Russia attacked Ukraine with 502 drones and 24 missiles overnight

Last night Russia launched a massive combined missile and drone attack across Ukraine, targeting energy facilities, railway infrastructure, and civilian buildings in multiple regions, including Kyiv. According to posts on X and reports from Ukrainian sources, Russia deployed 502 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including improved Geranium-type drones, and 24 cruise missiles, with Ukrainian air defenses intercepting most but recording 72 strikes. In the Kyiv region, debris from downed drones shattered windows in residential buildings in Vyshhorod, while in the Kirovohrad region, a strike on railway infrastructure injured four railway workers and disrupted train traffic. Explosions were reported in Lutsk, Khmelnitsky, Lviv, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Rivne, and Zaporizhzhia, with large fires in Lutsk and smoke over Khmelnitsky, highlighting the attack’s broad geographic scope.

The assault, described as one of the largest since Russia’s invasion began in 2022, aimed to cripple Ukraine’s energy and transport infrastructure, exacerbating civilian hardship as winter approaches. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack, emphasizing that it demonstrates Russia’s disregard for peace negotiations, particularly following recent U.S.-led diplomatic efforts. The strikes caused significant damage to civilian infrastructure, with no immediate reports of fatalities in Kyiv, though the broader attack’s toll is still being assessed. Ukrainian air defenses, while effective in neutralizing many threats, were strained by the sheer volume of drones and missiles, underscoring the need for enhanced Western support, as Zelenskyy reiterated calls for stronger sanctions and air defense systems.

In Kyiv, air raid sirens forced residents to seek shelter in metro stations overnight, with some preparing to spend the entire night underground due to the persistent drone threat. The capital’s air defenses were active, intercepting Russian drones, but the psychological toll on residents was evident as explosions disrupted sleep and heightened fears. This attack follows a pattern of escalating Russian aerial assaults, with recent weeks seeing record-breaking barrages, including a June 2025 strike involving 479 drones and 20 missiles. The intensified campaign reflects Russia’s strategy to overwhelm Ukraine’s defenses and demoralize its population, while Kyiv continues to counter with defensive measures and long-range drone strikes, such as the upgraded “Palianytsia” drone missile with a 650 km range, highlighting the ongoing tit-for-tat escalation.

Russian artillery strike killed eight civilians in Kostiantynivka and injured 6

Russian forces shelled the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast on Wednesday, September 3, killing eight civilians and wounding six more, according to the Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor’s Office.

The barrage began mid-morning, between 10:30 and 11:50 a.m., when Russian artillery targeted a residential neighborhood. Prosecutors confirmed that three women, ages 46, 72, and 74, and five men were killed in the attack. The victims were struck while at home, out on the street, or inside a local shop. Six others sustained varying injuries and were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

The shelling also left a trail of destruction across the city. Residential homes and apartment buildings were heavily damaged, while the façade of a shop and nearby market stalls were scarred by blasts. Ukrainian officials have classified the strike as a war crime, and a pre-trial investigation has been opened.

Putin claims that he can conclude the war in Ukraine on "acceptable terms," but if necessary, he is prepared to do so by force

Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested on September 3 that he is open to negotiating an “acceptable option” to end the war in Ukraine—but paired the remark with a thinly veiled threat to continue pursuing Moscow’s goals by force if talks fail. He made the comments at a press conference in Beijing during his visit to China.

Putin claimed there was now “a certain light at the end of the tunnel,” referencing what he described as a willingness from the United States under President Donald Trump to seek a genuine settlement. “We see not just calls, but a sincere desire to find this solution,” he said, adding that a compromise could be possible “if common sense prevails.”

The Russian leader, however, made clear that Moscow’s demands have not changed. If diplomacy does not deliver what the Kremlin considers an acceptable deal, Putin warned, Russia would continue pressing forward militarily: “If not, then we will have to resolve all our tasks by military means.” His remarks highlight Russia’s ongoing strategy of combining rhetorical nods toward peace with threats of escalation.

UK intelligence analyzed the Russian abduction of Ukrainian children

British Defence Intelligence released a report on September 3 warning that Russia has been systematically abducting Ukrainian children and funneling them into its armed forces once they turn 18. The analysis, posted on X (formerly Twitter), highlights one of the darkest elements of Moscow’s war strategy.

According to the update, more than 19,500 Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported to Russia and occupied Crimea since the start of the invasion, with some independent sources suggesting the real number could be as high as 35,000. Around 6,000 of these children are believed to be held in a network of so-called “re-education camps,” where they are indoctrinated before being transferred to Russian military training centers as teenagers.

The report concludes that Russia’s leadership views abducted Ukrainian minors as a long-term source of manpower for its war machine. In a chilling assessment, UK intelligence stated that the Kremlin likely assumes the deaths of these children in combat would provoke “minimal, if any, objection” from the Russian public, much of which remains unaware of the abductions.