President Donald Trump unequivocally denied authorizing Ukraine to conduct missile strikes inside Russia, stating "I didn't do that," in response to a Wall Street Journal report. This denial, made between 11:02 PM and 12:02 AM UTC on October 23rd, 2025, occurred as air raid alerts reported six UAVs traversing the Konotop district of Sumy Oblast, Ukraine. Monitor reports indicated the drones were heading in a western course past Konotop. During this one-hour reporting window, President Trump specifically addressed the Wall Street Journal's claim, characterizing the report as "fake news." The U.S. administration has previously stated that while the authority for supporting long-range attacks has been delegated to EUCOM, the U.S. retains the ability to restrict Ukraine's use of certain missiles, such as Storm Shadow, due to American targeting data. The current developments follow a period where Trump also denied U.S. approval for Ukraine's use of long-range missiles, as detailed in previous reports from October 22nd. During those earlier times, renewed drone attacks were reported in Ukraine, including a "massive attack" on Kamianske and a Russian "Shahed" drone incident near the main Kyiv synagogue in Podil. Russia also launched "Shahed-136/131" type UAVs from Orel and Halino airfields. In parallel to the denial and drone activity, previous reports from October 22nd also 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 a 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 Kopeisk, Russia, where the death toll later rose to nine according to SHOT, with five individuals hospitalized. Governor Alexey Teksler confirmed that open burning at the Kopeisk site had been extinguished and rescuers began clearing rubble.