A former Reform UK leader in Wales, 52-year-old Nathan Gill, has been sentenced to 10-and-a-half years in prison after taking bribes to deliver pro-Russia statements. He admitted taking money from Oleh Voloshyn, a former Ukrainian politician with links to Viktor Medvedchuk, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reform UK is a right-wing populist political party.

The sentencing sparked calls for a full investigation into Russian influence. AP quoted Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey calling Gill “a traitor” and asking “where do his loyalties really lie?” BBC said Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Gill of undermining national interests and demanded that Nigel Farage examine Reform UK’s links to Russia. Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Darren Millar said Reform UK is a threat to national security. Reform UK said Gill’s actions were “reprehensible, treasonous and unforgivable” and welcomed the sentence. Reform UK's leader Nigel Farage said he had no knowledge of the bribery scheme and called Gill a “bad apple”.

UK politician sentenced for taking pro-Russia bribes

While he was a member of the European Parliament, Nathan Gill took cash from Voloshyn between December 2018 and July 2019. Police found messages showing coded talk about “Xmas gifts” and “postcards” that referred to payments. AP reports that prosecutors said he received around £40,000 or $52,500. BBC said he pleaded guilty to eight bribery charges at an earlier hearing in March. The Guardian reported that the court heard an application to recover £30,000 from the politician, but police believes he could have made up to £40,000. Gill gave no explanation for his actions.

He also helped arrange an event in Strasbourg to promote a so‑called peace plan for the Donbas—an eastern Ukrainian region already partially occupied by the Russians at the time. Putin praised that event the next day on Russian TV.

Messages revealed how the scheme worked

Police examined Gill’s phone after stopping him at Manchester Airport in September 2021. BBC said he was attempting to fly to Russia to attend a conference and observe elections. AP said officers found messages using coded language about money and efforts to recruit other MEPs to support Russia’s stance on Ukraine. Gill wrote that he could “drag a few in” when asked to bring colleagues.

The Guardian reported that WhatsApp chats showed the scheme became a “regular habit”. Voloshyn promised payments like “I’ll get you 5k”. Prosecutors told the court that Gill enlisted MEPs from the UK, Germany, and France to speak to 112 Ukraine. BBC said Voloshyn told Gill he would “request and secure at least 5K” if Gill brought in “three or four” others. The judge said there was no evidence those MEPs knew about the bribes.

Police say case shows wider Russian activity

BBC reported that police continue to investigate whether other individuals committed crimes. Commander Dominic Murphy of the Metropolitan Police said Gill acted as an “extraordinarily willing participant” in a bribery operation. He linked the case to other Russian activities in Britain, including the Salisbury poisonings and an arson attack in London in 2024. He said Russia poses a “particular challenge”.

A reported 28-point peace plan allegedly drafted by US and Russian officials would force Ukraine into unilateral concessions that mirror Russia’s 2022 demands in Istanbul, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The think tank states that the plan includes Ukraine withdrawing from critical territory in Donetsk Oblast and freezing the frontline in the south — steps that would disproportionately favor Russia.

Proposed peace plan seen as strategic victory for Russia

The Institute for the Study of War reported that the draft proposal would amount to "Ukraine’s full capitulation." The plan would hand Russia strategic land and positions without any clear reciprocal concessions from Moscow. ISW stated the proposal is “fundamentally the same” as Russia’s 2022 demands during talks in Istanbul.

"The reported proposed peace plan would deprive Ukraine of critical defensive positions and capabilities necessary to defend against future Russian aggression, apparently in exchange for nothing," ISW wrote.

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The plan includes Ukraine’s withdrawal from the rest of Donetsk Oblast, a move ISW assesses would disproportionately favor Russia. The oblast contains vital Ukrainian military and logistical infrastructure, including the long-standing Fortress Belt defensive line established in 2014. For over a decade, Russia has tried and failed to take this area by force. 

"The reported peace plan would give this significant land to Russia — apparently for no specified compromise — sparing Russia the time, effort, and manpower that it could use elsewhere in Ukraine during renewed aggression," ISW says.

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Ceding Donetsk would open the door to more Russian offensives

The think tank notes that the Kremlin has repeatedly said that any withdrawal from Donbas would be a precondition for peace talks — not a result.

ISW further warned that Ukraine’s withdrawal from Donetsk would give Russian troops better positions to advance into other key oblasts. In particular, they could push deeper into southern Kharkiv Oblast, eastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and even into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Russian forces might also attempt to cross the Oskil River and later threaten Kharkiv City from several directions.

Meanwhile, freezing the frontline in southern Ukraine would provide Russian troops with the opportunity to rest and rebuild, ISW noted. This would set the stage for renewed attacks against cities like Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, which remain among the Kremlin’s stated objectives.

"Russia would therefore have its choice of multiple, mutually supportive offensive operations to undertake should Ukraine cede Donetsk Oblast to Russia and agree to freeze the frontline in southern Ukraine, especially if there is no meaningful security guarantee mechanisms to prevent future Russian aggression and if Ukraine concedes to Russia’s demand of reduced military size and capacity," ISW concluded.

Following media reports about a possible peace plan discussed by the US and Russia, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said the proposals seem to have been written in Moscow, according to YLE. She made her remarks during a visit by NATO ambassadors to northern Finland's Rovaniemi on 20 November, where she also delivered a lecture on Arctic policy and security at the University of Lapland.

Valtonen: Peace plan looks like it was written in Moscow

Valtonen told YLE the leaked terms resemble proposals that could have originated in the Kremlin. She warned that, if accurate, they "wipe the UN Charter off the table" entirely. Valtonen said that if the reported terms are accurate, neither Ukraine nor its European allies could accept them.

According to her, these kinds of ideas have been circulating in various unofficial documents, but none offer a basis for a just peace.

Valtonen emphasized that Finland and the rest of Europe remain committed to achieving a fair and lasting peace for Ukraine. 

“We’ve been working toward this for four years,” she said. 

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However, she also noted that there has been no formal notification or official proposal from any government involved.

“There has been no official information from the United States, from Ukraine, or from anywhere else that would really trigger any actual discussion,” Valtonen stated.

Finland warns against legitimizing Moscow’s demands

According to Valtonen, Finland, along with other European countries, has decided to support Ukraine and its people. She stressed that Ukraine is not only defending its territory but also standing for democracy and the rule of law.

“None of that is possible if the world follows Russia’s playbook,” she said. 

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Valtonen added that although Trump wants peace in Ukraine and is open to hearing different ideas, it is crucial that US partners understand the global implications of such a deal.

“We are fully convinced that they understand how significant this peace would be not just for Ukraine but for Europe and actually for the entire world order,” Valtonen told YLE.

Real peace talks still far away

Valtonen stated that any path to peace must begin with a ceasefire, something Ukraine has already agreed to. Finland has proposed such a step to Russia, but Moscow has refused to make any concessions.

“We are still very far from being able to make any kind of peace agreement,” she said. 

The Finnish minister added that Finland remains committed to supporting Ukraine through defense materials and sanctions on Russia.

Ukrainian forces have disrupted Russian logistics and vehicle use in Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast, significantly slowing the pace of Russia’s advance in the city, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). ISW believes Russia is likely to take Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, but the timeline and consequences remain uncertain.

Ukraine blocks Russian logistics in Pokrovsk

The ISW reported on 19 November that Ukraine’s interdiction efforts are stopping Russian vehicle use and troop buildup in Pokrovsk, slowing their advance, which is likely "slowing down Russia’s rate of advance within the town." The rate of Russian advances in Pokrovsk began to decrease in early November, following several weeks of relatively faster movement into the town.

A spokesperson for a Ukrainian brigade operating in the Pokrovsk direction said that Ukrainian interdiction of Russian ground lines of communication into the town has forced Russian troops to carry supplies on foot in teams of just two or three. According to a Ukrainian drone battalion commander in the same area, Ukrainian forces have mined the roads repeatedly used by Russia to move heavy equipment into Pokrovsk. He added that Russian forces now rarely use armored vehicles to enter the town.

Russian forces attempt fog-covered supply runs

Russian forces recently tried to bring in supplies and personnel using vehicles under cover of heavy fog from the south, along the M-30 Pokrovsk–Selydove highway, on 10 and 11 November. Russian military bloggers initially celebrated the attempt, but one later noted that the footage showing Russian forces driving into Pokrovsk had actually exposed them to Ukrainian artillery strikes. This undermined Russia’s ability to rely on vehicle-based logistics into the town.

Russian pressure continues on Ukrainian logistics

Russian forces continue their own interdiction efforts targeting Ukrainian supply routes in the Pokrovsk direction. The Ukrainian drone battalion commander noted that Russian troops within Pokrovsk do not maintain solid defensive lines. A 15–20 km “kill zone” near the Pokrovsk frontline complicates logistics due to widespread drone threats. This area is saturated with tactical strike and reconnaissance drones that pose a major threat to any equipment or personnel moving through.

ISW expects Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad to fall

The Institute for the Study of War says it continues to assess that the Russians will "very likely complete the seizure of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, though the timing and operational implications of these seizures remain unclear at this time."

Russian forces are pursuing multiple attacks in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast around Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad without prioritizing a single decisive objective, according to the Institute for the Study of War. The scattered effort involves both attempts to encircle the Ukrainian-held area and continued assaults inside the towns themselves. 

Russian troops push into Pokrovsk but fail to encircle

ISW wrote on 18 November that Russian forces are struggling to focus on a single decisive objective in the Pokrovsk direction. Geolocated footage published on 18 November and reportedly filmed two days earlier showed Russian units advancing inside northeastern Pokrovsk. However, this move did not contribute meaningfully to the broader encirclement effort.

Ukrainian forces, particularly the 7th Rapid Reaction Corps of the Airborne Assault Forces, reported on 18 November that Russian units are trying to infiltrate Myrnohrad from the north via Krasnyi Lyman village. This indicates that troops positioned north of Myrnohrad are not pushing westward to link up and close the encirclement, but are instead attacking southward into the town. A spokesperson for a Ukrainian brigade in the Pokrovsk direction added that Russian troops are working to sever Ukrainian ground lines of communication into Myrnohrad from the northwest and west.

Ukraine counters northern thrusts

Russian units "likely struggling to complete the encirclement in part due to the threat that Ukrainian forces are posing to Russia’s northern shoulder of the pocket." Elements of Russia’s 51st Combined Arms Army — formerly the 1st Donetsk People’s Republic Army Corps, now under the Southern Military District — are operating north of Myrnohrad but have not advanced far enough to close the northeastern part of the encirclement.

A tactical penetration carried out by the 51st CAA in the Dobropillia area back in August created a gap that Ukrainian forces are now exploiting. This has enabled them to threaten Russian rear positions northeast of Pokrovsk, placing additional pressure on the Russian northern grouping.

In response, Russian military command may be shifting responsibility for completing the encirclement to units of the 2nd Combined Arms Army from the Central Military District. These forces are deployed south and southwest of Pokrovsk and might be expected to push in from the western flank. 

In the US, the Trump administration has secretly started drafting a broad new plan to end the war in Ukraine, according to Axios. Trump's personal envoy has already held closed-door talks with a top Russian official. Ukrainian officials remain largely out of the process.

Secret three-day talks between Trump and Kremlin envoys

According to Axios, Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff led the effort and met extensively with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who heads Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and plays a central role in Moscow’s diplomatic outreach on Ukraine. A US official confirmed that Witkoff and Dmitriev held three days of discussions in Miami from 24 to 26 October.

Dmitriev told Axios that his team spent the entire period “huddled” with Witkoff and other members of Trump’s team. He said the talks reflected a major shift, claiming, “we feel the Russian position is really being heard.” Dmitriev expressed confidence that this initiative has better chances than earlier peace efforts.

Zelenskyy left waiting as Russia gets first input

Witkoff had been scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Türkiye on 19 November but postponed the trip, according to Ukrainian and US officials. Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umierov met Witkoff earlier in the week in Miami, a Ukrainian official confirmed to Axios.

The same official said Ukraine is aware that “the Americans are working on something,” but has not received the full proposal. Axios cited a White House official who said,

“President Trump believes that there is a chance to end this senseless war if flexibility is shown.”

A US official said the administration has started briefing European governments about the plan, but only after the Russia-focused meetings in Miami. The official added that the draft will evolve based on input from Ukraine and its European backers.

“Both parties need to be practical and realistic,” the official said.

Putin-Trump Alaska meeting shaped proposal’s foundation

Dmitriev stated that the new peace initiative builds on the principles that Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to during their meeting in Alaska in August. According to him, the framework is designed not only to address the war in Ukraine, but also to “restore US-Russia ties” and meet “Russia's security concerns.”

The Kremlin envoy said that US officials are now explaining the “benefits” of this approach to both Ukrainians and Europeans. He also claimed that Russia’s growing battlefield gains have boosted its negotiating leverage.

Explosions rocked Ukrainian cities overnight on 18–19 November as Russia launched a massive wave of missile and drone attacks across the country. Local authorities reported that the coordinated Russian strikes killed 16 civilians in Ternopil, injured more than 100 others nationwide, and damaged critical energy infrastructure, forcing emergency power outages in multiple oblasts.

Energy infrastructure targeted across seven oblasts

Russia focused heavily on Ukraine’s power grid in its latest barrage. The Ministry of Energy confirmed that infrastructure in at least seven oblasts—Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Cherkasy, and Donetsk—was damaged. Emergency blackouts were introduced in several of these regions.

In one case, a DTEK energy company crew came under direct attack while working at a facility, resulting in five injuries.

“One energy worker is in critical condition, and four others suffered concussion and shrapnel wounds,” the company said.

Restoration efforts were ongoing across affected oblasts as of the morning, according to Ukraine's Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko.

Ternopil: 16 civilians killed, chlorine level warning issued

Ternopil suffered the highest number of casualties, as Russia targeted the city with both drones and missiles. Two nine-story residential buildings were struck by missiles, collapsing upper floors and causing fires. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said the Russian strike killed 10 civilians and injured 37 others, including 12 children. Later, Mayor Serhii Nadal said that the death toll has risen to 12.

Update: Local police say that as of 12:00, 19 people have been killed and 64 injured in Ternopil. Fourteen children are among the injured. 

