Russian Overnight Attack on Zaporizhzhia Kills 5, Injures 8

Russia continues to spit on the 28-point peace plan for Ukraine that it and Washington had  composed secretly as it launched a deadly attack on Zaporizhzhia on November 20.

It is obvious that talks of a peace proposal are meant for American consumption inasmuch as Europeans, especially the former captive nations, have never believed Russia. By agreeing to talks and then stalling, Russia continues to buy time to pursue its mission of ultimately subjugating all of Ukraine and then using it as a catapult to invade Western Europe.

As we have seen many times before, President Donald Trump on the one hand earnestly urges Ukraine to accept the proposed peace plan while with the other he belittles the latest wave of Russian drones and missiles that strike civilian targets, killing unarmed men, women and children.

The latest strike comes a day after hitting Ternopil, killing at least 32 people.
The overnight attack on the city of Zaporizhzhia, on the Dnipro River in southeastern Ukraine, on November 20-21, killed five people and wounded eight others, local officials said.

Regional Governor Ivan Fedorov reported the attack and confirmed the latest casualties as of 4:30 am local time.

The first reports of the attack emerged late in the evening Nov. 20, when explosions were heard across the city.

Fedorov said Russian forces used KAB guided bombs, causing extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, including at least five high-rise apartment buildings. The national police also reported that the bomb was dropped in the middle of a market.

Police officers, rescuers, and medical personnel have been working at the scene of the attack.

Recovery still ongoing in Ternopil Tragedy

Recovery in Ternopil still under way in the wake of Russia’s murderous bombardment on November 19.

Rescuers recovered so far 32 bodies while 94 residents have been hospitalized, many of them critical condition. Russia’s attack also killed several young families.

According to estimates, both buildings numbered some 300 residents. A simple accounting reveals that many bodies have not yet been found. Eyewitnesses said that many residents were burned beyond recognition or completely consumed by the flames.

The two high-rise buildings were located near a Soviet-era munitions factory that fallen into disuse. It also suffered extensive damage.

A local businessman told me that many pre-independence factories have been abandoned in favor of underground facilities that are being used for assembling drones. According to him, these Ukrainian airborne weapons are the best in the world. The Ukrainian drone-pilot duo form a formidable lethal combination, scoring successful hits with each launch. Russian cutthroats are aware of the danger posed to them by skilled Ukrainian soldiers armed with drones. In many cases they refuse to engage Ukrainian infantry, turning to killing unarmed Ukrainian civilians.

The downside side of these bullseyes is that the Ukrainian countryside is literally littered with Russian KIAs. It seems that the families of these pathetic warriors are reluctant to look for the bodies of their dearly departed and claim them because then they won’t receive compensation for their loss and will also have to pay the funeral expenses.

Death is tough for Russians.

NEVER FORGET; NEVER FORGIVE! No Concessions! #RememberTernopil

Trump/Putin Ukraine Peace Plan Faces Strong EU Pushback

The latest Ukraine peace plan composed secretly recently by the minions of President Donald J. Trump and Russian führer Vladimir Putin is facing strong pushback by European Union (EU) leaders.

The gambit, revealed this week, in essence offers nothing new while regurgitating Moscow’s longstanding demands to end its war against Ukraine. It insists on retaining Russian occupation of Ukraine’s eastern oblasts, forgetting about Kyiv’s accession to NATO and surrendering some of its arms.

Reuters reported on Wednesday, November 19, that the US has asked President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accept a peace plan which would involve relinquishing some territory and weapons, as well as reducing the size of Ukraine’s armed forces.

European leaders, led by Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Rodney Starmer and Kaja Kallas, an Estonian politician and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, oppose the proposal because it was reached without the participation of Kyiv and the EU. They believe that lasting peace and security in Ukraine is impossible with their involvement.

They also support President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s policy of not surrendering any Ukrainian land to Moscow.

In other words, European leaders say, a durable peace plan for Ukraine should favor it, the defender of its sovereignty, rather than Russia, the aggressor and invader. Imagine the negotiating table at the end of World War Two, at which Hitler’s representatives, were listing its demands and grievances before signing the unconditional surrender.

“For any plan to work, it needs Ukrainians and Europeans on board,” Kallas said at the start of a meeting in Brussels of the 27-nation bloc’s foreign ministers.

When asked by reporters if Trump can succeed in ending the war, Kallas, a firm supporter of Ukraine, observed: “No, in order to end this war, you need the Ukrainians and the Europeans to agree to those plans. Of course, Putin could end this war immediately, if he just stopped bombing civilians and killing people. But we have not seen any concessions on the Russian side. We welcome all the meaningful efforts to end this war. But like we have said before, it has to be just and lasting. That also means that the Ukrainians, but also Europeans, agree to this.”

