Children living under constant threat are finally safe. Ukraine’s humanitarian program, Bring Kids Back UA, has evacuated 16 children from Russian-occupied territories.

They are now in Ukraine, receiving psychological support, restoring documents, and taking their first steps toward a peaceful life, according to Andrii Yermak, Head of the Presidential Office.

The program, initiated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2023, aims to return all Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. To date, 19,546 children have been stolen.

Tragedies endured by the children

Among the rescued is a 15-year-old girl who escaped occupation with her aunt after her parents and older brother were sentenced on fabricated charges. Two sisters, aged 14 and 7, lost their home and belongings in a fire that completely destroyed their house.

Another 15-year-old girl stayed indoors for nearly three years, living in fear of the occupiers taking her children. A 10-year-old boy was targeted by the occupation’s “care service,” which tried to seize him from his parents.

Returning to safety and a new life

“All of them are now safe in Ukraine. Due to the Save Ukraine team and partners for helping rescue these children. We are fulfilling the President’s mission to bring all Ukrainian children home,” said Yermak.

Russian indoctrination in occupied areas

Earlier, the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation reported that in Russian-occupied Donetsk, schools have been holding so-called “patriotism lessons” since autumn.

According to Denis Pushilin, the head of the occupation administration, Russian soldiers teach children about their “combat path,” instilling a war cult, erasing Ukrainian identity, and preparing them for future Kremlin military campaigns.

Ukraine confronts one of the world’s most severe demographic crises as its fertility rate plummets to 0.8 children per woman—among the lowest globally—while deaths exceed births by nearly three to one, according to government statistics and demographic experts.

As Ukraine fights for survival, it simultaneously grapples with a shrinking population that undermines long-term military capacity, economic reconstruction, and social stability.

The crisis reflects broader European demographic trends accelerated by war, poverty, and uncertainty—factors increasingly relevant to Western nations facing population decline.

Government response meets expert skepticism

Ukraine just raised baby bonuses from 41,280 hryvnias ($1,001) to 50,000 hryvnias ($1,220), paid as a lump sum rather than monthly installments. Additional measures include 7,000 ($170) hryvnia monthly payments for unemployed pregnant women and expanded childcare support.

“One should not count on a significant increase in birth rates due to increased social payments for children,” says Iryna Ippolitova, senior researcher at the Center for Economic Strategy, noting that increased payments in 2005 and the “Baby Package” program in 2018 did not cause significant changes in birth rates.

The current payment also has much less purchasing power than the previously tried support mechanisms had. According to the media outlet Hromadske, in 2008, Ukraine paid $2,520 for the first child, $5,155 for the second, and $10,310 for the third and subsequent children.

Today’s 50,000 hryvnia payment equals only $1,220, regardless of birth order.

The math behind Ukraine’s disappearing future

Ukraine’s population has contracted from 52 million at independence in 1991 to approximately 30-35 million today. But that’s not the scary part.

The fertility crisis compounds multiple demographic pressures. Euromaidan Press report from February 2025 shows 495,000 deaths versus 176,600 births in 2024, with some frontline oblasts experiencing death-to-birth ratios exceeding 10-to-1.

Meanwhile, 5.7 million Ukrainians live abroad as refugees, according to UN estimates, with up to 800,000 being women of childbearing age. Only 40% of emigrants express certainty about returning, the UN reports.

Strategic implications for Ukraine’s future

The demographic crisis creates cascading strategic vulnerabilities that threaten Ukraine’s long-term viability:

War, economic misery, and housing costs create conditions that could affect other nations during future crises.

Why money can’t fix the baby problem

Ask a young couple in Kyiv about having children, and they’ll show you their rent receipt. A cashier spends 83% of their income on rent alone. A cook uses 57% of earnings just for housing. A barista dedicates 78% of their salary to keeping a roof overhead.

And if young people “don’t understand what tomorrow will bring, then what kind of children can we talk about?” asks Vasyl Voskoboynik, head of Ukraine’s Office of Migration Policy.

The housing crisis creates impossible mathematics. When working full-time barely covers rent, saving for a larger apartment to accommodate children becomes a fantasy. This explains why 21% of potential parents plan to have children only after the war ends—not because of physical danger but because of economic impossibility.

Having children increasingly becomes a lifestyle choice among many rather than a social expectation. Life offers alternatives—career advancement, travel, personal fulfillment—that compete with parenthood in ways previous generations never experienced.

War adds another layer of uncertainty. Even couples who planned children before February 2022 now delay decisions indefinitely. The stress, family separation, and unpredictable future create psychological barriers that 50,000 hryvnia cannot overcome.

What Ukraine teaches the West

Ukraine’s trajectory offers uncomfortable lessons for Western democracies managing their own fertility decline.

Population Europe’s research confirms that there is “no realistic prospect within the foreseeable future of the EU returning to total fertility rates of around 2 from today’s 1.5.”

The war reveals how quickly a manageable demographic decline transforms into an existential crisis. External shocks—economic collapse, social instability, military conflict—can accelerate trends that typically unfold over generations. Under the right combination of pressures, today’s gradual decline in the European population can lead to tomorrow’s rapid collapse.

This creates strategic vulnerabilities that neighbors with ill intent notice. Aging populations struggle to field large militaries, support innovation economies, or maintain social cohesion during crises. Russia itself faces severe demographic challenges, but Ukraine’s crisis demonstrates how quickly declining nations can become targets.

But the population numbers tell only half the story. As Ukraine fights for survival on military and demographic fronts simultaneously, Western democracies must consider whether their aging societies can withstand similar pressures while confronting expanding authoritarian threats facing comparable demographic stress.

Today, there is important news from the Pokrovsk direction in Donetsk Oblast.

Here, Russia’s offensive around Pokrovsk has finally collapsed into disorganized, scattered assaults, exposing the total breakdown of its campaign. Seizing the moment, Ukrainian forces struck back with momentum, liberating another key town and turning the tide of the battle.

Russia’s flanks crumble near Pokrovsk

The fighting around Pokrovsk has entered a new phase, where the intensity of Russian assaults on the flanks has clearly declined and their once grand offensive has fractured into scattered, uncoordinated attacks. What remains is little more than small groups probing Ukrainian defenses, seemingly just to avoid a complete halt that would openly expose the failure of the Russian campaign.

On the western flank near Udachne, Russian efforts have been reduced to chaotic infiltration attempts without any combined arms support. On the eastern flank near Myrnohrad, the story is much the same, with piecemeal assaults ending in abandonment of vehicles and panicked retreats under Ukrainian fire. The larger picture is unmistakable, as the Russian encirclement attempts around Pokrovsk have fallen apart.

