Zelensky: ‘A very detailed discussion with Witkoff and Kushner; we are preparing for a trilateral meeting.’ Zaporizhzhia: Russian attack on aid centre

“The EU remains united and steadfast in its support for Ukraine.” This is the statement issued by the European Commission following talks attended by delegations from Ukraine, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the United States, alongside representatives from NATO and the World Bank, to discuss Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction and prosperity. It is emphasised that, as the main supporter, the EU has provided €231.5 billion since the start of Russia’s war of aggression. And whilst efforts to achieve a lasting peace for Ukraine continue, so too does the EU’s commitment to strengthening the country.

According to reports, the talks highlighted the importance of the ambitious reform programme that Ukraine is implementing as part of its EU accession process. The programme is a key factor for stability and, in turn, bolsters investor confidence, playing a significant role in attracting private capital and ensuring continued international support. It is noted that the talks follow on from recent meetings held in Miami and are based on the framework for prosperity drawn up earlier this year, in collaboration with Ukraine and the United States. The work carried out today and that planned for the future, the European Commission reports, focuses on defining scenarios for Ukraine’s post-war economic development and prosperity. This includes identifying tools and mechanisms capable of supporting the country’s future development and its own efforts in this regard.

“I’d like to put forward a point for consideration: if sending weapons and money, along with sanctions, hasn’t worked for four years, then it is diplomacy that we need to invest in. If Trump grasps the significance of yesterday’s abstention – given that talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States are due to take place next week – I hope we won’t have to get to that point.” This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister and League leader Matteo Salvini, speaking on “Point Break – Il punto di rottura’, San Marino RTV’s current affairs programme directed by Roberto Sergio and presented by Monica Giandotti and Daniele Ruvinetti, in response to a question about the possibility of the League voting against further shipments of arms and economic aid to Ukraine.

Russia has never threatened anyone, nor does it threaten anyone, Vladimir Putin stated during the awards ceremony honouring contributions to strengthening Russian national unity. Putin emphasised that Russia seeks cooperation with other countries. “We are ready for this, we are committed to it, and we thank you and all those around the world who wish to build relations with Russia on this basis,” said the head of state, as quoted by Russian news agencies.

The death toll from the Russian attack on Komyshuvakha, in the Zaporizhzhia region, has risen to 40. Volodymyr Zelensky announced this in a message on Telegram, noting that some bodies have not yet been identified. The previous death toll reported by local authorities stood at 37. The Ukrainian president confirmed that search operations are continuing for the third consecutive day. In condemning the “extremely meagre international response” to this “senseless attack”, Zelensky called on Kyiv’s partners to step up their support for Ukraine’s air defence “with immediate effect”.

“What are my expectations? My expectation is that the councillors will bear very firmly in mind the document we agreed with the foreign ministers regarding Europe’s request to Russia, because so far the negotiations have focused solely on what Ukraine should give up or what concessions it should make.” This was stated by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas regarding the Commission meeting between representatives of the US, the EU, the E3, NATO and the World Bank. “This is why we have drawn up more demanding demands to redress the balance at the negotiating table somewhat, as Russia continues to put forward its utterly maximalist demands and our side must also put forward demands in order to begin negotiations on an equal footing,” added Kallas, “so I hope this will be respected”. Representatives from the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, NATO and the European Union will meet at the European Commission’s headquarters in Brussels. Discussions are expected to focus on security measures for the period following the end of the war in Ukraine, the massive reconstruction effort that will be required, and also the various ‘economic opportunities’ that peace could bring.

‘Ukraine remains committed to its path towards EU accession despite the challenges caused by Russia’s war of aggression, having launched four clusters over the past year: the Commission’s assessment remains that Ukraine has met the conditions required for the launch of all remaining clusters.’ This is stated in the European Commission’s annual enlargement report. “Ukraine has continued to make progress on key sectoral reforms. Its institutional framework for combating corruption remains effective, with specialised institutions continuing to operate, on the whole, independently and effectively. The focus should now be on meeting the benchmarks relating to the rule of law, as well as on implementing the roadmaps concerning the rule of law, the functioning of democratic institutions and public administration reform, and on the action plan on national minorities. It is important that Ukraine continues to accelerate the pace of reforms, so as to put the country in a position to achieve its ambitious goal of concluding accession negotiations by the end of 2028.”

Over the past 24 hours, Russian attacks have killed six people and injured a further 50 across Ukraine, whilst also striking energy infrastructure in six regions. This was reported by local authorities, who stated that Russian forces had continued to target energy infrastructure in the regions of Odessa, Kirovohrad, Zhytomyr, the western part of Ternopil, Volyn and Rivne. “Immediately after the all-clear was given, teams of technicians began repair work. Efforts to restore the electricity supply and reconnect users are underway,” said Vitalii Bunechko, governor of the Zhytomyr oblast. Following the attacks on energy infrastructure, emergency power cuts were introduced in several regions, including Kyiv, according to Dtek, Ukraine’s largest private energy company. In addition to the attacks on energy infrastructure, Russian forces launched 310 long-range drones against various regions of Ukraine, including 81 jet-powered drones, the air force said. Ukrainian air defences intercepted 272 Russian drones.

