[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] Vladimir Putin has sent one of his top generals to Venezuela, along with troops tasked with training Nicolás Maduro's forces, according to a Ukrainian intelligence official.
The revelation comes as the US continues to amass a huge military presence in the region, with Donald Trump considering an attack on the South American country.
Map at the link.
Ukraine's Lt General Kyrlo Budanov has said that Colonel General Oleg Makarevich is leading Russia's 'Equator Task Force', a group of more than 120 personnel who are coaching the Venezuelan army on everything from infantry tactics to drone use.
Budanov claims that the Russian mission was already in place before the United States dramatically increased its number of equipment and personnel close to Venezuela.
The Ukrainian spy chief spoke as Trump's administration maintains a large number of US warships, aircraft and troops close to Venezuelan waters.
Washington says the deployment is aimed at drug traffickers, but it is also part of a campaign to pressure Maduro to resign. Trump's senior advisers, including defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, are said to be presenting him with options for military operations.
Budanov argued that Makarevich and his men would not leave if the United States launched an attack.
He told The War Zone: 'I think they will be behind the scenes and officially, Russia will try to speak to the US because their units are in Venezuela. It's just a game.'
He described the Russian contingent as 'military advisors and also teachers,' and said they were providing training for infantry units, UAV operators and special forces. He added that the task force was also helping Venezuela gather signals intelligence.
Budanov said the Russian presence is not new, explaining that Moscow has maintained rotating advisory teams in Venezuela for years.
He said he had seen no increase in Russian numbers since the US build-up began, although Makarevich appears to have had his stay extended beyond the usual six-month rotation.
Documents shared by Budanov place Makarevich and around ninety Russian personnel in Caracas, with others stationed in Maracaibo, La Guaira and Aves Island.
The United States also trains and advises partner forces across Latin America, providing operational guidance and observation roles in several countries.
Earlier this month, a senior Russian lawmaker, Alexei Zhuravlev, listed a number of weapons he claims the country sent to Venezuela, including SU-30MK2 fighters and S-300VMs. He also said Putin had sent in the Pantsir-S1, which is not known to be among Venezuela's arsenal.
But Budanov said he could not confirm Zhuravlev's claims. He noted: 'The Buk-M2 we see,' he said. 'The Pantsir we don't know about.'
Zhuravlev has warned that Russia could send more advanced weapons to the country, including long-range missiles.
Western officials have also raised concerns that Moscow might supply Iranian-style Shahed drones capable of long-distance strikes.
For years, Venezuela has been Russia's most important trading and military partner in South America. Earlier this year, Putin and Maduro signed a deal which strengthened their partnership.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] 21.39 In the Korabelny district of Kherson, Russian troops dropped explosives from a drone on a car, as a result of which a woman and a child died on the spot, and a man was injured. This was reported on November 26 by the head of the Kherson OVA, Oleksandr Prokudin. It is noted that at about 19:40 the occupiers dropped explosives from a drone on a car, as a result of which a 34-year-old Kherson woman and a 6-year-old child died on the spot. A 50-year-old man was also injured.
21.11 Three more children were rescued from the territories temporarily occupied by the Russians as part of the initiative of the President of Ukraine Bring Kids Back UA. This was reported on November 26 by the Head of the Office of the President, Andriy Yermak. They are a brother and sister, aged 15 and 12. The children remained in the occupied settlement with their parents. Their older brother was taken out earlier. The Russian military threatened the family, interrogated the parents, and forced the children to attend a Russian school, where they instill Kremlin propaganda. A 16-year-old boy was also rescued. For almost four years, he lived under the constant supervision of the occupying forces.
20:35 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Headquarters on November 26. They discussed the production of air defense systems and the fair distribution of military personnel between brigades.
20:15 On the evening of November 26, Russian troops shelled Chornobayvka, Kherson region. Four people were injured. This was reported by the regional military administration.
18.07 Russian troops shelled the Central District of Kherson. A 31-year-old woman was injured as a result of the enemy attack. This was reported by the Kherson OVA.
"At approximately 4:20 p.m., the Russians shelled the Central District of Kherson," the report said.
A 31-year-old woman was hit by a Russian strike. She suffered a concussion, explosive and closed head injury.
17.59 Ukrainian border guards successfully "worked out" on Russian occupiers with drones. The State Border Service of Ukraine (SBSU) reported this on its Telegram channel.
17.49 In Zaporizhia region, rescuers and police urgently evacuated large families with nine children from Yurkivka. This was reported by the State Emergency Service.
Rescuers noted that they had to leave to the sounds of explosions: the children were scared, and the women were in a hurry to gather the most necessary things.
