Despite the double threat of a looming Russian invasion and the new variant of Covid-19 virus, Omicron, Kyivans are making the most of the holiday season with the city’s Christmas markets.
Like every year, Kyiv's two main Christmas markets are open on Sofiivska Square in the heart of Kyiv and Kontraktova Square in the Podil area.
The markets offer a variety of mulled wine and grilled food, as well as entertainment in the form of carol singers and actors dressed as Saint Nicholas, or Svaty Mykolay, the Ukrainian alternative to Santa Claus.
Kyiv's main Christmas tree stands over Sofiivska Square, where it's stood every year since 2014.
Before that, the Christmas tree used to be installed on the Independence Square.
After the 2013-2014 EuroMaidan Revolution, that happened largely in the Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti), the city authorities started putting up the annual Christmas tree in the nearby Sofiivska Square.
The Christmas market on Sofiivska Square will be open through Jan. 16, on Kontraktova Square — through Jan. 22.
Russia launched its latest overnight drone strike on Ukraine, targeting the capital in an attack that lasted over five hours, city officials reported on Nov. 3. Several waves of explosions were heard in Kyiv throughout the night.
Russian troops shelled the village of Bilozerka in Kherson Oblast, wounding a paramedic and an ambulance driver, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on Nov. 3.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in a radio interview on Nov. 3, as cited by Hungarian news outlet Telex, that if Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidency, "Europe cannot remain pro-war," supposedly referring to EU's defense assistance to Ukraine, which Orban has repeatedly criticized.
After "a public reaction," Google representatives contacted the Ukrainian side, and the company is already working on fixing the issue, Andrii Kovalenko, the head of the counter-disinformation department at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, said in a later update on social media.
The largest number of casualties was reported in Kherson Oblast, where Russian attacks killed one person and injured another 10, including three children.
Russia has also reportedly lost 9,182 tanks, 18,523 troop-carrying armored fighting vehicles, 28,160 vehicles and fuel tanks, 20,086 artillery systems, 1,244 multiple launch rocket systems, 994 air defense systems, 369 airplanes, 329 helicopters, 18,187 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.
Germany's new leftist populist party, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance – Reason and Justice (BSW), is demanding that mainstream parties halt military aid to Ukraine. Germany remains Ukraine's second-largest military supporter.
Moldovan officials have warned that Russia might orchestrate disruptive activities, including potential bomb threats, at polling stations across multiple Western nations during Moldova's presidential runoff election on Nov. 3.
Ukrainian human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said on Nov. 3 that Ukraine remains willing to receive its citizens and blamed Russia for slowing down the exchanges.
U.S. officials believe two additional fake videos now circulating online, which the FBI has identified as attempts to spread false claims about election security, are likely part of a Russian-backed influence campaign. The campaign appears to be aimed at swaying public opinion ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election.
"This volume of 'Shahed' drones means over 170,000 components that should have been blocked from reaching Russia," Zelensky said in his evening address. "Microchips, microcontrollers, processors, and many other parts are essential for enabling this terror."
Australia is providing Ukraine with Joint Direct Attack Munition Extended-Range (JDAM-ER) glide bombs kits following their withdrawal from service from the Royal Australian Air Force, Australian Defense Magazine reported on Nov. 1.
"All drones that threatened the city were neutralized," Kyiv City Military Administration said, without specifying the number of drones shot down over the capital.
"... We face a hinge in history," U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. "If Ukraine falls under Putin’s boot, all of Europe will fall under Putin’s shadow."
After the first drone strike against Russia's North Caucasus republic that targeted the Russian Special Forces University of Vladimir Putin in the Chechen city of Gudermes on Oct. 29, Kadyrov said he ordered all of his commanders fighting against Ukraine "not to take prisoners and destroy" Ukrainian soldiers as retribution.
Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski said that Kyiv could buy weapons from Polish factories on credit. The loan could be paid after the country's reconstruction, he added.
"This cooperation will strengthen the Ukrainian defense industry and the protection of critical infrastructure from enemy drones," Strategic Industries Minister Herman Smetanin said.
Ukrainian forces downed 39 out of 71 Shahed-type drones and other unidentified drones launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Twenty-one other drones were "lost," and five more flew back towards Russia, it added.
"Active hostilities that continue in certain areas require constant renewal of the resources of Ukrainian units," Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.