Ukraine has seized the opportunity to strike back, and near Udachne, the lack of Russian coordination was turned against them. Ukrainian forces launched a deliberate push, clearing the settlement and raising the national flag over its center. What had been temporarily filled with scattered Russian infiltrators was retaken swiftly, with videos showing Ukrainian units inside the village. The half-hearted Russian attempts to regain ground have been nothing short of disastrous. Assaults sent down predictable roads ended with fields littered with bodies, creating roads of death that Ukrainians control tightly with drones and artillery.

A similar pattern unfolded near Myrnohrad on the eastern flank, where the Ukrainians knocked out a handful of Russian armored assaults, before moving in to finish off the remnants.

Footage from near Hrodivka shows Russian soldiers abandoning positions and fleeing under pressure from Ukrainian marines in hot pursuit, confirming that momentum has swung decisively on this flank as well.

Pipeline infiltration ends in failure

It is in this environment of failure that the Russian command has once again turned to bizarre symbolic operations to save face. The answer, incredibly, was to repeat one of their infamous pipe operations, stuffing troops into sewer systems in the hope of infiltrating Pokrovsk and producing some footage of progress.

The Russians have repeatedly tried these tactics in several sectors already, with varying degrees of success and failure. Now, the repetition has played out the same way, with Russian soldiers crawling through the filth only to be eliminated.

After the Russians released a video in which they allegedly try to break into Pokrovsk through the sewer, a Ukrainian officer said they were aware but were not worried. The Ukrainian defenders employed specialist who previously worked on the local pipe network, who stated that advancing through sewer pipes toward Pokrovsk is impossible due to their condition and construction, as they either lack the necessary diameter for a person to pass through or are filled with waste.

Offensive ends with high losses

Obviously, the Russian commanders were lacking this information when they sent their troops inside, and besides the initial footage at the very beginning where the pipes were still wide enough to crawl through, the most likely outcome was suffocation in the pipes at a later stage of the operation with them unable to turn around and withdraw.

Despite being a valid attempt to try to surprise the Ukrainian defense from behind, this effort proved entirely meaningless, and it is very unlikely to have succeeded because of the Ukrainian high alertness due to all recent infiltration attempts in and around Pokrovsk.

Overall, Russia committed significant resources and manpower to the Pokrovsk axis, throwing battalion after battalion against Ukrainian defenses. Yet every thrust on the western, eastern, and northern flanks has collapsed, leaving nothing but wrecked vehicles and soaring casualty lists. To distract from this, commanders have resorted to sewer infiltrations and other theatrics that fail to alter the battlefield balance.

With autumn rains fast approaching, Russia’s much-hyped summer offensive has ended without achieving its main goal of capturing Pokrovsk. Instead, Ukrainian countermeasures have not only preserved the town but have rolled back enemy gains, and Russian bodies littering the fields and underground sewer lines.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Today, there is important news from the Sumy direction.

Ukraine advances into Kursk

Here, Ukrainian forces are advancing into the Kursk region, turning what was once a defensive stand into a renewed cross-border push. These gains now open the path to outflank and encircle Russian positions from the north to crush the already overstretched enemy lines and reshape the dynamics of the entire front.

A key factor behind this success has been the relentless Ukrainian air strike campaign against Russian reinforcements and command centers across both Sumy and Kursk. This has created openings for Ukrainian ground units to press forward. The Ukrainian Black Swan battalion recently released footage northeast of Kindrativka showing Russian aircraft attempting to bomb new Ukrainian positions, a sign of how far north the battle has shifted.

Despite Russian air activity, Ukrainian advances in this area underscore the collapse of Russia’s ability to maintain pressure in Sumy, with Ukrainian forces now fighting beyond the settlements that were once planned to serve as a foothold for Russia’s push south.

Drone warfare reshapes the battle

Complementing air strikes, Ukraine’s drone campaign is inflicting devastating damage on Russian positions at the tactical level. Heavy drone platforms like the Vampire hexacopter are proving decisive, flying long-range night missions with payloads up to 20 kilograms. These drones are not just dropping improvised explosives but carrying devastating ordnance, including anti-tank mines and a series of mortar rounds, which complicate Russian attempts to maneuver.

Most notably, Ukrainian engineers working with frontline units have introduced a new drone-dropped munition dubbed the black hole bomb. Developed by the Ukrainian Black Swan unit, the weapon has two confirmed variants. The thermobaric version unleashes a high-temperature blast wave that sucks in surrounding air, annihilating fortifications and suffocating troops caught inside trenches or buildings. The fragmentation variant detonates overhead, scattering lethal shrapnel across wide areas, ideal for clearing entrenched infantry or enemy units on the move.

Combat footage shows these black hole munitions creating huge craters and collapsing Russian firing points, their effect comparable to that of artillery shells but instead delivered with surgical precision from the sky. This innovation allows Ukrainian units to dismantle Russian defenses without waiting for conventional artillery or risking exposure of expensive fighter jets to Russian air defense systems.

Russia’s defense collapses

With Russian forces concentrated in Sumy and stretched thin after weeks of costly attacks and devastating air strikes, Ukrainian commanders have again opted for tactical maneuvers rather than frontal attrition. Instead of smashing head-on into Russia’s lines, they are methodically cutting off isolated groups, collapsing salients piece by piece, and pushing back into Kursk in the process. This strategy takes advantage of the area, where settlements are small, scattered, and dispersed, making it easier to bypass and encircle Russian detachments rather than fight through each one in sequence.

Ukrainian advances north of Kindrativka and into rural Kursk show this logic in action, turning the international border into little more than a reference line. In practice, the fighting forms a unified battle space where Ukraine’s forces cross back and forth, exploiting Russian vulnerabilities while ignoring state boundaries that no longer reflect realities on the ground.

The result is a steadily deteriorating situation for the Russian command, and what began as an attempt to push into Sumy has now backfired, with Ukraine not only halting the incursion but clawing back ground across the frontier. Russian infantry, deprived of supplies and hammered by Ukrainian air and drone strikes, cannot establish a coherent defense, and by advancing north, Ukraine is opening the possibility of flanking Russian troops still holding pockets of territory in Sumy from behind, threatening their lines of retreat and accelerating their collapse.

Overall, Ukraine’s steady progress highlights how momentum has shifted from a desperate defensive fight to prevent Russian forces from reaching Sumy city into an operation pushing enemy troops back into Kursk.

The border itself is losing meaning in the chaos of battle, and Ukraine is now able to carry the fight onto Russian soil to disrupt the enemy’s remaining footholds. With innovation in drone warfare, effective use of air power, and smart maneuvering, Ukrainian forces are not just defending but are reshaping the frontline to their advantage.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Today the biggest news comes from the Pokrovsk direction.

Here, Ukrainian forces are closing the gap around the remaining Russian forces in their Dobropillia salient. As Ukrainians finish off pockets of Russian resistance, the Russians’ only hope is to surrender to the advancing Ukrainian army or be annihilated completely.

After conducting a successful penetration from the high ground in the west, Ukrainians are now launching their attacks from the north as well, well, completing the pincer around the Russian Dobropillia salient.

