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Ukraine Invasion Day 1,667: RU Sanctions Bill passes. Vivaldi Op continues [1]

['Greg Dworkin', 'Thom Hartmann', 'Chloris Creator']

Date: 2026-09-17  

Trump gains more power over Congressional action that may provide him personal, ancillary benefits, but which may have been the actual ‘dying wish’ of Lindsey Graham. Meanwhile, combat continues.

Key Takeaways



Ukraine’s Operation Vivaldi in the Lyman direction demonstrates Ukraine’s recent progress in restoring elements of tactical maneuver on the battlefield, enabled in part by Ukraine’s shaping operations and intermediate-range strike campaign that degrades Russian electronic warfare (EW) capabilities.

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Ukrainian forces achieved operational surprise by leveraging rigorous operational security (OPSEC) and counter-drone operations to degrade Russian forces’ operational awareness.

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Russian forces are transferring armor and drone support assets to the Dobropillya direction for future mechanized assaults in Fall 2026.

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Ukrainian forces are intensifying their long-range strike campaign against Russian military assets, including by conducting a suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses (SEAD/DEAD) campaign in Rostov Oblast.

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Russia continues to rely on North Korea to wage war against Ukraine and alleviate Russian labor shortages.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda publicly acknowledged on September 16 that Russia may be deliberately allowing Russian drones to deviate from their intended course and enter NATO airspace in order to punish countries supporting Ukraine.

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The US House of Representatives passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 on September 16, which authorizes the US to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on the five largest importers of Russian oil and natural gas.

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Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Kupyansk.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched an unspecified number of Onyx anti-ship missiles from Kursk Oblast; an unspecified number of Iskander-M/S-400/KN-23 ballistic missiles from Bryansk and Voronezh oblasts; four Kalibr sea-based cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea; 10 Banderol-type/Dan-T loitering munitions from the airspace over the Sea of Azov; and 157 Shahed-type (including jet-powered) strike drones and Parodiya-type decoy drones from the directions of Oryol City; Millerovo, Rostov Oblast; occupied Donetsk City; and occupied Hvardiiske, Crimea.[61] The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces downed seven Banderol-type//Dan-T loitering munitions and 124 drones, that an unspecified number of drones and missiles struck 36 locations, and that drone and missile debris fell on five locations. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian forces struck civilian, residential, energy, industrial, railway, and logistics infrastructure in Kharkiv, Kyiv, Odesa, Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhia, and Zhytomyr oblasts.[62] Russian forces continue to strike civilian vessels in the Black Sea. Odesa Oblast Military Administration Head Oleh Kiper reported on September 17 that Russian forces struck a Tanzania-flagged civilian vessel in the Black Sea, killing the captain of the vessel and injuring three crew members.[63] Ukrainian air defenses downed or suppressed 131 targets during Russia’s overnight attack: 124 Shahed, Gerbera and other drones plus 7 Banderol/Dan-T. Missile and drone impacts were recorded at 36 locations, with debris from intercepted targets reported at 5 more. #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/IXFYrVxp9F — NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) September 17, 2026 A Russian attack on the city of Kyiv on the night of 16-17 September has injured 18 people, including two children, and damaged residential buildings, educational institutions, offices, a petrol station, warehouses, cars and railway infrastructure facilities. — Ukrainska Pravda 🇺🇦 (@pravda.ua) 2026-09-17T08:10:40.100Z

