Donald Trump has said he is “so disappointed” in Vladimir Putin as the war in Ukraine continues to rage.
Touting what he described as his peacemaking abilities during a speech to military personnel on Tuesday, the US president said Putin and Ukrainian leader Zelensky must get together to settle Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
It comes as the Russian president announced his biggest conscription plans in almost a decade, mandating 135,000 Russians between the ages of 18 and 30 to join the army. In 2016, 152,000 soldiers were enlisted.
The move follows alarms raised by Nato nations over violations in their airspace from Russia, with Denmark ordering a ban on civil drone flights ahead of two European summits this week after unexplained drones were spotted near military sites over the weekend.
On Tuesday, Zelensky said Ukraine would share with European countries its expertise in fighting Russian drones, sending a mission to Denmark for joint exercises.
“Our military has begun deploying a mission in Denmark to disseminate Ukrainian experience in drone defense," Zelenskyy said. European defence ministers agreed last week to build what they called a "drone wall" along their borders with Russia and Ukraine to better detect, track and intercept drones violating Europe's airspace.
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Key Points
- Russia’s war on Ukraine is war against freedom, says German chancellor
- Kremlin warns Tomahawks will not be a game-changer in the war
- Moldova’s pro-EU party wins clear parliamentary majority, defeating pro-Russian groups
- Putin directs largest autumn conscription in a decade, recruiting 135,000 soldiers
- Russia says it has taken control of two villages in Ukraine’s Donetsk region
IAEA working to restore power to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Grossi says
03:00
,
Nicole Wootton-Cane
The International Atomic Energy Agency is engaging with both sides of the military conflict to restore offsite power to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant as soon as possible, the UN atomic watchdog's chief Rafael Grossi said on Tuesday in a statement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had earlier said the situation at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station had become critical, with Russian shelling preventing restoration of power needed to cool the reactors and prevent a meltdown.
Princess Royal leaves bear at children's memorial in powerful Ukraine visit
02:00
,
Nicole Wootton-Cane
The Princess Royal has made a surprise trip to Ukraine in a show of solidarity with children and families facing the horrors of the Russian invasion.
The King's sister travelled to the war-torn country on Tuesday, where she left a toy bear at a children's memorial in a poignant tribute to youngsters killed in the conflict.
Anne, travelling at the request of the Foreign Office, made the official visit to Kyiv to highlight the traumatic experiences of children living on the front line, Buckingham Palace said.
She also met with President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the UK's support for Ukraine and the country's ongoing resistance.
Anne's secret overseas mission, which was not publicised beforehand for security reasons, came just two days after a Russian aerial bombardment killed at least four people in Kyiv including a 12-year-old girl and injured at least 70 others.
Zelensky condemns Russia over 'emergency' at nuclear power plant
01:00
,
Nicole Wootton-Cane
Zelensky has condemned Russia’s decision to attack a nuclear power plant as a “threat to everyone”.
The Ukrainian president said “no terrorist in the world has ever dared to do to a nuclear plant what Russia is doing” in a post on X.
“It is now the seventh day – something that has never happened before – of an emergency situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
“Because of Russian shelling, the plant has been cut off from power, disconnected from the electrical grid, and is being supplied with electricity by diesel generators,” he wrote.
“This is extraordinary. The generators and the plant were not designed for this, have never operated in this mode for long, and we already have information that one generator has failed.
“It is Russian shelling that prevents repair of the power lines to the plant and the restoration of basic safety.
“This is a threat to everyone – no terrorist in the world has ever dared to do to a nuclear plant what Russia is doing. And it is right that the world does not stay silent.”
It is now the seventh day – something that has never happened before – of an emergency situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Because of Russian shelling, the plant has been cut off from power, disconnected from the electrical grid, and is being supplied with… pic.twitter.com/hUSusfgVjy
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 30, 2025
Ukraine loan from Russian frozen assets would fund EU defence industry, von der Leyen says
00:30
,
Maira Butt
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has revealed that a reparations loan to Ukraine, proposed by the EU Commission, will fund defence procurement within Europe.
It will be backed by frozen Russian assets, but Von der Leyen said the proposal did not involve seizing the assets. Ukraine would repay the loan if Russia paid reparations.
Trump tells military leaders he wants to get Putin and Zelensky together
23:59
,
Nicole Wootton-Cane
Donald Trump touted what he described as his peacemaking abilities during a speech to military personnel on Tuesday, but said that conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine were still raging despite his administration's mediation.
