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
- The European Union on September 9 described as "credible" information provided by allies suggesting Iran has supplied short-range ballistic missiles to Russia to help Moscow wage war in Ukraine and hinted at a "swift" response.
- The head of Ukraine's military administration in the capital said on September 9 that an overnight drone attack was Russia's fifth aerial assault on Kyiv this month.
- The UN human rights commissioner has condemned Russia's repeated attacks on Ukraine's energy facilities and said he feared for civilians there this winter.
- Ukrainian officials said a 16-year-old girl in the Dnipropetrovsk region town of Nikopol died in an overnight attack there that injured three others.
- Russian attacks overnight killed and wounded several Ukrainian civilians at various locations, Ukrainian officials reported on September 8, shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine was continuing “long-range solutions” aimed at forestalling Russian air strikes inside Ukraine.
- Romania and Latvia, both members of NATO, on September 8 accused Russia of violating their countries' airspace with military drones, escalating tensions between Moscow and the West.
- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for a renewed effort to bring peace to Ukraine, adding that he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had both agreed in recent talks on the need for a new peace conference that would include Russia.
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.
