Ukraine Invasion: Part 59

[MagicFox]

Well, it’s thread 59.

Thanks to all regular contributors, especially those doing the daily hard work. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

Agreed thread guidance:

A. The agreed purpose of the thread is for the sharing of information and commentary on current events

B. If you post a link please tell us where it leads/give a precis of the content

C. Discussion and debate is welcome, but please keep it respectful

D. Please keep on topic

Question many are still asking is was the plan the work of POTUS/US or has it got it origins elsewhere.

Long read but might be worth the effort:

https://snyder.substack.com/p/russian-unreality-and-american-weakness

DdraigGoch
The US defence budget isn't exclusively used for security in Europe

Leaving aside what the arms are used for, if they were not being manufactured then something like forty of the states in the USA would have huge holes in their state budgets, and greatly increased unemployment, and I think it is all but one of the rest would suffer somewhat. The defence industry in the USA brings in $1.7 TRILLION per year, which (apart from wages for the armed forces, which feed into the economy wherever they are stationed) is distributed among the companies making everything from radio components to drones to ammunition to military aircraft and all the rest of it. Dell, IBM, General Motors, Daimler and many other companies would be somewhat less profitable without their "defence" contracts. And that's before even starting to consider what the effect on a state's budget is liable to be if their laws make the air force or army move a base out of that state and into one in which less draconian laws against women or homosexuals (or anyone not standard heterosexual) have been enacted.

The billionaires in the USA would make less money if it were not for "defence", because it's one of the largest drivers of the economy. I fully expect pressure to be put on Trump if he actually prevents them from making the profit they can make out of selling weapons for use in Ukraine.

(Personally I am unsure that spending so much on things intended only to kill and destroy is something to boast about, but maybe that's just me thinking that a quarter of a million pounds on ONE NAVAL MISSILE is a shed-load that could be better spent on so many other things that listing them would be otiose: we all have our own priorities.)

DdraigGoch
Why were Bush/Blair so keen on invading Iraq anyway?

Bush's chums stood to make a lot of money out of the loot they would get. Blair's motive is less clear cut.

How about NATO and Ukraine resort to using a well know Putin tactic. 1) Let’s all sign an agreement giving Putin everything he wants. 2). Award Trump the Nobel Peace Prize, which the whole world (except Trump himself) will realise is a complete joke. 3) Once the aggressive Russian forces have been withdrawn, we can immediately renege on the agreement. 4) Then welcome Ukraine into NATO and ensure the land borders are restored to how they were prior to 2014.

I thought for a while on whether to respond to this false conspiracy theorist post and concluded that if you don't shoot down false information or false conspiracy theories then unfortunately they go unchallenged and gain credence with previously rational people.

So let's start with your figure of $1.7 trillion- the actual US defence spending is $946 billion (2024).

Next I struggle with your lack of understanding of economics that US taxpayers spending $946 billion on a non productive activity such as defence is somehow beneficial to the US economy. Money spent on defence is literally money going up in smoke.

Now if the US were to use that money for say infrastructure projects or even tax cuts than that would be beneficial to the economy (and tax cuts would be more popular with billionaires).

It is for that reason that the US government is actively trying to reduce spending on defence. If defence spending somehow boosted the economy then every Government would be seeking to spend more, whereas in reality spending on defence is a net drain on the economy.

Of course you can argue that without such US defence spending then China would be emboldened to invade Taiwan or that European countries might realise that they have to spend more on defence budgets. But increased spending on defence is certainly not for economic gain or for the gain of "billionaires " unless you live in some kind of far left conspiracy alternative reality.

So Bush wanted to attack Iraq because he felt that the first Gulf War (under his father's presidency) didn't finish the job by removing Saddam Hussein. He was also pissed off by Saddam's on off refusal to allow UN inspectors to investigate weapons of mass destruction developments, namely chemical weapons.

The point that Iraq possessed such chemical weapons is not in doubt nor is their attempt to develop nuclear weapons. However at the point the US has made a massive military deployment for an invasion, Saddam quickly destroyed what research or stockpiles he had of such chemical weapons. However by that point Bush was simply unwilling to ship all the US troops back to the US as it would have been humiliating.

As for Blair he either believed that stockpiles of weapons existed or they didn't. But either way his true motivation was to be seen to be backing the US.

