Russian forces conducted a series of missile and drone strikes against Ukraine on the night of November 15 to 16.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched one Iskander-M ballistic missile from Rostov Oblast and 176 Shahed-type, Gerbera-type, and other drones – of which about 100 were Shahed-type drones – from the directions of Kursk and Oryol cities; Millerovo, Rostov Oblast; Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Krai; and occupied Cape Chauda, Crimea.[88] The Ukrainian Air Force reported that as of 0900 local time Ukrainian forces downed 139 drones; that 37 drones hit 14 locations; and that debris fell in two locations. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian forces struck industrial, civilian, energy, and transport infrastructure in Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, and Odesa oblasts.[89] One of Ukraine’s largest pharmaceutical distributors, Optima-Pharm, reported that Russian strikes completely destroyed the company’s Dnipro City warehouse – the third strike against Optima-Pharm warehouse since late August 2025.[90]
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on November 16 that Russian forces launched about 1,000 strike drones, almost 980 guided glide bombs, and 36 missiles against Ukraine in the past week (since roughly November 9).[91]
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Russia launched another massive drone strike overnight, 176 drones and 1 Iskander-M missile. By 09:00, Ukraine’s air defense had downed or jammed 139 drones, mostly Shaheds, across the north, south, and east. Hits were recorded in 14 locations.
Ukrainian forces continued their long-range strike campaign against Russian energy infrastructure on the night of November 15 to 16. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces struck the Novokuybyshevsk Oil Refinery near Samara City.[30] The Ukrainian General Staff noted that the refinery has an annual processing capacity of 8.8 million tons and produces more than 20 types of commercial products, including the highest grade of jet fuels for the Russian military. Geolocated footage published on November 15 shows explosions at the refinery.[31] Samara Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev claimed that Russian air defenses repelled a Ukrainian drone strike overnight.[32]
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A new report from ISW’s Nataliya Bugayova assesses that the US must contest Russia’s initiatives in Ukraine, Europe, and in the cognitive space to alter Russia’s current trajectory toward a longer and larger war. As long as the Kremlin perceives that it has the initiative, it has little reason to compromise its aims in Ukraine, to reduce its intensified attacks against NATO, or to limit its cognitive warfare offensive on US decision-making. To deter and win future wars, America must be able to seize the initiative against any actor it may need to fight. The West has largely remained in a reactive stance vis-à-vis Russia for over two decades. To seize the initiative, the US must abandon its reactive mindset and seek control over the tempo of events to set the terms on which Russia must engage.
https://t.co/0NPGp3FadX
VATNIK-ADJACENT The Kremlin used an interview with Kremlin-affiliated former Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Deputy Viktor Medvedchuk to reiterate Russia’s objective of absorbing all of Ukraine into Russia – possibly under the control of Medvedchuk himself. Medvedchuk’s statements are consistent with ISW’s assessments that Russia aims to absorb all of Ukraine and with US President Donald Trump’s statements that Putin “wants all of it.”[19]
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- Russian forces are attempting to complete their encirclement of Ukrainian forces in Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad.
- The situation in the Hulyaipole direction remains very serious as Russian forces continue to advance and maintain intensified offensive operations.
- Ukrainian forces report that they are successfully pushing back Russian efforts to seize Kupyansk. These reports are generally consistent with ISW’s assessments.
- The Kremlin used an interview with Kremlin-affiliated former Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Deputy Viktor Medvedchuk to reiterate Russia’s objective of absorbing all of Ukraine into Russia – possibly under the control of Medvedchuk himself. Medvedchuk’s statements are consistent with ISW’s assessments that Russia aims to absorb all of Ukraine and with US President Donald Trump’s statements that Putin “wants all of it.”
- Russian forces continue to encourage war crimes against Ukrainian servicemembers and civilians on the battlefield.
- Russian forces recently advanced near Hulyaipole and in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area.
https://t.co/N5jacb6GyZ
General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Operational information as of 22:00 on November 16, 2025 regarding the Russian invasion
The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the advance of the occupying forces.A total of 195 combat engagements have taken place so far. Today, the terrorist state carried out 43 air strikes and dropped 105 guided bombs. In addition, the invaders used 2,322 kamikaze drones and carried out 3,274 shelling attacks on the positions of our troops and populated areas.
- In the North Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, the enemy carried out one air strike, dropped three guided bombs, and carried out 87 shelling attacks, including five with multiple launch rocket systems.
- Today, the enemy attacked six times in the South Slobozhanskyi direction near Vovchansk and in the directions of Dvorichanskyi and Obukhivka. One combat engagement is still ongoing.
- The aggressor attempted to advance on our positions in the Kupiansk direction near the settlements of Pishchane, Kupiansk, and Holubivka eight times.
- In the Liman direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled 17 Russian attacks today. The enemy attacked in the areas of the settlements of Cherneshyna, Novyi Mir, Hrekivka, Karpivka, Korovii Yar, Drobysheve, Yampilivka, Terny, and Zarichne. Two combat clashes are still ongoing.
