mounting up.

In March 2023, Vladimir Putin and Russia’s children’s commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, became wanted over the alleged unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children, while in March of 2024, warrants followed for Lieutenant General Sergei Kobylash and Admiral Viktor Sokolov over alleged crimes connected to attacks on Ukrainian electricity infrastructure. Three months later, the ICC issued further warrants against former Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.

Quite a rap sheet forming, although it is important to distinguish arrest warrants and allegations from criminal conviction, the latest UN findings do not automatically establish Putin’s personal criminal responsibility for the energy attacks, but they provide further evidence that investigators may examine when establishing responsibility within Russia’s political and military command structure, which includes determining who ordered attacks, who knew they were being carried out and whether commanders failed to prevent crimes committed by forces under their control.

Nevertheless, these arrest warrants carry real consequences, and history has shown that even those who once appeared untouchable can eventually find themselves in the dock. Former Serbian President Slobodan Milošević was transferred to The Hague in 2001, while Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadžić spent nearly 13 years evading justice before his arrest in 2008. His military commander, Ratko Mladić, was finally captured in 2011. Both Karadžić and Mladić were subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment. Milošević died before his trial concluded, but his appearance before an international court demonstrated that even former heads of state could face prosecution, and there is another significant development on the horizon.

The Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, being established through cooperation between Ukraine and the Council of Europe, is intended to address the leadership responsibility for launching Russia’s unlawful invasion in the first place, and unlike the ICC’s existing investigations into war crimes and crimes against humanity, this tribunal will focus specifically on the crime of aggression, examining the decisions taken at the highest levels of political and military leadership.

In May 2026, 36 countries and the European Union backed the tribunal’s management framework, while the EU committed €10 million towards preparatory work. The tribunal is not yet fully operational, and legal protections for serving heads of state, heads of government and foreign ministers present considerable obstacles to immediate prosecution, however, investigations and preparations can continue, and the establishment of another international judicial mechanism represents an important development in the pursuit of accountability.

The ICC itself has no police force and depends upon states to execute its arrest warrants, meaning suspects who remain protected inside Russia are difficult to apprehend, but these warrants restrict international travel, increase diplomatic isolation and establish legal proceedings that cannot simply be wished away by political agreements, convenient diplomatic handshakes or Trump tantrums.

International justice can be painfully slow, I know personally, and it’s something I feel particularly strongly about, not simply as a journalist reporting on Russia’s war crimes, but as someone who has experienced them firsthand and is now pursuing justice through the courts.

For those reading this for the first time, in April 2022, I was captured by Russian forces during the siege of Mariupol, having served legally in the Ukrainian military since 2018. What followed was months of captivity, torture, beatings, electrocution, starvation and psychological abuse while being held in appalling conditions, denied the protections afforded to prisoners of war under international law, and eventually subjected to a sham trial in Russian-occupied Donetsk. On 9 June 2022, I was sentenced to death alongside fellow British prisoner Aiden Aslin and Moroccan national Brahim Saadoun, our supposed crime was defending Ukraine against an invading army.

I was eventually released in a prisoner exchange on 21 September 2022, but release was never going to be the end of the matter. The physical and psychological consequences of captivity do not simply disappear, nor does the responsibility of those who ordered, enabled or carried out these crimes.

My fight for justice against the Russian state continues on two legal fronts. In Ukraine, I secured a civil judgment awarding me €300,000 in compensation for what I endured, I then subsequently brought proceedings against the Russian Federation before the British High Court, seeking accountability and recognition of the crimes committed against me, while my case has also progressed before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), where written submissions detailing my capture, torture, unlawful detention, sham prosecution and death sentence have been filed and transmitted to Russia.

These proceedings are not simply about financial compensation. They are one small part of what I believe will become a legal tsunami heading towards the Russian state, as the consequences of its actions begin to catch up with it. No amount of money can undo the torture, restore the months stolen from my life or erase the experience of sitting in a prison cell under a death sentence.

But this fight is about something far greater than money, it’s about establishing accountability, preserving the evidence, securing legal recognition of the crimes committed and ensuring that Russia cannot simply rewrite history, deny responsibility or pretend these atrocities never happened, and yes, after everything I have endured, I would be lying if I said there wasn’t also a small measure of personal satisfaction in being able to say, “I told you so.”

I also know that my experience is far from unique, thousands of Ukrainian prisoners, including my friends above, exchanged last week, have endured captivity, torture, forced disappearance and unlawful detention, many still remaining imprisoned, while others never returned home, people like Paul Urey, a fellow British detainee who died in Russian captivity.

That is why I find the spectacle of Vladimir Putin being presented as some sort of humanitarian figure particularly offensive, and please, don’t repeat that description around me, I am just warning you now.

I have witnessed the consequences of his state’s actions, lived through its detention system and stood in one of its courts while a politically manufactured death sentence was pronounced against me, they have stolen my home, destroyed my community and killed my friends, those, the consequences of Russia’s invasion, occupation and the crimes committed against people I knew and loved.

So the question is no longer simply what crimes have been committed, the evidence is overwhelming. The question now is whether the international community has the political will, moral courage and determination to bring those responsible before a court.

Justice must be delivered, not merely promised.

And just as I am bringing this article to a close, Russia has struck Dnipro’s railway station, here in the very city I call home.

A Russian jet-powered drone has hit a platform where a passenger train was preparing to depart for Zaporizhzhia with at least 13 people being killed and five wounded, according to the initial reports from Ukrainian authorities.

Ordinary people, at a railway station, going about their lives.

I could scarcely have asked for a more devastating illustration of the very point I have been making throughout this article, while politicians talk of humanitarian gestures, diplomatic breakthroughs and rehabilitating Putin’s international image, Ukrainian civilians are being killed at a railway station in my own city, happening today, 29 October 2026, as I write these very words.

So forgive me if I have little patience for anyone attempting to portray Vladimir Putin as a humanitarian.

There can be no lasting peace without justice, and those who seek to shield Putin from accountability, rehabilitate his image or whitewash his crimes are, in my view, complicit in enabling the very atrocities they claim to want to end.

Author’s Notes

This month, Voices from the Front passed 4,000 subscribers, it’s also a Substack Bestseller, and regularly ranked in the Top 50 for World Politics/ News.

Across all platforms, this community has grown to more than 250,000 people in such a short time, incredible numbers, with my purpose not changing.

My aim remains honest, independent reporting from Ukraine, my home, and grounded in what I see and experience here rather than simply repeating headlines and soundbites from a studio. I also remain committed to keeping the vast majority of my reporting “free to read”, for as long as I can anyway. The people who choose to support this work through a paid subscription help make this possible for everybody, and I genuinely value every one of you for that.

Many of you have followed my journey since Mariupol, through Russian captivity, a death sentence, coming home, returning to Ukraine and now this new chapter of reporting and writing.

Your support allows me to stay here, keep reporting from the ground, and continue pursuing accountability for what Russia did, including helping fund our landmark legal cases against the Russian Federation before the European Court of Human Rights and the UK High Court.

So if you just read, please also share, comment, subscribe, there is much more to come as we are only just getting started.

Thank you

Shaun

As a local ceasefire began around Russian-occupied Oleshky, Kyiv endured two waves of Russian ballistic missile attacks. From where I was staying in the capital, the explosions were incredibly loud as I scrambled towards the bomb shelter, heading down 4 flights of stairs as the shockwaves from the impacts rattled the walls and windows around me, a terrifying reminder of the reality of Russia’s continuing bombardment, even as Washington celebrated a supposed humanitarian breakthrough.

Only hours earlier, while Washington celebrated, Russia continued launching ballistic missiles into Ukraine’s capital, the latest attacks killing at least one person, with reports of 14–15 injured, including civilians requiring hospital treatment, while the targets included University buildings, residential properties, medical facilities, and metro infrastructure in the damage reports.

I was actually in Kyiv last night, staying at a hotel ahead of catching an early train at around 6:30am, the explosions incredibly loud, and needless to say, I didn’t get another minute’s sleep after the bombardment in the early hours.

Instead, I found myself preparing for another journey across Ukraine, where even travelling by train has now become increasingly perilous, with Russian drones actively hunting railway infrastructure and passenger trains, so while emergency services were dealing with the aftermath of yet another Russian attack, I was preparing to travel through a country where nowhere feels entirely safe anymore, and quite the backdrop to Washington’s celebrations of a humanitarian breakthrough.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia launched 16 ballistic missiles and more than 280 drones across 11 Ukrainian regions during the wider assault.

“A total of 16 ballistic missiles were launched overnight, along with more than 280 drones. Unfortunately, there have been casualties, and targets in Kyiv were hit, including the Southern Bridge. This is a serious escalation in Russia’s campaign targeting our logistics.”— President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 27 October 2026.

Perhaps the most striking development was the damage to Kyiv’s Southern Bridge, a major crossing over the Dnipro River. The overnight strike damaged the bridge deck and associated metro infrastructure, forcing authorities to close the crossing to road traffic and suspend metro services across it, with photographs showing a substantial hole in the bridge’s surface, while engineers assessed the structural damage.

The consequences extend beyond damaged concrete, thousands of Kyiv residents depend on these crossings to reach work, hospitals and their families, so attacking critical transport infrastructure in a city hundreds of kilometres from the front line hardly inspires confidence in Moscow’s humanitarian intentions.

And yet, at precisely the same time, Russia was supposedly beginning a humanitarian pause elsewhere, and for once, I am genuinely unsure how this ceasefire will work. I desperately want it to succeed, obviously, but there are substantial and obvious reasons to remain cautious.

The ceasefire began at 3am Kyiv time on 27 October, with humanitarian operations and evacuations expected later this week, the original White House announcement identifying the 29 October as the starting date.

The arrangement is also geographically limited, rather than a nationwide ceasefire, with Oleshky lying on the Russian-occupied eastern bank of the Dnipro River, directly opposite Ukrainian-controlled Kherson.

Before Russia’s invasion, approximately 24,000 people lived there, but today, an estimated 1,700–2,000 remain, including around 50 children, with elderly and vulnerable residents making up much of the population.

The city was devastated further in June 2023 when the Kakhovka dam was destroyed, flooding approximately 90% of Oleshky’s territory. Homes disappeared beneath contaminated floodwater, agricultural land was destroyed, and an ecological catastrophe spread across southern Ukraine.

Ukraine accuses Russian forces, who controlled the dam at the time, of deliberately destroying it to obstruct Ukrainian advances, also describing the disaster as ecocide. Today, residents face shortages of food, clean water, electricity, heating and medicine, while mines and drone attacks have made escape exceptionally dangerous.

The proposed operation involves clearing routes, delivering humanitarian assistance and evacuating those wishing to leave, but who guarantees their safety?

Who monitors Russian compliance? and what happens when the shooting starts again, which it inevitably will.

Russia’s record makes those questions unavoidable, something seemingly lost on Elon Musk, whose recent comments in the past days demonstrates a remarkable lack of understanding of who is actually fighting for Russia.

The Russian military relies heavily on contract soldiers, many of them middle-aged men recruited through substantial financial incentives, rather than the waves of young conscripts some appear to imagine. Then there is the eclectic patchwork quilt of foreign-recruited cannon fodder being thrown into Putin’s war, according to General Andrii Biletskyi, commander of Ukraine’s Third Army Corps, foreign nationals now account for approximately one in three Russian prisoners captured by his forces.

Conscripts are only part of the picture, but legally stay on Russian soil, and are far from the defining element of Russia’s invasion force. This is a war sustained by money, recruitment incentives and an increasingly international pool of manpower.

My caution is obviously warranted, Mariupol, my home, immediately springs to mind.

I spent seven weeks fighting to defend that city in 2022, watching civilians desperately trying to escape while Russian forces tightened their encirclement, while announced humanitarian corridors repeatedly failed at a time where Russia had complete air dominance and controlled the sky over Mariupol.

On 6 March 2022, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed that another evacuation attempt had been halted after hostilities resumed, with Ukrainian authorities accusing Russian forces of shelling agreed humanitarian evacuation routes.

I remember those days vividly, including the relentless Russian bombing runs that would eventually culminate in the devastating attack on Mariupol’s Drama Theatre on 16 March, where hundreds of civilians, including women and children, had sought shelter from the fighting. Many were killed when Russian aircraft bombed the building, despite the word “CHILDREN” being clearly marked outside.

