Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine's battlefield position is the strongest it has been in some time, after his forces recaptured territory through a series of offensives.
Zelensky revealed details of the previously secret Operation Veles, where Ukrainian troops used underground gas pipelines to outflank Russian positions near Kupiansk in the northeast.
He also referred to an air assault operation in eastern Ukraine and Operation Vivaldi further north, aimed at preventing Russian advances in key areas.
His remarks came as Finland's president and the Norwegian prime minister held a rare direct phone call with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Finnish president Alexander Stubb and Norway's Jonas Gahr Stoere spoke to Putin for around 90 minutes on Tuesday before holding a separate conversation with Zelensky.
While Kyiv says it was involved in planning for the phone call, it has drawn criticism from other European leaders, many of whom are opposed to direct engagement with the Russian leader.
The Kremlin showed no indication of any softening in its position during the call, insisting that any lasting peace must "unconditionally" take Russia's interests into account.
Read MoreEurope furious after Finland and Norway break convention by speaking directly to Putin
Putin urged to end Ukraine war as European leaders make rare contact
Russia committed war crimes in Ukraine by attacking its energy grid, UN report finds
What we know about Oleshky as Russia and Ukraine begin Melania Trump-brokered ceasefire
Key Points
- Zelensky touts Ukraine's strong battlefield position after recapturing territory
- Recap: Finnish and Norwegian leaders hold rare call with Putin to urge end to Ukraine war
- Ukraine wants 'new momentum' in peace talks, FM says
- Ceasefire begins in Oleshky after Melania Trump brokers deal
- France temporarily sends maritime patrol plane to Black Sea after cargo ship attacks
Russia committed war crimes in Ukraine by attacking its energy grid, UN report finds
10:00 , Shweta SharmaRussia committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine by intentionally attacking energy infrastructure, leaving millions of people without electricity and heat in freezing temperatures, a UN-backed inquiry reported Monday.
The inquiry also found evidence that Russia recruited men from 29 countries into its armed forces “through deception or coercion” to fight in Ukraine in violation of international law. The men, age 18 to 60, “came mostly from vulnerable and marginalized communities, with a poor economic background and a low education level," it said.
Russian attacks on Ukraine energy sites are war crimes, UN report finds
Russia fired more than 100 ballistic missiles at Kyiv in two weeks, Zelensky says
09:00 , Shweta SharmaRussia has launched over 100 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and the surrounding region in two weeks, president Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"In two weeks, more than 100 ballistic missiles have been launched against Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast. We are doing everything possible to protect our energy sector, to protect our infrastructure and our logistics. The task is extremely difficult," Zelensky said.
Kyiv, a city of three million people, has faced relentless attacks by Russian ballistic missiles in recent months.
“Unfortunately, there are significant restrictions on supplies, with air defence packages being delayed. I want to thank all our partners who provide their support on time,” he added.
It comes a day after Russian ballistic missiles targeted Kyiv in a deadly attack on a university campus, a major bridge, an administrative building, and medical facilities. The attack killed one person and injured 15.
Russian ballistic missiles strike university grounds and residential areas in Kyiv, Ukraine says
08:00 , Shweta SharmaNo breaches of Oleshky ceasefire in first 30 hours, Kyiv says
07:39 , Adam WithnallThere have been no breaches of the US-brokered local ceasefire around the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine in itsfirst 30 hours, Ukraine's human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on Wednesday.
A ceasefire has been agreed until 1 November to allow residents of the frontline town, who had been unable to leave as conditions had become near-uninhabitable, to evacuate.
Europe furious after Finland and Norway break convention by speaking directly to Putin
07:00 , Shweta SharmaEuropean leaders have responded with fury after the leaders of Norway and Finland broke convention to speak directly to Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
Finnish president Alexander Stubb and Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Stoere held “frank and substantive” talks with the Russian president in a bid to influence the Kremlin’s position as the conflict in Ukraine rages on.