Ukraine’s Operation Vivaldi in the Lyman direction demonstrates Ukraine’s recent progress in restoring elements of tactical maneuver on the battlefield, enabled in part by Ukraine’s shaping operations and intermediate-range strike campaign that degrades Russian electronic warfare (EW) capabilities. Ukrainian 3rd Army Corps Commander Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi stated on September 17 that a Ukrainian counteroffensive against the Russian salient north of Lyman — Operation Vivaldi — thwarted Russia’s plan to encircle the Fortress Belt from the north through Lyman and Svyatohirsk and the south through Dobropillya.[1] Biletskyi stated that Russian forces intended northern and southern pincers to converge in Barvinkove, Kharkiv Oblast, thereby seizing the whole of Donetsk Oblast. Biletskyi stated that Ukrainian forces operationally defeated the Russian northern pincer in the Lyman direction and that the Vivaldi Operation continues. Ukrainian forces achieved operational surprise by leveraging rigorous operational security (OPSEC) and counter-drone operations to degrade Russian forces’ operational awareness. Ukrainian 3rd Army Corps Deputy Commander Major Maksym Zhorin stated on September 16 that Ukraine’s Operation Vivaldi in the Lyman direction was successful due to strict adherence to informational silence and a lack of reporting on the ongoing counteroffensive, which misled Russian military leadership and facilitated Ukrainian advances. Zhorin stated that Ukrainian forces managed to keep their advances secret thanks in part to a “Protective Drone” system, which consists of various EW systems and helped Ukrainian forces neutralize around 20,000 Russian drones.[3] Ukrainian forces previously leveraged OPSEC to achieve operational surprise during Ukraine’s Spring 2026 Oleksandrivka Counteroffensive, when Ukrainian forces intentionally conducted flag-raising missions at safe distances to conceal the true extent of Ukrainian positions.[4] Ukrainian forces have notably achieved operational surprise during two recent counteroffensives by using rigorous OPSEC. The pervasive culture of lying within the Russian military likely further degrades Russian operational awareness and leads to tactical and operational mistakes due to inaccurate assessments of the real battlefield situation.[5] The Ukrainian 3rd Army Corps reported on September 17 that Ukraine’s systematic intermediate-range strike campaign against Russian logistics in occupied Luhansk Oblast has degraded Russian fuel supplies to the frontline and strained Russia’s ability to use drones and EW to protect against Ukrainian drones.[2] EW systems have significant power-consumption requirements, and Russian forces rely on diesel-powered generators to power EW systems to counter Ukrainian drones. Ukraine’s campaign targeting Russian logistics and energy supplies directly supported the suppression of Russian EW systems, aiding Ukrainian efforts to achieve tactical drone overmatch in support of Ukrainian mechanized advances in the Lyman direction.

The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces struck the Slavneft-Yanos Oil Refinery in Yaroslavl City (roughly 700 kilometers from the international border) overnight, causing a fire at the AVT-3 primary refining unit.[22] The Ukrainian General Staff noted that the Slavneft-Yanos Oil Refinery is one of the largest oil refineries in Russia, with an annual capacity of about 15 million tons of oil. Geolocated images published on September 17 show fires and plumes of smoke at the refinery and NASA Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) data shows multiple heat anomalies at the refinery.[23] Yaroslavl Oblast Governor Mikhail Evraev acknowledged on September 17 the Ukrainian strike against the refinery.[24] Ukrainian interceptor drones reportedly intercepted a Russian Shahed-type jet-powered drone overnight on September 16 to 17. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on September 17 that Ukrainian forces successfully intercepted a Russian Shahed-type jet-powered drone using Ukrainian drone interceptors overnight on September 16 to 17 as Ukraine has continued to develop its drone interception capabilities.[64] Jet-powered drones fly significantly faster than non-jet-powered drones, up to 600 kilometers per hour, making it much more difficult for interceptor drones to down as interceptor drones need to be around 25 percent faster than their target.[65] 22:10 | 17/09Approximate flight routes of our UAVs:🔴 Red arrows — directions of strike UAV movement;According to Russian sources, around 360 drones were reported, though these estimates and the displayed routes remain highly approximate. — DroneBomber (@dronebomber.bsky.social) 2026-09-17T19:17:03.052Z Russia’s war has caused more than $26 billion in preliminary losses across Donetsk Oblast.The frontline runs through the region, Ukrainian-controlled towns face daily Russian attacks, and much of the damage cannot even be assessed because large areas remain occupied or inaccessible. — Euromaidan Press (@euromaidanpress.bsky.social) 2026-09-17T21:38:00.979Z

2/Americans’ net favorability toward Zelenskyy stands at plus 13 points, versus minus 18 for Trump, so the Ukrainian president leads him in the United States itself by 31 points.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ — 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@militarynewsua.bsky.social) 2026-09-17T11:27:40.412Z

The Kremlin is conducting a coordinated series of kinetic campaigns targeting Europe, and NATO states must understand and forthrightly discuss both these ongoing Russian campaigns against Europe and the evolving near-term Russian conventional threat. «In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.»

