Special Operations Forces of Ukraine
The Special Operations Forces of Ukraine are a separate branch of the Armed Forces of Ukraine tasked with carrying out special operations behind enemy lines, including reconnaissance, direct action, counter-terrorism and psychological operations. They report directly to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and operate under the operational command of the General Staff. The branch comprises several separate special-purpose centers and units, including naval and aviation components, and is commanded by a brigadier general.
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Lviv Regional Council Declares 2027 'Year of UPA, Shukhevych and Olzhych,' Sparking Polish Outcry
On 20 October the Lviv Oblast Council voted to designate 2027 as a year honouring the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), its commander Roman Shukhevych and poet Oleh Olzhych. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski sharply criticised the move, with Sikorski signing a motion to add the initiative's author, Sviatoslav Sheremeta, to Poland's list of undesirable persons. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry called the decision counterproductive and stressed it was a regional act taken without consulting central authorities.
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Trump–Putin call fuels peace hopes as Ukraine reports $27bn shortfall and deep drone strike hits Russia
US President Donald Trump said after a phone call with Vladimir Putin on 8 September that Putin wants a deal to end the war, raising the prospect of bilateral or trilateral leader-level meetings. US, Ukrainian and European officials publicly doubted Putin's seriousness, while Ukraine disclosed it needs an additional $27 billion to get through the year. The diplomatic activity coincided with a Ukrainian drone strike on a facility in Russia's Yamal region, described by Kyiv as its deepest inside Russia since 2022, and Russian attacks on multiple Ukrainian regions that killed at least six people.