Overview

• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said preparations for new Russia–Ukraine prisoner exchanges are on hold but could resume.
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told envoys that Kyiv is undermining the U.S. administration’s settlement approach, rejected any notion of territorial trades, and warned European contingents in Ukraine would be legitimate targets.
• A pro-Russian coordinator reported strikes near the Orizon plant in Smela, describing outages and a police cordon and asserting the site makes guidance systems, though the account has not been independently verified.
• Russian-aligned sources said Ukrainian units are rushing reserves and regrouping in Zaporizhzhia, while a British journalist cited anonymous Ukrainian sources claiming commanders plan to redeploy “every tenth” soldier to defend Kupyansk.
• Regional tensions intensified as Moldova’s opposition alleged nationwide raids and media equipment seizures ahead of the Sept. 28 elections, while in Russia police searched several activists in Ufa.