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski observed, “We commend peace efforts, but Europe is the main supporter of Ukraine and it’s, of course, Europe’s security that’s at stake. So we expect to be consulted.”

A source in the President’s Office in Kyiv was decidedly unenthusiastic about the possible plan when speaking to the Kyiv Independent newspaper, adding that Washington appears to be shifting toward a framework aligned with Moscow’s demands. Actually, the White House is showing its true colors of endorsing whatever the Kremlin says about ending Russia’s war against Ukraine. Apparently, no amount of Russian brutality and murder in Ukraine at least since February 2022 can convince Trump of the fatal error of his plan. This is not a heroic attribute of the leader of the free world. Trump will be remembered for this and not for his unmerited Nobel Peace Prize.

A Kyiv Independent source familiar with the US proposal said the Kremlin has hardened its maximalist conditions, sensing Ukraine's worsening position on the front lines and exploiting the fallout from a major corruption scandal involving people close to Zelenskyy.

Moscow has been keen on manipulating any foreign situation that would boost its position. It has been known to exacerbate historical pains between Ukraine and Poland and now it is hoping to undermine Ukraine’s national unity with aggravating news about corruption in Zelenskyy’s ranks. Consequently, the Kyiv government must be quickly responsive in dealing with historical grievances and fraud.

European countries pushed back on Thursday, November 20, against the US-backed peace plan for Ukraine that sources said would require Kyiv to give up more land and partially disarm, conditions long seen by Ukraine's allies as tantamount to capitulation.

Two sources said Washington had signaled to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Kyiv must accept a US-drafted framework to end the war, which includes unacceptable and immoral territorial concessions and curbs to Ukraine’s armed forces. The sources spoke to Reuters on condition they were not identified because of the sensitivity of the matter.

European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels did not comment in much detail about a U.S. plan that has not been made public, but indicated they would not accept demands for Kyiv to make punishing concessions.

“Ukrainians want peace – a just peace that respects everyone’s sovereignty, a durable peace that can’t be called into question by future aggression,” said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. “But peace cannot be a capitulation.”

UK’s Starmer said: “We share President Trump’s desire to bring this barbaric war to an end.

“But Russia could do this tomorrow by withdrawing its forces and ending its illegal invasion.

“Instead, Putin continues to send a barrage of missiles and drones into Ukraine, destroying the lives of innocent Ukrainians, including children and the elderly.

“We welcome all efforts to seek a secure and lasting peace for Ukraine.

“As we’ve been repeatedly clear, only the Ukrainian people can determine their future.

“In the meantime we will continue our support for Ukraine, helping make sure they have the military resources they need to defend themselves from Russia’s continued aggression, while sustaining economic pressure.”

Russia also qualified its demands for ending its war against Ukraine but stating, according to Reuters, that any peace plan for Ukraine would have to eliminate the root causes of the conflict.

That being said, my reply is quite simple: Let’s eliminate Russia – it is the only root cause of all regional and global wars and suffering.

PS – Recovery efforts are still under way in Ternopil, where sadistic Russia killed 26 innocent Ukrainians in their beds. Kaja Kallas said 93% of Russian targets in Ukraine have been civilians and civilian infrastructure, homes, schools, and hospitals.

Moscow Kills 25 in Ternopil while Hogtying Washington’s Plans

Russian Murder in Ternopil from Maria Avdeeva's X post.

