Donald Trump has allowed US intelligence to assist Ukraine in targeting Russian energy sites in an attempt to force Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
It marks the first time Washington has been reported to have helped long-range strikes inside Russian territories since earlier this summer.
In recent months, Trump has indicated a thawing towards Volodymyr Zelensky after their tense meeting in February, and a hardening stance towards Putin as ceasefire talks between the two countries continue to stall.
Sources told the Financial Times that US intelligence had helped Kyiv plot flight paths, and make altitude and timing decisions to enable their long-range attack drones to hit their targets.
On Saturday, Zelensky urged Trump to broker a peace deal in like he did in the Middle East as he held a “very positive and productive” phone call following a major Russian attack on Kyiv’s energy infrastructure.
The two also discussed the potential supply of Tomahawk cruise missiles for Ukraine, Axios reported, citing sources.
India is now lead supplier of fuel additives for Russia’s fighter jets, Ukrainian think tank warns
Ukraine's new missiles and drones cause gas shortages in Russia, Zelenskyy says
Indian man fighting with Russian forces surrenders to Ukrainian Army, Kyiv says
Ukrainian refugee who fled war-torn home is now sumo’s rising star
Key Points
- U.S. intelligence assisting Ukraine in targeting Russian energy sites
- Zelensky urges Trump to broker peace in Ukraine like he did in Gaza war
- Zelensky praises 'positive' call with Trump after Russia's energy attack
- Russian MiG-31 fighter jet crashes during landing near Ukraine border, Moscow says
- Russia bombards Kyiv in large-scale drone and missile attack
Ukrainian refugee who fled war-torn home is now sumo’s rising star
23:00 , Holly Evans
Ukrainian refugee who fled war-torn home is now sumo’s rising star
India is now lead supplier of fuel additives for Russia’s fighter jets, Ukrainian think tank warns
22:00 , Holly EvansIndia 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.
Fuel additives are chemical compounds in liquid form added to aviation fuel for both commercial and military aircraft to boost their performance.
Read the full article here:
India is now lead supplier of fuel additives for Russia’s fighter jets, report says
Poland charges former registry office employee with providing false identities for Russian spies
21:00 , Holly EvansA man formerly employed by Warsaw city council in its registry of births, marriages and deaths was charged with espionage for allegedly providing Russia with false identities its spies could use, Polish authorities said Thursday.
The man, identified only as Tomasz L. in line with Polish privacy laws, was indicted on charges of espionage and abuse of power, the Polish Internal Security Agency wrote in a statement on Thursday.
Authorities allege the man provided Russia with intelligence from 2017 to 2022, while he was working in the archives of the Warsaw municipality’s civil registry.
Read the full article here:
Poland charges former registry office employee with providing false identities for Russian spies
UK ready to spend frozen Russian assets to fund loan to Ukraine
20:00 , Holly EvansSir Keir Starmer has signalled his readiness to advance plans for using frozen Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine's war effort.
His stance follows a meeting of European leaders in Copenhagen last week, where discussions centred on a "reparations loan" for Ukraine, funded by immobilised Russian assets.
Sir Keir subsequently co-signed a joint E3 statement on Friday with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Read the full article here:
UK ready to spend frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine loan
Moscow previously accused 'entire infrastructure' of NATO of supplying intelligence to Ukraine
19:00 , Holly EvansEarlier this month, Moscow said that Washington and its NATO alliance were regularly supplying intelligence to Kyiv in the war Putin launched in February 2022.
"The supply and use of the entire infrastructure of NATO and the United States to collect and transfer intelligence to Ukrainians is obvious," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters then.
On Sunday, the Financial Times quoted U.S. and Ukrainian sources and said U.S. intelligence helps Kyiv shape route planning, altitude, timing and mission decisions, enabling Ukraine's long-range, one-way attack drones to evade Russian air defences.
Melania Trump talking to Putin through ‘back channels’ about kidnapped Ukrainian children
18:00 , Holly EvansEight Ukrainian children who were kidnapped from their families and held captive in Russia have been returned to Ukraine following back-channel negotiations between Melania Trump and Russian representatives, the First Lady said on Friday.
Trump, a former model who was born in what is now Slovenia when that country was part of what was then Yugoslavia, made the stunning announcement in the Grand Foyer of the White House. She told reporters that “much [had] unfolded” since she sent a letter in August to Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the fate of the thousands of children who have been taken to Russia after being seized by Russian forces during the invasion of Ukraine.
She said Putin had responded in writing to signal a “willingness to engage” with the First Lady “directly”, and provided her with “details regarding the Ukrainian children residing in Russia.”
