Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, says he is ready for peace talks to end the war in Ukraine anywhere except Russia or Belarus.
Mr Zelensky said he would not withdraw Ukrainian troops from additional territory first as Moscow has demanded.
"It's absolutely clear that we're approaching diplomacy only from the position where we currently stand. We will not take any steps back and leave one part of our state or another," he said.
"And the important result is that the American side finally made this a public signal: President Trump came out with such a message."
Donald Trump warned Vladimir Putin that the US had a nuclear submarine off his country’s shore, as he condemned a Russian nuclear-capable cruise missile test as “inappropriate”.
Mr Putin said Russia had successfully tested its Burevestnik cruise missile, a weapon Moscow says can pierce any defence shield, in a move that has infuriated Washington. Moscow said the Burevestnik had flown for 14,000km.
Trump doesn’t rule out an unconstitutional third term run: ‘I would love to do it’
What we know about Putin’s nuclear Burevestnik missile with ‘unlimited range’
How Ukraine and Russia are playing out a deadly cat and mouse drone war from underground bunkers
Russia using drones with cameras to hunt civilians across Ukraine, inquiry warns
Key Points
- Trump says Putin should end the Ukraine war, not test missiles
- Ukraine deploys reinforcements as fighting spreads in Pokrovsk city
- Ukrainian civilians being 'hunted' by Russian drones, say UN investigators
- Putin says 'everything going to plan' with North Korea
- Norway says Russia's Burevestnik missile was launched from Novaya Zemlya
Belarus to deploy new Russian hypersonic missiles
23:00 , Jane DaltonBelarus will deploy Russia's new Oreshnik intermediate-range hypersonic missile system in December, Russian state-run Tass news agency reports.
Natalya Eismont, spokesperson for Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, said preparations for the deployment were nearing completion.
Mr Lukashenko said the deployment was a response to what he called Western escalation.
The Oreshnik missiles featured in joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises last month.
Putin widens military conscription to all year
22:00 , Jane DaltonPermanent year-round military conscription is set to be introduced in Russia after politicians endorsed a bill mandating it as authorities seek to fill the ranks.
At the moment conscription is done in spring and autumn.
The bill will allow conscription offices to summon draftees for medical exams and other procedures at any time of the year but it still stipulates that conscripts will enter military service only during spring and summer months as before.
All Russian men aged 18-30 are obliged to serve in the military for one year, although many avoid the draft by using deferments granted to students, declaring chronic illnesses and other reasons.
Russian authorities say the military does not use draftees in Ukraine, relying on volunteers and reservists mobilised for action. But human-rights activists and media reports have said the military has encouraged or coerced many draftees into signing contracts as volunteers.
Last year, Mr Putin ordered the number of active troops to be increased by 180,000, to 1.5 million. He said last month that over 700,000 troops were fighting in Ukraine.
Russia’s population is shrinking rapidly. Putin is trying to put a stop to that
21:03 , James ReynoldsPutin has created several initiatives to encourage childbirth, such as one-time payments for pregnant teens, writes Katie Marie Davies:
Russia’s population is shrinking rapidly. Putin is trying to put a stop to that
Ukraine has funds for 70% of gas imports needed this winter, Zelensky says
20:04 , James ReynoldsPresident Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday Ukraine had secured the funds to buy 70 per cent of the natural gas it needs to import this winter and that the Ukrainian government would make up the rest of the funding.
His comments appeared intended to reassure Ukrainians that their energy needs will be met this winter after Russia stepped up attacks on energy facilities in its war in Ukraine.
Russian drone and missile strikes have deprived Ukraine of 55% of domestic gas production, according to the head of the country's central bank, forcing the government to import an additional 4 billion cubic meters of natural gas to prevent cities from freezing.
Lawmakers move to extend Russia's compulsory military draft
19:00 , James ReynoldsRussian lawmakers have endorsed a bill mandating year-round military conscription, rather than just in the spring and fall, as authorities seek to fill the ranks as fighting in Ukraine grinds through a fourth year.
Read the full story:
Lawmakers move to extend Russia's compulsory military draft to a year-round process
What we know about the Burevestnik missile
18:00 , James ReynoldsRussia has reportedly tested a new nuclear-capable and powered cruise missile, which President Vladimir Putin claims is designed to confound existing defences, moving closer to its military deployment.
Here’s what we know about the Burevestnik:
What we know about Putin’s nuclear Burevestnik missile with ‘unlimited range’
Ukraine to begin exporting weapons
17:31 , James ReynoldsUkraine plans to begin limited exports of weapons next month, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday.
