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“Our future cannot be the subject of agreements between Trump and Putin”: Ukraine supporters protest US policy on Russia in Europe, US, and Australia. Pro-Ukraine demonstrations took place in more than 10 cities as protesters condemned US moves to ease sanctions on Russia and pressure Kyiv to make concessions while Moscow’s war continues. |
Ukraine intercepts nearly 60% of Russia’s Geran-4 jet drones, General Staff says, as Kyiv races to counter evolving threat. Ukraine’s interception rate reaches 80% during some attacks, as F-16s, Mirage jets, mobile fire groups, and interceptor drones help counter Russia’s jet-powered attacks.
He drove a taxi in Jakarta and once worked in the US. Russia trained him as a machine gunner for a week and a half, then sent him into his first and last battle. Ukraine’s military intelligence says Russian recruiters reached the Indonesian through his job search and moved him from a contract signing near Moscow to the front in a matter of weeks.
Russia tries to drag a village north of Kupiansk into no-man’s-land after its losses in Ukraine’s underground operation. Ukraine’s military describes Russian troops trying to keep a path open toward the city through Radkivka, a village on its northern edge, while fighting for neighboring Holubivka goes on.
Ukraine says it hit drone hangars at Crimea’s Hvardiiske. Now an OSINT channel spots 20+ bermed shelters there. Dnipro Osint says the base fires Shahed-type drones from vehicles on its runway, and the airfield kept turning up on Ukraine’s launch lists in October.
Two weeks after a Russian supply base burned in Luhansk’s Khrustalnyi, Ukrainian drones came back for an ammo depot. The city in occupied eastern Ukraine has served Russia’s army as a rear logistics hub since early in the full-scale war.
Ukraine plans to rebuild its air force on NATO’s model by 2035. Its Air Force already knows which fighter it wants next, and why. Ukraine’s F-16s face thousands of Russian targets a month, many of them worn jets bought secondhand.
For the third time this year, Ukrainian drones hit Russia’s rocket-fuel rubber plant in Samara Oblast. This time they reach the raw-material shop feeding it. OSINT channels recorded fires at the same butyl-rubber shops in April and September.
Germany’s Helsing promises jet-drone-hunting missiles at under $100,000 a shot—its CEO doesn’t expect them on the market before 2027. One contract is signed. Ukraine’s own jet-drone interceptors, meanwhile, aren’t due in needed numbers before late November.
Ukraine says it has finished its part of FREYJA, Europe’s joint anti-ballistic project. Partners’ work is still underway. Zelenskyy told ABC News on 23 October that Ukraine got only 24 US Patriot interceptors from the US in three months.
Postal service Nova Post says it has already shot down Russian Shahed drones, as Ukrainian businesses take air defense into their own hands. The company says its air defense project is operational as Russia increasingly targets Ukrainian infrastructure, while other businesses weigh the costs and benefits of protecting their facilities themselves.
Ukrainian intelligence says Russia’s missile makers use gear from seven countries—and the Chinese machines run on European, Japanese, and Taiwanese parts. Ukrainian intelligence listed 30 foreign-made items at Russian arms plants on 26 October, 17 of them made outside China.
A 4-watt video link passed Ukraine’s state tests, its maker says, and could stretch STING interceptors’ radius from 20 km to 30 km. The 30 km figure is Wild Hornets’ own estimate, first given in August, and assumes good line of sight. Testers checked three drone types.
Captured Russians say there is one place on Kupiansk front they will not go: “Orion” safety corridor. Ukrainian robot unit says it built that corridor, and runs supply and evacuation through it with almost no losses.
Ukrainian intelligence: Russia can probably add 10–15 Su-34 bombers a year, but no new Tu-95s or Tu-22M3s. Ukraine’s military intelligence also listed Russian jets destroyed or critically damaged in 2026, including two Tu-95MS bombers hit at Engels.
Finland and Norway leaders make rare direct call to Putin, breaking with the West’s diplomatic isolation of the Russian leader to influence Ukraine peace talks. The Nordic leaders called for de-escalation ahead of November peace talks, with Zelenskyy saying they pressed Putin over attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The Kremlin reiterated that any settlement must account for Russia’s demands.
Ukraine’s last two EU negotiation blocks stay shut as Hungary’s new government keeps Orbán’s veto. Budapest unblocked half of the remaining negotiations after Ukraine changed its minority-language rules, then said no to the rest.
The Trump administration is backing Orbán, who blocked a €90 billion EU loan to Ukraine, for UN secretary-general and is counting on support from Moscow and Beijing, WSJ says. Orbán indicated that he was willing to consider the nomination but did not want to enter the race without being confident he could win, according to the WSJ’s editorial board.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy welcomes Student List’s win in Serbia and says Kyiv is “ready to keep increasing cooperation”. The party itself plan to end the trade that brought Ukraine €800 million in ammunition.
17 public broadcasters mapped Russia’s hybrid war on Europe. Germany: four dots. One point on the map may stand for several incidents of the same type nearby or in quick succession.
Russia replaces Ukrainians with Russian settlers in occupied Kherson Oblast; only 10–20% of pre-war population remains, Ukraine says. Russia is forcing Ukrainians from their homes while offering Russian teachers and medical workers financial incentives to settle in occupied Kherson Oblast, Ukraine’s military intelligence says.
