Moscow bares its teeth on the NATO border, Defense Express reports. In the Belarusian city of Grodno, near the Gozhsky training ground, a new Russian BTR-22 armored personnel carrier was spotted. It is involved in the joint Russia-Belarus exercises Zapad-2025. 

Deliberate “leak” of photos

According to the experts, the vehicle’s geolocation on Kirova Street was identified by the Telegram channel Military Journal. They suggest the BTR-22 photo may have been deliberately released by Russia, signaling strength to Poland, alongside related events:

• incursions of Russian Gerbera drones into Polish airspace;
• deployment of two Iskander missile launchers in Kaliningrad Oblast. 

“Budget Boomerang”

The BTR-22 was first unveiled at the Army-2023 forum. Its unofficial nickname is “Budget Boomerang”, as it is a simplified modification of the BTR-82A. Even Russian sources admitted the vehicle lags 20 years behind modern standards, making it essentially a failed attempt to “reimagine” the old BTR-87 design.

Belarusian contrast

Experts note that in 2025, Belarus finally adopted its own Volat V-2 APC after a 15-year delay. The Russian BTR-22’s appearance in Belarus is seen more as a political propaganda signal than a real enhancement of allied combat capabilities.

Russia asks Turkiye to return S-400 systems amid battlefield losses and effective Ukrainian drone strikes, Nefes reports. 

Moscow seeks to replenish its air defense stock

According to media reports, Russia approached Turkiye with a proposal to return two S-400 systems, purchased by Ankara in 2017 for $2.5 billion and delivered in 2019.

The reason — a shortage of equipment in Russian stockpiles after battlefield losses, where Ukrainian forces actively destroy Russian air defense systems, including S-400s.

Turkiye is considering the proposal

Turkish outlet Nefes reports that Ankara views the proposal “positively”, but has not officially confirmed readiness to finalize a deal. The S-400 systems are not integrated with NATO, their missiles are already halfway through their service life, and the equipment requires maintenance, creating additional costs for Turkiye.

Impact on international deliveries and allies

Due to the S-400 shortage, Russia is postponing delivery of similar systems to India until 2026–2027. Demand for such systems from third countries is rising, strengthening the Kremlin’s urgency to get the S-400s back from Turkiye as soon as possible.

Russian developers on the brink of collapse: 1 in 5 companies already in the critical zone as the government directs all the support to the war against Ukraine, Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service has reported. 

Around 20% of developers in Russia are facing bankruptcy due to falling sales and high mortgage rates.

The most vulnerable are mass housing companies, which rely heavily on mortgage demand. Over 19% of developers are officially delaying project completions, and delays exceeding six months push them into the “problematic” category.

Impact of the economy and the war

The sector suffers from low demand, limited government support, and resource diversion to the war in Ukraine. This results in declining sales, rising debt burdens, and construction freezes.

Investments in real estate in the first half of 2025 fell by 44%. Banks reject half of mortgage applications, while effective interest rates reach at least 25% per year, even for reliable borrowers.

Corporate sector and potential solutions

In the corporate segment, the share of troubled loans rose to 10.4% ($111.9 billion), with $8.6 billion added in three months. The real estate sector saw the greatest deterioration. Russian authorities are already considering moratoriums on developer bankruptcies, external restructuring, and the creation of temporary state funds to complete problematic projects.

A major fire broke out at the Kirishinefteorgsintez (KINEF) refinery near St Petersburg overnight on 14 September after Ukrainian drones struck the facility. Telegram channels shared videos showing a drone strike and flames at the site.

Ukrainian drones strike fuel-producing giant near St Petersburg

The refinery, located in the city of Kirishi in Leningrad Oblast, roughly 100 km southeast of St Petersburg and 800 km north of Ukraine’s border, is among Russia’s top 10 oil-processing facilities.

According to Ukrainian Telegram channels Exilenova+ and Supernova+, drones struck the plant, triggering a fire. Satellite data from NASA’s FIRMS wildfire monitoring platform confirmed a high-temperature anomaly over the facility starting at 3:56 on 14 September, Militarnyi noted.

Second strike on the same facility in six months

This is not the first time the KINEF refinery has come under attack. Ukrainian drones targeted the same facility on 8 March 2025, damaging a fuel storage tank. At the time, governor Drozdenko also blamed the damage from a direct drone hit on “debris”: “During the fall of debris, the external structure of one of the reservoirs was damaged,” he wrote back then.

Meanwhile, Astra also relayed a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense claiming Russian air defense forces had intercepted 80 Ukrainian drones overnight across several oblasts. According to the ministry, this included 2 drones over Leningrad Oblast, where Kirishi is located, along with other interceptions over Bryansk, occupied Crimea, Smolensk, Kaluga, Novgorod, Oryol, Ryazan, and Rostov oblasts, and the Azov Sea area.

Footage circulating on Russian social media on Saturday suggests that Ukrainian long-range drones have struck the Novo-Ufa oil refinery in the Russian city of Ufa, Bashkortostan, nearly 1400 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

The strike on Novo-Ufa marks one of the deepest drone attacks inside Russian territory since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.

According to local Telegram channels, an explosion was recorded at the refinery at around 13:30, allegedly caused by drone impact.

Eyewitness footage appeared to show flames at the site as well as a drone flying over one of Ufa’s neighborhoods.

By evening, the Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Radiy Khabirov, confirmed that the Novo-Ufa refinery had been attacked by long-range drones.

Khabirov said security forces shot down a drone that crashed on the refinery grounds, sparking a fire and minor damage but no casualties. Another drone was later downed nearby, with the scale of its impact still under review.

Earlier in the day, Russian media, citing the aviation agency Rosaviatsia, reported that temporary flight restrictions were introduced at Ufa Airport at about 14:20. The reason was not officially disclosed.

The Novo-Ufa refinery, operated by Russian oil company Bashneft, is one of three major oil processing facilities in Ufa. Together, they form a refining hub with an output exceeding 20 million tons annually. Novo-Ufa alone is estimated to have a capacity of 7.5 million tons of crude oil per year.

This is not the first reported drone strike at the complex. In March, Ukrainian drones allegedly struck the nearby Orgsintez plant, part of the same refining cluster, sparking explosions and a large-scale fire.

As of now, Ukrainian authorities have issued no official statement confirming an attack on the Novo-Ufa refinery. 

Russia’s Defense Ministry reported the successful launch of a Soyuz-2.1b medium-class carrier rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region on 13 September, according to Russian news agency Interfax.

