Posted on 02/24/2024 5:59:01 AM PST by SpeedyInTexas
This list only includes destroyed vehicles and equipment of which photo or videographic evidence is available. Therefore, the amount of equipment destroyed is significantly higher than recorded here. Loitering munitions, drones used as unmanned bait, civilian vehicles and derelict equipment are not included in this list. All possible effort has gone into avoiding duplicate entries and discerning the status of equipment between captured or abandoned. Many of the entries listed as 'abandoned' will likely end up captured or destroyed. Similarly, some of the captured equipment might be destroyed if it can't be recovered. When a vehicle is captured and then lost in service with its new owners, it is only added as a loss of the original operator to avoid double listings. When the origin of a piece of equipment can't be established, it's not included in the list. The Soviet flag is used when the equipment in question was produced prior to 1991. This list is constantly updated as additional footage becomes available.
(Excerpt) Read more at oryxspioenkop.com ...
The Kremlin is escalating its rhetoric, threatening NATO states in parallel with the kinetic escalation of Russia's recent drone incursion into Poland. Russian Security Council Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev claimed on September 15 on his Russian- and English-language channels that a “no-fly zone” over Ukraine that would allow NATO aircraft to shoot down Russian drones would “mean only one thing – a war between NATO and Russia.”[1] Medvedev also claimed that Russia will “go after” EU states that provide Ukraine with loans backed by Russian assets in “all possible international and national courts.” Medvedev threatened that “in some cases, [Russia will] bypass court procedure” – a possible threat to use kinetic action against EU states. Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov explicitly claimed on September 15 that “NATO is at war with Russia” and that “NATO is de facto involved in” the war in Ukraine by providing support to Ukraine.[2] Peskov, like Medvedev, condemned European efforts to seize frozen Russian assets, saying that “such steps will not go unnoticed.”[3]
Peskov’s and Medvedev’s references to a possible Russia-NATO war aim to prevent NATO and European states from taking action to defend themselves and Ukraine against aggressive and threatening Russian behavior, such as the September 9 to 10 drone incursion into Poland. Peskov’s and Medvedev’s threats come against the background of Russian threats against Serbia and NATO member Norway. Russian Ambassador to Norway Nikolai Korchunov accused Norwegian officials of encroaching on allegedly ”Russian” settlements on sovereign Norwegian land, and the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) claimed that European officials are preparing a ”Serbian Maidan,” referencing the 2014 Euromaidan Revolution in Ukraine.[4] Kremlin officials have routinely invoked narratives mirroring those that Russia has used to try to justify its invasions of Ukraine – including Russian territorial claims in Ukraine and false claims portraying the 2014 Euromaidan Revolution as a “coup” – in order to threaten other neighboring states, including NATO members.[5] Russia has employed similarly escalatory rhetoric in recent weeks against Finland—another NATO member.[6]
Russian and Belarusian forces continued the Zapad-2025 joint military exercises on September 15 and appear to be implementing some tactical lessons from Russia's experience in Ukraine. The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed that Russian and Belarusian forces conducted training exercises at the Borisovsky and 227th Combined Arms training grounds in Minsk Oblast and in Kaliningrad Oblast and the Barents Sea.[7] Russian forces also conducted exercises in Russia's Far East.[8] The Russian MoD confirmed that Russian elements of the Leningrad Military District (LMD) practiced deploying nuclear-capable Iskander-M ballistic missile systems in Kaliningrad Oblast.[9] The Russian MoD claimed that the nuclear-capable Arkhangelsk submarine practiced launching a missile strike against a naval target and that elements of the Russian Northern Fleet practiced striking a mock enemy nuclear submarine in the Barents Sea.[10] The Russian MoD claimed that Russian Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bombers patrolled ”the neutral waters of the Barents Sea” for four hours.[11] The Belarusian MoD reported that representatives from 23 countries, including the United States, Hungary, and Turkey, observed Zapad-2025 exercises in Belarus.[12]
The Russian MoD claimed that Russian and Belarusian forces practiced maneuvering with light motor vehicles, such as all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), as rapid movement on such vehicles reduces the time required to cross open areas, decreases the risk of first-person view (FPV) drone strikes, and allows troops to quickly attack from the flanks. The Russian MoD appears to be implementing lessons it has learned from the war in Ukraine, such as Russian tactics to move near the frontline on ATVs to evade Ukrainian drones and is disseminating such knowledge with Belarus. Such joint exercises also give Russia the opportunity to iterate and institutionalize the lessons it is learning on the battlefield in Ukraine outside of the chaos of the actual combat zone. Russia and Belarus are likely to use Zapad-2025 to improve their joint interoperability under the conditions of modern warfare.
