In the Kupyansk, Kramatorsk, and Pokrovsk directions, the occupiers are trying to infiltrate in small groups for accumulation and subsequent attack. Ukrainian soldiers are holding their positions, destroying the enemy with reconnaissance and strike UAVs and artillery.
After the celebration of Rosh Hashanah, there is a significant increase in passenger traffic leaving Ukraine. Over the past day, about 5,000 pilgrims crossed the border, which led to a load on the checkpoints in the Lviv region.
Two border guards were detained in Khmelnytskyi region for extorting $5,500 from a colleague from a combat unit for transferring him to a rear unit. They have been notified of suspicion of receiving undue benefits combined with extortion.
After celebrating Rosh Hashanah, thousands of Hasidic pilgrims are leaving Ukraine, which has led to an increase in passenger traffic at the borders with Moldova and Poland. Queues have formed at a number of checkpoints, and border guards have deployed additional patrols to speed up processing.
Andriy Demchenko, spokesman for the State Border Guard Service, stated that Russian troops left Belarus after joint exercises. However, the threat from this direction for Ukraine does not disappear, so the Defense Forces remain vigilant.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko visited Donetsk region, where she listened to reports on the operational situation and supply. She awarded servicemen of the National Guard, State Border Guard Service, National Police, and rescuers.
The SBI in Odesa region exposed a border guard who organized the illegal transfer of conscripts to unrecognized Transnistria. He transported men for money, providing instructions on the route. The law enforcement officer has been detained and notified of suspicion; the investigation is ongoing.
Ukrainian flags are appearing in the village of Oleksiivka, Sumy region, as Russian troops retreat. The remaining Russian soldiers are dug in without water or food.
Andriy Demchenko, spokesman for the State Border Guard Service, reported that no movement of Russian equipment or personnel is being recorded on the border with Belarus. Belarus continues to keep a small number of its units near the Ukrainian border.
In the Sumy direction, the activity of Russian infantry groups has significantly decreased. The enemy uses small assault groups only on a small section of the border, without using equipment.
As of the morning of September 20, over 23,000 pilgrims, including 3,500 children, have arrived in Uman to celebrate the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. The interdepartmental headquarters operates around the clock, and the inspected shelters can accommodate only 13,500 people.
On September 18, Ukraine repatriated the bodies of defenders who fell in the Kursk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia directions. Investigators will conduct examinations to identify the repatriated bodies.
During the celebration of the Jewish New Year in Uman, the sale of alcohol, pyrotechnics, knives, and pneumatic weapons is prohibited. Patrol officers monitor law and order around the clock, checking individuals and vehicles.
MFA spokesperson Heorhiy Tykhyi refuted Daily Mail's information that Iryna Zarutska's father could not go to her funeral in the USA. The MFA facilitated the visa acquisition, and the man is already in the USA to honor his daughter's memory.
The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine records the arrival of thousands of Hasidic pilgrims from September 22 to 24 to celebrate Rosh Hashanah in Uman. Border guards ensure controlled and safe border crossing for organized groups, of which about 7 thousand have already arrived.
Andriy Demchenko, spokesman for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, denied reports that the father of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian woman who died in the United States, was not allowed to leave Ukraine to attend his daughter's funeral. According to him, the father has already arrived in the United States, where he will be able to say goodbye to his daughter.
In the first eight months of 2025, over 25 million people crossed the Ukrainian border, which is 5% more than last year. Hundreds of attempts at illegal crossing are recorded, mostly in the Polish direction.
Russian troops failed in their attempts to break through the Ukrainian border in Sumy, Chernihiv, and Kharkiv regions. Daily shelling and attacks, including the use of drones, did not allow the enemy to advance deep into Ukrainian territory.
The joint Russian-Belarusian exercises "Zapad-2025" have concluded, with no direct threats to the Ukrainian border recorded. Andriy Demchenko, spokesman for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, announced the reduction of Russian military presence in Belarus.
Border guards and the National Police of Rivne region detained individuals who tried to smuggle a man into the EU and offered a bribe to a serviceman. The detention took place during the transfer of 4,000 US dollars, and the suspects have been notified of suspicion.
Former goalkeeper of Kyiv "Dynamo" and Donetsk "Shakhtar" Artur Rudko was detained while attempting to illegally cross the border. According to unofficial information, he is currently undergoing basic military training in one of the training centers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Crimean Prosecutor's Office, together with the SBU, police, and SBI, reported suspicions against more than 50 citizens who voluntarily sided with the occupiers during the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. Among the suspects are former Ukrainian judges, law enforcement officers, and top officials of the occupation administrations.
The Security Service of Ukraine will conduct large-scale inspections in Lviv from September 16 to 18, involving other law enforcement agencies. The purpose of the measures is to prevent sabotage and increase the safety of citizens in the context of Russian aggression.
SBGS spokesman Andriy Demchenko stated that Russia does not have sufficient capabilities for a repeated invasion from Belarus. However, provocations are possible, so it is necessary to be ready to "react in time" to such enemy actions.
After September 1, passenger traffic at the Ukrainian border slightly decreased. SBGS spokesman Andriy Demchenko reported a decrease in the number of crossings to 120,000 citizens per day.
The government approved an experimental project by the Ministry of Defense. Military personnel undergoing treatment abroad can now undergo military medical commission remotely.
The rules for military medical examination of the Armed Forces of Ukraine now apply to the SBU, Foreign Intelligence Service, State Border Guard Service, National Guard, and State Protection Department. The process of medical examinations has been simplified, including remotely, for military personnel undergoing treatment abroad.
Ukrainian border guards discovered a fossilized skeleton of a marine reptile, approximately 200 million years old, in the possession of a man transporting it from France. The find has been handed over for expert examination to determine its value.
Since the beginning of September 2025, schemes for evading mobilization have been uncovered, including illegal deregistration from military records and smuggling men abroad. Over 270 men of conscription age who tried to avoid mobilization have been identified.
Five border guards were detained in Lviv region for facilitating the illegal departure of men of conscription age. They ensured the crossing of the border for at least 80 people, without having the right to do so.