Ukrainians are using highly trained infantry squads to move in, engaging with Russian forces along the way.

Superior supply lines give Ukraine tactical edge

The main advantage of the Ukrainians here is their far superior ground lines of communication, enjoying a direct supply line from Kramatorsk and Ruzhivka, functioning as central operating hubs for Ukrainian forces in northern Donetsk.

Additionally, if we take a look at the topographic map, we can see that as the Ukrainian supply lines approach the front, they cross through several settlements in the valley between two hills.

This blocks signals for Russian drones, who mainly rely on FPV-type kamikaze drones, in stead of munitions dropped from drones.

Russian fiber optics also still only makes up approximately 20% of FPVs used by the Russians, so the valley Ukrainians move through is largely protected against most Russian strikes.

The buildings in the settlements and tree lines running along them offer additional concealment factors to Ukrainian infantry units passing through.

Heavy drones dominate battlefield from above

The last major Ukrainian advantage is their extensive utilization of heavy drones like the Heavy Vampire and Baba Yaga variants.

Because these drones drop heavy explosives or a series of smaller mortar rounds from a height, they are able to fly and hover above the valley, unaffected by the weaker signal strength that Russians suffer from lower to the ground.

Coordinated assault eliminates Russian positions

Geolocated footage shows how Ukrainian infantry squads move south through the settlements under the watchful eye and in constant communication with Mavic reconnaissance drones that detect any Russian presence.

The Ukrainian squad initially engaged the position with grenade launchers using high explosive rounds.

However the rounds were not penetrating into the basement, where some of the Russians were hiding, so to save manpower, ammunition and time, a Vampire hexacopter drone was called in.

The drone then dropped four mortar rounds directly on the basement, wiping out the structure and scoring several direct hits into the underground structure itself.

Russian infantry attempting to flank Ukrainian attacks from the high ground to the east are also promptly intercepted by Ukrainian FPV drones patrolling the area, as signal strengths are much less disrupted on the high ground and the slopes that the Russians must move across first.

Systematic advance tightens the noose

In this manner, Ukrainians are systematically moving south. south, having already consolidated full control of Volodymyrivka and expanding the grey zone to fully encompass the Russian salient.

As you remember from a previous report, Ukrainians avoided finishing off the two Russian encirclements further north to lure more Russian forces in to attempt to rescue them, while keeping them away from important positions.

However, with the trap now sprung, there is little reason to keep these pockets alive and the final clearing operations have begun.

Final clearing operations eliminate remaining pockets

Ukrainian soldiers on the ground report that the western pocket has been cleared completely, as their attention is now moving to the one to the east.

Every Russian is first offered surrender and to be taken as a prisoner of war, however if they hold out and refuse they are promptly dispatched, as Ukrainian forces are much needed elsewhere, and maintaining a tight perimeter costs a lot of resources.

Overall, Ukrainians are closing the gates and finishing off any Russian soldiers who remain. remain, as Ukrainian soldiers on the ground are already reporting that the Prisoner of War Exchange Fund is rapidly being replenished.

In the grey zone, Russian units moving through are now eliminated by drones, as Ukrainian infantry is making their way forward, leaving the fields covered in Russian bodies.

Russian command faces reckoning

The Russian Dobropillia breakthrough event is coming to a close, as many Russian generals will soon start shifting the blame to one another, as a hammer of consequences is sure to soon come from the direction of Moscow.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war

Today there are interesting updates from Donetsk. 

Here, as Russia had begun a massive regrouping, pulling in reinforcements from across its stagnating offensives to feed the fight for Pokrovsk, Ukraine struck a decisive blow. 

By launching a massive wave of coordinated strikes, the Ukrainian forces crippled three major command posts, eliminated dozens of high-ranking officers, completely beheading and halting the Russian offensive. 

Ukrainian intelligence tracks every Russian movement

Currently, Russian forces are undergoing a massive redeployment to reinforce and intensify the offensive towards Pokrovsk, while sacrificing several of their other offensives in the process. 

Ukrainian intelligence, however, left no movement unnoticed and tracked almost every Russian convoy. From hacked traffic cameras in the Russian rear, partisans reporting on troop trains, to deep reconnaissance by drones, Ukraine followed enemy columns across roads and tree lines. 

As you remember, loitering munitions already struck Russian troop movements en route, ensuring that even before reaching the front, Russia’s reinforcements were being bled dry. 

Coordinated strikes target three command centers

Ukrainians stepped up their efforts by using one of the newest missiles in its arsenal to strike Russian command headquarters and behead all enemy efforts. 

The centerpiece of Ukraine’s counter was a massive precision strike operation, with the first salvo slamming into the Topaz plant, once a Soviet electronics hub, and now a command post for the Russian army. 

At least five Peklo jet-powered drone missiles were caught on multiple geolocated videos before detonating in near-simultaneous strikes. Flames engulfed several buildings, with further images showing smoke clouds rising above the site.

A second strike smaller but just as targeted destroyed the command hub of the 41st Russian Combined Arms Army within the Research Institute of Complex Automation, where Russia had been directing operations in the region. 

The Russian military was also engaged in the operation of anti-aircraft fire in central Donetsk. 

Finally, another wave of Ukrainian long-range drones hit the command post of the 20th Guards Motor Rifle Division inside an industrial zone, demolishing the nerve center of one of Russia’s key forces attacking west of Donetsk. 

These three strikes occurring within minutes of each other stunned Russian defenses as eyewitnesses described anti-aircraft fire tracing the sky only after the missiles had already hit. 

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that dozens of Ukrainian drones had been intercepted across western Russia but made no mention of Donetsk itself.

Yet, the reality was clear. Ukrainian precision firepower had ripped through multiple headquarters complexes, with OSINT analysts confirming the hits were all crucial to Russia’s ongoing attempt to push toward Pokrovsk. 

Peklo missiles demonstrate Ukraine’s growing strike independence

The weapons Ukraine used underscored its growing independence in long-range warfare. Analysis of flight profiles and impact videos revealed the silhouette and attack pattern of Ukraine’s Peklo drone missiles.

Propeller-driven drones may have scouted the targets, but the strikes themselves were carried out by the jet-propelled cruise missile-style drones with a range of 700 km at speeds up to 700 km an hour. 

Developed domestically with 70% Ukrainian components, Peklo entered serial production with a target output of 100 pieces per month. With a warhead of 50 kg, it is designed to destroy hardened targets while overwhelming Russian air defenses, proving itself once again in the latest strike on Donetsk city. 

Immediate impact fractures Russian command structure

The result on the Russian offensive is immediate, with key headquarters destroyed, the Russian chain of command has become fractured, and communications from army leaders to units on the ground has been disrupted. 

Many officers familiar with the battle plans have been killed, as similar cases in the past show that such strikes caused paralysis within Russian military strength. That’s what happened. Nothing changed despite these attacks. Replacement officers need time to familiarize themselves with the battlefield and plan of attack, slowing decision-making and holding planned assaults. 