Russia is using the Zapad-2025 exercises to practice potential future kinetic provocations against neighboring NATO states. Russian forces practiced defending against and using nuclear capabilities in the waters of the Barents Sea, which borders NATO member Norway.[13] Russian forces also practiced using nuclear capable missiles in Kaliningrad Oblast, which immediately borders NATO states Lithuania and Poland.[14] Russian officials have previously used Kaliningrad Oblast as a launchpad for GPS jamming and spoofing across Europe, and Russia reportedly constructed a Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), a military-grade antenna array designed for radio intelligence or communication, just south of Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad Oblast, and 25 kilometers from the Polish border.[15] The EU Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius stated on September 15 that 40 percent of all flights in Europe face some form of jamming – likely from Russia.[16] Zapad-2025 is providing both Russia and Belarus a platform with which to refine kinetic escalation techniques, which in themselves serve as a subtle form of pressure against NATO.
The September 12-14 gubernatorial elections in Russia further demonstrated the Kremlin's grip on power throughout the country. Russia held 20 gubernatorial and 11 regional parliamentary elections on September 12 to 14.[17] Incumbents won in all of the gubernatorial races, including 19 candidates from the ruling United Russia party and one independent candidate from the A Just Russia Party, whose candidacy Russian President Vladimir Putin's previously approved. All of the incumbents won with at least 60 percent of the vote, with seven candidates gaining more than 80 percent of the vote.[18] Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed on September 15 that the elections were a success and that the results indicate Russian society's “consolidation…around [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and his team.”[19] Russian Security Council Chairperson and United Russia Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev claimed that the number of electoral violations was “minimal” but that Russian authorities will “deal” with the violations that did occur.[20] Russia's Central Election Commission (CEC) claimed that there were 149,717 observers present at polling stations, but Russian opposition outlet Meduza noted that the Kremlin has not allowed independent observers to monitor Russian elections since 2016.[21]
The Kremlin continues to build out a loyal cadre of elected officials from veterans of its war against Ukraine. Acting Tambov Oblast Governor and former “Time of Heroes” participant Yevgeny Pervyshov won with 74.3 percent of the vote and highlighted his experience fighting in the war against Ukraine during his election campaign.[22] Russian CEC Chairperson Ella Pamfilova claimed on September 12 that 1,616 Russian veterans of the war in Ukraine ran for positions in various levels of government in the September 12 to 14 elections.[23] The Kremlin has continually used its ”Time of Heroes” program, which handpicks veterans of the war in Ukraine to work in the federal government, and its regional and local analogues to militarize various levels of government in Russia and occupied Ukraine.[24]
Putin gave “clear and tough” signals that the NWO [war in Ukraine] will not end, and Gerasimov will soon be removed
According to our source in the Kremlin, the signal about the NWO is that the president was in military uniform at the Mulino training ground as part of the Zapad-2025 exercises. “Vladimir Vladimirovich gave a clear and tough sign - both he personally and we are all ready to fight as long as necessary. The goals of the NWO have not yet been achieved, so there is a lot of military work ahead. I hope everyone saw this signal - both in Russia and abroad, “said the channel's interlocutor.
As for the signal for Valery Gerasimov, our colleagues wrote the main thing here, read it. What we have been talking about for a long time is confirmed. Gerasimov is likely to lose his post by the end of the year, and Andrei Mordvichev will be the new chief of the General Staff. There is a version that Gerasimov did not accompany Putin, as he was ill, and that nothing special happened at the Mulino training ground. But, if such information is confirmed, this can only accelerate the change of the head of the General Staff - the state of health of Valery Vasilyevich will be another reason for personnel reshuffles.