Read the full article here:
Melania Trump reveals talks with Putin over kidnapped Ukraine children
Moscow says 'tension escalating from all sides' on topic of Tomahawks
17:00 , Holly EvansKremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in remarks published on Sunday that "the topic of Tomahawks is of extreme concern".
He told Russian state television: "Now is really a very dramatic moment in terms of the fact that tensions are escalating from all sides."
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said that he doubts the U.S. will provide Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles.
"I think we need to calm down in this regard, he said. "Our friend Donald... sometimes he takes a more forceful approach, and then, his tactic is to let go a little and step back. Therefore, we shouldn't take this literally, as if it's going to fly tomorrow."
Zelensky discusses strengthening Kyiv's air defence with Trump in second call
16:00 , Holly EvansUkraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has spoken with U.S. President Donald Trump for the second time in two days, discussing strengthening of Kyiv's air defence, resilience and long-range capabilities.
"We also discussed many details related to the energy sector. President Trump is well informed about everything that is happening. We agreed to continue our dialogue, and our teams are doing their preparations," Zelensky said on X.
The Kremlin said on Sunday Russia was deeply concerned about the possibility of the U.S. supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, warning that the war had reached a dramatic moment with escalation from all sides.
Trump said on Monday that before agreeing to provide Tomahawks, he would want to know what Ukraine planned to do with them because he did not want to escalate the war.
I have just spoken with @POTUS – for the second time in two days – and today’s conversation was also very productive.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 12, 2025
Yesterday, we agreed on a set of topics to discuss today, and we covered all the aspects of the situation: defense of life in our country, strengthening our… pic.twitter.com/ZVs0cLicIL
U.S. intelligence assisting Ukraine in targeting Russian energy sites
14:50 , Holly EvansIntelligence from the U.S. has assisted Ukraine in ramping up their long-range strikes on Russian energy sites in recent months, as President Trump hardens his stance against Vladimir Putin.
Sources told the Financial Times that Washington had been providing Kyiv with information which included details on flight paths and helping to make altitude, timing and mission decisions.
This aerial offensive has been critical in targeting Russian pipelines, energy grid, refineries and power stations.
It marks the first time the U.S. has been reported to have directly supported strikes on energy facilities deep inside Russian territory. Such action was previously discouraged by the Biden administration over concerns of escalating tensions with Moscow.
France's Macron condemns Russian strikes on Ukraine's infrastructure
14:26 , Holly EvansFrance condemns Russian strikes on Ukraine's infrastructure and is working with partners to restore essential services, President Emmanuel Macron said on his verified X account, after having spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"As the agreement reached in Gaza offers a glimmer of hope for peace in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine too must come to an end," Macron said.
"If Russia persists in its obstinate warmongering and its refusal to come to the negotiating table, it will have to pay the price," he added.
I spoke with President @ZelenskyyUa. As the agreement reached in Gaza offers a glimmer of hope for peace in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine too must come to an end.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 12, 2025
If Russia persists in its obstinate warmongering and its refusal to come to the negotiating table,…
Where are the frozen Russian assets that Ukraine could use for military funding?
13:30 , Alex CroftUkraine's budget and military needs for 2026 and 2027 are estimated to total around 130 billion euros.
The European Union has already poured in 174 billion euros since the war started in February 2022.
The biggest pot of ready funds available is through frozen Russian assets, most of which is held in Belgium - around 194 billion euros as of June - and outside the EU in Japan, with around 50 billion dollars, and the US, UK and Canada with lesser amounts.
Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a joint statement on Friday they were ready to move towards using "in a co-ordinated way, the value of the immobilised Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine's armed forces and thus bring Russia to the negotiation table".
The statement added they aimed to do this "in close co-operation with the United States".
Russia has lost 1.1m troops since invasion, Ukraine claims
12:29 , Alex CroftUkraine’s General Staff has reported that Russia has lost around 1,121,570 troops since launching its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.
The daily update on October 11 noted that 1,060 Russian forces were lost in the past 24 hours alone.
The report also detailed extensive equipment losses on Russia’s side, including:
- 11,247 tanks
- 23,345 armoured fighting vehicles
- 63,847 vehicles and fuel tanks
- 33,568 artillery systems
- 1,518 multiple launch rocket systems
- 1,225 air defence systems
- 427 airplanes
- 346 helicopters
- 68,766 drones
- 28 ships and boats
- 1 submarine
UK hosts of Ukrainian refugees hit out at ‘horrendous’ support from Home Office
11:28 , Alex CroftHosts of Ukrainian refugees say they are facing “endless bureaucracy” and “horrendous” support from the Home Office, with thousands stuck in limbo over three years after Russia’s invasion of the country.
