re: Latest Updates: Russia-Ukraine Conflict.

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Russia is going to lose this war.


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Russia simply doesn't have the resources to take over all of the Ukraine


If you go by that definition yes they probably will lose

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Do you have another definition? Because I'm genuinely curious if you do.

War update: 106 clashes on frontline, Pokrovsk sector remains most intense

26.09.2025 17:50

Since the beginning of the day, there have been 106 combat clashes between the Ukrainian Defense Forces and Russian troops, with the invaders attacking most actively in the Pokrovsk, Novopavlivka, Toretsk, and Lyman sectors.

According to Ukrinform, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported the situation as of 4:00 p.m. on Friday, September 26, on Facebook.

Border settlements, in particular Esman and Znob-Trubchevska in the Sumy region, were subjected to artillery shelling from the territory of the Russian Federation. The community of Seredyna-Buda also suffered air strikes with unguided missiles.

Ukrainian defenders repelled six Russian attacks in the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors.

The enemy also carried out seven air strikes, dropping 18 guided bombs, and carried out 126 shellings, including 12 from multiple launch rocket systems.

In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, the Russians twice attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders near Vovchansk, and one combat engagement is ongoing.

In the Kupiansk sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled two attacks in the areas of the settlements of Pishchane and Novoselivka.

In the Lyman sector, the Russian army attacked 11 times near the settlements of Karpivka, Kolodiazi, Shandryholove, Zarichne, Torske, and Derylove. The Defense Forces stopped six attempts by the enemy to advance, and fighting continues.

In the Siversk sector, the enemy made two attempts to break through in the Hryhorivka area and toward Dronivka. Defense Forces stopped one enemy attempt to advance, and one battle continues.

In the Kramatorsk sector, Russian troops attacked the positions of the Defense Forces three times, trying to advance near Yampil and toward Stupochky. One combat engagement continues.

In the Toretsk sector, Russian invaders attacked 12 times in the areas of the settlements of Shcherbynivka, Kleban-Byk, Rusyn Yar, Sofiivka, and Poltavka, with four clashes ongoing.

In the Pokrovsk sector, Russian troops made 31 attempts to advance in the areas of the settlements of Nykanorivka, Volodymyrivka, Chervonyi Lyman, Rodynske, Lysivka, Zvirove, Kotlyne, Udachne, Horikhove, Dachne, and toward the settlements of Pokrovsk, Balahan, and Filiia. Seven combat engagements are still ongoing.

In the Novopavlivka sector, the enemy attacked 14 times near the settlements of Andriivka-Klevtsove, Sichneve, Sosnivka, Komyshuvakha, and Kalynivske, with five combat clashes still ongoing.

In the Huliaipole sector, Ukrainian soldiers stopped two enemy attempts to advance near the settlement of Poltavka, and three more combat engagements are ongoing.

In the Orikhiv sector, the Defense Forces repelled two Russian attacks near the settlement of Kamianske.

In the Prydniprovske sector, the Russian army attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders four times toward the Antonivskyi Bridge; one combat engagement continues.

No significant changes in the situation have been reported on other front sectors.

As reported by Ukrinform, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that the situation on the frontline is difficult, but the Defense Forces have recently achieved some success. Every day, there are about 15-20 assault operations by the Defense Forces.

Ukrinform

Zelensky: Military meeting focused on counteroffensive, frontline, drones on Hungarian border

26.09.2025 16:54

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a military meeting focused on the Dobropillia counteroffensive, the situation in Kupiansk and along the frontline in general, as well as the detection of reconnaissance drones near the Hungarian border.

He said this in a post on Telegram, according to Ukrinform.

"I held a military briefing. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov, Ukraine's Minister of Defense Denys Shmyhal, and Deputy Head of the Presidential Office for defense matters Pavlo Palisa were present. Reports were delivered on the front lines – key directions – as well as the situation along the border. Special focus was given to the Dobropillia counteroffensive operation. As of this morning, 168.8 square kilometers of territory have been liberated since the operation began, and another 187.7 square kilometers cleared of Russian sabotage groups. Russian losses in this operation alone are already nearly 3,000 personnel, most of them irrecoverable. Ukraine's 'exchange fund' is also being replenished. I thank all our units involved in carrying out this operation," Zelensky said.

