LIVE: 221st day of Russian aggression against Ukraine

Ukrainian troops said they had retaken the key bastion of Lyman in occupied eastern Ukraine, a stinging defeat that prompted Ramzan Kadyrov, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, to call for the possible use of low-grade nuclear weapons.

22:39 CEST

⚡️US Senator fears Russia may hit weapon supply center in Poland.

Marco Rubio told CNN that if Putin decides he can lose the war because of the Western weapon supplies to Ukraine, he could strike at logistic centers “where these supplies are coming through," including Poland.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 2, 2022

22:23 CEST

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan met with Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine's presidential office, in Istanbul on Sunday and pledged Washington's steadfast support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the White House said.

21:55 CEST

EU country leaders will discuss how to step up support for Ukraine and their joint next steps to tame soaring energy prices when they meet on Friday.

In a meeting invitation letter to EU leaders published on Sunday, European Council President Charles Michel called for a firm EU response to recent developments, including Russia declaring the annexation of four regions of Ukraine on Friday.

21:45 CEST

Kreshchenivka in the #Kherson region - under the control of the Armed Forces of #Ukraine

Also, Ukrainian troops are moving further to Berislav.

The RF Armed Forces are "withdrawing to convenient frontiers" and "waiting for reinforcements and help", but ... they are not there. pic.twitter.com/DWRQdBWw8G

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 2, 2022

21:21 CEST

⚡️Prime Minister: 900 Ukrainian teachers have joined Ukraine's Armed Forces to fight Russia’s aggression since Feb. 24.

Speaking during the annual Global Teacher Prize ceremony, Denys Smyhal said that “this is a great example of serving your people.”

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 2, 2022

20:44 CEST

In #Russia mobilized people are already offered to take a loan in microcredit organization to buy military equipment

The state refuses to provide the mobilized Russians with equipment, so the men are forced to buy everything they need for themselves. pic.twitter.com/MvF1P6vd7p

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 2, 2022

20:28 CEST

⚡️General Staff: Ukrainian forces down 8 Iranian-made kamikaze drones on Oct. 2.

According to the General Staff, Ukraine's air force also conducted four strikes, successfully hitting two Russian weapon stockpiles and two anti-aircraft missile systems.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 2, 2022

20:02 CEST

The former president of the Arctic Academy of Sciences, the famous St. Petersburg scientist Valery Mitko, who was under house arrest on charges of treason in favor of China, has died. pic.twitter.com/gRqY66fXIU

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 2, 2022

19:35 CEST

Britain will acquire two specialist ships to protect underwater infrastructure such as cables and pipelines, defence minister Ben Wallace said on Sunday, following leaks in the Nord Stream gas pipelines from Russia to Europe.

“I can announce we have recently committed to two specialist ships with the capability to keep our cables and pipelines safe,” Wallace told the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, central England.

19:11 CEST

⚡️Stoltenberg: Ukraine’s success in Lyman shows its ability to push back Russians.

NATO Chief said the recapture of the town in Donetsk Oblast shows that Ukrainians are making progress due to their "courage, bravery, skills," and the weapons provided by the US and other allies.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 2, 2022

18:51 CEST

The #Ukrainian "Kozak-2" armored personnel carrier captured by the #Russians was taken away from the occupiers and returned home. pic.twitter.com/gcHaXdQrjx

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 2, 2022

18:47 CEST

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated the territorial defense fighters on their professional holiday. pic.twitter.com/wbBKJesqY4

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 2, 2022

18:14 CEST

⚡️Police: Bodies of 5 civilians who tried to flee Russian occupation found in Kharkiv Oblast.

According to the police, the civilians were trying to escape the then-occupied Kupiansk in May when they hit a Russian landmine in the nearby village of Vasylenkove.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 2, 2022

18:10 CEST

⚡️Russia says it may restore damaged Nord Stream gas pipelines.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said there were enough technical means to repair the pipelines.

Multiple Western officials called the leaks at the Russian pipelines "deliberate acts of sabotage."

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 2, 2022

18:08 CEST

This is how children in the liberated territories greet the #Ukrainian military pic.twitter.com/5Rkazqtvih

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 2, 2022

17:26 CEST

Russia is the main supplier of heavy weapons to Ukraine, @Volodymyr_D_ finds

And these statistics don't yet take into account the offensive on Lyman. But Ukraine can't win with this alone: more weapons are needed pic.twitter.com/VmrWJVGLQj

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) October 2, 2022

17:10 CEST

"I don’t see anything right now that would lead me to believe that (Russian dictator Vladimir Putin) has made such a decision," Austin said. However, he added that Putin had made irresponsible decisions in the past, such as invading Ukraine.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 2, 2022

17:06 CEST

#Putin has submitted to the State Duma for ratification the treaty on the annexation of the occupied #Ukrainian territories. pic.twitter.com/QDa9lwAABY