But the move attracted criticism from their Nordic counterparts, including Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen as they urged Europe’s leaders to “stick together” on Ukraine.
Europe furious as Finland and Norway break convention by speaking directly to Putin
Fire and explosion in Russia's Lipetsk - report
06:00 , Shweta SharmaFires have been reported in the Russian city of Lipetsk after it was rocked by explosions on Tuesday night, according to a report.
Ukrainian monitoring channel Exilenova Plus reported that a fire broke out in the area of the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant after air defence systems were engaged.
Ukraine has sanctioned the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant, while Canada and Australia have also sanctioned Russian oligarch Vladimir Lisin, who owns the site.
According to previous investigative reports, the plant supplies Russian companies that produce air defence systems, drones, missiles, and other weapons.
Trump points to 'a lot of progress' on trilateral meeting with Putin and Zelensky
05:38 , Shweta SharmaDonald Trump has said he hopes to meet Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin very soon.
Speaking to reporters, he said they have made a “lot of progress on Ukraine” peace proposals and "there'll be a meeting set up very soon".
Zelensky earlier suggested that technical talks between the three countries' negotiating teams must be held before any trilateral meeting at a leadership level.
Ukraine drone attack damages industrial infrastructure in Russia's Novomoskovsk, governor says
05:30 , Shweta SharmaFalling debris from Ukraine's drones has damaged industrial infrastructure in Novomoskovsk in Russia's Tula region along with apartment buildings and private homes, regional governor Dmitry Milyayev said on Telegram.
Novomoskovsk, some 200km (125 miles) south of Moscow, is a major chemical production hub.
Officials from laboratories and from the public health safety watchdog were dispatched to the city, Milyayev said, without providing further details.
Russian drone strike injures five in Ukraine's Kharkiv, emergency service says
05:19 , Shweta SharmaA Russian drone strike has injured five people in Ukraine's second biggest city of Kharkiv, Ukraine's emergency service said on Telegram, adding that a major fire sparked by the attack was extinguished.
Those injured included a 4-year-old child.
France temporarily sends maritime patrol plane to Black Sea after cargo ship attacks
05:00 , Shweta SharmaFrance has temporarily relocated a maritime patrol aircraft to Romania to help identify navigation dangers and bolster the protection of critical energy infrastructure in the Black Sea, Romania's defence ministry said on Tuesday.
At least eight cargo ships have been hit near the coast of Nato members Romania and Bulgaria in the past three weeks, with some 34 sailors reported dead or missing.
Romanian F-16 fighter jet pilots shot down two of the latest generation of Russian drones over Romanian territorial waters earlier this month, and Nato said it will send more maritime patrol aircraft, radar systems and drones to the Black Sea.
France relocated its Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft to the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base in Romania on 18 October. It will conduct surveillance missions over the western part of the Black Sea until 6 November.
The purpose is "to identify dangers to navigation and increase the ability to protect critical infrastructure in Romania's exclusive economic zone", the ministry said
Romania's defence ministry said the response from Nato and the French Navy added to measures enforced by Romanian naval forces including increased maritime patrol missions with ships, helicopters and drones.
Romanian naval forces are also continuously updating navigators about dangers and recommended routes, the ministry said.
Recap: Finnish and Norwegian leaders hold rare call with Putin to urge end to Ukraine war
04:00 , Shweta SharmaThe leaders of Finland and Norway have held rare direct calls with Russian president Vladimir Putin, urging him to end the war in Ukraine as diplomatic efforts gain momentum ahead of fresh peace negotiations.
Finnish president Alexander Stubb and Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Stoere spoke to Putin for around 90 minutes on Tuesday before holding a separate conversation with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
The call marked a significant departure from the approach taken by most Western European leaders, who have largely avoided direct contact with the Kremlin since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“The discussion (with Putin) was frank and substantive. We are neighbouring countries to Russia. The outcome of this war will have a direct impact on our and the broader European security. Ending the war requires direct discussions,” Stubb said.
