Fighting has been going on for months around the city of Kupiansk in northeastern Ukraine. Russian troops have now managed to make further progress in the area using a trick. US President Trump explains under what conditions he would impose new sanctions against Russia.

All events related to the Ukraine war in the live ticker:

5:14 PM – Romania confirms Russian origin of drone

According to the Romanian Ministry of Defense, the drone spotted in Romania on Saturday originated from Russia. The Geran-type missile is used in attacks on Ukraine, the ministry said. The aircraft flew for approximately 50 minutes from northeast to southwest, along the Chilia branch of the Danube, which forms the Romanian-Ukrainian border. Near the Romanian town of Pardina, the drone flew toward Ukraine and left Romanian airspace.

Two Romanian F-16 fighter jets took off and observed the drone. Two German Eurofighter Typhoons supported the surveillance operation. According to the ministry, the Romanian fighter pilots had authorization to shoot down the drone. However, they decided against it"to avoid collateral risks."

16:17 – Ukraine claims responsibility for attacks on Russian railway network

Following several incidents on the Russian railway network, Ukrainian military intelligence has claimed responsibility for two attacks. The incidents, in which three people were killed in the Russian region of Oriol on Saturday and a train derailed in the Leningrad region on Sunday, were targeted acts of sabotage, a representative of the GRU military intelligence agency stated.

According to Russian regional governor Alexander Drosdenko, a total of two trains derailed in the western Leningrad region on Sunday, but the GRU claimed responsibility for only one of these incidents. A section of the railway line between St. Petersburg and Pskov was blown up overnight. According to the regional governor, a freight train carrying 15 empty tank cars then derailed. However, Ukrainian military intelligence stated that the tank cars and their fuel were destroyed.

In another part of the Leningrad region, a locomotive derailed on Sunday, killing the driver, according to Governor Drosdenko. On Saturday, Russian authorities reported that three members of the National Guard were killed in an explosion on a railway line in the Oriol region, about 800 kilometers from the Leningrad region. Ukrainian military intelligence spoke of a targeted act of sabotage on the railway line between the cities of Oriol and Kursk. They stated that the victims were demolition experts dispatched to defuse explosive devices.

2:50 p.m. – Röttgen calls for procurement program for defense drones

Following the incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace, CDU foreign policy expert Norbert Röttgen called for a procurement program for defense drones."NATO needs drones to defend against Russian drones," Röttgen told the "Rheinische Post" newspaper. This applies even more to Germany, which is"virtually empty" in this area."The federal government must launch a procurement program as soon as possible."

NATO must not and cannot tolerate Russia penetrating the airspace of NATO states for attacks on Ukraine in a blatant violation of international law, Röttgen said."NATO must equip itself appropriately for this as quickly as possible. This means that drones cannot be permanently combated with complex and expensive conventional air defense systems." Cooperation with Ukraine would be an option.

2:10 p.m. – Two trains derailed in western Russia – sabotage?

Two trains derailed at two different locations in the western Russian region of Leningrad on Sunday. The incidents occurred early in the morning, just hours after an explosive device exploded on a railway line in the western Oriol region, killing three people on Saturday evening. Authorities are investigating possible sabotage, regional governor Alexander Drosdenko said.

The regional governor had previously reported another incident, according to which a freight train carrying 15 empty tank cars derailed further south."Investigators are investigating possible sabotage," Drosdenko added.

12:15 p.m. – Fight against drones: Ukraine wants to restrict mobile communications during attacks

Ukraine is considering throttling its mobile network due to ongoing Russian drone attacks."This is not an interruption of mobile communications, but a reduction in quality in certain areas," Chief of the General Staff Andriy Hnatov told the Ukrainian online video broadcaster Novyny Live. This could include restricting 4G and 5G communications, which enable particularly fast data transmission. This should prevent the modems used in the drones from accessing the internet provided by Ukrainian communications providers.

08:50 – Refinery in northern Russia hit by Ukrainian drone

According to Russian sources, a fire broke out in one of the country's largest refineries in northwest Russia following a drone attack. Three Ukrainian drones were shot down in Kirishi, a city 110 kilometers southeast of St. Petersburg, according to the governor of the Leningrad region surrounding the city of one million inhabitants, Alexander Drosdenko. Debris from a drone ignited the fire, he wrote on Telegram. The fire has since been extinguished, and there were no fatalities or injuries.

07:36 – Ukraine warns of rising costs in the war against Russia

Ukraine will need at least $120 billion for its defense in 2026 if the war with Russia enters its fourth year. Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal said this at a conference in Kyiv on Saturday evening. The funds are essential to hold the lines, produce more drones and other weapons, protect the airspace, and deter any further Russian aggression."The economics of war shows: If we spend less money than Russia, we pay with our territories—and, most importantly, with our lives," Shmyhal said.

