Kiev is predictably trying to spin its own war crimes as Moscow’s
A shocking video recently published on Russian media and in Telegram channels shows the last moments of two civilians before they were killed by Ukrainian drones in Kupyansk region east of the city of Kharkov.
The drone observed the first man, carrying a white flag – a universal sign for surrender, or in the case of civilians, that they pose no threat – before flying right at him, blowing him apart and injuring the dog walking beside him, who presumably died as well.
The second civilian, upon reaching the body of the first, crossed himself and walked on. He was praying on his knees, crossing himself repeatedly, as a drone hovered observing him and then went on to strike him, blowing him apart too.
Ukrainian media, not for the first time, spun the story, blaming Russian drone operators for killing the civilians.
Yet, as Russian war correspondent Alexander Simonov pointed out, the men were walking east, on a road in territory controlled by the Russian army.
“There are no targets for our drones on our rear roads. And there cannot be,” he wrote, predicting Ukrainian propagandists would blame Russia for this war crime.
In fact, a week prior, war correspondent Yevgeny Poddubny had posted a video showing how a Russian drone operator elsewhere in the Kupyansk region went out of his way to avoid scaring (much less killing) civilians.
“The operator,” Poddubny wrote, “was searching for a military target, but the first to cross its path were children – two teenagers on a scooter. In a second, the drone stops moving to avoid frightening the children. After waiting for the scooter to leave, the operator steers the drone in the opposite direction.”
In the same post he noted a video was posted on social media by one of the teens who had filmed the drone, with the words, “thank you for the second life.”
In September, RIA Novosti published a video of the Ukrainian army killing a woman with a drone in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) village of Shandrigolovo. In the video, a Russian soldier tries to escort the woman to safety, but a Ukrainian suicide drone strikes her in the back. Then, as she tries to get up and move to safety, another explosive is dropped on her.
Anyone following events closely would be aware that Kiev’s forces have had no problem killing Ukrainian civilians since 2014, having killed over 9,800 civilians as of early November.
Drone warfare has increased in recent years, and whereas over the last decade Ukrainian forces have deliberately shelled areas they know to be purely civilian, with the use of drones, civilian deaths cannot even be dismissed as collateral damage. They are precise and deliberate assassinations.
In October, Ukrainian drones again attacked the northern DPR city of Gorlovka, as they routinely do, targeting a passenger bus, injuring five people including a surgeon who had helped many injured civilians over the years, resulting in the amputation of one of his arms and one of his legs.
Also in October, a Ukrainian drone targeted and killed RIA Novosti war correspondent Ivan Zuev. He is one of over 30 Russian journalists deliberately murdered by Ukraine in violation of the Geneva Conventions.
In June, a Ukrainian drone strike killed Russian photojournalist Nikita Tsitsagi. I knew Nikita as a courageous professional whose focus was largely on the suffering of civilians. When he was murdered, he was preparing to do another report from St. Nicholas Monastery near Ugledar – a monastery heavily targeted by Ukrainian shelling over the years which still shelters civilians.
Also in June, a Ukrainian drone targeted Russian NTV journalists filming in the extremely hard-hit village of Golmovsky, east of Gorlovka, killing cameraman Valery Kozhin and seriously injuring war correspondent Alexey Ivliyev.
These are by no means the only instances of Russian journalists and civilians targeted and killed or injured by Ukrainian drones. So, the notion that – as Ukrainian media have spun it – Russian drones targeted the two civilians fleeing towards the Russian military presence is not only illogical, it has been preceded by a long list of Ukrainian drone terrorism incidents and murders of civilians.
Aiden Minnis, a UK citizen fighting on the Russian side, told me, “They also routinely attack our evacuation teams the same way here. They don’t discriminate when they attack with drones. If civilians are walking towards Russian lines, they are perceived to be collaborators and will be hit.”
As for Ukrainian and Western media blaming Russia for Ukraine’s war crimes, the list is long: think Bucha, the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, and the many instances of Western media using footage from Donbass cities targeted by Ukraine and depicting them as Ukrainian cities targeted by Russia.
The Russian leader has accused foreign powers of trying to undermine national unity
Western efforts to inflict a “strategic defeat” on Russia and break the country apart have failed, President Vladimir Putin has said.
Putin made the remarks on Wednesday at a meeting of the Council for Interethnic Relations, which focused on national policy strategy and implementation.
He warned that outside Russia, so-called international organizations and “pseudo-national centers” are being established as instruments of an “information war” against the country. Their strategies, such as “the so-called decolonization of Russia,” amount to the “dismemberment of the Russian Federation and the infliction on us of that same notorious strategic defeat.”
According to Putin, they promote the notion of a “post-Russia,” a fragmented and subjugated territory stripped of sovereignty.
