Today there are interesting updates from the Pokrovsk direction. 

Here Ukrainian forces have launched a sweeping strike campaign targeting Russian bases, training camps and troop concentrations across the whole Donbas front to bleed out Russia’s capacity for a renewed offensive. 

Coupled with the ground operations, these combined efforts have already inflicted 60,000 losses on the 110,000 strong initial Russian grouping since the start of the Pokrovsk offensive.

Major strikes on command infrastructure

A repeated Ukrainian strike came in the aftermath of one of the most significant blows against the Topaz plant in Donetsk, which housed a Russian command post. 

Eyewitnesses reported again thick smoke, multiple explosions, and noticeable damage to repair and logistics facilities. 

Meanwhile, other strikes in Donetsk have repeatedly hit troop concentrations, energy and command infrastructure, preventing the Russians from regrouping smoothly or re-establishing staging areas, as well as the Russian army. The strike was confirmed by multiple released videos from the region.

Precision strikes near the frontline

Closer to the frontline near Myrnohrad, Russian forces concentrations were also targeted by the Ukrainians. 

In one geolocated video, a MiG-29 dropped a GBU-62 JDAM bomb on a cluster of Russian assault troops along with the nearby ammunition storage, obliterating both the fighters and their supplies simultaneously. 

In another strike, a similar precision weapon demolished a building sheltering an enemy assault group, cutting off the Russian operation before it really started. 

Such strikes have undercut the Russian ability to mass troops or prepare joint assaults threatening Pokrovsk.

Systematic destruction of air defense systems

Essential strikes against Russian air defenses that are conducted in parallel with every radar or air defense system destroyed, meaning fewer obstacles for Ukrainian drones, missile launches and fighter jets to reach high-value targets. 

For example, a Zupark radar near Donetsk was destroyed after a shark-reconnaissance drone, followed by a HIMARS artillery strike. Two Pantsir-S1 systems were eliminated within 24 hours, one via a Ram-2X drone strike, the other in Snizhne by another still-unidentified Ukrainian drone, removing critical mobile air defense cover. 

Near Donetsk, an expensive Russian Buk-M2 system, costing more than 10 million US dollars, was geolocated and knocked out by HIMARS, as visible on a video published by a Ukrainian blog. 

Another Buk-M1 was first tracked to a warehouse by a drone and targeted there unsuccessfully. But when Russian crews attempted to move it, Ukrainian operators readjusted their fire and destroyed it in the follow-up strike.

Devastating impact on Russian forces

These Ukrainian strikes have contributed to exceptional Russian losses in the Pokrovsk direction in the past ten months, while the Russian command repeatedly tried outflanking maneuvers, infiltrations and direct assaults aiming to capture Pokrovsk and sever its supply routes. 

Ukrainian analysts estimate that Russia has already lost around 60,000 soldiers, killed and wounded during the Pokrovsk offensive alone. The daily toll on Russian manpower and equipment has surged, particularly since the Russian breakthrough near Dobropillia failed and Ukrainian forces began isolating, cutting off and eliminating trapped enemy units. 

In addition, Ukrainian air raids against troop concentrations and training camps in the rear have taken out Russian units before they ever reached the front line, reducing pressure on defenders and allowing Ukraine to repel assaults more efficiently, while the combined long-lasting strike campaign has added thousands of Russian losses to the statistic.

Strategic multi-layer campaign

Ukraine is executing a well-synchronized multi-layer campaign to first suppress Russian air defense, then strike command posts and logistical nodes, and finally funnel damage onto Russian forces in the rear or awaiting deployment. 

Because of these efforts, Russian attempts to mount large-scale assaults have been repeatedly delayed or cancelled, as commanders suffer from the loss of staging bases, supply depots, repair facilities and associated personnel. 

The heavy targeting of their command structure has left whole units and even divisions with confusing orders, disrupted communications and fewer operational reserves.

Long-term strategic implications

Overall, Ukraine’s recent strikes on bases, training camps and air defense systems represent more than tactical successes. 

