Exclusives

Russia’s next drone-beating tech: the dandelion tank. Branching metal structures, similar to the florets on a dandelion, could further boost Russian vehicles' protection against drones.

Blasting a few Russian vehicles may only delay Hulyaipole’s fall. Tired and outnumbered Ukrainian troops are fighting to save Hulyaipole. But the Russians are likely to push hard for another two months.

Nearly four years of war later, Putin gets better peace terms than when Russia was winning. Trump's 28-point plan offers Moscow territorial recognition and NATO exclusion it couldn't achieve in 2022 Istanbul talks—despite Russia's battlefield losses, massive casualties, and tightening sanctions. The plan arrives as Ukraine's government faces its worst wartime corruption crisis.

Ukraine faces existential pressure—and still jails the detectives who exposed a $100M corruption scheme. Four months in detention, zero evidence of espionage. The schemes they uncovered toppled ministers.

“Carlson” flees: $100M corruption scandal erupts inside Ukraine’s nuclear sector. NABU raids expose systematic kickbacks at Energoatom as Zelenskyy’s business partner escapes hours before arrest.

Trump-backed peace plan lands in Kyiv, testing Ukraine’s resolve amid war and corruption scandal. A 28-point blueprint backed by US President Donald Trump — not yet officially published — is already reverberating from Kyiv to Brussels and Moscow, even before its details have been formally unveiled.

Military

Ukrainian Barracuda naval drone sneaks through Dnipro wetlands to blow up Russian ammo site (VIDEO) Homemade Ukrainian system disrupts Russian supply lines as Ukraine expands drone operations across Dnipro river.

Frontline report: Russia strikes Azerbaijani embassy in Kyiv as Baku emerges as key Moscow rival Azerbaijan has quietly become one of Russia's most significant strategic challengers, supplying fighter jets and gas to Ukraine while reshaping regional energy markets. Moscow's missile strike on the Azerbaijani embassy marks a dangerous escalation in their confrontation.

Russia launched 112,000 Shahed drones at Ukrainian homes and children since 2022, commander says The Iranian-designed attack drones have targeted civilian infrastructure throughout the invasion.

ISW: Russia deploys new offensive template using fog and terrain to advance on Huliaipole (MAP) Tactic mirrors recent Velykomykhailivka operations where fog enabled Russian capture of nearby settlements.

Frontline report: Ukrainian forces repel Russian assault at Novopavlivka, inflict 50% casualties despite fog advantage While Russian analysts claimed two successful crossings with zero losses, Ukrainian forces documented the reality: one crossing with roughly 50 soldiers, half of whom were eliminated or captured, along with destroyed armored vehicles and a seized BMP-1 trophy.

Canada delivers 25 M113 APCs and air-to-air missile components to Ukrainian forces Canada is shipping more than 150,000 pieces of winter equipment worth $30 million to Ukraine. The package also includes 78,351 pairs of wet weather winter boots and 51,679 winter jackets.

Ukraine's Praktika partners with Spanish firms to build combat-tested armored vehicles in EU A Ukrainian manufacturer of light armored vehicles has signed an agreement with two Spanish defense companies to produce combat-tested military equipment on EU soil, marking the first such partnership for Ukraine's private defense sector in Europe.

Chile secretly sells 30 Marder IFVs to Germany in likely Ukraine ring exchange Thirty of Chile's 270 Marder infantry fighting vehicles—purchased from Germany for just $7.3 mn in 2009—are now headed back to their country of origin in a ring exchange likely to channel the armor to Ukraine.

Ireland quietly delivers five radar systems to Ukraine alongside ambulances and de-mining robots Five radar systems, 34 vehicles including ambulances, and three bomb disposal robots—that's what Ukraine received from Ireland in recent months.

First British Terrahawk Paladin air defense system confirmed operational in Ukraine The Terrahawk Paladin, a British counter-drone system promised to Ukraine in 2023, has entered operational service with modifications including protective radar screening.

Russian drone attack hits Odesa overnight, hospitalizes three with burns and head trauma Ukraine's southern regions faced coordinated Russian attacks overnight, with casualties reported in Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, according to local military administrations.

Woman killed, two hospitalized as Russian drones strike two Dnipro communities overnight Russian forces launched a two-pronged assault on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast overnight, with drones killing a woman in Synelnykove district while artillery and FPV drones pounded Nikopol district.

Ukraine hits two major Russian refineries in back-to-back nights: Ilsk and Ryazan (MAP) Ukraine aims to erode the Kremlin's ability to sustain military operations through sustained pressure.

Intelligence and Technology

Ukraine arms infantry with ammo that splits mid-flight to hit drones Ukrainian Defense Ministry codifies rounds from multiple producers, clearing path for serial production.

International

British politician jailed for promoting Kremlin propaganda in EU Parliament for bribes The former Welsh leader of Reform UK, Nathan Gill, secretly pushed Moscow's talking points in exchange for bribes, prosecutors said.

Europe races to counter Trump's Ukraine peace plan with own proposal European leaders are preparing an alternative peace proposal for Ukraine within days, responding to a White House plan that demands Kyiv cede the Donbas region and accept Russia's control of other territories in exchange for Moscow's return to the G8 and sanctions relief.

Chinese, Indian entities recognize "importance of relationships with the west" amid Russia sanctions Banks and refineries across China and India are choosing to maintain their ties with the West over continuing business with Russia's two largest oil companies, a US Treasury official said on 20 Nov.

Humanitarian and Social Impact

Every major Ukrainian thermal and hydro plant now damaged from Russian strikes – Energy Ministry Systematic Russian bombing campaign leaves generation capacity severely limited and cities across Ukraine in darkness.

Russian drone strikes UN warehouse in Dnipro, destroying 10,000 food packages for frontline civilians (PHOTOS) Strike destroys aid for areas where regular supply chains collapsed under Russian attacks.

Political and Legal Developments

Zelenskyy warns of "one of the hardest moments" as US peace plan demands what it fought to protect Trump's 28-point blueprint echoes Russian demands of territorial concessions and military cuts while European allies signal they won't support forcing Ukraine to surrender.

How UK drug cash becomes Russian military funds: £1 billion laundering network Criminal group acquired 75% of Kyrgyz bank to funnel payments to Russian military.

Zelenskyy's support collapses to 25% as "Mindichgate" scandal engulfs Ukraine — Politico Ukrainian President's approval rating has plummeted to approximately 25% following revelations of a $100 mn corruption scheme involving his former business partner and closest advisers.

Read our previous daily review here.

Exclusives

Editorial: It’s time for Zelenskyy to choose Ukraine over reelection. Every catastrophic decision traces to protecting his political future

Military

Ukraine hits two major Russian refineries in back-to-back nights: Ilsk and Ryazan (MAP)

Ukraine arms infantry with ammo that splits mid-flight to hit drones. Ukrainian Defense Ministry codifies rounds from multiple producers, clearing path for serial production.

ISW: Ukraine's interdiction cripples Russian vehicle use and troop massing in Pokrovsk (MAP). The 15–20 km "kill zone" in Pokrovsk poses a major threat to movement, complicating logistics. ISW, however, expects Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad to fall.

Ukraine to arm energy companies to shoot down Russian missiles. Energy, transport, and communications companies will be able to form air-defense groups under Air Force command to better protect critical infrastructure sites.

Frontline report: Ukraine deploys ground kamikaze drones in combat for first time near Lyman. The innovation by the Third Army Corps demonstrates how Ukraine is leveraging automated systems to compensate for manpower shortages against Russian infiltration tactics.

Ukrainian drones cut power to 16,000 in Kursk, hit major Ryazan oil refinery in overnight strikes. Ukrainian strike drones targeted Russian energy infrastructure across two oblasts overnight, disabling power substations and igniting fires at the Ryazan oil refinery, which processes 5% of Russia's crude oil.

Russian missile strike on Ternopil: 230 rescuers search for 22 missing as death toll reaches 26. Rescue teams from nine Ukrainian oblasts cleared over 700 square meters of rubble searching for 22 people still missing after a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile struck a nine-story residential building in Ternopil on 19 Nov., killing 26 people and injuring 93 others.

Overnight Russian attacks injuries 6, damage energy infrastructure in 4 oblasts. Russia injured at least 6 people in overnight and morning attacks across Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and Donetsk oblasts, while strikes on energy infrastructure in four oblasts triggered nationwide power restrictions, regional authorities reported.

Ukrainian combat robot equipped with Browning 12.7 mm heavy machine gun held infantry position alone for 1.5 months. Russians couldn't breach defensive line under constant UGS fire.

Intelligence and Technology

Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy grid follow systematic pattern, analysis shows (MAPS). Texty analysis reveals coordinated strikes on substations, power plants, and gas facilities over three months.

Russian spacecraft stalks German satellites at 88km, close enough to intercept signals. Germany responds with a new €35 billion space warfare program.

International

Trump-backed peace plan lands in Kyiv, testing Ukraine's resolve amid war and corruption scandal. An unpublished 28-point blueprint backed by US President Donald Trump is already reverberating from Kyiv to Brussels and Moscow, even before its details have been formally unveiled.

ISW: Trump's reported peace plan is "fundamentally the same as Russia's 2022 Istanbul demands". The proposed deal would give Russia vital Ukrainian territory and allow it to conserve resources for future aggression, according to ISW.

Trump's peace plan sounds like it came straight from Moscow, Finnish foreign minister says. The Finnish top diplomat warned the proposal risks erasing the UN Charter and undermining international law entirely.

Poland to allocate $100 million for the purchase of American weapons for Ukraine. Poland will spend $100 million by year's end on American weapons for Ukraine through the newly established PURL program, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski announced, while cautioning that Europe's security depends on how the war concludes

Polish ambassador physically attacked by pro-Kremlin mob in St. Petersburg. A group of approximately 10 pro-Russian activists attacked Polish ambassador Krzysztof Krajewski in St. Petersburg on 16 Nov., with security forces preventing what Poland's Foreign Ministry described as the most serious assault on its diplomats in years

Berlin to arm Ukraine with long-range weapons, stays silent on Taurus. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed that Ukraine will receive long-range weapons systems from Berlin but refused to answer whether those systems include Taurus cruise missiles, citing the need to keep Moscow guessing about Western military support.

Poland deploys 10,000 troops, closes Russian consulate after rail blast blamed on Moscow. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski accused Russia of "an act of state terrorism" on 20 Nov. and promised a response "more than just diplomatic" after an explosion damaged rail tracks used to deliver aid to Ukraine, with authorities identifying two Ukrainian citizens who allegedly carried out the attack on Russian orders.

