Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russian fighter jet crashes while attempting to land before drone attack on Kyiv

Key Points

• Russian MiG-31 fighter jet crashes during landing near Ukraine border, Moscow says
• Russia bombards Kyiv in large-scale drone and missile attack
• At least nine injured in Russian attacks on Kyiv overnight
• 23 children rescued from Russian-occupied Ukraine
• Putin admits Russia shot down Azerbaijan Airlines plane, killing 38

Netherlands to spend €200 million on drone production

The Netherlands has pledged €200 million in support for counter-drone systems in Ukraine after the Dutch defence minister Ruben Brekelmans met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday.

Since the beginning of the war, the Netherlands has provided nearly $9 billion in assistance to Ukraine.

Zelensky hopes for 'coalition of the willing' meeting this month

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said he hopes that the “coalition of the willing” will meet this month as Russia steps up its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

The coalition of the willing is a group of more than 30 countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, and Japan, that are helping to defend a peace deal in Ukraine.

Early in September, 26 of the countries pledged their readiness to deploy military contingents or provide other forms of support.

Russia waited for bad weather before launching attack, Zelenksy says

Russia deliberately waited for poor weather before it launched an attack on Ukraine’s energy system, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Speaking to reporters in Kyiv on Friday, he said the poor weather conditions reduced air defence’s capability to repel by 20 to 30 per cent.

Overnight, Russian forces struck the country’s energy facilities, leaving an estimated 600,000 households temporarily without power on Friday.

"The blow is strong, but it is definitely not fatal," Zelensky said.

Starmer discusses participation in Nato defence funding initiative

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken to Sir Keir Starmer about the UK’s possible participation in the Nato Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative.

The PURL initiative is designed to help Ukraine secure US-sourced weapons and ammunition. Six Nato members, including the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, and Canada, have funded defence support packages.

EU will seek to exclude Ukraine loan guarantees from deficit calculations

Financial guarantees EU members are likely to have to provide to cover a reparation loan to Ukraine should not count towards their deficit and debt targets, European Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Friday.

The European Commission has floated a plan to use Russian frozen assets to underpin a 140 billion euro ($162 billion) loan to Ukraine. The loan would only be repaid once Ukraine receives reparations from Russia for damage incurred during the three-and-a-half-year war.

EU finance ministers discussed the loan on Friday and Dombrovskis said Italy's Giancarlo Giorgetti and others had raised the matter of guarantees.

Watch: Melania Trump reveals she has been talking to Putin

Poland steps in as Russia continues to attack Ukraine’s energy infrastructure

Poland has offered Ukraine a lifeline of generators, additional electricity, and access to its LNG terminal, as Russia intensifies its bombardment of the country's energy infrastructure.

The pledge from Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski follows recent Russian strikes that plunged large parts of Kyiv into darkness, leaving an estimated 600,000 households temporarily without power across Ukraine on Friday.

Speaking during a visit to Lviv, Mr Sikorski outlined Poland's commitment to supporting its eastern neighbour.

He affirmed: "Generators, extra electricity supplies, accelerated construction of power connections between Ukraine and Poland, and of course, our LNG terminal in Swinoujscie is at your disposal."

Read our full story below.

Poland steps in as Russia bombards Ukraine’s energy infrastructure

Zelensky says he discussed frozen Russian assets with ECB president

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky says he discussed "fair use" of frozen Russian assets with European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde.

His comments come after a large overnight Russian air attack across Ukraine.

"We discussed how to ensure the fair use of frozen Russian assets to protect against Russia’s war and to help rebuild life in Ukraine. There are solutions for how this can be done," Zelensky said.

In a later post, Zelensky said he had discussed the use of frozen Russian assets for Ukraine's defence needs and rebuilding after Russian airstrikes.

"We are getting closer to a decision on the assets, and I thank everyone who is helping," he wrote.

More than one million consumers in Ukraine faced temporary power cuts after Russian strike, data shows

The Russian massive attack on Ukraine's energy system on Friday caused temporary power cuts to more than one million consumers across the country, Reuters calculations based on local authorities data showed.

At least 420,000 families in the capital of Kyiv were affected, Ukrainian private energy firm DTEK said, announcing that power was restored.

Watch: Fires break out in Kyiv apartments after major Russian attack

Melania Trump reveals she has been talking to Putin through ‘back’ channels about kidnapped Ukrainian children

Eight Ukrainian children who were kidnapped from their families and held captive in Russia have been returned to Ukraine after back-channel negotiations between First Lady Melania Trump and Russian representatives, the First Lady said on Friday.

Ms Trump, a former model who was born in what is now Slovenia when that country was part of the former Yugoslavia, made the stunning announcement in the Grand Foyer of the White House.

She told reporters “much [had] unfolded” since she sent a letter in August to Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the fate of the thousands of children who’ve been taken to Russia after being seized by Russian forces during the attempted invasion of Ukraine.

