Day 1,345 of the Ukraine Invasion
Washington, D.C. — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday announced the successful test of a nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed underwater drone known as Poseidon, escalating fears among Western defense officials and nuclear-arms experts. The announcement marks Russia’s second claim this week involving a weapon driven by a radioactive engine.
According to Putin, the test — launched from a submarine — successfully activated Poseidon’s onboard nuclear propulsion system, allowing the device to operate underwater for extended periods. The Kremlin has long boasted that Poseidon, which carries a nuclear warhead, could create a “radioactive tsunami” capable of making coastal regions uninhabitable.
“This is a huge success,” Putin told wounded soldiers during a visit, adding that the weapon’s destructive power could surpass that of Russia’s Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile. Western analysts, however, warn that the weapon represents a destabilizing shift in nuclear doctrine, blurring the line between strategic and tactical warfare.
Earlier this week, Putin also touted a lengthy test flight of the Burevestnik missile, nicknamed a “flying Chernobyl” by critics for its potential to release harmful radiation during flight.
Heavy Fighting Around Pokrovsk
On the battlefield, Ukrainian forces are under mounting pressure in the eastern city of Pokrovsk. Ukrainian officials said Russia has deployed approximately 11,000 troops in an attempt to encircle the area. Open-source analysts describe the situation as deteriorating rapidly, though Kyiv rejects claims of a complete blockade.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the fighting around Pokrovsk “the most difficult” along the 1,250-kilometer (775-mile) front line, citing intensified combat and heavy Russian troop concentrations. Conditions around Kupiansk remain difficult as well, though Ukrainian forces say they have stabilized portions of the defensive line there.
DeepState, a widely followed Ukrainian analysis project, reported that Russia has disrupted key logistics routes near neighboring Myrnohrad using ambushes and drone strikes. Analysts warn that delays in reinforcing the region may worsen Ukraine’s position.
Civilian Targets Hit Again
Authorities in southern Ukraine reported at least nine injuries — including four children — after a Russian strike hit a children’s hospital. The youngest victim was eight years old. “They could not have been unaware of where they were striking,” Zelenskyy said in response.
Explosion Death Toll Rises in Central Russia
In central Russia, officials raised the death toll from an October 22 blast at the Plastmass plant in Kopeysk to 23. The facility manufactures explosives for the Russian military. The government has not released details about the cause of the explosion, prompting renewed safety concerns around Russia’s defense-industrial sites.
Anti-Corruption Case Sparks Debate in Kyiv
A Kyiv court ordered former Ukrenergo chief Volodymyr Kudrytsky to remain in detention on allegations of misappropriating more than $1.6 million in state funds in 2018. Critics claim the charges are politically motivated; several Ukrainian lawmakers have offered to guarantee his bail.
Anti-War Musician Returned to Jail
In St. Petersburg, 18-year-old street musician Diana “Naoko” Loginova was returned to jail after being convicted of additional minor offenses following earlier detention for viral anti-war performances. Human-rights groups say she is being subjected to a “carousel” of recurring charges designed to keep dissenters continuously detained — a tactic increasingly used amid Russia’s crackdown on public criticism.