The Kremlin on Monday hit out at long-running reports of a rift between Vladimir Putin and his veteran foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov.
It said that Lavrov, 75, was actively working as Russia's foreign minister and suggested that people ignore Western media speculation that he may have fallen out of favour with the president.
Lavrov was absent from a key meeting last week that he would typically attend, and Putin chose someone else to attend a G20 summit in South Africa later this month, a role that Lavrov has filled in the past.
Speculation swirled among Russia-critical outlets that Lavrov had been sidelined over the collapse of a proposed summit between Putin and US president Donald Trump in Budapest.
Lavrov said on Sunday that he was keen to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss the mending of bilateral ties, while repeating that peace could not be achieved without “taking Russian interests into account”.
Key Points
- Russia's Lavrov says he is ready to meet Rubio
- Ukraine's commander-in-chief denies Russia's control over Pokrovsk
- Kremlin says Russia will abide by nuclear ban
- Zelensky says Ukraine looking to order 27 Patriot air defence systems
- Zelensky says he is not afraid of Trump
Ukraine launches corruption investigation into energy sector
03:53 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUkraine's anti-corruption agencies have launched a "large-scale operation" into the country's energy sector to uncover graft involving a "high-level criminal organisation", according to reports.
The National Anti-Corruption Agency (NABU) said that along with the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), it conducted a “large-scale operation” to expose the alleged corruption.
The agency added that the investigation involved 15 months of work and 1,000 hours of audio recordings.“The activities of a high-level criminal organization have been documented,” the statement said, adding that the scheme was organised to influence “strategic state-sector enterprises".
NABU claimed that those involved in the scheme sought to obtain illegal benefits to the tune of up to 15 per cent of a state contract value.
Zelensky wants 25 Patriot air defense systems from America. Here’s how they could change the war
03:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPresident Volodymyr Zelensky wants to order 25 Patriot air defence systems from the United States, as the nation faces relentless Russian aerial attacks, causing widespread blackouts on the brink of winter.
Acknowledging the high cost and lengthy manufacturing time, Mr Zelensky suggested European countries could donate their Patriots and await replacements, stressing, "we would not like to wait."
The missile and drone strikes on the power grid coincide with Ukraine’s efforts to repel a Russian push towards the eastern stronghold of Pokrovsk.
Zelensky wants Patriot systems. Here’s how they could change the war
Ukraine's commander-in-chief denies Russia's control over Pokrovsk
03:21 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has denied reports of Russia's progress in Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, where troops from Kyiv and Moscow have been engaged in one of the fiercest frontline battles.
"They continue to show this area on their maps as if it’s under their control," Oleksandr Syrsky said.
"This perception — that the enemy has got practically everything and they’re about to finish it — is not true."
His statement comes after Russian media reports claimed that Moscow’s troops have overtaken the city of Pokrovsk.
Russia says Ukraine attack damaged civilian infrastructure
03:12 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUkrainian overnight drone attack damaged civilian infrastructure in the Saratov region, the governor of the western Russian region said this morning.
"All emergency services were deployed to the scene," governor Roman Basurgin said on Telegram.
Ukraine military using video game-style reward system earning points killing Russians with drones
03:00 , Joe MiddletonUkraine’s military units are competing with each other by launching deadly drone attacks to earn points that can be used to buy more weapons.
Bryony Gooch has more below...
Ukraine military using video game-style reward system to earn new weapons with points
Recap: Kremlin denies order to begin nuclear testing
02:00 , Joe MiddletonRussian president Vladimir Putin gave no order to begin preparations for nuclear weapons testing, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
"The president gave no instructions to begin preparations," Peskov told state owned VGTRK.
"First of all, we must understand whether we should do it. This must be a serious, well-founded and thought-out decision. So our specialists will work on that.”
Recap: Ukraine's special forces say they hit Russian oil depot in occupied Crimea
00:05 , Joe MiddletonUkraine’s special forces have struck a Russian oil depot in occupied Crimea, officials have said.
"The Hvardiyska oil depot is an important element of the fuel logistics system of the occupying authorities in Crimea," the special forces stated on Telegram.
"It is important for supplying military facilities and transport of the enemy army."
