What is happening in Ukraine — short and clear
Local officials said Russian strikes over the previous day killed two and wounded at least 32; outages hit ten regions, and air defences stopped 154 of 193 overnight drones.
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PM Serhiy Koretsky discussed with Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos interim accession benchmarks, the IBAR Task Force and financial support; the Commission’s enlargement report is due this week.
The president told the government to restart monthly bonuses for workers restoring power infrastructure after Russian strikes and to rotate teams in the hardest areas.
On 2 November Russia launched 171 attack UAVs and 10 S8000 Banderol/Dan-T missiles at Ukraine. Air defences shot down or suppressed 139 drones and eight missiles, the General Staff said.
On 2 November Russia struck a school in Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, that was distributing humanitarian aid. Officials said the death toll rose to at least 26, including rescuers and police.
In October 2026 air raid alerts lasted 32.5% of shopping centres' opening hours, a record and nearly triple the 12.2% a year earlier, the Ukrainian Council of Shopping Centres said. Downtime: 9.8 working days.
From July to October 2026 the special fund of Ukraine's budget received UAH 68.9bn in military levy, the Finance Ministry said. Since 1 July this money goes only to pay for Armed Forces personnel.
Ukraine's State Property Fund held 40 successful privatisation auctions in October; winners are to pay UAH 525.27m. The top lot was a powder metallurgy plant in Brovary sold for UAH 275m.
Serhii 'Flash' Beskrestnov described an operation to build an electronic warfare 'dome' over Kyiv against remotely controlled jet Shahed drones. He says it forced Russia to modify the drones.
UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said in Brussels that London is mobilising partners for additional contributions before the Ukraine Defence Contact Group meets, to help Ukraine through the winter.
Ukraine rejected accusations by Mali and Niger that it supports illegal armed groups in the Sahel. The foreign ministry says no evidence has been provided and the claims echo Russian propaganda.
On 2 November Hungarian Gripen fighters escorted a Wizz Air jet flying from London to Sofia to Budapest after a report of a bomb threat. Authorities have not said whether the threat was real.
On 2 November Slovakia formally handed the ambassadors of Ukraine and Canada a note on joining the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children deported or forcibly displaced by Russia.
Acting Prosecutor General Kovalskyi said ex-prosecutor general Ruslan Kravchenko never reported a threat to his life in Austria to Ukrainian authorities and no case is open in Ukraine. His claims are unverified.
Anton Kovalskyi said Zelensky tasked him with keeping the prosecution service running and clearing it of 'unworthy people'. A new case was opened against Serhii Kropyva, a suspect in the 'Carthage' probe.
Kyiv region police and the National Guard denied rumours of 40 hostages and a death in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka. Questions about one man in a private house and blocked medics remain.
On the evening of 1 November hackers breached the Povitriana Tryvoha (Air Raid Alert) app, sending fake warnings about radiation, street fighting and a chemical attack. Core functions were restored within two hours.
Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets announced a separate Centre for the Return of Civilians. During the ceasefire 173 residents, including 21 children, were evacuated from ten communities on Kherson's right bank.
On 2 November Russia dropped four FAB-500 bombs with UMPK kits on Izium: one person was killed and 27 injured, including two children. Chuhuiv and Nikopol also came under fire.
Ukraine became the first partner country to sign a document with NATO on DIANA: its startups can join challenges, win grants and test products at more than 200 Alliance test centres.
Since the full-scale invasion Ukraine's Defence Ministry has verified 1,256 incidents with mines and explosive ordnance: 1,757 casualties, 510 of them killed, including 26 children.
Ukraine's 7th Air Assault Corps says Russia lost about 900 troops killed and wounded in a week, a two-month record. Moscow is rotating brigades, attacking in groups of 1–5 and using foreign mercenaries.
The General Staff confirmed a drone and Neptune strike on a plant making fuel for Uragan, Smerch and Tornado-S rockets. Overnight on 1 November monitoring channels reported a fire at the Kstovo refinery.
Late on 31 October a Russian airstrike destroyed the city executive committee building on Peace Square in Kramatorsk. Sloviansk, Zaporizhzhia and Sumy regions were also under fire that day.
Deliveries of 500 PAC-3 MSE missiles under the $2.1bn sale approved by the State Department could take years. Zelensky proposes borrowing some missiles from partners now and repaying them from the US package.