Oleshky ceasefire expands beyond occupied town as truce holds without reported violations. The expanded ceasefire zone aims to secure humanitarian convoys to Russian-occupied Oleshky, where residents face shortages of food and medicine.
Russia strikes publishing house warehouse in Kharkiv on Ukrainian Language Day, adding to a campaign against Ukrainian literature and culture. The publisher is assessing losses after the attack disrupted its planned 5 November releases, as repeated Russian strikes destroy books and damage Ukraine’s publishing industry.
Guns fall silent around Russian-occupied Oleshky so its starving residents can get aid, but Russia’s guarantees remain secret. Ukraine’s ombudsman says both sides are keeping to the deal, while the US first lady’s adviser says Newsmax will send reporters to watch whether residents can leave freely.
Russian ballistic missiles hit a Kyiv university campus, then return before dawn for the Southern Bridge again. Two waves hit the capital hours apart, reaching students in their dormitory in the evening and the bridge carrying its green metro line before sunrise.
Sixteen Ukrainian doctors who work near fighting went through three Western trauma programs in one week. American surgeons led drills. On the front line, drones and shrapnel often tear through several parts of a soldier’s body at once.
Russian court jails IT company director for 13 years over crypto donations after Binance shared his data, rights group says. The man had lived in Bulgaria for about 10 years before flying to Moscow on business last year, where he was detained at the airport for allegedly using obscene language.
UN commission finds Russia’s grid strikes are crimes against humanity, citing last winter at minus 21°C. Now they’re intensifying. The commission concluded the strikes followed a state policy to deprive civilians of power and cause suffering, and noted that Russian authorities had openly announced further attacks and referred to a plan to carry them out.
Read our previous daily review here.
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Full speed returned to Ukraine’s satellite links on Saturday morning. “We simply enforced our terms,” Musk claims after blaming Washington for 10 days. The SpaceX owner, who had earlier said the US government decides such limits, wrote that his company had closed a gap he says Ukrainian troops used for drone strikes. |
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This is the fancy new F-16 Ukraine could get. It’s not what its pilots need most.. Ukraine could buy newly built F-16 Block 70/72s from US firm Lockheed Martin. But that's not the greatest need. |
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Ukraine now fights two enemies. One is America. In two weeks, Washington sanctioned the court prosecuting Putin, waived its own sanctions on Russia, and called him a humanitarian. |
For the third time this year, Ukrainian drones hit Russia’s rocket-fuel rubber plant in Samara Oblast. This time they reach the raw-material shop feeding it. OSINT channels recorded fires at the same butyl-rubber shops in April and September.
Captured Russians say there is one place on Kupiansk front they will not go: “Orion” safety corridor. Ukrainian robot unit says it built that corridor, and runs supply and evacuation through it with almost no losses.
Russia apparently meant a tank division for Druzhkivka. A Ukrainian push in the south drew the bigger part of it away. A Ukrainian observer says the larger part of the division ended up defending near Velyka Novosilka rather than attacking toward the Donbas fortress cities.
Plane parts for Russia’s air force, rubber for its industry—Voronezh’s factories came under drone attack. The aircraft plant belongs to Russia's state aviation holding, and the rubber plant to the petrochemical giant Sibur.
Ukraine plans to rebuild its air force on NATO’s model by 2035. Its Air Force already knows which fighter it wants next, and why. Ukraine’s F-16s face thousands of Russian targets a month, many of them worn jets bought secondhand.
Ukrainian intelligence: Russia can probably add 10–15 Su-34 bombers a year, but no new Tu-95s or Tu-22M3s. Ukraine’s military intelligence also listed Russian jets destroyed or critically damaged in 2026, including two Tu-95MS bombers hit at Engels.
Ukraine raises its stalled Patriot request with Washington again after almost a month without Hegseth’s signature. The order came after a meeting with Ukraine’s defense minister, foreign minister, and army chief on supplies of air defense interceptors.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy welcomes Student List’s win in Serbia and says Kyiv is “ready to keep increasing cooperation”. The party itself plan to end the trade that brought Ukraine €800 million in ammunition.
17 public broadcasters mapped Russia’s hybrid war on Europe. Germany: four dots. One point on the map may stand for several incidents of the same type nearby or in quick succession.
Kazakhstan prepares a list for Moscow, Kenya appeals to Kyiv: three governments try to get citizens out of Russia’s war. Kyrgyzstan says some of its migrants are forced into contracts, and Russia told Kenya that unit commanders rule on requests to quit, case by case.
More than a US briefing: Brussels security talks on Ukraine planned for 27 or 28 October, Kyiv says. Zelenskyy also ruled out neutrality and limits on Ukraine’s army as the Kremlin says Putin is ready in principle for new three-way talks in mid-November.
Sixteen Ukrainian doctors who work near fighting went through three Western trauma programs in one week. American surgeons led drills. On the front line, drones and shrapnel often tear through several parts of a soldier’s body at once.
Guided bombs on Izium, strikes on Zaporizhzhia: Russian overnight attacks wound six, later strikes kill three. It was the second night running that Russia sent at least 140 drones, and strikes hit 15 locations both times.
Drones keep sinking ships off Romania and Bulgaria—French and US patrol planes are watching. Days after NATO promised more planes and forensic teams, a drone sank a cargo ship near Constanța, killing a Ukrainian sailor.
