There will be stories of the end of the Russo-Ukrainian war that will do justice to its wartime leader. Sadly it has yet to be written as not the biography of Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, but as histories of his presidency dominated by a war, and the continuing issues of democracy in a country defined by a corruption no different than that of the US. In the US, whether Teapot Dome, Watergate, or the Trumpist Coup d'état, corruption and its evil twin, oligopolistic capitalism make democracy and sovereignty difficult. Ukraine is no different except that a postwar, post-communist regime ironically makes democracy even more difficult as corrupt powers have defined history under capitalism. Ukrainian media now reports that Andriy Yermak submitted a resignation letter from his position as Presidential Office Head. Whether the removal of a de facto second-in-command is part of a corruption scandal related to the energy sector, remains to be seen; it may be a form of pressure or retaliation to force cease-fire talks to conclude more quickly in favor of Russia.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched 142 Shahed-type, Geran-type, and other drones, of which about 90 were Shahed-type drones, from the directions of Kursk, Oryol, and Bryansk cities; Millerovo, Rostov Oblast; Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Krai; and occupied Hvardiiske, Crimea.[149] The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces downed 92 long-range drones in northern, eastern, and southern Ukraine and that 42 drones struck 18 locations in Ukraine. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian forces struck unspecified infrastructure and residential areas in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast; residential areas in Staryi Saltiv and Motuzivka, Kharkiv Oblast; and civilian infrastructure, a gas station, and residential areas in Odesa Oblast.[150]
Russian forces conducted combined missile and long-range drone strikes against Ukraine overnight on November 27 to 28. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched one Iskander-M ballistic missile from occupied Crimea and 72 Shahed-type, Gerbera-type, and other strike drones, of which about 50 were Shahed-type drones, from the directions of Oryol and Bryansk cities and Millerovo, Rostov Oblast.[151] The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces downed about 63 drones and that the Iskander-M missile and nine drones struck five locations. The Ukrainian Energy Ministry reported that Russian forces struck a power substation in Sumy Oblast, injuring one civilian.[152]
Ukrainian state electricity transmission operator Ukrenergo reported that Russian strikes caused power outages and rolling blackouts throughout Ukraine on November 27 and 28.[153] Ukrenergo Head Vitaliy Zaychenko stated on November 26 that Ukrainian recovery efforts have reduced the duration of power outages and rolling blackouts but noted that the duration of these outages depends on the Russian strike campaign.[154]
understandingwar.org/...
Overnight, Russia launched 72 strike drones and one Iskander-M ballistic missile at Ukraine. Around 50 were Shaheds. Ukrainian air defenses, jets, SAMs, EW units, and mobile teams, downed or suppressed 63 UAVs across the north, south, and east. The missile and 9 drones hit five locations. Debris fell in another.
Ukrainian forces continued their long-range strike campaign against Russian energy and military infrastructure on the nights between November 26 to 28. Geolocated footage published on November 27 shows smoke and explosions at a Russian Chechen 78th Sever-Akhmat Motorized Rifle Regiment (42nd Motorized Rifle Division, 58th Combined Arms Army [CAA], Southern Military District [SMD]) military base in Grozny, Chechnya, and a 291st Motorized Rifle Regiment (42nd Motorized Rifle Division) base in Borzoi, Chechnya, likely due to a Ukrainian drone strike.[41] The Ukrainian General Staff reported, and geolocated footage confirmed, that Ukrainian forces struck the Saratov Oil Refinery, Saratov Oblast, on the night of November 27 to 28, causing explosions and fires.[42] The Ukrainian General Staff reported that the refinery supplies the Russian military and refines 20 types of petroleum products. Russian opposition outlet Astra reported that Ukrainian forces struck the Novokuybyshevsk Oil Refinery in Samara Oblast on the night of November 26 to 27.[43]
understandingwar.org/...