Read our full story below.

Melania Trump reveals talks with Putin over kidnapped Ukraine children

Poland says cyberattacks on critical infrastructure rising, blames Russia

Poland's critical infrastructure has been subject to a growing number of cyberattacks by Russia, the country's digital affairs minister told Reuters.

Of the 170,000 cyber incidents that have been identified in the first three quarters of this year, a significant portion has been attributed to Russian actors, Krzysztof Gawkowski said.

He said Poland is a subject to between 2,000 and 4,000 incidents a day and that 700 to 1,000 are "taken up by us, meaning they posed a real threat or had the potential to cause serious problems", he said.

Trump suggests throwing ‘laggard’ Spain out of NATO

US president Donald Trump has reportedly suggested that Spain’s membership in the Nato alliance should be reconsidered due to its insufficient military spending.

The intervention follows an agreement in June where members of the US-backed security pact committed to significantly boosting their defence budgets to 5 per cent of gross domestic product.

he move aligns with President Trump’s long-standing demand for European nations to contribute more substantially to their own defence.

But Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez said at the time that he would not commit to the 5 per cent target, calling it “incompatible with our welfare state and our world vision”.

Read our full story below.

Trump suggests throwing ‘laggard’ Spain out of NATO

Putin says Russia is developing 'weapons of deterrence'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the country is in the process of developing new “weapons of deterrence”, according to Reuters.

Putin said that this would mean that if the US did not want to voluntarily extend a key arms control treaty then it would not be a critical issue for Russia.

He added that the world was already engaged in a global nuclear arms race involving Russia and the US.

In pictures: Clean-up operation after buildings damaged in Russian drone and missile strike in Brovary, near Kyiv

Hungary’s Orban accuses Ukraine of aiding opposition and spying on citizens

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban has accused Ukrainian intelligence of meddling in his country's internal affairs and supporting the opposition.

He warned Hungarian citizens that Ukrainian intelligence may be monitoring them through their phones.

“The Ukrainian intelligence service is not just watching Hungary; it has wormed its way in through the pro-Ukrainian Tisza Party. They have infiltrated public life and politics, providing technological assistance to their allies to help them gain power here,” he wrote on X on Friday.

“Once we said “the Russians are already in the pantry”, now we must say: the Ukrainians are already in your smartphone. We will not let this slide!”

Orban, Europe's most pro-Russian leader, has previously claimed that Ukraine, the EU and some opposition parties are working to bring about a change of government in Hungary.

Nato will hold its major annual nuclear exercise next week, the alliance’s chief announced on Friday, with an important part of the drill to focus on protecting the weapons before they're ever used.

The long-planned “Steadfast Noon” exercise, which starts on Monday, is taking place amid heightened security around military facilities in Europe due to a series of mysterious drone incidents, some of them blamed on Russia.

Read more here:

NATO begins a big nuclear exercise next week. Protecting the weapons is a key part of the drill

Russia's attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure 'cynical and calculated': Zelensky

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russia's large-scale attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as “cynical and calculated”, as he called for urgent international support to protect civilians ahead of winter.

At many critical infrastructure sites, recovery efforts continue following Russia’s strike on the energy sector. It was a cynical and calculated attack, with more than 450 drones and over thirty missiles targeting everything that sustains normal life, everything the Russians want… pic.twitter.com/VoGrhhrVaW

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 10, 2025

Over 200,000 consumers were left without power in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, officials say

More than 200,000 people were left without power in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region after Russia's overnight attack on the energy system, local governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

The frontline region is home to Ukraine's second largest city, and has been regularly bombarded during the war.

Widespread damage reported across Ukraine after mass Russian attack on energy facilities

Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the Russian attack on Friday was “one of the largest concentrated strikes against energy facilities”.

President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attack as a “cynical and calculated” operation, carried out using over 450 drones and more than three dozen missiles.

Around 110,000 consumers were without power on Friday morning in the Kyiv region, governor Mykola Kalashnyk said.

The attack also damaged energy infrastructure in the central region of Poltava, where around 17,000 consumers were without power, according to local officials.

Ukrainian private energy firm DTEK said its thermal power plants had suffered significant damage in the attack but did not immediately provide further details.

Power returns to Kyiv after Russian strikes, says energy minister

Power has returned to the capital Kyiv following an overnight Russian drone and missile attack that left much of the city in darkness, the Ukrainian energy minister said.

“Energy companies have restored power to 270,000 customers in Kyiv,” Svitlana Hrynchuk wrote on Facebook on Friday.

She said it was three years to the day since Russia launched its first large-scale attack on Ukraine's power grid.

"Today, Russia continues to use cold and darkness as instruments of terror," she said.