Outcome of the Türkiye visit: joint work on a Black Sea grain corridor, Erdogan's call to stop attacks on civilian ships, and the idea of hosting trilateral talks in Türkiye.
Trump answered "Yes, no problem" when asked about inviting Zelensky to December's G20 summit in Miami and said a deal is "very close". Rubio was more cautious in Atlanta: "I don't know if negotiated peace is achievable."
Residents of occupied Oleshky crossed into Chernihiv region after a 19-hour journey via Anapa and Gomel. The youngest is one, the oldest 94. Zelensky: Russia's first bilateral ceasefire.
Overnight on 1 November air defence downed or jammed 371 Russian drones, but hits were recorded at 16 locations. Ukrenergo applies outage schedules on Sunday as hundreds of thousands of families lack power.
Ukraine has 6,716 boiler houses running and Kyiv will start heating homes on Monday. Meanwhile Ukrenergo has imposed outage schedules and the government is funding maternity shelters and hospital protection.
Poland's defence chief said two MiG-29s going to Ukraine in a €50m package have reached the end of their service life. Bulgaria may buy the rest and has joined a NATO initiative against low-flying threats.
Ukraine's defence ministry launches grant contests for guided missiles and radars, Zelensky announces larger deep-strike units, and Ukraine becomes the first partner to sign a memorandum with NATO's DIANA accelerator.
NABU and SAP have charged a former head of a state enterprise — Ukrspetsexport, according to LIGA.net — with embezzling over UAH 1.1bn during an arms sale to the Middle East. Plus: customs bribes.
A Ukrainian delegation and residents of occupied Oleshky who chose to leave set off for Anapa, to fly to Belarus and travel on by bus to Ukraine. The ceasefire has held 87 hours without violations, Lubinets says.
Zelensky arrived in Istanbul on 31 October for a working visit at Erdogan's invitation. Meanwhile Trump called backers of Russia sanctions "stupid people" and Sikorski urged Lavrov at the G20 to end the war.
At the EU–Canada summit in Montreal, Mark Carney announced an initial €500m for the EU's Ukraine Support Loan. Leaders pledged more pressure on Russia and support for Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic path.
The State Department approved a possible $2.1bn sale of 500 PAC-3 MSE interceptors to Ukraine, paid for without US money. Zelensky thanked Washington but asked for missiles this winter, not in the early 2030s.
Late on 30 October three Russian drones hit the same critical facility in Kyiv: the left bank and several districts lost water and parts of the city lost power. Izium holds a day of mourning on 31 October.
Ukraine's government moved the full launch of the eAkcyz excise system to 1 July 2027, kept paper stamps, extended shelter deadlines for businesses and eased terms of processing and recovery grants.
Ukraine's POW coordination HQ says more than 16,000 foreigners joined Russia's army in nine months of 2026, with data on almost 49,000. Uganda reported 11 citizens dead and 16 missing.
Intelligence warns of new ballistic strikes. Zelensky held a Stavka meeting on countering them, and adviser Flash explained the PAC-3 shortage and how private air defence turrets work.
The European Commission invited EU countries to apply for €21.3bn in defence loans and prioritise air defence, drones and ammunition together with Ukraine. Ramstein will meet on 17 November at NATO HQ.
On the evening of 29 October and overnight into 30 October Russia's aviation agency restricted Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo, Zhukovsky and Yaroslavl airport. The day before, over 460 flights were disrupted.
In Bilenke a Russian FPV drone struck the roof of a humanitarian mission's social bus, killing a passenger and badly injuring the driver. Zaporizhzhia city recorded its highest number of FPV attacks yet.
Ukraine's Navy used Neptune coastal missiles to strike Marinovka airfield in Russia's Volgograd region, destroying two Su-34s that carry guided bombs. Military intelligence says Russia has now lost 43 such jets.
Ukraine's central bank raised its key policy rate from 16% to 16.5% effective 30 October. It now expects 12.5% inflation in 2026 and a 0.4% fall in GDP as Russian strikes hit industry and logistics.
A jet-drone strike on Dnipro's railway station killed 14, two 15-year-old schoolgirls died in Chernihiv and three people in Kremenchuk. Overnight missiles hit Kyiv; 350,000 lost power in Dnipro.
