Russian military

Ukraine has carried out what is being described as its largest attack to date on Moscow, prompting reaction from military experts assessing the scale and implications of the strike. The assault on the Russian capital marks a significant escalation in the war, drawing widespread attention as analysts weigh Ukraine's growing long-range strike capabilities and Russia's response.

Budget documents obtained by Reuters show Russia plans to increase its military spending by 27% in 2027. The figures point to a continued major commitment to defence funding despite the war in Ukraine and pressure on the Russian economy. The report is likely to fuel debate about Moscow's long-term war footing and defence production plans.

Attention is turning to the real scale of Russian military deaths in the war in Ukraine. Official Kremlin figures are widely believed to understate casualties, and analysts, journalists and independent researchers continue to estimate losses based on battlefield reporting, leaked documents and cemetery data. The true toll remains one of the war's most contested questions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree, effective immediately, raising the size of the Russian armed forces to 2,441,630 personnel, including 1,550,500 military personnel. The decree replaces all previous staffing decrees and marks the seventh increase in Russia's military strength since the invasion of Ukraine, continuing a steady pattern of force expansion.

Russian forces carried out large strikes on Kyiv, with claims that targets included hubs used by 'NATO specialists' and Ukrainian military infrastructure. The reports come from Russian and pro-Russian outlets, which regularly describe foreign personnel as operating alongside Ukrainian forces. Ukraine and NATO have not confirmed any such casualties, and previous similar claims have often been unverifiable. The strikes fit the ongoing pattern of Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital's military and energy facilities.

Russian budget documents show military spending is set to rise by 27% in 2027, according to The Moscow Times. The increase points to a continued prioritization of defense outlays in the Kremlin's long-term fiscal planning, despite economic pressures. Observers are weighing what the higher allocations mean for Russia's war effort in Ukraine, the sustainability of its budget, and signals about Moscow's longer-term intentions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree raising the official size of the Russian armed forces to 2,441,630 personnel, according to Russian state agency TASS. The increase continues a pattern of expansion since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and signals Moscow's intent to sustain a prolonged military campaign.

Ukraine says its third-phase counteroffensive, Operation Vivaldi, has reclaimed 51 square kilometres of territory. Kyiv claims Russian forces suffered roughly 2,000 casualties, with a further 250 troops taken prisoner. The figures come from Ukrainian military sources and have not been independently verified, as the operation continues along the front.

Ukraine reports the first known case of one unmanned surface vessel destroying another in combat, with a Ukrainian naval drone sinking a Russian kamikaze drone boat at sea. The clash highlights how the Black Sea has become a testing ground for autonomous weapon systems, with both sides increasingly deploying uncrewed vessels to attack ships and each other's drones.

Ukraine's Operation Vivaldi has reversed Russian gains, with robots carrying out combat airdrops and clearing mines, Ars Technica reports. The operation reportedly defeated a Russian pincer movement, highlighting how uncrewed ground systems are taking on dangerous logistics and engineering tasks on the front line as battlefield automation expands in the war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved the official staffing strength of Russia's Armed Forces, according to Russian media. The decree fixing the authorized number of military personnel is drawing attention as the war in Ukraine continues, with readers discussing how large the Russian military will now be and what the figure signals about Moscow's military plans and manpower needs.

Ukraine's military reports that a new interceptor drone has shot down a Russian Geran-5 attack drone that was flying at 425 km/h. The claim, highlighted by UNITED24 Media, suggests Ukrainian air defenses are now able to counter faster loitering munitions used by Russia in its strikes. If confirmed, it would mark a step forward in Ukraine's drone-on-drone interception efforts, which have become a key layer of air defense against nightly Russian attacks.

Roughly 250 Russian soldiers have surrendered to Ukrainian forces in the northern Donbas as part of what Ukrainian military commentator Yuriy Ponomarenko calls Operation Vivaldi. If confirmed, the mass capitulation would be one of the larger POW takings of the war and a sign of mounting pressure on Russian positions in the sector. The claim is circulating widely on Russian-language channels, with debate over how the surrender unfolded and what it means for the front line.

EU officials are discussing placing Russia's GRU military intelligence agency on the bloc's terrorist list, according to RFE/RL Europe Editor Rikard Jozwiak. No decision has been announced, and it remains unclear how quickly member states could agree on such a move. The discussions come amid continuing EU support for Ukraine and broader sanctions efforts against Russian state institutions.

Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) says North Korea is preparing another 10,000 soldiers to fight against Ukraine. The day's headlines also include President Zelensky revealing the share of jet-powered drones Ukraine manages to shoot down, saying developers are being accelerated, and official Khrapchynskyi warning that Russia is actively using Ukrainian mobile networks to coordinate its attacks.

The UK government is bringing together leaders of major defense companies for a private briefing on Russian security threats. The closed-door session signals Whitehall's effort to align industry with national security priorities, likely covering intelligence assessments and defense production readiness. The move comes amid heightened concern over Russia's actions and Europe's push to scale up military manufacturing and preparedness.

Ukraine says its military launched Operation Vivaldi, an assault on Russian positions using explosive-laden unmanned armoured vehicles, and captured more than 250 Russian soldiers. Ukrainian outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported the operation, publishing photos and video it says show the strike and the detainees. If confirmed, the number of prisoners would rank among the larger single captures of the war. Details on the location and Russian casualties remain limited, and Russia has not commented.

The Institute for the Study of War has published its Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment for September 27, 2026, part of its regular series analyzing battlefield developments, Russian military activity, and the overall course of the war in Ukraine. The assessments are widely used by policymakers, analysts, and journalists tracking the conflict's daily progression.

Russia is confronting a growing budget gap, and analysts at The Moscow Times argue that borrowing will not offer an easy way out. Years of high military spending and falling energy revenues have strained state finances, while Western sanctions limit Moscow's access to foreign capital markets, leaving the government with difficult spending and borrowing choices.

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies is calling on NATO allies to strengthen the alliance by improving military mobility across Europe and bolstering the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure. The argument is that troops, equipment and supplies must be able to move quickly across borders in a crisis, while ports, railways, pipelines and energy networks increasingly face cyber threats that could hamper any allied response.

Ukraine's Defense Forces carried out overnight strikes deep inside Russia, hitting two defense plants in the Tula and Voronezh regions, according to Ukrainian officials. The Security Service of Ukraine also reported hitting four oil depots in Russia's Krasnodar region, including facilities linked to LUKOIL-Yugnefteprodukt, Edelweiss-95, Din-Yug-Oil and Angelinskaya, in what Kyiv describes as a campaign against Russia's military and fuel infrastructure.

Russia has reportedly placed a $20 million bounty on the commander of Ukraine's unmanned systems forces, one of the highest known prices offered for a Ukrainian military figure. The move highlights how decisive drone warfare has become on the battlefield, with Ukrainian drone units credited with disrupting Russian logistics, armor and air operations. The announcement is drawing wide attention and speculation about its motive.

Retired Estonian Major General Neeme Väli has described Ukraine's recent offensive near Lyman, in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, as an operational-level breakthrough. He suggested the tactical success there could be replicated in other sectors of the front, potentially shaping the wider course of the war. Observers are weighing whether the advance marks a genuine shift in Russian defensive lines.

Russia has reportedly placed a $20 million bounty on Robert Brovdi, the Ukrainian military commander known for leading drone units on the front lines. Brovdi, widely known by his call sign 'Madyar', has gained prominence for Ukraine's increasingly effective drone warfare campaign. The bounty underscores how central drone operations have become to the war and the threat he is seen as posing to Russian forces.

Ukraine has announced Operation Vivaldi, saying its forces attacked Russian troop positions using explosive-laden unmanned armoured vehicles and took more than 250 Russian soldiers prisoner. The military released photos and video of what it described as the assault and the captured troops. If confirmed, it would be one of the larger single captures of Russian personnel in the war, drawing wide attention to Ukraine's growing use of unmanned ground systems in offensive operations.

The Financial Times examines whether the European Union can construct a 'hybrid defence' against Russia, addressing Moscow's use of non-military pressure such as disinformation, cyberattacks, sabotage and influence operations. The debate comes as EU member states weigh how to coordinate responses to threats that fall below the threshold of conventional armed conflict, and whether Brussels has the tools and authority to lead such an effort.

Russia is placing the remains of Orthodox saints and medieval princes, such as Alexander Nevsky, into military contexts as the war in Ukraine continues. Reports describe the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church intertwining religious symbolism with the war effort, framing the conflict as a sacred struggle and using relics to bolster patriotic fervour among soldiers and the public.