Russian Lt. General Igor Kirillov has been killed by an explosive device hidden in a scooter outside of an apartment in Moscow.

The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Reported by BBC News - 17/12/24

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c4gx6p347dgt

Andrei Belousov has arrived in Pyongyang for talks with military and political leaders, the Russian defence ministry has reported. North Korea has been increasing its involvement in the conflict in recent weeks by providing Russia with thousands of troops and an array of weapons.

Reported by Sky News - 29/11/24

https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-russia-war-putin-latest-live-sky-news-12541713

Russia has fired a hypersonic IRBM (intermediate range ballistic missile) for the first time in it's war in Ukraine. The missile, designated Oreshnik, was fired at an arms factory in Dnipro. This is the first time one has been used in the conflict, marking an escalation.

Reported by BBC News - 22/11/24

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg07zw9vj1o

US President Joe Biden has authorized long-range missile strikes on the Russia, where Ukraine would use the ATACMS that the US has provided. Restrictions do remain in place though, which limit the strikes to the Kursk region only, where Ukrainian soldiers are operating on Russian soil.

The UK and France have now also authorized the use of the long-range missiles which they have provided (Storm Shadow and SCALP, respectively), also to be used in the Kursk region only - as of 19/11/24.

Reported by BBC News - 19/11/24

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cjdl98dk40gt

Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack across Ukraine, hitting both energy infrastructure and civilian buildings. President Zelensky reported that 120 missiles and 90 drones were used, affecting regions including Ukraine's westernmost areas. Ukraine's largest private energy company confirmed significant damage to its thermal power plants, and some areas remain without power. The attack is part of ongoing efforts to disrupt Ukraine's energy sector, with potential for extended outages, especially as winter approaches.

Reported by BBC News - 17/11/24

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cjdl98dk40gt

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Ukraine's operation in Russia's Kursk region is holding down 50,000 Russian troops, limiting Moscow's ability to attack within Ukraine. The Institute for the Study of War stated that Russia had 11,000 troops in Kursk when Ukraine began its offensive in August. A New York Times report suggests Russia has increased its forces in Kursk without withdrawing from other areas of Ukraine, and that North Korean troops are also being deployed there as part of a Russian counter-offensive. Zelensky said Ukrainian forces are preventing Russian units from being redirected to other fronts, particularly Donetsk, where fighting continues. Meanwhile, a North Korean-Russian defense treaty was ratified by Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin, and the US has accused North Korea of supplying Russia with military hardware. The Kremlin denied reports of a phone call between Donald Trump and Putin, where Trump allegedly warned against escalating the war in Ukraine.

Reported by BBC News 12/11/2024

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9vn1x23x88o

Russia and Ukraine launched their largest drone attacks since the start of the war, with Russia intercepting 84 Ukrainian drones across six regions, including some targeting Moscow, leading to flight diversions. Ukraine's Air Force reported shooting down most of the 145 Russian drones launched overnight. The attacks come amid speculation about how US President-elect Donald Trump might influence the conflict, with some advisers suggesting a focus on peace rather than supporting Ukraine's territorial recovery. Meanwhile, Russian forces reportedly made their largest territorial gains in October since March 2022, although Russia also suffered heavy casualties, with around 1,500 reported daily. Both sides continue to target civilian areas, with casualties reported in Russia's Ramenskoye and Ukraine's Odesa and Mykolaiv regions. Ukrainian President Zelensky has reiterated that Ukraine will not concede territory and emphasized the need for both military strength and diplomacy to secure a lasting peace.

Reported by BBC News 11/11/2024

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx28jd0114ro