Moscow has Washington over the barrel again with its 1,350-day war against Ukraine while the countries of the free world are too few to do anything concrete about. Consequently Russia continues to promote its imperial issues and kill innocent Ukrainian civilians while the United States can’t get traction on finding a solution.
This morning Russia again fulfilled its imperial pledge by launching a massive airborne attack against Ukrainian cities and towns across the country, scoring a direct hit on an apartment high-rise in Ternopil that killed some 25 unarmed citizens before they had awoken. According to eyewitness accounts in this city that is 120 kilometers from the Polish border, many of the victims were quite literally burned to death before they managed to escape the conflagration. The large Russian drone and missile barrage on Ternopil also claimed the lives of three children.
Today’s brutal Russian attacks are further evidence that as it has out rightly said many times before Moscow doesn’t want peace, it doesn’t want to end the war, and it doesn’t want to stop threatening countries to the west of Ukraine. All Russian leaders in the Kremlin, from Putin down, have repeated this vow, which conforms to its imperial manifest destiny of destroying as many Ukrainians as it can, enslaving the survivors and capturing the entire country. The Russian despots have repeatedly declared that they despite discussions with President Donald Trump and others they will not agree to peace until they have fulfilled their mission. It’s in the public record. Why doesn’t Trump believe it?
Most recently, they facetiously said Russian will continue its war against Ukraine until its objectives are met. Russian officials warned that negotiations for Kyiv could become more difficult if the conflict continues. Moscow has said it is open to political and diplomatic solutions but pointed the blame on Ukrainian leaders for pausing peace talks.
Overnight, Russia fired 476 strike and decoy drones, as well as 48 missiles of various types, at Ukrainian targets, Ukraine’s Air Force said. The bombardment included 47 cruise missiles, with air defenses intercepting all but six of them, the air force said. Western-supplied F-16 and Mirage-2000 jets intercepted at least 10 cruise missiles, it said.
President Zelenskyy of Ukraine said on Telegram: “Every brazen attack against ordinary life indicates that the pressure on Russia (to stop the war) is insufficient.” Earlier Zelenskyy called the attacks this week as “wicked” since they have also focused on destroying Ukraine’s energy infrastructure ahead of winter. The current temperature in Ternopil is 31F and in Kyiv – 32F.
Russia also unleashed a major missile and drone barrage on Kyiv early Friday, November 14, killing six people, leaving gaping holes in apartment buildings and starting fires as the sound of explosions boomed across the city and lit up the night sky. A pregnant woman was among at least 35 people wounded, Ukrainian authorities said.
Ternopil, a city closer to the Polish border than the capital Kyiv, has rarely faced attacks since the full-scale invasion. Social media footage of this strike shows missiles shooting across the sky towards the city, though very little sign of air defenses reacting from the ground.
The devastation caused by the Russian strikes on Ternopil soon became clear. A video shared by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy showed one of the blocks of flats had completely caved in. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said it had been destroyed between the third and ninth floors. Apparently they targeted a former military installation that was subordinated during the evil empire to Moscow.
Two Eurofighter Typhoon jets and two F-16s were scrambled in Romania when a drone entered the NATO member’s airspace during the Russian attacks, Romania’s Ministry of National Defense said. The Polish military said that Polish and allied aircraft were deployed in the middle of the night as a preventive measure. Poland’s Rzeszów and Lublin airports were closed temporarily to prioritize military aviation, the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency said. Russia’s aggressive actions disrupt lives across Eastern Europe.
In northeastern Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, Russian droned injured 48 people, including two girls, the head of the regional military administration, Oleh Syniehubov, wrote on Telegram. Drones hit several city districts, at least 16 residential buildings, an ambulance station, school and other civilian infrastructure, he said.
According to preliminary information, Russian forces launched 19 drones at the Slobidskyi, Osnovianskyi and Nemyslianskyi districts after midnight, Oleh Syniehubov said, adding that six of the wounded had been hospitalized.
Syniehubov said 48 people, including three children, were evacuated from the smoke-filled stairwell of a multi-story building and that at least 10 civilian cars, a nearby residential house, garages, an office roof and a supermarket were damaged.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said that a drone also struck near a medical facility, injuring a doctor and damaging the building and nearby cars.
Meanwhile, the White House and Moscow have been secretly working on a proposal to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, Axios reported on November 18, citing U.S. and Russian officials. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian Envoy Kirill Dmitriev have extensively discussed the 28-point peace plan, an unnamed U.S. official said. Dmitriev described the secretive peace deal optimistically, saying that, unlike in the past, “We feel the Russian position is really being heard.”
Russia has repeatedly issued unachievable anti-Ukrainian maximalist demands to Kyiv in previous direct peace talks, including that Ukraine give up its NATO aspirations, demilitarize, and cede territory that Kyiv controls. The secretive peace deal reportedly focuses on peace in Ukraine, security in Europe, security guarantees, and U.S. relations with Kyiv and Moscow in the future. Dmitriev met with Witkoff and other senior members of the White House administration in Miami from Oct. 24-26, the Russian official told Axios.
Secret talks as well as public talks without Ukraine’s participation do not bode well for Ukraine. Both participants do not have Ukraine’s interests at heart. Washington wants peace, Russia wants dominance while Ukraine wants a fair peace that guarantees its independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity without Russian boots on its black soil.
Polish officials believe Russia’s belligerence means it has started to prepare for war with Poland, the country’s military chief has said, in comments that echo warnings by European leaders about Moscow's intentions post-Ukraine.
General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, Wiesław Kukuła, made the remarks to Polish media as his country’s authorities investigate explosions on the country’s railway lines discovered on Sunday. 
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had said there was an “unprecedented act of sabotage” and while Warsaw has not blamed Moscow directly, it has previously accused Russia of numerous hybrid acts of hostility.
Aurélien Colson, academic co-director of the ESSEC Institute for Geopolitics & Business, told Newsweek that the damage to the railway line sent a warning that hostile actors can hit Europe’s critical infrastructure inside NATO territory.
Across Ukraine, at least six people have been killed and 28 others injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day, local authorities reported on Nov. 17.
Overnight Russia attacked Ukraine with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles, 128 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys, according to the Air Force.  Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 91 drones.
Thirty-two drone strikes occurred at 15 locations, and two missile strikes occurred at two locations.
In Kherson Oblast, Russian attacks killed one person, injured 11 over the past day, Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin reported.
Russian Forces struck critical transport and social infrastructure, residential areas in Kherson Oblast, damaging a high-rise building, two houses, a farm building, ambulances, a private car, and a gas pipeline.
In Donetsk Oblast, Russian strikes killed one person, injured one, according to Gov. Vadym Filashkin.
In Chernihiv Oblast, a 54-year-old woman, gas station employee, was injured, according to Governor Viacheslav Chaus.
In Kharkiv Oblast, Russia targeted 11 settlements, including Kharkiv. The Russian missile strike on the town of Balakliia in northeastern Kharkiv Oblast killed three and wounded 15, including four children, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.
Elsewhere in the Kharkiv Oblast, one person was killed, five injured.
Russia also attacked energy infrastructure in the Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Odesa, and Donetsk oblasts, Ukraine's Energy Ministry said on Nov. 17.
The White House cannot continue to rely on endless and unresolvable negotiations to save Ukraine and Europe from Russian aggression. Every invitation to talk is a signal to Moscow to bomb Ukraine. President Trump must publically recognize Moscow’s goal of Ukraine’s subjugation as a Russian captive nation. Once he admits that to himself and the American people, then Trump can begin to end the war and occupation of Ukraine. That is the only acceptable conclusion for Ukrainians in Ukraine and Ukrainian American voters.

