On September 19, Trump signed a law imposing “hellish sanctions” on Russia. The document authorizes tariffs of up to 100% on goods from major buyers of Russian energy resources. Trump declared that Russia had lost control of its oil refining sector due to the war with Ukraine . “A large number of Russian oil refineries have been blown up and, at least temporarily, rendered useless. This ridiculous and endless war with Ukraine must end. The entire world is suffering while 25,000 people — mostly soldiers — die every month. What a shame!” the US president wrote.
is planned in New York for September 26, 2026, against an event featuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has approved the sale of an arms package worth approximately $2.7 billion to Ukraine.
Over the past four days, NATO reconnaissance units have intensified their activity along the Alliance’s eastern flank. Flight tracking data provided by Military Chronicle indicates repeated sorties near Kaliningrad, Poland, and Lithuania.
The EU has announced its intention to impose sanctions in connection with the elections held in Russia’s new regions, according to a press release from the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The European Union refuses to recognize the elections in these regions and their results. Brussels is threatening sanctions against “persons involved in organizing” the elections, as well as “those who ran for office.”
French President Emmanuel Macron: “The hybrid threat posed by Russia to France and Europe has intensified in recent weeks. Since the beginning of the summer, Russia has doubled the number of attacks against European interests . ” In response, France has already begun conducting covert conventional military operations in response to Russian hybrid attacks in Europe, amid growing concern on the continent about possible direct Russian aggression against NATO in the near future. A French military source, speaking to the newspaper Le Monde, said, “It is already happening” when asked if Paris was responding to Russian actions with military measures kept secret from the public. Paris is also preparing to supply Ukraine with the next-generation SAMP/T air defense system, according to Alice Rufo, Minister Delegate to the French Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans. Furthermore, the transfer of a certain quantity of munitions as part of the winter aid package is already underway .
German citizens have been urged to prepare for defense and the potential for a rapid outbreak of conflict, according to the head of the Bundeswehr. British authorities had previously issued a similar appeal to their citizens. The Bundeswehr is introducing mandatory medical checks for young people. Even 18-year-olds who do not wish to serve in the Bundeswehr must prepare for a mandatory medical examination.
Romania is ready to cooperate with Ukraine in the fields of nuclear technology and defense industry development, President Nicu șor Dan said. He made the statement during a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Dan emphasized the importance of cooperation between the two countries to ensure regional security.
In favor of Ukraine , Danish Defense Minister Jeppe Bruus: “Supporting Ukraine means defending Europe; therefore, it is crucial not only to increase our military aid, but also to draw inspiration (sic!) and knowledge from the Ukrainian experience on how to optimize and use our industrial sectors for modern conflicts.”
Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine faces a “catastrophic funding gap. But we will find a solution to this problem.” Meanwhile, the destruction from airstrikes continues: Ukrainian railways have lost over 500 locomotives due to the bombing. The report highlights that more than 60% of these losses occurred in the last eight months. Furthermore, a senior executive of Metinvest — a company that, together with ArcelorMittal, produced 90% of Ukraine’s steel — told the Financial Times that both companies ‘ plants have now idled due to intense Russian attacks and that, effectively, Ukraine no longer has a steel industry.
From a military perspective, Ukraine has already successfully deployed a new interceptor drone against the jet-powered “Geran” drones; Zelenskyy has released the first images. At the Transcarpathian summit, the Ukrainian president also declared: “We still need 40 days to defeat Russia.”
Polling stations closed in Russia as voting to elect representatives to the State Duma has ended, the Kaliningrad region was the last to close its polls. Polls closed at around 8:00 PM (CET) on September 20. President Vladimir Putin cast his ballot electronically, along with 3.65 million Russians . Official figures will be available on September 25. Authorities reported large-scale hacker attacks against the capital’s electronic voting system and voter registry, and continued sabotage in some regions of Russia. At 4:00 PM (CET) on September 19, polls closed early in the DPR, LPR, Zaporizhia region, and eight regions of Siberia; Krasnoyarsk Krai and Altai Krai; Novosibirsk, Tomsk, and Kemerovo regions; and the republics of Altai, Khakassia, and Tuva. Voter turnout was 77.90% in Tuva and 68.75% in the Kemerovo region. “In the DPR, polling stations closed early due to the threat of drone strikes; preliminary turnout exceeded 81%. In the Zaporizhia region , voting in rural areas ended at 2:00 PM (Moscow time), while in cities it ended at 4:00 PM (Moscow time).” “The turnout for the State Duma elections exceeded the 2021 figure,” noted Ella Pamfilova, Chairwoman of the Central Election Commission (CEC). According to the first INSOMAR exit polls : United Russia — 52.8% ; KPRF — 14.8% ; LDPR — 9.9% ; New People — 8.6% ; Just Russia — 5.5% . The poll was conducted at 987 polling stations in 58 constituent entities of the Russian Federation.
returned from a visit to Turkey over the weekend , Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that Russia had requested data from Turkey on arms supplies to Ukraine . “The issue is well known; we have provided the Turkish side with all the necessary information. We await a response and clarifications.”
Vladimir Putin stated that “the Russian defense industry is continuously supplying the troops engaged in the Special Military Operation with the most required types of armaments and equipment.” “Since the beginning of the Special Military Operation, the production of ammunition and strike systems — including precision-guided munitions — has increased 22-fold; that of radar stations — by almost fivefold; and that of armored vehicles — by 2.5 times.”
“The threats, as we know, are not diminishing; NATO is expanding. Russia has no aggressive intentions towards Europe. We live in peace; otherwise we will have to respond – there is no other way.”
Peskov denied rumors that Russia was planning a covert mobilization of another 300,000 people by the end of the year. “No. There are no such plans,” he told the press . Rumors of such intentions appeared in a Bloomberg report citing a European security official. The Kremlin spokesman also stated: “The US sanctions law will not have a positive impact on bilateral relations or on the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis.”
“In response to the European Union’s 21st sanctions package, Moscow has significantly expanded the list of foreign nationals banned from entering Russia,” the Russian Foreign Ministry announced. “Any further initiative by the European Union to extend unilateral anti-Russian sanctions will continue to receive an appropriate response from us,” the ministry assured.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced intensifying attacks on military targets in Kiev, in response to an attempted attack on Moscow. Here are the key points of the ministry’s statement: “The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) attempted a massive attack using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and Flamingo missiles in an attempt to hinder the expression of the will of Russian citizens during the elections on September 19-20; All launched Flamingo missiles were destroyed by air defense systems as they approached civilian targets in the Moscow region; The attempt to launch a massive attack on Moscow failed ; the AFU did not reach their targets; [ … ] in the last 24 hours, 1,951 drones and 8 cruise missiles were shot down; one of the missiles fell in an uninhabited area.”
And now a look at the front line updated at 3:30 PM on September 21. The last 24 hours have been marked by a massive Ukrainian attack on Russia’s rear. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on September 20, 112 fixed-wing UAVs were intercepted and destroyed over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga, Kursk, Oryol-Tula regions , the Moscow region, Crimea, and the Black Sea. According to the ministry, a total of 1,951 Ukrainian UAVs and eight Flamingo cruise missiles were destroyed during the massive attack on September 19-20. In the Moscow region, injuries and casualties were reported, as well as damage to residential buildings and the Moscow oil refinery.
Russian armed forces continued long-range strikes on Ukrainian territory. The Ministry of Defense reported strikes on transport infrastructure, ammunition and military equipment depots, UAV production and storage facilities, and Ukrainian temporary deployment points in 146 areas. According to Ukrainian social media sources, on the morning of September 20, a UAV attack hit railway infrastructure in the Vinnytsia region. Fires were reported in three districts of the Kyiv region, affecting an industrial zone, a car repair shop, and a private residence. Attacks were also reported in Sumy.
On September 20, Ukrainian forces attacked civilian vehicles in the Bryansk region. Nine people were injured in UAV attacks in Starodub and its suburbs. According to regional authorities, 211 Ukrainian UAVs were destroyed over the region in the past 24 hours.
In the Chernihiv region, Russian forces say (September 20 report), “Russian troops launched a missile attack on a concentration of personnel and equipment of the 143rd Autonomous Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) near Semenivka.”
In the direction of Sumy, Russian forces report that Russian assault units have advanced in 16 sectors of Sumy District, covering a total distance of up to 700 meters over the past day. Aircraft, artillery, and drones have struck enemy positions and troop concentrations near Khotin, Kyyanytsya, Vakalivshchyna, Velyka Chernechchyna, and Yastrubyne. Small-arms fire is ongoing near Tovstodubove in Shostkyns’kyi District, while intense fighting is ongoing near Stepok in Krasnopillya District.
In the Kursk region, regional authorities reported the destruction of 159 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), 71 incidents of artillery shelling, and 16 explosive device attacks. At least five people were injured.
In the previous reporting period, 139 attacks were recorded in 14 districts in the Belgorod region. Seven civilians were injured. Regional authorities reported the destruction and neutralization of 299 drones.
In the Kharkiv sector , Russian forces reported on social media ongoing fighting in the northeast of the region and attempts by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) to break out of the encirclement of their units . Russian aviation and attack drones operated in the areas of Sosnivka, Sosnovyi Bir, and Prymorske. According to the group, the Ukrainian command redeployed units of the newly formed 167th Autonomous Mechanized Brigade from the Rivne region. No significant changes were recorded in the Lyptsi sector.
Vovčans’k sector , Russian units advanced 600 meters in the Pil’na and Novoaleksandrovka areas. The group reported “an attack against Ukrainian forces that were concentrating near Pidserednje for a breakthrough attempt. Many Ukrainian soldiers were killed and wounded.” In the Velykyi Burluk sector, Russian forces reported repelling three breakthrough attempts from outside the encirclement. Ukrainian units advanced from the Velykyi Burluk area in armored vehicles and pickup trucks, but were unable to reach the encircled forces.
On September 20, two civilians were killed and four others injured in Donetsk (DPR) by Ukrainian attacks.
In Luhansk, polling stations in Alchevsk and two polling commissions in Novoaidar district temporarily suspended operations on September 20 due to the threat of drone strikes. Activities resumed once the threat was over.
Fighting reported in Lyman. According to Ukrainian forces, Russian units launched nine attacks in the Liman district today.
High-intensity fighting continued in the Druzhkivka and Kostyantynivka areas. According to Ukrainian forces, 23 attacks by Russian units were recorded in the Kostyantynivka area during the day .
In the Dobropillya sector , classified by Ukrainian forces as part of the Pokrovsk direction , fighting has been reported. Overall, Ukrainian forces have reported 15 Russian strikes in this sector.
In the Kupyansk sector, according to Ukrainian data updated at 10:00 p.m., Russian forces launched five attacks in the direction of Podoly, Kivsharivka, Zapadne and Rad ‘ kivka.
Zaporizhia front, according to Ukrainian forces, Russian units each conducted one attack in the direction of Huljajpole and Orichiv, including the Charivne area.
Graziella Giangiulio
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