Strategically decisive in blunting and, in many cases, halting, Russian plans to renew the offensive toward Pokrovsk. By striking rear areas and infrastructure and by destroying air defenses that shield those targets, Ukraine not only protects its front line but sets conditions, where Russian forces must operate exposed and fragmented. 

This gives Ukraine breathing room on multiple flanks, reduces incoming pressure, reduces attack speed, and forces the enemy to defend inside and out of the flank. 

To and raises the cost of any renewed Russian attack to levels that may not be sustainable, no matter how many additional units the Russian command transfers to this sector.

Ukraine has received the first shipment of military equipment under a new agreement between the United States and NATO, a NATO representative told Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne on Thursday.

The Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program is a new NATO-US mechanism that allows military aid to Ukraine to be financed collectively by allies, while weapons and equipment are drawn directly from American stockpiles. 

The system is designed to speed up deliveries and share costs among NATO members, ensuring a steadier flow of support to Kyiv that does not rely on US political will.

The NATO official said additional aid packages are already on the way, with four packages financed so far through PURL.

The news comes a day after the Trump administration confirmed that Ukraine would soon receive its first assistance from NATO allies through US stockpiles under the PURL mechanism.

The agreement restores the flow of weapons from the United States to Kyiv after months of uncertainty.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that the first PURL aid packages will include missiles for Patriot air defense and HIMARS systems. 

The PURL agreement

The PURL initiative was announced by former US President Donald Trump on 14 July, 2025, pledging billions of dollars in weapons for Ukraine, to be purchased and distributed by European NATO allies. Trump specified plans to prepare up to 17 Patriot air defense systems for shipment.

By the end of August, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that seven countries had committed to the program, contributing a total of $2 billion. Defense experts say Ukraine’s priorities remain focused on air defenses, interceptors, missile systems, rockets, and artillery.

Ukrainian forces are conducting a counteroffensive operation in the Pokrovsk and Dobropillia areas of Donetsk Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on 18 September. 

The reported operation represents a significant strategic shift after Russia made major territorial gains in summer 2025 around Pokrovsk and surrounding areas, including a breakthrough near Dobropillia in August that Ukrainian forces subsequently contained and reversed. 

“Since the start of the [counteroffensive] operation, our warriors have already liberated 160 square kilometers, and over 170 square kilometers have been cleared of the occupiers,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram.

He reported that seven settlements in the area have been liberated, and nine more “cleared of Russian presence.”

“Russian losses just since the start of this counteroffensive – in the Pokrovsk area alone, in these past weeks – are already more than 2,500, of which over 1,300 Russians have been killed,” Zelenskyy added.

He also said Ukraine has taken 100 Russian prisoners in the operation.

Pokrovsk and Dobropillia counteroffensive

The counteroffensive comes after months of intense fighting around Pokrovsk, where Russia concentrated nearly 100,000 soldiers in what analysts called a force capable of attacking a European country. 

Ukrainian forces successfully contained a Russian breakthrough near Dobropillia in August, where Moscow’s troops had advanced 15 kilometers before elite Ukrainian units, including the redeployed Azov Brigade, reversed their gains.

Pokrovsk represents the key to unlocking Russia’s broader campaign to capture all of Donetsk Oblast, serving as a critical supply hub for Ukrainian forces across the eastern front. 

The city’s potential fall would severely compromise Ukraine’s defensive positions throughout the region and open pathways for deeper Russian advances toward Kostiantynivka and the broader Donbas fortress belt. 

Recent intelligence indicates Russia is preparing fresh assaults with redeployed naval infantry brigades and additional armor after their summer failures.

On 18 September around 10am, Russian forces struck the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka with a FAB-250 bomb with a UMPK guiding module, killing 5 civilians, the National Police of Ukraine reported. 

Kostiantynivka, in Donetsk Oblast, eastern Ukraine, is located near the front line and has been frequently targeted by Russian forces since the start of the full-scale invasion.