The Independent could not independently verify the report.
Watch: How Ukraine and Russia are playing out a deadly cat and mouse drone war from underground bunkers
Monday 10 November 2025 22:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkraine military using video game-style reward system earning points killing Russians with drones
Monday 10 November 2025 21:34 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkraine’s military units are competing with each other by launching deadly drone attacks to earn points that can be used to buy more weapons.
Bryony Gooch has more below...
Ukraine military using video game-style reward system to earn new weapons with points
Watch: Zelensky vows to increase support for frontline after visiting Ukrainian troops
Monday 10 November 2025 21:01 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRussian soldier jailed for life after killing POW in landmark Ukraine war ruling
Monday 10 November 2025 20:32 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkraine has sentenced a Russian soldier to life in prison for killing a Ukrainian prisoner of war in a landmark first ruling for the country.
Dmitry Kurashov, 27, was found guilty of fatally shooting Vitalii Hodniuk, a 41-year-old veteran Ukrainian soldier who surrendered when his dugout was captured by Russian forces in January 2024.
Kurashov told Reuters that he did not plan to appeal the decision after the sentencing was handed down at the court in the city of Zaporizhzhia.
Maira Butt has the full story below...
Russian soldier jailed for life after killing POW in landmark Ukraine war ruling
Recap: Kremlin denies order to begin nuclear testing
Monday 10 November 2025 20:02 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRussian president Vladimir Putin gave no order to begin preparations for nuclear weapons testing, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
"The president gave no instructions to begin preparations," Peskov told state owned VGTRK.
"First of all, we must understand whether we should do it. This must be a serious, well-founded and thought-out decision. So our specialists will work on that.”
Putin’s war forces drinkers to pick up a bottle of Russian wine as prices skyrocket
Monday 10 November 2025 19:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRussia's supermarket shelves, once dominated by French Burgundy and Italian Barolo wines, are now abundantly stocked with domestic vintages, as Western sanctions linked to the Ukraine war push consumers towards local vineyards.
These sanctions, imposed after President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in early 2022, have reshaped consumer habits, driving up foreign wine prices and narrowing brand availability of imports.
As a result, Russian wine sales have surged, now comprising around 60 per cent of the market, up from 25 per cent ten years ago.
You can read more below...
Putin’s war forces drinkers to pick up a bottle of Russian wine as prices skyrocket
Satellite images show scale of destruction in Pokrovsk
Monday 10 November 2025 19:01 , Nicole Wootton-CaneNew satellite images show how Pokrovsk, a key strategic city in Ukraine currently witnessing the fiercest fighting in the war with Russia, has been largely reduced to ruins.
UK military to help Belgium combat suspected Russian drone flights
Monday 10 November 2025 18:32 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe UK is sending military support, including RAF specialists, to Belgium after suspected Russian drone incursions on its airspace, the new chief of Britain’s armed forces has announced.
In a decision made alongside defence secretary John Healey, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, the chief of defence staff, said the personnel and equipment are now on the way after his Belgian counterpart asked for help earlier this week.
Tara Cobham has more below...
UK military to help Belgium combat suspected Russian drone flights
Recap: Kremlin denies rumours Lavrov sidelined by Putin over failed Trump summit
Monday 10 November 2025 18:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Kremlin has moved to dismiss mounting speculation that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has fallen out of favour with President Vladimir Putin.
The rumours emerged after efforts to arrange a summit between the Russian leader and Donald Trump were reportedly put on hold last month.
But when questioned on Friday about Mr Lavrov's standing with the president, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov firmly rejected the notion.
You can read more below...
Watch: Inside Ukraine’s start-up weapons industry rising from the ashes
Monday 10 November 2025 17:31 , Nicole Wootton-CaneFears Pokrovsk will fall ‘within weeks’ as Ukraine sends in its elite units
Monday 10 November 2025 17:02 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe battle for Pokrovsk in Ukraine's Donetsk region has reached a pivotal stage, with Russian and Ukrainian forces locked in intense combat, even vying for control of individual residential buildings, according to soldiers and analysts.
Experts suggest that Russian troops, having exploited gaps in Ukrainian defences to enter Pokrovsk last month, are now positioned to fully capture the city within weeks or months.
