Since tonight is the first night of Rosh HaShana, I’m just going to run through the basics.
Also, Happy Jew Year!
President Zelenskyy and First Lady Zelenska traveled to New York today for meetings at the UN.
Zelenskyy landed in New York 👀
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.
It Is Vital That This Week Strengthen the World’s Resolve for Robust Action – Address by the President
21 September 2025 – 21:01
I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!
We are now preparing for a very intense week – a week of diplomacy. We can accomplish a lot if our partners hear us and support proposals that truly bring the end of the war closer. It will be the week of the UN General Assembly – with various events and meetings. The schedule already includes nearly two dozen meetings with leaders from different countries, from all parts of the world – with everyone who has long supported Ukraine and those who are among our new partners. The first meetings are already tomorrow. We are also planning a meeting with the President of the United States this week. There will be an important event on the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia – a truly global summit on this issue. It is vital that this week strengthen the world’s resolve for robust action – for without strength, peace will not prevail.
The European Union has already agreed in principle on the 19th package of sanctions against Russia, and we expect its swift adoption. In recent weeks, other countries – from Japan and Australia to the United Kingdom – have also imposed sanctions. Pressure on Russia’s oil fleet, on Russia’s energy trade. Pressure on all of Russia’s sanction-evasion schemes – including through cryptocurrency. I thank Europe for this pressure. I am confident: there must be a step from the United States. Putin must believe that the United States does care, and that strong action will follow.
I want to thank both the United States and all our partners for the effectiveness of the PURL initiative – our new initiative that enables the purchase of American weapons using funds from NATO partners. This includes missiles for Patriot systems, for HIMARS, and other weaponry – all very effective. In October, we expect to provide additional funding for this initiative. We also have our first proposals for partners regarding the export of Ukrainian weapons – modern ones; this will be a controlled export of our weapons, including naval drones. The security of sea routes is an integral part of overall security, and it depends on many nations. Ukraine is offering all its reliable partners our technologies that have already helped us in the Black Sea. We look forward to robust contracts. We are also preparing new long-term steps for Ukraine’s financial stability – and this concerns, first and foremost, Russian assets. Russian assets must work more for defending against Russian aggression and for rebuilding our country. We will discuss this with our partners as well.
Today, there were already several reports from Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi: the border areas, the front, and our counteroffensive operation in the area of Dobropillia and Pokrovsk. I want to thank all our warriors, I want to thank every unit for their results and for the truly strong defense of our state and our independence. Next week must further strengthen both our diplomatic positions and our army – this is essential.
Glory to Ukraine!
Georgia:
For the 299th day in a row, Rustaveli Avenue is blocked. Protests continue in 8+ cities across Georgia.
Tomorrow, it’ll be the 300th day of our uninterrupted protests.
— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 1:11 PM
JUST IN: The Anti-Corruption Bureau has begun repressive proceedings against 30 more NGOs in Georgia, including an animal shelter.
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 3:55 AM
🟥 Founder of independent media outlets and prominent journalist, Mzia Amaglobeli, has been unjustly imprisoned for 254 days.
💢 She is the first journalist in #Georgia to be recognized as a prisoner of conscience since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
freemzia.com
#Journalismisnotacrime #FreeMzia— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) September 22, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Poland:
🇵🇱‼️ Sikorski: If another Russian missile or aircraft enters our airspace and gets shot down, don’t come here to whine. You have been warned.
— MAKS 25 👀🇺🇦 (@maks23.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 12:54 PM
🇵🇱 “We know that you disregard international law and cannot live in peace with your neighbors. Your extreme nationalism is a thirst for domination that will not end until you accept that the era of empires is over and yours will not return,” — Sikorski told the Russian representative at UN meeting.
— MAKS 25 👀🇺🇦 (@maks23.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 12:16 PM
“And every drone strike by the heroes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, may God bless them, brings this day closer,” he added.
Sikorski stressed that NATO countries will not be intimidated by Russia, and any escalation will have consequences for the aggressor.
