October 3, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

By Rhea Mogul, Sana Noor Haq, Laura Smith-Spark, Mike Hayes and Melissa Macaya, CNN

Updated 1:58 a.m. ET, October 4, 2022
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7:13 p.m. ET, October 3, 2022

Elon Musk sparks backlash from Ukrainian officials with unsolicited "peace" plan

From CNN's  Catherine Thorbecke

Elon Musk drew backlash on Monday from Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, for his unsolicited advice on how to bring about "peace" amid Russia's ongoing invasion of the country.

 In a Twitter poll, Musk suggested a path to "Ukraine-Russia Peace" that included re-doing elections "under UN supervision" in the regions of the country recently annexed illegally by Russia. The land grab, covering nearly a fifth of Ukraine, followed referendums that have been widely dismissed as "shams" by much of the world. 

The billionaire Tesla CEO also suggested making Crimea, a region Russia invaded and annexed from Ukraine in 2014, "formally part of Russia." He added in bullet points: "Water supply to Crimea assured" and "Ukraine remains neutral." 

Ukraine and most of the world reject any implication of Russian sovereignty over the regions it has invaded, and Ukraine has vowed to take back its land.

A majority of respondents on Twitter voted "No" in response to Musk's poll. In a follow-up tweet, Musk appeared to blame these results on a "bot attack."

Musk himself and one of his companies, SpaceX, became involved early on in the war in Ukraine, after SpaceX sent Starlink internet terminals, which can be operated from anywhere with power and a clear view of the sky, to the war-torn country.

But his latest musings were not well-received by Ukrainian officials, after a months-long war that has left a trail of untold devastation in the region. 

 "F--- off is my very diplomatic reply to you," Ukraine's Ambassador to Germany Andrij Melnyk wrote in response to Musk's Twitter thread. 

To read more, click here

7:24 p.m. ET, October 3, 2022

Journalist who held anti-war poster on Russian state TV declared a fugitive after escaping house arrest

From CNN's Katharina Krebs and Anna Chernova

Marina Ovsyannikova speaks from inside a defendants' box during a court session over charges of "discrediting" the Russian army, in Moscow, on August 11.
Marina Ovsyannikova speaks from inside a defendants' box during a court session over charges of "discrediting" the Russian army, in Moscow, on August 11. (Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images/FILE)

Russia has placed Marina Ovsyannikova, the former journalist at state-controlled Channel One who went on air with an anti-war poster, on the Ministry of Internal Affairs "wanted list," Russian state media TASS reported on Monday. 

"Ovsyannikova Marina Vladimirovna, born June 19, 1978. Place of birth: Ukrainian SSR, city of Odesa. Wanted under the article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation," according to her entry on the fugitive list, as quoted by TASS.

Ovsyannikova was placed under house arrest until Oct. 9 by a court in Moscow after being charged with disseminating false information about the Russian Armed Forces, TASS said.

Dmitry Zakhvatov, Ovsyannikova's lawyer, said the reason for the accusation was a protest with Marina's participation on the Sofiyskaya embankment in Moscow on July 15, TASS reported.

Her ex-husband, Igor Ovsyannikov, said on Saturday she had escaped from house arrest, taking their daughter with her, TASS said.

CNN has reached out to Ovsyannikova's lawyer for comment, asking if he can confirm that she’s escaped from house arrest with her daughter.

"I cannot. All I know is that she's gone," Zakhvatov told CNN in a written comment.

5:55 p.m. ET, October 3, 2022

It's nighttime in Kyiv. Here's what you need to know

Russian forces driven out of the strategic eastern Ukrainian city of Lyman in the Donetsk region have moved east toward the town of Kreminna, about 15 miles away, according to a senior US military official. 

At the same time, Russia’s legislature on Monday began the process of approving President Vladimir Putin’s decision to annex four parts of Ukraine in violation of international law.

Here are the top headlines:

  • Russian annexation: The process of approving the annexation is expected to be a formality, although it will take a couple of days. The Kremlin said Monday that Moscow would “continue consulting” with the residents of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions to establish the exact borders of the Ukrainian regions claimed to be annexed by Russia following last week’s so-called referendums, which have been dismissed by Ukraine and Western nations as “a sham.”
  • Nord Stream pipelines: The Swedish Coast Guard said that one leak from the Nord Stream 2 pipeline has grown larger in size while the other appeared to be stopped. Leaders of several Western countries have said leaks in the two Russian gas pipelines were likely the result of sabotage.
  • Power plant director released: Ihor Murashov, the director general of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, has returned to his family following his detention, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said Monday. Murashov had been detained by a Russian patrol while he was in his car on the way from the plant, the president of state nuclear company Energoatom, said on Saturday.
  • The US response: With concerns growing that Putin will escalate Russia’s war in Ukraine, the US is considering how to respond to a range of potential scenarios, including that Russians could use tactical nuclear weapons, according to three sources briefed on the latest intelligence.
  • Brittney Griner: A Moscow regional court has set Oct. 25 as an appeal date for American basketball star Brittney Griner, court records show. An appeal hearing will be heard at the Khimki city court in the Moscow region.
4:19 p.m. ET, October 3, 2022

Russian forces pushed from Lyman are moving to Kreminna "to hold the line," senior US military official

From CNN's Michael Conte and Oren Liebermann

Russian forces driven from the strategic eastern Ukrainian city of Lyman in Donetsk region have moved back towards the town of Kreminna to the east “to hold the line,” according to a senior US military official. 