I watched over weeks, families carrying what little they could, walking through checkpoints, clutching their belongings and desperately hoping that this time an announced humanitarian corridor might actually mean something.

For those families, it was a matter of life and death then too, and this explains my caution, having been down this road before, quiet literally.

Nor has the danger disappeared, more recently in October 2025, the United Nations attributed an attack on a clearly marked humanitarian convoy in Bilozerka, Kherson region, to Russian forces, the convoys humanitarian markings not protecting those delivering aid on that day.

There is also an uncomfortable dispute over who deserves credit.

The White House has presented Melania Trump as instrumental in securing the agreement, emphasising her personal intervention, yet, Pope Leo XIV had also directly appealed to Vladimir Putin for humanitarian access and safe, voluntary evacuation.

“It was abundantly clear that without my intervention, the possibility to bring humanitarian aid into the city and to evacuate the elderly would be impossible.”— First Lady Melania Trump, White House statement, 23 October 2026.

The Vatican’s intervention was documented, while Ukraine’s ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, has also publicly thanked Melania Trump and her team, both contributions deserving acknowledgement, however, turning the plight of trapped civilians into a competition for political credit is deeply uncomfortable, with claims from the White House that the agreement was achieved “single-handedly” only compounding the problem.

Also, the previously announced prisoner-exchange commitments deserve similar scrutiny, on 8 May 2026, Donald Trump announced a ceasefire accompanied by a proposed 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange.

Although prisoner exchanges subsequently took place in stages, questions remain over what was originally promised, what has actually been delivered, and whether those exchanges were even connected to the announcement.

As a former prisoner of Russia myself, I know the enormous emotional weight such announcements carry, particularly for families desperately waiting for news of their loved ones, they don’t need publicity, political point-scoring or promises that may never materialise, they just need their loved ones home.

So, will the Oleshky operation succeed?

I sincerely hope so, but I honestly just don’t know, but as I am writing this, more explosions are coming from Dnipro City, showing there certainly doesn’t seem any appetite for peace coming from Russia.

But I keep reminding people that, in my assessment, Putin is under more pressure than at any point I have witnessed in my lifetime. Things are not going well for the Kremlin Gremlin, and perhaps the First Lady’s personal involvement will help ensure this humanitarian operation succeeds, I genuinely hope it does.

But success must be measured by actions, not announcements, and we have had far too many announcements from this White House already, particularly in recent weeks. Ukraine is still waiting for promised Patriot air defence systems, while Starlink and Starshield restrictions have hampered Ukrainian military operations, Trump continues pursuing deals with Vladimir Putin, and has even called for Ukraine to have a new president.

From where I stand here in Ukraine, the gap between Washington’s promises and what is actually being delivered is becoming increasingly difficult to swallow, if you’ll pardon the pun, because ultimately success means food reaching hungry families, medicine reaching the sick, and civilians being evacuated safely to destinations they freely choose.

This White House administration is no friend of Ukraine, and in recent weeks, whatever façade of support remained has well and truly slipped.

So anything less is not a humanitarian breakthrough, but another broken promise in an increasingly long line of promises that, from here inside Ukraine, have delivered precious little.

And if this operation goes disastrously wrong, I wonder who will be so eager to take ownership then? I suspect we will not see quite the same enthusiasm from the White House.

For the sake of those trapped in Oleshky, I sincerely hope I’m wrong.

Author’s Notes

This month, Voices from the Front passed 4,000 subscribers, it’s also a Substack Bestseller, and regularly ranked in the Top 50 for World Politics/ News.

Across all platforms, this community has grown to more than 250,000 people in such a short time, incredible numbers, with my purpose not changing.

My aim remains honest, independent reporting from Ukraine, my home, and grounded in what I see and experience here rather than simply repeating headlines and soundbites from a studio. I also remain committed to keeping the vast majority of my reporting “free to read”, for as long as I can anyway. The people who choose to support this work through a paid subscription help make this possible for everybody, and I genuinely value every one of you for that.

Many of you have followed my journey since Mariupol, through Russian captivity, a death sentence, coming home, returning to Ukraine and now this new chapter of reporting and writing.

Your support allows me to stay here, keep reporting from the ground, and continue pursuing accountability for what Russia did, including helping fund our landmark legal cases against the Russian Federation before the European Court of Human Rights and the UK High Court.

So if you just read, please also share, comment, subscribe, there is much more to come as we are only just getting started.

Thank you

Shaun

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Pinner’s Patter!

First things first, an apology, I’m rather late getting this edition out, but to say September and October have been busy would be a spectacular understatement.

Between travelling around Ukraine, reporting on Russia’s war, interviewing some fascinating people, investigating developments that have serious consequences for Ukrainian soldiers, and trying to keep Voices from the Front moving forward, I’ve barely had time to sit down.

And, of course, there’s the small matter of living in a country where the Russians seem determined to make sure nobody gets a decent night’s sleep.

But despite everything, it’s been an incredibly productive couple of months, and I wanted to bring you all up to speed with what’s been happening behind the scenes, what we’ve achieved together, and where we’re heading next.

That includes my recent trip to Kyiv, where I joined WP24 to report on the situation in the capital and across Ukraine, including another night under Russian ballistic missile and drone attacks.

It was a stark reminder of the realities of reporting from Ukraine, where the story you’re covering can suddenly become the story you’re living through.

I’ve included a short clip from the WP24 interview above, because appearing on Ukrainian news programmes, including those translated into Ukrainian and Russian, is something I consider increasingly important, especially when my local barber knew I’d been on television!

No, I didn’t get a free haircut…

My point, although I’m speaking English, the message is reaching Ukrainian audiences, and that matters, because trying to decipher Trump’s statements, separate the political noise from the facts, and explain what Washington’s decisions actually mean for Ukraine is just as important to Ukrainians as it is to audiences in the West.

After all, it’s Ukrainians who are living with the consequences of those decisions every single day, and we cant let people forget that.

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Voices from the Front – Growing, Changing and Finding Its Feet

When I started Voices from the Front, the idea was relatively simple. Rather than keep asking for money, support and help, it was to give people an honest account of what’s happening in Ukraine, bring in those who understand this war, and provide a platform for voices that don’t always make it into mainstream coverage.

That hasn’t changed.

What has changed is the scope of what we’re doing.

September and October have seen a steady evolution in the channel, with more interviews, more battlefield analysis, additional footage, maps and graphics, and a greater emphasis on explaining not just what’s happening, but why it matters.

I’ve also been experimenting with the format, making the conversations more accessible while retaining the detailed discussions that many of you come here for. Our weekly live discussions and Q&A sessions on substack remains an important part of that. I enjoy the interaction, even when some of you ask questions that require me to find another cup of coffee, or take another swig of red wine before answering!

There are also some encouraging conversations taking place with potential backers for 2027, which could bring further support to Voices from the Front and help us build on what we’ve started. It’s early days, but I’m looking forward to sharing more when I can.

And to everyone who has subscribed, shared an episode, become a paid supporter, or simply taken the time to leave a comment, thank you. You’re helping build something worthwhile, and that brings me to an important point.

As you’ll read throughout this newsletter, your support is absolutely vital to everything we’re trying to achieve, from our ongoing legal fight and supporting Brahim, to production costs, independent reporting, equipment repairs, travel across Ukraine, and the countless expenses that come with keeping Voices from the Front running, like the need for something basic as a new helmet, the list really is endless.

None of this happens for free, and much of the work takes place long before a camera is switched on or an article is published, you, just getting the end presentation.

Your paid subscriptions help make all of it possible, and I genuinely wouldn’t have got this far without you🙏

Some Remarkable Conversations

We’ve had a fantastic selection of guests over the last several weeks.

From sit downs with Ken Harbaugh, and Professor Phillips O’Brien whose experience and understanding of the wider political and military picture made for an excellent conversations.

There have also been discussions with Simon Ostrovsky, Cormac Smith, Tom Mutch, & Operator Starsky, each bringing a different perspective to events unfolding in Ukraine.

Tom and I explored recently the changing nature of warfare, particularly the extraordinary developments in drones, robotics and unmanned systems.

Our discussion, Robots vs Robots: The New World Army, looked at something I’ve been talking about for some time: the future of warfare isn’t coming. It’s already here, and Ukraine is at the centre of that transformation.

We’ve also been exploring Ukrainian drone operations, battlefield innovation and the people responsible for developing technologies that are changing how armies fight.

Another conversation I’m particularly pleased about was with Operator Starsky, bringing another Ukrainian soldier’s perspective to the war, the defence of Kyiv and what might lie ahead.

These are the conversations I want Voices to be known for, informed, direct, occasionally uncomfortable, but always worth having.

Lastly, I also sat down with film producer Devin Woodall to discuss documentary filmmaking in some of the harshest environments. I recently returned the favour, joining him and some big names from the community for a charity drive on YouTube, where we explored similar themes and the challenges of telling these stories. Give it watch if you have time, and get some perspectives from those who live and work in Ukraine

Reporting From Ukraine – A Difficult Few Weeks

Away from the interviews, my work as a journalist has kept me exceptionally busy. I continue to write primarily for London Loves Business, covering specific topics with a mainly political focus, but I’ve also been asked to contribute further articles to The Spectator and the think tank CEPA.

I’m well into writing my second book, chronicling my time before the siege of Mariupol and my service with the Ukrainian military from 2018. It’s an important part of putting my experiences of living in eastern Ukraine on record, and further exposing the Russian lies so often repeated by people who have never even set foot in the country.

On a positive note, September was also particularly difficult month for the Russian forces, with Ukrainian counterattacks, substantial reported Russian casualties and operations challenging Moscow’s claims of battlefield success.

October has brought further developments, including the Ukrainian operation known as Vivaldi, entered its final season, demonstrating that even on a battlefield saturated with drones, offensive operations remain possible when the right conditions are created.

But perhaps the most concerning story I’ve been investigating involves restrictions affecting Starlink and Starshield-supported Ukrainian drone operations.

I’ve spoken directly with Ukrainian drone operators and military personnel about the operational consequences, including aircraft losing connectivity and restrictions affecting missions against Russian forces.

That investigation has opened up much bigger questions about political interference, corporate control, military communications, and who is ultimately accountable when battlefield capabilities are restricted, with a later Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report overlapping with my own piece, confirming that Elon Musk had directly ordered the restrictions placed on Starlink and Starshield, despite earlier denials.

It was also one of my most-read articles, exceeding 8,000 reads.

The conflicting explanations emerging from Washington have only made those questions more pressing, and it’s a story I’m continuing to follow because, ultimately, this isn’t about personalities or political theatre.

It’s about Ukrainian lives.

Life Behind the Camera

One thing I never want Voices from the Front to become is a programme disconnected from the realities of living here.

Throughout these past weeks, I’ve travelled between Dnipro, Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv, witnessing the consequences of Russian attacks and continuing to speak with soldiers and civilians whose lives are being shaped by this war.

The attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have been particularly worrying as winter approaches. I captured the clip below just as the words “Putin” and “humanitarian” were being used in the same sentence: Russia striking Dnipro’s power station, seeking to leave Ukrainians freezing in the dark.

There’s also, obviously, a personal side of all this.

Like everyone else here, I’m trying to balance work, family, daily life and the constant interruptions that come with Russia’s invasion.

Sometimes that means recording after a sleepless night, it means changing plans because of air raids, explosions or another breaking story.

And sometimes, it means a newsletter arrives a few weeks late! But this is precisely why I believe independent reporting from inside Ukraine matters.

What’s Coming Next?

There’s plenty on the horizon.

I’m planning more interviews with Ukrainian military personnel, journalists and analysts, alongside deeper investigations into the technologies and political decisions influencing this war.

I’m also working to improve the visual side of Voices, with more battlefield maps, video footage and explanations that help make complicated developments easier to follow.

November will bring further opportunities to speak publicly about Ukraine, the war and my own experiences, including events in London bringing light to the atrocities still being committed by an Imperialist Russian desire to see the return of the Soviet Union.

And I’ll also continue my reporting for London Loves Business, alongside my work here on Substack, importantly, keeping Voices from the Front independent, accessible and grounded in what’s actually happening.

Lastly, in this segment, I’m glad to say it’s not all bombs and bullets, we also had some fun and culture in Dnipro, which made for a very welcome change. DakhaBrakha performed and were absolutely brilliant, with members of the audience presenting them with flowers, a lovely tradition here and a reminder of the life and culture that continues here despite everything.