For Juliet Grover, the daughter of a Jewish refugee who escaped the Nazis, the decision to become a host was personal. She signed up to the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme as soon as the war began in February 2022, firmly believing that providing refuge to those in need was important.
Yet immediately she says she was struck by the difficulties facing host families, with little to zero information and advice given by the UK government.
Holly Evans reports:
UK hosts of Ukrainian refugees hit out at ‘horrendous’ support from Home Office
Fires break out in Kyiv apartments after major Russian attack - ICYMI
10:28 , Alex CroftUS has helped Ukrainian long-range attacks on Russian energy for months - report
09:30 , Alex CroftThe US has been helping Ukraine mount long-range strikes on Russian energy facilities for months in a joint effort to weaken the economy and force President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.
US intelligence has helped Kyiv strike important Russian energy assets, including oil refineries, far beyond the front line, the newspaper said, citing unnamed Ukrainian and U.S. officials familiar with the campaign.
Moscow said this month that Washington and its Nato alliance were regularly supplying intelligence to Kyiv in the war Putin launched in February 2022.
"The supply and use of the entire infrastructure of Nato and the United States to collect and transfer intelligence to Ukrainians is obvious," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters then.
The FT said US intelligence helps Kyiv shape route planning, altitude, timing and mission decisions, enabling Ukraine's long-range, one-way attack drones to evade Russian air defences.
The United States is closely involved in all stages of planning, it said, citing three people familiar with the operation. A US official was quoted as saying Ukraine selected the targets for long-range strikes and Washington then provided intelligence on the sites' vulnerabilities.
Early this month two US officials told Reuters that Washington would provide Ukraine with intelligence on long-range energy infrastructure targets in Russia, as it weighs whether to send Kyiv missiles that could be used in such strikes.
The US also asked Nato allies to provide similar support, the US officials said.
Pro-Ukrainian group sabotage Russian railway infrastructure
08:31 , Shweta SharmaA pro-Ukrainian partisan group, Atesh, has claimed responsibility for a sabotage operation targeting railway infrastructure in Russia’s Rostov Oblast, according to a post on Telegram on Saturday.
The group said its operatives destroyed a traffic control cabinet on a railway near Novocherkassk, a line reportedly used by Russian forces to transport military personnel and supplies, according to The Kyiv Independent.
The sabotage disrupted Russian supply lines, creating “a chain reaction of delays” along routes toward the southern frontline, the group claimed.
The Atesh group is known for carrying out sabotage operations in both Russian territory and areas of Ukraine under Russian occupation.
Power restored to Kyiv homes after Russian bombardment on Ukraine’s energy grid
07:31 , Shweta SharmaMore than 800,000 residents in Kyiv had their power restored on Saturday, following extensive Russian assaults on the nation's power grid that plunged vast swathes of the country into darkness.
DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy firm, confirmed on Saturday that “the main work to restore the power supply” was complete, though some localised outages persisted across the capital in the wake of Friday’s “massive” Russian attacks.
The barrage of Russian drone and missile strikes on Friday morning injured at least 20 people in Kyiv, damaged residential properties, and triggered blackouts across significant parts of Ukraine.
Prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko characterised the assault as “one of the largest concentrated strikes” against Ukraine’s vital energy infrastructure.
Russia’s Defence Ministry stated on Friday that its strikes had targeted energy facilities supplying Ukraine’s military, without specifying locations.
Power restored to Kyiv after major Russian attacks on energy grid
Russian air defence units destroy 32 Ukrainian drones overnight
07:00 , Shweta SharmaRussian air defence units destroyed 32 Ukrainian drones overnight, TASS news agency reported on Sunday, citing data from the Russian defence ministry.
Trump and Zelensky discuss Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine, report says
06:35 , Shweta SharmaPresident Donald Trump spoke with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday, discussing the possibility of supplying Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, sources familiar with the call told Axios.
Tomahawks could allow Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia, including Moscow, giving Kyiv a potential bargaining tool to push Vladimir Putin toward negotiations.
Sources said no final decision has been made yet.
The conversation lasted roughly 30 minutes, one source said.
Zelensky described it as “very positive and productive.”
Zelensky also congratulated Trump on the Gaza peace deal.
He emphasised that peace would require Russia’s readiness for diplomacy, which can be achieved through strength.
A White House official confirmed the call.
Trump said earlier this week that he has “sort of made a decision” on selling Tomahawk missiles to Nato allies for potential transfer to Ukraine.
He wants clarity on how Ukraine plans to use the missiles before proceeding.
