A Russian drone strike has hit a hospital in central Kyiv, injuring three patients and forcing the evacuation of 30 people. Seven people were rescued by emergency workers, and the hospital’s medical services were temporarily suspended as staff dealt with the damage.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said speed restrictions on Starshield remained in place along the entire frontline and in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, and they “limit our ability to intercept jet-powered Shaheds and counter other drones”.
Russia said on Friday it had intercepted nearly 1,200 Ukrainian drones overnight, in one of Kyiv’s largest reported attacks on Russian territory. Ukraine said it had struck a major oil refinery in the Volgograd region.
Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, meanwhile, caused power cuts across 12 regions, according to deputy energy minister Artem Nekrasov.
The fighting has also reached the Baltic Sea, where Finland’s military confirmed that a Russian warship had been struck in the Gulf of Finland. Ukraine’s Security Service identified the vessel as the missile ship Naro-Fominsk.
Read MoreUkraine isn’t beaten – but Trump must not hand victory to Putin
Europeans overwhelmingly back creation of EU army amid fears of war with Russia
Europe pushes for seat at Ukraine peace talks but lacks unified voice
What’s next for Ukraine-Russia peace talks as war approaches fifth year?
Key Points
- Ukraine says Starshield restrictions continue to hamper drone defences
- Russian strikes on Zaporizhzhia injure 50, including eight children
- Trump to leave Ukraine war off agenda at meeting with Putin and Xi
- Second car bomb to hit Russia in two days targets exiled Ukrainian political figure
- Exiled Kyiv political aide hospitalised after second Russian car bomb attack
Four killed in Ukrainian strike on Samara region industrial facility, governor says
Friday 13 November 2026 14:00 , James ReynoldsThe governor of Russia's Samara region said on Friday that Ukraine had struck an industrial facility there, killing four people.
In his statement on Russia's MAX messenger, governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev did not name the facility struck, or the weapons used by Ukraine.
EU foreign chief says Russia 'does not want anyone strong' at peace talks
Friday 13 November 2026 14:40 , James ReynoldsThe EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday Russia had no say over who represented the bloc in the Ukraine-Russia peace talks, adding she knew Moscow ded not want her there but that she spoke on behalf of all 27 member states rather than in a personal capacity.
"They don't want anybody strong on the other side because they want to push through their maximum demands", she said, adding that a ceasefire must come first as broader discussions about Europe's security architecture risked diverting attention.
Top story: Exiled Kyiv political aide hospitalised after second Russian car bomb attack
Friday 13 November 2026 15:20 , James ReynoldsRussian authorities said they have opened an investigation into the explosion of a car in Moscow that Russian media reported belonged to an exiled Ukrainian political aide.
Russian media reported the car belonged to Sergei Zavorotniy, a onetime spokesperson for former Ukrainian prime minister Mykola Azarov, who has been living in Russia since fleeing Ukraine amid anti-government protests in 2014.
Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that Zavorotniy was hospitalised. It is the latest in a series of apparent assassination attempts inside Russia.
On Thursday, a member of the Russian military was killed after the car he was driving was blown up in St Petersburg, investigators said.
Russia demands that Finland leave Nato as part of peace deal: report
Friday 13 November 2026 15:46 , James ReynoldsRussian negotiators reportedly demanded that Finland leave Nato as part of a peace deal during fresh talks this week, in the latest sign that Moscow remains unmoved from its inflexible position on Ukraine.
Moscow wants a “new European security order” as part of any deal to end the war, including the removal of bases from the Baltic states and full control of Ukraine’s Donbas, the German outlet Bild reported on Friday.
And Ukraine would have to adopt nonaligned status and abandon any hopes of joining the Nato military alliance, the newspaper reported. Moldova would be transformed into a federal republic with Gagauzia and Transnistria, and both would be allowed to hold independence referendums if the country joins the EU.
Ukraine has been trying to involve Europe in peace talks for months, but negotiations have so far centred on Russia, Ukraine and the mediating United States, which has been accused of offering more concessions to Moscow.