Finally, A Thank You

This week saw the return of our friends and brothers captured in Mariupol, bringing everything I’ve said into sharp focus. On 23 October, 270 Ukrainians returned from Russian captivity, 261 service personnel and nine civilians. Among them were friends from my unit whom I last saw in 2022, finally home, but their journey of recovery only just beginning.

I know many of you have followed my journey for years, while others have only recently discovered Voices from the Front, but increasingly, it’s time to tell the stories of others, to follow their journeys, and hopefully play a part in making sure their voices are heard.

Putin is attempting to whitewash Russia’s war crimes and rewrite the history of this invasion, that much is evident. What troubles me even more is that he now appears to have willing assistance in doing so, and I don’t just mean Trump. This makes independent reporting, factual journalism and challenging the Kremlin’s propaganda more important than ever.

Whether you’re here for the military analysis, frontline interviews, political discussions or simply to better understand what’s happening in Ukraine, I’m genuinely grateful you’re along for the ride. Your support makes a real difference, particularly as independent journalism becomes increasingly difficult, facing unexplained monetisation restrictions on platforms such as Meta, while X appears to be increasingly restricting the reach and visibility of my posts.

There’s a certain irony in platforms that claim to champion free speech while making it increasingly difficult for independent voices to be heard. They demand original, creative content, yet at the same time appear to restrict the very creators producing it, a bizarre paradox.

And that’s precisely why your subscriptions, shares and continued engagement matter so much. They allow me, and all of us involved in Voices from the Front, to keep reporting, asking difficult questions, challenging the narratives and telling stories that might otherwise go unheard.

So, thank you for your patience, your questions, your encouragement and, occasionally, your disagreements, you’re absolutely entitled to them, after all, we aren’t Russia. Freedom of expression means being able to challenge one another, disagree openly and question those in power without fear of being silenced.

And that is something worth defending, both on the battlefield and beyond it.

We’ve noticeably also passed 4,000 subscribers on Substack, with our podcasts and chats now available on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, reaching even more people.

It’s fair to say that September and October have been quite a ride, and somehow, I suspect November won’t be much quieter, as I hope to bring you more news soon on our legal fight against the Russian state, both in the European courts and the British High Court.

So until next time, stay safe, look after one another, and thank you for supporting Voices from the Front.

Slava Ukraini!

Shaun

Voices from the Front | Live. Fight. Survive.

Russia’s supposedly inevitable victory has run into a very real problem, the reality that Ukrainian soldiers are taking back territory Moscow spent months, sometimes years, trying to capture.

Operation Vivaldi, the Ukrainian counteroffensive around Lyman in northern Donetsk Oblast, has now delivered reported gains of 277 square kilometres and restored Ukrainian control over 16 settlements, but behind those figures is a much bigger story about adaptation, deception and the dangerous assumption that Ukraine can only retreat.

It is something I have been documenting for weeks, but the reported throttling of Starlink and Starshield has now opened a very different debate, firstly on how much control does one private individual have over the communications supporting Ukraine’s military capabilities, what effective oversight exists despite government contracts?

And the possibility that somebody in the White House or SpaceX, is doing the unthinkable?

“So, we now have the Pentagon denying responsibility while pointing towards SpaceX’s terms of service, Musk previously pointing towards the US military and the president, and Trump denying any involvement. Meanwhile, Ukrainian drone operators are reporting operational consequences, while Rubio doesn’t think Ukraine even has Starshield.” — Shaun Pinner, X, 22 October 2026

In “Operation Vivaldi | Russia Slept Through Ukraine’s Real Attack,” I examined how Ukraine combined drones, infantry, electronic warfare and deception to wrong-foot the Russian forces. Moscow was announcing victories while Ukrainian commanders were preparing attacks against the army supposedly delivering them, this latest account brings home what those advances actually cost.

Speaking to the Kyiv Independent, Ukrainian soldier Oleksandr described surviving mines, a river crossing and Russian artillery before FPV drones began hunting his group,

“If I’m honest, I was convinced they were going to kill us,” he said.

That is the reality behind the coloured patches changing hands on battlefield maps that so many military bloggers scramble to publish each day. Every advance requires soldiers to cross ground where being spotted can mean being killed within minutes, while surveillance, extending across the frontline on both sides and deep into the rear, target advancing troops along approach routes, at forming-up points and in bases ideally long before they reach the zero line.

The same dangers apply when Ukraine goes on the offensive, our soldiers must also cross heavily mined terrain, obstacles, and ground watched by enemy drones covered by artillery, it’s exhausting, physically draining and extremely dangerous, which is why active defence suits our approach, holding ground while disrupting Russian preparations, striking supply routes and counterattacking when opportunities emerge. Russia is under pressure to meet territorial gains and objectives, repeatedly committing troops to advances that expose them to Ukrainian fire, that, for over 4 years, reliable as clockwork.

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Ukraine must also perform the offensive function of warfare, but more selectively, choosing when and where to commit troops to retake ground or improve defensive positions, and that’s precisely why Operation Vivaldi matters.

Ukrainian forces have demonstrated that this battlefield can still be crossed, provided the right conditions are created first. As this clip shows below, members of Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade captured a group of foreign-recruited soldiers fighting for Russia, highlighting the growing reliance on foreign manpower. According to recent Ukrainian military estimates, foreign nationals now account for as many as one in three Russian prisoners captured.

However, drones alone don’t occupy villages, infantry still has to enter positions and play a valuable and important part in clearing and holding them, but attacking Russian supply routes, disrupting communications and suppressing drone crews can only make that movement possible, something Ukrainian forces have excelled at, combining technology and traditional soldiering to deliver devastating results.

Two tactics proved vital, using drones wherever possible, and using a blockade tactic whereby infantry sneaked behind Russian lines to isolate Moscow’s troops from the rear and block their escape. Taking Shandryholove, a village only 0.17 square kilometers (0.066 square miles) in size, took more than a month, giving you a good idea how difficult assaulting urban area’s can be.

“The enemy heavily mined (the area), abnormally heavily, because it understood that it couldn’t stop us any other way,” Galchenko told the Kyiv Independent.

The progression across the whole operation has been substantial, and make no mistake, earlier phases brought Ukrainian advances around Nove, Ridkodub and Katerynivka. The fourth phase added another reported 101 square kilometres, including Zelena Dolyna, Lypove and Kolodiazi.

The Third Army Corps reported approximately 8,000 Russian personnel losses across the operation, with DeepState also reporting Ukrainian gains in the three latest villages, Lyman’s importance extending beyond the settlements immediately surrounding it.

As I’ve already outlined, the sector helps protect approaches towards Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, central components of Ukraine’s Donetsk fortress belt, and according to Third Army Corps commander Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi, the operation frustrated Russian efforts to outflank that urban area and protected the Kharkiv–Sloviansk motorway.

He also reported that Russian commanders had to move elements of the 1st Guards Tank Army, easing pressure around Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi.

This is the cascading effect I discussed in “Russia Is Burning While Putin Is Losing Ground,” with a successful counterattack forcing the enemy to move reserves, revise logistics and abandon plans elsewhere with significance that can’t be measured solely by counting square kilometres.

There is another familiar ingredient in Russia’s own reporting.

I previously highlighted Putin’s claim that Sviatohirsk had fallen, followed days later by Biletskyi walking through its Ukrainian-controlled centre, for me, somewhere I spent my honeymoon, the absurdity was particularly striking.

These “beautiful reports”, as Russian military bloggers describe them, become very dangerous when commanders start believing them, & their own hype. Reserves, artillery and supplies can end up allocated around a fictional battlefield, while Ukraine’s operational secrecy stands in sharp contrast with Moscow’s appetite for announcing success before achieving it, perhaps highlighting the desperation of an imperialist invading army struggling to turn its claims into reality.

All this demonstrates that Russian victory is not inevitable, and that brings me back nicely to satellite communications.

Vivaldi illustrates why Ukraine needs dependable reconnaissance, coordination and the ability to attack Russian logistics, inside Ukraine, with my reporting documenting operators accounts of lost connections, lost aircraft and continuing restrictions affecting military missions.

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As Ukrainian soldiers, part of our job is to hit the enemy’s near rear, ammunition stores, fuel supplies, command posts, drone crews and the routes bringing reinforcements forward, with the aim, to disrupt an attack before it reaches our positions, us dictating the conditions of the fight. Obviously, I don’t need to explain the importance of destroying ammunition before it reaches a Russian gun, or restricting soldiers basic logistics that sustain their advance, like water, fuel and food.

That is how you shape the battlefield, deny the enemy options and create opportunities for your own forces to advance, and fight them where you want to meet them, not the other way around.

Restrictions affecting the drones conducting those missions have undermined that effort. If Ukrainian aircraft lose connectivity or cannot operate at the speeds their missions require, Russian supplies, equipment and personnel have a better chance of reaching the front. Whatever the stated justification for those restrictions that currently, still remain unclear, they without a doubt created military consequences for Ukraine, with serious repercussions now being highlighted by senior Ukrainian military figures, independent organisations and media outlets, including The New York Times.

Many are now asking direct questions, did the restrictions imposed on Ukraine’s communications undermine its ability to do to Russian forces precisely what successful military operations require, like disrupting their support, restrict their movement and prevent them from fighting effectively?

The operators I interviewed described consequences consistent with that concern, and as I explained in “Rubio Says No Starshield | Ukraine’s Drone Operators Tell Me A Different Story,” restoring connectivity does not necessarily restore the military capability that connection previously supported.

This also opens a much bigger debate about control over one of the most sophisticated communications systems on the planet, a question I examine in my latest article for London Loves Business: “Who commands America’s battlefield communications — the Pentagon, Trump or Musk?” Government contracts should establish clear authority, accountability and safeguards, but conflicting public explanations leave serious questions about how effectively those arrangements operate.

Could someone use that control to constrain Ukraine’s battlefield choices, leaving Russian military logistics less exposed to attack?

That should be the unthinkable scenario, but the possibility demands investigation, and an inquiry is now under way. US Senator Richard Blumenthal has opened an investigation into the Starlink and Starshield restrictions, demanding answers from Elon Musk and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth about who authorised the changes, how they were implemented and what authority SpaceX holds under its Pentagon contracts.

Blumenthal is seeking relevant contracts, internal records and communications between SpaceX, the Pentagon and the White House, with written answers requested by 5 November. His warning goes directly to the concern raised here:

“The events in Ukraine show how a single point of control can be turned against the forces that depend on it.” — US Senator Richard Blumenthal, 22 October 2026

Whatever the justification, restrictions that prevent Ukrainian drones from reaching Russian military targets benefit the forces occupying our territory. Ukrainians, Americans and our partners have every right to ask why those restrictions were imposed and whether that advantage was anticipated, accepted or intended.

Ukraine has demonstrated that it can push Russian forces back, if somebody is restricting the capabilities supporting that effort, the public deserves to know whose decision it was, under what authority, and to what end.

The connection may be coming back, but Washington’s credibility weeks before the Mid-Terms, remains another matter entirely.

Author’s Notes

This month, Voices from the Front passed 4,000 subscribers, it’s also a Substack Bestseller, and regularly ranked in the Top 50 for World Politics/ News.

Across all platforms, this community has grown to more than 250,000 people in such a short time, incredible numbers, with my purpose not changing.

My aim remains honest, independent reporting from Ukraine, my home, and grounded in what I see and experience here rather than simply repeating headlines and soundbites from a studio. I also remain committed to keeping the vast majority of my reporting “free to read”, for as long as I can anyway. The people who choose to support this work through a paid subscription help make this possible for everybody, and I genuinely value every one of you for that.

Many of you have followed my journey since Mariupol, through Russian captivity, a death sentence, coming home, returning to Ukraine and now this new chapter of reporting and writing.

Your support allows me to stay here, keep reporting from the ground, and continue pursuing accountability for what Russia did, including helping fund our landmark legal cases against the Russian Federation before the European Court of Human Rights and the UK High Court.

So if you just read, please also share, comment, subscribe, there is much more to come as we are only just getting started.

Thank you

Shaun

When I published “RUBIO SAYS NO STARSHIELD | Ukraine’s Drone Operators Tell Me A Different Story” on 20 October, I wanted to establish something relatively straightforward, why were Ukrainian drone operators reporting continuing restrictions on their military operations when Washington was insisting that connectivity had been restored?