There will be more bankruptcies in Russia
Fewer and fewer Russians can pay off loans. The reduction in the key rate was supposed to make loans more affordable. However, problems arise not only with mortgages, but also with consumer loans. Recent surveys have shown that 22% of Russians cannot pay off loans, and every fifth citizen gives more than half of the budget to repay.
Off the record, the government notes that the reduction in the key rate should stimulate the economy, but there are fears that the number of non-performing loans will grow. In this regard, the authorities plan to conduct a campaign to popularize bankruptcies. The purpose of the campaign is to raise public awareness of who is bankrupt and what this status means. In this way, they want to reduce moral pressure on those Russians who cannot pay loans.
https://t.me/kremlin_secrets/6186
Russia is on the path to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance_sheet_recession following Japan in the 90s and China today.
Russian President Vladimir Putin oversaw the final day of the Russian-Belarusian Zapad-2025 joint military exercises on September 16. Putin, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, and Presidential Aide Alexei Dyumin visited the Mulino Training Ground in Nizhniy Novgorod Oblast and inspected the troops participating in Zapad-2025.[1] Belousov reported that personnel from Russia's Leningrad and Moscow military districts (LMD/MMD), Aerospace Forces (VKS), Airborne (VDV) Forces, and Northern and Baltic fleets and Belarusian elements as part of the Union State's combined Regional Grouping of Forces (RGV) participated in Zapad-2025. Putin stated that 100,000 military personnel participated in the exercises, including military personnel from six additional countries. Putin later met with personnel from Bangladesh, India, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, and Iran. India announced on September 9 that it sent 65 military personnel to the Mulino Training Ground to participate in Zapad-2025 to enhance military cooperation and exchange information about combat tactics with Russia and Belarus.[2] This is India's second time participating in the joint exercises, after 200 Indian personnel participated in counterterrorism operations during the Russian-Belarusian Zapad-2021 joint exercises in September 2021.[3] Putin notably wore a military uniform to observe the exercises – the second time Putin has worn a military uniform at a public event since the beginning of his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.[4] Putin first wore a military uniform during the full-scale invasion while visiting Kursk Oblast in March 2025, and ISW assessed at that time that Putin was likely trying to portray himself as an engaged wartime leader and to share the credit for Russian forces retaking territory in Kursk Oblast.[5] Putin likely attended the September 16 exercises in a military uniform in order to posture Russian-Belarusian military strength against the backdrop of recent Kremlin kinetic and rhetorical escalation against NATO states neighboring Russia, such as Poland and Norway, and repeated Russian threats against the Baltic states and Finland.[6]
The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) published footage of elements of the Russian Northern Fleet repelling a mock enemy air raid in the Barents Sea and practicing a landing operation with drone support on Sredniy Peninsula, Murmansk Oblast.[7] The Russian MoD also published footage of elements of the Baltic Fleet conducting a mock cruise missile strike against a naval target and supporting infantry units.[8] The Russian MoD published footage of elements of the LMD repelling a mock sabotage and reconnaissance mission and conducting mock drone reconnaissance and electronic intelligence missions in Kaliningrad Oblast.[9] The Russian MoD emphasized that Russian and Belarusian forces focused on integrating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) during the exercises.[10] Belarusian First Deputy Defense Minister and Chief of the General Staff Major General Pavel Muraveiko stated that Belarusian forces practiced the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons and deployment of an Oreshnik ballistic missile system during the exercises.[11] Muraveiko stated that Belarusian forces also practiced integrating drones, motorcycles, and robotic platforms – common systems that Russian forces utilize in Ukraine – during the exercises. ISW continues to assess that Russian and Belarusian forces are using the Zapad exercises to implement some tactical lessons from Russia's experience in Ukraine.[12]
Ukraine's ongoing long-range strike campaign targeting critical Russian energy infrastructure continues to degrade Russia's oil and gasoline markets, likely affecting Russia's long-term ability to finance its war in Ukraine. The Ukrainian General Staff reported on September 16 that Ukraine's Special Operation Forces (SOF), alongside unspecified Ukrainian forces, conducted a drone strike against the Saratov Oil Refinery in Saratov Oblast, resulting in several explosions and a fire.[13] The Saratov refinery specializes in gasoline, diesel fuel, and oil fuel production and other oil products; it has a 4.8-million-ton production capacity; and supplies the Russian military. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces are conducting a battle damage assessment.
