Ukraine War News Today - Top Stories and Breaking Updates from Kyiv Post

NATO’s Secretary General announced the launch of Operation “Eastern Sentry” on Friday to defend NATO’s eastern flank, as Zelensky warned that Putin still wants all of Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced the launch of NATO Operation “Eastern Sentry” at a press conference in Belgium on Friday, in response to the incursion of at least 19 Russian drones into Polish airspace in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The unprecedented violation of NATO airspace by Russian drones, only around four of which were shot down by allied warplanes, sparked concerns about the transatlantic alliance’s ability to defend its eastern flank.

Polish FM Radosław Sikorski said Russian drones breaching Polish and NATO airspace was no accident – calling claims of Ukrainian provocation Russian propaganda.

Russian drones entering Polish and NATO airspace was no coincidence, and any claims of a Ukrainian “provocation” echo Kremlin propaganda, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said during a joint press briefing with his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Sybiha, a Kyiv Post journalist reports.

“This penetration of Polish and NATO airspace by Russian drones is a moment of truth. The drones entered not only from Ukraine, but also from Belarus. The air battle lasted seven hours. This is not an accident, and anyone who says it was a Ukrainian provocation is either the author or an accomplice of Russian propaganda,” Sikorski stated.

Former Navy SEAL and Kyiv Post correspondent Chuck Pfarrer breaks down the numbers, the failed tactics, and why Russia’s war aims look further away than ever.

The Duke of Sussex told The Guardian that he wants to “humanize the people involved in this war” and “keep it in the forefront of people’s minds” in his first visit to the Ukrainian capital.

Prince Harry visited Kyiv on Friday at the invitation of the Ukrainian government with a team from his Invictus Games Foundation to detail new initiatives for supporting the rehabilitation of Ukraine’s war-wounded.

In an interview with British outlet The Guardian during an overnight train journey to Ukraine’s capital, the Duke of Sussex said that he wanted to do “everything possible” to help the “recovery process” of people who had been involved in defending Ukraine.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot summoned Russia’s ambassador to France on Friday morning, shortly after France’s president announced the deployment of three French fighter jets to Poland.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot summoned France’s Russian ambassador on Friday morning over the incursion of Russian drones into Poland on Wednesday – following an announcement by French President Emmanuel Macron that France will send two state-of-the-art fighter jets to defend Polish airspace.

As per Le Monde, Barrot told French media that Russia’s ambassador to France, Aleksey Meshkov, would be summoned on Friday morning over Russia’s “absolutely unacceptable” violation of Polish airspace on Wednesday.

The Ukrainian president joked that US President Donald Trump’s special envoy is as effective as a Patriot missile defense system at deterring Russia’s aerial assaults on the capital.

President Volodymyr Zelensky joked that he was ready to grant US President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy Keith Kellogg Ukrainian citizenship on Friday since Russia ostensibly refrains from bombing Kyiv whenever he visits.

Zelensky likened Kellogg to the US Patriot air defense system that protects the city from Russian missiles, according to AFP. 

The Financial Times reported on Friday that it had seen a document sent to G7 finance ministers by the Trump administration, telling them to target “enablers and profiteers” China and India.

US President Donald Trump has reportedly put pressure on G7 countries to follow his lead in imposing high tariffs on China and India on Friday, in order to push the Kremlin to engage in peace talks with Ukraine.

The Financial Times reported on Friday that it had seen a US position paper sent to attendees of a video conference between finance ministers from the G7 countries (Canada, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Britain.) 

In an interview with Kyiv Post, General Philip Breedlove said Western inaction has emboldened the Kremlin and called for a more aggressive response to Russian provocations.

WASHINGTON DC – A former top NATO commander on Friday issued a stark warning that Russia’s recent provocations, including a drone incident over Polish airspace, are not accidents but a direct result of what he sees as the West’s failure to deter Vladimir Putin.

General Philip M. Breedlove, who retired as the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, spoke with Kyiv Post’s Washington correspondent, delivering a scathing critique of the West’s response to Russian aggression.

NATO’s Secretary General announced the launch of Operation “Eastern Sentry” on Friday to defend NATO’s eastern flank, as Zelensky warned that Putin still wants all of Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced the launch of NATO Operation “Eastern Sentry” at a press conference in Belgium on Friday, in response to the incursion of at least 19 Russian drones into Polish airspace in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The unprecedented violation of NATO airspace by Russian drones, only around four of which were shot down by allied warplanes, sparked concerns about the transatlantic alliance’s ability to defend its eastern flank.

The latest remarks from the US president came as Moscow escalates its war by sending drones towards Poland – a matter that Trump ruled as a “mistake,” to the displeasure of Warsaw.

US President Donald Trump on Friday said his patience with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is “running out fast.”

Trump made the comment to Fox and Friends on Friday but maintains that compromises are needed from both Kyiv and Moscow.

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) said Russia is running out of troops on southern Ukraine’s Hulyaipole front as a commander was heard complaining of a lack of infantry to his subordinate.