The timing also matters – meteorologists state that autumn rains are expected to commence the mud season by the end of September, threatening to bog down movements and choke supply lines. 

With their headquarters in flames and their commanders gone, Russia’s chances of reigniting momentum at Pokrovsk appear grim.

Strike showcases domestic missile capabilities

Overall, Ukraine’s wave of strikes has effectively cut off the head of the Russian offensive at Pokrovsk by demolishing enemy headquarters. 

Reportedly senior Russian generals were killed, whose identities are being clarified, but even the disruption alone forces Russia into crisis mode. 

For Ukraine, the operation showcased the strength of its domestically built Peklov system, as footage from multiple angles confirmed the missiles penetrated Donetsk unimpeded, proving that Russia’s vaunted air defenses remain full of gaps.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

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.

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.

Today, there are interesting updates from the Sumy direction.

Here, Ukrainians have completely annihilated the Russian Sumy offensive from the air, launching devastating strikes all across the board. With even redeployed air defense assets falling victim to Western-supplied bombs, Russian operations are falling apart at the seams as each sector is meticulously targeted without mercy.

Ukrainian forces dismantle Russian air defenses before launching full-scale aerial assault

Ukraine’s armed forces have decisively crushed the Russian offensive into Sumy by cutting off their supply and reinforcement routes through continuous targeting from the air.

This success was made possible by Ukraine’s systematic clearing of the skies, with Russian air defense assets stretched across the entire frontline being repeatedly hunted down. Buk and Tor systems, deployed to protect Russian command posts and depots, became prime targets. In one case, a Russian Tor system continuously hampered Ukrainian attempts at air strikes, resulting in the air defense system becoming the target instead. In another, a Russian Tor battery malfunctioned trying to intercept a Ukrainian air strike, with the missile veering off course and striking a nearby Russian ammunition storage instead. Additionally, Ukrainian operators used fiber-optic FPV drones to stalk and destroy Buk launchers. With these systems eliminated or suppressed, the preparation was done, and the Ukrainian strike aircraft were free to operate over the front.

Western bombs shatter Russian spearhead near Tyotkino and across Kursk

The first major blow landed near Tyotkino. Ukrainian fighters used AASM HAMMER bombs and J-dams to strike infantry groups and ammunition stores at Lokot, Tetkino, and Dronivka, while a bridge at Zabolotivka was demolished to sever supply routes.

Drone operators in Glushkovo were targeted with J-dam strikes, while troops sheltering in a grain elevator at Tyotkino were buried under rubble. Additional airstrikes leveled drone coordination centers in Korovyakivka and troop concentrations across Tyotkino, followed by hits on crossings at Zvannoye. Each wave of HAMMERs and J-dams bombs shattered Russian attempts to mass forces, leaving corpses and destroyed buildings across the Kursk villages, feeding the offensive.

Ukrainian aviation strikes deep behind the border, targeting drone hubs and infantry strongholds

Further southeast, on the Sumy side of the border, the blows continued and opened huge gaps in the Russian lines. Ukrainian aviation destroyed bases from where Russian drone operators were operating at Oleksiivka and Loknia, undermining Russian drone support capabilities, before destroying forces concentrations at Kindrativka and Oleksiivka, where Russian infantry had fortified inside of civilian buildings.

In Yunakivka, multiple bridges and troop concentrations were hit, leaving Russian soldiers buried in collapsed structures.

Major General killed as 155th Marine Brigade headquarters destroyed in Korenevo

Perhaps the most devastating blow came in the Kursk region north of the border, where the headquarters of the 155th Marine Brigade was obliterated at Korenevo while preparing for redeployment to Pokrovsk. High-ranking officers, including Major General Gudkov, were killed, gutting the command of one of Russia’s elite formations.

Additional strikes prevented the Russians from being able to fill in these gaps and leveled command centers at Kulbaki and troop concentrations in Sudzha. In each case, Ukrainian reconnaissance drones adjusted the targeting with lethal precision, ensuring no survivors and capturing the events on footage.

Belgorod strikes block Russian reinforcements from stabilizing the front

On the eastern flank, Ukrainian aircraft struck across Belgorod to prevent Russian reinforcements from stabilizing the situation and trying to hit the Ukrainian counterattacks from the side. HAMMER bombs flattened enemy garrisons in Kozynka, while J-dams destroyed drone control posts at Repyakhivka.

Bridges and positions at Guevo and Grafivka were pounded, and strikes at Kolotylivka killed entire groups of infantry. By hammering both the staging grounds and supply arteries in Belgorod and Kursk, Ukraine ensured that Russian columns advancing toward Sumy were bled dry before even reaching the border.

Russia pulls units as offensive collapses, Ukraine controls the skies

Overall, what the Russian high command once threatened as a march on Sumy city now lies in ruins, its spearheads shattered by Ukrainian airpower and its command structure gutted with the evident result of a collapsed Russian offensive.

Russia has begun pulling units from this sector to reinforce Pokrovsk, a clear sign that the offensive has failed. Ukrainian air superiority, established by dismantling Russian air defenses and exploiting gaps with precision bombs, was the decisive factor, and for the Russian command, dreams of reaching the capital of Sumy are gone. For Ukraine, the skies over the region now belong firmly to them, and their dominance has rewritten the course of the campaign.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war

NATO is not treating Russia’s deliberate drone incursion into Polish territory as an attack, a NATO source told Reuters. This unprecedented revelation comes after a large overnight operation involving both Polish and NATO aircraft to intercept incoming Russian drones.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched 415 drones and 43 missiles in total during the overnight assault. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says at least eight Shahed explosive drones were “aimed toward Poland.” Calling it “an extremely dangerous precedent for Europe,” he urged a strong, united response from Ukraine’s partners in Europe and the United States.

Ukrainian airspace monitoring channels reported that some of the Russian drones that initially entered Poland later returned to Ukraine.

NATO downplays Russia’s deliberate drone strike on Poland

Despite clear indications of intent, NATO is not treating the airspace violation as an act of aggression, a source within the Alliance told Reuters. The source added that initial indications suggested an intentional incursion of six to ten Russian drones overnight on 10 September. NATO radars tracked the drones, and a coordinated operation involving Polish F-16s, Dutch F-35s, Italian AWACS surveillance planes, and mid-air refueling aircraft was launched.

“It was the first time NATO aircraft have engaged potential threats in allied airspace,” the source said.

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Poland shoots down Russian drones, closes 4 airports in “unprecedented” border violation

European leaders condemn Russia and express solidarity with Poland

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the drone strikes as “a reckless and unprecedented violation of Poland and Europe’s airspace.” Speaking to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, she declared full European solidarity with Poland and announced a new Qualitative Military Edge program to boost Ukrainian defense capabilities.

