EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says that "every European citizen and every square centimetre in Europe has to be safe" from the threat posed by Russia, as a summit in Copenhagen draws to a close

Von der Leyen’s plan to seize €140 billion in frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine’s war effort will be a focus of today’s talks in Copenhagen. European taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill for Russia’s war, she said. We’re following the talks all day: ow.ly/30Bj50X4RxJ

🔥🛢️Russia's fifth largest oil refinery is on fire this morning. Yaroslavl Oil Refinery with the total capacity of 15.7mln tons of oil per year was targeted. 700km from the frontline.

This is a very, very, good book. Part two of a trilogy. Colossal in scope yet accessible. Covers the entire eastern front through the war with minute detail, yet always remains a great read. Highly recommended.

’A Ukrainian deputy defense minister confirmed to the BBC’s Ukrainian edition that the country is set to receive the Swedish Gripen aircraft without disclosing the details.’ Huge news. Eventual addition of the BVRAAM Meteor could make a big difference.

⚡️Pro-EU party leads in Moldova election as votes are counted. The EU has warned that Moldova is enduring "an unprecedented campaign of disinformation" from Russia ahead of the election.

‘Unmasked: 13 Russian officers who led ‘war crime’ troops in Bucha Today The Sunday Times reveals the identities of the 13 commanding officers in charge of Russian troops accused of the Bucha massacres.’ Never forget. Never forgive.

NEW: The Kremlin is attempting to manipulate the Trump administration into normalizing US-Russian bilateral relations without concluding the war in Ukraine – contrary to Trump’s desired timeline of working on bilateral relations after concluding a peace in Ukraine. 🧵(1/3) isw.pub/UkrWar091825

WARNING UPDATE: The Kremlin is setting conditions to generate possibly violent protests to remove Moldovan President Maia Sandu from power following the September 28 Moldovan parliamentary elections. Read More: isw.pub/Moldova092525

What the hell is going on? (This is great!)

❗️Trump received data on a "planned offensive" by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which "will require intelligence data" from the US, - WSJ.

⚡️Ukraine shoots down Russian Su-34 bomber over Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Air Force says. The Su-34 jet was shot down at around 4 a.m. local time, the Air Force said. The warplane had reportedly been attacking the city of Zaporizhzhia with guided aerial bombs at the time of the strike.

Russian gas processing plant stops production following drone attack, Reuters reports #Ukraine

This feels almost unbelievable. Wonder whom he’s been talking to. Proof is in the pudding and the devil is in the details. But what a statement!

‘Russia bears full responsibility for these actions… Russia should be in no doubt: NATO and Allies will employ, in accordance with international law, all necessary military and non-military tools to defend ourselves and deter all threats from all directions.’ Clear statement from NATO.

’The apparent attempt by the Kremlin to shield Moscow from the realities of the war has been largely, if not totally, successful. One in two Muscovites say they do not know anyone who is fighting in Ukraine, that they have not suffered financially…’ Increase & tighten sanctions. Immediately.

Video of the aftermath of the recent Ukrainian drone strike on a Russian Mi-8 in Crimea published by Russian source with such description: "They've hit Crimea again. Minus the helicopters and a few other things, I can't write about them. There's no air defense, and the radar is useless."

’Among the new measures are restrictions on 118 vessels linked to Russia’s shadow fleet, a sweeping ban on all transactions with Rosneft and Gazpromneft… moving to block imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) into EU markets while lowering the oil price cap to $47.60 per barrel.’

Russia is more dependent on the West for LNG than the West is on Russia. An estimated 93% of Russian LNG exports rely on G7+ maritime services for transport. Russia strived to become a global leader in LNG since 2019. But it still lacks the shipping capacity.

Ukrainian sanctions working. Even pro-Russian channels are stunned by the fuel crisis in Sevastopol. Some stations briefly have A-95, but A-92 is marked as zero across the board. Fuel coupons for Crimea are now being sold on Russian marketplaces.

Good.

The correct response to Russian fighters overflying NATO territory is *obviously* to shoot them down. The reason why this is important is good old credibility. You don't do it now, you signal to the other side that you are afraid; therefore, they will do it again and again.

’Estonia has demanded urgent talks with Nato allies, including the UK, after “brazen” violations of the alliance’s airspace by Russia… It marks the ninth time in Nato’s history the article has been triggered, and the second in just over a week.’

’Estonia has demanded urgent talks with Nato allies, including the UK, after “brazen” violations of the alliance’s airspace by Russia… It marks the ninth time in Nato’s history the article has been triggered, and the second in just over a week.’