Zelensky first requested Tomahawks during the UN General Assembly last month, suggesting that simply having them could pressure Russia to negotiate.
Zelensky urges Trump to broker peace in Ukraine like he did in Gaza war
06:00 , Shweta SharmaIn his phone call with Donald Trump, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky urged his US counterpart to broker a peace deal in Ukraine as he did in the Middle East.
“If a war can be stopped in one region, then surely other wars can be stopped as well, including the Russian war,” Zelensky said, as he hailed Trump’s “outstanding” Gaza ceasefire plan.
He called for the US president to pressure the Kremlin into negotiations.
Trump has repeatedly vowed to swiftly broker a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow, but those ambitions have stalled as Russia continues to reject calls for a ceasefire and intensifies its assaults on Ukraine.
Mr Zelensky said he informed President Trump about Russia's attacks on Ukraine’s energy system.
“I appreciate his willingness to support us," he said, praising the discussion as "very positive and productive”.
German Airlines call for drones threatening airports to be shot down
05:30 , Shweta SharmaGermany’s leading airlines are demanding stronger action against rogue drones that disrupt airport operations, calling for police to be authorised to shoot down threatening unmanned aircraft, Der Spiegel reported on Saturday.
The appeal follows a spike in drone sightings near airports in Germany and across Europe, incidents that have forced temporary shutdowns and flight delays, raising concerns about aviation safety and economic losses.
“In a threatening situation, drones must be able to be shot down,” said Peter Gerber, president of the German Aviation Association and CEO of Condor Airlines.“It annoys me that the urgency of drones is only now being recognised. We’ve been pointing out the problem for ten years.”
Gerber added that each hour of flight disruption costs airlines millions, and urged the federal government to give federal police authority to stop or destroy drones that pose a threat to civilian airports.
The decision came after two consecutive disruptions at Munich International Airport on 2 and 3 October, when flight operations were suspended following multiple drone sightings in the vicinity.
While Berlin is still working on improving nationwide drone defences, Bavaria has already taken the lead. The state’s cabinet last week approved legislation granting police powers to neutralise or destroy unidentified drones if necessary to protect public safety.
Indian student fighting for Russian Army captured by Ukraine
05:00 , Shweta SharmaUkraine has captured an Indian national who had allegedly joined the Russian Army to avoid drug charges, becoming the first known prisoner of war in Russia-Ukraine war, Kyiv claimed.
Sahil Majothi, 22, from Morbi village in India’s western state of Gujarat, went to Russia to study computer engineering two yeas ago but was falsely accused of drug charges, his mother has said.
Mr Majothi was arrested in April by the Russian police on alleged drug charges, she claimed.
A video released by the Ukrainian Army purportedly showed Mr Majothi surrendering to the forces.
Mr Majothi, who speaks fluent Russian, allegedly told the Ukrainian forces that he did not want to fight in the war but was offered to join the Russian Army to avoid imprisonment.
The Indian foreign ministry said it is investigating the case and is yet to receive any information from Ukraine.
UK jets carry out major military surveillance operation with US, Nato near Russian border
04:30 , Shweta SharmaBritain said on Saturday that two Royal Air Force aircraft flew a 12-hour mission earlier this week alongside US and Nato forces to patrol the border of Russia, amid a series of recent Russian drone and aircraft incursions into Nato airspace.
"This was a substantial joint mission with our US and Nato allies," defence minister John Healey said.
"Not only does this provide valuable intelligence to boost the operational awareness of our Armed Forces, but sends a powerful message of Nato unity to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and our adversaries," Healey added.
An RC-135 Rivet Joint electronic surveillance aircraft and a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol plane flew from the Arctic region past Belarus and Ukraine on Thursday, supported by a US Air Force KC-135 refuelling aircraft.
Britain said the operation followed incursions into the airspaces of Nato countries including Poland, Romania and Estonia.
Earlier this month, European Union leaders backed plans to strengthen the bloc's defences against Russian drones.
Cuba hits out at US over charges Cuban troops are fighting in Ukraine
03:58 , Shweta SharmaCuba’s foreign ministry has rejected US allegations that Cuban soldiers are fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, calling the claims “unfounded” and politically motivated.
In a statement released on Saturday, Havana revealed for the first time details of ongoing legal proceedings against Cuban nationals accused of acting as mercenaries in the war in Eastern Europe.
“In the period from 2023 to 2025, nine criminal proceedings have been presented to the Cuban courts for the crime of mercenarism, against 40 defendants,” the ministry said.