During his meeting with a government team, Zelenskiy also ordered a continued increase in drone production and sought to ensure that domestically produced weapons and ammunition cover about 50% of the army's needs.
Poland to 'trial' reopening of border with Belarus
17:06 , James ReynoldsPoland will be ready to reopen two more border crossings with Belarus next month, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Tuesday.
Poland closed its border with Belarus last month amid drone incursions blamed on Russia and joint military drills on its frontier. It reopened several road crossings and a road crossing on September 23.
"We will be ready this year, in November, to open two border crossings, in Bobrowniki and Kuznica," Tusk said. "Once I settle this matter with the Lithuanians, we should open these two crossings in November, let's say on a trial basis.
“If it turns out that the border needs to be closed again, I won't hesitate for a moment."
Western allies to meet to discuss ceasefire plan
16:30 , James ReynoldsUkrainian and European officials will meet at the end of the week to discuss the details of a ceasefire plan, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday.
"It is not a plan to end the war. First of all, a ceasefire is needed," the Ukrainian president explained to reporters.
"This is a plan to begin diplomacy... Our advisers will meet in the coming days, we agreed on Friday or Saturday. They will discuss the details of this plan."
Ukraine's long-range strikes cut Russia's oil refining capacity by 20%, Zelenskyy says
16:04 , James ReynoldsUkraine’s long-range strikes on refineries inside Russia have reduced Moscow’s oil refining capacity by 20%, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, citing intelligence from Western governments.
Over 90% of those deep strikes on Russian soil were carried out by Ukrainian-made long-range weapons, according to Zelenskyy. He said Ukraine needs additional foreign financial help to produce more of them.
Read the full report:
Ukraine's long-range strikes cut Russia's oil refining capacity by 20%, Zelenskyy says
Russian street musician found guilty of 'discrediting' the army
15:26 , James ReynoldsAn 18-year-old Russian street musician jailed for nearly two weeks earlier this month for playing a banned anti-Kremlin song was found guilty on Tuesday of "discrediting" the Russian army and fined 30,000 roubles ($369).
Diana Loginova, a music student who performs under the name Naoko with her band Stoptime, was arrested on October 15 after her performance of the popular song "Swan Lake Cooperative" by exiled Russian rapper Noize MC went viral on Russian social media.
Loginova served a 13-day jail sentence for organising an unplanned gathering that blocked public access to the metro - an administrative, as opposed to criminal, offence. Two of her bandmates also served short jail terms.
Russia failing in objectives in Pokrovsk, says Zelensky
14:54 , James ReynoldsRussia is failing in its objective to take the city of Pokrovsk despite outnumbering the Ukrainian defenders 8:1, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday.
Zelensky told reporters that Russia continues to lie about its successes in the former key logistics hub in Donetsk. Russian forces have suffered heavy losses trying to take the city in recent months.
“The fact that we hold Pokrovsk, and they constantly postpone their campaign plans, proves to the world that they are lying, and that it is necessary and worthwhile to continue helping Ukraine,” Zelensky said.
Russia using drones with cameras to hunt civilians across Ukraine, inquiry warns
14:38 , James ReynoldsA United Nations inquiry has concluded that Russian forces are systematically using drones to pursue and displace civilians near the front lines in Ukraine, a campaign described as a crime against humanity.
The report detailed how individuals were hounded from their homes, chased across significant distances by camera-equipped drones, and subsequently targeted with incendiary devices or explosives while attempting to find shelter.
Read the full story:
Russia using drones with cameras to hunt civilians across Ukraine, inquiry warns
Rheinmetall seals deal to build major munitions plant in Bulgaria
14:02 , James ReynoldsBulgaria and European defence giant Rheinmetall on Tuesday sealed a deal worth more than 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) to build a plant that will produce gunpowder and 155-mm artillery shells.
Officials said the project was important for Bulgaria and Europe as a whole, as the region looks to upgrade its defence capabilities following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Rheinmetall is a major beneficiary of the surge in military spending.
Rheinmetall's CEO Armin Papperger said that the plant would be built within 14 months, and that Bulgaria would contribute significantly to Europe's and NATO's needs for ammunition.
Lukashenko derides Lithuanian border closure as a "crazy scam"
13:34 , James ReynoldsBelarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Tuesday that Lithuania's closure of the border was a "crazy scam" and accused the West of fighting a hybrid war against Belarus and Russia that was ushering in a new era of barbed wire division.
After a series of balloons crossed from Belarus last week, Lithuania warned on Monday it would shoot them down and that the Belarus border crossings would be shut except for travel by diplomats and by EU citizens leaving the neighbouring country.
Lukashenko called the border closure by Lithuania "a crazy scam" and said Lithuania had "come up with an absurd excuse, these balloons, petty even for a small country like Lithuania."
