ZAPORIZHZHIA, UKRAINE – NOVEMBER 11: (——EDITORIAL USE ONLY – MANDATORY CREDIT – ‘ZAPORIZHZHIA … [+] REGIONAL MILITARY ADMINISTRATION / HANDOUT’ – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS——) A general view of the destruction after the Russian airstrikes in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine on November 11, 2024. A 71-year-old man was killed, and 22 others, including five children, were injured in a Russian air attack on Zaporizhzhia during the night of Nov. 11. Eight individuals, including four children, required hospitalization. Two teenagers, aged 16 and 17, are in moderate condition, while two younger children, aged 4 and 17, are in critical condition and undergoing treatment in intensive care. The attack caused significant damage to infrastructure, including residential buildings, a dormitory, a sports complex, a car dealership, and the entrance of an apartment building. (Photo by Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Dispatches from Ukraine. Day 993.
Moscow launched a record 145 drones at Ukraine overnight into Nov. 10, with Ukrainian air defenses downing close to 60 of them, while 67 were “lost,” likely disabled by electromagnetic defenses. In a retaliatory strike, Ukraine launched its largest drone attack on the Kremlin, deploying 70 drones, 34 of which were intercepted by Russian air defenses in the Moscow region. Both sides have recognized the strategic value of drones, heavily investing in their production capabilities. In October alone, Ukraine drone attacks destroyed or incapacitated over 52 thousand targets and four thousand personnel, according to armed forces chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. Initially, Ukraine held a clear advantage in drone operations, but Russia has rapidly caught up, narrowing the gap recently.
Odesa region. In the early hours of Nov. 9, a Russian drone attack hit apartment buildings and a private home in the southern port city of Odesa, killing one civilian and injuring 13 others, including two children.
Mykolaiv region. A drone attack on the eponymous regional capital city of Mykolaiv, an important ship building center in southern Ukraine, killed five and left one person injured in the early morning hours of Nov. 11, according to regional authorities.
Donetsk region. Persistent Russian artillery shelling of the eastern oblast, or region, killed six civilians and injured 16 others over the last three days, regional governor Vadym Filaskhin reported on Nov. 11.
Zaporizhia region. A Kremlin glide bomb attack on Nov. 11 targeted a residential building in the southeastern city of Zaporizhia, killing one and injuring more than 20 civilians, among them several children. A previous attack on Nov. 7 killed ten and injured more than 40 residents.
Dnipropetrovsk region. Russian drone strikes in east-central Ukraine killed two civilians in the industrial city of Nikopol on Nov. 11. Only three miles from Russian forces entrenched at the Zaporizhia nuclear plant across the Dnipro river, Ukraine’s largest river, Nikopol endures constant drone attacks and artillery shelling. With this daily reality, the city’s population, once 100 thousand-residents strong, has been reduced by half.
Kyiv. On Nov. 7, a Russian drone struck a high rise building in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, where Estonia’s ambassador to Ukraine, Anneli Kolk resides. Kolk was fortunate to be unharmed in the attack, but Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna highlighted Ukraine’s urgent needs for more air defenses to protect its citizens from Russian strikes.
Kherson region. Nov. 11 marked the second anniversary of the liberation of the city of Kherson after an eight-month Russian occupation. Lined with propaganda proclaiming Russia “forever” and urging unity with Moscow, the streets of Kherson erupted in celebration as residents welcomed Ukrainian troops, waving yellow and blue Ukrainian national flags. Two years after the liberation of Kherson, the only regional capital to come under Russian control during its 2022 invasion, Russia is cynically killing people it once promised peace and stability.
Citing estimates by international organizations, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Russia’s war has caused $800 billion in damages, while only $300 billion of Russian assets have been frozen globally. Speaking on Nov. 7, at the European Political Community summit held in Hungary, he stressed the need for funds to support Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts, economic stability, and defense. Meanwhile, he lamented, Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” (of tankers that circumvent western sanctions against Russian energy exports) generates $11–12 billion monthly, far exceeding Ukraine’s international aid. As of July, Ukraine’s economic losses have surpassed $1.1 trillion in lost revenue, according to an analysis by the Kyiv School of Economics. Earlier this year, Ukraine and the World Bank projected reconstruction needs at nearly $485 billion.
Ukraine produced over 100 missiles in 2024, marking significant progress in its defense industry, Zelenskyy announced. With over 800 companies involved in weapon manufacturing, Ukraine is enhancing its military production capabilities, including artillery, drones, and missiles. Zelenskyy highlighted ongoing foreign investments, notably from Denmark and France, as well as efforts to localize Ukraine’s weapons production. The country continues to seek more advanced air defense systems amid ongoing Russian drone attacks, which deplete Ukraine’s air defense missile reserves. In August, Ukraine successfully tested its first ballistic missile, though further details are yet to be disclosed.
On Nov. 7, the World Bank approved a new $750 million aid package to support Ukraine’s reconstruction. The funds will be used to improve public investment management, fiscal governance, and local budgeting. To be finalized by year-end, the package follows a $600 million World Bank initiative to support and modernize 20,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in Ukraine.
Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion, the U.S. has provided over $5 billion to bolster Ukraine’s energy sector. The support includes $325 million in emergency aid announced by Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his latest visit to Kyiv in September. This support is focused on restoring the nation’s energy generation capacity and countering the Kremlin’s numerous, ongoing attempts to plunge Ukraine into darkness this winter.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha warned that Russia could produce 30% more artillery shells than all European Union member states combined next year, citing Ukrainian intelligence. Speaking alongside EU High Representative Josep Borrell in Kyiv on Nov. 9, Sybiha emphasized the strategic importance of preventing this, urging stronger sanctions enforcement, particularly targeting Russia’s shadow fleet, which helps it bypass western sanctions on its energy exports.
Denmark finalized plans to purchase $570 million in artillery, drones, and missile systems from domestic Ukrainian producers for use by the Ukrainian military, following a memorandum signed in September. Funded by the governments of Denmark and Sweden, as well as income from frozen Russian assets, these contracts stipulate clear project timelines and supply terms for Ukrainian manufacturers, both public and private, who will deliver the equipment. $53 million have already been allocated to produce Ukrainian-designed self-propelled artillery.
By Danylo Nosov, Karina L. Tahiliani
