Ukraine war latest live: Russian missiles, drones target energy infrastructure once again

https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2025-10-16/

Chris York Oct 16, 2025 · 4 mins read
Ukraine war latest live: Russian missiles, drones target energy infrastructure once again
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Hi, this is Chris York reporting from Kyiv on day 1,331 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.


Today's top story so far:

Russia launched a large-scale missile attack at Ukraine in the early hours of Oct. 16, targeting cities in several regions, as well as Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

"Russia launched more than 300 attack drones and 37 missiles, a significant number of them ballistic, against Ukraine," wrote Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on X. "This autumn, the Russians use every single day to strike at our energy infrastructure."

Zelensky identified strikes hitting the regions of Poltava, Kharkiv, Sumy, Vinnytsia and Chernihiv.

The strikes began with MiG-31 bombers taking off from multiple Russian airfields around 5:20 AM. Shortly thereafter, explosions rocked multiple Ukrainian cities. Explosions were reported in Kharkiv and Izium (Kharkiv Oblast), Kropyvnytskyi (Kirovohrad Oblast), and Poltava, according to news outlet Suspilne.

Subsequent strikes hit Chernihiv and another round of explosions was heard in Kharkiv. Chernihiv Oblast Governor Dmytro Bryzhynskyi later reported that the attack struck an undisclosed enterprise in the city. Vyacheslav Chaus, the head of the oblast's military administration, wrote that a drone struck a residential building in the town of Nizhyn, injuring two people.

Energy producer DTEK reported that the attacks struck a natural gas facility in Poltava Oblast. Emergency blackouts are now in place in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Zelensky appoints Ukraine's first-ever military ombudsman


Last updated 12:14 pm Kyiv time.

President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Olha Reshetylova as Ukraine's first-ever military ombudsman, the President's Office announced on Oct. 16.

The appointment comes a month after the Ukrainian parliament passed a law formalizing the institution. Reshetylova previously served as the president's commissioner for the rights of military personnel and their families since December 2024.

As military ombudsman, she will be responsible for addressing issues related to military service, handling complaints, initiating inspections, and proposing policy recommendations.

"This is about the real protection of our soldiers' rights," said Zelensky.

Ukraine confirms drone strike on Russian oil refinery in Saratov Oblast, 2nd hit in a month

Last updated 11:28 am Kyiv time.

Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery in Russia's Saratov Oblast overnight on Oct. 16, Ukraine's Special Operations Forces (SSO) has confirmed.

"The Saratov Refinery is one of the oldest Russian oil refining enterprises, formerly known as the Cracking Plant, and is part of the Rosneft oil company," the SSO said in a post on social media.

"The volume of oil processing as of 2020 is 7.2 million tons, and in 2023 it is 4.8 million tons. Recall that the SSO struck this facility exactly a month ago, on Sept. 16, 2025."

The news comes as Kyiv continues to escalate its campaign against Russian oil and gas infrastructure, a key source of Moscow's revenues helping to fuel its all-out invasion of Ukraine.

Washington ready to 'impose costs' on Russia as 'only US can,' Pentagon chief warns


Last updated 9:35 am Kyiv time.

The U.S. and its allies will "impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression" unless the war in Ukraine ends, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Oct. 15.

"The U.S. War Department stands ready to do our part in ways that only the United States can do," Hegseth said at a Ramstein-format meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels.

Though the Pentagon chief did not provide details, the comments come after the Trump administration floated the possibility of supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles.

Hegseth also urged Western defense chiefs to ramp up purchases of U.S. arms for Ukraine under the NATO-led Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative.

At least 1 killed, 20 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day

At least one person has been killed and 20 others injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day, local authorities reported on Oct. 16.

Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 283 out of the 320 Shahed-type attack drones and other drones launched by Russia overnight, according to the Air Force. Thirty-seven drone strikes and 14 missiles strikes were recorded at 14 locations.

Energy producer DTEK reported that the attacks struck a natural gas facility in Poltava Oblast.

Four people were injured in Kharkiv Oblast, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

In Kherson Oblast, three people were injured in Russian attacks, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

Russian shelling struck near a hospital in Kherson injuring a security guard, he said.

Five people were injured in various strikes in Sumy Oblast, according to the regional military administration.

In Chernihiv Oblast, two people were injured, local authorities reported.

In Donetsk Oblast, Russian attacks killed one people and injured six others, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.

General Staff: Russia has lost 1,127,300 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

Russia has lost around 1,127,300 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Oct. 16.