In pictures: Emergency services work to extinguish fire following Russian attack in Kyiv

Russian MiG-31 fighter jet crashes during landing near Ukraine border, Moscow says

A Russian MiG-31 fighter jet crashed during landing in the western Lipetsk region near the border with Ukraine, the Russian defence ministry said.

"The aircraft crew ejected, and there is no threat to the pilots' lives," the ministry said on Thursday, according to Russia’s Tass news agency.

It added that the jet was on a routine training flight without weapons on board.

It came shortly before Russia launched a large-scale overnight drone and missile attack against Ukraine on Friday. Lipetsk is about 300km (190 miles) from Ukraine's eastern border.

The MiG-31 fighter jet, a twin-seat supersonic aircraft capable of carrying Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, is the fastest known operational combat aircraft. It can travel up to 3,000km per hour (1,860 mph) and climb to altitudes of 21,000 metres (68,900 feet).

Trump fails in bid for Nobel Peace Prize

Maria Corina Machado has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in “promoting peace” in Latin America at a time when “democracy is under threat”.

Ms Machado was declared the winner in an announcement made by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo on Friday.

The Venezuelan opposition leader was awarded for "for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said in its citation.

Trump fails in bid for Nobel Peace Prize as surprise winner announced

Trump proposes barring Chinese airlines from flying over Russia on US routes

Donald Trump has proposed banning Chinese airlines from flying over Russia on routes to and from the US.

The proposal is another escalation of the trade war between the world’s two largest economies.

US airlines have long criticised the decision to allow Chinese carriers to use Russian airspace. Washington banned flights over the US in March 2022 following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine's top general says military struck Russian territory 70 times last month

Ukraine's top general said Ukraine struck Russian territory 70 times last month.

"We are destroying the production of fuels and lubricants, explosives, and other components of the Russian military-industrial complex in the aggressor country," Oleksandr Syrskyi wrote on Facebook.

"In particular, oil refining in Russia has been reduced by 21%."

Sweden to invest in anti-drone systems amid growing Russia threat

Sweden will invest £275m in more anti-drone systems, its defence minister said on Friday, citing a growing threat posed by aerial violations.

A wave of drone sightings has rattled European aviation, sparking concerns about hybrid attacks potentially targeting Ukraine's allies in Europe, though Russia has denied involvement.

"Recent violations and drone sightings are a reminder that threats from the air are an increasingly large part of modern warfare," Defence Minister Pal Jonson said on X. "We must defend ourselves against this."

The Nordic Nato member will acquire systems to shoot down drones, deploy hunter drones for air bases and install jamming sensors, among other measures, the minister added.

Russia says it would support Trump for Nobel Peace Prize

The Kremlin has indicated that it would back Donald Trump to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

The winner is set to be announced in Oslo at 10am UK time. Trump is among the favourites to win, mainly due to his peacemaking efforts in Gaza and securing a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

State news agency TASS quoted Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov as saying that Russia was supportive of Trump winning the award.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in remarks published on Thursday that Kyiv would nominate Trump for the Nobel, which he openly covets, if he managed to bring about a ceasefire.

Zelensky says Russia used over 450 drones in attack on energy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Russia used over 450 drones and 30 missiles in a country-wide attack targeting the energy sector.

He reported power outages across nine regions and stressed the need for partners' support with air defence systems and sanctions enforcement.

Pictured: Apartment building destroyed by Russian drone strike on Kyiv

These images show furniture and belongings scattered inside an apartment building damaged by a Russian drone and missile strike on Kyiv overnight.

Seven-year-old boy killed in Russian attack on Ukraine overnight

A major Russian attack on central Kyiv triggered a fire in a high-rise apartment building and targeted energy sites early today, cutting power to parts of the capital, officials said.

In the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, drones and missiles damaged 12 apartment buildings, killing a seven-year-old boy and injuring four people, the regional governor said.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said 12 people had been injured, with eight of them taken to hospital. He said power cuts and disruptions to the water supply had hit districts on the east bank of the Dnipro River that runs through the city.

At least nine injured in Russian attacks on Kyiv overnight

Russian airstrikes injured at least nine people, damaged residential buildings and caused blackouts across parts of the Ukrainian capital in the early hours today, authorities said.

Rescue crews pulled more than 20 people out of a 17-story apartment building as flames engulfed the sixth and seventh floors. Five people were hospitalised, while others received first aid at the scene, authorities said.

The overnight assault marked the latest in a series of attacks on Kyiv.

Russian forces have escalated drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent months, often targeting energy infrastructure and civilian areas.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said today’s attack knocked out power on both sides of the city divided by the Dnipro River and disrupted water supplies.

Putin confirms Russian missiles downed Azerbaijan Airlines plane

Russian president Vladimir Putin has admitted that his country’s air defences were responsible for shooting down an Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day, killing 38.