According to the statement, eight of those cases have already gone to trial – five resulted in convictions against 26 defendants, with sentences ranging from five to 14 years in prison. Three cases are still awaiting a court ruling, and one more is pending trial.
The comments came in response to a US State Department cable reported earlier this week that instructed American diplomats to lobby against an upcoming United Nations vote condemning Washington’s decades-long embargo on Cuba.
The cable alleged that between 1,000 and 5,000 Cubans are fighting in Ukraine, describing the country as “the largest contributor of foreign troops to Russia’s aggression after North Korea.”
Cuba firmly rejected that assertion.
“Cuba is not part of the armed conflict in Ukraine, nor does it participate with military personnel there, or in any other country,” the foreign ministry said.
It added that the government maintains “a policy of zero tolerance for mercenarism, trafficking in persons and the participation of its nationals in any armed confrontation in another country.”
Power restored to Kyiv homes after Russian bombardment on Ukraine’s energy grid
02:00 , Holly EvansMore than 800,000 residents in Kyiv had their power restored on Saturday, following extensive Russian assaults on the nation's power grid that plunged vast swathes of the country into darkness.
DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy firm, confirmed on Saturday that “the main work to restore the power supply” was complete, though some localised outages persisted across the capital in the wake of Friday’s “massive” Russian attacks.
The barrage of Russian drone and missile strikes on Friday morning injured at least 20 people in Kyiv, damaged residential properties, and triggered blackouts across significant parts of Ukraine.
Read the full article here:
Power restored to Kyiv after major Russian attacks on energy grid
Melania Trump talking to Putin through ‘back channels’ about kidnapped Ukrainian children
01:00 , Holly EvansEight Ukrainian children who were kidnapped from their families and held captive in Russia have been returned to Ukraine following back-channel negotiations between Melania Trump and Russian representatives, the First Lady said on Friday.
Trump, a former model who was born in what is now Slovenia when that country was part of what was then Yugoslavia, made the stunning announcement in the Grand Foyer of the White House. She told reporters that “much [had] unfolded” since she sent a letter in August to Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the fate of the thousands of children who have been taken to Russia after being seized by Russian forces during the invasion of Ukraine.
She said Putin had responded in writing to signal a “willingness to engage” with the First Lady “directly”, and provided her with “details regarding the Ukrainian children residing in Russia.”
Read the full article here:
Melania Trump reveals talks with Putin over kidnapped Ukraine children
India is now lead supplier of fuel additives for Russia’s fighter jets
Sunday 12 October 2025 00:00 , Holly EvansIndia 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.
Fuel additives are chemical compounds in liquid form added to aviation fuel for both commercial and military aircraft to boost their performance.
Such fuel enhancers are used in Russian Su-34 and Su-35S fighter jets, which Vladimir Putin has used to attack Ukraine with cruise, supersonic and guided missiles, as well as glide bombs, the Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU) told The Independent.
Read the full article here:
India is now lead supplier of fuel additives for Russia’s fighter jets, report says
UK ready to spend frozen Russian assets to fund loan to Ukraine
Saturday 11 October 2025 23:00 , Holly EvansSir Keir Starmer has signalled his readiness to advance plans for using frozen Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine's war effort.
His stance follows a meeting of European leaders in Copenhagen last week, where discussions centred on a "reparations loan" for Ukraine, funded by immobilised Russian assets.
Sir Keir subsequently co-signed a joint E3 statement on Friday with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Read the full article here:
UK ready to spend frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine loan
Japan issues further sanctions on Russian individuals
Saturday 11 October 2025 22:00 , Holly EvansVolodymyr Zelensky has announced he has synchronized further sanctions with Japan against a list of Russian individuals who support Putin.
In a post on X, Zelensky said: “Today, we synchronized sanctions with Japan—I signed the relevant decree. The sanctions list includes CEOs and companies that generate profits for Russia’s war machine, supply weapons, critical components, and equipment.
“Since June of this year alone, we have already implemented eight sanction packages within our jurisdiction, aligning sanctions with the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, and all EU sanction packages.
“In total, 281 individuals and 633 legal entities have been included, and they are significant actors. We are also pushing for new sanction steps, in particular, the 19th EU sanction package.”
We continue our sanctions work and coordinate closely with our partners. We value that Ukrainian proposals regarding sanctions are taken into account by partners when they prepare their packages. We also always implement our partners’ sanctions within Ukrainian jurisdiction.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 11, 2025
In…
Russia has lost 1.1m troops since invasion, Ukraine claims
Saturday 11 October 2025 21:00 , Holly EvansUkraine’s General Staff has reported that Russia has lost around 1,121,570 troops since launching its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.
