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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Ukraine's air defenses intercepted or suppressed 108 out of 135 Russian drones overnight, including around 90 Shaheds. Still, 27 drones hit targets across 13 locations.
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 Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov appears to have fallen out of favor in the Kremlin following a failed call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that led to the cancellation of a planned summit between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, The Moscow Times reported on November 6.
Lavrov, 76, who has headed the foreign ministry for over two decades, was notably absent from a key Security Council meeting on November 5, where Putin discussed reviving nuclear tests last conducted in 1990. Sources told Kommersant that Lavrov’s absence was “coordinated,” though he was the only permanent member missing from the session.
The veteran diplomat has also been removed as head of Russia’s delegation to this year’s G20 summit, a position now assigned to presidential aide Maxim Oreshkin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed. Putin, meanwhile, will skip the summit in South Africa, where he faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, The Moscow Times wrote.
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yesterday, a strike was carried out on the Shahed drone base at Donetsk airport using cruise missiles and drones.
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2/As a result of the strike, an ammunition depot, a fuel depot, a UAV launch preparation point were destroyed and power supply and communication nodes were damaged. Up to 1,000 Shahed drones and 1,500 warheads were reportedly on site.
— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@militarynewsua.bsky.social) Nov 6, 2025 at 4:44 AM
🇺🇦23:45 | 05/11
Approximate flight routes of our UAVs:
🔴Red arrow – directions of strike UAVs;
🔵Blue arrow - directions of jet UAVs;
🟢Green plane - airfields where the "Cover Plan" has been announced;
All information regarding the routes is taken from Russian sources.
the progress of russian forces in Donbass since february 24th 2022. We can see how slow it has been and the acceleration in 2024 and 2025. There is still a long path to go for Russia.
Always remember more than 80% of the russian army is currently in Ukraine.
- 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.
https://t.co/QEdzCWEywo
**General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine**
*Operational information as of 22:00 on November 6, 2025, regarding the Russian invasion*
In total, there have been 164 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 37 air strikes, using six missiles and dropping 95 guided aerial bombs. In addition, they deployed 2,693 kamikaze drones and carried out 3,839 shelling attacks on the positions of our troops and populated areas.
- - In the North-Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, Ukrainian soldiers repelled eight assault operations by the occupiers, and two more combat engagements are ongoing. In addition, the enemy carried out four air strikes, dropping 10 guided bombs, and carried out 160 attacks on the positions of our troops and populated areas, including 14 with multiple launch rocket systems.
- - In the South-Slobozhansky direction, the enemy stormed the positions of our units 12 times in the areas of Vovchansk, Kamianka, and towards Dvorichansky.
- - In the Kupiansk direction, the aggressor carried out offensive actions towards the settlements of Petropavlivka, Pishchane, and Hlushevka. Ukrainian defenders stopped 12 enemy attacks.
- - In the Lyman direction, Russian invaders attacked the positions of the Defense Forces eight times near the settlements of Novoyegorivka, Borivska Andriivka, Hrekivka, Zarichne, Novoselivka, and in the direction of the settlement of Koroviy Yar. Fighting continues in two locations.
- - Ukrainian defenders repelled thirteen enemy assaults in the Sloviansk direction – the occupiers attempted to advance near Yampil, Dronivka, Siversk, Serebryanka, and Fedorivka.
- - Our defenders repelled two enemy attacks near the settlements of Novomarkove and Virolyubivka, in the Kramatorsk direction.
- - In the Kostyantynivka direction, the Russians launched 14 attacks on the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of the settlements of Oleksandro-Shultyne, Shcherbinivka, Pleshchiivka, Rusyn Yar, and in the direction of Sofiivka.
- - In the Pokrovsk direction, since the beginning of the day, the occupiers have attempted to advance on the positions of Ukrainian units 55 times. The enemy attacked in the areas of the settlements of Chervonyi Lyman, Fedorivka, Mirnohrad, Nikanorivka, Rodynske, Dorozhne, Novopavlivka, Novoekonomichne, Lysivka, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetsk, and Filiya. In some locations, fighting continues to this day.
According to preliminary data, a total of 97 occupiers were neutralized in this direction today, 60 of them irrevocably. Ukrainian soldiers also destroyed 14 UAVs, one vehicle, and five pieces of special equipment. One artillery system, one piece of special equipment, one UAV control point, and 13 enemy personnel shelters were significantly damaged.
- - In the Oleksandrivka direction, the enemy made 10 attempts to break through the defenses of our defenders in the areas of the settlements of Sichneve, Vorone, Sosnivka, Solodke, Pryvilne, Pavlivka, Verbove, and Pershotravneve. Fighting continues in two locations. Vidradne and Orestopil were subjected to air strikes.
- - In the Huliaipole direction, five combat clashes were recorded in the Novomykolaivka area and in the direction of Novoye. Dobropillya and Ternuvate were subjected to air strikes.
- - The enemy did not conduct any offensive operations in the Orikhiv direction.
- - In the Dnipro direction, Ukrainian units repelled one enemy assault in the direction of the Antonivsky Bridge. Olgivka was subjected to enemy air strikes.
- - No significant changes in other directions.
**Today, we would like to commend the soldiers of the 34th Separate Brigade of Coastal Defense, who are effectively destroying the enemy.**
Glory to the Ukrainian defenders!
Glory to Ukraine!
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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] Russian milbloggers claimed on November 4 and 5 that Russian forces advanced within northeastern Pokrovsk, southeast of Hryshyne (northwest of Pokrovsk), and southwest of Sukhetske (north of Pokrovsk).[8] 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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RT @jeremykonyndyk.bsky.social :
“Please, please, please take 20 minute to watch this incredibly powerful film about the fatal recklessness of Elon Musk and Marco Rubio’s aid cuts.
Children are dying from these cuts. This is one of the many, many stories - a South Sudanese refugee child in Uganda.”
[image or embed]
— Peter Beinart (@peterbeinart.bsky.social) Nov 5, 2025 at 10:44 PM