That investigation has now passed 8,000 reads, and just in the space of 48 hours, while the story has developed into something considerably bigger, the Wall Street Journal also reporting that Elon Musk personally ordered the slowdown of Ukraine’s military-grade satellite communications service. Reuters have additionally documented conflicting accounts from American officials about who authorised the decision, and now members of the United States Congress are demanding an investigation.

“I don’t know who did it, but I was not involved.”— President Donald Trump, 21 October 2026

One Republican congressman has gone further, warning that Musk’s reported actions could constitute a violation of American law.

It is also worth reminding readers that Musk previously denied responsibility for imposing the restrictions, publicly pointing towards the White House and US military authorities as those responsible for determining Starshield’s operational limitations, the president now denying responsibility, with the question of who actually authorised the restrictions remaining unanswered.

For those of us living and working in Ukraine, these systems support military operations against an invading Russian army, including the interception of drones attacking Ukrainian cities, and when they stop working, the consequences can be deadly.

On 22 October, I reported alongside Mark Channer for London Loves Business that Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick was demanding an investigation into Musk’s reported involvement.

“If Elon Musk ordered Starlink to be slowed down in Ukraine, that is likely a violation of the law.”— Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, Republican, Pennsylvania

He also called for witnesses to be brought before lawmakers and questioned under oath, describing the allegations as extremely serious.

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren has raised similar concerns, questioning whether one private individual could effectively dictate aspects of American foreign policy through control of technology on which Ukraine depends.

That is an extraordinary position for Washington to find itself in, and one I doubt the Trump administration ever anticipated would generate this level of political backlash.

A private US company that provides a communications capability essential to a country fighting for its survival, confirmed to be restricted without warning, with military operations disrupted, and the American administration appearing unable to provide a consistent explanation of who made the decision.

“We have nothing to do with that. I don’t, the United States, nobody ordered that Starlink speed to be slowed down. It sort of happened, but my understanding is it’s been restored and back to where it was before.” — Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, 18 October 2026

Meanwhile, Russia continues its invasion, Ukrainian drones have been lost, and civilians continue to be killed in Russian attacks, while Ukraine’s defensive capabilities face additional restrictions.

So to recap, on 14 October, Musk publicly insisted that limits on Starshield speed and usage were determined by the US military and ultimately the president, yet, on 21 October, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that these decisions were governed by private commercial arrangements, placing responsibility with SpaceX rather than the White House.

That’s a week later…

A contradiction highlighted in this exchange shared by CNN’s Jim Sciutto.

As I said, President Trump has denied personal involvement, while Reuters has cited American and Western officials who said the decision ultimately originated inside the White House.

These accounts cannot all be reconciled without further explanation, but somebody is clearly lying, and we’re still no closer to who authorised the restrictions, who knew about them beforehand, and who had the authority to reverse them?

Those questions are particularly important because my original investigation was not simply about whether Starlink terminals could connect to the internet, but why US officials’ statements did not match what was happening on the ground.

I spoke directly with Ukrainian military drone operators who described losing connectivity and aircraft when the restrictions were introduced, some subsequently regained normal connections, while others reported continuing limitations affecting fixed-wing operations against Russian forces inside Ukrainian territory.

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One operator serving in southern Ukraine, whom I identify only as “H” for operational security, confirmed that his team lost drones during the initial disruption. Their Starlink connection has since returned to normal, but he described an existing speed restriction of approximately 70 km/h affecting their particular service arrangement.

His team supports infantry operations at distances below 30 kilometres.

“We are already limited by the 70kph on Starlink, and that’s also to stop Russian fixed wings over Ukrainian territory. So if you go over 70kph, the Starlink will just shut off.” — “H”, Active Ukrainian Military Drone Operator, Southern Ukraine

Other operators described different arrangements, including what they identified as Starshield access for medium-range fixed-wing operations. They reported restrictions of approximately 120 km/h, affecting missions previously conducted without that limitation.

Restoring a satellite connection is not necessarily the same as restoring the military capability that connection previously supported. This was the central finding of my original investigation, and it remains relevant despite Washington’s changing explanations.

I must also apologize, adding to the already mixed messaging, but US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth also denied that the Pentagon had issued any directives restricting Ukraine’s Starshield access. Speaking to reporters on 20 October, he offered another explanation, suggesting that SpaceX’s terms of service might be relevant to the restrictions.

“We haven’t pulled anything back. There are terms of service that ultimately need to be complied to, and that’s where Starlink has the option to make those decisions.”— Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, 20 October 2026

Hegseth went on to insist that nothing had changed from Washington’s perspective and that no directives had been issued, yet he provided no specific explanation of which contractual terms might have been breached, whether Ukraine had actually violated them, or who authorised the reported restrictions.

I hope you are keeping up…

So if this really was a contractual issue, what terms were allegedly breached, by whom, and why were Ukrainian military capabilities affected without warning?

There is also a wider military consequence, with Crimea and the southern land corridor not simply geographical features on a battlefield map, but essential to Russia’s ability to sustain its occupation. The land corridor connects Russian-controlled territory through southern Ukraine to occupied Crimea, supporting the movement of military supplies, equipment and personnel, Putin’s only real success story of the whole, Special Military Operation.

So, is somebody inside the White House or SpaceX actively trying to protect Russian military logistics inside Ukraine?

Ukraine’s ability to disrupt Russian logistics along these routes is strategically important. Any restriction affecting Ukrainian operations against those networks deserves careful scrutiny, particularly when those operations take place inside internationally recognised Ukrainian territory.

There is also another deeply troubling aspect to this story.

Reuters has reported concerns that the slowdown coincided with a bipartisan American congressional delegation visiting Kyiv between 13 and 16 October. According to a Senate Democratic aide, the disruption increased risks not only for Ukrainians but also for American lawmakers, staff and personnel in the country.

Think about that for a moment.

American lawmakers were reportedly exposed to greater danger during Russian attacks, while the American government and a major American technology company subsequently disputed responsibility for restrictions affecting Ukraine’s defensive capabilities.

Congress is now asking whether the law may have been broken, journalists are uncovering conflicting accounts of who authorised the restrictions, and Ukrainian military personnel are describing the operational consequences of somebodies actions.

Washington needs to establish what happened, who made the decision, whether the restrictions were lawful, and what safeguards will prevent similar disruptions without warning.

I also believe the public deserves to know whether Ukraine’s ability to strike Russian military targets inside its own internationally recognised territory is being constrained as part of wider political negotiations with Moscow.

My original article has now reached more than 8,000 readers, and I am grateful to everyone who has shared it, questioned it and helped bring attention to the operators whose experiences started this investigation.

I will continue speaking directly with Ukrainian military personnel and reporting what I can verify, while protecting the identities and operational security of those willing to talk.

Because getting the connection back does not mean getting the capability back, and at the moment, an explanation from Washington does not necessarily mean getting the truth.

The blame game has begun, now Congress wants answers.

And so do the people fighting Russia’s invasion.

AUTHOR’S NOTES & SOURCES

Original Investigation — Voices from the Front

RUBIO SAYS NO STARSHIELD | Ukraine’s Drone Operators Tell Me A Different Story

My Latest Reporting — London Loves Business (with Mark Channer)

Congressman Savages Musk Over Ukraine’s Starlink, Warning It’s ‘Likely a Violation of the Law’

The Wall Street Journal

Musk Ordered Starlink Slowdown That Blindsided Ukraine

Reuters — 21 October 2026

Starlink Access in Ukraine a Decision for Musk, Not White House, Rubio Says

CNN — Jim Sciutto

The Conflicting Explanations Over Starshield Restrictions

Voices from the Front is independent journalism from inside Ukraine, combining firsthand frontline experience, direct military sources and analysis of Russia’s ongoing invasion.

If you value independent reporting from the ground, please consider subscribing, sharing this investigation or becoming a paid supporter. Your support helps keep this reporting independent and ensures that the voices of those fighting and living through this war continue to be heard.

AUTHOR’S UPDATE — 21 OCTOBER 2026

Since I published this investigation on 20 October, The Wall Street Journal has released further reporting that closely mirrors several of the findings I documented through direct conversations with Ukrainian drone operators.

Crucially, the WSJ has added an important new detail, reporting, citing US officials and people familiar with the matter, that Elon Musk personally ordered the slowdown of the military-grade Starlink service, disrupting Ukrainian drone operations. My original reporting established that Ukrainian operators were continuing to experience restrictions, lost connections and lost drones, despite Washington’s public explanations. The WSJ’s subsequent reporting adds another significant dimension to the question I raised: who authorised these restrictions, and why?

I encourage readers to examine both reports. The implications for Ukraine’s defensive and offensive capabilities, particularly operations against Russian forces occupying Ukrainian territory, deserve serious scrutiny.

Read The Wall Street Journal’s subsequent investigation: Musk Ordered Starlink Slowdown That Blindsided Ukraine

In my previous article, “Russia Is Burning While Putin Is Losing Ground,” I questioned why restrictions on Ukraine’s capabilities were emerging just as Kyiv was increasing pressure on Moscow.

Just by chance and since then, I’ve had the chance to speak directly with Ukrainian drone operators who report lost connections, lost aircraft and continuing interference with medium-range strike operations, while describing two distinct problems, an initial disruption to Starlink connectivity, followed by continuing restrictions on drone operations using Starshield, SpaceX’s military satellite service.

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Additionally, conflicting statements from senior US officials, including Marco Rubio, only add to the confusion with Rubio recently saying that Ukraine did not currently have access to Starshield, although he also referred to requests for strikes inside Russia.

But according to my sources, Ukraine does have access to these services, although that access does not extend to operations inside Russia, Rubio therefore correct on that specific point.

So, to be clear, I am talking about missions inside Ukrainian territory, including Russian-occupied areas, where operators tell me both Starlink and Starshield are used extensively for their offensive operations against Russian forces and logistics, as well as defensive missions, including those along the southern land corridor.

I think Washington needs to explain why those operations, still remain restricted.

Getting the connection back doesn’t mean getting the full capability back, a distinction missing from much of the discussion online and in the media, with much of what Washington saying, not squaring up with what the drone operators are telling me on the ground, here in Ukraine.

They’re the ones flying these missions after all, and as of 13:00 today, 20 October, they told me restrictions were still affecting their operations.

To understand why, we need to go back to 14 October, when Ukrainian presidential adviser Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov reported that an overnight speed restriction had disrupted drone missions without warning. The reported limit affected terminals travelling above approximately 160 kilometres per hour, and Ukrainian forces had received no advance notice of the changes.

“Our defence forces did not receive a warning about this limitation and this led to the disruption of several missions.” — Serhii Beskrestnov, Ukrainian presidential adviser, 14 October 2026, as reported by Euronews.

The following day, Reuters also reported that the instruction to limit Starshield had come from inside the White House, citing two American and a Western official. They did not identify who issued or implemented the instruction, with a senior US official denying that Donald Trump had requested the restriction, with the White House not answering whether another administration official had done so.

By 16 October, Beskrestnov was telling Associated Press that the connectivity outages had been resolved, but the speed cap remained. He described Starshield as a capability Ukraine was already using, which had previously operated without a speed limit, and said it was not used over Russian territory.

That makes Marco Rubio’s statement on 17 October difficult to reconcile with the Ukrainian account,“They do not have access to it at this moment,” he said.

However, he also discussed Ukrainian requests to use the service for strikes inside Russia, and that distinction matters because as I said, according to my sources, access does not extend to those operations.

But by 20 October, President Volodymyr Zelensky was again raising Starlink and Starshield with Rubio, saying restoration was needed, while Rubio maintained that nothing was being deliberately denied to Ukraine.

Well, that again conflicts with what I am being told.

I spoke directly with Ukrainian drone operators to understand what they were experiencing, I am also withholding their names and identifying unit details for operational security, their accounts helping me explain how a connection can be restored while important capabilities remain restricted.

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For nearly five years, Vladimir Putin has attempted to convince the world that Russia’s victory in Ukraine is inevitable, Nazis, the supposed protection of Russian speakers, secret American biolabs, a succession of Kremlin narratives and justifications, accompanied by claims that Ukrainian resistance is futile, Russian manpower is limitless, and the only question remaining is how much territory Kyiv must surrender.

Utter garbage, and the battlefield is increasingly reinforcing that damning verdict, telling a very different story from the one the Kremlin would have us believe, regardless of what you might read on X or see dominating the headlines.