"This is the 21st Century: closed skies, barbed wire and a complete rejection of dissent," said Lukashenko, who in 2023 dismissed claims that he is Europe's last dictator.
The Baltic nation has said the balloons, which have repeatedly interrupted its air traffic, are sent by smugglers moving contraband cigarettes into the EU, but it also blames Lukashenko, a close Putin ally, for not stopping the practice.
Editorial: Ukraine’s ingenuity alone will not be enough to win the war
13:00 , Daniel Keane
Pictured: A Russian soldier fires towards Ukrainian positions in an undisclosed location
12:30 , Daniel Keane
Zelensky says Ukraine has funds for 70% of gas imports needed in winter
12:00 , Daniel KeaneVolodymyr Zelensky says that Ukraine has 70 per cent of the gas imports it needs for the winter despite continuing Russian attacks on energy facilities.
"Gas is an important basis for heating. We have found 70% of the necessary amount (of money) for gas (imports). The government will provide the full amount required," Zelensky said.
Russian drone and missile strikes have deprived Ukraine of 55% of domestic gas production, according to the head of the country's central bank.
Russia using drones with cameras to hunt civilians across Ukraine, inquiry warns
11:31 , Daniel KeaneA United Nations inquiry has concluded that Russian forces are systematically using drones to pursue and displace civilians near the front lines in Ukraine, a campaign described as a crime against humanity.
The report detailed how individuals were hounded from their homes, chased across significant distances by camera-equipped drones, and subsequently targeted with incendiary devices or explosives while attempting to find shelter.
This tactic has compelled thousands to abandon entire regions.
"These attacks were committed as part of a coordinated policy to drive out civilians from those territories and amount to the crime against humanity of forcible transfer of population," said the 17-page report to be presented to the United Nations General Assembly this week.
Read our full story below.
Russia using drones with cameras to hunt civilians across Ukraine, inquiry warns
US excludes Rosneft Germany from Russia sanctions
11:04 , Daniel KeaneGermany's economy minister says that the US has provided written guarantees that the German business of Russia's Rosneft will be exempt from new energy sanctions - as the assets are not under Russian control.
Economy Minister Katherina Reiche said Washington issued a "Letter of Comfort" last night, acknowledging that Rosneft's operations in Germany had been fully separated from the Russian parent company.
Germany had sought clarity from Washington after President Donald Trump's administration introduced sanctions that bar Western banks and clients from engaging with listed Russian firms.
Berlin had argued the refineries, under German state trusteeship since 2022, are "decoupled" from the parent group, while being essential for the nation's fuel supply.
US excludes Rosneft in Germany from sanctions on Russian oil
11:04 , James ReynoldsGermany's economy minister said on Tuesday that the U.S. government had provided written assurance that the German business of Russia's Rosneft would be exempt from new energy sanctions.
Economy Minister Katherina Reiche told Reuters that the United States issued a "Letter of Comfort" last night, acknowledging that Rosneft's operations in Germany had been fully separated from the Russian parent company.
Germany had sought clarity from Washington after President Donald Trump's administration introduced sanctions that bar Western banks and clients from engaging with listed Russian firms.
Berlin had argued the refineries, under German state trusteeship since 2022, are "decoupled" from the parent group, while being essential for the nation's fuel supply.
Sam Kiley: How Ukraine and Russia are playing out a deadly cat and mouse drone war
10:34 , Daniel KeaneKremlin says it will 'destroy' foreigners fighting for Kyiv
10:07 , Daniel KeaneThe Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russian troops were constantly hearing foreign languages spoken by those fighting for Ukraine on the front line, and promised that such fighters would be "destroyed".
Russia has long claimed that Nato military personnel have been present in Ukraine and that its eavesdropping services have picked up English and French being spoken repeatedly at the front lines.
"Our military hears foreign speech, they constantly hear foreign languages at the front," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about claims that France was preparing to deploy some soldiers to Ukraine.
"So, these foreigners are there, we are destroying them. Our military will continue to do their job."
Pictured: A man poses at an open air exhibition of destroyed Russian equipment in Kyiv
09:39 , Daniel Keane
Sam Kiley: Why Russians are fighting against Russia
09:10 , Daniel KeaneRussian drone attack damages gas facilities in Poltava region
08:42 , Daniel KeaneA Russian drone attack overnight has damaged gas facilities in Ukraine's Poltava region, the head of state energy company Naftogaz has said.
Russia has been hitting the Ukrainian power sector during consecutive winters of the war, but this year Moscow has focused its attacks on gas facilities.