Some victims were trapped under rubble, with rescue operations continuing through the morning, according to the minister.

Nearly 500 emergency responders, supported by canine teams and engineers, were deployed to rescue survivors. Mobile coordination centers and psychological support units were also operating on-site.

Local authorities issued a health warning, reporting that chlorine levels in the air were six times above safe limits and advising residents to stay indoors.

Kharkiv hit by 19 Shahed drones, dozens injured

In Kharkiv, Russian forces launched 19 Shahed-type drones at residential areas overnight, injuring 46 people, including two girls aged 9 and 13. Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported widespread damage in Slobidskyi and Osnovianskyi districts of the city. The blasts damaged 16 apartment buildings, a supermarket, two trolleybuses, a school, a medical substation, an administrative building, and dozens of vehicles.

Across Kharkiv Oblast, Russian forces also targeted energy infrastructure, the railway in Lozova, and a private residence in Starovirivka. Kharkiv Oblast Head Oleh Syniehubov said the Russians used five more Shaheds outside the regional capital, as well as 27 more drones of various types, a guided bomb, and artillery in the assaults.

Other oblasts report damage and injuries

In Lviv Oblast, missiles and drones struck an energy facility, a lumber processing plant, and a warehouse. Smoke from burning tires at civilian storage sites blanketed parts of Lviv city, prompting warnings to keep windows shut. Local authorities reported no casualties in the oblast.

In Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, explosions were recorded in Burshtyn, home to a major thermal power station. Regional head Svitlana Onyshchuk confirmed that the Russians hit energy infrastructure and injured three people, including two children. One household was damaged.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, acting oblast chief Vladyslav Haivanenko confirmed seven civilians were injured in multiple Russian strikes. Three people were hurt in Nikopol, while four others were wounded in Pavlohrad district. Russian attacks damaged a school, gas station, apartment buildings, a poultry facility, and energy lines. In Synelnykove district, several homes were destroyed or damaged by guided aerial bombs.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, a 42-year-old and a 60-year-old man were injured when a Russian airstrike hit the village of Vozdvyzhivka, damaging several residential homes.

In Donetsk Oblast, the Russian strikes over the past 24 hours killed a Kostiantynivka resident, and injured four other civilians across the region, the local authorities said.

Russia killed two and injured four people in Kherson Oblast. 

No casualties were reported in Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Sumy, or Khmelnytskyi oblasts, although blasts were recorded in some areas. The Mykolaiv Oblast Administrations said the air defense units neutralized 10 Russian drones in the region last night.

In Chernihiv Oblast, a drone hit a private residence, narrowly missing two elderly women. Later, another Russian drone targeted an energy facility, according to the local authorities.

In Cherkasy Oblast, the regional administration said the air defenders intercepted 10 missiles and 17 drones; although no one was injured, power lines and a building were damaged.

Romanian and Polish air forces scrambled

The Romanian Ministry of National Defense reported that a Russian drone crossed 8 kilometers into Romanian airspace near the border with Ukraine, from Vylkove toward Periprava and Chilia Veche, "where it disappeared from radar." German Eurofighter Typhoons and Romanian F-16s were scrambled from NATO bases in response. An air alert warning was issued in two Romanian counties, and radar signals of the drone were tracked for nearly 12 minutes. 

"No cases of any aerial vehicle impacting the ground have been reported. Specialist teams are prepared to begin on-site searches," the Ministry said.

Poland also raised its alert level. The country’s Operational Command says Poland activated air defense and radar surveillance systems, scrambling fighter jets and an early-warning aircraft "due to an attack by the Russian Federation, which is carrying out strikes on targets located on the territory of Ukraine." Polish forces emphasized the actions were preventive due to proximity to the impacted zones.

Zelenskyy demands more air defenses after deadly attack

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the overnight assault, noting the strikes killed 12 in Ternopil and wounded dozens more across Ukraine. He stressed that Russia’s goal remains to inflict pain and destruction on civilians.

“Each brazen attack on ordinary life proves that pressure on Russia is still insufficient. Effective sanctions and support for Ukraine can change this,” he said.

Zelenskyy called for more air defense missiles, drone systems, and combat aviation support to protect Ukraine’s skies and infrastructure. He urged international allies to respond with stronger sanctions and defense supplies.

Air Force: 524 targets launched, 483 intercepted

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched 524 aerial threats from the evening of 18 November into the next morning. These included 476 drones—mostly Shahed—and 48 missiles of various types. 40 of the missiles were air-lainched Kh-101. Launch points included Russian territory and occupied Crimea.

Air defenses intercepted or suppressed 483 targets: 442 drones, 34 Kh-101 cruise missiles, and all 7 Kalibr missiles. Despite this, 7 missiles and 34 drones reached their targets, with confirmed hits in at least 14 locations and debris falling in six others. The Air Force said the primary focus of the strike was on Ternopil, Kharkiv, and Lviv oblasts. The assault was repelled using aviation, anti-aircraft units, mobile fire teams, and electronic warfare systems.

According to the Air Force, the attack was ongoing as of the time of the reporting (9:03), with several enemy drones still in Ukrainian airspace.

Russian forces are testing a new tactical campaign design in the Siversk and Sloviansk–Lyman directions as they try to develop conditions for future pressure on Ukraine’s Fortress Belt, according to the Institute for the Study of War. This operational model relies on stealth, drones, weather conditions, and gradual infiltration—not direct large-scale assaults.

Russia pilots new infiltration-heavy template near Fortress Belt

Russian forces are experimenting with a new offensive approach that centers on battlefield air interdiction, tactical raids, infiltration missions, and saturation drone strikes. ISW says this “operational template” has already been used in Pokrovsk, Velykomykhailivka, and Huliaipole. Now, Moscow is trying to replicate the same method around Siversk and Lyman in northern Donetsk Oblast.

Geolocated footage published on 18 November showed Russian units, including elements of the 123rd Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Combined Arms Army, infiltrating into southern and eastern Siversk. However, ISW stressed that this movement did not alter the control of terrain or the forward line of the battlefield. A Russian milblogger claimed that the observed infiltrations in southern Siversk may indicate that Russian forces plan to covertly build up troops inside the town and repeat what they had done in Pokrovsk. 

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that elements of the 7th Motorized Rifle Brigade seized Platonivka, northwest of Siversk, using a feint under fog and rain with FPV drone and artillery support, enabling interdiction of the T‑0513 Lyman–Siversk highway. However, ISW has seen no visual confirmation, and a Ukrainian military intelligence-linked source said on 17 November that Russian forces were blocked from reaching the road.

Drone-led coordination and infiltration efforts intensify around Lyman

Russian forces are applying similar tactics in the Sloviansk–Lyman direction. According to a spokesperson for Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps, Russian troops have been trying to infiltrate and establish forward positions in the Lyman area to enable future flank attacks and semi-encirclements of Ukrainian units.

These operations are reportedly timed for foggy and rainy conditions, which hinder Ukraine’s drone capabilities. The spokesperson stated that Russian forces are attempting to “overwhelm” Ukrainian defenses—likely referring to Ukraine’s tactical “wall of drones.” At the same time, drone strikes and infiltration missions aim to sever Ukrainian logistics and lay the groundwork for larger assaults.

A non-commissioned officer of a Ukrainian brigade stationed in the Lyman direction said on 18 November that Russian forces use FPV drones and fiber-optic sleeper drones to coordinate artillery strikes ahead of attacks.

ISW says Russia struggles to scale the tactic

ISW previously assessed that Russian troops initially made significant gains around Pokrovsk using a mix of air interdiction, infiltration, and poor weather conditions to bypass Ukrainian drone barriers and exploit weaknesses in defensive lines.

While Russia is now trying to extend that campaign model to Siversk, Lyman, Velykomykhailivka, and Huliaipole, ISW noted that Moscow is already encountering problems sustaining the approach. In the Pokrovsk direction itself, Russian forces are faltering in maintaining coherent pressure using this method.

According to ISW, if Russia hopes to pressure the Fortress Belt—the main Ukrainian defense line in Donetsk Oblast—it will need to allocate more manpower, equipment, and time to replicate the limited success it saw in Pokrovsk. 

Ukrainian troops have confirmed that the newly used Shahed‑101 drone contains only Iranian-made components, according to Militarnyi. A detailed inspection of the wreckage shows that Russia has not localized or modified this model, despite deploying it more often near the frontline.

Iran built it all: electronics, power, warhead

The volunteer group ZAMPOTEKH published a video showing the wreckage of the Shahed‑101, a smaller one-way attack drone that has recently appeared in Russian attacks. A Ukrainian serviceman examining the remains is heard saying,

“This is the Shahed‑101. The guys call it the Yemeni Shahed. What’s in it? Everything is Iranian, damn it.”

According to the analysis, this middle-strike drone's warhead, detonators, batteries, flight computer, and control units all bear Iranian markings, Militarnyi says.

The drone is fitted with a four-channel CRPA antenna of Iranian origin, resembling the one used on the Gerbera decoy drones. However, this model has been modified for the cylindrical frame of the Shahed‑101. The engine is also analogous to that of the Gerbera drone, Militarnyi notes.

So far, the recovered drones have only satellite and inertial guidance to strike static targets.

The warhead, estimated to weigh around 8 kilograms, is of a shaped-charge and fragmentation type. However, video footage from the site shows that it also contains a powdered metallic substance of unknown origin, which could create an incendiary effect on detonation.

Russian forces are trying to trap Ukrainian defenders inside Pokrovsk while moving to encircle the wider Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad pocket from the west, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Fog and road-clearing indicate Russia may use vehicles to speed up clearing Pokrovsk.

Russia pins Ukrainian troops in Pokrovsk while pushing to encircle from west

ISW reported late on 17 November that Russian forces may have determined that an encirclement from the west is more feasible than one from the east. Units from the Russian 2nd Combined Arms Army (CAA) and the 51st CAA are attempting to close the ring from the southwest and northeast of Pokrovsk, but both struggle to concentrate forces and achieve major progress. The 51st CAA in particular operates along multiple non-supportive axes—trying to advance north of Pokrovsk, close the pocket, and reduce Ukrainian presence inside it—hindering its effectiveness.

Elements of the 51st CAA are attacking southwest toward Rodynske in an attempt to close the encirclement. Simultaneously, Russian forces northeast of Pokrovsk, including naval infantry likely subordinated to the 8th CAA, are advancing toward Sofiivka and Novopavlivka. Russian forces are also pushing from multiple points around Dobropillia. In response, Ukrainian troops are counterattacking at the base of the salient from both west and east, which ISW says likely aims to blunt Russian efforts to push north.

Ukrainian counterattacks test Russian lines near Dobropillya

Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets reported that Russian forces launched counterattacks near Zapovidne–Ivanivka and Mayak–Nove Shakhove to defend against these Ukrainian moves. ISW notes that Russia likely exploited the Dobropillya axis earlier in 2025 to show signs of momentum ahead of the August Alaska summit. However, a Russian milblogger later admitted the penetration's base was too narrow for logistics, exposing the salient to Ukrainian strikes.

ISW states the 51st CAA has since deprioritized the Dobropillya effort but now faces the dual challenge of defending its eastern flank while advancing to the north and northeast of Pokrovsk. That internal division reportedly weakens the overall push to collapse the Pokrovsk pocket.

Russia pushes on multiple fronts, struggles to collapse pocket

ISW reports that the 2nd CAA is also facing difficulty concentrating forces. Mashovets noted its elements are attacking near Udachne and Kotlyne, southwest of Pokrovsk. This indicates that the 2nd CAA is splitting its efforts between advancing from the west and engaging inside Pokrovsk itself. ISW assesses that Russian forces are trying to fix Ukrainian troops inside Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad to prevent a coordinated withdrawal that could negate a future Russian gain. While the 2nd CAA has made faster progress in the west, it has not yet seized Pokrovsk or collapsed the pocket.

ISW states that Russian troops in this direction have taken some of the heaviest battlefield losses in recent months. Both the 51st and 2nd CAAs are likely degraded, though ISW believes Russia will very likely seize Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad—though the timeline and overall impact remain unclear.

Russia may rely on fog to push troops into Pokrovsk

Mashovets reports that Russian forces are clearing the T-0504 Novoekonomichne–Myrnohrad and O0544 Hrodivka–Myrnohrad roads, east of Myrnohrad, to allow vehicle-borne troops to move in. ISW previously assessed that Russian forces use fog to conceal troop movements, as poor visibility limits Ukrainian drone surveillance and strikes.

Mashovets also notes that small Russian groups are fighting under sub-tactical encirclement conditions in northern Pokrovsk. Ukrainian troops south of the Donetska Railway face similar combat conditions. 

"The inability of Russian small group infiltration tactics to generate sufficient mass to clear Ukrainian forces within Pokrovsk presently will likely force Russian forces to resort to using vehicles during inclement weather conditions to transport large numbers of troops into Pokrovsk," ISW says.

Russia resumed oil loadings at its key Black Sea port of Novorossiysk on 16 November following a two-day suspension caused by a Ukrainian missile and drone attack, according to Reuters. Ukraine struck the oil terminal and at least two other sites in the city overnight on 14 November.

Novorossiysk port resumes operations after shutdown

Oil exports were temporarily halted at Novorossiysk and the nearby Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal on 14 November after Ukraine launched what Reuters described as its most damaging attack so far on Russia’s main Black Sea crude export infrastructure in Novorossiysk. The pause affected 2.2 million barrels per day of crude — about 2% of global supply — and triggered a more than 2% surge in world oil prices on supply fears.

The Ukrainian strike damaged two oil berths at the port, temporarily forcing operations offline. A prolonged suspension would have required Russia, the world’s second-largest oil exporter, to shut oil wells — a step that could have significantly reduced its overall crude output.

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Reuters noted earlier that Russia’s oil processing output had fallen just 3% this year.

Reuters reported that the CPC terminal, which exports Kazakh crude via a Black Sea terminal, also briefly suspended loadings on Friday due to the Ukrainian strike. It resumed exports the same day.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a “historic” military agreement with France that will enhance Ukraine’s combat aviation and air defense capabilities. The deal is expected to be signed in Paris on 17 November during Zelenskyy’s meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Ukraine to sign key military aviation deal with France

On 16 November, Zelenskyy shared the news in his morning address, saying the agreement will strengthen Ukraine’s Air Force and airspace protection.