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-november-23-2025/

Key Takeaways

1. US and Ukrainian officials indicated that the initially reported US-proposed 28-point peace plan is not final and is currently undergoing changes.
2. European leaders are reportedly working on a counterproposal to the initial US-proposed 28-point peace plan.
3. Russian officials and ultranationalist voices continued to reject any peace plan, including the initial US-proposed 28-point plan, that does not achieve Russia’s longstanding demands for the destruction of Ukrainian statehood and the weakening of the NATO alliance.
4. The Kremlin is aggrandizing recent Russian military activity to push Ukraine and the West to surrender the territory in Donetsk Oblast that Russian forces are unlikely to seize without several years of campaigning.
5. The situation in the Pokrovsk direction remains serious and dynamic as Russian forces continue to advance to close the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad pocket and Ukrainian forces continue counterattacks.
6. Ukrainian forces are also conducting tactical-level air interdiction lines of effort against Russian logistics that support the Pokrovsk effort.
7. Russian forces recently advanced near Lyman, Pokrovsk, in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area, and in western Zaporizhia Oblast.

@1dayatatime Now if the US were to use that money for say infrastructure projects or even tax cuts than that would be beneficial to the economy (and tax cuts would be more popular with billionaires).

It seems far more likely that tax cuts will happen than investment in infrastructure, from all I've heard.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️US holding secret Ukraine-Russia peace talks (kyivindependent.com/us-holding-secret-ukraine-russia-peace-talks-in-abu-dhabi-ft-reports/) in Abu Dhabi, FT reports.
U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll traveled to Abu Dhabi on Nov. 24 for negotiations with Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's military intelligence chief, and a Russian delegation, the Financial Times (FT) reported.

⚡️US 28-point peace plan cut down after talks (kyivindependent.com/us-28-point-peace-plan-cut-down-after-talks-new-draft-includes-right-elements-zelensky-says/), new draft includes 'right elements,' Zelensky says.
The revised version is more aligned with Ukraine's position, but negotiating a final agreement is "very difficult," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov. 25.

⚡️Ukraine plans Zelensky's visit (kyivindependent.com/zelensky-may-reportedly-visit-us-this-week-to-discuss-peace-with-trump/) to US in November to finalize peace deal with Trump.

⚡️ Ukraine reiterates (kyivindependent.com/ukraine-reiterates-its-red-lines-amid-discussions-on-military-size-territory/) its 'red lines' amid speculations about military size, territory.
Ukraine remains ready for peace talks with Russia but will never legally recognize the Russian occupation or accept restrictions on its army size or alliances, Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk said.

⚡️ Kremlin rejects European counter-proposal (kyivindependent.com/kremlin-rejects-european-counter-proposal-to-us-peace-plan/) to US peace plan for Ukraine.
Kyiv's European partners reportedly pitched the plan as a counter-proposal to a 28-point document backed by the Trump administration, which was criticized for heavily favoring Russia.

⚡️Ukraine war latest updates: (kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2025-11-24/) Russian forces attempt to push Ukrainian army from eastern bank of Oskil River in Kharkiv Oblast, military says.
Russian forces are attempting to push Ukrainian troops from the eastern bank of the Oskil River in the Kupiansk sector of the front line in Kharkiv Oblast, Viktor Tregubov, head of communications for Ukraine's Joint Forces, said on national television on Nov. 24.

⚡️Ukrainian drones target Russian military aircraft (kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-target-russian-military-aircraft-manufacturer-in-reported-strikes/) manufacturer in reported strikes.
In Taganrog, Rostov Oblast, a fire reportedly broke out at the Beriev Aircraft Company, which produces Russian amphibious seaplanes and the rare A-50 spy plane.

⚡️Ukraine war latest updates: (kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2025-11-24/) Ukrainian military receives 1st 100,000 FPV drones via newly piloted national marketplace.
Ukrainian soldiers have received the first 100,000 FPV (first-person-view) drones, nearly a third equipped with fiber-optic technology, through the national marketplace DOT-Chain Defense, Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on Nov. 24.

⚡️Ukrainian agencies deny preparing (kyivindependent.com/law-enforcers-deny-preparing-charges-against-head-of-zelenskys-faction-chief-anti-graft-prosecutor/) charges against head of Zelensky's faction, chief anti-graft prosecutor.
Law enforcement agencies on Nov. 24 denied preparing charges against Ukraine's chief anti-corruption prosecutor, Oleksandr Klymenko, and David Arakhamia, head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's party faction in parliament.

Why Ukraine’s nuclear sector is at the heart of Zelensky’s biggest corruption scandal (kyivindependent.com/how-ukraines-nuclear-company-became-a-cesspit-of-corruption/)
While Russian attacks pounded Ukraine’s power system, one energy company remained mostly unscathed — becoming the cash cow that fueled the largest corruption scheme of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s presidency.

How Russia’s propaganda machine weaponizes mobilization in Ukraine (kyivindependent.com/how-russia-weaponizes-mobilization-fears-in-ukraine/)
The story alleged that Ukraine’s Supreme Court had issued a ruling allowing citizens to shoot employees of Territorial Recruitment Centers (TCCs). Russian outlets like OK.ru declared it a “historic verdict.” Finally, they claimed, Ukrainians had the legal right to resist being “hunted” by their own military.
The claim was false. Fact-checkers at the StopFake project debunked it swiftly. No such ruling exists in Ukraine’s official court registry. The Supreme Court does not have the authority to legalize violence against military personnel.