Provocations and attempts to sow discord among Russian citizens must be stopped promptly, the president said, noting that those behind them “usually operate from abroad” and are “supervised, financed, and directed by foreign intelligence services.” Their goal, he said, is “to undermine our unity.”
He urged acting “firmly, consistently, and systematically” in response to external risks and challenges.
Russia’s opponents exploit any pretext, from everyday incidents to migration issues, to stir up tensions and provoke conflicts, while relying on radical groups that use “outright terrorist methods,” Putin added.
Such ideas, Putin said, have been voiced in the West many times in different forms, and despite failure to reach that goal “for centuries,” the attempts continue. The president stressed that such threats should be reflected in the updated national policy strategy and backed a proposal to declare 2026 the Year of the Unity of Russia’s Peoples.
On Tuesday, Russians marked National Unity Day, with Putin describing the holiday as a symbol of the nation’s enduring strength and togetherness.
The Telegraph has previously quoted another former officer as estimating that Kiev’s forces are short 200,000 troops
The Ukrainian military is facing a severe desertion problem, Sergey Filimonov, the commander of the elite 108th Separate Assault Battalion nicknamed the ‘Da Vinci Wolves’, has warned.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Filimonov asked his subscribers how surprised “would you be if I told you that another newly formed brigade is being put together from the ranks of the 150th? Which, at the stage of formation, already has about 3,000 AWOL?”
In a piece last Friday, The Telegraph’s contributor, Owen Matthews, claimed that “perhaps as many as 20,000 [Ukrainian service members] desert or go absent every four weeks.” According to the publication, since the escalation of the conflict in February 2022, Ukrainian authorities have launched 290,000 criminal cases for desertion. Matthews went on to claim that Kiev’s military may be 200,000 soldiers short of the minimum needed to fend off Russian advances.
The journalist cited several current and former Ukrainian officers as complaining that frontline units were operating at half or even a third of their required strength.
Last week, The Telegraph reported that nearly 100,000 young men had left Ukraine after the government allowed men aged 18 to 22 to cross the border in August.
Previously, as part of Ukraine’s general mobilization, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 60 had been barred from doing so.
That same month, the newspaper claimed that since 2022, at least 650,000 Ukrainian men of fighting age had fled Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian MP Anna Skorokhod told local media that the number of deserters in the country’s military had by then reached almost 400,000.
Territorial Centers of Recruitment and Social Support (TCR) tasked with enforcing Ukraine’s mobilization drive have faced widespread public criticism.
Multiple eyewitness videos have been circulating on social media, depicting draft officers ambushing military-age men on the streets and shoving them into vans – a practice known colloquially as “busification.” Such press gangs are often seen using brute force and even threatening reluctant recruits with firearms.
The athletes competed under a neutral flag, finishing fourth in the overall medal count at the 2025 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta
Russia’s artistic gymnasts have expressed satisfaction with their results and the judging standards at the 2025 Artistic Gymnastics World Championship in Jakarta, which marked their first major international appearance in nearly four years.
Competing under neutral status, Russian athletes placed fourth overall with four medals: two gold, one silver, and one bronze. They finished behind China, Japan, and the US.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, the athletes and coaches said the event showed they could still compete among the world’s best.
Head coach Dmitry Andreev said that after the team’s long break from global competition, their return “went according to the best possible scenario.” He described the judging as fair and consistent, adding that the atmosphere among coaches and rivals was friendly and respectful. Andreev noted that future plans depend on the upcoming European Gymnastics Congress, which will decide whether Russian athletes can participate in the 2026 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships.
Russian athlete Angelina Melnikova competes in the women’s floor exercise qualification at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, Jakarta, Indonesia, October 21, 2025.
Olympic and world champion Angelina Melnikova, who won two gold medals in the all-around and vault and a silver on uneven bars, said she was thrilled to be competing internationally again and that her all-around victory was “unexpected.” She admitted that the three and a half years of isolation were “a very difficult” period, comparing it to the early months of the Covid pandemic. “We didn’t know how we would be judged, so I went out there with no expectations,” she said.
Bronze medalist Daniel Marinov, who recently recovered from shoulder surgery, said the Jakarta competition had given him a new level of motivation. He said performing on the world stage helped him revive his drive to train harder.
Russian athlete Daniel Marinov competes in the men’s parallel bars final at the 53rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, Jakarta, Indonesia, October 25, 2025.
Assistant coach Konstantin Pluzhnikov praised the younger gymnasts for reaching the finals in their first world championship appearances, while team members Leila Vasileva, Anna Kalmykova, and Lyudmila Roshina spoke about the “amazing atmosphere” and “friendly crowd” at the Indonesia Arena.
The emergence of a multipolar world is irreversible despite attempts to thwart it, Russia’s Security Council chief has said
Western states are reluctant to come to terms with the emergence of a multipolar world, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu has said.