US-Russia peace plan, negotiated without Ukraine, lists Kyiv's concessions but reportedly stays silent on security guarantees. Ukraine is told to cede territories, halve forces, recognize the Russian language.

Humanitarian and Social Impact

Russian drone strikes UN warehouse in Dnipro, destroying 10,000 food packages for frontline civilians (PHOTOS). Strike destroys aid for areas where regular supply chains collapsed under Russian attacks.

Kyiv to launch first protected mini heat and power plants as city braces for hardest wartime winter. Protected mini-CHP plants to keep Kyiv's heat and lights on under Russian attacks

"They are just scaring you": How a South African politician allegedly lured 20 men into Russia's military. Duduzile Zuma, daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma and current member of parliament, recruited approximately 20 young men from South Africa and Botswana who ended up on the frontlines in Ukraine after being promised bodyguard training jobs

Russia transfers 1,000 bodies to Ukraine in latest repatriation operation. Ukrainian investigators will begin identifying 1,000 bodies returned from Russia on 20 November. This is the third large-scale repatriation in two months

Political and Legal Developments

Ukraine names first Russian commander in Bucha war crimes probe

Kyiv at OSCE: Russia launches 23 Novator nuclear-capable missiles banned under INF Treaty against Ukraine. Russia began firing banned nuclear-capable missiles at Ukraine a week after Trump summit in Alaska.

Ukraine prepares first environmental war damage claim in history against Russia for 237 million tons of CO2 emissions. The country intends to demands $44 billion from Russia.

Read our previous daily review here.

The contract is broken

The Mindich scandal exposed more than $100 million stolen from Ukraine’s nuclear operator Energoatom. It exposed the gap between the country Ukrainians are building and the government Zelenskyy is running.

When Russia invaded, Ukrainians made an unwritten deal with Zelenskyy: Lead us through this war, and we’ll follow.

The contract broke when Zelenskyy crossed a red line: soldiers dying at the front while his friends steal at home.

Protests in July proved Ukraine has evolved. When Zelenskyy’s team tried to subordinate the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) to protect his inner circle from the Energoatom investigation, teenagers flooded streets all over Ukraine with cardboard signs: “You promised a just state,” and veterans in wheelchairs: “We’re fighting for Ukraine, not for your impunity.”

Ten days later, Zelenskyy capitulated. The protesters won.

This was no anomaly, but a revelation. Ukrainian society, especially the generation inheriting this country, has evolved beyond post-Soviet patronage networks. They’re demanding a new bargain: dignity over loyalty, accountability over connections, and law over personal networks.

The impossible defense

Zelenskyy pretends corruption exists separately from him. But there are only two possibilities:

1. He knew his business partner ran a protection racket at Energoatom during wartime—making him complicit in betraying dying soldiers.
2. Or he didn’t know—raising questions about basic competence while celebrating birthdays with thieves.

Criminal or incompetent. Pick one.

This matters because Ukraine doesn’t have time to resolve this slowly. The gap between evolved society and stagnant leadership isn’t embarrassing—it's existentially dangerous.

Democracy is the weapon

Ukraine’s greatest asset isn’t its military technology—it’s its democratic legitimacy. That’s what keeps soldiers fighting even when exhausted, civilians enduring blackouts long past the point of patience, and partners sending billions despite their own fatigue.

The demoralization is real. Soldiers rotating from the front ask: “Are we still fighting for a country worth saving?” When the answer feels uncertain, desertion rates climb. Mobilization resistance hardens. The front weakens not because Russia is stronger, but because society loses faith.

Partners are watching. The EU froze $5.5 billion when Zelenskyy attacked NABU. The FBI is coordinating with NABU on the Mindich case. Western governments will push catastrophic "peace" deals the moment democratic legitimacy collapses.

But Ukraine has working institutions—NABU's work proved it. Ukraine also has its civic society—citizens demanding accountability even during war.

What Ukraine lacks is leadership aligned with where society has gone.

That gap could destroy everything.

Political ambitions are the cancer

Each catastrophic decision traces to protecting his political future. Seeking reelection while governing during existential crisis creates two deadly pathologies:

1. The patronage trap. Building a reelection coalition in Ukraine's system requires patronage networks—protect your people, they protect you. Prosecute your inner circle, and the network breaks. Your political base dissolves.

This creates a circle of incompetence: you cannot fire incompetent allies or promote talented critics without breaking the network.

Andriy Yermak epitomizes this. Officially Zelenskyy's chief of staff, unofficially more powerful than vice-president, defense minister, foreign minister, and prime minister combined—yet with no expertise justifying that power, monopolizing decision-making while demonstrating catastrophic incompetence. It was Yermak who orchestrated the attack on NABU when investigators reached Zelenskyy's circle.

He survives because he's indispensable to the patronage network, not because he's competent.

The pattern repeats everywhere: former energy chief Volodymyr Kudrytskyi secured $1.5 billion for Ukrenergo, then got dismissed and prosecuted for criticizing the energy minister. Yet Zelenskyy’s childhood friend-turned-security chief head Ivan Bakanov was only fired after catastrophic losses made costs impossible to ignore in 2022.

Competent officials who might criticize get removed. Incompetent loyalists get protected.

2. The popularity trap. Maintaining poll numbers for reelection requires avoiding unpopular decisions—even when those decisions are necessary for survival.

Mobilization is the most devastating example. Ukraine's troop shortage isn't accidental, but the result of postponing painful decisions. Russian forces advance daily. Exhausted troops fight understaffed. Soldiers die because replacements never arrive.

They're not being sacrificed for strategy, but for polls—hard decisions cannot be popular.

During peacetime, patronage breeds stagnation and poll-watching breeds paralysis. During war, both kill.

Every delayed mobilization decision costs lives at the front. Every protected corrupt official tells soldiers their sacrifice is worthless.

Presidents seeking reelection need: loyal coalitions (patronage), popular support (avoid hard choices), controlled information (attack critics), and no competent rivals.

Every electoral need conflicts with wartime governance needs.

You cannot simultaneously build a reelection machine and govern during an existential crisis.

The choice

Ukrainians are saying: We’ll stand with you until the war ends. But not beyond. Not with your friends. We expect honesty. We expect our sacrifice hasn’t been in vain.

This isn’t rejection; it’s the new social contract.

Two paths:

George Washington stepped down after two terms. Walking away from power cemented his greatness.

Winston Churchill led Britain to victory, then lost in a landslide two months later because voters wanted reform. He spent his final years bitter.

Washington announced the endpoint, built institutions that survived him, and became immortal.

Churchill clung to power until voters rejected him.

Ukraine has evolved. Can Zelenskyy?

The choice is concrete:

Announce publicly he will not seek reelection. This single decision removes every perverse incentive—no need to protect patronage networks, no fear of unpopular mobilization decisions, no reason to attack investigators.

Then immediately:

• Fire Andriy Yermak and dismantle the shadow government in the Office of the President
• Enable full NABU investigation without interference or coordination from the Presidential Office
• Appoint competent professionals over political loyalists, even if they might eclipse him
• Make the unpopular mobilization decisions Ukraine's survival requires
• Acknowledge the patronage system he promised to break has been entrenched instead

This isn't about shame. It's about freedom—his freedom to govern for Ukraine's survival rather than his political survival.

Ukrainians have already made their choice. They'll follow him through this war. But only if he leads the country they're fighting for, not the system they're fighting to leave behind.

Exclusives

Peering through fog, Ukrainian jets and drones blast Russian troops in Pokrovsk. Ukraine's best manned and unmanned aircraft can see through bad weather. But they're too few to stop the Russians.

US sanctions ignite $22B Lukoil asset fire sale. Exxon and Chevron circle Iraq and Kazakhstan assets as markets worry about oversupply.

Leak exposes Kremlin-funded "legal aid" network as new front in Russian hybrid warfare in Ukraine. Russian state fund quietly backed lawyers, draft-dodging advice, and propaganda sites.

Why are Ukraine's Mirage 2000 jets carrying 40-year-old missiles?. Arming a Mirage 2000 fighter with the old Magic 2 missile handicaps the jet—by limiting its reach during air-defenses sorties.

From FPV radars to prosthetic drone controls: Kyiv hackathon speeds wartime innovation. The European Defense Tech Hackathon was the first event of its kind held in Kyiv. The winning teams will go on to develop and implement these solutions for the military, under the guidance and supervision of experienced service members.

Military

No clear goal in Pokrovsk — ISW says Russia trying to encircle and storm towns simultaneously. Ukrainian defenders now face glide bombs, southward incursions, and northwest flanking attempts — all at once.

ISW: Russian forces try to apply Pokrovsk-style tactics in Siversk and Lyman against Ukraine's Fortress Belt. The Kremlin is using a mix of weather-aided raids, artillery-coordinated drones, and forward infiltration near key defense axes.

Intelligence and technology

"This tragedy could have been prevented": Russia kills 25 Ukrainian civilians with missile produced with US, German, Dutch parts (VIDEO). The cruise missile was produced just three months ago.

International

French-built locomotives for Ukraine to replace aging fleet as its railways fight war and plan EU future

. Alstom-UZ deal ties wartime logistics to long-term reconstruction

Ukraine offered "Kremlin peace plan": Halve armed forces, cede territories, abandon weapons, accept Russian as official language. This means de-facto "Ukraine's capitulation."

Media: US presents Ukraine with peace framework requiring territorial concessions and military cuts. The Trump administration may propose Ukraine to accept the main points of a US-drafted peace plan with Russia that calls for cutting the size of Ukrainian armed forces and ceding territory, sources told Reuters, while a Pentagon delegation arrived in Kyiv to discuss battlefield conditions and nascent peace efforts.

Trump team meets top Putin envoy for three days in Miami — drafts secret Ukraine peace deal, Axios says. Kyiv remains sidelined, while Russian official Kirill Dmitriev said Trump's envoy was receptive to Moscow's position.

Humanitarian and social impact

Lviv prepares new burial ground for fallen soldiers, as its main military cemetery has only 19 spaces left. Former "Hill of Glory" becomes Section 87 for Ukraine's fallen defenders.

Russia kills 26 civilians in Ternopil, wounds more than a hundred across Ukraine in massive air assault on power grid (PICTURES, UPDATED). In Kharkiv, nearly 20 drones slammed into neighborhoods, destroying homes, shops, and city infrastructure in a targeted night attack.

Political and legal developments

Two Ukrainian ministers dismissed amid $100M Energoatom corruption scandal.