Putin made the statement at a meeting with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliev in Tajikistan’s capital of Dushanbe yesterday. Both men are attending a summit of the former Soviet nations.

“Of course, everything that is required in such tragic cases will be done by the Russian side on compensation and a legal assessment of all official things will be given,” Putin said

Putin admits Russia shot down passenger plane, killing 38

Watch: Apartments in Kyiv on fire as Russia launches major attack

Rescue services carried out emergency operations in several residential apartments in Kyiv that came under attack overnight.

Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said firefighters had brought a blaze triggered by a drone under control.

The blaze had set apartments on fire on the 6th and 7th floors of a high-rise block in the central Pecherskyi district.

Russia launched a massive overnight attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

Parts of Kyiv were left without power after ballistic missiles and drones targeted the capital’s CHP plant.

In Sumy region, emergency blackout schedules were introduced.

In Zaporizhzhia, the… pic.twitter.com/wTPcux6IFK

— KyivPost (@KyivPost) October 10, 2025

US 'might' impose more sanctions on Russia, says Trump

US president Donald Trump said his administration might impose more sanctions on Russia.

"I might," Trump said, when asked by a reporter at the White House if he was planning more sanctions on Russia. Trump was speaking alongside Finnish president Alexander Stubb yesterday.

Trump also said the United States was not planning to withdraw US forces from Europe.

"We have a lot of troops in Europe, as you know, a lot, and we can move them around a little bit, but no, basically we'll be, we'll be pretty much set," Trump said.

Trump wants to ban Chinese airlines from overflying Russia on US flights

The Trump administration is looking to ban Chinese airlines from flying over Russia on flights to and from the United States, saying the practice puts American carriers at a disadvantage.

US airlines have long criticised the decision to allow Chinese carriers to fly over Russia on some flights because it which gives them the advantage of decreased flying time and burning less fuel.

The US Transportation Department said in its proposed order yesterday that "this imbalance has become a significant competitive factor." USDOT said it was proposing to bar Chinese overflights "to level this competitive disparity amongst US and Chinese air carriers."

Russia has barred US airlines and other foreign carriers from flying over its airspace in retaliation for Washington banning Russian flights over the US in March 2022 after the country invaded Ukraine.

Process to restore external power to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant started

The process to restore external power to the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine has been started, the UN nuclear watchdog has said.

Europe’s largest nuclear power plant has been cut off from the electricity grid for more than two weeks.

Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said the process had begun after consultation with authorities in Ukraine and Russia, who blame each other for the downing of the external lines.

"Following intensive consultations, the process leading to the re-establishment of off-site power...has started," Grossi said in a statement on the IAEA website.

"While it will still take some time before the grid connection of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been restored, the two sides have engaged with us in a constructive way to achieve this important objective for the sake of nuclear safety and security."

Since the last external link went down on 23 September, the plant has relied on emergency diesel generators to ensure that fuel inside the reactors is cooled and no meltdown occurs.

Russian forces seized the plant, Europe's largest with six reactors, in the first weeks of the Kremlin's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The plant produces no electricity, but each side regularly accuses the other of military actions compromising nuclear safety.

Starmer and Modi discuss Ukraine and oil in face-to-face meeting

Sir Keir Starmer has urged Narendra Modi to move India away from reliance on fossil fuels, as the two leaders also discussed the war in Ukraine.

Sir Keir also suggested he wanted India to take “its rightful place” on the UN Security Council, a long-held goal of the nation.

The Indian leader, who has described himself as a friend of Russia’s Vladimir Putin, meanwhile suggested he wanted to see the Ukraine war come to an end through “dialogue and diplomacy” as they met at a state government residence in Mumbai.

Starmer and Modi discuss Ukraine and oil in face-to-face meeting

23 children rescued from Russian-occupied Ukraine, senior official says

At least 23 Ukrainian children and adolescents have been brought out of Russian-occupied areas of the country to territory under Kyiv's control, president Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff said.

The rescue was carried out under the president's "Bring Kids Back UA" programme aimed at bringing to safe areas children deported to Russia or confined to Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, said Andriy Yermak.

Yermak said those returning included two sisters who refused a demand to attend Russian schools made by Russia-installed authorities who had threatened to remove the girls from their mother's care.

Another teenage boy similarly refused to attend Russian school and one child and her mother were refused permission to leave occupied areas as one of their relatives was serving in the Ukrainian military.

Ukraine says Russia has illegally deported or forcibly displaced more than 19,500 children to Russia and Belarus in violation of the Geneva Conventions.

The number could be closer to 35,000, according to Yale’s School of Public Health research.

In photos: Kyiv plunges into darkness as Russia rains missiles and bombs

Russia bombards Kyiv in large-scale drone and missile attack

A major Russian attack on central Kyiv triggered a fire in a high-rise apartment building and targeted energy sites in the early hours today, cutting power to parts of the capital, officials said.