⚡️Update: Ukrainian homes burn as Russian missiles hit Kyiv (kyivindependent.com/explosions-heard-in-kyiv-as-russia-launches-ballistic-missiles-drones-toward-ukraine/) in mass attack overnight.
Several multistory residential buildings caught fire and at least six people in the capital were injured during what the Energy Ministry called "a massive combined attack...on infrastructure facilities."

⚡️Update: Death toll in mass attack on Kyiv rises to 6 (kyivindependent.com/explosions-heard-in-kyiv-as-russia-launches-ballistic-missiles-drones-toward-ukraine/); Russian drone reportedly enters Romania.
At least six people have been killed in Kyiv after a wave of Russian strikes overnight and in the early hours of Nov. 25.
During the large-scale attack, one Russian drone reportedly crossed the border into Romania, Ukraine's Air Force said.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦‬ ‪@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social‬
· 22s
⚡️ WAR IN UKRAINE & RUSSIA — NOV 25, 2025
■ Casualties remain high while reported engagements are slightly below average
■ Both drone and land-based equipment losses are well above average
■ Major overnight attacks with reported casualties despite a good interception rate
■ Increased air strikes, but MLRS strikes remain below average; three 🇺🇦 strikes reported

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

The Ukrainian and American delegations have reached a common understanding on the key terms of the agreement discussed in Geneva, Umerov said.
He noted that Ukraine expects President Zelenskyy to visit the United States as soon as possible to complete the final stage and reach an agreement with President Trump.

Four men aged 23 to 53 were hospitalized after a Russian UAV struck an enterprise in Chernihiv, the regional administration reported. Enemy drones also hit critical infrastructure in Snovsk.

German Chancellor Merz stated that the success of any plan to end the Russian-Ukrainian war depends on the Kremlin’s genuine readiness for negotiations.
“The joint peace plan is meant to launch the process. And for this to happen, Russia must now sit at the negotiating table. Until there is a visible willingness, there will be neither process nor peace,” the Chancellor said.

🤝 Today, almost 70 delegations from parliaments and international organizations took part in the Crimean Platform summit in Stockholm, Zelenskyy said.
“This is a special format — the parliamentary dimension of the Crimean Platform. The representation is strong and very meaningful. Countries remain on the side of Ukraine, and the hearts of their people remain with Ukraine. We in Ukraine greatly appreciate the principled stance on our country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and on the right of Ukrainians to make their own choices,” the president said.

iPhones could disappear from the Russian market: Apple has warned Indian retailers that they face fines and even cuts in supplies if they re-export smartphones to Russia, according to Business Standard.
If a device is activated with a foreign SIM card within the first 90 days after purchase, the retailer will face penalties — from a large fine to blocking its “store code.”
The publication notes that Apple is applying special scrutiny to the iPhone 17.

😡 Mosfilm and Leningrad Region Museums Supplying the Russian Army with Drones and Electronic Warfare Under the Guise of “Humanitarian Aid” — Radio Svoboda
Mosfilm CEO Karen Shakhnazarov publicly told Putin that the studio had handed over 28 T‑55 tanks, eight PT‑76 tanks, six infantry fighting vehicles, and eight tractors to the Russian Armed Forces.
However, an investigation reveals that between June 2024 and October 2025, Mosfilm also secretly purchased DJI Mavic T3 drones and a wide range of electronic warfare systems worth nearly 6 million rubles.
Among the items were Bulat and Asel drone detectors, Romashka UAV suppressors, and Kapyushon electronic warfare systems.
A similar scheme is operating through state museums in Russia’s Leningrad region — including the Vyborg United Museum-Reserve, the Illichive Museum, and the Korela Fortress.
Only the Vyborg museum alone spent more than 5 million rubles on equipment labeled “for the needs of the SVO.”
Some of the items purchased — including Starlink satellite terminals — are formally banned for use inside Russia.
All transfers of military-use equipment are conducted covertly, with several purchases concealed from official procurement registries.

🤔 The President of Lithuania believes there is a link between the emergence of a peace plan for Ukraine and the recent raids of weather balloons from Belarus.
Nauseda said that discussions around the plan, which partly benefit the Russian Federation, create a favorable environment for autocratic regimes seeking to strengthen their positions or destabilize relations with democratic countries.
“I have noticed many coincidences in timing, when mass balloon invasions occur precisely while discussions are underway on how to improve the plan so that Ukraine is not left alone and its territorial integrity and indivisibility are not violated,” he noted.
Earlier, Lithuania reported that on the night of November 24, 13 flights were canceled at Vilnius Airport due to the balloon raids, and six more were redirected to Kaunas. Over the past 24 hours, more than 40 balloons were also detected in Latvian airspace.

