Russian forces conducted a series of drone strikes against Ukraine overnight on November 4 to 5.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched 80 Shahed-type and Gerbera-type drones, including roughly 50 Shahed-type drones, from the directions of Kursk and Oryol cities; Millerovo, Rostov Oblast; and Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Krai.[109] The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces downed 61 drones and that 18 drones struck seven locations. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian strikes damaged civilian, residential, water, and energy infrastructure in Sumy, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Mykolaiv oblasts.[110] Ukrainian state electricity transmission operator Ukrenergo reported on November 4 that it will restrict energy consumption to all Ukrainian oblasts on November 5 due to ongoing Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in Sumy, Donetsk, and Chernihiv oblasts.[111]
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Ukrainian forces recently struck Russian energy infrastructure on the night of November 4 to 5. Russian opposition outlet Astra reported on November 5 that Ukrainian drones struck the Vladimirskaya power substation near Vladimir City and that geolocated footage shows explosions overnight near the Oryol Thermal Power Plant in Oryol Oblast.[34] Vladimir Oblast Governor Alexander Avdeev claimed that a Ukrainian drone struck energy infrastructure in a suburb of Vladimir City.[35] Oryol Oblast Governor Andrei Klychkov claimed that Russian forces downed two Ukrainian jet-propelled drones over Oryol City overnight and that drone debris damaged private homes.[36] Yaroslav Oblast Governor Mikhail Evraev also claimed that Ukrainian drone strikes caused minor damage to oil pumping stations in two okrugs.[37]
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO) reported that SSO elements, in cooperation with the Russian Chernaya Iskra insurgency group, struck a transport-loading vehicle for an Iskander missile launcher near Ovsyannikovo, Kursk Oblast on the night of October 3 to 4.[38] SSO and Chernaya Iskra elements also reportedly destroyed a 1L122 Garmon radar station near Nizhny Reutets, Kursk Oblast.
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Authorities reported unidentified drone incursions near the Brussels and Liege airports in Belgium on the evening of November 4. Belgian authorities closed the Brussels Airport due to an unidentified drone.[29] Authorities reopened the Brussels Airport approximately two hours later but closed the airport again after subsequent drone sightings. Belgian authorities also closed the Liege Airport due to unidentified drone sightings.[30] Belgian officials reported that there were three unidentified drones flying over the Kleine Brogel Air Base from October 31 to November 2.[31] Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken stated that the repeated drone overflights are “in line with the hybrid techniques seen in other countries” and that the actors organized them “in a very structured way.”[32] Belgian authorities have not officially attributed these latest drone sightings to a specific actor as of this writing. The repeated unidentified drone incursions near Belgian critical infrastructure come against the backdrop of Russia’s intensifying “Phase Zero” campaign to destabilize Europe, undermine NATO’s cohesion, and set the political and psychological conditions for a potential Russian war against NATO.[33]
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- Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to try to blame US President Donald Trump for the nuclear arms modernization and buildup program that Russia began years ago.
- Russia’s grinding advances in the Pokrovsk direction continue to absorb significant Russian losses.
- North Korea is reportedly deploying additional troops to support roles in the Russian rear.
- The Kremlin continues to set conditions to deploy active reservists to combat in Ukraine.
- Russian forces continue to commit war crimes against Ukrainian civilians.
- Authorities reported unidentified drone incursions near the Brussels and Liege airports in Belgium on the evening of November 4.
- Russian forces advanced in northern Sumy Oblast, in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area, and near Vovchansk, Pokrovsk, and Velykomykhailivka. Ukrainian forces advanced in the Dobropillya tactical area.
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**General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine**
*Operational information as of 22:00 on November 5, 2025, regarding the Russian invasion*
In total, there have been 260 combat engagements since the beginning of this day. Ukrainian defenders are resolutely repelling the enemy's attempts to advance deeper into our territory, inflicting fire damage on them.
Today, Russian troops launched one missile and 43 air strikes, using five missiles and dropping 94 guided aerial bombs. In addition, they deployed 2,351 kamikaze drones and carried out 3,177 shelling attacks on the positions of our troops and populated areas.
- - In the North-Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, Ukrainian soldiers repelled two assault operations by the occupiers. In addition, the enemy carried out nine air strikes, dropping 22 guided bombs, and carried out 154 attacks on the positions of our troops and populated areas, including nine with multiple launch rocket systems.
- - In the South-Slobozhanskyi direction, the enemy stormed the positions of our units 14 times in the areas of Vovchansk, Bologivka, and towards Synelnykove. Three combat engagements are still ongoing.
- - In the Kupiansk direction, the aggressor carried out offensive actions towards the settlements of Petropavlivka, Pishchane, and Nova Kruhlyakivka. Ukrainian defenders stopped three enemy attacks.
