Ukraine-Russia war latest: UK sends Kyiv more Storm Shadows after Trump accuses Putin of secret nuclear tests

Russia massing troops near eastern town of Dobropillia, says Zelensky

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia is massing troops near the eastern Ukrainian town of Dobropillia, where Kyiv’s forces advanced earlier this year in a successful counteroffensive.

Dobropillia is about 30km north of Pokrovsk, where Zelensky said Ukraine’s defences are coming under severe pressure and up to 300 Russian soldiers have infiltrated the city.

Russia is focussing its offensive on this eastern sector of Donetsk, and has been pushing to take the strategic city of Pokrovsk for almost a year.

Taking Pokrovsk would give Moscow its most important single territorial gain in Ukraine since the capture of the ruined city of Avdiivka in early 2024.

Arpan Rai4 November 2025 05:30

Ukraine committed to EU accession but should do more, says Commission draft

Ukraine is showing “remarkable commitment” to joining the EU, but must reverse recent negative trends in the fight against corruption, the European Commission has said.

The draft text, part of an EU enlargement report expected to be adopted today, says that “despite the very difficult circumstances the country finds itself in on account of Russia’s war of aggression, Ukraine continued to demonstrate remarkable commitment to the EU accession path over the past year”.

Ukraine applied to join the EU days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. It has been pushing to make progress on its bid, despite the challenges of Russia’s war and EU member Hungary blocking Kyiv from formally moving to the next phase of negotiations.

While praising Ukraine for launching reform processes, the European Commission also said that Kyiv needs to make more progress on judicial independence, fighting organised crime and respecting civil society.

Arpan Rai4 November 2025 04:58

Watch: Trump claims Moscow is carrying out underground nuclear weapons tests

Trump claims Moscow is carrying out underground nuclear weapons tests

Arpan Rai4 November 2025 04:32

Ukraine military using video game-style reward system earning points killing Russians with drones

Ukraine’s military units are competing with each other by launching deadly drone attacks to earn points that can be used to buy more weapons.

The video game-style rewards system is proving to be very popular, Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister said, with hundreds of units participating. Launched a year ago, it is now being expanded to reconnaissance, artillery and logistics operations, according to reports.

“It’s become truly popular among units,” deputy prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov told The Guardian. “All the defence forces know about this and there’s competition for the points, for getting these drones, electronic warfare systems and other things to help them in warfighting.

Arpan Rai4 November 2025 04:15

Watch: Putin unveils Russia’s new nuclear powered missile cruiser Khabarovskowered

Putin unveils Russia’s new nuclear powered missile cruiser Khabarovskowered Missile Cruiser Khabarovsk

Arpan Rai4 November 2025 04:05

Blast reported at petrochemical plant in Russia’s Bashkortostan

An explosion has been reported at the Sterlitamak petrochemical plant in Russia’s Bashkortostan. The blast caused a partial collapse of a water-treatment facility, the administration of the city of Sterlitamak said this morning.

There no immediate reports of injuries, the administration of the city located in the Ural Mountains said on its Telegram channel.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear.

Arpan Rai4 November 2025 03:55

Ukraine says defences are holding in Pokrovsk as Russia claims advance

The Ukrainian military has said its defences around Pokrovsk city in Donetsk are holding, denying claims from Russia that its troops are in full control of any district of the city.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Pokrovsk remained under severe pressure, though Russian troops had made no gains in the past day. He said up to 300 Russian servicemen had infiltrated the city.

Russia said on Monday that its troops had advanced into Pokrovsk, a transport and logistics hub that they have been trying to capture for over a year.

The Russian defence ministry said its soldiers were destroying what it described as surrounded Ukrainian formations near Pokrovsk’s railway station and industrial zone, and had entered the city’s Prigorodny area and dug in there.

“The invaders continue to attack in small groups of up to five soldiers, without using armoured vehicles,” the operation task force responsible for Ukraine’s eastern front line said on Facebook.

Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Response Corps said Ukrainian forces had thwarted an attempt to cut off a supply route from Rodynske, to the north.

North of Pokrovsk, however, Ukraine has recorded recent gains near Dobropillia. Army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said his forces had stepped up pressure there with the aim of forcing Russia to divert its focus away from Pokrovsk.

Ukrainian soldiers in Pokrovsk (Getty Images)

Arpan Rai4 November 2025 03:35

UK sends more Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine

The UK government has provided Ukraine with more supplies of Storm Shadow cruise missiles, officials said.

An unspecified number of missiles have been sent to Ukraine to ensure the war-hit nation is amply stocked up to respond to Russian attacks with its own long-range strikes deep inside Russian territory, people aware of the matter told Bloomberg.

The officials said Britain is resupplying Ukraine with the cruise missiles as it is concerned Moscow will step up attacks on Ukrainian civilians.

The UK government has not publicly announced the transfer of Storm Shadow missiles or how many are being sent. The reported transfer comes as Donald Trump continues to delay a decision on sending US-made Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.

Two weeks ago Ukraine successfully attacked an important Russian chemical plant using British-made Storm Shadow missiles. Kyiv described the facility as critical to Moscow’s war efforts.

(The Independent)

Arpan Rai4 November 2025 03:15

Ukraine will open arms export offices in Berlin and Copenhagen, says Zelensky

Ukraine will set up offices for arms exports and joint weapons production in Berlin and Copenhagen this year, Volodymyr Zelensky has announced.

Zelensky told reporters that naval drones and artillery systems were among the weapons that Kyiv could export. He also said that Ukraine plans to launch mass production of its domestically produced missiles – Flamingo and Ruta – by the end of this year.

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a news conference in Kyiv (AP)

Arpan Rai4 November 2025 03:05

Why Russia is so desperate to win the battle of Pokrovsk and what happens next

Pokrovsk is a city that Russia has been trying to capture for over a year.

An estimated 100,000 Russian troops were circling the area, with Ukraine’s top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi saying his forces pushed hard to dislodge Russian troops.

Capturing Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk” by Russian media, and Kostiantynivka to its northeast which Russian forces are also trying to envelop, would give Moscow a platform to drive north towards the two biggest remaining Ukrainian-controlled cities in Donetsk – Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

Read more about the hottest sector on the frontline here:

Arpan Rai4 November 2025 02:52

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