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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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.

Amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Czech Republic—Ukraine's major ally in the EU—may reduce its military assistance to Kyiv under the new government forming around presumptive Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, according to Politico.

Czechia may shift from arms to aid

In his first international interview, Filip Turek — a former MEP from the far-right Motorists party and likely to become the next foreign minister — said Prague will maintain its NATO commitments and respect for international law. But he emphasized that the government will "prioritize diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine" and "mitigate risks of conflict in Europe, shifting from military aid funded by the national budget to humanitarian support and focusing on Czech security needs."

He presented this as a shift away from direct involvement, stating the goal was to avoid escalation that might threaten Czechia’s energy supply or "economic stability."  

Turek did not announce immediate changes in Czechia’s stance on Russia, but pointed to a broader focus on sovereignty and non-intervention. He said this signaled a so-called “cautious, interest-based approach,” echoing the position of Hungarian authorities, who have expressed hope that Prague will become an ally in resisting EU efforts to maintain strong military backing for Ukraine.

Controversy follows Turek’s appointment

Politico noted that Turek’s expected appointment has already sparked domestic controversy. He has faced criticism for allegedly posting racist, sexist, and homophobic messages on Facebook. Turek denies the accusations and is pursuing legal action. Another figure from the Motorists party, Petr Macinka, tapped for the post of environment minister, has also drawn scrutiny. Macinka previously called human-caused climate change “pure propaganda.”

In the early hours of 6 November, Russian drones targeted Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in an overnight strike, damaging infrastructure and hurting civilians, according to acting head of the oblast military administration Vladyslav Haivanenko. Ukraine’s Air Force later reported that 135 drones were launched across the country, of which 108 were intercepted or suppressed.

Kamianske reports injuries and infrastructure damage after drone strike

Kamianske sustained several drone impacts overnight, which triggered multiple fires and injured eight civilians. According to the latest update, a body of a man was extracted from the rubble.

The Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Head said a four-story residential building suffered partial damage to its roof and internal structures. Vehicles in the vicinity were also affected, and a transport enterprise was among the damaged sites.

Elsewhere in the oblast, a drone struck a building belonging to a municipal enterprise in the Synelnykove district’s Petropavlivska community, causing a fire.

The Russians also struck Pavlohrad infrastructure, leaving the city and several settlements in Synelnykove district without power.

Meanwhile, Russian forces also used FPV drones and artillery to shell the Nikopol district, targeting both the city of Nikopol and the Pokrovska community. In Nikopol, a five-story residential building, a detached house, and a power line were damaged.

The oblast’s air defense units shot down 13 drones during the night, according to the Air Command.

Air Force intercepts 108 drones as Russia launches 135 from five directions

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that starting at 7:00 p.m. on 5 November, Russia launched a total of 135 attack drones, including explsive Shahed and decoy Gerbera UAVs. The drones were launched from multiple directions: Kursk, Oryol, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and Shatalovo, all in Russia. Approximately 90 of the launched drones were Shahed-type UAVs.

Ukraine’s defense against the drone wave involved aviation, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare systems, and mobile fire groups. By 9:00 a.m. on 6 November, 108 drones were confirmed as either shot down or electronically suppressed in Ukraine’s northern, southern, and eastern regions.

Russian forces have concentrated a massive push toward Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast, deploying multiple brigades while sustaining severe losses throughout October 2025, according to the Institute for the Study of War. Russia has deployed elements of three armies, according to the report.

Heavy Russian losses accompany continued advance on Pokrovsk

ISW says in the Pokrovsk direction continues to "absorb significant Russian losses." According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), its units operating in the Pokrovsk direction killed more than 1,500 Russian servicemembers and destroyed 20 tanks, 62 armored fighting vehicles, and 532 transport vehicles in October 2025 alone.

Despite those staggering figures, Russian troops have made incremental gains. Geolocated footage published on 5 November confirmed Russian advances in western Rodynske, located north of Pokrovsk. Meanwhile, Russian military bloggers claimed on 4 and 5 November that their forces also advanced within northeastern Pokrovsk, southeast of Hryshyne, and southwest of Sukhetske — all areas north of Pokrovsk.