In a speech before military commanders in Quantico, Virginia, Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President President Volodymyr Zelensky need to get together to settle Moscow's war in Ukraine.
It comes after the US president failed to persuade Putin to make progress on the conflict after the two met in Alaska for a high-stakes summit last month.
Ukrainian journalist held by Russia wins Vaclav Havel rights award
23:31
,
Maira Butt
Maksym Butkevych, a Ukrainian journalist and human rights activist who was released last year after being captured by Russian forces, was handed the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize by the Council of Europe on Monday.
Butkevych, who confounded the independent Hromadske radio station and Zmina human rights centre in Kyiv, was detained by Russia in June 2022 and convicted for war crimes in March 2023.
Sentenced to a 13-year prison term on charges of wounding two civilians while serving as a soldier in the Ukrainian army, he was released last year in October during prison exchange.
Ukraine assassinates Russian lieutenant colonel far from frontlines, intelligence claims
23:03
,
Maira Butt
Ukraine has killed a senior Russian military official and two service members during an intelligence operation.
HUR, the state’s military intelligence agency said that the Russian National Guard senior officer, his aide and a driver were killed while travelling to a training ground on Saturday.
The agency released footage of the officer being monitored from afar, before an explosion hit his moving vehicle near the village of Tambukan in Russia’s Stavropol Krai, Tuesday.
A Russian National Guard senior officer and two other service members were killed in a Ukrainian intelligence operation in the North Caucasus on Sept. 27, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) said.
US envoy says Russia-Ukraine war on scale 'not seen since World War II'
22:32
,
Maira Butt
US envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, told the Warsaw Security Forum in Poland that the war Russia-Ukraine war is on a scale and severity that “Europe has not seen since World War II”.
“The killing is industrial strength,” he said as he estimated approximately one million people across both sides could have died or been wounded since Russia’s invasion in 2022.
US has moved submarines near Russian coast to 'be careful', says Trump
22:01
,
Maira Butt
American submarines have been stationed near the Russian coast, according to the US President.
“I moved a submarine or two, over to the coast of Russia, just to be careful, because we can't let people throw around that word [nuclear],” he said.
He boasted that US submarines were 25 years ahead of Moscow’s.
EU moves to sidestep Hungary for Ukraine membership
21:35
,
Maira Butt
Technical work has begun to advance Ukraine and Moldova’s accession to the EU despite Hungary’s attempts to block membership, according to the Financial Times.
Ukraine hopes to persuade Hungary to enable negotiations to continue as the final decision requires unanimity, according to Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister for European integration.
“But meanwhile we have and we really appreciate that we have, an offer from EU institutions and other member states to go with technical work on clusters,” she told the publication.
Who’s arming the Ukraine-Russia war? Every nation involved as US considers sending Tomahawks
21:01
,
Maira Butt
As Donald Trump is set to decide whether to send long-range missile to Ukraine, The Independent takes a look at which countries are the key military backers behind war in Europe.
Alex Croft and Bryony Gooch report:
'So what?': Hungarian PM shrugs off alleged drone incursion into Ukraine
20:28
,
Maira Butt
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has denied Ukraine’s sovereignty as he shrugged off accusations that his country engaged in drone incursions into Ukraine.
“Let’s suppose they flew a few meters in there [Ukraine], and so what?” said on the Fighter’s Hour podcast produced by the Fidesz party, which he leads.
“Ukraine is not an independent country. Ukraine is not a sovereign country … If we, that is the West, decide not to give it a single forint [Hungarian currency], tomorrow Ukraine could shut down.”
Hungary continues to block Ukraine’s attempts to join the European Union.
Ukrainian diver detained in Poland over Nord Stream explosions
20:01
,
Maira Butt
A Ukrainian citizen has been detained in Poland over his alleged involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream explosions.
Identified only as Volodymyr Z., the suspect was held after a German court issued a European arrest warrant, according to Polish radio station RMF FM.
His Polish lawyer confirmed Volodymyr, a diving instructor, was being detained on Tuesday. There was no immediate comment from Polish or German prosecutors.
Ukraine and Denmark begin joint exercises to counter drones, says Zelensky
19:30
,
Maira Butt
“Our group of specialists has begun deploying a mission in Denmark to share Ukraine’s experience in countering drones,” the Ukrainian president wrote on X/Twitter on Tuesday.
“Our guys arrived to take part in the joint exercises with partners, which could become the foundation for a new system to counter Russian and any other drones.”