— MAKS 25 👀🇺🇦 (@maks23.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Another indication this was deliberate, and not a “mistake.” Fascist Russia includes unarmed decoy drones in attacks, along with armed ones, to distract air defenses. It’s highly unlikely only unarmed drones would stray into Poland “by mistake.”
Plus they had extra fuel tanks.
— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Denmark:
Copenhagen International Airport in Denmark has been closed due to the presence of four large UAVs in its airspace, according to Reuters.
I wonder whose drones that might be?
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 4:11 PM
The US, Estonia, and NAT):
“Washington noticed ‘Estonianization’ of European foreign policy. Members of the Trump administration consider Baltic states dangerously aggressive in their stance toward Putin.
At a recent high-level Pentagon meeting, Baltic officials were accused of ‘ideologizing’ their opposition to Russia”
— Mira of Kyiv 🇺🇦 (@reshetz.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 5:38 PM
From The Financial Times:
How committed is Nato to the defence of the Baltic states? That was the question that Vladimir Putin was indirectly posing, when Russian fighter planes violated Estonian airspace last week.
Nato’s public position is unequivocal: the 32-country alliance will defend every inch of its territory. That commitment is on display at Estonia’s Tapa military base, near the Russian frontier. Tapa — which literally means “kill” in Estonian — was once the site of a Soviet air base. Now it is the main base for the Estonian army and a British-led Nato battle group.
Nato will discuss how to respond to the Estonian incursion later this week. There are some in the alliance who argue that, in future, Nato should shoot down Russian planes that violate alliance airspace. But others, particularly in the US, believe that would be a dangerous escalation.
Russia may gradually ramp up its provocations to test these latent divisions within Nato. One long-discussed scenario is the incursion of Russian ground troops into one of the Baltic states — perhaps on the pretext of defending ethnic Russians.
The Kremlin’s ultimate goal is to demonstrate that Nato’s Article Five mutual security guarantee is worthless. If the Russians could do that, then they might try to pick off smaller European states one-by-one — without ever having to take on the combined might of Nato.
Uncertainty about Washington’s response is the key to Moscow’s probing. The US provides about 40 per cent of Nato’s military assets in Europe and some of its most advanced capabilities. There are also American troops in the Baltic states. A Himars artillery unit recently conducted training at the Tapa base and a US tank company is expected to arrive soon.
But if the Russians ever staged a major incursion into Estonia or another Nato member, there are obvious questions about how Donald Trump would respond. As Gabrielius Landsbergis, a former foreign minister of Lithuania put it to me last week, “If there is an incursion and attack . . . what can Putin expect? The American Sixth Fleet coming into the Baltics or a call to meet in Alaska?”
Just beneath the surface, there is real tension between the Trump administration and its Baltic allies. In Washington, I have heard complaints about the “Estonianisation” of European foreign policy — a reference to the fact that Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, is Estonia’s former prime minister. In parts of the Trump administration, the Balts are regarded as dangerously aggressive in their attitude to Putin. At a recent high-level Pentagon meeting, Baltic officials were accused of being “ideological” in their opposition to Russia.
The suspicion between the Balts and the US is mutual. In the corridors of the Estonian foreign ministry last week — just outside the offices of the most senior officials — I saw a large reproduction of the vote tally from last February’s UN debate on Ukraine, in which the US voted with the Russians. The message seemed clear. Don’t assume that Trump’s America is on our side.
More at the link.
There’s a widespread misconception in Western society that repelling Russian provocations would lead to war. It’s a narrative fueled by Russian propaganda. In reality, the opposite is true: Russia will continue escalating its aggression and provocations until it is stopped.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 1:45 PM
The US:
The White House has announced a meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump on September 23.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Back to Ukraine.
🫡🇺🇦 We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills! We shall never surrender!
— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Russian sources confirm that at least 6 899 Russian officers were wiped out by the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 24 February 2022.
