A review of war developments on the front lines and in the rear over the past 24 hours, as of September 29, 2026, by Channel 24 analyst Andriy Drozd.

The main topics of this edition were:

  • A massive attack on Ukraine and the successful performance of the air defense forces;
  • Reform of the Defense Forces’ officer corps by Commander-in-Chief Drapaty;
  • counterattacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the front lines;
  • Russian boasts about "Oreshnik."

A text version of Andriy Drozd’s review is available on Channel 24.

Horror and nightmare unfolded in Kyiv yesterday. Missiles struck the Academy of Sciences and other buildings in central Kyiv.

The Russians are attacking data centers again, trying to cut off Ukrainians’ internet and mobile communications. But people–civilians–are dying. That is the most horrific part.

In addition to Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, and the Odesa region were bombed over the past 24 hours.

Russian terror continues / photo – State Emergency Service

There were new attacks overnight. But the Air Defense Forces intercepted all missiles launched by Russia and more than 100 drones. Unfortunately, there were also instances of downed drones and debris falling in Kyiv, the Kyiv region, and the Odesa region. There are casualties, and damage has been caused.

We managed to intercept a “Zircon” anti-ship missile, two ballistic missiles–presumably “Iskander-M” models–as well as a significant number of jet-powered drones.

Putin claims that Ukraine has no means to shoot down jet-powered drones, but that is no longer the case. The reality is changing, and Ukraine is ramping up production of interceptor drones. We are already approaching a 60% success rate in shooting down jet-powered drones.

Putin has apparently decided to unveil the “Oreshnik” missile. Reports have emerged about the closure of airspace over the “Kapustin Yar” test site. There is satellite imagery and reports from the Russian side.

Flight restrictions over Kapustin Yar in the Astrakhan region–covering a vast area–will be in effect from September 28 to October 3, daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Moscow time. The zone covers the space from the Earth’s surface with no upper limit, meaning it technically extends to the full flight altitude all the way into space.

"Kapustin Yar" is used for launching various ballistic missiles, including long-range intercontinental missiles. The closure of this airspace is currently linked to the possible launch of the Russian “Oreshnik” ballistic missile, which takes off from that very location. There may be another scenario as well–the testing of other missile systems.

Russia is once again attempting to intimidate Ukraine’s allies / Screenshot – NOTAM

But it is now clear that Putin is trying to exert psychological pressure on Ukraine, Europe, and, to an even greater extent, the West. We know that rumors of possible provocations, localized incursions, and shelling in the Baltic region–specifically in Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia–have intensified significantly.

Even Russian–essentially Nazi–militias called “Rusich” published a photo yesterday of their assault troops, allegedly in the area of Ivangorod and Narva. This is the border between Russia and Estonia. Therefore, there may be something more behind these rumors, disinformation, and intimidation–namely, Russia’s preparations for a real new phase of war and escalation against Europe.

North of Kharkiv (the so-called Derhachi sector), the Russians are actively attempting to infiltrate the border zone from the Ukrainian side. This involves the settlements of Kozacha Lopan, Prudyanka, and Slatine.

The situation here may appear relatively stable based on the map of combat operations, but the actual situation on the ground is significantly more complex. Currently, Russian advances have been recorded east of Hoptivka–a border town that effectively served as a checkpoint.

This area is extremely important for creating conditions for further offensive operations and putting additional pressure on our positions. It is also known that Russian forces carried out similar infiltrations near the village of Alisivka on the other side of this same road.

Screenshot of the DeepState map

Special attention should be paid to the flanks in the area of Buhaivka and Tokarivka. This includes the village of Tokarivka, which neighbors Hoptivka. The Russians are attempting to bypass Hoptivka from the other flank and infiltrate in the same manner. In the Tokarivka and Buhaivka areas, enemy groups have repeatedly been detected infiltrating the outskirts of settlements. Roaming groups of Russian infantry, attempting to lie low and gather in this area, are present. The area extends even further south, to the southeast of Kozacha Lopan. Enemy activity here is quite high.