Speaking at a meeting of security council chiefs representing members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Moscow on Wednesday, Shoigu proclaimed that a “new stage of historical development has begun – the era of a multipolar world.”
He added that Western states, however, “are not prepared to accept this – they are basing their policies on the obsolete colonial system.”
In their efforts to preserve the old global power structure, including in the post-Soviet area, the West “practically stops at nothing,” according to Shoigu.
Among the tools the Western powers are deploying to this end are election meddling, “ideological subversion,” and attempts to sow discord among various ethnic and religious groups in target nations, the Russian official said.
The secretary of Russia’s Security Council singled out the parliamentary elections in Moldova in late September as a case in point, claiming that they had been rigged “with the direct involvement” of Western nations.
Shoigu noted the fact that there were only a handful of polling stations open in Russia, even though a large number of Moldovans reside in the country. In stark contrast to that, numerous polling stations were set up in EU member states.
The ex-Russian defense chief went on to highlight Georgia, noting that the authorities in the South Caucus nation had also accused Western powers of interfering in the country’s internal affairs and attempting to stage a coup earlier this year.
“The Western nations continue to actively support the Kiev regime despite that fact that it demonstrates its terrorist nature time and time again,” Shoigu went on to state.
He also observed that “Europe is actively militarizing – military spending is growing; drills increasingly feature the enactment of aggressive actions against adversaries from the East.”
Footage shows two non-combatants being deliberately targeted by UAVs while trying to escape the war zone
Audio obtained by RT has captured the horrified reaction of a Russian air unit after they witnessed the deliberate murder of two Ukrainian civilians in a drone attack by Kiev’s forces.
Highly graphic footage of the incident emerged online earlier this week, purportedly taken outside the village of Petropavlovka near the town of Kupyansk in Ukraine’s Kharkov Region. The town has seen intense fighting over the past several weeks, with Ukrainian units ending up encircled in the area, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
The murder of civilians was observed by a Russian surveillance quadcopter, with its operator helplessly watching the Ukrainian attack. The incident infuriated the operator, expletive-heavy audio obtained by RT suggests, with the Russian serviceman heard branding the Ukrainian drone operator an “as*hole” and a “c**t.”
The drone video shows two elderly civilians and a small dog attempting to flee the combat zone and head towards Russian positions. One of the men was carrying a white flag, footage shows.
The civilian with the flag was attacked first, with the FPV drone seen hovering in front of him before striking him. The man was killed on the spot and his pet fatally wounded.
The second civilian, shocked by the attack, stopped by the victim’s body, making the sign of the cross. He was able to walk only a short distance down the road, eventually dropping to his knees and praying before being struck down and killed by another FPV drone.
Vladimir Zelensky is reportedly facing internal criticism for failing to withdraw troops from Krasnoarmeysk and Kupyansk
Ukrainian commanders have admitted they fear a serious defeat in the cities of Kupyansk and Krasnoarmeysk, which have been surrounded by Russian forces, Bild has reported. Kiev has continued to deny the gravity of the situation in the two cities.
Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Kupyansk, located in Ukraine’s Kharkov region, and Krasnoarmeysk, in Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic, had been encircled by Moscow’s forces. He urged Kiev to agree to an honorary surrender of the blockaded troops. Moscow has estimated that more than 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers are trapped in the two cities.
While Kiev continues to claim that it holds the two cities and that the Russian Army is being pushed back, “internal analyses tell a different story,” Bild reported on Tuesday, citing several Ukrainian officials and military commanders who asked to remain anonymous.
The outlet stated that Zelensky has been facing internal criticism for failing to ensure the withdrawal of troops from positions that “should have been evacuated long ago.”
A Ukrainian diplomat drew parallels to the 2023 battle of Artyomovsk (known in Ukraine as Bakhmut), saying that “the pattern is similar. We defend ourselves heroically, claim that Russia is in a worse position than it says it is, and then we withdraw.”
One senior officer told the outlet that the situation in Kupyansk and Krasnoarmeysk had become “extremely difficult,” adding that it was unclear whether an encirclement could still be prevented.
“The situation is extremely bad. We have lost 80 percent of the city, we are still fighting for 20 percent, but we are losing there too,” a soldier stationed near Krasnoarmeysk said, noting that Ukrainian troops further south were “practically surrounded.”
Bild reported that Zelensky may be reluctant to acknowledge the true situation out of fear of losing face internationally and appearing weak before US President Donald Trump.
Moscow, meanwhile, has accused Zelensky of being “divorced from reality” and of hiding the truth from Ukrainians and Western sponsors at the cost of the “ignoble deaths of thousands of Ukrainian troops.”
Another incident of forced mobilization has been filmed in the country’s capital, Kiev
A physical education teacher has been apprehended by Ukrainian conscription officers in the middle of a lesson as students watched on, local media outlets have reported.