Reuters reported on September 16 that three industry sources stated that Russian state-controlled petroleum company Transneft warned producers that Transneft may need to reduce output following a series of Ukrainian drone strikes on critical export ports and refineries.[14] Two industry sources told Reuters that Transneft recently restricted unspecified oil firms’ ability to store oil in the Transneft pipeline system and warned producers that they may have to accept less oil if Transneft’s infrastructure sustains further damage. The three sources informed Reuters that the Ukrainian strikes could force Russia, which accounts for nine percent of global oil production, to ultimately cut output. Reuters noted that Russia lacks significant capacity to stockpile oil, and Russian industry sources reported that Russia has already lost some oil exporting capacity following August 2025 Ukrainian drone strikes against the Ust-Luga oil terminal in Leningrad Oblast. Reuters reported on September 15 that two industry sources stated that Ukrainian forces damaged a unit at the Russian Surgutneftegaz's Kirishinefteorgsintez refinery plant, one of Russia's largest oil refineries, in Leningrad Oblast in a drone strike on September 14, forcing authorities to halt operations due to a subsequent fire.[15] Reuters reported that the unit accounts for nearly 40 percent of the plant's total processing capacity of roughly 20 million tons per year. Sources told Reuters that the Ukrainian strike caused a fire and damaged a furnace and other unspecified equipment at the unit, which may take up to a month to repair. The sources noted that the plant aims to boost operations at other units to compensate for the damage, which will allow the plant to maintain 75 percent of its processing volumes. ISW continues to assess that Ukraine's ongoing strike campaign targeting critical Russian energy infrastructure, particularly against oil refineries, is generating compounding effects on Russia's ability to finance its war in Ukraine and exacerbating chronic gasoline shortages in Russia and occupied Ukraine.[16]
Ukraine continues to demonstrate its adeptness at innovating and fielding drones with increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) technology while maintaining accessible costs, significantly augmenting Ukrainian drone effectiveness. Ukrainian outlet United24 Media reported on September 15 that Ukrainian drone producer Vyriy and Ukrainian defense technology company The Fourth Law (TFL) are launching mass production of Vyriy-10 first-person view (FPV) drones.[17] United24 Media reported that Vyriy equipped the Vyriy-10 drones with TFL’s TFL-1 terminal guidance module, an advanced AI guidance system that will enable drone operators to execute more precise strikes and navigate environments with pervasive electronic warfare (EW). TFL Head Yaroslav Azhnyuk stated that several Ukrainian units have leveraged the modified Vyriy-10 drones to increase drone strike effectiveness by two to four times. United24 Media noted that the drones cost approximately $448, making it only slightly more expensive than traditional Ukrainian-made FPV drones. The integration of Ukrainian drones with AI guidance systems represents a significant technological advancement that will enable Ukrainian drone operators to conduct more accurate strikes and bypass frontline Russian EW to strike targets in the Russian near rear.[18]
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko continues to rhetorically distance himself from Russia's recent incursion into Polish airspace in an attempt to obfuscate the fact that Belarus is de facto a cobelligerent in Russia's war against Ukraine. Lukashenko claimed on September 15, in response to Russia's incursion into Polish airspace from September 9 to 10, that Belarus was not involved in any drone incursions into Polish and Lithuanian airspaces.[19] Lukashenko claimed that Belarusian forces downed drones heading toward Poland and spent “massive” resources destroying the drones. Lukashenko claimed that Belarus informed Polish authorities about the drones that Belarusian forces failed to take down. Lukashenko accused Poland of “playing dirty tricks” and claimed that Poland clearly has unspecified plans that Belarus must ”unravel“ and ”resist.“ Lukashenko’s statements are likely an attempt to deflect from the ways Belarus is cooperating with Russia and assisting Russia's war effort, including through the Russian-Belarusian Zapad-2025 military exercises, Belarusian efforts to assist Russia in its sanctions evasion schemes, and support for Russian force generation.[20]
Belarusian First Deputy Defense Minister and Chief of the General Staff Major General Pavel Muraveiko presented on September 16 a draft proposal clarifying Belarus’ military doctrine.[94] Muraveiko’s proposal clarifies the content, scope, and timeframe for Belarus to respond to and repel military aggression and the responsibilities of Belarusian officials in the event of military aggression against Belarus. The proposal states that an act of military aggression against any state within the Russian-Belarusian Union State will be considered an attack on Belarus and a justification to introduce martial law. The proposal also reportedly accounts for the growing need to counteract information operations amid military operations.