Meanwhile, the situation is stabilizing north of Kupiansk, near the villages of Zapadne and Dvorichna. Dvorichna is, in fact, a small town. Assault troops from the R.U.G. Regiment of the “Charter” Corps are gradually clearing the forests and forest belts. They are being assisted by infantrymen from the 35th Marine Brigade.

The main objective–as we’ve mentioned in previous updates–is to clear the area around Dvorichna and Zapadne north of Kupiansk to cut off the Russian bridgehead across the Oskil River. The river flows south toward Kupiansk. The Russians have been using the riverbanks, gas pipelines, various infrastructure facilities, and cover in populated areas to advance in this direction, this bridgehead–this corridor along the river–to advance from north to south toward Kupiansk, amass infantry, infiltrate, and fight for the city.

We can now see that in the area of the Kalynivka farmstead, between Kindrashivka and Zapadny, our troops have managed to clear another patch of forest and wooded areas north of Kupiansk. There is footage from the R.U.G. regiment showing how this operation unfolded.

Fighting in the forests near Kupiansk, 18+ – watch the video:

This refers to a very narrow section of the forest belt. Various shelters and underground burrows where the occupiers were hiding were also uncovered there. During this operation, a Russian prisoner of war was also captured. Control was also established over the area south of Zapadne.

Essentially, Ukrainian troops are advancing and conducting mop-up operations around the village of Zapadne. The footage shows how the underground burrows are being cleared–using grenades. Earlier, the R.U.G. cleared a large area between Dvorichna and Zapadne. In coordination with the marines, part of the operations has already been carried out, and activity remains intense. In other words, the operation is clearly far from over.

In Kupiansk itself, the situation remains challenging, as over the past few months the Russians have managed to redeploy their occupying infantry into the city. And now they must be cleared out and hunted down there once again.

The situation is worse across the Oskil River. Near Kivsharivka and Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi, the Russians continue to infiltrate, apply infantry pressure, and maintain the initiative. We have not yet managed to take it back there.

Operation “Vivaldi” is ongoing and is now in its fourth phase.

The 3rd Army Corps has released new videos showing how Russian forces were driven out of the Lyman sector and how our Ukrainian villages and settlements–Katerynivka, Nove, Ridkodub, and Novomykhailivka–were liberated. Previously, we were shown the western flank of this advance–namely Shandryholove, Novoselivka, and Serednie–which had been liberated earlier. Now we see that Ukrainian troops are already advancing along the flanks of this advance.

New Ukrainian villages have been liberated from the occupiers–watch the video:

Next–fighting along the banks of the Chornyi Zherebets River. This is the area around Makiivka, Nevskyi, and Ivanivka, where active combat operations have already taken place with the Ukrainian troops taking the initiative.

We also have footage showing how the 3rd Army Corps deployed kamikaze armored personnel carriers (APCs) in this sector. This is a specialized tactical maneuver that was employed during offensive operations. Specifically, they managed to convert a BTR-60 into a massive robotic explosive device, load it with explosives, remotely guide it toward a concentration of enemy infantry, and essentially destroy a building with basements or some kind of underground shelter– possibly a dugout, where the Russians were stationed.

Trojan APCs–watch the video:

According to the Third Army Corps, the explosive force is equivalent to that of a guided aerial bomb. And it’s clear that this explosion completely destroys the enemy’s communications and command center. A large number of bombs must be dropped to ensure they hit the target precisely. At least the Russians don’t always drop them accurately, but this is their trump card on the battlefield right now, since the Ukrainians have fewer guided bombs. These are mostly Western-made bombs, and they are smaller in size than those used by the Russians.

Therefore, we have to resort to such tactical maneuvers, using mechanized, armored vehicles that can precisely reach specific coordinates and detonate there to destroy enemy defensive positions. This is even more precise and, in some cases, likely more effective than an aerial bomb.

