A fire burns on the outskirts of Kyiv after Russian missile and drone strikes, September 28, 2025

Saturday’s Coverage: “Massive” Russian Missile and Drone Attacks Murder 4+, Injure 75+

UPDATE 1655 GMT:

Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets has said of the Kremlin’s withdrawal from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture (see 1244 GMT), “The path Russia has chosen is that of a repressive, murderous state. Its denunciation of the Convention only confirms that torture and inhuman treatment are systemic practices of the Kremlin.”

UPDATE 1643 GMT:

The Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is disconnected from the electricity grid for a sixth day, following Russia’s shelling in the area.

Greenpeace Ukraine confirmed the ongoing loss of power, needed for cooling and safety systems. Sean Burney, a Greenpeace nuclear energy expert, said the outage was “the longest by far loss of power to the plant since the criminal Russian attack and occupation in 2022”.

He said, “There is no justification for Russian engineers to fail to repair the damage to the grid line, and this must be done immediately.”

Emergency generators are supplying the plant, Europe’s largest with six reactors.

UPDATE 1413 GMT:

Germany will provide Ukraine with two more Patriot air defense systems by the end of 2025, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed at the Warsaw Security Forum.

Pistorius said the systems will be delivered with the support of Norwegian partners, on top of three that Germany has already provided.

“Russia’s recent attack with more than 580 drones and over 40 missiles have once again underlined the importance of strengthening Ukraine’s air defense,” he said.

UPDATE 1244 GMT:

Vladimir Putin has signed a law denouncing the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture.

Russia’s parliament voted to leave the treaty, which Moscow ratified in 1998. The step was framed as a response to the Council of Europe refusing to seat a Russian representative on a committee that oversees the Convention.

UPDATE 1221 GMT:

Moldovan President Maia Sandu has said of the outcome of the Parliamentary election, in which her ruling party retained a majority despite Russia interference:

The election results are a victory for the country, not for one party.

I’m glad that our path to the EU is guaranteed….I really wanted Moldovans to decide for Moldova. I want Moldova to be a free and democratic country.

UPDATE 1213 GMT:

Ukraine’s General Staff have confirmed a strike on an electrical components factory (see 0643 GMT) in the Bryansk region in western Russia.

The strike was carried out with Neptune cruise missiles, confirmed Ukrainian Navy Commander Oleksii Neizhpapa.

The attack set off explosions and a fire. Damage is being assessed.

The Elektrodetal factory produces a range of electrical connectors for military and industrial use in sectors such as aerospace, electronics, and instrumentation.

UPDATE 0937 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned of Russia’s “hybrid warfare” across Europe.

He told the Warsaw Security Forum that Russian drone and fighter jet incursions into Poland and Estonia are “a test not only for Poland, but for all of NATO”.

He said Russia has used tanker ships in the Baltic Sea to “launch drones that caused major disruption in northern Europe”:

This is de facto Russia’s military activity against European countries. So Europe has the right to close straits and sea roads to protect itself.

Russia is testing how far it can go. It wants to shift attention away from the brutal war in countries against Ukraine.

He emphasized the importance of Ukraine joining the European Union. Implicitly chiding Hungary, whose Putin-allied Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is holding up the process, Zelensky said:

We are doing everything required, and it is important that Ukraine’s accession is not delayed by the national politics of this or that countries.

This is not about what we have already gone through in history. It is about what we all must avoid, and what we must avoid is any dependence on Russia.

UPDATE 0859 GMT:

Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has paid tribute to Moldova after its Parliamentary election: “The idea of Europe won, the idea of normal and stable national development. Russia’s subversive influence will not spread further into Europe.”

European leaders congratulated the Moldovan Government and looked forward to integration. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted:

French President Emmanuel Macron wrote, “Despite interference and pressure, the will of the Moldovan people has prevailed. France stands with Moldova in its pursuit of European aspirations and towards freedom and sovereignty.”

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk commented:

European Council President António Costa declared:

The people of Moldova have spoken and their message is loud and clear. They chose democracy, reform, and a European future, in the face of pressure and interference from Russia. The EU stands with Moldova. Every step of the way.

UPDATE 0723 GMT:

At least three civilians have been killed and at least 76 injured by Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day.

In the Kharkiv region in the northeast, two men aged 79 and 44 were killed.

In the Dnipropetrovsk region in south-central Ukraine, a woman was murdered by a drone strike.

Casualties were reported in the Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Sumy, and Kherson regions.

UPDATE 0643 GMT:

Ukrainian drones have set afire an electrical components plant in Karachev in the Bryansk region in western Russia.

The plant produces components for Russia’s military as well as commercial customers. It is located around 115 km (72 miles) from the border.

Russian Telegram channels reports that Ukrainian HIMARS rockets struck a thermal power plant near the city of Belgorod on Sunday.

Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov confirmed damage to critical infrastructure and “significant power outages”.

UPDATE 0626 GMT:

Moldova’s ruling party has won a majority in Parliamentary elections, in an effective referendum on whether the country will move towards integration into the European Union or towards the Kremlin.

Despite Russian interference, the party of President Maia Sandu won 55 of 101 seats with 50.06% of the vote.

A pro-Russian bloc was a distant second with 26 seats on 24% of the ballots.

Molodovan authorities said Russia pursued bribery, disinformation, and provision of hundreds of millions of dollars to parties and voters to get a pro-Kremlin majority. On the eve of the vote, it banned two parties in the pro-Russian bloc.

Threats were reported at polling stations in Moldova, Belgium, Italy, Romania, Spain, and the US, trying to deter voters. The final rate of participation was more than 50%, higher than in recent ballots.

President Maia Sandu said, “Let’s show the world that the Republic of Moldova is not only a small country with a big heart, but also a country of dignified people, people who do not sell their country. Let’s not allow thieves and traitors to sell our future.”

Last year Moldovans defied the Russian interference to deliver a majority vote endorsing the pursuit of EU membership.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned Moscow’s murderous attacks, hours after Russia fired 595 drones and 48 missiles, killing at least four civilians and wounding at least 93.

The Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia regions were especially hard-hit. Among the slain was a 12-year-old girl.

Zelensky said in his nightly address to the nation:

During these weeks, while the UN General Assembly was taking place, Russia literally used every day, every hour to strike Ukraine. Treacherous strikes….

They have spurned all genuine peace proposals and deserve truly tough pressure. This week we expect decisions from Europe on such pressure – at the very least, a new sanctions package, the 19th. It is especially important that sanctions hit painfully at Russia’s energy trade and the entire infrastructure of its tanker fleet.

The President also called for the Baltic Sea and other waterways to be closed to Russia’s “shadow fleet”, accusing the Kremlin of using the tankers to launch and operate drones against European countries.

He said Kyiv counts on “strong steps” from the US: “We discussed with President Trump what could truly push Russia to change its position and stop the war.”

US Moves Towards Support of Ukraine Long-Range Strikes Inside Russia

The Trump Administration indicated on Sunday that it will support long-range Ukrainian strikes inside Russia, as Kyiv’s drones inflict serious damage on Russian oil refineries, gas pipelines, and other facilities supporting the 44-month full-scale invasion.

Asked if Donald Trump would endorse the attacks, the US envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said on Sunday, “The answer is yes, use the ability to hit deep, there are no such things as sanctuaries.”

The constant information which he gets, which is really good, from the intelligence services and Secretary of State shows him that Russia is not winning this war.

Kellogg said the strikes are an area where Ukraine can “much more aggressively challenge Russia”.

Vice President J.D. Vance said the US is “looking at” the provision of Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv. The delivery would be via the new program in which Washington sells arms to NATO countries, who then transfer them to Ukraine.

He noted that the Kremlin continues to refuse negotiations to end its invasion.

Vance has shifted his position since last month, when he insisted that Vladimir Putin was not “misleading” Trump over the talks.

Kellogg said a final decision has not been made on delivery of the Tomahawks via sale to NATO members.