In Donetsk region 57,000 civilians and 1,746 children remain in communities with active fighting. In Sumy region about 34,000 people remain in the dangerous border area.
Presidential adviser Serhiy 'Flash' Beskrestnov warned about a Russian optical navigation module for Geran drones. Zaporizhzhia has already installed over 370,000 m² of anti-drone netting.
Law No. 16013 fines people who hand their card to fraudsters up to UAH 17,000, and schemes with other people's accounts can bring up to six years in prison. A separate bill limits urgent searches.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk says he 'fears the worst' for civilians. UN coordinator Matthias Schmale outlined a support plan running until March 2027.
The watchdog referred a request from nine senators to the US Air Force. Lawmakers fear no one wants to confront Elon Musk's influence over defence communications.
Overnight into 29 October three Moscow airports imposed restrictions and two flights from Turkey turned back. In Bashkortostan smoke rose near a plant that supplies raw material for body armour.
A trilateral meeting of Ukrainian, US and Russian technical teams may take place after the US elections. The venue may change over the Middle East, and the Kremlin says it will 'depend on the battlefield'.
On Budget day London presented its largest support package of the year. The money goes to World Bank guarantees, air defence this winter and financing weapons deliveries through UKEF.
During Zelensky's visit to The Hague, Prime Minister Rob Jetten announced a €500m military package and non-military aid for 2027–2029. The two countries also launched a joint missile-defence project.
Andrii Sybiha became the first Ukrainian foreign minister to speak at a Nordic Council session. In Helsinki he discussed air defence, joint drone production, sanctions and peace talks.
In the week to 25 October, 37 tankers shipped 26.93m barrels of Russian crude worth about $2.76bn — the most since the full-scale war began. But the four-week trend looks worse for Moscow.
A team at Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 1 performed Ukraine's first simultaneous heart-and-liver transplant. The surgery took about 15 hours; the 44-year-old patient is breathing on his own and is stable.
Ukraine's HIMERA and Denmark's GomSpace have put OBRIA NANO, launched on 1 October on a SpaceX rocket, into operation — a first step towards a sovereign, Ukrainian-controlled network after Starlink disruptions.
Ukraine's parliament adopted the conclusions on the 2027 budget as a basis (a record 5,236 amendments) and backed a 50% bank profit tax for another year at first reading — ₴38bn for the budget, but critics object.
Late on 27 October a Russian jet-powered drone struck Kharkiv's Osnovianskyi district. A fire spread over 2,500 m², damaging homes, garages and cars. Zaporizhzhia region was hit 846 times in a day.
Traffic on Kyiv's Southern Bridge is restricted after the 27 October attack. Detours via the Darnytskyi and Paton bridges, extra City Express trains, a split metro line, a taxi price cap and ₴1bn for river crossings.
The ceasefire around occupied Oleshky will last until 22:59 on Sunday. No violations were recorded on day one, roads are being demined, Ukraine has a transit centre ready, and the mission may expand to nearby villages.
Finland's president and Norway's prime minister spoke with Putin for 90 minutes, then briefed Zelensky. Focus: de-escalation and November talks in Abu Dhabi. Tusk is 'cautiously optimistic', Denmark sceptical.
Taras Zvarychuk, a defender of Mariupol from the Azov regiment, returned in the 23 October exchange. Russia had sentenced him first to 25 years, then to 29, allegedly for terrorism.
Senators led by Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Thom Tillis wrote to six banks and four port authorities, saying Russian diesel imports may break US law. Confirmation is requested by 28 October.
Minister Oleksandr Kravchenko said the 2026 growth forecast will be cut by another 1–1.5 percentage points, citing the port blockade, intensified Russian strikes and postponed budget spending.
On the evening of 26 October Russia struck Kharkiv's Novobavarskyi district three times, killing people and injuring four. In Chernivtsi region, debris from a jet-powered drone damaged a power facility.
The government published resolution No. 1328: criticality criteria will be reviewed within 10 days, a Coordination Centre for deferrals is created, and the cap for defence and energy firms rises to 95%.
Zelensky enacted two NSDC decisions: to update the 2020 National Security Strategy, with proposals due in three months, and to build engineering barriers for the all-round defence of cities.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine concluded that Russia's attacks on the power grid are crimes against humanity and that recruiting foreigners into its army amounts to trafficking.