The FAB-250 is a Soviet-designed, 250-kilogram general-purpose bomb that Russia often modifies with glide kits such as the UMPK module to increase its range and accuracy.

The victims – three men and two women aged 62 to 74 – were killed in the street. Four apartment buildings were also damaged.

The Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office has opened a pre-trial investigation into a potential war crime over the attack.

Ukraine has received 1,000 bodies which the Russian side says are Ukrainian servicepeople, as part of coordinated repatriation efforts, Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported on 18 September.

The repatriation of fallen soldiers is a critical component of wartime humanitarian and legal obligations. It allows families to recover the remains of loved ones, ensures proper identification, and supports official record-keeping and investigations. 

Law enforcement investigators and expert institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will conduct necessary examinations and identify the repatriated remains in the coming days.

The operation involved a broad range of Ukrainian authorities, including the Armed Forces, the Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Emergency Service, and the Office of the Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights. The International Committee of the Red Cross also assisted in the efforts.

Personnel from the Armed Forces organized the transport of the fallen to state facilities and facilitated handover to law enforcement and forensic experts for identification.

In conflicts like the war in Ukraine, coordinated efforts between military, law enforcement, and international organizations such as the Red Cross are essential to carry out these operations safely and respectfully.

An investigation by RFE/RL has uncovered details about the highly secretive elite Russian drone formation: the Rubicon Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies. 

Rubicon has become one of Russia’s most formidable forces on the battlefield since the battle for Russia’s Kursk Oblast in mid 2024.

Throughout Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, drones have increasingly become critical to the conflict, reshaping both battlefield tactics and long-range operations. Both Moscow and Kyiv are constantly adapting, deploying new drone technologies and countermeasures to strike supply lines, observe enemy movements, and target key infrastructure.

Russia’s Rubicon has proven especially effective at challenging Ukraine’s previously-superior drone capabilities on the battlefield. 

Key findings from the RFE/RL report:

• Commander: Colonel Sergei Budnikov, 37, former artillery and marine officer.
• Headquarters: Facilities include Patriot Park near Moscow, used for training and testing drones.
• Formation: Established mid-2024, shortly after Andrei Belousov became Russia’s defense minister.
• Structure: At least seven detachments, 130–150 personnel each, specializing in drone attacks, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare.
• Recruitment: Offers bonuses up to 3 million rubles ($36,000) to attract skilled personnel.

The RFE/RL reporting identifies Colonel Sergei Budnikov, a 37-year-old career artillery and marine officer, as the unit’s commander – the first public confirmation of his leadership.

One of the unit’s main facilities appears to be at the Patriot Park Exhibition and Congress Center near Moscow, which hosts training and testing activities. 

Analysts say Rubicon represents a new level of organization and systematic planning within the Russian military, narrowing Ukraine’s previously decisive advantage in drone warfare.

Rubicon was created in mid-2024, shortly after Andrei Belousov became Russia’s defense minister. It operates as a hybrid organization, combining drone development, operator training, and electronic warfare, with at least seven detachments of 130-150 personnel each, each specializing in different aspects of unmanned operations.

Rubicon in Kursk Oblast

The unit first made its mark countering Ukraine’s operations in Kursk Oblast. Working alongside Russian regular troops and North Korean reinforcements, Rubicon employed highly coordinated drone strikes on short sections of roads supplying Ukrainian positions, often striking vehicles from multiple angles to overwhelm defenses. 

These efforts ultimately forced Kyiv to retreat from the region and allow Russia to regain almost all of Kursk Oblast.

Previous reporting has shown that Rubicon’s drones use rapid frequency shifts and electronic countermeasures to bypass Ukrainian jamming, targeting both frontline convoys and operators stationed far behind the lines. 

Rubicon units now systematically target Ukrainian drone operators who fly drones from distant positions away from the front lines. 

One brigade reportedly lost 70% of their drone operators in a single week due to Rubicon’s precision strikes.

