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Ukrainian drones hit Belgorod, killing 1 civilian and wounding 10; Russian strikes in Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions kill 4
Belgorod's operational command said Belgorod city came under a large Ukrainian drone attack early on Sunday, Oct 25, killing one civilian and wounding 10, including one emergency worker; eight of the injured were taken to hospital and two women were treated on site then referred for outpatient care. The mayor said the city was badly damaged, 53 people had moved into temporary shelters and municipal crews were repairing heating networks. Le Monde reported that Russian strikes on Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions killed four people. TASS said multiple explosions occurred in the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia on Oct 25, and yellow alerts were issued in several Ukrainian regions.
Oct 25, 2026 Afternoon
Ukrainian drones hit synthetic rubber plant in Tolyatti and Omsk industrial zone; Russia says it downed 616 drones overnight
Independent outlet Meduza reported that Ukrainian drones attacked Tolyatti in Samara region on the night of Oct 24, and Astra's analysis of video showed a fire at a synthetic rubber plant in the city, whose products can be used in solid fuel for tactical and ballistic missiles. Omsk's northern industrial zone, about 2,500 km from the Ukrainian border, was also hit, and e-commerce company Ozon confirmed a fire at its logistics centre, with staff evacuated and no initial reports of injuries. Russia's Defence Ministry said 616 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight over Russian regions and Crimea.
Oct 25, 2026 Morning
Iranian President Pezeshkian to visit Moscow on Oct 27 for gas exporters' summit and meeting with Putin
RIA Novosti, citing Iran's ambassador in Moscow, reported that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will attend the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit in Moscow on Oct 27 and meet Vladimir Putin. It would be a major trip abroad for Pezeshkian since the war between Iran and the United States began.
Oct 24, 2026 Afternoon
China and Russia issue joint statement during Chinese premier's visit, calling 'destructive external interference' the main threat to Eurasian stability
CNA reported that China's premier visited Russia and met the Russian president and prime minister, and Xinhua published a joint statement on Oct 22 saying 'destructive external interference is the primary factor undermining stability in Eurasia', with both sides condemning external coercion involving the use of force. The two pledged firm mutual support on core interests, with China backing Russia's security, stability, national unity and territorial integrity; the statement did not mention a rumoured China-US-Russia leaders' meeting.
Oct 22, 2026 Afternoon
Follow-up: After Putin meets Witkoff, Kremlin agrees in principle to resume US-Russia-Ukraine talks next month; American Stephen Hubbard freed
US envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Wednesday, Oct 21. BBC reported that Putin aide Yuri Ushakov said afterwards Russia was 'in principle ready' to resume talks with the US and Ukraine, possibly next month; Zelensky then said he hoped they would be held as soon as possible. The three-way talks have been suspended since February; Witkoff met Zelensky and the leaders of Norway and Finland in Oslo on Monday. AP reported that Russia the same day freed American Stephen Hubbard, held for more than four years on 'mercenary' charges; Trump wrote on Truth Social that he requested the release in a call with Putin last week and that the US did not have to exchange anyone.
Oct 22, 2026 Morning
Russia cabinet reshuffle: Mishustin proposes Siluanov and Kozhemyako as deputy prime ministers
The Kremlin press service and Meduza reported that Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin met Vladimir Putin on Monday morning and proposed a cabinet reshuffle: Finance Minister Anton Siluanov would also become deputy prime minister, a post he held from 2018 to 2020; Primorsky Krai Governor Oleg Kozhemyako would become deputy PM and presidential envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District, replacing Yuri Trutnev; Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin would become deputy PM, succeeded by Rosaviatsia head Dmitry Yadrov; and First Deputy Finance Minister Irina Okladnikova would become deputy PM and head of the government apparatus, replacing Dmitry Grigorenko. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin supported the proposals, which under the constitution require State Duma approval.
Oct 20, 2026 Morning
Wall Street Journal: Putin proposed Trump-Xi-Putin summit to settle Ukraine's future
CNBC, citing the Wall Street Journal on Oct 19, reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed in an Oct 9 call with Donald Trump a three-way summit with Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to reach an agreement ending the Ukraine war, according to a former Russian intelligence official briefed on the call. The summit is not set; if held, Zelensky would not attend, and a possible venue is the November APEC summit in Shenzhen; the same call also led to a deal allowing Russia to sell diesel on global markets. TASS reported Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Oct 19 that Russia, the US and China all recognise a three-way meeting is possible but have no clear agenda yet.
Oct 19, 2026 Afternoon
Follow-up: Ukrainian drone attack on St Petersburg kills at least 1; Lithuania says drone in its airspace was part of the same wave
Ukraine launched a large drone attack on Russia overnight from Oct 17 to 18, about 1,000 drones according to CBS; Singapore's CNA described it as the largest on St Petersburg since the war began in 2022. St Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said at least 1 person was killed and at least 5 injured, with fires at an oil terminal and an oil depot, and an Ozon logistics centre and a VKontakte data centre were also hit. Lithuania's defence minister said an FPV-1 drone that triggered air-raid alerts in Lithuania had taken part in the St Petersburg attack, and RIA Novosti reported that Ukraine acknowledged the airspace violation.
Oct 19, 2026 Morning