Russia in September 2026: the most important developments in security
Russia's security picture in September 2026 was one of continued mutual long-range strikes with Ukraine and growing warnings of Russian hybrid action against Europe.
The largest single event was on September 20, when Ukraine launched more than 1,000 drones at Russia, with hundreds aimed at Moscow, while Russia held its parliamentary vote. Moscow officials reported two civilians killed, called it the largest attack on the city so far, and said 1,600 drones were intercepted in a day; Mayor Sergei Sobyanin accused Kyiv of trying to disrupt the elections. Throughout the month Ukrainian drones hit Russian oil refineries and industrial sites, including in Ryazan, Perm, Ufa, Novoshakhtinsk and Moscow, and the International Energy Agency said the attacks had degraded Russian refining. Russia struck Kyiv almost daily, as well as Odesa, Kharkiv and energy and rail targets. Attacks killed at least 12 people in Kyiv at the start of the month and seven on September 26, and a strike on September 30 on energy infrastructure was described as the largest since spring. On September 5 Putin ordered a three-day pause in strikes on Kyiv while US envoys were in Moscow; Russia resumed attacks on September 7 and 8. Trump announced an energy truce around September 14, but both sides kept striking. Russian drones hit a train near the Polish border on September 13 and 14, shortly after Boris Johnson had left it.
Hybrid threats to NATO countries were the second theme. Germany blamed Russia for an explosives-laden drone at Leipzig airport, and Russia denied ownership of it. Poland placed forces on alert on September 18 over possible hybrid strikes against Ukraine's allies, Danish intelligence warned that Russia could attack a NATO country within months, and NATO boosted intelligence-sharing. On September 15 a Russian frigate fired flares at a Danish military helicopter. Finland and Sweden jointly scrambled jets against Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea on September 25. Europe reported a series of suspected sabotage plots, and Russia warned it would use nuclear weapons if Kaliningrad were blockaded.
Russia expanded its forces: Putin raised active troop numbers by 15,500, approved a 27 percent rise in 2027 defence spending and revived the Dead Hand retaliation system, and a Tu-95 bomber crashed in the Far East, killing six crew.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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