Russia downs hundreds of drones as fighting resumes after Kherson truce

Russian air defence systems downed nearly 500 drones heading towards Moscow on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, as renewed fighting dashed hopes for peace. The attacks followed the end of a rare pause in the war between Russia and Ukraine in the southern Kherson region that concluded on Sunday, November 1. That truce was the longest since the war started in February 2022 and allowed a humanitarian mission to the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky. Hours after the Kherson ceasefire ended, a Russian strike on a village in Zaporizhzhia killed at least 26 people, according to the acting regional governor. On Tuesday, a wave of overnight Russian strikes hit Ukraine, forcing patients to evacuate a medical facility in Kharkiv where 25 people were wounded. Oleg Synegubov, head of the Kharkiv regional state administration, reported that about 200 patients would be moved from the damaged facility. Kharkiv mayor Igor Terekhov warned residents that the city faced a combined attack by ballistic missiles and guided aerial bombs. Ukraine's army issued missile warnings for Kyiv, Dnipro, and Sumy. Regional governor Oleksandr Ganzha stated that a strike hit critical infrastructure in Dnipro as well as President Volodymyr Zelensky's hometown of Kryvy Rig. Meanwhile, Poland activated air defences to protect its border airspace. The escalation coincides with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff announcing that Washington-led talks between Russia and Ukraine will resume next week, though President Donald Trump has not yet secured a breakthrough.

Cyberattacks

Emergency alert mobile apps in both Ukraine and Russia faced cyberattacks late Sunday. Ukrainian users received false warnings of an imminent nuclear and chemical threat written with spelling errors, while hackers breached the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry's mobile app to send fake alerts across 33 regions. A Russian Telegram channel claimed a hacking group named Hitcore was behind the Ukrainian breach, though this could not be verified. Yurii Ihnat, a spokesman for Ukraine's air force command, stated that the hack did not affect military security operations, and Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted that Russian state agencies face constant cyber threats.

Context

Emergency alert apps are vital digital lifelines for residents living under daily threat of air raids in conflict zones. Cyberattacks on public warning systems are increasingly common tactics used alongside conventional military campaigns to cause panic and disruption. International diplomatic efforts led by the United States continue to push for a settlement as the war approaches its fourth year.