Ukrainian SBU and Special Operations Forces drones struck multiple pumping stations on the "Kuibyshev–Tikhoretsk" oil pipeline overnight, halting oil flow to the port of Novorossiysk and causing fires at Zenzavatka, Sovkhoznaya-2, and the Samara dispatcher station, according to Babel.ua. Separately, the European Union is considering trade measures, such as tariffs requiring only a majority vote, to curb remaining Russian oil imports via the Druzhba pipeline, a move that could align with demands from U.S. President Donald Trump. The drone strikes on the pipeline system forced shutdowns and reportedly resulted in fires and debris at facilities including the Samara dispatcher station. The attacks come as Kremlin sources indicate President Putin believes military escalation is the best method to force Ukraine into negotiations on his terms. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces continue counterattacks near Dobropillia, with Russian milblogger Anatoly Radov confirming worsening conditions and the potential encirclement of Russian groups. In terms of recruitment, Russia is struggling to attract contract soldiers, signing only 37,900 contracts in Q2 2025, a 2.5-fold decrease from the previous year and the lowest figure in two years, according to Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation. Earlier overnight, Ukrainian forces also struck Russian oil refineries in the Samara and Saratov regions, causing fires. In related aerial incidents, Italian NATO fighters escorted three Russian MiG-31 aircraft out of Estonian airspace between 9:34 AM and 10:34 AM UTC on September 20th after they violated Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland without flight plans or transponders, according to Estonia's Ministry of Defence. Poland has mobilized its resources and placed air defense units on high alert in response to Russian aerial activity.