Stoere said he and Stubb had "stressed the importance of de-escalation." Both voiced strong support for Ukraine.
The two leaders said the initiative was linked to planned peace talks between Russian, Ukrainian and US officials in Abu Dhabi next month.
However, the Kremlin showed no indication of softening its demands, insisting that any lasting peace must fully take Russia's interests into account.
The diplomatic outreach also exposed divisions among European leaders, with Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen warning against countries acting alone and Sweden's Ulf Kristersson expressing little hope of a breakthrough.
Ukraine welcomed the initiative, saying the talks had been coordinated with Kyiv.
Zelensky touts Ukraine's strong battlefield position after recapturing territory
02:56 , Shweta SharmaPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Kyiv’s battlefield position is the strongest it has been in some time after his forces retook territory through a series of offensives.
It includes one operation previously unannounced in which Kyiv's troops used gas pipelines to outflank Russian positions.
Zelensky, speaking in his nightly video address, cited a report by senior commanders to say that, for the first time, the "Veles" operation used pipelines in Ukraine's northeast.
He also referred to an air assault operation in eastern Ukraine and the "Vivaldi" operation further to the north, designed to prevent Russian advances in key areas.
He said Operation Veles was conducted near Kupiansk, a city in northeastern Kharkiv region recaptured by Ukrainian forces in late 2022, but which has been under constant Russian pressure.
"It is a strong operation, well planned and technology-driven. The Russians tried to use underground gas pipelines to advance past our positions," Zelensky said.
"Our fighters turned this tactic against the Russians and used the underground infrastructure against the occupiers with extraordinary success," he said.
In the Vivaldi offensive, one senior commander reported last month that Ukraine's Third Army Corps had cleared an area of 75 square kms (29 square miles) of Russian infiltration groups and recaptured a further 10 square kilometres.
That operation was focused on the north of the key strongholds in the region, the so-called "fortress belt" of the cities Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. Their capture would bring Russia closer to its goal of seizing the entire Donbas region.
Watch: Russian missiles strike university grounds and residential areas in Kyiv
02:00 , Daniel KeaneUkraine wants 'new momentum' in peace talks, FM says
01:00 , James ReynoldsUkrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on Tuesday for new momentum in peace talks.
"We need to get new dynamics in our peace efforts, to speed them up, to find even new momentum, how to get this new energy in our peace efforts," he told reporters.
He said that President Volodymyr Zelensky had asked the leaders of Finland and Norway to convey to Russian President Vladimir Putin the necessity of a ceasefire and a Ukraine-Russia summit.
The latest: One killed and 15 injured in Russian attacks on Kyiv
00:00 , James ReynoldsIn depth: Putin targets Ukrainian civilians in barbaric ‘safari’ attacks as Trump turns blind eye
Tuesday 27 October 2026 23:00 , James ReynoldsVladimir Putin is targeting Ukrainian civilians in a surge of barbaric attacks across the country despite Donald Trump claiming that Russia is acting “fine” in the war.
New figures released by the UN this week show the number of Ukrainian civilian casualties in September rose by 85 per cent compared with the year before.
First-person drones, long-range glide bombs, ballistic rockets and new jet-powered Shahed cruise missiles are being used in the attacks as winter closes in. No one is off limits. Children, babies, mothers in the park, elderly fruit vendors.
From Kherson to Kharkiv, Kyiv to Kramatorsk, “hunting drone safaris” picking off ordinary people are taking the war far beyond the front lines.
Of the 328 people killed and 2,105 injured last month, 53 per cent of casualties were caused by missiles and long-range drones while 23 per cent were caused by short-range drones.
Putin targets civilians in barbaric ‘safari’ attacks as Trump turns blind eye
Kyiv plans to build water crossings as Russia escalates bridge strikes
Tuesday 27 October 2026 22:00 , James ReynoldsUkraine's Kyiv plans to allocate 1 billion hryvnias ($22 million) to build water crossings over the River Dnipro that divides the capital into two parts, the city mayor said on Tuesday, as Russia escalates its attacks on bridges.