A local ceasefire around occupied Oleshky took effect at 03:00 on Oct 27. The aid operation brokered by Melania Trump is due to start on Oct 29 with deliveries to residents and preparations for evacuation.
On the evening of Oct 26 Russia hit Kyiv with ballistic missiles: one killed, 10 injured, mostly students. Overnight an office building in Podil and the Southern Bridge were hit; the green metro line is disrupted.
WSJ and the Jerusalem Post report the US is promoting Viktor Orbán for UN Secretary-General, counting on Russia and China. Sybiha ironically offered Ukraine's experience of 'coffee at the right moment'.
A KIIS poll from 8–16 October shows most Ukrainians see positive change, but the share of pessimists rose from 35% to 41%. These views also shape attitudes to the war and talks.
A drone strike on Pavlohrad killed one person and injured seven, including two 10-year-old girls. In the Kramatorsk community one person was killed and 10 injured. In Odesa region Russia hit rescuers twice.
On 24 October a series of jet-powered Shahed strikes caused a massive fire at the last Epicentr hypermarket still open in Kharkiv. The city was attacked 36 times in a week: three killed, 28 injured.
Overnight Russia attacked Ukraine with four missiles and 140 drones; air defence downed three missiles and 112 drones. Ukrenergo reported new outages in six regions and schedules of up to two rounds.
During Moldovan PM Vasile Tofan's visit to Kyiv the two governments signed a military-technical cooperation agreement. Chisinau wants Ukraine's air defence know-how; Kyiv asks to extend a rail transit discount.
Ukrainian forces struck the Energia plant in Yelets, Lipetsk region – per the General Staff, the sole maker of batteries for glide-bomb guidance kits. Results of strikes on Oryol and Tolyatti were also confirmed.
Zelensky said Ukraine has waited almost a month for US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to approve missiles for Patriot and NASAMS. The Air Force explained how its Patriot tactics have changed.
On 26 October the Verkhovna Rada approved the president's decree extending martial law for another 90 days, until 29 January 2027. MPs then moved on to extending general mobilisation.
Ukrenergo: on Tuesday limits for business in all regions and hourly outages of 1–2 queues in some. PM Koretskyi: not a single day without attacks on energy since 16 July.
Poll of 8–16 October: pressure on Ukraine after the diesel deal did not raise readiness for concessions. 84% think Russia wants to subjugate Ukraine; most expect the war to end no earlier than late 2027.
On the day protections were due to lapse, DHS said Ukrainians with TPS keep their protection and work permits until a further announcement. No extension period was given.
On the evening of 19 October a man brought to Kyiv's Pechersk recruitment centre for breaching mobilisation rules opened fire during a check. Six wounded people were hospitalised; the shooter was detained.
On 19 October Russia struck Kyiv, Khmelnytskyi and Dnipropetrovsk regions. In Irpin a woman was killed and 19 injured, 9 of them children; a worker died in Obukhiv district, two women in Khmelnytskyi.
Zelensky said some vital supplies are being delayed at the US Department of War and Starshield drops out at 130–161 km/h. In Congress, Republicans are pressing Trump.
Trump said he would agree to a trilateral summit with Putin and Xi and again attacked Zelensky. Sybiha says Putin has no place at such a table; the EU and Poland say no decisions without Ukraine.
Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff is due to hold talks in Oslo with Zelensky, Europeans and NATO on a peace proposal, then travel to Russia. The schedule is tentative.
On 19 October a Russian drone hit the central park of Nova Vodolaha in Kharkiv region, full of families. Six people were killed, including a one-year-old girl, and 15 injured. 20 October is a day of mourning.
At 04:00 on Sunday, 25 October, clocks go back to 03:00 as Ukraine returns to UTC+2. The law abolishing seasonal clock changes has still not been signed.
Ukrenergo: on Monday several regions have hourly outages of 1–2 queues and limits for business. In Ternopil region drone strikes left 89 settlements without power.
According to Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service, Russia's federal deficit for January–September reached 5.186 trillion roubles ($61bn). Spending is outpacing revenue, and oil and gas income fell 17.2%.
Fire Point confirmed that on the night of 18 October its FP-1 drones hit the Petersburg Oil Terminal, the Ruchyi fuel depot and a key VK data centre. Fires broke out at the sites.