The Kremlin said on Friday that Europe must show it is ready to contribute to peace before a decision is made on letting Europeans join negotiations.
Finland ended decades of military non-alignment to join Nato in April 2023, a year after Russia brought war to its border. The decision to join doubled the military alliance’s direct border with Russia.
Germany's Merz asks Trump for 'no surprises' from Putin talks
Friday 13 November 2026 16:00 , James ReynoldsGerman Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday pleaded for US President Donald Trump to create no surprises during expected talks about Ukraine next week with Russian President Vladimir Putin in China.
"Some here in Dublin fear this could turn into a 'second Anchorage moment'," said Merz on the sidelines of a meeting of EU leaders.
"I therefore want to state our message to the United States very clearly: please, no surprises. Continue to play as part of 'Team Europe' and 'Team Ukraine'."
Ukraine says it hit one of Russia's largest refineries in Volgograd
Friday 13 November 2026 16:40 , James ReynoldsUkraine's military said on Friday it had struck one of Russia's largest oil refineries in Volgograd overnight.
The General Staff said on Telegram that oil processing units, six reservoirs and other parts of the refinery complex were hit.
Russia says Europeans can join Ukraine peace talks if they show 'readiness to contribute'
Friday 13 November 2026 17:20 , James ReynoldsThe Kremlin said on Friday that Europe must show it is ready to contribute to the Ukraine peace process before a decision is made on letting Europeans join the negotiations.
The comment by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggests Russia has not yet committed to including Europeans in the next round of talks, despite US negotiators saying on Thursday that President Vladimir Putin had agreed to their participation.
The talks have so far involved Russian, Ukrainian and US officials, who met in Abu Dhabi this week for the first time in nine months. Two US envoys then flew to Moscow to meet Putin and later met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Dublin.
Asked if peace talks would soon resume with the added participation of Europeans, Peskov said: "Once we understand their genuine intention and readiness to contribute to the peace process, then it will be possible to make a decision on holding dialogue on a Ukrainian settlement in an expanded format."
Russia demands that Finland leave Nato as part of peace deal: report
Friday 13 November 2026 18:00 , James ReynoldsRussian negotiators reportedly demanded that Finland leave Nato as part of a peace deal during fresh talks this week, in the latest sign that Moscow remains unmoved from its inflexible position on Ukraine.
Moscow wants a “new European security order” as part of any deal to end the war, including the removal of bases from the Baltic states and full control of Ukraine’s Donbas, the German outlet Bild reported on Friday.
And Ukraine would have to adopt nonaligned status and abandon any hopes of joining the Nato military alliance, the newspaper reported. Moldova would be transformed into a federal republic with Gagauzia and Transnistria, and both would be allowed to hold independence referendums if the country joins the EU.
Ukraine has been trying to involve Europe in peace talks for months, but negotiations have so far centred on Russia, Ukraine and the mediating United States, which has been accused of offering more concessions to Moscow.
The Kremlin said on Friday that Europe must show it is ready to contribute to peace before a decision is made on letting Europeans join negotiations.
Finland ended decades of military non-alignment to join Nato in April 2023, a year after Russia brought war to its border. The decision to join doubled the military alliance’s direct border with Russia.
Europeans back creation of EU army amid fears of war with Russia
Friday 13 November 2026 19:00 , James ReynoldsNearly three in four Europeans support the creation of an EU army, according to new polling, as the US considers a significant withdrawal of its forces from Europe.
The 2026 GLOBSEC Trends report, surveying 14 countries, found that support for the united army was strong as concerns also grow about how Russia’s war in Ukraine could continue to spread across Europe.
Europe would not turn its back on the Nato alliance, however, with some 78 per cent of Europeans supporting remaining in the alliance.
Europeans overwhelmingly back creation of EU army amid fears of war with Russia
Estonia PM backs Costa and Kallas as EU representatives at peace talks
Friday 13 November 2026 20:00 , James ReynoldsEstonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said on Friday the European Union's representatives at the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine could clearly be President of Council Antonio Costa and Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas.