16.59 Since the beginning of the day, 144 combat clashes have taken place on the front, and fighting is still ongoing in seven directions of the front, with the enemy exerting the greatest pressure on the Pokrovsky and Lymansky directions. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on November 26.
16.54 The Czech Republic has transferred another piece of defense assistance to Ukrainian border guards, including a DITA self-propelled artillery mount and ammunition. The State Border Service of Ukraine reported this on November 26.
16.39 The Cabinet of Ministers approved the procedure for implementing a project to provide services for the correction of skin scarring after injuries and burns for Ukrainian defense personnel. This was announced by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
"We are launching a pilot project to provide services for the correction of scar changes in the skin after injuries and burns for military personnel and veterans," the head of government noted.
The goal is to ensure access to necessary medical support and promote the social adaptation of defenders.
16.19 In Sumy region, a Russian FPV drone attacked the official car of an assistant forester of the State Enterprise Forests of Ukraine, as a result of which the man suffered a concussion and ear injury and was taken to the hospital. This was reported by the Northern Forest Office Branch.
"Today, at around 10:30 a.m., an incident occurred in the Shostka Forestry Department of the State Enterprise Forests of Ukraine involving an assistant forester of the Znob-Novgorod Forestry Department. During a business trip to the village of Dibrivka, where he was supposed to meet with internal security specialists, a Mitsubishi L200 service vehicle was attacked by an enemy FPV drone," the report says.
16.17 Russian troops attacked the village of Novovorontsovka in the Kherson region with a drone, an elderly woman was injured. This was reported by the Kherson OVA on November 26. It is noted that a 62-year-old woman was hit by an enemy strike in her own home. She received an explosive injury and a shrapnel wound to her leg. The victim was taken to the hospital in moderate condition.
15.56 Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has offered his Russian "colleague" Vladimir Putin mediation in negotiations regarding the war in Ukraine, the pro-government Belarusian news agency BELTA reports, citing his statement during a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Bishkek.
15.31 Russian troops occupied the village of Vysoke in Zaporizhia region and Promin in Donetsk region. The DeepState project reported this on November 26.
"The enemy occupied Promin and Vysoke (the Soviet occupation name is Chervone), and also advanced near Myrnograd, Zatyshshya, Marfopol, and Pokrovsk," the report says.
15.21 Special Operations Forces fighters eliminated a Russian sabotage group in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region. Our soldiers also discovered and neutralized an enemy Zhdun UAV. The Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on November 26.
14.33 Russia continues to avoid real steps to end the war, but negotiations are ongoing, and the EU remains the key guarantor of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and security on the continent. This was stated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Ukrinform reports .
"Russia's rules of the game have not changed - from the very beginning it believed that it could 'outlast' Ukraine, Europe and all its allies. And that is why every time serious progress is made in negotiations that could lead to real peace, violence and escalation begin. This is a pattern," von der Leyen noted.
At the same time, she noted that the latest signals from the Kremlin only confirm that for it, Ukraine is the first step in a much bigger game.
14.28 On the night before November 26, the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck the VNIIR-Progress factory for the production of navigation equipment and components for cruise and ballistic missiles in Cheboksary, Russia, and military targets in the temporarily occupied territories. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on its Facebook page.
14.07 A 55-year-old woman was injured as a result of night shelling of the Dniprovsky district of Kherson. This was reported by the Kherson OVA.
"A woman who was injured last night due to Russian shelling of the Dniprovs'kyi district of Kherson went to the hospital. The 55-year-old Kherson woman was diagnosed with an explosive injury and a concussion," the report said.
The victim will be treated on an outpatient basis. Her condition is assessed as mild.
14.07 Pilots of the Third Army Corps eliminated a heavy flamethrower system Sontsepec Vooga in the Lyman direction in the Donetsk region. This is evidenced by a video of the 63rd separate mechanized brigade "Steel Lions" posted on their Facebook page.
13.14 The press secretary of the Russian dictator, Dmitry Peskov, urged not to draw premature conclusions about the nearness of the end of the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine.
"We should not draw premature conclusions about the closeness of the conflict in Ukraine to its end," the Kremlin spokesman said.
At the same time, Peskov expressed confidence that in different countries, in particular in the United States, there will be many people who "will try to disrupt the peace process."
12.46 By the end of the year, Ukraine may receive $5 billion in military assistance from allies under the PURL support program, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said.
11.55 Representatives of Congress and other politicians are outraged by the conversation between the US President's special representative Steve Witkoff and the Russians, which was "leaked" to the media. The conversation is about a conversation during which Witkoff advised the Russians on how to promote a "peace plan" for US leader Donald Trump. This is evidenced by posts by representatives of the US Congress and politicians on the social network X.
