Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 945

Here is an update on the situation as of Friday, September 27, 2024.

Fighting
Ukraine's military reported that Russian forces launched an extensive attack from Wednesday into Thursday, firing 78 drones and six missiles across various regions. Ukrainian air defences intercepted 66 drones and four missiles. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed the attack targeted the country’s energy infrastructure.
A missile strike on the Black Sea port city of Odesa claimed the life of one woman, while a guided-bomb attack on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia left 10 people injured, according to officials.
In the Kherson region, repeated Russian shelling of a village west of the Ukrainian-controlled city resulted in the death of one person and injured another, as reported by Regional Governor Vyacheslav Prokudin.
In Slatyne, located in northeastern Kharkiv, a local official said rescuers were searching for victims after a Russian rocket attack ignited a fire that engulfed six homes.
Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed its forces captured the town of Ukrainsk in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Ukrainsk, located about 30 kilometers (18 miles) west of Donetsk city, had a pre-war population of over 10,000.

Politics and Diplomacy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House, where Biden reaffirmed that the U.S. would "stand by" Ukraine and that Kyiv would ultimately "prevail" in the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Biden also announced that a high-level summit involving 50 allies of Ukraine would take place in Germany next month.
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris also met Zelenskyy and expressed her "unwavering" support for Ukraine, while criticizing her Republican opponent Donald Trump for what she called his "surrender" approach to the conflict. Trump, who has previously suggested Ukraine should have “made a deal” with Russia, confirmed he would meet Zelenskyy in New York on Friday.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss achieving "a comprehensive, fair, and lasting peace for Ukraine" based on the UN Charter.
Earlier, Wang had met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss Ukraine, with Wang emphasizing that Russia-China relations would continue to "move forward," while Russia’s Foreign Ministry described the talks as "constructive."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia’s decision to expand its nuclear doctrine was intended as a “signal” to Western nations, warning of consequences for attacks on Russia.
Russia’s security service reported the arrest of six individuals, including three teenagers, for allegedly sabotaging railway and communications equipment under orders from Ukrainian intelligence.
Qatar facilitated an agreement between Ukraine and Russia for the exchange of 13 children. Nine children and teenagers, along with a 19-year-old sibling, will be reunited with their families in Ukraine, while four children will be sent to Russia, according to officials.
In Poland, a court sentenced a 23-year-old Ukrainian national and a 30-year-old Belarusian citizen for spying on behalf of Russia. These men were among 16 individuals arrested in connection with a spy ring that had gathered information on the movement of military equipment bound for Ukraine.
Balazs Orban, a senior adviser to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, remarked in a pro-government newspaper that Ukraine’s response to Russia’s invasion was "irresponsible." Orban suggested Hungary would not have defended itself in a similar situation, referencing Moscow’s violent suppression of Hungary’s 1956 anti-Soviet uprising. His comments sparked widespread outrage on Hungarian social media.

Weapons
President Biden announced nearly $8 billion in new military aid for Ukraine, including Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) munitions aimed at bolstering Ukraine's long-range strike capabilities to help "win this war."
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told Reuters that Ukraine should be free to use the weapons it receives, adding that he hopes Kyiv will be able to strike deeper into Russian territory with the newly supplied U.S. arms.