Trump said he does not want to 'foolishly' drive Russia from the negotiating table and again blamed Zelensky. The US Treasury Secretary dodged three times when asked if Ukraine is an ally.
In an NBC News interview Zelensky said a vote before the war ends would require at least a 60-day ceasefire, changes to the law and a way for soldiers to vote.
Zelensky told NBC News the US signalled it wants to meet and he agreed at once, in Ukraine or in Europe. A day earlier he spoke with Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Overnight on 19 October Russia struck Dnipro with guided aerial bombs. An 84-year-old woman was injured and people may be trapped in damaged houses. The day before, the region was shelled more than 20 times.
Russia hit Kyiv with ballistic missiles twice on the evening of 18 October and overnight. One person was killed, at least three injured; Chernihivska and Lisova metro stations are temporarily closed.
PM Serhiy Koretskyi: the commission will set tender rules, admit bidders and agree the starting price; IFIs and EU institutions may take part. The finance ministry has picked advisers.
On the evening of 17 October a Russian drone hit a residential area of Poltava, killing one person and injuring four. The victim was a teacher-training university lecturer with 35 years' experience.
The foreign minister urged partners not to ease pressure on Moscow. On 18 October power limits for business apply in all regions, with hourly outages in some.
On 18 October Poland scrambled jets twice during Russia's attack on Ukraine and is checking a possible crash near Lublin. Lithuania declared an air alert; debris was reportedly found.
On 18 October Russia hit an apartment block in a densely populated part of Odesa. In Odesa region 24,100 households are without power after an attack on energy facilities.
On 18 October air defence downed a Russian drone over Malekhiv: a warehouse caught fire and debris pierced an industrial roof. The fire is out and no one was hurt.
On the morning of 18 October Russia hit civilian infrastructure in and around Rivne. Rescuers extinguished all fires; the regional administration promises grants to damaged businesses.
Ukraine's Air Force says Russia fired an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 180 strike drones from 18:00 Saturday; 152 drones were shot down or jammed, with hits at 20 locations.
The case concerns the killing of three Ukrainian prisoners of war at a plant in Vovchansk in summer 2024. One participant was earlier sentenced to life.
At the 15 October EU summit leaders including Merz, Orpo, Stocker and Kallas said some €200bn in immobilised Russian assets must stay in Europe and be explored for Ukraine support — not handed to Washington.
On 15 October parliament finally scrapped the tax relief: goods from foreign marketplaces will face 20% VAT, with platforms collecting it at checkout. The law still needs the president's signature.
The Defence Ministry and adviser Flash reported SpaceX speed caps on military terminals without notice; Zelensky linked them to a wave of more than 850 Shaheds.
On 15 October the president opened his Brussels visit with NATO chief Mark Rutte on ballistic interceptors and F-16 munitions; later he discussed Russian attacks with Donald Tusk.
On the night of 15 October an unidentified UAV spent about eight minutes in Moldovan airspace near Purcari, entering from Odesa region and returning the same way, Moldova's Defence Ministry said.
On 15 October Mayor Klitschko said a Russian UAV falling between residential buildings in Pecherskyi district left seven people injured; three were hospitalised.
Overnight into 15 October Russia launched its largest drone attack on Kirovohrad region since the full-scale invasion: nearly 360 drones, 26 hit locations, three dead in Kropyvnytskyi.
Overnight on 15 October Ukraine's Navy struck an airfield in Russia's Voronezh region with Neptune missiles. The Navy said six Su-34Ms were destroyed; Zelensky later said four destroyed and two damaged.
In a Financial Times interview the president said Ukraine resumed strikes on Russian oil refineries after a three-day pause requested by Washington, while Russia kept hitting Ukrainian energy.
Zelensky said Kyiv lags other regions on resilience — shelters, schools, transport, infrastructure. After October Shahed strikes, districts lose power and water earlier than in past war winters.
On 13 October Russian forces hit a charity water point in Kramatorsk three times. Two women and a man were injured; both women are in serious condition. The city council called it deliberate terror against civilians.
Zelensky proposed meetings with Trump's envoys soon. Kyiv backs an energy ceasefire if Russia joins. On 13 Oct Russia spared energy by day — then hit Kyiv CHP-4 at night.