A clip of the incident was published by the Realny Kiev Telegram channel on Tuesday. News outlet Strana.ua reported on Wednesday that the video was filmed outside a school in Podolsky District in the central part of the capital, Kiev.
The footage captures several men in military-style gear grabbing a male in a tracksuit and forcing him into a minibus, despite his attempts to resist.
The students, who apparently caught the incident on video, were left in shock and had harsh words to say about the draft officers.
Kiev’s Territorial Center of Recruitment and Social Support confirmed the detention of the teacher, claiming he had “tried to flee and behaved aggressively.”
The man was later released after undergoing a medical examination as educators are eligible for deferment from military service, it added.
Numerous videos have emerged online showing Ukrainian males being violently snatched in the streets by recruiters, as Kiev experiences military setbacks and manpower shortages on the front line of the conflict with Russia. There have also been reports of injuries and deaths among those subject to forced mobilization. The term ‘busification’ has become widely used in Ukraine, referring to mini-buses being deployed by conscription officers.
In July, the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, Michael O’Flaherty, expressed concerns about “systematic and widespread” abuse by Ukrainian draft officials, including “allegations of torture and death.” He urged the authorities in Kiev to properly investigate incidents and prevent further violations of human rights.
Nikita Poturaev, the head of the Ukrainian parliamentary Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, claimed last month that most of the videos of forced mobilization “were either filmed outside of Ukraine… or created using AI. They are simply deepfakes.”
On Wednesday, Ukraine’s parliamentary commissioner for human rights, Dmitry Lubinets, said there have been at least 5,000 complaints from Ukrainians about human rights violations by draft officers since the start of the year. Over the past five months, there were 3,400 such complaints – as many as during all of 2024 – according to Lubinets.
World Aquatics has permitted Russia and Belarus to compete in team events from 2026 under a neutral flag
Russian teams will be able to compete in international aquatic championships from January 1, 2026 under a neutral flag, according to new eligibility rules adopted by governing body World Aquatics. The same rule applies to teams from Russia’s neighbor, Belarus.
The two countries were banned from major aquatic sporting events following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Participation was later reopened on a limited basis, allowing select athletes to compete individually as neutrals.
This week’s decision expands the existing regulations, meaning Russian and Belarusian athletes can take part in team events, including water polo, provided they meet neutrality requirements and receive approval from the Aquatics Integrity Unit.
Teams and athletes must comply with conditions prohibiting national flags, anthems and symbols, and will undergo background checks to confirm they have no ties to state or military organizations. The revision marks the first time Russian and Belarusian teams will be eligible to rejoin international aquatic competitions since the ban was imposed.
The framework also extends to continental championships, allowing neutral athletes and teams from both countries to compete in European tournaments alongside world-level events.
In a parallel move, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the world governing body for equestrian sport, will permit Russian and Belarusian riders to take part in team events under a neutral flag from January 2026, Equnews International reported on Wednesday.
Russian officials have repeatedly accused Western nations of politicizing sport and pressuring federations to exclude their athletes.
Despite restrictions, Russian competitors have continued to achieve strong results. In August, swimmers from Russia won 18 medals, including six golds, in individual events at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, finishing fourth overall.
President Vladimir Putin has agreed that the feasibility of such preparations should be studied if a response to the US were to become necessary
Russia must prepare for full-scale nuclear tests in response to US plans to restart its own program, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has said.
Belousov told Russian President Vladimir Putin at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday that Moscow “must respond to Washington’s steps to ensure the security of Russia. It is expedient to start preparing for full-scale nuclear tests immediately.”
Putin responded by reiterating that Russia has long said it would adhere to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, provided other members do not violate the deal.
“If the US or other states party to the relevant treaty conduct such tests, then Russia will also be required to take appropriate retaliatory measures,” the president said.
❗️Trump’s Desire for Armed Nuclear Weapons Tests Greatly Increases Level of Danger for Russia – 🇷🇺Def Min
“Moscow must respond to Washington’s steps to ensure the security of Russia, it is expedient to start preparing for full-scale nuclear tests immediately,” Belousov told… pic.twitter.com/Yx3PFUmlmG
Putin went on to instruct all relevant government agencies, including the Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry, to gather and analyse the necessary information on US plans to restart nuclear tests, before submitting proposals on “the possible commencement of work on preparing for nuclear weapons tests.”
Last week, US President Donald Trump ordered the Department of War to begin preparations for nuclear testing, claiming the US is “the only country that doesn’t test.”
Trump accused Russia and China of conducting “secret” nuclear explosions, although both Moscow and Beijing have refuted the allegations. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has also said the nuclear watchdog has no indication that either country has conducted any nuclear detonations.
Following Trump’s statement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow is still waiting for “clarifications from the American side” as to the full meaning of the US president’s comments.