"We have also prepared a historic agreement with France. It will significantly strengthen our combat aviation, our air defense, and our other defense capabilities. According to the visit schedule, this will happen on Monday. The visit has good substance — it is something that truly helps Ukraine defend itself and achieve our goals, our tasks," the President said.

Militarnyi notes that the upcoming pact follows earlier reports that Ukraine might receive Rafale fighter jets. While there has been no official confirmation, the manufacturer has stated its readiness to cooperate. The total number of aircraft and the timeline for deliveries also remain unclear.

Notably, in 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron had reportedly planned to offer Rafales to Ukraine during his visit to Kyiv, but the discussion later stalled, and it is unknown whether those talks ever resumed.

Zelenskyy previously stated on 28 October that Ukraine is exploring three parallel fighter jet discussions with Sweden, France, and the United States. The platforms under consideration are the Swedish Gripen, American F-16, and French Rafale.

Ukraine also seals energy import deal with Greece amid winter threats

In the same address, Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine had prepared an agreement with Greece to supply natural gas during the winter months, which follows Russian attacks targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

He said Ukraine had secured nearly €2 billion in financing to compensate for losses in domestic gas production after Russia's attacks that destroyed most of gas fields in Ukraine. Funding is being provided by the Ukrainian government, European partners, EU-backed banks, Ukrainian financial institutions, and Norway. Negotiations with US partners are also ongoing to ensure complete financial coverage.

The gas will be imported through various routes, including via Poland, and Ukraine is working to secure long-term contracts with Azerbaijan as well.

Spain to host another key visit as Ukraine pushes for missile defense systems

Zelenskyy also previewed a visit to Spain scheduled for 18 November, calling it a “result-oriented” trip. He noted that Spain is joining a coalition of countries contributing to initiatives that offer real support to Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces launched a long-range drone strike on key Russian oil and drone infrastructure overnight on 16 November 2025, according to the Ukrainian Army’s General Staff. The attack targeted the Novokuybyshevsk oil refinery in Samara Oblast in Russia's Volga region around 900 km from the war zone in Ukraine, and struck a drone storage site belonging to Russia’s elite Rubikon unit in occupied Donetsk Oblast. Militarnyi says the assault was carried out using newly revealed Bars drones.

Ukraine hits Novokuybyshevsk refinery again with Bars drones

The Ukrainian General Staff shared the footage of launches of either land-based cruised missiles or jet-propelled drones and said its attack was part of a wider campaign to degrade Russia’s offensive capabilities and disrupt supply lines delivering fuel and munitions to the front.

Eyewitness reports cited by Militarnyi said residents of Novokuybyshevsk observed multiple drones flying overhead, followed by dozens of explosions and a large blaze lighting up the sky near the refinery.

The General Staff says the level of damage is still being assessed, but fire and explosions were confirmed in the area of the strike.

According to Militarnyi, this marks the sixth Ukrainian attack on the same refinery and the fifth just this year. A previous strike overnight on 18–19 October 2025 led to a full shutdown of the facility. Operations had resumed only in early November.

Rubikon drone unit and fuel depot also hit

The GenStaff said that alongside the refinery strike, Ukrainian forces also targeted a drone warehouse operated by Rubikon — Russia’s elite drone unit active in current combat operations — in Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast. A fuel and lubricants pumping station in the same area was also hit. The Ukrainian General Staff said these facilities were used to support Russia’s frontline forces.

Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, confirmed that the attack was conducted by the 1st Separate Center of Unmanned Systems in cooperation with Special Operations Forces and the Main Intelligence Directorate.

New long-range Bars drones used in attack

Militarnyi believes that footage released by the Ukrainian General Staff showed the launch of jet-powered Bars drones used in the operation. The Bars drone type was first publicly mentioned in April 2025 by then-Minister for Strategic Industries Herman Smetanin during the “Ukrainian Weapons 2024” briefing.

Although information on the Bars drone remains limited, BBC previously reported it as a private development similar to the Peklo cruise missile-drone. A source familiar with the design described Bars as a medium-range strike system capable of flying between 700 and 800 kilometers — a range sufficient to reach deep into Russian territory.

Russian forces launched a mechanized assault into Novopavlivka, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, using heavy fog to bypass Ukrainian drone defenses and push into the town’s outskirts, according to ISW. Ukrainian forces responded too late to stop the incursion, which involved multiple vehicle crossings over a pontoon bridge built across the Vovcha River from Donetsk Oblast.

Russia breaches Novopavlivka under fog cover, aided by river crossing

Geolocated footage released on 14 November showed Ukrainian units striking Russian armored vehicles in northeastern Novopavlivka. A Russian milblogger claimed that Russian troops reached the town’s northwestern outskirts during the assault. Ukrainian volunteer Serhii Sternenko reported that Russian forces entered Novopavlivka several times by using poor weather to conceal their movements. He stated that they crossed the Vovcha River with about 10 vehicles after building a pontoon bridge between Yalta and Dachne.

Sternenko said Ukrainian forces identified the movement too late but managed to strike two tanks and five infantry fighting vehicles. Russian milbloggers also described the assault as taking place in heavy fog and confirmed that Russian troops crossed the bridge twice. One milblogger noted that the second wave brought reinforcements to support the first group after they dismounted. A Russian source credited the 80th Tank Regiment of the 90th Tank Division under the 41st Combined Arms Army, Central Military District, with leading the assault.

Drone-based defenses fail in fog as Russia exploits weather vulnerability

ISW stated that Russian forces have increasingly used foggy weather for attacks across the front, including in the Pokrovsk, Velykomykhailivka, and Hulyaipole directions in eastern Ukraine. The Novopavlivka sector had been relatively quiet in recent weeks, with Russian efforts focused on seizing Pokrovsk and closing the Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad pocket. Units of the 41st Combined Arms Army, responsible for Novopavlivka, have supported elements of the 2nd Combined Arms Army on Pokrovsk’s southern flank.

The 14 November attack marked a return of large-scale action to Novopavlivka and exposed a key weakness in Ukrainian defenses: the inability of drones to operate effectively in poor weather. ISW noted that Ukraine’s drone-based strategy, built from necessity, uses strike drones and loitering munitions to compensate for manpower and equipment shortages across more than 1,200 kilometers of front line. Sparsely held Ukrainian positions have made it easier for Russian forces to infiltrate. 

" Western provisions of traditional systems like artillery are key to Ukraine’s ability to build out a layered defense system that is not dependent on any one type of weapon, such that the defenses are vulnerable and exploitable," ISW says.

ISW stated that Russia’s ability to exploit this vulnerability shows that conventional weapons remain crucial in modern warfare, especially when environmental conditions negate advanced systems.

Russian drones again targeted Ukraine’s power grid and civilian homes across several regions overnight. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, air defenders shot down or jammed 139 out of 176 drones by 9:00 on 16 November. Odesa Oblast authorities reported strikes on power infrastructure, including a solar power plant.

Massive nighttime drone strike targets power grid and civilians

The Air Force says the attack began at 6:00 p.m. on 15 November and continued into the early hours of 16 November. Russia launched 176 long-range strike drones, including around 100 explosive Shaheds and other types such as Gerbera decoy drones. Launch sites included Kursk, Oryol, Millerovo, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia, as well as Cape Chauda in Russian-occupied Crimea. One Iskander-M ballistic missile was also launched from Russia’s Rostov Oblast.

Ukraine’s Air Force said the attack was repelled by aviation, air defense missile units, radio-electronic warfare teams, drone system units, and mobile fire groups. By morning, 139 drones had been swatted down or suppressed, but at least 37 strike drones hit targets in 14 locations. Debris from downed UAVs also fell in two additional areas. The military warned that fresh drone groups remained airborne in Ukrainian airspace as of 9:00.

Odesa Oblast: Solar plant hit, fires extinguished

In the early hours of 16 November, Russian forces launched strike drones at civilian infrastructure in Odesa Oblast. According to regional head Oleh Kiper, the attack damaged several energy facilities, including a solar power plant. There were no reported injuries.

Local prosecutors confirmed that energy infrastructure was hit in one of the oblast’s districts. Prosecutors and police are working at the scene to document the consequences. The fires that broke out were quickly extinguished by State Emergency Service units.

Photos shared by the Odesa Oblast Military Administration showed a damaged section of a solar array following the overnight strike.

Critical infrastructure and essential services in the affected area were switched to backup power systems.

Sumy Oblast: Homes and power lines damaged in drone strikes

In Velyka Chernechchyna, Sumy Oblast, three Shahed drones struck the territory of a local community. The strikes set fire to a warehouse, a barn, and damaged a number of residential structures. 

The strikes ignited an industrial building and a private barn and caused damage in several households. Serhii Kryvosheyenko, the head of the city military administration, said two drones hit a non-residential structure and one struck the road surface.

Kryvosheyenko said the attack damaged 13 buildings and 17 households, including 69 windows and 7 roofs. More than 30 homes lost electricity. Olena Sitalo, the head of the local starostynskyi district, told Suspilne that the attack also damaged a business that had not worked for a long time. Local crews are restoring electricity.

Resident Oksana Kolisnichenko described how one drone set her garage and storage buildings on fire while her family slept.

“Just five more meters — and we’d be burning,” she said. Her family grabbed their documents and escaped after the third strike shattered their windows, according to Suspilne.

Local authorities said an 86-year-old woman suffered an acute stress reaction after the attack. Artem Kobzar reported that the drones hit the community around 1:00 a.m. and damaged power lines, roofs, windows, and doors in at least 15 households.

Kharkiv Oblast: One man injured in bomb strike

In Katerynivka, Kharkiv Oblast, a Russian guided bomb hit the village on 15 November, injuring a 61-year-old man with shrapnel wounds to his leg, according to the local police. The man is a resident of the Velykyi Burluk community.

Five one-family homes and three outbuildings were damaged, and a fire broke out covering an area of 150 square meters, according to local police and emergency services. Regional head Oleh Syniehubov confirmed the details.

A man was detained near Vilnius International Airport after launching a drone in a restricted airspace, according to the Lithuanian security service. The drone flight occurred just outside the airport’s boundary and prompted a rapid response by special operations officers, but no flight disruptions were reported this time.

Drone launched from restricted zone near Vilnius airport

Lithuania’s Public Safety Service, the Viešojo saugumo tarnyba (VST), reported the incident on 15 November. According to its Facebook statement, the Fly Safe system recorded an unauthorized drone launch at 12:00 p.m. near Dusinėnai Street in the Salininkai area of Vilnius. The location is within a prohibited flight zone that surrounds the city’s international airport.

Although the drone disappeared from radar shortly after launch, VST officers quickly identified the location and detained the operator at 12:07 p.m. The officers were part of the service’s Special Task Group. The security service coordinated its response with Lithuania’s Police Department and the national air navigation service.

Authorities confirmed that no flights were suspended during the incident. The detained man was later transferred to the Lithuanian Military Police, and administrative proceedings were launched against him.

Operator claims ignorance, faces fine

The Lithuanian security service stated that the suspect told officers he believed drone flights were allowed in that area. However, the service emphasized that “not knowing the rules does not exempt from responsibility.”

Under Lithuania’s Administrative Offenses Code, the operator may face a fine ranging from €400 to €800.

Part of broader pattern of airspace violations

In Lithuania, Vilnius International Airport experienced several disruptions in recent weeks. On 27 October, the airport was temporarily closed because of air balloons drifting from Belarus—Russia's close ally. A similar closure occurred overnight of 25–26 October, resulting in delayed and canceled flights. On 30 October, balloon activity again forced the suspension of operations at the capital’s airport for several hours.

In response, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė convened a meeting of the National Security Commission. As a result, the government approved the closure of two border crossings with Belarus — Šalčininkai and Medininkai — until 30 November 2025. Exceptions were introduced for certain categories of travelers.

In the early hours of 15 November, Russian occupation forces forcibly mobilized the first group of so-called "reservists" from the Russian-occupied territory of Luhansk Oblast, according to head of the Luhansk Oblast Military Administration Oleksii Kharchenko. The men were told they would guard infrastructure facilities, but they were immediately transferred to military bases for training instead, according to the official.

Russia reroutes new Luhansk recruits to military training centers

Kharchenko stated that the first batch of reservists was gathered on the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk oblast. He said Russia’s Ministry of Defense had promised to prepare the recruits exclusively for guarding infrastructure. 

"However, they were immediately sent to training centers. The 'special gatherings' will last for two months," Kharchenko's statement reads.

The official added that Russian military commissariats set a corresponding plan for each occupation-controlled administrative area. They are required to implement the new version of forced mobilization in the temporarily occupied territory.

Past mass mobilization took place years ago

After the widely unpopular "partial mobilization" in late 2022, the Kremlin shifted entirely to recruiting contract soldiers, using financial incentives to lure them in. The campaign expanded not only across Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories but also to numerous foreign countries.

On 10 November, the US-based Institute for the Study of War reported that Russia began an involuntary partial call-up of reservists in at least 19 Russian regions, officially under the pretext of protecting critical infrastructure following a new law signed by President Vladimir Putin on 5 November. Although Russian officials claimed reservists would serve only in their home regions, contracts include no legal geographic limits, and ISW assesses that the Kremlin is using infrastructure protection as a cover to secretly prepare these reservists for frontline deployment, including to Ukraine.

Explosions were recorded in Novorossiysk overnight on 14 November as Ukrainian forces conducted a combined missile and drone strike on the Russian Black Sea port city, 300-400 km from the southern sections of the frontline in Ukraine. Fires were observed at an oil terminal and military installations, with video footage, satellite imagery, and local reports confirming multiple impact sites across the area.

Ukrainian drones and missiles hit multiple targets in Novorossiysk

The attack began around midnight, with explosions reported in various districts of Novorossiysk in southern Russia's Krasnodar Krai.

Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ published multiple videos and images from the scene. In one of the videos, a woman is heard descibing an explosion she saw before starting to film the video and then reacting to a new sudden blast: “It lit up just like this.”

