Russia has launched a huge attack on energy infrastructure in eight Ukrainian regions overnight, just hours before resumed trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi.
The attacks caused power outages in the Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions, state grid operator Ukrenergo said on Telegram.
It comes as US officials seek a “final end” to Russia’s war in Ukraine ahead of resumed trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Donald Trump previously that Washington was seeing a “very strong inclination” to end the war with both sides “tired of fighting”.
Moscow and Kyiv are privately showing some “flexibility” over a possible territorial exchange, a US official claimed, before what will be the first serious peace talks since February.
Speaking with CBS’s 60 Minutes, Trump said Ukraine is likely to “end up with a different shape” after a deal.
Asked whether Russian president Vladimir Putin was deliberately prolonging negotiations, he replied: “Oh, I don’t think so.”
Meanwhile, according to data leaked from Russia’s Kremlin statistics agency, at least 390,000 Russians have been killed in the Ukraine war.
Read MoreUK military chief issues stark warning over Russian threat
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Key Points
- Trump sees ‘very strong inclination’ to end Russia-Ukraine war
- Huge Russian attacks cause power cuts in six regions hours before talks
- Kyiv and Moscow are finally talking again - but what are the chances of a breakthrough?
- Russia and Ukraine showing flexibility on territory, US official says
- UK military chief issues stark warning over Russian threat
Rubio: First day of talks were 'very productive'
14:01 , Alex CroftWe’ve just heard from US secretary of state Marco Rubio, who has been speaking to reporters on Tuesay.
He says the first day of US-led talks with Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Abu Dhabi were very productive.
Mr Rubio added that the ultimate goal is to expand trilateral talks on Ukraine to include Europe.
Watch: Trump suggests Ukraine will end up with a ‘different shape’ after peace deal
13:40 , Alex CroftFrance says Ukraine peace must address European security
13:00 , MehrajThere can be no lasting peace in Ukraine without addressing European security nor can there be an agreement on Europe’s security without European involvement, the French presidency said on Tuesday.
It added that representatives from France, the UK, Germany, the EU, Nato, and Italy would attend the Russia-Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi.
Poland arrests two Ukrainians suspected of spying for Russia
12:40 , ReutersPoland has arrested two Ukrainian men suspected of espionage and sabotage on behalf of Russian intelligence services, the Internal Security Agency (ABW) said on Tuesday.
Poland has long accused Russia and its ally Belarus of waging a hybrid campaign involving sabotage, cyberattacks and disinformation since Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly denied the accusations.
"According to findings by the ABW, the suspects carried out tasks on behalf of Russian special services, which included, among other things, reconnoitring critical infrastructure and military facilities throughout the country," the agency said in a statement.
According to investigators, the men set fire to vehicles after replacing their licence plates with ones resembling those used by the Ukrainian military. The men were paid for carrying out the tasks, including in cryptocurrencies.
Both face from 10 years to life imprisonment if found guilty.
The Russian embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Russia attacks 10 Ukrainian regions, hits five substations
12:19 , Alex CroftRussia attacked 10 Ukrainian regions overnight, hitting five major energy substations that transmit electricity between regions, Ukrainian prime minister Sergii Koretskyi said on Tuesday.
The substations that were hit are in the Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Vinnytsia and Kirovohrad regions, Koretskyi said on Telegram.
Kremlin declines to say if Black Sea shipping on agenda for Abu Dhabi talks
12:00 , Alex CroftWe’re still waiting to hear on the outcomes of today’s Kyiv-Moscow peace talks.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier on Tuesday that he would not provide any details on whether the resumption of shipping in the Black Sea, a major global grain trading route, would be on the agenda of trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US in Abu Dhabi.
Grain trade in the Black Sea has stalled following mutual drone attacks by Russia and Ukraine on vessels and ports.
Mediation efforts to resume trade, led by Turkey, have so far yielded no results.
Wheat traded near multi-month lows on Tuesday as traders awaited the outcome of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine that could boost global supply by reviving grain exports.
