Russia on Sept. 18 began its three-day elections for the 450-member State Duma, the lower chamber of Russia's legislature, for the first time since the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine.

Speaking before his visit to Ukraine, the Slovak leader said that the Russia-Ukraine war is "out of control," and that the risk of a Europe-wide conflict has never been as serious as it is now.

The figure includes at 1,420 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Residents in Russian-occupied Oleshky in Kherson Oblast face an escalating humanitarian crisis, as constant Russian drone attacks and artillery shelling have made it impossible to deliver essential food and medicine supplies or evacuate civilians by road. "These people need to be saved," Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, said on Sept. 16, adding that residents are desperate to escape "from this hell." "People are driven to despair and are simply walking along mined roads (to e

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sept. 17 signed a decree confiscating the assets of several international companies, including Nestle and Auchan.

"The thing about (the) video, I'm Russian. As soon as I'm done playing hockey, I'm probably going to stay there. I'm going to live there. My kids are going to live there," Russian hockey player Alexander Ovechkin said.

Major General Viktor Nikoliuk announced on Sept. 17 that he is leaving his post as commander of Ukraine's Eastern Operational Command.

Germany will soon transfer 10 MIM–104E GEM–T Patriot interceptor missiles, valued at $29.6 million, to Ukraine, the U.S. State Department said in a notification to Congress.

Due to delays in processing Ukrainian receipts, the upcoming tranche is smaller than the 4.7 billion euros ($5.5 billion) previously promised by EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius on Sept. 11.

The serviceman, who works at the Stryi district recruitment center, was hospitalized with moderate injuries.

The survey was taken between Aug. 21 and Sept. 10, during a large-scale anti-corruption probe that implicated senior officials from the Presidential Office, including former deputy head Iryna Mudra.

Key developments on Sept. 16: * At least 20 injured, including children, in Kyiv following Russian missile, drone attack * Ukrainian collaborator involved in Russia's sham 'referendums' killed in Ukrainian drone strike, Russian media claims * Ukraine strikes 2 S-400 launchers in Russia's Bryansk Oblast, General Staff claims * Russian drone attack on Tanzania-flagged vessel kills captain, injures 3 crew members, Ukraine says * Russian forces strike major Ukrainian steel plant for 4th time i

U.S. President Donald Trump plans to sign legislation that would allow him to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries buying Russian oil and gas, a White House official told the Kyiv Independent on Sept. 17.

Ukraine's Infrastructure Ministry said Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukrainian ports, port infrastructure, and civilian commercial vessels in the Black Sea.

The U.S. House of Representatives just voted on sweeping new sanctions aimed at putting further pressure on Russia's economy and its war machine, including measures targeting Moscow's energy sector, defense industry, "shadow fleet" and foreign networks helping it evade sanctions. The effectiveness of these measures, however, will ultimately depend on how consistently they are enforced and how actively and responsibly U.S. President Donald Trump uses the authorities they provide. The legislatio

Two An-26 transport aircraft, one An-12 transport aircraft, and three helicopters were hit, according to the General Staff.

Media reports suggest Kovalsky could ultimately be appointed prosecutor general, rather than merely serving in an acting capacity.

Russia struck the Zaporizhstal Iron and Steel Works with two ballistic missiles on the morning of Sept. 17, according to Metinvest, the plant's owner and Ukraine's largest steel producer.

The threat of another Russian incursion into Polish airspace prompted the Polish Air Force to scramble fighter jets.

The Kyiv Independent has won a 2026 Online Journalism Award for Innovation in Revenue Strategy in the Medium Newsroom category.

Russia launched a large-scale overnight attack on Ukrainian cities, using ballistic and cruise missiles, Shahed-type one-way attack drones, and Oniks anti-ship missiles, the Air Force said.

Russia launched a drone and missile attack on Kyiv on the night of Sept. 16-17, damaging an education facility and injuring at least 20 people in Ukraine's capital, officials reported.

The strikes took place overnight on Sept. 16-17, according to the statement.

"Building an open, well-functioning, democratic Ukraine is crucial to the country’s future in Europe," said Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.

According to the Sept. 16 report, Russia “created a student visa scheme to camouflage North Korean laborers as students,” generating revenue for Pyongyang’s “unlawful weapons programs.”

Citing Russian authorities, the headquarters said the bodies "belong to Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel."

TASS identified the woman killed as Elena Astanina, the "chairperson of Precinct Electoral Commission No. 394," a so-called electoral body established by the Kremlin in the occupied city of Tokmak.

"This is not an act of hostility towards Ukraine. We can continue to train their soldiers, their armies; we can continue to provide them with equipment so they can defend themselves," the co-leader of the French far-right National Rally (RN) party, Marine Le Pen, said on Sept. 16.

"Despite the extraordinary complexity of its subject matter, ("Traces") employs a delicate and compelling cinematic language that does not alienate the viewer, but instead allows them to draw closer to the protagonists, hear them, and empathize with them," the Ukrainian Oscar Committee said.

The ruling comes amid media reports that Yermak kept his political influence on Zelensky after resigning in November amid a corruption investigation. The move also followed an earlier court ruling that eased the restrictions on Yermak.

The bill passed with 262 votes in favor and 159 against.

The figure includes 1,960 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.