Theodore Roosevelt



The combat losses of the enemy from February 24, 2022 to September 17, 2026. pic.twitter.com/ToE7NcNrAP — Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 17, 2026 ⚡️ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — SEP 17, 2026



■ Highest daily casualties of 2026 (6th highest overall), despite below-average engagements

■ Record 7-day MLRS losses, but overall equipment losses remain below average despite an increase from the previous day

■ Overnight 🇷🇺… pic.twitter.com/jqKXsSKhcQ — Ragnar Gudmundsson 🇮🇸🇺🇦 (@ragnarbjartur) September 17, 2026 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Operational update as at 22:00 on 17 September 2026 regarding the Russian invasion

In total, 207 combat engagements have taken place since the start of this 24-hour period.

The aggressor launched one missile strike, carried out 68 air strikes using 201 guided aerial bombs, deployed 5,927 kamikaze drones for attacks, and carried out 2,113 shelling attacks on our troops’ positions and populated areas. In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors, one enemy assault has been recorded since the start of the day. The occupiers carried out 33 shelling attacks on our troops’ positions and populated areas.

In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, the enemy attacked the positions of our units 12 times in the direction of the settlements of Bugaivka, Kozacha Lopan, Lyman, Prylipka, Ternova, Karaichne, Potykhonove and Zakharivka. Six of these assaults are still ongoing.

In the Kupiansk sector, the enemy attempted three times to improve its positions by launching assaults towards Petropavlivka and Kivsharivka.

Ten attempts by the invaders to advance were repelled in the Lyman sector in the areas around the settlements of Kopanky, Hrekivka, Shyikivka, Novoselivka, Lyman and Dibrova. Three of these attacks are still ongoing.

In the Sloviansk sector, the Defence Forces repelled four attempts by the invaders to advance in the vicinity of the settlements of Yampil, Kryva Luka and Mykolaivka.

In the Kramatorsk sector, Russian invaders launched two assaults towards Vasyutynske.

In the Kostiantynivka sector, the Defence Forces repelled 15 enemy assaults in the vicinity of the settlement of Kostiantynivka and in the direction of Osykove, Dovha Balka, Pryiut, Stepiv and Vilne.

The enemy carried out 21 attacks in the Pokrovsk sector. The occupiers attempted to advance towards the settlements of Hannivka, Dobropillia, Novyi Donbas, Novohryshyne, Vasylivka, Serhiivka, Molodetske and Novopavlivka. Two assaults are still ongoing.

According to preliminary estimates, 46 occupiers were eliminated and 7 wounded here today; six vehicles, a gun, six specialised vehicles and five personnel shelters were destroyed. A gun, one UAV control post and 53 personnel shelters were damaged. A total of 164 unmanned aerial vehicles of various types were destroyed or neutralised.

In the Oleksandrivka sector, the enemy launched an assault towards Novoheorhiivka.

In the Huliaipole sector, the Defence Forces repelled five enemy attacks near the settlements of Vozdvizhivka, Krynychne and Charivne. Two of these assaults are still ongoing.

In the Orikhiv sector, the enemy made three attempts to advance towards Chervona Krynytsia, Mali Shcherbaky and Pavlivka.

In the Prydniprovsk sector, the occupiers did not carry out any offensive operations.

In other sectors, there were no significant changes in the situation.

Let us defeat the enemy and bring our Victory closer!

Glory to Ukraine! NEW: Ukraine’s Operation Vivaldi in the Lyman direction demonstrates Ukraine’s recent progress in restoring elements of tactical maneuver on the battlefield. (1/10)Read the full report: isw.pub/UkrWar091726 — Institute for the Study of War (@thestudyofwar.bsky.social) 2026-09-18T03:56:46.000Z Ukraine’s 66th Mechanized Brigade says it liberated Serednie in Donetsk region during Operation Vivaldi. Artillery and drones suppressed Russian firing positions before mechanized infantry, supported by tanks, cleared the village without Ukrainian losses and pushed Russian forces… pic.twitter.com/K3zno9uGN8 — NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) September 17, 2026