Experts warn that unless Kyiv develops more advanced counter measures, Russia’s elite drone force will remain a persistent threat across multiple sectors of the front.

Germany is throwing its support behind the use of frozen Russian state assets to support Ukraine, marking a significant shift in Berlin’s position, Bloomberg reports.

The move adds momentum to European discussions on how to leverage the roughly $300 billion frozen after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

European governments and G7 allies have been weighing options to channel additional revenue from these funds to bolster Kyiv’s defense. So far, the EU and partners have agreed to direct interest income from the assets to Ukraine, but pressure has been growing to go further.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen earlier this month urged the bloc to create a “reparations loan” for Ukraine, funded by cash balances linked to the frozen Russian assets.

Germany’s support is seen as crucial, as it had previously been wary of measures that might threaten Europe’s financial hub or breach principles of state immunity.

The shift in Berlin reflects fears that declining US support under President Donald Trump could leave Europe shouldering a larger share of the aid for Ukraine. There are concerns this economic burden could also fuel the rise of the country’s far-right. 

The issue will be raised at a meeting of EU finance ministers in Copenhagen this week and again at the October 23-24 EU leaders’ summit, where officials aim to reach a decision.

A study by the Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) at Yale University’s School of Public Health has identified 210 facilities in Russia and occupied Ukrainian territories where children abducted from Ukraine are held and “re-educated.” The report also found evidence that some children are being militarized.

“Russia has been engaged in the deportation, re-education, militarization, and coerced fostering and adoption of children from Ukraine since at least 2014 in the temporarily occupied territories of Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk. Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, these efforts significantly expanded in scale and scope. Cohorts of children were rapidly included in the Russian Federation’s pre-existing program of Russification from newly occupied regions such as Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and cities such as Kharkiv and Mariupol.” – the report reads.

210 “re-education” facilities for Ukrainian children

The majority of the facilities identified in the report are located in European Russia and occupied Crimea.

Children are being held in camps and sanatoriums (most frequently), as well as cadet schools, a military base, medical facilities, a religious site, secondary schools and universities, a hotel, and family support centers and orphanages.

Researchers found that re-education activities occurred at 130 sites (62%), involving cultural, patriotic, or military programming aligned with pro-Russia narratives.

Militarization programs were observed at 39 sites (19%), and 49 sites (23%) have been expanded or newly constructed, including two new cadet schools, likely to accommodate more children.

More than half of the facilities (106 of 210) are managed by the Russian federal or local government, including 55% of re-education sites and 58% of militarization sites.

Children in these facilities fall into four main groups:

• children taken to summer camps for what was intended to be temporary “re-education” by pro-Russian patriotic organizations;
• children taken from Ukrainian orphanages and other institutions for children, and/or children with physical disabilities;
• children forcibly separated from parents in frontline areas after the 2022 invasion; and
• children taken directly from their parents in Russian-operated filtration camps in and around Mariupol in 2022 when the city was first occupied.

The report urges international organizations and governments to support the return and reintegration of Ukrainian children, hold perpetrators accountable, and strengthen protections to prevent such abuses in the future.

“The impact of the alleged crimes perpetuated by the Russian government are likely to leave generational scars,” the report concludes.

Russia’s history of abducting Ukrainian children

The systematic abduction of Ukrainian children has accelerated since Russia’s 2022 invasion, building on practices begun in 2014 in occupied Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk.

Over 3,000 children from occupied Kherson Oblast were taken to remote Russian regions during summer 2024 alone. Separate documentation identified 40,000 children relocated to various Russian locations including Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and facilities as far as 8,000 kilometers from Ukraine. 

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in March 2023 for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova on charges of illegal child deportation.

Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) published a detailed analysis of Russia’s new turbojet attack drone, the Geran-3 “U” series, showing it relies heavily on foreign components. The drone, a localized version of the Iranian Shahed-238, incorporates parts from the US, China, Switzerland, Germany, Britain, and Japan.