Russia delegation source says security framework for Europe main thrust of Ukraine talks
11:30 , MehrajRussia believes that the main thrust of new peace talks on Ukraine starting in Abu Dhabi later on Tuesday will be trying to hammer out the key elements of a new post-war security framework for Europe, a source in the Russian delegation told Reuters.
Russian and Ukrainian officials plan to meet later in the day for two days of US-brokered talks – their first since February – after US president Donald Trump suggested last week that a broad peace deal was possible and could incorporate Europe's security.
The delegation source said the meeting would focus on developing mechanisms to prevent threats and strengthen regional stability. "Whilst the Ukrainian settlement, being a matter of critical importance, is just one aspect of this wide-ranging discussion, it is subordinate to the main objective – the creation of a comprehensive and indivisible security architecture for the entire continent," the source said.
Merz urges EU to fast-track talks on €45bn Ukraine funding for 2027
11:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarGerman chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged the EU to prioritise discussions on closing Ukraine’s €70bn budget shortfall for 2027, warning that around €45bn of the funding burden will fall on European member states.
In a letter to European Council president Antonio Costa, Merz called for the issue to be discussed at the EU’s informal meeting on 13 November.
Merz said supporting Ukraine was a shared responsibility, arguing that financial assistance was currently unevenly distributed among EU countries.
The letter says “we must then find a solution supported by all Member States that ensures a sound and multiannual financing perspective for Ukraine from 2028 onwards, including the interest liabilities that have already accrued”.
His push comes as the bloc prepares to discuss its long-term budget for 2028-2034.
“Providing this support is an indivisible responsibility shared by us all,” Merz said. But “bilateral assistance to Ukraine is distributed unevenly and carried mostly by only a few Member States”, he added.
Ukraine and Russia are finally talking again - but what are the chances of a breakthrough?
10:23 , Alex CroftRussian and Ukrainian officials are currently sitting down for their first US-brokered face-to-face peace talks in months.
After Donald Trump suggested a broad deal was possible in comments last week, it remains to be seen whether the new round of peace talks can finally produce a breakthrough.
US envoy Jared Kushner told delegates that recent contacts with both sides had "really identified, narrowed the gaps", and that Trump was committed to achieving peace.
But at the heart of the talks remains the ongoing central sticking point: territory.
Moscow controls around 20 per cent of Ukrainian territory. Since the first year of the war in 2022, it has made only very marginal gains against heavily fortified Ukrainian defenses.
Russia wants full control of the Donbas - the Donetsk and Luhansk regions - which includes territory that is currently under Ukrainian control, Kyiv has previously said this is a red line.
However, a US official recently claimed that Moscow and Kyiv are privately showing some “flexibility” over a possible territorial exchange.
Speaking with CBS’s 60 Minutes, Trump also said a deal is likely to “end up with a little bit different shape Ukraine”.
Russian attacks cause power cuts in six regions hours before talks
10:01 , Alex CroftRussia attacked energy infrastructure in eight Ukrainian regions overnight and into the morning, state grid operator Ukrenergo said on Tuesday.
The targeted regions were Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy and Kirovohrad, Ukrenergo said on Telegram.
The attacks caused power outages in the Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions, it added.
Initial meetings between US, Ukraine, Europe conclude in Abu Dhabi
09:40 , Alex CroftAn initial meeting between US, Ukrainian and European officialsahead of planned US-brokered Russia-Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi has concluded, US envoy Steve Witkoff said on Tuesday.
The meeting aimed to coordinate efforts to end the war and discuss post-war security arrangements, Witkoff said.
Witkoff said participants discussed how to build on existing European security institutions and agreements following the end of the war, while recognising that addressing post-war security concerns and reducing the risk of future conflict would be essential.
"Alongside a central focus on a lasting peace, the discussion covered how to build upon existing European security institutions and agreements following the conclusion of the war in Ukraine," Witkoff said in a post on X.
Nine Zimbabweans arrested in South Africa over alleged Ukraine war recruitment
09:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarNine Zimbabwean nationals have been arrested in South Africa for allegedly attempting to travel abroad to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war, according to police.
