49 Ukrainians released from Russian captivity

Ukraine successfully secured the release of 49 Ukrainian defenders and civilians from Russian captivity on September 13, as announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky. Among those freed were service personnel from the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the National Police, and border guards, along with 23 women, some of whom were civilians detained by Russia prior to the full-scale invasion.

Notable releases include Leniye Umerova, a young Crimean Tatar detained by Russia while trying to care for her ailing father in occupied Crimea, and military medic and Hero of Ukraine Viktor Ivchuk, who had been held captive since April 2022. This exchange also saw the return of 15 soldiers from the Azov Brigade, including a significant number of women, who defended Mariupol in 2022.

This marks the 56th prisoner exchange since the war began, bringing the total number of Ukrainians freed to 3,569. Kyiv remains committed to conducting an all-for-all prisoner exchange, a key topic at Ukraine's peace summit in Switzerland this past June.

Three people injured in Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

On September 13, Russian forces injured three people in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, according to Serhii Lysak, Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration.

A 54-year-old woman was wounded in Nikopol, while a 63-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man were injured in Marhanets. The attacks also caused significant damage, including to six residential buildings, five private homes, a utility company, a medical center, a café, a shop, a car wash, 17 cars, and local power lines.

Russia launched production of new drone with Chinese parts in 2023

In 2023, Russia began producing a new long-range attack drone, the Garpiya-A1, which uses Chinese engines and components, according to a report by Reuters on September 13. Despite China maintaining a stance of neutrality in the ongoing war, it has become a key supplier of dual-use goods to Russia, helping fuel its defense industry during the invasion of Ukraine.

The IEMZ Kupol, a subsidiary of Russia's Almaz-Antey, produced over 2,500 Garpiya drones between July 2023 and July 2024. These drones have reportedly been used to strike military and civilian targets in Ukraine, inflicting damage on critical infrastructure and causing casualties among both civilians and soldiers. This development marks a shift from Russia's previous reliance on Iranian-designed drones, as the Garpiya represents a more domestically produced, yet still internationally sourced, technological advancement.

Two undisclosed European intelligence sources confirmed this information, and Reuters reviewed documents and photos allegedly showing the wreckage of the Garpiya in Ukraine, though these images could not be independently verified. The news outlet further noted the involvement of China in Russia's war efforts through the provision of essential components, deepening concerns about their role in the conflict.

This comes in the context of increasing military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran, with the U.S. recently confirming that Iran has supplied Russia with Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles to bolster its war effort.