This weekend, Ukraine delivered another extraordinary demonstration of its growing long-range strike capabilities, bringing the war directly into St Petersburg, Putin’s home city, and striking critical Russian infrastructure deep inside its own territory, including data centres. For Putin, it represents a double blow, the disruption of strategically important infrastructure, and also the political humiliation of seeing his own home city exposed to Ukrainian attacks, undermining the Kremlin’s carefully cultivated image of strength, security and control.

“Emergency services continue to work on extinguishing fires at the St. Petersburg oil terminal, the Ruchyi oil depot and industrial warehouses…” — Alexander Beglov, Governor of St Petersburg, 18 October 2026, Telegram

The message is becoming increasingly difficult for the average Russian citizen to ignore, and those following the war. It’s now very obvious to everybody, Russia can no longer wage war against Ukraine without facing the consequences deep inside its own territory.

Despite Russia’s increasingly restrictive laws, introduced this year to suppress reporting and limit the circulation of footage from inside the country, the Kremlin could not prevent the internet from being flooded with images of Russian territory being bombarded by Ukrainian long-range drones.

And that’s revealing in itself.

Footage and reports indicated strikes, explosions and fires affecting critical oil and logistics infrastructure, including port facilities in the St Petersburg region. The full extent of the damage still remains under assessment, but the strategic significance extends far beyond the flames, exposing glaring vulnerabilities in Russia’s domestic security and air-defence capabilities, as Ukrainian drones demonstrate their ability to penetrate deep into Russian territory and threaten critical infrastructure, seemingly with increasing ease.

Ukraine demonstrating that Russia’s economic infrastructure, energy exports, logistics networks and, increasingly, its digital infrastructure are now vulnerable, even hundreds of kilometres from the frontline, as shown in clip below, strikes and resulting fires around St Petersburg visible as Ukraine seeks to bring the war, deep into Russian territory and its heartlands.

From the audacious Operation Spiderweb, which Ukraine claimed destroyed or damaged roughly a third of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet, to reports this week of Russian military aircraft struck by Neptune missiles at an airfield deep inside Russian territory, Ukraine continues to demonstrate its ability to conduct increasingly sophisticated operations within Russia itself.

“This day will later be called a black day for Russia’s long-range aviation.” — Fighterbomber, Russian pro-war aviation blogger, reacting to Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb, 1 June 2025

The distance that once protected Russia’s major cities is rapidly disappearing, and perhaps more importantly, an uncomfortable reality is becoming increasingly difficult for the Kremlin to conceal: Moscow simply cannot defend everything, everywhere, all of the time.

September was hardly the month of Russian military success the Kremlin would have the world believe, in fact, it was a disaster by any military standard.

Russian forces continued suffering enormous casualties for comparatively limited territorial rewards, while Ukrainian counterattacks challenged Moscow’s narrative of uninterrupted advances, creating a net loss for Russia in September, so hardly the bombastic realty Gerasimov announces week in, and week out.

“The Russian military leadership continues to create an illusion of major victories for its political leadership and domestic audience.” — Andriy Kovaliov, Ukrainian General Staff spokesman, responding to Gerasimov’s battlefield claims, 17 October 2026

Ukrainian assessments indicated that Kyiv had liberated more territory during September than Russia had captured, a conclusion supported by independent battlefield analysis from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

According to ISW’s October assessment, based on geolocated evidence and battlefield mapping, Russian forces captured approximately 175.54 square kilometres during September, while Ukrainian forces liberated 256.35 square kilometres, leaving Russia with a net territorial loss of 80.81 square kilometres.

These findings directly contradict Vladimir Putin’s claims of sweeping Russian territorial gains, exposing the extraordinary disparity between the Kremlin’s battlefield narrative and independently verified territorial changes.

Perhaps the most embarrassing example came in Sviatohirsk, Donetsk oblast, where Putin announced on 1 September that Russian forces had captured the city.

Just days later, Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi, commander of Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps, published footage of himself casually walking through the centre of Sviatohirsk, openly mocking the Russian leadership and confirming that the city remained firmly under Ukrainian control.

Even more remarkably, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessed that the nearest Russian positions were approximately 13 kilometres away, with Ukrainian counteroffensives potentially pushing Russian forces even further back and creating a “cascading effect” across neighbouring sectors of the frontline, threatening Moscow’s positions and undermining its ability to sustain offensive operations in the surrounding areas.

So, while Putin was announcing the capture of a city his troops had not even reached, the reality on the ground was rather different, Ukrainian counteroffensives were pushing Russian forces back, reportedly reversing up to two years of Russian territorial gains in some sectors.

It was an extraordinary illustration of the growing disconnect between what the Kremlin claims on television and what is actually happening on the battlefield, while Putin was proclaiming victory, his forces were being forced to surrender ground they had spent years, enormous resources and thousands of lives trying to capture.

So God knows what he’s telling Trump…

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In this latest episode of Voices from the Front, I’m joined once again by war correspondent and author of Dogs of Mariupol, Tom Mutch, for a frank discussion about the rapidly changing situation in Ukraine, the realities of the frontline and the increasingly troubling decisions coming out of Washington.

Tom has recently returned from Zaporizhzhia, where he was embedded with a Ukrainian drone unit conducting operations against Russian forces. He shares his firsthand experiences of how Ukraine is using long-range drones to threaten Russia’s southern land corridor to Crimea, and how technology is fundamentally changing the battlefield.

We also examine the controversial restrictions affecting Starlink and Starshield, their potential consequences for Ukraine’s drone operations and air defences, and the serious questions surrounding the White House’s involvement. With Russian missiles continuing to strike Ukrainian cities, who is responsible for decisions that could leave millions more vulnerable?

We discuss:

• The Starlink scandal: What happened, how restrictions affected Ukrainian military operations and why accountability matters.

• Trump and the Kremlin: Russian oil sanctions relief, Washington’s increasingly hostile rhetoric towards Zelensky and the implications for Ukraine.

• The real battlefield picture: Ukrainian advances around Lyman, Operation Vivaldi, Russian losses and the Kremlin’s increasingly questionable claims of success.

• Tom’s Zaporizhzhia embed: An extraordinary firsthand account of Ukrainian drone teams targeting Russian logistics and supply routes towards Crimea.

• The changing face of warfare: Artificial intelligence, unmanned ground vehicles, interceptor drones and the technological revolution taking place on the frontline.

• Russia’s manpower problems: Mounting casualties, foreign recruitment and the possibility of another stealth mobilisation.

• What comes next: Can Russia sustain its offensive operations, what does Ukraine’s improving battlefield position mean, and where could this war be heading over the coming months?

We also discuss the growing distinction between the war being presented in political speeches and the one actually being fought, and why Russia’s increasingly destructive attacks against Ukrainian cities should not distract from its difficulties on the battlefield.

The battlefield is not moving in only one direction, and the Kremlin is not having everything its own way.

Tom’s YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TomAtWar

The Defector - https://www.wsj.com/world/russian-defector-deadly-sabotage-campaign-a95d163c?utm_source=chatgpt.com

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There comes a point when diplomatic ambiguity becomes impossible to defend, when the actions of an administration tell a very different story from the one being presented to the public, something that has become increasingly apparent since Donald Trump’s inauguration.

For the Trump White House, that moment has firmly arrived, and it’s time to call a spade a spade.

I’ve spent now years writing about Trump’s lack of support for Ukraine, his pro-Russian rhetoric, his repeated efforts to restrict military aid, his attempts to undermine Ukraine’s democratically elected government, and his whitewashing of Russian war crimes, so, last night came as no real surprise.

Once again, the mask slipped, revealing the same anti-Ukraine rhetoric we have heard time and again, this time, during an appearance on Newsmax’s Finnerty, Trump went on the offensive once more, attacking Volodymyr Zelensky while conveniently ignoring the country responsible for invading Ukraine, destroying our cities, killing our people, stealing our homes and prolonging this war.

“I’m not a big fan of Zelensky, they’ve destroyed that country,” Trump declared.

The extraordinary irony is that Russia has spent years destroying Ukraine, yet Trump repeatedly directs his criticism towards the president defending it. That has become even more pronounced in recent days, with Trump going so far as to suggest Zelensky should be replaced.

In the same interview, he went on to claim that the US had given Ukraine Tomahawk missiles, another outright falsehood, Ukraine receiving absolutely zero.

But just days ago, Russia also rejected a proposed 60-day ceasefire intended to create the security conditions necessary for Ukrainian elections. Zelensky had effectively called Washington’s bluff. If Trump wants elections, Ukraine needs a ceasefire to hold them safely.

Moscow refused, while Trump conveniently ignored the facts.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected the proposal, making clear that Russia was unwilling to provide Ukraine with such a respite, yet somehow, Zelensky remains the problem, Trump attacking the man defending his country while the man destroying it, and committing the most heinous war crimes, seems to escape meaningful consequences.

This is extremely hard to comprehend, since I was in Kyiv this week appearing on WP24 when Russian ballistic missiles struck the capital. I heard the explosions, experienced the overnight attacks and witnessed the reality behind Washington’s latest imaginary diplomatic breakthroughs.

According to Zelensky, Russia launched 39 ballistic missiles and more than 120 attack drones during the assault of 13th–14th October, damaging 26 electricity facilities and four oil and gas installations, leaving at least 600,000 people without electricity. The human cost equally devastating with reports published on the 14th October confirming at least 10 people killed and 91 injured across Ukraine, including four killed and 25 injured in Kyiv, as Russian missiles struck residential buildings and critical infrastructure.

These figures will become particularly relevant later, when examining the Trump administration’s decisions surrounding military assistance, intelligence sharing and restrictions affecting Ukraine’s ability to defend itself. The question is not simply what Russia launched, but whether decisions taken in Washington risked leaving Ukrainians more exposed to those attacks.

Three combined heat and power plants in Kyiv were also struck, alongside the Trypillya thermal power station outside the capital, these attacks following Trump’s announcement of an energy ceasefire, which Ukraine reportedly observed for three days, while Russia continued attacking Ukrainian infrastructure.

The Kremlin subsequently suggested that no properly agreed arrangement existed, begging the question, so did Washington announce a ceasefire without securing Moscow’s agreement, or did Putin simply ignore it, & play Trump?

Neither explanation reflects well on the White House, but the situation has become considerably more disturbing when we examine what has happened to Ukraine’s defensive capabilities over the last days, Reuters reporting that an instruction restricting Ukraine’s Starshield satellite communications originated inside the White House, citing American and Western officials, Starshield being SpaceX’s military satellite system, built using Starlink technology, and supports Ukrainian battlefield communications and drone operations.

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Reported restrictions caused terminals travelling above approximately 160 kilometres per hour to lose connectivity, disrupting drone operations, including interceptor drones defending Ukrainian cities against Russian Shahed attacks. Some Ukrainian units also reported communications failures at considerably lower speeds, forcing missions to be abandoned, endangering operations and personnel.

This, not merely slower internet, but potentially interfering with Ukraine’s ability to defend its skies while Russian missiles and drones continued falling on civilian populations.

Elon Musk himself clarified that Starshield is owned and controlled by the American government, distinguishing it from the commercial Starlink service, and according to Musk, operational restrictions on Starshield are determined by the American military and ultimately the President of the United States.

Although an American official denied Trump personally requested the restrictions, Reuters reported that the instruction originated inside the White House.

So who authorised it? Why? And what consideration was given to the people whose lives depend on these defensive systems, including those who work & live inside Ukraine, including Americans?

There are also deeply troubling reports that Ukraine went two consecutive nights without receiving its usual advance Western intelligence warnings of incoming Russian ballistic missiles.

Washington’s responsibility for this interruption currently remains unproven, but the reports demand an urgent explanation, and so far, nobody appears willing to accept responsibility, raising serious questions about accountability and the potential consequences of withholding such critical information.

“When you speak about intelligence, yes, they said that we had some technical problems, now it will work, but half of the night it again, it again didn’t work.”— President Volodymyr Zelensky, Piers Morgan Uncensored, 14 October 2026.

For civilians sheltering in Kyiv, advance warning can mean the difference between reaching safety and being killed, these are not political bargaining chips or diplomatic inconveniences, but matters of life and death.

And this is where the story becomes extremely personal.

I live and work in Ukraine, and like many others, I have fought against Russian forces, survived captivity, torture and a death sentence. I’ve additionally lost many friends to this invasion, and my family have also lost our family home, so now, as a journalist, I travel between Ukrainian cities reporting on Russian attacks and their consequences, so the White House is now potentially gambling with my life too.

But this extends far beyond me.