The launch deployed two spacecraft into orbit: a military satellite serving Defense Ministry interests and the Mozhaets-6 educational-research apparatus. Space forces personnel from Russia’s Aerospace Forces conducted the operation.

“On 13 September 2025, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome (Arkhangelsk region), a combat crew of the Aerospace Forces’ space troops conducted the launch of the medium-class Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with a spacecraft in the interests of the Defense Ministry of Russia and the educational-research spacecraft Mozhaets-6,” the ministry stated, according to the report.

The Mozhaets-6 satellite represents an academic project developed by a student at the Mozhaisky Military Space Academy. The Defense Ministry specified that the apparatus was “designed for working out astronavigation algorithms.”

The launch marks another deployment from Plesetsk, Russia’s primary military launch facility located approximately 800 kilometers north of Moscow. The Soyuz-2.1b rocket serves as a workhorse for Russian military and commercial satellite deployments.

No details were provided regarding the military spacecraft’s specific mission or operational parameters. 

Ukraine has struck the same Russian fuel facility for the second time in a week. The long-range drone attack targeted the Vtorovo pumping station, a critical node in Russia’s internal fuel infrastructure. Video of the surfaced on Ukrainian Telegram channels on 12 September. It is unclear if the strike took place on the same day or earlier.

Kyiv hits Vtorovo hub again

The video, shared by Telegram channel Supernova+, shows Ukrainian long-range drone Liutyi struck the Vtorovo pumping station, located in Russia’s Vladimir Oblast, for the second time since 7 September.

Ukrainian OSINT project Cyberboroshno analyzed the footage of the impact and concluded that the strike directly affected the overpass infrastructure carrying key operational systems. 

According to Cyberboroshno’s analysis, the drone hit a technical overpass structure at the station, damaging pipeline segments, signal cables, and power lines.

The station is owned by the company Verkhnevolzhsknefteprodukt, a subsidiary of Russia’s state-owned pipeline monopoly Transneft. It serves as an intermediate pumping point on the route from Vtorovo to Tuma and then to Ryazan, supporting diesel and aviation fuel transportation.

Vtorovo plays a critical role in maintaining pressure and flow within Russia’s main fuel pipeline network. It contains reserve tanks for operational stock and helps stabilize supply toward the Ryazan oil refinery. The station also oversees the eastern segment of the system, connecting the Upper Volga region with Ryazan.

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Russian gas stations are shutting down across 10 regions—but Moscow blames vacation season, not Ukrainian drones

First strike on 7 September

The first drone strike occurred on 7 September, when UAVs from Ukraine’s 14th regiment of unmanned systems hit the Vtorovo facility. Satellite imagery reviewed by Dnipro OSINT showed visible damage to two fuel reserve tanks. These tanks were part of the system used to maintain pipeline pressure and flow stability.

Following the 7 September attack, the commander of Ukraine’s Armed Forces Unmanned Systems, Robert Brovdi (“Madyar”), hinted at its impact.

“Fuel in Moscow is a bit glitchy, they say,” he noted, referencing damage to the Vtorovo pumping station and its link to the Moscow Ring Petroleum Products Pipeline.

Russia and Belarus have begun their joint military drills Zapad-2025, simulating missile attacks and nuclear scenarios. Analysts warn the exercises serve as both a rehearsal for war and a signal to NATO, echoing Soviet-era shows of force.

Missile launches and nuclear decision-making

Zapad-2025 started on 12 September and is scheduled to last until 16 September on Belarusian and Russian territory. One of the declared goals is to conduct missile launches, including tests of the Oreshnik system— a missile that Putin claims to be “unstoppable.”

The official theme is framed as the “application of groupings of troops in the interests of ensuring the military security of the Union State,” — Putin’s long-stalled project to absorb Belarus into a single country.

This year’s exercise will also simulate decision-making around the use of nuclear weapons and the deployment of nuclear-capable intermediate-range missiles that Moscow has promised to transfer to Minsk.

While Russia has not disclosed exact numbers, Belarusian dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka claimed last December that “several dozen” tactical nuclear weapons were already on Belarusian soil.

According to the Chief of the General Staff of Belarus, the Zapad-2025 exercises on Belarusian territory will be held at three training grounds located in the Vitebsk, Minsk, and Hrodna regions.

Investigators from Skhemy tracked the buildup of Russian military equipment and the deployment of additional infrastructure in these areas, allowing them to localize the sites of the upcoming drills.

While Belarusian authorities have not officially disclosed the exact locations, Lukashenka confirmed that Zapad-2025 will take place at training grounds near the city of Barysaw.

Polish and NATO concerns grow

The drills follow the latest Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace, incidents that Warsaw says had been prepared for months. In anticipation of Zapad-2025, Poland has reinforced its eastern border with around 40,000 troops.

“Poland has been preparing for the Zapad manoeuvres for many months,” Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk told Polsat News.

Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski warned that “very aggressive scenarios” will be practiced, recalling that earlier Zapad exercises preceded Russia’s invasions of Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014 and 2022.

NATO radars and allied aircraft are on high alert, with Lithuania estimating that around 30,000 Russian and Belarusian troops will take part.

Signal to NATO and Ukraine

While Moscow insists the drills are defensive, Western analysts see Zapad as both a rehearsal for potential offensives and a political message. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that the exercise could be “a cover” for further aggression against Ukraine’s western neighbors.

Even if smaller in scale than Zapad-2021, this year’s drills underscore Russia’s reliance on Belarus as a forward base, its willingness to rattle NATO with nuclear signalling, and its long-standing tradition of using military theatre — and now network warfare simulations — as geopolitical intimidation.

Poland has reinforced its eastern border with around 40,000 troops.

“Poland has been preparing for the Zapad manoeuvres for many months,” Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk told Polsat News.

Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski warned that “very aggressive scenarios” will be practiced, recalling that earlier Zapad exercises preceded Russia’s invasions of Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014 and 2022.

NATO radars and allied aircraft are on high alert, and Lithuania estimates that around 30,000 Russian and Belarusian troops will participate.

Historical context of Zapad

The Zapad (“West”) exercises date back to the Soviet era of the 1970s, when they were first designed to showcase nuclear strike capabilities and consolidate the unity of the Warsaw Pact.

Zapad-77 simulated nuclear strikes against NATO, while Zapad-81 became the largest Soviet military exercise ever, involving up to 150,000 troops and testing the SS-20 ballistic missile.

Declassified US intelligence reports from the 1980s described Zapad as one of the USSR’s most important military drills, aimed at testing wartime command structures and operational coordination across the Warsaw Pact.