The daily update on October 11 noted that 1,060 Russian forces were lost in the past 24 hours alone.
The report also detailed extensive equipment losses on Russia’s side, including:
- 11,247 tanks
- 23,345 armoured fighting vehicles
- 63,847 vehicles and fuel tanks
- 33,568 artillery systems
- 1,518 multiple launch rocket systems
- 1,225 air defence systems
- 427 airplanes
- 346 helicopters
- 68,766 drones
- 28 ships and boats
- 1 submarine
Putin admits Russia shot down Azerbaijan Airlines plane, killing 38
Saturday 11 October 2025 20:00 , Holly EvansRussian 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 on Thursday. 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.
“It is our duty, I repeat once again ... to give an objective assessment of everything that happened and to identify the true causes.”
Read the full article here:
Ukrainian refugee who fled war-torn home is now sumo’s rising star
Saturday 11 October 2025 19:00 , Holly EvansA Ukrainian who fled his homeland following Russia's full-scale invasion has rapidly ascended to stardom in Japan's ancient sport of sumo, recently achieving a significant victory against one of its highest-ranked champions.
Danilo Yavhushyshyn, who left Ukraine three and a half years ago, now competes as Aonishiki Arata. The 21-year-old's meteoric rise culminated three months ago with a defeat of Mongolian-born Hoshoryu, one of Japan's two grand champions (yokozuna).
At a news conference on Thursday, Aonishiki, unlike some high-profile Ukrainians abroad, focused exclusively on his sporting journey.
He discussed his rigorous training, diet, learning Japanese, and his early introduction to sumo at age six in his home city of Vinnytsia, west-central Ukraine, now fully immersed in the sport's regimented world.
Read the full article here:
Ukrainian refugee who fled war-torn home is now sumo’s rising star
Where are the frozen Russian assets that Ukraine could use?
Saturday 11 October 2025 18:00 , Holly EvansUkraine's budget and military needs for 2026 and 2027 are estimated to total around 130 billion euros.
The European Union has already poured in 174 billion euros since the war started in February 2022.
The biggest pot of ready funds available is through frozen Russian assets, most of which is held in Belgium - around 194 billion euros as of June - and outside the EU in Japan, with around 50 billion dollars, and the US, UK and Canada with lesser amounts.
Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a joint statement on Friday they were ready to move towards using "in a co-ordinated way, the value of the immobilised Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine's armed forces and thus bring Russia to the negotiation table".
The statement added they aimed to do this "in close co-operation with the United States".
India is now lead supplier of fuel additives for Russia’s fighter jets
Saturday 11 October 2025 17:00 , Holly EvansIndia 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.
Fuel additives are chemical compounds in liquid form added to aviation fuel for both commercial and military aircraft to boost their performance.
Such fuel enhancers are used in Russian Su-34 and Su-35S fighter jets, which Vladimir Putin has used to attack Ukraine with cruise, supersonic and guided missiles, as well as glide bombs, the Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU) told The Independent.
Read the full article here:
India is now lead supplier of fuel additives for Russia’s fighter jets, report says
UK ready to spend frozen Russian assets to fund loan to Ukraine
Saturday 11 October 2025 16:00 , Holly EvansSir Keir Starmer has signalled his readiness to advance plans for using frozen Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine's war effort.
His stance follows a meeting of European leaders in Copenhagen last week, where discussions centred on a "reparations loan" for Ukraine, funded by immobilised Russian assets.
Sir Keir subsequently co-signed a joint E3 statement on Friday with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The statement declared: “We will increase pressure on Russia as President Putin continues his stalling tactics and abhorrent attacks in response to peace talks.
“To that end, we are ready to progress towards using, in a co-ordinated way, the value of the immobilised Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine’s armed forces and thus bring Russia to the negotiation table.”
Read the full article here:
UK ready to spend frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine loan
Zelensky praises 'positive' call with Trump after Russia's energy attack
Saturday 11 October 2025 15:21 , Holly EvansPresident Volodymyr Zelensky said he discussed Russian attacks on the Ukrainian energy system in a "positive and productive" call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday.
"We discussed opportunities to bolster our air defense, as well as concrete agreements that we are working on to ensure this. There are good options and solid ideas on how to truly strengthen us," Zelensky wrote on X.
He added that he had congratulated the president in securing a ceasefire in the Middle East, describing it as an “outstanding achievement”.