Last night, Ukraine was under a massive combined drone and missile attack again. What has changed since the last big combined attack? russia sent 20 drones to attack Poland last week and three jets violated Estonia's airspace yesterday. Unpunished evil always grows. Always!

‼️ NATO describes MiG jets' incursion into Estonia as "reckless Russian behaviour"

Ukraine is successfully dismantling the Russian states income, one refinery at a time.

The European Commission is discussing a proposal to bring forward a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas in a new package of sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, an EU official said.

Excellent news for Ukraine (and probably British arms manufacturing)!

1/ Russia's Zapad-2025 military exercises have come in for bitter criticism from Russian warbloggers for being a "circus performance" and "dogshit", that ignores the lessons of the war in Ukraine and showcases irrelevant capabilities. ⬇️

‘Russia ‘forcing Ukraine children into re-education and arms production’… Ukraine says Russia has abducted around 20,000 of its children since the start of the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion in 2022.’ Barbaric. There is simply few other words to describe it.

Swedish minister for defence, Pål Jonson, today presented investments in defence, increasing the Budget Bill for 2026 SEK 26.6 billion. This corresponds to an increase of 18 per cent over 2025. By 2028 defence spending should be 3.1 per cent of GDP. Good news for Sweden, Europe & NATO.

NATO ought to enact a no-fly zone over (minimum) western Ukraine. All drones & Russian airplanes in the area should be shot down as they’re presumed to be headed towards NATO countries. Russia will bark, and then do nothing - as they have since the beginning of the invasion.

Thanks to Ukrainian strikes, Russia has lost 20% refinery capacity so far. At 50% they’ll have difficulties supplying the front. Ukraine is taking on Moscow’s economic war machine. Europe can do the same: Take down the shadow fleet in the Baltic & stop buying all Russian energy.

What Russian air defence doing?

800 km from the frontlines. Are we prepared to handle this in Europe?

“Due to the threat posed by Russian drones operating over Ukraine near the Polish border, Polish and allied air forces have begun preventive operations in our airspace. Ground-based air defense systems have reached the highest level of alert.”

’Romania scrambled fighter jets on Saturday when a drone breached the country's airspace during a Russian attack on Ukrainian infrastructure near the border, the defence ministry said.’

Despite everything else, things keep getting worse for Russia. Ukraines ability to deep strike at Russian critical infrastructure will cost Russia dearly.

⚡️ WAR IN UKRAINE & RUSSIA — SEP 13, 2025 (1/2) ■ Engagements near average, casualties slightly above ■ Strong increase in equipment losses — land-based as well as drones; weekly drone losses at record level ... 📈 See dashboard for full data: lookerstudio.google.com/s/nxwbpx2Zfn4

Primorsk, one of Russia's two main Baltic oil terminals has been hit by Ukrainian drones. Both a ship and pumping facilities damaged, operations (partly?) on halt. No oil spill. Several 100kt tankers a day leave this facility with oil, fetching dollars.

Many Europeans think Europe provides security to Ukraine. But the opposite is equally true: Europe increasingly relies on Ukraine for iets security (with Ukraine taking the US’ place)

Warsaw has chided US President Donald Trump after he assessed that an incursion by Russian drones into Polish airspace might have been an accident.

’The Government has presented its 20th military support package to Ukraine, at a value of approximately SEK 9.2 billion [~ $836 million]. Sweden’s support to Ukraine is unwavering. No issue is as central to Europe’s security as Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s aggression.’ Sweden 🇸🇪 ❤️ Ukraine 🇺🇦

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski confirms Russia struck Poland with 19 drones, deliberately. Ukraine knows the locations of all Russia's drone factories and can even solve the problem today, if only allies provide the tools.

⚡️ Russia steps up drone strikes on Ukrainian farms, nearly doubling burned farmland and killing farmers forced to defend themselves. united24media.com/latest-news/...

’In the medium term, the incident will press home the urgency of scaling up investment in air defence systems and radar, as well as giving the Pentagon pause for thought in its “posture review” of where American forces are deployed.’

‘Huge number’ of Russian drones shot down in Poland’s airspace — follow live: ’The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, has invoked Nato’s Article 4, triggering consultation with allies, after the first major breach of European airspace in the Ukraine war’

🇪🇺President @VonDerLeyen has just begun her #SOTEU speech. "Europe is in a fight. A fight for a continent that is whole and at peace. For a free and independent Europe. A fight for our values and democracies. A fight to determine our destiny for ourselves,"

The time for the West to start arming democratic Ukraine to the teeth and imposing crippling sanctions on fascist Russia was... over three years ago. Putin has been given time to switch his economy to a war footing. Stopping him now will be much more costly - and risky.