Russia promises “favorable conditions” to European firms a month after seizing control of Nestlé and Auchan. In a state TV interview, the Kremlin’s leader claimed Russia’s friends in Europe nearly cried when European companies had to leave, while his own decrees handed the Russian businesses of firms that stayed to Kremlin-picked managers.
Ukraine is stalling EU-required reform of bureau that can raid any official, risking European money it badly needs. The version the government may pass would satisfy Brussels on paper but leave the State Bureau of Investigation under the President’s Office.
Read our earlier daily review here.
Paige Bennett
Scrambled eggs can be a difficult breakfast staple to master, but according to celebrity chef Bobby Flay, you can avoid a rubbery or dry texture by using crème fraîche, a dairy product similar to sour cream.
Since I don't often buy crème fraîche, however, I tried Flay's recipe alongside two two cheaper, similar alternatives — sour cream and Greek yogurt — to see if they would yield similar results. Here's how it went.
Paige Bennett
I began with testing out sour cream, which isn't as rich as crème fraîche but offers a similar tangy flavor and texture.
Following the basic steps of Flay's recipe, I put a pat of cold butter and sour cream in a pan. I was careful not to use too much since I wanted enough to moisten the eggs without making them too wet.
Then, I turned the burner to medium-low heat and added two whisked eggs. I constantly stirred the mixture with a rubber spatula, adding black pepper once the eggs began to hold their shape.
Paige Bennett
I turned the heat off shortly before the eggs looked done to keep the moisture and prevent overcooking, and added the salt. I let the eggs cook for about a minute in the hot pan with the gas burner turned off.
Paige Bennett
The eggs definitely looked smoother than they usually do when I make them, and they smelled buttery and even slightly cheesy.
When I took a bite, they tasted good, too — a little buttery and no tang from the sour cream.
However, despite my constant stirring, I thought they had an uneven texture, as a few bites were slightly rubbery and dry, or a little too wet for my taste.
Paige Bennett
This ingredient is the cheapest of the three options I tried so, even if the eggs weren't the best, I'd still add a little sour cream if I had it on hand and wanted scrambled eggs.
Paige Bennett
Next, I followed the same recipe and steps using a similar amount of Greek yogurt, which blended into the eggs seamlessly while cooking.
I knew after the first bite that this ingredient was not a good alternative to Flay's recommended crème fraîche.
Paige Bennett
The dish looked creamier than the eggs made with sour cream, but the non-fat Greek yogurt created a uniform rubbery texture.
I think one issue is that I accidentally used a yogurt without fat. Because Greek yogurt is so tangy, even more so than sour cream, I think the flavor masked the taste of the butter, salt, and eggs, and resulted in an overall blandness.
The dish also was slightly watery and left a small pool of liquid on my plate.
Paige Bennett
The crème fraîche had the thickest texture of the three, so I expected the eggs to be pretty rich.
I followed the same steps, noticing how effortlessly the crème fraîche melted into the whisked eggs.
This dish with crème fraîche took slightly longer to cook, but the eggs seemed moist and fluffy without looking underdone.
Out of the three recipes, this one resulted in the best flavor and definitely didn't feel undercooked.
When I took a bite, I thought the flavor was amazing. They tasted soft, rich, and buttery and nearly melted in my mouth.
Paige Bennett
The creamy eggs would work so well with salty, crispy hash browns, roasted veggies, or a really good crusty bread.
Paige Bennett
Though I thought the eggs made with crème fraîche tasted the best, I would use the cheaper alternative, sour cream, if I tried Flay's recipe again.
I don't often have crème fraîche on hand, so it would also be easier to use the sour cream since I usually buy it anyway.
That said, if I wanted a more indulgent version of this breakfast staple, I'd totally add crème fraîche to my grocery list.
This story was originally published on March 5, 2022, and most recently updated on October 26, 2026.
Global Times | October 25, 2026
By portraying Chinese characters as perpetrators of ruthless violence while casting Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) intelligence operatives as defenders, the season 2 of the Japanese drama Vivant has recently drawn criticism from Chinese netizens, who argue that its depiction turns historical reality on its head while ignoring Japan’s wartime atrocities.
The TBS drama series – a spy suspense story in which an alleged unofficial intelligence unit of the SDF operates across the globe — has attracted a passionate fanbase. Its currently airing season 2 opened with a household rating of 18.8 percent, the highest for a TV drama this year, according toa commentary article by Japanese media Toyo Keizai.
What draws attention is the portrayal of the enemies in the series, the article noted. Scenes in which the Chinese organization subjects kidnapped members of the SDF unit to brutal torture are repeated with unrelenting intensity.
It is rare for Japanese TV dramas to explicitly portray a real-life country as the enemy, the article noted.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also made a reference to the drama, saying that she has been recording Vivant and hopes to binge-watch it over the year-end and New Year holidays, according to Japanese media outlets.
China’s CCTV News report on Sunday revealed that the drama features scenes in which Chinese personnel cut off the fingers of and stab Japanese intelligence operatives in the abdomen. Such acts bear striking similarities to the torture inflicted on Chinese nationals by invading Japanese troops during the World War II.
The drama distorts the truth by attributing these atrocities to modern Chinese characters. Beneath the surface, it subtly glorifies Japan’s cross-border overseas operations, blurs the functional boundaries of the SDF and implicitly promotes an expansionist narrative, per CCTV News.
Following the report, the topic “Japanese drama Vivant smears China” quickly became a trending topic on Chinese social media.