Zelensky says Ukraine will 'take no steps back' on the battlefield
08:15 , Daniel KeaneUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine is ready for peace talks anywhere besides Russia and Belarus if those talks help to end the war - but that his forces will "take no steps back" on the battlefield to cede territory.
In comments to reporters released on Tuesday, the Ukrainian President also urged US lawmakers to pass tougher sanctions on Russia.
He added that Kyiv would need stable financing from its European allies for another two or three years.
Kazakhstan's authorities are weighing how to deal with Lukoil’s stakes in projects after the US hit Russian oil companies with harsh sanctions last week.
Samruk Kazyna, chair of the country’s sovereign wealth fund, said on Tuesday that Kazakhstan was determining how to respond after Lukoil said it would sell its international assets.
"The sanctions are being studied and their impact on companies and the economy remains to be fully assessed," the fund's chairman, Aidar Ryskulov, told reporters in Astana.
"I think we will take (a decision) in the near future, by the end of this week," he added.
Russia accused of chasing and attacking civilians with drones to 'drive them out' from homes
07:59 , James ReynoldsRussia has been chasing civilians who live near the front line in Ukraine with drones, hounding them out of their homes and hunting them down, forcing thousands to flee whole areas in what amounts to a crime against humanity, a U.N. inquiry found.
The report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine described civilians who were chased over long distances by drones with mounted cameras, and sometimes then attacked with fire bombs or explosives while seeking shelter.
"These attacks were committed as part of a coordinated policy to drive out civilians from those territories and amount to the crime against humanity of forcible transfer of population," said the 17-page report to be presented to the United Nations General Assembly this week.
Its findings were based on interviews with 226 people including victims, witnesses, aid workers and local authorities as well as hundreds of verified online videos.
Moscow targeted in Ukrainian drone attack for second night
07:23 , Arpan RaiUkraine targeted Moscow as part of a wider drone attack for the second night in a row, the Russian defence ministry and Moscow's mayor said this morning.
The Russian defence ministry said its air defence units destroyed 17 Ukrainian drones overnight, including one flying towards Moscow and 13 over the Kaluga region which borders the Moscow region to its northeast.
Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram that emergency services were dispatched to the site where the drone heading towards Moscow fell.
There were no reports of damage, but Russia rarely discloses the full-scale impact of Ukrainian strikes inside its territory unless civilians or civilian objects are involved.
Russia's air defence units destroyed the remaining three drones over the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine to its west and Kaluga region to its northeast.
Alexander Bogomaz, governor of the Bryansk region, said on Telegram that one civilian was hospitalised as a result of the attack.
Yesterday, Russia said it had downed 34 Ukrainian drones that were targeting Moscow.
Zelensky says Ukraine will work on ceasefire plan ‘in next 10 days’
06:58 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine will work on a plan for a ceasefire with Russia “in the coming 10 days” – as Donald Trump rebuked Vladimir Putin over the test-firing of a nuclear-powered missile.
The Ukrainian president urged Trump to go further in his support for Kyiv after Washington imposed tough sanctions on major Russian oil companies last week.
Zelensky said he welcomed the decision to hit Rosneft and Lukoil with sanctions, but said Putin would not be moved to the negotiating table without even more “pressure”.
“President Trump is concerned about escalation,” Zelensky told Axios. “But I think that if there are no negotiations, there will be an escalation anyway. I think that if Putin doesn’t stop, we need something to stop him. Sanctions is one such weapon, but we also need long-range missiles.”
-is-launched-from-the-guided-missile-cruiser-USS-Cap.jpeg?trim=0,0,0,0&width=1200&height=800&crop=1200:800)
Zelensky says Ukraine will work on ceasefire plan ‘in next 10 days’
Putin not approaching peace efforts in good faith, says Zelensky
06:44 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has argued that Vladimir Putin is not approaching peace talks in Ukraine in good faith, as he criticised Moscow’s refusal to budge on its maximalist demands for a ceasefire deal.
Speaking to Axios, he suggested that Putin had not taken Trump’s peacemaking efforts seriously - something the US president appeared to recognise on 19 October when he said he might be being “played” by Putin.
“They did the same after Alaska,” Zelensky told Axios, referencing the August summit between Trump and Putin.
“This is the third or fourth time when Putin and his people reject what Trump says.”
Since the disastrous summit between Zelensky and Trump in February, the Ukrainian president has been careful to align with Trump’s messaging, while highlighting where Russia has gone back on its word.
Russia’s population is shrinking rapidly. Putin is trying to put a stop to that
06:28 , Arpan RaiFor a quarter of a century, Russian president Vladimir Putin has grappled with his country’s declining and ageing population. The demographic crisis pre-dates his ascent to power, with the nation recording its lowest birth rate in 1999, the year before he officially became president.
