A Russian airstrike on October 17 destroyed a multi-story building in Sloviansk, with six bodies reportedly recovered from the rubble. Three women are believed to still be trapped under the debris.

Approximately 20,000 people remain in the city. Restoration work and evacuations are ongoing. Vadym Lyakh, head of the city's military administration, urged residents to leave, citing constant shelling that makes guaranteeing safety and stable supplies of heat and water impossible.