Six residents of Kyiv were killed and fourteen people were injured in the capital as a result of the enemy attack. Eight were hospitalized, including one child. The others received assistance on the spot or as outpatients.

In the Odesa region, six people were injured as a result of enemy attacks, including two children.
According to the State Emergency Service, Russian forces again struck the region yesterday evening and at night. The impacts caused fires at energy and port infrastructure facilities.

President Zelenskyy said Russia used 22 missiles of various types, including aeroballistic ones, and more than 460 drones — mostly Shaheds — during the attack.
He noted that four drones crossed into Moldova and Romania, with their exact flight times recorded.

An owl became entangled in the “anti-drone corridor” net in the Donetsk region and was rescued by Ukrainian fighters.

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Russian officials have called the revised 19-point plan a failure, Bloomberg reports.

White House said the US “CANNOT” supply weapons to Ukraine (www.kyivpost.com/post/64920) indefinitely, adding that Trump’s frustration mirrors growing public fatigue and a push for a diplomatic end to the war.

Peace on hold? Scheduling conflicts and a bruising party schism hobble the urgent push to end the war. Critics say a botched rollout has handed “invaluable political intelligence” to Putin’s Kremlin. (https://www.kyivpost.com/post/64901)

Russia launched two massive strikes on Kyiv, (www.kyivpost.com/post/64911) killing six and injuring 12 civilians.
Residential buildings were hit, critical infrastructure damaged, and rescue efforts continue across the city.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

‼️Updated US peace plan for Ukraine looks very different from the previous version, deputy foreign minister Serhiy Kyslytsia told the Financial Times. He was part of the Ukrainian delegation. According to him:
🔴The plan now has 19 points instead of 28 (the Washington Post notes that the final number is still not fixed). Almost everything Ukraine proposed has been taken into account.
🔴The US agreed not to cap the size of Ukraine’s armed forces at 600,000, as the first version demanded. Limiting the Ukrainian army is a condition Russia has consistently pushed.
🔴The clause on amnesty for potential war criminals was rewritten to reflect “the grievances of those who suffered during the war.”
🔴Negotiators identified several areas where compromise is possible.
🔴The most contentious topics were set aside, including territorial issues and the nature of relations between the US, NATO and Russia. These are to be discussed directly by Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump.
According to the FT, the Ukrainian delegation did not have the authority to decide on territorial matters because any such decision would require a national referendum.
The outlet also notes that there were discussions this week about Zelensky traveling to Washington to finalize the agreement. But some in his inner circle advised him to stay in Kyiv to avoid risking a new conflict with Trump — a conflict that could undo the progress achieved so far.

Russia launched massive overnight attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region. Here is what is known this morning:
🔴Two people were killed in the capital and seven others were injured.
🔴Russian forces struck a 22-storey building in the Pechersk district, a 9-storey building in the Dniprovskyi district, and also hit a two-storey structure.
🔴In the region, the Brovary, Bila Tserkva and Vyshhorod districts came under attack. A 14-year-old child was injured in Bila Tserkva.
🔴According to the Ministry of Energy, energy facilities were targeted in a combined strike. Some areas of Kyiv experienced issues with electricity and water.
🔴Monitoring groups reported that “Kinzhal” and “Kalibr” missiles, as well as drones, were launched at the capital and the region during the night. In the morning, Russia struck Kyiv again: in the Sviatoshyn district a non-residential building was hit, and people may be trapped under the rubble.

Drones struck several regions across Russia, with an aircraft manufacturing plant among the targets.
🔴In Taganrog, Rostov region, a fire broke out near the Beriev aircraft manufacturing plant (TANTK) after a drone attack. Local residents reported that an aircraft was burning. OSINT channels claim that a hangar was hit where Tu-95MS bombers are upgraded to the Tu-95MSM version.
🔴In Novorossiysk, Krasnodar Krai, drones targeted an area housing a military unit equipped with S-400 systems. Local channels say a Russian air-defence missile attempting to intercept the drones instead hit a residential building. The regional governor stated that the Krasnodar region was subjected to one of the longest and most intense attacks to date.
🔴Russia’s Ministry of Defence claims its air defences shot down 249 drones across nine regions, including occupied Crimea.

Ukraine is currently the largest place of crime in the world, - prosecutor Vitaly Dovgal
This means that more than 178,000 Russian war crimes have been recorded in Ukraine.
One of the points of Genva peace plan provides for amnesty for war criminals.

