Russian military

Ukraine has carried out what is described as its largest attack on Moscow to date, marking a significant escalation in the conflict's reach into the Russian capital. A military expert has reacted to the strike, weighing in on its scale, strategic significance, and what it signals about Ukraine's evolving capabilities deep inside Russian territory.

Attention is on the actual number of Russian soldiers killed in the war in Ukraine, a figure that remains difficult to verify as official Russian reporting is widely considered incomplete. Independent researchers, journalists and Western officials have offered estimates far above Moscow's acknowledged losses, and debate continues over the true scale of casualties as the fighting goes on.

Lithuania is moving to lift its ban on nuclear weapons stationed on its territory, with proponents citing the argument that 'Russians do not attack the strong'. The move reflects growing alarm in Baltic states over Russian military threats and doubts about NATO's security guarantees, and would mark a major shift in the country's defence policy if approved.

Donald Trump has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to scale back attacks on Russian oil refineries. The request, which touches on Ukraine's most effective long-range strikes against Russia's energy sector, has drawn attention as Washington pushes for negotiations while Kyiv weighs the military and economic value of targeting Russian oil infrastructure.

Experts say a plan floated by President Trump to license Patriot missile production to Ukraine rather than supply the systems directly could take years to implement. Analysts point to the complexity of setting up licensed manufacturing, training and supply chains, raising doubts the approach could meet Ukraine's urgent air defense needs against ongoing Russian strikes.

Russia's defence ministry said on Sunday that its forces carried out overnight drone strikes on Ukrainian logistics centres, port and transport infrastructure, communications facilities, and vessels. Moscow claims the targets supported Ukrainian military operations, though the full extent of damage and any casualties has not been independently confirmed.

Russia says its forces carried out strikes on Ukrainian military targets, while Ukraine reports hitting a Russian drone launch site. The duelling claims come as the war continues with both sides targeting infrastructure and military assets deep behind the front lines. Neither claim could be independently verified, and the fuller operational impact of the reported strikes remains unclear.

The Russian Defense Ministry says its strikes have hit data centers used to support the Ukrainian military. The claim, reported by Xinhua, comes as the war continues with both sides targeting infrastructure tied to military operations. There was no immediate confirmation from Ukraine, and the extent of any damage or impact on Ukrainian military capabilities remains unclear.

Russian forces carried out large-scale strikes on Kyiv, with reports claiming hits on Ukrainian military hubs and what Moscow describes as NATO specialists present in the country. The claims of foreign casualties have not been independently verified, and Ukrainian officials have not confirmed the extent of the damage. The strikes mark a further escalation in Russia's sustained bombardment of the Ukrainian capital.

Donald Trump says he urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to "calm down" on attacks targeting Russian oil refineries, arguing Ukraine should strike other targets instead. The remark, reported amid ongoing US pressure for a negotiated end to the war, is drawing criticism from observers who see it as Washington limiting Ukraine's most effective strikes on Russia's energy and export infrastructure.

Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence, said North Korea is studying the Russian-Ukrainian war and using its lessons to improve and expand its weaponry. The warning adds to concerns that the conflict is becoming a training ground for other armed forces, with Pyongyang already backing Moscow and gaining battlefield experience in return.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said Donald Trump deserves credit for driving Ukraine peace negotiations forward, while downplaying fears of a new Russian invasion of Europe. His comments, made in remarks carried by Fox News, add a European voice to ongoing debate over US diplomacy on the war and whether Russia poses a wider military threat to NATO's eastern flank.

Lithuania is holding its largest-ever military exercises, Vyčio skliautas 2026, running until October 3. Authorities are rehearsing the evacuation of Vilnius and regions near the Belarusian border in the event of a military threat from Minsk. The drills underscore rising concern in the Baltic state over regional security and are drawing wide attention across Russian-language media.

Russia has made a change to its fighter jet programme, a move reported as connected to difficulties its air force has faced during the war in Ukraine. Details of the specific adjustment were not immediately available, but the development adds to ongoing debate about the performance of Russian military aviation and equipment after more than three years of fighting.

Reports say numerous explosions have been heard in the Mariupol area of occupied southern Ukraine. Details on the cause, targets or casualties were not immediately available. Mariupol, seized by Russian forces in 2022, has previously been hit by strikes on military and infrastructure targets, so observers are watching for confirmation of what was struck.

Ukraine reports a naval drone destroying a Russian kamikaze drone boat, in what is being described as a military milestone in uncrewed warfare. The clash marks a rare case of one unmanned maritime vessel eliminating another in combat, underscoring how drone-on-drone engagements are becoming a central feature of the Black Sea conflict.