He also raised the issue of reconnaissance drones detected on the Ukrainian-Hungarian border.

"The Commander-in-Chief also reported on recent drone incidents along the Ukrainian-Hungarian border. Ukrainian forces recorded violations of our airspace by reconnaissance drones, which are likely Hungarian. Preliminary assessments suggest they may have been conducting reconnaissance on the industrial potential of Ukraine's border areas. I instructed that all available information be verified and that urgent reports be made on each recorded incident," Zelensky said.

Ukrinform

Russians in Kupyansk are hiding behind civilians and using people as shields — 10th Army Corps

Russian sabotage groups are trying to infiltrate Kupyansk, hiding among local residents. They are dressing up in civilian clothes and Ukrainian military uniforms . This makes it difficult for Ukrainian army units to operate.
This was announced on September 26 on Suspilny by an officer of the 10th Army Corps, Yevhen.

According to him, the most difficult situation is currently in Kupyansk and its surroundings, in particular in the area of ??Redkivka and Holubivka.

"The enemy is trying to infiltrate our battle formations, cling to urban development and, as they like to call it, to hide without engaging in battle, to accumulate, completely cynically changing into civilian clothes, using our uniforms or cartoons, our tape, our bandages, and thus trying to get lost in urban development," the serviceman says.

The enemy even uses civilians as a shield, taking cover from them. They can run into them in the entrance, and the civilians will be on the second floor, and the enemy on the third, so that we cannot use all our means of impressment on them.

The presence of civilians in Kupyansk makes it difficult to conduct its sweeps, because each person has to be identified and their documents checked, the military man says. He says that recently the movement of Russians through the pipe has stopped, but they are looking for other ways to get into the city.

"We inflicted quite a powerful fire damage on the pipe. There are hopes that it is flooded in the area of ??the Oskil River. The enemy has renewed its attempts to cross the river using boats, and is also suffering heavy losses there, but so far we have not noticed any movement on the pipe," says Yevhen.

We call these fighters who try to infiltrate the city disposables. They are constantly experimenting. It could be one fighter who is told to get to this or that house. If he succeeds, then good, he will be given the next command. He will sit there, wait for his people. If they succeed, they move on.

Suspilne

Now do one of Ukrainian drones taking out Russian ships. A drone is not a huge loss. A ship is huge loss.

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A ship is huge loss

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And citizen knows huge losses.

Even his fake technology inside his own delusions didn't work.

I'll trust an expert on the topic.

Another timely summary of paywalled news from the Kyiv Independent

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More or less though, if Russia holds on to what they have or gains ground and Ukraine's demographics continue to sink into the toilet, that will potentially leave them vulnerable to Russian influence as conditions deteriorate and the population likely takes it out on those in power. Its important for Europe to understand that the job doesn't end when shots stop being fired. Ukraine's defense is really just beginning at that point, but it will be a different kind of battle.

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I gave it an upvote because I agree with this.

But that's not how the Russians think. I can take one look at the way they invaded in 2022 and know they wanted all of the Ukraine but then they failed to take it. Then Trump offered them a sweetheart deal in an attempt to bring Putin to the table a few months ago trying to bring this thing to a close, but they rejected that. I'm sure that deal would still be available to them, but they've said 'no' multiple times now. Trump clearly wants to make a deal; the Russians aren't interested.

So, their goal is clearly to take all of the Ukraine. My guess is that the enormous cost of this war combined with the fact that Putin and the Kremlin have put all their eggs in one basket means that this war has to keep going for them to even survive. But there's a trainwreck coming for Russia you can see a mile away. I heard one commentator put it best: "Putin doesn't have a plan for a backdown, he's only got one for a double down."