The suspects, aged between 20 and 26, were detained on Sunday evening in Johannesburg while they were “preparing to board flights out of the country”.
Five were arrested at OR Tambo international airport and another four at a hotel in Bruma, east of Johannesburg, during an operation involving Interpol.
They have been charged under South Africa’s regulation of foreign military assistance act, which prohibits mercenary activity without government authorisation.
Authorities have not disclosed whether the group intended to fight for Russia or Ukraine, or identified the organisations allegedly arranging their travel.
The arrests come amid growing concerns about the recruitment of African nationals into the conflict. A Ukrainian intelligence assessment earlier this year estimated that more than 1,700 people from 36 African countries had been recruited to fight for Russia.
Zimbabwe said in March that 15 of its citizens had been killed after being recruited to fight for Russia, while more than 60 others remained trapped on the front lines. South Africa also secured the return of 17 citizens who were allegedly tricked into joining the war.
Rubio says US 'will keep trying' to resolve Ukraine-Russia conflict”.
08:41 , MehrajUS secretary of state Marco Rubio said the US “will keep trying on the Ukraine-Russia conflict”.
“The chances of success are zero if they're not talking,” Rubio said as he pointed out that the US had been able to bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table.
Europeans will be in the room for Ukraine-Russia talks
08:19 , MehrajFrench foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday that Europeans would be in the room for the Ukraine-Russia talks in Abu Dhabi and that there could be no discussions with Russia on European security before a ceasefire was agreed.
"The United Kingdom, Germany and France will indeed be in the meeting room," he told Franceinfo radio.
What to expect from Abu Dhabi peace talks
08:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarUS, Russian and Ukrainian officials are meeting in Abu Dhabi for another round of peace talks aimed at ending the war.
Russia occupies around 20 per cent of Ukraine, including Crimea and parts of the eastern Donbas region. Moscow wants Kyiv to accept its territorial claims, give up its Nato ambitions and rule out the deployment of foreign troops in Ukraine.
Kyiv, meanwhile, wants Russian forces to withdraw and is seeking firm security guarantees to prevent another invasion.
“I don’t expect any tangible progress in the Abu Dhabi talks. The reason is simple and remains the same – Putin has absolutely no intention to negotiate seriously. He remains totally fixated on the [destruction] of Ukraine,” Oleksandr Merezhko, a Ukrainian member of parliament from the Servant of the People party, told Al Jazeera.
The talks are being led by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov, and Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky. European officials are also expected to be in Abu Dhabi, although Russia has ruled out their direct participation.
Who have Russia and Ukraine sent for the talks?
07:52 , MehrajUkraine is sticking largely with the team that took part in the previous rounds of talks, signalling continuity in its push for a ceasefire.
The delegation is led by Foreign Intelligence Service head Rustem Umerov, and includes Kyrylo Budanov, head of president Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office, Davyd Arakhamia, leader of the ruling Servant of the People parliamentary faction, and Serhii Kyslytsia, first deputy head of the presidential office. Arakhamia was in Washington last week for a White House meeting hosted by first lady Melania Trump.
Russia has sent senior military and diplomatic officials, including deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov, who helped draft Russia's security demands to Nato shortly before it invaded the neighbouring country in 2022. Ryabkov is joining the Ukraine negotiations for the first time and his inclusion suggests that the Kremlin is looking to broaden the negotiations beyond Ukraine to Europe's wider security architecture.
The Russian delegation is again being led by Vladimir Medinsky, a Kremlin aide and former culture minister who is a staunch supporter of the war, and include Yuri Zhigarlovsky, deputy head of the General Staff's Main Operational Directorate, which oversees military planning and operations.
Ukraine strikes elite Russian Rubicon drone base deep in occupied territory
07:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarUkraine said it struck a base belonging to Russia’s elite Rubicon drone unit in the occupied city of Berdyansk in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, around 107km behind the front lines.