“From the explosions that just occurred — a ballistic missile attack is ongoing. Missiles, one after another, air defence is active," said Kyiv city military administration head Tymur Tkachenko, in an update at 2.41am local time.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said nine people had been injured, with five of them taken to hospital. He said power cuts and disruptions to the water supply had hit districts on the east bank of the Dnipro River that runs through the city.

Pictures posted online showed apartments ablaze as firefighters moved into position. Fragments from downed drones also struck several parts of the city.

Energy minister Svitlana Grynchuk said Russian forces had hit energy sites."Energy experts are taking all necessary measures to minimise negative consequences," Grynchuk said on Facebook.

“As soon as safety conditions allow, energy experts will begin clarifying the consequences of the attack and conducting restoration work."

In photos: Putin arrives for central Asia summit meetings in Tajikistan

Russian president Vladimir Putin arrived in Tajikistan yesterday to attend meetings with leaders of other ex-Soviet republics likely to focus on regional development and their relations with Moscow.

India is now lead supplier of fuel additives for Russia’s fighter jets, Ukrainian think tank warns

India is now believed to be the biggest supplier of fuel additives used to enhance the capabilities of Russian fighter jets, according to a new report.

More than half a dozen Indian companies – suppliers and manufacturers based in Delhi and Mumbai – were found to have supplied nearly half of the total of Russia’s imported fuel additives in 2024, a Kyiv-based think tank has found.

Arpan Rai reports:

India is now lead supplier of fuel additives for Russia’s fighter jets, report says

Putin admits Russia shot down Azerbaijan Airlines plane, killing 38

Putin admits Russia shot down passenger plane, killing 38

Putin personally afraid of ceasefire, says Zelensky

Vladimir Putin is "personally afraid" of a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

“The head of Russia is personally afraid of a ceasefire, because once a ceasefire is in place, returning to the war would be difficult for him. To move from full-scale war to a ceasefire and then later restart a full-scale war – that’s not easy for them,” Zelensky said on X today.

“It’s not easy economically, it’s not easy with the society, and it’s not easy with the world. And certainly not easy with those countries that are still shaking Putin’s hand today. That’s why, for now, he chooses war,” he said.

Zelensky said Ukraine’s long-range strikes, strong sanctions, holding the battlefield, defending itself in the conflict at the moment but “also, undoubtedly, supporting peaceful initiatives, because that’s the right thing to do – this will work”.

Trump deserves Nobel Peace Prize if ceasefire happens, says Zelensky

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv will nominate Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize if he sends Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine and helps negotiate a ceasefire with Russia.

Speaking on Thursday to reporters about his recent meeting with Trump at the UN General Assembly last month, Zelensky said: “I didn’t hear a ‘no’. What I did hear was that work will continue at the technical level and that this possibility will be considered.”

He added: “The plan for ending the war won’t be easy, but it is certainly the way forward. And if Trump gives the world - above all, the Ukrainian people - the chance for such a ceasefire, then yes, he should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

“We will nominate him on behalf of Ukraine.”

Ukrainian firefighters extinguish blaze in Odesa after drone strike

Ukrainian refugee who fled war-torn home is now sumo’s rising star

Ukrainian refugee who fled war-torn home is now sumo’s rising star

Huge fireball erupts as Russian attack ‘hits oil depot’ in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region

A Russian drone attack struck an oil depot in Ukraine's Chernihiv region on Wednesday morning (October 8), local governor Vyacheslav Chaus said in a statement posted on Facebook.

Footage released on Wednesday (8 October) shows a huge fireball and pillars of black smoke rising into the air as emergency service workers try to tackle the blaze using foam.

Following the attacks, the National Energy Company of Ukraine said that several regions of Ukraine have been left without power.

“The situation is most difficult in the Chernihiv region, where the local power company is forced to implement three simultaneous hourly power cuts. Emergency repair work is ongoing,” the statement said.

Holly Bishop reports:

Huge fireball erupts as Russian attack hits oil depot in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region

Indian man fighting with Russian forces surrenders to Ukrainian Army, Kyiv says

An Indian citizen fighting alongside Russian forces has surrendered to the Ukrainian military, Kyiv claimed on Tuesday.

The 63rd Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Army posted a video on Telegram showing a man calling himself Majoti Sahil Mohamed Hussein in its custody. The man claims to be a 22-year-old from Morbi in the western state of Gujarat.

Namita Singh reports:

Indian man fighting with Russian forces surrenders to Ukrainian Army, Kyiv says

Russia imposes sanctions on Russian-owned oil company in Serbia

The United States has imposed sanctions on Serbia’s Russian-owned oil company NIS NIIS.BEL.

The move prompted neighbouring Croatia to cut crude supplies, which has led to concerns that the country’s sole oil refinery could stop operations in weeks.