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 2, 2022

16:26 CEST

Australian Bushmaster towing captured Russian equipment. pic.twitter.com/oXFq027Gv9

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 2, 2022

16:19 CEST

#Torskoye, #Donetsk region. pic.twitter.com/qHbmF3bUhv

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 2, 2022

15:56 CEST

The ministry said that the withdrawal led to "a further wave of public criticism of Russia’s military leadership by senior officials," and further loss of its captured territory will "almost certainly" lead to intensified criticism.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 2, 2022

15:19 CEST

76 orphans from Donbas deported to Russia

Orphans were transferred to Russian social rehabilitation centers in the Moscow region. Other 104 ����children are waiting for their turn to be illegally adopted in Russia-Head of Reg Mil Adm Haidai
��by UkrInform https://t.co/2rqzPdRKyJ pic.twitter.com/CJuSDNVt9j

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) October 2, 2022

15:09 CEST

Anti-dictatorial demonstration in #London. Ukrainians, Belarusians, British and Iranians are chanting "Russian state is a terrorist". pic.twitter.com/2vP6XCtdro

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 2, 2022

14:35 CEST

⚡️Governor: Russian attacks kill 2, wound 7 in Mykolaiv.

Mykolaiv Oblast Governor Vitaliy Kim reported on Oct. 2 that Russian S-300 surface-to-air missiles had struck a hospital's territory and an area near two high-rise residential buildings overnight.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 2, 2022

14:11 CEST

9 NATO members support Ukraine's membership in Alliance

Presidents of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Montenegro, & Slovakia urged the Allies to increase military aid & supported 🇺🇦aspirations to join NATOhttps://t.co/0MnErHeJdh pic.twitter.com/dqOEFq459X

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) October 2, 2022

13:53 CEST

#Ukraine: Ukrainian forces captured a Russian 2A65 Msta-B 152mm howitzer in #Kharkiv Oblast late last month.

The writing on the barrel:“FOR PEACE” on one side, “FOR STALIN” on the other.

�� Via @dim0kq! pic.twitter.com/vj0JuT7KOd

— ���� Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) October 2, 2022

13:20 CEST

Putin has obviously suppressed any memory of this, but these are the numbers for the Yes vote in the 1991 referendum in ���� on independence. Every single region voted clearly for independence. pic.twitter.com/4AcIXElzBp

— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) October 2, 2022

.@ZelenskyyUa
As of 12:30 (Kyiv time) the town of Lyman, Donetsk region is fully cleared of the russian occupiers.
����

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) October 2, 2022

#Ukraine's accession to #NATO has already been supported by 12 member countries. pic.twitter.com/MwPaZEcJ4T

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 2, 2022

11:42 CEST

Ukraine's border guards send a message to mobilized Russians

��️by @francis_scarr, @DPSU_ua pic.twitter.com/BWs44nbBIu

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) October 2, 2022

11:10 CEST

Since February 24, when Russia invaded Ukraine, over 6.72 million people have crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border into Poland, the Border Guard (SG) tweeted on Sunday morning.

11:06 CEST

Reality sneaks up onto unsuspecting Russian state TV hosts. One pundit reveals they aren't supposed to mention Lyman (although the host denies it). He says that everyone knows things aren't going well for the Russian troops. Another pundit says Kyiv might start bombing Moscow. pic.twitter.com/M8PVPlrGqG

— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) October 1, 2022

10:51 CEST

The cover of the #Polish news magazine @TygodnikWPROST. pic.twitter.com/kQdTjoiZJi

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 2, 2022

10:26 CEST

These are the indicative estimates of Russia’s combat losses as of Oct. 2, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/dVTCboZFLY

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 2, 2022

09:57 CEST

The withdrawal of ����troops from Lyman led to wave of public criticism of military leadership in Russia

Operationally, Lyman is important because it commands a key road crossing over the Siversky Donets River behind which Russia attempted to consolidate its defenses - @DefenceHQ pic.twitter.com/GyjKhnftUO

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) October 2, 2022

09:09 CEST

⚡️Air Force: Ukraine destroys 5 Iranian kamikaze drones.

Ukraine's Air Force said that it had downed five out of seven Russian-operated Iranian drones attacking Mykolaiv Oblast overnight.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 2, 2022

08:05 CEST

Serhiy Gaidai, the governor of Ukraine's Luhansk region, said that the retaking of Lyman in the neighbouring Donetsk region is one of the key factors for reclaiming lost territory in Luhansk.

07:47 CEST

⚡️ISW: Russia's retreat from Lyman indicates Putin prioritizing occupied territories in Ukraine's south.

The Institute for the Study of War said "the decision not to reinforce vulnerable Kupiansk or Lyman front lines was almost certainly Putin’s, not the military command's."

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 2, 2022

07:20 CEST

The offensive of the Armed Forces of #Ukraine in the last 10 days. pic.twitter.com/pLusDDMlKZ

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 2, 2022