It follows unexplained drone activity near Danish airports last week, with the Russian prime minister Mette Fredriksen refusing to rule out Russian involvement. Russia has denied it initiated drone incursions into European airspace.
Our group of specialists has begun deploying a mission in Denmark to share Ukraine’s experience in countering drones. Our guys arrived to take part in the joint exercises with partners, which could become the foundation for a new system to counter Russian and any other drones.…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 30, 2025
Donald Trump 'disappointed' in Putin
19:02
,
Maira Butt
Addressing America’s military in Virginia, he said about the war in Ukraine: “I think we'll get that done, but that's turned out to be the toughest one.”
He added: “I'm so disappointed in President Putin, I thought he would get this thing over with.
“He should have had that war done in a week, and I said to him.
“And I said to him, you know, you don't look good. You're four years fighting a war that should have taken a week. Are you a paper tiger?
Russia to expel Austrian diplomat in tit-for-tat move
18:34
,
Maira Butt
Russia is seeking to expel its Austrian diplomat in a retaliatory move after Austria expelled its Russian diplomat on suspicion of espionage.
Earlier this month, an OMV employee was fired after he was accused for spying for Russia and its diplomat, according to Profil.
The employee allegedly attracted attention through meetings with the diplomat suspected of being an agent of the Russian intelligence service (FSB).
Russia struggling to meet mobilisation target in occupied Crimea
18:01
,
Maira Butt
Russia is struggling to meet mobilisation targets in occupied Crimea, Ukraine’s Centre of National Resistance has shared with the Kyiv Independent.
Despite Putin’s push for an additional 135,000 soldiers to be recruited by the end of the year, this falls far below Russ’a targets in occupied Crimea.
Only 963 people of an expected 1,636 people have been mobilised, accounting for 59 per cent of the annual target.
War in Ukraine driving criminal gangs to target rural farm machinery for ‘lucrative rewards’
17:32
,
Maira Butt
The war in Ukraine is driving a wave of organised crime gang operations in rural parts of Britain, with stolen farm machinery being sent to eastern Europe for “lucrative rewards”, a police officer has warned.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine three years ago, police say a black market has opened up for equipment in the region, which has seen production plummet and sanctions imposed on Moscow.
Alex Ross reports:
Putin to conscript record 135,000 soldiers
17:00
,
Maira Butt
Russia is pushing for its biggest conscription drive since 2016.
President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree for plans to recruit 135,000 soldiers from Wednesday until the end of the year, according to the Russian government website.
It is the single largest draft for mandatory service since 2016, when 152,000 soldiers were enlisted.
Citizens of Russia aged between 18 to 30 who are not in the reserve will be drafted.
Rare daytime attack kills one in Ukraine
16:58
,
Athena Stavrou
Russia launched a rare daytime drone attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Tuesday.
One man was killed and 20 others were injured in the attack that also damaged medical, residential and office buildings, officials said.
Serhiy Lysak, the regional governor, said the attack targeted the centre of the industrial city at a time when people were at work and children were in schools
.On the Telegram app, he shared a video showing heavy smoke billowing above buildings and firefighters battling the blaze in the centre of Dnipro, which serves as an industrial and business hub for southeastern Ukraine.
Lysak said an office building was on fire, adding that several other buildings and dozens of cars were damaged.
President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a fresh appeal for stronger sanctions against Russia."With every such strike, Russians prove time and again that they must face strong pressure," Zelensky said in a post on X.
"Joint action is essential. Only through united and strong action can these terrorists be defeated. Russia must be held accountable for its actions."
Right now in Dnipro, rescuers and all emergency and utility services are responding after a Russian drone strike on the city, a brazen attack in broad daylight, targeting civilian infrastructure.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 30, 2025
So far, more than 10 people have been reported injured. All of them are receiving… pic.twitter.com/QVE01AA5RJ
In pictures: Family of four killed in overnight Russian drone attack in Sumy
16:27
,
Maira Butt
Britain might already be at war with Russia, ex-MI5 chief warns
16:00
,
Maira Butt
Britain might already be at war with Russia, a former MI5 chief has warned, pointing to the rising number of cyber attacks as well as sabotage and covert operations on UK soil.
Eliza Manningham-Buller, who was head of the security service between 2002 and 2007, said Moscow could be waging a different kind of conflict against the West, echoing comments from foreign policy expert Fiona Hill.
Tara Cobham reports:
US has moved submarines near Russian coast to 'be careful', says Trump
15:15
,
Maira Butt
American submarines have been stationed near the Russian coast, according to the US President.
