Aug 25, 2026, 11:30 AM UTC

Poland celebrated Polish Armed Forces Day on 15 August to commemorate the 1920 Battle of Warsaw with nationwide events, including a military parade in Warsaw and a naval review off Gdynia.

During a visit to the PGZ Naval Shipyard in Gdynia to inspect construction on the frigate Wicher under the Miecznik modernization program, Prime Minister Donald Tusk declared that Poland aims to become a "maritime power." Speaking in Gdynia, Tusk outlined four key security pillars to deter conflict: tight borders, strong alliances, defense investments, and economic growth.

Military leadership, including Chief of the General Staff General Wiesław Kukuła, confirmed that ground, air, and naval units reached full operational readiness for the celebrations.

Sources: Defence24, Money, Portal obronny, Rzeczpospolita, TVP info

Ukrainian drone strikes have increasingly targeted Russian commercial logistics, hitting key distribution infrastructure operated by major e-commerce companies Wildberries and Ozon across multiple regions. Strikes ignited fires at Wildberries warehouses in Moscow and Leningrad oblasts, while Ozon reported attacks on several logistics hubs, including a facility in Makhachkala, Dagestan, causing its stock price to tumble nearly 30 percent.

The recent wave of drone strikes resulted in significant civilian casualties inside Russia. Authorities in Moscow Oblast reported five deaths and ten injuries following local strikes. In Krasnodar Krai, a drone impact on a beach in Arkhipo-Osipovka left seven people dead and around 40 injured. Meanwhile, frontline combat continued as Russian forces made tactical advances near Artilne in Kharkiv region, while Ukrainian units mounted counter-advances in the south.

Sources: Mediazona, Point, The Guardian, The Insider, Радіо Свобода

Multiple European countries are facing severe weather conditions as persistent heatwaves drive temperatures toward 40 degrees Celsius and higher across the continent.

Italian health officials issued top-level red warnings for all 27 major urban centers as the nation entered its fourth seasonal heatwave. Authorities urged residents to avoid direct sunlight between 11:00 and 18:00 and take precautionary measures against heat exposure. In Austria, meteorologists registered a new national temperature record of 40.8 degrees Celsius near Vienna.

The prolonged warmth is driving significant mortality and environmental strain. French health authorities reported more than 7,300 excess deaths between May and July following over 50 cumulative days of heatwaves. Western European nations, including France and the United Kingdom, are now preparing for additional periods of extreme heat alongside heightened risks of drought and wildfires.

Sources: Aftenposten, Berlingske, DR, TV 2 Nyheter, VG (Verdens Gang)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally rejected a 15-point Gaza peace proposal endorsed by US President Donald Trump, insisting Israeli troops will not pull back without the complete disarmament of Hamas.

Addressing his cabinet on Sunday, Netanyahu stated that Israel "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed" and confirmed the government's rejection of the agreement accepted by Hamas in late July. The decision comes despite a recent pause in major Israeli military strikes following diplomatic pressure from Washington.

The position highlights expanding friction between Washington and Tel Aviv. Netanyahu is balancing demands from far-right coalition partners against expectations from key foreign allies ahead of Israel's planned October general election.

Sources: Cyprus Mail, France24, STV News, The Guardian, The Herald.

US President Donald Trump has warned that Washington could target Oman militarily if the Gulf nation interferes with American efforts to secure an agreement regarding the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking to Fox News, Trump stated, "If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them," while demanding that Tehran "put up the white flag" of surrender.

The warnings follow reports that Iranian officials were finalizing a separate maritime passage agreement with Muscat. While Trump claimed active direct communication with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the military force denied participating in any talks with Washington. Trump also threatened broad economic sanctions against any country providing assistance or a "lifeline to Iran." Despite the escalating rhetoric, commercial shipping traffic through the key oil transit corridor reportedly remains unchanged.

Sources: BBC News, Cyprus Mail, France24, Sweden Herald, The Guardian.