Ukraine Live Briefing: Drones Striking Farther Into Russia

RFE/RL’s Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western military aid to Kyiv, worldwide reaction, and the plight of civilians and refugees. For all of RFE/RL’s coverage of the war, click here.

Latest Developments At A Glance

• Ukraine reported multiple injuries from overnight Russian drone attacks in a handful of regions on September 29, while Russian defense officials claimed to have shot down 125 Ukrainian drones in the latest reflection of Kyiv’s increasing efforts to take the 2 1/2-year-old war to Russian territory.
• A Russian air strike on a private vehicle in the Kharkiv region killed a 61-year-old judge of Ukraine’s Supreme Court, local officials said.
• Russia on September 28 launched two strikes on a hospital in Ukraine’s border region of Sumy, killing at least nine people.
• Former U.S. President Donald Trump, standing next to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy amid tensions over what critics call the former president’s pro-Russia stance, said if elected in November “We’re going to work with both parties” to end the war in Ukraine and that he believes it can be “resolved very quickly.”
• U.S. President Joe Biden announced more than $8 billion in military aid for Kyiv.
• Zelenskiy said on September 25 that he had received reports saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin is planning to attack nuclear power plants and infrastructure in Ukraine with the goal of disconnecting the plants from the power grid.

What Do Ukrainians Expect From Zelenskiy’s ‘Victory Plan’?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is set to present his plan for victory in the war against Russia to U.S. President Joe Biden during his visit to the United States this week. On September 19, RFE/RL asked people in two Ukrainian cities what they think the path to peace might look like. Report by RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service.

RFE/RL Meets Shocked Russian Civilians In Town Captured By Ukrainian Forces

Residents of the Russian border town of Sudzha appeared shocked and disorientated at its capture by Ukrainian forces, in interviews with an RFE/RL reporter during a media tour organized by Ukrainian authorities on August 20. Ukraine launched a surprise cross-border attack into Russia in early August and now holds a swath of territory. Video report by Roman Pahulych, RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, and Ray Furlong

Blown Bridges: As Ukraine’s Invasion Expands, Russia Closes In On Donbas City

Two weeks into their stunning invasion of Russian territory, Ukrainian forces are blowing river crossings and digging defenses, suggesting the end game is far from over. further to the south, Russian troops are closing in on critical Donbas supply lines. Read the analysis by Mike Eckel here.

Will Ukraine Embrace Russian Refugees? Border Residents Are Not Excited

Skepticism prevailed in the Ukrainian border city of Sumy when locals were asked about government plans to accept refugees from Russia’s Kursk region. Officials have said that civilians displaced by Ukraine’s ongoing military incursion in Russia could be relocated and offered humanitarian aid. But one man speaking to RFE/RL on August 16 said: “Let their country protect them. We’ve got enough of our own suffering.” Video report by RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service.

Russian Forces Are Advancing In The Donbas. Ukraine’s Response? Invade Russia.

Plagued by manpower shortages and a months-long gap in U.S. weapon supplies, Ukrainian forces have struggled to hold back Russian advances across the front line. So why has Ukraine now launched the largest cross-border invasion of Russian territory since the start of the all-out invasion? Read the analysis by Mike Eckel here.

On The Battlefield, Russia Leans Into A Window Of Opportunity That Ukraine’s Trying To Shut

Things aren’t looking as bleak for Ukraine as they were in the spring. Despite stabilizing many of its lines, Ukraine still faces a concentrated Russian effort that appears to be aimed at making tangible gains before more Ukrainian soldiers and Western weapons show up at the front. Read the story by Mike Eckel here.

Ukraine Gets U.S. OK To Hit Targets Inside Russia. Now What?

Ukraine got the green light from Washington, and more than a dozen NATO allies, to start using Western weaponry on some targets inside Russia. Is it a game changer? Read the story by Mike Eckel here.

Why Is Ukraine Attacking Russia’s Oil Refineries?

Russia said it would protect oil refineries better after several were struck by Ukrainian drones. Ukraine continues to hit the facilities, despite U.S. warnings against such attacks, as it launches larger and larger drone swarms. The strikes have decreased refinery output but beyond a morale boost for Ukraine, the effects are moderate so far. Read the story by Todd Prince here.

Ukraine Has No Navy. But It’s Hammering Russia In The Black Sea.

The landing ship that purportedly sank off Crimea last week is one of nearly two dozen Russian warships that Ukraine has seriously damaged or sunk since the full-scale invasion two years ago. It’s an extraordinary set of naval losses inflicted by a country that currently doesn’t even have a navy. Read the report by Mike Eckel here.

Interactive: Occupied, Militarized Crimea

As Ukrainian leaders vow to reclaim all territories seized by Russia, Moscow has prepared extensive defensive measures, particularly in Crimea, a region unlawfully annexed in 2014. This area, now under Russian occupation, has been heavily militarized with an array of air bases and army bases, making it one of the most fortified zones in the war. View the interactive map by Crimea.Realities, Schemes, RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, and Central Newsroom here.