Ukraine’s general staff said a temporary deployment site and a drone control point were hit, adding that the extent of Russian losses was still being assessed, The Kyiv Independent reported.
Ukrainian officials said the strike also killed or disabled trained specialists responsible for training drone operators and sharing their expertise.
Rubicon is a key Russian drone unit specialising in disrupting Ukrainian supply routes, targeting drone teams and intercepting reconnaissance and strike drones.
The attack is part of Ukraine’s expanding campaign of drone strikes against Russian military targets deep behind the front lines.
Russia and Ukraine showing some ‘flexibility’ privately over territory, US officials say
06:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarUS officials say Russia and Ukraine have privately shown some flexibility over territorial concessions ahead of US-led peace talks in Abu Dhabi.
A US official told the BBC that “both sides have shown a little bit of flexibility privately”, but said the territorial issue would not be resolved until there was clarity on Ukraine’s future “security architecture”.
“They will not solve the Donetsk issue and the territorial issue until they know what the security architecture is going to be after the war,” the official said. “And keep in mind, we’re not going to be able to finalise one without the other.”
Meanwhile, US president Donald Trump said that he believed the war would end soon and suggested Ukraine would emerge with a “different shape” after the war.
Russia hits major Kyiv region power plant as Ukraine braces for winter
05:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarRussian forces have struck the Trypillia thermal power plant in Kyiv region, raising concerns about further damage to the country’s already strained energy infrastructure ahead of winter.
Ukraine’s state-owned energy company Centrenergo said that the full extent of the damage was still being assessed.
"The nature of the Russian attacks has changed significantly," Centrenergo CEO Serhiy Isachenko said.
"Within a short period, the enemy may use various types of weaponry – including ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones – against a single target. This creates new challenges for the protection of energy infrastructure."
The company warned that Russia was increasingly combining different weapons, including ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones, against individual targets, making power facilities harder to defend.
Located about 30km south of Kyiv, the plant was once a major electricity supplier to Kyiv, Zhytomyr and Cherkasy regions.
Trump sees ‘very strong inclination’ to end Russia-Ukraine war
03:57 , Maroosha MuzaffarDonald Trump said that Washington was seeing a “very strong inclination” towards ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, suggesting that both Moscow and Kyiv were “tired of fighting”.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on the eve of US-led trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, Trump said discussions on ending the conflict were progressing well. “We’re having a very good conversation about that in Abu Dhabi,” he said.
Ahead of the Abu Dhabi negotiations, a US official said both Russia and Ukraine were privately showing some “flexibility” over the possibility of exchanging territory.
Hacked blood banks, breached supermarket fridges and plane bomb hoaxes: What’s going on in Europe?
03:00 , James ReynoldsAfter a week in which several European sectors were thrown into disarray, how concerned should the continent be of hybrid warfare by hostile adversaries? Alex Croft reports
All the ‘hybrid attacks’ across UK and Europe as supermarkets targeted
Russia and Ukraine showing flexibility on territory, US official says
02:00 , ReutersBoth Russia and Ukraine are showing some flexibility privately on the possible exchange of territory ahead of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi this week as President Donald Trump ramps up efforts to resolve the conflict, a US official said on Monday.
The official, briefing reporters ahead of talks that begin on Tuesday, said security guarantees for Ukraine will be a major topic for the discussions, including the potential for a NATO-style Article 5 defense for Kyiv.
Both Ukraine and Russia have been adamant about territory. Ukraine wants Russia pushed back to the original border between the two countries, while Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to obtain all of the Donbas region.
But the official said both sides are privately showing some potential for a compromise. Any territorial agreement would likely come at the end of negotiations once other items are agreed upon, including a postwar security architecture, the official said.
Ukrainian drone attack kills two in Russian border region of Belgorod, local officials say
01:00 , James ReynoldsA Ukrainian drone attack on a car killed two people in Russia's border region of Belgorod on Monday, local officials said on Telegram.
Belgorod is a frequent target of Ukrainian cross-border attacks.