New developments

Ukrainian-language music consumption jumps to 57% as streaming data shows cultural shift during war. The study shows consumption of Ukrainian-language music has climbed to 57% in 2025, nearly double the 33% recorded before the full-scale invasion began.

Russia's first major African naval base since USSR suspended, as war against Ukraine drains resources. Russia abandons Indian Ocean ambitions.

While Ukrainian game "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl" becomes global hit, Russia bans studio for "aggressive Russophobia". One of the game developer's died defending Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast in 2022.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

The Arctic is melting, Ukraine is bleeding, and G7 "climate leaders" still won't quit Yamal LNG. Western gas purchases funded 271,000 Shahed drones—and accelerated Arctic warming

This is how Ukraine's F-16s hide from Russian drones. Ukraine's F-16s operate from night from small airstrips while under constant threat of Russian attack. Despite this, they're surviving.

Military

"We saw this near Vuhledar. It ended with Kurakhove's fall": Same Russian pattern now unfolding on another front, as Ukraine diverts forces to Pokrovsk. While 170,000 Russians pin Ukraine at Pokrovsk in Donbas, 70 trucks daily infiltrate the neighboring region.

Intelligence and technology

Japanese and Chinese machine tools found on Russian bomb production lines. International researchers traced foreign manufacturing equipment from Japan, China, and Taiwan to three Russian defense facilities producing guided bomb modules, missile stabilizers and ballistic missiles, according to the HUR Poland revises drone threat assessment: September drones carried explosives, not cardboard. Several hundred Russian drones flew toward Poland from Ukraine on a single September night, with 23 crossing the border and some penetrating 300 kilometers into Polish territory Sabotage strikes NATO's Ukraine weapons corridor. Railway attack fits pattern of Russian hybrid operations . Every tactical event is a strategic data point in coordinated, multi-domain hybrid campaigns

International

Orbán sells Trump-style "peace" for Ukraine by echoing Kremlin lines and attacking EU. In a soft-focus talk with German host Mathias Döpfner, Orbán presents himself as Trump's ally and would-be peacemaker while echoing Kremlin lines about Ukraine, sanctions, and a "failing" European Union. Photos reveal German deputies met in Moscow with sanctioned Russian influence network organizers. Two members of the European Parliament from Sahra Wagenknecht's ultra-left German party BSW met in Moscow with organizers of the Voice of Europe Russian influence network sanctioned by the EU, t-online reports European Commission calculates $59.9 billion military bill for Ukraine in 2026. Zelenskyy and Macron sign defense procurement deal as Paris visit opens door to rafale jets. France is considering a 10-year strategic agreement with Ukraine that would signal the provision of Rafale aircraft, Reuters reported, as President of Ukraine arrived in Paris for talks with Emmanuel Macron on defense cooperation. Ukraine receives 7,000 glass insulators from Lithuania in latest energy aid package. Ukraine has received its seventh support package from Lithuania's Litgrid, this time containing over 7,000 glass insulators collected from across the Baltic nation and delivered to help restore the country's battered energy infrastructure.

Humanitarian and social impact

"We began thinking the way they wanted us to," Ukrainian POW recounts Russia's Taganrog prison. "Maybe this hurts you, but truth must not stay silent," he said. Romanian village evacuated after Russian drone hits gas ship 500 meters from border. Authorities emptied Plauru, a Romanian village, after a Russian drone struck a vessel carrying 4,000 tons of liquefied gas just 500 meters away on the Ukrainian side of the border near Izmail port. 'A center of hell on Earth': 4,800 civilians trapped in frontline city of Kostiantynivka (VIDEO). Burned-out cars line the exits of Kostiantynivka, where 4,800 civilians are caught between Russian aerial strikes and evacuation routes that Ukrainian soldiers describe as increasingly deadly, the Donetsk Regional Military Administration reports. The Russian army struck energy facilities in five oblasts of Ukraine. Ukraine implements all-day power restrictions following attacks on Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Odesa, and Donetsk facilities

Political and legal developments

Prague police investigate Ukrainian flag "installation" near anti-Ukrainian speaker's residence. Ukrainian flags appeared on the fence near Tomio Okamura's Prague home, the SPD party leader, who held the ladder himself as workers removed Ukraine's flag from the Czech parliament building on his first day as chairman of the Chamber of Deputies. Former CIA chief joins Ukrainian missile maker's advisory board amid investigation into $100M scheme, involving Zelenskyy's associate. Earlier, Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies met with an FBI representative to discuss the investigation. Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

Military

Ukraine blows road to stop Russian infiltrations in Pokrovsk from northwest (VIDEO). Meanwhile, Russia sends suicide squads to clear barriers.

Russia loses eyes over Crimea, fuel, military echelon, troop concentration—all in Ukraine's four-target operation. Russia's Nebo-U radar saw everything within 400km, except the strike that killed it.

Grave Stone and Cheese Board are dead in Ukraine's elite forces' attack on city housing Russia's relocated Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine responds to Russian attacks on civilians with an assault on military objects.

Russia's Pokrovsk twin city strategy: Can't capture it, so plant flag on ruined mine, die, let Ukraine remove it (VIDEO). Russian soldiers planted flag thinking cameras would follow, but Ukrainian bullets arrived first.

Frontline report: Ukraine launches first missile campaign against Russia's power grid, destroying major thermal plants. After months of drone warfare, Kyiv has escalated to precision missile strikes on Russia's energy infrastructure. Coordinated attacks on thermal power plants in Voronezh and Orel mark Ukraine's first deliberate campaign using long-range precision missiles against Russia's core energy system, leaving entire cities without power, heat, or water.

Intelligence and technology

Russia may no longer need expensive missiles—Chinese SW800Pro-Y are modifying existing weapons to achieve unprecedented range. First 100km, then 200km, now 400km. The evolution is not stopping.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russia trains drone operators by hunting Ukrainians in Kherson streets – Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian president vows "special solutions" as Russian forces use frontline cities as live-fire training grounds.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

One long-term strategy could stop Russia’s glide bombs—but demands a painful choice. As many as 5,000 Russian glide bombs rain down on Ukraine every month. How can the Ukrainians slow the lethal rain?

Ukraine’s quick fix for Energoatom scandal may gut critical reforms. How the government responds will determine if this scandal only affects Energoatom or every other state company, destroying years of hard-won reforms.

Ukraine’s blackouts were avoidable. Energoatom corruption and political vendetta made them inevitable.. The blueprint existed. The funding existed. What happened instead reveals an institutional collapse more damaging than Russian missiles alone.

Taiwanese, South Korean companies supply industrial tools for Russia’s war.

Military

2,000+ Russian drones, 150+ missiles hit Ukraine's energy grid as repair workers operate "like ants" between emergencies Rolling blackouts affect multiple regions as workers coordinate rapid repairs on generation sites, transmission lines, and gas infrastructure damaged in the October-November assault.

Ukraine's Long Neptune missile, drones hit Russian oil terminal and air defenses in Novorossiysk Observers tracking open-source footage linked some of the strikes to a military unit housing S-300 or S-400 systems. NASA FIRMS confirmed fires across Novorossiysk.

Ukrainian drone swarm strikes occupied Donetsk, triggering fires and power outages (VIDEO) Residents reported intense anti-aircraft fire as drones circled the city for hours.

Frontline report: Ukraine executes textbook deception maneuver to reinforce embattled Myrnohrad Massive Ukrainian counterattacks along the Dobropillia frontline forced Russian forces to shift from offense to defense, creating a critical window for Ukrainian troops to rotate forces and deliver vital supplies to defenders in Myrnohrad.

ISW: Russia masses nine brigades on a 41‑kilometer strip — Huliaipole axis in Zaporizhzhia Oblast faces major pressure (MAP) Russian forces are pushing deeper toward Zaporizhzhia's Huliaipole and Dnipropetrovsk Oblast's Velykomykhailivka, using airstrikes and bad weather to blind Ukrainian drones.

Intelligence and Technology

Ukraine's homegrown 'Octopus' anti-Shahed interceptor drone enters mass production Combat-proven system operates at night, under electronic jamming, and at low altitude to counter conditions that strain standard air defenses.

Ukrainian intelligence derails Trans-Siberian Railway 6,600 km from Ukraine, hits North Korean weapons route (VIDEO) HUR released video showing explosive placement and detonation near Sosnovka in Khabarovsk Krai, disrupting a key corridor for weapons from North Korea.

International

"Ukraine's security is directly connected to ours" – 8 Nordic-Baltic countries pool $500M weapons package Package includes HIMARS rockets, air defense systems, and precision weapons sourced through NATO's PURL initiative to counter intensifying Russian strikes.

Reuters: US firm Carlyle seeks to buy Russia's Lukoil foreign assets Reuters reveals the US Treasury killed the Swiss trader's bid, paving the way for an American takeover.

Humanitarian and Social Impact

Russia trains drone operators by hunting Ukrainians in Kherson streets – Zelenskyy President vows "special solutions" as Russian forces use frontline cities as live-fire training grounds.

Russia launches massive air attack on Kyiv, killing 6 and wounding 36 civilians across the capital—children and pregnant woman among the injured (UPDATED) The Air Force says Moscow launched 430 drones and 19 missiles. More were killed in Odesa Oblast, while damage to power and other infrastructure facilities is reported across several regions.

Read our previous daily review here.

Exclusives

Russians rush into Pokrovsk as heavy fog blunts Ukraine's drone advantage. Drones are an effective defense, but only when the weather is clear. Ukraine has too few infantry to fill in when its drones can't see.

Russian information warfare escalates with fabricated MiG-31 hijacking plot targeting Romania and Ukraine. Analysis reveals coordinated multi-domain hybrid operation exploiting US troop withdrawal tensions

NABU survived Zelenskyy's July purge to expose his friend's $100M racket—now comes the harder test. Ukraine's justice system decides whether evidence by its top anti-corruption agency becomes convictions.

UN traces Kherson's "human safari" up the chain of command — to Putin himself. Erik Møse, Chair of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, which has declared Russia's drone terror a crime against humanity, explains how investigators traced a direct chain of command—from drone operators on the Dnipro's left bank to the Kremlin itself.

Military

No forests to hide in, no urban fortifications: Ukraine's southern front becomes Russia's open killing field. Russia tries Pokrovsk playbook again: encircle Huliaipole, threaten Zaporizhzhia, open route to Dnipro. Ukraine strikes power plant in occupied Donetsk, cutting electricity to key Russian-held cities. Strike on Starobesheve plant disrupts power across occupied territories, extending Ukraine's deep-strike campaign into areas Russia has held since 2014. Russia's petrochemical plant, producing military polymers engulfed in flames after Ukrainian strike 300 km away from border. Ukraine neutralizes threats on enemy soil. Failed to meet military quotas? Russia's solution: Send recruiters to meat assault units in Ukraine. Seven recruitment chiefs have been sent to frontline meat grinders for missing their conscription targets by 40%.