Revived in 1999 under Vladimir Putin, Zapad was incorporated into a four-year cycle of large-scale Russian military exercises. Later versions integrated lessons from Russia’s wars in Crimea, Syria, and Ukraine, such as the use of drones for reconnaissance, tactical missile strikes, and counter-insurgency operations in urban areas.

The Veyshnoria precedent and hybrid “texting technologies”

The exercises have often included invented scenarios aimed at signalling to NATO and shaping perceptions abroad.

In Zapad-2017, Russia and Belarus staged combat against the fictional state of Veyshnoria— a “hostile” territory carved out of western Belarus, close to NATO borders. Analysts saw the scenario as a thinly veiled rehearsal for operations against Lithuania, Poland, or Ukraine, masked under the guise of fighting separatism.

Zapad-2025 builds on this legacy, introducing new layers of digital and communications warfare.

The discovery this summer of Russian drones using Polish and Lithuanian SIM cards reveals how Moscow tests invasion routes before using them. Since late 2023, Russia has equipped its Shahed attack drones with cellular modems—first Ukrainian SIM cards, then expanding to NATO countries.

In July, investigators found Polish and Lithuanian SIM cards in Russian drone wreckage shot down over Ukraine. Drones use cellular towers to triangulate navigation and transmit real-time targeting data while appearing as domestic mobile traffic.

Two months later, on September 9-10—just two days before Zapad-2025 began—Russian drones using Polish SIM cards violated Polish airspace. NATO fighters shot down at least four of 19 drones that crossed into Poland during Russia’s massive 415-drone attack on Ukraine.

Just as Veyshnoria was a fictional enemy created to test ground scenarios, Russia’s hijacking of local telecom networks signals Moscow’s intent to blend conventional and hybrid tactics in future conflict.

Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports that Russian state media has acknowledged growing fuel shortages across the country. Meanwhile, Russian officials are downplaying Ukraine’s deep strike campaign role in creating the crisis.

Widespread shortages across Russian regions

ISW says Russian Independent Fuel Union told state newspaper Izvestiya on 10 September 2025 that over 10 federal subjects experience fuel shortages. Ryazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Saratov, and Rostov oblasts face supply disruptions. Far Eastern regions and occupied Crimea also struggle with fuel availability.

State Duma Anti-Monopoly Committee Expert Council member Dmitry Tortev told Izvestiya that local fuel shortages are becoming widespread. Many gas stations haven’t received refinery deliveries for several weeks. Some stations have shut down completely.

Officials blame seasonal demands

ISW noted:

“Russian officials downplayed the impact of Ukraine’s strike campaign, attributing the fuel shortages to peak vacation season and agricultural demands in August and September 2025.”

ISW continues assessing that Ukraine’s deep strike campaign impacts Russia’s domestic gasoline market. The strikes exacerbate shortages and cause price spikes that will likely push inflation upward. ISW notes that Russian state media openly discussing gasoline shortages suggests the issue is penetrating mainstream Russian society.

Russian forces had been preparing strikes on Poland and Lithuania for months, using 4G modems with Polish and Lithuanian SIM cards to test drone connectivity as early as June, according to the Ukrainian defense news outlet Defense Express.

SIM cards from Poland and Lithuania found in downed drones

In early July, Polish investigators revealed that wreckage from Russian drones shot down in Ukraine contained 4G modems equipped with SIM cards from Polish mobile operators, as reported by Polish journalist Marek Budzisz. Later, a SIM card from a Lithuanian operator was also discovered in another drone.

Analysts say this detail directly points to Russia’s preparation for drone incursions into NATO airspace, as Moscow tested mobile network connections in advance. The findings were reported to partners in Poland and Lithuania. Still, the revelations triggered little reaction domestically — even as Russian drones began entering Polish airspace regularly during the summer.

“Whether the Russian drones that attacked Poland today had such capabilities remains unknown. At the same time, the assumption that one of the tasks of this Russian attack was precisely reconnaissance of Poland’s air defense system is quite justified,” Defense Express wrote, noting that the Russia-Belarus military drills Zapad 2025 kick off today.

Nighttime drone raids over Poland

During Russia’s air attacks against Ukraine, Moscow’s drones violated the Polish airspace on multiple occasions. For example, on 7 September, a Russian drone bearing with “Cyrillic inscriptions” crashed near the Terespol border crossing with Belarus, according to Polish media. Poland and NATO forces, however, refused to shoot down such drones up until 10 September.

And in the early hours of 10 September, Russian drones once again violated Polish airspace. The incident prompted Polish aviation to scramble and temporarily shut down airports in Warsaw, Lublin, and Rzeszów amid fears of a wider attack. NATO fighter jets shot down at least four of reportedly 19 drones that crossed into Poland.

Ukraine’s Air Force said on 10 September that Russia launched 415 drones and 43 missiles, while the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stated that at least eight Shahed explosive drones were deliberately “aimed toward Poland,” calling the incident “a perilous precedent for Europe” and urging a united response from Western partners.

Despite clear evidence of intent, NATO has so far avoided classifying the violation as an act of aggression.

Ukraine launched a long-range drone strike on 12 September targeting key oil infrastructure deep inside Russian territory. Russian news Telegram channel Astra reports that several fires broke out at the Primorsk oil port in Leningrad Oblast after drones penetrated nearly 1000 km from Ukraine.

Primorsk port hit by Ukrainian drones in overnight attack

According to Astra, the port of Primorsk—Russia’s largest oil terminal on the Baltic Sea—was hit in the early hours of 12 September. Leningrad Oblast governor Aleksandr Drozdenko confirmed that a fire broke out on a vessel at the port. Firefighting systems were activated and the “open fire” was allegedly extinguished. Officials claimed there was no threat of sinking or oil spill.

The governor also stated that another fire erupted at a pumping station in Primorsk and was later extinguished. No injuries were reported.

Drones across Leningrad Oblast

Astra cited local residents in the town of Tosno — a town south of St Petersburg — reporting explosions overnight. The Leningrad Oblast governor said Russian air defenses engaged drones over several districts, including Volosovsky, Tosnensky, Gatchinsky, Lomonosovsky, and Pushkinsky in St Petersburg.

The governor stated that debris and fragments from downed drones fell in multiple populated areas, including Tosno, Vsevolozhsk, and the villages of Pokrovskoe and Uzmino, as well as outside residential areas in Lomonosovsky district. Authorities said no fires or injuries occurred at these sites, but the impact zones were cordoned off.

Astra also reported that explosions continued to be heard across Leningrad Oblast and St Petersburg throughout the night in one of the largest drone attacks on the region since the war’s start.

