Exclusives

Ukraine's chief prosecutor fled. Politicians still choose the man who can prosecute them.. He is only the latest prosecutor general to leave the office in disgrace, and the office is the reason.

Military

Ukraine's Donetsk counteroffensive wins not by force but by stealth: it gathers troops under Russian nose and seizes two villages before they react. A 60th Brigade captain says a concealed buildup near Derylove and Drobysheve, and precisely timed strikes, let his units move in before Russia responded.

Ukraine shoots down Russian drones by hundred thousand: 350,000 this year, filmed and verified hit by hit in DELTA. The tally dwarfs what NATO manages against a handful of Russian drones.

300 Russian shadow fleet ships disabled in 11 weeks—the Azov Sea is at a standstill, Ukrainian drone force commander says. The milestone marks a jump from the 201 reported in late July, though the pace has slowed as shipping traffic in the strike zone thinned out.

Russia is holding Ukraine's south with convicts: 69 percent have records. And they're fighting where civilians live. A third enlisted to escape prosecution, most are over 30, Ukraine's South grouping says.

Ukraine shut down this Samara refinery in June—now its drones are back, and both distillation units are burning again. The Kuibyshev plant had barely restarted when FP-1 drones struck its AVT-4 and AVT-5 installations overnight, and by morning smoke covered the oblast.

Intelligence and technology

Arms makers in Ukraine sign first 26 deals in program that lets them lease equipment for 5% of cost, with state paying other 95%. The state covers all but 5% of the cost, and the first 26 deals have been signed to help producers buy equipment and expand quickly.

Ukraine's new interceptor drone moves toward mass production after first kills against jet-powered Russian drones that fly like cruise missiles. The push comes as faster Russian drones can cut Ukrainian mobile fire groups' reaction time from about a minute to as little as six seconds.

Danish defense startup guarding undersea cables runs on 15 Ukrainian suppliers. Ukrainian fund is putting in €2 million in it. BlueShadow, run by a former US Navy sub commander but engineered in Ukraine, is building drone defenses for coasts and undersea cables.

International

Ukraine offers Russia deal: stop hitting our power, and we stop hitting yours. US will pass it to Moscow. The US will pass Ukraine's mutual energy-truce offer to Russia and has made no unilateral demands of Kyiv to stop striking Russia.

NATO's top generals meet in Copenhagen with Ukraine at top of agenda, as warnings grow that Russia may strike Alliance next. The Alliance's Military Committee reaffirmed support for Kyiv and named Germany's Carsten Breuer its next chair, as its chief warned of Russia's "reckless behaviour."

Germany cut Russian gas after 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Now, its far-right AfD party is in talks with Gazprom to bring it back, and Kremlin welcomes decision. Its foreign-policy speaker met Gazprom's chief in Moscow to discuss resuming supplies.

Last September, Poland downed four of 19 Russian drones. This September, drone reached NATO's missile shield in Redzikowo, and troops guarding it called 112. The military did not shoot it down near Redzikowo, and the ministry won't say whether it tried, reviving doubts about Poland's drone defenses.

Trump announced a "massive" potash deal with Belarus—Lukashenka said the same day there is no spare potash to sell. The US President touted cheaper Belarusian fertilizer as a win for American farmers, but Minsk said every ton is already spoken for.

Moldova counted 39 Russian drone incursions in eight months, against 17 in all of 2025. Its president says three decades without air defense cannot be undone in five years.

Trump demanded Zelenskyy stop hitting Russian refineries—for the second time in a week. Two months ago Trump called the same strikes an escalation that could end the war—now he wants them stopped because of diesel prices.

Humanitarian and social impact

Egypt shifts wheat purchases away from Russia and Ukraine as Black Sea trade costs rise. Russia and Ukraine have stepped up attacks on each other's commercial shipping since July, raising war-risk costs and disrupting key grain routes across the Black Sea.

Russia militarizes children from kindergarten to drone training in occupied Ukraine, monitor says. The pipeline starts in kindergarten and runs through military games, cadet classes, and drone training—and the numbers dwarf what Yunarmia alone shows, a new monitor series reveals.

Born in the USSR, claimed stateless in Finland, fighting for Ukraine—now jailed in Russia. Burkina Faso's Russia-backed junta seized him in Ouagadougou and handed him secretly to Russia, where Moscow's Basmanny Court—the tribunal used for politically sensitive cases—sealed his verdict.

