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.
The territories where this zone has been expanded are located 10 km from the front line and are under constant Russian shelling.
As a result of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, 1599 cultural heritage monuments and 2415 cultural infrastructure objects have been destroyed or damaged. The greatest losses were suffered by monuments in Kharkiv, Kherson, and Odesa regions.
In the occupied territories of Ukraine, Russians are switching pumping stations that supply water to boiler houses to draw it directly from reservoirs. This poses a threat to people's health and destroys equipment, which can lead to accidents.
The Ukrainian Defense Forces liberated Nove Shakhove and pushed back the enemy near Nykanorivka and Zoloty Kolodyaz in Donetsk region. The Russian army advanced near Novoivanivka and Poltavka in Zaporizhzhia region.
The occupation authorities have introduced a regional state of emergency in the occupied territory of Donetsk Oblast. This is due to the drought, which caused the death of agricultural crops in 10 districts.
Rivne police detained a 41-year-old native of Donetsk region who stole 4 chevrons, 2 soft toys, and 2 name stickers near a stand with a portrait of a fallen defender. An administrative protocol for petty theft has been drawn up against the woman.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expresses its strong protest against the autumn conscription for military service, which Russia is launching on October 1, 2025, particularly in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Forcing people to serve in the army of the occupying state is a war crime and will not go unpunished.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine to four citizens, including schoolboy Stepan Chubenko, killed by Russian militants in 2014. His killers are three militants of the "Kerch" battalion, one of whom, Vadym Pohodin, is still fighting against Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed decrees awarding the title of Hero of Ukraine to four citizens, including People's Deputy Andriy Parubiy. In total, since the beginning of the full-scale war, 722 soldiers have become Heroes of Ukraine, 445 of them posthumously.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the rank of major general to Hennadiy Shapovalov and Yevheniy Ostryanskyy. They are the Commander of the Ground Forces and the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
On Defenders' Day, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the title of hero cities to 16 cities. This took place in Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, and Khmelnytskyi regions.
The SBU detained two residents of Donetsk region who collaborated with Russian military intelligence, providing coordinates for attacks on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. They face life imprisonment for treason and disseminating information about the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine, more than 491,000 cases of missing weapons have been recorded, almost doubling in the last year. Mostly automatic rifles, hunting shotguns, and combat pistols are lost, most of which are foreign-made.
In temporarily occupied Crimea, for the first time since 1971, water has stopped flowing into the Belbek River, the most abundant river. The absence of flow has been observed since August 10, and in most small mudflow rivers - since the end of April.
Over the past day, 176 combat engagements were recorded at the front, almost a third of which occurred in the Pokrovsk direction. The enemy carried out 51 air strikes and 4463 shellings, using 5531 kamikaze drones.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is preparing an appeal to the headquarters of media outlets that participated in Russia's propaganda press tour to the occupied territories. Participants face legal consequences and a ban on entry to Ukraine.
Russia uses the network of "Russian Houses" abroad to promote propaganda. In particular, in Nicaragua, exhibitions and a film screening were organized about the occupation of Ukrainian territories, promoting the Kremlin's narratives about "fascism in Ukraine" and "positive changes" in Donbas. The Center for Countering Disinformation emphasizes: in this way, Moscow tries to justify aggression and create the illusion of "international recognition" of the occupation.
On September 27, a cold air mass will cover Ukraine, bringing rains, strong winds, and in some places night frosts. Western and northern regions will feel the autumn chill, while the south and east will retain relative warmth with precipitation.
Russian troops achieved partial territorial success in Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions. The occupiers advanced near Yampil, Berezove, Kalynivske, Olhivske, and Novoivanivka.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a military meeting where the situation at the front and the counter-offensive operation in the Dobropillia direction were discussed. 168.8 km² of territory has been liberated, and Russian losses amounted to almost 3,000 personnel.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that Russian troops are trying to penetrate deep into Dnipropetrovsk region in small groups to demonstrate their presence. However, they lack the forces for a large-scale offensive, and an attempt to break through in the Novopavlivka direction was thwarted.
As of mid-September 2025, 788,507 proceedings for non-payment of utility services have been recorded in Ukraine, which is 13% more than in July 2024. The largest debts are in the frontline regions, and the lion's share of arrears concerns heat supply and water.
Russian occupiers continue to kill their own servicemen who ask to retreat when they cannot hold their positions. The commander of a Russian army unit stated that if any of his subordinates flee from their position, they should be immediately shot.
Occupiers in Donetsk region faced a critical water shortage, but the Kremlin's only plan was to wait for autumn and winter precipitation. Only 15% of water reserves remained in the Starokrymske reservoir, while other reservoirs and wells are drying up.
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.
On September 24, Russian occupiers attacked Dnipropetrovsk region with missiles and drones. 1 person was killed, 10 were injured, residential buildings and enterprises were destroyed.
Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko awarded Denys "Redis" Prokopenko with the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 2nd class. Azov corps units liberated 8 settlements in Donetsk region, eliminating almost 4,000 occupiers.
Dmytro Lubinets reacted to the shooting of a family in Donetsk region by Russians, calling it a war crime and a crime against humanity. He sent official letters to the UN and the ICRC.