02:04 a.m. – Republicans increase pressure on Trump

Two Republican U.S. representatives want to force through tough sanctions against Russia by linking their bill to a much-needed government funding bill. Senator Lindsey Graham and House Representative Brian Fitzpatrick announced Saturday that they would urge their colleagues in both parties to approve the measure this week."We will urge our colleagues in both parties to join us in advancing this legislation and standing with freedom against tyranny," the two said."Time is running out."

The bill has been pending for months, but has not been brought up for a vote by the leadership in the Senate and House of Representatives. The reason for this is President Donald Trump's hesitancy to impose sanctions against Russia. Among other things, the bill proposes so-called secondary sanctions against India and China if they continue to purchase Russian oil. Trump instead prefers tariffs on goods from India, the world's second-largest buyer of Russian oil after China. The preliminary budget provision could now provide the two representatives with a path to push through their plan.

00:09 – Majority of Germans fear Russian attack on NATO territory

Following the intrusion of Russian drones into Polish airspace, a survey shows that the majority of Germans are concerned about a Russian attack on a NATO country such as Poland or Lithuania in the near future. According to the survey conducted by the polling institute Insa on behalf of"Bild am Sonntag," 62 percent of the 1,002 respondents fear such an attack. 28 percent do not, and 10 percent do not know. Accordingly, 49 percent of Germans are convinced that all gas and oil deliveries from Russia to the EU should be stopped immediately. According to the newspaper's preliminary report, 51 percent of respondents are also in favor of frozen Russian assets in the EU being used to support Ukraine.

00:01 – Baerbock considers a solution with UN peacekeepers to be conceivable

The President of the UN General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, believes that UN peacekeeping troops could be involved in a peace settlement in the Ukraine war."If a peace agreement is reached, it must be best secured," the former German Foreign Minister told Bild am Sonntag."And if the majority of member states say that peacekeepers are also needed for this, then that is something that can hopefully ensure lasting peace."

Saturday, September 13th:

23:52 – Ukraine needs at least 120 billion euros for defense in 2026

Ukraine says it needs at least $120 billion (€102.3 billion) next year to fight the Russian aggressors. A similar amount is also needed to"maintain the army" even if the war ends, Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal said at a conference in Kyiv on Saturday. Ukraine spends about a third of its total economic output on defense and relies on financial aid from its Western allies.

Ukraine risks losing more territory to Russia if it continues to be financially inferior on the battlefield, Shmyhal said. He suggested seizing frozen Russian assets in the West to finance defense spending, saying Ukrainians already bear a significant tax burden after three and a half years of war.

10:03 PM – Ukrainian drones set fire to Russian oil refinery

In the Russian republic of Bashkortostan on the Volga River, a refinery belonging to the oil company Bashneft is burning, according to authorities, following a Ukrainian drone attack. According to republican leader Radi Khabirov, the facility was attacked by at least two drones, one of which crashed onto the premises."The production facility sustained minor damage, and a fire broke out, which is currently being extinguished," he wrote.

Drone attacks on Russian oil facilities have become an integral part of Ukraine's defense strategy. The aim is, on the one hand, to disrupt the military's fuel supply and, on the other, to deprive Russia of an important source of revenue for financing its war effort. What's new is that the attacks are now also taking place during the day – deep in the Russian hinterland. Bashkortostan lies approximately 1,400 kilometers from the border with Ukraine.

9:02 PM – Selenskyj accuses Russia of escalating the war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of escalating the war following air raid warnings in neighboring Poland and Romania. The Russian military knows exactly where its drones are flying, and this is not the arbitrary actions of any subordinate commanders, Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram."This is a clear escalation of the war by Russia."

This approach necessitates preventive action by the West. Russia must feel the consequences, Zelenskyy demanded. Once again, he urged sanctions and the tariffs on Russian trade that US President Donald Trump had suggested. However, it is also necessary to establish a common security system."Don't wait for dozens of Shahed (drones) and ballistic missiles to finally make decisions," he wrote to the Europeans.

7:34 PM – US Secretary of State: Russian drone intrusion into Poland is unacceptable

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio calls the intrusion of Russian drones into Polish airspace unacceptable. However, Rubio says it is unclear whether Russia intentionally piloted the drones into Polish territory. Several Russian drones flew into Polish airspace overnight into Wednesday.

7:33 p.m. – Drone in Romanian airspace

Romania is sending fighter jets into the country's airspace because of a drone. The Ministry of Defense announced that the drone entered the country near the border during a Russian attack on Ukrainian infrastructure. Two F-16 jets tracked the aircraft until it disappeared from radar. There was no immediate threat to the population.

6:27 p.m. – Patrol flights by NATO fighter jets in eastern Poland

In Poland, fighter jets from both our own and allied air forces are patrolling the airspace in the east of the country. The aircraft are participating in an operation near the border with Ukraine to ensure Poland's security, according to the Armed Forces Operational Command."These measures are preventive in nature and aimed at securing the airspace and protecting citizens, especially in the areas adjacent to the threatened area," it states. On the night of Wednesday, several Russian drones entered Polish airspace. Russia stated that it was not targeting Poland.