One Chinese netizen Luoxuchen noted that while previous content avoided sensitive topics by setting the story in a fictional country, this season directly names China, signaling that anti-China narratives in Japanese cultural entertainment have shed their disguise and become open.
Some netizens pointed out that Japan’s acts of distorting history are commonplace. “This is a familiar tactic of Japan, and vigilance must never be relaxed.”
The drama has even drawn criticism from some Japanese netizens. One netizen and history scholar @mas_yamazaki said that while the drama explicitly names “China,” it portrays Chinese people as “cruel,” “stupid” and “incompetent,” shows viewers weekly scenes of Japanese people being brutally tortured, and then coolly depicts SDF members slaughtering dozens of the “evil Chinese.”
“TBS broadcast this kind of drama in 2026, with major companies such as Japan Airlines as sponsors. The country is sick,” the netizen said.
“I’m quietly intrigued by the process of how content like this gets approved within the framework of commercial broadcasting,” another Japanese netizen @kyou_kore_mite wrote.
In the 2026 defense white paper released in August, Japan smeared and accused China, hyped up the “China threat,” while continuously accelerating its remilitarization.
China has already repeatedly urged Japan to reflect on its historical crimes, earnestly draw lessons from history, stop making excuses for its military buildup, and not go further down the wrong path, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian during a press conference.
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Full speed returned to Ukraine’s satellite links on Saturday morning. “We simply enforced our terms,” Musk claims after blaming Washington for 10 days. The SpaceX owner, who had earlier said the US government decides such limits, wrote that his company had closed a gap he says Ukrainian troops used for drone strikes. |
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This is the fancy new F-16 Ukraine could get. It’s not what its pilots need most.. Ukraine could buy newly built F-16 Block 70/72s from US firm Lockheed Martin. But that's not the greatest need. |
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Ukraine now fights two enemies. One is America. In two weeks, Washington sanctioned the court prosecuting Putin, waived its own sanctions on Russia, and called him a humanitarian. |
Ukraine strikes Russian plant supplying batteries for ballistic missiles and glide bombs with Storm Shadow missiles, OSINT reports – another hit on Russia’s weapons supply chain. The plant is reportedly Russia’s only producer of batteries for glide bomb guidance modules and a key supplier of specialized power sources for missile systems used in attacks on Ukraine.
Russian titanium plant in Urals reportedly hit by Ukrainian drones, 1,500 km from Ukraine. AVISMA, a major titanium producer in Russia’s Perm Krai, was reportedly hit by drones early on 25 October. The plant’s titanium alloys are used in military aircraft, engines, missiles, and space technology.
Ukrainian drones reportedly strike major shopping mall in Russia’s Belgorod overnight. Ukrainian forces reportedly struck the MegaGRINN shopping complex in Belgorod overnight, when it was closed.
Russian plant supplying components for Iskander missiles reportedly struck by Ukrainian Storm Shadow missiles. OSINT projects reported that a strike hit the Proton plant in Orel, a facility whose electronic components are used in several Russian weapons systems.
Drone strike sinks cargo ship near Romania, killing Ukrainian sailor. Romanian President blames Russia. The Khoryv capsized about 13 nautical miles off Romania’s coast, with nine crew members rescued and three still missing. The incident adds to a wave of attacks threatening Black Sea shipping and Ukraine’s export routes.
Denmark rushes 50,000 cannon rounds to Ukraine to help F-16s hunt Russia’s advanced jet drones. Ukrainian pilots are already using the 20-mm ammunition to intercept jet-powered attack drones, as Russia deploys faster targets that challenge Ukraine’s air defenses.
Ukraine wants partners’ Patriot interceptors now. Europe can hand them over only with US approval, Ukraine’s president says. Ukraine is contracting about 1,000 Patriot missiles that will take years to arrive, so it wants partners’ stocks today.
Musk warns military use of Starlink could spark space war. Kyiv’s ex-disinformation chief says he’s building alibi after Starshield scandal. The warning lands weeks after his company throttled the Starshield service Ukraine’s drones rely on.
A modem from a Russian drone led reporters to its Chinese maker—which invoiced 500 for Russia’s drone plant. Posing as a Russian military supplier, journalists got a $2.87 million invoice, three bank accounts, and no pushback on military use.
Russia may stage sabotage in Eastern Europe, but wants Kyiv blamed, Ukraine’s Intelligence warns. The agency says Moscow aims to weaken European support for Kyiv by making Russian attacks appear to be the work of Ukraine’s military.
The money starts as bags of cash in a Moscow market and ends up clean in China, leaked files show. The firm, co-owned by the bank behind Russia’s defense industry, hides where the money starts before it reaches foreign banks.
The Starlink hot potato: Musk points to Trump, Trump points to nobody, then credits Musk with the fix. The speed limit stays. Ukraine’s military Starlink terminals still lose connection above about 160 km/h, nine days after the limit took effect, and Kyiv has no official explanation of who imposed it.
40,000 tons of Russian diesel are bound for New York—due four days after Americans vote. The tanker loaded at a Baltic port Ukrainian drones struck in March. Trump wants cheaper diesel before the midterms.
Russia’s attacks on Black Sea shipping raise risk of global famine, German FM warns. As Russian strikes increasingly threaten civilian vessels and Ukrainian grain exports, Germany’s foreign minister warned that shipping disruptions could leave vulnerable countries without essential food and fertilizers.