- - In the Liman direction, Russian invaders attacked the positions of the Defense Forces 26 times near the settlements of Kolodyazi, Hrekivka, Novoyegorivka, Karpivka, Derylove, Myrne, Shandryholove, Zarichne, and in the direction of the settlements of Korovin Yar and Drobysheve. Fighting continues in eight locations.
- - Ukrainian defenders repelled 16 enemy assaults in the Sloviansk direction – the occupiers attempted to advance near Yampil, Dronivka, Siversk, Serebryanka, Pereizne, and towards Zvanivka. One battle is still ongoing.
- - Our defenders repelled six enemy attacks near the settlements of Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Chasiv Yar, Fedorivka, and towards Stupochky, in the Kramatorsk direction.
- - In the Kostyantynivka direction, the Russians launched 33 attacks on the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of the settlements of Oleksandro-Shultyne, Pleshchiivka, Shcherbinivka, and Rusyn Yar.
- - In the Pokrovsk direction, since the beginning of the day, the occupiers have attempted to advance on the positions of Ukrainian units 93 times. The enemy attacked in the areas of the settlements of Mayak, Nikanorivka, Fedorivka, Chervonyi Lyman, Myrolyubivka, Pokrovsk, Lysivka, Zvirove, Novopavlivka, Kotlyne, Udachne, Novoserhiivka, Muravka, Filia, and Yalta. In some locations, fighting continues to this day.
Measures are being taken to block the enemy, which is trying to infiltrate and accumulate in the city of Pokrovsk. Active countermeasures are being taken against attempts by enemy infantry groups to gain a foothold.
ammo dump in Donetsk
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Russia’s grinding advances in the Pokrovsk direction continue to absorb significant Russian losses. The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) reported on November 5 that SBU units operating in the Pokrovsk direction killed over 1,500 Russian servicemembers and destroyed 20 tanks, 62 armored fighting vehicles (AFVs), and 532 transport vehicles in October 2025.[6] The SBU’s numbers only account for casualties inflicted by SBU forces, and total Russian losses in the area are likely much higher. Geolocated footage published on November 5 indicates that Russian forces recently advanced in western Rodynske (north of Pokrovsk).[7] ... A servicemember of a Ukrainian brigade operating in the Pokrovsk direction stated on November 5 that Russian forces are concentrating their efforts against Ukrainian forces in southern Pokrovsk and are wearing civilian clothes as part of deception tactics — considered perfidy under international law.[9] ISW has recently observed multiple reports of Russian forces committing acts of perfidy in the Pokrovsk direction as Russian forces have leveraged infiltration tactics to penetrate the town between Ukrainian positions.[10]
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Pokrovsk direction: In the northern part of the city, a fierce, dynamic clash is ongoing; the enemy is pulling in reserves there without hesitation, even if it means losing a lot of men, as they say, "one platoon less, one bridgehead more." It is important for them to break through our defense
The Russian military command has committed significant portions of the 2nd, 41st, and 51st combined arms armies (CAA) to the Pokrovsk direction, indicating its prioritization of the seizure of the pocket.[11] Elements of the Russian 35th and 74th Motorized Rifle Brigades (both of the 41st CAA, Central Military District [CMD]) and the 1441st Motorized Rifle Regiment (reportedly of the 2nd CAA, CMD) are reportedly operating in western Pokrovsk; and elements of the 30th Motorized Rifle Brigade (2nd CAA), the 506th and 589th motorized rifle regiments (both of the 27th Motorized Rifle Division, 2nd CAA), and the 1452nd Motorized Rifle Regiment (reportedly of the 41st CAA) are reportedly operating in eastern Pokrovsk.[12] Elements of the 9th Motorized Rifle Brigade (51st CAA, formerly 1st Donetsk People’s Republic Army Corps [DNR AC], Southern Military District [SMD]) and the 506th Motorized Rifle Regiment are reportedly operating in Rodynske; elements of the 5th Motorized Rifle Brigade (51st CAA) are reportedly operating in Myrnohrad (east of Pokrovsk); elements of the 1435th Motorized Rifle Regiment (reportedly of the 2nd CAA) are reportedly operating in Zvirove (southwest of Pokrovsk); and elements of the 1437th Motorized Rifle Regiment (reportedly of the 2nd CAA) are reportedly operating in Udachne (southwest of Pokrovsk).[13] Russian forces in the Pokrovsk direction have been taking some of the highest losses on the battlefield in recent months, and the 21-month campaign to seize Pokrovsk has likely degraded these three CAAs.[14] The servicemember noted that Russian forces rarely employ mechanized vehicles in the Pokrovsk direction, apart from near Myrnohrad. ISW recently observed reporting of Russian mechanized assaults near Myrnohrad on October 13 and 22.[15]
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