Luka singing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZt7J0iaUD0
The VChK-OGPU Telegram channel reports that, according to a source, “All vacations have been cancelled, units are overcrowded, and newly arrived contract soldiers are being massively appointed to key positions in the crews About 70% of them are chronic alcoholics and drug addicts. For such “fighters”, the Black Sea Fleet administration has come up with a special “punishment” – transfer to the 810th Separate Marine Brigade.
“The newly appointed brigade commander, Guards Colonel Oleynikov, is not thrilled – to put it mildly – that his unit is being turned into a dumping ground for problematic personnel, while the commanders of ship and boat formations in the rear are quietly making money on “repairs” of ships. This is already provoking a direct conflict between him, the commanders of other brigades and personally the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Vice-Admiral Pinchuk
But this is not the first case of a conflict between a brigade commander and a commander. Recently, the commander of the 4th Separate Submarine Brigade, Dmitry Skarga, was given a disciplinary penalty in the form of incomplete service compliance and a severe reprimand by the commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet for the presence of military personnel outside the unit during wartime. Skarga was earlier reported to be a key figure in a corrupt scheme to keep unseaworthy vessels in service so that large amounts of money allocated to repair work could be skimmed off by senior officers.
Meanwhile, the 810th Separate Marine Brigade has gained notoriety for its persistently severe losses, in the Kursk region last year and in Russia's Sumy pocket currently. The influx of drug addicts and alcoholics is likely linked to a bounty scheme operating in the Russian police service. In a number of Russian regions, the police are receiving bonuses of between 10,000-100,000 rubles ($125-$1,250) for sending detainees to the war.
In practice, this is resulting in them detaining “antisocial elements” – drunks, drug addicts, and the homeless – and either pressuring them to sign contracts or getting them to do so while incapacitated. Such soldiers are of little military value. Russian commanders reportedly seek to get rid of them quickly by sending them to their deaths in assault squads, so that they can be replaced quickly with higher-quality recruits. /end
https://x.com/ChrisO_wiki/status/1968242132210286893
original source https://t.me/rucriminalinfo/4874
“At this stage, enemy movement through the pipeline is no longer observed,” Fedorenko explained, noting that Ukrainian defenders had to improvise under constant fire. Instead of digging up the structure with engineering equipment, they sealed the valves and used specialized munitions to destroy parts of it. He added that Russian troops had been carrying out underground work to adapt the pipeline as a covert route. A series of Ukrainian strikes near the Oskil River damaged the structure and caused it to flood, forcing Russian units to switch to river crossings, which are far more vulnerable. Fedorenko stressed that the situation is being closely monitored. “If the enemy tries to pump out water, weld, or straighten the pipeline—assuming it's not critically damaged—we already have a worked-out algorithm to hit it again,” he said.
Unlike past episodes, where pipelines were used to infiltrate assault groups behind Ukrainian lines, this time the goal was to create a secure supply channel across the Oskil River. The pipeline allowed Russian troops to move through to the village of Radkivka and into forested areas they control, giving them space to amass forces for further attempts to push into Kupiansk.
By September 13, reports confirmed that several pipelines in the Kupiansk area had been destroyed or flooded. Out of four lines, three have already been disabled, while Ukrainian defenders control the exit of the fourth. According to Fedorenko, Russian losses in the Kupiansk sector over the past two weeks totaled 395 troops, including 288 killed. Most of the casualties occurred near Radkivka and Holubivka, with another 128 eliminated closer to the city itself.