Flights disrupted at Pulkovo Airport

As a result of the drone attack, operations at Pulkovo Airport in St Petersburg were heavily impacted. According to airport operator statements cited by Russian state agency RIA Novosti, 28 flights were delayed, 13 canceled, and 11 aircraft were diverted to alternate airfields.

Russia claims massive drone interception

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that air defenses downed a total of 221 Ukrainian drones overnight across the country. Of these, 28 were allegedly intercepted over Leningrad Oblast alone. The ministry also listed drones shot down over several other oblasts, including Bryansk, Smolensk, Kaluga, Novgorod, Moscow region, Belgorod, Rostov, Tver, Pskov, Tula, and Kursk.

According to the International Energy Agency, Russia’s oil revenues have fallen to their lowest levels since the war began. A global supply surplus keeps crude prices depressed despite ongoing geopolitical tensions.

This price squeeze hits Moscow as military spending peaks. Russia allocated a record 13.5 trillion rubles ($145 billion) to defense in its 2025 budget plans—a 25% increase representing 6.3% of GDP—while oil revenues dropped 37% year-on-year to 680 billion rubles in July alone.

Ukrainian strikes have disabled 17% of Russian refining capacity in recent months, while Rosneft reported a 68% profit collapse with free cash flow plunging 75%.

The IEA reported global oil production reached a record 106.9 million barrels per day in August, with non-OPEC+ producers including the United States, Brazil, Canada, and Guyana pumping at near all-time highs while China continues stockpiling crude oil, absorbing excess supply that might otherwise support prices.

Ukraine’s systematic infrastructure campaign

Ukrainian drone campaigns have systematically targeted Russian energy infrastructure across multiple regions.

The attacks have hit facilities from the Syzran refinery in Samara Oblast—struck four times in 2025—to port terminals in Ust-Luga that handle petroleum exports. Ukrainian intelligence estimated inflicting over $658 million in damages to Russian energy infrastructure in the first six months of operations through April—and the toll has likely grown significantly since then.

Sanctions maintain export pressure

Western sanctions continue to constrain Russian oil trade, with recent measures targeting 183 vessels in Moscow’s “shadow fleet.” Meanwhile, the ruble’s strength has reduced oil companies’ local currency earnings from exports.

According to previous Euromaidan Press reporting, companies now receive 4,711 rubles per barrel compared to 6,127 rubles in 2024.

Long-term depletion concerns

The long-term outlook appears equally challenging. Ukrainian intelligence reports that 96% of Russia’s oil exploration licenses have been allocated, meaning nearly all available oil field areas have been assigned to companies for extraction rights.

According to Ukrainian intelligence analysis, investor interest in Russian energy projects has collapsed. In 2024, hydrocarbon extraction rights auctions generated only $50 million, half of which came from less strategically important placer gold mining.

Global implications

The IEA forecasts global oil stocks will rise by an “untenable” 2.5 million barrels per day in the second half of 2025, suggesting continued pressure on prices and Russian revenues.

For Ukraine, each percentage point drop in Russian oil income translates to reduced resources available for military operations, while the systematic degradation of refining capacity limits Moscow’s ability to supply its own forces.

Military conflicts typically drive energy prices higher, providing aggressor states with windfall revenues to fund extended campaigns.

The south-western Russian city of Krasnodar has reopened its airport for the first time since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian media reports.

The airport had been closed since February 2022 over what authorities called “security issues.” Krasnodar has since been a frequent target of Ukrainian drone strikes on military infrastructure.

The city serves as a regional transit hub connecting Russia to occupied Crimea, with only 200km between them.

Russian state airliner Aeroflot said it will resume flights between Moscow and Krasnodar on 17 September, with other domestic destinations to follow. The airline also plans to open international routes from Krasnodar to Yerevan, Istanbul, and Dubai.

Krasnodar is the second airport in southern Russia to resume operations after long closures. Gelendzhik airport, located on the Black Sea coast, reopened in July.

Kyiv extends a helping hand to Poland. Ukraine has offered Warsaw the necessary assistance in countering Russian drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says.

The attack occurred just as Western leaders, including the US, continue working on security guarantees for Ukraine, aimed at protecting the country from Russian strikes, including drone attacks.

Ukraine without modern aviation — but with results

Ukraine does not possess modern fighter jets, yet during the same time frame, it managed to shoot down 380 out of 415 drones launched by Russia.

The question remains: how to force Russia to end the war against Ukraine and stop attacking NATO countries?

“No one can guarantee that there won’t be hundreds of drones if there are already dozens. Only joint European forces can provide real protection. We are ready to help with technology, crew training, and the necessary intelligence,” Zelenskyy stressed.

Dangerous “Zapad-2025” drills

According to Zelenskyy, joint Russian-Belarusian exercises “Zapad-2025” have begun on Belarusian territory, and the attack on Poland may be part of this training scenario.

The program of the drills reportedly includes a rehearsal of an attack on Poland and even the simulation of a nuclear strike.

Despite the attack on a NATO member state, US President Donald Trump did not announce any new sanctions against Moscow or present a clear plan to counter Russia.

“Unfortunately, as of now, Russia has not received a tough response from global leaders to what it is doing,” Zelenskyy said.

According to him, with this attack, Russia is testing the limits of what is possible and probing the West’s reaction.

“They are recording how NATO armed forces act, what they can do and what they cannot do yet,” the Ukrainian president added.

Russia drowns in anxiety – medications are being sold like hotcakes. Since the beginning of 2025, antidepressant sales in Russia have surged amid the war against Ukraine and ongoing economic problems, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service.

From January to July, pharmacy chains sold 12.9 million packs of such medications worth $118 million, a 36% increase in monetary terms compared to the previous year.

Sales of anxiolytics, which reduce anxiety, rose 10% in the first half of the year, exceeding 9.3 million packs.

Doctors report an increase in patients experiencing symptoms of depression, panic attacks, insomnia, and drug dependence.

Pressure from electronic draft notices and social anxiety

The rise in demand for psychiatric drugs coincides with a large-scale campaign to create a register of military conscripts.

Since July, Russians have been receiving mass notifications about being added to the database, including female medical workers, teenagers, and people with limited fitness.

The Russian parliament emphasizes that the rollout of electronic draft notices does not signify the start of mobilization, but these messages have become a key driver of societal anxiety.

Earlier, Euromaidan Press reported that the Kremlin seeks to avoid repeating the social upheavals that followed the Soviet war in Afghanistan and is attempting to control demobilisation from Ukraine’s war. 

A high number of veterans with PTSD are returning home, posing dangers to their families.