11.43 Russia has received the latest versions of US President Donald Trump's "peace plan" through unofficial channels, but there have been no discussions with the American side yet. This was stated by Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
"The peace plan was not discussed in Abu Dhabi. The peace plan has not been discussed in detail yet. We saw it, it was handed over to us, but there have been no discussions yet," he said.
10.34 Russian forces attacked the energy infrastructure of Donetsk and Kharkiv regions. Emergency shutdowns were implemented in Sumy, Kharkiv and Poltava regions.
11.25 US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, during his visit to Kyiv with a 28-point "peace plan", told Ukrainian officials about the "imminent threat of defeat" and the deterioration of Kyiv's negotiating position if the fighting continues. NBC News reported this, citing two anonymous sources.
10.22 The war in Ukraine may be over by the end of 2025. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said this.
According to him, the war in Ukraine could end by the end of this year. "I fully share Trump's vision: this massacre must stop," the NATO Secretary General said.
09.56 The security service detained a Russian agent who carried out a double terrorist attack in Dnipro on the afternoon of November 23. The attack involved detonating two improvised explosive devices near a railway track in the private sector of the city.
The first explosion killed a 35-year-old drug addict, whom the occupiers lured to look for "bookmarks", and his explosion was used as bait for the police.
After the arrival of the 102nd police detachment with bomb disposal experts, the Russians activated another explosive device, as a result of which one of the police officers was seriously injured.
Law enforcement officers detained the agent who planted the explosives within a day of the terrorist attack. The perpetrator of the crime turned out to be a 16-year-old immigrant from Sumy, who was temporarily living in the capital.
9.23 SSO fighters destroyed an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group (DRG) of four occupiers in Pokrovska, who were trying to gather in a high-rise building. This was reported by the Special Operations Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
09.39 The main concession Russia will make will be to simply stop fighting, US President Donald Trump said aboard Air Force One, commenting on the peace plan for Ukraine.
"Their (Russians - ed.) main concession is that they stop fighting and do not seize more land," the American leader emphasized.
09.17 At night, Russian troops attacked Ukraine with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 90 Shahed, Gerbera attack UAVs and drones of other types from different directions.
Air defenses shot down/suppressed 72 enemy Shahed, Gerber and other types of drones in the north, south and east of the country. Missile hits and 10 strike UAVs were recorded at 10 locations.
08.50 As a result of a Russian drone attack in Zaporizhia, significant destruction of residential infrastructure and several outbreaks of large-scale fires were recorded, the number of victims has increased to 19.
31 high-rise buildings and 20 private houses were damaged. Five high-rise buildings suffered the most - due to large-scale fires that broke out after the hits. A separate hit was recorded on a university dormitory, where people were staying at the time.
358 subscribers in the city remain without electricity, and 201 residents remain without gas supply.
There are currently 19 known injuries. Eight people remain in the hospital.
08.26 Over the past 24 hours, 156 combat clashes were recorded on the front . In particular, in the Pokrovsky direction, Ukrainian defenders stopped 52 assault actions of the Russian invaders.
08.00 At night, drones attacked Cheboksary, Chuvash Republic of the Russian Federation. Local residents reported numerous explosions at night, after which fires raged in the city. The attack was confirmed by the head of the republic, Oleg Nikolayev.
The official announced a massive drone attack on Cheboksary. According to the head of the Chuvash Republic of the Russian Federation, damage was recorded in two residential buildings as a result of the attack. Meanwhile, the Astra Telegram channel reports that the drones hit the VNIIR-Progress plant, and a 12-story residential building was also damaged.
VNIIR-Progress is part of the ABS Electro production association. The plant produces Comet antennas for the Russian army, which protect Russian Armed Forces drones from Ukrainian electronic warfare equipment.
07.42 US President Donald Trump said that he did not set any deadlines for reaching a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia.
Special Representative Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow next week to discuss the U.S. peace plan with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
"We'll see. They've set a date, and it's in the near future... I don't have a deadline. You know what my deadline is? When it's all over. And I think everybody's tired of fighting. They're losing too many people," Trump said.
07.20 From February 24, 2022 to November 26, 2025, the total combat losses of Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine amounted to approximately 1,168,550 people (+980 per day).
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] In the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian defenders stopped 52 assaults by Russian invaders.
Over the past 24 hours, 156 combat clashes were recorded on the front, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported in its morning report on Wednesday, November 26.