Russia's Interfax news agency quoted officials in a Russian-held part of Zaporizhzhia region as saying Ukrainian drones had killed three people.
Watch: Trump suggests Ukraine will end up with a ‘different shape’ after peace deal
00:00 , James ReynoldsNato considers anti-tank barriers along Russian border as Putin rearms
Monday 9 November 2026 23:15 , James ReynoldsFinland is looking to Ukraine’s defence experience as the country seeks to fortify a 1,340km border with Russia.
Finland’s army commander, Lieutenant General Pasi Välimäki, said Kyiv’s “extensive defense lines” and anti-tank obstacles have helped to slow down Russia’s attacks.
“Conditions in Finland are more challenging,” General Pasi Välimäki told Bloomberg.
“If we build fortifications and dig anti-tank ditches or obstacles as deep as those in Ukraine, how long does it take before our environment turns them into artificial ponds?”
Nato considers anti-tank barriers along Russian border as Putin rearms
UK households urged to prepare for emergencies. Here's what to buy
Monday 9 November 2026 22:16 , James ReynoldsThe British public has been told to prepare for food shortages and widespread disruption from cyber attacks and emergencies under a new national initiative.
The 'Be Ready' campaign marks the beginning of a three-year drive to boost household emergency preparedness, with Defence Secretary Wes Streeting unveiling updated advice for threats such as flooding and wildfires.
UK households are advised to take simple steps in case everyday services are disrupted, like keeping a three-day supply of cash, bottled water and tinned food at home.
UK households urged to prepare for emergencies and ‘attacks’. Here's what to buy
Royal Navy to deploy autonomous boats to tackle Russian interference
Monday 9 November 2026 21:16 , James ReynoldsThe Royal Navy will deploy a fleet autonomous drone boats to intercept Russian warships and spy vessels around British shores for the first time, the head of its fleet has confirmed.
The squadron of autonomous Kraken 3 boats, which are unmanned and remotely controlled, will be used to help the Ryoal Navy’s fleet of vessels to tackle Russian interference in UK waters.
Vice-Admiral Steve Moorhouse told The Times the boats will begin operations “as soon as possible”, meaning they could be deployed before the end of the year.
Royal Navy to deploy autonomous boats to tackle Russian interference in UK waters
UK military chief issues stark warning over Russian threat
Monday 9 November 2026 20:15 , James ReynoldsBritain is falling behind its European allies in confronting the “very real” threat posed by Russia, the head of the UK military has warned.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton told the FT that the UK needs to “catch up with our European allies” who, he said, are more awake to the Kremlin’s mounting appetite for risk.
“This is the most dangerous period I’ve known in my adult life,” the chief of the defence staff, 57, said, adding: “That threat - principally from Russia, but more broadly globally - is rising.”
In full:
UK military chief issues stark warning over Russian threat
Ukrainian MP says "Putin has absolutely no intention to negotiate seriously"
Monday 9 November 2026 19:30 , Jessie WilliamsSome Ukrainians are not hopeful of making progress in the upcoming US-mediated peace talks with Moscow and Kyiv in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, which are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
It will be the first such talks in nine months, with the US pushing for an end to the war.
“I don’t expect any tangible progress in the Abu Dhabi talks. The reason is simple and remains the same – Putin has absolutely no intention to negotiate seriously. He remains totally fixated on the [destruction] of Ukraine,” Oleksandr Merezhko, a Ukrainian member of parliament from the Servant of the People party, told Al Jazeera.
Ukraine wants Russia to withdraw from its territory and a security guarantee as part of any peace deal. However Russia has refused to do this, and doesn’t want Kyiv to be given membership of the NATO alliance.
Kremlin agrees with Trump’s suggestion of “different shape” for Ukraine
Monday 9 November 2026 18:30 , Rituparna ChatterjeeThe Kremlin has said it agrees with US President Donald Trump’s suggestion of reshaping Ukraine in a peace deal, saying it is “already a different country”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed Ukraine was geographically a different country, after Trump’s comments about altering Ukraine’s borders in a peace deal, during an interview with CBS’s 60 minutes.