Austria expels Russian Embassy and OSCE diplomats over suspected spying. Vienna remains a Russian spy hub. Austrian security authorities raised suspicions of espionage involving four Russian diplomats, prompting Vienna to declare them persona non grata.
Russian Geran drone crashes in Moldova near homes and energy facility: Chisinau expels Russian diplomat. President Maia Sandu condemned the latest incursion as Russia’s war on Ukraine increasingly threatens neighboring Moldova.
Finland gives Ukraine 10 diesel locomotives that keep trains running when Russian strikes cut the power. The engines come free from Finland’s state railway, part of a visit that also brought winter energy money and new defense, housing, and satellite deals for Kyiv.
45 seconds of voting in the Lviv Oblast Council sparked a new dispute with Poland: Warsaw says Kyiv promised the UPA year decision will not take effect. Poland is Ukraine’s main hub for Western aid, and every new fight over the two nations’ WWII past erodes the trust that role rests on.
Pope’s envoy becomes first foreign representative to gain access to Ukrainian POWs held by Russia since 2022. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Pope Leo XIV’s special envoy, was allowed to physically visit Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia during his recent visit, Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said.
Ceasefire planned for occupied Oleshky as residents face starvation and blocked escape routes, White House announces. A truce announced by Melania Trump is due to take effect October 29, opening the way for humanitarian supplies and evacuations if Russia and Ukraine implement the agreement.
Ukraine frees 270 from Russian captivity in “historic” prisoner swap, including 5 Olenivka survivors and American teacher Stephen Hubbard. The latest exchange returned 261 military personnel and nine civilians. Some had been held since 2018, while many others were captured during the defense of Mariupol in 2022.
Russia has kept the Red Cross away from Ukrainian POWs since 2024. Now about 1,500 captives it never confirmed as prisoners face prosecution. A captive soldier’s wife says that whenever families find a relative, Russia moves them to another prison and contact is lost again.
US midterms could restore Ukraine’s American aid and curb Trump’s Russia deals, if Democrats win Congress. Trump waives sanctions on Moscow that Congress wrote into law. Democrats could fight back after 3 November.
Putin claims Russia is ready for new talks with Ukraine, calls occupied land historical Russia. He also cited unnamed genetic studies to claim Russians and Ukrainians are one people, a day after hosting a US envoy.
Russia keeps hitting Ukraine’s arms plants. Now private developers can dig them space underground—and sell or rent it to them. The state budget has paid to keep war-damaged arms plants running. The new model brings private money into the digging.
Read our previous daily review here.
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One year of Ukrainian arms exports, and industry has questions: how much army gained, where Berlin office is, who joins joint ventures. Ukraine promised to sell surplus weapons abroad 12 months ago. Its arms makers now ask why a fee of up to 30% still blocks the deals. |
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Starlink helped Ukraine pull off Operation Vivaldi. Now Starlink could help Russia take the ground back. The operation retook 277 square kilometers north of Lyman. The drones that now hold that line lose their Starshield link above about 160 km/h. |
Russian plant supplying components for Iskander missiles reportedly struck by Ukrainian Storm Shadow missiles. OSINT projects reported that a strike hit the Proton plant in Orel, a facility whose electronic components are used in several Russian weapons systems.
Drone strike sinks cargo ship near Romania, killing Ukrainian sailor. Romanian President blames Russia. The Khoryv capsized about 13 nautical miles off Romania’s coast, with nine crew members rescued and three still missing. The incident adds to a wave of attacks threatening Black Sea shipping and Ukraine’s export routes.
Denmark rushes 50,000 cannon rounds to Ukraine to help F-16s hunt Russia’s advanced jet drones. Ukrainian pilots are already using the 20-mm ammunition to intercept jet-powered attack drones, as Russia deploys faster targets that challenge Ukraine’s air defenses.
Ukraine wants partners’ Patriot interceptors now. Europe can hand them over only with US approval, Ukraine’s president says. Ukraine is contracting about 1,000 Patriot missiles that will take years to arrive, so it wants partners’ stocks today.
Russia’s tax service runs on two key data centers. Drones went after one of them overnight, along with a chemical plant that supplies explosives makers. The data center in Gorodets stores state registers, including tax records, and opened in 2015 with Russia’s current prime minister on hand.
Phones down, water off, a factory roof broken open: Russian-occupied Luhansk counts the damage after another night of drones. Ukrainian monitoring channels pointed to strikes on communications, and pro-Russian local channels filled in the rest of the morning’s picture.
Russia kept sneaking troops through gas pipes behind Ukrainian lines. Now Ukraine has gone more than 15 km underground to do the same to Russia. More than 30 Russian soldiers were captured and Russian losses topped 100, the Khartiia Corps reported.
Ukrainian OSINT analyst: Russia’s Yandex data center in Sasovo burned out inside, though its roof shows almost no significant holes. Yandex hasn’t said whether the AI supercomputers there were damaged.
A modem from a Russian drone led reporters to its Chinese maker—which invoiced 500 for Russia’s drone plant. Posing as a Russian military supplier, journalists got a $2.87 million invoice, three bank accounts, and no pushback on military use.
Russia may stage sabotage in Eastern Europe, but wants Kyiv blamed, Ukraine’s Intelligence warns. The agency says Moscow aims to weaken European support for Kyiv by making Russian attacks appear to be the work of Ukraine’s military.