4:41 PM – Fire at oil plant after drone attack

According to Russian sources, a drone strike sparked a fire at an oil company facility in the Russian region of Bashkortostan. The region's governor, Radiy Khabirov, announced this on Telegram. A drone was shot down over the production site and ignited the fire, which is now being extinguished. Damage to the facility was limited, and there were no injuries. A second drone was also shot down. He did not mention Ukraine in his post.

Unverified videos posted on local Telegram channels show an object flying into the facility, followed by a large fireball. The city of Ufa, where the oil facility is located, is approximately 1,400 kilometers from the border with Ukraine.

2:00 PM – Trump calls on NATO countries to stop buying Russian oil

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he believed the war between Russia and Ukraine would end if all NATO countries stopped supplying oil from Russia and China imposed tariffs of 50 to 100 percent on Russian oil. He then said he would be prepared to impose"massive sanctions against Russia."

Trump said in a post that NATO's commitment to winning the war was "well below 100 percent" and that the purchase of Russian oil by some members of the alliance was "shocking." "This significantly weakens your negotiating position and your bargaining power with Russia."

NATO member Türkiye is the third-largest buyer of Russian oil after China and India. Other members of the 32-nation alliance that purchase Russian oil include Hungary and Slovakia.

Trump stated in his post that a NATO ban on Russian oil and tariffs on Chinese goods would “also help end this deadly but ridiculous war.”

The president said NATO members should impose tariffs of 50 to 100 percent on China and then roll them back once the war that began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 ends."China has strong control and even strong influence over Russia," he wrote, and high tariffs"will break that influence."

1:14 PM – Russia takes Novomykolaivka

According to the Defense Ministry in Moscow, Russian troops have captured the town of Novomykolaivka in the southeastern Ukrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk. In addition, Ukrainian long-range drone infrastructure was attacked, Russian news agencies reported, citing the ministry. Furthermore, 340 Ukrainian drones were shot down within the past day. This information could not initially be independently verified.

09:09 – Russian troops sneak through tunnels to Kupiansk

According to military observers, the fighting around the frontline town of Kupiansk in the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv is intensifying. Russian soldiers have managed to penetrate the town in small groups through an underground tunnel, report experts from the military-affiliated blog"Deepstate." This is not the first time Moscow has used this tactic in its advances.

Kupiansk is a strategically important transport hub located on the Oskil River. The river itself serves as a barrier to the advance of Russian troops. However, the Russian military has already managed to overcome it in some places. With the help of the tunnel, which has an entrance on the east bank of the river, the military is now strengthening its bridgehead on the west bank.

08:08 – 7.4 magnitude earthquake off Russia’s east coast

A severe 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia on Saturday. The epicenter of the quake was located at a depth of almost 40 kilometers, approximately 111 kilometers east of the port city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned of"dangerous" waves within a 300-kilometer radius of the epicenter, but the tsunami warning was later lifted.

Friday, September 12

01:24 – Prince Harry offers his help to Ukraine

Britain's Prince Harry visited Ukraine on Friday. Prince Harry traveled to Kyiv with a team from his Invictus Games Foundation to present plans for the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers. Harry was invited by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and the director of the Superhumans Rehabilitation Center, Olga Rudneva. He met privately with Minister of Veterans Affairs Natalya Kalmykova and the head of government and laid a wreath in Maidan Square.

9:16 PM – US and allies accuse Russia of violating the law after drone incident

The United States and Western allies are accusing Russia of violating international law and the UN Charter following the incursion of Russian drones into Poland. The joint statement, read by a Polish government representative before a Security Council meeting, also calls on the government in Moscow to end its war of aggression against Ukraine and refrain from further provocations. US President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that the drone strike may have been an accident.

9:03 PM – Selensky: Putin wants to take over the whole of Ukraine

Zelenskyy accuses Kremlin leader Putin of continuing to seek complete occupation of Ukraine."Putin's goal is to occupy all of Ukraine," Zelenskyy said Friday at the Yalta European Strategy (YES) conference, adding:"No matter what he says, it's clear that he has set the war machine in motion to such an extent that he simply can't stop it unless he is forced to fundamentally change his personal goals."

Zelensky also said that a "territorial swap" would not be enough to bring about peace. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested such a swap as a path to peace in recent months. Ukraine strongly rejects this.

20:36 – Selenskyj: Russian advance in Sumy region failed

After several months of heavy fighting, Ukraine says it has halted a Russian advance in northeastern Ukraine."As of today, we can state that the Russian offensive operation in (the) Sumy region was completely thwarted by our forces," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram after a meeting with the military leadership, including Army Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyy. Fighting in the border areas continues, but the Russian group is no longer capable of launching attacks.

18:38 – Poland: Perhaps more airspace violations than previously known

According to the Polish government, the number of airspace violations by Russian drones may be higher than previously known. Army analyses have shown that there may have been 21 airspace violations over the EU and NATO country overnight into Wednesday, said Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz. Previously, Poland's leadership had stated the number as 19. Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized that the number of airspace violations does not equate to the number of drones.