A servicemember from a Ukrainian brigade active in the area told ISW that Russia has intensified its efforts in southern Pokrovsk. According to the report, Russian troops are now resorting to wearing civilian clothes to infiltrate Ukrainian lines — a tactic considered perfidy under international law. 

"ISW has recently observed multiple reports of Russian forces committing acts of perfidy in the Pokrovsk direction as Russian forces have leveraged infiltration tactics to penetrate the town between Ukrainian positions," the think tank wrote.

Russia deploys parts of three armies in pursuit of Pokrovsk

Moscow has committed substantial forces to the Pokrovsk offensive, including elements from the 2nd, 41st, and 51st combined arms armies (CAAs). 

Russian units currently active in the sector include the 35th and 74th Motorized Rifle Brigades, both part of the 41st CAA, and the 1441st Motorized Rifle Regiment, reportedly of the 2nd CAA. These forces are operating in western Pokrovsk. In eastern Pokrovsk, units from the 30th Motorized Rifle Brigade (2nd CAA), the 506th and 589th motorized rifle regiments (27th Motorized Rifle Division, 2nd CAA), and the 1452nd Motorized Rifle Regiment (reportedly of the 41st CAA) are reportedly active.

Beyond Pokrovsk proper, the fighting stretches across a broader arc. The 9th Motorized Rifle Brigade (51st CAA, formerly part of the 1st Donetsk People’s Republic Army Corps) and the 506th Regiment are active in Rodynske. The 5th Motorized Rifle Brigade (51st CAA) is reportedly present in Myrnohrad, located to the east of Pokrovsk. Meanwhile, the 1435th Motorized Rifle Regiment (reportedly of the 2nd CAA) is positioned in Zvirove, and the 1437th Regiment in Udachne — both southwest of Pokrovsk.

ISW noted that the three CAAs engaged in the operation have likely suffered serious degradation after 21 months of fighting to seize Pokrovsk. The Ukrainian servicemember stated that Russia rarely uses mechanized vehicles in the area, except near Myrnohrad. ISW confirmed prior reports of Russian mechanized assaults near that town on 13 and 22 October.

Ukrainian forces launched a coordinated overnight assault, striking deep into both Russian territory and occupied areas. The attacks ignited fires and explosions at critical fuel and drone infrastructure sites in Russia's Volgograd, and in the occupied Crimea and Donetsk, aiming to degrade the enemy’s logistics and offensive capabilities, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

General Staff confirms coordinated strikes across Russian and occupied areas

The General Staff reported on 6 November 2025 that Ukraine’s Defense Forces hit several high-value targets linked to Russia’s war effort. The confirmed targets included a major oil refinery in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast, three fuel depots in Russian-occupied Crimea, and a base used for storing, assembling, and launching Shahed-type drones in occupied Donetsk.

The operation involved missile troops, artillery units, the 414th Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces, and Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The military described the attack as part of a larger campaign aimed at destroying elements of the aggressor’s military-industrial infrastructure.

Strike on Volgograd refinery sparks fire

Ukrainian forces struck the Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka oil refinery in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast. The facility processes 15.7 million tons of oil per year—around 5.6% of Russia’s total refining volume. The General Staff confirmed explosions and a fire at the site.

Footage published by Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ showed explosions and fire in the refinery area. The channel also released videos capturing what appeared to be a Pantsir air defense system's missile launch and hit on a residential building.

The governor claimed the area came under a “terrorist drone attack,” alleging that a 48-year-old civilian man was killed by shrapnel when debris hit a 24-story apartment building.

Fuel depots burn in Hvardiiske and Simferopol

Simultaneously, Ukrainian forces struck three oil infrastructure sites in occupied Crimea. The General Staff confirmed a successful hit on a reservoir and several rail tankers at a fuel loading rack in the village of Hvardiiske. Two additional targets in Simferopol were also hit—both described as reservoir parks. Fires broke out at each location, according to the report.

According to Telegram channel Krymsky Veter, the first drones were noticed around 1:00 a.m. Russian air defense opened fire over Hvardiiske at 2:00 a.m., and four separate impacts were reported by 3:00 a.m. The channel said it was unclear whether the target was the airfield or the fuel depot.