Among the demobilized are individuals who have already served prison terms, including thieves, murderers, and rapists. 

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala stated that the large-scale violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones was not accidental but demonstrates Russia’s desire to test NATO countries’ defensive capabilities.

“It is hard to believe that this was a mere coincidence. Putin’s regime threatens all of Europe and systematically probes how far it can go. It is reassuring that Poland’s air defence systems responded effectively. It is clear that Russia is attempting to harm the inhabitants of other European countries,” the prime minister said, expressing solidarity with Poland amid these events.

“Please keep this in mind—especially now, when many extremists are trying to convince you that Russia is not an enemy and that the solution lies in disarmament,” Petr Fiala added.

He continued that this incident provides another argument in favor of NATO and greater defense investments.

The Czech Republic will hold parliamentary elections in early October. Current voter preference leaders include the populist party of former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, who wants to curtail the Czech “shell initiative” for finding ammunition for Ukraine.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk reported that the military preliminarily counted 19 violations of the country’s airspace. Three aircraft were shot down, which were identified as immediate threats.

Reports indicate drone crashes in a village near the border with Belarus, resulting in damage to a residential building and car.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaya Kallas called Russia’s drone attack on Poland a deliberate and most serious violation of EU member state airspace after the incident.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the Russian drone incursion into Poland “deeply concerning” and Russia’s actions “reckless,” Sky News reported.

The British Prime Minister also called today’s Russian attack on Ukraine “barbaric.”

“This was an extremely reckless move by Russia and only serves to remind us of President Putin’s blatant disregard for peace, and the constant bombardment innocent Ukrainians face every day,” he said.

Starmer added that he contacted Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk “to clearly express our support for Poland.”

“My sincere thanks go to the NATO and Polish forces who rapidly responded to protect the Alliance,” he said.

“With our partners – and through our leadership of the coalition of the willing – we will continue to ramp up the pressure on Putin until there is a just and lasting peace,” Starmer added.

French President Emmanuel Macron called on Russia to “stop the dangerous escalation” after the unprecedented incursion of Russian drones into Poland.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reported that the country is turning to NATO allies for consultations under Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty after the Russian drone incursion on the night of 10 September.

NATO does not consider the Russian drone incursion into Polish territory this night as an attack on an Alliance member state.

The Donald Trump-Vladimir Putin’s summit has strengthened the Russian dictator. The meeting between the US and Russian presidents in Alaska only bolstered the Kremlin’s position and prolonged the war in Ukraine, Foreign Affairs reports. 

Since Russia’s first invasion of Ukraine in 2014, which altered the world order by forcibly changing the borders of a sovereign country, Putin has played the long game. The Alaska summit gave him even more time and strengthened his position to achieve a military victory in a war of attrition against Ukraine.

The summit was never about peace in Ukraine

Its real purpose was to bend the international system to Moscow’s will and maintain a monopoly on power domestically.

Putin emerged victorious in Alaska

Putin has faced little opposition to the Alaska visit. A Russian Levada Center survey showed that 79% of Russians considered the summit a success for Putin, and 51% were more optimistic about improved relations with the US.

“After the summit, Russian media did not have to put out false pronouncements to highlight Putin’s diplomatic triumph,” the report says. 

Legitimizing aggression against Ukraine

The summit allowed Putin to legitimize Moscow’s claims. Russians who doubted the war’s purpose now had grounds to consider the invasion “just.”

During the Anchorage meeting, the dictator emphasized Russia’s “legitimate concerns,” its pursuit of a “fair security balance in Europe and the world,” and the need to “remove all root causes” of the war in Ukraine.

Trump did not refute any claims, effectively agreeing with Putin’s position on Moscow’s right to influence Ukraine’s territorial integrity and Western security guarantees.

“Putin flew home having demonstrated to his subjects that he was right all along, that they must not waver, and that he will win for them,” the report concludes. 

US President Donald Trump’s misreading of Russia has cost Ukraine dearly. Russian forces exploited the first half-year of the new US presidency to advance on the front lines and kill civilians, taking advantage of a flawed understanding of Moscow’s mindset.

Sanctions will not alter the Kremlin’s goal

Trump has expressed willingness to impose sanctions on Russia, yet economic pressure alone will not deter Putin from his primary objective: defeating Ukraine.

The American leader’s challenge is immense: inflict enough damage on Moscow to change its behavior while keeping diplomatic channels open.

In practice, this is impossible, as Putin does not seek peace, and confusion in Trump’s thinking only exacerbates the problem.

Putin exploits time and allies

The past eight months of American governance have been wasted from the perspective of strategic defense for Ukraine and Europe, allowing Moscow to strengthen its position.

After attacks on the offices of the EU, the British Council, and Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers, it became clear that Putin acts with impunity.

A meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping reinforced his sense of support from international allies, and Moscow continues to receive money, weapons, hydrocarbons, and even special forces from North Korea.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials fear new attacks on Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast and advances north toward Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast. The Kremlin’s time gain gives Putin a strategic advantage that Washington has yet to offset. Clearly, this approach requires urgent change.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is not rushing to end the war in Ukraine, not only because of imperialist plans to restore the Soviet Union 2.0. Reuters reports, citing three sources close to the Kremlin, that the Russian leader is carefully controlling the demobilization process to avoid destabilizing society and the political system.

Afghan lesson: fear of social chaos

The Kremlin seeks to avoid repeating the social upheavals that followed the Soviet war in Afghanistan. At that time, returning veterans fueled a wave of organized crime that overshadowed the 1990s.

A similar dynamic could recur: many demobilized soldiers will not receive the generous salaries they had on the front lines, sparking discontent and protests. For example, a new recruit from Moscow earns at least $65,000 for the first year of service in Ukraine, including bonuses.

Returning to civilian life without such income could become a source of social tension.

PTSD and risk of domestic violence

Another Kremlin concern is the psychological state of soldiers. A high number of veterans with PTSD are returning home, posing dangers to their families.

Among the demobilized are individuals who have already served prison terms, including thieves, murderers, and rapists. Since 2022, Russia has recruited from 120,000 to 180,000 convicts for military service in Ukraine. 

Last year, about 500 civilians fell victim to the veterans, with at least 242 killed and 227 seriously injured, according to organizations analyzing Russian court records and media reports.

Kremlin control and political risks

Mass return of veterans could undermine Russia’s tightly controlled political system. The Kremlin already felt the effects of chaos in June 2023, when Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner PMC’s head, led a revolt against the military high command.

The Putin’s government is trying to mitigate the impact of returning veterans through policies, programs, and participation in regional and federal elections.

