Live blog: Russia claims capture of village in Ukraine's Donetsk region

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

1249 GMT — Russia has said its armed forces had taken control of Khromove, a small village on the outskirts of Bakhmut in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.

Moscow's troops seized Bakhmut in May after one of the bloodiest battles of its 21-month military offensive.

"Troops, supported by aviation and artillery fire, improved their positions along the front line and liberated the village of Artemovskoye," Russia's defence ministry said in a daily briefing, referring to the village by a previous version of its name.

AFP news agency was unable to verify the claim.

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1327 GMT — NATO chief reiterates support for Ukraine, claiming 'Russia losing influence in near abroad'

While reiterating NATO's support for Ukraine, the bloc’s chief claimed that Russia is losing influence in the near abroad, becoming "much more dependent on China," and mortgaging its future to Beijing.

"Ukraine has prevailed as a sovereign, independent democratic nation," Jens Stoltenberg said at a press conference in Brussels after meeting with the bloc's counterparts on the sidelines of a two-day NATO-Ukraine Council meeting that concluded on Wednesday.

"This is a significant achievement, a significant victory. Russia has retreated as Ukraine has advanced. It is now weaker politically, militarily, and economically," Stoltenberg said.

He claimed that Russia suffered significant military losses, with "hundreds of aircraft, thousands of tanks, and more than 300,000 casualties."

He added that Russia is "losing influence in its near abroad, not only in Ukraine but (also) in the Caucasus and Central Asia."

1326 GMT — Blinken reiterates NATO's 'unwavering' support for Ukraine

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reiterated NATO's "unwavering" support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

"Some are questioning whether the United States and other NATO allies should continue to stand with Ukraine as we enter the second winter of (Vladimir) Putin's brutality," Antony Blinken said after the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting in Brussels.

"But the answer here today at NATO is clear. And it's unwavering. We must and we will continue to support Ukraine," Blinken said on the sidelines of the NATO foreign ministers' meeting.

He stressed that "no country will be allowed to redraw borders by force."

1101 GMT — Russia amasses large missile stockpile ahead of winter: NATO's Stoltenberg

Russia has amassed a large missile stockpile ahead of winter, NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said.

Russia has been making new attempts to strike Ukraine's power grid and energy infrastructure, "trying to leave Ukraine in the dark and cold," he said.

1009 GMT — Russia mulls 'loyalty' pledge for foreigners to enter country

Foreigners entering Russia could be required to sign a "loyalty agreement" upon arrival, pledging not to criticise Moscow's offensive in Ukraine, under new rules being prepared by the interior ministry.

The move would oblige foreigners to comply with strict laws banning criticism of the conflict in Ukraine, and not to distort the Soviet's role in World War II, the state-run TASS news agency reported.

TASS, citing a draft document, said the foreigner would "agree, by entering Russia, to comply with prohibitions established with the aim of protecting the national interests of Russia."

The person would agree not to "discredit in any form the foreign and domestic state policy of the Russian Federation."

The foreigner would also comply with refraining from "distorting the historical truth" of the Soviet role in World War II.

TASS said the document would soon be put to the Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament.

0943 GMT — Ukraine says Russia ramping up attacks on Avdiivka

Ukraine has said that Russian forces had ratcheted up attacks on the nearly-encircled industrial town of Avdiivka in the eastern Donetsk region, a recent flashpoint of Moscow's attack.

Russia launched a renewed bid to capture the war-battered town last month and analysts suggest Moscow's forces have made incremental gains.

"The enemy of the last day has significantly increased its activity. It is using armoured vehicles," Oleksandr Tarnavsky, the Ukrainian commander responsible for the territory, said.

0916 GMT — Ukraine tells NATO it won't 'back down' in Russia fight

Ukraine's foreign minister has said that it won't "back down" in its fight against Russia, despite doubts over US support and minimal progress on the front line.