"If we have to say that Europe should be represented, then it's also clear that we have people who have institutional accountability to people of Europe and also to our countries, these are Antonio Costa, and also Commission, and, for example, High Representative Kallas, so we have the persons to do it," he told reporters in Dublin before of an EU summit.
Second car bomb to hit Russia in two days targets exiled Ukrainian political figure
Friday 13 November 2026 21:00 , James ReynoldsA car bombing on Friday in Moscow injured an adviser to Ukraine's former prime minister in the second such attack in as many days and part of a series linked to the conflict with Russia's neighbor.
The explosion struck a car driven by Sergei Zavorotnyi, who previously worked as an adviser to former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, according to Russia's Investigative Committee. Zavorotnyi was hospitalized with injuries, the committee added.
It didn't identify possible suspects pending a criminal inquiry.
Azarov served as prime minister under Ukraine’s Moscow-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych, who was forced from office by protesters and fled to Russia in February 2014. Azarov also lives in Russia.
Read the full story:
Bombings in Russia kill a military officer and injure an adviser to Ukraine's former prime minister
Europe's security cannot be part of Ukraine peace talks, EU leaders say
Friday 13 November 2026 22:00 , James ReynoldsEU leaders said on Friday that Europe's security structure should not be a subject for Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations, but they did not answer the question of who should speak for Europe in any future talks.
The Kremlin said on Friday that Russia would be open to European countries taking part in Ukraine peace talks if it saw they were ready to contribute to the peace process.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the Kremlin's comments as "the same old game" and said that Europe and the United States agreed on a clear message.
"There will be no discussions about Ukraine without Ukraine, and no discussions about Europe without Europe. Furthermore, there is no need to talk about European security architecture. We have that already," Merz told reporters during a summit of European Union leaders in Dublin.
Russian officials have called for a broad agreement on Europe's security architecture to be reached before tackling the specifics of the war. Before its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia demanded the withdrawal of NATO forces from countries that joined the alliance after 1997. NATO rejected the demand.
Ukrainian troops spent month in underground tunnels sifting through barricade of Russian bodies to launch counterattack
Friday 13 November 2026 23:00 , James ReynoldsSoldiers fighting for Ukraine crawled through 15 kilometres of gas pipeline filled with corpses to launch a surprise attack on Russian troops in Kharkiv.
Volodymyr Zelensky had last month hailed the “stunning success” of the operation by the Khartiia corps, launched to prevent Russian troops slipping into the eastern city of Kupyansk.
Now, Kyiv has revealed that its troops spent as long as a month underground, battling through freezing water and sifting through the bodies of dead Russian soldiers that Moscow had built up as a barricade inside the long tunnels - before opening fire on a group of Russian soldiers.
Read the full story:
Ukrainians ‘crawled 15km through gas pipe’ in surprise attack on Russian troops
Cybersecurity chiefs warn hackers could hit our home appliances – here’s how they would do it
00:00 , James ReynoldsAs the EU cyber chief issues a chilling warning that bad actors could soon start to target home appliances, Chris Stokel-Walker investigates the ways that hacks could get very personal and cause maximum chaos
Cybersecurity chiefs warn hackers could hit us at home – here’s how they would do it
These Ukraine talks are nothing more than an exercise in delusion and illusion
03:12 , Shahana YasminAfter two days of stagnant talks and Trump’s envoys now jetting off to Moscow, Europe has been feeble in leaving an untrustworthy US to negotiate peace with Putin, says world affairs editor Sam Kiley
These Ukraine talks are nothing more than an exercise in delusion and illusion
EU foreign chief says Russia 'does not want anyone strong' at peace talks
01:01 , Tom BarnesThe EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday Russia had no say over who represented the bloc in the Ukraine-Russia peace talks, adding she knew Moscow ded not want her there but that she spoke on behalf of all 27 member states rather than in a personal capacity.
"They don't want anybody strong on the other side because they want to push through their maximum demands", she said, adding that a ceasefire must come first as broader discussions about Europe's security architecture risked diverting attention.