Intelligence and technology

Three years ago Ukraine bought Turkish drones—now it produces 4 million yearly, outpacing US. Ukraine's battlefield advantage becomes Europe's arsenal. Ukraine delivers $119 million in soft loans to 80 defense manufacturers, $112 million pending approval. Defense enterprises pay just 5% interest on loans up to UAH 500 million, with the state covering the remainder—enabling manufacturers to scale from battlefield-tested prototypes to serial production.

International

WhatsApp groups and dossiers: Ukrainian diplomat reveals how Russia sabotaged Istanbul peace talks. Russia's lead negotiator Vladimir Medinsky opened Istanbul peace talks with a lecture concluding "we, the Russians are killing Russians" and denied Ukrainian nationality despite sitting across from former defence ministers and generals Germany won't cut Ukraine aid over corruption case but will watch "very closely," spokesman says. A corruption scandal involving President Zelenskyy's former business partner and the state nuclear company Energoatom will not derail German aid to Ukraine, Berlin confirmed, though officials said they would monitor Kyiv's response "very closely." G7 ministers convene in Canada to discuss stalled Trump peace efforts, trade, and Russian escalation. Summit exposes rifts on Russia policy as Germany pledges €40 million for Ukraine's winter survival. Ukraine promises justice as $100 million corruption scandal comes under G7 allies spotlight in Canada. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha assures G7 partners that those embezzling from Energoatom will face justice.

Humanitarian and social impact

Another group of Ukrainian children freed from Russian deportation, propaganda and abuse. Among those returned: a 10-year-old bullied for speaking Ukrainian, children orphaned by medical neglect, and a teenager tortured over family ties to Ukraine's military. From Donetsk orphans to Russian soldiers: How occupation transforms Ukrainian children into occupiers. Ukrainian orphans in their new Russian military uniforms represent the endpoint of Russia's systematic child militarization program.

Political and legal developments

FBI, EU-backed Ukrainian anti-corruption agency coordinate in major nuclear operator scandal, which involves Zelenskyy's closest associate. New FBI officer arrives in Kyiv, immediately focuses on $100 million energy scandal. Ukraine's Energoatom exec detained for $100M embezzlement, enough for 40,000 interceptor drones as country sits in darkness. $360K in luxury apartments, three Mercedes. Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

UN traces Kherson’s “human safari” up the chain of command — to Putin himself. Erik Møse, Chair of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, which has declared Russia’s drone terror a crime against humanity, explains how investigators traced a direct chain of command—from drone operators on the Dnipro’s left bank to the Kremlin itself.

The Mindich tapes: anti-graft recordings expose Zelenskyy associate’s $100M nuclear operator protection racket. Money-laundering network operated like bank, spanning Kyiv to Atlanta to Moscow

Ukraine mocked Russia’s hairy anti-drone tanks—now builds its own. First "cope cages." Then "turtles." Now the Russians are making "hedgehog" tanks to defeat drones. And the Ukrainians are interested.

Military

Frontline report: Ukrainian troops reclaim Pokrovsk city center in daring nighttime raid Despite Russian claims of total control, Ukrainian forces from the 425th Assault Regiment infiltrated Pokrovsk under cover of darkness, cleared the municipal building, and raised the national flag in the city center - proving the battle for the strategic town is far from over.

Ukraine retreats from five towns in Zaporizhzhia as Russia pounds positions with 400 artillery strikes daily Southern Defense Forces say fortifications near-totally destroyed, Russian units now pressing to encircle Huliaipole.

Zelenskyy returns to Kherson as city endures relentless drone siege three years after freedom President meets military leaders, drone units to review defense measures as frontline city faces constant threat from Russian strikes.

Ukraine strikes Orsk oil refinery 1,400 km inside Russia in one of the war's deepest attacks Orsk facility produces 6.6 million tons annually, supplies Russian forces as Kyiv intensifies energy infrastructure campaign.

Ukraine shoots down only half of Russian drones as Moscow terror attack targets power facilities in three regions Russia's drones hit infrastructure in Odesa, Donetsk, and Kharkiv oblasts, injuring at least one civilian.

Difficult Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad battles rage as both Ukrainian and Russian forces advance, ISW reports Ukraine's defenders fight to keep supply lines open while Moscow's troops press from east and south.

Ukraine strikes Saratov refinery again — one of Russia's biggest oil plants set ablaze The Rosneft-owned facility erupted in flames overnight after explosions shook the city and sirens sounded.

Frontline report: Europe moves to seize Russian energy assets as US sanctions force Lukoil withdrawal New US sanctions targeting European entities cooperating with Russian oil subsidiaries have triggered a wave of nationalizations across the continent, from Germany's Rosneft refineries to Serbia's Gazprom-owned NIS, marking the end of Moscow's decades-long energy dominance in Europe.

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Intelligence and Technology

Ukraine opens drone exports to fund its defense – and Europe is buying Ukrainian companies opening facilities abroad to secure funding while NATO allies seek combat-proven systems, Bloomberg reports.

Russia arms Molniya drones with yellow phosphorus in Ukraine trench attacks A new report describes how Russian troops strip down mortar shells to harvest their flammable phosphorus cores.

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International

Denmark commits €188mn through "Danish model" to strengthen Ukraine's hand both militarily and diplomatically Package splits funding between Ukrainian defense industry, NATO initiative securing US weapons, and fuel deliveries as Copenhagen urges allies to contribute.

EU to "frontload" Ukraine's membership reforms in Lviv as Hungary blocks formal talks Western Ukrainian city to host Dec 10-11 summit reviewing reforms, planning next steps while Hungary blocks formal negotiating chapters.

Chinese refiner backs away from Russian oil amid sanctions fallout, Reuters says One of inland China's top oil buyers is sourcing non-Russian oil for winter deliveries.

EU conservatives block Hungary spy probe, fearing Orbán will weaponize investigation EPP refuses parliamentary inquiry as progressives demand immediate action

Trump admin guts UN resolution backing Ukraine's borders White House wants "territorial integrity" stripped from annual measure condemning Russian occupation.

NATO skies breached again: Romania fails to launch jets as Russian drone crashes in county next to Ukraine Residents in Romania's Tulcea County received alerts overnight, while fighter jets remained grounded due to weather conditions.

Europe's tribunal for Russian war crimes runs into Trump problem: who pays? Euronews reports that European donors are wary of funding €75M annual costs amid reduced US engagement under Trump.

Slovakia's MiG-29 gift to Ukraine wasn't illegal — prosecutor rejects pro-Russian Fico's accusations Officials confirmed that the aircraft transfer complied with the country's constitution and did not damage national interests.

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Humanitarian and Social Impact

Ukrainian suspect in Nord Stream blast on hunger strike says he's held alongside ISIS in Italian prison Locked down and denied proper food, Kuznetsov says he's being treated as "criminal no.1."

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Political and Legal Developments

London orders PrivatBank oligarchs to pay Ukraine $3bn for largest bank fraud in country's history The ruling finalizes an eight-year pursuit of losses equal to 1.5% of Ukraine's GDP, though collecting the money won't be easy

Read our previous daily review here.

Exclusives

Ukraine mocked Russia's hairy anti-drone tanks—now builds its own. First "cope cages." Then "turtles." Now the Russians are making "hedgehog" tanks to defeat drones. And the Ukrainians are interested.

Bolgrad uncorks defiance: wine festival returns as Russian missiles fly. After a six-year hiatus, southern Ukraine's largest wine festival returned on 8 November with air raid alerts, backup generators, and a wartime mission.

Russian improvised armor destroying tanks it's meant to protect.

Military

Ukrainian drone strike hits vital Russian fuel base in Crimea —pumping station targeted in precision drone strike (VIDEO). Kyiv's Special Operations Forces struck a vital pumping station at the Hvardiiskyi facility in Sakskyi district overnight using a heavy-payload drone. Third strike in months targets Likhaya railway hub in southern Russia — reports cite control post and oil depot as possible targets (VIDEO). The blast reportedly hit the Likhovskoy area, next to the border of occupied Luhansk Oblast. Russia's Tuapse port hit again — ship burns, pier damaged, Russian officials scramble to rewrite reports (VIDEO). Videos show an explosion rocking Russia's Black Sea port. The same port was last targeted just a week ago. ISW: Russian advance pace in Pokrovsk remains decreased as Moscow focuses on logistics. Russian troops conduct infiltration raids in and through southern Pokrovsk, ISW reported.

Intelligence and technology

Russia buys 6.5 million North Korean munitions with nuclear secrets, documents reveal. Three nations are fueling weapons and equipment to the one war machine. What else is killing Russian soldiers except for Ukrainian troops? Drugs, suicide, and military food. Russia's genocidal army is eating itself alive. Ukraine's "Iron Birds" down Russia's Stingray that guides S-400s and Lancets. The drone that directs Russia's precision strikes just became scrap metal. Russian drones set their own detonators at altitude: Why cutting wires won't save from new Gerberas?. Russia turned reconnaissance drones into roadside bombs, as they arm themselves before they land.

International

Zelenskyy demands tougher sanctions as Russia's oil revenues plunge 27%. Ukraine proposes targeting energy profiteers and child abductors in 20th EU package Five unidentified drones flew over Belgium's Doel nuclear plant. The Doel plant encounter adds to a wave of suspicious drone appearances near critical sites including military bases and airports. What West mistakes for Ukraine's peace talks is Soviet psychological warfare: Ex-military chief reveals four stages of Russia's Cold War–era "Gromyko Method". Zaluzhnyi exposes how Russia employs the 'Gromyko Method' to buy killing time.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russian drones and bombs injure civilians, hit homes and energy infrastructure in nine oblasts. The Russians killed a Kherson man and injured at least eight more civilians across Ukraine.

Political and legal developments

Ukraine's top anti-corruption agency raids shadow managers who controlled country's only nuclear operator through kickback scheme. Investigators discovered systematic corruption at Energoatom during 15-month probe, with external actors demanding 10-15% kickbacks from contractors. Kremlin claims war ends only "when Russia achieves its goals" — and they mean Ukraine's erasure. Moscow blames the West for stalled talks. Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

Dobropillia diversion: did Russia trick Ukraine into losing Pokrovsk?. A Russian incursion north of Pokrovsk in August diverted Ukrainian reinforcements. Was it all in the Kremlin's plan?

