LIVE: 253rd day of Russian aggression against Ukraine

Foreign ministers from the G7 group of rich democracies will discuss how best to coordinate further support for Ukraine when they meet on Thursday in Germany following recent Russian attacks on energy infrastructure that have caused widespread power cuts.

22:21 CET

⚡️Bulgarian parliament votes to provide military aid for Ukraine.

Bulgarian lawmakers voted in favor of sending military aid to Ukraine on Nov. 3, giving the government a month to create a plan for what weapons the country could hand over to Kyiv.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) November 3, 2022

21:23 CET

The court in Sevastopol recognized the missing sailors from the cruiser "Moskva" as dead

Kyiv reported that the cruiser was attacked by Neptune anti-ship missiles. According to Russian Defense Ministry, a fire occurred on the cruiser, which led to the detonation of the warhead. pic.twitter.com/yLCuMTriuW

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 3, 2022

20:55 CET

About 42% of foreign companies decided to leave the Russian market after the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Leave Russia project calculated. There are 29% of German companies, American - 53% and 82% of Lithuanian companies left Russia. pic.twitter.com/M8Wq0r8q2r

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 3, 2022

20:29 CET

President Zelenskyy held a meeting with U.S. Senators Christopher Coons and Robert Portman. pic.twitter.com/qHjGB2PLIe

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 3, 2022

20:20 CET

Iran is considering supplying Russia with ballistic missiles for its war in Ukraine, in addition to the drones Tehran has already delivered, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday.

19:40 CET

Ukrainian forces can retake the strategic southern city of Kherson from Russian troops, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Thursday, in what would be a major defeat for Russia in its invasion of its neighbour.

19:33 CET

⚡️Ukraine returns 1,138 POWs from Russian captivity since March.

The number includes civilians and military personnel.

On Nov. 3, Ukraine returned 107 soldiers from Russian captivity, according to President’s Office Head Andriy Yermak. Many are seriously wounded, he added.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) November 3, 2022

19:18 CET

The work doesn’t stop at the Kyiv Independent’s office when power goes out.

Like everyone in Ukraine, we experience frequent power outages. Like everyone in Ukraine, we won't be stopped by it. ����️

Support us: https://t.co/IbR3o7izPB. pic.twitter.com/sUXZIzTNoE

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) November 3, 2022

18:53 CET

#Turkey does not believe that #Sweden and #Finland have fulfilled the terms of the agreements reached to join #NATO, said Turkish Foreign Minister. pic.twitter.com/ZTu9Z2eLry

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 3, 2022

18:26 CET

Major General Alexander Linkov will temporarily act as Commander of the Central Military District during the absence of Major General Alexander Lapin, Russian media reported.

Nothing is known about Lapin yet. Some media reports that he is on vacation. pic.twitter.com/fdNFiumv8m

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 3, 2022

18:12 CET

⚡️Official: Russian troops step up attacks on civilians in occupied Mariupol, arrest locals.

Russian forces check residents’ houses and personal phones for pro-Ukrainian photos or posts on social networks, Petro Andriushchenko, adviser to Mariupol mayor, said on Nov. 3.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) November 3, 2022

18:01 CET

Zelenskyy will not participate in the G20 summit if Putin is there

"My personal and Ukrainian position was that if the leader of the Russian Federation will participate, Ukraine will not participate," he said at a November 3 briefing, answering journalists' questions. pic.twitter.com/YmUOKh3rWw

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 3, 2022

17:25 CET

The #German Naval Forces, together with #Sweden, #Denmark and #Norway, monitor the coast of Norway, where the critical energy infrastructure is located. Such measures were taken after the explosions on the "Northern Streams”. pic.twitter.com/CBhASLr16i

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 3, 2022

17:18 CET

⚡️The #German government has refuted #Turkish President Erdogan's claims that Chancellor Scholz has changed his position on #Russia in the situation around #Ukraine, Die Welt reports.

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 3, 2022

16:53 CET

Britain is seeking to prevent countries from using its services to transport Russian oil unless it is bought at or below a price cap set by Western governments as part of sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

The British government said on Thursday the ban, which will come into force from Dec. 5, applies to UK services including insurance, brokerage and shipping.

16:44 CET

There, the recreation centers' owners are forced to host them, while the Russian military is searching for even more vacant premises, according to Ukraine's intelligence.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) November 3, 2022

16:33 CET

Microsoft will provide $100 million in technology assistance to Ukraine, said Brad Smith, vice president of the company.

Since the beginning of the war, Microsoft's total assistance to #Ukraine has been over $400 million. pic.twitter.com/gGQC0zafHt

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 3, 2022

16:18 CET

The #IAEA reported on the inspection of three objects in #Ukraine against the background of information about the preparation of a "dirty bomb".