American diplomats, European diplomatic personnel, foreign journalists, humanitarian workers, Ukrainian families and millions of civilians all live beneath the same Russian missiles, so when systems protecting Ukrainian cities are disrupted, everyone beneath those skies faces potentially greater danger.

We cannot, of course, attribute the deaths that night directly to these restrictions without clear evidence, nevertheless, the reported interference with Ukraine’s defensive operations raises serious questions about the risks Washington was prepared to accept, and who ultimately paid the price.

Then there is Trump’s extraordinary approach to Russian energy, announcing a deal involving Russian petroleum products that, by some estimates, would provide barely 24 hours of supply to the United States, again, raising an obvious question, what does Washington stand to gain, and what does Moscow receive in return?

So, while Washington pressures Ukraine to stop attacking Russian oil refineries, Trump simultaneously announced an arrangement involving an initial 300,000 tonnes of Russian diesel, with potentially larger volumes to follow. This was subsequently accompanied by sanctions exemptions permitting certain transactions involving Russian petroleum products.

The timing, to say the least, is extraordinary.

It comes shortly after Washington signed legislation into law, intending to restrict the energy revenues financing Putin’s invasion, the hypocrisy evident, with one hand Washington signing sanctions against Moscow, while the other, penning the door to Russian fuel revenues and potentially helping finance the very war those sanctions were intended to constrain.

However, Zelensky has since confirmed that Ukraine will resume its attacks on Russian oil refineries, after Moscow ignored the proposed energy ceasefire. Ukraine demonstrating restraint while Russia responded with missiles, continuing its attacks on Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure. This also comes at a time when Russia has endured a disastrous September by military standards, suffering heavy personnel losses and territorial setbacks despite its continued offensive operations.

Trump, in typical fashion, responded by attacking Zelensky, bringing us right back to the questions raised during that infamous Oval Office meeting in February 2025; why is the pressure always on Ukraine, and exactly what is Putin being asked to sacrifice?

So why purchase American military equipment or products, if critical support can be restricted whenever political priorities change, or simply at the whim of a president who appears to change his mind seventeen times a day?

These are questions every NATO government should now be asking, and after serving nine years in the British Army before fighting with the Ukrainian Marines, I understand more than most what happens when communications fail, intelligence becomes unreliable and defensive capabilities are compromised.

We must always remember that Russia remains responsible for invading Ukraine, killing civilians and stealing our homes, not even Trump can change that fact, however much he may try. Putin now additionally seizing the Russian assets of five other European companies, including Tarkett, extending his confiscations beyond Ukraine, makes it even more important that Washington must answer for decisions that risk making Ukraine even more vulnerable, and, to some extent, Europe, while Putin continues his invasion, destruction and theft, without so much as a word of condemnation from the Trump administration.

Trump may believe he is demonstrating strength by pressuring Zelensky, but in reality, he risks sending Moscow a very different message in that rejecting ceasefires, prolonging the war and continuing attacks on Ukrainian civilians carries fewer consequences than standing up to Washington.

The White House’s gloves are now firmly off when it comes to Ukraine, and Washington has made its choices, that much is becoming increasingly clear.

When the history of this war is written, Trump will not be judged by his social media announcements, his imaginary ceasefires or his attacks on Zelensky, he will be however, judged by what his administration actually did while Russian missiles continued falling on Ukrainian cities, and whether Washington helped stop Putin’s invasion or made it easier for him to continue.

For Trump, this may be political leverage, for me, and millions of others living in Ukraine, it is our lives now being gambled with, by a sitting US president.

And right now, the White House is looking less like an ally and increasingly like another danger we have to survive, while now constantly looking over our shoulder and simultaneously fighting Russia…

Author’s Notes

This month, Voices from the Front passed 4,000 subscribers, it’s also a Substack Bestseller, and regularly ranked in the Top 50 for World Politics/ News.

Across all platforms, this community has grown to more than 250,000 people in such a short time, incredible numbers, with my purpose not changing.

My aim remains honest, independent reporting from Ukraine, my home, and grounded in what I see and experience here rather than simply repeating headlines and soundbites from a studio. I also remain committed to keeping the vast majority of my reporting “free to read”, for as long as I can anyway. The people who choose to support this work through a paid subscription help make this possible for everybody, and I genuinely value every one of you for that.

Many of you have followed my journey since Mariupol, through Russian captivity, a death sentence, coming home, returning to Ukraine and now this new chapter of reporting and writing.

Your support allows me to stay here, keep reporting from the ground, and continue pursuing accountability for what Russia did, including helping fund our landmark legal cases against the Russian Federation before the European Court of Human Rights and the UK High Court.

So if you just read, please also share, comment, subscribe, there is much more to come as we are only just getting started.

Thank you

Shaun

In the space of just a few days, Donald Trump has managed to announce a supposedly enormous energy deal with Vladimir Putin, demand that Ukraine replace its president, declare a ceasefire that neither warring party appeared to know anything about, and then watch Russia reject a genuine Ukrainian proposal to stop fighting.

If this is diplomacy, I would hate to see what incompetence looks like, but this is hardly new territory for the White House.

We have seen this pattern before, families desperately waiting for news of their loved ones were given fresh hope when Trump announced a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange, Putin would get his Victory Day parade and prisoners would supposedly come home.

Well, Putin got his parade, the promised exchange however, failed to materialise as announced.

We have seen similar outcomes surrounding Trump’s claims of diplomatic breakthroughs between India and Pakistan, Iran and Israel, and, of course, the Strait of Hormuz. How many times has that particular waterway supposedly reopened, only for the situation to unravel almost immediately?

It has become something of a trademark of the White House, grand announcements, declarations of success, and then the uncomfortable reality that the parties involved haven’t necessarily agreed to what Trump has just announced.

Even Zelensky appeared to have had enough of the spectacle, “Putin doesn’t read Truth Social,” he remarked, speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum.

And frankly, that rather neatly sums up the problem. Announcing a ceasefire on social media is one thing; getting the country actually conducting the invasion to agree to it is something else entirely.

But there are other possibilities worth considering too, are we witnessing an administration completely out of its depth, or are there other deals being worked out behind the scenes, with Ukraine once again expected to pay the price?

Or, perhaps more alarmingly, a combination of both?

Friday, 9 October: The great Russian diesel deal

It began with Trump announcing what he described as a highly successful discussion with Putin, Russia, he claimed, would immediately release 300,000 metric tonnes of diesel into American and global markets, followed by another 500,000 tonnes in November and one million tonnes thereafter.

A “Big, Big Deal,” according to Trump.

Yet just weeks after signing legislation aimed at sanctioning buyers of Russian energy, Trump was now announcing that the United States would buy Russian diesel itself, the irony difficult to miss, with Lindsey Graham possibly turning in his grave, his much-vaunted Russian sanctions legislation being undermined by the very president who signed it.

Trump presented the arrangement as an enormous breakthrough that would send fuel prices tumbling, Washington simultaneously easing sanctions on Russian diesel, reversing measures intended to restrict the Kremlin’s war revenues.

But when you strip away the political theatre and actually examine the numbers, the reality tells a rather different, and considerably more deflating story.

Hardly the enormous economic rescue Trump would have Americans believe.

More importantly, where is this diesel supposed to come from? Ukrainian strikes have severely disrupted Russian refining, and according to Kpler figures, Russian diesel exports fell from around 706,000 barrels per day in January to virtually nothing in September.

Yet Washington is easing economic pressure precisely when that pressure appears to be working.

Saturday, 10 October: Ukraine needs a new president

Having rewarded Putin with sanctions relief, Trump turned his attention to Volodymyr Zelensky, declaring that Ukraine needed a new president, blaming Zelensky for failing to settle the war and even linking Ukraine’s resistance to America’s diesel crisis.

The irony was hardly lost on social media, coming from an American president who campaigned on the promise that he could end Russia’s war in Ukraine, in just “24 hours”, a promise that remains obviously unfulfilled.

This is an extraordinary reversal of responsibility, Ukraine is being punished for successfully defending itself for over four years against an aggressor state committing some of the most heinous atrocities, many extensively documented. Putin is also wanted by the International Criminal Court over the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children, while there are also deeply disturbing reports of abducted Ukrainian children being indoctrinated and, as they come of age, prepared for military service against their own countrymen.

Russia invaded Ukraine, Russia occupies Ukrainian territory, Russia continues to bombard Ukrainian cities, yet somehow, according to Trump logic, the Ukrainian president is the obstacle to peace.

Sunday, 11 October: Zelensky calls Trump’s bluff

Zelensky’s response was politically astute.

Speaking to ABC News, he offered to hold presidential elections if Russia agreed to a complete 60-day ceasefire, a direct answer to Trump’s demand, while exposing a rather obvious problem, how do you conduct democratic elections when Russian missiles and drones are raining down on the country?

A pretty straightforward question, especially considering civilian casualties have reached levels not seen since 2022, with several humanitarian organisations, including the United Nations, documenting a disturbing escalation in Russian attacks and the resulting civilian deaths and injuries.

Millions of Ukrainians remain displaced, soldiers are deployed along more than a thousand kilometres of frontline, and elections are prohibited under martial law. What Trump is effectively demanding is that Ukraine disregard its own constitution and electoral laws while fighting for its very existence.

But what Zelensky was effectively saying was simple: You want elections? Then give us the security to conduct them.

Sunday evening: Trump’s imaginary energy ceasefire

Then things became truly bizarre.

Trump announced on Truth Social that an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine had taken effect immediately.

He even instructed both sides not to break it, but there was just one rather significant problem, Ukraine had not agreed to any such arrangement, and Moscow had confirmed nothing.

Zelensky subsequently acknowledged that he had learnt about the announcement through the media, Kyiv nevertheless expressed support for a reciprocal agreement and requested details from Washington.

Meanwhile, Russian attacks continued and more threats by the Trump administration were being reported.

So, you could hardly invent a more embarrassing diplomatic spectacle, an American president announcing an agreement without publicly establishing that either side had accepted the terms, and is now threatening to withdraw what little American support Ukraine still receives, including the crucial intelligence sharing upon which Ukrainian lives depend.

And that’s not all.

Monday, 12 October: Russia rejects the ceasefire

By Monday, the situation had become even more absurd.

The Kremlin rejected Zelensky’s 60-day ceasefire proposal outright, shocker, I know…

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted Russia wanted a comprehensive peace settlement rather than a temporary ceasefire. This from the same government that has spent years questioning Zelensky’s legitimacy because Ukraine has not held elections.

Even Elon Musk has weighed in on X, adding his two penn’orth to the calls for Zelensky’s removal, despite the fact that Ukraine remains under martial law during a full-scale Russian invasion.

Ukraine offers a route towards elections, Russia outright rejects the conditions necessary to hold them, and Trump, who demanded a new Ukrainian president only days earlier, is left with a rather uncomfortable problem of his own making.

So where does Trump go from here?

There are two possibilities worth examining.

The first is incompetence of an administration making enormous announcements without securing agreements, confusing social-media declarations with actual diplomacy, and yes, I believe there is an element of that.

There are also clear questions about the administration’s understanding of Russia, its history, its political culture and the realities of this war. Then there is the decision to rely so heavily on Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, neither of whom came from a conventional diplomatic background to conduct such negotiations of enormous international significance.

But the second possibility is far more troubling.

Economic arrangements with Moscow are becoming more important to Washington than achieving a just peace in Ukraine, and to me, that is becoming increasingly obvious, with the timing also certainly deserving some scrutiny.

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Ukrainian strikes are damaging Russia’s energy industry, yet, at precisely the same time, sanctions are being relaxed not just on Russia, but also on Belarus, while Washington seemingly is increasing direct pressure on Kyiv rather than Moscow, the government responsible for launching the invasion and committing dreadful atrocities across Ukraine.

And let’s not forget the human cost, Ukraine’s General Staff estimates Russian military personnel losses at more than 1.5 million since February 2022, a staggering figure that includes those killed and wounded, yet, even these losses have not persuaded Putin to end his invasion.

State business and private commercial interests are becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish in the murky waters of diplomacy, raising legitimate questions about American priorities, transparency and potential conflicts of interest.

From here in Ukraine, I see the consequences of Russia’s war, not just the political theatre surrounding it. Trump can announce whatever ceasefire he likes, but it is not going to change the growing perception among Ukrainians that the United States, a country they once regarded as their greatest ally, is now stabbing them in the back.