Eyewitness footage showed significant fires and rising smoke in multiple locations. 

Several videos captured Russian air defense launches, including one missile falling into the sea and another—or the same recorded from the opposite angle—illuminating the horizon.

Posting two clips of a particularly large explosion, Exilenova+ first stated that the strike hit military unit 52522, likely at an ammunition depot, and identified the point of view's coordinates as 44.6714567471, 37.7787317922. An updated post said a suspected S-400 air defense system position was located behind a “Lenta” mall, seen in the clips. Open-source researchers from the Cyberboroshno community stated that S-300 or S-400 positions belonging to military unit 1537 of the Kuban anti-aircraft missile regiment were hit.

Chernomortransneft terminal ablaze, oil exports halted

Videos showed that during the air assault, fires broke out at Transneft's Chernomortransneft oil terminal in the Sheskharis area of Novorossiysk following the aerial attack. The site is a key point in the Transneft pipeline network. NASA’s FIRMS satellite system also recorded numerous fire outbreaks in the Novorossiysk area.

Reuters cited two unnamed industry sources who said that Transneft's oil exports from Novorossiysk were suspended after the attack.

Due to the overnight attack, the airports in Krasnodar and Gelendzhik temporarily suspended operations.

Ukraine reveals new Neptune launcher platform

On 14 November, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy published a video showing a modified launcher for the “Long Neptune” cruise missile.

Militarnyi notes that the system is mounted on a Tatra chassis and fitted with square transport-launch containers designed for two longer missiles. Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces used the Long Neptunes successfully overnight against designated targets in Russian territory.

The Ukrainian strikes came amid Russia's massive air and drone attack on Kyiv. Zelenskyy called the Ukrainian strike a “just response to continued Russian terror” and stated that Ukrainian missiles demonstrate growing accuracy and effectiveness each month. 

Russia issues official statements

Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed that its air defense forces shot down 66 Ukrainian drones over Krasnodar Krai during the night. 

The emergency task force of Krasnodar Krai acknowledged damage to the oil depot at the Sheskharis transshipment complex and a "civilian" ship in the port — possibly an oil tanker of Russia's "shadow fleet," used to circumvent G7's oil sanctions. 

It also claimed that drone debris have fallen in several areas of the city.

Russian forces continue to advance near Huliaipole and Velykomykhailivka, in the area where three regions—Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk—meet. According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), they are taking advantage of poor weather and months of targeted airstrikes to weaken Ukrainian defenses and limit drone surveillance.

Russia intensifies push near Hulyaipole and T‑0401 highway

ISW reported on 13 November that Russian troops continued to press toward Huliaipole in Zaporizhzhia Oblast and along the T‑0401 Pokrovske–Huliaipole highway — a vital supply route for Ukrainian forces. Russian units reached positions near Solodke, Yablukove, and Vesele, located within a nine-kilometer range of the town. Additional infiltration operations were also reported further north toward Danylivka, along the same highway.

According to ISW, the Russian military is likely avoiding a southern encirclement attempt, where Ukrainian defenses remain strongest.

Russian flags raised in Danylivka as Ukraine withdraws from Rivnopillya

Geolocated video published on 13 November showed Russian servicemembers raising flags in Danylivka, southwest of Velykomykhailivka. ISW assessed this to be the result of an infiltration mission, likely routed through Tsehelne and Yehorivka — two villages just east of Danylivka.

Russian sources claimed the seizure of both Rivnopillya, located northeast of Huliaipole, and Danylivka, with the latter reportedly taken by the Russian 5th Tank Brigade (36th CAA). Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command confirmed on 12 November that Ukrainian troops had withdrawn from Rivnopillya the evening before. On 13 November, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi said Russian forces were operating near Solodke, Yablukove, and Vesele — confirming continued Russian advances across multiple villages northeast and east of Huliaipole.

Russian brigades push toward Yehorivka and beyond

Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets reported on 13 November that elements of the Russian 37th Motorized Rifle Brigade reached the Novooleksandrivka–Oleksiivka line, southwest of Velykomykhailivka. The unit reportedly gained a foothold east of Yehorivka and achieved “tactical successes” in the Yehorivka–Danylivka direction over the past two weeks. Mashovets also noted that Russian forces crossed the Yanchur River near Uspenivka, northeast of Huliaipole, and advanced westward to the Solodke–Rivnopillya line — a seven-kilometer movement.

According to Mashovets, Russian command has concentrated forces from up to nine brigades and regiments — including one tank brigade — along a 41-kilometer front. Up to six additional regiment- and battalion-sized units were also identified. Among the reinforcements are elements of the Russian 69th Covering Brigade and 38th Motorized Rifle Brigade (both from the 35th CAA), likely now operating east and northeast of Huliaipole alongside the 5th CAA’s 127th Motorized Rifle Division.

He also assessed that Russian leadership may transfer units from the 58th Combined Arms Army (Southern Military District) and elements of the 98th Airborne Division and 41st CAA (both under the Central Grouping of Forces) to reinforce operations around Huliaipole and Velykomykhailivka.

Russia launched a large-scale overnight missile and drone attack on Ukraine on 14 November, killing at least five civilians in Kyiv and two in Chornomorsk, and injuring about 50 people across multiple regions, according to Ukrainian local and national authorities. Residential buildings, civilian infrastructure, and utility networks were damaged in Kyiv city, as well as in Kyiv Oblast, and several other regions including Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Kirovohrad.

Ukraine's Air Force says Kyiv was the primary target, with Kyiv Oblast, Kharkiv Oblast, Odesa Oblast, Poltava Oblast, and Cherkasy Oblast also affected.

Kyiv bears brunt of Russian attack with five deaths, apartments hit, power and heating outages reported

Russian drones and missiles struck nine districts of Kyiv during the overnight assault, according to reports from Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and the Kyiv City Military Administration (KMVA).

All five fatalities occurred in Desnianskyi district, where rescue operations continued throughout the morning. Among the 35 wounded were a 10-year-old child and a 7-year-old with facial injuries, and a pregnant woman who required hospitalization. One man remained in critical condition as of the morning.

The attack damaged dozens of residential buildings across Kyiv's Dniprovskyi, Darnytskyi, Desnianskyi, Podilskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, Solomyanskyi, Holosiivskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, and Obolonsky districts. In Dniprovskyi district, debris hit a five-story building, causing destruction on lower floors and fires in two apartments. Rescue workers evacuated nine people from that building. The district saw three multi-apartment buildings and one private residence damaged, with five people wounded.

Podilskyi district suffered damage to five residential buildings and one non-residential structure, with fires reported on the 10th and 12th floors of different buildings. In Obolonskyi district, fires broke out on the seventh and ninth floors of one residential building. Desnianskyi district saw direct hits and fires in two multi-story buildings, where rescue teams worked through the morning clearing rubble.

A Kyiv woman from Dniprovskyi district described her experience to Suspilne:

"I heard nothing, I started putting out my hair. My hair caught fire, and then I saw that everything was dark, in smoke."

Power and heating facilities targeted

Russia damaged sections of Kyiv's heating networks during the attack, according to Klitschko. Parts of Desnianskyi district lost heating due to an emergency situation on heat transmission lines. Portions of Podilskyi district also experienced heating disruptions. Municipal services worked to determine the extent of damage and began immediate repairs.

Klitschko warned residents of possible electricity and water supply interruptions. Energy workers later reported they had eliminated localized emergency outages caused by the attack.

Azerbaijan embassy sustains damage from Iskander debris

Debris from an Iskander missile damaged Azerbaijan's embassy in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported.

Seven more civilians injured across five districts of Kyiv Oblast

Kyiv Oblast authorities reported no fatalities, but seven people were injured. Regional administration head Mykola Kalashnyk mentioned six injuries, while Irpin Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn reported that the Russian attack also injured a woman in his city. 

• In Bila Tserkva, a 55-year-old man suffered thermal burns.
• In Fastivskyi district, a man sustained multiple shoulder wounds.
• In Vyshhorodskyi district, a 47-year-old man, a 56-year-old man, and a 7-year-old child were injured.
• In Buchanskyi district, a woman suffered a hand injury.
• In Irpin district, a woman was treated for a bruised arm.

Damage to dozens of residential and non-residential buildings was reported, but no fires were recorded in the oblast outside Kyiv city.

Russia possibly deploys Zircon hypersonic missile against Sumy

Russian forces struck the outskirts of Sumy at 7:05 a.m., with Zelenskyy stating that Russia used a Zircon-type missile according to preliminary data. The explosion damaged road pavement, ruptured a fire hydrant causing water leaks, and temporarily closed a road section. Artem Kobzar, acting mayor of Sumy, reported no casualties from the strike.

Russian forces also struck Sumy's industrial zone with drones around 9:00 a.m., causing a fire at a production facility. Sumy Oblast head Oleh Hryhorov noted that Russia attacked the industrial zone with drones for the second consecutive day. 

Odesa Oblast: two dead, seven injured in Chornomorsk market attack

Russian forces attacked a local market in Chornomorsk, Odesa Oblast, with strike drones, killing two people and wounding seven others. Some of the wounded remained in serious condition, according to Odesa Oblast head Oleh Kiper.

The strike damaged the city square, shop facades, and private vehicles. The blast wave shattered windows in a nearby college. Rescue workers and all relevant services worked at the scene.

Critical infrastructure hit across seven oblasts

Vice Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba reported heating and water supply disruptions in Kyiv city and oblast, Kharkiv, Odesa, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, and Donetsk oblasts. Repair crews deployed and activated reserve systems where needed.

• Russian forces struck a non-operational private facility in Chuhuiv, Kharkiv Oblast, with drones, causing a fire in an administrative building, according to Mayor Halyna Minaieva. The attack caused no casualties.
• More than 3,000 customers in Tsyrkuny community of Kharkiv Oblast lost gas service due to combat operations, Kharkiv branch of Gazmerezhi reported. The company received information about the gas supply disruption affecting part of Kharkiv district.
• In Kirovohrad Oblast, Russian attacks damaged power transmission lines in Novoukrainka district, leaving 16 settlements without electricity. Regional administration head Andrii Raikovych reported that power was restored to all affected settlements by 8:08 a.m.

Ukrainian Air Force: 430 drones and 19 missiles launched

Ukrainian Air Force said air defenders shot down or suppressed 419 aerial targets out of 449 detected. Russia reportedly started the attack from 6:00 p.m. on 13 November using strike drones and missiles from air, ground, and sea platforms.

Moscow fired 430 Shahed and Gerbera long-range strike drones and 19 missiles from several location in Russia and occupied Crimea.  Among the missiles used were three Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles from Ryazan Oblast, one Zircon anti-ship missile, six Iskander-K and Kalibr cruise missiles from occupied Crimea and the Black Sea, and nine Iskander-M and KN-23 ballistic missiles from Bryansk Oblast.

Ukraine’s Air Force stated that Russian forces launched 449 aerial threats: 430 strike UAVs and 19 missiles (ballistic and cruise).
Out of these, 419 were intercepted or suppressed:

• 405 drones
• 6 ballistic missiles (Iskander-M or KN-23)
• 6 cruise missiles (Iskander-K or Kalibr)
• 2 Kinzhal missiles

 The Air Force recorded missile and drone hits at 13 locations and debris falls at 44 locations.

Zelenskyy: attack aimed to maximize civilian harm

President Zelenskyy emphasized the deliberate nature of the Russian attack in his morning statement.

"A deliberately calculated attack to cause as much harm as possible to people and civilian infrastructure," he wrote. 

The President emphasized that Russia continues to benefit financially from oil exports by circumventing existing sanctions. He called for these evasion schemes to be effectively shut down, and urged allied nations, particularly in Europe and the United States, to provide Ukraine with additional air defense systems and interceptor missiles.

"A lot of work is being done with partners to strengthen air defense, but not enough. Strengthening with additional systems and interceptor missiles is needed. Europe and the USA can help. We count on real decisions," he added.

US private equity firm Carlyle is considering acquiring Lukoil’s foreign assets, Reuters reports. The potential deal is unfolding under the pressure of a looming 21 November deadline, when Washington's sanctions will block all transactions with the Russian oil giant.

Carlyle "exploring options to buy" Lukoil’s global oil assets before sanctions lockout

American company Carlyle has begun exploring the purchase of Lukoil’s foreign holdings, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters. The assets are estimated at $22 billion and include refineries, oilfields, and fuel stations across multiple continents. Carlyle has informed Lukoil of its interest but has not yet begun due diligence.

Before it can proceed, Carlyle plans to apply for a US government license to make the deal legal under existing sanctions. The firm could still walk away from the deal, Reuters reports, depending on the outcome of the license application and timing constraints.

Gunvor pushed out after US calls it Kremlin “puppet”

Lukoil had previously tried to sell the same assets to Swiss commodities trader Gunvor. But the US Treasury blocked the transaction, Reuters reported, labeling Gunvor a Kremlin “puppet.” The move forced Gunvor to withdraw. That left Carlyle, which experts told Reuters is more likely to win approval from Washington. 

Lukoil has applied for an extension of the 21 November deadline, Reuters reported earlier this week. If the deadline stands, deals involving the company will be banned after that date.

$22 billion portfolio spans oilfields, refineries, and retail stations worldwide

Lukoil’s foreign assets produce 0.5% of the world’s oil and include three refineries in Europe, stakes in oilfields in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Mexico, Ghana, Egypt and Nigeria, and hundreds of fuel stations — including some in the US.

The company’s total global output amounts to about 2% of worldwide oil production. Its foreign portfolio, based on 2024 filings, is valued at roughly $22 billion.

Kenya says more than 200 of its nationals are fighting for Russia in Ukraine, with recruitment networks still operating in both Africa and Russia, according to a statement issued on 12 November by Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as reported by Reuters.

The announcement followed a statement from Ukraine last week claiming that over 1,400 citizens from three dozen African countries are currently fighting on Russia’s side. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andriy Sybiha, described the contracts offered to African recruits as “equivalent to ... a death sentence,” and called on African governments to warn their citizens.

