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

Chris Wright also said that he had traveled to Europe in order to assure EU countries that the US could help them to phase out Russian gas, saying “today we can fill that hole.”

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Thursday that reducing Russia’s natural gas sales to Europe is the “most immediate hammer” that Washington has to use on Moscow in order to end the war.

Speaking in an interview, Wright said that cutting Russia’s gas exports is easier than targeting its oil, since transporting gas requires huge specialized pipelines and liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals and tankers which do not lend themselves to smuggling.

The foreign minister’s remarks came as Russian Ambassador to France Alexei Meshkov said that shooting down Russian aircraft in NATO airspace would amount to an act of “war.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that NATO and the European Union have declared war on Russia through Ukraine at a G20 foreign ministers’ meeting on Thursday.

“A clear example is the crisis in Ukraine, provoked by the collective West, through which NATO and the European Union want to declare, have already declared, a real war on my country and are directly participating in it,” Lavrov said, according to Russian state media outlet TASS.

The US President heaps pressure on NATO ally in Oval Office meeting while offering optimistic view on controversial F-35 fighter jet deal.

WASHINGTON DC – Hosting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House on Thursday, US President Donald Trump publicly pressured the NATO ally to halt its purchases of Russian oil, stating the measure was crucial to ending Moscow’s “rampage” in Ukraine.

In a candid Oval Office session with reporters, Trump offered a mixture of criticism for Russia’s war and warm personal praise for his counterpart.

At the United Nations Headquarters, Olena Zelenska praised Melania Trump for spotlighting children in war, noting her rare letter to Putin urging action over Ukrainian kids.

Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska met with US First Lady Melania Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 24, highlighting a shared commitment to protecting children affected by war.

Zelenska said the two discussed “shared values, first and foremost the protection of children and their childhood,” adding that she expressed gratitude to Melania Trump for her support of Ukraine and for her public attention to children who have become victims of Russia’s war.

Kavelashvili countered that Georgia “stands firmly as a guardian of dialogue, peace, civility and sustainable development” after Zelensky told the UN that Europe had “already lost Georgia.”

Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili said that Georgia understands the war in Ukraine “better than many” and that the country’s ruling party is working to spare its people from another war “no matter the cost,” as he took the podium at the UN General Assembly in New York.

It came after Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Wednesday that Europe had “already lost Georgia,” referring to disputed parliamentary elections last year which saw the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party come to power.

Dmitry Medvedev, Putin’s self-appointed attack dog, warned Kyiv and Washington that they could not defend themselves from Russia’s big bombs.

Kremlin hawk Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday the US should remember that Russia has big bombs, from which no bunker could keep its occupants safe.

Medvedev, Russia’s former prime minister and now deputy chairman of the Security Council, made the remark in response to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s interview with US outlet Axios, during which the Ukrainian leader said the Kremlin remains a possible target, and Russian officials must either end the war or seek shelter.

The Kremlin has contradicted recent accusations that Russian jets intentionally violated NATO airspace – an incident that Europe says has become a recurring pattern.

Alexei Meshkov, Russia’s ambassador to France, said Thursday that downing any Russian aircraft would mean war – regardless of whether European airspace had been violated.

Meshkov’s remarks came amid growing accusations from European nations that Russian planes and drones have breached their airspace in recent weeks, with NATO’s chief saying that members are free to engage the aircraft as they deem fit.

After Washington imposed steep tariffs on India for purchasing Russian oil, Indian officials told the US administration they could only reduce those imports if given access to alternative supplies.

Indian officials have reportedly told the Trump administration that it could only significantly reduce Russian oil imports if they are allowed to secure alternatives from sanctioned suppliers Iran and Venezuela during a visit to Washington this week, according to a Bloomberg report.

The request came after Washington imposed 50% tariffs on Indian imports due to New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil that the US said was helping bankroll Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

Tusk’s remarks came as Berlin said that NATO “will not allow” airspace incursions to continue and warned about the growing threat posed by Russian space “warfare.”

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk issued a stark warning on Thursday, urging against harboring any “illusions” about US President Donald Trump’s stance on Ukraine.

