Sep 24, 2026, 08:30 PM UTC

United States federal prosecutors have unsealed an indictment charging five men connected to Russian intelligence services with conspiring to carry out assassinations and sabotage across North America and Europe. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the suspects paid individuals to surveil and target people aligned with Ukraine, including orchestrating a June 2024 attack in Prague. All five defendants remain at large.

Concurrently, a regional court in Stuttgart, Germany, convicted a Ukrainian national for participating in a Russian-directed plot to transport incendiary packages. Prosecutors stated the operation involved sending parcels containing GPS trackers and auto parts from Germany to Ukraine via courier services to undermine public security.

Sources: BBC News, Cyprus Mail, France24, OCCRP, The Guardian

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš confirmed security services are preparing for potential Russian hybrid attacks targeting nations supporting Ukraine, following similar warnings from Polish leadership.

Diplomatic and military engagements face internal hurdles. Czech Chief of General Staff Miroslav Hlaváč awaits defense ministry approval to attend a summit of European military chiefs in Ukraine. Concurrently, Deputy Speaker Barbora Urbanová met with Ukrainian parliamentary leaders after the Czech steering committee initially rejected official travel authorization.

In policy developments, updated European Union regulations extended temporary protection for displaced Ukrainians until March 2028, while tying status renewal to fulfilling domestic military service obligations. Meanwhile, Czech authorities established "Kobra 26," a specialized police task force investigating fraudulent employment agencies and tax evasion schemes exploiting Ukrainian workers.

Sources: Deník N, Ekonomický deník, iROZHLAS, Respect, Seznam Zprávy

US President Donald Trump has threatened steep commercial retaliation against the European Union over proposals to establish an associate membership for Canada. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently suggested formalizing associate status for Ottawa, an idea originally sparked by comments from Finnish President Alexander Stubb regarding growing North American diplomatic friction.

Trump labeled the initiative as "ridiculous" and warned that Washington could impose severe tariffs or halt bilateral trade across selected sectors if Brussels acts with hostile intent. However, he noted that retaliatory steps would be avoided if the proposal is driven by constructive motives.

Sources: 444, HVG, Telex.

The UK government has declined to enlarge its £1.5 billion financial support proposal for Northern Ireland, maintaining its offer despite requests from regional leaders for additional resources. Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant had previously raised the three-year package from an initial £1.1 billion proposal, but ministers in Belfast sought further funding to cope with growing fiscal strains.

The decision coincides with an assessment by the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council, which warned that public sector pay costs are outpacing Westminster's funding allocations. The advisory panel noted a "structural tension between the cost of maintaining the workforce and the funding available to do so," cautioning that regional leaders will face difficult decisions to sustain basic public services.

Sources: BBC Northern Ireland, The Journal.

Ahead of the election for Berlin's House of Representatives, political analyses highlight contrasting voter dynamics across the capital. Polling places Die Linke in the lead at 22 percent under candidate Elif Eralp, supported strongly by young voters focused on rising housing costs and social policies.

At the same time, electoral engagement among residents with a migration background shows varied patterns. Turnout remains lower in districts like Neukölln, while some young voters of Turkish heritage are gravitating toward the AfD due to concerns over public order, economic stability, and migration.

Sources: Correctiv, Die Zeit, DW, FAZ, Tagesschau.