Russia has significantly stepped up its strikes on logistics in and around Kyiv in recent months, and in October it struck bridges, disrupting transportation for hundreds of thousands of people.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram that the city's defence council discussed "the project to build combined water crossings over the River Dnipro and the access roads leading to them."
Independent: Premium: We cannot fight until the last Ukrainian – time to call Putin’s bluff
Tuesday 27 October 2026 21:00 , James ReynoldsThe surge in civilian casualties in Ukraine shows how the West, including the UK, must defend Kyiv’s airspace or face worse in the future, explains world affairs editor Sam Kiley
We cannot fight until the last Ukrainian – it’s time to call Putin’s bluff
Kyiv coordinated European call with Putin, says Ukrainian FM
Tuesday 27 October 2026 20:00 , James ReynoldsA call by the leaders of Finland and Norway with Russian President Vladimir Putin was coordinated with Kyiv, Ukraine's foreign minister said on Tuesday.
"We welcome such active support for our diplomatic efforts and peace process. This call was coordinated with us, and this is the right approach," Andrii Sybiha told reporters.
Ceasefire begins in Oleshky after Melania Trump brokers deal
Tuesday 27 October 2026 19:00 , James ReynoldsA regional ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine has come into force to let a humanitarian operation begin in Oleshky, a town in southern Ukraine under Russian occupation.
The ceasefire was agreed in coordination with US First Lady Melania Trump.
Both sides announced the truce on Tuesday, but strikes have continued elsewhere, including in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
The halt in fighting is intended to open the way for aid deliveries and evacuations from the frontline town, which is grappling with acute shortages of food and medicine.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andri Sybiha said the truce could be a confidence-building measure in a wider peace process.
"If we see results in Oleshky, this can pave the way for other steps in the peace process," he told reporters.
Russia's Lavrov says conflict in Ukraine likely to escalate
Tuesday 27 October 2026 18:00 , James ReynoldsRussia’s veteran foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that the leaders of Finland and Norway said nothing new about Ukraine in their conversation with Russian president Vladimir Putin earlier in the day.
He added that the conflict in Ukraine will continue and is likely to escalate.
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said earlier than Finland and Norway had told Putin that the security of NATO's northern and eastern flank was key and non-negotiable.
The phone call by Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere was a bid to influence the diplomatic process at a time when US President Donald Trump has shifted his position in favour of Russia and US ties with Ukraine have hit their lowest point in 18 months.
The Kremlin's readout of the call did not suggest that Putin had signalled any compromise from previously stated positions.
Russian attacks on Ukraine energy sites are war crimes, UN finds
Tuesday 27 October 2026 17:00 , James ReynoldsRussia committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine by intentionally attacking energy infrastructure, leaving millions of people without electricity and heat in freezing temperatures, a UN-backed inquiry has found.
The inquiry also found evidence that Russia recruited men from 29 countries into its armed forces “through deception or coercion” to fight in Ukraine in violation of international law.
The men, age 18 to 60, “came mostly from vulnerable and marginalized communities, with a poor economic background and a low education level," it said.
The independent commission of inquiry was authorised by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council to investigate human rights violations shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Its report to the UN General Assembly’s human rights committee on Monday was its first focusing on the impact of Russia’s wide-ranging attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Romania says alleged Russian sabotage plot 'grave violation' of security
Tuesday 27 October 2026 16:00 , James ReynoldsRomanian President Nicusor Dan on Tuesday called an alleged Russian sabotage plot last month a “grave violation” of the NATO member’s sovereignty and security.
Dan’s remarks came a day after the Romanian Intelligence Service said it identified a Russia-coordinated “sabotage network” linked to the fire in central Brasov County on September 14.
The fire damaged the premises of several commercial entities, authorities said.
“I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, any involvement by the Russian Federation in acts of sabotage on Romanian territory,” Dan said in a post on Facebook.
