| | Russia's war against Ukraine |
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| | The Church of St. Nicholas is pictured from the damaged Amstor shopping center in Zaporizhzhia on Sept. 18, 2026. Firefighters extinguished a blaze at the shopping center that covered more than 10,000 square metres following repeated Russian strikes. (Dmytro Smolienko/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images) |
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| Russia pulls elite drone unit from northern Donetsk Oblast after losses from Operation Vivaldi, Ukraine's military says. "Most specialized drone units in the area suffered significant losses among qualified personnel and material and technical resources," the 3rd Army Corps said.
European countries bolster defenses as officials warn of growing Russian hybrid threat. Despite the growing warnings, NATO has not said that a Russian military attack on an alliance member is imminent.
Suspected drone activity halts flights at Luxembourg airport. According to the Luxembourg airport, flight operations were halted as a precautionary safety measure after unauthorized, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) were detected around and over the airport.
Trump signs sweeping Russia sanctions bill into law. Among its provisions, the law requires the president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries that continue buying Russian crude oil or natural gas and were among the five largest importers of Russian energy by volume over the previous 12 months.
Ukrainian National Guard creates recruitment center for foreign volunteers, Ukrainian Prime Minister announces. The Ukrainian National Guard includes some of Ukraine's most effective military units.
Russia increasingly using repurposed S-400 training missiles to bombard Ukraine, Reuters reports. The RM48U is significantly less accurate than a purpose-built ballistic missile.
Russia begins 3-day legislative elections as Kremlin seeks to project support for war. Russia on Sept. 18 began its three-day elections for the 450-member State Duma, the lower chamber of Russia's legislature, for the first time since the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine.
As elections get underway, Russia closes Sochi polling stations over drone threat. "Exhaustive security measures have been taken at polling stations in Sochi," said the city's mayor, Andrey Propushin. |
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| | | | Ukraine war latest: Elite Russian drone unit pulls back from northern Donetsk Oblast amid Ukrainian offensive
Russia pulled units of its elite unmanned systems formation Rubicon from the front line in northern Donetsk Oblast after suffering heavy losses during Ukraine's ongoing Operation Vivaldi offensive, Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps said on Sept. 18.
Photo: Polina Kulish/Gwara Media/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images |
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| | Exclusive: Ukraine, Russia are done with Steve Witkoff. Trump sees no problem
Kyiv and Moscow are growing increasingly frustrated with the U.S.-mediated peace process — and with Washington's Envoy Steve Witkoff, people familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent.
Photo: Andriy Zhyhaylo / Oboz.ua / Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images |
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| | Inside Russia's 2026 parliamentary election: Banned opposition, rigging, and war
A parliamentary election kicked off in Russia on Sept. 18 in what is expected to be a rubber-stamp ritual intended to legitimize President Vladimir Putin's rule.
Photo: Contributor/Getty Images |
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| | As Russia targets Ukraine’s economy, keeping businesses alive takes priority
Companies are calling for more support as equipment is destroyed, stocks are turned to ash, and lives are lost.
Photo: Vladyslav Musiienko / AFP via Getty Images |
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| | | Deadly strike on industrial zone in Zhytomyr as Russian attacks kill 6, injure 34 over past day. The strike occured in the evening of Sept. 17 near the city of Korosten, oblast governor Vitaliy Buchenko said on Telegram.
Russian attack on Sumy kills 2, injures 8 as guided aerial bombs hit apartment building. A 13-year-old girl was among those injured, Sumy Oblast Governor Oleh Hryhorov said. Three of the injured are in serious condition and are receiving medical treatment.
'Abhorrent acts' - Russian forces committed widespread sexual violence in Ukraine since full-scale invasion, UN reports. Russian forces are responsible for the vast majority of sexual violence in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) announced in a new report. |
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| | | Zelensky downplays rift as Hungary renews EU accession blockade over minority rights. Hungary again began blocking Ukraine's EU accession clusters, asking Kyiv to first implement earlier agreements addressing the rights of Ukraine's Hungarian minority.
Zelensky hosts European leaders at inaugural Carpathian 8 Summit. President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sept. 18 welcomed European leaders to the Carpathian 8 Summit, the inaugural event for a forum of eight countries across the Carpathian region.
Canada in talks to join EU's Ukraine loan, but it still needs to donate to Kyiv, Brussels says. Even if Canada helps the EU with its loan to Ukraine, it still needs to follow Norway's lead and provide direct financial support to Ukraine, said European Commission spokesperson Balazs Ujvari.
Slovakia doesn't want war 'because of some Article 5,' Prime Minister Fico says. Speaking before his visit to Ukraine, the Slovak leader said that the Russia-Ukraine war is "out of control," and that the risk of a Europe-wide conflict has never been as serious as it is now.
Putin envoy Dmitriev, AfD prepare meeting on restarting Russian gas supplies to Germany, Reuters reports. Kremlin economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev and the leadership of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party are preparing to meet as early as March, Reuters reported, citing undisclosed sources.
Trump says son reimbursed Russian oligarch who funded wedding celebrations. "When I heard the story, I asked him, and he said, 'I'm paying him back, Dad,'" Trump told reporters on Sept. 18. |
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You've made it this far, which means you care.
Millions read the Kyiv Independent, but only one in 1,000 supports us financially. One membership might not seem like much, but to us, it makes a real difference. |
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| | | | | Editorial: The world must force Russia to end mass starvation in occupied Oleshky
Some 6,000 people — 200 of them children — are right now starving to death in a humanitarian catastrophe orchestrated by Vladimir Putin's Russia.
Photo: Kherson Oleshky / Telegram |
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| | How a dissident poet became Ukraine’s moral compass
One of the most prolific figures in Ukrainian literature, Vasyl Stus' commitment to democracy and human rights cost Stus years of his life behind bars and in exile.
Photo: Collage by Anastasiia Starko / the Kyiv Independent |
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| | Ukraine needs a prosecutor general chosen for merit, not loyalty
The alleged escape of the former Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko from Ukraine amid the fallout from the "Carthage" anti-corruption operation has made it impossible to postpone the question: how should Ukraine choose the person to lead its prosecution service?
Photo: Andrii Nesterenko / Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images |
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| | Fact check: Zelensky's former press secretary says she speaks for Ukrainians. Her claims tell a different story
Since her controversial appearance on U.S. podcaster Tucker Carlson's show in May, Zelensky's former press secretary has been increasingly accused of echoing Kremlin narratives, dressed up as a persecuted call for peace.
Photo: Sergii Kharchenko / NurPhoto via Getty Images |
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| | | Kyiv Independent is now on WhatsApp. The Kyiv Independent has launched an official WhatsApp channel, where readers can follow the latest news and reporting from Ukraine.
Lviv mayor says suspected bug found in his car. If confirmed, it would be the second listening device found by Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi, after the previous one was discovered last year.
Award-winning director Andrey Zvyagintsev labeled 'foreign agent' by Kremlin. Zvyagintsev, one of Russia's most famous contemporary film directors, has lived in exile since 2022. His latest film "Minotaur" has been praised as an anti-war film. |
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| | | Meet the Kyiv Independent in London
Join editor-in-chief Olga Rudenko, CEO Daryna Shevchenko, Francis Farrell, and other team members for an evening of live storytelling in London at Kings Place on Oct. 2. |
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| Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Oleg Sukhov, Francis Farrell, Dominic Culverwell, Kate Tsurkan, Jimmy Rushton, Oleksiy Sorokin, Tim Zadorozhnyy, Martin Fornusek, Chris York, Olena Goncharova, Dmytro Basmat, and Lachlan Hyatt.
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