Aviation, missile forces and artillery of the Defence Forces hit five enemy personnel concentration areas, three artillery systems and two unmanned aerial vehicle control points.
Three combat clashes occurred in the Severo-Slobodskoy and Kursk directions over the past 24 hours. In the Yuzhno-Slobodskoy direction, the enemy attempted to break through our defenders' defensive lines three times in the areas of Vovchansk, Sinelnikovoye, and Kamyanka.
Four enemy attacks occurred in the Kupyansk direction. Our defenders repelled enemy assaults near the settlements of Petrovpavlovka and Kupyansk and in the direction of Novoplatonovka. In the Liman direction, the enemy launched five attacks, attempting to penetrate our defenses near the settlements of Zarechnoye, Stavki, Torskoye, and Liman.
On the Slavyansk front, defenders stopped 11 enemy attempts to advance in the areas of Serebryanka, Yampol, Dronovka, Vyyemka, and Svyato-Pokrovskoe. On the Kramatorsk front, our defenders repelled an enemy attack near Chasovy Yar.
In the Konstantinovka direction, the enemy carried out 20 attacks in the areas of Pleshchievka, Kleban-Bik, Konstantinovka, Shcherbinovka, Ivanopol, Rusiny Yar, Sofiyivka and in the directions of Nikolaipol and Novopavlovka.
In the Pokrovsky direction, defenders stopped 52 assault actions by Russian forces in the areas of the settlements of Shakhovo, Zatishok, Novoye Shakhovo, Dorozhnoye, Volnoye, Krasny Liman, Rodinskoye, Mirnograd, Zvirovo, Udachnoye, Grishino, Molodetskoye, Muravka, and Filiya.
In the Aleksandrovsk direction, the enemy launched 13 attacks over the past 24 hours near the settlements of Ivanovka, Zeleny Gai, Vorone, Verbovoye, Sosnovka, Privolnoye, and Krasnogorskoye. In the Gulyai-Polye direction, our defenders repelled 16 enemy attacks in the directions of Dobropolye and Gulyai-Polye, and near Vesyoloye, Zatishye, Zeleny Gai, and Vysokoye.
In the Orekhiv area, one enemy attack was repelled near Primorskoye. In the Dnieper area, the Defense Forces repelled one enemy attack in the direction of the Antonovsky Bridge.
As a reminder, over the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have eliminated 980 occupiers. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian army has lost 1,168,550 troops.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] In the Pokrovsky direction, Russian troops made 41 attempts to dislodge the Defense Forces. In the Liman direction, the Russian army attacked 35 times.
Since the start of the day, 144 combat clashes have occurred on the front. Fighting continues in seven directions, with the enemy exerting the most pressure on the Pokrovsk and Limansk directions. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on November 26.
It is noted that Russian artillery again shelled border settlements today, in particular Kucherovka, Starikovo, Bobylevka, Belaya Bereza, Volkovka, Bunyakino and Kazachye in the Sumy region, Klyusy, Galganovka and Gremyachka in the Chernihiv region.
In the Severo-Slobodskoye and Kursk directions, Ukrainian defenders repelled two enemy attacks. The Russians have already used air power on this sector of the front four times, dropping nine guided bombs and carrying out 96 attacks, including one from a multiple launch rocket system.
In the Yuzhno-Slobodskoy direction, Russian troops have attacked defenders' positions ten times near Volchansk, Sinelnikovo, Dvurechanskoye, and toward Kolodeznoye. Five clashes are ongoing.
In the Kupyansk direction, the Defense Forces repelled four enemy attacks aimed at Peschane and Petropavlivka. Another clash continues.
In the Liman sector, the Russian army launched 35 attacks near Grekovka, Novovodanoye, Novogorovka, Kopanki, Sredny, Redkodub, Karpovka, and Zarechny, heading toward Liman and Drobyshevo. The defenders successfully stopped 16 attempts to advance. Fighting continues at 19 locations.
In the Slavyansk direction, the invaders attempted to break through six times in the areas of Yampol, Serebryanka, Dronovka, Vyemka, Sakko, and Vanzetti. Two clashes are ongoing.
In the Kramatorsk sector, two clashes are ongoing near Chasovy Yar. Russian forces have also attempted to advance toward Predtechnoye.
In the Konstantinovka direction, the enemy launched 24 attacks in the areas of Pleshchyivka, Ivanopol, Rusynyi Yar, and toward Konstantinovka. Seven clashes are ongoing.
