Friday, September 27

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, meets with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 26, 2024 (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Zelensky meets with Biden in Washington, presents ‘victory plan.’ President Volodymyr Zelensky met with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 26. The two held talks “to discuss U.S. support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression,” the White House said in a statement. Zelensky also presented Biden with his much-discussed victory plan.

Biden to convene Ramstein leader-level meeting in October. U.S. President Joe Biden will convene a leader-level meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Germany in October “to coordinate the efforts of the more than 50 countries supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression,” he announced on Sept. 26.

Trump says he will meet with Zelensky at Trump Tower in New York on Sept. 27.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said on Sept. 26 that he would meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky at Trump Tower in New York City on Sept. 27. The previous day, the AP reported, citing sources from Trump’s campaign, that there was no meeting planned between the two.

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Ukraine’s 72nd Brigade releases video from Vuhledar, denies claims about withdrawal. Ukraine’s 72nd Mechanized Brigade on Sept. 26 refuted reports that it was retreating from the embattled town of Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast. The brigade released a video purportedly from Vuhledar saying it had been filmed there earlier in the day.

Ukraine considers 55,000 citizens as missing persons. Ukraine has 55,000 citizens in its unified register for persons missing under special circumstances, Deputy Interior Minister Leonid Tymchenko told Ukrinform in an interview published on Sept. 26. The register includes people who have disappeared due to war, occupation, or natural and man-made disasters.

3 energy infrastructure facilities struck in overnight Russian strikes, Ukrainian PM says. An overnight Russian drone and missile strike targeted three Ukrainian energy transmission facilities, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Sept. 26. “But the Russian terrorists did not achieve their goals — Ukraine’s energy system is operating in a balanced mode, no power cuts are planned,” he added.

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Ukraine war latest: US announces new military aid package worth almost $8 billion for Ukraine

The new tranche will include an additional Patriot air defense battery, unmanned aerial systems, and air-to-ground munitions, as well as funds to strengthen Ukraine’s defense industrial base and support its maintenance and sustainment requirements.

Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

What we know about the ‘victory plan’ Zelensky is presenting to Biden today

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to present the victory plan to his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden at the White House on Sept. 26, a potentially pivotal moment in the long-running saga of Washington’s support for Ukraine.

Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images

New Skynex video shows Ukraine’s cutting-edge drone destroyer in action

Ukraine’s Air Force has released footage showing one of its most advanced weapons in action – the German-supplied Skynex system. Filmed in an unidentified location, the video released on Sept. 25 via social media shows the air defense system engaging and destroying targets over the skies of Ukraine.

Photo: Telegram/ Screenshot

Is Russia’s new nuclear doctrine saber-rattling or a real threat?

Seven weeks into Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk Oblast, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a thinly veiled threat toward Ukraine and its allies during a Russian Security Council meeting on nuclear deterrence. Putin suggested Russia may consider using nuclear weapons in case of a mass launch of drones or missiles crossing its border.

Photo: Contributor/Getty Images

Human cost of war

Russian attacks against Ukraine kill at least 8, injure 44 over past day.

Russian attacks against Ukraine killed eight people and injured at least 44 others over the past day, regional authorities said on Sept. 26. Ukrainian forces downed 66 out of 78 Shahed-type drones and four Kh-59/69 cruise missiles launched by Russia overnight from, the Air Force reported.

3 Red Cross representatives injured in Russian attack on Kramatorsk. A Russian attack on the city of Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, on Sept. 25 injured three representatives of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society while on a humanitarian mission, the organization said. Russia targeted the city center with two guided aerial bombs, damaging two high-rise buildings, shops, and cars.

International response

US announces nearly $8 billion military aid package for Ukraine. The new tranche will include an additional Patriot air defense battery, unmanned aerial systems, and air-to-ground munitions.

Over 30 nations, EU adopt declaration in support of Ukraine’s recovery. More than 30 countries and the European Union adopted the Joint Declaration of Support for Recovery and Reconstruction of Ukraine during a meeting in New York on Sept. 25, Ukraine’s Presidential Office said.

Harris criticizes calls for concessions from Ukraine during joint press conference with Zelensky in Washington. U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and President Volodymyr Zelensky gave a joint press conference in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 26, ahead of their in-private meeting.

White House defends Zelensky’s ammunition plant visit, calls Republican investigation ‘political stunt.’ White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre pushed back on calls from top Republicans to investigate President Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent visit to a Pennsylvania ammunition plant, telling reporters on Sept. 26 that it was a “political stunt” and that they “need to drop this.”

UK to provide Ukraine with 4 additional AS90 self-propelled artillery howitzers.

The U.K. Defense Ministry announced on Sept. 26 that it will provide Ukraine with 16 AS90 self-propelled artillery howitzers instead of 12. The announcement comes as President Volodymyr Zelensky continues his visit to the U.S., where he hopes to gain support for his recently announced “victory plan.”

UK introduces sanctions against ships, companies involved in export of Russian LNG. The U.K. imposed sanctions on Sept. 25 against five vessels and two companies involved in the transportation of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) as it looks to exert more pressure on sources of revenue for the Kremlin, according to a statement. While LNG exports have been less heavily sanctioned

US intelligence warns of risks in permitting Ukraine’s long-range strikes, NYT reports. U.S. intelligence agencies have cautioned that Russia may respond with increased force, potentially including lethal attacks on the U.S. and its allies, if Ukraine is allowed to use long-range missiles supplied by the U.S., U.K., and France for strikes deep into Russian territory. The news outlet cited a previously unreported assessment that also downplays the strategic impact these long-range missiles might have on the war.

Germany approves additional $447 million for military aid to Ukraine. The German parliament’s lower chamber, the Bundestag, has approved the German government’s proposal to increase funding for military support for Ukraine by nearly 400 million euros ($447 million), according to the Sept. 25 statement.

In other news

‘Deepfake’ caller posing as Ukraine’s ex-foreign minister talks to US Senator.

U.S. Senator Benjamin Cardin received a Zoom call from an unknown person claiming to be former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, the New York Times (NYT) reported on Sept. 26, citing a letter from the Senate security service and its undisclosed sources.

US-sanctioned ex-Ukrainian official wins defamation lawsuit against media, including Kyiv Independent. The Shevchenkivskyi District Court in Kyiv on Sept. 23 ruled in favor of Andriy Portnov, a former top official in ex-President Viktor Yanukovych’s administration, in a defamation case against several news outlets, including the Kyiv Independent. Portnov challenged a reference to him as a “pro-Russian” politician and a person “infamous for his open support for Russia.”

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Chris York, Kateryna Denisova, Toma Istomina, Lili Bivings, Kateryna Hodunova, Nate Ostiller, and Olena Goncharova.

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