“I moved a submarine or two, over to the coast of Russia, just to be careful, because we can't let people throw around that word [nuclear],” he said.
He boasted that US submarines were 25 years ahead of Moscow’s.
From Moldova to the UK: How Russia is using interference to try and disrupt elections
15:08
,
Maira Butt
Western leaders applauded as Moldova’s pro-EU party beat several pro-Kremlin opponents to victory in an election marred by allegations of Russian interference.
The ruling party secured more than 50 per cent of the vote, compared to less than 25 cent for the Russian alligned outfit. Moscow was charged with trying to sway the vote through widespread disinformation and vote-buying, something it denied.
But this isn’t the first time Putin’s government has been accused of interfering in other country’s democracy; Russia was accused of helping to bring US president Donald Trump into power back in 2016, has been linked to attempted coups in Montenegro, and even been connected to interference in the UK, such as the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko on British soil.
Bryony Gooch reports:
Zelensky and Putin need to get together, says Trump
14:53
,
Maira Butt
President Trump has said that Ukrainian leader Zelensky and Russian President Putin must meet together in person in order to solve Russia’s war with Ukraine.
The American leader made the suggestion in before military commanders in Quantico, Virginia on Tuesday.
The battle has been raging for over three years, after Putin’s forces invaded the country in February 2022.
US envoy, Keith Kellogg, estimated that approximately one million people could have been killed or wounded across both sides since fighting began.
Family of British man killed in Ukraine says foreign office 'not helpful'
14:35
,
Maira Butt
The parents of a young British man killed in Ukraine has said that the foreign office was “not helpful” after his death.
Christopher and Michaela Tarmey told PA that their son Marlyn Tarmey was "so much more than a soldier or a statistic" and that he was "a much loved son, grandson, cousin, brother and friend with a big heart and a great wit".
They called for more help for the families of fallen soldiers.
Mr Tarmey died at the age of 20 in June 2024, three months after joining the fighting in Ukraine.
War in Ukraine driving criminal gangs to target rural farm machinery for ‘lucrative rewards’
14:23
,
Maira Butt
The war in Ukraine is driving a wave of organised crime gang operations in rural parts of Britain, with stolen farm machinery being sent to eastern Europe for “lucrative rewards”, a police officer has warned.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine three years ago, police say a black market has opened up for equipment in the region, which has seen production plummet and sanctions imposed on Moscow.
Alex Ross reports:
Ukrainian detained in Poland over Nord Stream explosions
14:01
,
Maira Butt
A Ukrainian citizen has been detained in Poland over his alleged involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream explosions.
Identified only as Volodymyr Z., the suspect was held after a German court issued a European arrest warrant, according to Polish radio station RMF FM.
His Polish lawyer confirmed Volodymyr, a diving instructor, was being detained on Tuesday. There was no immediate comment from Polish or German prosecutors.
Russia and Ukraine clash over Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant outage
13:25
,
Maira Butt
Tensions are rising over Europe’s largest nuclear facility after a key power line failed in the war-torn southeast of Ukraine, leaving the Zaporizhzhia plant reliant on emergency diesel generators.
The outage, which began last Wednesday, has stretched longer than previous cuts during the conflict, heightening concerns about the plant’s cooling systems that prevent fuel from overheating inside its inactive reactors.
Moscow and Kyiv have traded accusations over the disruption. Russian officials claim Ukrainian shelling destroyed the high-voltage line, making repair efforts too dangerous.
Ukraine, however, has accused Moscow of engineering the crisis as a pretext to link the facility to Russia’s electricity grid and bring it back online despite the risks of operating in a combat zone.
Although experts say the immediate threat of a meltdown or explosion is low, every loss of external power weakens the plant’s already fragile safeguards.
Former CIA director says underwater drones 'could stop Russians cold'
13:01
,
Maira Butt
“This is the moment where Ukraine can stop the Russians cold on the battlefields if they are able to make even more unmanned systems,” General David Petraeus told The Telegraph.
He suggested that unmanned submarines could serve as a vital component of Ukraine’s military campaign against Russia, allowing it to strike deep within the country.
US envoy says Putin knows he 'can't win' war
12:29
,
Maira Butt
“[US President] Trump has been personally engaged, with Joe Biden he never picked up the phone and talked to Putin once, you've got to be able to talk to your enemies,” Keith Kellogg told the Warsaw Security Council on Tuesday.
“There's a level of frustration, we're in a pretty good position with the Ukrainians and Putin doesn't want to go there.