In Simferopol, Krymsky Veter’s sources reported a fire near the settlement of Bitumne at around 2:30 a.m. Witnesses suspected it was the Krymneftesbyt oil depot. Photos and videos shared on the channel showed flames rising from the site. Another fire broke out in the thermal power plant's area. A loud explosion at 6:01 a.m. was reportedly heard from Simferopol to the southern coast of Crimea.

Shahed drone base in Donetsk struck with secondary detonation

Ukraine also confirmed hitting a Shahed drone facility in occupied Donetsk, located within the territory of the former Donetsk airport. The base was used to store, assemble, and launch Iranian-designed drones employed in daily Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, according to the report. Russia uses the Iranian-designed Shaheds in its daily attacks against Ukrainian cities.

The strike was carried out by Ukrainian missile and artillery units, drone forces, and special operations personnel. The General Staff reported confirmed explosions and a powerful secondary detonation—likely from stored munitions—at the target site.

Telegram channel Exilenova+ posted videos of the explosion, including footage of a shockwave and fireball. One caption read, “Clarification: ammo depot near Donetsk destroyed.” Another post described it simply as a “missile strike” on Donetsk.

Update

Telegram channel Dosye Shpiona reported that late on 5 November, a strike hit Geran-2 launch positions and storage sites at the Donetsk airport base. The attack reportedly involved both cruise missiles and loitering munitions.

Geran-2 is Russia's designation for the Iranian Shahed-126 drone.

According to the channel, the strike destroyed a munitions depot, a fuel storage facility, and a UAV pre-launch preparation point, while also damaging power and communication infrastructure.

Dosye Shpiona claimed that up to 1,000 Geran-2 drones and more than 1,500 warheads were present at the airfield at the time.

A Ukrainian soldier severely wounded in a Russian-occupied town spent more than a month waiting for rescue, according to Ukraine's First Separate Medical Battalion. After six failed attempts and the loss of six ground drones, the seventh mission — carried out using a damaged land-based robotic system — finally brought him home alive. The battalion shared footage showing highlights of the operation, but did not specify the front sector or even the oblast where the mission took place.

33 days behind enemy lines: Seventh rescue attempt ends in success

According to the battalion, the soldier sustained a serious injury 33 days before the operation, with only a tourniquet keeping him alive. During that time, six rescue attempts failed. All used NRK—"ground robotic systems"—and all were either destroyed or rendered inoperable. Four of the six destroyed machines belonged to adjacent units.

Despite the repeated setbacks, the seventh attempt succeeded. The evacuation covered a total of 64 km, including 37 km driven with a damaged wheel. The NRK reportedly sustained a hit from an anti-personnel mine on the way to the wounded soldier but kept moving.

On the return route, a Russian drone dropped explosives on the machine. Thanks to the armored capsule it was carrying, the soldier inside was unharmed.

The entire operation lasted 5 hours and 58 minutes, with the ground drone averaging a speed of 13 km/h and reaching a top speed of 29 km/h.

The battalion confirmed the soldier was successfully evacuated and received necessary medical care. He is currently undergoing further treatment and is not in danger.

"If he didn’t surrender — we had no right to"

In a closing message, First Separate Medical Battalion noted,

“If the soldier didn’t surrender — we had no right to.”

Poland is continuing its investigation into Russian drones that crashed on its territory during the 9–10 September airspace breach, according to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The remains of the UAVs, which entered Polish airspace amid Russia’s drone assault on Ukraine, are still under forensic examination by military counterintelligence experts and prosecutors.

Tusk inspects drone wreckage as probe continues

Prime Minister Tusk posted a video on 3 November from a facility belonging to the Military Counterintelligence Service, where the wreckage is being stored and examined. In the video, he stands in front of debris from the Russian Gerbera drones that fell during the incursion. The official doesn't mention the name of the drones.

“This is how every enemy drone ends, every Russian drone that enters Polish territory,” he said. “We are working on it. That’s why we are investing billions, billions of zlotys in a modern Polish army, in modern Polish services, to secure Polish skies and Polish land against such objects.”

In a caption accompanying the video, posted on X, he added: “Every enemy drone will end the same way.”

