Sep 25, 2026, 02:00 PM UTC

Former Slovenian national team figures Aleš Čeh and Jan Mlakar have reflected on their career trajectories and domestic club dynamics.

Čeh, the former national team captain who led Slovenia during its prominent tournament qualifications under head coach Srečko Katanec, later transitioned into coaching. He served as Katanec's assistant for over a decade, including a seven-year tenure in Asia. Despite his affinity for Olimpija Ljubljana and Austria's Grazer AK, Čeh emphasized his ongoing professional respect for rival NK Maribor.

Concurrently, 27-year-old forward Jan Mlakar has rejoined NK Maribor for a third spell. Despite being born in Ljubljana, Mlakar stated he was "never close to Olimpija" and voiced confidence in Maribor's sporting setup. Addressing an upcoming derby, Mlakar noted that while Olimpija "is in crisis, but in a derby it can only gain."

Sources: Delo, Siol.net

Reciprocal military strikes between Russia and Ukraine have escalated following night-time attacks across multiple regions. Russian ballistic missiles struck Kyiv, killing at least two people and injuring six others, shortly after Ukrainian drone strikes hit Russian industrial sites.

In Russia's Samara region, a drone attack sparked a fire at the Kuibyshev oil refinery, while additional strikes were reported in the Saratov region. Regional officials stated air defenses intercepted numerous unmanned aerial vehicles targeting industrial infrastructure.

Simultaneously, U.S.-led NATO operations involving American, Norwegian, and Polish forces were reported near Russia's Kaliningrad enclave. NATO officials described the maneuvers as routine activities aimed at maintaining alliance readiness.

Sources: Investor.bg, Mediapool, Nova TV

European security reports indicate that Russia is operating within increasingly narrow strategic options despite its capacity to sustain military operations in Ukraine. Ukrainian drone and missile strikes deep inside Russian territory have targeted key strategic aviation assets, placing added strain on Moscow's combat effectiveness and economy.

Simultaneously, European authorities have raised concerns regarding covert Russian hybrid operations, including explosives discovered at Leipzig airport and alleged sabotage plots targeting Danish defense suppliers. Tensions have also escalated between Moscow and Oslo following NATO exercises and the seizure of a Russian vessel, prompting Russian President Vladimir Putin to allege "statsterrorisme". Security experts advise European governments to maintain composure and sustain support for Kyiv while addressing covert threats.

Sources: Aftenposten, Berlingske, Dagens Næringsliv (DN), Finansavisen, TV 2 Nyheter

German security services are focusing on foreign state-sponsored hybrid threats following revelations connecting a failed August drone strike at Leipzig/Halle Airport to Russia's GRU military intelligence. Investigators suspect a Russian operative managed logistics for the attack, which targeted Ukrainian cargo aircraft.

Authorities across German federal states are currently examining over 100 suspected cases of foreign interference, including infrastructure sabotage against Deutsche Bahn, damaged undersea cables, disinformation, and unauthorized drone activity near sensitive locations. Furthermore, domestic intelligence officials warn that foreign actors may have hidden weapon caches within Germany to facilitate future destabilization efforts aimed at dividing society and weakening democratic structures.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Standard, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau

Recent historical analyses frame 1989 as a global inflection point that established the foundations of twenty-first-century politics. While Western nations predominantly associate the year with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe, critical geopolitical shifts occurred concurrently across Asia.

In Beijing, the violent suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square consolidated single-party autocratic rule alongside economic expansion. Meanwhile, the departure of Soviet forces from Afghanistan unleashed long-term regional instability throughout Central and South Asia. Together, these concurrent events marked the end of Cold War bipolarity and established the framework for modern systemic competition between democracies and autocratic powers.

Sources: Die Presse.