I had a call with US President Donald Trump—a very positive and productive one. I congratulated @POTUS on his success and the Middle East deal he was able to secure, which is an outstanding achievement. If a war can be stopped in one region, then surely other wars can be stopped… pic.twitter.com/gDuEANq2e6
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 11, 2025
Ukrainian drones strike Russia's Bashneft oil refinery, Kyiv source says
Saturday 11 October 2025 15:00 , Holly EvansUkrainian drones struck Russia's Bashneft oil refinery in Ufa, causing explosions and a fire, a source in Ukraine's SBU security service said on Saturday.
"This is the third SBU deep strike in Bashkortostan in the last month, 1,400 kilometers from Ukraine. Such strikes demonstrate that there are no safe places in the deep rear of the Russian Federation," the source said.
Twenty-three children rescued from Russian-occupied Ukraine
Saturday 11 October 2025 14:00 , Holly EvansTwenty-three Ukrainian children and adolescents have been brought out of Russian-occupied areas of the country to territory under Kyiv's control, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff said on Thursday.
Andriy Yermak, writing on the Telegram messaging app, 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.
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.
Research by Yale's School of Public Health suggested in September that the number could be closer to 35,000.
Trump says Chinese airlines could be forced to take longer routes avoiding Russia to reach US airports
Saturday 11 October 2025 13:00 , Holly EvansDonald Trump's administration has proposed an order banning Chinese airlines from flying through Russian airspace on routes to and from the US.
The move is yet another escalation in the trade war between the world's two largest economies after Beijing on Thursday tightened controls for rare earths exports crucial for some US industries.
Russian airspace remains off-limits for many Western airlines and flag-carriers. Russia barred American airlines from using its airspace in retaliation for Washington banning Russian flights over the US in March 2022 after Vladimir Putin's forces invaded Ukraine.
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Trump says Chinese airlines could be forced to take longer routes avoiding Russia
Belarus inspecting combat readiness of armed forces
Saturday 11 October 2025 12:00 , Holly EvansBelarus has begun inspecting the combat readiness of its military, the defence ministry said on Saturday.
As part of the checks, "a number" of units will redeploy to unspecified "designated areas" and carry out undisclosed activities, the ministry said.
It did not disclose any details about the timing, scope, or scale of the inspection.
Such inspections are not uncommon in Belarus. However, this one follows the "Zapad" joint strategic exercises with Russia in September, which included rehearsals for the launch of Russian tactical nuclear weapons and featured the Oreshnik hypersonic missile.
Melania Trump reveals she has been talking to Putin through ‘back channels’ about kidnapped Ukrainian children
Saturday 11 October 2025 11:00 , Holly EvansEight Ukrainian children who were kidnapped from their families and held captive in Russia have been returned to Ukraine following back-channel negotiations between Melania Trump and Russian representatives, the First Lady said on Friday.
Trump, a former model who was born in what is now Slovenia when that country was part of what was then Yugoslavia, made the stunning announcement in the Grand Foyer of the White House. She told reporters that “much [had] unfolded” since she sent a letter in August to Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the fate of the thousands of children who have been taken to Russia after being seized by Russian forces during the invasion of Ukraine.
She said Putin had responded in writing to signal a “willingness to engage” with the First Lady “directly”, and provided her with “details regarding the Ukrainian children residing in Russia.”
“Since then, President Putin and I have had an open channel of communication regarding the welfare of these children,” she said.
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Melania Trump reveals talks with Putin over kidnapped Ukraine children
Power restored to 800,000 Kyiv residents after blackouts caused by attack
Saturday 11 October 2025 10:00 , Holly EvansPower has been restored to more than 800,000 residents in Kyiv a day after major attacks by Russia on the Ukrainian power grid caused blackouts across much of the country.
Ukraine's largest private energy company DTEK said on Saturday that "the main work to restore the power supply" had been completed, but that some localised outages were still affecting the Ukrainian capital following Friday's "massive" Russian attacks.
Russian drone and missile strikes wounded at least 20 people in Kyiv, damaged residential buildings and caused blackouts across swathes of Ukraine early on Friday.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko described the attack as "one of the largest concentrated strikes" against Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Russia's defence ministry on Friday said the strikes had targeted energy facilities supplying Ukraine's military.
Putin criticises Nobel Peace Prize decision as he praises Trump
Saturday 11 October 2025 09:30 , Shweta SharmaRussian President Vladimir Putin has criticised the Nobel Peace Prize committee, saying its recent decisions have undermined the credibility of the award as he praised Donald Trump for his efforts in ending wars around the world.
"There have been instances in the past where the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to people who did nothing for peace," Putin said. "In my view, by making such decisions, they significantly undermined the credibility of the award."
He went on to praise Trump, saying the American leader “is really doing a lot to resolve complicated crises, which have been there for years and even decades.”