NATO partners involved in the examination

Special Services Coordinator Tomasz Siemoniak confirmed that the investigation is still under way. He wrote that experts from the Military Counterintelligence Service and the prosecutor’s office are “thoroughly analyzing all elements connected to this situation.”

He said allied services are also involved in the process. Tusk personally reviewed the current findings of the probe on 3 November.

The September drone incursion

On 9 September, between 19 and 23 Russian drones crossed into Poland’s airspace during a mass UAV and missile attack on Ukraine. The incursion occurred via both Ukraine and Belarus, triggering a Quick Reaction Alert involving Polish F-16s and other NATO aircraft. A few drones were shot down by allied forces, while others crashed uncontrollably in various parts of Poland. Several wrecks were discovered days or weeks later.

Ukraine has received over 144,000 appeals from Russian families trying to locate soldiers missing in action, according to Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. In October alone, the project confirmed 159 Russian invaders held in captivity — including not only Russian nationals but also citizens of Egypt, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus.

Russians turn to Ukraine as the Kremlin hides the missing

According to the Coordination Headquarters, every day, hundreds of families from Russia contact Ukraine’s “Want to Find” project, pleading for help in discovering the fate of relatives lost during the full-scale invasion. The HQ says a total of 144,138 appeals have been submitted so far. That number only reflects those who reached out — Ukrainian officials say the actual count of missing invaders is far higher.

Since Russia continues to ignore the growing list of its soldiers reported missing in Ukraine, relatives are increasingly bypassing their own government to seek answers directly from Ukrainian channels, the Headquarters stated.

“Not all families contact the Ukrainian project,” the Coordination Headquarters said, noting the real number of unaccounted-for Russian troops likely exceeds the official appeal count.

In October alone, 9,243 new requests were submitted — about 300 per day. Relatives use the project’s tools to confirm whether someone is dead or in captivity. Those confirmations allow them to pressure Russian authorities to conduct exchanges, the report noted.

Foreign mercenaries among Russia’s captured soldiers

In October 2025 alone, Ukraine confirmed the presence of 159 Russian invaders in captivity, all listed after appeals from their relatives. Among these were not only Russian citizens but also individuals from Egypt, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus.

This aligns with earlier reports from the Ukrainian project “Want to Live”, which said Russia continues to rely on foreign mercenaries to sustain its war against Ukraine.

Low education, low loyalty: who Russia sends to die

Only 2% of the prisoners confirmed in October had higher education. Over half — 53% — had completed only secondary school, while some never progressed beyond primary education. Ukrainian officials say this education profile reflects deliberate recruitment by Russia’s Ministry of Defense, which targets undereducated individuals who are easier to coerce into contracts.

Mounting losses in Russia’s ranks

As of the morning of 4 November 2025, the Ukrainian Army’s General Staff reported that total Russian personnel losses since 24 February 2022 stood at approximately 1,145,670. That figure includes 840 new combat losses over the previous day. 

Ukraine will receive a new €1.8 billion payment from the European Union after meeting ten key reform requirements, according to the Council of the EU. The funds are part of the EU’s larger €50 billion Ukraine Facility, which supports the country’s recovery, reconstruction, and modernization efforts during the ongoing Russian invasion.

Brussels approves new €1.8 billion tranche for Ukraine

The Council of the EU on 4 November approved the fifth regular payment to Ukraine under the Ukraine Facility program. The disbursement, totaling more than €1.8 billion or more than $2 billion, follows Ukraine’s successful implementation of nine specific reform steps outlined for the fifth payment, as well as
"one outstanding step from the fourth disbursement."

"Payments under the Ukraine Facility are closely linked to the Ukraine Plan, which outlines Ukraine’s strategy for recovery, reconstruction and modernisation, along with a timetable for the implementation of reforms aligned with the country’s EU accession goals over the next years," the Council wrote in its press release.

The payment includes both grants and loans and is designed to reinforce Ukraine’s macro-financial stability and help sustain the functioning of its public administration, according to the Council’s official announcement.

This decision follows the European Commission’s assessment of Ukraine’s payment request on 29 September 2025, after which the Council concluded that Ukraine had satisfactorily fulfilled a number of reforms.