The Boomerang Soldiers: How Romania’s commandos became mercenaries—then came back to coup Bucharest. Instructors who fought for Wagner in Africa trained operatives in Balkan forest camps. Those operatives deployed to sabotage Moldova's vote, storm Romania's capital, and fight in Ukraine—the same personnel, modular missions.

Military

Frontline report: Russia's pincer movement fails as Ukraine defends key Dnipropetrovsk position
Russian forces attempted a risky pincer movement to outflank Ukrainian defenses near Velykomykhailivka in Dnipropetrovsk region, but Ukrainian drone operators and tank crews systematically destroyed the infiltrators, inflicting at least a dozen confirmed casualties and halting the advance.

Frontline report: Ukrainian special forces launch daring Black Hawk raid to hold Pokrovsk's northern corridor
As Russian forces gain footholds in southern Pokrovsk, Ukraine has shifted its defense strategy to maintaining the northern corridor and preventing Myrnohrad's encirclement. A bold helicopter raid by special forces secured key entry points, giving Ukrainian defenders fresh momentum in what has become a flexible, layered defense of the critical logistics artery.

Renewable energy facility struck by Russian drones amid escalating energy assault
Strike on biomass facility part of Russia's intensified campaign targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure ahead of winter.

Changed Russian energy attack tactics complicate Ukraine's blackout recovery – Energy Ministry
New dual-target attacks on both power generation sites and transmission networks slow restoration after 8 November attack forces nationwide rolling blackouts.

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Intelligence and Technology

Resistance saboteurs torch four Russian military logistics sites in coordinated raids inside Russia (VIDEO)
Ukrainian intelligence says resistance groups torched communication equipment and railway infrastructure, disrupting supply routes supporting Russian forces in Ukraine.

Deep in occupied Crimea, partisans cut railway feeding Russia's Kherson and Zaporizhzhia fronts
ATESH operation disrupts ammunition and fuel deliveries to Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as partisan movement targets Russian logistics in occupied Crimea.

Ukraine can't match Russia's Rubicon drone expansion: elite unit scales from company to battalion in months – Ukrainian drone commander
Ukrainian commander says Moscow's Rubicon center uses United Russia party youth programs to train thousands of future drone operators, giving Russia manpower and funding advantages Ukraine cannot replicate.

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International

"Painful moment": Ex-NATO chief recalls refusing to close Ukraine's sky when Russia invaded
Former NATO secretary-general's memoirs reveal he feared the February 2022 bunker call might be Zelenskyy's last, but believes refusing direct NATO intervention was the right decision.

UK deploys anti-drone forces to Belgium after suspected Russian drone incursions
Growing wave of drone incidents across Europe prompts allied response to suspected Russian hybrid operations.

Read our previous daily review here.

Exclusives

Dobropillia diversion: did Russia trick Ukraine into losing Pokrovsk?. A Russian incursion north of Pokrovsk in August diverted Ukrainian reinforcements. Was it all in the Kremlin's plan?

The Boomerang Soldiers: How Romania's commandos became mercenaries—then came back to coup Bucharest. Instructors who fought for Wagner in Africa trained operatives in Balkan forest camps. Those operatives deployed to sabotage Moldova's vote, storm Romania's capital, and fight in Ukraine—the same personnel, modular missions.

Military

From Europe's worst ecocide to military flanking route—Russia weaponizes wasteland it created. Ukraine destroys Russian air defense launcher near Yevpatoria, hits arsenal near Simferopol (VIDEO). Ukrainian Special Operations Forces destroyed an S-400 Triumph launcher and an ammunition depot in occupied Crimea on 6 Oct., targeting Russian military infrastructure near Yevpatoria and Simferopol

Intelligence and technology

What Brazil spent peacetime perfecting, Ukraine will master in wartime: inside Gripen localization plan. Ukraine signs for 150 Gripens. FPV drone on fiber optics hits emblem on evacuation vehicle carrying foreign reporters in Donetsk Oblast. A Russian drone struck a clearly marked humanitarian vehicle carrying Austrian and Spanish journalists at the entrance to Kostyantynivka on 8 November. "Proud that it will save lives": French fishermen donate old nets to Ukraine to protect against drones. Ukraine faces more than 500 Russian drones daily, but French fishermen have found an unexpected solution in their scrap piles, according to The Guardian

International

Trump cracks Western sanctions unity with Hungary exemption on Russian oil. Budapest meeting rewards Orban's loyalty with one-year sanctions waiver

Humanitarian and social impact

Power cut hits 20,000 in Belgorod after air raid alert, thermal plant reportedly targeted. As Kyiv continues to suffer from electricity disruptions, Russia's Belgorod faced its own blackout on 8 Nov.—over 20,000 subscribers lost power following a missile alert and reports of air defense activation, with a thermal station reportedly targeted. What Dnipro residents heard in latest Russian attack made them pray: Inside eight hours of hoping and losing everything to Kremlin's terror. "'I will hope until I see the body," brother waited at rubble as Dnipro declared mourning for Russian strike victims. Three thermal power plants down, 12-hour blackouts introduced in Ukraine, as Russia executes freeze-out terror. Putin abandons occupation for a strategy of rendering Ukraine unlivable.

New developments

Ukrainian gallerists break into art basel Paris with war stories told through animals and ruins. Ukrainian artist Nikita Kadan presents war through suffering animals and nameless personal stories rather than explosions and destruction at Art Basel Paris, where his works priced from €3,500 to €120,000 Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

Tomahawks would help. Funding Ukraine’s factories would help more.. Even if the US won't send Tomahawks, allies can still help Ukraine run an effective deep strike campaign

First Russian truck enters Pokrovsk as fog blinds Ukrainian drones. For an entire year, Ukrainian troops prevented Russian vehicles from reaching Pokrovsk. That changed this week.

Military

Frontline report: Ukraine's energy campaign escalates with Neptune strikes as Pentagon approves Tomahawk transfer. The Pentagon has completed all technical checks for transferring Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, leaving only presidential approval as Ukrainian strikes already plunge parts of Russia into darkness. The 1,600-kilometer range system would enable Kyiv to target virtually any critical infrastructure across Russia.

"They have partially infiltrated": Chief of General Staff reports on Russian advantage in Pokrovsk direction. Russian forces have partially infiltrated the southern outskirts of Pokrovsk and are working to encircle the entire Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad agglomeration, Chief of the General Staff Andriy Hnatov says.

Ukraine drops rare guided aviation bombs on Russians hiding in besieged Pokrovsk streets (VIDEO). Russian troops creep through the city's ruins, but every movement risks exposure.

ISW: Russia sends reinforcements to consolidate infiltration gains in Pokrovsk sector. Ukrainian forces say Russian troops are using poor weather and disguises to penetrate further, while also bringing in support units.

Frontline report: Ukrainian drones with loudspeakers broadcast surrender instructions as Pokrovsk counterattack succeeds. General Oleksandr Syrskyi launched a focused Ukrainian counterattack near Dobropillia to divert Russian attention from the brutal push on Pokrovsk. Using drone-mounted loudspeakers to broadcast surrender instructions and exploiting autumn mud, Ukrainian forces cleared encircled Russian pockets and forced mass surrenders, while Russian reinforcements became bogged down trying to respond.

Ukraine's 39th Brigade turns 70-year-old weapon into valuable frontline asset. Ukraine transforms museum pieces into Russia's nightmare.

Intelligence and Technology

"Alternatives have been found": Ukraine moves to end reliance on Chinese combat drones. Ukraine will begin mass production of a domestically-developed drone to replace Chinese DJI Mavic UAVs currently used for reconnaissance and artillery adjustment on the front lines, President Zelenskyy said.

Sweden and Ukraine negotiate 150 fighter jets, first deliveries possible in 2026. Ukraine will begin assembling Swedish Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets on its territory starting in 2033, Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on 7 Nov.

Ukraine's first fighter jet factory: Swedish deal includes full domestic Gripen production. Deal includes not just 150 aircraft but the production lines, tooling, and expertise to manufacture Gripens domestically by 2033.

From battlefield to export: Ukraine's booming defense industry opens for export sales. Revenue from exports to trusted partners will help fund Ukraine's own military needs, with front-line requirements maintaining absolute priority.

International

Trump won't rule out Budapest summit with Putin: "There's always a chance".

"War profiteer" Norway urged to guarantee stalled EU reparations loan for Ukraine. Norwegian politicians push Oslo to guarantee EU's €140 billion Ukraine loan using profits from replacing Russia as Europe's gas supplier, amid Belgium's legal objections to frozen asset scheme.

Zelenskyy vows to block Russian oil to Hungary — Hungary's MOL says it can already go 80% non-Russian. Hungary's top refiner made the claim just hours before Prime Minister Viktor Orban met with US President Donald Trump to seek sanctions relief.

Ukraine locks in US gas supplies through Greece until 2050. Ukraine has secured regular supplies of American liquefied natural gas through Greek terminals under a memorandum signed between Naftogaz and Atlantic-see LNG Trade that extends until 2050.

EIB splits $115 mn Ukraine aid between enterprise loans and heating infrastructure repairs. The European Investment Bank disbursed $115 mn to Ukraine, dividing the funds between long-term business loans and municipal heating system repairs as the country faces its 4th winter under Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.

EU tightens visa rules for Russians, citing espionage and weaponized migration. Multiple-entry Schengen visas ended for Russian citizens except humanitarian cases, as Brussels cites sabotage, espionage, and weaponized migration threats.

Nuclear control is dying as superpowers answer each other with ICBMs: Putin's Yars meets America's Minuteman III. World enters new nuclear age with ICBMs answering ICBMs.

Putin ally Abdrazakov cancelled at Italian opera house after pressure from anti-corruption groups. The Verona Philharmonic Theatre has cancelled performances by Russian bass Ildar Abdrazakov, a member of Putin's presidential arts council and head of an opera house in occupied Crimea, with Italy's culture minister declaring that Russian art serving "despotic power" has no place in the free world.

Ukraine elected to UNESCO Executive Board, defeating Russia again. The result marks another diplomatic setback for Moscow, which also lost its bid to remain on the Board in 2023.

South Africa investigates how 17 citizens were deceived into joining Russia's war in Ukraine. The Presidency says the men are trapped in eastern Ukraine's Donbas after being misled by fake job recruiters — a Russian tactic previously reported in many countries including India and Nepal.

Ukraine sanctions Russia's Arctic fossil fuel projects funding war, wrecking climate. Zelenskyy calls Arctic extraction 'one of Russia's most profitable ventures' as climate expert urges West to follow.