New developments

Russia's mercenaries brought a Ukraine-war drone to Mali. It came down near al-Qaeda's fighters. Cornered for over a week near Dioura, the Africa Corps fired the Russian drone at al-Qaeda-linked fighters as it broke out—then the fighters downed it, a monitoring account says.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

Europe gave Russia years to perfect its aerial killing. Ukraine is paying the price. Europe may be next.. Russia has spent four years adapting its drones, missiles and tactics against Ukraine. As Russian attacks become harder to stop, Ukrainian civilians are paying the price – while Europe is increasingly worried about a threat it has had years to prepare for.

"A warning to companies that remain": Russia takes control of Nestlé and Auchan's assets – companies that stayed in Russia following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The companies had been warned that remaining in Russia could expose their investments to seizure as the Kremlin increasingly uses foreign-owned businesses as leverage. B4Ukraine says companies should leave while they still can.

Military

Russia has warned its cities about every strike for years. During the heaviest raid yet, on election day, it left the sirens silent. The backlash came even from Russia's own pro-war bloggers, as a major Moscow refinery burned on the final day of voting.

Ukraine is saving Donetsk Oblast with world's first-of-its-kind operation: Vivaldi counteroffensive drops robots directly from heavy bombers 10 kilometers behind Russian lines. Heavy drones delivered the robots more than 10 kilometers into the Russian rear during Operation Vivaldi near Lyman.

Intelligence and technology

Russia's threat isn't better missile, it's 14,000 cheap ones. Its new deadly weapon was built in early 1990s, experts say. The cheap, air-launched Dan-T is built to be fired by the thousand, piling onto the drones and missiles already straining Ukraine's air defense.

Ukraine spent year ignoring one Russian drone-control tech, and now Geran-5 flies on it. President's adviser warns next one, from space, is worse. A Ukrainian adviser calls it a coming "small catastrophe"

Ukraine builds app to cut soldiers' paperwork. It has just saved them $40 million, mostly on fuel. The Pluses program in Army+ just added M-Tac as its 40th partner.

Russia's secret drone math: one Tatarstan plant could yield 28,000 more drone bodies a year. Leaked Rosatom documents describe a Tatarstan carbon fiber plant that could lift Russia's Shahed-type drone output 78% by 2029.

International

NATO would strike back if Russia attacks, Polish FM says he warned Moscow. The Polish foreign minister said the warning was intended to deter Russia from taking action that could trigger a wider conflict.

Warning sirens are going west: Russian jet-powered drones bring strikes closer to NATO country. Poland is expanding its warning-siren network as officials prepare for more Russian attacks near the border.

Political and legal developments

Ukraine says foreign defense suppliers owe country about $10.58 billion, including $1.7 billion already paid for goods delivered late or never at all. A $22,400 legal bill stands between Ukraine and $403 million owed by foreign arms suppliers.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

Europe gave Russia years to perfect its aerial killing. Ukraine is paying the price. Europe may be next.. Russia has spent four years adapting its drones, missiles and tactics against Ukraine. As Russian attacks become harder to stop, Ukrainian civilians are paying the price – while Europe is increasingly worried about a threat it has had years to prepare for.

“A warning to companies that remain”: Russia takes control of Nestlé and Auchan’s assets – companies that stayed in Russia following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The companies had been warned that remaining in Russia could expose their investments to seizure as the Kremlin increasingly uses foreign-owned businesses as leverage. B4Ukraine says companies should leave while they still can.

Military

Ukraine retakes ground in a region Russia has fought for years to capture. “Vivaldi” is only getting started but is already “one of the most important victories for Ukraine in 2026” Ukraine’s Third Army Corps says its counteroffensive has retaken three settlements and 50 square kilometers of occupied territory in northern Donetsk, potentially delaying Russia’s planned offensive in the northern Donbas.

Ukraine’s long-range strikes reach Moscow’s fuel supply as Russia votes in State Duma elections A Ukrainian strike damaged the Moscow Oil Refinery, a major fuel supplier for the capital and surrounding region, as Russia held the second day of its State Duma elections.

Ukraine’s Vivaldi operation cleared 85 square kilometers near Lyman. A soldier who fought it says one thing was hardest of all Well-sited Russian defenders spot an assault group crossing open ground and fight it at a distance, he says.

Ukraine’s most effective units, Azov among them, need reinforcements. So National Guard is opening recruitment center aimed only at foreigners The center will send foreign volunteers into contract service as Ukraine leans on outside recruits to fill a manpower gap.

One machine handles 52% of a Russian oil plant—Ukrainian drones just hit it Satellite images show Ukrainian FP-1 drones hit the crude unit that handles 52% of Russia’s TANECO refinery, 1,200 km from Ukraine.

Drones hit Rostov-on-Don for the second straight night—OSINT monitors say the military airbase was likely the target again The local authorities confirmed more than 50 drones downed overnight but said nothing about the airfield where Ukraine reportedly destroyed three aircraft and three helicopters the previous night.

Ukraine’s snipers didn’t vanish in the drone war—their job changed beyond recognition Up to 154 pounds on their backs, weeks at one position, a thermal scope always running—modern sniping is far more watching than shooting.

Russia was sure the terrain made this village impossible to take—Ukraine walked in anyway Days of reconnaissance, drone strikes, and artillery went into the 66th Brigade’s push on Serednie. When the village fell, Russian channels called the liberation footage an AI fake.

Intelligence and technology

North Korea has fired around 150 ballistic missiles at Ukraine, learning from each one. Same missiles threaten Japan, and Kyiv just shows its speaker what is inside them The components come from a missile Russia fired at Ukraine, and Kyiv’s spies argue the same North Korean weapons threaten Japan too.

What are “S-300 Clone” and GAM-67 in America’s new $2.68 billion package for Ukraine? Experts think they have answer Labeled “S-300 Clone,” the new US missiles would reportedly let Ukraine keep its Soviet launchers firing.

Defender Media: Ukraine’s battle-tested drone makers reach no top slot in Pentagon’s $1.1 billion Drone Dominance program, but some Ukrainian technology wins anyway American firms took every top slot, but some Ukrainian tech won quietly under Western partners.

Russia is using inaccurate missiles that can miss by hundreds of meters to attack Ukrainian cities – and plans to scale them up Russia is increasingly using RM48U missiles originally designed as air-defense training targets to attack Ukraine. Their large margin of error makes them especially dangerous when fired at Ukrainian cities, where they can strike civilian areas far from any intended targets.

International

Ukraine and Hungary have a rare moment of cooperation, agreeing to build fuel storage beyond Russia’s reach The planned storage facilities in Hungary near the Ukrainian border will help Ukraine diversify fuel supplies as Russia continues attacking energy infrastructure.

At camp Norway built in Polish forest, NATO trainers admit Ukraine’s army now moves faster than their own Ukraine’s wartime tempo outpaces NATO armies, whose slow procurement Western trainers in Poland say Ukraine’s experience is exposing.

Russia plans ”accidental” drone strikes on NATO countries, Tusk says Tusk said the tactic could be used to test whether NATO would act if an attack on one of its members could be presented as a mistake.

EU pledges €3.3 billion for Ukraine, von der Leyen says “more is coming” as Russia’s escalating air war makes life in Ukrainian cities increasingly difficult The new funding comes as Ukraine appeals for more air defense to counter increasingly complex Russian attacks, including advanced missile and drone strikes on Kyiv.

Belarus holds military drills around the Suwalki Gap, NATO’s only land link to the Baltics Minsk says troops are guarding infrastructure, manning checkpoints, and practicing against saboteurs and drones. It has not disclosed the total number of personnel involved.

“What Ukraine needs right now”: Poland to provide Ukraine with scarce F-16 missiles to shoot down jet-powered drones The aid package will also include aviation equipment, Poland’s deputy defense minister says.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russia has already destroyed more than two-fifths of Ukraine’s modern warehouse space as it escalates attacks on economic infrastructure – FT 2.1 million square meters of warehouse capacity have been destroyed as Russian strikes increasingly target the infrastructure Ukraine needs to store and move goods.

Russian e-commerce will lose $4.8 billion to the drone campaign against its warehouses, analysts estimate Analysts cut a whole year’s growth forecast for Russian online retail by a fifth, and blamed the strikes alone.

Thousands are starving in occupied Oleshky. People have no food, no way out, and Russian forces bomb incoming aid More than 6,000 people, including around 200 children, may remain trapped in the Russian-occupied city, where civilians lack food, water and medicine and some are risking mined fields to escape.

