Ukraine foiled plans to reconnect Zaporizhzhia power plant in time for Putin’s birthday
Ukrainian forces operating behind enemy lines derailed Russia’s hopes of reconnecting the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station before Vladimir Putin’s birthday earlier this month, sources have claimed.
Ukrainian sources told The Guardian that they believed Russia was trying to bring power back to the plant in time for the president’s birthday on 7 October, after it lost external power in late September.
Europe’s largest power station, which has been in Russian control since early in the invasion, was forced to operate on diesel backup generators after its last remaining external power line was severed on 23 September. Russia and Ukraine blamed each other.
James C. Reynolds has more.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar25 October 2025 07:10
Eight injured in Russian attack on Kyiv
At least eight people suffered injuries after Russia fired ballistic missiles in an overnight attack on Kyiv.
Explosions were heard in Kyiv just before 4 am local time, Kyiv Independent reported.
Tymur Tkachenko, the head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, said fire broke out at multiple locations on the left bank of the Ukrainian capital.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar25 October 2025 06:40
Which countries buy Russian oil – and what impact will sanctions have?
The US has this week imposed new sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, Russia’s two largest petroleum-producing companies.
After efforts to negotiate an end to Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine appeared to come to a standstill, the Trump administration made the move in a bid to “increase pressure on Russia’s energy sector” and “degrade the Kremlin’s ability to raise revenue for its war machine and support its weakened economy”.
So how much impact could the move have, and what are the implications for countries who rely on Russia to supply their oil?
China, India and Turkey are the biggest recipients of Russian oil that used to go to the European Union. The EU’s decision to boycott most Russian seaborne oil from January 2023 led to a massive shift in crude flows from Europe to Asia.
Since then, China has been the No 1 overall consumer of Russian energy, having purchased some $219.5bn (£164bn) worth of Russian oil, gas and coal, followed by India ($133.4bn/£100bn) and Turkey ($90.3bn/£67.7bn).
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar25 October 2025 06:10
Trump to push China for Russia peace deal
US president Donald Trump said that he would like China to help Washington in its dealings with Russia.
“I’d like China to help us out with Russia,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One. “I’d like to see China help us out.”
Mr Trump, who left Washington on Friday night, is set for a five-day trip to Malaysia, Japan and South Korea, his first to the region and longest journey abroad since taking office in January.
He will meet Chinese president Xi Jinping in South Korea later this week.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar25 October 2025 05:40
France to send more Aster missiles and Mirage jets to Ukraine
French president Emmanuel Macron has announced that France will soon supply Ukraine with additional Aster missiles for its SAMP/T air defence systems, along with Mirage-2000 fighter jets.
“In the coming days, we will deliver additional Aster missiles, new training programs and new Mirage aircraft. It is very important to continue our efforts to support Ukraine and put pressure on Russia,” Mr Macron said during a meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing”.
France and the UK had earlier supplied Ukraine with SCALP and Storm Shadow long-range missiles, which were most recently used in a strike on a Russian chemical plant in the Bryansk region.
The first French Mirage-2000 fighters arrived in Ukraine in February 2025, according to reports.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar25 October 2025 05:20
Starmer vows Ukraine allies will take Russian oil and gas off market
Allied nations have pledged to act to take Russian oil and gas off the global market, Sir Keir Starmer said, after leaders gathered with Volodymyr Zelensky in London.
The prime minister urged other nations to follow the US and impose sanctions, and said allies had agreed on a “clear plan for the rest of the year” in supporting Kyiv.
Among the further pledges were plans to “push on with the progress” on Russian assets and “keep up the military pressure on Putin” as the conflict heads towards its fourth winter.
The UK also said it would “accelerate” its missile production programme to get more weapons to Ukraine.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar25 October 2025 05:03
Two killed in Russian strikes on Kherson
At least two people were killed and two dozen others suffered injuries after Russian artillery struck a residential block in the southeastern city of Kherson yesterday, Ukrainian authorities said.
Russian planes also dropped at least five powerful glide bombs on the northeastern city of Kharkiv, injuring six people and damaging homes, according to Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov.
And for the first time, Russia fired glide bombs on Ukraine’s southern Odesa region yesterday, according to Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, calling it “a new, serious threat” in the area.
Glide bombs are significantly cheaper than missiles and carry a heavier payload.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar25 October 2025 04:55
In pics: Fighting continues in Donetsk
Servicemen of the 148th Artillery Brigade “Zhytomyr” of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fire a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launch system towards Russian troops, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, near the frontline town of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk region (REUTERS)
Ukrainian servicemen ride a tank, as seen through a car windshield (REUTERS)
Servicemen of the 148th Artillery Brigade “Zhytomyr” of the Ukrainian Armed Forces prepare to fire a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launch system towards Russian troops, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine (REUTERS)
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar25 October 2025 04:25
Russia says it has captured Ukrainian villages
The Russian Defence Ministry has claimed that over the past week its forces have captured 10 Ukrainian villages.
The small conquests are part of Russia’s slow but steady slog to envelop the remaining Ukrainian strongholds in the Donetsk region from both the north and the south and create footholds for pressing further west into the Dnipropetrovsk region.
The Defence Ministry also said its forces downed 111 Ukrainian drones over several regions overnight, with debris causing damage to homes and infrastructure
.Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that air defenses downed three drones heading to the city, which forced flights to be suspended at two Moscow airports.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar25 October 2025 04:20
Zelensky urges US to broaden Russian oil sanctions
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the US to expand sanctions on Russian oil from two companies to the whole sector, and appealed for long-range missiles to hit back at Russia.
Mr Zelensky was in London for talks with two dozen European leaders who have pledged military help to shield his country from future Russian aggression if a ceasefire stops the more than three-year war.
The meeting hosted by British prime minister Keir Starmer aimed to step up pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin, adding momentum to recent measures that have included a new round of sanctions from the United States and European countries on Russia’s vital oil and gas export earnings.
The talks also addressed ways of helping protect Ukraine’s power grid from Russia’s almost daily drone and missiles attacks as winter approaches, enhancing Ukrainian air defenses, and supplying Kyiv with longer-range missiles that can strike deep inside Russia. Zelenskyy has urged the US to send Tomahawk missiles, an idea President Donald Trump has flirted with.
The Ukrainian leader said Mr Trump’s decision this week to impose oil sanctions was “a big step,” and said “we have to apply pressure not only to Rosneft and Lukoil, but to all Russian oil companies”.
“Besides, we are carrying out our own campaign of pressure with drones and missiles specifically targeting the Russian oil sector,” he said during a news conference at the Foreign Office in London.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar25 October 2025 04:00