12 day update: +73 names.— KIU • Russian Officers killed in Ukraine (@killedinukraine.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Russian Gerbera drone with two rear-facing cameras. The Russians are actively seeking ways to protect their Gerbera/Shahed drones from interceptors. The cameras were likely designed to detect an approaching drone and signal Gerbera to perform an evasive maneuver. In this case, it didn’t work.
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Air strike by Su-27 with two GBU62 on the Russian base. t.me/soniah_hub/1…
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Combat work of the British Raven air defence system in Ukraine
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 7:36 AM
💥Interception of the Russian Forpost UAV armed with two KAB-20 bombs by the 95th Brigade of Ukraine
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Fighters of the 5th Assault Brigade struck two Russian guns and a self-propelled artillery system.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Footage of a “Shahed” being shot down with a 20 mm Vulcan cannon from a Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 12:51 PM
A firefighter managed to capture the strike of a Geran-3 loitering munition on an oil depot just meters away from him. One of the firefighters nearly drowned after jumping into the water in an attempt to hide from the strike.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 5:07 AM
Zaporizhzhia:
Zaporizhzhia💔 russia launched massive airstrikes on the city, destroying homes and killing three civilians beneath the rubble.
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 1:30 AM
Nothing to see here, just a Russian glide bomb that failed to detonate in the middle of a peaceful Ukrainian city.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 6:39 AM
Police released footage showing the first minutes after Russia’s overnight attack on Zaporizhzhia.
Residential areas of the city came under fire. Three people are reported dead and two have been injured.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 8:32 AM
In the early hours of September 23, Russia launched a large-scale attack on Zaporizhzhia using guided aerial bombs.
One of the strikes hit a private residential property, destroying the home and damaging nearby buildings with the blast wave. A fire broke out at the site.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Emergency crews are extinguishing the flames and conducting search-and-rescue operations. Preliminary reports suggest that someone may be trapped beneath the rubble.
The number of casualties is still being clarified.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Kupyansk:
In early September 2025, Russian soldiers opened fire on a 74-year-old man who was riding his bicycle in Kupyansk.
The man sustained a gunshot wound to his leg. He managed to hide in a patch of reeds and was evacuated the next day by Ukrainian soldiers to Kharkiv.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Doctors successfully removed a Kalashnikov rifle bullet from his leg.
The Prosecutor’s Office is investigating the incident as a war crime.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Russian occupied Crimea:
Here’s objective evidence of Ukraine’s HUR hitting a Russian helicopter in Crimea.
’Tis but a scratch… it’ll buff right out. 😏
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 8:05 AM
For the first time “Prymary” unit targeted two Russian Be-12 military amphibious aircraft in Crimea on September 21, 2025.
Russia regularly uses Be-12s to patrol the Black Sea and to detect Ukrainian naval drones.
During the same raid, the unit also struck a Russian Mi-8 helicopter.
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 3:29 AM
⚡️Ukrainian drones strike resort in occupied Crimea near Russian state dachas, Kremlin proxy says.
A source reportedly told the Crimean Wind Telegram channel that “very important guests” were staying at the Foros resort at the time of the attack. The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) September 21, 2025 at 4:56 PM
From The Kyiv Independent:
Editor’s Note: This is a developing story.
Ukrainian drones struck the Foros resort in Russian-occupied Crimea the evening of Sept. 21, causing damage and casualties, according to Sergey Aksyonov, head of the illegal occupation government.
Foros is a resort town on the southernmost coast of the Crimean peninsula. The alleged target, the Foros Sanatorium, is a luxury resort located near four Russian state dachas — country homes of Russia’s political elite.
Aksyonov claimed that “several facilities” at the resort were damaged in the attack and that a nearby village school also sustained damage. Debris from downed drones caused a grass fire near the city of Yalta.
The strike killed three people and injured 16, Aksyonov claimed.
The attack was carried out at 7:30 p.m. Moscow time “using drones armed with high-explosive warheads,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.
A source reportedly told the Crimean Wind Telegram channel that “very important guests” were staying at the resort. According to the Foros resort website, the facility’s restaurant was closed for special service on Sept. 21.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims at the time of publication.