In 2005, Putin acknowledged the issue, stating that it was necessary to maintain “social and economic stability” in order to address the challenge of a falling population. He reiterated his concerns in 2019, admitting that Russia was still “haunted” by the problem.
Most recently, on Thursday (23 October), he addressed a demographic conference at the Kremlin, where he emphasised that increasing the birth rate was “crucial” for Russia’s future.
To combat this trend, Putin has introduced various initiatives, ranging from providing free school meals for large families to reinstating Soviet-era “hero mother” medals for women who bear 10 or more children.
Russia’s population is shrinking rapidly. Putin is trying to put a stop to that
Watch: Moment arsonist sponsored by Russian Wagner Group arrested
06:22 , Arpan RaiAttention on Japan's Russian oil imports as Trump visits Tokyo
06:00 , Arpan RaiThe US had called on Russian energy buyers – including Japan – to cease those imports ahead of Donald Trump's Asia trip.
Japan buys less than one per cent of its oil imports from Russia under a sanctions waiver, with the bulk of its oil supply covered by the Middle East.
“The US said it wants Japan to stop importing Russian energy – but this is Japan's closest LNG source and which is also cheap," said Nobuo Tanaka, chief executive with Tanaka Global, Inc. advisory.
“I think the question should be framed this way: can the US provide Japan with LNG as cheap as what currently comes from Russia? Can gas from Alaska be that affordable?” he asked.
Japan has stepped up US LNG purchases in the last few years as it tries to diversify away from its key supplier Australia and prepare for supply contract expirations from Russia's Sakhalin-2 LNG project, which Mitsui and Mitsubishi helped to launch in 2009.
In June, JERA, Japan's top LNG buyer, agreed to buy up to 5.5 million metric tons per annum of U.S. LNG under 20-year contracts, with deliveries starting around 2030. This is roughly the same amount Japan imports annually from Sakhalin-2.
Most supply from Sakhalin-2, which covers 9 per cent of Japan's gas needs, ends in 2028-2033.Last week alone, Japan's biggest city gas supplier, Tokyo Gas, signed a preliminary deal to buy 1 million metric tons per annum of LNG from the Alaska LNG project, following a similar announcement from JERA in September.
Trump says Putin should end the Ukraine war not test missiles
05:24 , Arpan RaiVladimir Putin should end the war in Ukraine insted of testing a nuclear-powered missile, Donald Trump has said.
Putin on Sunday announced that Russia had successfully tested its nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile, a nuclear-capable weapon Moscow says can pierce any defence shield, and will move towards deploying the weapon.
"I don't think its an appropriate thing for Putin to be saying, either, by the way: You ought to get the war ended, the war that should have taken one week is now in... its fourth year, that's what you ought to do instead of testing missiles," Trump said.
Asked on Air Force One about the test of the 9M730 Burevestnik (Storm Petrel) – dubbed the SSC-X-9 Skyfall by Nato – which Moscow said had flown for 14,000 km (8,700 miles), Trump said the United States did not need to fly so far as it had a nuclear submarine off the coast of Russia.
"They know we have a nuclear submarine, the greatest in the world, right off their shores, so I mean, it doesn't have to go 8,000 miles," Trump told reporters, according to an audio file posted by the White House.
Ukraine deploys reinforcements as fighting spreads in Pokrovsk city
05:06 , Arpan RaiUkraine is rushing to strengthen its positions in the strategic eastern transport hub of Pokrovsk as about 200 Russian troops have infiltrated the city in small groups, Kyiv's military said.
In a battlefield update yesterday evening, the Ukrainian general staff reported fighting involving small arms and the active deployment of drones. The Russian defence ministry said that its assault groups were trying to advance near the train station.
“There is fierce fighting in the city and on the approaches to the city... Logistics are difficult. But we must continue to destroy the occupiers," president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday.
Russia has been aiming to occupy Pokrovsk, a key part of Kyiv's defensive lines, for months, seeing it as a crucial point for its push to fully capture the Donetsk region.
Ukrainian civilians being 'hunted' by Russian drones, say UN investigators
04:55 , Arpan RaiRussia has been chasing civilians who live near the frontline in Ukraine with drones, hounding them out of their homes and hunting them down, forcing thousands to flee whole areas in what amounts to a crime against humanity, a UN inquiry found.
The report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine described civilians being chased over long distances by drones with mounted cameras, and sometimes then attacked with fire bombs or explosives while seeking shelter.