- In the Sloviansk direction, Ukrainian soldiers repelled eight enemy attacks. Occupying forces attempted to advance in the areas of the settlements of Yampil, Serebryanka, Fedorivka, Siversk, Vyimka, and Zvanivka. One battle is still ongoing.
- In the Kramatorsk direction, there were five combat clashes with the enemy in the areas of Maisky, Virolyubivka, and Chasovy Yar.
- In the Kostyantynivka direction, our troops repelled 27 enemy attacks today in the areas of the settlements of Kostyantynivka, Shcherbinivka, Pleshchiivka, Rusyn Yar, Poltavka, Sofiivka, and in the direction of Novopavlivka.
- In the Pokrovsk direction, the aggressor attacked our positions 66 times during the day in the areas of the settlements of Volodymyrivka, Bilytske, Nove Shakhov, Nikanorivka, Chervonyi Lyman, Myrnohrad, Rodynske, Novoekonomichne, Pokrovsk, Sukhyi Yar, Kotlyne, Udachne, Shakhov, Molodetsk, Novomykolaivka, Dachne, Filia, and in the direction of Novopidhorodne, Hryshyne, Kucheri Yar, Vilne. One attack is still ongoing.
According to preliminary estimates, today in the Pokrovsk direction, the occupiers lost 117 people killed and wounded. Our soldiers destroyed one artillery system, 15 unmanned aerial vehicles, four vehicles, and three pieces of special equipment.
- In the Oleksandrivka direction, our defenders repelled 21 enemy attacks near the settlements of Zelenyi Hai, Yalta, Andriivka-Klevtsove, Oleksandrivka, Voskresenka, Stepove, Sosnivka, Verbove, Oleksiivka, Pavlivka, Pryvilne, Krasnohirsk, and Zlagoda. The enemy launched air strikes on the areas of the settlements of Demuryne and Danilivka.
- In the Huliaipole direction, the enemy attacked the positions of our defenders 14 times near the settlements of Dobropillia, Rivnopillia, Zelenyi Hai, Vesele, Bilohiria, Vysokoe, Ternuvate, and in the direction of Zatyshshia. One combat engagement is still ongoing. The settlements of Huliaipole, Vozdvyzhka, Bilohiria, and Ternuvate were subjected to air strikes.
- In the Orikhiv direction, the Defense Forces stopped one enemy offensive in the Stepnogorsk area.
- In the Dnipro direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled one attack by the occupiers in the direction of the Antonivsky Bridge. Sadove was hit by an air strike.
Today, we should note the soldiers of the 34th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade, who are effectively destroying the enemy, inflicting significant losses in manpower and equipment.
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The General Staff of Ukraine reports the AFU continue active offensive operations in the Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad, and Dobropillia sectors. "In total, during the operation — as of 15 November 2025 — 189 km² have been liberated, and 259.4 km² of the Pokrovsk district have been completely cleared of enemy sabotage groups,” the General Staff’s statement reads.
Russian forces are attempting to complete their encirclement of Ukrainian forces in Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad. Russian forces’ recent attempts to infiltrate Ukrainian lines north of Pokrovsk indicate that Russian forces are prioritizing efforts to complete the encirclement, aiming to physically sever Ukrainian ground lines of communication (GLOCs) north of Pokrovsk that supply forces in Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad (east of Pokrovsk). This assessment modifies ISW’s previous observation that Russian forces were apparently focusing on seizing the town of Pokrovsk rather than on completing the encirclement.[1] Geolocated footage published on November 16 indicates that Russian forces recently conducted a roughly fireteam-sized infiltration mission north of Pokrovsk.[2] A Russian milblogger claimed that Russian forces conducted the infiltration mission northward from Pokrovsk itself.[3] ISW assesses that Ukrainian forces killed or wounded the Russian forces involved. It is unclear, therefore, if Russian forces retain positions in this area. The spokesperson of a Ukrainian brigade operating in the Pokrovsk direction reported on November 16 that Russian forces have reverted to conducting infiltrations into Pokrovsk in small infantry groups of two to three servicemembers instead of mechanized assaults, likely in reaction to the failure of such assaults.[4] A Ukrainian servicemember operating in the neighboring Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area told CNN on November 16 that the size of Russian infiltration groups has recently dropped from five to seven servicemembers to a maximum of three servicemembers.[5] A Ukrainian drone operator in the Pokrovsk direction told CNN that Russian forces’ infiltration tactics are predicated on the assumption that lone survivors of three-member infiltration groups can gain footholds, emphasizing the costly nature of such tactics. The failure of mechanized assaults to rapidly bring large numbers of Russian forces into the town and the costly nature of infiltration-based troop accumulation may constrain Russian forces’ ability to reinforce troops within Pokrovsk, delaying Russian forces’ seizure of the town.
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