You can read more about the battle for Pokrovsk and what it means below...
Fears Pokrovsk will fall ‘within weeks’ as Ukraine sends in its elite units
Ukraine claims soldiers from African countries are fighting for Russia’s ‘meat assaults’
Monday 10 November 2025 16:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneMore than 1,400 citizens from 36 African nations are reportedly fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, Kyiv's foreign minister said on Friday.
Ukrainian officials claim Russia is actively seeking to augment its invading army by recruiting individuals from various countries, often employing deceptive tactics.
Andriy Sybiha warned that Russia is luring Africans into contracts he described as "equivalent to ... a death sentence," urging African governments to issue warnings to their populations.
You can read more below...
Ukraine claims soldiers from African countries are fighting Russia’s ‘meat assaults’
Zelensky wants Patriot air defence systems from America. Here’s how they could change the war
Monday 10 November 2025 16:01 , Nicole Wootton-CanePresident Volodymyr Zelensky wants to order 25 Patriot air defence systems from the United States as the nation faces relentless Russian aerial attacks causing widespread blackouts on the brink of winter.
But how could Patriot defence systems change the war - if at all?
You can read more below...
Zelensky wants Patriot systems. Here’s how they could change the war
Ukraine's special forces say they hit Russian oil depot in occupied Crimea
Monday 10 November 2025 15:32 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkraine’s special forces have struck a Russian oil depot in occupied Crimea, officials have said.
"The Hvardiyska oil depot is an important element of the fuel logistics system of the occupying authorities in Crimea," the special forces stated on Telegram.
"It is important for supplying military facilities and transport of the enemy army."
The Independent could not independently verify the report.
Watch: Moment 11-year-old girl bravely confronts Putin after uncle injured in war
Monday 10 November 2025 15:01 , Nicole Wootton-CanePutin expected to visit India by year's end
Monday 10 November 2025 14:31 , James ReynoldsThe Kremlin said on Monday it was "actively preparing" for President Vladimir Putin to visit India before the end of the year and hoped it would be a substantive trip.
Teenage musician detained after performing anti-Kremlin songs, supporters say
Monday 10 November 2025 14:01 , James ReynoldsPolice in St. Petersburg have detained Diana Loginova, a teenage street musician already jailed twice for short stints after performing anti-Kremlin songs, as she left prison, state media and her supporters said on Monday.
Loginova, 18, a vocalist in the Stoptime group, was first arrested with other band members last month and jailed for 13 days for a public order offence after her performance of a banned track, the "Swan Lake Cooperative", by exiled anti-Kremlin Russian rapper Noize MC, went viral on social media.
The Swan Lake track got her into trouble because the famous ballet by Piotr Tchaikovsky is seen as a symbol of political change by some in Russia who remember it was shown on state TV after the death of Soviet leaders and during a 1991 coup against Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet president.
Progress on ending war in Ukraine 'stalled', says Kremlin
Monday 10 November 2025 13:32 , James ReynoldsThe Kremlin said on Monday it wanted the Ukraine war to end as soon as possible but that the situation was stalled.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was responding to remarks on Friday by U.S. President Donald Trump, who spoke about ending the war in the "not-too-distant future".
Kremlin continues to deny rift between Putin and foreign minister
Monday 10 November 2025 13:00 , James ReynoldsThe Kremlin said on Monday that Sergei Lavrov was working actively as Russia's foreign minister and suggested that people ignore Western media speculation that he may have fallen out of favour with President Vladimir Putin.
Lavrov, 75, a veteran Soviet-era diplomat known for his robust negotiating style, was absent from a big Kremlin meeting last week that he would typically attend, and Putin chose someone else to attend a G20 summit in South Africa later this month, a role that Lavrov has filled in the past.
Russia could open a second front in Europe before war ends, Zelensky assesses
Monday 10 November 2025 12:32 , James ReynoldsVolodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia could open a second front in Europe before ending the war in Ukriane.
Asked by The Guardian whether Russia could attack somewhere else in Europe, the Ukrainian president said: “I believe so. He can do that.
“We must forget about the general European scepticism that Putin first wants to occupy Ukraine and then may go somewhere else. He can do both at the same time.”