FACT SHEET: Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Actions during Wartime

The following is a statement delivered by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) in the wake of the Ukrainian government’s wartime anti-corruption actions.

1. Summary

Despite facing a full-scale russian invasion, Ukraine has undertaken a major anti-corruption investigation—including within its energy sector—demonstrating a rare and significant commitment to transparency during wartime. These actions reflect a functioning and accountable government committed to the rule of law even under the most extreme conditions, at a moment when many democracies in the West are struggling with corrosive abuses of power and deeply rooted corruption.

2. Why This Matters

Strengthens Democratic Governance

• Ukraine is choosing to expose and investigate corruption—not conceal it—while under active attack.

• Actions were taken swiftly: investigations launched, charges filed, and senior officials removed to preserve integrity.

Underscores how fundamentally different Ukraine is from russia.

• Corruption is protected and central to how russia wields power.

• Ukraine’s transparency proves it is building a democratic future distinct from russian authoritarianism.

Reassures U.S. and International Partners

• Demonstrates responsible management and oversight of foreign assistance.

• Confirms Ukraine’s commitment to Western standards of governance.

3. Strategic Context - Ukraine is fighting on three interconnected fronts:

Battlefield

• Defending civilians and infrastructure from continuous missile and drone attacks.

Information & Hybrid War

• russia actively spreads disinformation designed to undermine trust in Ukraine and erode Western support.

Institutional Reform

• Ukraine is dismantling corruption structures inherited from centuries of russian imperial rule.

• Anti-corruption efforts continue despite massive wartime pressures.

4. What Ukraine Has Already Done

• Launched high-level investigations into energy-sector corruption.

• Filed formal charges.

• Removed implicated or related senior officials from their posts.

• Proceedings conducted publicly and transparently, even during wartime.

These actions reflect Ukraine’s institutional resilience and positive democratic development.

5. Why Continued U.S. Support Is Essential

Security Implications

• Without sustained U.S. aid, Ukraine cannot protect critical infrastructure or maintain government functionality.

• Corruption investigations require stable institutions, which depend on security and energy support.

Governance & Reform

• Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies must remain independent and well-resourced.

• U.S. assistance and oversight reinforce long-term reform success.

Countering russian Hybrid Warfare

• russia will exploit such investigations to wage disinformation campaigns.

• U.S. leadership is crucial to counter these narratives that intend to undermine Western support.

6. Recommendations for Policymakers

• Support Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies (NABU, SAPO, HACC) with training, cooperation, and resources.

• Maintain strong oversight mechanisms tied to U.S. assistance—something Ukraine has welcomed.

• Publicly reject russian disinformation intended to weaponize corruption allegations.

• Continue robust security, energy, and economic assistance to ensure Ukraine can both defend itself and pursue democratic reform.

• Recognize Ukraine’s actions as evidence of institutional strength, not weakness.

7. Key Takeaway

Ukraine is doing what few nations have done during war: fighting for its survival while exposing corruption within its own system.
This is the behavior of a government committed to democracy, transparency, and partnership with the United States. Continued U.S. support—both security and governance-oriented—is essential for Ukraine’s victory and long-term stability.