On 13 October in Luxembourg the EU Council opened Ukraine's Internal Market and Competitiveness clusters. The move followed Hungary lifting its veto after a law on Hungarian-speaking minority rights.
Overnight on 13 October drones struck two cargo ships near the Bulgarian coast. Guinea-Bissau-flagged HS Dignity sank with 11 missing; Malta-flagged Chelsea-3 was hit, crew rescued. Sofia summoned Russia's ambassador.
Oleh Syniehubov reported Kharkiv and 16 other settlements under Russian attack. Four people were killed and 51 injured, including four children. Homes, rail and businesses were damaged.
On 13 October a jet-powered drone struck a building of Rivne State Humanitarian University. Students were in shelters; administrative staff were among the injured. SES finished clearing debris with 30 people hurt.
The president said Ukraine did not receive early warning from allies about Russian ballistic launches toward Kyiv on 12 and 13 October. Systems spotted the threat only in the final phase of flight.
Overnight on 14 October Russia hit Kyiv with ballistic missiles. A nine-storey residential building in Desnianskyi district was struck: two people died and 21 were injured, including a child.
The Warsaw Security Forum runs on 12–13 October with Zelensky taking part. Western microelectronics from downed drones will be on display, and NATO's top commander in Europe is urging more support for Ukraine.
The EU defence commissioner urged the EU and Ukraine not to rely on the US for peace. Canada and France condemned the 'diesel deal' with Russia and pledged to tighten sanctions.
After talking to Mark Carney, Zelensky said Canada is taking part in the European FREYJA interceptor. The defence minister spoke about destroyed Iskander launchers and countering jet drones.
According to the Financial Times, US officials are calling Kyiv and European capitals with threats. Meanwhile seven senators from both parties are urging Trump to reverse the 'diesel deal' with Russia.
Zelensky enacted three NSDC decisions: 70 Russian missile-industry workers, crypto exchanges and the A7 network, and collaborators and firms in occupied territories.
After a call with Zelensky, Ursula von der Leyen announced new defence funding, a debate on Ukraine's 2027 needs at the EU summit and the opening of two more accession clusters.
A missile hit a residential block and a shop outside Kharkiv, killing three, including a 16-year-old, and injuring 25. In Ivano-Frankivsk a jet-powered drone killed three servicemen.
Trump said Ukraine and Russia had agreed to stop hitting energy targets. Kyiv backed the idea, but Moscow stayed silent — and kept striking Kharkiv and Kyiv.
After the US–Russia diesel deal, the Ukrainian team is returning home. The president held calls with Macron and the British and Norwegian prime ministers, while the NYT reported what was offered to Moscow in September.
Military intelligence (HUR) published data on tankers and gas carriers moving Russian oil and LNG, including to China's Beihai port. All are already sanctioned by the UK or Ukraine.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo will bring the idea to next week's European Council, citing the threat of Russian sabotage. Estonia, meanwhile, expects growing migration pressure from Belarus.
With shelling intensifying, the capital's authorities urged people to prepare for emergency blackouts. Lviv, meanwhile, is setting up more than 70 wood-fired boiler rooms at schools.
A drone hit a nine-storey block late on 10 October, blowing out hundreds of windows; another strike at dawn damaged a second building. An 11-year-old boy was also killed in the Nikopol district.
On the morning of 10 October Russia dropped guided aerial bombs on a residential area. The dead include two schoolgirls and three generations of one displaced family; 32 people were injured.
Republican Brian Fitzpatrick announced a bipartisan 'Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act'. Don Bacon backs it, and former vice-president Mike Pence urged Trump to cancel the diesel deal.
The US president tied his remarks to Ukraine's strikes on Russian refineries. Ukraine's foreign minister replied that Zelensky has the support of Ukrainians, while Elon Musk sided with Trump.
After the US agreed to Russian diesel supplies, Kallas, Berlin, Helsinki, Tallinn and even Canberra said they would not change course on Moscow.
At the level of EU ambassadors Budapest approved negotiating positions on the Internal Market and Competitiveness clusters. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry hopes to open two more clusters by the end of the year.
Ukrenergo is applying hourly outage schedules of 0.5–1.5 queues in some regions. On the evening of 7 October emergency cuts were in force, and Kyiv saw water supply disruptions and halted electric transport.