“These attacks were committed as part of a coordinated policy to drive out civilians from those territories and amount to the crime against humanity of forcible transfer of population,” said the 17-page report to be presented to the United Nations General Assembly this week.
Russia denies intentionally targeting civilians in Ukraine, although its forces have killed thousands of them since mounting a full-scale invasion three and a half years ago.
The findings of the investigation were based on interviews with 226 people including victims, witnesses, aid workers and local authorities as well as hundreds of verified online videos.
The attacks described in the report occurred in three regions in southern Ukraine, near the frontline and across the Dnipro River from Russian forces, over a period of more than a year.
Putin says 'everything going to plan' with North Korea
04:33 , Arpan RaiVladimir Putin has asked North Korean foreign minister Choe Son Hui during talks in the Kremlin to tell her country's leader Kim Jong Un that everything was "going to plan" in bilateral relations.
"We talked in detail in Beijing about our relations and prospects for development," Putin told Choe, referring to talks the Russian leader held with Kim during celebrations in the Chinese capital last month to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Asia.
"Everything is going according to plan. Please convey my best wishes to him (Kim)," Putin said.
Putin and Kim sealed a strategic partnership treaty last year, which included a mutual defence pact, and North Korea has sent soldiers, artillery ammunition and missiles to Russia to support Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine.
According to Ukraine and South Korea’s estimates, North Korea deployed more than 10,000 troops to the war in Ukraine in return for economic and military technology assistance from Russia.
South Korea's intelligence agency estimated in September that about 2,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed in the fighting.
Ukraine mourns two journalists killed by Russian drone strike
04:28 , Arpan RaiAbout 100 people gathered at a church in Kyiv yesterday to honour two Ukrainian journalists killed when a Russian drone struck their car in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
Both 43-year-old war correspondent Olena Hubanova, who worked under the pseudonym Alyona Gramova, and cameraman Yevhen Karmazin were killed last week on Thursday when a Russian Lancet drone hit their vehicle in Kramatorsk, around 20km (12 miles) from the frontline.
It was the latest deadly attack on journalists covering the war in Ukraine. Earlier this month, a French photojournalist, Antoni Lallican, and a Ukrainian reporter, Grigoriy Ivanchenko, were wounded in a similar strike.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, at least 135 media workers have been killed, according to Ukraine’s National Union of Journalists.
Ukraine mourns two journalists after a deadly Russian drone strike claimed their lives
Russia test-flies second version of MC-21 jet with domestic components
04:17 , Arpan RaiRussia has flown a second prototype of its MC-21 medium-haul passenger jet built with domestic components, the industry ministry said today, as sanctions on foreign components stall production and high interest rates crimp investment.
Battling these obstacles, the Russian aircraft industry proved able to deliver by August just one of 15 jets planned for this year.
The MC-21 took off from the Irkutsk aviation plant operated by Yakovlev, a part of United Aircraft Corp, within state conglomerate Rostec, according to images the industry ministry posted this morning.
The flight tested newly Russian-made onboard systems and PD-14 turbofan engines, the ministry added, as opposed to earlier prototypes that combined Russian and foreign components.
North Korea says will help Russia 'remove the root of Ukraine conflict'
03:52 , Arpan RaiNorth Korea's foreign minister Choe Son Hui met with Russian president Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin to discuss strengthening cooperation, North Korean state media KCNA said on Tuesday.
"Many future projects to constantly strengthen and develop" the bilateral relationship were discussed during the meeting, KCNA said. Choe also conveyed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's "brotherly regard" to Putin.
Choe also held talks with her Russian counterpart foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday and reached agreement on all points during strategic discussions on global issues, KCNA said.
During Choe's talks with Lavrov, the North Korean side expressed support for Russian measures to "remove the root of the Ukraine conflict". The Russian side expressed support for North Korean efforts to protect its security interests and sovereign rights, KCNA said.
The visit comes amid growing international concern over cooperation between the two countries, in which Pyongyang is supplying Moscow with soldiers and artillery for its war in Ukraine in exchange for military technology assistance from Russia.
Norway says Russia's Burevestnik missile was launched from Novaya Zemlya
03:34 , Arpan RaiNorway's military intelligence service said Russia's test last week of the nuclear-powered Burevestnik long-range cruise missile was launched from the Arctic Barents Sea archipelago of Novaya Zemlya.
Russia said on Sunday it had successfully tested the 9M730 Burevestnik (Storm Petrel) – dubbed the SSC-X-9 Skyfall by Nato – a nuclear-capable weapon Moscow says can pierce any defence shield, but did not say where the launch took place.