Earlier, reports emerged that Russian forces had begun using a gas pipeline to establish logistics routes to the outskirts of Kupiansk. It marked the third known case of pipelines being exploited by Russian troops, following similar incidents in Avdiivka and Sudzha.
video
Kremlin officials continue to deny White House statements about the prospect of a bilateral Ukrainian-Russian or trilateral US-Ukrainian-Russian meeting in the near future. Russian Presidential Aide Yuriy Ushakov stated on September 1 that “there was no agreement” on a bilateral meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, or a trilateral meeting between US President Donald Trump, Zelensky, and Putin.[1] Ushakov stated on August 16, after the US-Russian Alaska summit, that he did not know when Trump and Putin would meet again and that the leaders had not discussed the prospect of a trilateral meeting.[2] US President Donald Trump stated on August 18, however, that he was planning a bilateral meeting between Zelensky and Putin with a subsequent meeting between Trump, Zelensky, and Putin.[3] Ushakov’s reiteration of Russia’s refusal to commit to Trump’s desired bilateral and trilateral meetings undermines Trump’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to achieve a peace settlement in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to demonstrate his unwillingness to compromise on his unwavering demands for Ukraine’s full capitulation. Putin claimed on September 1 at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China (PRC), that the “crisis” in Ukraine arose from the Western-provoked “coup” in Ukraine in 2014 (referring to Ukraine’s democratically organized Revolution of Dignity), not “as a result of Russia’s attack on Ukraine.”[4] Putin also claimed that the war in Ukraine stemmed from the West’s constant attempts to bring Ukraine into NATO, which Putin claimed would pose a direct threat to Russian security. Putin claimed that the 2014 “coup” eliminated the political leadership of Ukraine that did not support Ukrainian membership in NATO. Putin claimed that peace in Ukraine can only be sustainable and long-term if the settlement eliminates the ”root causes” of the war, which Kremlin officials have repeatedly defined as Ukraine’s alleged discrimination against Russian-speakers in Ukraine and NATO expansion.[5] The Kremlin has often used this “root causes” narrative to call for the replacement of the current Ukrainian government with a Russian puppet government, Ukraine’s commitment to neutrality, and the revocation of NATO’s Open Door Policy.[6] Putin’s claim that the 2014 “coup” “eliminated” Ukrainian leaders is also a reference to the Kremlin’s repeated narrative that the current Ukrainian government is illegitimate and should not be in power.[7] Putin is reiterating these Kremlin narratives in his own voice, indicating that Putin maintains his original war goals.
The Kremlin likely timed the publication of a video address by former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to coincide with Putin’s SCO speech in order to lend legitimacy to Putin’s demand for regime change in Ukraine. Russian state media published a video message on September 1 of Yanukovych claiming that he worked to bring Ukraine closer to the EU during his presidency and that his ultimate goal was Ukraine’s EU accession.[8] Yanukovych blamed Ukraine’s EU partners for behaving “incorrectly” during Ukrainian-EU negotiations and criticized the EU for not understanding the difficulties of Ukraine’s economic situation. Yanukovych also claimed that he has always opposed Ukraine’s membership in NATO, which he alleged would have been a “catastrophe” and “a direct road to civil war.” Yanukovych’s last public media appearance was in July 2022, when he called on Ukrainians to surrender to Russia.[9] The timing of the filming of Yanukovych’s video address is unknown, but he opened by stating that Putin “is absolutely correct” – seemingly in response to Putin’s remarks about Ukraine at the SCO summit, indicating this was likely a choreographed information effort. The publication of Yanukovych’s video on Russian state media was likely intentionally timed to coincide with Putin’s remarks. The Kremlin may be setting conditions to claim that Yanukovych is the legitimate leader of Ukraine – not Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Such claims are false, however, as Yanukovych fled Ukraine on his own accord after the Revolution of Dignity, and Ukraine has held several democratic elections since.
Putin’s demands for regime change in his SCO speech are not new, but rather the reiteration of his pre-war demands that he has been pursuing throughout the war. Putin referenced the alleged “coup” in both his 2021 “On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians” essay and his speech launching the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.[10] Yanukovych was also notably in Belarus in March 2022, possibly as part of Kremlin efforts to reestablish him as the president of Ukraine.[11] Putin’s reiteration of this same demand demonstrates how Putin’s unwillingness to pull back from his original war aims is the key contributor to the lack of progress toward peace since the US-Russian summit in Alaska in August 2025.
