Zelenskyy visits troops near Pokrovsk amid ongoing major intelligence operation - Tuesday brief
Collage by RBC-Ukraine
Combat units of Ukraine's Defence Intelligence (HUR) are carrying out a series of successful operations in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, while President Zelenskyy visited the front line and met with soldiers at the command post of the 1st Azov Corps of Ukraine's National Guard.
Read more about what happened on Tuesday, November 4.
Defense of Pokrovsk: HUR continues operations in the designated area of responsibility
Combat units of Ukraine's Defence Intelligence (HUR) are carrying out a series of successful operations in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, aimed at expanding fire control over Russian logistics routes.
"With the forces of the Timur Special Unit of the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the operation continues in one of the areas of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region that is important from the point of view of frontline logistics. Fierce fighting with Russian forces is ongoing," the HUR reported.
Two Russian oil refineries shut down after drone strikes
Two oil refineries in Russia — a petrochemical plant in Bashkiria and the Nizhny Novgorod refinery — have suspended operations following overnight drone attacks.
"Two facilities — the petrochemical plant in Bashkiria and the Nizhny Novgorod refinery — have halted operations after last night's drone attacks," said Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.
Russian troops kill two civilians carrying a white flag in the Kharkiv region
Preliminary reports say the occupiers committed the war crime on Sunday, November 3, 2025.
A video shows Russian troops launching a drone strike on civilians walking along a road while holding a white flag. The attack took place in Kruhliakivka, Kharkiv region.
Russia drops record number of glide bombs on Ukraine in October
According to the Ministry of Defense, in October Russian forces sharply intensified their air attacks, dramatically increasing the number of strikes with guided aerial bombs (KABs) targeting Ukrainian military positions and frontline cities.
Over the past month alone, the enemy dropped 5,328 KABs — the highest number since the beginning of 2025.
Zelenskyy visits the front line
"I met with our warriors at the command post of the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine Azov, which is conducting a defensive operation in the Dobropillia sector together with adjacent units," he wrote.
The President also heard reports from military commanders; they discussed the frontline situation and the most urgent needs, paying particular attention to weapons supplies, scaling up drone production, brigade needs, and the combat experience of the 1st Azov Corps of the National Guard and other units.
Ukraine shows progress in key reforms: European Commission enlargement report
The European Commission has published its EU Enlargement Package Report, which reviews the progress of candidate and potential candidate countries.
"We have received the best assessment since 2023, and it reflects the results of systemic reforms implemented despite all the challenges of the war. We are also grateful to our European colleagues for their recommendations, which we are ready to implement in a high-quality manner and in close cooperation with all parties involved and the European Union," said Taras Kachka, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine.
Ukrainian intelligence destroys Russian HQ in Avdiivka with officers and drone operators inside
According to intelligence data, Rubicon specializes in the use of unmanned systems — including strike drones — and is one of the combat-ready units of the occupying army that Russia invests heavily in.
After obtaining the coordinates of the enemy location, Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) carried out a precise strike with an FP-2 drone equipped with a warhead weighing over 105 kilograms.
HUR, Air Force, and Special Operations troops strike oil refinery in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod – sources
Ukrainian kamikaze drones operated by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR), the Armed Forces, and Special Operations Forces (SSO) carried out a raid on the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez oil refinery in the city of Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod region of Russia.
According to sources, the attack took place overnight on November 4. The operation involved over fifty Ukrainian-made drones, including Bober and FP-1 models. The strike occurred while the refinery's rectification column — responsible for primary oil processing and previously damaged in earlier attacks — was under repair.
