Ukrainian authorities have ordered the evacuation of the population of dozens of villages near the northeastern city of Kupiansk, citing the "deterioration of the security situation" in a region that has been the target of intense Russian attacks.
The regional governor of Kharkiv, Oleh Syniehubov, reported that a total of 409 families with 601 children were instructed to leave 27 localities. Later, another official from the area raised the number of villages to be evacuated to 40.
For months, Moscow's forces have been attacking and advancing towards the city of Kupiansk, considered a key target in their westward advance. The city was initially taken by Russian forces in the early weeks of the February 2022 invasion, but Ukrainian troops later recaptured it that same year.
Volodymyr Zelensky announced last week that Ukrainian forces were defending key areas on the front line, including Kupiansk. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin told senior officials last week that his army maintained strategic advantage in all combat zones.
Ukrainian Delegation Meets with Tomahawk Missile Manufacturers in the US
A delegation of senior Ukrainian officials has met in the United States with representatives of American arms manufacturers that produce Tomahawk cruise missiles that Washington could deliver to Kiev, reports Afp.
The visit, led by Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko and the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak, took place before a meeting scheduled for Friday between Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump.
Yermak stated that, along with other members of the delegation, he met with representatives from Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. "Our cooperation continues to grow," Yermak said on social media, highlighting the F-16 fighters designed in the United States and supplied to Ukraine by European countries last year.
Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he could threaten Putin with delivering Tomahawk missiles to Kiev if Russia did not agree to end the war.
Russia Says Its Troops Have Taken Two More Settlements
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported on Wednesday that its troops had expelled Ukrainian forces from two settlements.
According to the statement, as reported by Reuters, Russian forces took control of the village of Oleksiivka in the Ukrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk, as well as the settlement of Novopavlivka in the Donetsk region.
Hegseth Urges NATO to Buy More American Weapons for Ukraine
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth urged NATO countries on Wednesday to increase the purchase of American-made weapons to send to Ukraine through the so-called PURL initiative, promoted by NATO and Washington this summer.
"Our expectation today is that more countries will donate even more, buy even more, to provide Ukraine with the necessary means to bring that conflict to a peaceful conclusion," Hegseth said in a brief statement to the press alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, reports Efe.
The Pentagon chief is participating today in the NATO Defense Ministers meeting, followed by a meeting of the contact group that brings together around fifty countries in support of Ukraine (known as Ramstein after the German city where it first met).
Hegseth considered that there is a "historic moment where many things can happen," considering "what the president (Donald Trump) has been able to do in Gaza and throughout the Middle East." "The world is seeing that we have a peace-loving president who seeks peace by supporting those who are with the United States and defend peace, which is what we saw there, and I hope we can see in Ukraine," he commented.
Russia Shoots Down 59 Ukrainian Drones
Russian anti-aircraft defenses shot down 59 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones overnight over seven regions of the country and the annexed Crimean peninsula, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday on its Telegram channel, as reported by Efe.
39 of the unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed over the five regions bordering Ukraine. The defense systems also downed four drones over Crimea and three over the Black Sea, whose waters bathe the peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014.
Additionally, according to the Russian military command, twelve drones were intercepted and destroyed over the Volgograd region and one over the Oryol region, both entities without a border with Ukraine.
Due to the drone attack, the airports in the cities of Volgograd, Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhnekamsk, and Ufa temporarily suspended their operations to ensure flight safety.
Rutte Emphasizes that NATO Would Only Shoot Down Russian Planes in its Airspace if They Pose a Threat
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated on Wednesday that member countries of the alliance would only shoot down Russian planes in their airspace if they were certain they posed a threat, following the recent series of incursions by Russian fighters and drones, reports Efe.
Rutte made these remarks upon arriving at the NATO Defense Ministers meeting held today in Brussels to analyze the international situation, amidst the controversy over the investment commitment made at the NATO summit in The Hague and the threats from US President Donald Trump against Spain for that reason.
During Wednesday's meeting, the defense ministers of the allied countries will discuss "how to ensure that Ukraine continues to stand strong against Russia, and of course that NATO remains strong regarding drones," Rutte stated.
Asked about the "anti-drone wall" project promoted by the European Commission in response to the increase in incidents with unmanned aircraft on the eastern flank of the Twenty-Seven, Rutte assured that "there is absolutely no duplication" with NATO's capabilities.
Russia Attacks a Power Plant in Ukraine
Russia attacked a power plant in Ukraine overnight, the gas company Naftogaz reported on Wednesday, without identifying which facility was affected, as reported by Reuters.
The company stated in a press release that Russia also attacked gas production facilities in the eastern region of Kharkiv, as well as gas infrastructure in the Sumy and Chernihiv regions during the past week.
Russia's Largest Petrochemical Complex Operating Normally After Ukrainian Attacks
One of Russia's largest petrochemical complexes, located in the southern region of Bashkortostan, is operating normally after Ukrainian drone attacks, the regional governor reported on Wednesday.
Radiy Khabirov stated that the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat site was targeted by multiple Ukrainian drone attacks. "The consequences were quickly eliminated. The plant is operating normally," he wrote on Telegram, as reported by Reuters.
The Salavat petrochemical complex produces gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and other petroleum products, as well as liquefied gases, butyl alcohols, polyethylene, polystyrene, and ammonia. In recent weeks, the facility has been attacked several times by Ukraine.
Rutte: NATO and the EU Collaborate on a "Drone Wall" to Protect Europe
NATO Chief Mark Rutte stated on Wednesday, before a meeting with Defense Ministers, that the military alliance and the European Union are working together to establish a "drone wall" aimed at protecting member countries from drone incursions.
When asked if both organizations were stepping up efforts, Rutte explained that the EU and NATO have different roles: NATO provides military capabilities, while the EU holds the soft power of the internal market and is responsible for ensuring project funding.
Power Grid Overload Causes Blackouts in Kiev and Other Regions of Ukraine
An overload in the power grid and the residual effects of previous Russian attacks caused blackouts in Kiev and other Ukrainian regions on Tuesday night, authorities reported. Water pressure was also affected in some parts of the capital.
The State Administration of the City of Kiev stated that the overload had caused an issue in one of the capital's energy facilities. Electricity was interrupted in three central districts of the city, on the western bank of the Dnipro River. The Kiev metro had to temporarily rely on backup power to continue operating.
Ukrenergo, the company that operates Ukraine's high-voltage lines, explained that problems resulting from Russian attacks on the energy system had caused disruptions in the northern, central, and southeastern regions of the country. "The consequences of Russian attacks on energy facilities continue to be addressed in all regions affected by the bombings," they reported on Telegram.