A Russian commander could be heard telling his subordinate that cooks are being lobbed to the front as cannon fodder in southern Ukraine’s Hulyaipole front because the latter is useless in an intercepted call.

The call, published by Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) on Friday, took place between a Russian soldier and his commander, where the soldier’s plea for help was met with his commander’s sarcastic rejection.

The first burials have taken place at the newly built memorial cemetery near Kyiv. We went to see what has been built there and what is planned for the facility in the future.

Ukraine has commenced burials at the National Military Memorial Cemetery (NMMC) south of Kyiv. Proposals for the creation of a military memorial cemetery were first raised in 2015 but made little progress because of a lack of political will to establish a separate military burial ground.

From a social standpoint Ukrainians traditionally buried their fallen relatives in their local cemeteries, where streets were named after them, where they were known personally and visits to their grave was easier.

Ukrainian drone swarms is a common theme in unit-published interviews with Russian soldiers taken captive since mid-August by Kyiv’s forces.

Ukrainian forces attacking to recover lost ground in the strategic Pokrovsk sector in past weeks have taken dozens of prisoners, in the biggest bag of Russian soldiers captured in combat by Kyiv’s troops in more than a year.

Task groups from Ukrainian air assault infantry and national guard formations have made public content confirming the capture of at least 69 enemy personnel in combat since early August. Some evidence points to more than 100 Russian service personnel taken prisoner in the last month of fighting, according to unit reports and published official statements reviewed by Kyiv Post.

Tomasz Płudowski analyzes Russian drone incursions into Poland, Trump’s “mistake” remark, and NATO’s view of a deliberate provocation testing alliance readiness.

The European missile manufacturer revealed its new Akeron MBT 120 NATO-standard main battle tank “non-line of sight” guided munition at this week’s DSEI exhibition in the UK.

European missile manufacturer MBDA has unveiled its new Akeron MBT 120 guided munition developed for main battle tanks (MBT) using 120mm main guns, such as Germany’s Leopard 2, the US M1 Abrams, and South Korea’s K2 in service with Poland and Turkey.

The company says the round was developed from lessons learned in the war in Ukraine, which showed that even modern tanks are vulnerable to top attacks. Tank crews have tried to exploit this with improvised indirect fire using high-explosive shells – a makeshift but inaccurate solution.

The Andrii Matiukha Foundation has announced its support for “YE-PROTEZ”, an innovative digital hub designed to help people with amputations navigate the prosthetics landscape

A new service has been launched in Ukraine to help people quickly navigate the world of prosthetics. The online hub YE-PROTEZ” has brought together a knowledge base, consultations with doctors, legal support, and contacts of rehabilitation centers and foundations.

The idea of the project appeared in 2024. At first, the team created a test landing page and a Telegram bot for consultations. The demand exceeded expectations, and the hub began to scale. Today, a full-fledged application is being prepared with integration into state services and convenient prosthetics roadmaps.

Europe has reportedly been pushing for formal sanctions on businesses and financial institutions that still deal with Moscow, while Trump is keen to exploit tariffs to drain the Kremlin’s finances.

A coalition of European leaders has reportedly convinced US President Donald Trump that Russia will only end its war in Ukraine under duress – though the parties are said to be at odds over how to act.

Over the past week, a wave of diplomatic activity has brought senior officials from both sides of the Atlantic together to discuss new financial restrictions and strategies to curb the flow of Russian oil and gas, according to Politico.

The EU has extended sanctions on over 2,500 Russians, including Putin, while the UK unveiled new measures targeting Moscow’s “shadow fleet” of oil tankers and military suppliers.

EU countries on Friday agreed to prolong sanctions over the war in Ukraine for another six months on more than 2,500 Russian individuals and entities, including President Vladimir Putin.

Ambassadors from the bloc’s 27 member states signed off on the move ahead of a deadline on Monday, after Hungary and Slovakia dropped demands to take a number of people off the blacklist, diplomats said.

Ukraine’s SBU drones struck Russia’s largest Baltic oil hub, Primorsk, setting fires and halting shipments. Daily budget losses could hit $41M, dealing a heavy blow to Moscow’s war chest.

Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) drones struck Russia’s largest oil-loading port on the Baltic Sea, Primorsk, early on Friday, Sept. 12, a source in the SBU confirmed to Kyiv Post.

Primorsk is the final destination of the Baltic pipeline system and a crucial hub for loading Russia’s “shadow fleet,” which Moscow uses to evade international sanctions and sell oil on foreign markets.

The energy operator said the project, developed with the US’s Fluence Energy, is the largest in Ukraine to date with the ability to power 600,000 apartments for two hours.

Ukraine’s energy giant DTEK has launched the country’s largest battery storage project – a 200 megawatt (MW) system to stabilize the grid.

