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The Kyiv Independent [unofficial]
Russia’s war against Ukraine
A man collects water from a public drinking fountain due to the lack of a centralized water supply on Nov. 4, 2026 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (BrightBird/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Russian strikes cause Kyiv’s worst water outage of full-scale war. “This is the most serious water outage in Kyiv since the war began. It is also expected that the situation will worsen in the winter,” Mykhailo Yatsuk, director of the Institute of Water Problems and Land Reclamation, told the Kyiv Independent.
Zelensky lands in Spain to discuss air defense. “We are grateful to Spain for the assistance provided. Further support steps are being prepared,” Zelensky said on X upon arrival.
Russia has capacity to produce over 200 ballistic, cruise missiles per month, Ukraine’s military intelligence says. Of this estimated monthly capacity, up to 110 are ballistic missiles, according to HUR.
‘Security guarantees must be ironclad’ — Zelensky speaks to Trump’s envoys ahead of trilateral peace talks. Zelensky said he “had a very detailed conversation” with Witkoff and Kushner that lasted an hour and a half. Among the primary topics were air defense munitions, the U.S.-Ukraine Drone Deal, and post-war security guarantees.
Russia arming drones with propaganda, cyber threats, Ukraine’s drone commander warns. Ukrainian soldiers on Nov. 4 shot down a Russian Shahed drone carrying an unusual payload: “a bundle of propaganda leaflets from the enemy,” Robert “Madyar” Brovdi reported.
Law enforcement detains 2 female suspects linked to clashes near Kyiv, media reports. The suspects have been accused of obstructing lawful military activities, disclosing the location of military facilities without authorization, and spreading false information.
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SBU dismisses senior officials after anti-graft agencies probe possible role in high-profile case
Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies said on Nov. 4 they had exposed a criminal group accused of “systematically bribing” senior law enforcement officials to secure protection for scam call centers and other illegal businesses.
Photo: Yevhen Kotenko/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing
Who is Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s ombudsman walking a fine line with Russia
Lubinets played a key role in evacuating residents from Russian-occupied Oleshky, but images of him shaking hands and exchanging warm greetings with his Russian counterpart, Yana Lantratova, have also prompted criticism in Ukraine.
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Photo: AP Photo/Vasilisa Stepanenko_
EU says Ukraine must speed up rule of law reforms to meet accession goals
While the Commission says it is committed to supporting Ukraine’s “ambitious” objective of closing accession negotiations by the end of 2028, it also says “that to meet it, an acceleration of the pace of reforms is required.”
Photo: Florian Gaertner / Photothek via Getty Image
Democrats seize control of Congress in blow to Trump, potential boost for Ukraine
Democratic lawmakers have vowed to rein in Trump’s approach to Russia, Ukraine, and the Middle East, potentially creating more pressure on the administration to maintain support for Kyiv and take a tougher line toward Moscow.
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Photo: Aaron Schwartz / AFP via Getty Images_
Human costs of war
‘Insane attack’ — Death toll from Russian attack on Komyshuvakha rises to 40 as search operation enters 3rd day. More than 30 people may still be trapped under the rubble, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Russian attacks kill 6, injure 50 across Ukraine over past day, as energy facilities targeted in multiple regions. Russian forces continued to target the energy infrastructure of Ukraine over the past day, including Odesa, Kirovohrad, Zhytomyr, western Ternopil, Volyn, and Rivne oblasts, the local authorities said on Oct. 4.
International response
Moldova outpaces Ukraine on new EU membership roadmap. Ukraine and Moldova are both expected to make strides toward EU membership next year, even as Chisinau outpaces Kyiv on reforms, according to accession roadmaps published by the European Commission on Nov. 4.
Ukraine, partners coordinate peace efforts ahead of Abu Dhabi talks with Russia. The European Commission hosted talks on Ukraine in Brussels on Nov. 4, bringing together representatives from the U.S., Ukraine, NATO, and several European countries to discuss efforts to end Russia’s war.
Zelensky awards Melania Trump Ukraine’s Order of Princess Olga for humanitarian work. The decree credited Melania Trump with a “significant personal contribution to humanitarian support for Ukraine.”
In other news
Kyiv Independent hit by suspected Russian cyberattack. “This is the first time an attack like this has happened to us, and we are treating it very seriously,” said Olga Rudenko, the Kyiv Independent’s editor-in-chief.
PrivatBank secures major victory in $3 billion battle against former oligarch owners. The U.K.’s Supreme Court rejected PrivatBank’s former owners’ final appeal in a $3 billion fraud case, in a major victory for the state-owned Ukrainian bank that clears the way to pursue recovery of the funds worldwide.
Thinking about investing in Ukraine and looking for practical insights?
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These guides offer clear advice on how to invest in Ukraine by covering key sectors and business opportunities and breaking down topics like capital controls, financing limits, foreign investment, and war-related risk management.
No series of business guides can ever be comprehensive, so think of these as a useful roadmap for starting your journey when investing in Ukraine.
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