Overview

• Ukraine’s General Staff logged 176 combat engagements on September 29, including 56 assaults repelled on the Pokrovsk axis, and by 16:00 on September 30 reported 89 more clashes with 32 in that sector.
• Ukrainian Special Operations Forces said drones destroyed the radar of a Russian S‑400 system in occupied Crimea, a claim not yet verified independently as local channels reported air defenses and brief bridge closures.
• Through the DOT‑Chain Defence marketplace, units ordered nearly 17,000 UAVs and received almost 13,000 with delivery times cut to days, while the Defense Ministry says domestic industry now supplies about 40% of front needs.
• Kyiv and allies intensified air‑defense coordination, with Ukraine deploying a mission to Denmark to share counter‑drone expertise and EU leaders signaling stronger support, including work toward a European “drone wall.”
• Security services reported foiling an attempt to smuggle naval artillery to Russia and exposing a passport‑selling scheme involving an MFA advisor, as ISW noted Russia’s new 135,000‑man autumn draft and efforts to ease future reserve call‑ups.