French President Emmanuel Macron labeled the airspace breach “simply unacceptable.” In a post on X, he promised to raise the issue with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, stating, “We will not compromise on the security of the Allies.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Russia’s drone attack “extremely reckless” and said it highlighted “Putin’s blatant disregard for peace.” He confirmed direct communication with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and thanked NATO and Polish forces for their swift response.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that early indications suggested the drone entries into Polish territory were intentional.

Poland details the scale of airspace violation and defensive actions

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said 19 drones entered Polish airspace overnight, with many of those flying in from Belarus. According to Tusk, four were probably shot down, with the last interception occurring at 6:45 a.m. Poland’s military command stated that more than 10 drones had been tracked and that those posing a threat were neutralized.

The military described the repeated violations as “an act of aggression.” Airports in Warsaw, Lublin, and two other cities were closed during the threat. Polish authorities urged residents in Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lublin regions to remain indoors. NATO air command and Dutch F-35s provided assistance throughout the operation.

Czechia and Lithuania express alarm, call out Russian provocation

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said the incident was “a test of the defense capabilities of NATO countries.” He called it deliberate and said Putin’s regime “systematically probes how far it can go.” Fiala reaffirmed Czech solidarity with Poland and warned against voices downplaying Russia’s aggression.

Lithuanian foreign minister Kestutis Budrys, however, told Reuters that there was no confirmed evidence yet that the drone strike was intentional. However, he stressed that Russia remains responsible for keeping its drones out of NATO territory.

Belarus and Moscow close ranks and deny responsibility

Russia and Belarus, longtime anti-Ukrainian allies, dismissed the accusations. Russia’s chargé d’affaires in Poland, Andrey Ordash, was summoned by the Polish foreign ministry. He told Russia’s RIA state news agency, “We see the accusations as groundless,” claiming Poland had presented no evidence linking the Russian drones to Russia.

Belarusian Chief of the General Staff Major General Pavel Muraveiko attempted to shift blame for Russia’s deliberate attack on Poland toward Ukraine. He claimed Belarus had allegedly shot down drones that had strayed into its airspace due to Ukrainian electronic interference. Without specifying their origin, he claimed that both Poland and Lithuania had been warned about the drones’ approach.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas announced during an address to the European Parliament that European Union member states intend to deliver 2 million artillery shells to Ukraine by October.

“They (EU member states – ed.) have now also provided 80% of our 2 million rounds of ammunition target. We aim [for] 100% by October,” Kallas said.

The announcement comes as EU countries have provided nearly 169 billion euros in financial support to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Kallas emphasized the shells are needed “so that Ukraine can defend itself and its civilian population and repel aggression.”

The October target represents completion of a commitment EU leaders made to supply Ukraine with large-caliber ammunition.

Kallas reported in April 2025 that the bloc had already gathered one-third of the promised 2 million shells.

Czech Republic, which leads a separate procurement initiative, has secured monthly ammunition deliveries to Ukraine through September. The so-called “Czech initiative” involves purchasing ammunition globally for Ukrainian forces.

Czech President Petr Pavel revealed that his country has begun preparing ammunition deliveries to Ukraine for 2026, indicating long-term commitment to sustaining Ukraine’s artillery capabilities.

The 2 million shell target demonstrates EU coordination in addressing Ukraine’s ammunition shortage, which has been identified as a critical constraint in the country’s defense against Russian forces.

Che Adams scored the opener before Zakhar Volkov nodded into his own net to seal a crucial win for Steve Clarke’s side

Ukraine clears the skies — and brings Bayraktars back

Crimea’s radars go dark under wave of strikes

Conditions shift: drones return to dominance

Ukraine builds its own smart munitions for drones

Crimea drone war enters new phase

The US is ready to create a buffer zone in Ukraine to contain Russia, but it is unclear whether Putin will stop the war. If a peace agreement is reached, the US plans to take a leading role in monitoring a large demilitarized buffer zone on Ukrainian territory, NBC News reports. 

It would separate the Russian and Ukrainian areas after the fighting ends. The US drones, satellites, and other intelligence tools would help ensure security compliance, while American troops would not be deployed within the zone.

International oversight and security

Troops from one or more non-NATO countries, such as Saudi Arabia or Bangladesh, could secure the buffer zone.

Meanwhile, Turkiye would be responsible for the safe movement of goods and services in the Black Sea, controlling the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits. Previously, Turkiye attempted to ensure the safety of the maritime corridor for exporting Ukrainian grain. However, Russia continued its strikes on Ukraine’s Odesa port anyway. 

Security guarantees and economic protection

Some security guarantees from allies are planned to be based on the plan, which avoids the use of NATO forces and Article V to avoid crossing Russia’s “red line.”

Additionally, bilateral agreements between Ukraine and its allies would provide security and economic support. The US is discussing with Ukraine a deal worth around $100 billion, which would include weapons supplies and the exchange of intellectual property rights for Ukrainian developments as part of security guarantees. 

Still, it is not clear how Kyiv will get back Ukrainian children stolen by Russia and how the issue of war reparations will be solved. 

Day 1289

On 4 September, the biggest news comes from the Russian Federation.

Here, the Russian war effort has reached a breaking point, forcing the state to adopt measures once thought unthinkable to keep its military machine running. With millions of casualties mounting and the labor force collapsing, Russian teenagers are now rapidly being pulled into the war economy to fill the gaps.

In recent weeks, reports have begun to emerge about significant shifts within Russia’s defense sector. What makes the reports especially alarming is that one of the first confirmed cases of underage labor has emerged at the Alabuga complex, where teenagers are now being used to assemble drones. Some are recruited from technical schools, while others are brought in with minimal training. Most live in guarded dormitories and work under surveillance, with punishments for errors and accounts of forced overtime.

The danger is not only the working conditions themselves, but also the fact that Alabuga has always been a high-priority target for Ukraine. Since the Shahed production line supports Russia’s long-range strikes, the entire complex is now a legitimate military target, and the students inside are, in effect, being placed on the frontline.

The situation reflects the broader collapse of Russia’s manpower base, and after more than 1 million wartime losses, including dead, wounded, captured, and discharged, there is no longer enough adult labor to sustain both the military and the economy. Key industries, such as construction, transportation, and manufacturing, are now overstretched, particularly in military zones. The conditions at Alabuga are likely not unique, as similar facilities across the country face pressure to maintain output with a shrinking workforce and rising demand. The same pattern is likely repeating elsewhere: quiet expansions, untrained labor, and no safety net.

Before resorting to underage labor, Moscow attempted to compensate through foreign recruitment, launching large-scale efforts to bring in workers from Central Asia, South Asia, and Africa; however, the results fell short. Most recruits were poorly integrated, lacked relevant training, and faced growing hostility from Russian society.