“Such actions are unacceptable and constitute a grave violation of our country’s sovereignty and security.”
Ceasefire in Oleshky to continue until 22:59 MSK on November 1
Tuesday 27 October 2026 15:38 , James ReynoldsThe newly-established ceasefire in the Russian-held Ukrainian town of Oleshky will continue until 22:59 Moscow Standard Time on November 1, Russian agency RIA reports.
Patriot missile maintenance centre to be located in Poland, deputy minister says
Tuesday 27 October 2026 14:57 , James ReynoldsA maintenance centre for Lockheed Martin-made Patriot interceptor missiles will be established in Poland, deputy defence minister Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka said on Tuesday.
"Four countries competed for the European location of this investment: alongside Poland - Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway... This success was not a given. It is the result of many months of negotiations and the hard work of the entire team," she wrote on social media.
Russia and Ukraine begin localised ceasefire to allow for humanitarian operation in Oleshky
Tuesday 27 October 2026 12:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarRussia and Ukraine have started a localised ceasefire to allow for a humanitarian operation to begin in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, both sides said on Tuesday.
Russia's defence ministry said on Telegram it stopped shelling in the direction of the Ukrainian city of Kherson from 4am Moscow time (0100 GMT) to prepare for the humanitarian operation in Oleshky, just across the Dnipro River from Kherson.
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's parliament commissioner for human rights, confirmed in a Facebook post the ceasefire has started at the same time.
“As head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, I confirm that the Ukrainian side is honouring its commitments," he wrote.
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a localised ceasefire around the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine, an arrangement that will enable aid deliveries and allow evacuations from a frontline town suffering acute shortages of food and medicine.
Zelensky says Finnish and Norwegian leaders pushed Putin to de-escalate energy attacks
Tuesday 27 October 2026 11:31 , Adam WithnallThe leaders of Finland and Norway told Russian president Vladimir Putin on Tuesday that attacks on Ukraine's energy and infrastructure needed tobe de-escalated, according to Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky.
Finnish president Alexander Stubb and Norwegian premier Jonas Gahr Støre "clearly told the Russian leader that real de-escalation steps are needed regarding our energy sector and infrastructure," Zelensky wrote on Telegram after talking to the two allies.
Zelensky says Ukraine has waited nearly a month for US approval of critical missile supplies
Tuesday 27 October 2026 11:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarUkraine has been waiting nearly a month for US defence secretary Pete Hegseth to approve missile supplies, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday.
“We have been waiting for nearly a month for Mr Hegseth to sign off on missiles for Patriots and NASAMS. I instructed our team to raise this with the American side once again,” he said on X.
Kyiv is seeking interceptor missiles from the US, European countries and other partners to strengthen its air defences ahead of winter.
Patriot systems are particularly important for intercepting Russian ballistic missiles. The delay concerns supplies backed by Ukraine’s allies, with Washington’s approval required for transfers of US-made weapons.
Leaders of Finland and Norway hold 'frank' phone call with Putin
Tuesday 27 October 2026 10:30 , Adam WithnallFinland’s president and Norway’s prime minister spoke on the phone with Russian president Vladimir Putin, officials said Tuesday.
The call, confirmed by the offices of Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish president Alexander Stubb, followed an 20 October meeting in Oslo between the two Nordic leaders, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and US special envoy Steve Witkoff.
The call was held in consultation with Ukraine, according to the official statements by the two Nordic countries. Stubb and Støre initiated the call to discuss the war and upcoming trilateral talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States that are expected to take place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in November.
The two European leaders spoke on behalf of their own countries and not the whole of Europe, the statements said.
“The discussion was frank and substantive,” Stubb said. “We are neighbouring countries to Russia. The outcome of this war will have a direct impact on our and the broader European security. Ending the war requires direct discussions.”
“The war comes with enormous human and material costs,” Støre said. “The suffering and destruction will impact generations. In the call we stressed the importance of de-escalation.”