In the Pokrovsk direction, Russian troops made 41 attempts to dislodge the Defense Forces from their positions in the areas of Vladimirovka, Fyodorovka, Nikanorovka, Krasny Liman, Rodinskoye, Novoekonomichesky, Pokrovsk, Kotlinoy, Udachny, Molodetskoye, Yalta, and Dachny. Three clashes are still ongoing.
In the Aleksandrovsky direction, the invaders attacked eight times near Ivanovka, Alekseyevka, Privolnoye and Krasnogorskoye.
In the Hulyai-Polye direction, defenders have stopped six attempts by the Russian army to advance near Zatishye, Sladky, Yablochny, and Zelenyi Gai, toward Hulyai-Polye. Three more clashes are ongoing.
Enemy aircraft attacked Vozdvizhivka and Gulyaipole.
In the Orekhiv area, Ukrainian defenders successfully repelled a Russian attack near Primorskoye.
The enemy has not yet conducted any combat operations in the Dnieper direction.
In other areas of the front, the situation has not changed significantly.
As a reminder, Russian troops have occupied the village of Vysokoye in the Zaporizhzhia region and Promen in the Donetsk region.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] Monitoring groups note that Russia could launch another combined strike on Ukraine by the end of the week and have identified areas at increased risk.
For the second time this week, Ukraine may be subject to massive enemy shelling. According to monitoring groups, Russia has equipped and deployed eight Tu-22M3 strategic bombers closer to our border. These bombers carry Kh-22 and Kh-32 supersonic cruise missiles with a range of up to 1,000 km.
Moscow's relentless campaign against Ukraine's critical energy assets is linked to Washington and Kyiv's ongoing efforts to broker a "peace" agreement.
"We're in the middle of a cold winter, and many major energy companies have taken a beating, to say the least," US President Donald Trump said on November 21.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also warned Ukrainians about the danger of Russian attacks amid peace talks and called on international partners to pay attention to Russia's disregard for diplomacy.
"We must also understand that Russia will not ease the pressure on us, on Ukraine, on our people," Zelensky said several hours before the combined strike on Kyiv on the night of November 25.
"In these days and weeks, we need to be very careful about air raid warnings and all such threats of strikes. We understand exactly who we're dealing with," the president noted.
He emphasized that Ukraine is prepared to respond to enemy actions. The Air Force and all other units of the Defense and Security Forces have received the appropriate orders.
NEW TAKEOFF SITE FOR STRATEGIC AVIATION
The Olenya airfield in the Murmansk region is no longer the primary base for Tu-95MS combat missions . During the missile attacks on October 30 and November 19, Tu-95MS aircraft took off from an as-yet-unknown airfield, according to the Tracking monitoring channel, which tracks the redeployment of Russian strategic aviation.
"We can now say that the time to launch has already decreased by approximately 30 minutes, meaning the approach time to the launch zone is approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes," analysts note.
READY FOR A SECOND STRIKE
In addition, other monitoring channels add that the Russian army is ready for a second strike within this week.
" In the next few days, there is a threat of the use of Kh-22/32 cruise missiles from eight Tu-22M3 strategic bombers," the reports say.
Analysts remind that the range of the Kh-22 missiles is up to 600 km, and the Kh-32 – up to 1000 km.
Due to their high speed and high altitude, the Kh-22/Kh-32 missiles are difficult for air defense systems to intercept. Despite their relatively low accuracy, they carry a powerful warhead and can cause significant destruction. The redeployment of bombers may indicate preparations for a potentially massive missile strike.
Monitors urge Ukrainians not to ignore the alarm. They add that special attention should be paid to the Kyiv and Poltava regions .
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 21:20 Crew of the 220mm BM-27 Uragan MLRS of the 61st Separate Guards Naval Infanry Brigade of the Center Forces Group destroyed positions of Ukrainian militants and created conditions for the advancement of our assault units into the territory of the DPR. 20:28 In the period from 16:00 Moscow time to 20:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted anddestroyed12 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles:
Eight UAVs – over the territory of the Belgorod region,
Three UAVs – over the territory of the Kursk region,
One UAV – over the territory of the Republic of Crimea.
20:12 FPV drone operators of the unmanned systems unit of the 47th Tank Division of the 1st Guards Tank Army of the West Group of Forces they stopped attempts by Ukrainian Armed Forces militants to break out of encirclement in the Kupyansk district of Khar'kov Oblast. Having masterfully overcome enemy electronic warfare systems, drone operators are striking enemy vehicles, heavy quadcopters, bunkers, and Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel attempting to break out.
Operators of the Southern Military District's unmanned systems unit destroyed a combat armored vehicle and a ground robotic system of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Konstantinovsky direction.