The current Russian force composition is not optimized to achieve or exploit a collapse of Ukrainian defenses. The war in Ukraine has become largely positional, and Russian forces writ large are sufficiently degraded such that they cannot currently conduct maneuver warfare at the scale necessary for rapid, operational-level advances that restore maneuver to the battlefield.[15] Russian forces have become optimized to fight positional warfare with low quality personnel, insufficient armor and mechanized equipment stores, and poor command and control.[16] Russian forces are currently conducting positional offensive operations as part of Putin’s effort to outlast Western support for Ukraine.[17] Russian forces use three to five people on average for infiltration and assault operations, largely conducted on foot and only occasionally using light motorized civilian vehicles such as motorcycles, buggies, and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).[18] Ukraine’s drone-based defenses, colloquially called the “wall of drones,” have some vulnerabilities that Russian forces have managed to exploit to make tactically-significant advances, but overall have denied Russian forces the ability to use armored vehicles and conduct mechanized maneuver, such that it has degraded the overall quality and ability of Russian forces to conduct such operations.[19]
understandingwar.org/...
Putin also demanded that the international community recognize Russia’s territorial conquests in Ukraine, likely to set legal grounds to justify a reinvasion of Ukraine at the opportune time. Putin emphasized that the international community must recognize illegally annexed Ukrainian territories as de jure part of Russia.[32] Putin stated that Russia does not need Ukraine to recognize illegally annexed territories, however. Putin stated that such international recognition will allow Russia to consider any violations of an agreement with Ukraine as a formal attack on Russia and employ all retaliatory measures or conduct a campaign to “restore rule of law” to Ukrainian-held territories. Putin also stated that he would want to discuss legal issues pertaining to Russia’s occupation and illegal annexation of Crimea and Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts with US negotiators, not with Ukraine. Putin is likely demanding the international recognition of occupied and illegally annexed Ukrainian territories because such recognition would grant Russia multiple possible justifications for a reinvasion and may inhibit international support for Ukraine’s defense against this Russian aggression. The Kremlin has previously set a precedent of accusing Ukraine of violating the Minsk II accords in the lead up to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a justification for Russia’s war.[33]
- The frontline in Ukraine is not facing imminent collapse despite recent Russian gains and Kremlin assertions.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated that Russia does not recognize the US-proposed peace plan as a serious agreement and indicated that Russia is not interested in ending the war on the Trump administration’s desired rapid timeline.
- Putin reiterated that Russia cannot sign any peace or other agreements with the current or future Ukrainian government and reiterated accusations that any Ukrainian government not under the Kremlin’s control is illegitimate, another clear rejection of the US peace proposal.
- Putin demanded Ukraine’s withdrawal from unoccupied parts of illegally annexed Ukrainian regions as a precondition for a ceasefire, not a peace deal. Such a concession would force Ukraine to withdraw to lines that are indefensible against renewed Russian aggression and would consign millions of Ukrainians to life under Russian occupation, therefore failing to guarantee a lasting peace.
- Putin also demanded that the international community recognize Russia’s territorial conquests in Ukraine, likely to set legal grounds to justify a reinvasion of Ukraine at the opportune time.
- Russian forces continue to commit war crimes in the Hulyaipole and Pokrovsk directions.
- Ukrainian Presidential Office Head and prominent negotiator Andriy Yermak resigned from his position on November 28.
- Russian forces advanced in northern Kharkiv Oblast, the Slovyansk-Lyman direction, the Kostyantynivka tactical area, and the Pokrovsk and Novopavlivka directions.
https://t.co/6vXbttp84L
**General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine**
*Operational information as of 22:00 on November 28, 2025, regarding the Russian invasion*
In total, 289 combat clashes have occurred since the beginning of this day.
The invaders carried out 28 air strikes, dropping 86 guided bombs. In addition, the Russians used 876 kamikaze drones and carried out 2,264 shelling attacks on the positions of our troops and populated areas.
- In the North Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, Ukrainian soldiers have repelled four assaults by the occupiers since the beginning of the day. The enemy also carried out three air strikes, dropping seven guided bombs, and carried out 175 shelling attacks, six of which were from multiple launch rocket systems.