Despite Western sanctions, Russia continues to acquire foreign technology for its weapons programs. Moscow remains able to develop and produce advanced weapons systems for its war against Ukraine.

In total, 45 foreign components were identified in the new Russian Geran-3 drone: 

• roughly half from American manufacturers;
• eight from China;
• seven from Switzerland;
• three from Germany;
• two from Britain, and 
• one from Japan. 

The Russian Geran-3 drone

HUR reports that the drone can operate at ranges up to 1000 km, and can reach speeds of 300-370 km/h, powered by a Chinese Telefly JT80 turbojet engine.

It can reach its top speed in areas covered by Ukrainian air defenses, electronic warfare systems, and drone interception zones, and during the terminal stage of its flight descending towards a target. 

To maintain satellite navigation in contested areas, the Geran-3 also features a jam-resistant navigation system with a 12-element adaptive antenna array known as Kometa-M12.

The drone’s internal layout closely mirrors that of the gasoline-powered Geran-2, including a standard inertial navigation system, air pressure measurement unit, and power distribution unit. The drone also uses cameras and video systems adapted from earlier Geran-2 models.

Russia’s Geran drone is a locally made version of the Iranian Shahed drone, supplied by Iran and used against Ukraine. Moscow is producing its own variants and gradually improving their design and capabilities.

Russia uses these drones to carry out long-range attacks on Ukrainian targets, including civilian areas and critical infrastructure.

HUR published the findings as part of its “Means of Destruction” series, which now catalogs over 5,000 foreign components in 177 weapons systems used by Russia and its allies. The Geran-3 is the eighth Russian weapon system to be detailed in the series.

Russia carried out a large-scale overnight assault on Ukraine on 16 September, striking the eastern city of Zaporizhzhia with multiple rocket salvos.

The strikes killed two people and injured 20 others, including four children. The attack also caused widespread destruction to residential areas, according to regional and national officials.

Zaporizhzhia, a major city in southeastern Ukraine, has been a frequent target of Russian strikes since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. The city lies close to the front line and just north of the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest.

Though never captured, Zaporizhzhia has endured repeated barrages of missiles, drones, and artillery that have destroyed residential neighborhoods, energy facilities, and infrastructure. The region has become a symbol of both Ukraine’s resilience and the ongoing vulnerability of civilian areas to Russia’s campaign of aerial terror.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that around midnight Russian forces launched ten Tornado-S multiple rocket system rounds at Zaporizhzhia. The strikes hit private homes and non-residential buildings, sparking fires across several neighborhoods.

“They struck deliberately to terrorize our people,” said Ivan Fedorov, head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration.

Russian “aerial terror” overnight

The strike on Zaporizhzhia was part of a wider wave of Russian attacks on early 16 September. According to Ukrainian officials, more than 100 drones and 150 guided aerial bombs were used against multiple regions, including Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Kherson.

In Mykolaiv Oblast, a strike on a farm killed one civilian.

Since the beginning of September, Russia has fired more than 3500 drones, nearly 190 missiles, and over 2500 aerial bombs against Ukraine. Fedorov described these attacks as “aerial terror.”

“Now is the time to implement the joint protection of our European sky with a multilayered air defense system. All the necessary technologies exist. What is needed are investments and the will, strong actions, and decisions from all our partners,” he added.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko urged the world to respond by strengthening sanctions against Russia and providing Ukraine with more air defenses to protect cities and people.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that while Ukraine maintains control of the battlefield, the situation remains highly complex due to the scale of Russian forces and rapid shifts in drone and electronic warfare technology.

“As for the battlefield, the situation is not simple. It is complicated by the number of enemy forces, the number of drones, and changing technologies: today one type of drone is in use – one electronic warfare (EW) system works; tomorrow drones change, engines change – and other EW systems operate. What’s most important to understand is this: we are controlling the front,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram. 

He dismissed claims of major Russian advances in eastern Ukraine, calling such narratives disinformation. “Russians are far better at disinformation than they are on the battlefield,” he said.

