Russia plans to raise defence spending to more than £150 bn next year, according to a draft budget due to parliament tomorrow. The total defence outlay will reach £450 bn over the next three years, equivalent to 50 trillion roubles, Reuters reports, as President Vladimir Putin doubles down on the war that has lasted four and a half years.
Germany has identified Ukraine’s shortage of air‑defence missiles as its weakest point heading into winter. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said during a Berlin briefing that he was speaking personally with several allies to secure additional supplies and that Berlin was working to bolster Kyiv’s capabilities before the colder months. He added that Ukraine is part of Europe and that its fall would threaten peace and freedom across the continent.
Russian air strikes on Kyiv early Wednesday killed three people, including a child, and injured seven others in the capital and surrounding region, officials said. Fires broke out in private houses, a store and a warehouse, and a Russian missile and drone strike damaged infrastructure, houses and vehicles. A separate incident saw a Russian long‑range bomber crash during a training flight in the Amur region, killing six crew members.
Ukraine is looking to boost high‑tech exports and digital resilience, with Minister for Digital Transformation Oksana Ferchuk saying the country will seek cooperation with the United States and other partners. Meanwhile, South Korea has said it will not provide military aid to Ukraine in exchange for the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers, and Ukraine has not yet apologised for the disclosure of the transfer to the South Korean government.