That pressure has also opened doors for Ukrainian intelligence, as some of Russia’s most destructive drone and airfield losses, including the strike that destroyed a third of its long-range bombers in one day, were made possible by operatives exploiting these weak points from inside the labor system. Several were even redirected to combat support roles. These scandals, combined with public resentment, undermined the entire approach. Today, foreign recruitment still exists but is no longer seen as a sustainable solution.

Russia’s reliance on teenagers is not just a labor problem; it is structural, as Russia’s war machine is burning through manpower faster than it can replace it, but instead of scaling back, it just widens the net: first migrants, then prisoners, now pupils. The goal is always the same: sustain the output, whatever the cost. That is why classrooms are turning into dormitories, teachers are being sidelined for production quotas, and students are being taught to wire warheads instead of learning math.

However, these adaptations come with a price, as civilian infrastructure is repurposed for military use, the dividing line between civilian and combatant becomes blurred. By militarizing industrial sites and filling them with untrained minors, Russia is exposing them to direct retaliation.

If a drone factory becomes a military hub, then civilian workers, including students, are placed in the line of fire. The shift toward mass militarization of society is not strengthening Russia; it is exposing its core, and with every adaptation, that vulnerability grows.

Overall, the use of teenage workers in drone factories is not a temporary fix; it is a warning sign. Russia has run out of spare labor, exhausted its foreign recruitment options, and is now facing a shortage of internal resources. If the war effort now depends on minors to keep production lines moving, it indicates that Russia has exhausted its reserve labor capacity, a sign of accelerating internal depletion. As Russia expands its system to maintain wartime output, the likelihood increases that Ukraine will escalate its deep-strike campaign, targeting not just supply lines, but the very infrastructure and labor model sustaining Russian production.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Thursday that members of the “Coalition of the Willing” have pledged to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles, as part of efforts to strengthen Kyiv’s defense capabilities.

The delivery of long-range missiles will enable strikes on military targets deeper inside Russian and Russian-held territory supporting both defensive and counteroffensive operations.

Ukraine has long requested additional long-range weaponry, but Western partners have been cautious due to concerns about escalating the conflict. Such weapons allow Ukraine to effectively disrupt supply lines that sustain Moscow’s war effort far from the front lines.

Speaking to a virtual session of the Coalition of the Willing from Glasgow, the Prime Minister said that Russian President Vladimir Putin could not be trusted, citing ongoing attacks on Ukraine and delays in peace talks.

The Prime Minister also thanked military planners and chiefs of defense of Coalition countries for their work to ensure forces could be deployed if a ceasefire is reached. 

He described the coalition’s support for Ukraine as “unbreakable” and that they had US President Trump’s backing. 

He added that they now need “to go even further to apply pressure on Putin to secure a cessation of hostilities.”

Starting 1 December, Denmark will begin producing solid rocket fuel for Ukraine’s new cruise missiles, Danmarks Radio reports. 

Plant near F-35 airbase

The Ukrainian company FPRT, a part of Fire Point, will establish a new plant near Skrydstrup Airbase, home to the Royal Danish Air Force’s F-35 fighters. This location will provide quick access to advanced military technologies and integration into national defense.

Solid Fuel Technology

Ukraine’s Flamingo cruise missile uses solid rocket fuel, which ignites instantly, provides stable combustion, and does not require fueling before launch, unlike liquid fuel.

Large-scale project for national defense

The company has already received a Danish CVR number and launched a website with information about the project. FPRT plans to build modern production facilities in Vojens, while qualification and operational testing will take place at specialized sites outside the plant.

“Our activities are aimed at supporting programs that are vital for Denmark’s national defense,” the FPRT website states.

Western sanctions against Russia are working and are already hitting the aggressor’s economy hard, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, which cited declines in key sectors. At the same time, the Kremlin is trying to offset its losses by looting temporarily occupied Ukrainian lands.

Sanctions squeeze the Russian economy

Business activity in Russia continues to fall. The manufacturing PMI, calculated by S&P Global, dropped to 48.7 in August out of 100 points, marking the third consecutive month in contraction territory.

Sunflower oil production in Russia also fell by 11% year-on-year. The coal sector is even worse off: 23 enterprises have halted operations due to the crisis, while 129 mines and open-pit sites, responsible for up to 85% of the country’s coal output, are seeking government support.

Coal and grain from occupied territories

Despite the crisis, Russia is trying to keep its economy afloat by plundering Ukrainian lands. New images from temporarily occupied Mariupol have shown how Russian forces are loading ships with stolen grain and coal. 

“Mariupol port. Two ships are being loaded at the same time… We expect the coal ship to head to the port of Temryuk for export clearance to Algeria, and the bulk carrier with grain to go to Egypt. Looting has predictably resumed,” reported Petro Andriushchenko, head of the Center for the Study of Occupation.

Stolen grain becomes the Kremlin’s business

According to the Center for National Resistance, Russia has turned stolen Ukrainian grain into a global business. Wheat that Moscow claims as “Russian” is purchased by 70 countries, including Egypt, Türkiye, and Iran. 

Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate conducted a nighttime attack on an underground explosives warehouse at the Aleksinsky Chemical Plant in Russia’s Tula Oblast on 30 August, according to various reports of Ukrainian news agencies.

The targeted facility stored pyroxylin powder, a smokeless powder used in small arms ammunition, artillery systems, and certain rocket engines, according to Hromadske.

Residents of Aleksin in Tula Oblast, located over 1000 km (621 miles) from Ukraine, reported hearing loud explosions before emergency services dispatched fire trucks and ambulances to the scene.

The regional governor confirmed “drone debris falling on the territory of an industrial enterprise” but stated there were no casualties or damage at the site.

However, the emergency response and reported explosions suggest the operation achieved its intended impact on the military supply facility.

The Aleksinsky Chemical Plant represents a repeat target for Ukrainian forces, having previously sustained attacks in January 2025. This pattern reflects Ukraine’s sustained campaign against Russian military supply infrastructure.

Oil refineries targeted on the same night

The 30 August chemical plant strike occurred alongside Ukrainian attacks on two Russian oil refineries the same night. Ukrainian defense forces targeted the Krasnodar refinery in Krasnodar Krai and the Sizran refinery in Samara Oblast using unmanned aerial vehicles, according to the General Staff of Ukraine.

The Krasnodar refinery, which produces 3 million tons of light petroleum products annually and “participates in supplying the Russian Armed Forces,” sustained damage to one technological installation and a fire covering approximately 300 square meters.

The Sizran refinery processes 8.5 million tons annually and produces gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation kerosene, fuel oil, and bitumen.

Day 1283

On 29 August, the biggest news comes from Ukraine.

Russians are sending their infiltration groups across the river, threatening a breakthrough that Russian commanders had long sought after. However, before they could receive orders to hit Ukrainians from behind, Ukrainian tanks rolled up and started annihilating Russian assault units point-blank.

