Tuesday, November 26

Russia’s war against Ukraine

A woman stands by the edge of the crater from the impact of a Russian Shahed drone outside a house in Zaporizhzhia on Nov. 25, 2024. (Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

_‘It may not have been a major news event in Ukraine, but the Kyiv Independent turned three years old this month. For our birthday we launched a campaign to reach 1,000 new members. If you find our reporting useful and can afford to support the Kyiv Independent, please do so _following this link and get us closer to our goal of 1,000 new supporters. The contributions will go directly towards strengthening our journalism.’

Ukrainian drones hit oil depot in western Russia’s Kaluga Oblast, source says. The Kaluganefteprodukt oil facility, which is used to support Russian aggression in Ukraine, was struck by the drones at 0:30 on Nov. 25, leading to a series of blasts and a fire, the source claimed.

Ukraine’s 3rd Brigade says it cleared out Kharkiv Oblast village, took ex-convict POWs. Ukraine’s Third Assault Brigade said it had cleared out the Kopanky village in Kharkiv Oblast in Kharkiv Oblast, taking seven prisoners of war from Russia’s First Tank Army, its Telegram channel reported on Nov. 25.

Drone coalition to gather $1.8 billion by end of 2024, defense minister says. An allied initiative, co-headed by the U.K. and Latvia, was launched in January to bolster Ukraine’s arsenal of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which became a crucial capability on the battlefield. Nearly 20 countries joined the coalition as of late November.

Ukraine can strike Russian territory with ATACMS missiles, White House confirms. “Right now, they (Ukrainian soldiers) have the ability to use ATACMS to defend themselves in an immediate-need basis. Understandably, that’s taken place in and around Kursk Oblast,” U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told journalists on Nov. 25.

Your contribution helps keep the Kyiv Independent going. Become a member today.

Ukraine’s top energy company to receive $112 million from EU, US to restore facilities. The U.S. government is providing $46.1 million to purchase control systems and dozens of new transfers, while the European Commission pledged 62.8 million euros ($66 million) to restore 1.8GW of generating capacity and to protect power plant equipment from elements during the winter.

Ukraine ‘sees existing threats’ from Russia in Zaporizhzhia sector, Zelensky says. Ukraine is tracking threats from Russian troops in southern Zaporizhzhia Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov. 25 following a report by Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

UN has recorded 376 sexual violence cases related to Russian war against Ukraine. The figure includes 262 men, most of whom were tortured in captivity on occupied territories or in Russia, 104 women, as well as children — 10 girls and two boys, according to the report.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drones reportedly hit oil depot in Russia’s Kaluga Oblast

Drones operated by Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) hit an oil depot in the western Russian city of Kaluga, a source in the agency told the Kyiv Independent on Nov. 25.

Photo: HUR source

Opinion: Nuclear escalation fears can’t override Ukraine’s right to defend itself

While Russia wields imperial dreams and nuclear threats, the world suffocates — both under the weight of war and the smog of neglect.

Photo: Contributor/Getty Images

Human cost of war

Russian missile attack on central Kharkiv injures 23. Russia launched an attack against the central part of Kharkiv on the morning of Nov. 25, injuring at least 23 people, officials reported.

Russia launches missile attack against Odesa, injuring 11. Russia launched a missile attack against the central part of Odesa on Nov. 25, injuring at least 11 people, Governor Oleh Kiper reported.

5 injured by Russian drone during humanitarian aid distribution in Mykolaiv Oblast. A Russian drone attacked the village of Solonchaky in Mykolaiv Oblast while humanitarian aid was being distributed there on Nov. 25, Governor Vitalli Kim reported.

Russian attacks in Ukraine injure 5 over past day, including 13-year-old boy. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 71 of the 145 Russian drones launched overnight, the Air Force said. Seventy-one other drones were “lost” across Ukraine thanks to electronic warfare means, the statement read.

Muslim who fled Russia on his new life in Ukraine

International response

UK targets 30 tankers in its largest sanctions package against Russia’s ‘shadow fleet.’ The United Kingdom sanctioned 30 oil tankers of Russia’s “shadow fleet” that carried billions of dollars worth of oil and oil products last year, the government said on Nov. 25.

North Korea expands plant producing missiles used by Russia against Ukraine, Reuters reports. North Korea is expanding a key weapons production complex that assembles KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles used by Russia against Ukraine, Reuters reported on Nov.25.

Far-right Ukraine aid critic takes surprise lead in Romanian presidential election. Calin Georgescu, a far-right critic of Romania’s pro-NATO and pro-Ukraine policy, is projected to enter the presidential run-off vote after a shock result in the first round on Nov. 24.

Trump’s reelection revives talks in Europe on sending military personnel to Ukraine, Le Monde reports. Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. election revived discussion among European allies on sending military personnel or private defense contractors to Ukraine, Le Monde reported on Nov. 25, citing undisclosed sources.

Record number of Russian attack drones entered Belarus overnight, monitoring group says. A record 38 Russian Shahed-type attack drones entered Belarusian territory overnight on Nov. 24-25, with at least one of the drones reportedly shot down by the Belarusian Air Force, the monitoring group Belarusian Hajun reported.

G7 allies expected to increase pressure on China over support for Russia, Bloomberg reports. The foreign ministers of Group of Seven (G7) countries are expected to agree to increase diplomatic pressure on China over the country’s support for Russia’s ‘war machine’ in Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on Nov. 25, citing an early draft of a communique seen by the publication.

In other news

‘You’re repeating Russian propaganda,’ Ukrainian boxing champion Klitschko responds to Joe Rogan. “You talk about sending American weapons to Ukraine, which you believe will lead to the Third World War. Putin’s Russia is in trouble, so Putin wants to scare you and people like you,” Ukrainian former professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko said.

Cargo plane crashes in Lithuania, leaving crew member dead. A DHL cargo plane flying from Leipzig in Germany crashed near the Vilnius Airport in Lithuania on the morning of Nov. 25, leaving one crew member dead and two injured, local media reported.

UK national reportedly captured by Russia while fighting for Ukraine. A video of a man in military fatigues, who identifies himself as former British army soldier James Scott Rhys Anderson, 22, began circulating on Russian Telegram channels on Nov. 24.

MP walks back his statement on number of IDPs returning to occupied territories. “I spoke incorrectly, so I’m taking back my words,” said lawmaker Maksym Tkachenko who serves on a committee focused on human rights and the liberation of occupied territories.

This newsletter is open for sponsorship. Boost your brand’s visibility by reaching thousands of engaged subscribers. Contact partnerships@kyivindependent.com for more details.

Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Martin Fornusek, Oleksiy Sorokin, Kateryna Denisova, Boldizsar Gyori, Dmytro Basmat, and Olena Goncharova.

If you’re enjoying this newsletter, consider joining our membership program. Start supporting independent journalism today.