Nairobi confirms citizens misled into joining war

The Kenyan Foreign Ministry said its citizens are being recruited into Moscow’s war effort through networks active both in Russia and in Kenya, Reuters reported. According to the statement, “over two hundred Kenyans may have joined the Russian military,” with officials warning that recruitment activities are still ongoing.

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Kenyan athlete says he was lured to Russian army, but Ukrainian fighters who captured him aren’t so sure about that

The Ministry added that its embassy in Moscow had recorded injuries among some of the Kenyan recruits. Those injured had allegedly been promised up to $18,000, covering visa costs, travel, and accommodation. But instead of receiving non-combat roles, they were deployed to the battlefield.

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21 rescued in Kenyan raid tied to recruitment ring

Kenyan security services conducted a raid near Nairobi in September that resulted in the rescue of 21 citizens who, according to the foreign ministry, were being prepared for deployment to Ukraine. The ministry said the individuals had been deceived about the nature of their roles.

A months-long political deadlock ended as Montenegro’s parliament approved the deployment of its troops to NATO's Ukraine training mission, according to RFE/RL Participation in the mission will be limited strictly to NATO member states’ territory. NATO’s broader role involves coordinating training for Ukraine’s security forces. Montenegro is expected to contribute to a second Ukraine-related initiative — the EU Military Assistance Mission Ukraine (EUMAM) — approved earlier this year after similar delays.

Parliament authorizes Montenegro’s troops to join NATO mission for Ukraine

On 12 November, Montenegro’s Skupština voted to allow the country’s military to participate in NATO’s security assistance and training activities for Ukraine, according to RFE/RL. The decision, passed after nine months of delay, saw 44 out of 81 lawmakers in favor, with five voting against and two abstaining.

The plan to include Montenegro in NATO’s NSATU (NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine) initiative was originally adopted by the country’s Defense and Security Council on 7 February. The council includes President Jakov Milatović, Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, and parliamentary speaker Andrija Mandić.

Montenegrin Defense Minister Dragan Krapović noted the decision aligns with the support path adopted at the NATO summit in Washington last year. 

Ruling coalition split over supporting Russia or Ukraine

Despite government backing, the Democratic People's Party (DNP), part of the ruling coalition, opposed the decision. DNP lawmaker Vladislav Bojović claimed that the move could “further endanger our relations with the Russian Federation,” adding, “It would be wiser to stay neutral when it comes to other people’s conflicts.” Speaker Mandić’s party also opposes sanctions Montenegro imposed on Russia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov used a media interview to unleash a barrage of accusations against the Baltic States, echoing the same narratives Russia once used to justify its invasions of Ukraine. According to the Institute for the Study of War, this signals a renewed Kremlin effort to set long-term pretext conditions for a possible future attack on Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania.

Lavrov escalates anti-Baltic rhetoric in major narrative shift

The Institute says Russia is "conducting multiple information operations against the Baltic States as it did to justify the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, likely as part of Phase Zero conditions-setting for a possible attack on the Baltic States at some point in the future." ISW, however, doesn't predict an "imminent Russian attack on the Baltics" yet.

Lavrov’s comments, given in a 11 November interview to Russian media, combined several long-running Russian propaganda claims into a single statement. He accused Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania of harboring “Russophobia,” promoting “anti-Russian” sentiment, and mistreating Russian speakers. He also alleged that the Baltic States had violated agreements with Russia and painted them as pawns of the United Kingdom. According to Lavrov, they had lost their sovereignty and were no longer truly European.

No signs of imminent attack, but groundwork being laid

ISW assessed that Lavrov’s statements are part of ongoing Russian Phase Zero operations — a strategy to set informational conditions for possible military aggression. It emphasized that such efforts can last for years and do not necessarily result in an attack. ISW said there are no indicators of imminent military preparations against NATO states.

Still, the think tank stressed that these activities echo pre-2022 Russian efforts toward Ukraine and warned against ignoring the parallels.

"ISW’s assessments that these and other activities constitute Phase Zero conditions-setting efforts are meant to call attention to the parallels with pre-2022 Russian conditions-setting efforts vis-à-vis Ukraine but are not an imminent attack warning at this time," the think tank wrote.

Last night, Ukrainian Telegram channels reported several Ukrainian attacks within Russia and in the occupied part of Ukraine. Long-range drones and Flamingo missiles were used in the attacks, according to monitoring accounts and videos. Later, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed an attack on occupied Berdiansk, confirmed attacks inside Russia without specifying the targets, and reported an attack in occupied Crimea.

Explosions reported in Belgorod, Krasnodar, Oryol, occupied Zaporizhzhia and Crimea

Around 17:00 on 12 November, Ukrainian Telegram channel Supernova+ shared photos showing fire and smoke near Nikolskoe in Russia's Belgorod Oblast north of Ukraine. The caption stated there were “reports of a UAV attack.”

Later, the same channel posted an image from Gulkevichi in Krasnodar Krai, southern Russia, showing a fire, reporting a power substation "incident" that left nearby Novokubansk without electricity.

Late on 12 November, Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ shared video footage of air defense activity in occupied Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The channel noted that local residents reported two strikes, adding that this information “requires clarification.”

In the early hours of 13 November, Exilenova+ posted additional videos from Afipsky, a Russian settlement in Krasnodar Krai that hosts an oil refinery. Locals were heard complaining about the work of air defense systems during the apparent attack.

The same channel also reported an attack on Oryol, a city in western Russia. One of the videos showed burning debris falling from the sky. Later, Exilenova+ shared a photo showing structural damage at the Oryol thermal power plant — specifically, a large hole in a wall of one of its workshops. A Ukrainian airspace monitoring account, Nikolaevsky Vanyok, stated that Flamingo missiles had been used in the Oryol attack, sharing photos of a missile marked with the user’s avatar.

In occupied Crimea, explosions were reported in Feodosiya on the peninsula’s eastern coast. The Krymsky Veter Telegram channel said powerful blasts were heard in the area.

General Staff confirms hits in Berdiansk, Crimea, and unspecified targets in Russia

Later on 13 November, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine released a statement confirming a series of strikes. The Staff also shared a clip, showing launches of drones and missiles.

According to the military, "a number" of enemy targets were hit overnight in both occupied Ukraine and inside Russian territory. The specific extent of damage was still being assessed.

In occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine confirmed a hit on an oil depot near Berdiansk, as well as forward command posts belonging to Russia’s 5th Combined Arms Army and the 127th Motor Rifle Division.

In occupied Crimea, Ukrainian forces reported strikes on multiple military facilities. Targets included the Maritime Oil Terminal, helicopter parking areas, and drone preparation sites at the Kirovske airfield, and an air defense radar station near Yevpatoriya on the western coast. The General Staff did not mention the location of the oil terminal, but the report likely refers to the facility in Feodosiya.

While no specific Russian regions were mentioned, the General Staff stated that targets in Russia were also hit. The report emphasized that the strikes were part of a systemic campaign to degrade the logistical and offensive capabilities of Russian forces.

The General Staff noted that Ukraine employed various long-range strike systems in the operation, including domestically developed Flamingo missiles, and the drones such as Bars and Lyutyi.

Ukrainian forces continue resisting Russian pressure in the heavily contested city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, where close-quarters fighting is ongoing and logistics remain operational, according to Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi. The general noted that reports that Russian forces have taken control of the city of Pokrovsk or have operationally encircled Ukrainian forces are false.

Syrskyi rejects claims of Russian control in Pokrovsk

Syrskyi stated on the morning of 13 November that Russian forces have not captured Pokrovsk and Ukrainian troops in the area are not surrounded. He emphasized that the stabilization of the Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad operation depends on coordinated actions between military leadership, combat units, and subunits carrying out assigned tasks.

To address the evolving situation, Syrskyi says he has visited the Pokrovsk direction, where he and local commanders evaluated the results of previously defined objectives and planned further operations. He stressed that the Pokrovsk axis remains the main focus of Russian offensive activity, with the highest number of daily enemy assaults recorded there. A significant portion of Russia’s forces in Ukraine is now concentrated on this front.

Urban fighting and logistics under pressure, search-and-destroy missions ongoing near Pokrovsk

According to Syrskyi, Ukrainian troops are engaged in continuous combat with small Russian assault infantry groups both on the outskirts and within Pokrovsk’s urban areas. There are also occasional engagements involving the destruction of light Russian vehicles.

Ukraine’s key objectives in this sector, he said, include gradually regaining control of designated areas, maintaining and defending current logistics routes, and organizing additional supply lines. These efforts are aimed at ensuring the timely delivery of essential materials to frontline defenders and the uninterrupted evacuation of wounded personnel.

Fighting also continues in the nearby Ocheretyne direction. Syrskyi reported that over the past seven days, Ukrainian forces have cleared 7.4 km² of Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups in the Pokrovsk district through search-and-strike operations.

"There is no question of Russian control over Pokrovsk or an operational encirclement of the Ukrainian Defense Forces grouping," Syrskyi said.

Meanwhile, the General Staff of Ukraine has released video footage showing Ukrainian forces targeting Russian troops and retaking previously lost positions in Pokrovsk. The footage from the 425th Separate Assault Regiment showed the use of tracked vehicles in logistics operations and the elimination of Russian soldiers during urban combat.

Russia increases pressure on Pokrovsk

Russian troops recently exploited poor weather conditions—specifically heavy fog—to penetrate parts of Pokrovsk. Separately, the Russians recently launched a mass assault on the city using light vehicles along the Selydove–Pokrovsk highway, achieving partial success.

Russian forces are likely to collapse the Ukrainian pocket around Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad in Donetsk Oblast, but the impact depends on how Ukraine manages its withdrawal, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on 12 November. ISW noted Russia had already denied Ukraine use of Pokrovsk as a logistics hub by July 2025. Meanwhile, Kremlin-linked milbloggers are prematurely declaring Pokrovsk’s fall, though ISW confirms Russian control over only 46% of the city.

Russian troops push into Pokrovsk as Ukraine maintains defense and logistics

ISW says Russian forces are advancing around Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, supported by motorized assaults and glide bomb strikes. On 12 November, geolocated footage confirmed Russian progress in northern Pokrovsk. Moscow’s Ministry of Defense and milbloggers claimed the seizure of Sukhyi Yar and advances southwest of Rodynske, in eastern Novopidhorodne, and south of Molodetske — all near Pokrovsk.

Despite this, Ukrainian troops reportedly maintained or even regained positions in northern Pokrovsk and in the Zakhidnyi Microraion of central Myrnohrad. The Ukrainian 7th Rapid Reaction Corps reported Russia launched a multi-day assault on Pokrovsk using light vehicles along the M-30 highway. The unit confirmed Russia had established firing positions in several parts of Pokrovsk, but added that Ukrainian forces still controlled supply lines to the city.

Map: ISW.

A spokesperson for a Ukrainian drone battalion operating in Myrnohrad also said Ukrainian units continued receiving supplies there. Russian sources, meanwhile, acknowledged a Ukrainian counterattack near Rodynske, though they claimed the settlement remained in Russian hands.

ISW questions significance of Russian advances

According to the Institute for the Study of War, the strategic impact of Russia’s possible seizure of Pokrovsk hinges on how Ukraine withdraws — whether in an orderly fashion or under pressure. The think tank said Russian control of Pokrovsk as a logistics hub was already effectively achieved in July 2025.

Kremlin-linked sources exaggerate battlefield control

Russian milbloggers, many linked to the Kremlin, are mounting an aggressive information campaign claiming Pokrovsk is nearly or fully seized. One blogger said Russian troops gained "firm control" of the city by using heavy fog to advance, referencing footage of Russian soldiers entering Pokrovsk on motorcycles. Others declared that most of Myrnohrad is now a contested "gray zone."

Multiple milbloggers also circulated AI-generated videos allegedly showing mass Ukrainian surrenders in Myrnohrad. However, these were debunked by Ukraine’s General Staff and even by some Russian bloggers themselves. One milblogger even claimed Ukraine had shared the fake footage to discredit real videos from the front — while still insisting Russia held more ground than available evidence supports.

Canada has unveiled a new package of sanctions designed to strike at Russia’s energy revenues, military suppliers, and digital warfare infrastructure, according to the Canadian Government. The measures form part of a wider G7 strategy aimed at raising the economic cost of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, now approaching its fourth year.

Canada adds new wave of sanctions against Russian vessels, drone developers, and cyber enablers

On 12 November 2025, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand announced a sweeping expansion of sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations. The updated list targets 13 individuals and 11 entities, many of them directly involved in supplying or developing military and hybrid warfare tools used by Russia in its ongoing aggression against Ukraine.

• For the first time, Canada imposed sanctions on Russian entities that support cyber infrastructure tied to Moscow’s hybrid operations. The government also sanctioned several developers and operators linked to Russia’s drone program.
• In addition, the new sanctions hit several Russian liquified natural gas companies. Ottawa stated that energy revenue continues to play a major role in financing Russia’s war of aggression.
• Another key component of the sanctions package is the inclusion of 100 Russian ships. Described as part of Moscow’s “shadow fleet,” these vessels have been used to transport "goods and property for the benefit of Russia" or Russian-linked persons. Canada previously sanctioned over 400 such vessels as part of earlier actions coordinated with its allies.

Minister Anand said Canada remains “unwavering in its commitment” to Ukraine’s sovereignty and will continue to apply pressure until Russia halts its invasion. The announcement aligns closely with sanctions introduced in October by the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom.

Measures part of long-term sanctions strategy

The Canadian Government described the move as a direct response to Ukraine’s current priorities on the battlefield and as reinforcement of the G7’s coordinated pressure campaign. The update also signals Ottawa’s continued alignment with G7 member states on sanctions policy and military support.

A major inland Chinese refiner, Yanchang Petroleum, is seeking non-Russian oil as another state-run plant, Luoyang Petrochemical, closes its two crude distillation units following US sanctions, Reuters reports. 

Yanchang seeks non-Russian oil for winter deliveries

Chinese refiner Yanchang Petroleum is now seeking crude supplies that do not originate from Russia, traders told Reuters. The company, backed by the Shaanxi provincial government and located in northern inland China, has launched a tender to secure non-Russian oil for delivery between December and mid-February.