The comment came in response to Trump’s recent shift in rhetoric, who said on Tuesday that Ukraine “is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.”

Moldova’s pro-EU premier Maia Sandu, whose party is narrowly in the lead, has warned that the Kremlin is looking to buy votes, stir unrest and wage an online disinformation campaign.

The EU on Thursday said Moldova was facing “an unprecedented campaign of disinformation” from Russia ahead of key parliamentary elections with the aim of knocking the country off its pro-European course.

“It’s not the first time that Russia is employing textbook manipulation and disinformation tactics, but they’re resorting to much more,” EU foreign affairs spokeswoman Anitta Hipper said.

Four things you might not have known about the renegade Moldovan region, Transnistria, and the Russian troops that have been there for years.

Transnistria, Moldova’s pro-Russian renegade region, has been a Moscow-backed “separatist” sliver of a sector since the breakup of the Soviet Union, in 1991-1992. There are four things you might not have known about the rogue region and the Russian troops that have been there for decades, presented here as in-FAQs, infrequently asked questions.

Why are Russian troops in Moldova at all?

In 1991-92, Moldova fought an unsuccessful war to prevent a Russian-speaking region called Transnistria from seceding from Moldovan control, largely because Russian armed forces stationed there at the time intervened on the separatists’ side. A ceasefire agreement left a Russian peacekeeper force in place, but in November 1999, Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed an agreement in Istanbul committing Russia to withdraw all its troops by Dec. 31, 2002.

Like other countries in the region, Lithuanian airspace has recently been violated by drones attributed to Russia.

Lithuania’s new social-democrat-led government was appointed on Thursday and has pledged to keep investing massively in defense and supporting Ukraine, as well as seek to normalize relations with China.

Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene was sworn in with a comfortable majority of 80 out of 122 votes in favor of her new government.

Russian drone strikes hit critical infrastructure in Chernihiv and Nizhyn on Sept. 25, leaving 30,000 without power and prompting sharp criticism over paucity of Ukraine’s air defenses in the area.

Russian forces launched drone strikes targeted on critical infrastructure in the northern Ukrainian towns of Chernihiv and Nizhyn on Thursday, Sept. 25, disrupting electricity and water supplies for tens of thousands of residents.

At around 1 pm, the Ukrainian Air Force warned that drones were threatening Chernihiv, urging residents to take cover. An hour later, officials repeated the warning, and by 2.30 the head of Chernihiv’s City Military Administration (KMVA), Dmytro Bryzhinsky, confirmed via Telegram the city was under attack.

Ideologically, Trump likely sees a win in banging a left-leaning, Communist regime, and supporting the rise again of right-wing, likely authoritarian regimes in Latin America.

I am not a great conspiracy theory type, but I have been trying to think through Trump’s messaging on Ukraine, and actions elsewhere, and all that suggests to me that we are seeing a US pivot away from Ukraine and Europe, and away from China, and closer to home and Latin America.

Here me out here.

Police said early Thursday that drones flew over several airports across the country and caused one of them to close for hours, after a similar incident early this week.

Denmark said Thursday a “professional actor” was behind drone flights over multiple airports this week in a “hybrid attack” designed to create fear, adding it would acquire new capabilities to detect and down drones.

Police said early Thursday that drones flew over several airports across the country and caused one of them to close for hours, after a similar incident early this week prompted Copenhagen airport to shut down.

NORAD dismisses the incursion by four Russian aircraft close to US airspace on Wednesday as a regular occurrence – others interpret it as a pointed response to Trump’s comments at the UNGA.

The US North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) confirmed on Wednesday that it had dispatched aircraft in response to an aerial incursion over the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). It said it had deployed an E-3 Sentry surveillance plane, four F-16 fighter aircraft supported by four KC-135 aerial tankers to “positively intercept and identify” the “bogeys,” unidentified aircraft.

NORAD said that intruders were two Tupelov Tu-95 (NATO: Bear) strategic bombers escorted by two Sukhoi Su-35 (NATO: Flanker-E/M) air superiority fighters. Its press release said the Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not encroach on either US or Canadian territory.

