Ukraine war live: Zelensky celebrates ‘hit’ against Moscow with new anti

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Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had recorded some success as it tests a new weapon to intercept Russian drones.

Ukraine’s military said its forces had downed 187 airborne targets overnight, with Ukraine’s president reporting 93 per cent of all Russian drones had been intercepted.

"That is significant. But, of course, more is needed," ⁠he said. "Another development is undergoing testing.

“It's a Ukrainian development and it scored a hit, the 'shahed' was destroyed," Zelensky said in his nightly video address, ⁠referring to the Iranian-designed ​drones that ⁠Ukraine's military has faced.

"But some technical things still need to be ⁠refined. We need a bit more time. The ​work ⁠of other developers ‌is continuing."

It comes as Vladimir Putin’s war continues to spread past Ukraine’s borders, with Denmark accusing Russia of firing flares “within metres” of a military helicopter.

Defence minister Jeppe Bruus said no warning or radio contact was made before the warship fired the flares.

Moscow accused Danish military helicopters of making “dangerous” manoeuvres near its warships in the Baltic Sea and handed an official note to Copenhagen on the incident, Russia’s ambassador to Denmark, Vladimir Barbin, is reported to have said, according to RIA.

In pictures: A personal account of daily life in Kyiv

Zelensky says new anti-drone weapon being tested

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday ​that Ukraine was carrying out tests on a new weapon to intercept drones and had recorded a successful hit ⁠overnight.

"Another development is undergoing testing. It's a Ukrainian development and it scored a hit, the 'shahed' was destroyed," Zelensky said in his nightly video address, ⁠referring to the Iranian-designed ​drones that ⁠Ukraine's military has faced.

Ukraine's military said on Facebook that its forces had downed 187 airborne targets overnight.

In ‌his remarks, Zelensky said 93 per cent ‌of all Russian drones had been intercepted overnight.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has rapidly developed anti-drone technology and now offers its expertise to other countries, including some in the Middle East that have faced Iranian strikes.

It has focused on developing ‌interceptors as an efficient and cheaper means ​of intercepting drones.

Ukrainian forces have ‌had more difficulty downing ⁠Russian ballistic missiles and have asked Western ⁠allies to step up supplies of interceptors. Kyiv is ‌also pressing ​for the rapid development of ‌a European-designed air defence ​system, known as Freyja.

Drone shot down over Nato member Lithuania appears Russian, say sources

An Italian ⁠fighter jet deployed on a Nato mission shot down a drone in Lithuanian airspace on Tuesday that "most probably" came from Russia, Italian defence minister Guido Crosetto said.

Authorities in Lithuania, a Nato and European Union member, said on Tuesday they were still investigating the origin of the debris.

A Ukrainian military source said the debris in the images appeared to be from ⁠a Geran-2, a long-range attack drone widely used by ​Russia.

If confirmed, it would be the first known instance of a Russian military drone entering Lithuania ⁠since last summer, when two Russian drones accidentally crashed in the country.

The drone ​entered Lithuanian ⁠airspace from Belarus, a Russian ally.

Zelensky says Russian drones attacked Moldova twice while he was in transit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an ​interview broadcast on Tuesday that Russian drones attacked Moldovan airspace twice while he was in the country aboard his aircraft in transit.

Zelenskiy told the US ⁠television network CBS that he was in Moldova on Ukraine's western border, at Chisinau airport, on his way to and from a trip abroad when the incidents occurred.

"In Moldova, my ⁠presidential jet was there ​and ⁠that's why they attacked Moldova, the airspace of Moldova. Maybe they didn't want to attack me personally...," ⁠Zelensky said.

"When we came back home, again through ​Chisinau, ⁠again they did the same."

On ‌9 September, a Moldovan government spokesperson said the departure of Zelensky's aircraft for Norway was delayed as Moldovan authorities ‌closed the country's airspace over a ‌drone alert.

Two Russian drones entered Moldovan airspace on that day. One landed in a field north of the capital, triggering a fire, while ⁠the second carried on into Romanian airspace.

Zelensky had not previously spoken of the second incident.

It was not clear exactly when the president was again in transit in Moldova on his way back to Ukraine from Canada.

Moldovan authorities said two drones entered the country's airspace on ‌Monday, September 14 for about 10 minutes ​each over the space of an hour before ‌noon local time.

On Sunday, ⁠a Russian drone hit a passenger train on Ukraine's ⁠border with NATO member Poland, shortly after former British prime minister ‌Boris Johnson and ​other European diplomats had used ‌the same line.

No casualties were ​reported.

Watch: Zelensky says Ukraine will support energy ceasefire as 'first step' to end war

In pictures: Aftermath of Russian drone strike in Kyiv

Russia accuses Danish military helicopters of making dangerous manoeuvres near its warships, RIA reports

Russia has accused Danish military helicopters of making dangerous manoeuvres near its warships in the Baltic Sea, according to Russia’s RIA state news agency.

Moscow reportedly handed an official note to Copenhagen complaining about such incidents, Russia's ambassador to Denmark said on Tuesday, according to the outlet.

Vladimir Barbin, the ambassador, was speaking after the Nordic Nato member's military said that a Russian frigate had fired two flares towards a Danish military helicopter in international waters off Denmark on Monday, narrowly missing the aircraft.

EU chief to lay out priorities and vision for tackling the bloc's challenges in major speech

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will deliver a major state of the European Union speech on Wednesday setting out her priorities for the next year and her vision for tackling the challenges faced by the world’s biggest trading bloc.

The content of von der Leyen ’s address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, has been kept under wraps. Political groups in the assembly have lobbied to get their priorities and pet projects included.

But the speech is likely to touch on AI, climate change and the fires that have swept Europe this summer, as well as protection for children online, Russia’s war on Ukraine, conflict across the Middle East and international trade tensions.

Turkey accuses Russia of 'spreading war' to the Black Sea, threatening safety of citizens

Turkey’s foreign ministry has accused Russia of “spreading” the war to the Black Sea, saying that such actions threatened the safety of its citizens and is “unacceptable” in a statement made on Tuesday, according to Reuters.

Russia 'testing Denmark's boundaries', say sanctions campaigners

Campaigners have warned that Russia is “testing” Denmark’s boundaries at sea following reports that a warship shot flares at a military helicopter.

“Russia is testing Denmark’s boundaries at sea. Denmark must now draw a clear line on land,” said Alexander Kirk at German sanctions campaign group, Urgewald.

“Fossil-fuel revenues sustain the Russian state budget and the military-industrial complex behind the war against Ukraine.

“Denmark’s response cannot stop at summoning the Russian ambassador. The government must stop Danish shipyards servicing these tankers and press for immediate EU restrictions.”