No unrecorded nuclear activity was found. pic.twitter.com/heIXF55TAl

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 3, 2022

16:11 CET

During the three months of the "grain deal", 10 million tons of food were transported across the Black Sea, #UN Secretary General António Guterres said. pic.twitter.com/Pw9qh9conK

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 3, 2022

15:51 CET

The Ukrainian parliament on Thursday approved the 2023 draft budget with a record deficit of USD 38 billion, a spending plan that the prime minister said was intended to help bring victory against Russia closer.

Senior lawmakers said the budget was overwhelmingly approved, with 295 members of parliament voting for it and none opposing it. Thirty-five abstained.

15:33 CET

Most of the Ukrainians in the country work in the hospitality industry in Amsterdam and The Hague, according to the UWV.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) November 3, 2022

15:32 CET

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and National Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos arrived in Kyiv,media reported.The visit was not publicly announced for security reasons. The guests are scheduled to have talks with President Zelenskyy and Defense Minister Reznikov. pic.twitter.com/i7CHvqdJOk

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 3, 2022

15:26 CET

Russian forces are likely to abandon their foothold on the west bank of Ukraine's Dnipro River, a Russian-installed occupation official said on Thursday, signalling a massive Russian retreat that, if confirmed, would be a major turning point in the war.

14:37 CET

⚡️ General Staff: Deployment of Russia's mobilized troops in Belarus aims to divert Ukraine's attention.

By stationing its mobilized forces in Belarus, Russia is trying to divert Ukraine's attention and force it to move its soldiers to the north, according to the General Staff.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) November 3, 2022

14:02 CET

Russians have looted equipment of municipal enterprises in occupied Kherson, plan to take away solar power plants, Ukraine's Kherson officialls reported

In particular, Russians have taken vhicles of utility company, firefighting vehicles, ambulances https://t.co/MG6VtwLbgW

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) November 3, 2022

13:30 CET

Russia is waging war not only against Ukraine, but also the EU, Mateusz Morawiecki, the prime minister of Poland, said on Thursday at a meeting of the Berlin Process which aims to further the integration of the Western Balkans with the EU.

12:43 CET

Ukraine trusts Elon Musk to continue providing internet access through his SpaceX rocket company's Starlink satellite system despite a wobble last month, but is also seeking additional providers, one of its deputy prime ministers said on Thursday.

Mykhailo Fedorov, in Portugal for Europe's largest tech conference, the Lisbon Web Summit, said Ukraine had discussed Starlink directly with Musk and was confident the Tesla and Twitter boss would not shut the service down in Ukraine.

11:59 CET

Geopolitics such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to more damaging and widespread cybersecurity attacks in the year to July, EU cybersecurity agency ENISA said in its annual report on Thursday.

ENISA's study follows concerns about the role of state actors and the growing range of threats to governments, companies and essential sectors such as energy, transport, banking and digital infrastructure.

11:05 CET

Russian armoured vehicles losses increased to over 40 a day in mid-October, British Intelligence informed

This confirms estimations of Ukrainian General Staff on Russian daily losses during the same period https://t.co/wwWTyQ108I pic.twitter.com/gEmZ0Q5a0a

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) November 3, 2022

10:14 CET

Almost 100% of Ukrainians. Poland is a Friendly Country! �������� pic.twitter.com/3Iq4OK2DwT

— Arkadiusz Mularczyk (@arekmularczyk) November 3, 2022

09:46 CET

Ukraine didn't give Putin any guarantees so that Russia returns to the grain corridor, Ukraine's MFA said

Moscow returned to the agreement thanks to the UN Secretary-General Guterres, Turkish President Erdogan and "position of strength, not concession." https://t.co/l9TUAOEdNN

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) November 3, 2022

09:32 CET

⚡️ Russia's attacks kill 4 in Donetsk Oblast, 1 in Kharkiv Oblast.

In the past 24 hours, Russian forces have killed four civilians and wounded five in Donetsk Oblast, according to the oblast governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) November 3, 2022

08:51 CET

Over 51 percent of Ukrainians residing in Poland have managed to improve their living standards, a survey by the Gremi Personal international employment agency revealed on Thursday.

No changes in living standards were declared by 36.7 percent, while 12.2 percent said their living standards had worsened in Poland.

08:27 CET

Since February 24, when Russia invaded Ukraine, over 7.47 million people have crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border into Poland, the Border Guard (SG) tweeted on Thursday morning.

07:00 CET

Ukraine's Zaporizhzia nuclear power plant has been disconnected from the power grid after Russian shelling damaged the remaining high voltage lines, leaving it with just diesel generators, Ukraine nuclear firm Energoatom said on Thursday.

The power plant has 15 days' worth of fuel to run the generators, Energoatom said. The plant's blocks 5 and 6 are being switched into cold state, it said.