Four killed in Ukrainian strike on Samara region industrial facility, governor says
02:45 , Tom BarnesThe governor of Russia's Samara region said on Friday that Ukraine had struck an industrial facility there, killing four people.
In his statement on Russia's MAX messenger, governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev did not name the facility struck, or the weapons used by Ukraine.
Trump to leave Ukraine war off agenda at meeting with Putin and Xi
03:30 , Shahana YasminUS president Donald Trump is not expected to raise Russia’s war in Ukraine when he meets Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping in China next Thursday, a White House official said on Friday.
The first trilateral meeting between the three leaders will instead focus on nuclear arms reductions, with Trump also expected to discuss the US-Israeli war against Iran. The leaders are due to meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen.
“We’ve had many meetings recently with the Russians, but China is not really a part of that track, so it doesn’t seem appropriate to have the Ukraine discussion there,” the official said.
A senior Trump administration official said Washington had been holding separate discussions with Moscow on Ukraine, adding that China was not involved in those negotiations. Trump is also not expected to hold a separate bilateral meeting with Putin.
Russian strikes on Zaporizhzhia injure 50, including eight children
04:30 , Shahana YasminRussian attacks on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia injured 50 people on Friday, including eight children. The strikes damaged residential buildings and killed a rescue worker, local authorities said.
Two projectiles fired from a Russian Tornado-S multiple-launch rocket system struck apartment buildings in the Kosmichnyi district, damaging flats across three floors and triggering fires, according to The Kyiv Independent.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said rescuers freed 17 people trapped inside their apartments. A rescue worker was later killed when a concrete slab fell on him as he cleared debris, and a separate Russian attack killed a 17-year-old boy and injured at least four other people.
Ukraine says Starshield restrictions continue to hamper drone defences
05:30 , Shahana YasminRestrictions on the US Starshield satellite communications system remain in place along Ukraine’s frontline, hampering its military’s ability to intercept Russian drones, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday.
“Unfortunately, the speed restrictions remain in place along the entire front line and in temporarily-occupied territories of Ukraine,” he said in his nightly video address. The restrictions, he said, “limit our ability to intercept jet-powered Shaheds and counter other drones”.
Zelensky said the curbs also sent Russia a signal that Washington might treat Ukrainian territory occupied by Russian forces differently. “We expect the speed to be restored,” he said.
Ukraine first reported restrictions on Starlink and its military-grade version Starshield in mid-October. Service was restored on 24 October, but Ukrainian forces reported renewed disruptions this week.
Neither SpaceX nor the US government accepted responsibility for the earlier restrictions, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, Democratic US senators Jeanne Shaheen and Chris Coons have asked Elon Musk to preserve SpaceX’s records relating to the restrictions, giving the company until 30 November to confirm it has done so.
Ukraine isn’t beaten – but Trump must not hand victory to Putin
06:30 , Shahana YasminWhat Russia has been unable to achieve in five years on the battlefields, it could yet win at the negotiating table, thanks to the US president’s envoys at the international peace talks
Ukraine isn’t beaten – but Trump must not hand victory to Putin
Ukraine races to repair power plants as winter blackouts loom
07:30 , Shahana YasminUkraine is racing to repair damaged power plants before winter after Russian missile and drone attacks forced three of the country’s major private energy company’s power stations to halt generation in November.
Workers at one damaged facility operated by DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, are clearing rubble by hand to reach buried turbines and boilers. “Right now, everyone has shovels and wheelbarrows as we try to reach the equipment,” a technician told Reuters.
DTEK chief executive Maxim Timchenko warned that recovery could be slow. “So we do everything possible to make enough power generation capacity in Ukraine to get through the winter,” he said.
Power cuts have affected 12 Ukrainian regions, while some areas face blackouts lasting up to 18 hours a day.