The project, built in partnership with US firm Fluence Energy, consists of six battery storage systems. Ranging from 20 to 50 MW each, the systems are connected to the power grid in the Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

Lithuania invests €15M in rehabilitation of Ukrainian veterans and war survivors

Lithuania is not only next to Ukraine on the front lines. A true friend and reliable partner invests in our future, in the resilience of people affected by the war. 15 million euros — that’s how much the Lithuanian Development and Humanitarian Aid Fund has allocated since 2024 to the rehabilitation and reintegration program for Ukrainians. This is not just financial support — it is a step toward a new life for those defending Ukraine’s freedom.

The program is implemented by the Central Project Management Agency of Lithuania (CPVA). It envisions restoring rehabilitation centres in Zhytomyr, Dnipro, and Lviv, training medical professionals, introducing new standards, and finding effective solutions for scaling.

Polish officials insist their government has proof showing that Russia’s drone attack was planned. Ukraine’s top general Syrsky calls it a warning to NATO.

The Polish government has evidence that the recent Russian drone attack on Poland was a deliberate provocation, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digitalization Krzysztof Gawkowski said.

Several Russian drones entered Polish airspace on Wednesday during an attack on Ukraine, prompting NATO jets to scramble and shoot them down.

After analyzing satellite images of a site 60 kilometers from Minsk, journalists said that construction of a military installation not mentioned in any official records began in June last year.

Belarus is building a secret military base less than 250 kilometers from the Polish border that could be used to house ballistic and even nuclear missiles, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has reported.

After analyzing satellite images of a site 60 kilometers from Minsk, journalists working for the broadcaster, in cooperation with Estonian publications Delfi Estonia and Eesti Ekspress, stated that construction of a military installation not mentioned in any official records began in June last year. 

The VIP visits come as Russia and Belarus – both bordering Poland – launched joint military drills early Friday, just a day after multiple Russian drone incursions into Poland.

Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski arrived in Kyiv on Friday for talks on security, just days after a drone raid into Poland raised concerns over the spillover of Russia’s war.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha shared a photo of the two officials meeting at a train station in Kyiv, writing on X:

Yvette Cooper will visit Kyiv Friday, her first foreign trip, reaffirming support for Ukraine with a £142M winter aid package for communities and energy systems.

British foreign minister Yvette Cooper is due to travel to Kyiv on Friday in her first overseas visit since being appointed in the role, reaffirming Britain’s commitment to Ukraine with a 142 million pounds ($192.75 million) winter support aid boost.

Cooper is due to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and senior Ukrainian officials, to whom she will reaffirm Britain’s commitment to Ukraine’s defence against Russian aggression, the government said.

In 2021, Moscow sent 200,000 troops to similar drills months before invading Ukraine. This year’s Zapad is expected to be smaller, with most Russian forces tied up in the war.

Russia and its key ally Belarus are to start major joint military drills on Friday, putting NATO on edge days after Poland accused Moscow of escalating tensions by firing attack drones through its airspace.

The “Zapad” exercises also come as Russian forces are grinding across the sprawling front line in Ukraine and escalating aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Poland closed its border with Belarus ahead of Russian-Belarusian war games, drawing sharp criticism from Moscow, which called the move “destructive.”

Poland has closed its border with Belarus in response to large-scale Russian-Belarusian military drills, a move Moscow criticized as “destructive,” warning that it could have consequences.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced Tuesday that the border with Belarus would be closed from midnight on Sept. 12 (2200 GMT on Sept. 11), in response to upcoming joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises.

Russia says 221 drones were downed in overnight strikes that set a ship ablaze in Primorsk and disrupted St. Petersburg airport. Ukraine has not commented yet.

Russia claims it downed 221 drones overnight, as strikes hit Russia’s largest oil loading port of Primorsk, in the Leningrad region, igniting a fire on a vessel.

“An open fire on a vessel has been extinguished in the port of Primorsk. There is no threat of flooding or spillage of oil products,” regional governor Alexander Drozdenko reported on Telegram.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Polish officials provided additional clarification on the impacts of the September 9-10 Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace.
• Poland’s allies reiterated their support for Poland following the drone incursion, condemning Russia for purposefully conducting the incursion to test NATO readiness.
• Ukrainian officials responded to the drone incursion by drawing parallels to Russian cycles of aggression and escalation against Ukraine and offered to share Ukraine’s now-institutional counter-drone knowledge with Poland.
• The Kremlin continues efforts to destabilize the Balkans and dismantle the 1995 Dayton Accords that ended the 1992-1995 Bosnian War, likely as part of a larger campaign to divide and distract Europe.
• Russian state media is acknowledging the growing gasoline shortages in Russia but is downplaying the role that Ukraine’s deep strike campaign is playing in generating these shortages.
• Sweden pledged additional military and financial assistance to Ukraine.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Lyman, Velykomykhailivka, and in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area.

A bipartisan coalition of American lawmakers acts to safeguard military aid to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania amid reports of a policy shift as Russian aggression intensifies.

WASHINGTON DC – In a forceful, bipartisan legislative move, the US Congress on Thursday morning approved an amendment to establish the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI), a program aimed at deepening security cooperation with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

The action follows growing alarm over recent Russian aggression, including a drone incursion into Poland, a NATO ally.