"We have to continue, we have to keep fighting. Ukraine is not going to back down," Ukraine's top diplomat Dmytro Kuleba told Kiev's NATO backers in Brussels. "Our strategic goal, which is territorial integrity within internationally recognised borders as of 1991, remains unchanged," he said.

"The issue here is not just Ukraine's security it is the security and safety of the entire Euro-Atlantic space."

0853 GMT — Ukrainian victory over Russia in NATO's interest as well, says alliance chief

It is in the interest of both Ukraine and NATO for Kiev to prevail in its war with Russia, the alliance's chief has said.

"So therefore, it is important that our solidarity with Ukraine is not only demonstrated in words, but also in deeds," Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a joint news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Brussels.

"Because it is in Ukraine's interest but also in our own security interest that Ukraine prevails... as a sovereign independent nation in Europe," Stoltenberg added.

0841 GMT — Ukraine has received 300,000 of EU's promised million shells: foreign minister

The European Union has delivered about 300,000 of its promised million shells to Ukraine so far, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said while visiting a NATO event in Brussels.

Speaking to reporters on the event's sidelines, Kuleba called for greater alignment of Ukraine's and NATO's defence industries to ensure Kiev has the supplies it needs to defeat Russia, which launched its "special military operation" in Ukraine in February 2022.

0804 GMT — German minister calls for protective winter shield over Ukraine

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called on Ukraine's supporters to create a winter shield over the country to protect it from Russian attacks.

"Russia again is aiming at civil infrastructure"," Baerbock told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels.

0738 GMT — Ukraine downed 21 drones, missiles in overnight attacks – Kiev

Ukraine has said that its air force had destroyed nearly two dozen Russian attack drones and several missiles in Moscow's latest aerial assault on targets across the country.

Officials in Kiev say Russian forces have been stockpiling drones and missiles for systematic attacks on Ukraine's struggling energy grid over winter months.

"In total, the strike involved: 21 Shahed-136/131 strike drones; three X-59 guided missiles," Ukraine's airforce announced on social media, claiming to have downed all the drones and two of the missiles.

It said it used fighter jets, anti-aircraft and mobile air defence units to down the drones and missiles in southern and central regions of Ukraine.

0454 GMT — Russia's air defence forces destroy Ukraine-launched drone flying towards Moscow: mayor

Russian air defence forces destroyed a Ukraine-launched drone flying towards Moscow, the mayor of the capital, Sergei Sobyanin, has said.

The drone was destroyed over the Podolsk district in Moscow's region, Sobyanin said on the Telegram messaging app.

"According to preliminary information, there was no damage or casualties at the site where the debris fell," Sobyanin said.

0203 GMT — Russia extends detention of WSJ reporter until end of January

A court in Moscow has extended the detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, arrested on espionage charges, until January 30, Russian news agencies reported.

The hearing took place behind closed doors because authorities say details of the criminal case against the American journalist are classified.

Gershkovich is the first American reporter to be charged with espionage in Russia since 1986, when Nicholas Daniloff, a Moscow correspondent for US News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB.

0202 GMT — Russia says Black Sea frigate strikes Ukrainian military infrastructure

A frigate of the Russian Black Sea Fleet has launched an attack with four cruise missiles on Ukraine's military infrastructure, Russia's TASS state news agency reported.

"The crew of a frigate of the Black Sea Fleet received a sudden task of launching a strike with Kalibr cruise missiles in the shortest possible time against enemy military infrastructure," TASS cited the ministry as saying.

0113 GMT — Ukraine says bad weather slows Russian offensive in east

Bad weather has slowed Russia's campaign to secure eastern Ukraine and capture the shattered town of Avdiivka, Ukrainian officials said.

Officials say not a single building remains intact in the town — seen as a gateway to the regional centre of Donetsk, 20 km to the east.

After two days of storms — and snow in the south — the forecast was for more rain in the east, leaving the ground sodden and unsuitable for military manoeuvres.

For our live updates from Tuesday (November 28), click here.