The money starts as bags of cash in a Moscow market and ends up clean in China, leaked files show. The firm, co-owned by the bank behind Russia’s defense industry, hides where the money starts before it reaches foreign banks.
The Starlink hot potato: Musk points to Trump, Trump points to nobody, then credits Musk with the fix. The speed limit stays. Ukraine’s military Starlink terminals still lose connection above about 160 km/h, nine days after the limit took effect, and Kyiv has no official explanation of who imposed it.
Russia’s Doppelgänger operation used fake Ukrainian channels to spread disinformation. Hacked files show who ran it. The campaign targeted Ukraine’s military and political leadership, including with a fake about war widows receiving a can of stewed meat as compensation.
40,000 tons of Russian diesel are bound for New York—due four days after Americans vote. The tanker loaded at a Baltic port Ukrainian drones struck in March. Trump wants cheaper diesel before the midterms.
Russia’s attacks on Black Sea shipping raise risk of global famine, German FM warns. As Russian strikes increasingly threaten civilian vessels and Ukrainian grain exports, Germany’s foreign minister warned that shipping disruptions could leave vulnerable countries without essential food and fertilizers.
Austria expels Russian Embassy and OSCE diplomats over suspected spying. Vienna remains a Russian spy hub. Austrian security authorities raised suspicions of espionage involving four Russian diplomats, prompting Vienna to declare them persona non grata.
Russian Geran drone crashes in Moldova near homes and energy facility: Chisinau expels Russian diplomat. President Maia Sandu condemned the latest incursion as Russia’s war on Ukraine increasingly threatens neighboring Moldova.
Finland gives Ukraine 10 diesel locomotives that keep trains running when Russian strikes cut the power. The engines come free from Finland’s state railway, part of a visit that also brought winter energy money and new defense, housing, and satellite deals for Kyiv.
NATO’s weapons-buying agency opens dedicated door for Ukraine, non-member, letting it buy arms through its contracts and its firms bid for tenders. The agreement, signed by Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara, gives Ukraine a single entry point into 45 weapons programs.
Ceasefire planned for occupied Oleshky as residents face starvation and blocked escape routes, White House announces. A truce announced by Melania Trump is due to take effect October 29, opening the way for humanitarian supplies and evacuations if Russia and Ukraine implement the agreement.
Ukraine frees 270 from Russian captivity in “historic” prisoner swap, including 5 Olenivka survivors and American teacher Stephen Hubbard. The latest exchange returned 261 military personnel and nine civilians. Some had been held since 2018, while many others were captured during the defense of Mariupol in 2022.
Russia has kept the Red Cross away from Ukrainian POWs since 2024. Now about 1,500 captives it never confirmed as prisoners face prosecution. A captive soldier’s wife says that whenever families find a relative, Russia moves them to another prison and contact is lost again.
45 seconds of voting in the Lviv Oblast Council sparked a new dispute with Poland: Warsaw says Kyiv promised the UPA year decision will not take effect. Poland is Ukraine’s main hub for Western aid, and every new fight over the two nations’ WWII past erodes the trust that role rests on.
Russia keeps hitting Ukraine’s arms plants. Now private developers can dig them space underground—and sell or rent it to them. The state budget has paid to keep war-damaged arms plants running. The new model brings private money into the digging.
Zelenskyy names three postwar security guarantees for Ukraine. Even Russia needs one of them, he says. He names NATO membership, direct US guarantees, and a European Coalition of the Willing as the paths under discussion.
Trump cannot get Putin to halt strikes on Ukraine’s power grid, so he blames Ukraine instead, Zelenskyy says. Before that, US officials had cut Kyiv off from US intelligence and lowered a speed cap on Starlink to pressure Ukraine.
Read our previous daily review here.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
When I arrived at the Four Seasons Jackson Hole on a muggy day in early September, I imagined it covered in snow. This was in 2024, when I visited Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for the first time.
I spent one night at the five-star ski-in, ski-out resort. If I ever take a ski trip, I imagine that my room at this Four Seasons would be a peaceful place to rest after an active day of gliding through powder.
Step inside the 550-square-foot room with a starting rate of nearly $1,000 a night during the winter ski season.
Courtesy of Four Seasons Jackson Hole
The 65-year-old hotel chain has a luxurious reputation and over 130 locations worldwide, each designed to reflect its destination.
Kim Cole, the director of public relations for the Four Seasons, told Business Insider that the company describes the Jackson Hole location's aesthetic as "modern mountain chic," catering to hikers, bicyclists, and skiers in the winter.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The hotel has 106 guest rooms and 18 suites. The starting rate is $525 in the offseason and $995 in the peak winter season. Business Insider received a media rate for a one-night stay.
There are also 31 Resort Residences on-site, built to serve large groups. These residences have kitchens and up to five bedrooms. Starting prices range from $4,200 to $11,000, depending on the season.
Cole told Business Insider that in the winter, guest rooms are typically booked with active guests who participate in winter sports, so I imagined how the room would feel as a skier.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
My room had a king-sized bed, a full bathroom, and a private balcony.
Renovated by Wimberly Interiors in 2022, the guest rooms were designed to bring the outside in, with metal accents, stone finishings, and a soft, earth-toned color palette. This nature-inspired trend, known as biophilic design, gained traction in 2024.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The king-sized bed sat between mixed-material nightstands with edgy lamps that contrasted with classic wooden shutters.