Reforms cover justice, energy, environment, and more

The Council stated that Ukraine has met reforms across a broad range of areas. These include the judicial system, anti-corruption efforts, financial markets, human capital development, business environment, decentralization and regional policy, the energy sector, and the management of critical raw materials. Reforms tied to the green transition and environmental protection were also among the steps recognized as fulfilled.

All these benchmarks are part of the Ukraine Plan — a comprehensive strategy for recovery, reconstruction, and reforms aligned with Ukraine’s EU accession goals. Disbursements under the Ukraine Facility are conditional on meeting the goals set in the Plan and its accompanying reform timeline.

• The Ukraine Facility entered into force on 1 March 2024 and will run through 2027. It provides up to €50 billion in total funding to Ukraine, of which up to €32 billion is earmarked to support reforms and investments under the Ukraine Plan.
• Prior to this fifth payment, the EU had already disbursed €6 billion as bridge financing, €1.89 billion in pre-financing, and four additional installments totaling approximately €4.2 billion, €4.1 billion, €3.5 billion, and €3.2 billion respectively.

Ukrainian partisans say they "completely destroyed" a Russian communication station vehicle during a sabotage attack on a military airbase in Rostov-on-Don, according to the Ukrainian partisan movement Atesh. The group posted a video showing fuel burning under the cabin of a Kamaz-based relay truck and stated it was part of their latest operation against Russian military infrastructure. Southern Russia's Rostov Oblast is adjacent to the occupied eastern Ukraine, and Russian aircraft operating near the frontline are often launched from this region. 

Atesh claims deep-rear strike on Russian airbase

Atesh reported that its agents infiltrated the 229th aviation base in Rostov-on-Don and set fire to a vehicle equipped with the R-417 Baget radio relay station. The base belongs to the 4th Air and Air Defense Army of Russia’s Southern Military District. The group said the equipment was destroyed in the operation.

Atesh described the targeted vehicle as a “critically important" node of communication and command.

A short video posted by Atesh shows flames under the Kamaz truck, with what appears to be a pool of burning fuel under the cabin. A plastic bottle is visible on the ground near the fire. The group did not specify the time of the operation and didn't show the consequences of the attack.

The group wrote in its Telegram post:

“Our agents carried out a successful operation at an enemy military airfield in Rostov-on-Don, part of the 229th Aviation Base of the 4th Air and Air Defense Army of the Southern Military District. The antenna vehicle of the R-417 “Baget” radio relay communication station, mounted on a KamAZ-4310 chassis, was completely destroyed.”

According to Atesh, this vehicle was a critical communication and command node, "providing coordination of aviation operations and data transmission between military units within the Southern Military District. Its destruction dealt a serious blow to the enemy’s ability to manage flights in real time, coordinate bomber missions, and ensure the airfield’s security."

Russia dropped a record number of guided aerial bombs (KABs) on Ukraine in October according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. Over the month, Russian aircraft released more than 5,328 KABs, the highest monthly total since the beginning of 2025. The Ministry said that in ten months, Russia has already dropped about 40,000 aerial bombs—matching the total number recorded during the entire previous year.

Guided aerial bombs, or KABs, are fitted with aerodynamic surfaces and guidance systems to improve their accuracy against designated targets. Their expanded use, combined with the new UMPK modules, has significantly increased the range and frequency of Russian bomb attacks across Ukraine.

Record month of guided bomb strikes

In October, Russian forces increased the number of guided bomb attacks on Ukrainian territory. According to the Ministry of Defense, over 5,328 KABs were used against Ukrainian troop positions and frontline cities. This figure represents the largest number of guided bombs dropped in a single month since the start of 2025. Officials said the scale of such strikes continues to grow.

Extended-range bombs hit Odesa Oblast earlier for the first time

In late October, Russian forces struck Odesa Oblast with extended-range guided bombs for the first time. Civilian infrastructure was damaged in the attack. Ukrainian media noted that these bombs have greater range and can reach deeper into the region than earlier models, expanding the threat area along the southern front.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that Russian Su-34 aircraft have received new universal glide and correction modules, or UMPKs, for FAB-500T bombs. These devices convert conventional bombs into guided glide munitions capable of traveling over 100 kilometers. The modification allows Su-34 jets to launch strikes from outside the engagement zones of Ukrainian air defense systems.