Ukraine’s intelligence said naval drones hit Russian oil terminals in Novorossiysk and Tuapse on Sept. 24, disrupting exports of up to 2 million barrels of crude a day.

Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) has used naval drones to strike Russian oil terminals on the Black Sea coast, disrupting operations in the ports of Novorossiysk and Tuapse, according to Kyiv Post’s HUR sources.

The Sept. 24 attack targeted key logistics hubs, including the Transneft oil loading complex and the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal near Novorossiysk, where tankers – including vessels linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet – were being loaded with crude.

Ukraine’s intel said its cyber unit crippled Russia’s fast payment system SBP with a DDoS attack, disrupting online transactions and causing losses up to $30 million.

Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) said Thursday it launched a cyberattack that crippled Russia’s fast payment system, halting digital transactions across multiple regions.

According to Kyiv Post sources in HUR, the operation targeted Russia’s “System of Fast Payments” (SBP) – a platform widely used for instant money transfers, including donations to organizations supporting Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

Serhiy Kolyada’s sharp cartoon captures the irony and the global reactions in his signature satirical style.

Zelensky told Axios he is “ready” to leave office once the war ends and vowed to push for elections if a ceasefire is reached – despite constitutional and security hurdles.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is “ready” to step down after the war ends, adding he does not intend to remain in power during peacetime.

“My goal is to finish the war,” he told Barak Ravid on The Axios Show. “Not to continue to run for office.”

Ukraine’s military intelligence said its Ghosts unit destroyed two Russian An-26 planes and high-value radar stations in occupied Crimea, releasing drone footage of the fiery strikes.

Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) said Thursday its special forces destroyed two Russian aircraft and radar stations during a raid on the occupied Crimean Peninsula.

According to HUR, members of its special unit known as the Ghosts hit two Russian An-26 transport planes and damaged coastal radar systems. The targets included a surface situation radar and an MR-10M1 Cape M1 coastal radar station.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met world leaders at the UN General Assembly, discussing Russia’s aggression, humanitarian aid, EU accession, and restoring diplomatic ties with Syria.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held multiple high-level meetings on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, to discuss security, humanitarian aid, and diplomatic initiatives with world leaders.

France: Strengthening Air Defenses and Sanctions

Zelensky met with French President Emmanuel Macron at Ukraine’s mission to the UN. The leaders discussed Russian escalation against European countries, including drone incidents in Poland, Romania, and Denmark, and fighter jet activity over Estonia.

Ukraine had cut diplomatic ties with Syria in 2022 after Damascus recognized the so-called independence of territories in eastern Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russian forces.

Ukraine and Syria have restored diplomatic relations, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Thursday, Sept. 24.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybyha and Syria’s Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani signed the document in the presence of Zelensky and Syria’s acting president, Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Drones shut down Aalborg Airport and disrupted flights across Denmark, just days after similar incidents in Copenhagen and Oslo.

Aalborg Airport in northern Denmark was shut down early Thursday, Sept. 25, after unidentified drones were spotted overhead, North Jutland Police reported.

The first sightings occurred around midnight.

Thirteen drones hit eight locations, and debris fell in another area. The attacks are ongoing, with more drones coming from the north. Authorities warned people to stay safe.

Russia launched another wave of drone strikes against Ukraine overnight, continuing what has become a daily barrage, Ukraine’s Air Force said. At least 176 drones were used, including about 100 Shaheds. Ukrainian air defenses shot down or neutralized 150 of them.

The attacks came from several Russian regions and Russian-occupied Crimea. Thirteen drones hit eight locations, and debris fell in another area. Authorities warned people to stay safe as the strikes continued.

Dmitry Rogozin, a senator representing the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia region, said Russian forces are advancing only “with enormous difficulty and at a colossal cost.”

A Russian senator from occupied Ukraine has admitted that Moscow is losing ground in drone warfare and that its war against Kyiv has reached a deadlock, contrasting with earlier warnings from Ukraine’s former top general that the conflict has bogged down into a costly positional struggle that would lead to Ukraine’s ultimate failure.

Dmitry Rogozin, a member of the pro-Kremlin United Russia party and senator representing the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia region, said Russian forces are advancing only “with enormous difficulty and at a colossal cost.”

