Key events on day 1,310 of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Published On September 26, 2025
Here’s the current situation on September 26:
Fighting
- A Ukrainian intelligence source reported that naval drones targeted Russian ports in Novorossiysk and Tuapse on Wednesday, disrupting operations at Transneft’s oil terminals at these locations.
- A drone exploded near the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant; 22 Russian drones had been detected nearby, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
- TASS, a Russian state news agency, claimed Ukraine attempted to attack the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in western Russia.
- Chernihiv, a city in northern Ukraine, and its surrounding areas experienced major power outages after a Russian attack, affecting approximately 30,000 consumers.
Regional Security
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for NATO “effective deterrence” against Russia and pledged to harness “all necessary military and non-military tools” for defense.
- NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte endorsed U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for shooting down Russian drones and planes violating member states’ airspace.
- Romanian Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu advised European states to respond firmly but proportionally to airspace violations and confirmed Romania’s readiness to address such incidents.
- Rheinmetall, a German defense company, plans to build an ammunition plant in Latvia, helping bolster the Baltic region’s military defenses.
Politics and Diplomacy
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered to step down once the conflict with Russia concludes, as he told Axios.
- Trump stated at a White House meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that NATO’s ties with the U.S. remain at their strongest.
- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán discussed energy security with Trump, stressing Hungary’s reliance on Russian gas and oil imports.
Peace Talks
- Moscow’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia assumes the U.S. still aims to find an end to the Ukraine conflict and is ready to engage in peace talks.
- Peskov commented following Trump’s shift in tone, expressing belief that Ukraine can reclaim its land seized by Russia.