With one king-sized bed, the room sleeps up to three adults (or two adults and one kid). The room can also be arranged with two double beds, increasing the maximum occupancy to four adults (or two adults and two kids).
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The headboard was the standout piece in the room. A cherry-wood frame juxtaposed with a bright-white image gave it a midcentury modern look.
The image was a textured carving of trees that I could feel when I brushed my fingers over the branches. A light bar glowed beneath the board, making it easier to see the details of the monochrome image.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The tablet on the nightstand served as the room's control center, commanding everything from the TV to room service. This amenity was added in the 2022 remodel.
The tablet would be especially handy after an exhausting day on the slopes.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Few things are more relaxing on a snow day than cozying up with a good book.
Luckily, my room had a small selection of biographies, historical literature, and novels, ranging from realistic fiction to young adult fantasy.
Publishing dates for these books ranged from 2003 to 2020, but I thought they looked much older. They were all sleeveless with a white or off-white binding.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Rustic drawers were to the left of the fireplace, while a modern sitting area was on the right.
I noticed all the seating in my room was soft and cushy, which seemed ideal for sore bodies after an active day.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The bar had an espresso machine, neutral-toned ceramic mugs, and Four Seasons-branded water.
Beneath the bar, a cabinet hid the mini-fridge. It was stocked with alcohol and snacks like peanut M&Ms and gummy bears, which were available for an extra cost.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The bathroom had complimentary Le Labo toiletries.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The mirrors and vanities were replaced by Wimberly Interiors in 2022.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
I spotted old-school amenities like a shoehorn and a shine brush, which I've seen more often in high-end European accommodations than in the US.
The ample size of the bathroom and closet made the room suitable for up to four guests.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
I spent some time on the deck, but since I imagined it would be less enjoyable in the cold, I appreciated the sliding glass doors that let me enjoy the view without the cold.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
From the balcony, I spotted the downhill trails towering over the resort's courtyard. Looking down, I pictured the green courtyard blanketed in snow.
In the winter, I imagine the biggest luxury of this $1,000-a-night room is hitting the slopes just outside. If I ever visit Jackson Hole during peak season, I'll only splurge on a Four Seasons stay if I'm taking a ski trip.
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One year of Ukrainian arms exports, and industry has questions: how much army gained, where Berlin office is, who joins joint ventures. Ukraine promised to sell surplus weapons abroad 12 months ago. Its arms makers now ask why a fee of up to 30% still blocks the deals. |
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Starlink helped Ukraine pull off Operation Vivaldi. Now Starlink could help Russia take the ground back. The operation retook 277 square kilometers north of Lyman. The drones that now hold that line lose their Starshield link above about 160 km/h. |
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Ukraine’s answer to Russia’s jet Shaheds: a jet drone named Bars, built to strike Russia and now turned around to hunt them. Zelenskyy says it has the best hit rate of any Ukrainian interceptor against the jet drones, about 30%, but the small jet engines it needs may be in short supply. |
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Progress on a sore point for Ukraine and Poland: remains of over 40 Ukrainians killed by Polish WWII units found in Łasków. The find is the first in years from Ukraine’s searches in Poland, coming as Warsaw keeps pressing Kyiv over how it remembers the UPA. |
Russia kept sneaking troops through gas pipes behind Ukrainian lines. Now Ukraine has gone more than 15 km underground to do the same to Russia. More than 30 Russian soldiers were captured and Russian losses topped 100, the Khartiia Corps reported.
Ukrainian OSINT analyst: Russia’s Yandex data center in Sasovo burned out inside, though its roof shows almost no significant holes. Yandex hasn’t said whether the AI supercomputers there were damaged.
Drones reportedly hit a Russian weapons plant near Moscow that Washington and Kyiv sanctioned. Militarnyi names the systems: Buk and S-300. Astra matched video of the explosion to the 75th Arsenal in Serpukhov.
Fog blinds Ukrainian drones. Russia resumes mechanized assaults in the south after months-long pause, military officials say. Russian forces periodically assault Ukrainian positions in small groups using motorcycles and quad bikes, the Southern Forces Grouping reported.
Ukraine’s Navy killed Russian Shahed: one drone boat launched another drone, which shot down third, all unmanned, all at sea. During the mission, Ukraine pairs a drone boat and a drone interceptor.
35 US parts, a Chinese navigation unit, a Russian engine: what’s inside Russia’s Filin missile. Russia began firing the Filin at Ukraine in late summer. The firm that makes its onboard equipment also helps produce a Shahed-type drone.
Denmark puts a $112.6 million state guarantee behind the maker of Ukraine’s Flamingo missiles. Fire Point’s Danish fuel plant for its Flamingo cruise missiles is running late, and its estimated cost has roughly tripled.
Russia replaces its missiles as fast as it fires them, Ukrainian intelligence says. Its drone order this year tops 100,000. HUR calls the order a systematic bet on exhausting Ukraine’s air defense.
Romania shot down two drones it believes were Russia’s new Geran-4s. Europe isn’t ready for swarms of them, analyst warns. Analyst Fabian Hoffmann says jet-powered interceptors are one answer, but too few Western suppliers make the small engines they need.
Ukraine sends ground robot to string wire obstacles in open, taking its sappers out of kill zone. Ukraine hands one of the front’s deadliest jobs, stringing wire in the open, to a remote-controlled ground robot.
