In a report published this week, the commission said Russian forces, operating under a centralised command, had systematically used drones to intentionally target civilians and civilian objects and cause harm and destruction. The report was compiled by the UN's independent international commission of inquiry on Ukraine, an independent body that reports back to the UN. The latest report looked at three regions of Ukraine in particular Kherson, Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk which are
Russian attack helicopters (such as the Mi‑28N) are now reportedly being equipped with the Igla‑S MANPADS via the Strelets system launcher modules in order to intercept Ukrainian long-range drones. While traditional guns and rockets on helicopters have been used in this role, the addition of MANPADS shows Russian awareness of the threat posed by smaller, faster aerial targets. How effective MANPADS are against low-heat small UAVs remains to be seen.
Israel is committed to "regulating" its relationship with Iran, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a summit in Tajikistan last week, citing confidential contacts with Israeli leaders. "We are getting signals from the Israeli leadership asking us to convey to our Iranian friends that Israel is not interested in any kind of confrontation," Putin said. Tehran, according to the Russian president, also wants to "work toward peace." Putin also made a point that the Iranian regime "must not possess nuclear weapons."
Russia is India's top oil supplier. Moscow exported 1.62 million barrels per day to India in September, roughly one-third of the country's oil imports. For months, Modi resisted US pressure, with Indian officials defending the purchases as vital to national energy security. A move by India to stop imports would signal a major shift by one of Moscow's top energy customers and could reshape the calculus for other nations still importing Russian crude.
Given that list, Rutte was in no mood to mince words. But he pointed out that despite all the trouble Russia can cause, people should not give in to fear that inflates its capabilities into something unstoppable. In four years of war and with more than 1 million casualties, Russia has largely failed to advance in Ukraine, for instance, and its global military ambitions have been hobbled after losing bases in Syria and having numerous Black Sea Fleet ships sunk by Ukrainian drones and missiles.
Melania Trump on Friday announced she's had discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin leading to an agreement to return Ukrainian children back home. On Friday, Melania appeared in the White House for a brief press conference on the situation in Russia. Since at least August, the Trump administration has taken notice of the Ukrainian children who have been abducted by Russian forces.
Andrei Kartapolov, head of the Russian parliament's Defense Committee, said Russia would respond harshly if the United States supplies Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, the state RIA news agency reported. "We know these missiles very well, how they fly, how to shoot them down, we worked on them in Syria, so there is nothing new," RIA cited him as saying. "Only those who supply them and those who use them will have problems," Kartapolov added.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned NATO and the EU that any aggression against my country will be met with a decisive response. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Saturday, Lavrov insisted that Moscow had no plans to attack the West, but that it was prepared to act if provoked. His comments came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed Russia for recent drone and plane incursions in Europe.
Police said one to two drones were observed on Friday at about 8.15 pm (7.15pm local time) near and over Karup airbase, the country's biggest base that houses all of the armed forces' helicopters, airspace surveillance, flight school and support functions. Karup is also home to parts of the defence command, according to the military's website. A police spokesperson, Simon Skelkjaer, said police could not comment on where the drones came from, adding: We didn't take them down.