Sep 23, 2026, 06:30 AM UTC

Cross-border strikes between Russia and Ukraine have intensified, impacting civilian areas, critical infrastructure, and frontline positions. Ukrainian drone attacks targeted Russian e-commerce facilities, igniting fires at Wildberries and Ozon warehouses, including sites near St. Petersburg and in Dagestan's capital, Makhachkala. Following six logistics hubs being struck within three days, Ozon shares dropped by nearly 30 percent.

Casualties mounted in several regions. In Moscow Oblast, drone strikes killed five people and injured ten at a local warehouse. In Krasnodar Krai, a drone impact on a beach in Arkhipo-Osipovka killed seven people and left dozens injured. Meanwhile, a Russian missile barrage against Kyiv resulted in nine deaths and 33 injuries. On the front line, Russian forces achieved a tactical breakthrough near Artelne in Kharkiv Oblast, while Ukrainian units continued advancing toward Velyka Novosilka. Additionally, Belarus announced plans to establish a new air assault brigade along its southern border with Ukraine.

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

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has communicated Tehran's conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz to US envoy Steve Witkoff. Iran's demands include an immediate end to the US naval blockade, the release of all frozen Iranian financial assets, and a comprehensive cessation of hostilities.

The diplomatic development follows US airstrikes against Iranian missile launchers on Larak Island, marking the first American strikes on Iranian territory in a month. Iranian state media confirmed that six naval personnel were killed in recent clashes.

While Qatari negotiators report that discussions remain active, prospects for a swift resolution face complications after US President Donald Trump stated that Washington would demand financial compensation from Iran for past foreign attacks.

Sources: Le Figaro, Le Monde, Le Soir, Libération, RTBF Info.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered her sixth State of the Union address in Brussels, outlining key priorities for the European Union amid growing geopolitical uncertainty.

Addressing lawmakers, Von der Leyen advocated for a "new European security architecture" to enhance defense capabilities, strengthen self-reliance, and diminish economic dependencies on global powers like China and the United States. She emphasized the necessity of expanding the bloc's defense industry and reforming migration policies.

Highlighting internal economic goals, she stressed that Europe must become "a place where it is easy to do business, easy to invest and easy to scale up." Her address also called for urgent climate adaptation measures following recent extreme weather events across the continent.

Sources: HRT Vijesti, Index, Poslovni dnevnik

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković has reaffirmed targets to raise the national average net wage to €1,600 by 2028. Ahead of government consultations with unions and employers in October over the current €1,050 minimum gross wage, officials unveiled a nearly €3 billion industrial plan aimed at boosting technological capacity and manufacturing output by 2034.

While Mislav Balković, head of the Croatian Employers' Association, argued that private business must drive expansion while addressing wage growth that exceeds productivity, economist Ljubo Jurčić offered a harsher assessment. Jurčić warned that national growth is decelerating, remarking that the economy is "drifting without an engine or a rudder."

Sources: HRT Vijesti, Index, Poslovni dnevnik, Vijesti.

Czech child protection authorities recorded more than 10,000 cases of abuse, neglect, and exploitation over the past year, marking a twenty-year high. Official data shows 3,616 children were removed from their families, an increase of 300 year-on-year. Child welfare advocates and the Czech ombudsman noted that official figures represent only a fraction of the problem, attributing the gap to missing assessment guidelines and insufficient specialized prevention services.

Simultaneously, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs is finalizing a seven-billion-koruna expansion of preschool facilities funded through the EU National Recovery Plan, amid criticism regarding a lack of quality standards. Internationally, the European Commission proposed the "EU KIDS Act" to ban social media access for children under 13 and restrict unmonitored accounts for minors under 15 across member states.

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