“I think probably in his heart of hearts, he realises he can't win this.”
Ukraine and Denmark begin joint exercises to counter drones, says Zelensky
12:20
,
Maira Butt
“Our group of specialists has begun deploying a mission in Denmark to share Ukraine’s experience in countering drones,” the Ukrainian president wrote on X/Twitter on Tuesday.
“Our guys arrived to take part in the joint exercises with partners, which could become the foundation for a new system to counter Russian and any other drones.”
It follows unexplained drone activity near Danish airports last week, with the Russian prime minister Mette Fredriksen refusing to rule out Russian involvement. Russia has denied it initiated drone incursions into European airspace.
Our group of specialists has begun deploying a mission in Denmark to share Ukraine’s experience in countering drones. Our guys arrived to take part in the joint exercises with partners, which could become the foundation for a new system to counter Russian and any other drones.…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 30, 2025
US envoy says Russia-Ukraine war on scale 'not seen since World War II'
12:20
,
Maira Butt
US envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, told the Warsaw Security Forum in Poland that the war Russia-Ukraine war is on a scale and severity that “Europe has not seen since World War II”.
“The killing is industrial strength,” he said as he estimated approximately one million people across both sides could have died since Russia’s invasion in 2022.
Russia claims to have seized third frontline settlement in a day in battle with Ukraine
12:01
,
Maira Butt
The Russian defence ministry said its forces had captured the settlement of Sieversk Malyi in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, on Tuesday.
It follows Russian claims that the military had seized two other frontline settlements, Shandryholove and Zarichne, near the northeast city of Sloviansk overnight.
The report has not been independently verified.
Russia does not believe US has decided to supply Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles
11:47
,
Maira Butt
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he does not believe the US has taken a decision to supply Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles.
On Sunday Vice President JD Vance said Washington had been considering a Ukrainian request for the weapons. Russia had warned the move could trigger a steep escalation at the time.
Wanted Ukrainian citizen detained over Nord Stream explosions
11:20
,
Maira Butt
A Ukrainian citizen wanted over the Nord Stream explosions has been arrested, according to RMF FM.
The September 2022 Nord Stream sabotage mission destroyed a series of underwater gas pipelines and caused gas leaks across the area.
The man was wanted by Germany over his alleged involvement in the scheme and was detained in Poland. The news was confirmed by his lawyer.
Kremlin hits back at German chancellor Merz's claim Europe 'no longer at peace'
11:14
,
Maira Butt
Russia has responded to German chancellor Friedrich Merz’s claim on Monday that Europe and Russia are “no longer at peace”.
The Kremlin accused Germany of being indirectly involved in the war in Ukraine in response.
Ukraine assassinates Russian lieutenant colonel far from frontlines, intelligence claims
11:03
,
Maira Butt
Ukraine has killed a senior Russian military official and two service members during an intelligence operation.
HUR, the state’s military intelligence agency said that the Russian National Guard senior officer, his aide and a driver were killed while travelling to a training ground on Saturday.
The agency released footage of the officer being monitored from afar, before an explosion hit his moving vehicle near the village of Tambukan in Russia’s Stavropol Krai, Tuesday.
A Russian National Guard senior officer and two other service members were killed in a Ukrainian intelligence operation in the North Caucasus on Sept. 27, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) said.
Hungary blocks Ukrainian news sites amid feud
10:51
,
Maira Butt
Twelve Ukrainian news sites have been blocked across Hungary as tensions deepen between the neighbours amid Russia’s invasion.
It comes in response to Ukraine blocking pro-Russian sites, including eight Hungarian language portals.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, said that “a sovereign country must give a proportional response to an entirely unjustified attack.”
However, Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said the reasoning behind the restrictions were unjustified: “The difference is that Ukraine blocks Russian propaganda, whereas Orban's government blocks Hungarians' access to fact-based journalism.”
Who’s arming the Ukraine-Russia war? Every nation involved as US considers sending Tomahawks
10:35
,
Maira Butt
As Donald Trump is set to decide whether to send long-range missile to Ukraine, The Independent takes a look at which countries are the key military backers behind war in Europe.
Alex Croft and Bryony Gooch report:
EU moves to sidestep Hungary for Ukraine membership
10:20
,
Maira Butt
Technical work has begun to advance Ukraine and Moldova’s accession to the EU despite Hungary’s attempts to block membership, according to the Financial Times.
Ukraine hopes to persuade Hungary to enable negotiations to continue as the final decision requires unanimity, according to Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister
