Last night, September 19-20, 2025, Russian forces struck Dnipro, targeting the city with a missile that hit a high-rise residential building. The attack caused extensive damage, shattering windows, sparking fires, and destabilizing the structure, while also impacting nearby schools, kindergartens, and transport infrastructure. Emergency services worked tirelessly through the night, battling fires and rescuing trapped residents amid collapsing debris.

The assault left one man dead and initially injured 26 people, with the number of wounded rising to 36 by morning. Bloodied civilians were seen fleeing the wreckage, and rescuers continued searching for survivors. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack on Dnipro as a brutal strike against civilians, urging stronger international support to counter such aggression.

India will continue to buy Russian oil despite Trump-Modi talks

According to Bloomberg, Russian oil shipments to India will continue through November and December, though volumes are expected to remain below peak levels. A combination of tariffs imposed by President Trump and Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian infrastructure has driven supplies down to nearly a two-year low of about 1 million barrels per day.

Following a recent improvement in relations between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is preparing to ramp up imports again. For now, the government has not directed refineries to halt exports, but this stance could shift depending on the outcome of upcoming trade negotiations.

Putin feels free to increase attacks on Ukraine without fear of consequences from Trump

Russian President Vladimir Putin has concluded that intensifying attacks on Ukraine will strengthen his negotiating position without prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to step in or expand Ukraine’s defenses, Bloomberg reported on Sept. 20, citing sources “close to the Kremlin.”

According to the report, Putin reached this conclusion following his meeting with Trump in Alaska last month, where he came to believe the U.S. president has little interest in directly intervening in the conflict. Kremlin sources told Bloomberg that Putin now intends to continue targeting Ukraine’s energy and other critical infrastructure.

Russia has already ramped up its campaign of drone and missile strikes this year, repeatedly setting new records for both civilian casualties and the volume of weapons launched. Earlier this month, Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched 810 Shahed-type drones in a single attack—the largest such barrage since the start of the full-scale invasion.

Moscow has also escalated its provocations against NATO. A drone incursion into Poland earlier this month marked the Kremlin’s boldest move into alliance territory so far, prompting Warsaw to request emergency NATO consultations. Just days later, Estonia reported a violation of its airspace on Sept. 19 and also called for urgent consultations.

Since taking office, Trump has made sporadic attempts to broker peace between Kyiv and Moscow, though none have produced results. His most recent effort—an attempt last month to arrange a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky—collapsed after Putin insisted the talks be held in Moscow.

On Sept. 18, Trump voiced frustration with the Russian leader, saying, “He’s really let me down,” but stopped short of announcing new measures to pressure Moscow. Earlier this month, he floated the possibility of additional sanctions, but only if all NATO members agreed to halt purchases of Russian oil.