Russia’s war has devastated Donetsk Oblast, with losses already exceeding $26 billion The preliminary estimate covers destroyed industry, energy infrastructure, agriculture, transport, and other sectors, while much of the damage remains impossible to assess.

Russia kills captain of Tanzanian-flagged ship in latest attack on civilian shipping in Black Sea Russia has repeatedly attacked civilian shipping around Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, putting international crews and maritime trade at risk.

Political and legal developments

Russia paid a recruit to vandalize London mosques and make it look like a homegrown hate crime A Ukrainian man has pleaded guilty to the attacks. Direct Action UK, a fake British far-right group, then circulated images of the graffiti.

Stop arming Ukraine or we shut down your defense firms, pro-Kremlin group tells Latvia, Poland, and Portugal Latvia’s security service has opened a terrorism case and jailed one suspect, with the group’s deadline set for 7 October.

Read our previous daily review here.

Exclusives

“A warning to companies that remain”: Russia takes control of Nestlé and Auchan’s assets – companies that stayed in Russia following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The companies had been warned that remaining in Russia could expose their investments to seizure as the Kremlin increasingly uses foreign-owned businesses as leverage. B4Ukraine says companies should leave while they still can.

“I can travel back to Finland and be safe. That is a luxury”: Sanna Marin on the Russian strike that stopped her train from Kyiv. The former Finnish prime minister has visited Ukraine around ten times since the full-scale invasion. This trip, she says, had more air-raid alarms than any of them, and a Russian drone hit the train travelling beside hers to the Polish border.

Military

Russia is using inaccurate missiles that can miss by hundreds of meters to attack Ukrainian cities — and plans to scale them up. Russia is increasingly using RM48U missiles originally designed as air-defense training targets to attack Ukraine. Their large margin of error makes them especially dangerous when fired at Ukrainian cities, where they can strike civilian areas far from any intended targets.

One machine handles 52% of a Russian oil plant—Ukrainian drones just hit it. Satellite images show Ukrainian FP-1 drones hit the crude unit that handles 52% of Russia's TANECO refinery, 1,200 km from Ukraine.

Drones hit Rostov-on-Don for the second straight night—OSINT monitors say the military airbase was likely the target again. The local authorities confirmed more than 50 drones downed overnight but said nothing about the airfield where Ukraine reportedly destroyed three aircraft and three helicopters the previous night.

Ukraine's snipers didn't vanish in the drone war—their job changed beyond recognition. Up to 154 pounds on their backs, weeks at one position, a thermal scope always running—modern sniping is far more watching than shooting.

Russia was sure the terrain made this village impossible to take—Ukraine walked in anyway. Days of reconnaissance, drone strikes, and artillery went into the 66th Brigade's push on Serednie. When the village fell, Russian channels called the liberation footage an AI fake.

Russian e-commerce will lose $4.8 billion to the drone campaign against its warehouses, analysts estimate. Analysts cut a whole year's growth forecast for Russian online retail by a fifth, and blamed the strikes alone.

Russia kills captain of Tanzanian-flagged ship in latest attack on civilian shipping in Black Sea. Russia has repeatedly attacked civilian shipping around Ukraine's Black Sea ports, putting international crews and maritime trade at risk.

No missiles intercepted again: Russia strikes Kyiv water infrastructure amid warnings of harsher winter attacks. Russia also struck residential areas in Odesa and Zaporizhzhia, injuring civilians and damaging homes and other civilian infrastructure.

Ukraine strikes two Russian S-400 launchers in Bryansk. The same systems were used to attack Kyiv overnight. Ukraine is increasingly targeting systems Russia uses to launch missiles at its cities as Kyiv faces shortages of high-end interceptors.

A fifth of Russian refining sits idle, and the sector's earnings still grew. The money is being made on prices and state compensation rather than on the volumes the front line actually needs.

One pincer stalled a year ago, the other has just been broken near Kostiantynivka—Russia's ring will not close, Ukrainian commander says. Frontal assaults on fortified cities cost far more men and time than closing a ring behind them would have.

Intelligence and technology

Russia paid a recruit to vandalize London mosques and make it look like a homegrown hate crime. A Ukrainian man has pleaded guilty to the attacks. Direct Action UK, a fake British far-right group, then circulated images of the graffiti.