- - In the South Slobozhanskyi direction, the Defense Forces stopped ten enemy attacks. The enemy was active in the areas of the settlements of Vovchansk, Synelnykove, Lyman, and in the direction of Dvorichanskyi and Kolodiazne.
- - In the Kupiansk direction, enemy units carried out 11 assaults, trying to break through to the positions of our defenders in the areas of Pishchane, Kupiansk, Petropavlivka, and Kruglyakivka. Another combat engagement is still ongoing.
- - In the Lyman direction, since the beginning of the day, Russian invaders have attacked Ukrainian positions 37 times in the areas of Hrekivka, Olgivka, Tverdokhlibove, Shyikivka, Druzhlyubivka, Serednie, Karpivka, Drobysheve, Novoselivka, Korovy Yar, Zarichne, Stavky, Torske, and in the direction of the settlement of Chervonyi Stav. Fighting continues in 17 locations.
- - In the Sloviansk direction, the enemy attempted to break through 15 times in the areas of Dibrova, Yampil, Dronivka, Vasyukivka, and Siversk. Five more combat clashes are still ongoing.
- - Three combat clashes were recorded in the Kramatorsk direction — the enemy attempted to advance in the areas of Chasovy Yar and Stupochky.
- - In the Kostyantynivka direction, the Russians attacked the positions of the Defense Forces 31 times. The occupiers concentrated their offensive efforts in the areas of Kostyantynivka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Pleshchiivka, Stepanivka, Rusyne Yar, Mykolaipillia, and Sofiivka. One combat engagement is still ongoing.
- - Since the beginning of the day, Russian units have attempted to break through Ukrainian defenses 65 times in the areas of Fedorivka, Rodynske, Bilytske, Novoye Shakhovoye, Shakhovoye, Novoye Ekonomichnoe, Nikanorivka, Mirnograd, Gryshyne, Zvirovo, Kotlin, Udachno, Molodetsk, Novomykolaivka, Novopavlivka, and in the direction of Dorozhne and Novy Donbas.
Defense forces are holding back enemy assaults, and the enemy is suffering significant losses — today, 86 occupiers were neutralized in this direction, 70 of them irrevocably. Our defenders destroyed one vehicle, seven unmanned aerial vehicles, and three shelters for occupying personnel. Four vehicles and one piece of special equipment were also significantly damaged.
- - In the Oleksandrivka direction, Ukrainian units stopped 42 enemy attacks in the areas of Yalta, Tolstoy, Ivanivka, Andriivka-Klevtsove, Oleksandrivka, Sichneve, Vorone, Sosnivka, Stepove, Verbove, Vyshneve, Zlagoda, Piddubne, Voskresenka, Pryvilne, Krasnogorsk, and Yegorivka. Five more combat clashes are still ongoing. The village of Oleksandrivka was hit by an air strike.
- - In the Huliaipole direction, our defenders repelled twelve attempts by the enemy to advance towards Varvarivka, Dobropillia, Zatyshshia, and in the areas of Huliaipole and Zelenyi. Five combat engagements are still ongoing. Enemy aircraft struck Huliaipole.
- - In the Orikhiv direction, the invaders made eight attempts to advance in the areas of Stepove, Shcherbakiv, Primorske, Novoandriivka, and Kam'yanske.
- - In the Dnipro direction, the enemy made two attempts to advance towards the Antonivsky Bridge.
**Glory to Ukraine!**
Support the Ukrainian army!
Together we will win!
x
❗️The Security Service of 🇺🇦Ukraine's Sea Baby maritime drones struck two sanctioned tankers of 🇷🇺Russia's shadow fleet in the Black Sea — KAIRO and VIRAT.
During the attack, the sanctioned vessels were sailing empty — they were heading to the port of Novorossiysk for loading.
[image or embed]
— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@militarynewsua.bsky.social) Nov 29, 2025 at 6:25 AM