Attack UAV operators from the Vostok Group of Forces' unmanned systems unit thwarted a nighttime attack by enemy heavy hexacopters in the Zaporizhzhia region.
The Rubicon Center crews destroyed an American-made M1117 armored personnel carrier of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the village of Novoaleksandrivka in the DPR.
18:49 Anti-aircraft gunners of the 30th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Center group of forces destroyed an enemy Darts attack UAV in the Krasnoarmeysk direction. Also, using a PKT machine gun, air surveillance post personnel shot down a heavy Ukrainian Armed Forces helicopter with short bursts of fire.
18:36 Correction of the LBS west of Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk), –MAP
18:11 Advance of the Vostok Guards Force in the Gulyai-Polye direction, –MAP
18:05 The 144th Motorized Rifle Division is advancing in the Aleksandrovka – Koroviy Yar area, MAP
17:58 Velykoburluk direction. Advance of the Sever Group of Forces in the Kamenka area, –MAP
17:54 Assault groups advanced north of Kotlino in the Pokrovsky direction, MAP
17:38 The Russian army completes the liberation of Vovchansk and is fighting for Vilcha, MAP
16:37 In the period from 12:00 Moscow time to 16:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed ten Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles:
Six UAVs – over the territory of the Belgorod region,
Three UAVs – over the territory of the Bryansk region,
One UAV – over the territory of the Kursk region.
16:26 Crews of the Su-35S multi-role super-maneuverable fighters carry combat duty in the special operation zone, providing cover for bomber and attack aircraft, as well as army aviation helicopters during strikes against military facilities and equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
15:39 Ukrainian UAT Tisa armored fighting vehicle and American International MaxxPro were destroyed by crews of the Rubicon center and special forces of the 204th Akhmat Regiment, video. 204th Akhmat Regiment are Chechen regulars 13:58 To counter enemy hexacopters, units of the Ivanovo Guards Airborne Forces have created strike UAV crews. One of these units during the SVO destroyed 193 enemy Baba Yagas. 192 units were shot down in the Artemivsk and Chasov Yar areas, and now drone operators have opened up a score in the Kherson region.
12:53 An airstrike by three FAB-500 missiles was launched against several Ukrainian Armed Forces air defense systems in the village of Gulyaipole, video.
12:52 Summary of Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the Special Military Operation as of November 26, 2025:
Units of the North group of forces inflicted losses on formations of three mechanized, a Jaeger, an airborne assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and a territorial defense brigade in the areas of the settlements of Mogritsa, Miropolye, Pavlovka, Alekseyevka, Andreyevka, and Novaya Sich in the Sumy region.
In the Khar'kov direction, units of two mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and a National Guard brigade were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Volchansk, Vilcha, Udy, Khatnee, and Staritsa in the Khar'kov region.
The enemy lost more than 180 troops, three armored combat vehicles, 15 vehicles, a US-made M-101 105mm howitzer, and an electronic warfare station. Two ammunition depots and seven supply depots were destroyed.
Units of the "West" force grouping have improved their tactical position. They have inflicted losses on the personnel and equipment of five mechanized brigades, an assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, two territorial defense brigades, and a National Guard brigade near the settlements of Monachinovka, Staroverovka, Podoli, Nechvolodovka, Blagodatovka, Gusinka, and Kovsharovka in Khar'kov Oblast and Dibrova in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy's losses amounted to 230 troops, an infantry fighting vehicle, a US-made M-113 armored personnel carrier, two armored combat vehicles, 20 cars, three field artillery pieces, ten electronic warfare stations, and six ammunition depots.
Units of the Southern Group of Forces have taken up more advantageous positions and lines. Formations of three mechanized brigades, a mountain assault brigade, an airmobile brigade, an artillery brigade, an assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and a naval infantry brigade have been defeated near the settlements of Seversk, Reznikovka, Platonovka, Slavyansk, Piskunovka, Konstantinovka, and Berestok in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy lost up to 275 troops, an infantry fighting vehicle, a Cossack armored car, 16 vehicles, and two artillery pieces. A US-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar, an electronic warfare station, and an ammunition depot were destroyed.
Units of the Center Group of Forces have improved their position along the forward edge. They have inflicted losses on the personnel and equipment of two mechanized brigades, a Jaeger brigade, an airmobile brigade, an airborne assault brigade, and three assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, two naval infantry brigades, and three National Guard brigades near the settlements of Torskoye, Rodynskoye, Toretskoye, Dorozhnoye, Artemivka, and Udachnoye in the Donetsk People's Republic, and Novopavlivka and Ivanivka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
In the village of Krasnoarmeysk, Donetsk People's Republic, assault groups of the 2nd Army are successfully advancing northward in the Tsentralny and Dinas microdistricts. They are continuing to clear the village of Rivne, Donetsk People's Republic.
