Sep 13, 2026, 07:30 AM UTC

Ukrainian forces have conducted clearing operations on the right bank of the Oskil River north of Kupiansk after neutralizing Russian drone capabilities, according to military analysts and local reports. Ukrainian defenders also report repelling over 220 to 250 daily assaults across key battlelines, particularly around Pokrovsk, Kostiantynivka, and Lyman.

However, conflicting claims persist along other sections of the front line. Russia's Ministry of Defense claimed its forces captured several settlements on the approaches to Sumy. Additionally, Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov personally denied reports of Ukrainian tactical gains in the Zaporizhzhia sector.

Strikes on ammunition depots were also reported in the Kyiv region as heavy combat continues across multiple operational areas.

Sources: NV, Radio Svoboda, The Insider, Ukrainska Pravda.

Ukrainian drone strikes have targeted Russian commercial infrastructure, igniting fires at Wildberries facilities in Leningrad Oblast and striking several Ozon logistics hubs, including a site in Dagestan. The disruptions triggered a steep decline in Ozon shares. Russian regional authorities also reported civilian casualties, including five deaths in Moscow Oblast and seven fatalities following a drone crash on a beach in Krasnodar Krai.

Meanwhile, Russian strikes on Kyiv killed nine people and wounded 33 others. Along the front line, Russian forces achieved tactical gains near Artelne in Kharkiv Oblast, while Ukrainian troops continued counter-offensive operations near Velyka Novosilka. Additionally, Belarus announced plans to establish a new air assault brigade near the border with Ukraine.

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

Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have heightened following a major US logistics and military operation to move millions of barrels of crude oil through the corridor under air, naval, and space cover. During the maneuver, US forces struck targets on Iran's Larak Island to clear the passage. Iranian forces responded by deploying rocket-launched naval mines along maritime routes.

Tehran declared that the waterway will remain closed until Washington agrees to a memorandum of understanding requiring the cessation of military operations, the lifting of petroleum sanctions, the unfreezing of Iranian assets, and an end to port blockades. Daily commercial traffic through the strait remains far below pre-war levels of 20 million barrels.

Sources: Expresso, Expresso das Ilhas, RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal)

United States-led NATO forces recently carried out unannounced military maneuvers around Russia's Kaliningrad enclave. The operations involved American and Norwegian fighter jets, AWACS reconnaissance planes, EA-37 aircraft, and Polish ground units. NATO representatives characterized the activities as routine defensive preparations.

Concurrently, aerial bombardment between Russia and Ukraine has escalated following the departure of US envoys from Kyiv. Russian ballistic missile strikes against the Ukrainian capital killed at least two people and injured six others, while a separate Russian drone strike damaged a commercial facility in northern Ukraine. In response, Ukrainian drones targeted Russia's Saratov region, causing several injuries.

Additionally, a British media investigation revealed that Russia has constructed ten covert launch sites near NATO borders, capable of launching long-range attack drones into alliance territories.

Sources: Investor.bg, Mediapool, Nova TV

Slovakia's cabinet, led by Prime Minister Robert Fico, has approved a constitutional amendment allowing citizens to initiate referendums to trigger early parliamentary elections, though the measure would only take effect in future electoral terms. The ruling coalition currently lacks the parliamentary majority required to pass the proposal.

The initiative comes amid mounting political and fiscal scrutiny following a six-week government recess. Fico rejected statutory debt brake rules requiring a balanced budget, claiming such measures would cause the breakdown of the social state. Meanwhile, opposition parties filed criminal complaints after Russian hardware was discovered in traffic monitoring cameras, calling for the interior minister's resignation. Fico dismissed the security risks. Additionally, commentators warned of long-term debt risks from Chinese-funded infrastructure deals alongside ongoing domestic project delays.

Sources: Denník N, Hospodářské noviny, iROZHLAS, Respect, Seznam Zprávy