1st October, 2026 | News

Putin Doubles Down on Ukraine War Aims as Russia Claims Gains in September

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reaffirmed his demand for Ukraine to remain neutral while claiming that Russian forces gained 1,301 square kilometres of territory during September.

Putin made the comments during a lengthy speech in Moscow on Thursday, as the war in Ukraine continues and diplomatic efforts involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States face uncertainty.

The Russian leader said Ukrainian neutrality remained one of Moscow’s war aims, arguing that Ukraine’s original declaration of independence described the country as a neutral state.

Putin claimed Ukraine’s position changed after NATO became involved, repeating a criticism he has previously used to justify Russia’s invasion.

Putin Says He Wants Peaceful Negotiations

While discussing developments on the battlefield, Putin claimed that the rate of Russian military gains was increasing.

He said Russian forces had taken control of 1,301 square kilometres during September.

Despite the claimed advances, Putin said he wanted the fighting to end “as soon as possible with peaceful negotiations”.

Sky News Moscow correspondent Ivor Bennett reported that a broader theme of Putin’s speech was his assertion that Russia wants peace rather than continued war.

US-Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks Remain Uncertain

The possibility of renewed three-way negotiations involving Washington, Kyiv and Moscow also remained unclear.

Fyodor Lukyanov, research director of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club, told Sky News that he did not see a possibility of another US-Ukraine-Russia meeting at present.

He argued that there was no clear agenda for such a meeting and said conflicts as deep as the war in Ukraine could not be resolved overnight.

Lukyanov also said that the underlying causes of the conflict would need to be addressed before a lasting settlement could be reached.

His comments came after a US-led diplomatic push last month appeared to make limited progress towards ending the war.

Man Killed in Drone Explosion in Belgorod

Elsewhere, a man was killed after a Ukrainian drone exploded in the town of Graivoron in Russia’s Belgorod region, according to local authorities cited by Sky News.

Belgorod is located in western Russia near the Ukrainian border and has become a focus of cross-border attacks during the conflict.

Zelenskyy Thanks Teachers After Kyiv School Strike

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met teachers from a Kyiv school that was struck by a Russian drone.

More than 100 children and their teachers took shelter during the attack.

Zelenskyy thanked the teachers for their actions, saying they had helped save lives, and said the Ukrainian government would support efforts to rebuild the school.

He also accused Russia of deliberately targeting schools and kindergartens, while saying Ukraine was working to strengthen its air defences and increase production of interceptors against jet-powered Shahed drones.

The attack came amid what Sky News described as intensifying strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities involving jet-powered drones.