Ukraine, War, Love: A Donetsk Diary

11:09 AM  (Updated:  November 21, 2024 3:56 pm)

Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

Russia reportedly launches intercontinental ballistic missile against Ukraine — what we know so far

If confirmed, it would be the first time the Kremlin has used such a weapon in an attack on Ukraine.

3:44 PM

Russian ICBM strike would be 'clear escalation,' EU says.

"While we're assessing the full facts, it's obvious that such (an) attack would mark yet another clear escalation from the side of (Russian President Vladimir Putin," EU foreign affairs spokesperson Peter Stano said, according to AFP.

3:03 PM

Ukraine '95% ready' to resume flights but needs adequate air defenses, minister says.

Ukraine is "95%" ready to resume commercial flights, but the key remaining factor is to ensure the safety of passengers, Communities and Territories Development Minister Oleksii Kuleba said on Nov. 21.

2:14 PM  (Updated:  November 21, 2024 2:49 pm)

'Putin is using Ukraine as testing ground,' Zelensky says after reported ICBM strike.

"Today (on Nov. 21), it was a new Russian missile. Its speed and altitude suggest intercontinental ballistic capabilities. Investigations are ongoing," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

11:13 AM  (Updated:  November 21, 2024 2:21 pm)

Updated: Russian attack on Kryvyi Rih injures 26, damages residential buildings.

Russia launched an attack against the city of Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on Nov. 21, injuring at least 26 people, officials said.

1:40 PM

Merkel describes Trump as 'fascinated by Putin' in her memoir.

"(Donald Trump) saw everything from the point of view of a property developer, which is what he was before he came into politics. Every plot of land could only be sold once, and if he didn't get it, someone else would," Angela Merkel says in her memoir.

1:17 PM

Parliament passes bill allowing first-time deserters to return to military service.

The contracts of these soldiers will continue to be valid if they decide to return to their units.

12:37 PM

Ukrainian UAVs reportedly strike Russian border regions, industrial facility hit.

The airport in the city of Volgograd, lying northeast of Rostov Oblast, temporarily suspended operations due to safety concerns, the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) reported.

12:14 PM

Hungary deploys air defenses near Ukraine, cites war escalation after US allows strikes in Russia.

Hungarian Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky ordered the deployment of air defense systems in the country's northeastern regions, saying that "the war has entered its most dangerous phase."

8:57 AM  (Updated:  November 21, 2024 10:56 am)

Russia uses ICBM against Ukraine for the first time as missiles hit Dnipro, Air Force says.

Russian forces launched a large-missile missile attack on Ukraine, reportedly lifting Tu-95 bombers and MiG-31K Kinzhal carriers and attacking the city of Dnipro early on Nov. 21.

10:51 AM

Russian troops suspected of executing Ukrainian POWs in Kursk Oblast, ombudsman says.

Russian forces are suspected of summarily executing Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW) in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported on Nov. 20.

9:57 AM

Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant faces 2nd blackout of the week after Russian attacks.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is on the verge of a blackout after Russian shelling of power lines left the plant connected to only one line, the Energy Ministry reported on Nov 21.

9:33 AM

Belarusian who fought for Ukraine extradited from Vietnam to Belarus.

Vasil Verameichyk now faces the prospect of imprisonment, as the Kalinouski Regiment was recently declared a terrorist organization by the Supreme Court of Belarus.

8:10 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 727,250 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,510 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

5:49 AM

Russia, North Korea agree to increase charter flights following trade discussions, media reports.

Russia’s state-owned TASS news agency reported that the two countries had agreed to boost charter flights. The agreement was confirmed by Russia’s Ministry of Natural Resources, which noted that between January and September, over 5,000 tourists traveled between the two countries.

4:30 AM

SBU exposes corruption scheme by two Ukrainian army logistics officers.

The scheme is believed to have defrauded the state of Hr 27.3 million ($662,000), which was funneled through a network of shell companies. If convicted, the accused face up to six years in prison.

2:00 AM

UK defense secretary does not confirm Ukraine's Storm Shadow strike in Russia.

"Ukraine's action on the battlefield speaks for itself," U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said in remarks to parliament on Nov. 20.

1:13 AM

Russian attack in Donetsk Oblast kills 11-year-old boy.

The attack, carried out with Russian cluster munitions, also seriously injured a 13-year-old girl and wounded a 63-year-old man, according to regional police.

12:41 AM

Ukraine to pursue 'diplomatic' liberation of Crimea, will not acknowledge occupied territories as Russian, Zelensky says.

"We cannot spend dozens of thousands of our people so that they perish for the sake of Crimea coming back ... We understand that Crimea can be brought back diplomatically," Zelensky told Fox News.

11:54 PM

Biden seeks to cancel over $4.5 billion of Ukraine's debt.

"We have taken the step that was outlined in the law to cancel those loans, provide that economic assistance to Ukraine, and now Congress is welcome to take it up if they wish," U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Nov. 20.

11:15 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine strikes Russia with British Storm Shadow for first time, media reports

11:11 PM

Trump names Matthew Whitaker as next US ambassador to NATO.

Whitaker, who served briefly as acting U.S. attorney general during Trump's first term, has no evident experience in national security, diplomacy, or foreign policy.

10:36 PM

Russian troops killed 2 Ukrainian POWs near Pokrovsk, prosecutors say.

They were stripped naked and shot dead, according to the prosecutors. In a picture published by the prosecutors, two blurred naked bodies are seen lying on the ground.

10:35 PM

Alleged Russian plan sees Ukraine 'cut' into 3 parts, intelligence source says.

Under the alleged plan, Ukraine's western lands could be claimed by neighboring countries, while its eastern regions would be annexed by Russia and the remaining territory converted into a Russian-controlled puppet state.

10:19 PM

War

Panic grips Kyiv as embassy closures and Telegram rumors fuel fears of imminent attack