🇱🇹 Lithuania has sentenced a Ukrainian citizen for carrying out an arson attack on an IKEA store on orders from Russian intelligence.
Danyil Bardadymа received 3 years and 4 months in prison.
According to Lithuanian prosecutors, Russian operatives recruited him and another Ukrainian in Warsaw, offering €10,000 to carry out terrorist attacks in shopping centers in Lithuania and Latvia.
In May 2024, the two men planted an explosive device inside the IKEA store in Vilnius, causing a fire. Danyil filmed the arson, disposed of the evidence, and returned to Warsaw, where prosecutors say he received a BMW as payment.
He later planned to set fire to another shopping center in Latvia, but was arrested on his way to Riga.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-russia-war-peace-deal-trump-driscoll-abu-dhabi-talks-latest/

A U.S. official told CBS News on Tuesday that Ukraine's government had "agreed to a peace deal" brokered by the Trump administration to stop Russia's nearly four-year assault.

No details on what has been agreed. Presumably the Russians will consider it unacceptable.

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-november-24-2025/

Key Takeaways

1. US and Ukrainian delegations reportedly narrowed down the initial US-proposed 28-point peace plan to 19 points.
2. The persistent Russian rate of advance does not indicate that Russian forces will imminently seize the rest of Donetsk Oblast.
3. Russian officials and ultranationalist voices continue rejecting the original and revised US-proposed peace plan drafts and are attempting to portray Europe as responsible for the Russian rejection.
4. Ukrainian forces maintain a limited presence and continue to counterattack within Pokrovsk, indicating that Russian forces likely remain unable to rapidly seize Pokrovsk at this time.
5. Russian forces continue to leverage their new offensive template, which heavily relies on battlefield air interdiction (BAI) efforts and infiltration tactics, to advance in the Hulyaipole direction.
6. Belarusian balloons continue incursions in NATO airspace in Lithuania and Latvia.
7. Russian forces recently advanced near Vovchansk, Velykyi Burluk, Siversk, Pokrovsk, Novopavlivka, Velykomykhailivka, and Hulyaipole and in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area.

Hm

Self censorship ... https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/nov/25/rutger-bregman-accuses-bbc-of-censoring-his-reith-lecture-on-trump

The Reith lectures, which have been a flying triumph of intelligent radio broadcasting, are now influenced by the BBC's fear of Trump.

@1dayatatime I was taking your point that we maybe focus on Trump too much but actually, maybe we aren't focusing on the danger of what he's done to the US enough.

Edited: the US and wider.

All leaders who have shown they bend to Trumps wishes have legs of jelly. They cannot be trusted. I think that is pretty much all of them.

I live in hope.

I live in hope it will somehow be accepted, that should have said.

Yes, I know that shouldn't need to add that bit, but sometimes there are people who need it spelling out...

Ditto living in hope that if there is any kind of peace deal Russia will be compelled to adhere to it. Otherwise they just reculent pour mieux sauter.

[edited as I can't type...]

It's late so I will just paste this and go to bed https://x.com/business/status/1993407614370140494

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-november-25-2025/

Key Takeaways

1. The Trump administration continues efforts to negotiate a peace deal to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.
2. Ukrainian officials continue to express support for the latest 19-point peace plan and demonstrate Ukraine’s willingness to engage in further talks.
3. Russian officials are attempting to exploit the lack of clarity about the outcome of the August 2025 US-Russian Alaska summit to conceal the Kremlin’s continued unwillingness to compromise and its commitment to its maximalist demands.
4. Russia killed at least seven Ukrainian civilians and injured at least 20 in Kyiv City and struck Ukrainian energy infrastructure during combined missile and drone strikes on the night of November 24 to 25.
5. Russian drones violated Romanian and Moldovan airspaces on the night of November 24 to 25 during combined missile and drone strikes against Ukraine.
6. The situation in the Pokrovsk direction remains serious and dynamic as Russian forces continue to leverage their new offensive template to seize Pokrovsk and encircle Ukrainian forces in Myrnohrad.
7. Russian forces are employing their new offensive template in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area, setting conditions for a future dedicated effort to seize Kostyantynivka and threaten the Ukrainian Fortress Belt from the south.
8. Russian forces recently advanced near Novopavlivka.

Witkoff outed as a Russian asset gets Trump's backing and is off to the Kremlin again, possibly joined by Kushner

https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-backs-steve-witkoff-after-leak-reveals-advised-vladimir-putin-aide-ukraine-deal/

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Witkoff to meet (kyivindependent.com/witkoff-to-meet-putin-as-us-sends-delegations-to-ukraine-russia-in-hopes-of-finalizing-peace-plan/) Putin as US sends delegations to Ukraine, Russia in 'hopes of finalizing' peace plan.
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet Putin in Moscow as Washington aims to finalize a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Nov. 25.

