The European Union is introducing a new automated Entry/Exit System (EES) for third-country nationals, including Ukraine, from October 12, 2025. This system involves the collection of biometric data and may increase processing time at the border.
The Cabinet of Ministers has allocated UAH 1 billion to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the State Border Guard Service's unmanned aerial systems unit "Phoenix". The funds will be used to purchase attack and reconnaissance drones, as well as necessary equipment.
Vehicle traffic is restricted at the "Starokozache" and "Mohyliv-Podilskyi" road checkpoints. Border crossing operations are temporarily suspended, which should be taken into account when planning trips.
The Security Service of Ukraine released an exclusive video of the prisoner exchange that took place on October 2. 185 servicemen and 20 civilians returned home, most of whom had been in captivity since 2022.
As part of the exchange between Russia and Ukraine, 185 military personnel and 20 civilians returned home. The youngest released is 26 years old, the oldest is 59 years old.
On October 2, Ukraine returned 185 defenders from Russian captivity, including defenders of Mariupol, Azovstal, and the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Among them are 183 privates and sergeants, two officers, and 20 civilians.
The SBI and the SBU exposed a border service inspector who organized the illegal transfer of people across the Ukrainian-Moldovan border. He planned to transfer two men for 9,000 US dollars.
After celebrating Rosh Hashanah, almost 40,000 Hasidic pilgrims left Ukraine. The largest flow was recorded on September 25, when about 25,000 people left the country.
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.