Humanitarian and Social Impact

Ukrainian hockey team claims historic win as Europe's 18-nation tournament debuts. Ukraine's national hockey team defeated Romania 4-1 on 7 Nov. in Lithuania, securing the country's first victory in the inaugural European Nations Cup after losing their opening match to the host nation.

Kharkiv-born photographer shoots new mayor of New York City. Kharkiv-born photographer, 41, who spent years documenting World War II veterans and Ukrainian railroad workers has now turned his lens to New York's newest mayor.

Kharkiv digs in: Over 40 underground schools being built as Russia keeps bombing. Builders are working in shifts and often in blackout conditions to complete dozens of underground schools, with some expected to open by year's end.

Political and Legal Developments

Life sentence for Russian who executed Ukrainian POW exposes stark asymmetry in prisoner treatment. International monitors document systematic Russian violations of POW rights.

A Moscow-installed prosecutor ends up dead in occupied Luhansk under suspicious silence, sources say. Russian citizen Kirill Grekov, parachuted in by Moscow to serve as an "LNR deputy prosecutor general," was reportedly discovered hanged.

Read our previous daily review here.

Exclusives

European defense can match Russia by 2030—if Ukraine holds the line. Rich in resources, short on troops: Why Europe needs Ukraine to hold while it builds

380M barrels stranded as Ukraine’s oil war hits exports. Three tankers sit empty offshore as a 2.2-mile oil slick spreads into Black Sea.

Seoul found a legal path to arm Ukraine. Here’s the blueprint.. Poland's $14 billion tank deal created an indirect pipeline other allies can replicate

Ukrainians hoard record cash as Russian grid attacks cut power. The third quarter delivered Ukraine’s fastest cash surge since the war began.

Ukrainian commandos rush into Pokrovsk to hold escape corridor open for fleeing garrison. Pokrovsk is about to fall. A recent attack by the 425th Assault Regiment wasn't an effort to save the city. No, it supported a wider retreat.

Military

Frontline report: Ukrainian drones with loudspeakers broadcast surrender instructions as Pokrovsk counterattack succeeds. General Oleksandr Syrskyi launched a focused Ukrainian counterattack near Dobropillia to divert Russian attention from the brutal push on Pokrovsk. Using drone-mounted loudspeakers to broadcast surrender instructions and exploiting autumn mud, Ukrainian forces cleared encircled Russian pockets and forced mass surrenders, while Russian reinforcements became bogged down trying to respond.

Frontline report: Ukrainian defenders turn Russian offensive into "graveyard for armor and manpower" near Pokrovsk. Ukrainian defenders turn Russian offensive into "graveyard for armor and manpower" near Pokrovsk

Ukrainian drone strike forces shutdown at major Russian oil refinery in Volgograd – Reuters. Lukoil facility in Volga Oblast processing 5% of Russia's refining capacity goes offline after strike damages primary unit and hydrocracker.

Russian partisans destroy dozens of Russian trains carrying weapons to Ukraine front (VIDEO). "Freedom of Russia" partisans torch locomotive control systems in coordinated raids, burning out Russian war supply routes.

Frontline report: Russian commanders extort soldiers, send them to death if they can't pay near Myrnohrad. The battle for Myrnohrad has intensified as 27,000 Russian soldiers push from multiple directions, facing fierce Ukrainian resistance. Zelensky states Ukrainian defenders are outnumbered eight to one. Behind the staggering attrition lies widespread extortion, with Russian commanders forcing soldiers to pay or be sent to certain death.

ISW: Russia floods Pokrovsk front with three armies as its losses soar. With tanks mostly sidelined in Pokrovsk, only near Myrnohrad are Russia's armored vehicles showing up in strength.

Ukraine confirms strikes on Volgograd oil refinery, Crimean fuel depots, and Donetsk Shahed drone base (VIDEO).

Russian drones hit Kamianske, killing one, injuring eight civilians and causing fires, power outages. A four-story building and transport facility were among the affected sites as Russia launched its daily drone assault last night.

Intelligence and Technology

Der Spiegel: Germany's AfD lawmakers suspected of feeding sensitive Bundeswehr data to Russian intelligence. CDU and SPD are demanding answers after the AfD submitted detailed and structured parliamentary requests, which officials say resemble coordinated intelligence-gathering.

International

Ukraine sanctions Russia's Arctic fossil fuel projects funding war, wrecking climate. Zelenskyy calls Arctic extraction 'one of Russia's most profitable ventures' as climate expert urges West to follow.

Bulgaria prepares to nationalize Lukoil refinery as US sanctions hit Russian oil. Draft legislation would give state manager power to sell assets and freeze proceeds as Lukoil scrambles to offload international holdings.

Europe coins "Iranization" as Russia's isolation deepens. Nine European research institutions signal Moscow faces permanent isolation, not temporary war disruption.

EU moves to end multiple-entry Schengen visas for Russians, penalizing Moscow for its war in Ukraine. New EU visa policies amid an "increasingly complex geopolitical landscape."

Czechia may cut Ukraine aid under Babiš-led government, incoming foreign minister says. Prague's incoming foreign minister outlines a pivot from military assistance to humanitarian support, drawing comparisons to pro-Russian Hungary's stance.

81-year-old German music festival founder receives Kremlin medal amid calls to strip his state honors. A German lawmaker is calling for Justus Frantz to lose his Order of Merit after the 81-year-old conductor accepted the Order of Friendship from Vladimir Putin in Moscow on 4 Nov.

Ukraine set to gain access to $8.4 bn EU defence fund by year's end. Ukraine could gain access to a $8.4 bn European defence fund before the end of 2025, following an informal agreement reached between EU lawmakers and Denmark's Council presidency on 5 Nov.

Moldova shuts Moscow's propaganda pipeline in middle of its capital, ending 1998 deal. Foreign Minister Popșoi calls the closure a calculated act of defense.

Humanitarian and Social Impact

Russia sees deported Ukrainian children as political leverage with Washington – ISW. Russia returns 7 Ukrainian children to boost US ties while holding 19,500 more.

Targeting the lifesavers: Russia's repeated assaults killed five Ukrainian rescuers, injured dozens over three months. Emergency personnel have come under sustained, deliberate Russian attacks — a disturbing trend tracked by the Ukrainian Interior Ministry.

Sumy opens first underground school as Ukraine builds 170 safe education facilities. Hundreds of students in Sumy have returned to in-person classes in the city's first underground school, where they can study protected from shelling that has become routine in the oblast

EIB's second $106 mn tranche unlocks repairs for war-damaged Ukrainian schools and hospitals. Schools, kindergartens, hospitals, and heating systems across Ukrainian communities will receive funding as the government unlocks $106 mn from the European Investment Bank's second tranche under the Ukraine Recovery Programme III

Political and Legal Developments

Ukraine documents 190,000 war crimes — and believes they prove Russia's plan to erase the nation. Ukrainian prosecutors report over 5,100 Russian drone assaults on civilians in early 2025 — twice as many as in all of 2024.

Read our previous daily review here.

Exclusives

Ukrainian assault troops cover the retreat from Pokrovsk. Pokrovsk is about to fall. A recent attack by the 425th Assault Regiment wasn't an effort to save the city. No, it supported a wider retreat.

Hacked documents show Russia's stealth bomber delayed by Western sanctions. Secret leak shows sanctions work - if the West can maintain them.

Russia's ghost fleet circles the oceans as buyers vanish. Major oil refineries in India and China increasingly refuse Russian deliveries.

Ukraine hits elite Rubicon drone base, but it's too late to save Pokrovsk. Front-line FPV operators still strangling Ukrainian supply routes

Trapped for 33 days in occupied zone, wounded Ukrainian soldier rescued by ground robot in daring op (video). A Ukrainian medic battalion revealed the six-hour mission that finally brought the soldier home after six failed tries.

Ukraine's window closes: Russian forces 3km from trapping Myrnohrad troops. Tthe deadly pattern from Bakhmut and Avdiivka is repeating: commanders delaying withdrawal until escape becomes catastrophic.

Military

Ukrainian flag flies over Pokrovsk City Hall after assault teams fight through ambush into center (VIDEO). A wounded Ukrainian soldier continued his combat mission to clear the building.

"We will clear everything": Ukrainian forces hunt 60 trained Russian saboteurs hiding in fog of Kupiansk. Following the public declaration to "leverage the seizure of Kupiansk," Moscow prepares new offensives eastward.

Ukraine loses 80% of Pokrovsk but fights on, fearing Washington pressure to give up all country's east to Russians. Ukrainian soldiers in nearby Myrnohrad say withdrawal may no longer be possible.

Ukraine, Black Spark eliminates launcher for Russia's deadliest missiles in Kursk Oblast.

Ukrainian forces target Russian energy grid: Oryol power plant hit twice in five days. The largest power plant in Russia's Oryol Oblast came under missile attack early 5 Nov., just days after a previous strike caused massive power outages across the city

ISW: Russia took 21 months to reach Pokrovsk using air interdiction and drone suppression. Nearly 100 Russian fireteams pour into Pokrovsk daily, moving so rapidly that Ukrainian drone operators cannot launch their equipment in time, according to a Ukrainian drone unit operating in the sector.

Small Russian groups in civilian clothes push south of Pokrovsk, says Ukrainian paratrooper. Ukrainian forces from the 25th Sich Airborne Brigade recently eliminated a Russian group attempting to cut the road to Rodynske as Moscow's troops intensify efforts to sever supply lines to Pokrovsk

Ukraine destroys Russia's newest reconnaissance drone named after Kyivan Rus ruler (VIDEO). The operation shows that, regardless of name or design, Russian unmanned aerial assets remain highly vulnerable to precision countermeasures of Ukrainian forces.

Intelligence and technology

Russian drones build self-healing relay chains using Chinese tech to hunt Ukrainian trains. Russia's mesh network drones maintain control even when 80% arre shot down.

Russian multi-direction attacks and mixed tactics push Patriots to their operational limits in Ukraine. Russian forces increasingly combine Iskander-M launches with drones and cruise missiles, often attacking from multiple angles simultaneously.

Russia buys 18,000 drones to train schoolchildren for war, Ukrainian intelligence says. Russia has transformed hundreds of schools into military training facilities, spending $82 million on 18,000 combat drones that teach teenagers reconnaissance and attack operations as part of a program to train one million drone specialists by 2030

International

Moldova shuts Moscow's propaganda pipeline in middle of its capital, ending 1998 deal. Foreign Minister Popșoi calls the closure a calculated act of defense.