Russia and Ukraine discuss major prisoner exchange involving up to 1,500 people each
08:30 , Shahana YasminRussia and Ukraine are working towards a large-scale prisoner exchange that could involve as many as 1,500 people on each side, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The proposal was discussed during two days of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi, where Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov and Russian representative Vladimir Medinsky reached an understanding on a potential swap, according to The Kyiv Independent.
Zelenskyy said the sides had discussed exchanging 1,000 or possibly 1,500 prisoners each, although the final numbers and date had yet to be agreed.
US envoy Jared Kushner, who took part in the diplomatic discussions, described the proposed swap as potentially “the largest prisoner exchange of the war”, saying it could reunite thousands of people with their families.
Zelensky says US floated Donbas withdrawal in exchange for Nato membership
09:35 , Shahana YasminUS negotiators have asked whether Ukraine would withdraw from the eastern Donbas region in exchange for Nato membership, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
“The Americans raised a question: ‘What if Ukraine joins Nato? Would Ukraine withdraw from Donbas?’ This was the first time this had been raised,” Zelensky told reporters on Saturday.
Zelensky said Ukraine was not prepared to surrender its territory. However, he said he would put the question to a referendum if the country received a comprehensive security package, including security guarantees, a well-funded military, and funding for reconstruction
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EU set to approve sanctions against 50 Russian banks
10:30 , Shahana YasminThe European Union is expected to approve new sanctions against 50 Russian banks on Monday as foreign ministers meet to discuss additional military and energy support for Ukraine ahead of winter.
The measures, provisionally agreed by EU ambassadors on 11 November, will target 145 individuals and entities linked to Russia’s war against Ukraine, cyberattacks and hybrid activities, according to European Pravda.
They will also include companies supporting Russia’s so-called shadow fleet and oil refineries.
French minister for European affairs Benjamin Haddad told Reuters: “On Monday, we will take new sanctions against Russia, on 150 additional entities, 50 banks and it’s France which proposed the bulk of the entities to add.”
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha will brief his EU counterparts in Brussels on Monday, with discussions also covering air-defence systems and support for critical energy and water infrastructure.
Europe agrees on five-country team to represent it in Ukraine peace talks
11:30 , Shahana YasminEuropean leaders have agreed that Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland will join EU institutions in a team representing Europe in future negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
European Council president António Costa announced the decision on Friday after a summit in Dublin, saying: “Europe must speak with one clear voice and united voice in all discussions that shape the future of Ukraine and the security of our continent.”
The agreement follows months of disagreement over who should represent Europe in US-led negotiations. Britain, which is not an EU member, will participate alongside the five-country group.
However, Moscow has yet to formally agree to European participation. “Once we understand their genuine intention and readiness to contribute to the peace process, then it will be possible to make a decision on holding dialogue on a Ukrainian settlement in an expanded format,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
These Ukraine talks are nothing more than an exercise in delusion and illusion
12:30 , Shahana YasminAfter two days of stagnant talks and Trump’s envoys now jetting off to Moscow, Europe has been feeble in leaving an untrustworthy US to negotiate peace with Putin, says world affairs editor Sam Kiley
These Ukraine talks are nothing more than an exercise in delusion and illusion
Ukrainians weigh leaving Kyiv as Russia’s attacks threaten hardest winter of war
13:30 , Shahana YasminSome families are leaving Kyiv ahead of what could be Ukraine’s harshest winter of the war, as Russian attacks threaten electricity, heating, and water supplies.
Kateryna Tsvihun, 41, is taking her two-year-old son to Albania, hoping to return in spring. “There is sadness, but even stronger is the understanding of what I have to do – leave,” she said. “I cannot live without Kyiv and Ukraine. I am rooted here, my child is Ukrainian, and my husband is fighting for this.”
Others cannot afford to relocate. The number of active rental listings in Kyiv had risen by 87 per cent between 1 August and 1 November, according to Ukrainian property platform LUN.
“The main goal is to break Kyiv,” said Andrii Tkachov, acting head of the city’s military administration. “But, as we say, Kyiv rests on three pillars: air defense, our utility, and energy workers, and the self-organisation of its residents.”