The results of the US mid-term elections will not affect Donald Trump’s efforts to bring peace to Ukraine, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. “President Trump remains in office and we sincerely hope that he will continue his peace efforts,” Peskov told one of the journalists from the press pool covering the Kremlin’s activities. The presidential spokesperson also pointed out that the mid-term elections are “an internal US matter”.

Il portavoce del Cremlino Dmitry Peskov EPA/PAVEL BEDNYAKOV/ POOL

Due to the impact of Russian attacks on infrastructure, nuclear power stations have been forced to reduce their generation capacity. As reported by Ukrinform, the Ministry of Energy announced this on Telegram. ‘Due to large-scale and systematic Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, nuclear power stations have been forced to reduce their generation capacity. A return to nominal output will take place gradually, as soon as energy companies have repaired the networks damaged by the bombardments,’ the report states. Today, hourly power cuts are in place across most regions of Ukraine, whilst an emergency power cut is in force in the capital and in the Kyiv and Kharkiv regions. Yesterday, according to Ukrinform, Russia carried out its largest attack on the Ukrainian power grid; in particular, a high-voltage substation – which is vital for the operation of the Khmelnytskyi nuclear power station – was targeted.

Since the start of the 2026–2027 school year, children in Ukraine have experienced an average of 34 hours of air-raid alerts during school hours, equivalent to over 13 per cent of scheduled teaching hours, according to data covering the period up to 20 October. Air-raid alerts occurred on almost two-thirds of school days (65.9 per cent) between September and October 2026, compared with around one-third (37.4 per cent) during the same period in 2025. The average duration of air-raid alerts during school hours almost doubled between September 2025 and September 2026. In Kyiv, the number of air-raid alerts during school hours rose from 12 in September 2025 to 71 in September 2026. Meanwhile, in the Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad and Kharkiv regions, children endured over 60 hours of air raid alerts during school hours – equivalent to around a quarter of scheduled lesson time – affecting over 560,000 children. Since the start of the full-scale war, the UN has also verified nearly 2,000 attacks on educational facilities, of which around 270 took place in 2026 alone. UNICEF continues to work with the Ukrainian Government and its partners to ensure safe education, including by improving school facilities used as shelters, providing educational catch-up programmes and offering mental health support.

I soccorritori ucraini operano sul luogo di un attacco missilistico russo contro un ipermercato a Kiev, in Ucraina, il 22 ottobre 2026, nel contesto dell’invasione russa in corso. EPA/MAXYM MARUSENKO

NABU and SAPO (the Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies) have concluded their preliminary investigations into the widespread corruption scheme in the energy sector known as ‘Midas’, which involved a former business partner of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Timur Mindich, and led to the resignation of his former right-hand man, Andrii Yermak. “NABU and SAPO have concluded preliminary investigations into a high-level criminal organisation, whose members had set up a vast corrupt scheme to influence the activities of strategic public-sector enterprises, including the joint-stock company Energoatom, to obtain undue financial benefits and to launder money,” the Ukrainian investigative office stated.

According to investigators, ‘members of the group systematically received bribes from Energoatom’s contractors and from companies under the supervision of the Ministry of Energy, amounting to between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of the value of the contracts’. The task of laundering the illicit proceeds was entrusted to a separate office within the criminal organisation, NABU stated. “The sums identified by investigators, which were accumulated and transferred in cash to this unit from the energy sector between 2020 and 2025, amount to over 111 million dollars and 12 million euros. Investigators also established that the criminal organisation had received funds from other sources as well,” NABU emphasised.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has awarded US First Lady Melania Trump the Order of Princess Olga, First Class, for her significant contribution to humanitarian aid in Ukraine. This was reported by Ukrinform. ‘For her significant personal contribution to humanitarian aid for Ukraine, for her active work in support of human rights, and for her charitable efforts aimed at rescuing Ukrainian children and citizens affected by Russian aggression, who have been illegally deported and forcibly displaced from the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation – the document states – I hereby decree that Melania Trump, First Lady of the United States of America, be awarded the Order of Princess Olga, 1st class.” Mark Beckman, the First Lady’s senior special adviser, was also awarded the Golden Heart Award. Melania Trump, as reported by Ukrinform, acted as the main advocate and public mediator for a local ceasefire in the occupied area of Oleshky, in the Kherson region, which enabled a humanitarian operation to be carried out. The operation was coordinated by adviser Mark Beckman.