Czech Republic plans to abandon Ukraine after delivering 850,000 shells as Russian intimidation fractures EU unity. The incoming Czech government plans to prioritize "diplomatic efforts" and shift from military to humanitarian aid despite Russia showing no interest in peace negotiations, intensifying attacks throughout 2025, and conducting its first strike on NATO territory in Poland.

Sitting on €193B in Russian cash, Belgium blocks crucial €140B loan to Ukraine. Brussels demands liability protection before releasing the loan backed by €193 ($221.5) billion it controls.

NATO confirms $60 bn Ukraine aid package for 2026, double of country's self-funding capacity. Four aid packages have been announced under NATO's PURL initiative for Ukraine, with funding set to reach $60 billion in 2026, Patrick Turner, head of NATO's representation in Ukraine, said.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russia lures Arab mercenaries with cash and passports for Ukraine war, many die in "meat grinder" assaults. Some fighters report being placed under Chechen command.

He got smashed, then drank even more vodka and signed contract: Russian POW shares his story in Ukrainian captivity. "I woke up hungover and went to enlist — still drunk," he said.

New developments

Brussels airport suspends flights after three drones spotted over terminal. Brussels Airport halted all operations on November 4 after three unidentified drones appeared over the terminal, forcing Brussels Airlines to cancel 16 flights and leaving passengers waiting at the airport, VRT NWS and Nieuwsblad report.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

Trapped for 33 days in occupied zone, wounded Ukrainian soldier rescued by ground robot in daring op (video). A Ukrainian medic battalion revealed the six-hour mission that finally brought the soldier home after six failed tries.

Ukraine's window closes: Russian forces 3km from trapping Myrnohrad troops. Tthe deadly pattern from Bakhmut and Avdiivka is repeating: commanders delaying withdrawal until escape becomes catastrophic.

Revenue rises, taxes fall: Ukraine's budget twist explained. Government revenue exceeded targets by 3.1% through October—revealing unexpected fiscal resilience.

Military

Ukraine fights to prevent logistics collapse in Pokrovsk as Russian artillery, drones, and guided bombs level city's blocks. Currently, the battle for Pokrovsk remains central to the struggle for the east of Ukraine. Ukrainian special forces establish corridor in burning Pokrovsk after historic parachute-free insertion (VIDEO). Russia seeks to capture Pokrovsk to demonstrate it can seize eastern Ukraine and pressure Kyiv into surrendering occupied territories. Ukrainian FP-2 drone carrying 105kg warhead eliminates Rubikon officers in occupied Avdiivka. The strike eliminated personnel from the unit Russia relies on to hunt Ukrainian reconnaissance drones and their operators Partisans say they set fire to Russian comms truck during attack inside Rostov airbase. The group Atesh released a video showing flames under a Kamaz-based vehicle, stating it was a mobile relay station R-417 Baget used for flight coordination. Russia dropped a record 5,328 guided bombs on Ukraine in October. Ukraine's Ministry of Defense says around 40,000 bombs have hit since January.

Intelligence and technology

AI-powered drones deliver 800% productivity surge in Ukraine demining surveys, new research reveals. Technology cuts survey costs by 50% per hectare. Patriots, artillery, drones: Germany adds €3 billion to Ukraine aid budget as Europe's largest military backer – Reuters. Package to cover artillery, drones, armored vehicles, and two Patriot air-defense system replacements. Intelligence: New Russian turbojet bombs achieve 43% range boost with Western and Chinese parts. The 43% range extension allows Russian aircraft to strike while remaining outside Ukrainian air-defense engagement zones, threatening Kyiv Oblast. UK to bolster Ukraine's sky shield with thousands of new "Octopus" interceptor drones and missiles. New systems aim to counter Russian attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure.

International

Poland still analyzing Russian drones that fell during September airspace breach. Polish Prime Minister Tusk visited a counterintelligence site where teams continue their technical study of the wrecks. Russia's missing army: 144,000 families now turning to Ukraine for answers. October's findings revealed that 159 captured Russian soldiers included foreigners from Egypt to Belarus. North Korea sent 5,000 construction troops to Russia – Seoul. South Korean intelligence says the troop deployments show closer coordination between Moscow and Pyongyang amid the war in Ukraine. Brussels unlocks next €1.8 billion for Kyiv as part of financial support program amid Russia's invasion. The EU has approved the fifth major disbursement under the Ukraine Facility after Ukraine fulfilled key reform steps. Belgian army gives orders to shoot down drones over military bases after 3 consecutive nights of sightings. Belgium takes the step most NATO allies haven't taken on drone response as mystery incursions spread across Europe.

Political and legal developments

Russian "political refugees" caught spying for the FSB in Poland. Couple received state support as anti-Putin dissidents while transmitting encrypted reports on Polish officials and NGOs to FSB handler. He tried to get away with money for army — but Ukraine caught him in Armenia. The organizer of a massive $480,000 fraud scheme is handed over by Armenia to Ukrainian authorities. Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

Ukraine's $8 billion IMF loan trapped by Belgium's frozen assets veto. Ukraine's $8 billion IMF loan hangs in balance

From grid to gunpoint: How Ukraine became an energy battleground. Russia's war on Ukraine isn't just fought with drones and missiles—it's waged through the power grid.

Military

Ukraine prevents Russian forces from cutting Pokrovsk supply road as assault units launch clearing operations. The road to Rodynske remaining open despite 170,000 Russian troops stationed on the Pokrovsk front.

Ukraine hits Russia's "first maritime PMC" on occupied Black Sea drilling platform near Crimea. Moscow rushed to claim a Ukrainian Navy boat was destroyed by a Lancet drone. The truth? Ukraine's kamikaze UAVs scored direct hits.

Three Russian radars down in one night in occupied Crimea—Ukraine ramps up precision strikes on Russian air defense assets (VIDEO). HUR revealed it destroyed an S-400 92N6E radar, its generator, and two surveillance radars during an overnight operation on 1-2 November.

Ukraine strikes Russian fuel train and warehouse in occupied Luhansk with FP-2 drones (VIDEO). Ukraine's Special Operations Forces confirmed they targeted two logistics facilities used by Russian troops near Dovzhansk and Rozkishne next to Luhansk on 3 November.

"Withdraw or lose everything": Ukraine faces fateful choice in Pokrovsk. The city that once served as a stronghold now risks becoming a graveyard for Ukraine's finest. Between retreat and resistance, Kyiv must choose the one which saves troops for further battles, says Deineha.

Pokrovsk turns gray: city becomes zone of chaos and shifting control. Ukraine's Defense Intelligence (HUR) units are in the fight, conducting a complex counter-operation personally overseen by HUR chief Kyrylo Budanov.

Ukraine hits Russia's Saratov oil refinery for the seventh time — but anti-drone mesh stops a strike on key unit. Footage shared by residents confirms the impact, with flames rising near key refinery structures under mesh netting.

Kyiv's new weapon delivers heavy hits behind Russian lines. In a night of controlled silence and sudden fire, Ukraine's Security Service "Alpha" special forces executed a precision strike operation against Russian positions in occupied territory.

Intelligence and technology

Ukraine scaling to 600-800 interceptor drones daily, while Berlin and Copenhagen becoming weapons export hubs. Ukraine expects Neptune missile variants and new Flamingo systems in mass production by December.

Elite Ukrainian drone pilot who survived Krynky killed at outdoor awards ceremony as negligence investigation launched. Volodymyr Sviatnenko, call sign "Znakhar" (healer), earned his name carrying wounded from Krynyky's killing fields and pioneered optical drone piloting techniques he taught to others, but died with the 35th Marine Brigade's best pilots and infantry in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Russian military aircraft trigger three NATO scrambles over Baltic in single week. NATO fighter jets patrolling Baltic airspace scrambled three times in one week to identify Russian military aircraft flying between mainland Russia and Kaliningrad Oblast, with at least one reconnaissance plane operating without a radar transponder or flight plan

Belgium admits it couldn't stop drones over F-35 base reportedly storing US nuclear weapons. Police helicopter lost track of after several kilometers of a chase.

UK sends more Storm Shadows to Ukraine, Bloomberg sources say. Anonymous sources told Bloomberg the shipment aimed to ensure Kyiv is stocked ahead of the upcoming winter months.

International

Denmark pledges $1.4 mn for Ukrainian heritage as UNESCO counts 500+ sites destroyed. Denmark is contributing $1.4 million to a new Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund targeting restoration of sites destroyed since Russia's 2022 invasion, with UNESCO documenting over 500 damaged cultural objects across Ukraine

Brussels to release fifth Ukraine Facility payment on 4 November. The European Union will approve $1.46 bn in macro-financial assistance to Ukraine on 4 November, following last week's decision by EU ambassadors to greenlight the fifth Ukraine Facility tranche

German ruling party official says young Ukrainian men should work, not seek welfare. The number of young Ukrainian men aged 18 to 22 entering Germany has increased nearly 95-fold over two months, jumping from 19 per week in mid-August to up to 1,800 per week in October, according to Germany's Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Political and legal developments

China may cut Russian oil imports by 400,000 barrels daily as US sanctions strike war budget. Energy profits make up nearly 78% of Russia's federal budget. Every cancelled shipment tightens the noose around Moscow's war financing.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

The man who spent 20 years learning Ukraine’s vulnerabilities now runs Moldova. And he still controls a Ukrainian security empire with 2,500 armed employees

Ukraine scrambles to heat homes as Russia bombs gas infrastructure. Russia is weaponizing winter against Ukraine’s civilians, systematically destroying the country’s gas infrastructure.

Ukrainian troops nearly cut off as Pokrovsk defense strategy fails. Slow but steady Russian advances have nearly closed a pincer around three Ukrainian brigades. Is Ukraine's urban defense strategy obsolete?

Russian spy drones owned the sky—until Ukraine took the fight underground. Our exclusive from inside the bunkers where anti-aircraft teams hunt Russia's high-altitude reconnaiance drones

Military

Nearly half of Russia's elite Pantsir-S1 air defense systems destroyed – SBU Ukrainian strikes exceed Russia's 30-per-year production capacity for short-range air defense systems.

Russia reactivates Syrian airbase in high-stakes gamble on post-Assad leadership After Assad's fall, heavy cargo flights signal Moscow's determination to salvage what remains of its Mediterranean foothold.

Polish MiG-29s intercept Russian Il-20 for third time this week over Baltic Sea A pair of Polish MiG-29s was scrambled at 09:00 on 31 October to intercept a Russian Il-20 over the Baltic Sea, marking the third interception since 29 Oct.

