Ukraine war latest: Russian MiG-31 jets violate Estonian airspace, Tallinn says

Key developments on Sept. 19:

• Russian MiG-31 jets violate Estonian airspace, Tallinn says
• Ukraine raids Russian-occupied Black Sea island, lays mines and destroys vehicle, intelligence claims, shows footage
• Russia building its alternative to Starlink, space agency head says
• EU proposes banning Russian LNG in 19th sanctions package
• Western firms to invest $100 million in Ukraine's defense tech, ministry says

Estonia summoned Russia's charge d'affaires on Sept. 19 after three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered the Baltic nation's airspace for 12 minutes, the Foreign Ministry said.

The incursion occurred over the Gulf of Finland, where the aircraft crossed into Estonian territory without permission before departing. The Estonian Defence Forces confirmed the violation.

"Russia has already violated Estonia's airspace four times this year, which in itself is unacceptable. But today's incursion, involving three fighter aircraft entering our airspace, is unprecedentedly brazen," Estonia's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.

The Estonian Foreign Ministry said Moscow had been handed a formal protest note over the violation.

Russia has not publicly commented on the incursion.

NATO Spokesperson Allison Hart wrote on X that the alliance "responded immediately and intercepted the Russian aircraft," calling the incident "yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour and NATO's ability to respond."

`Ukraine raids Russian-occupied Black Sea island, lays mines and destroys vehicle, intelligence claims

Ukrainian military intelligence's (HUR) forces carried out a night-time raid on the Tendra Spit off the coast of the occupied part of Kherson Oblast, destroying a Russian DT-10 Vityaz multi-purpose tracked vehicle, HUR reported on Sept. 19.

Tendra Spit is a shoal or a narrow island in the northern Black Sea, southwest of the occupied Ukrainian mainland in Kherson Oblast.

According to the agency, soldiers from the "Viking" Maritime Operations Center conducted the overnight landing and laid minefields along the spit during the mission.

The exact date of the raid was not disclosed.

The DT-10 Vityaz is a two-section, tracked all-terrain amphibious vehicle, used by Russian forces to transport troops, weapons, and supplies to front-line positions.

What the resignation of technocrat Dmitry Kozak tells us about power in Russia

The Kremlin confirmed on Sept. 18 the resignation of Vladimir Putin’s long-time close associate, the deputy head of his administration, Dmitry Kozak. According to Peskov, Kozak is leaving of his own accord. His resignation has been accepted, with Sept. 19 set as Kozak’s last day in office, Interfax reported, citing an undisclosed source. The New York Times previously reported that Kozak had privately advised Putin against launching the war in Ukraine in 2022. He also reportedly warned of the d

The Kyiv IndependentKarol Luczka

Russia building its alternative to Starlink, space agency head says

Russia is developing a $5 billion alternative to the Starlink satellite internet service, according to a draft project seen by the Russian state-controlled news agency RBC and reported on Sept. 17.

"Several test satellites in orbit have already been inspected, and the serial models have been modified accordingly," Dmitry Bakanov, head of Russia's space agency Roscosmos, claimed in an interview with Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov on Sept. 17.

Backed by Roscosmos, the project aims to challenge U.S. billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX aerospace company, whose Starlink internet terminals have played a crucial role in securing Ukraine's communications during the war.

The Roscosmos chief has previously described the project, named Rassvet, as Russia’s response to Starlink.

The project will reportedly be carried out by a private space company called Bureau 1440. The company is tasked with launching 292 new satellites into orbit by 2030.

In total, the company is expected to launch 383 satellites, including 91 replacements for those that may fail.

Moscow expands censorship as Ukrainian strikes reach deeper into Russia

In footage posted online of a recent Ukrainian attack on Russia on Sept. 8, a fleet of long-range drones and cruise missiles flies past the front lines at dusk before hitting its targets — according to Ukrainian sources, factories-turned-Russian command centers in Donetsk and Makiivka, occupied by Russia since 2014. Thanks to social media, images of the attack circulated freely, showing at least glimpses of the weaponry involved, as well as the zones targeted. Within hours, Ukrainian OSINTers h

The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post

EU proposes banning Russian LNG in 19th sanctions package

The European Commission unveiled on Sept. 19 the proposed next package of sanctions against Russia over its full-scale war against Ukraine, targeting Russian banks and energy revenues.

The news comes as Kyiv urges international partners to step up economic pressure on Moscow and push Russian President Vladimir Putin toward meaningful peace talks.

The EU's executive arm is proposing a complete import ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG). Reuters previously reported that the ban should take effect in January 2027, a year earlier than the originally planned phase-out of Russian energy imports.

The package also includes a full transaction ban on Russia's energy giants Rosneft and Gazpromneft, sanctions on 118 "shadow fleet" vessels, and third-country traders and refineries, namely those in China, buying Russian oil in violation of sanctions.

For the first time, the EU is sanctioning crypto platforms, as well as banks in Russia and elsewhere that help Moscow avoid sanctions. The package also targets 45 Russian and third-country companies used to import dual-use goods to Russia.

‘I wanted to stand beside soldiers’ — Ai Weiwei on his trip to wartime Ukraine

Amid the shadow of war, the world-renowned Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei has brought his first-ever exhibition to Kyiv. Commissioned by the non-profit platform RIBBON International, Ai’s installation is a site-specific response to the escalating wars threatening the world of today, and a testament to the possibilities of art in such times. Traveling beyond the Ukrainian capital, to the eastern city of Kharkiv and even the front lines, Ai has sought not only to witness the resilience of

The Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan

Western firms to invest $100 million in Ukraine's defense tech, ministry says

Four Western companies pledged to invest more than $100 million in Ukraine's defense technology sector at a conference in Lviv this week, the Digital Transformation Ministry said on Sept. 19.

The two-day Defense Tech Valley 2025, co-hosted by the ministry and the state-backed defense technology cluster Brave1 from Sept. 16 to Sept. 17, brought together over 5,000 participants from more than 50 countries.

Dutch firm NUNC Capital committed 20 million euros ($23,5 million) to create and scale Ukrainian defense companies, focusing on NATO-oriented technologies such as advanced materials, electronic warfare systems, and smart manufacturing.

German-Luxembourg venture fund Verne Capital said it plans to invest up to 25 million euros ($29,3 million) in Ukrainian defense and cybersecurity innovations.

Sweden's Varangians fund unveiled a major investment plan, having already closed its first undisclosed deal.

U.S. investors led by Broadband Capital Investments plan to invest $15 million in Ukraine-based Swarmer, which specializes in drone swarm technology.

In addition, Oedipus Inc. announced its creation as the first permanent-capital fund in Europe dedicated solely to defense technologies, with a team experienced in investing in Ukrainian autonomous systems. The fund said it would soon announce plans for ambitious partnerships in Ukraine.

Note from the author:

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