Ukraine struck deep into Russian territory with drone attacks on the Sterlitamak petrochemical plant in Bashkortostan nearly 1,500 kilometers inside Russia early on 4 November 2025, local sources reported. The facility, one of Russia’s key chemical producers tied to the defense industry, suffered explosions and visible fires after the strike.

The Sterlitamak petrochemical plant is one of Bashkortostan’s largest chemical enterprises. It is an important site supplying the Russian defense-industrial complex. The plant manufactures synthetic rubber, isoprene, ionol, and aviation gasoline — materials used in military production.

Explosions and drone alert in Sterlitamak

Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ shared photos and videos from the scene and reported that residents of Sterlitamak heard two powerful explosions before dawn and that drone attack alerts sounded across the city. The shared footage shows three distinct smoke sources at the Sterlitamak petrochemical plant.

Local authorities later confirmed an explosion allegedly at the water treatment workshop of the Sterlitamak petrochemical plant, saying the building partially collapsed while five workers were inside. Officials claimed no one was injured. Emergency services and the city’s head arrived at the scene, saying the causes of the explosion were being investigated.

Russian Telegram channel Astra published several videos geolocated to the plant area, showing at least two explosions at 6:22 and 7:09 a.m. local time, followed by fires and heavy smoke.

The channel also said airports in Ufa, Kazan, and Nizhnekamsk were temporarily closed after the incident. OSINT analysis by Astra noted several separate fire spots around the industrial zone and suggested that one ignition point appeared near railway tanks or storage facilities north of the main complex.

The head of Bashkortostan, Radiy Khabirov, said the Sterlitamak industrial complex was hit by two drones. He alleged that Russian air defenses and security services shot both down, but admitted that ostensibly debris fell in the industrial area, allegedly damaging auxiliary facilities. Khabirov said there were no casualties and claimed the enterprise continued operating normally.

Ukrainian officials have not commented on this latest strike.

The same industrial area in Sterlitamak was targeted last month, when drones attacked a nearby plant involved in producing oil and gas equipment and explosives.

Ukrainian drones struck deep into Russian territory overnight on 3–4 November 2025, igniting a massive fire at the Lukoil oil refinery in the city of Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod oblast, Russia, according to local authorities and news Telegram channels. 

The refinery is one of Russia’s largest oil processing facilities, with an annual capacity of around 17 million tons. It supplies fuel to the Moscow region and produces over 50 types of petroleum products, including automotive gasoline, aviation and diesel fuel, as well as paraffins and bitumen.

Fire hits Lukoil refinery after drone attack

In the early hours of 4 November, residents of Kstovo reported a series of powerful explosions followed by a large blaze rising from the city's industrial zone. Ukrainian Telegram channels Exilenova+ and Supernova+ published videos and photos showing a red glow lighting the skyline and the open fire. One post, sharing photos of the fire, sarcastically noted that “nothing is burning… except the Lukoil refinery.”

 Supernova+ reported that locals heard around 20 explosions before the fire broke out and smelled burning rubber in the air.

The Kstovo-based refinery was last targeted just a month ago.

Rosaviatsia, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, temporarily shut down airspace during the Kstovo attack and ordered a local airport closure, the closures in six other cities: Volgograd, Tambov, Penza, Saratov, Samara, and Belgorod.

Russia claims drones downed, but refinery still burned

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that air defense forces intercepted 85 Ukrainian drones across several regions overnight. Of those, 20 were ostensibly shot down over Nizhny Novgorod oblast, where Kstovo is located. 

Ukrainian military intelligence struck several Russian radar installations in occupied Crimea overnight on 2 November, targeting components of Russian air defense. The operation hit a radar from the S-400 system, its power generator, and two additional radar systems located at a Russian airfield, Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) says.

HUR strikes S-400 radar and airfield systems

HUR shared exclusive video footage showing the destruction of the Russian air defense assets, and reported that the strike was carried out by the Department of Active Operations during the night of 1 to 2 November.