The Foros resort was purchased in 2016 by the Federation of Trade Unions of Tatarstan with financial backing from Russian businesses, including the oil company Tatneft. The Federation is likely an intermediary to protect the real owners from international sanctions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly vacationed multiple times at the Foros resort, which is reported to be linked to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).
Russia has illegally occupied Crimea since 2014, transforming the peninsula into a heavily militarized stronghold to support its war against Ukraine.
Ukrainian forces have repeatedly targeted the peninsula with missiles and drones since the outbreak of the full-scale war in 2022. Most recently, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) destroyed three Russian Mi-8 helicopters and a radar station in occupied Crimea.
I’ve seen some unconfirmed reporting that the strike also killed the collaborationist quisling “governor” of Russian occupied Kherson.
Kherson:
Breaking‼️ UN commission on russian ‘human safari’ in Kherson:
“Russian armed forces have been carrying out attacks from positions on the left bank of the Dnipro River with drones that allow real time observation and tracking of targets.
www.ohchr.org/en/statement…— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 7:35 AM
They pursued victims with drones and dropped explosives on them, causing deaths and injuries. Drones have also struck ambulances and other emergency services, preventing them from reaching the victims.”
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 7:35 AM
From the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
Distinguished President,
Excellencies,
On behalf of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, I am pleased to provide an oral update on the investigations during its fourth mandate.
The armed conflict in Ukraine continues to have a devastating impact on the civilian population. Attacks with explosive weapons in populated areas remain the leading cause of casualties among civilians. Earlier this month, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that total casualties increased by 40 per cent in the first eight months of this year, compared to 2024. The Commission is deeply concerned by the continuing civilian casualties due to relentless attacks with long-range weapons that have intensified throughout the country. It is also alarmed at the escalation in attacks against civilians with short-range drones in front-line areas.
In its May 2025 conference room paper, the Commission documented widespread and systematic attacks with short-range drones by Russian armed forces targeting civilians in Kherson Province. We concluded that these acts have been committed pursuant to a coordinated state policy and amount to crimes against humanity of murder, as well as war crimes of attacking civilians. The Commission also determined that these crimes had the primary purpose of spreading terror among the population, in violation of international humanitarian law.
Russian armed forces have been carrying out attacks from positions on the left bank of the Dnipro River with drones that allow real time observation and tracking of targets. They pursued victims with drones and dropped explosives on them, causing deaths and injuries. Drones have also struck ambulances and other emergency services, preventing them from reaching the victims.
Telegram channels run by the perpetrating units of the Russian armed forces themselves or by persons close to them have disseminated hundreds of videos of civilians being killed or injured, which amounts to the war crime of outrages upon dignity. They have posted threatening texts announcing further attacks and exhorting the population to leave.
As regards allegations made by Russian authorities of drone attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces, the Commission has been unable to conclude its investigation due to lack of access to the territory, concerns relating to the safety of witnesses, and in the absence of response to our questions addressed to the Russian Federation.
Distinguished President,
Excellencies,
The Commission’s current investigations demonstrate that drone units of Russian armed forces have carried out attacks on civilians and civilian objects not only in Kherson Province, but also in Dnipropetrovsk and Mykolaiv Provinces. The evidence now confirms that the targeted localities span over 300 kilometres on the right bank of the Dnipro River, which is under Ukrainian Government control. In addition to attacking civilians while walking or using transport, Russian armed forces have targeted a wide array of civilian objects, including residences, critical infrastructure, and other buildings. Drones have been directed also against first responders, ambulances and fire engines bearing distinctive marks, preventing them from intervening after the attacks.
The circumstances of the attacks show the perpetrators’ intention to kill, harm and destroy.
