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Drone strikes and an EU training mission, 17 October 2022
Summary
A look back at a day when Shahed drones hit Kyiv and Sumy and the European Union set up a mission to train Ukrainian troops.
What did 17 October 2022 show about the shape of the war? It brought two developments side by side: Russian drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, and a decision in Europe to expand military support for Ukraine.
Russian forces attacked the Shevchenkivskyi District of Kyiv and an energy facility in the city of Sumy with HESA Shahed 136 suicide drones, as reported at the time. Eight people were killed.
On the same day, the European Union established EUMAM Ukraine, a special military mission. It was set up to provide training for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in EU member states.
The days before
The preceding days had also been marked by violence on and near the front line. On 16 October 2022, authorities of the Donetsk People's Republic said a Ukrainian rocket attack had hit the office of the pro-Russian mayor of Donetsk. No casualties were reported.
On 15 October 2022, at least 11 people were killed and 15 others injured when two shooters opened fire on a group of volunteers at a Russian military training ground in Belgorod Oblast, near the border with Ukraine. The site is known as Soloti.
What the day set side by side
The events of 17 October 2022 put two tracks in view. One was the use of suicide drones against targets in Kyiv and Sumy, including an energy facility. The other was the formal creation of an EU mission aimed at training Ukrainian soldiers outside the country.