Stop arming Ukraine or we shut down your defense firms, pro-Kremlin group tells Latvia, Poland, and Portugal. Latvia's security service has opened a terrorism case and jailed one suspect, with the group's deadline set for 7 October.

Ukraine kept this strike drone secret for two years—its maker says it has destroyed more than 350 Russian systems. Ukraine's RAM-2X had been hunting Russian air defense systems and ballistic missile launchers, and the silence ended only when wrecked drones reached Russian hands.

International

Russia plans "accidental" drone strikes on NATO countries, Tusk says. Tusk said the tactic could be used to test whether NATO would act if an attack on one of its members could be presented as a mistake.

EU pledges €3.3 billion for Ukraine, von der Leyen says "more is coming" as Russia's escalating air war makes life in Ukrainian cities increasingly difficult. The new funding comes as Ukraine appeals for more air defense to counter increasingly complex Russian attacks, including advanced missile and drone strikes on Kyiv.

Belarus holds military drills around the Suwalki Gap, NATO's only land link to the Baltics. Minsk says troops are guarding infrastructure, manning checkpoints, and practicing against saboteurs and drones. It has not disclosed the total number of personnel involved.

Poland to provide Ukraine with scarce F-16 missiles to shoot down jet-powered drones — "What Ukraine needs right now." The aid package will also include aviation equipment, Poland's deputy defense minister says.

Fire temporarily shuts part of Slovak ammunition plant amid plans to triple capacity. The company operating the factory plans to triple its annual capacity of roughly 100,000 shell bodies and holds a seven-year agreement to supply EU states.

The EU has billions in unspent defense funds. It wants to use them for projects with Ukraine. The plan could bring more Ukrainian defense companies into Europe's growing defense industry.

Humanitarian and social impact

Thousands are starving in occupied Oleshky. People have no food, no way out, and Russian forces bomb incoming aid. More than 6,000 people, including around 200 children, may remain trapped in the Russian-occupied city, where civilians lack food, water and medicine and some are risking mined fields to escape.

Russia's war has devastated Donetsk Oblast, with losses already exceeding $26 billion. The preliminary estimate covers destroyed industry, energy infrastructure, agriculture, transport, and other sectors, while much of the damage remains impossible to assess.

Ukraine receives 252 bodies as repatriation remains one of the few functioning channels with Russia. The repatriation of bodies gives families of missing Ukrainians a chance to identify their loved ones and finally bury them.

From the frontline to a rehab center: a rescued dog from Pokrovsk now helps wounded Ukrainians on the other side of the country. A rescued puppy from Pokrovsk now has an unusual volunteer role: visiting wounded Ukrainians at a rehabilitation center in Lviv.

Political and legal developments

Kyiv's arms industry wants to kill the export fee. Parliament just refused to route that money to the army. Ukraine's arms makers want the 20-30% export fee scrapped as Europe's defense market opens—while parliament won't route the cash to the army.

The US House just passed the first major Russia oil sanctions in two years—one signature stands between them and law. Named for the late Senator Lindsey Graham, it clears the way for tariffs of up to 100% on China, India, and the other top buyers of Russian energy.

Read our previous daily review here.

Exclusives

“I can travel back to Finland and be safe. That is a luxury”: Sanna Marin on the Russian strike that stopped her train from Kyiv. The former Finnish prime minister has visited Ukraine around ten times since the full-scale invasion. This trip, she says, had more air-raid alarms than any of them, and a Russian drone hit the train travelling beside hers to the Polish border.

Military

No missiles intercepted again: Russia strikes Kyiv water infrastructure amid warnings of harsher winter attacks. Russia also struck residential areas in Odesa and Zaporizhzhia, injuring civilians and damaging homes and other civilian infrastructure.

Ukraine strikes two Russian S-400 launchers in Bryansk. The same systems were used to attack Kyiv overnight.. Ukraine is increasingly targeting systems Russia uses to launch missiles at its cities as Kyiv faces shortages of high-end interceptors.

One pincer stalled a year ago, the other has just been broken near Kostiantynivka—Russia’s ring will not close, Ukrainian commander says. Frontal assaults on fortified cities cost far more men and time than closing a ring behind them would have.

