This week, fighting has continued all along the front lines. Ukrainian troops advanced over the railway line near Bakhmut, the Institute for the Study of War said. Ukraine also confirmed that its troops had destroyed an S-400 air defense system in Luhansk region. Also, Ukrainian defense forces have achieved “good results” on the left bank of the Dnipro. A missile strike on Crimea on Monday damaged a Russian S-300 air defense system. Later in the week, Russian forces decreased attacks on Avdiyivka. Russia has lost more than 300,000 troops since the invasion, Ukraine’s General Staff said.
Sharing his first comprehensive assessment of Ukraine’s counteroffensive campaign with The Economist in an interview this week, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief, General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi explains the risks of a positional war, highlights miscalculations made by Ukraine and its allies, and names possible solutions.
Russia launches large drone attack on Ukraine, hits critical infrastructure in Kharkiv, Lviv regions. Russia launched a major drone attack on Ukraine early on Friday, November 3, hitting civilian infrastructure in Kharkiv and on its outskirts at least ten times. According to preliminary reports, there were no casualties. Cars, garages, an apartment building, an auto-repair shop, and an administrative building caught fire. All fires were extinguished. Outbuildings were damaged. The attack also damaged the second and third floors and the roof of an educational facility.
In western Lviv region, critical infrastructure facilities were hit five times during the attacks overnight on Friday. Russia launched 16 drones at the western part of the country. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 11 drones over the region. The drones were launched in several waves and changed their flight direction multiple times.
The Ukrainian Air Force said Ukraine’s air defenses shot down 24 Shahed drones out of 40 launched by Russia. They also intercepted a Kh-59 guided missile.