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The Kyiv Independent [unofficial]
Russia’s war against Ukraine
A woman touches a portrait of her fallen son, near a makeshift memorial for Ukrainian and foreign soldiers on Independence Square in Kyiv on Nov. 2, 2026. (Tetiana Dzhafarova/AFP via Getty Images)
Ukrainian journalists urge global media not to look away from Russian aggression. “Fellow journalists, do everything in your power to prevent your countries from siding with evil,” Ukrainian journalists said in a joint video appeal to their international colleagues.
Protesters, National Guard hold tense standoff over detainment of service members, draftees. Videos circulating on social media appear to show a tense standoff, with people demanding access to the building.
Russian missile attack hits Kharkiv medical facility, 46 casualties reported. Terekhov said approximately 200 patients would be evacuated to other medical facilities as emergency services worked at the scene.
Ukraine’s air raid alert system hacked, Russian system targeted hours later.
Ukraine’s air raid alert system was hacked late on Nov. 1, the Air Force said as sirens sounded across the country, falsely notifying people of nuclear, chemical, and street fighting threats.
Zelensky confirms Ukraine targeted Russian emergency alert systems in retaliatory hack. Late on Nov. 1, Ukraine’s Air Alert app, which provides vital updates to citizens about incoming Russian strikes, was hacked. Hours after the false warnings were sent to Ukrainian citizens’ phones, Russia’s own air raid alert system began to show signs of being compromised.
Russia exploits ceasefire to mask military movements, General Staff says. Russia used the humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshky to rotate soldiers, improve fighting positions, expand anti-drone netting on key logistics routes, and resupply soldiers with ammunition, Ukraine’s General Staff said on Nov. 2.
Zelensky says he’s ready to meet Putin in Turkey. A meeting between the leaders is essential, said Zelensky, adding that Turkey can be a practical and realistic mediator of future talks between Moscow and Kyiv.
Russia formally leaves Council of Europe’s anti-torture convention. “The withdrawal of the Russian Federation marks the end of the CPT’s monitoring mandate in the country,” said Alan Mitchell, the president of the CPT.
Nearly 800 people evacuated from Oleshky, Melania Trump says, as Kyiv, Moscow withhold figures. Ukraine’s Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said at a press conference on Nov. 2 that Kyiv and Moscow could not officially disclose the number of people evacuated from Oleshky under the terms of the prior agreement.
Some Oleshky residents remain seeking evacuation, others still on the road to Ukraine, Lubinets says. The exact number of people still remaining in Oleshky cannot currently be verified, Lubinets said, answering a question from the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine also cannot reveal the number of evacuees as stipulated by an agreement with Russia, he added.
Kremlin rules out further humanitarian operations like Oleshky evacuation for now. Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Fox News that Ukraine would welcome further humanitarian ceasefires in other parts of the front line.
Russia adapts decoy drone for one-way attacks at ranges of up to 1,200 kilometers, HUR says. According to a technical breakdown published by HUR, the new version, called the Gerbera-2, has a range of 1,200 kilometers and carries a 25-kilogram warhead.
Su-57 destroyed in engine fire at Akhtubinsk airfield in Russia, HUR confirms.
HUR suggested that the fire may have resulted from deteriorating jet fuel quality linked to Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, according to a Nov. 2 social media statement.
Russian attacks increase Ukraine’s need for foreign aid, Bloomberg report finds.
With economic activity expected to contract in 2026 for the first time since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, continued Western funding will be increasingly important to sustaining Ukraine’s defense and keeping the state functioning, a report by Bloomberg found.
Air raid alerts shut Ukrainian malls for record one-third of opening hours in October. The alerts accounted for 32.5% of their operating time, up 1.7% from September and almost three times the share recorded a year earlier, according to the Ukrainian Council of Shopping Centers (UCSC).
Russian Defense Ministry to propose delaying troop salary payments, media reports. The Joint Group of Forces, the command currently fighting in Ukraine, would be exempted from the rule and receive their December pay before the new year, Verstka said.
Putin orders Russian data centers to reserve capacity to assist state IT infrastructure. With the decree, a newly established government commission will have the authority to claim reserved capacity, which must be made accessible within 24 hours of the government’s notification.
Witkoff reveals location, date for new trilateral peace deal negotiations. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced on Nov. 3 that new rounds of trilateral peace negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. will be held on Nov. 10 in Abu Dhabi.
Russian oil refinery in Yaroslavl reportedly struck, multiple fires reported.
Ukraine has repeatedly targeted the facility, including most recently, a Sept. 17 strike that damaged its AVT-3 crude oil processing unit, according to Ukraine’s General Staff.
Read our exclusives
Ukraine, EU split over US-backed plan to bring Russian gas back to Europe
Under the proposed arrangement, Russian gas would flow to Europe through the Brotherhood pipeline, an export network stretching around 4,500 kilometers (2,800 miles) from Siberian gas fields, including Urengoy, through Russia and Ukraine to Central and Western Europe.
Photo: Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu via Getty Images
How did Vienna become safe haven for oligarchs and fugitives?
Austria’s reluctance to extradite prominent foreign figures has repeatedly raised questions about its willingness to cooperate with international criminal investigations.
Photo: Joe Klamar/AFP via Getty Images
Human costs of war
Russian attacks kill 2, injure over 30 across Ukraine over past day as 10 regions face power outages. The power supply situation was most difficult in Dnipropetrovsk and Kyiv oblasts following Russian attacks, the Energy Ministry said.
Russia lost 1 soldier every 35 seconds on Nov. 1, Ukraine’s General Staff says. Russian forces suffered a record 2,500 personnel losses on Nov. 1, Ukraine’s General Staff said.
‘Exceptionally horrific strike’ — Russian bombs hit school used as humanitarian aid center in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, killing 26. Following the initial strike, Russian forces dropped another nine aerial bombs on a shelter where people were taking refuge, Zelensky said.
International response
China not interested in US-Russia summit on Ukraine, German president claims.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was surprised by the proposal and noted that European officials should be involved in resolving the war, as it is taking place on the European continent, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said.
Poland deploys counterterrorism police near Russian border amid sabotage warnings. According to RMF FM, Polish military intelligence and allied intelligence services warned last week that acts of sabotage could occur near the Russian border, potentially including incursions by armed groups.
In other news
UK intercepts Russian spy ship monitoring NATO military exercises. British helicopters tracked a Russian intelligence ship, Viktor Leonov, as it was “closely monitoring” NATO military drills off the coast of Scotland, the Royal Navy said.
Russia-friendly Yotova wins Bulgaria’s presidential runoff. Iliana Yotova, who opposes military aid for Ukraine and calls for a dialogue with Moscow, won 57.58% of the Nov. 1 vote, with 99.95% of the polling station protocols processed.
’Tis the season to shop Ukrainian: Kyiv Independent launches 2026 Holiday Gift Guide
Our second annual Holiday Gift Guide is packed with hand-picked, Ukrainian-made finds for every taste and budget. Every purchase supports local designers, artisans, and entrepreneurs — so let your good taste do some good.
“You can’t tell Ukraine’s story without showcasing the country’s creativity and creators. As a huge fan (and shopper!) of Ukrainian brands, I couldn’t be more excited to put these names in front of the world.”
— Liliane Bivings,
Kyiv Independent business editor
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