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Russian attacks hit Ukraine’s Sumy region, leaving one injured and damaging civilian infrastructure.mp4
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Moscow has committed “crimes against humanity” in its war in Ukraine, a new UN report has found.
Russian authorities continuously attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during freezing temperatures last winter, which led to “intolerable” living conditions for Ukrainians, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine said.
It claimed Moscow had also intentionally directed attacks at civilian targets and that it had found “compelling evidence” that Russian authorities had trafficked people to fight from 29 countries, which it said is against international law.
It comes after a Ukrainian official contested Elon Musk’s claims that its military violated the terms of use for Starlink’s communications system, leading to restrictions on Kyiv‘s access to high-speed satellite technology.
Having previously blamed the decision to throttle Kyiv’s Starlink access on the White House, Musk said on Saturday that the Ukrainian military used Starlink “for offensive drone strikes to kill people”, in contravention to the terms of use.
Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to president Volodymyr Zelensky, rejected that claim, arguing the restrictions would have made it “physically impossible” for Ukraine to use Starlink in the types of strikes he described.
Russia 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.
Maroosha Muzaffar27 October 2026 02:59
Planned 3-way peace talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States next month do not place any restrictions on either side when it comes to continuing military action, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, when asked about a Ukrainian attack on the Russian region of Voronezh.
Peskov said Russia and Ukraine continued to carry out strikes on each other regardless of an agreement to resume 3-way negotiations which are scheduled to be held in a couple of weeks in Abu Dhabi or Switzerland.
Dmitry Peskov (AFP/Getty)
Nicole Wootton-Cane27 October 2026 02:00
A Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Monday killed at least one person and injured 10, including students at a dormitory, officials said.
The late-evening attack hit an educational institution, residences, an underground station and medical facilities.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, writing on Telegram, said one person had been killed near a supermarket. Ukraine’s state rescue services said a body was found by a heavily damaged apartment building.
Klitschko put the number of injured at 10, many of them outside a student dormitory at the State Trade and Economics University on the east side of the Dnipro River. Nine people were being treated in hospital, with three in serious condition.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, also writing on Telegram, gave no precise figures for dead and injured.
“For the moment, the number of people is not exactly known,” Zelenskiy said. “But, unfortunately, there are casualties. There are injured. Rescue operations are continuing.”
A police officer inspects the site of a food production facility hit by a Russian missile strike (Reuters)
Nicole Wootton-Cane27 October 2026 01:00
The 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.
Nicole Wootton-Cane27 October 2026 00:00
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that “casualties and injured” occurred in a missile attack that struck an educational institution, a park, residences and the city’s metro.
“For the moment, the number of people is not exactly known,” Zelensky said on Telegram. “But, unfortunately, there are casualties. There are injured. Rescue operations are contining.”
The president added: “It is precisely in such conditions, when the threat is constant, when strikes can happen at any moment and on cities and villages, that artificial delays in air defence for Ukraine are helping terror.”
It comes after he criticised the US for delays in issuing Patriot air missiles for Ukraine earlier on Monday.
Nicole Wootton-Cane26 October 2026 23:40
Serbia’s long-standing leader Aleksandar Vucic, admitted defeat on Sunday following an election against a broad, student-led opposition movement that had demonstrated against his government for two years.
His loss represents a major political transformation in the Balkan nation, where Vucic held near-total authority for 14 years. Endorsed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Vucic had condemned the student protesters, framing their campaign as a foreign plot to remove him.
Crowds quickly gathered in the capital, Belgrade, and across other Serbian cities to celebrate the outcome.
Nicole Wootton-Cane26 October 2026 22:00
Two people have been killed and four injured in Russian strikes on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
He said there had been three strikes on a city district and that a high-rise apartment block and private homes had been damaged.
Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said Russian forces had launched missiles at the city, a frequent target of attacks about 30 km (18 miles) from the Russian border.
In neighbouring Dnipropetrovsk region, Governor Oleksandr Hanzha said Russian forces had launched more than 50 drone and artillery attacks.
A drone strike in the city of Pavlohrad killed one person and wounded 10, he said. Three of the injured were seriously hurt.
Nicole Wootton-Cane26 October 2026 21:00
The Ukrainian capital Kyiv was under missile attack from Russian forces on Monday and the city’s mayor said there had been a strike next to an underground station.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko also said an emergency crew had come under attack and there were some injuries.
Pictures posted online on unofficial Telegram channels showed damage at an underground station. Other posts said energy infrastructure sites had come under attack.
Reuters witnesses said a series of explosions had jolted the city. They said power had been cut in districts on the east side of the Dnipro River.
Nicole Wootton-Cane26 October 2026 20:30
Trump says Musk restored Ukraine’s Starlink access, declines to say if they spoke
Nicole Wootton-Cane26 October 2026 20:00
Russia is reviewing various proposals to ensure the safe transport of grain across the Black Sea, and is in contact with Turkey on this issue, Interfax news agency reported on Monday, citing Russian deputy foreign minister Alexander Alimov.
“We are in dialogue with all countries – and by that I mean Turkey as well. And not just with Turkey, we are discussing this issue with various countries, but so far I do not see any prospects for reviving the grain deal,” Interfax quoted Russian deputy foreign minister Alexander Alimov as saying.
Nicole Wootton-Cane26 October 2026 19:00