“These are extremely severe consequences for our entire country. It's not just about the functioning of one company,” said Serbia’s president Aleksandr Vucic in a televised address.

Starmer and Modi discuss Ukraine and oil in face-to-face meeting

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Indian leader Narendra Modi met on Thursday to discuss a move away from fossil fuels during discussions about the war in Ukraine.

Mr Starmer said he supported India taking its “rightful place” on the UN Security Council.

He added: “The Prime Minister and I also discussed the need for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, the need for stability and security in the Indo-Pacific, and the need to co-operate in critical areas like climate and energy, including breaking away from dependence on fossil fuels.”

Watch: Zelensky says Russia is tapping into oil reserves amid fuel shortages

Sanctions are hitting Russia but US and China are holding back, says EU sanctions chief

EU sanctions chief David O’Sullivan said sanctions are clearly damaging Russia’s economy, but he warned that US commitment to further measures remains uncertain.

He called the US decision not to join other G7 members in lowering the Russian oil price cap “regrettable” and said it is an “open question” whether US president Donald Trump will back more sanctions, despite signs he is “losing patience” with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

He stressed the need to close loopholes as Russia keeps finding ways to circumvent sanctions, and urged more US pressure on EU countries like Slovakia and Hungary to stop Russian energy imports.

He also warned that China is a key hub for sanctions evasion.

“We do see evidence that China is a platform for the import and re-export to Russia of quite significant numbers of battlefield goods,” he told Reuters.

International Atomic Energy Agency says process in motion to restore electricity

The International Atomic Energy Agency has said that procedures are in in motion to help restore external electricity to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on Thursday.

The power plant had been damaged following frequent contacts with Russia and Ukraine in recent weeks.

"Following intensive consultations, the process leading to the re-establishment of off-site power – through the Dniprovska and Ferosplavna-1 lines – has started," the UN nuclear watchdog's chief Rafael Grossi wrote in a post on X/Twitter.

In pictures: Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev visits Korea

Former Russian President and Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, visited the Central Cadres Training School of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang on Thursday.

Putin admits Russia shot down Azerbaijan Airlines plane, killing 38

Putin admits Russia shot down passenger plane, killing 38

Putin offers to help Donald Trump implement Gaza plan

Russia has expressed its hopes for a lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

President Vladimir Putin said that he would be willing to support efforts to end the bloodshed in a statement on Thursday.

“We very much hope that these initiatives of the U.S. president will actually be realised in practice,” the Russian leader said during a summit in Tajikistan.

India is now lead supplier of fuel additives for Russia’s fighter jets, Ukrainian think tank warns

India is now believed to be the biggest supplier of fuel additives used to enhance the capabilities of Russian fighter jets, according to a new report.

More than half a dozen Indian companies – suppliers and manufacturers based in Delhi and Mumbai – were found to have supplied nearly half of the total of Russia’s imported fuel additives in 2024, a Kyiv-based think tank has found.

Arpan Rai reports:

India is now lead supplier of fuel additives for Russia’s fighter jets, report says

Russia destroys 60 per cent of Ukraine's gas production

Russia has destroyed 60 per cent of Ukraine’s gas production, as winter looms, according to reports.

Chief executive of Naftogaz, Ukraine’s state energy company, Sergii Koretskyi, told the Financial Times that he believes that the goal of the attacks was to “break our spirit” and sap morale.

“This has nothing to do with military needs, none of these assets have any military value at all,” he said.

Russia and Ukraine both maintain that they do not attack civilian infrastructure.

Putin admits Russian air defences shot down Azerbaijani plane last year

Russian president Vladimir Putin admitted for the first time that Russia’s air defences accidentally shot down an Azerbaijani passenger plane in December, killing 38 people.

The Azerbaijan Airlines flight from Baku to Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, was hit by fire from Russian air defences and crashed in western Kazakhstan while attempting to land.

Putin apologised to Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev for the “tragic incident” during a summit in Tajikistan on Thursday, but stopped short of acknowledging responsibility.

Aliyev criticised Russia for attempting to "hush up" the incident.

Czech election winner Babis offers support to Zelensky and plans Ukraine visit

Czech election winner Andrej Babis said he recently spoke with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to express his support for Ukraine.

“We have met three times in the past, most recently in November 2019 in Kyiv,” he wrote in a post on X on Thursday.

“We also agreed that if everything works out, I will visit Ukraine next year and we will discuss everything in person as well.”

Babis, a Czech billionaire businessman and politician who served as prime minister from 2017 to 2021, won a significant election comeback last week.

