September 23, 2026
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At UN General Assembly, Zelensky calls Putin 'patient zero' of global war, unveils FREYJA air-defense program, and warns of painful winter for Russia
President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on September 23, calling Vladimir Putin a "patient zero" spreading war, announcing the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea, and disclosing that Russia is using citizens of 47 countries in its war against Ukraine. He detailed Ukrainian strike figures, threatened retaliation against Russian energy infrastructure this winter, and unveiled the FREYJA anti-missile defense program with 10 partner countries. The speech followed a day of high-level diplomacy, including his meeting with US President Donald Trump and a Rubio-Lavrov exchange on a possible energy ceasefire.
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EU extends Ukraine sanctions for three years but drops Usmanov and Fridman, prompting Ukrainian criticism
On 22 September, the EU Council extended Ukraine-related sanctions for 36 months until 22 September 2029, the first time the regime has been renewed for three years instead of the usual six-month cycle. In the same decision, the EU removed Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from the list. Ukraine called the delisting "shameful" and unjustified, and the Baltic states announced national sanctions in response. A day later, on 23 September, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pardoned French citizen Martin Ryan, who had been sentenced to ten years in prison on espionage charges that France rejects.
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Russian strike on cargo vessel off Odesa kills Ukrainian captain
Russian forces struck a civilian cargo vessel sailing under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda in the Black Sea off Odesa Oblast overnight on September 23, killing the ship's Ukrainian captain. The remaining crew was evacuated and the resulting fire was extinguished. The same night, Russian forces twice hit warehouses storing medicines, household goods and food in Odesa Oblast.
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Former Ukrainian Prosecutor General Kravchenko registered residence in Vienna after leaving Ukraine
Former Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko and his wife Oleksandra registered their residence at an office address in central Vienna, according to Ukrainska Pravda, citing documents from Austria's Central Register of Residence. The registration followed Kravchenko's departure from Ukraine on 14 September, his suspension by President Zelensky the same evening, and the Verkhovna Rada's 317-vote acceptance of his dismissal on 15 September. Kravchenko remained abroad after his self-arranged business trip to Paris ended on 18 September and tendered his resignation on 21 September.
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51 UN member states call on Russia to agree to unconditional ceasefire; US does not join
On 23 September, during the High-Level Week of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, a group of UN member states issued a joint statement calling on Russia to agree to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire and engage in meaningful peace negotiations. The statement, presented by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, notes that Ukraine had already agreed to such a ceasefire since March 2025. The United States did not join the appeal.