Intelligence and technology

Ukraine kept this strike drone secret for two years—its maker says it has destroyed more than 350 Russian systems. Ukraine's RAM-2X had been hunting Russian air defense systems and ballistic missile launchers, and the silence ended only when wrecked drones reached Russian hands.

Ukraine put an Italian-Swiss Skyguard into combat duty. The missile inside is a Cold War design derived from the American Sparrow. Spain and Italy delivered Skyguard/Aspide starting in 2022. The 38th Regiment just showed it on combat duty for the first time.

Ukrainian border unit’s HIMERA B1 relay took 10 strikes from Russia’s FPV drones and guided bombs. Last one leveled building and tower, and relay kept working. Border guards dug the HIMERA B1 out of the rubble because it was still transmitting.

US charges five as alleged Kremlin assassination network reaches American soil. Prosecutors say the network expanded from targeting Russian dissidents and defectors to arranging attacks against European countries supporting Ukraine.

In April, 24 Ukrainian companies ran their own air defense. By mid-September, 81 do — about one new firm per day. They've already downed 20-plus Russian drones.

Ukrainian partisans claim sabotage at Russian plant supplying missiles Moscow uses to bomb Ukrainian cities. ATESH says its agent disabled the power supply at the Voronezh facility, disrupting production of components used in Russian weapons.

International

EU pledges €3.3 billion for Ukraine, von der Leyen says “more is coming” as Russia’s escalating air war makes life in Ukrainian cities increasingly difficult. The new funding comes as Ukraine appeals for more air defense to counter increasingly complex Russian attacks, including advanced missile and drone strikes on Kyiv.

Belarus holds military drills around the Suwalki Gap, NATO’s only land link to the Baltics. Minsk says troops are guarding infrastructure, manning checkpoints, and practicing against saboteurs and drones. It has not disclosed the total number of personnel involved.

Russia kills captain of Tanzanian-flagged ship in latest attack on civilian shipping in Black Sea. Russia has repeatedly attacked civilian shipping around Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, putting international crews and maritime trade at risk.

“What Ukraine needs right now”: Poland to provide Ukraine with scarce F-16 missiles to shoot down jet-powered drones. The aid package will also include aviation equipment, Poland’s deputy defense minister says.

Fire temporarily shuts part of Slovak ammunition plant amid plans to triple capacity. The company operating the factory plans to triple its annual capacity of roughly 100,000 shell bodies and holds a seven-year agreement to supply EU states.

A fifth of Russian refining sits idle, and the sector’s earnings still grew. The money is being made on prices and state compensation rather than on the volumes the front line actually needs.

The EU has billions in unspent defense funds. It wants to use them for projects with Ukraine. The plan could bring more Ukrainian defense companies into Europe's growing defense industry.

Russia ships armor to Libya despite mounting vehicle losses in Ukraine. Two sanctioned cargo vessels crossed the Mediterranean without broadcasting location data. Russian and Libyan authorities have not disclosed who was to receive their cargo.

A drone came down beside a Bundeswehr air base, weeks after Berlin blamed Moscow for the Leipzig airport attack. The drone's owner and origin are still unknown, and investigators are collecting further parts before saying anything about how it came down.

For first time, foreign government is funding Ukrainian drone school: Canada picks foundation that has already bought Ukraine nearly $50M in drones. Canada, once behind on drones, gets Ukraine's combat experience in return.

Humanitarian and social impact

Thousands are starving in occupied Oleshky. People have no food, no way out, and Russian forces bomb incoming aid. More than 6,000 people, including around 200 children, may remain trapped in the Russian-occupied city, where civilians lack food, water and medicine and some are risking mined fields to escape.

Russia’s war has devastated Donetsk Oblast, with losses already exceeding $26 billion. The preliminary estimate covers destroyed industry, energy infrastructure, agriculture, transport, and other sectors, while much of the damage remains impossible to assess.

Ukraine receives 252 bodies as repatriation remains one of the few functioning channels with Russia. The repatriation of bodies gives families of missing Ukrainians a chance to identify their loved ones and finally bury them.

From the frontline to a rehab center: a rescued dog from Pokrovsk now helps wounded Ukrainians on the other side of the country. A rescued puppy from Pokrovsk now has an unusual volunteer role: visiting wounded Ukrainians at a rehabilitation center in Lviv.

