Saturday, November 8, 2025
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The Kyiv Independent [unofficial]
From Kyiv to New York — the Kyiv Independent brings stories from democracy’s front line
Russia’s war against Ukraine
The aftermath of a Russian drone attack on a residential building in Dnipro overnight on Nov. 8, 2025. The attack killed one person and injured 11 others, including two children. (Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Vladyslav Haivanenko/Telegram)
Russia launches ‘massive’ missile attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, drone attack sparks fires in Kyiv. Russia launched yet another wide-ranging attack on Ukrainian cities overnight on Nov. 8, using a combination of drone and missiles to strike targets across the country.
Drones hit key Russian petrochemical plant in Republic of Bashkortostan, Ukraine’s HUR says. HUR claims that the drone strike on Nov. 6 led to a fire in the workshop producing an additive known as agidol, used for aviation fuel.
Ukraine estimates its long-range weapon production at over $30 billion in 2026. In a closed-door briefing with journalists, Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, and Oleksandr Kamyshin, an advisor on Strategic Industries to the President’s Office, said that the current production capacity (for this year) of the Ukrainain defense industry is around $35 billion per year.
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Ukraine secures 300 million cubic meters of American LNG amid Russian attacks on gas production. Orlen will deliver three cargoes of American liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Ukraine in the first quarter of 2026.
Kremlin denies Lavrov fell out of favor with Putin after canceled Trump summit. “I will give you a brief answer: there is nothing true in these reports,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
‘Full sanctions exemption‘ granted as Orban meets Trump in Washington to discuss Russian oil, war against Ukraine. The U.S. and Hungary are also planning to sign a “significant nuclear cooperation agreement,” Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said.
Zelensky blames ex-energy chief for grid’s failure to withstand Russian assaults amid talk of scapegoating. “He was the head of a large system, and this system was supposed to ensure the security of our energy sector. He was obliged to do this — and he did not,” the president told journalists on Nov. 7.
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War Notes
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Ukraine war latest: Special Forces drones hit oil depots, trains, logistic facilities in Russian-occupied Crimea
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO) said on Nov. 7 that its long-range drones struck an oil depot and logistic facilities in the Russian-occupied peninsula of Crimea.
Photo: Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces/Telegram
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AI soldiers: How deepfakes are manipulating Ukraine’s mobilization narrative
Tears, panic, and young Ukrainian soldiers pleading for help — a new disinformation campaign using artificial intelligence (AI) to fabricate videos of Ukraine’s mobilization efforts is flooding social media platforms.
Photo: Screenshot of the account spreading AI-generated videos
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This investment fund is betting on Ukraine’s struggling farm sector
The Kyiv Independent spoke with Dan Yakub, founding partner at Diligent Capital Partners, to discuss why he and his partners launched the fund now, the opportunities they see in Ukraine’s agricultural sector amid the war, and their long-term vision for the country’s agrifood industry.
Photo: Nina Liashonok/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images
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Can the West win a сeasefire with Russia?
Since 2014, every ceasefire Russia has signed has ended the same way: with Russia in a stronger position, and the West scrambling to catch up when Russia decides to escalate again.
Photo: Contributor/Getty Images
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Human costs of war
Kyiv holds farewell for 28-year-old Ukrainian photographer, soldier Huzenko. A farewell ceremony was held in Kyiv on Nov. 7 for for Kostiantyn Huzenko, a photographer-turned-soldier, killed in a Russian strike on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on Nov. 1.
Russia strikes residential building in Dnipro, killing 1, injuring 11. Russia carried out a drone attack on the city of Dnipro overnight on Nov. 8, killing one person and injuring 11 others, including two children, officials reported.
International response
Gunvor withdraws bid for Russia’s Lukoil assets after US calls it ‘Kremlin’s puppet.’ Gunvor, which is registered in Cyprus and headquartered in Switzerland, was founded in 1997 by Gennady Timchenko, a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Swedish billionaire Torbjörn Törnqvist.
Sweden has helped fund 400 drones for Ukraine’s strike campaign on Russian oil refineries. Denys Shmyhal’s announcement comes as Ukraine aims to strike deeper into Russian territory in an attempt to disrupt its logistics and grind down its war machine from a distance.
EU tightening visa rules for Russian nationals, citing security risks. The European Commission adopted stricter rules on issuing visas to Russian citizens, who will be largely banned from receiving multi-entry visas, the EU announced on Nov. 7.
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