After decades of commitment to non-aligned status, Sweden joined NATO in March 2024, meaning it can now count on members of the alliance to come to its defense.

Sweden’s Gotland Island is key to controlling the Baltic Sea, according to Swedish and Polish officers participating in military exercises this week aimed at deterring a possible Russian attack.

“It’s basically like a huge aircraft carrier in the middle of the Baltic,” Quartermaster Oscar Hannus of the Swedish Navy said, framed by one of Sweden’s RBS-15 missile systems that would be used against any seaborne threat to the island. 

62,000 Russian bot comments flood Moldova’s Telegram ahead of elections; every third channel spreads Kremlin propaganda.

On September 28, Moldovans will head to the polling stations to elect the new parliament. The election comes in a highly polarised environment, less than a year after the 2024 presidential elections, when an incumbent pro-European president Maia Sandu won a second round with 55% of votes. OpenMinds analysed the Moldovan Telegram scene and uncovered a pro-Kremlin bot network seeking to influence voter behaviour. ‍

The current electoral campaign is framed as fateful by nearly all Moldovan political actors. The ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) claims that citizens are to decide if Moldova continues its integration into the European Union, or it will cede “everything” to Russia. On the other hand, the biggest oppositional force, a union of four parties called the Patriotic Bloc, harshly criticises the PAS government as the one leading Moldova to “war.” For them, the elections are a chance to overthrow the “yellow dictatorship,” as framed by Igor Dodon, ex-president and one of the leaders of the Bloc — “yellow” referring to the main party color of PAS.‍

The Air Force reported shooting down a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber dropping precision-guided munitions (PGMs) on Zaporizhzhia early Sept. 25, though details on the aerial kill remain undisclosed.

Ukraine has shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bomber that was dropping precision-guided munitions (PGMs) on Zaporizhzhia, the Ukrainian Air Force reported.

“At about 4.00 a.m. [0100 UTC] on Sept. 25, 2025, a Russian Su-34 aircraft was shot down in the Zaporizhzhia sector, while carrying out terrorist attacks on the city with guided bombs,” the Air Force wrote on Telegram.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• The Kremlin is using nuclear threats to influence US President Donald Trump to stop his efforts to secure peace in Ukraine.
• Russia launched a multipronged informational campaign intended to mask Russia’s economic weakness that US President Donald Trump recently correctly identified.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated his commitment to engaging in peace negotiations and holding elections in accordance with the Ukrainian Constitution and Ukrainian law.
• Former Ukrainian Command-in-Chief and current Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Kingdom General Valerii Zaluzhnyi assessed on September 24 that Russian forces are adapting technological innovations and ground tactics in an attempt to restore maneuver to the battlefield.
• Russian jamming originating from Kaliningrad Oblast likely disrupted the GPS on Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles’ plane flying to Lithuania on September 24.
• Ukrainian forces recently conducted a series of aerial and naval drone strikes against Russia and occupied Crimea, including against Russian oil infrastructure and drone production facilities.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Lyman and Pokrovsk and in the Dobropillya tactical area. Russian forces recently advanced near Siversk and Pokrovsk, in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area, and in western Zaporizhia Oblast.

Following Trump’s “paper tiger” comment, US officials are pushing a new policy to world leaders. The focus is on using economic pressure to end the conflict swiftly.

NEW YORK – In a day of high-level diplomacy at the UN, top Trump administration officials on Wednesday sent a clear, unified message to Russia and its like-minded backers: The time for the war in Ukraine to end is now.

The forceful public posture comes just one day after President Donald Trump’s surprise reversal on the conflict, in which he called Russia a “paper tiger” and said Ukraine was in a position to win back its territory.

More than 24,000 of 30,000 damaged or destroyed sites—including residential buildings, schools, hospitals, and infrastructure – have been repaired, Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba announced.

More than 24,000 damaged or destroyed sites already have been restored in the Kyiv region, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration and Minister for Communities and Territories Development, Oleksii Kuleba, announced Wednesday.

That number represents about 80 percent of the total properties affected by the war, his office estimated.