⚡️Trump walks back Ukraine deadline (kyivindependent.com/trump-walks-back-deadline-for-ukraine-peace-deal/), says 28-point peace plan was 'just a map.’
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Nov. 25 that there is no specific deadline for Ukraine to accept the initially drafted 28-point proposal, easing previous statements that implied he hoped for a Thanksgiving agreement. "The deadline for me is when it’s over," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.

⚡️'Donetsk and maybe a land swap' — Witkoff promised (kyivindependent.com/witkoff-says-he-has-space-to-reach-ukraine-russia-peace-deal-zelensky-to-visit-white-house-bloomberg-reports/) Russian aides he could sway Trump, pressure Ukraine into peace deal in secret phone recording.
In a recorded Oct. 14 phone call between U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and top Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, Witkoff told Russian officials he could pressure Ukraine — and U.S. President Donald Trump — into accepting a Moscow-friendly peace deal, Bloomberg reported on Nov. 25.

Ukraine rejects using Russian assets as bargaining chip in peace talks (kyivindependent.com/ukraine-rejects-using-russian-assets-as-bargaining-chip-in-peace-talks/)
Ukraine says Russia’s frozen assets should not be used as a bargaining chip in peace talks, and is pressing Brussels to finalize a loan backed by the funds.

⚡️ Ukraine agrees to cap its army at 800,000 (kyivindependent.com/kyiv-us-agree-to-cap-ukraines-military-at-800-000-in-revised-peace-plan-ft-reports/) in revised US peace plan, FT reports.
A Ukrainian army of this size would still remain the second-largest European force after Russia and put it close to its current wartime strength of about 900,000 service members.

⚡️Coalition of the Willing meets, agrees to develop 'robust security guarantees' (kyivindependent.com/coalition-of-the-willing-meets-agrees-to-develop-ukraines-security-guarantees-amid-peace-talks/) for Ukraine amid peace talks.
Ukraine and its allies met on Nov. 25 for a "Coalition of the Willing" meeting to discuss security guarantees amid intensified efforts by the U.S. to broker a peace deal.

⚡️ Ukraine reportedly destroys 2 Russian aircraft, including rare A-60 laser platform (kyivindependent.com/ukraine-reportedly-destroys-2-russian-aircraft-including-rare-a-60/).
The A-60 is a rare Soviet-era experimental aircraft developed to test missile defense and anti-satellite technologies.

⚡️Drones strike Russia’s Cheboksary, reports say electronic warfare plant (kyivindependent.com/drones-strike-russias-cheboksary-reports-say-electronic-warfare-plant-hit-again/) hit again.
VNIIR-Progress is a Russian state institute involved in designing electronic warfare systems, including the Kometa antenna used to interfere with satellite, radio, and radar signals.

⚡️Ukraine war latest live: SBU drones strike Russian oil terminal, navy base in Novorossiysk, source says.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) carried out a drone strike (kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-2025-11-25/)on the Russian Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk overnight on Nov. 24-25, hitting an oil terminal and the navy base, sources in the SBU told the Kyiv Independent.

⚡️ French, UK, Turkish troops could be deployed in Ukraine right after peace deal, Macron says. (kyivindependent.com/peacekeepers-from-france-uk-turkey-could-be-deployed-to-ukraine-right-after-peace-deal-macron-says/)

⚡️Ukraine releases list of foreign components (kyivindependent.com/ukraine-releases-list-of-foreign-components-in-russian-shahed-107-drones-used-to-strike-front-line-areas/) in Russian Shahed-107 drones used to strike front-line areas
Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) on Nov. 25 published a list of foreign components used to produce Shahed-107 drones, which Russia deploys to strike front-line areas, and warned of "deepening" cooperation” between Iran and Russia.

Trump’s peace plan takes the heat off Zelensky amid major corruption scandal (kyivindependent.com/us-peace-plan-pushes-corruption-scandal-aside-fails-to-contain-zelenskys-political-risks/)
As Zelensky was hit with a large-scale corruption scandal and a controversial peace plan at the same time earlier this month, his position seemed desperate and vulnerable to many.
But in fact the foreign policy crisis helped Zelensky to sideline the domestic controversy.
“(Trump’s peace plan) was a shock for everyone in Ukraine. It shifted the focus from the corruption scandal to a much more dangerous external threat,” political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko told the Kyiv Independent.

⚡️Law enforcement agencies colluded (kyivindependent.com/law-enforcement-agencies-cooperated-with-corruption-suspects-before-launching-attack-on-nabu-detective-says/) with corruption suspects before attack on anti-graft bodies, detective says.
Law enforcement agencies together with suspects in a large-scale corruption case allegedly collected information on investigators of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) before one of the detectives was arrested in July, Oleksandr Abakumov, a NABU detective, said on Nov. 25.