The targeted site was a control point of a Russian S-400 Triumf anti-aircraft missile battalion, which was on active combat duty. According to HUR, the attack destroyed a Russian 92N6E multifunctional radar and the autonomous power supply equipment—a generator vehicle—of the S-400 command post. These components were identified as being in service at the combat position of the S-400 system in occupied Crimea.

Surveillance and airfield radars also destroyed

HUR added that the operation also successfully struck two additional radar systems used by the Russian occupation army. These were the AORL-1AC airfield surveillance radar and the P-18 Terek circular surveillance radar.

Ongoing campaign against Russian air defenses

Over the past month, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence and armed forces have destroyed a series of high-value Russian radar and missile systems across occupied regions and inside Russia.

• Days ago, the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces reported the destruction of the Russian Buk‑M3 launcher and Nebo‑U radar in Rostov Oblast, Russia.
• In late October, HUR's unit Prymary destroyed two Russian Podlet radars, a SAM S-300V's launcher in Donetsk Oblast
• Earlier in October, the Ghosts hit three radar stations in occupied Crimea — a 96L6 from the S-400 Triumf system, a P-18 Terek, and a 55Zh6U Nebo-U.
• HUR drones destroyed two more radars — a Nebo-SVU and a Buk-M3 launcher — in southern Ukraine.
• In a separate strike, the Ukrainian Armed Forces targeted another Buk-M3 launcher at an undisclosed location in occupied territory.
• HUR also struck a Valdai radar site in Crimea
• The army also hit a Garmon radar with an Iskander transporter-loader vehicle in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.

Ukrainian special forces struck two logistics facilities used by Russian troops in occupied Luhansk Oblast overnight on 3 November, according to the Special Operations Forces (SSO). The shared footage suggests that the SSO has used medium-range FP-2 drones, carrying 105 kg of explosives. Separately, Ukraine’s SBU security service released footage of its own drone strikes on Russian positions and logistics points in occupied territory, using the same FP-2s.

Ukrainian SOF destroys Russian fuel site and warehouse near Luhansk

Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces said their units conducted strikes on two Russian military logistics targets in occupied Luhansk Oblast in the early hours of 3 November. According to their statement, the operations aimed to disrupt supply lines supporting the Russian "Center"  military grouping.

One of the strikes reportedly hit a fuel unloading point near the town of Dovzhansk approximately 150 km behind the lines. The SSO's footage shows a strike on a fuel train at the facility.

Another SOF strike reportedly destroyed a supply warehouse near the village of Rozkishne, Luhansk's southern suburb, around 90 km from the frontline.

The military didn't mention the type of the drones used in both strikes. However, the released footage shows a first-person view and interface consistent with FP-2 drones.

The Ukrainian military stated that the successful strikes “created a fuel shortage and disrupted enemy logistics within the Russian ‘Center’ force grouping.”

SBU releases drone strike video from occupied territories

On the same day, Ukraine’s SBU security service released its own video footage showing drone attacks against Russian-used buildings in occupied territory. The agency did not specify the locations of the strikes.

According to the SBU, its Alpha unit carried out “a series of precise attacks” on Russian military positions and logistics infrastructure using FP-2 drones. The targeted sites included areas used for gathering vehicles and personnel involved in enemy logistics and troop distribution.

The SBU noted that the strikes were executed during the night and credited the drone’s explosive payload with ensuring the operation’s effectiveness. The agency emphasized that the targeted structures were critical to Russia’s operational planning and movement.

The UK has quietly delivered a new batch of Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine, according to Bloomberg. The resupply was timed ahead of winter, with British officials fearing Russia will escalate attacks on Ukrainian civilians in the coming months.

UK sends more Storm Shadows without announcing how many

People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that the UK government recently provided Ukraine with additional Storm Shadow missiles. The exact number of missiles remains undisclosed, and the delivery was not publicly announced. Officials described the move as a precaution, aimed at ensuring Ukraine’s long-range capabilities are maintained through winter, when the Kremlin may intensify its assault on civilian infrastructure.

Storm Shadows are British-made, air-launched cruise missiles with a range of over 250 kilometers. They use inertial and terrain-reference navigation combined with GPS and are designed to fly low and fast, making them difficult to intercept. The UK does not regularly confirm how many Storm Shadows it has provided to Ukraine.