The return of demobilized soldiers, many of whom are hardened criminals or severely wounded, could replicate the Afghan scenario and threaten the country’s stability, especially considering that nearly 700,000 Russian troops remain on the front lines. 

A powerful explosion occurred on a main oil pipeline in the Krasnoarmeisky district of the Saratov Oblast at about 1 am local time on 8 September, according to sources in the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense who spoke to Hromadske.

The blast damaged the Kuibyshev-Lisichansk main oil pipeline, which supplied petroleum products to Russian military forces. The affected pipeline has a capacity of 82 million tons per year, according to the intelligence source.

Workers were observed gathering at the site following the explosion to address the damage. Russian media attributed the series of explosions in Saratov Oblast to “planned exercises.”

The pipeline attack represents the third oil and gas infrastructure target hit within 24 hours. Earlier incidents occurred in Russia’s Penza Oblast, where explosions damaged gas pipelines and oil infrastructure on 8 September.

At approximately 4:00 am on 8 September, at least four explosions occurred in Penza’s Zheleznodorozhny district, sources told Hromadske. The blasts put two main gas pipeline tubes with a capacity of 2 million barrels per day out of operation. Two regional gas pipeline tubes at the same location also sustained damage.

Local media described the incidents as scheduled exercises by Transneft Druzhba jointly with emergency and special services. The exercises were described as simulating responses to “man-made accidents at oil and gas infrastructure facilities.” Officials urged local residents to remain calm.

According to the HUR source, both damaged gas pipelines in Penza supported Russian military facilities involved in the war against Ukraine. The intelligence directorate said that all three infrastructure targets attacked within the 24-hour period served Russian military operations.

The explosions follow a pattern of attacks on Russian energy infrastructure since the war began. The incidents occurred as Russian forces continue their invasion of Ukraine.

An explosion occurred near a military unit on 8 September in Khabarovsk, Russia, according to Ukrainian media, citing verified sources in the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.

The military facility, located a whopping 6,000 km from Ukraine, houses the 748th Separate Operational Battalion of Russia’s National Guard (Rosgvardia), which committed war crimes in Ukraine’s Kyiv Oblast during the early stages of Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion.

The blasts, reportedly caused by two improvised explosive devices, went off around 9 am in the base’s parking lot as soldiers and officers were arriving for duty. DIU sources confirmed fatalities and injuries among Rosgvardia personnel.

Following the incident, Russian security services reportedly restricted mobile internet and rerouted public transportation to limit information about the explosion.

The 748th Battalion is known for committing atrocities against Ukrainian civilians during the first weeks of Russia’s full-blown invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Then, Russia attempted, unuccessfully, to seize the Ukrainian capital, committing mass killings, torture, and looting in Kyiv’s suburbs, including Bucha, Irpin, and Dymer.

The Khabarovsk explosion follows a series of Ukrainian defense intelligence operations inside Russian territory.

In August 2025, DIU carried out a sabotage in Krasnodar Krai targeting the 90th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, resulting in at least 12 Russian military deaths, dozens of injuries, and the destruction of equipment.

Local residents confirmed mobile internet outages and unusual transport disruptions after the blasts. Russian authorities described these as security measures, but details on casualties and the cause of the explosion remain limited.

Striking units with a history of war crimes carries both tactical and psychological significance, exposing vulnerabilities in Russian military infrastructure and sending a clear message that impunity will not be tolerated.

Russia’s 7 September missile attack on Kyiv’s Cabinet of Ministers building used an Iskander 9M727 cruise missile containing more than 30 foreign-made components, including parts manufactured in the US, UK, Japan, and Switzerland, according to Ukrainian presidential adviser on sanctions policy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk.

Missile strike on Cabinet building used Western tech

Vlasiuk confirmed the building was struck with a 9M727 Iskander missile. The warhead did not explode, he said, likely due to the missile being damaged. However, the fuel ignited and caused a fire on the roof of the Cabinet building.

According to Vlasiuk, a previously examined missile of the same model contained 35 American-made parts, five Belarusian parts, and 57 Russian ones. The missile also included one component each from Japan, the UK, and Switzerland.

Foreign manufacturers identified in the missile included Texas Instruments, Analog Devices, and Altera from the US, College Electronics Ltd from the UK, Fujitsu from Japan, and Traco Power from Switzerland.

Belarusian company Integral was also listed, alongside multiple Russian firms such as Mikron, Production Association “Strela”, Angstrem, Research and Design Bureau “Eksiton”, and Karachevsky Plant “Elektrodetal”.

Shift in missile component origin revealed

Vlasiuk noted that compared to missiles analyzed in previous years, the number of US and European components had declined. In contrast, the use of Russian and Belarusian-made components increased.

Record missile and drone assault on 7 September

On 7 September, Russia launched an unprecedented assault on Ukraine using 605 explosive drones and 13 missiles. One of the missiles struck the roof of the Cabinet of Ministers building in central Kyiv.

The deadliest attack that day targeted a nine-story apartment building in Kyiv’s Sviatoshynskyi district. The blast at the residential building killed three civilians, including a baby, and injured 11 others. Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (DSNS) completed the search and rescue operation at the site on 8 September. Rescuers managed to save seven residents from the rubble.

Russia’s “shadow fleet” grows again, helping the Kremlin bypass sanctions. The number of Moscow’s oil tankers continues to expand, ensuring deliveries of Russian oil despite Western sanctions, Reuters reports. 

The Russian “shadow fleet” consists of grey-market tankers that evade international sanctions. These tankers often sail with transponders turned off, without proper insurance, and conceal their identities. They channel Russian oil exports to China, India, and Global South countries. 

About 70% of the shadow fleet that transports Russian oil passes through the Baltic Sea.

Shadow fleet keeps Russia’s oil exports afloat

Saad Rahim, chief economist at major trading house Trafigura, says that these tankers have become a key instrument in the Kremlin’s hands. These vessels allow Moscow to maintain revenues from crude oil sales despite Western efforts to restrict exports.

“As there are more sanctions and restrictions, the size of the (shadow fleet) has grown even larger,” Rahim emphasized.

New vessels replace sanctioned ones

According to the expert, in 2025 the growth of the “shadow fleet” has slowed somewhat, but it continues to expand. Often, new tankers replace those that end up on the “blacklist.” This enables Russia to keep its export channels open and avoid significant losses from sanctions.

The US cuts production, price steady at $60

Rahim also stressed that US tariffs have so far had limited impact on the global economy and fuel demand. American oil companies base their budgets on a $60 per barrel price, which is considered the break-even level. At the same time, the number of oil rigs in the country is declining, while production has stabilized at the current level.