Yanchang, which holds an annual import quota of 3.6 million metric tons or 26 million barrels, typically receives crude via rail from Tianjin port near Beijing. Until now, it had regularly bought Russian oil, with one trader noting the refiner used to import around one shipment per month, typically Far East export grades like ESPO blend or Sokol, Reuters reported.

Its decision to avoid Russian supplies marks a significant shift. China and India are the top buyers of Russian oil, but recent sanctions by the US and other Western countries have raised fears among buyers of falling afoul of secondary penalties. Yanchang has not responded to Reuters’ request for comment.

Sinopec’s Luoyang refinery shut amid supply disruption

At the same time, a separate Chinese state-owned refinery has suspended operations due to disruptions linked to those same sanctions. Reuters reports that Luoyang Petrochemical, a subsidiary of the Chinese state refining giant Sinopec, has shut down both of its crude distillation units for maintenance.

The halt comes after US authorities sanctioned a key oil terminal in eastern China in early October. That terminal handles roughly one-fifth of Sinopec’s crude imports. The action forced significant diversions in crude shipments and affected operations at connected plants supplied by pipeline, including Luoyang.

Three sources familiar with the situation told Reuters that Luoyang’s crude units, with a combined processing capacity of 200,000 barrels per day, have been offline since late October. The shutdown is expected to last through the end of November. 

Overnight on 11 November 2025, a Russian drone strike targeting Ukraine’s Danube ports led to debris falling near the Romanian village of Grindu, while Romanian fighter jets were unable to launch due to bad weather, according to Romania’s Ministry of National Defense. Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu confirmed the drone debris landed in an inhabited area on Romanian soil. The drone crash occurred amid the Russian strikes on Ukrainian Danube port areas.

Romanian radars detect drones as air defenses activate

Romania’s Defense Ministry reported that in the early hours of 11 November, radar systems tracked groups of drones in the area adjacent to Romanian airspace. At 12:07 a.m., authorities issued a national emergency alert system's warning to residents in the northern part of Tulcea County. A large number of explosions were recorded on the Ukrainian side of the Danube, near the port of Izmail.

Despite the alert and detection, Romania’s fighter jets remained grounded. The ministry explained that weather conditions in the southeast of the country made takeoff impossible. Air defense systems were nonetheless activated preventively.

At 1:09 a.m., authorities received a report about a drone impact near Grindu, roughly five kilometers south of the Romanian-Ukrainian border. Romanian military teams were dispatched to the site and reported finding possible drone fragments. The zone was secured and investigation began at daybreak.

Drone debris falls in inhabited area — Romania vows response

Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu confirmed that the drone fragments landed “in an inhabited area on Romanian territory.” She called the incident “another reckless attack on Ukraine with consequences on Romanian soil.”

"These actions are part of a series of similar incidents and represent a clear pattern in Russia’s war of aggression," she wrote on X.

According to her, these attacks are part of “systematic Russian provocations against the EU and NATO.”

“We will not hesitate to increase the price Russia pays for such reckless and illegal actions,” Toiu wrote, noting that Romania, the EU, and the US are preparing further sanctions on Russia to raise the cost of aggression.

Russia targeted Odesa Oblast power grid last night

Earlier today, Odesa Oblast authorities reported a Russian drone assault on the southern part of the oblast, targeting energy and railway infrastructure. Ukraine’s Air Force later confirmed that Russian forces had launched a total of 119 long-range drones overnight, “the main focus of the strike was on frontline areas in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk oblasts; and Odesa Oblast.”

During the night, Ukrainian forces tracked drone groups moving toward the Izmail district, and then toward Reni in this district, located directly across the Danube River from Romania’s Tulcea County.

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Russia targets energy infrastructure in three oblasts

Russian forces attacked energy infrastructure in Odesa, Donetsk, and Kharkiv oblasts overnight, Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy reported. The strikes caused damage to critical facilities, prompting immediate repair efforts. Officials said hourly blackout schedules are now in effect across most oblasts, lasting from 00:00 to 23:59.

Power grid operator Ukrenergo noted that the blackout schedules apply in two to four alternating stages and affect both households and industrial users. These schedules are published on the websites of regional power distribution operators.

Crews have begun emergency restoration works and expect power to be restored by the end of the day.

Odesa hit by fire, rail depot and admin buildings damaged

In Odesa Oblast, Russian drones struck both energy and transport infrastructure overnight. The State Emergency Service of Odesa Oblast reported fires at energy sites, which were extinguished by 22 emergency workers with four vehicles, alongside two vehicles and seven personnel from local fire brigades. The Odesa Oblast Military Administration said administrative buildings and a Ukrzaliznytsia rail depot were among the damaged targets.

One civilian suffered shrapnel wounds and received medical attention. Local authorities confirmed that critical infrastructure is now operating on backup generators, and “invincibility points” have been opened to provide heating and electricity access for civilians. Law enforcement is documenting what officials describe as further Russian war crimes.

According to Suspilne, the air raid alert in Odesa Oblast began at 23:01 on 10 November. The Air Force warned of incoming attack drones from the Black Sea toward Izmail district. At 00:28, several groups of drones were confirmed moving toward Reni. The alert ended at 1:35.

Nearly 120 drones launched, Ukraine intercepts just 53

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russian forces launched 119 attack UAVs between the evening of 10 November and the morning of 11 November, using explosive Shahed, decoy Gerbera, and other types of drones. Launch points included Russia’s Oryol, Bryansk, Kursk, and Millerovo, as well as the Russian-occupied village of Hvardiiske in Crimea. Approximately 80 of the drones were Shaheds.

The strikes focused on frontline oblasts including the oblasts of Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk, as well as Odesa. Ukraine’s defense used aviation, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare systems, drone defense groups, and mobile fire teams to respond. As of 09:30, 53 drones had been shot down or suppressed across the north, east, and south.

A Ukrainian ex-military officer jailed in Italy is on the 10th day of a hunger strike, accusing authorities of mistreating him to extract a confession over Russia's Nord Stream pipeline sabotage in 2022, according to the BBC. Serhii Kuznetsov is now awaiting his final appeal hearing on extradition to Germany, expected within the next couple of weeks.

Hunger strike in high-security Italian jail

Serhii Kuznetsov, detained in August on a German arrest warrant, is fighting extradition from Italy over allegations of involvement in the undersea explosions that hit the Nord Stream pipelines near Bornholm. 

In a handwritten letter shown to the BBC by his lawyer, Kuznetsov described being held in a high-security facility alongside suspected members of ISIS. He said he's being treated as “criminal no.1” and accused Italian authorities of using coercive pressure to force a confession.

“The Italians have been cynically ignoring my dietary habits for the past two months,” he wrote, referring to his vegetarianism. “They think that these restrictions can affect my position, and make me confess my guilt. But such efforts are futile.”

Kuznetsov also described being forced to exercise in isolation, under armed guard, and subjected to what he called “maximum restrictions.”

His lawyer, Nicola Canestrini, said the prison refused food delivered by Kuznetsov's relatives.

“He told me he had lost 9 kg when I said that his clothes were hanging loosely,” the lawyer told the BBC. 

Extradition approved in Italy, blocked in Poland

Germany activated arrest warrants this summer for two Ukrainian men it suspects of blowing up the pipelines: Kuznetsov and Volodymyr Zhuravliov, who was detained in Poland. German prosecutors cited “anti-constitutional sabotage” as the basis for the extradition requests.

A judge in Warsaw blocked Zhuravlyov’s extradition, ruling that if Ukrainians carried out the sabotage, it could be interpreted as legitimate self-defense in the context of Russia's “bloody, genocidal war.” In contrast, a court in Bologna approved Kuznetsov’s extradition last month in a closed hearing. He is currently appealing that decision for a second time.

Ukrainian government silent, ombudsman steps in

Kuznetsov’s lawyer also accused the Ukrainian government of abandoning his client, despite his military background. 

On 9 November, Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said an adviser was reviewing the case and would look into Kuznetsov’s prison conditions.

Overnight on 11 November 2025, Ukrainian drones struck the Rosneft oil refinery in Saratov, situated in Russia's Volga region about 600 km from the war zone in Ukraine, according to reports by Ukrainian Telegram channels. The attack caused explosions and a large fire, footage from the scene shows. The Ukrainian Army's General Staff confirmed the attack on the refinery. Russian authorities reported damage to civilian infrastructureand claimed that one resident was allegedly injured.

The Saratov oil refinery is among the largest and oldest in Russia. As of 2024, it processed around 5.8 million tons of oil annually — about 2.2% of Russia's total refining capacity.

Ukrainian drones strike Rosneft refinery in Saratov overnight

In the early hours of 11 November, drones targeted the Rosneft-owned oil refinery in the Zavodskoi district of Saratov, Russia. The Ukrainian General Staff confirmed the strike, citing the goal of reducing Russia's military-economic potential. The refinery is a key supplier of fuel products used by the Russian army, producing over 20 types of oil derivatives, including diesel and gasoline.

Witnesses in Saratov reported multiple explosions and flashes over the southwestern part of the city just after 1 a.m., followed by widespread sirens. Ukrainian Telegram channels Exilenova+ and Ukraine Context shared videos showing distant explosions and a large glow on the horizon.

Later footage revealed a massive blaze at the refinery site.

Russian authorities acknowledged the attack. Saratov Oblast governor Roman Busargin reported that "civilian infrastructure objects" were damaged and claimed that one woman was injured, though she did not require hospitalization. Windows were reportedly shattered in several homes in the Zavodskoi district.

The Russian Telegram channel Astra confirmed the refinery was the target after OSINT analysis of videos from the scene. Astra noted that this was at least the seventh drone strike on the Saratov refinery since the beginning of 2025. It could be the eighth attack, per the Militarnyi data.

The facility had also been last hit overnight on 2 to 3 November.

Saratov airport briefly suspended operations during the overnight attack. As of Astra’s latest update, the emergency response plan Kovyor was reactivated in the city.

Coordinated Ukrainian drone assault hits multiple targets

In addition to the Saratov refinery, Ukrainian forces also struck the Marine Oil Terminal in occupied Feodosia, Crimea, and Russian positions in the occupied part of Donetsk Oblast. According to the General Staff, drone strikes reached storage depots and personnel concentrations near Donetsk and the area of Ocheretyne. In Feodosia, they reported direct hits on storage tanks at the marine terminal — a critical hub for shipping fuel to Crimea and southern occupied territories.

The Ukrainian military emphasized that all these actions are part of a broader effort to disrupt Russian logistics and force Moscow to halt its war of aggression.

Russia claims drone interceptions, but fails to prevent refinery hit

Later on 11 November, Russia’s Defense Ministry alleged that 37 Ukrainian drones had been spotted over Russian territory overnight, claiming that eight were intercepted over Saratov Oblast.

Ukrainian forces are struggling to hold the flanks of a narrowing defensive pocket in the Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad area in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast as Russian troops push forward from multiple directions, according to the Institute for the Study of War. Both Ukrainian and Russian forces have recently advanced in this direction.

Russia pushes toward encirclement as Ukraine holds the shoulders

ISW assessed that the battlefield situation in Pokrovsk remains difficult. Ukrainian forces are attempting to hold the shoulders of the pocket around the town while Russian units continue to advance, especially in eastern and southern Pokrovsk. These advances may indicate an effort by Russian forces to create a sub-pocket that could further trap Ukrainian troops and force a wider withdrawal. Ukraine’s counterattacks continue on the western outskirts of Pokrovsk and within the town itself, slowing Russia’s progress in the north and west.

At the same time, Russian forces appear to maintain fire control over Ukrainian ground lines of communication into the pocket, threatening logistics and complicating Ukraine’s ability to hold the front. 

"Russian forces appear to be working simultaneously to complete the encirclement of the entire pocket and to reduce the pocket itself. The prospects and timeline for those efforts remain unclear," ISW wrote.

Both armies advance in contested areas near Pokrovsk

ISW confirmed that both sides recently made advances in the area. Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets reported on 10 November that Ukrainian troops had cleared Rodynske, located north of Pokrovsk. However, geolocated footage published the same day showed that both Ukrainian and Russian forces had moved in southern Rodynske, casting doubt on whether control had fully shifted.

Additional geolocated video showed Ukrainian advances in Zatyshok, northeast of Pokrovsk. Meanwhile, Russian soldiers were filmed raising flags along the T-0515 Pokrovsk–Dobropillya highway in southern Hnativka, east of Pokrovsk. ISW assessed that this was likely an infiltration mission that did not change terrain control or shift the forward edge of the battle area.

Russian attacks intensify, but come at a high cost

Ukrainian military sources reported on 9 and 10 November that Russian troops had resumed high-intensity assaults in the Pokrovsk direction. These assaults came with heavy losses. The Ukrainian General Staff reported in its 0800 10 November update that 97 of 265 total frontline combat engagements in the previous 24 hours occurred in the Pokrovsk direction alone.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on 9 November that Russia had committed 170,000 servicemembers to offensive operations in the Pokrovsk direction. He added that Russian forces suffered a record 25,000 killed and wounded in the area in October 2025 alone. By comparison, Russia reportedly lost about 15,000 personnel in this direction in January 2025.

Slovakia’s prosecutor has determined that the government’s 2023 decision to send MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine did not constitute a criminal offense, according to Politico. The investigation was launched following a complaint by the current pro-Russian government of Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Prosecutor halts MiG-29 case, finds no legal wrongdoing

On 10 November, the Bratislava prosecutor’s office confirmed that the country’s transfer of MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine was not a criminal act, Politico reported. The office said the criminal prosecution was halted on 30 October “because it was sufficiently established that the act in question does not constitute a criminal offense and there is no reason to refer the case further,” a spokesperson told Politico.

The office concluded that the donation of the aircraft and two anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine had not caused harm to Slovakia as defined by the country’s Criminal Code.

“Nor was it proven that members of the government acted with the intent to obtain an unlawful benefit for themselves or others, or that they exercised their authority in a manner contrary to the law or exceeded their powers,” the spokesperson added.

Slovakia delivered its entire fleet of Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets and two anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine in spring 2023, becoming the first country to send warplanes to Kyiv after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

The current defense ministry, under Fico’s government, filed a criminal complaint in June against former Prime Minister Eduard Heger and former Defense Minister Jaroslav Naď. The complaint accused them of sabotage, abuse of power, and breach of duty in the management of public property in connection with the decision to transfer the jets.