The official called the liberation of Lyman by Ukrainian forces a “significant operational accomplishment” as it was being used by Russian forces as a “logistics hub” in a background call with reporters.

“It impacts the ability to resupply forces along the forward line of troops … in the Kharkiv region along down near Bakhmut and as far south as Kherson,” the official said.
4:40 p.m. ET, October 3, 2022

Brittney Griner's appeal hearing set for Oct. 25, Russian court says

From CNN's Uliana Pavlova

American women’s basketball star Brittney Griner, leaves the courtroom in Khimki outside Moscow, Russia, on August 4.
American women’s basketball star Brittney Griner, leaves the courtroom in Khimki outside Moscow, Russia, on August 4. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/Pool/AFP/Getty Images)

A Moscow regional court has set Oct. 25 as an appeal date for American women’s basketball star Brittney Griner, court records show.

An appeal hearing will be heard at the Khimki city court in Moscow region.

Griner was sentenced to nine years of jail time in early August for deliberately smuggling drugs into Russia.

She was arrested with less than 1 gram of cannabis oil in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport on Feb. 17.

3:44 p.m. ET, October 3, 2022

Authorities in Russia's Leningrad region canceled 100 conscriptions, state media says  

From CNN's Katharina Krebs in London

Authorities in Russia's Leningrad region have canceled 100 conscriptions, according to the press service of the regional government, Russian state media RIA Novosti reported on Monday.

"A total of 100 decisions on mobilization measures have been canceled in the Leningrad Region. Of these, 76 — because of age, 1 — because of the number of minor children, 2 —because of the need to care for relatives with disabilities, 11 — due to limited fitness", according to the press service as quoted by RIA.

By decree of President Vladimir Putin, a partial mobilization has been ongoing in Russia since Sept. 21. Two senior Russian lawmakers on Sunday said that the mobilization should be carried out “in accordance with the law,” following reports of “erroneous incidents of mobilizing citizens.”

3:42 p.m. ET, October 3, 2022

UK at "significant risk" of gas supply shortage this winter due to war in Ukraine, energy regulator says

From CNN's Katharina Krebs and Chris Liakos

The UK may enter a "gas supply emergency" in winter due to the war in Ukraine, UK’s energy regulator Ofgem said on Monday.

Ofgem made the comments in response to a request by energy company SSE, who are worried that in case of a gas supply emergency, they will run out of money if they are hit with large penalties for not being able to deliver electricity.

“Due to the war in Ukraine and gas shortages in Europe, there is a significant risk that gas shortages could occur during the winter 2022/23 in Great Britain (‘GB’). As a result, there is a possibility that GB could enter into a Gas Supply Emergency,” Ofgem said in a letter.

“This winter is likely to be more challenging than previous ones due to the Russian disruption of gas supplies to Europe," an Ofgem spokesperson told CNN Monday.

“Britain is in a good position with little direct import of gas from Russia; our own domestic gas production; reliable supplies from Norway; and the second-largest port capacity in Europe to import liquified gas. Nevertheless, we need to be prepared for all scenarios this winter,” the Ofgem spokesperson added.

Ofgem said that they are putting in place sensible contingency measures “to ensure that the UK energy system is fully prepared for this winter.”

2:12 p.m. ET, October 3, 2022

France wants to "make the cost of war unbearable for Russia," prime minister says

From CNN’s Pierre Meilhan

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne delivers a government statement on the war in Ukraine and the consequences for France, at the National Assembly in Paris, France, on Monday.
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne delivers a government statement on the war in Ukraine and the consequences for France, at the National Assembly in Paris, France, on Monday. (Benoit Tessier/Reuters)

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne told lawmakers on Monday that although the war in Ukraine will last, France is ready and wants to "make the cost of war unbearable for Russia."

During her address before France’s lower house of parliament, Borne emphasized that “Russia is likely to go further into illegality and escalation," and that France “will not weaken, neither in the face of the Russian aggressor nor to protect the French (people). The war in Ukraine will last but we are ready, the resistance of the Ukrainian people obliges us, we will be up to it."

France has provided more than 200 million euros ($195 million) in aid to Ukraine and 2,500 tons of material have been delivered, according to the prime minister.

Borne added that “the sanctions against Russia are working. The facts are there: the Russian economy is suffocating."

France’s goal in the conflict is demilitarization and the country is “determined that the crimes committed by Russia will be documented, tried and punished," Borne said.

Prior to Borne's speech, the members of parliament paid a tribute to the Ukrainian ambassador to France Vadym Omelchenko, who was attending the session.