“We can confirm that Russia has conducted a new test launch of the long-range cruise missile Skyfall (Burevestnik) on Novaya Zemlya," Vice Admiral Nils Andreas Stensoenes, head of Norway's Intelligence Service, told Reuters.
Trump says Putin should end the Ukraine war not test missiles
03:14 , Arpan RaiVladimir Putin should end the war in Ukraine insted of testing a nuclear-powered missile, Donald Trump has said.
Putin on Sunday announced that Russia had successfully tested its nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile, a nuclear-capable weapon Moscow says can pierce any defence shield, and will move towards deploying the weapon.
"I don't think its an appropriate thing for Putin to be saying, either, by the way: You ought to get the war ended, the war that should have taken one week is now in... its fourth year, that's what you ought to do instead of testing missiles," Trump said.
Asked on Air Force One about the test of the 9M730 Burevestnik (Storm Petrel) – dubbed the SSC-X-9 Skyfall by Nato – which Moscow said had flown for 14,000 km (8,700 miles), Trump said the United States did not need to fly so far as it had a nuclear submarine off the coast of Russia. "They know we have a nuclear submarine, the greatest in the world, right off their shores, so I mean, it doesn't have to go 8,000 miles," Trump told reporters, according to an audio file posted by the White House.
Russian air defence units destroy drone flying towards Moscow
03:10 , Arpan RaiRussian air defence units destroyed a drone flying towards Moscow, the mayor of the Russian capital said.
This is the second day in a row Moscow has been targeted in attacks by Ukrainian drones.
What is a Tomahawk missile?
03:00 , Daniel KeaneThe Tomahawk missile is a US-made long-range cruise missile typically launched from sea to attack targets in deep-strike missions.
First used in 1991 during the Persian Gulf War, the missiles have evolved considerably over the last 30 years.
According to manufacturer Raytheon, the most recent version, called the Block IV Tactical Tomahawk, or TACTOM, can switch targets while in flight, loiter for hours and change course instantly on command.
Its most recent use came in 2024, when the US and UK Navies launched Tomahawk missiles at Houthi rebel sites in Yemen.
The precision-guided weapon can strike targets from 1,000 miles (1,600 km) away, even in heavily defended airspace. Measuring 20 feet (6.1 meters) long with an 8.5-foot wingspan and weighing in at about 3,330 pounds (1,510 kg).
Ukraine ready to fight for the next three years, says Poland’s PM Tusk
02:00 , Daniel KeanePolish prime minister Donald Tusk has said that Ukraine is ready to fight for another three years, but hopes the war will not last longer.
Poland’s leader revealed that Kyiv was anxious about the toll the war could take on its population and economy should it stretch on for longer than a few more years.
“I have no doubts Ukraine will survive as an independent state,” he said in an interview with The Sunday Times. “Now the main question is how many victims we will see. President Zelensky told me [on Thursday] that he hopes that the war will not last 10 years, but that Ukraine is ready to fight for another two, three years.”
Read our full story here.
Ukraine ready to fight for the next three years, says Poland’s PM Tusk
Pictured: An apartment damaged by a Russian strike in Dobropillia
01:00 , Daniel Keane
Putin says 'everything going to plan' with North Korea
00:01 , Daniel KeaneRussian President Vladimir Putin asked North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui during talks in the Kremlin on Monday to tell his country's leader Kim Jong Un that everything was "going to plan" in bilateral relations.
"We talked in detail in Beijing about our relations and prospects for development," Putin told Choe, referring to talks the Russian leader held with Kim during celebrations in the Chinese capital last month to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two in Asia.
"Everything is going according to plan. Please convey my best wishes to him (Kim)," Putin said.
North Korea has sent soldiers, artillery ammunition and missiles to Russia to support Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine.
Ukraine deploys reinforcements as fighting spreads in Pokrovsk city
Monday 27 October 2025 23:00 , Daniel KeaneUkraine is rushing to strengthen its positions in the strategic eastern transport hub of Pokrovsk as about 200 Russian troops have infiltrated the city in small groups, Kyiv's military has said.
The Ukrainian general staff, which made the estimate of enemy forces, reported small arms firefights and the active deployment of drones.
The Russian defence ministry said that its assault groups were trying to advance near the train station.
"There is fierce fighting in the city and on the approaches to the city... Logistics are difficult. But we must continue to destroy the occupiers," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday.
Russia has been aiming to occupy Pokrovsk, a key part of Kyiv's defensive lines, for months.
Zelensky says Putin is not approaching peace efforts in good faith
Monday 27 October 2025 22:00 , Daniel KeaneVolodymyr Zelensky has argued that Vladimir Putin is not approaching peace prospects in Ukraine in good faith as he criticised Moscow’s refusal to budge on its maximalist demands for a ceasefire deal.