Kazakh president to visit Russia this week
Monday 10 November 2025 12:06 , James ReynoldsThe president of Kazakhstan is expected to visit Russia this week to discuss bilateral relations, the Kremlin press service reported today.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will be in Russia on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss the strategic partnership with Russia, “as well as key topics on the regional and global agenda”.
Trade between Russia and Kazakhstan has increased since the invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine launches corruption probe into energy sector
Monday 10 November 2025 11:29 , James ReynoldsUkraine's anti-corruption bureau said on Monday that it was conducting a large-scale operation to uncover corruption in the country's energy sector.
"The activities of a high-level criminal organisation have been documented," the bureau said about the investigation which involves 1,000 hours of audio recordings and took 15 months of work.
"Its members have built a large-scale corruption scheme to influence strategic enterprises in the public sector, in particular JSC 'Energoatom'," according to the post on the Telegram messaging app.
'Weakness does not produce dialogue with Russia,' says Zelensky
Monday 10 November 2025 11:04 , James ReynoldsVolodymyr Zelensky on Monday urged European strength against Russian belligerence in a post on X.
The Ukrainian president wrote that European assume that any response to Russia will be an “escalation”.
“I believe the opposite,” he said. “Russia does not like weakness. Any intellectual responses – precisely the kind Europe finds – read as weakness to Russia.”
Zelensky urged that “weakness does not produce dialogue with Russia” as questions linger over how to bring Moscow to the negotiating table.
“To the Russians, it is simply weakness – and that means they can impose their narratives.”
It is not Europe that is at war with Russia; it is Russia that is at war with Ukraine – and potentially with many in Europe. We understand what they are capable of and what they might do, but Europe fears the word “escalation.” And Europeans always assume that, because they are…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 10, 2025
UK military to help Belgium combat suspected Russian drone flights
Monday 10 November 2025 10:31 , James ReynoldsThe UK is sending military support, including RAF specialists, to Belgium after suspected Russian drone incursions on its airspace, the new chief of Britain’s armed forces has announced.
In a decision made alongside defence secretary John Healey, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, the chief of defence staff, said the personnel and equipment are now on the way after his Belgian counterpart asked for help earlier this week.
Read the full story:
UK military to help Belgium combat suspected Russian drone flights
Ukrainian strikes disrupt power and heating to 2 major cities in Russia
Monday 10 November 2025 10:01 , James ReynoldsNighttime Ukrainian strikes disrupted power and heating to two major Russian cities near the Ukrainian border, local Russian officials reported Sunday.
Read the full story:
Ukrainian strikes disrupt power and heating to 2 major cities in Russia
In pictures: Children play games in an underground bunker in Kherson
Monday 10 November 2025 09:31 , James Reynolds
Recap: Key developments over the weekend
Monday 10 November 2025 08:54 , James Reynolds- Kyiv faced 12 hours of blackouts after a major Russian attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure;
- Russian advances around Pokrovsk, a key transport hub in Donetsk, slowed. But analysts expect movements to pick up as Moscow rushes reinforcements to the area;
- Ukraine continued to strike deep into Russia, targeting the energy sector, analysts said;
- Europe continued to report aerial incursions causing disruptions at airports. Vilnius airport, in Lithuania, was shut overnight on Saturday into Sunday;
- The ongoing US government shutdown is affecting American weapons exports to European NATO allies and Ukraine, Axios reported on Sunday;
- Veteran Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said he was ready to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in person to discuss the war amid rumours of a rift between Lavrov and Putin - denied by the Kremlin.
Russia 'destroys unmanned boats on Black Sea coast'
Monday 10 November 2025 08:30 , James ReynoldsRussian forces destroyed four unmanned boats near Tuapse in the Krasnodar region of Russia, a local taskforce said on Monday.
“Four unmanned boats were neutralised in the Black Sea near Tuapse. One of the unmanned boats detonated near the coastline,” the Kuban operational headquarters reported.
Tuapse is a town on the east coast of the Black Sea. Russia’s ministry of defence said it also shot down seven drones over the sea on Monday.
There were no reported injuries.