Russia continues to rely on North Korea to wage war against Ukraine and alleviate Russian labor shortages. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on September 17 that North Korea sent between 30,000 and 50,000 soldiers to Russia to receive military training and work with Russian drone operators.[13] Zelensky stated that North Korea decided not to deploy North Korean soldiers to Ukraine in order to avoid taking on a large number of casualties comparable to what North Korean soldiers suffered during Ukraine’s operations in Kursk.[14] Zelensky stated on August 8, 2026, that Russia was preparing to receive as many as 50,000 North Korean troops but did not specify where or when these troops would deploy.[15] The Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) — an international coalition formed to monitor and report on violations and evasions of United Nations sanctions against North Korea — reported on September 16 that between 15,000 and 30,000 North Koreans worked at drone factories in Russia, including at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the Republic of Tatarstan, as of the end of 2025.[16] The MSMT reported that the Russian government has created a special student visa scheme that camouflages North Korean workers as students. ISW has previously reported on Russia’s efforts to grant fake student visas to North Koreans or otherwise relax Russian visa requirements in an effort to alleviate Russian labor shortages.[17] ‼️ Up to 25,000 North Koreans work in Russian drone production — Ukrainska Pravda 🇺🇦 (@pravda.ua) 2026-09-17T09:56:28.160Z

The bill (1241), which Graham and cosponsors including Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) have worked to advance for more than a year, would issue mandatory sanctions not only on Russia’s leadership and energy sector, but also on abetters of Russia’s defense industry and so-called shadow fleet in an effort to curb the flow of cash to Moscow’s war chest. Ukraine’s supporters on the Hill and officials in Kyiv have been urging its passage, arguing that it would deal a timely blow to Russia’s war efforts as Kyiv seeks to capitalize on a series of recent favorable turns in the war to end it altogether. In comments on the Senate floor ahead of the vote, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and vocal backer of the bill Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) stressed the “urgency” of the moment. “The momentum is on Ukraine’s side,” Shaheen said. “Now is the time to put more pressure on Putin.” She added that the situation on the ground could turn back in Moscow’s favor within months — especially with assistance from foreign foes like China. It has already been a long road for the sanctions measure, which Graham and Blumenthal first introduced in April 2025. The lawmakers negotiated for months with the White House, which wanted more control over what entities it could sanction, and by how much. In July, Graham announced — from Kyiv — that the White House had agreed to a revised version of the bill. The new iteration of the bill includes broad authority for the president to waive any sanctions that are applied, as long as the White House provides a written certification that the waiver is “in the national interests of the United States” and a report outlining the basis for the certification. LLM: Key concepts explained Sanctions – Penalties one country (or group of countries) imposes on another country, company, or person to force a change in behavior. Common types include freezing bank assets, blocking trade or oil sales, cutting off access to the financial system, or banning travel. Example: freezing the overseas accounts of a foreign official.

– Penalties one country (or group of countries) imposes on another country, company, or person to force a change in behavior. Common types include freezing bank assets, blocking trade or oil sales, cutting off access to the financial system, or banning travel. Example: freezing the overseas accounts of a foreign official. Waiver / waiver authority – The legal permission to not enforce a rule that Congress wrote. Instead of repealing the law, the president can temporarily set aside a specific sanction. It’s like a manager writing a rule but reserving the right to make exceptions.

– The legal permission to not enforce a rule that Congress wrote. Instead of repealing the law, the president can temporarily set aside a specific sanction. It’s like a manager writing a rule but reserving the right to make exceptions. “Broad authority” – The language is loose enough that the president could waive many different sanctions across many situations, rather than only a narrow, pre-listed set. Critics usually worry this shifts power from Congress (which writes sanctions laws) toward the executive branch.

Written certification – A formal, signed statement by the administration declaring the legal condition is met (“this waiver is in our national interest”). It creates an official record and is often what legally triggers the authority to act.

– A formal, signed statement by the administration declaring the legal condition is met (“this waiver is in our national interest”). It creates an official record and is often what legally triggers the authority to act. Report outlining the basis – A written justification sent (typically to Congress) explaining the facts and reasoning for the waiver. This is a transparency/accountability check: it lets lawmakers, oversight committees, and the public evaluate whether the exemption was justified. Why it matters: The design is a compromise. Congress keeps the sanctions law on the books but hands the president flexibility for diplomacy or urgent policy needs, while requiring documentation so the use of that flexibility isn’t invisible or unaccountable.

NEW: Russian inaction and mismanagement have blockaded thousands of people in occupied Oleshky, Kherson Oblast and surrounding areas. (1/9)Read the full update: isw.pub/OccupationUp… — Institute for the Study of War (@thestudyofwar.bsky.social) 2026-09-17T16:30:02.000Z

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