Putin added that Trump “genuinely seeks” to end the conflict in Ukraine and said that if his plan for Gaza is implemented, “it will be a historic moment.”
The Russian leader also mocked the Nobel Committee for ignoring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying: “I think the Nobel Committee was hardly interested in the opinion of the Kiev regime’s leader. Second, it’s ridiculous to link the Nobel Peace Prize with weapons supplies.”
It came as the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, even as Trump jockeyed for the honour, claiming credit for ending multiple wars and hostilities.
Putin says he and Trump did not disclose everything that was discussed in Alaska summit
Saturday 11 October 2025 09:00 , Shweta SharmaRussian president Vladimir Putin has said that he and U.S. president Donald Trump did not reveal all the details of their discussions during the Alaska summit, reported Tass.
"We did not disclose everything that had been discussed in Anchorage," Putin said.
"We simply said that in general, both the United States and the Russian Federation share a vision on how to proceed and where to look in order to end the conflict, all through peaceful means. These are difficult issues."
He added that both countries continue to follow the agreements reached during the summit, noting: "We continue to stick to the framework of the discussions we had in Anchorage."
Trump and Putin met in August at the Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Both sides agreed to continue working within the framework established during the summit, signalling ongoing dialogue despite continued fighting in Ukraine.
The Alaska talks also touched on broader security and diplomatic issues, including arms control, sanctions, and regional stability.
Starmer and Zelensky agree on more sanctions on Russia
Saturday 11 October 2025 08:30 , Shweta SharmaUK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky have agreed that additional sanctions on Russia will be introduced “in the coming days and weeks” to increase pressure on Moscow, No 10 said.
According to a readout from Downing Street, the leaders discussed Russia’s “systematic attacks on Ukraine’s critical national infrastructure in the lead up to winter,” saying it further demonstrated that President Vladimir Putin was “not serious about peace.”
Starmer emphasised that it was vital Ukraine received the military equipment it needed to defend itself from continued Russian aggression.
He also reflected on talks with the leaders of France and Germany earlier on Friday, noting that all three countries were united in efforts to unlock the full value of immobilised Russian sovereign assets to help end the war and secure a just and lasting peace.
“Further sanctions in the coming days and weeks would also add to the pressure on Russia,” the readout said, signalling a coordinated push by Western allies to respond to ongoing attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.
The announcement comes amid rising international concern over winter energy supplies and the humanitarian impact of Moscow’s continued military strikes.
Four killed and many injured across Ukraine after major Russian strike
Saturday 11 October 2025 08:15 , Shweta SharmaAt least four people have been killed and 18 are injured across Ukraine after the Russian drone and missile strikes targeting the energy grid in the past 24 hours.
Ukrainian air defences intercepted 54 out of the 78 Shahed-type attack drones and other drones launched by Russia overnight, according to the Ukraine Air Force.
Just 21 drone strikes were recorded across six locations.
A child was also killed in separate attacks in the south-east of the country.
In the heart of the Ukrainian capital, rescue crews pulled more than 20 people out of a 17-storey apartment building as flames engulfed the sixth and seventh floors.
Russia uses 'cold and darkness as a tool of terror', says Ukraine's energy minister
Saturday 11 October 2025 08:00 , Harriette BoucherUkraine’s energy minister Svitlana Hrynchuk said Russia “continues to use cold and darkness as a tool of terror.”
In a post on Facebook, she said the overnight attack on Friday marked exactly three years since Ukraine’s energy system survived one of the first mass attacks from Russia.
Ukraine says Putin lost over 1.1 million troop losses since start of invasion
Saturday 11 October 2025 07:49 , Shweta SharmaUkraine’s General Staff has reported that Russia has lost around 1,121,570 troops since launching its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.
The daily update on October 11 noted that 1,060 Russian forces were lost in the past 24 hours alone.
The report also detailed extensive equipment losses on Russia’s side, including:
- 11,247 tanks
- 23,345 armoured fighting vehicles
- 63,847 vehicles and fuel tanks
- 33,568 artillery systems
- 1,518 multiple launch rocket systems
- 1,225 air defence systems
- 427 airplanes
- 346 helicopters
- 68,766 drones
- 28 ships and boats
- 1 submarine
Pictures show aftermath of Russia strike in Kyiv
Saturday 11 October 2025 07:37 , Shweta Sharma
More than 200 energy facilities in need of air defence protection, says Zelensky
Saturday 11 October 2025 07:30 , Harriette BoucherUkraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said there were 203 energy facilities in Ukraine that needed air defence protection from Russia.
He said Ukraine was also waiting for clarification of the status of 10 air defence systems, which the US had promised.