“They have more troops than Ukrainians – that is their advantage. Their strongest grouping is in the east, but they are in very difficult conditions,” he continued, adding that predictions of Russia occupying the entire east in a matter of months were “lies,” arguing that such an outcome would take years, if at all.

Zelenskyy also urged closer coordination between Western and Ukrainian intelligence, calling for daily consultations “directly from the battlefield” to counter Russian narratives.

The fighting in Ukraine’s eastern regions has intensified in recent months, with Russia massing around 150,000 troops near Pokrovsk and cutting key supply routes amid heavy bombardment. Ukrainian forces, however, have carried out counterattacks, including the liberation of Novomykhailivka and strikes on Russian command centers, even as Russian assaults and civilian casualties continue to mount.

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski questioned the effectiveness of discussion about security guarantees for Ukraine, suggesting the term itself may be misleading, according to European Pravda.

In recent months, Ukraine’s western partners have been discussing “security guarantees” aimed at preventing further Russian aggression in the event of a ceasefire. 

Proposed measures include formal security treaties, peacekeeping forces, military support, and economic sanctions. However, the effectiveness of these guarantees remains unproven, as they largely depend on Russia agreeing to a ceasefire in the first place.

Speaking at the annual Yalta European Strategy meeting in Kyiv, Sikorski said that Ukraine already had “guarantees”, even if they were called differently, in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. 

The Budapest Memorandum was an agreement signed by Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom that was intended to safeguard Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty in exchange for Kyiv giving up its nuclear arsenal. The memorandum ultimately failed when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014.

Sikorski argued that any new, more concrete guarantees would likely fail to deter Russian aggression.

“The purpose of security guarantees is to deter Russia from renewed aggression. In essence, if we give security guarantees to Ukraine, we are saying we could go to war against Russia,” Sikorski said. 

“I don’t think that’s convincing. Who wants to fight Russia? I don’t see many volunteers. In international relations, nothing is worse than offering guarantees that are not trusted.”

Sikorski called for a shift in focus away from guarantees, urging instead for monitoring of peace and strengthening Ukraine’s capabilities. 

He emphasized prioritizing military and financial support, warning that prolonged discussions on guarantees could distract policymakers from urgent funding needs for 2026 and 2027.

Romanian authorities issued an alert on Saturday for the northern area of Tulcea County after a Russian drone was detected in the country’s airspace, Romanian media outlet Digi24.ro reports. Citizens were warned of potential falling objects and urged to take protective measures.

The incident follows a pattern of Russian drones violating NATO airspace in recent days. On 10 September, a wave of Russian drones entered Poland, causing alarm among NATO members. 

The Romanian Ministry of National Defence said two F-16 fighter jets from Fetesti Air Base took off at 18:05 to monitor the airspace near the border with Ukraine, following Russian airstrikes on Ukrainian infrastructure along the nearby Danube river. 

The jets detected the drone near Chilia Veche, tracking it for roughly 50 minutes as it operated about 10 kilometers inside Romanian territory before disappearing from radar. 

The drone did not fly over populated areas and posed no imminent threat to civilians. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the incident, noting that Russian drones were active throughout the day in various regions of Ukraine. 

“The Russian military clearly knows the targets of their drones and how long they can stay in the air. Flight routes are always carefully calculated,” Zelenskyy said. 

“This cannot be accidental, a mistake, or the result of rogue actions by lower-level commanders. This is a deliberate expansion of the war by Russia.”

Zelenskyy called for sanctions, trade tariffs, and a coordinated system of collective defense. He said Ukraine has urged its partners to establish such protections proactively, warning against waiting for further drone or missile attacks before taking action.

The Tulcea Emergency Situations Inspectorate emphasized that Romania’s territory is not the direct target of Russian attacks and that the air alert, lasting roughly 90 minutes, was precautionary. 

Poland also responded to a separate threat on Saturday, mobilizing military aircraft after Russian drones were reported in Ukrainian regions bordering the country.