Fighting between Russia and Ukraine intensified on Saturday, 19 September, as Moscow announced that it had taken control of more than 5,300 square kilometres and 220 towns since the beginning of the year, alongside attacks targeting Ukrainian vessels and logistics facilities. Kyiv, meanwhile, reported that 1,520 Russian service members had been killed or wounded over the previous 24 hours.
Russia announces new battlefield gains
The Russian Defence Ministry said its forces had taken control of more than 5,300 square kilometres of territory and more than 220 towns since the beginning of 2026. It added that the gains during September alone amounted to more than 670 square kilometres and 27 towns, as military operations continued along several sectors of the front.
The ministry said Russian forces were continuing operations against Ukrainian formations in the north-eastern part of Kharkiv Region. According to its account, the area controlled by Ukrainian forces there had shrunk by about 152 square kilometres since 5 September, while Ukrainian losses in these operations were estimated at about 700 soldiers.
The Russian statement added that the operations had resulted in control of nine towns: Bereznyky, Ozerne, Dolhynke, Zarubynka, Cherniakiv, Shyroke, Shevchenkove, Olkhovatka and Mala Vovcha. In Zaporizhzhia Region, the ministry said its forces were continuing offensive operations along a broad front, while fighting continued in several areas.
The Russian Defence Ministry said its forces had taken control of the towns of Chervona Krynytsia, Novopavlivka, Novoandriivka and Rozivka since the beginning of September. It said fighting was still under way in the central areas of the city of Orikhiv, without announcing a final outcome for the battle there.
Moscow announces the downing of hundreds of drones
On the exchange of air attacks, the ministry said Russian air-defence systems had shot down or intercepted 344 Ukrainian drones overnight over several Russian regions. The previous day, it had announced that 328 Ukrainian drones had been shot down during daylight hours over Russian regions and maritime areas.
The Russian Defence Ministry also said its forces had targeted a dry-cargo vessel at the port of Chornomorsk overnight, claiming that it was carrying military supplies. It added that the strikes had hit two other vessels, which it said were carrying supplies for Ukrainian forces and heading to the Black Sea port of Odesa.
According to the Russian statement, the strikes also targeted a floating crossing over the Dniester River, which Moscow said was being used to transport military shipments from Romania to Ukraine. The attacks also included logistics facilities, ports and transport infrastructure, including the Kopylov Logistics Complex in Kyiv Region, which the ministry said was used to store and distribute military shipments arriving from European countries.
Kyiv announces Russian military losses
The Ukrainian General Staff, meanwhile, said total Russian military losses since the war began in February 2022 had risen to about 1,516,430 service members, including 1,520 killed or wounded over the previous 24 hours. These figures remain part of Kyiv’s estimates of losses on the Russian side.
Kyiv added that its forces had destroyed 12,352 tanks, 25,357 armoured combat vehicles and 50,011 artillery systems since the beginning of the war, along with 2,143 multiple rocket launchers and 1,657 air-defence systems. It also said it had destroyed 442 military aircraft, 356 helicopters, 2,672 unmanned ground systems, 524,132 drones and 5,111 cruise missiles.
The Ukrainian tally also included 35 warships and two submarines, as well as more than 150,000 vehicles and fuel tanks and 4,703 items of special equipment. The figures were announced as Moscow and Kyiv continued to exchange statements on casualties, equipment losses and battlefield advances across the fronts.
Air escalation and stalled diplomatic efforts
Russia and Ukraine have intensified their long-range air attacks in recent months, while the front lines have remained largely static. Kyiv has targeted Russian oil infrastructure and warehouses belonging to e-commerce companies in an effort to increase the cost Moscow bears from the continuing war, as diplomatic efforts to end the fighting, which has continued for four and a half years, have stalled.