Russia hit Ukraine with about 70 missiles plus drones. Zelensky: 25 killed, 100 wounded. In Pryluky a Kh-101 missile destroyed a stairwell of a five-storey block; five of the 20 dead are children.
Defence Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz announced new units and drone forces in the Lublin province. That evening, an air-threat alert meant for Lublin went to residents of Lubuskie by mistake.
Ukraine's Air Force reported the first kills of jet drones by turrets with machine vision. The Defence Ministry cleared the Varkhan logistics robot for supply. Military intelligence described a new Geran-4 version.
According to Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service, Russia shipped 347,000 t of wheat in mid-September versus 1.3m t a year earlier. The Baltic, Murmansk and China cannot fully replace its southern ports.
This was said at the meeting of European police chiefs in The Hague. Ukraine's National Police proposes a joint group against hybrid threats and a dedicated Europol task force on Russia's shadow fleet.
FT: Budapest will not block letters on opening the internal market and competitiveness clusters. Kos hopes to open them as early as next week if the Rada passes the minority education law.
On 5 October two drones struck a ship carrying maize from Izmail inside Romania's exclusive economic zone. Romanian rescuers saved 11 sailors. Zelensky called for more pressure on Russia.
For 6 October the NBU set the rate at UAH 45.06 per dollar – above 45 for the first time ever. The euro eased slightly. The Finance Ministry reports 58.3% of planned borrowing raised in nine months.
Ukrainian pilots will soon begin Rafale training in France. Belgium awaits Paris's approval to hand over three F-16s, and the Netherlands promises spare parts and ammunition.
On 5 October Russia dropped guided aerial bombs on Kharkiv: more than 30 apartment blocks were damaged, warehouses burned and people were trapped under a collapsed car-repair shop. Three children were hurt.
Ukraine will get 2,000 Bars interceptors built with Germany and is testing SPYS and the small Nika missile. Russia, per Kyiv, makes 130–140 ballistic missiles a month.
Long-range drones of Special Operations Centre 'A' attacked the air base about 500 km away and hit an ammunition depot. Both jets carry the guided bombs Russia uses on the front and cities.
United List took over 35% and 41 of 100 seats, per preliminary commission data. The party pledges to strengthen the border with Russia and Belarus and adopt Ukraine's defence experience.
Extra Vydubychi–Darnytsia runs, stopping at Bereznyaky, will operate at peak hours 06:00–09:00 and 16:00–21:00. How to use them and what else crosses the river.
Khmara assesses the impact of long-range strikes; the Unmanned Systems Forces hit 456 energy sites in Russia and occupied areas in three months. What is known and what is unverified.
On the evening of 4 October Russia hit the Industrialnyi district. About ten apartment blocks were damaged, cars and an office building burned; a police officer is among the injured.
After Moscow's new 'warning' to diplomats and foreigners, Germany, Italy, Estonia and Poland said they keep working in Kyiv. EU envoy: no member-state embassy is leaving.
Siemens Energy, 50Hertz and Amprion will help rebuild Ukraine's grid; Berlin gives €250m to the Energy Support Fund. What was signed at the business forum in Kyiv.
Germany's chancellor arrived by train unannounced. About €1bn goes to air defence, long-range weapons, drones and satellite links; Kyiv asked for F-16 munitions, IRIS-T, Patriot and Taurus.
Air Force: Shaheds and other types; hits at 12 locations, debris at 5; aviation, SAM, EW and mobile teams took part.
Shmyhal: the list includes Lvivvuhillia, Volynvuhillia, Ukrvuhillia and mines in occupied areas; goal is a private investor while keeping social guarantees.
The president reported long-range replies after Russian attacks on Kyiv, energy sites and a ship in Chornomorsk; he thanked units for precision.
After visiting Kharkiv and Donetsk units, the National Guard chief said troops repelled 170+ attacks in a week; mid-range strikes reach 70–100 km.
Regional head Raikovych reported a UAV crash during an alert on 3 October; debris set dry grass alight, the fire was contained.
Border guards have held their sector since June: 118 Russian troops killed, seven captured; fighting continues.
PM Koretskyi announced a facility in a 900+ m² radiation shelter so 115 children can spend a full day learning without air-raid interruptions.
