Russia’s wartime economy has been sustained, in part, by oil and gas revenues as Europe has relied on it for several decades. Key to that arrangement is Ukraine, the country Russia is at war with, as the countries have a deal in place to allow Russian gas to transit via Ukraine and reach Europe.

Two crew members are missing after a Russian Defence Ministry-owned cargo ship, the Ursa Major, sank in international waters in the Mediterranean following an explosion on board. Out of the 16 Russian crew members, 14 have been rescued and taken to the Spanish port of Cartagena and two are missing, Russia’s Defence Ministry said.

Taras Chmut, the head of the Come Back Alive foundation, a Ukrainian non-governmental military charity organisation, believes that freezing combat actions in the war with Russia is a very bad scenario,

The strikes ignited fires at the Kadamovsky range, a crucial training site for Russian troops heading into Ukraine.

The situation with European countries that buy Russian gas is very complicated and requires increased attention, the Kremlin said on Monday after talks the previous day between President Vladimir Putin and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Ukraine's air force said on Monday it had shot down 47 out of 72 Russia-launched drones across the country, while 25 more failed to reach targets.

Ukrainian military intelligence said a Russian Shahed-136 drone warehouse became engulfed in a "devastating" fire that destroyed $16 million worth of drone parts, according to a Telegram post by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (GUR).

While Russia is mass-producing machinery at state-owned industries, Ukraine has spawned hundreds of entrepreneur-led defense startups by slashing regulation and cutting taxes.

Tatarstan is a multiethnic Russian republic which is home to a significant Muslim minority. Between October 22 and October 24, its capital, Kazan hosted the summit of BRICS countries which include Brazil, India, China and South Africa, and is considered by Russia to be the Global South's alternative to the G7.

Russian troops are likely seeking to seize a bridgehead on the western bank of the Dnipro River or one of its islands in order to transfer firepower there, Vladyslav Voloshyn, the spokesperson for the Ukrainian military's Southern Command,

A key point on the Ukrainian defensive line, Pokrovsk is a logistical hub that supports both offensive and defensive operations in the region. The Russian forces have been trying to capture it for months,