Speaking to Axios, he suggested that Putin had not taken Trump’s peacemaking efforts seriously - something the US presidebt appeared to recognise on 19 October when he said he might be being “played” by Putin.
“They did the same after Alaska,” Zelensky told Axios, referencing the August summit between Trump and Putin. “This is the third or fourth time when Putin and his people reject what Trump says.”
Since the disastrous summit between Zelensky and Trump in February, the Ukrainian president has been careful to align with Trump’s messaging, while highlighting where Russia has gone back on its word.
Pictured: Putin shakes hands with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui
Monday 27 October 2025 21:00 , Daniel Keane
Norway says Russia's Burevestnik missile was launched from Novaya Zemlya
Monday 27 October 2025 20:00 , Daniel KeaneNorway's military intelligence service has said that Russia's test last week of the nuclear-powered Burevestnik missile was launched from the Arctic Barents Sea archipelago of Novaya Zemlya.
Vladimir Putin said Russia had successfully tested the cruise missile, a nuclear-capable weapon Moscow says can pierce any defence shield. Moscow said the Burevestnik had flown for 14,000km.
"We can confirm that Russia has conducted a new test launch of the long-range cruise missile Skyfall (Burevestnik) on Novaya Zemlya," Vice Admiral Nils Andreas Stensoenes, head of Norway's Intelligence Service, told Reuters in an emailed statement.
Ukraine and Russia are playing out a deadly cat and mouse drone war
Monday 27 October 2025 19:00 , Daniel KeaneOur World Affairs Editor Sam Kiley joins the Ukrainian infantry near Zaporizhzhia, southern Ukraine, as they bed down in a mud dugout for a night of lethal drone attacks against their Russian enemy – just a few kilometres away.
How Ukraine and Russia are playing a deadly cat and mouse drone war from underground
Zelensky says Ukraine will work on ceasefire plan ‘in next ten days’
Monday 27 October 2025 18:02 , James ReynoldsVolodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine will work on a plan for a ceasefire with Russia “in the coming ten days” as he reiterated Kyiv’s urgent need for long-range American weapons to pressure Vladimir Putin into ending the war.
The Ukrainian president called on Trump to go further in its support for Kyiv after Washington imposed tough sanctions on major Russian oil companies last week.
Read the full story:
Zelensky says Ukraine will work on ceasefire plan ‘in next ten days’
No progress on Russian-Ukrainian talks, says senior diplomat
Monday 27 October 2025 17:27 , James ReynoldsThere has been no progress towards organising the next round of talks between Russia and Ukraine, a senior Russian diplomat said on Monday.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told reporters that it was Ukraine that was avoiding dialogue.
Russia and Ukraine appear to be gridlocked over the issue of a ceasefire. Ukraine has subscribed to Donald Trump’s proposal to freeze battle lines in order to begin negotiations. Russia appears to be unmoved.
“Ukraine is not responding to our initiatives, avoiding dialogue. Nothing has changed,” Galuzin told TASS.
Russian strikes destroy Ukrainian coffee producer
Monday 27 October 2025 17:03 , James ReynoldsRussian strikes destroyed manufacturing sites at Ukraine’s largest drip coffee producer, the company said.
Idealist Coffee wrote on Instagram on Saturday that emergency services were working to extinguish fires after a “ballistic attack” destroyed their “manufacturing capacity”.
They said the extent of the damage and a timeline for recovery were currently unknown.
Neighbours were killed and injured in the attack, they said.
Russia’s population is shrinking rapidly. Putin is trying to put a stop to that
Monday 27 October 2025 16:31 , James ReynoldsPutin has created several initiatives to encourage childbirth, such as one-time payments for pregnant teens, writes Katie Marie Davies:
Russia’s population is shrinking rapidly. Putin is trying to put a stop to that
Nordstream suspect to appeal extradition ruling
Monday 27 October 2025 16:00 , James ReynoldsA Ukrainian man accused of involvement in sabotaging the Nordstream 2 pipeline in 2022 will appeal a decision to extradite him to Germany.
A court in Italy had ruled that the suspect, identified only as Serhii K, should be sent to Germany, after he was arrested in August near the town of Rimini.
The European warrant was issued by the German Federal Supreme Court.
His defence lawyer said he would now be taking the court to Italy’s supreme court within roughly a month.
Putin says all 'going to plan' with North Korea
Monday 27 October 2025 15:34 , James ReynoldsRussian President Vladimir Putin on Monday asked North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui to tell Kim Jong Un that "everything was going to plan" in relations.
Putin met Kim's foreign minister in the Kremlin.
