ISW: Russia ends September with net territorial loss, Hungary pledges to advance Ukraine's EU accession
Overnight drone strikes hit Volgograd and Samara, while ISW found Russia ended September with a net territorial loss despite suffering more than 46,000 casualties, and Hungary agreed to unblock two EU accession clusters once Ukraine passes its minority-schooling law.
Drones struck two Russian cities overnight — Volgograd and Samara. Both cities lie well behind the front line but have increasingly come under attack from the Ukrainian side in recent months.
Territorial losses despite heavy casualties
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), which tracks developments in the conflict, assessed that Russia ended September with a net territorial loss, meaning it lost more ground than it managed to seize during the month. This occurred despite Russian forces suffering more than 46,000 casualties over the same period. The assessment points to a steep cost for Russia's military operations relative to the limited territorial gains achieved along the front.
Hungary's shift on EU accession
On the diplomatic front, Hungary announced it is prepared to unblock two previously stalled clusters in Ukraine's European Union accession negotiations. The condition for this move is the passage of a minority-schooling bill by Ukraine's parliament. Hungary has long been one of the main obstacles to Ukraine's EU integration process, citing concerns over the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine, particularly regarding education. The pledge could mark progress in Ukraine's EU accession bid, contingent on Ukrainian lawmakers fulfilling the stated requirement.
