What did 12 October 2022 reveal about the war?

What did the war look like on 12 October 2022, two days after Russia's wave of missile strikes across Ukraine? The reports from that day point to a conflict defined by attacks on civilians and infrastructure, and by a rapid response from Ukraine's partners focused on air defence.

The strikes and their reach

On 10 October 2022, Russian forces had fired missiles at Kyiv, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Sumy, Dnipro, Lviv, Ternopil and Poltava, killing at least nineteen people and injuring hundreds more. On 11 October, Lviv suffered a major power outage after a missile strike damaged what was described as critical infrastructure.

The effects spread beyond Ukraine's borders. On 12 October, Moldova urged its citizens to use less electricity after Ukraine suspended electricity exports because Russian missile attacks had damaged critical infrastructure. Two days earlier, Moldova had confirmed that Russian Navy warships in the Black Sea fired cruise missiles through its airspace to hit targets in Ukraine, and its authorities summoned the Russian ambassador to explain the violation.

In the east, Russian forces struck a marketplace in Avdiivka, in Donetsk Oblast, on 12 October. At least seven civilians were killed and eight others injured.

Partners turn to air defence

The day's announcements of foreign aid leaned towards protection from missiles. The UK Ministry of Defence said it would donate AMRAAM air-to-air missiles to Ukraine in the coming weeks, noting that they are capable of intercepting cruise missiles. It also said a further 18 howitzers would be donated. French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would send radar and air defence systems to Ukraine in the coming weeks. Canada said it would provide C$47 million in new military aid, including artillery rounds, winter clothing, drone cameras and satellite communications.

A vote at the United Nations

The United Nations General Assembly also passed a resolution on 12 October condemning Russia's attempted illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory. Only Belarus, Nicaragua, North Korea, Russia and Syria voted against it.

Belarus and the Crimean Bridge

Concern about a possible new front had been building. On 11 October, thousands of Russian troops were reported entering Belarus by the trainload, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned G7 nations that Russia was planning another offensive against Kyiv with direct Belarusian involvement. The troop movements came a day after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko accused Ukraine of planning an attack on his country.

On 12 October, Russia said it had arrested eight people, five Russians and three people from Ukraine and Armenia, over the Crimea Bridge explosion. Separately, on 11 October, Russia added Meta Platforms, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, to its list of terrorists and extremists, citing tolerance of Russophobia and calls to violence against Russians.

What the day showed

Taken together, the reports from 12 October 2022 show a pattern: Russian strikes reaching far from the front line, with consequences for power supplies in Ukraine and in neighbouring Moldova, and Ukraine's partners responding with pledges of interceptors, radar and air defence systems, alongside a diplomatic vote that left Russia with only four supporters in the General Assembly.