Trump had told CBS News’ Ross Douthat: “I think we’re gonna have it done, and I think it’s gonna happen and they’re gonna end up with a little bit different shape Ukraine.”
Peskov was asked about the president’s remarks by Russia’s state news agency TASS, replying that questions about what Trump meant should be directed to himself.
“As for Ukraine’s shape, from a geographical point of view, it is already a different country. The realities on the ground are obvious; hardly anyone can deny them,” Peskov said.
Trump had been speaking about the prospects of ending the Russia-Ukraine war, which he said would happen “soon”.
“And the only reason it's going to end is because of me,” he added. The war, which began on 24 February 2022 after Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour, is now approaching its fifth anniversary.
Tears and joy as Ukrainian couple divided by occupation meet again
Monday 9 November 2026 17:30 , Rituparna ChatterjeeLarysa Ryndova hurried to see her husband as if they were going out on a first date — makeup on and perfume spritzed in the car.
It was the first time she had laid eyes on 68-year-old Serhiy in 4-1/2 years time he had spent trapped with others in the Russian-held town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine.
"I can't believe you are here," Larysa, 72, kept repeating, her mascara smudged with tears after they embraced outside a hospital in Kyiv. "Honestly, I can't believe it myself," Serhiy replied.
Leaked data shows over 450,000 Russians killed in Ukraine war
Monday 9 November 2026 17:00 , Rituparna ChatterjeeLeaked data from the Russian state statistics agency Rosstat shows that over 450,000 Russians have been killed in the war in Ukraine.
Russia has not officially disclosed its battlefield losses since September 2022, the Moscow Times reported.
The report said Rosstat's figures would make the war in Ukraine Russia's deadliest conflict since World War II.
Drones hit industrial area in Kirishi in Russia's northwest
Monday 9 November 2026 16:30 , Rituparna ChatterjeeDrones hit an industrial area in Kirishi in Russia's northwestern Leningrad region, Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko said on Telegram on Monday, adding that so far 81 drones have been downed `with the attack continuing. An apartment was damaged in the town, he said, without providing further details.
Kirishi is home to a large oil refinery and the region itself is a major export outlet for grain and oil in `the Russian part `of the Baltic Sea.
Europeans will join Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi, French minister says
Monday 9 November 2026 16:00 , Rituparna ChatterjeeEuropeans will participate in talks on Ukraine in Abu Dhabi this week, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Sunday, as US President Donald Trump said he believed the war would end soon.
US envoy Steve Witkoff said on Monday Washington would bring together delegations from Ukraine and Russia on 10-11 November to discuss ending Moscow's war against Ukraine, post-war security pacts and de-escalation.
"The Europeans will be well represented. France will be in Abu Dhabi to take part," Barrot told French radio station RTL in an interview.
"I cant tell you yet who will be representing France on this occasion, but France will certainly be there."
G7 allies to assess impact of Trump's midterm setback at Paris talks
Monday 9 November 2026 15:30 , Rituparna ChatterjeeA G7 foreign ministers gathering in Paris on Monday will provide the first opportunity for Washington's allies to gauge whether a US midterm defeat for President Donald Trump alters the administration's approach to Ukraine, the Middle East and ties with its closest partners, four G7 diplomats said.
The diplomats signalled the Democrats' gains could narrow the White House's room for manoeuvre but warned against expecting a return to traditional US multilateralism while foreign policy remains very much under Trump's control.
The meeting, moved at short notice from Marseille to Paris for security reasons after weeks of protests across France, will see US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, viewed as a potential 2028 presidential contender, make his first appearance before allies since the elections.
Other than France, the G7 includes Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, as well as the European Union. Ministers from Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, South Korea and Brazil are also attending.
With Ukraine top of the agenda, the G7 ministerial comes ahead of trilateral discussions on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi between Ukraine, Russia and the United States.
Officials from France, Britain, Germany, NATO and the European Commission are also aiming to be in the Emirati capital, although they are not expected to take part in the trilateral format.