Právě jsem hovořil s ukrajinským prezidentem @ZelenskyyUa, v minulosti jsme se setkali už třikrát, naposledy v listopadu 2019 v Kyjevě. Jsem rád, že mě kontaktoval a popsal mi aktuální situaci. Vyjádřil jsem mu naši podporu a přání, aby válka co nejdříve skončila. Také jsme se…

— Andrej Babiš (@AndrejBabis) October 9, 2025

Trump deserves Nobel Peace Prize if ceasefire happens, says Zelensky

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv will nominate Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize if he sends Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine and helps negotiate a ceasefire with Russia.

Speaking on Thursday to reporters about his recent meeting with Trump at the UN General Assembly last month, Zelensky said: “I didn’t hear a ‘no’. What I did hear was that work will continue at the technical level and that this possibility will be considered.”

He added: “The plan for ending the war won’t be easy, but it is certainly the way forward. And if Trump gives the world - above all, the Ukrainian people - the chance for such a ceasefire, then yes, he should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

“We will nominate him on behalf of Ukraine.”

Kremlin says US-Russia impetus to seek end to war is not exhausted

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said that efforts by Russia and the US to end the conflict in Ukraine were not exhausted, state news agency TASS reported.

His comments appeared to contradict remarks from a top Russian diplomat, Dmitry Peskov, a day earlier.

Ukrainian firefighters extinguish blaze in Odesa after drone strike

Sanctions are hitting Russia but US and China are holding back, says EU sanctions chief

EU sanctions chief David O’Sullivan said sanctions are clearly damaging Russia’s economy, but he warned that US commitment to further measures remains uncertain.

He called the US decision not to join other G7 members in lowering the Russian oil price cap “regrettable” and said it is an “open question” whether US president Donald Trump will back more sanctions, despite signs he is “losing patience” with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

He stressed the need to close loopholes as Russia keeps finding ways to circumvent sanctions, and urged more US pressure on EU countries like Slovakia and Hungary to stop Russian energy imports.

He also warned that China is a key hub for sanctions evasion.

“We do see evidence that China is a platform for the import and re-export to Russia of quite significant numbers of battlefield goods,” he told Reuters.

Strikes on Russian oil facilities causing 'significant gas shortages' in Russia

Strikes on Russian oil facilities by Ukraine's newly developed long-range missiles and drones are causing significant gas shortages in Russia, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

The Ukrainian president also said that a recent counter-offensive has derailed Russia's plans to capture parts of the eastern Donetsk region.

Ukraine's new Palianytsia missile has hit dozens of Russian military depots, Mr Zelensky said.

The Ruta missile drone, meanwhile, recently struck a Russian offshore oil platform more than 150 miles away in what Mr Zelensky called "a major success" for the new weapon.

Putin personally afraid of ceasefire, says Zelensky

Vladimir Putin is "personally afraid" of a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

“The head of Russia is personally afraid of a ceasefire, because once a ceasefire is in place, returning to the war would be difficult for him. To move from full-scale war to a ceasefire and then later restart a full-scale war – that’s not easy for them,” Zelensky said on X today.

“It’s not easy economically, it’s not easy with the society, and it’s not easy with the world. And certainly not easy with those countries that are still shaking Putin’s hand today. That’s why, for now, he chooses war,” he said.

Zelensky said Ukraine’s long-range strikes, strong sanctions, holding the battlefield, defending itself in the conflict at the moment but “also, undoubtedly, supporting peaceful initiatives, because that’s the right thing to do – this will work”.

The head of Russia is personally afraid of a ceasefire, because once a ceasefire is in place, returning to the war would be difficult for him.

To move from full-scale war to a ceasefire and then later restart a full-scale war – that’s not easy for them. It’s not easy…

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 9, 2025

In photos: Putin arrives for central Asia summit meetings in Tajikistan

Russian president Vladimir Putin arrived in Tajikistan yesterday to attend meetings with leaders of other ex-Soviet republics likely to focus on regional development and their relations with Moscow.

Russia gasoline supplies may be down by a fifth after Ukrainian attacks, says Zelensky

Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian energy facilities may have reduced gasoline supplies in Russia by up to 20 per cent, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

Reuters calculations in August showed that Ukrainian attacks had reduced Russian oil refining by almost a fifth on certain days. Zelensky's comments implied that level of shortage was now ongoing.

“This still needs to be verified, but we believe that they've lost up to 20% of their gasoline supply – directly as a result of our strikes," Zelensky said in remarks to journalists today.

The Kremlin has said that Russia's domestic fuel market is fully supplied.

In the recent weeks, as diplomatic efforts to end the war ground to a halt, Ukraine has been targeting Russia's oil refining capacity and Russian forces have focused on crippling Ukrainian gas production.

Watch: Huge fireball erupts as Russian attack hits Ukrainian oil depot

Ukraine inflicts frontline losses on Russian troops in Donetsk, says Zelensky

Ukrainian forces were inflicting heavy losses in a counteroffensive in eastern Donetsk region, Volodymyr Zelensky said, contrasting Vladimir Putin’s claims that Russia holds the initiative in the region.