Neptune missiles hit Russian energy hubs in Bryansk and Oryol Oblasts – Ukrainian Navy Ukraine's Neptune missile evolved from Moskva ship-killer to 1,000km deep-strike weapon targeting Russian military infrastructure.

"Kinetic sanctions": 160 strikes on Russian refineries in 2025 cut oil output by 90% – SBU chief Ukraine targets "dirty oil rubles" funding Russia's war machine with systematic deep-strike campaign.

Ukrainian special forces say Russian Buk‑M3 launcher and Nebo‑U radar destroyed in Rostov Oblast The two high-value targets posed a major threat to Ukrainian deep-strike drone operations inside southern Russia.

Children among 15 injured in Russia's attack on Sumy as Moscow keeps targeting power grid and railways, kills 12 across Ukraine Ukraine's Air Force says it shot down 107 drones, but 36 managed to hit 20 targets across the country.

Intelligence and Technology

WSJ: How Chinese engines power Russia's deadly drone raids on Ukrainian cities Covert exports from China provide Russia with drone engines, navigation gear, and batteries, WSJ says.

"Every second Russian will fall to drones": Ukraine opens 15,000 new drone force jobs With just 2% of manpower, SBS claims 35% of Russia's verified losses—and now seeks rapid growth.

International

Rubio calls Venezuela strike claims "fake," contradicts Miami Herald sources Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the Miami Herald of publishing false information Friday after the newspaper reported that President Trump had approved military strikes on Venezuelan drug trafficking sites.

Washington Post: Venezuela seeks Russian weapons, Chinese radars, Iranian drones amid reported US military pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has asked Russia to repair Soviet-era fighter jets and supply missiles, while seeking radar systems from China and long-range drones from Iran.

Canada fast-tracks $10 mn energy payment as Russia intensifies winter infrastructure strikes Canada is expediting energy assistance to Ukraine. The government has fast-tracked a $10 mn payment and allocated $50 mn for gas compressors needed to stabilize Kharkiv's energy system before winter.

Ukraine coordinates with EU on 20th sanctions package targeting Russian oil revenues Kyiv's proposals emphasize cutting oil revenues, restricting Russia's shadow fleet, and countering propaganda.

Canada to seize sanctioned An-124 stuck in Toronto since 2022 and give to Ukraine A Russian Antonov An-124 cargo aircraft has sat idle at Toronto Pearson International Airport for more than three years, but Canada now wants to put the massive plane back in service—for Ukraine.

New Zealand hits Russian oil shadow fleet with 65 new sanctions after insurer scandal Days after Reuters revealed a New Zealand insurer facilitated tens of billions in sanctioned oil trade, Wellington announced it is sanctioning 65 shadow fleet vessels and actors from Belarus, Iran and North Korea.

Three EU states keep Ukraine grain bans as Brussels weighs legal action Poland, Hungary and Slovakia are keeping unilateral restrictions on Ukrainian grain and farm products despite a revised EU trade deal.

CNN: Pentagon supports providing Ukraine with Tomahawks, but decision rests with Trump The US military has cleared Tomahawk missile transfers to Ukraine and prepared ground launchers for deployment, but the political decision remains with Donald Trump.

Orbán says Hungary will seek exemption from US sanctions that hit Russian giants Rosneft and Lukoil The Hungarian Prime Minister claims his pipeline‑dependent country deserves a US exemption, citing Germany's earlier waiver.

Double blows to Russia's war economy: refinery strikes and sanctions send fuel exports to wartime low – Bloomberg Russia's wartime oil revenues are under mounting strain as Ukrainian drone strikes and Western sanctions converge to cripple the country's refining sector.

Humanitarian and Social Impact

Names and addresses of 300 abducted children to be on the desks of all leaders – Zelenskyy Thousands of children have been forcibly taken by Russia since 2022 in what Kyiv and international observers classify as war crime.

Documentary about Kurakhove power plant workers to premiere at Germany's FilmFestival Cottbus Energy workers at Kurakhove Thermal Power Plant continued operations 10 kilometers from the front line until Russian shelling destroyed key station elements.

Ukraine to fortify 100 energy sites by winter as Russian drone strikes intensify The initiative follows months of systematic Russian attacks that destroyed over half of Ukraine's pre-war energy capacity.

Political and Legal Developments

Ukraine extradites Russian soldier to Lithuania over war crimes against Lithuanian citizen A rare act of international justice sees a suspected war criminal handed over for alleged torture in occupied Melitopol.

Munich court jails Russian-linked spy for six years — his accomplices walk free on probation German judges said the trio scouted railways and military bases to sabotage Germany's support for Ukraine, acting under Russian direction.

Read our previous daily review here.

Exclusives

End of Ukraine’s “wunderwaffe” drones? Russian turtle tanks eat FPVs as 14 vehicles break through. A large Russian tank force attacked under the cover of bad weather on Monday. Half the force survived—and that might be enough.

Russian drones hunted Ukrainian civilians with cameras, then struck. UN now calls it a crime against humanity. Civilians hunted by coordinated drone attacks across 300km of the Ukrainian-held territory.

Ukrainian businesses earn more, pay less—hurting the defense budget. Ukraine’s defense now depends entirely on taxes—yet businesses are paying less even as their revenues grow.

Ukraine needs aid, not arm deals. Ukraine is about to receive billions in aid—but may not get to decide how to spend it.

Military

Experts: Barracuda may give Poland 900-km range and could become Ukraine's next missile The missile can be fired from F‑15E, F‑18E/F, F‑16 platforms or from transport aircraft.

Russia storms Pokrovsk to sell victory to Trump's administration, Zelenskyy says Zelenskyy says Russia needs Pokrovsk only as a symbol to deceive the world into thinking Ukraine must retreat and surrender more land to the occupiers.

Russia to deploy military reservists to guard critical infrastructure amid escalating Ukrainian drone strikes Ukraine's long-range strikes have been increasingly targeting Russia's oil refineries and power facilities, forcing Moscow to acknowledge vulnerability hundreds of kilometers from the front.

Putin shifts Russia to year-round conscription after 346,000 losses in 2025 The new legislation requires military enlistment offices to process recruits continuously throughout the year, eliminating seasonal breaks.

Outnumbered eight to one, but Ukrainians still hold Pokrovsk Urban fighting is ongoing in the Donetsk Oblast city where 1,200 civilians remain trapped with evacuation routes blocked under Russian control.

Frontline report: Energy superpower Russia now buying gasoline as refining capacity collapses Russia, built on vast oilfields and resource exports, has become a fuel importer as Ukrainian strikes devastate its refining capacity. Belarus rail deliveries surged fourfold to 49,000 tons in September, while Moscow eliminated import duties and seized oligarch energy assets in increasingly desperate measures to keep pumps running.

Zelenskyy confirms Rafale fighter jet talks with France as Ukraine eyes three-fighter strategy Ukraine is holding negotiations with France over Rafale fighter jets as part of a planned shift from Soviet aircraft.

Ukrainian "Ghosts" strike again, wiping out Russian radars and SAM S-300V launcher in Donbas (video) The Defense Intelligence's elite drone unit continues its systematic destruction of Russian air defenses in occupied eastern and southern Ukraine.

Intelligence and technology

DJI Mavic 3 drones, vital for fire adjustment, become center of multi-million-dollar scandal in Ukraine Two agency officers and two private company representatives are accused of diverting millions from funds meant for Ukraine's Defense Forces.

One drone down, one disappeared: Estonia's allies used an anti-drone gun to stop one threat The Estonian military says two unknown drones flew in the immediate vicinity of a key base, but only one was shot — and vanished.

As Russian missiles target Ukraine's power grid, Czech energy tech quietly keeps the lights on The high-efficiency cogeneration units now deployed across Ukraine are designed to stabilize critical infrastructure under fire.

International

Zelenskyy accuses China of arming Russia despite Xi's personal assurances Ukraine's president says Chinese support, including weapons production machinery and mercenaries, is helping Moscow continue the war, and urges Beijing to pressure Russia to stop.

Frontline report: Russia faces economic isolation as coordinated Western sanctions cut off energy exports to India and China After Russia refused ceasefire terms and demanded Ukraine surrender territory without security guarantees, the United States canceled planned Trump-Putin talks and joined the UK and EU in launching the largest coordinated sanctions package since 2022, targeting Rosneft and Lukoil alongside 34 subsidiaries. Within hours, India suspended state oil imports and China's energy giants halted Russian crude purchases, isolating Moscow from buyers representing over 85% of its crude exports.

"Corrupt and ruthless" Russian agents deceived Kenyans into fighting in Ukraine – Nairobi Moscow's recruiters used "falsified information" and fake job contracts to lure Kenyan citizens into military service, with agents masquerading as Russian government officials.

Ukraine forms new international coalition under Russian fire Integrated with the European grid, Ukraine can import electricity while the coalition coordinates funding, equipment, and technical support to keep homes and industries running.

China's Yulong refinery lifts Russian crude imports to 400,000 barrels a day after EU, UK sanctions China's newest refinery is legally buying record Russian crude because US and European sanctions don't align.

Baltic network fuels Russia's Shadow Fleet, helping Moscow evade sanctions Two Baltic-linked bunker tankers refueled Russian oil ships hundreds of times between June 2024 and March 2025, a joint investigation shows, revealing how private firms exploit sanctions loopholes to keep Moscow's energy exports flowing.

Spain's latest drone incident joins wave of attacks across Europe — all since Russia's strike on Poland Flights were halted at Spain's Miguel Hernández Airport after a drone appeared near the runway, triggering a national investigation.

Latvia says it caught Russian-linked arsonists scouting targets, filming sensitive facilities, planning more fires Officials report that photos and videos of sites were sent to Russia as part of coordinated sabotage efforts.

Hungary plots anti-Ukraine axis with Slovakia and Czechia within the EU Pro-Russian Orbán seeks to coordinate with Czechia's Babiš and Slovakia's Fico, potentially undermining EU support for Ukraine.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russia says everything is fine —but fuel crisis now hits another country Black markets for government-issued fuel coupons emerge in occupied Luhansk Oblast where local authorities resell gasoline at inflated prices.

Moscow is deliberately driving Ukrainians from their homes, UN investigators find UN investigators document torture, detentions, and confiscation of property, concluding these acts amount to inhuman treatment and war crimes.

Russia may be stockpiling drones for larger air attack—but its artillery and FPVs never stopped targeting frontline civilians: 3 killed, 13 injured While Ukraine's air defense took down most drones, Shaheds and Gerberas still struck civilian homes, schools, and infrastructure in six oblasts.

Read our previous daily review here.