Storm Shadow strikes inside Russia resumed recently

In October, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said Storm Shadow missiles were used in a large-scale strike that successfully penetrated Russian air defenses and hit a chemical plant inside Russia. That was the first confirmed use of the missile inside Russian territory since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January.

Ukraine first launched Storm Shadows into Russia in November last year, just a day after it used US-provided ATACMS missiles for the first time. The British weapons require US targeting data to reach their full potential. 

In the early hours of 3 November, explosions shook the Russian city of Saratov as several Telegram channels shared footage and local accounts pointing to a Ukrainian drone strike on the city’s oil refinery. Later that day, Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed the refinery had been hit.

Saratov oil refinery struck again in confirmed Ukrainian drone attack

Initial reports began surfacing around 00:50 Kyiv time, when residents of Saratov and the nearby city of Engels heard powerful blasts and the operation of air defense systems.

Supernova+, a Ukrainian Telegram channel, shared a photo showing smoke over the refinery and commented that air defense systems were active above the site.

The Ukrainian Telegram channel, Exilenova+, published footage of a drone strike, confirming a strike on the refinery. 

According to the Russian Telegram channel Shot, locals described a series of explosions in the sky, which continued intermittently for about an hour as of time of the reporting. Shot said people across Balakovo and Kalininsky districts of Saratov Oblast reported hearing drones and loud detonations.

Dnipro OSINT geolocated the video, stating it captured a Ukrainian drone hitting the Saratov refinery’s AVT-6 crude distillation unit. 

Russian Telegram channel Astra also reviewed the visuals and also concluded that the target of the attack was the Saratov refinery, noting that the impacted area appeared to be covered with a protective net.

"It is worth noting that the video already shows a source of fire in the western part of the plant, possibly near the storage tanks," Astra added.

One of Russia’s largest oil refineries repeatedly targeted

The Saratov oil refinery is among the largest industrial fuel facilities in Russia. It produces gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, road and roofing bitumen, vacuum gas oil, and technical sulfur. The plant is owned by Rosneft and processed around 5.8 million tons of oil in 2024–2.2% of all oil refined in Russia that year. In 2023, it processed 4.8 million tons.

Ukrainian defense news outlet Militarnyi noted that the refinery has already been targeted seven times in 2025 by Ukrainian drones. Astra said that this was at least the sixth confirmed strike.

In the span of 24 hours, unidentified drones were spotted twice over Kleine-Brogel Air Base, a highly sensitive military installation in Belgium that stores US nuclear weapons. The incidents triggered aerial police responses and the use of military jamming devices, but no drone operators were located or apprehended.

Belgian nuclear base sees two drone breaches in one day

In the early evening of 1 November 2025, around 6:30 p.m., drones were detected over Kleine-Brogel Air Base in Peer, Limburg Province, HLN reported. The site is known to house American nuclear weapons and is set to become the home of Belgium’s F-35 fighter jets starting in 2027.

Police were immediately alerted, and a helicopter was deployed to pursue the drones, which reportedly flew toward the Netherlands. Authorities were unable to intercept them or identify the drone pilots.

Belgian defense minister confirms jammer failed during incident

On 2 November, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken confirmed that military forces fired a drone-jamming gun in an effort to disable one of the drones. The device, which uses radio waves to disrupt drone communication, proved ineffective. Francken suggested that either radio frequency mismatches or distance may have rendered the jammer useless.

He stated earlier on X that the drones observed overnight were of a larger type and appeared to have a "clear mission" targeting Kleine-Brogel specifically, rather than being accidental overflights. He also confirmed that detection systems had picked up the drone presence and thanked the base guard team for its vigilance. A local resident captured video footage of a drone near the base, which circulated in Belgian media. 

More bases targeted in growing pattern

Drones were also seen overnight near the military area in Leopoldsburg, which lies close to Kleine-Brogel, Belga said. 

The drone incidents in Limburg follow similar suspicious flights last month over a military base in Elsenborn.

Previously, unidentified drones have been sighted twice over the military base in Marche-en-Famenne in southern Belgium.

No suspects have been identified in any of the recent incidents.