Political and legal developments

Kyiv’s arms industry wants to kill the export fee. Parliament just refused to route that money to the army. Ukraine's arms makers want the 20-30% export fee scrapped as Europe's defense market opens—while parliament won't route the cash to the army.

The US House just passed the first major Russia oil sanctions in two years—one signature stands between them and law. Named for the late Senator Lindsey Graham, it clears the way for tariffs of up to 100% on China, India, and the other top buyers of Russian energy.

Ukraine’s Build with Ukraine has 200-plus foreign cooperation bids pending decision. Its arms industry, representing 400-plus firms, wants to help fix mechanism. The Council of Defence Industry wants a costly new export-permit fee scrapped.

He thought Ukrainian army uniform would hide what he did under occupation. It didn’t. Man who guarded Kherson’s Russian-run prison drew eight years. He guarded cells holding captured Ukrainian resistance members, then hid inside the army before the SBU caught him at a training center.

Read our previous daily review here.

Exclusives

The West has tried everything except ending the war. Diplomacy, sanctions, 200 rounds of talks—Russia used all of it to buy time. Diesel prices in America are just the tsunami's latest wave.

Military

Ukrainian partisans claim sabotage at Russian plant supplying missiles Moscow uses to bomb Ukrainian cities. ATESH says its agent disabled the power supply at the Voronezh facility, disrupting production of components used in Russian weapons.

Ukraine's Vivaldi counteroffensive disrupts Russia's plan to encircle Donetsk Fortress Belt – ISW. Ukrainian forces have likely advanced beyond the territory publicly disclosed by Kyiv, while Russian sources increasingly acknowledge setbacks around Lyman.

Russian general killed in Ukraine weeks after telling Putin Kostiantynivka was captured. Major General Anton Grunis was killed in occupied Donetsk Oblast after leading Russian forces on the Kostiantynivka front.

Intelligence and technology

Ukraine put an Italian-Swiss Skyguard into combat duty. The missile inside is a Cold War design derived from the American Sparrow. Spain and Italy delivered Skyguard/Aspide starting in 2022. The 38th Regiment just showed it on combat duty for the first time.

Ukrainian border unit's HIMERA B1 relay took 10 strikes from Russia's FPV drones and guided bombs. Last one leveled building and tower, and relay kept working. Border guards dug the HIMERA B1 out of the rubble because it was still transmitting.

Russia ships armor to Libya despite mounting vehicle losses in Ukraine. Two sanctioned cargo vessels crossed the Mediterranean without broadcasting location data. Russian and Libyan authorities have not disclosed who was to receive their cargo.

Ukraine's Build with Ukraine has 200-plus foreign cooperation bids pending decision. Its arms industry, representing 400-plus firms, wants to help fix mechanism. The Council of Defence Industry wants a costly new export-permit fee scrapped.

In April, 24 Ukrainian companies ran their own air defense. By mid-September, 81 do — about one new firm per day. They've already downed 20-plus Russian drones.

International

A drone came down beside a Bundeswehr air base, weeks after Berlin blamed Moscow for the Leipzig airport attack. The drone's owner and origin are still unknown, and investigators are collecting further parts before saying anything about how it came down.

For first time, foreign government is funding Ukrainian drone school: Canada picks foundation that has already bought Ukraine nearly $50M in drones. Canada, once behind on drones, gets Ukraine's combat experience in return.

Humanitarian and social impact

Strikes on UN warehouses push aid money from delivery to protection. The UN is weighing underground storage for Ukraine aid supplies after Russia hit 10 of its facilities this year.

Russian drone killed five people on a scheduled minibus in southeastern Ukraine. The vehicle was running an intercity route through a district that sits across the river from Russian-held ground when the strike caught it.

Political and legal developments

US charges five as alleged Kremlin assassination network reaches American soil. Prosecutors say the network expanded from targeting Russian dissidents and defectors to arranging attacks against European countries supporting Ukraine.

He thought Ukrainian army uniform would hide what he did under occupation. It didn't. Man who guarded Kherson's Russian-run prison drew eight years. He guarded cells holding captured Ukrainian resistance members, then hid inside the army before the SBU caught him at a training center.

Kushner's "win-win" peace deal is impossible when Putin wants all of Ukraine — Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian president said he knew Putin would never change his goal, and that the deal formula was built on a misreading of what Russia wanted.

Read our earlier daily review here.