US President Donald Trump called russia an aggressor for the first time. He also admitted that ending russia's war against Ukraine is more difficult than he previously thought.

These days, russia and its satellite Belarus have held large-scale military exercises on NATO's eastern borders, practicing the use of nuclear weapons using Iskander tactical missile systems and Oreshnik ballistic missiles. During the exercises, russian Iskanders were deployed in the Kaliningrad region of russia, 35 km from the Polish border.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called these exercises very aggressive from the point of view of military doctrine. Poland has closed the Belarusian border and deployed additional troops closer to it. Recall that similar joint russian-belarusian exercises became a cover for the russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Therefore, the concern of Poland and other neighbors of russia and belarus in the region is quite understandable.

Against the backdrop of large-scale and aggressive exercises, and especially after russian drones flew en masse into the territory of Poland, NATO member states held consultations. As a result, the military-political leadership of the Alliance announced the launch of Operation Eastern Sentinel. The purpose of this operation is to strengthen NATO's eastern flank. In addition, the military of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia will adopt the experience of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in repelling russian air attacks. At the same time, Poland has suggested that other NATO members shoot down russian drones over the territory of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, US President's special representative Kitt Kellogg, who visited Kyiv again these days, stated that the russian army no longer has the strength it had before.

"The Ukrainians have managed to significantly reduce russian power. russia is not what it used to be. The Europeans are getting stronger now, and if I were Putin, I would stop reminding them of their nuclear weapons, because Britain, France, not to mention the United States have them," Kellogg said, speaking at a conference in Kyiv. He noted that the war is already raging on the borders of Europe. But European states are ready to repel russian encroachments.

Kellogg, who served in the US Army for many years and rose to the rank of lieutenant general, told how the capabilities of the russian army were recently discussed in the White House. and he told those present that "we will kick their asses." According to him, russian statements should not be taken at face value. Because the russians are not as strong as Putin says.

Meanwhile, at the front, Ukrainian troops continue to repel russian attacks and counterattack the enemy. Thus, in the Pokrovsky direction, where the russians concentrated their main forces during the summer offensive, Ukrainian troops liberated the village of Pankivka from the russian invaders. In August, Ukrainians liberated six settlements in this direction. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in the first half of September, russian troops lost about 12,530 people killed and wounded, as well as 29 tanks, 40 armored combat vehicles, 536 artillery systems, and 12 multiple launch rocket systems.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine are calling on foreign volunteers to join their ranks in the fight for freedom and justice.