In total, the area of territory liberated during Operation “Vivaldi” has already reached 176 km². That is larger than the area of Odesa. The occupiers’ total losses over three seasons in “Vivaldi” now amount to about 5,000 soldiers and officers.

It is very important that we managed to destroy the launch sites of drones belonging to the Russian “Rubicon” unit, forcing it to withdraw from this sector. The Russians were left without aerial reconnaissance, without armor, and ultimately without entire companies, as 250 occupiers surrendered to survive.

The Dobropillia sector is one of the most active. There has been a shift on the map here, unfortunately not in favor of Ukrainian forces. This refers to the advance in the Shevchenko and Vasylivka area from Novooleksandrivka.

This is the salient that the Russians have been storming and attacking most intensively in recent days. There have been a great many attacks directed northward, toward the villages of Nadiya, Novohryshyne, Dobropillia, Krasnopodillia, and others. The gray zone has already reached the village of Dobropillia. These villages in the river valley to the south serve as a sort of defensive line for the town of Dobropillia. Naturally, they have effectively formed a line of defense.

Screenshot of the DeepState map

The Russians are trying to break through this line and are infiltrating Dobropillia with infantry groups from various directions. However, these attacks are coming at a high cost to the enemy. The enemy has already suffered 150 confirmed casualties here. And that’s just the killed, and only along a 40-kilometer stretch of the front line.

Along the Zaporizhzhia–Donetsk highway, Ukrainian forces continue to push back the enemy and launch attacks against them. In the area of the village of Komar, Ukrainian forces have managed to consolidate their positions. Next up are Otradne and Bahatyr.

Judging by the nature of our units’ operations, this section near the Zaporizhzhia–Donetsk highway may eventually fall under the so-called Velykonovosilkovsky direction and the Kurakhivsky direction.

Screenshot of the DeepState map

It is important to note that we are observing a certain shift in activity and a possible expansion of our operations toward the village of Bagatyr.

We also know that Ukrainian forces are actively pressing the enemy in the Dachne area, and interesting developments are taking place in the Komar area–that is, on the flanks of this highway.

Hulyaypole and Orikhiv: positive developments for us are observed on both fronts. Moreover, this refers not only to isolated local actions but to the gradual creation of conditions for the further development of offensive operations.

On the western flank of Orikhiv (Bilohirya, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanilivka), Ukrainian units are conducting attacks that are showing fairly good momentum.

In the Hulyaypilske direction, Ukrainian forces are advancing east of Vozdvizhivka and Verkhnia Tersa. This is an area that the Russians had previously attacked quite aggressively. This refers to the area where, according to the same author, Ukrainian forces are already launching their own attacks and seizing the initiative from the enemy.

Chief of the General Staff Mykhailo Drapaty is conducting a review of the officer corps of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

He has launched a process to review the officers serving in the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. His team wants to retain primarily those who have combat experience and are capable of commanding troops, according to General Staff officers who spoke with journalists from “Ukrainska Pravda.”

On September 28, the Chief of the General Staff personally convened the heads of all structural units of the General Staff and clearly explained what he expects from them. The main message is this: if we demand that the troops change, we must start with ourselves.

Officers need combat experience / photo – 93rd Mechanized Brigade

One of the first steps is a personnel review. By October 2, the heads of departments must submit information regarding General Staff officers and generals who, since 2022, have had no practical experience carrying out combat missions as part of formations at the battalion, brigade, corps, or military group level.

Combat experience is not the only criterion for professionalism, but during wartime, the strategic staff cannot lose touch with what is actually happening on the ground. The General Staff is a support function for the troops, tasked with providing effective solutions and directing them toward the appropriate areas.

At this point, we’re not talking about everyone or the automatic dismissal of those without combat experience, but some of these officers will be sent to the troops to gain such experience. Meanwhile, the General Staff will select officers with up-to-date combat experience.

We’ll see how effectively and quickly these changes are implemented.

A review of the war’s events on September 29, 2026–watch the video: