Security · September 2026

On September 1, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian drones have effectively closed Russian airspace, threatening 'every airline' operating there. Meanwhile, Russia continued its aerial campaign against Ukraine, striking Kyiv for more than 12 hours and killing at least a dozen people in the sixth straight day of attacks, and hitting port export facilities in the Odesa region. Russia also targeted warehouses of three of Ukraine's largest retailers, Dnipro-M, VARUS, and Aurora. (ongoing coverage) Berlin has blamed Russia for an attack in Leipzig. Russia's air defenses destroyed 13 Ukrainian smart bombs and 1,050 UAVs over the past day, according to Russian reports. Ukraine's armed forces chief stressed domestic capabilities to strengthen electronic and cyber warfare. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia has advanced in the Donetsk region and surrounded some Ukrainian troops.