In the village of Dimitrov in the Donetsk People's Republic, assault units of the 51st Army continue to drive the enemy out of the Eastern, Western and southern parts of the city.
Over the course of 24 hours, more than 210 servicemen, seven armored combat vehicles, three automobiles, and two field artillery pieces were destroyed in the Red Army direction.
In total, in the area of responsibility of the Center group of forces, the enemy lost more than 450 servicemen, a tank, seven combat armored vehicles, four pickup trucks, two field artillery guns and a US-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station.
Units of the "East" force group continued to advance deep into the enemy's defenses. Formations of two mechanized brigades, two assault brigades, two assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and two territorial defense brigades were defeated near the settlements of Malinovka, Dobropillya, and Huliaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region, and Mayak and Otradnoye in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost more than 240 servicemen, a tank, 10 vehicles, a field artillery gun, an electronic warfare station, and four supply depots.
Units of the Dnepr group of forces inflicted losses on the manpower and equipment of the mechanized and mountain assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Lukyanivske, Odarovka, Novoyakovlevka in the Zaporizhzhia region, Nikolske and Ivanovka in the Kherson region.
Up to 85 servicemen, an armored combat vehicle, 12 vehicles, an artillery piece, two radar stations, two ammunition depots and two fuel depots were destroyed.
12:12 In the period from 8:00 Moscow time to 12:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed four Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles:
Two UAVs – over the waters of the Sea of Azov,
One UAV – over the territory of the Belgorod region,
One UAV – over the territory of the Republic of Crimea.
11:48 Military personnel of the "East" group of forces told details of the liberation of the village of Zatishie in the Zaporizhzhia region.
09:54 On frames: OK launched a missile strike with an Iskander OTRK on a command post and a parking lot for Ukrainian Armed Forces equipment in the area of the village of Otradnoye (near the city of Kupyansk).
09:41 Mortar crews of the assault detachment of the 44th Army Corps of the North group of forces destroyed concentrations of Ukrainian Armed Forces manpower in the Vovchansk region in the Khar'kov direction.
08:39 The enemy’s temporary deployment point was hit by three drones from the 6th Guards Army of the Leningrad Military District, video.
07:32 Changes on map over the past 24 hours:
Advance west of the settlement Zatishie
Expansion of the control zone in the Novopavlovka area
Advance in Shakhovo
Expansion of the control zone in Mirnohrad
Advance in Novopavlovka
07:20 During the past night, air defense systems on duty destroyed 33 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the aircraft type:
13 over the territory of the Belgorod region,
10 over the territory of the Voronezh region,
Five over the Black Sea,
Four over the territory of the Lipetsk region,
One over the territory of the Bryansk region.
06:17 Servicemen of the unmanned systems units of the 34th Separate Guards Mountain Motorized Rifle Brigade (mountain) of the North group of forces using the Orlan-10 UAV and Lancet loitering munitions destroyed military equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Sumy region.
05:03 Self-propelled artillery crews of the "East" group of forces destroyed enemy manpower in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[RIA] Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to lift the ban on leaving the country for men aged 18 to 22 is causing alarm among the Ukrainian military, Der Tagesspiegel reports.
"In two years, there will be no one left to fight. <…> The soldiers who have been holding the front for three and a half years are simply running out," a Ukrainian Armed Forces representative told the publication.
In an interview with the newspaper, he also noted that this decision is "difficult to explain," adding that it is difficult to accept due to rotation issues on the front lines. According to the soldier, discharge is only possible in the event of "death or injury." He believes the Kyiv regime's decision could exacerbate the already growing gap between the front and the rear.
In August, the Ukrainian government allowed men aged 18 to 22 to travel abroad. Since then, they have been leaving the country en masse.
Since February 2022, approximately 6.7 million residents have left Ukraine. According to the UN, some regions have become virtually deserted: young people have left, leaving behind a predominantly elderly population.
Earlier, Ella Libanova, director of the Ukrainian Institute of Demography and Social Research, predicted a severe demographic crisis in Ukraine due to the large number of elderly people and low birth rate. The expert stated that even the "miraculous" return of all those who left the country would not save the situation.
[BBC] European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has described the situation surrounding the war in Ukraine as "volatile" and "dangerous" and accused Russia of having no "real intent" of engaging in peace talks.
Her comments came shortly before Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was "premature" to speak about striking a peace deal.