The main Russian goal here is to take control of the town of Lyman, as the strategic location will serve as a stepping stone for future operations. If captured, Lyman would serve as a forward operating base for three major offensives: a pincer to trap Ukrainian forces along the Oskil river, a southern strike to outflank Siversk, and a push deeper into Donetsk toward the last Ukrainian stronghold of fortified settlements before the terrain opens into vulnerable plains.

To do any of this though, Russia first needs to breach Ukrainian positions east of Lyman and secure a reliable crossing point over the Zherebets River, as the battles for Torske and Zarichne unfold. Russian forces have advanced on two settlements from three sides: using small unit infiltration tactics rather than large-scale assaults. Larger attacks have ended in disaster like a recent 25-strong motorcycle charge near Torske, which was destroyed by artillery and drones. The result is a series of grinding Russian probing assaults, with Russian troops attempting to sneak across terrain and establish a foothold before being detected. Ukrainian forces have responded with an active defense, flexible positions, mobile counterattacks, and deliberate withdrawals to avoid major casualties. As a result, Torske is currently a grey zone where no side holds full control, Ukrainian commanders are prioritizing maintaining long-term combat strength over a static defense.

Both sides have key advantages here, as Russian units have managed to establish a stable infiltration corridor through the Serebryanskyi forest, which allows small detachments to cross into the area around Zarichne with some level of cover.

Meanwhile, Ukraine maintains an advantage through its rapid reaction capabilities, allowing it to strike back before Russian units can consolidate. Thermal drones monitor positions, and armored units are held ready for quick strikes once a Russian presence is detected, with Russian drone operators unable to quickly respond and intercept.

Geolocated footage shows how Russian troops infiltrated through the forest and entered houses on the edge of the village. Ukraine responded by dispatching a tank to eliminate the group, firing four high-explosive shells in direct fire to blow up each of the buildings and any Russians inside. Ukrainian thermal drones monitored the entire exchange, and no follow-up footage was released, suggesting the tank successfully eliminated the entire group.

Based on the size and number of the infiltrated buildings, and the standard size of Russian groupings that gather before committing to assaults, between 20 and 30 Russians were likely killed. The tactic of rapid armored response under thermal cover is extremely effective, exactly because Russian drone and artillery units do not have enough time to rapidly respond and destroy the tank.

Ukrainian forces have also laid down layered passive defenses, including razorwire barriers, and these are meant to delay infiltrators just long enough for drone operators to locate and eliminate them with strikes of their own. In one recent incident, a Russian soldier became entangled in Egoza-type razorwire and was eliminated by a drone while immobilized, illustrating how Ukraine pairs static defenses with real-time drone surveillance and immediate strike responses, keeping most Russian infiltrators from ever establishing a foothold.

Overall, the battle for Lyman continues to evolve, and Russia’s goals are clear: take the city and turn it into a launchpad for a tri-pronged offensive across northern Donetsk. For now though, Russia is struggling to even cross the Zherebets River in enough force to make a dent. Ukrainian forces are using active defense tactics, armored counters, and thermal drone coverage to keep the front fluid and prevent Russian forces from consolidating gains. As road conditions worsen heading into autumn, Russia’s window for launching a full-scale assalt is narrowing.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war

President Donald Trump moved to cancel nearly $5 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid and peacekeeping spending using a rare “pocket rescission” mechanism not employed for 48 years, The New York Post reported on 29 August.

On 28 August, Trump said Congress of his request to cancel the funds, which had been frozen in a court case until earlier that day. The DC Circuit Court of Appeals lifted an injunction, clearing the path for the first attempted pocket rescission since 1977.

A pocket rescission allows the president to present a cancellation request to Congress so late in the fiscal year that it takes effect regardless of congressional approval. The current fiscal year ends on 30 September.

The cancellation targets $3.2 billion in United States Agency for International Development (USAID) assistance, $322 million from the USAID-State Department Democracy Fund, $521 million in State Department contributions to international organizations, $393 million for peacekeeping activities, and $445 million in separately budgeted peacekeeping aid.

The spending had been designated for nonprofits and foreign governments but was paused earlier this year by the White House Office of Management and Budget, then stuck in legal proceedings following a lawsuit by the Global Health Council.

The Trump administration highlighted what it considers wasteful spending items. These include millions for “climate resilience” in Honduras, for South Africa’s Democracy Works Foundation, and for promotion democracy among LGBT people in the Western Balkans.

The cuts also eliminate $1.5 million designated to market paintings by Ukrainian women.

Today, there are interesting updates from the Russian Federation. Ukrainians are depriving the Russian armed forces of ammunition, crucial for every aspect of warfare. By targeting every step in the production chain, from the very first stage of gunpowder production to ammunition depots near the frontline, Ukraine is making sure the Russians won’t have enough shells, rockets, and drones to launch.

Massive explosion at Ryazan gunpowder plant

Ukraine has dealt another devastating blow to Russia’s war machine with the destruction of one of its largest gunpowder factories. A massive blast ripped through the Elastic plant in Ryazan Oblast following a Ukrainian drone strike, obliterating four major buildings, including critical powder storage facilities. The strike reportedly destroyed around 300 tons of artillery powder and hundreds of 152 millimeter shells.

The destruction was compounded by heavy casualties among the staff, who worked around the clock in non-stop shifts to sustain Russia’s artillery demands. Footage from locals showed huge flames and the complete annihilation of the workshop where the explosion originated.

Tambov’s Kotovsky gunpowder plant destroyed

In Tambov, another Ukrainian drone strike destroyed the Kotovsky gunpowder plant, a facility under Rostec that manufactures critical powders for weapons and ammunition. This site was especially significant, as it is the only factory in Russia capable of producing certain nitrocellulose-based powders. Its loss is irreplaceable in the short term, compounding Russia’s growing shortages of artillery and rocket propellants.

Systematic strikes on Russia’s war economy

With two of Russia’s main gunpowder factories reduced to rubble, Ukrainian forces have demonstrated a strategy aimed not just at the battlefield but at the very foundations of Russia’s war economy.

By targeting gunpowder plants, chemical facilities, and depots, Ukraine is systematically dismantling the production cycle that feeds the Russian war effort. Without powder, explosives, or propellants, even the most advanced missile or artillery system becomes useless.

Drone strike on Moscow’s Chemical Research Institute

One of the most notable attacks took place in Moscow Oblast, where Ukrainian drones struck the Research Institute of Applied Chemistry in Sergiyev Posad. This enterprise produced thermobaric warheads for Shahed drones and incendiary mixtures for Russia’s notorious TOS-1 thermobaric artillery systems.

Ukraine targets missile propellant factories

Ukrainian forces also targeted the Krasnozavodsky Chemical Plant, a critical facility that produced oxidizers and propellants for S-300 and S-400 air defense systems, as well as Iskander and Buk missiles.

In Tula Oblast, Ukrainian drones hit the Azot chemical plant for a second time in recent months, sparking fires at a site tied closely to Russia’s defense production.