Moscow relies on its allies, when it comes to sustaining its drone program. Russia continues to ramp up production of long-range drones, partly due to support from China, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports. 

“Russia is increasingly relying on the PRC for its drone components and would not be able to sustain the pace or mass of its Shahed-type drone production without these components,” experts note.

China as a key supplier

The experts also drew attention to a recent investigation by the Ukrainian organization Frontelligence Insight, which revealed that the Russian Alabuga facility alone depends on China for at least 41 components in producing long-range strike drones.

These include engines, electronic and mechanical parts, batteries, antennas, radios, carbon fuel units, carburetors, and telecommunication components.

Assembly, not production

Frontelligence Insight assesses that many drones Russia claims to produce domestically are in fact only assembled there, given the large share of Chinese-made parts used in their construction.

Experts state that Russia has significantly expanded domestic Shahed-type drone production, including the “Geran,” “Harpia,” and “Herbera” variants.

Production is centered in the Republic of Tatarstan, with a new production line recently launched at the Izhevsk Electromechanical Plant, where “Harpia” drones (Shahed analogues with PRC components) are also assembled.

Russia has made major investments in expanding the Alabuga drone plant, supporting its infrastructure, and recruiting women, children, and foreign workers for its operations.

Additionally, Russia has opened a special logistics hub at this plant to receive and process freight trains directly from China, likely aimed at streamlining the delivery of Chinese components for drone production in the special economic zone.

Russia flaunts resilience in the face of new US and EU sanctions. The Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, has openly declared that it is impossible to force Moscow to change its course on Ukraine, Reuters reports. 

Kremlin dismisses Western sanctions

“No sanctions will be able to force the Russian Federation to change its consistent position, which our president has repeatedly voiced,” says Peskov.

The Kremlin’s spokesperson’s words aren’t far from the truth. Despite thousands of sanctions imposed after the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the full-scale invasion in 2022, the Russian economy has stayed afloat.

Russia’s economy even grew by 4.1% in 2023 and 4.3% in 2024. But this year, growth has slowed sharply due to high interest rates and the costs of war. 

Ukraine calls for real security

Meanwhile, Ukrainian presidential sanctions adviser Vladyslav Vlasiuk has calculated that Russia has lost at least $150 billion due to sanctions, yet retains its military potential. The country remains the most sanctioned state in the world. 

At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stressed that real security guarantees, which can protect Ukraine from Russia, can only come from a strong Ukrainian army backed by support from its Western allies. 

However, as Washington has delayed a new package of military aid to Kyiv, the fighting between Russia and Ukraine is dragging on into a war of attrition for both sides.

Russian imports from China plummeted 17.8% in August compared to last year, Chinese customs data shows, marking the steepest monthly decline since Moscow began relying on Beijing as its economic lifeline after invading Ukraine.

The collapse in trade that once sustained Putin’s war economy has prompted frustrated Russian officials to tell Reuters that China “does not behave like an ally” and sometimes engages in “outright robbery.”

Trade decline accelerates despite Putin’s efforts

Chinese imports from Russia dropped 17.8% year-over-year in August, while Chinese exports to Russia fell 16.4% — double July’s decline rate of 8.6%, according to Chinese customs data reported by The Moscow Times.

This decline came despite Putin’s September visit to China, where he signed what he claimed was a breakthrough memorandum on the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline — only to see Gazprom shares tumble 3.1% as investors recognized it as another non-binding agreement.

Sanctions pressure and market saturation take a toll

The trade decline reflects multiple pressures on the relationship. Russian Industry Minister Anton Alikhanov blamed sanctions and volatility in commodity markets for falling bilateral trade at a business forum in Kazan.

He also noted that Russia is seeing a gradual saturation of Chinese products in certain market segments.

The pressure intensified after then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China during the Biden administration about sanctions evasion, which led to Chinese exports to Russia declining 16% in March 2024.

Key sectors show a dramatic decline

The August data reveal the breadth of the trade collapse. Russia’s fuel exports to China fell almost 20% from January to July, while vehicle imports from China — including passenger cars, tractors, and trucks — plummeted 46% to $5.8 billion.

The vehicle sector illustrates the problem of Chinese market dominance. Chinese carmakers surged from less than 10% of Russia’s auto market before the war to commanding more than half by mid-2023, creating dependency that Russian officials now regret.

Strategic implications for Moscow’s war effort

The revenue shortfall comes as Russia faces mounting costs from its prolonged war in Ukraine. The partnership had been crucial for Putin’s narrative that Russia could successfully replace Western markets with alternative relationships.

Chinese companies continue supplying components for Russian weapons production, but Beijing maintains a careful distance from direct military support while extracting maximum economic benefit from Russia’s isolation.

The deteriorating relationship also exposes the fundamental weakness in Putin’s strategy of building alternative alliances, revealing instead a relationship in which Russia has become a junior partner dependent on Beijing’s goodwill.

Russia continues to amass large numbers of strike drones for coordinated attacks on Ukraine, with recent assaults involving hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles at once, Ukrainian defense news portal Defense Express reports.

Such large-scale attacks strain Ukraine’s air defenses. Even though many drones are intercepted, those that get through still inflict damage and cause civilian casualties.

Over the night of 6-7 September, Ukraine faced the largest drone attack of the full-scale war. Russian forces launched 810 Shahed attack drones, alongside multiple decoy and imitation UAVs. The assault also included nine Iskander-K cruise missiles and four Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles.

Ukraine’s defenses intercepted 747 drones and four cruise missiles. Despite this, nine missiles and 54 strike drones hit 33 locations across the country, with debris recorded at eight additional sites.

This strike follows a string of large-scale attacks. On 2-3 September, Russian forces launched 502 drones; on 29-30 August, 537; and on 27-28 August, 598.

In July and August, raids consistently involved over 500 drones, a sharp increase from previous periods when Russia typically deployed a few hundred.

Earlier in August and July, the aerial assaults consistently involved over 500 drones, a significant increase from prior periods when Russia typically launched no more than a few hundred.

Defense Express notes it is unclear whether these waves reflect higher production or a deliberate tactic to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defenses with concentrated “salvo” attacks. The mix of Shaheds versus decoy and imitation drones also remains unknown.

According to Ukrainian military intelligence, Russia’s defense industry currently produces roughly 2,700 Shahed drones per month, allowing Moscow to sustain repeated large-scale strikes.

French endurance cyclist Sofiane Sehili made it 17,600 kilometers (10,936 miles) across Eurasia on his bicycle. Then Russian border guards stopped him 400 kilometers (248 miles) short of his destination.

