Ukraine, Russia held virtual talks in recent days.

In this interview, The Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell speaks with Mykola Bielieskov, senior analyst at Come Back Alive and research fellow at the National Institute for Strategic Studies, about why Russian advances have slowed, how Ukraine’s drone tactics are reshaping the battlefield, and the limits of relying on manpower alone.

The Moldovan President called for more air defense for Ukraine.

"They should stop providing any assistance to Kyiv," Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said.

"Believe me, this is not an easy process at all," Montenegro's European Affairs Minister Maida Gorcevic said, expressing solidarity with the EU reform work still to be done by Ukraine.

"Given the scale of the damage inflicted on Ukraine... any awards (of compensation) could potentially amount to billions, tens of billions, or hundreds of billions of euros," reads a Council of Europe statement.

Kyiv City State Administration confirmed to the Kyiv Independent that nine people were injured in the attack on a 24-story residential building in the Darnytskyi district.

The announcement comes amid an apparent rapprochement between Serbia and Ukraine.

Russia could use the missile tests to strike targets in western Ukraine, Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR), said on Sept. 8.

Ukraine needs substantial, long-term financing now, but Belgium should not have to shoulder Europe's responsibility alone, EU lawmaker Karin Karlsbro told the Kyiv Independent.

The process should happen without "coercion," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said.

The Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the EU has thrown out Orban's attempt to block military aid for Ukraine as "it does not fall within the jurisdiction" of the court.

In Kyiv, nine people were injured after a Russian morning strike hit a 24-story residential building, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Sept. 9.

The figure includes 1,480 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.