Zelenskyy to Russians: Defy 'criminal mobilization'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Russians who have been drafted as part of the partial mobilization to not join the invasion force in Ukraine.

"It is better not to take a conscription letter than to die in a foreign land as a war criminal," he said during his nightly address late on Saturday.

Zelenskyy also pledged to protect Russian soldiers who voluntarily surrender, saying they would be treated "in accordance with all conventions" and that they would not let it be known that the soldier had surrendered voluntarily.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday signed into law an amendment to the criminal code to increase jail time for those found to have committed voluntary surrender.

The Ukrainian president also slammed Russia's "criminal mobilization," saying "Russian commanders do not care about the lives of Russians — they just need to replenish the empty spaces left by the dead, wounded, those who fled or the Russian soldiers that were captured."

Here's a roundup of other news from or concerning the war in Ukraine on September 24.

Zelenskyy talks of 'positive results' at front

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that heavy fighting is taking place with Russian forces in many places along the frontline, with "positive results in several directions."

"This is the Donetsk region, this is our Kharkiv region. This is the Kherson region, and also the Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia regions," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.

Zelenskyy also noted that the ongoing mobilization is being used by Russia not only to continue the suffering of Ukrainians, but also to destroy representatives of indigenous peoples.

"This is a calculated imperial policy. This is a blow to the peoples of, for example, Dagestan and the entire Caucasus, to the indigenous peoples of Siberia and other territories," he said.

Zelenskyy also repeated his appeal to the Russians not to submit to the mobilization. "Flee. Or surrender to Ukrainians at the first opportunity," he added.

US warns of catastrophic consequences if Russia uses nuclear weapons

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States would respond decisively to any Russian use of nuclear weapons against Ukraine and that it had spelled out to Moscow the "catastrophic consequences" it would face.

"If Russia crosses this line, there will be catastrophic consequences for Russia. The United States will respond decisively," Sullivan told NBC's "Meet the Press" program.

This US warning followed a thinly veiled nuclear threat made on Wednesday by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said Russia would use "all available means" to defend its territory.

Sullivan did not describe the nature of the planned US response in his comments but said the United States had been in private contact with Russia and had "spelled out in greater detail exactly what that would mean," including in the last few days.

Pro-Russia officials says Ukraine behind strike on Kherson hotel that killed two

Two people were killed in a missile strike that hit a hotel in the occupied Ukrainian city of Kherson, pro-Russian authorities have said.

An official said that pro-Russian former lawmaker Oleksiy Jouravko was one of those killed. Authorities said Russian media were also in the hotel during the strike.

"Today, at around 05:30 (0230 GMT), the Ukrainian armed forces fired a missile on the Play Hotel by Ribas" the regional Russian-controlled administration said in a statement.

"According to preliminary data, two people died in this terrorist act. Rescue workers are still combing the rubble to search for victims."

Kherson is one of the regions where occupying forces are carrying out a so-called "referendum" on whether regions of Ukraine should join the Russian Federation.

Odesa once again under fire from Iranian-made drones

Ukraine said on Sunday that Iranian-made drones were once again used overnight in a strike on the southern port city of Odesa.

"Odesa was attacked again by enemy kamikaze drones," the Ukrainian army's Operational Command South said on Facebook.

"The enemy hit the administrative building in the city center three times," it said, adding that one drone was shot down and no casualties had been reported.

The strikes come two days after a similar incident left two civilians dead and resulted in Ukraine downgrading Iran's diplomatic presence in the country over its supply of weaponry to Russia.

Long queues at Finnish border continue to grow

A 500-meter (0.3 mile) long queue had formed at the important Vaalimaa crossing on the Russian-Finnish border on Sunday morning, according to Matti Pitkaniitty, head of the International Affairs Unit for the Finnish border guards.

Finland saw a total of 8,572 Russian citizens cross into the country on Saturday, up from 5,286 a week ago, Pitkaniitty said.

Most Russians were entering with Schengen visas for other countries and thus were just passing through. But Helsinki has said it plans to impose an entry ban, even for tourists with Schengen visas.

The border has seen an uptick in crossings since Moscow announced its partial mobilization of hundreds of thousands of men to be sent to fight in Ukraine.

More Ukraine-related content on DW

Ukraine recently took back the Kharkiv region from Russian occupying forces. Residents who stayed in the region endured extreme hardships. 

Two women from Kharkiv told DW about their experiences during the six-month occupation.

Some German towns and cities are beginning to feel overwhelmed as they try to find proper accommodation for the Ukrainian refugees who made their way West to flee the war.

DW spoke with authorities and organizers who are sounding the alarm about a lack of proper space for people to live.

Soviet tanks and weapons have stood in Berlin for years as memorials of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

One lawmaker in Berlin spoke with DW about her call for these monuments to be removed in light of the war in Ukraine.

ab/wd (Reuters, AFP, dpa, AP, EFE)