And that brings me to another uncomfortable reality, separating the Trump administration from America itself is becoming increasingly difficult the longer his tenure. For years, Ukrainians were promised killer sanctions, unwavering support and assistance for “as long as it takes”, America stood with Ukraine we were told, that Russia would be held accountable and that the democratic world would not abandon a country fighting for its survival.

Yet today, those promises are becoming harder to reconcile with Washington’s actions, and frankly, not much appears to have changed since the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, when Ukraine surrendered the nuclear arsenal it inherited from the Soviet Union in exchange for security assurances from the United States, Britain and Russia.

More than three decades later, Ukraine is once again discovering just how little those assurances can mean when the countries making them decide their interests lie elsewhere. Zelensky, quite rightly in my view, appeared once again on Fox News, explaining what many of us here in Ukraine believe should be blatantly obvious by now.

For many Ukrainians, distinguishing between an administration making these decisions and the country it represents is becoming increasingly difficult, and if the past few days have demonstrated anything, it is that Putin remains unwilling to accept even a temporary ceasefire on terms that would permit Ukrainian elections.

The question now is whether Trump will finally apply meaningful pressure on Moscow or continue easing the pressure on Putin while shifting the blame onto Ukraine. Personally, I suspect we’ll be having this exact same conversation again in three to six months, or perhaps even next week, as Trump looks for somewhere else to lay the blame and deflect attention from what I consider his debacle in Iran.

With the American midterm elections approaching, there is also another question worth asking, how much of this diplomatic spectacle is intended for Trump’s domestic audience rather than the people actually living through this war?

Because, in my view, this stopped looking like failed diplomacy a long time ago, it’s now increasingly beginning to look like a deliberate political choice, something I have been writing about for some time, while once again Ukraine is the country being asked to pay the price.

All at the hands of a nation that proudly calls itself “the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

From where I’m standing in Ukraine, those words are becoming increasingly difficult to reconcile with the decisions coming out of Trump’s White House.

Author’s Notes

This month, Voices from the Front passed 4,000 subscribers, it’s also a Substack Bestseller, and regularly ranked in the Top 50 for World Politics/ News.

Across all platforms, this community has grown to more than 250,000 people in such a short time, incredible numbers, with my purpose not changing.

My aim remains honest, independent reporting from Ukraine, my home, and grounded in what I see and experience here rather than simply repeating headlines and soundbites from a studio. I also remain committed to keeping the vast majority of my reporting “free to read”, for as long as I can anyway. The people who choose to support this work through a paid subscription help make this possible for everybody, and I genuinely value every one of you for that.

Many of you have followed my journey since Mariupol, through Russian captivity, a death sentence, coming home, returning to Ukraine and now this new chapter of reporting and writing.

Your support allows me to stay here, keep reporting from the ground, and continue pursuing accountability for what Russia did, including helping fund our landmark legal cases against the Russian Federation before the European Court of Human Rights and the UK High Court.

So if you just read, please also share, comment, subscribe, there is much more to come as we are only just getting started.

Thank you

Shaun

In this episode of Voices from the Front, I sit down with Operator Starsky (Andrii Kulish), a former Ukrainian National Guard serviceman and military commentator who witnessed the opening stages of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

We revisit the Russian assault on Hostomel, the battle to defend Kyiv, and the extraordinary resistance that prevented Moscow from capturing Ukraine’s capital.

But our conversation goes much further.

With journalists recently describing Kyiv as a frontline city, we examine the crucial difference between living under Russian missile and drone attacks and fighting on Ukraine’s actual frontlines, where soldiers and civilians face FPV drones, artillery, glide bombs and Russian ground forces.

We also discuss Russia’s escalating attacks on civilian infrastructure, Ukraine’s increasingly effective long-range strikes against Russian oil refineries and military logistics, the changing nature of drone warfare, and the challenges facing Ukraine as another difficult winter approaches.

Finally, we ask the question everyone wants answered: Can there really be peace in Ukraine before the end of 2026?

Two military veterans, two very different experiences of the Russian invasion, and a frank conversation about what this war looks like beyond the headlines.

From the defence of Kyiv to the zero line, this is the war through the eyes of those who have lived it.

Operator Starsky on YouTube

🇺🇦 Voices from the Front, firsthand Ukrainian perspectives, military analysis and independent reporting from inside Ukraine.

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An ordinary journey on a city bus shouldn’t end with bodies scattered across a road, nor should children sleeping in their beds become another casualty update. Boarding a passenger train also comes with a grim warning now as journeys are increasingly dangerous, with passengers repeatedly evacuated into treelines as Russian drones circle nearby.

Yet these are increasingly the realities of civilian life in Ukraine, more so now than at any point since 2022.

On 8 October, a Russian glide bomb struck near two city buses in Kramatorsk, killing at least 33 people and injuring 18. Public transport was suspended after the attack, while Ukraine’s parliamentary commissioner for human rights, Dmytro Lubinets, accused Russia of systematically destroying the city and terrorising its civilian population.

The previous day, a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile struck a five-storey apartment building in Pryluky (below), in the Chernihiv region killing twenty-two people, including five children, and another 54 were injured. One section of the building was absolutely obliterated, while another was severely damaged.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on the 8th October that recent Russian attacks on Pryluky, Kramatorsk, Kyiv and other cities had killed 78 people and injured 215.

“This is a brutal Russian escalation – terror against people and life,” he said.

For those of us living here, the escalation is something we hear, feel and organise our lives around, and as I recently discussed with Kate Gerbeau on Times Radio’s Frontline, the warnings, explosions and interrupted journeys are becoming part of the working day.

I have recently reported on my own train journeys between Dnipro and the Polish border, approximately 24 hours travelling out, followed by a return journey lasting 27 hours, snaking our way through the country to avoid drones searching for targets, including passenger trains. The delays, repeated warnings and evacuations turned what should have been straightforward journey, into an exhausting exercise in uncertainty, as we were repeatedly ordered off the train and directed towards cover, while conductors professionally carried out their duties.

We sat in the dark for sometimes hours, waiting to discover whether the drones we could hear overhead would ultimately strike, as they recently did in Sumy.

These trains carry mainly families, elderly passengers, workers and people trying to reach somewhere safer, an intricate part of the social fabric, cheap by European standards, and among one of the key systems that allow Ukraine to keep functioning.

In April, humanitarian organisation UK-Med reported that more than 600 attacks on railway infrastructure had already been recorded in 2026, including strikes damaging over 40 passenger carriages.

Russia’s strategy now, to reach into the everyday routines civilians depend upon, getting to work, returning home, taking children somewhere safe, keeping warm and maintaining contact with relatives, with the cumulative effect intending to make ordinary life harder to sustain.

The United Nations’ figures show how sharply the danger has increased.

Its revised figures record 448 civilians killed and 2,675 injured in just July, followed by 372 killed and 2,349 injured in August. Across the first eight months of 2026, the UN verified 2,222 civilian deaths and 13,058 injuries.

That combined casualty total was 55 per cent higher than during the same period in 2025, and exceeded the number killed and injured during the whole of that year.

The comparison with 2022 is particularly disturbing, the UN describing July’s civilian death toll as the highest since May 2022, while combined deaths and injuries reached their highest monthly level since March 2022, also with child casualties at their highest since April 2022.

More than four and a half years into the full-scale invasion, civilians are again experiencing levels of harm associated with its opening months.

There has been, believe it or not, international condemnation finally, if somewhat muted. Even UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned Russia’s latest attacks on major Ukrainian cities, according to his spokesman, but read into that what you will, while also European Council President António Costa has condemned Russia’s destruction of civilian infrastructure, nothing we haven’t heard before.

Britain has accompanied its response with measures, on the 8th October, it announced 38 new sanctions designations targeting Russian oil revenues, military supply chains and sanctions evasion. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband also visited Pryluky and announced £54 million in humanitarian and energy support, alongside £6.3 million for Ukraine’s domestic accountability efforts.

But the question is whether the collective response is sufficient to change Putin’s calculations.

That is why Zelenskyy’s challenge to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s description of a “strategic stalemate” matters. Ukraine’s president argues that Washington still has options, stronger sanctions and greater assistance to defend Ukraine’s skies, including expanded Starlink access. He has also criticised pursuing future economic projects with Russia while describing diplomatic efforts as deadlocked.

I have consistently argued that this contradiction would eventually bring Zelenskyy and Washington into open disagreement, it had too, I’ll explain why, but that moment now appears to have arrived.

A “deadlock” does not mean every available source of pressure has been exhausted.

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But Reuters’s report of discussions involving Jared Kushner and Kremlin representative Kirill Dmitriev about possible American investment in Nord Stream adds to a growing list of developments raising questions about commercial interests shaping the White House’s approach to the war. In my view, that influence is clear, although the report also recorded the White House’s denial of recent Nord Stream discussions and noted that sanctions and European opposition remain barriers to any restart.

Separately, The New York Times, also reported a proposed multibillion-dollar deal involving Lukoil’s overseas oil assets, with potential beneficiaries including Middle Eastern business groups that have done business with Kushner or Steve Witkoff’s family. The proposal requires approval from Washington and the Kremlin, but to me, this intertwining of state diplomacy and connected private business interests raises glaring questions about conflicts of interest, and whose interests these negotiations actually serve.

Nevertheless, the prospect of future business with Moscow, alongside renewed engagement with Minsk, raises serious questions about the signal being sent.

To add insult, Umar Kremlev, the Putin-linked businessman who funded part of Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding celebrations, is linked to Healthy Fatherland, an organisation sanctioned by Ukraine over its alleged involvement in abducting and re-educating Ukrainian children. To me, these relationships present a glaring unhealthy potential for a conflict of interest.

Kremlev says Trump Jr. has since reimbursed him, a development that does not remove questions about the relationship, and how do we really know?

My concern is that the White House is emboldening Putin by allowing the prospect of economic rehabilitation to overshadow the consequences of continued aggression. While Russia kills civilians, discussions about future profits signal that normal relations remain within reach regardless of its conduct. To me, this has turned the so-called peace process into a cover for opaque business deals and private enrichment, rather than a serious effort to stop the killing.

As I predicted, this is now coming to a head.

Ukraine needs dependable air-defence deliveries and sustained interceptor production. Announcements, condemnations and Washington’s apparent pursuit of business as usual with Moscow cannot intercept missiles. My concern is that easing sanctions on Belarus risks giving Russia further opportunities to bypass restrictions and sustain its war economy.

Sanctions must reach the companies and intermediaries supplying Russia’s weapons, because according to Ukraine’s presidency, the Kh-101 used at Pryluky contains more than 100 foreign components and that must demand scrutiny of how those components continue reaching Russian manufacturers.

Those outside Ukraine can help, and write to their MPs, senators and elected representatives, demanding specific answers on what air-defence support is being delivered, when will it arrive, and what is being done to close the routes sustaining Russia’s war? (Ask for a written response, follow up, and make those answers public.)

Support reputable Ukrainian humanitarian organisations, independent reporting and efforts to document war crimes. Also share verified reports, keep civilian victims visible, and challenge attempts to present renewed business with Moscow as progress towards peace without measurable Russian commitments.

Additionally, you could attend peaceful demonstrations, organise community discussions and press political parties to make clear commitments, you can also demand scrutiny of companies and financial intermediaries helping Russia evade sanctions, alongside transparency over potential conflicts of interest among those negotiating with the Kremlin.

Keep challenging, keep demanding answers. More than ever, we must apply pressure to those who claim to represent us, and hold them accountable for what they do, not just what they say.

I have lived through Russian captivity and torture, they have stolen our life and home, and I now report from a country where families still have to work, travel and raise children under the threat of another attack, while this war has obviously become very personal for me, but I still want diplomacy to succeed, however, it must also be backed by pressure that forces Putin to stop.

After the statements and condolences, what changes for him?, after four and a half years, why are we still asking how many more civilians must die before the consequences become enough?

And what changes for the next family boarding a bus or train?

Author’s Notes

This month, Voices from the Front passed 4,000 subscribers, it’s also a Substack Bestseller, and regularly ranked in the Top 50 for World Politics/ News.

Across all platforms, this community has grown to more than 250,000 people in such a short time, incredible numbers, with my purpose not changing.

My aim remains honest, independent reporting from Ukraine, my home, and grounded in what I see and experience here rather than simply repeating headlines and soundbites from a studio. I also remain committed to keeping the vast majority of my reporting “free to read”, for as long as I can anyway. The people who choose to support this work through a paid subscription help make this possible for everybody, and I genuinely value every one of you for that.

Many of you have followed my journey since Mariupol, through Russian captivity, a death sentence, coming home, returning to Ukraine and now this new chapter of reporting and writing.

Your support allows me to stay here, keep reporting from the ground, and continue pursuing accountability for what Russia did, including helping fund our landmark legal cases against the Russian Federation before the European Court of Human Rights and the UK High Court.

So if you just read, please also share, comment, subscribe, there is much more to come as we are only just getting started.

Thank you

Shaun

In this episode of Voices From The Front & The Wire Tap, we break down a violent night across Ukraine, including the explosions and jet drones over Dnipro, Russia’s continuing attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure, and what increasingly looks like preparation for another brutal winter campaign.

But while Russia attacks Ukrainian cities, Ukraine is increasingly taking the war back into Russia.

We discuss Ukrainian strikes reaching Moscow, Sochi, Russian oil infrastructure and the pressure being applied to Crimea and the Southern Land Corridor, and why Putin may have very good reasons for wanting the world’s attention focused elsewhere.

We also challenge the growing description of Kyiv as a “frontline city.” Kyiv is unquestionably under serious attack, but comparing life in the capital with places such as Sumy, Kharkiv or communities genuinely sitting against the frontline risks completely distorting what soldiers and civilians there are actually experiencing.

Then there is the technology.

Shaheds are flying higher, electronic warfare is evolving, reconnaissance and decoy drones are probing Ukrainian defences, while AI-driven systems are increasingly entering the fight. The battlefield is changing extraordinarily quickly, and distances that once offered protection are disappearing.

We also get into Trump, Belarus, sanctions, Russia’s international relationships, the UN Security Council, the information war and the uncomfortable political interests surrounding a conflict that shows absolutely no sign of ending soon.

And, in true Wire Tap fashion, part of the conversation happens during an actual blackout in Ukraine, the studio simply switches to backup power and carries on.

This is what reporting the war from Ukraine looks like.

No studio talking points, no sofa analysis.

Just two people living it, watching it change in real time, and trying to make sense of where it goes next.

Thank you , , , , , and many others for tuning into my live video with ! Join me for my next live video in the app.

Get more from Shaun Pinner in the Substack app

Available for iOS and Android

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It was another long night in Ukraine, following what I described in a post yesterday as heightened anxiety ahead of what I felt was inevitable.

What had been a relatively quiet week suddenly began to feel like the prelude to something much bigger. From the morning onwards, waves of jet drones, explosions and the unmistakable sound of fast-moving drones overhead seemed almost to announce what was coming that night.

I was convinced enough that a larger attack was coming that I posted about it while making my way to the bomb shelter, but it wasn’t until later, when my wife got home from work and we discussed what I thought was about to happen, that she reminded me of something I had completely overlooked, today is Vladimir Putin’s birthday.

After living with this war for years, you begin to recognise certain patterns. Repeated attacks that appear to probe, test and strain air defences ahead of a larger barrage have become a warning in themselves, alongside the phone alerts, air-raid sirens and messages from friends checking that everyone is safe.

And that brings me to my wider point, Russia’s increasing targeting of civilians.

This week alone we have witnessed Russian weapons hitting heavily populated residential areas, attacks on shopping centres during the day, and further strikes affecting passenger railways and civilian infrastructure, but for me, these acts of terrorism, something illustrated again by the recent drone strike on Kyiv’s Northern Bridge using a drone warhead unlikely to bring down such a substantial structure, raises the obvious question yet again:

What was Russia trying to achieve by striking it while civilians were using it?

And after four and a half years of this war, I think many of us living here and in the wider world already know that answer.

Sirens, ballistic missile warnings, drones and explosions stretched across the country in the early hours as Russia launched what its own Defence Ministry described as a “massive strike” against Kyiv and several other regions.

Kyiv was repeatedly rocked by explosions, with two people reported killed after fires broke out following the attacks with Kremenchuk heavily struck, while Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Poltava, Kharkiv, Chernihiv and other areas also came under attack.

Here in Dnipro, an industrial facility was struck during the night, while Russian ballistic missile threats were reported from both the north and south.

Russia says it targeted Ukraine’s military-industrial complex, ports and other military-related facilities, Ukrainian’s meanwhile, once again woke up to damaged residential buildings, emergency services combing through the debris as alerts continued throughout the morning, while in Kremenchuk, regional governor Vitalii Diakivnych reported two people killed and seven injured, with rescue operations ongoing.

A child was also rescued from the rubble in Pryluky, Ukrainian rescuers pulled an 8-year-old boy from the ruins of a home hit by a Russian missile.

In Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district, the danger continued well after the barrage had stopped, with an unexploded ballistic missile discovered among residential buildings. Police bomb-disposal teams and emergency services restricted access while preparing to remove its warhead for safe disposal, the all-clear for many doesn’t always mean the danger is over.

The missile’s origin remained unconfirmed at the time of writing, so it cannot yet be identified as North Korean, but Pyongyang’s involvement in Russia’s missile campaign is documented, and growing.

In a September interview with NHK, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: “I have seen a real North Korean-made missile in Ukraine.”

Establishing North Korea’s wider involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine, something I’ve written about extensively.

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s parliamentary commissioner for human rights, captured the human reality behind another barrage: “Another sleepless night, another act of terror, after which people still have to plan their working day despite everything.”

According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as of 11:51am Kyiv time, the latest reported toll is at least 11 people killed and more than 34 injured in Russia’s overnight attacks, and that’s the exhausting reality here, a night of loud explosions, maybe sleeping in the subway, or chancing it out with a pair of lunatic cats, followed by a morning when people still have to work, look after their families and somehow carry on.

Speaking for myself, when the explosions finally stop, the anxiety doesn’t, I struggle to sleep after, my adrenalin surging, but something else did happened over the last 24 hours that can get overshadowed by the coordinated Russian attacks, and it’s something I find comfort in, and will most certainly force Putin to stop eventually.

Ukraine hitting back, and on an extraordinary scale.

According to Russian authorities, almost 900 Ukrainian drones were intercepted across Russia, occupied Crimea and the Sea of Azov during an enormous wave of attacks, and if those Russian figures are remotely accurate, this would make it one of the largest, if not the largest Ukrainian long-range drone operations of the entire war.

Moscow and its surrounding region were placed under enormous pressure.

Russian reporting indicated hundreds of drones were directed towards the capital region, while a major fuel facility at Volodarsk in Moscow Oblast (above) was reportedly struck and set ablaze. The site forming part of Russia’s Transneft pipeline infrastructure and supplies fuel to Moscow’s major airports.

That’s why I keep reminding people to think about how dramatically this war has changed, becasue in February 2022, Russian columns were driving towards Kyiv with a Kremlin expecting Ukraine to collapse, more than four and a half years later, Moscow is defending its own skies from hundreds of Ukrainian drones while critical infrastructure hundreds of kilometres inside Russia is being targeted.

While last month, Russia also lost ground on the battlefield.

But perhaps the most spectacular images depicting this change came from somewhere entirely different.

Sochi.

Videos showed an enormous fire burning offshore from Russia’s famous Black Sea resort, with flames rising from an oil tanker and thick black smoke visible from the coastline.

Russian authorities identified the vessel as the Liberian-flagged Aframax Rio and said it had been attacked by unmanned boats, while all 23 crew members, reportedly Indian nationals, were rescued and no casualties have initially been reported, have in mind also that Ukraine has not officially claimed responsibility at the time of writing this piece.

Strategically however, the imagery was remarkable, especially as Sochi is not a Belgorod or Kursk. It isn’t some border settlement sitting kilometres from Ukrainian positions but one of Russia’s showcase cities on the Black Sea, home to Putin’s presidential residence and the city Moscow used to present a modern, prosperous Russia to the world during the 2014 Winter Olympics.

And now people standing on its coastline are watching a tanker burn offshore.

That tells us something important about the direction this war is taking, oil refineries, storage facilities, pipelines and logistics networks have consequently become an increasingly important part of Ukraine’s long-range strike campaign.

There is also a very obvious difference between what Russia and Ukraine are trying to accomplish, with Russia increasingly attacking the systems Ukrainian civilians require simply to live, electricity, heating, railways, bridges and urban infrastructure, while Ukraine is attempting to make Russia’s war more expensive to sustain.

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It also explains why oil infrastructure has become such an important battlefield, with even President Trump wading in, urging Ukraine to stop striking Russian refineries as global diesel prices have surged. Trump has blamed Ukrainian strikes for contributing to the shortage, although energy analysts point to the Iran war and wider disruption to global oil markets as major drivers of the crisis.

For Ukraine, the calculation is straightforward, energy revenues remain fundamental to the Russian state and therefore to its ability to finance the war, so every refinery disrupted, storage facility damaged or logistics network forced offline creates another economic and operational problem for Moscow to deal with.

The fact that Trump is now publicly talking about Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries demonstrates just how far their impact is being felt beyond the battlefield.

But the war in Ukraine is far from nearing its end, despite Trumps rhetoric, he is desperate to regain political traction ahead of the midterms, yet even he appears to recognise that Ukrainian innovation is suddenly making the geography of this war look very different.

Moscow.

The Black Sea.

Sochi.

Occupied Crimea.

Russian oil infrastructure hundreds, even thousands of kilometres from the Ukrainian border is increasingly in Kyiv’s crosshairs, with the battlefield no longer confined to the front line, more so now than at any point in this war.

The Kremlin spent years believing it could launch missiles and drones into Ukrainian cities while ordinary Russians remained largely insulated from the consequences of the invasion, and after a disasterous Septemeber for Putin, that assumption is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain, as ordinary Russian’s live with a Special Military Operation that was only ment to last a couple of weeks.

None of this means Russia is collapsing, and it certainly does not mean Ukraine suddenly possesses overwhelming strategic superiority, a caveat I seemingly find myself adding every time I write something positive about Ukraine, largely to head off the inevitable trolls.

Russia retains enormous missile, drone and manpower resources, and demonstrated that again overnight, but acknowledging Russia’s strength does not mean ignoring Ukraine’s progress, while wars are also about imposing dilemmas.

Each additional Russian air-defence system protecting Moscow or an oil facility is one that cannot simultaneously be somewhere else. Even the prospect of a deeply unpopular Russian mobilisation, every refinery forced to suspend operations, every airport disrupted, every fuel depot burning and every expensive defensive interceptor launched against a relatively cheap Ukrainian drone adds another cost.

While last night demonstrated something else again, that this war is no longer moving in only one direction, Russia still spent another night firing missiles and drones, pouring billions into an effort to destroy Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure, while Ukraine spent it taking the war back into Russia on a scale that would have been almost unimaginable in 2022.

So, while Ukrainians woke this morning once again checking the damage around Kyiv, Dnipro and elsewhere, Russians also woke to images of their own infrastructure burning, including an enormous tanker blazing just offshore from one of Putin’s favourite cities.

Last month, Moscow was burning, while after four and a half years of Russia bringing war to Ukraine, Kyiv is increasingly demonstrating that Moscow cannot expect the consequences to remain conveniently on the other side of the border, something I and many welcome.

Something, that I think will force Putin to eventually stop.

Russia started this war believing it could destroy Ukraine from a safe distance, and as the title highlights, that distance is disappearing.

Author’s Notes

This month, Voices from the Front passed 4,000 subscribers, it’s also a Substack Bestseller, and regularly ranked in the Top 50 for World Politics/ News.

Across all platforms, this community has grown to more than 250,000 people in such a short time, incredible numbers, with my purpose not changing.

My aim remains honest, independent reporting from Ukraine, my home, and grounded in what I see and experience here rather than simply repeating headlines and soundbites from a studio. I also remain committed to keeping the vast majority of my reporting “free to read”, for as long as I can anyway. The people who choose to support this work through a paid subscription help make this possible for everybody, and I genuinely value every one of you for that.

Many of you have followed my journey since Mariupol, through Russian captivity, a death sentence, coming home, returning to Ukraine and now this new chapter of reporting and writing.

Your support allows me to stay here, keep reporting from the ground, and continue pursuing accountability for what Russia did, including helping fund our landmark legal cases against the Russian Federation before the European Court of Human Rights and the UK High Court.

So if you just read, please also share, comment, subscribe, there is much more to come as we are only just getting started.

Thank you

Shaun