A new military analysis examines the threat of a Russian offensive into Ukraine from the north and the defensive measures Ukraine could use to stop it. The piece breaks down likely invasion routes, terrain challenges and battle plans, drawing attention to how Kyiv is preparing its northern front as the war grinds on.

Poland and Lithuania are developing an international plan to evacuate civilians from the Baltic region in the event of a major crisis or military threat. The Suwalki corridor, the narrow land link between the Baltic states and Poland, is expected to play a key role in the evacuation route, reflecting growing concern in the region over a possible conflict with Russia.

President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukrainian forces neutralized more than 10,600 Russian military personnel at the front over the past week. He made the claim in one of his regular addresses on the course of the war. If accurate, the figure would point to continued heavy fighting and high Russian casualty rates along the front line, though independent verification of wartime casualty claims from either side is difficult.

Ukraine's Operation Vivaldi has reportedly erased recent Russian gains, with robots playing a central role in the fighting. Unmanned systems carried out combat airdrops of supplies and cleared minefields, reducing risks to Ukrainian soldiers. The operation is being discussed as another example of how drones and ground robots are increasingly taking on dangerous battlefield tasks in the war with Russia.

China, widely ranked the world's second most powerful military, has delivered an air-defence system derived from Russian technology and designed to counter cruise missiles to a major North African state. The report highlights growing arms transfers from Beijing to the region, though the specific recipient country and delivery terms are not detailed in the coverage.

Russia's Ministry of Defense says its armed forces hit a Kyivstar data center in Kyiv that provides internet services to Ukraine's Armed Forces. The claim, reported by CGTN, highlights the growing targeting of telecommunications infrastructure in the war. Kyivstar is Ukraine's largest mobile operator, and any disruption to its facilities could affect both military communications and civilian connectivity in the capital.

Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said the country needs expanded Starlink and Starshield capabilities from SpaceX to enable strikes on Russian missile systems inside Russia. His comments underline Kyiv's push for longer-range strike ability and deeper reliance on Western satellite technology as the war continues.

Ukrainian forces have destroyed a Russian ammunition depot using loitering munitions, according to footage circulating with reports from the war in Ukraine. The strike shows drones carrying out precision attacks on the depot, which detonates in a large secondary explosion. Such depot strikes have become a regular feature of the war, as both sides target ammunition storage to degrade each other's artillery capacity along the front lines.

Ukraine's Defense Forces struck a drone launch site and four Russian warehouses in temporarily occupied territories, according to Ukrinform. The attacks targeted Russian military logistics and drone operations infrastructure. Details on damage and casualties have not yet been disclosed.

Russia's finance ministry has announced tax increases aimed at shoring up the country's military budget, as the war in Ukraine continues to strain public finances. The move signals Moscow's willingness to place more of the tax burden on businesses and households to sustain defence spending. Observers see it as evidence that the costs of the conflict are increasingly being passed on to ordinary Russians.

Russian forces buried three tanks roughly 65 kilometres behind the front line, apparently to conceal them from Ukrainian surveillance and strikes. Ukrainian drone operators located the hidden vehicles anyway, exposing yet another example of how constant aerial monitoring is making it harder to hide heavy equipment far from the fighting.

Ukrainian defence forces attacked the Azov Optical-Mechanical Plant, a military facility in Russia's Rostov Oblast, with OSINT analysts reporting damage to at least five workshops at the site. The strike is part of Kyiv's ongoing campaign of long-range attacks on Russian defence-industrial targets deep behind the front line, which Moscow has struggled to intercept.

The Times reports that Vladimir Putin is preparing a military base intended for so-called doomsday nuclear strikes. The report has drawn attention amid ongoing concerns about Russia's nuclear posture and the war in Ukraine. Details of the base's location and capability have not been widely confirmed, and the story is being discussed as fresh reporting on Russian nuclear readiness.

Ukraine's Defense Forces report striking a drone launch site and four Russian warehouses in temporarily occupied territories. The announced strikes are part of Kyiv's ongoing campaign against Russian military logistics and drone operations behind the front lines. Ukrainian outlets are reporting the operation, which underscores continued deep-strike activity as the war grinds on.

A UK newspaper opinion piece argues that Russian aggression should not distract Western governments from supporting Ukraine fully and without hesitation. The article, published by The Independent, calls on allies to back Kyiv 'to the hilt', framing continued military and financial assistance as essential. It reflects an ongoing debate in Europe and the US about whether sustained support for Ukraine will hold as the war with Russia continues.

Russian military sources claim forces carried out five precision strikes on what they describe as a secret assembly and preparation facility for long-range FP-2 drones in central Kyiv, reportedly killing Ukrainian intelligence personnel. The claim comes from Russian channels and has not been independently confirmed by Ukraine, which has not responded to the specific allegations about the site or casualties.