Sehili sits in detention in Vladivostok, Russia, after attempting to break the world record for cycling from Lisbon to the Russian Far East city. Russian authorities arrested the 44-year-old on charges of illegal border crossing, according to Le Monde and L’Equipe.

Sehili departed Lisbon on 1 July and cycled through Tajikistan, Mongolia, and China before reaching the border crossing that ended his attempt.

The problems began at the Chinese-Russian frontier on 2 September. Sehili posted on Instagram that customs officials had blocked his entry. He tried twice at border crossings 200 kilometers (124 miles) apart.

“I am the main attraction, the only foreigner,” Sehili described in an Instagram video while waiting at the border. “The police inspect my bike, look at me and say nothing to me. I don’t know if I’ll be able to cross the border.”

Border authorities ultimately denied him entry to Russia. After traveling nearly 200 kilometers between crossing attempts, Sehili received final confirmation he could not continue.

“Failing so close to the goal is heartbreaking,” he wrote on Instagram. The cyclist now faces a decision about whether to attempt the record again, giving himself ten months to decide if the route “will remain a failure forever.”

Sehili left his documentarian career in 2012 to pursue endurance cycling. He has since won 11 major competitions from approximately 20 attempts, including the 4500-kilometer (2800 miles) Tour Divide from Canada to Mexico in 2022.

The French consulate is working to assist the detained cyclist, according to Le Monde. Officials have not disclosed the status of diplomatic efforts to secure his release.

In the early hours of 7 September 2025, Ukrainian forces launched a coordinated series of deep strikes on Russian territory, targeting two of the most strategically important fuel infrastructure sites — the Ilsky oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai and the 8-N pipeline pumping station near the village of Naitopovichi in Bryansk Oblast.

Strategic Druzhba pipeline hub hit for second time

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a precision drone strike targeted the 8-N linear production dispatching station (LPDS) near Naitopovichi village located in Unecha District, Bryansk Oblast. The site is linked to Russia’s Druzhba — a pipeline network used to export oil.

The Naitopovichi-based station is part of the “Steel Horse” mainline pipeline complex, with a pumping capacity of 10.5 million tons per year.

The Ukrainian military described the facility as having “strategic importance for the transportation of oil products for the Russian occupation army.” They reported multiple direct hits, followed by fires in the area of the pumping station and tank park.

Commander of the Armed Forces’ Drone Systems, Robert Brovdi (“Madyar”), also confirmed the strike, noting that the 8-N facility plays a key role in transferring petroleum products from Belarus’s Mozyr and Novopolotsk refineries into Russia.

Brovdi shared aerial footage showing a fire at the facility, and emphasized that the strike was part of a broader campaign against Russian oil infrastructure and hinted at more operations to come: “To be continued…”

This marks the second confirmed Ukrainian strike on the 8-N station. On 29 August, Ukrainian forces had already attacked the same facility. As Russian news Telegram channel Astra reported at the time, the previous strike had resulted in the total destruction of the station’s pump house — a critical component without which oil cannot be transported.

Previous strikes on Russian oil pumping stations temporarily disrupted Russian pipeline oil exports, but the damaged facilities later resumed operations.

Ilsky oil refinery set ablaze — again

On the same night, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces struck the Ilsky oil refinery in Seversky District, Krasnodar Krai, the General Staff confirmed. Ilsky is located around 30 kilometers from Krasnodar.

Astra cited the Krasnodar regional operational headquarters, reporting that “drone debris fell on the territory of the Ilsky refinery” — the standard Russian official wording for all successful Ukrainian attacks. The strike caused one of the refinery’s technological installations to catch fire, according to the report. Officials claimed that the fire, which allegedly covered only several square meters, was quickly extinguished and that there were no casualties. Emergency response and special services were deployed, and refinery personnel were evacuated to shelters.

Footage of the fire at the refinery grounds, published online by Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+, showed visible flames in the industrial area definitely more than “several square meters” in size.

This was not the first time Ukrainian drones targeted the Ilsky refinery. Earlier strikes took place in February and July this year, as well as in 2023 and 2024. Previous operations have triggered significant fires, including a major one in February. According to Militarnyi and Suspilne, the July attack was reportedly conducted by Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR).

Ukrainian forces also strike Russian troop sites in Kursk Oblast

In addition to the fuel infrastructure strikes, Ukrainian forces confirmed hits on Russian military personnel sites and logistics warehouses in Kursk Oblast. The General Staff reported “successful hits” on locations housing Russian troops and storing matériel.

The Ukrainian military said these attacks are part of a larger strategy “to reduce the offensive potential of the Russian occupiers and complicate the delivery of fuel and ammunition to the enemy’s military units.”

Russia claims 69 drones shot down

In response to the overnight strikes, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that its air defenses had intercepted and destroyed 69 Ukrainian drones over various regions, including 21 over Krasnodar Krai, 13 over Voronezh Oblast, and others in Astrakhan, Belgorod, Volgograd, and Kursk oblasts, as well as Crimea.

British intelligence has analyzed Russia’s systematic propaganda campaign targeting Ukrainian youth in temporarily occupied territories, according to a September 6 analysis reported by European Truth.

“The forcible political education of Ukrainian youth by the Russian authorities in the illegally occupied territories of Ukraine continues,” the intelligence assessment states. “The Russian Ministry of Defence youth organisation Yunarmiya and the Kremlin youth organisation Movement of the Firsts are amongst those organisations teaching Ukrainian children military skills, and indoctrinating them with pro-Russian and anti-Ukrainian propaganda.”

The British intelligence noted that Russian education authorities aim at countering purported extremism, a term defined broadly by Russian authorities. “A 2022 Russian Ministry of Education manual titled ‘Preventing conflicts, manifestations of extremism and terrorism in a poly-cultural educational environment’ claimed the expression ‘Slava Ukraine’ (Glory to Ukraine) to be an indicator of extremism,” according to the analysis.

Since 2022, Russian authorities have implemented what they call “University Sessions” programme, transporting children from occupied Ukrainian regions to Russian universities for so-called patriotic education. “This aims to inculcate the children with an anti-Ukrainian outlook, as well as glorifying Russian military exploits. Since 2022, around 50,000 Ukrainian children have attended these sessions at 116 Russian universities,” the intelligence report reveals.

British intelligence recently reported that Russia conscripts young Ukrainians into the Russian army upon reaching age 18, with many having been abducted from occupied Ukrainian territories during childhood.

In related developments, the British government imposed sanctions on September 3 against individuals involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia.