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.
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.
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 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 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.
According to Ukrainian partisans, Russian commanders are concealing the real losses of personnel.
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.
"ATESH" agents detected and transmitted the coordinates of the mobile control complex P-260T "Redut-2US" in the Zaporizhzhia direction, after which it was successfully destroyed by the Ukrainian defense forces. The destruction of the system paralyzed the coordination of Russian units and reduced their operational effectiveness.
Russian troops launched 553 strikes on 14 settlements in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Aviation strikes, drone attacks, and artillery shelling were recorded, damaging residential buildings and infrastructure.
Russian occupiers in the Zaporizhzhia direction are forced to pay at least 10,000 rubles to save their own lives. A mandatory levy has been introduced in the 70th Motorized Rifle Regiment, and those who refuse are sent to assault or beaten.
Russian troops carried out 696 attacks on Zaporizhzhia region, injuring 49 civilians. Two missile strikes, 10 air attacks, and 496 UAV attacks were recorded.
As a result of 727 attacks by the occupiers on 14 settlements in Zaporizhzhia region, eight people were injured. Two missiles hit Zaporizhzhia, and seven airstrikes and 526 UAV strikes were also recorded.
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.
The fuel crisis is worsening in the occupied territories of Ukraine, with gas stations often running out of fuel. The worst situation is observed in Crimea, while Zaporizhzhia has the fewest problems.
Russian troops achieved partial territorial success in Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions. The occupiers advanced near Yampil, Berezove, Kalynivske, Olhivske, and Novoivanivka.
In the occupied left-bank Kherson region, children from an art school were forced to draw portraits of a Russian soldier. The occupier was present at the lesson and spoke about his participation in the war against Ukraine.
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.
Russians are politicizing children's sports in the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, turning sections and clubs into platforms for propaganda. In Enerhodar, Berdiansk, and Melitopol, the occupiers are forcing coaches to "raise patriots of Russia."
A fraudulent call center that defrauded citizens of Kazakhstan out of over UAH 5. 3 million was exposed in Chernivtsi. The organizer and some participants have been detained, and an investigation is underway regarding 300 other victims for an amount exceeding UAH 70 million.
Cyber specialists of the Main Intelligence Directorate once again gained full access to all computers and servers of the occupation authorities in Crimea. Over 100 TB of intelligence data was obtained, including official correspondence and information about the abduction of Ukrainian children.
In Zaporizhzhia region, particularly in Zaporizhzhia, explosions were heard amid an air raid alert. The head of the Regional Military Administration, Ivan Fedorov, reported three explosions in one district of the city and the threat of enemy drones and ballistic missiles.
On September 22, the Russian army carried out 576 strikes on 11 settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region, resulting in one death. 203 reports of damage to residential buildings and infrastructure were recorded.
Explosions are heard in Zaporizhzhia region and the city due to enemy attack UAVs and guided aerial bombs. Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration Ivan Fedorov reported repeated explosions, particularly in the Zavodskyi district of Zaporizhzhia.
A Russian military intelligence agent has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for adjusting strikes on the Zaporizhzhia region. He provided the occupiers with the locations of civilian buildings and critical infrastructure facilities, which led to civilian deaths and destruction.
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine stated that the conduct of the Russian armed forces can be classified as a crime against humanity in the form of forced displacement of the population. The Commission also found that drone attacks in the Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, and Mykolaiv regions are widespread and systematic, which qualifies as crimes against humanity in the form of murder.
