Russia seizes four more settlements, while Ukraine attacks oil depot in Russia

Russia claimed on Friday that its troops had taken control of four more settlements in eastern Ukraine over the past week, while Ukraine reported the same day that its forces had struck an oil depot in the Russian territory.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that its forces had captured four settlements in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions during the week of Nov. 23 to 29. They also launched 32 rounds of attacks on various Ukrainian military targets, including military enterprises, power facilities, military airfields, and drone production and storage sites.

Russian air defense systems also intercepted 10 missiles from the U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile System and 353 enemy drones of various types over the past week, the ministry said.

In addition, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that between Thursday night and early Friday, its air defense systems shot down 47 Ukrainian drones over Crimea and bordering regions in eastern Russia, including Rostov, Bryansk, Belgorod and Voronezh.

Meanwhile, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported 123 frontline battles on Friday as of afternoon, with the most intense fighting occurring in the direction of Kurakhove.

Ukraine also announced that it had struck the Atlas oil depot in southern Russia's Rostov region, sparking a fire at the facility early on Friday morning. According to Ukraine, the oil depot mainly supplies petroleum products to the Russian forces.

So far, Russia has not responded to the reported attack.

Separately, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has urged NATO members to invite Ukraine to join the alliance at a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels next week, according to a Reuters report on Friday.

This report has not been confirmed yet.

NATO has previously expressed support for Ukraine's 'irreversible path' to future membership, but there has been no formal invitation or schedule set yet.

Diplomats from NATO countries have said there is currently "no consensus" on inviting Ukraine to join the alliance.

Russia seizes four more settlements, while Ukraine attacks oil depot in Russia

An Israeli fighter jet on Friday struck a portable medium-range rocket launcher in southern Lebanon, said a statement issued by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

The statement said the strike was carried out as "terrorist activity and movement of a Hezbollah portable rocket launcher were identified in southern Lebanon."

The attack came despite the entry into force of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon early on Wednesday.

The statement also noted that the IDF troops are deployed in southern Lebanon, working to remove any threat that endangers Israel and constitutes a violation of the ceasefire.

Israel's security cabinet on Tuesday night approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon, pave the way for an end to their nearly 14-month-long fighting. According to the ceasefire deal, the Lebanese army will take control of southern border areas over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw, and civilians will return home.

The death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon in the latest round of Israel-Hezbollah conflict that broke out on October 8, 2023 had climbed to 3,961, with injuries rising to 16,520, said Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health on Thursday.

Israeli fighter jet strikes Hezbollah rocket launcher in south Lebanon