The first weapons supplied to Ukraine under a programme funded by its European allies have begun arriving, including missiles for Patriot air defence systems and Himars rocket launchers, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Wednesday. The initial two batches are valued at $500 million each, with total financing secured through the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (Purl) exceeding $2 billion. Zelenskyy expects committed funds to reach $3.5 billion in October. NATO's senior representative in Ukraine, Patrick Turner, stated that four packages under Purl have already been funded and equipment is flowing.
Russia closed its Volgograd airport and placed oil refineries on alert early Thursday amid a Ukrainian drone attack. Between 10 and 15 explosions were reported, with air defence systems engaging the drones, according to Russian Telegram channel Shot.
In a related incident, Poland's interior minister Tomasz Siemoniak said on Wednesday that a missile fired from a Polish aircraft likely struck a house during a Russian drone incursion into NATO airspace. The incident occurred on the night of 9-10 September, when 21 Russian drones entered Polish territory. Prime Minister Donald Tusk promised an investigation but held Russia responsible for orchestrating the provocation.
Denmark announced it would acquire long-range precision weapons for the first time, citing the need to deter Russia. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described this as a paradigm shift in Danish defence policy, noting that Russia would remain a threat for years. Russia's ambassador to Denmark called the move 'pure madness,' but Frederiksen dismissed the comments as threats, stating Denmark would not be intimidated.
Ukraine's air force reported that Russia launched 172 drones and missiles overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, with air defences shooting down or jamming 136 drones. Missile hits and 36 drone strikes were recorded at 13 locations across northern, southern, and eastern Ukraine.
Lithuania charged 15 individuals with terrorism offences over an alleged Russia-backed plot to detonate parcels in Germany, Poland, and Britain last year. The suspects used delivery companies to send explosives hidden in cosmetics containers, causing three explosions. The fourth device malfunctioned. Those charged include Russian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian, and Ukrainian citizens. Separately, Ukraine and the US International Development Finance Corporation each committed $75 million to a joint investment fund linked to Kyiv's minerals deal with Washington, supporting reconstruction and US supply chains.