Both officials rejected the allegations at the time.

Following the announcement, Jaroslav Naď published a statement on Facebook.

“It has been confirmed what I have repeatedly said: that the government of Eduard Heger, with me as Minister of Defense, acted not only morally correctly but also in the national interest of the Slovak Republic,” Naď wrote.

Russia reportedly used a Molniya drone armed with yellow phosphorus against Ukrainian forces. A video that emerged on social media shows an attack targeting Ukrainian trench positions with incendiary material. The Molniya drones is a cheap mass-produced medium-range drone.

Russia deploys phosphorus-filled Molniya drones over trenches

According to Ukrainian analytical group Vodohrai, Russian forces are using strike drones of the Molniya type equipped with warheads containing yellow phosphorus against Ukrainian troops. According to Militarnyi, Vodohrai received and studied footage from one of the attacks, concluding that the drones have been modified to deliver chemical agents that cause severe harm.

The use of phosphorus compounds in combat can lead to large-scale fires and devastating burn injuries. Yellow phosphorus retains many of the same properties as white phosphorus — it ignites easily and is highly toxic. This makes it especially dangerous when used in drone-delivered attacks against exposed infantry in trenches or dugouts.

Images and footage shared by Vodohrai also show the process of Russian troops extracting yellow phosphorus from mortar rounds. This supports the group’s assessment that Russian forces are attempting to modify standard munitions to increase their destructive potential against personnel, rather than for obscuring movements.

Since 2014, Russian forces have also used 9M22S incendiary munitions launched from multiple rocket systems against Ukrainian territory. The latest development marks a continuation and possible escalation of Russia’s use of incendiary weapons during its war in Ukraine.

Ukrainian special forces targeted a key Russian-controlled fuel facility in occupied Crimea overnight. The strike hit a central component of the Hvardiiskyi oil depot located near the village of Karierne in Sakskyi district, according to Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces.

Ukrainian drone hits Hvardiiskyi fuel depot near Karierne

In the early hours of 10 November, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO) launched a high-precision strike on the Hvardiiskyi oil depot, damaging its central pumping station. The depot is situated near the settlement of Karierne in Russian-occupied Sakskyi district of Crimea.

The SSO released video footage showing the final approach of the FP-2 middle-range drone until the impact from a drone’s onboard camera. The drone struck the pumping unit on the facility’s grounds, causing a powerful explosion. Ukrainian officials described the target as a key node in the fuel logistics chain used by Russian occupation forces across Crimea.

FP-2 drone used in the attack

Open-source intelligence group Cyberboroshno geolocated the hit to the central pumping station and said the facility was deliberately targeted to disable its core function.

“It was likely decided to strike the critical element without which the facility cannot operate,” Cyberboroshno noted, adding precise coordinates of the impact site.

Russian-linked monitoring groups reported the attack. 

On 6 November, Ukrainian forces hit more fuel depots in occupied Crimea, including one near the settlement of Hvardiiskyi, closer to the regional capital of Simferopol. 

Drones struck the Likhovskoy railway area in Russia’s Rostov oblast overnight on 9-10 November, according to Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+. The strike reportedly hit infrastructure near the Likhaya railway station, which sits less than 20 kilometers from the border of occupied Luhansk Oblast and roughly 180 kilometers from the front line.

New strike hits Likhovskoy rail node

Shortly before midnight on 9 November, Exilenova+ published a video of the strike that appeared to show a nighttime explosion near the rail junction in Likhovskoy, a settlement located along the North Caucasus Railway between Moscow and Rostov-on-Don. The footage, filmed from one of the tracks of Likaya station with a locomotive visible on the tracks, captured the distinct sound of a moped-like drone engine followed by two explosions in quick succession. Both blasts occurred in the same area near the station, producing adjacent fireballs. The exact target and the extent of the damage remain unclear.

Militarnyi reports that the area includes a fuel tank farm belonging to the company RN-Rostovnefteprodukt, known as the Likhovskaya oil depot. Its total fuel storage capacity is estimated at 26,400 m³.

Militarnyi suggested the oil depot may have been the intended target, citing its proximity to the blast and visible damage in the shared footage. Coordinates of the depot were also listed: 48.1451255, 40.1594278.

However, Petro Andriushchenko, the head of the Center for the Study of Occupation NGO, said the strike likely hit a traction substation and a control post at the rail facility.

Andriushchenko noted that the attack was the third drone strike on the same site, following previous attacks on 19 July and 2 August.

Russia launched another overnight drone and missile attack on Ukraine in the early hours of 10 November, targeting multiple oblasts across the country, according to Ukraine’s Air Force. While most long-range drones were intercepted, some strikes still caused civilian casualties, infrastructure damage, and fires in several areas. More civilians were hurt in Russia's artillery and short-range drone attacks across several regions, local authorities reported.

52 drones intercepted but 15 reach targets across Ukraine

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russian forces attacked with 67 long-range drones of various types — primarily Shaheds, as well as Gerbera and other strike UAVs — launched from multiple directions, including Russia’s Kursk, Millerovo, Oryol, and Bryansk oblasts, and from occupied Crimea. Two Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles were launched from the airspace over Tambov Oblast, and five S-300/S-400 surface-to-air missiles were fired from Kursk Oblast.

By 9:30 a.m., Ukrainian air defense units — using aircraft, mobile fire teams, electronic warfare, and missile systems — had downed or jammed 52 drones.

Civilian casualties

In Sumy Oblast, Russian long-range drone strikes injured two women early on November. A 45-year-old woman was hurt in the Velykopysarivska community, and an 89-year-old woman was hospitalized after a drone hit the Krasnopilska community, local police and the oblast administration reported. Drone attacks also damaged three apartment buildings, seven one-family homes, four warehouses, two garages, one outbuilding, power lines, and two vehicles in six communities across five districts.

In Kharkiv Oblast, two women were injured when Russian drones hit the village of Prykolotne in Kupiansk District. At least ten detached homes and other structures were damaged, the oblast prosecutor’s office said.

In Kherson Oblast, a 26-year-old man died after a Russian short-range drone dropped explosives on a residential street in Stanislav on 9 November around 4:00 p.m., according to the oblast prosecutor’s office. Law enforcement launched a war crimes investigation.

Elsewhere in Kherson, Russian shelling injured a 49-year-old employee of a scientific institution in the Korabelnyi District. She sustained leg wounds, a concussion, and cranial trauma. In a separate attack, a 59-year-old woman suffered a concussion and head injuries in her own home. Both were hospitalized, the regional authorities said.

In Donetsk Oblast, two civilians were injured in Russian attacks over the past day, said oblast head Vadym Filashkin. Late on 9 November, Russian forces used a Granat-4 drone to strike Sloviansk on 9 November, damaging a two-story apartment building and a vehicle. No injuries were reported in that particular strike.

Fire breaks out on Odesa apartment building facade

In Odesa, a drone strike early on 10 November ignited the facade of a four-story residential building. Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames, said Odesa Oblast head Oleh Kiper. There were no injuries or deaths.

Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast sparked multiple fires. In Nikopol and the Pokrovska community, artillery and drones ignited a private home. In the Vasylkivska community of Synelnykove District, a drone strike caused a fire in a church and damaged a bank building, according to acting oblast head Vladyslav Haivanenko. No injuries were reported.

Khmelnytskyi Oblast also came under attack during an air raid on 10 November, but local authorities said there were no casualties or damage.

Zaporizhzhia Oblast authorities recorded 367 Russian strikes in the past 24 hours, according to oblast head Ivan Fedorov. 13 localities came under fire. Russian forces launched seven airstrikes, used 162 FPV drones, 4 MLRS barrages, and 194 artillery strikes.

Ukrainian naval drones struck the Russian port of Tuapse in the early hours of 10 November 2025, according to Astra. A ship reportedly caught fire, port infrastructure sustained damage, and residents described powerful explosions. Russian officials initially confirmed the drone boat attack but later deleted parts of their statements.

Drone boats hit Tuapse port, explosion filmed

Maritime drones attacked the port of Tuapse in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai overnight on 10 November. Ukrainian Telegram channel Supernova+ published footage showing a nighttime explosion in the port area, followed by a separate video where a fire can be seen burning at a distance. In the second clip, a woman behind the camera says, “The ship is on fire.”

Another channel, Exilenova+, later shared better footage of the explosion.

Russian news Telegram channel Astra reported damage to one of the port’s piers. The same outlet cited local accounts of explosions and said the drone danger alert in Tuapse lasted nearly eight hours. A separate analysis from Dnipro Osint identified the likely impact site as pier 167, where a sea drone reportedly detonated. The analysis also mentioned possible damage to a nearby vessel.

Officials first confirmed drone strike, then erased it

The drone strike on Tuapse was initially confirmed by local Russian officials. According to Militarnyi, Sergei Boiko, head of the Tuapse municipal district in Krasnodar Krai, stated in an official message that the port had been attacked by unmanned surface vessels. However, Boiko later edited his statement, removing all references to the drone boats. Despite the revision, the original version remained visible in the Telegram channel of the Krasnodar Krai operations headquarters.

Later that morning, the same headquarters posted a new message claiming that four sea drones had allegedly been neutralized near Tuapse in the Black Sea. It acknowledged that one of the drones detonated near the shoreline, with the resulting blast wave ostensibly damaging a two-story house, a garage, and a boat hangar. Boiko eventually announced the all-clear at 8:00 a.m. Moscow time (7:00 a.m. Kyiv time).

Russia claims 71 drones intercepted across the country

Later in the morning, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its air defense systems had allegedly intercepted or downed 71 drones overnight, including seven over the Black Sea. These figures could not be independently verified.

Three unidentified drones flew over Belgium’s Doel nuclear power plant in the evening of 9 November, according to Reuters, citing energy company Engie. Later, Politico reported, also referring to Engie, that a total of five drones were spotted flying over the nuclear power station that evening.

Doel plant latest in string of drone sightings

Reuters cited a spokesperson from Belgian energy firm Engie, who said the drones did not disrupt the Doel plant’s operations. Authorities were informed immediately. 

"Initially we had detected three drones, but then we saw five drones. They were up in the air for about an hour," Engie spokesperson Hellen Smeets told Politico on 10 November, adding that the first report of the three drones came around 10 p.m. yesterday.

Politico reports that earlier in the evening, Liège Airport briefly suspended air traffic after several drone sightings, halting flights around 7:30 p.m. before resuming operations less than an hour later.

Government links drone threats to Russia

On 5 November, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever called an emergency meeting of the National Security Council in response to the rising number of drone intrusions. Belgian intelligence agencies blame Russia for the incidents, according to Suspilne. As a result, authorities decided to bolster the National Air Security Center (NASC) and review anti-drone measures.

Russian and Ukrainian forces are fighting to control the key Donetsk Oblast city of Pokrovsk, where both sides target each other’s supply lines, as Russian advances slow, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The think tank said Russian troops are trying to regroup and bring reinforcements into the southern part of the town, while Ukrainian defenders still hold ground across Pokrovsk.

Pokrovsk battle slows but fighting continues

ISW wrote on 9 November that Russian and Ukrainian forces continue interdiction campaigns in the Pokrovsk direction while the pace of Russian advances has temporarily decreased. The think tank found no evidence of new Russian gains that day, matching Ukrainian reports that Moscow’s troops have slowed ground activity to extend logistics and bring in reinforcements.

A source reportedly connected to Ukrainian military intelligence said on 8 November that Russian forces are present in most parts of Pokrovsk but cannot encircle it. According to the source, Russian units are conducting infiltration missions through southern Pokrovsk and have moved in mortar crews and additional drone operators to step up attacks on Ukrainian ground lines of communication.

Drones dominate the fight

A Ukrainian servicemember operating in the area told ISW that Russian troops mainly use first-person view and winged drones to strike Ukrainian supply routes. The soldier added that Ukrainian forces are also targeting Russian logistics and that the enemy is “suffering,” though poor weather continues to hinder Ukrainian drone missions against Russian infiltration groups.

The servicemember said Ukrainian troops still maintain positions throughout Pokrovsk, while Russian units hold parts of the southern districts. Some Russian military bloggers claimed that the fighting is not intense enough for the city to be “engulfed in flames,” noting that machine gun fire has become rare.

Russia reinforces for new offensive

Other Russian bloggers asserted that their forces are clearing Dinas Microraion in eastern Pokrovsk, cutting Ukrainian logistics to Rodynske to the north, and fighting in the northern, northeastern, and southern sectors of the city. They also said the main Russian grouping operates about 10 kilometers from Pokrovsk, with both sides’ drones scouting access roads.

" ISW continues to assess that Russian forces will likely increase their tempo of ground activity in Pokrovsk in the coming days as they extend logistics and bring forward personnel into the town," the think tank wrote.

Ukraine’s President said halting Russian oil exports to Hungary is inevitable. Meanwhile, after Hungary had spent months insisting that Russian oil supplies were irreplaceable, Hungary's sole refiner now says it can receive 80% of crude from non-Russian sources.

Zelenskyy says Hungary will not receive Russian oil for long

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine will stop Russian oil from reaching Hungary, though it cannot happen immediately due to various dependencies. He spoke following a meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff on 7 November, Liga reported.

“We can’t allow Russians to keep making money on energy,” Zelenskyy said. “Even where they twist our arms through various contracts or obligations, we’ll still find a way to make sure Russian oil disappears from Europe. [...] We won’t let the Russians sell oil there. It’s a matter of time. We can’t do it today because there are many different dependencies in this puzzle, but we’ll still complete the picture.”

He also commented on Hungary PM Viktor Orbán’s attempts to block Ukraine’s European Union accession.

“[Russians] couldn’t do it. If he thinks delaying it by six months will stop Ukraine, then no, it won’t,” the President said.

MOL says 80% of crude can come from non-Russian sources

Hungarian oil company Mol said on the same day it can meet about 80% of its supply needs using crude delivered through Croatia’s Adriatic pipeline. The statement appeared in the company’s earnings report, a few hours before Orbán’s scheduled meeting with Trump at the White House, where Hungary's leader aimed to secure an exemption from US sanctions on Russian oil, Bloomberg reported. 

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Mol operates refineries in Hungary and Slovakia. It stated that “should the crude flows via the Druzhba pipeline drop significantly, Mol can increase its utilization of the Adriatic pipeline and supply ca. 80% of its landlocked refineries’ intake, although entailing higher technical risks and logistics costs.”

Mol said it is “cautiously progressing” with upgrades at its refineries in Hungary and Slovakia to expand their ability to process non-Russian crude.

A high-ranking Russian-appointed member of Luhansk occupation authorities has been found dead in occupied eastern Ukraine under unclear circumstances, according to Petro Andriushchenko, head of the Center for the Study of Occupation. Russian national Kirill Grekov, the so-called “Deputy Prosecutor General of the Luhansk People's Republic,” was reportedly discovered hanged in occupied Luhansk, as local authorities avoid commenting publicly on the case.

Russian prosecutor found hanged in occupied Luhansk

Petro Andriushchenko reported the discovery of Grekov’s body on 6 November. He stated that Grekov had been appointed by Moscow and was sent to the Russian-occupied territory to carry out key duties on behalf of Russian authorities. According to Andriushchenko, Grekov had tense relations with both local residents and so-called officials, often becoming entangled in conflicts that may have led to what he described as a “tragic end.”

Andriushchenko noted that Grekov’s death is being concealed from the public. Authorities of the so-called “LNR” have avoided making any statements about the incident, and no coverage has appeared in the regional occupation-controlled media. Obozrevatel confirmed that no information regarding Grekov’s death had been published by the “media” of the pseudo-republic. 

Grekov’s last appearance on the “LNR prosecutor's office” website was on 23 August 2025.

Grekov's predecessor died in explosion, alongside her chief

Grekov, a Russian policeman from Rostov, was appointed to the “LNR” in late 2022 directly to the position of so-called deputy prosecutor. He is listed in the Myrotvorets database, which gathers personal information on Russians and collaborators involved in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

His appointment came just months after an earlier deadly incident in the same office. In 2022, the so-called then “LNR Prosecutor General” Sergei Gorenko and his deputy Yekaterina Steglenko were killed when an explosive device detonated inside Gorenko’s office. It remains unclear whether their deaths were the result of internal purges aimed at replacing pro-Russian locals with Russians, or a targeted operation by Ukraine’s Security Service. At the time, the Office of the President of Ukraine referred to the deaths as a “conflict among criminals.”

The current so-called “LNR Prosecutor General” is Gleb Mikhailov, a Russian citizen from Dagestan.

In Kharkiv and the surrounding oblast, construction crews are working in shifts, often without power or mobile connection, to build dozens of underground schools, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science. The initiative is part of the country’s push to restore offline education in safer conditions for children in frontline areas.

Ukraine builds underground schools in Kharkiv to protect children from airstrikes

A total of 38 underground schools are currently under construction across Kharkiv and Kharkiv Oblast. Seven more projects are underway with support from international partners, according to Education Minister Oksen Lisovyi. He said Kharkiv Oblast is leading Ukraine in the number of such school construction projects.

Lisovyi says he visited the region last week to inspect the pace of the work and identify community needs ahead of planning the 2026 budget. Authorities hope to complete several sites by the end of this year. In just two days, Lisovyi and his team reviewed 21 construction sites — five of which are already hosting full-time in-person classes.

The schools are being built as part of Ukraine’s nationwide “School Offline” policy, which aims to bring students back to classrooms despite the ongoing war. The effort has taken on special urgency in Kharkiv, where airstrikes remain frequent and deadly.

“They are doing everything they can to finish the schools and return children to safe classrooms as soon as possible,” Lisovyi said. “This commitment and perseverance is the main reason why work doesn’t stop, even under shelling.”

Underground classrooms as a national strategy

The Education Minister said the push for underground schools is not just a local effort but part of a broader state policy to restore in-person education throughout Ukraine.

“Even in frontline regions, children have the right to education and a normal school life,” Lisovyi said.

He added that the government plans to expand the program so that every child in Ukraine can study in person, near their peers, and in a secure environment.

Russian forces are bolstering their positions in the Pokrovsk sector with reinforcements following infiltration-based advances, according to the Institute for the Study of War. Ukrainian commanders say Russian troops have infiltrated throughout the town and are attempting to push into rear positions.

Russia changes tactics to hold ground in Pokrovsk

The Russian military command is reportedly increasing its troop presence in the Pokrovsk direction. ISW assessed that this effort likely aims to consolidate gains made through earlier infiltration missions and push further into the city. Geolocated footage from 28 October shows Russian forces advancing southeast of Balahan, which lies east of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad.

Russian military bloggers also claim that Russian troops reached the T-0515 Pokrovsk–Dobropillya highway in northeastern Pokrovsk and made progress both east and south of the town. Other reported advances include north of Novopavlivka and the seizure of parts of the Pokrovska Mine complex near Udachne, southwest of Pokrovsk.

Unusual use of armored assaults and elite troops

The Ukrainian 7th Rapid Reaction Corps reported that Russian forces conducted a platoon-sized mechanized assault near Myrnohrad at dawn on 5 November. Ukrainian defenders destroyed three vehicles. Such mechanized attacks have been rare in the Pokrovsk sector in recent months, with the only other known instances near Myrnohrad occurring on 13 and 22 October.

A Ukrainian servicemember said Russia has already carried out three troop rotations in the Pokrovsk direction in just four months due to heavy casualties. The servicemember also confirmed that Russia deployed unspecified Spetsnaz and naval infantry units to support the advance. ISW notes that this consolidation contrasts with earlier actions in the Dobropillya salient, where Russian forces failed to reinforce after initial penetration and were pushed back by Ukrainian counterattacks.

Assaults intensify across the sector

On 6 November, the Ukrainian 7th Corps stated that Russian assaults in its area of responsibility had significantly increased. In September, the average was 13 attacks per day; on 5 November alone, there were 30. The Ukrainian General Staff reported 276 combat engagements between 0800 on 10 November and 0800 on 11 November — with 100 of them taking place in the Pokrovsk sector.

A Ukrainian drone battalion commander noted that Russian troops are taking advantage of bad weather to group up and enter the town on motorcycles or buggies. He added that Russian forces are beginning to transport provisions and attempting to infiltrate northern Pokrovsk and reach Ukrainian rear positions, where drone teams and mortar crews operate.

According to the same commander, Russian troops have penetrated deep enough into Pokrovsk that Ukrainian and Russian positions are now mixed in a house-to-house configuration.

Seventeen South African men are stranded in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine after being misled into joining mercenary forces, according to the country's official statement. President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered an investigation into how the group was recruited under false pretenses and drawn into “seemingly mercenary activities” in the war zone. In August, South African authorities warned young citizens to be cautious about job offers in Russia that were circulating on social media. 

South Africa continues to present itself as non-aligned in the war, maintaining ties with both Kyiv and Moscow. Ramaphosa has met with leaders from both countries. However, the country has close relationships with Russia through the BRICS alliance.

South Africans misled by fake job offers now trapped in Donbas

South Africa’s presidency said in a statement that all 17 men, aged between 20 and 39, were "lured to join mercenary forces involved in the Ukraine-Russia war under the pretext of lucrative employment contracts." The men are currently "trapped in the war-torn Donbas" in eastern Ukraine.

The statement said the South African government is now working to repatriate them.

“President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered an investigation into the circumstances that led to the recruitment of these young men into these seemingly mercenary activities,” the presidency said.

It did not state which side the men were fighting for. Reuters says Ramaphosa's spokesperson added,

“We don't know yet, hence the investigation.”

Ostensibly without knowing whether they were fighting for Moscow or Kyiv, Pretoria is “working through diplomatic channels to secure the return of these young men following their calls for assistance to return home,” the statement reads.

Under South African law, it is illegal for citizens to participate in foreign armies or provide military assistance to foreign governments without authorization. The investigation aims to determine how these men ended up violating those provisions and whether criminal recruitment networks were involved.

Other foreigners caught by Russia in similar recruitment schemes

• Last month, Kenya’s foreign ministry reported that some of its citizens had also been deceived and were being held in Russian military camps. 
• India and Nepal have also reported that scores of their citizens were recruited to support Russia’s war under similarly false premises.
• Earlier, BBC identified 523 foreign mercenaries from 28 countries killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine. The killed mercenaries, identified by BBC, include Egyptians, Americans, Gurkhas, Central Asian convicts, and recruits from several African countries.
• The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime earlier stated that women from more than 20 African countries had been recruited under false pretenses to make drones for Russia. An AP investigation found last year that hundreds of African women were duped into working at Russia's Shahed drone factory in Tatarstan's Alabuga. 

Lawmakers from Germany’s pro-Russian far-right party AfD are facing accusations of gathering sensitive data that may benefit Russian or Chinese interests, according to Der Spiegel, with officials citing close ties to both countries. The accusations focus on the party’s series of unusually detailed and patterned parliamentary requests into Bundeswehr capabilities and infrastructure.

Bundestag clash over espionage allegations

Der Spiegel reported that in the German Parliament—Bundestag—the ruling coalition's parties have demanded explanations from AfD lawmakers following what they describe as disturbing intelligence-gathering behavior masked as routine oversight. CDU parliamentary leader Jens Spahn confronted AfD chair Alice Weidel with the claim that the sus[picion of “working as elected representatives on behalf of hostile powers in Parliament is among the gravest that can exist.” Spahn warned that Weidel’s silence could make her “at least complicit in potential treason.”

SPD and CDU legislators called for an emergency debate to address the “effects of AfD’s relations with Russia on Germany’s security interests.”

Thomas Röwekamp, head of the Bundestag Defense Committee, told Der Spiegel that AfD lawmakers had submitted “a large number of systematically structured and very detailed inquiries into military capabilities and gaps.” Röwekamp stressed that the content and frequency of these requests went far beyond standard parliamentary interest and instead appeared “targeted and grid-like” in their collection of militarily sensitive information.

AfD’s questions raise red flags in defense circles

Some of the inquiries submitted by AfD MPs included precise questions about drone defense, military logistics, Bundeswehr procurement schedules, and even gaps in cybersecurity at various ministries.

According to Der Spiegel, one parliamentary request asked the Interior Ministry to detail how many data centers it operates and how many of them have long-term emergency power supplies. Other requests focused on the cyber-readiness of the Digital, Transport, Finance, and Defense Ministries.

High-ranking military officials and leadership in the Defense Ministry are alarmed. According to Der Spiegel, multiple ministries came to the same conclusion: the nature of AfD’s questions suggests intentional efforts to identify structural weaknesses. Some government analysts believe the questions reflect coordination, possibly based on requests from abroad, targeting both current defense capabilities and planned upgrades.

Thuringia’s Interior Minister Georg Maier warned that AfD appeared to be “working through a task list from the Kremlin,” and said the party had long been misusing parliamentary tools to probe critical infrastructure. Röwekamp echoed this assessment, linking the inquiries to what he called “hybrid attacks against Germany,” likely meant to support Russian strategic goals.

“We have long known that there are demonstrably close connections between the AfD and Russia and China," Maier told Der Spiegel.

Der Spiegel recalled a 2021 case it had previously uncovered, in which a Chinese Ministry of State Security agent bragged about using contacts to launch a Bundestag inquiry on Hong Kong through AfD lawmaker Stefan Keuter, who denied any cooperation with Chinese intelligence.

Ukraine has registered over 190,000 war crimes since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, and prosecutors believe the scale and pattern of these crimes show a state-directed campaign to wipe out the Ukrainian nation, according to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office.

Ukraine presents staggering war crimes evidence to UN investigators

On 4 November 2025, Deputy Prosecutor General Andrii Leshchenko met with representatives of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, led by Erik Møse. During the meeting, Ukrainian officials shared data, investigative results, and assessments pointing to what they described as Russia’s orchestrated campaign of violence against Ukraine’s civilian population.

The Prosecutor General’s Office told the UN commission that over 190,000 war crimes had been recorded since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Leshchenko said that 1,029 Russian military personnel had been formally charged, with 747 indictments sent to court and 206 individuals already convicted. 

He emphasized that the scale and systematic nature of the Russian Federation’s crimes allow them to be classified as part of a deliberate genocidal policy against the Ukrainian people.

“What we are seeing is a planned state policy aimed at destroying the Ukrainian nation,” Leshchenko said, adding that investigators are not focusing solely on the direct perpetrators but also on the political and military leadership of Russia, the aggressor state.

Spike in drone attacks highlights deliberate targeting of civilians

Yurii Rud, head of the Department for Combating Crimes Committed During Armed Conflict, highlighted the sharp increase in Russian drone attacks on civilians. He said more than 5,100 such assaults were documented in just the first nine months of 2025 — twice the total recorded in all of 2024. Rud noted these attacks showed clear signs of crimes against humanity.

UN report confirms civilian targeting and forced deportations

The Ukrainian delegation and UN representatives also discussed a recent report from the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine. The report cited numerous cases of force used against civilians in both Russian-occupied and frontline territories. It detailed systematic drone strikes on civilian infrastructure and the deportation of residents from Russian-occupied areas.

Ukrainian emergency workers have come under direct and repeated Russian fire in recent months, with dozens of attacks resulting in five rescuers killed and over many more injured, Ukraine's Minitry of Interior reported on 5 November. On the day of the reporting, the Russian forces have targeted Ukrainian rescuers in two regions.

Interior Minister of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko wrote on Telegram:

"Over the past three months, Russia has struck State Emergency Service units more than 60 times. As a result of these treacherous attacks, five rescuers were killed and more than 30 wounded."

Four rescuers wounded in targeted drone strike

On 5 November, Russian forces used an FPV drone to deliberately strike a State Emergency Service vehicle in the village of Prymorske, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Klymenko reported. Four rescuers sustained injuries of varying severity and are receiving medical care.

Russian airstrike hits fire station in Donetsk Oblast

That same day, a Russian airstrike targeted a fire station in Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast. The blast damaged the building, a training tower, and more than ten specialized rescue vehicles. A fire broke out as a result of the strike. No injuries were reported.