Inside Ukraine’s start-up weapons industry rising from the ashes
Monday 10 November 2025 08:10 , James ReynoldsAs Europe and the US ponder over what arms to send to help the war against Russia, Ukraine is forging ahead with homegrown missiles and drones made from carbon printers and lawnmower engines. World affairs editor Sam Kiley reports from Kyiv:
Inside Ukraine’s start-up weapons industry rising from the ashes
Kremlin denies order to begin nuclear testing
Monday 10 November 2025 07:50 , James ReynoldsRussian president Vladimir Putin gave no order to begin preparations for nuclear weapons testing, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
"The president gave no instructions to begin preparations," Peskov told state owned VGTRK.
"First of all, we must understand whether we should do it. This must be a serious, well-founded and thought-out decision. So our specialists will work on that.”
Russian air defence systems destroy 71 Ukrainian drones overnight
Monday 10 November 2025 07:20 , Arpan RaiRussian air defence systems destroyed or intercepted 71 Ukrainian drones overnight, the Russian defence ministry said on its Telegram channel.
Of these, seven were downed over the Kursk region and seven were downed over the Black Sea. Most of the drones were shot down in the bordering regions of Ukraine and Russia, the defence ministry said.
Putin's troops slow down in and around Pokrovsk
Monday 10 November 2025 07:06 , Arpan RaiRussian and Ukrainian forces continue interdiction campaigns in the Pokrovsk direction, the hottest region on the battlefield, as the rate of Russian advances remains temporarily decreased, according to an American think tank monitoring the fighting.
“ISW observed no evidence to assess that Russian forces made additional advances in the Pokrovsk direction on November 9, consistent with recent Ukrainian reporting that Russian forces have slowed their tempo of ground activity in the Pokrovsk direction to extend logistics and bring up reinforcements to southern Pokrovsk,” the Institute for the Study of War said.
It added that a source affiliated with Ukrainian military intelligence reported on Saturday that “Russian forces are in most areas of Pokrovsk but cannot encircle the town because Russian forces are only conducting infiltration missions in and through Pokrovsk from southern Pokrovsk”.
NEW: Russian and Ukrainian forces continue interdiction campaigns in the Pokrovsk direction as the rate of Russian advances in and around Pokrovsk remains temporarily decreased.
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) November 9, 2025
Other Key Takeaways:
Russian forces are successfully interdicting Ukrainian logistics into Myrnohrad… pic.twitter.com/ACVsm67GhS
Three years after liberation, Ukraine's Kherson faces another kind of siege
Monday 10 November 2025 06:50 , Arpan RaiMost of the streets of Kherson are empty now. Three years after the liberation ended a nine-month Russian occupation, the city that once erupted in joy has sunk into a wary stillness — a place where daily life unfolds behind walls or underground.
On 11 November 2022, people poured into the main square of the southern Ukrainian port city, waving blue-and-yellow flags and embracing the soldiers who had freed them after the months under Russian control. They believed the worst was over.
Instead, the war changed shape. From across the Dnipro River, Russian troops strike with regular intensity — and drones now prowl the skies above a city of broken windows and empty courtyards.
Still, those who stayed insist that even the life in a mostly empty and shuttered city is easier than living under Russia.
Three years after liberation, Ukraine's Kherson faces another kind of siege
Zelensky says he is not afraid of Trump
Monday 10 November 2025 06:35 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has said he has good relations with US president Donald Trump and that unlike other western leaders, he was not afraid of him.
“Everyone in the world” was afraid of Trump, Zelensky told The Guardian in an interview at the presidential palace in Kyiv. “That’s the truth”.
But denied the position for Kyiv. “No... we are not enemies with America. We are friends. So why should we be afraid,” he said.
Zelensky says Ukraine looking to order 27 Patriot air defence systems
Monday 10 November 2025 06:18 , Arpan RaiUkraine was looking to order 27 Patriot air defence systems from US companies, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
In the meantime, he added, the war-hit nation was looking to borrow essential anti-missile defence systems from its European allies.
Additional help was always needed until Russia continued to wage war, the Ukrainian president said.
"It's never enough. It's enough when the war ends. And enough when Putin understands that he has to stop," he said.