La First Lady degli Stati Uniti Melania Trump mentre vota alle elezioni di medio termine del 2026 presso l'ufficio del Supervisore elettorale della contea di Palm Beach a West Palm Beach, in Florida (Stati Uniti), il 24 ottobre 2026. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/Foto d'archivio

Rescue and emergency operations have been ongoing for three days in Komyshuvak. The death toll has risen to 40. Fifty-nine people are reported missing and a further 38 may be buried under the rubble. The news was released on Telegram by the press office of the Main Police Department of the Zaporizhzhia region. ‘We have managed to recover 40 bodies from the rubble. At present, 12 people have already been identified. Fifty-nine are still missing. Some of these will likely be identified among the bodies already found. A further 38 people may still be buried under the rubble,’ the report states.

Russian foreign policy, including with regard to the Ukrainian issue, is not opportunistic and does not depend on political fluctuations in other countries, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov to the RIA Novosti news agency, commenting on the results of the US mid-term elections. “We are awaiting the final results. The Democratic Party’s basic approach towards Russia is extremely negative. There is nothing new in this,” said Ryabkov.

Beijing is in contact with Moscow and Washington regarding a possible meeting between the leaders of the three countries on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen on 18 and 19 November, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said today. “China is maintaining contact with the relevant parties regarding a meeting between the leaders of China, Russia and the United States,” said Mao. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated yesterday that the parties are exchanging signals regarding preparations for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump.

The electricity supply situation in Kyiv remains extremely critical due to damage to energy infrastructure caused by Russian attacks, which have led to power cuts, disruptions to the water supply and interruptions to electric public transport. This was stated by Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko, who said that, in recent days, the infrastructure of Kyiv’s regional energy hub had been damaged as a result of Moscow’s air raids. Furthermore, he added, electricity generation and transmission facilities across the country have also been damaged. As a result of the damage, Ukrenergo (the Ukrainian national electricity company, ed.) has introduced emergency power cuts. Technicians are working to restore the electricity supply. The emergency has also caused disruptions to the water supply. Specialists from Kyivvodokanal are working to stabilise the pressure in the network and restore the water supply. “In the city, in areas where the power cut situation is most critical, heating points are being set up where residents can charge their phones and other devices and drink hot tea,” Klitschko wrote on his Telegram channel.

In questa foto fornita dal Servizio di emergenza ucraino, il personale dei servizi di emergenza è al lavoro per spegnere un incendio scoppiato a seguito degli attacchi missilistici russi a Kiev, in Ucraina, martedì 27 ottobre 2026. (Servizio di emergenza ucraino via AP) Associated Press / LaPresse Solo Italia e Spagna

The Ministry of Defence in Moscow reported that last night ‘the Russian armed forces carried out further drone strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure and military vessels deployed in support of the Ukrainian army’. According to the Russian ministry’s reports, the attacks damaged the electrical substations at Nalyvaykovka, in the Kyiv region, and at Chizhovka, in the Zhytomyr region. Furthermore, according to the Russian Ministry, ‘a bulk carrier transporting military equipment intended for the Ukrainian armed forces was struck in the Black Sea, 8 kilometres south-west of Odessa’.

The Russian Ministry of Defence reported that, last night, ‘air defence forces intercepted and shot down 708 Ukrainian drones over the territories of the regions of Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Kaluga, Tula, Ryazan, Oryol, Voronezh, Saratov, Samara, Rostov, Krasnodar, Moscow, Adygea, the Republic of Crimea (annexed by Moscow in 2014) and over the waters of the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea”.

Vladimir Uglev, one of the creators of Novichok, died on 26 October at the age of 81. The news was revealed to The Insider. Uglev had collaborated with The Insider during the investigation into the use of Novichok (a class of military-grade nerve agents) by the Russian secret services. Specifically, this is the substance used to poison Alexei Navalny in 2020. The news has also been widely reported in the Ukrainian media.

Uglev spent the last years of his life in Anapa. His name became widely known in 2018, when the biochemist gave a series of interviews to the media following the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury, England.

Norway is to deploy sensors for its National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) and increase troop numbers in Finnmark, the country’s northernmost county, on the border with Russia. This was announced by the Norwegian Ministry of Defence. “The experience in Ukraine demonstrates how important it is to have a good overview and to receive early warning. These sensors will strengthen our ability to detect drones in Finnmark,” said Norwegian Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik in a press release.

A Ukrainian drone struck a logistics centre belonging to the Russian e-commerce giant Ozon in the Republic of Adygea, in southern Russia, during the night. The company announced this in a press release. “Our logistics centre in the Republic of Adygea was attacked by a drone. We immediately evacuated all staff and, so far, no one has been injured. A fire broke out and the emergency services are currently at the scene,” the company wrote.

Donald Trump says he is optimistic that peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are making progress. “I believe both sides have reached the point where they are saying, ‘Let’s reach an agreement’,” he said in an interview with the Financial Times.

Il presidente Donald Trump interviene durante un comizio elettorale al Five Flags Event Center, domenica 1° novembre 2026, a Dubuque, Iowa. (Foto AP/Charlie Neibergall)