President Donald Trump, speaking between 11:02 PM and 12:02 AM UTC on October 23rd, 2025, unequivocally denied reports from The Wall Street Journal that the U.S. had authorized Ukraine to use long-range Western missiles for strikes inside Russia. This denial comes as air raid alerts were issued for six UAVs detected in the Konotop district of Sumy Oblast, Ukraine, and as Russia launched "Shahed-136/131" type UAVs from Orel and Halino airfields, according to monitor reports. Trump specifically addressed the Wall Street Journal report, stating, "It said I gave Ukraine permission to shoot missiles deep into Russia. I didn't do that," characterizing the report as "fake." The U.S. administration has asserted that while authority for supporting long-range attacks has moved to EUCOM, the U.S. can restrict Ukraine's use of missiles like Storm Shadow due to American targeting data. Meanwhile, the death toll from an explosion at a plant in Kopeisk, Russia, has risen to nine, with five individuals hospitalized, as confirmed by SHOT. Governor Alexey Teksler stated that open burning at the site has been extinguished and that rescuers would begin clearing rubble. In parallel, temporary restrictions were introduced at the airports of Saratov and Tambov, according to the Federal Air Transport Agency. This reporting period follows an hour where President Trump denied reports of U.S. approval for Ukraine's use of long-range missiles, amidst renewed drone attacks in Ukraine and threats of ballistic missile launches from Russia. During that previous hour, a "massive attack" on Kamianske and a Russian "Shahed" drone incident near the main Kyiv synagogue in Podil were reported. Previous reports from October 22nd, 2025, detailed U.S. sanctions imposed on subsidiaries of Russian energy firms Lukoil and Rosneft. These sanctions, announced between 9:03 PM and 10:03 PM UTC, were in response to Russia's continued refusal to pursue peace in Ukraine. During that earlier period, explosions were reported in Kamianske, Ukraine, and at a plant in Chelyabinsk, Russia, coinciding with drone sightings over Kamianske Reservoir and Kerch, Crimea.