Built during war, shattered overnight — Kyiv distribution center hit hard by Russian strike (kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-supermarket-chain-torn-apart-by-russian-attack/)
A Russian missile attack overnight on Kyiv destroyed operations at a distribution center of Ukrainian supermarket chain Novus built during the full-scale invasion, killing four drivers and forcing the facility to shut down.

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

❗️ President Trump stated that he had not set any deadline for reaching a peace agreement in Ukraine.
He emphasized that many points of the plan are already agreed upon, and that Whitkoff’s meeting with Putin in Moscow is scheduled for next week.
Other statements by Trump:
▫️ Trump claims that Ukraine is “losing land anyway,” saying Kyiv will have to choose between further casualties or trying to stop the war now.
▫️ Europe, he says, will be heavily involved in creating security guarantees and has a direct interest in ending the war.
▫️ According to him, negotiations are progressing. Ukraine is “performing well” and is satisfied with the results. Talks with Russia continue, though disagreements remain on several points of the plan.

🤔 Putin is considering taking an “unpopular decision” in response to U.S. sanctions, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said.
According to him, restrictions imposed on Rosneft and Lukoil are having a significant impact. The Kremlin is now weighing the possibility of raising taxes inside Russia.
Rutte noted that for any politician, raising taxes is the last step one wants to take because it is unpopular with voters.

If Putin has reached the point where he is forced to consider tax hikes, Rutte said, it speaks volumes about the situation inside Russia. The war against Ukraine is directly affecting the lives of Russians.

🇬🇧 Britain is ready to join the EU project to provide Ukraine with financing based on frozen Russian assets, Prime Minister Starmer said during an online meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing”.
He stressed that Ukraine must be supported right now: “Even while working towards peace, we cannot weaken support so that Ukraine can continue the fight.”

❗️France and the United Kingdom are forming a working group to agree on security guarantees for Ukraine — Macron.
“We have decided to create a working group tomorrow, led by France and the United Kingdom, with the close participation of Türkiye, which plays a key role in the maritime dimension, and — for the first time — with the participation of the United States.
The coming days will provide an opportunity to precisely define the contribution of each party and thus finalize these security guarantees,” the French president said.
He emphasized that the next few days will allow all participants to clearly outline their roles and complete work on the guarantees.

🤡 Russia has begun recruiting seven times more foreigners into its army — CNN.
Moscow is actively recruiting citizens from more than a hundred countries, including Tajiks, Uzbeks, Kenyans, Nepalese, Indians and South Africans.
According to the American TV channel, this surge may indicate mobilization problems or significant losses at the front.
OpenMinds reports that since the summer of 2025, ads for foreign recruits have sharply increased. By mid-year, every third post on the Russian social network VKontakte — banned in Ukraine — targeted foreigners, compared to just 7% a year earlier.
Secretary of the Coordination Staff Dmitry Usov said that over 18,000 citizens from 128 countries have fought or are fighting for the Russian Armed Forces, with at least 3,388 confirmed dead. These figures do not include DPRK military personnel.

❗️Trump announced “incredible progress” on the peace plan and outlined the condition for a personal meeting with Zelenskyy and Putin.

In Warsaw, a tent of Russian supporters was dismantled, and the organizer of the action was sent to a psychiatric clinic.
A year ago, a tent of “Putin lovers” appeared opposite the US embassy. From there, anti-Ukrainian materials were distributed, portraying Russia as a “victim of war” and Europe and the US as aggressors. It could not be removed earlier, as it did not violate protest regulations.
During an inspection, gas cylinders were found inside the tent, which became grounds for its dismantling. The organizer, Andrzej Zakszewski, tried to stop the demolition and attacked security forces, after which he was hospitalized in a psychiatric clinic.

The death toll from the Russian attack in Kyiv [yesterday] has risen to seven, Klitschko reported.
Rescuers found the body of a man under the rubble in the Desnyanskyi district.

🇺🇦🏊‍♂️ Ukrainian Kateryna Sadurska sets a new world record in freediving
Sadurska dived 86 meters without fins or any equipment, setting a new world record in the CNF discipline at the Blue Element 2025 competition in Dominica.
“This is more than just a new record — it is an absolute benchmark in the most challenging discipline of freediving. Every meter of this dive was extraordinary,” the post noted.

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Ukraine has agreed to the core terms of a peace proposal brokered (www.kyivpost.com/post/64976) by the Trump administration, with only minor details left to finalize, as US-mediated talks with Russian officials continue in Abu Dhabi.

Trump says he is ready to sit down with both Zelensky and Putin, but only once a deal to end the war is either finalized or entering its decisive phase.
He has also dispatched Steve Witkoff to meet with Putin, while sending Christopher Driscoll to engage with the Ukrainian side.