Speaking in his nightly video address, Zelensky said he spoke for almost an hour to top commander Oleksandr Syrskyi, with "particular attention on the Dobropillia operation, our counteroffensive".

He described heavy casualties in the area.Ukraine has pointed to successes in Dobropillia, just north of the logistics hub of Pokrovsk, one of the key targets in Russia's slow advance westward through Donetsk region.

Ukrainian forces, Zelensky said, were "defending ourselves along all other directions," referring specifically to Kupiansk, a largely destroyed town in northeastern Ukraine under heavy Russian assaults for months.

He also described conditions as "difficult" around Novopavlivka, farther south in Zaporizhzhia region, but said "our active defensive actions there are showing good results".

The region has been the main theatre of the more than three and a half years of war in Ukraine.

Russia waging misinformation campaign to prevent US sending Tomahawk missiles

The Kremlin is trying to influence US decision-making on whether to send Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine via its European partners, according to a key think-tank monitoring the war.

“Kremlin officials continued to claim that US personnel will have to directly participate in Ukrainian Tomahawk strikes and that the missiles will not affect Russia’s determination to achieve its war goals or the situation on the battlefield,” the Institute for the Study of War said.

Yesterday senior Russian officials said Moscow would create "problems" for Europe if Donald Trump allows Tomahawk missiles to be sent to Ukraine.

Andrei Kartapolov, head of the Russian parliament's defence committee, suggested Moscow would retaliate against any country that supplies the missiles to Ukraine.

“We know these missiles very well, how they fly, how to shoot them down; we worked with them in Syria, so there is nothing new. The only problems will be for those who supply them and those who use them; that's where the problems will be,” he said.

Russia likely facing 20 per cent gasoline shortage after Ukrainian attacks, Zelensky says

Ukrainian long-range strikes on Russian energy facilities may have resulted in gasoline shortages of up to 20 per cent, president Volodymyr Zelensky said at a briefing today.

In remarks released today, he added that Kyiv's forces had used domestically produced Neptune and Flamingo missiles in attacks in the past week.

Zelensky also said Russian forces had carried out 1,550 strikes on energy-related targets in Ukraine's Chernihiv, Sumy and Poltava regions over the past month, but had achieved only 160 hits.

Will nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize if war ends, says Zelensky

Ukraine will nominate US president Donald Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize if he helps achieve peace in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

Trump is waiting to hear if his dream will come true this week - whether his hopes for a Nobel Peace Prize become reality.

His public campaign for the accolade started off with a joke in 2018: "Everyone thinks so but I would never say it,” he said of a possible nomination. “The prize I want is victory for the world.”

Since then he has repeatedly said he should win the award in earnest, and has been nominated by several parties for the prize this year.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the government of Pakistan, the government of Cambodia and US politician Buddy Carter are among those who say they have put the president’s name forward this year.

Russia says it will destroy Tomahawk missiles and their launchers

Russia will create "problems" for Europe if Donald Trump allows Tomahawk missiles to be sent to Ukraine, a senior Russian official has said.

Andrei Kartapolov, head of the Russian parliament's defence committee, suggested Moscow would retaliate against any country that supplies the missiles to Ukraine.

“We know these missiles very well, how they fly, how to shoot them down; we worked with them in Syria, so there is nothing new. The only problems will be for those who supply them and those who use them; that's where the problems will be,” he said.

"Our response will be tough, ambiguous, measured, and asymmetrical. We will find ways to hurt those who cause us trouble," said Kartapolov, the head of the Russian parliament's defence committee.

Kartapolov, a former deputy defence minister, said he did not think Tomahawks would change anything on the battlefield even if they were supplied to Ukraine as he said they could only be given in small numbers – in tens rather than hundreds.

Russia’s deputy foreign minister also warned Washington against allowing Tomahawk missiles to be sent to Ukraine, describing it as a potentially "qualitative" change in US involvement in the war.

Russian attack kills three in Ukraine's Sumy

At least three people were killed and two injured as Russia carried out a series of “massive" drone and guided bomb strikes on Sumy oblast yesterday evening, the regional governor said.

The casualties include a 40-year-old man in Mykolaivka, a 65-year-old man in Velyka Pysarivka, and a 66-year-old man in Bilopillia, governor Oleh Hryhorov said.

The series of strikes targeted rural communities in the region and caused serious damage to civilian infrastructure, he said.

The Ukrainian town of Shostka, in the northeastern Sumy region, has been hard hit by a Russian onslaught against its power grid, officials say.

Authorities there have supplied tents where locals can warm up, drink hot tea, charge their phones and receive psychological support, said Hryhorov.

He posted photos on Telegram of people cooking in outdoor kitchens in the street over open fires on Tuesday.