In a Reuters interview the president called the eastern counteroffensive a success still underway; the Third Army Corps freed several villages on the Lyman axis.
Zelensky told Reuters Ukrainian intelligence obtained documents on broader Russian civilian targeting before winter; Kyiv will hit energy, not civilians.
During his third mission to Moscow, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi visited a camp holding Ukrainian POWs and conveyed Pope Leo XIV’s closeness. Talks also covered the return of children.
Since the start of 2026 Ukraine’s Defence Ministry has approved 1,678 new weapon models, 1,530 of them made in Ukraine. Anti-drone protection now covers more than 1,560 km of key roads.
The Telegraph and Welt am Sonntag report that the attempt to blow up a Ukrainian An-124 cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport may have been organised by GRU-linked Russian citizen Oleg Levushkin.
Drone attacks on Sept. 19, 20 and 27 damaged transformers at the Zaporizhzhia thermal plant that are vital for off-site power to the occupied nuclear plant. The IAEA is brokering an eighth local truce.
A Russian attack on a civilian cargo ship flying the Liberian flag in a port in Ukraine’s Odesa region on October 3 killed a motorman and injured three other crew members.
The U.S.–Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund (URIF) approved its largest package yet: a mining platform with BGV Group, DTEK battery storage and community energy hubs.
A Russian strike damaged Kyiv’s Northern Bridge on Oct. 3, injuring two people. The Southern Bridge has been closed to cars and the metro after repeated attacks on Oct. 1–2.
The 2026 Prix Alain Bosquet has gone to Ukrainian poet and soldier Yaryna Chornohuz and to Ella Yevtushenko and Frédéric Martin, translators of her collection.
A conference of the World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations is discussing reconstruction, return, countering disinformation and keeping Ukrainian identity alive abroad.
Russia hit Kyiv’s Cosmonova data center twice on September 26, damaging its backbone network and knocking TV channels off air. Officials ordered extra protection for telecoms.
Andrii Sybiha says people in Russian-occupied Oleshky, Kherson region, are starving and urges the world to secure humanitarian access and safe evacuation.
In two days, attacks hit a McDonald’s partner’s warehouse, a foreign-invested plant in Zhytomyr region, a pharmaceutical plant, a hypermarket and a sushi chain’s warehouse. Kyiv wants more pressure on Moscow.
President Zelensky enacted a security council decision sanctioning 44 people involved in staging Russian State Duma “elections” in occupied parts of Ukraine.
Crossings in Volyn have been briefly shut in recent days because of the threat of attacks, with Poland halting its side too. What border guards say and how travellers should act.
The defence ministry is gradually adding sign-in with Diia.Signature alongside BankID in the military registration app. What you need, what to do if the button is missing, and what else changed.
Russia is targeting network infrastructure, but Ukraine’s highly distributed internet channels make a countrywide outage unlikely, says tech adviser Serhii Beskrestnov (“Flash”).
On September 25 Russian drones hit a high-rise in Pecherskyi district, an office block in Solomianskyi district and the High Council of Justice. 59 people were injured.
Ukraine’s top military command reviewed tests of interceptors against jet drones, approved plans to build jet engines at home and heard intelligence on Russia’s 2027 tech plans.
EU countries have agreed terms for releasing European Peace Facility money that Hungary had blocked since 2023. Here is where the money goes and when Ukraine might see it.
Ukrainian and Polish specialists finished work at Lviv’s Holoskivskyi Cemetery, recovering 115 Polish Army soldiers and 17 Wehrmacht troops killed in the September 1939 battles for the city.
The steelmaker told Ukraine’s government it cannot safely resume operations at ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih after four missile strikes in five weeks.
Most of Ukraine’s defence funding gap is money for drones and missiles. Unless they are ordered and paid for in October–November, January and February will be hard, the president says.
Washington has suggested technical-level trilateral talks hosted by the Emirates, and Kyiv is waiting for a date. Meanwhile, Putin’s invitation to the G20 is dividing Western politicians.
The EU Council approved the eighth regular Ukraine Facility payment. For the first time, almost €800 million comes from the Ukraine Support Loan.
Speleologists found a vertical cave about 30 metres deep in the Ivano-Frankivsk region and a new 50-metre section of the “Na Khomakh” gypsum cave in the Ternopil region.