In a sign of friction among Europeans, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni warned on November 5 that Europe risks becoming irrelevant in efforts to end the war in Ukraine if member states continue `pursuing separate diplomatic tracks rather than agreeing on a common representative and strategy, an issue that is likely to come up at the G7.
Diplomats painted a sombre picture of the situation in Ukraine.
While the front had largely stabilised, making major breakthroughs unlikely, they warned that Russia had shifted tactics toward systematically targeting energy infrastructure in an effort to trigger a nationwide winter blackout.
Shortages of Patriot interceptors and other air-defence systems were Kyiv's most urgent military vulnerability and they said one objective of the G7 meeting would be to sustain pressure on Russia while mobilising additional military, financial and energy support for Ukraine. Iran is also expected to feature prominently in discussions. Washington's G7 allies have repeatedly voiced scepticism over the war and fear further US military action could worsen rather than resolve the crisis.
The talks could also expose differences between Paris and Washington over Lebanon.
Russia downs nearly 40 drones in Leningrad region
Monday 9 November 2026 15:00 , Rituparna ChatterjeeRussia has downed 38 drones in the northwestern region of Leningrad, home to Baltic Sea export facilities for grain and oil as well as a major oil refinery, governor Aleksandr Drozdenko said on Telegram on Monday.
The downings continue, he added on the messaging app, without giving further details.
Russia hits vessel in Black Sea
Monday 9 November 2026 14:30 , Rituparna ChatterjeeRussia's armed forces struck three power substations across Ukraine overnight on Monday and also hit a cargo ship in the Black Sea that Moscow said was providing arms to Ukraine, state news agencies reported.
Reuters could not independently verify the reports.
Fuel rationing and sales caps reported in several Russian regions
Monday 9 November 2026 14:00 , Rituparna ChatterjeeFuel shortages have returned to at least half a dozen Russian regions, officials and Russian media said, after Ukrainian strikes on at least eight major oil refineries in the past two weeks raised the prospect of motorists once again queuing for hours at filling stations.
Ukraine sharply stepped up attacks on Russian refineries after 30 October, when US President Donald Trump's self-declared energy ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow failed to take hold.
In its latest attack, Ukraine hit Russia's second-largest oil refinery in the northwestern town of Kirishi overnight, the governor, Alexander Drozdenko, said on Monday.
Such attacks erode Russia's ability to produce gasoline and diesel fuel, raising concerns over domestic fuel supplies and potentially complicating a deal between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump on Russian diesel exports to world markets and the United States.
The head of Russia's northwestern Karelia region said on Sunday that fuel sale restrictions were being introduced at filling stations along highways, with purchases capped at 30 litres for gasoline and 50 litres for diesel. Sales of fuel in canisters were suspended altogether, he said.
"I am fully aware that these restrictions may cause inconvenience both to the republic's residents and to our business owners, whose work depends on logistics.
“However, under the current circumstances, these measures are necessary," Karelia governor Artur Parfenchikov said on Telegram.
"Our main priority at present is to prevent panic buying, ensure the even distribution of fuel, and maintain the stable operation of all petrol stations in order to avoid disruptions."
Covert Russian network exploited French riots on social media, EU report says
Monday 9 November 2026 13:30 , Rituparna ChatterjeeA covert Russian network sought to exploit last month's riots in France by using social media to blame the unrest on uncontrolled immigration and portray the government as having lost control, according to an internal EU assessment seen by Reuters.
A separate internal assessment, compiled by France's foreign ministry and also seen by Reuters, found that social media accounts linked to Israel and to the US MAGA movement also pushed "hostile narratives" around the riots, linking them to radical Islamism and migration.
Taken together, the assessments offer an insight into how external actors have been trying to use France's domestic turmoil for their own political ends, according to analysis by European disinformation specialists.
The European Union analysis found that a covert Russian network known as "Operation Overload" spread videos impersonating Western media outlets to target French audiences, some falsely claiming migrants had raped protesters or terrorist attacks were imminent.