Explosions at Nevinnomysskiy Azot plant in Stavropol Krai

Further south, Ukrainian drones pummeled the Nevinnomysskiy Azot plant in Stavropol Krai with 20 explosions, targeting nitric acid production essential for high explosives like octogen and hexogen. Reports confirmed the facility was still burning after the attack, also its second in two months.

Strikes near Belgorod and Donetsk

Similarly, near Belgorod, the Selena chemical reagent plant in Shebekino was struck, igniting fires and disrupting yet another component of Russia’s supply chain.

Even when ammunition makes it through the production process, Ukraine continues to hunt it down before it can be deployed. Ukrainian drones struck occupied Donetsk, igniting an ammunition depot, while another operation targeted Russian jets and storage sites at the Saky airbase in Crimea.

Melitopol depot erupts in massive secondary explosions

In Melitopol, footage emerged of a Russian depot erupting in massive secondary explosions, underscoring Ukraine’s relentless pursuit of enemy munitions at every stage of their way to the front.

Ukraine’s strategy weakens Russia long-term

Overall, the Ukrainian campaign is systematic, devastating, and long-term in vision. By hitting gunpowder factories, chemical plants, and ammunition depots, Ukraine is ensuring that Russia faces a mounting supply crisis that will cripple both its offensive and defensive capabilities.

Ukrainians target facilities that cannot be easily replaced, as restarting production at destroyed plants will take months, if not years, to restore. For Russia, this means fewer shells, fewer rockets, and fewer options to pressure Ukraine both at the front and in the rear. For Ukraine, it is a decisive strategy, dismantling the enemy’s war machine one critical explosion at a time.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Ukraine’s government approved the privatization of the scandal-ridden Odesa Port Plant, setting a starting auction price of 4.5 billion hryvnias ($109 million) for the massive chemical facility, which had previously been paralyzed by corruption.

The sale tests whether Ukraine can revive a critical link in global food security as the country struggles with fertilizer shortages that threaten agricultural output. Ukrainian farmers can access only half the fertilizers they need, making the plant’s restoration vital for domestic food production and international grain exports.

Strategic fertilizer hub for global markets

Before the full-scale invasion, Ukraine produced over 5 million tons of fertilizer annually as a major grain exporter.

The facility’s two ammonia production units (1.08 million tons capacity) and two urea production units (900,000 tons capacity) previously exported to over 30 countries, contributing to worldwide agricultural productivity.

With global fertilizer prices still elevated since the war began and production disrupted across the region, the plant’s revival could help stabilize Ukrainian harvests and international food supplies.

From corruption symbol to auction block

Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced the privatization decision, noting the plant has operated only partially since 2022, providing oxygen and nitrogen for critical needs while serving as a port hub.

The facility became synonymous with state enterprise corruption after investigators revealed officials stole over 2 billion hryvnias ($48.4 million) through rigged tenders and kickback schemes. The scandal effectively paralyzed productive operations even before Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Wartime privatization wave accelerates

Success could demonstrate Ukraine’s ability to conduct transparent wartime privatizations while restoring a facility crucial for feeding Ukraine and the world.

Day 1280

On 26 August, the biggest news comes from Ukraine.

Here, Ukrainian long-range drones have attacked and sunk a Russian cargo vessel carrying Iranian Shahed drones before they could be unloaded. This was only the first step of what followed – a broader campaign in which Ukraine targeted everything connected to the Iranian Shahed drones, from launch sites to massive storage depots and assembly plants.

The first target of Ukraine became Port Olya on the Caspian sea, where they targeted a vessel of extreme importance, as the ship was loaded with ammunition and drone parts for Iranian Shahed drones. Footage shows the vessel listing, its bridge gutted by fire, and its hull partly submerged, contradicting Russian claims of light damage. Olya is Russia’s main port on the Caspian, linking Iran with inland routes, and striking here disrupted a key corridor that has funnelled Iranian drones into Russia for nightly strikes on Ukrainian cities.

The attack showed that shipments can be destroyed even at their entry point, far from the front, and for Ukraine, this sets a precedent for targeting the logistics routes that feed Russia’s drone campaign.

Ukraine has begun a methodical campaign against every stage of the Shahed program, aiming to destroy transport, launch, storage, and production sites in sequence.

The next strike hit the Primorsko-Akhtarsk airfield in Krasnodar, a known launch site for Shaheds across the Sea of Azov. Overnight, drones hit launch areas, with satellite data confirming fires shortly after Russian launch activity was detected. Because this airfield has been central to Russia’s swarm attacks, earlier satellite data shows repeated targeting to reduce operational capacity over time. Each strike forces Moscow to lean more on mobile launchers, which reduces massing and degrades the effectiveness of their saturation-style attacks.

Ukraine also struck storage depots in Tatarstan, over 1,300 kilometers from the border. At Kzyl-Yul, long-range drones hit warehouses storing ready-to-use Shaheds and imported parts, igniting fires that burned through the site.

Russian outlets tried to minimize the impact, but Ukrainian intelligence confirmed that a large number of drones were destroyed before they could be moved forward. Images shared by Russian sources of similar depots suggest that a single warehouse can hold a full strike package, often numbering hundreds in one facility alone. This was not an isolated event, as Ukraine hit the same depot again a short while later, waiting for the depot to be replenished before striking again.

The factory at Yelabuga in Tatarstan has also remained under Ukrainian fire, because this plant is the largest and central to Russia’s effort to assemble Shaheds domestically and reduce dependency on Iranian supplies. Earlier strikes damaged workshops and caused fires, and recent attacks again reached the site.

For Russia, keeping the factory running is critical to sustaining output, but each hit delays production and raises the cost of finding technicians willing to work under threat, and after repeated strikes, few will take jobs at a site that is a major target for Ukraine, which the Russian government also cannot protect. For Ukraine, hitting Yelabuga targets the core of Russian drone assembly, and returning to the site after earlier attacks signals that Ukraine can monitor and disrupt production in cycles, not just once.

The sequence of strikes on a ship destroyed in Astrakhan, a launch site hit in Krasnodar, depots burning in Tatarstan, and a factory repeatedly attacked reflects a deliberate strategy. Ukraine is no longer just intercepting drones in the air but targeting the full ecosystem that enables their use, because the fight has shifted from defense to offense. By striking the supply chain from point of entry through storage and launch to final assembly, Kyiv has shown that every stage is vulnerable and that distance no longer guarantees protection.

Overall, the strikes have made Shaheds far costlier for Russia, forcing it to defend supply routes and factories across thousands of kilometers. Moscow must disperse scarce air defenses, reroute shipments from Iran, and absorb the loss of production facilities that cannot easily be replaced. Each strike weakens Russia’s ability to sustain mass drone attacks, proving that Ukrainian drones can strike accurately across Russia’s depth.

In a war of attrition, this balance matters: the further Ukraine can strike into Russian territory, the less Moscow can count on Iranian drones to sustain its pressure campaign.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war