Von der Leyen said Ukraine would need strong security guarantees capable of deterring any further attacks, arguing that Russia still upheld a post-World War Two mindset and saw the European continent as a "sphere of influence".
She was addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg as the US ramped up efforts to mediate a deal between Kyiv and Moscow.
Talks this week in Geneva and then Abu Dhabi have resulted in Ukraine agreeing to the "essence" of a peace deal, after changes were made to an initial 28-point plan widely criticised as heavily slanted towards Russia.
Zelensky said the new draft represented "the right approach" - but serious points of contention with Russia remain and the Kremlin has consistently played down suggestions of a compromise.
In her speech to European Union lawmakers, von der Leyen said: "I want to be clear from the very outset: Europe will stand with Ukraine and support Ukraine every step of the way."
She also referenced the issue of €210bn (£185bn) worth of Russian frozen assets held in European financial institutions.
Belgium is currently opposing the idea of diverting these assets to Ukraine, as it fears contravening international law and being made to foot the bill should Moscow mount a legal challenge.
Other countries too are concerned the repayment of the frozen assets could eventually fall to European taxpayers – although von der Leyen sought to allay those fears, saying she could not picture such a scenario.
An "options paper" and a legal text had been prepared by the Commission, she added. A decision on the frozen assets is expected to be agreed by EU leaders in late December.
The last days of intense diplomacy have largely excluded the Europeans, who last week were blindsided by the US-Russia 28-point peace plan, which included proposals to hand territory to Russia still under Ukrainian control and limit the size of Ukraine's military.
European leaders have since insisted they will need a seat at the table too, before any final agreement over how to end the war can be reached. On Tuesday a meeting of the so-called "coalition of the willing" chaired by France and the UK was convened to discuss security guarantees.
"Whatever the design of a future peace treaty, it is clear that much of the implementation will come down to the European Union and its Nato partners," von der Leyen told Parliament. "Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Nothing about Europe without Europe. Nothing about Nato without Nato," she said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also insisted Europe was "not a pawn, but a sovereign actor, with its own interests and values."
Posted by: mossomo ||
11/27/2025 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[1784 views]
Top|| File under: Tin Hat Dictators, Presidents for Life, & Kleptocrats
#5
It's for damn sure von del Leyen doesn't want peace, even as her Ukrainian clients are getting their asses kicked. Von der Leyen still dreams of extending her empire all the way to Vladivostok.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
11/27/2025 13:06 Comments ||
Top||
#6
#4 It is, read some Russian history.
p.s. According to Ukrainians, they're the real Russians - whereas the "Muscovites" are, sorta, Tatars.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[RIA] US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told European allies of Washington's intention to conclude a peace agreement on Ukraine before providing security guarantees for Kyiv, Politico reports.
"Rubio told European allies that the US wants a peace deal before agreeing to any security guarantees for Ukraine," the publication says.
According to the publication's source, the Secretary of State also broadly mentioned several other issues that need to be resolved after the agreement is concluded. The Europeans believed these included Ukraine's territorial integrity and Russia's frozen assets.
THE US PEACE INITIATIVE AND EUROPEAN "AMENDMENTS"
Last week, the White House announced the development of an initiative to resolve the situation in Ukraine. According to foreign media, the plan includes transferring all of Donbas to Moscow's control, officially recognizing it and Crimea as Russian territories, freezing most of the contact line in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, halving the size of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and banning the deployment of foreign troops and weapons capable of striking deep into Russia.
As Vladimir Putin noted, Moscow has the text of the American plan, but it has not yet been discussed in detail. The President admitted that this document could form the basis for a final settlement. He stated that while the situation at the front generally suits Russia, as it leads to the achievement of the NMD's goals, the country remains open to negotiations and a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
On Sunday, EU, US, and Kyiv representatives held talks in Geneva to discuss amendments to the American proposal by the European and Ukrainian sides. Reuters and the Telegraph published two versions of the proposed changes.
According to one version, the EU, among other things, proposed setting the number of Ukrainian Armed Forces troops at 800,000, while according to another, there are no restrictions.
Regarding the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, according to Reuters, it is proposed to restart it under IAEA supervision, with the generated electricity being divided equally between Russia and Ukraine. The Telegraph's proposal places the plant entirely under the control of the Kyiv regime.
According to some reports, the European plan includes a ban on the deployment of NATO forces in Ukraine during peacetime, while according to others, the decision on the presence of foreign troops remains with Kyiv.
At the same time, according to both media outlets, the EU's plan envisions an end to the conflict along the front lines. This contradicts the central point of the US plan to withdraw the Ukrainian Armed Forces from Donbas.
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