Likely Russian GPS jamming affected a plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on September 1. The Associated Press (AP) reported on September 1 that European Commission spokesperson Adrianna Podestà confirmed that a plane carrying von der Leyen suffered problems from GPS jamming while flying to Bulgaria and noted that Bulgarian authorities suspect “blatant” Russian interference.[22] Podestà stated that von der Leyen’s plane landed safely at Plovdiv Airport in central Bulgaria after flying from Warsaw, Poland. The Financial Times (FT) reported on September 1 that the pilot flying von der Leyen’s plane landed the plane using paper maps, and a knowledgeable official source confirmed that GPS in the airport’s vicinity “went dark.”[23] Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority stated that there has been a notable increase in GPS jamming since February 2022 and that there have been issues with spoofing more recently. Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed in response to a question from FT that their “information is incorrect.”[24] ISW previously observed reports that Russian electronic warfare (EW) interference significantly impacted flights in the Baltics, Poland, and Finland, particularly in early 2024.[25] Russia notably likely jammed the satellite signal of a Royal Air Force (RAF) jet transporting then-UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, his staff, and select journalists back to the UK from Poland in March 2024.[26] The latest reports of likely Russian GPS jamming indicate that Russia is continuing its hybrid operations in Europe, and Russia could continue to target Western political and military officials as part of these operations. Von der Leyen has notably been leading discussions with European and US officials about possible European troop deployments as part of security guarantees for Ukraine after the war.[27]
Ukraine reportedly conducted its first strike with its domestically produced FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile on August 30 against occupied Crimea. Russian opposition outlet Astra reported on August 31 that Ukrainian forces conducted a Neptune missile strike against a Russian border post near occupied Voloshyne, Crimea, on August 30.[28] Sources in Ukraine’s Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) told Ukrainian outlet Militarnyi on August 31 that Ukrainian forces used a Flamingo cruise missile – not a Neptune missile – to strike the Russian border post.[29] ISW previously reported on August 31 that Ukrainian forces conducted this strike with a Neptune missile based on available evidence at the time.[30] Astra amplified Militarnyi’s reporting on September 1.[31] The Associated Press (AP) reported on August 21 that Ukraine launched mass production of its new Flamingo cruise missiles, which have a range of up to three thousand kilometers and can carry warheads up to 1,150 kilograms.[32]
Ukrainian authorities reportedly collected new evidence of Chechen Republic Head Ramzan Kadyrov endorsing war crimes against Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs). The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) reported on September 1 that Kadyrov stated in a speech that he ordered Chechen military commanders to shoot Ukrainian soldiers on the battlefield instead of taking them prisoner.[33] The SBU added that Kadyrov also ordered Chechen soldiers to place Ukrainian POWs on the roofs of military facilities in Grozny, Republic of Chechnya, to act as human shields against Ukrainian drone strikes. Kadyrov’s statements endorsing war crimes are in line with March 2025 claims by Chechen Akhmat Spetsnaz Commander Apty Alaudinov that Russian forces used the same color of identification tape as Ukrainian forces during a covert attack behind Ukrainian positions in Kursk Oblast, which may constitute acts of perfidy, a war crime under the Geneva Convention.[34] There has been a sharp increase in credible reports and footage of Russian forces executing Ukrainian POWs throughout 2024 and 2025, and ISW continues to assess that Russian military commanders are either complicit in or directly enabling their subordinates to conduct systemic executions in direct violation of international law.
Well theu were Allie’s🤔
NWO, SMO, SVO😂
Why aren’t all the bleeding heart Ukraine supporters outraged about Iryna Zarutska’s murder?
It’s almost as if they don’t give AF about the Ukraine people.— Spitfire (@DogRightGirl) September 7, 2025
🇷🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦 I have a bad feeling with Lindsey Graham at the Turkey negotiations. pic.twitter.com/IDJtvchHpI— Spetsnaℤ 007 🇷🇺 (@Alex_Oloyede2) May 15, 2025
I’m a real American. You want proof? I’m raising a 15 y/o boy as a tax evading, draft dodger. Go ahead, top that.
The Ukrainian group Ziferblat that will go to Eurovision this year. pic.twitter.com/wZaC1ud0sh— Olga Bazova (@OlgaBazova) May 6, 2025
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