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The Kyiv Independent [unofficial]
Russia’s war against Ukraine
Emergency workers assist local residents following a Russian strike on Sept. 26, 2026, in Sumy. (Olesia Borovyk /Kordon.Media /Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Russia plans to spend $12 billion on jet-powered drones, loitering munitions next year, Zelensky says. President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian intelligence had obtained Russian internal documents showing the volumes of weapons Russia is preparing to produce next year and the funding allocated for them.
Ukraine strikes Russian defense plant producing missile components, General Staff says. The plant, located in the city of Azov, is part of Russia’s Tactical Missiles Corporation and produces opto-mechanical and optoelectronic equipment, as well as electronic systems for artillery, missile, and anti-tank weapons.
Zelensky sanctions more than 40 people involved in elections in Russian-occupied Ukraine. The sanctions package includes 44 individuals “who act in Russia’s interests and facilitate the occupation of parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, as well as Crimea and Sevastopol,” the statement said.
Ex-defense minister Fedorov announces new ‘Army of Robots’ initiative in latest move since leaving office. According to Fedorov, the initiative will be not one company, but an “ecosystem,” combining investment, native production, and R&D.
Russian strikes on Kyiv data centers disrupt operations at several Ukrainian media outlets. TV channels Novyny.Live and Armiia TV both temporarily suspended operations following Russian strikes on Kyiv.
‘Nothing left to eat’ — Sybiha urges partners to act on Oleshky humanitarian crisis. Oleshky’s population has fallen from around 24,000 to approximately 2,000 as of spring 2026, according to the Foreign Ministry.
Germany links arson attack near Ukraine-supplying drone maker Helsing to Russia’s GRU. The arson attack took place in Munich on Sept. 3, when several incendiary devices were thrown from a passing car onto a construction site near the headquarters of Rohde & Schwarz and Helsing.
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News from occupied Ukraine: Oleshky crisis continues, Europe’s human rights chief calls for ‘immediate local ceasefire’
Amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Russian-occupied front-line town of Oleshky, Michael O’Flaherty, commissioner for human rights at the Council of Europe, said on Sept. 25 that the situation in the city is “alarming.”
Photo: Kherson Oleshky / Telegram
Ukraine’s prosecution service gets a low-profile boss amid high-profile scandals
Anton Kovalsky, who was appointed as Ukraine’s acting prosecutor general on Sept. 17, is taking over following controversy. His predecessor, Ruslan Kravchenko, fled Ukraine on Sept. 14 amid a large-scale investigation into an alleged scam call center protection racket.
Photo: Khmelnytskyi Regional Prosecutor’s Office
Human costs of war
Russia launches third consecutive attack on Kyiv, injuring 1, setting off fires. Air defenses were engaged as Russian drones damaged residential buildings and a warehouse, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
Russian strikes on Sumy kill 2, injure 23, including 4 children. The strikes hit several locations across the Sumy community, including a residential area, Sumy Oblast Governor Oleh Hryhorov said.
Russian attacks kill 6, injure 45 across Ukraine as Kyiv faces second day of nonstop strikes. Russian forces attacked Ukraine overnight on Sept. 26 with 173 Shahed-type drones, 50 of which were jet-powered, the Air Force said.
At least 5 injured in ongoing Russian drone strikes on Kyiv. The capital has been under near-continuous Russian attack for a second consecutive day. During the night and morning of Sept. 26 alone, air raid alerts were issued five times, some lasting several hours.
General Staff: Russia has lost 1,527,280 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022. The number includes 1,710 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
International response
Serbia grants citizenship to former Ukrainian MP Novynskyi, wanted on treason suspicion. Novynskyi received citizenship through a provision allowing Serbia to naturalize a foreign national under an expedited procedure when authorities determine that doing so is in the country’s interest.
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In other news
German, Russian foreign ministers meet for 1st time since full-scale war against Ukraine. “Russia must end its war of aggression against Ukraine and cease its hostile actions against Germany and its allies,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said.
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