NATO’s weapons-buying agency opens dedicated door for Ukraine, non-member, letting it buy arms through its contracts and its firms bid for tenders. The agreement, signed by Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara, gives Ukraine a single entry point into 45 weapons programs.
Zelenskyy names three postwar security guarantees for Ukraine. Even Russia needs one of them, he says. He names NATO membership, direct US guarantees, and a European Coalition of the Willing as the paths under discussion.
Trump cannot get Putin to halt strikes on Ukraine’s power grid, so he blames Ukraine instead, Zelenskyy says. Before that, US officials had cut Kyiv off from US intelligence and lowered a speed cap on Starlink to pressure Ukraine.
Poland paused a military aid package over Lviv’s vote honoring WWII nationalists, Ukrainian source says. Polish ministry denies it. Warsaw has barred the councilor who proposed the resolution from the Schengen zone, and Poland’s defense minister wants Kyiv to distance itself.
War-hit Kyiv puts 85 European-funded buses on its streets. Here’s what riders find inside. Since 2022, the bank has provided 2 billion euros for emergency repairs to the country's infrastructure.
Russian missiles and drones kill one and injure 24 in Kyiv, splitting its metro line in two. Hours after a Kremlin aide said Russia was ready in principle for new talks, prosecutors say Russia destroyed 13 homes in one Kyiv district.
From “bad-guy fleet” to “good-guy fleet”: US will let investors buy sanctioned tankers and return them to legal trade. Chris Wright puts the dark fleet at about 1,600 ships. Each would need US approval, on terms he didn’t spell out.
Read our earlier daily review here.
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Ukraine’s best answer to Russia’s jet Shaheds is its own jet Shahed, turned around to hunt them. It’s called Bars, and Zelensky says it has the best hit rate of any Ukrainian interceptor against the jet drones, about 30%, but the small jet engines it needs may be in short supply. |
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Progress on a sore point for Ukraine and Poland: remains of over 40 Ukrainians killed by Polish WWII units found in Łasków. The find is the first in years from Ukraine’s searches in Poland, coming as Warsaw keeps pressing Kyiv over how it remembers the UPA. |
Ukraine’s interceptor crews destroyed thousands of Russian aerial targets during Vivaldi. Jet-powered Shaheds remain a challenge. The battalion’s commander said its work prevented Russian forces from tracking Ukrainian troop movements and striking advancing soldiers.
Two nights, two occupied capitals, two telecom operators running on seized Ukrainian assets: drones go after Russia’s communications in Donbas. The strikes on Donetsk and Luhansk hit the companies the occupation built on Ukrainian telecom property it seized.
Some of Ukraine’s artillery soldiers were TikTokers yesterday, ComBat Vision says. Their new plugin teaches them to aim. Ukraine needs gunners fast but gets less-prepared recruits.
Ukraine’s top war charity names only way to save $25,000 to $4 million each time cheap Russian jet-powered drone is shot down. Russia’s jet drones now behave like small cruise missiles, the foundation of volunteer Serhii Sternenko, believes.
Starlink slowdown makes Ukraine’s Shahed-hunting drone maker rethink air-launched interceptors. Its spokesman says other companies that lean harder on Starlink have voiced concerns, and points to interest in Europe’s Eutelsat.
Who capped Ukraine’s Starlink? “Ultimately POTUS,” Musk said. Ultimately Musk, reports now say. The Pentagon says it gave no order, and Ukraine’s drones were still losing their link above 160 km/h as of 20 October.
Nuclear safety risk grows: Russian-occupied nuclear plant’s cooling pond keeps sinking, Russia runs short of diesel and staff, Ukraine says. The occupied plant depends on a single external line, its fuel reserve has not been resupplied for months, and its cooling pond keeps dropping, according to Ukraine’s intelligence and the IAEA.
In Oslo, US pushes Zelenskyy toward deal with Russia again. Day later, in same city, Norway discusses arming Ukraine with more NASAMS missiles. As Washington eases pressure on Russia and leans on Kyiv, Ukraine’s European partners are moving the other way.
European Parliament vice president launches hunger strike demanding a truce and evacuation for Russian-occupied Oleshky. Pina Picierno is calling on associations, citizens, and national and local institutions to join her campaign for the Russian-held town in Ukraine’s Kherson Oblast.
Russian strikes close plant of Ukraine’s biggest aid backer. Its 3,600 workers and millions in taxes now hang in balance. Russia is now hitting the German investment that helps keep Ukraine’s economy running.
Not just the grid: Russia struck a 24-story block, a university, and warehouses overnight, and four people are dead. Kyiv and Kharkiv Oblast counted the dead by morning, while hypermarkets burned and a hotel was damaged in other regions.
Her own city is under Russian fire, yet Kyiv woman urges killing Ukrainians among nearly 100,000 pro-Kremlin posts in two years. She faces up to 12 years. She is one of six pro-Kremlin agitators the Security Service has charged, accused of spreading hatred on the internet.
Norway bars deals with 33 more Russian financial institutions—and 22 more from India to Nigeria. The new rules also bar deals with Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport and curb exports to 51 entities, some in China and Türkiye.
Russia resumes diesel exports to Türkiye, Brazil, after Trump lifts sanctions on fuel supplies, boosting Moscow’s war revenue – Reuters. Moscow has lifted its export ban, with US sanctions relief opening the way for renewed sales even as Russia continues to face domestic fuel supply pressures.
Read our earlier daily review here.
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