As a result, whole localities suffered damage and destruction and became unliveable; essential services and shops have been unable to operate. A woman from a frequently targeted locality stated, “Drones chase us, we hide from them. Drones sit on the rooftops, and if they see something, there will be consequences.” The terror instilled in the population has compelled thousands to flee. In the Commission’s view, the conduct of the Russian armed forces may amount to the crime against humanity of forcible transfer of population. The Commission will return to this point in its upcoming report to the General Assembly.
Turning to another topic, the Commission is currently investigating a pattern of deportations and transfers of adult civilians from the areas of Zaporizhzhia Province that are under Russian control.
The investigations on drone attacks and deportations reveal coordinated and organized efforts by the Russian authorities to further capture territory, as well as to consolidate their grip over areas they already control in Ukraine, while compelling local populations to leave.
Distinguished President,
Excellencies,
The violations and corresponding crimes documented have inflicted unspeakable suffering and hardship on the affected populations. Recurrent attacks have gradually destroyed entire localities. Many of the victims suffer from the loss of loved ones or of their homes and livelihoods and feel that they have “lost everything”. Close to the frontlines, older persons have been particularly affected, as many are unable to flee, making them vulnerable to risks of attacks.
It bears reiteration that during armed conflicts, it is imperative for States to respect the obligations to protect civilians, given the heightened risks to which they are exposed. A report from 2024 notes that there were 580 victims of landmines and explosive remnants of war in Ukraine in 2023, placing it as the country with the fourth highest number of casualties recorded in that year. The Russian Federation has never been a party to the landmine convention. Recently, Ukraine and five other European countries decided to withdraw from this treaty.
The Commission reiterates the importance of judicial and non-judicial accountability, as one of the means to fulfil the rights of the victims. Avoiding impunity and holding perpetrators to account is key to securing sustainable peace.
Thank you.
Kharkiv:
This is also Kharkiv.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Sumy:
In the Sumy region, the Russian army once again attacked firefighters today, likely using a fiber-optic FPV drone.
Thankfully, no one was injured, but the firefighters’ vehicle was destroyed.
Attacking resquers is a war crime.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Kostiantynivka:
Fighters of Ukraine’s 12th NGU Brigade “Azov” spotted a tank and two IFVs advancing to assault near Yablunivka, Kostiantynivka sector. Together with adjacent units, they repelled the attack, destroying the tank and one IFV, damaging another, and eliminating enemy personnel.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 6:25 AM
Russian occupied Mariupol:
The Mariupol resistance reports that in the morning, a whole KAMAZ truck full of wounded Russians was brought to a hospital in Mariupol. They are severely wounded. Being “unloaded” (literally). They came from the Zaporizhzhia direction. The exact location will be known a bit later.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 5:26 AM
Donetsk Oblast:
On August 29, 2025, Ukraine’s Joint Forces “Dnipro” struck a Russian drone logistics hub, destroying vast UAV and ammo stockpiles. Over 19,000 drones and supplies meant for the 17th Tank Regiment near Bohdanivka and forces in Donetsk were eliminated.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 4:15 AM
Moscow, Russia:
Moscow region is reportedly under unknown drones attack 👀
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Moscow is literally “encircled” by Ukrainian drones. Russia has closed the airspace over its capital. Airports have implemented the “Kover” (Carpet) plan.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 22, 2025 at 1:03 PM
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
There are no new Patron skeets or videos today. Here is some adjacent material.
Molly is a young raccoon that became not only a brigade’s mascot, but also their honorary sergeant, friend and biggest source of joy🦝
Ukraine’s defenders are known for both their bravery on the battlefield and tenderness for animals. Like Molly🧵
— UNITED24 (@u24.gov.ua) September 20, 2025 at 1:12 PM
— UNITED24 (@u24.gov.ua) September 20, 2025 at 1:12 PM
— UNITED24 (@u24.gov.ua) September 20, 2025 at 1:12 PM
— UNITED24 (@u24.gov.ua) September 20, 2025 at 1:12 PM
— UNITED24 (@u24.gov.ua) September 20, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Open thread!
War for Ukraine Day 1,306: A Brief Monday Night UpdatePost + Comments (15)
