Death toll doubles in explosion at Russian military plant
The death toll after an explosion last week at a military plant near the Russian Urals city of Chelyabinsk has nearly doubled to 23 people, local authorities said.
The explosion last Thursday at an industrial facility in the city of Kopeisk, just to the east of the regional capital Chelyabinsk, killed at least a dozen people and injured some two dozen more, regional governor, Aleksei Teksler said at the time.
All 23 victims were employees at the plant, Teksler said on Wednesday. He also said there was no indication the facility was attacked by drones.
Ukraine did not comment on the incident.
Daniel Keane29 October 2025 18:00
Zelensky invites Milei to Ukraine after election win
Volodymyr Zelensky invited Argentine president Javier Milei to Ukraine during a “cordial” call to congratulate him on his party’s success in the recent midterm elections.
“Argentina is doing a lot to achieve success and strengthen itself, and we sincerely wish it continues to advance in the implementation of all the necessary reforms,” he said.
“I invited the President to visit Ukraine to continue our dialogue and address the main prospects for the development of relations between our countries: we really have many projects that we can carry out together. Our teams will remain in contact. Thank you!”
James Reynolds29 October 2025 17:03
Russia continues to advance around Pokrovsk, analysts say
Ukrainian forces are struggling to fend off intensifying Russian advances around the eastern city of Pokrovsk, the military and open-source analysts said on Wednesday.
In a statement, Ukraine’s 7th Corps said Russian forces had deployed some 11,000 troops in an attempt to encircle the greater Pokrovsk area.
Enemy groups that had already infiltrated the city were attempting to push further north and northwest, it said.
Ukrainian open-source group DeepState said Russia has been able to break a military logistics route to the neighbouring city of Myrnohrad through infantry ambushes and drone attacks.
“The situation in Pokrovsk is on the verge of critical and continues to deteriorate to the point that fixing everything may be too late,” the group said.
Moscow’s troops have in recent weeks closed in on the key logistics hub after more than a year of grinding advances, which Kyiv says have come at a staggering human cost to Russia.
Capturing Pokrovsk, as well as Kostiantynivka to its northeast, would give Moscow a platform to drive towards the two biggest remaining Ukrainian-controlled cities in Donetsk.
James Reynolds29 October 2025 16:02
How Russia is risking nuclear catastrophe in Zaporizhzhia
Read world affairs editor Sam Kiley’s report:
James Reynolds29 October 2025 15:00
Ukraine’s military dismisses Putin’s claim about encriclement of Kupiansk
Ukraine’s military has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claims about the town of Kupiansk being surrounded by Russian troops were “fantasies”.
Putin made the claim about the northeast Ukrainian town earlier in the day.
Ukraine’s Joint Forces Task Force said Russian troops were in the northern part of the city but that claims about an encirclement were untrue.
DeepState, a Ukrainian open-source battlefield mapping project, did not appear to show an encirclement in Kupiansk.
Daniel Keane29 October 2025 14:25
Putin reveals new details about Burevestnik cruise missile
Vladimir Putin has revealed new details about the Burevestnik cruise missile, saying its nuclear reactor is “1,000 times smaller” than one on a submarine.
On Sunday, Russia’s chief military officer, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, reported to Putin that an 21 October test of Burevestnik was a complete success.
The missile covered 14,000 kilometers (8,680 miles) during a 15-hour flight using nuclear fuel and conducted maneuvers “demonstrating its high capabilities in evading missile and air defense systems,” Gerasimov said.
Daniel Keane29 October 2025 13:52
Sam Kiley: Why Russians are fighting against Russia
Why Russians are fighting against Russia: ‘Putin has not only ruined Ukraine, he’s ruined my country’
Daniel Keane29 October 2025 13:20
US army says Romania troop drawdown not a withdrawal from Europe
The US military has said that a decision not to replace departing American troops in Romania is not a US withdrawal from Europe.
The move comes amid growing concern of a broader American disengagement from European security, which has come under acute threat in recent years following the war in Ukraine.
“The 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division will re-deploy as scheduled to their Kentucky-based home unit without replacement,” US Army Europe said in a statement.
“This is not an American withdrawal from Europe or a signal of lessened commitment to NATO and Article 5,” it said, adding that “this force posture adjustment will not change the security environment in Europe”.
Daniel Keane29 October 2025 12:59
Ukraine struggling to hold eastern city of Pokrovsk, military analysts say
Ukrainian forces are struggling to fend off intensifying Russian advances around the eastern city of Pokrovsk, the military has said.
Moscow’s troops have in recent weeks closed in on the key logistics hub after more than a year of grinding advances.
Kyiv says these have come at a staggering human cost to Russia.
In a statement, Ukraine’s 7th Corps said Russian forces had deployed some 11,000 troops in an attempt to encircle the greater Pokrovsk area.
Enemy groups that had already infiltrated the city were attempting to push further north and northwest, it said.
Daniel Keane29 October 2025 12:42
Putin says Poseidon submarine test was ‘a huge success’
We have received more information from Vladimir Putin about Russia’s test of a Poseidon nuclear-capable super torpedo.
Officials say that the Poseidon is capable of triggering radioactive ocean swells to render coastal cities uninhabitable.
Putin told soldiers wounded in the Ukraine war that the test had taken place on Tuesday.
“For the first time, we managed not only to launch it with a launch engine from a carrier submarine, but also to launch the nuclear power unit on which this device passed a certain amount of time,” Putin said.
“This is a huge success,” Putin said, adding that the power of the Poseidon exceeded the Sarmat intercontinental missile.
(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Daniel Keane29 October 2025 12:20