Putin’s top aide Ushakov told Russia TV he did NOT know how the recordings leaked, (www.kyivpost.com/post/65019) adding that he speaks with Witkoff regularly but does not comment on their conversations.

A phone call with Putin in October convinced Trump NOT to supply Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine — the Wall Street Journal
Trump’s envoy Witkoff passed information to Russian officials about President Zelensky’s planned visit to the United States, during which Kyiv intended to press for the transfer of Tomahawk missiles.
This allowed the Kremlin to pre-emptively arrange a call between Putin and Trump — a conversation that once again shifted the tone of negotiations between Washington and Kyiv.

Veteran US diplomats and a NATO general warn accelerated (www.kyivpost.com/post/64986) Trump peace push will fail unless Moscow is shown firm resolve.

Ukraine will receive $5 billion worth of weapons under the PURL program by the end of the year, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in an interview with El País.
Rutte added that Ukraine is already receiving around $1 billion in weapons every month.

As Trump touts a quick Ukraine deal, a Kyiv Post interview with analyst David Satter reveals how Kremlin tactics turn negotiations into traps that test Western unity and resolve.
Watch the full episode on our website:

In a bold, coordinated operation striking targets hundreds of kilometers apart, Ukraine unleashed dozens of drones and missiles (www.kyivpost.com/post/64965) that tore into multiple high-value Russian sites — hitting a military airfield, a bomber repair plant, a kamikaze drone factory, a high-tech air-defense unit, and two oil refineries.

Ukraine hits Russian factory making drone and missile parts (www.kyivpost.com/post/64998) more than 1,000 km inside Russia.
The VNIIRE-Progress plant produces key electronics for Moscow’s arsenal — including Kometa antennas for Geran drones and receivers for Kalibr and Iskander missiles.

Ukraine unleashed another massive overnight drone assault (www.kyivpost.com/post/64941) on Russia’s strategic port of Novorossiysk — hammering the Sheskharis oil terminal, knocking out S-300/S-400 air-defence systems and damaging a large Russian landing ship.

Russia poured nearly €400 million into influencing Moldova’s September parliamentary elections (www.kyivpost.com/post/64925) — all to tilt the vote toward Moscow-friendly candidates.

Russia has destroyed the only logistics center of one of Ukraine’s largest grocery chains, Novus.
Operations at the facility have been completely halted, and damage assessments are underway.
The company says there will be no product shortages in its stores.
The logistics center had been operating for less than a year and supplied the entire Novus network with daily deliveries.

At least 19 civilians were injured as a Russian strike ripped (www.kyivpost.com/post/65002) through a residential district in Zaporizhzhia — obliterating more than 30 apartment blocks and 20 private homes.
Rescue crews are still scrambling through the devastation.

A Russian “Gerbera” drone marked with the Kremlin’s “Z” symbol crashed onto the roof of a home in Moldova, shaking a quiet village near the Romanian border.
The drone went down on 25 November in Cuhureștii de Jos, Florești district, landing on the house of a local security guard. Police say the UAV is a cheaper Russian-made copy of the Iranian Shahed-136 kamikaze drone — the same type Russia routinely uses in its attacks on Ukraine.
An explosives team rushed to the scene, evacuating residents and sealing off the area as they inspected the wreckage.
The crash came just hours after surveillance systems in both Moldova and Romania detected multiple drones crossing their airspace — underscoring how the war continues to spill over into neighboring countries.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

🇭🇺 Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will travel to Moscow on Friday, November 28, for a meeting with Vladimir Putin, investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi reports.

The Associated Press has released exclusive footage showing the destruction of Naftogaz’s gas infrastructure following Russian attacks. Several facilities were completely destroyed.
Because of the damage, Ukraine has been forced to import additional gas from the EU and the United States.
According to Naftogaz CEO Serhiy Koretskyi, the company is working with American partners to increase purchases of U.S. LNG.
t.me/liveukraine_media/36083

The Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces has published photos of the Russian aircraft destroyed today in Taganrog. Here’s what is known about them.
🔵The first aircraft is the experimental A-100 radar plane based on the Il-76.
It was the only prototype Russia had and was intended to replace the Soviet-era A-50 fleet. In 2020, Russia planned to build a second A-100, and by 2024 launch serial production. That never happened — the sole A-100, still without its radar module, sat in Taganrog until it was hit by Ukrainian drones.
🔵The second aircraft is the A-60, a laser-weapon carrier.
Russia had only two of them. One was destroyed years ago during laser-system testing. The A-60 was a Soviet project designed for shooting down American satellites with a laser cannon. The program was shelved due to lack of funding.
Significant damage was also inflicted on the final-assembly workshop at the Taganrog aviation plant, which modernizes A-50 aircraft and Tu-95MS bombers.