Highlights from Day 1,306 of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Published On September 22, 2025
Current updates as of Monday, September 22:
Military Engagements
- In a significant incident, a Ukrainian drone strike resulted in three fatalities and 16 injuries near Foros, located on the Crimean Peninsula, as reported by Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-appointed leader of Crimea.
- The Russian Ministry of Defence claimed the assault employed strike drones with high-explosive materials, occurring in a civilian area devoid of military installations.
- Conversely, two individuals lost their lives due to a drone strike targeting a gas station in Pervomaisk, situated in the Luhansk region of Ukraine, which is currently under Russian occupation, as conveyed by TASS.
- Anna Soroka, a human rights commissioner appointed by Moscow in Luhansk, accused Ukraine of intentionally targeting gas stations during a period marked by fuel scarcity, according to TASS.
- TASS further reported a fatality from a drone attack in Russia’s Belgorod region, alongside one civilian dead and three critically injured in a Ukrainian strike on Vasylivka, also in a Russian-occupied area of Zaporizhia.
- On Saturday evening, Ukraine’s General Staff announced that its forces targeted the Saratov Oil Refinery, inciting fires and explosions, while also attacking the Novokuibyshevsk Oil Refinery in Samara, where damage assessments are still underway.
Regional Security Developments
- Germany’s air force dispatched two Eurofighter jets to intercept a Russian reconnaissance aircraft that allegedly penetrated neutral airspace over the Baltic Sea.
- This episode follows recent incursions of Russian military aircraft or drones into the airspace of Estonia, Poland, and Romania.
- Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced an emergency UN Security Council session scheduled for Monday, addressing Russia’s blatant infringement of Estonian airspace.
- Additionally, two unnamed officials informed Reuters that a NATO North Atlantic Council meeting is set for Tuesday to discuss the latest airspace violations.
- When asked about potential support for EU nations amid rising tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump affirmed, “Yes, I would.”
Diplomatic Relations
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed plans for a meeting with Trump this week, coinciding with a notably busy diplomatic schedule linked to the UN General Assembly in New York.
- French President Emmanuel Macron stated that European nations are adhering to international law by utilizing funds from frozen Russian assets in European banks. However, he cautioned that confiscating assets from Russia’s central bank could lead to “total chaos,” responding to inquiries from CBS News.
- In response, Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, warned that confiscating Moscow’s frozen assets in Europe would not lead to chaos, but would provoke severe counteractions from Russia, as reported by RIA Novosti.
- Russian media outlet RBC disclosed that Russian Colonel General Alexander Lapin, who played a prominent role in the initial stage of the conflict, has been removed from military duty.